ISSN:
1573-1979
Keywords:
low-voltage
;
low-power
;
switched currents
;
floating gates
;
current mode
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Control Technology
Notes:
Abstract A proposal for a class AB switched current memory cell, suitable for ultra-low-voltage applications is presented. The proposal employs transistors with floating gates, allowing to build analog building blocks for ultra-low supply voltage operation also in CMOS processes with high threshold voltages. This paper presents the theoretical basis for the design of “floating-gate” switched current memory cells by giving a detailed description and analysis of the most important impacts degrading the performance of the cells. To support the theoretical assumptions circuits based on “floating-gate” switched current memory cells were designed using a CMOS process with threshold voltages $$V_{T0n} = \left| {V_{T0p} } \right| = 0.9V$$ for the n- and p-channel devices. Both hand calculations and PSPICE simulations showed that the designed example switched current memory cell allowed a maximum signal range better than ±18 μA with a supply voltage down to 1 V, and relatively small device dimensions. In spite of the relatively large signal processing range, the class AB operation of the cell enabled a very low quiescent current consumption, 1 μA in this design, resulting in a very high current efficiency and effective power consumption, as well as good noise performance.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1008315128670
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