SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT HAVING LOAD DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a first power supply terminal (Vcc) and a second power supply terminal; a first transistor (T₅) and a second transistor (T₈) having gates (or bases) connected in common; an input terminal (IN) and an output terminal (OUT) connected to each source (or each emitter) of the first and second transistors (T₅,T₈) respectively, an output voltage level (V out ) being obtained from the output terminal (OUT) in accord­ ance with an input signal voltage level (V in ) supplied to the input terminal (IN); and a current mirror circuit (3) operating so that a first current flows through the first transistor (T₅) in proportion to a second current flowing through the second transistor (T₈), the value of the second current being determined in accordance with the output voltage level (V out ) and a value of a load (L) connected between the output terminal (OUT) and the second power supply terminal; and thereby, a voltage level supplied to the gates (or bases) of the first and second transistors (T₅,T₈) is varied in accordance with the value of the second current. Also, the above semiconductor integrated circuit may be used as a constant current output circuit by providing an output terminal (OUT) in one of the transistors (T₉) compris­ ing the current mirror circuit (3), for supplying a predeter­ mined constant current, and connecting a variable resistor (R cnt ) instead of the above load (L).

Description: The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit having load drive characteristics. Generally, a previously proposed semiconductor integrated circuit used as an analog buffer amplifier comprises a differential stage and an output stage, and an input signal having a voltage level V in is input to aninput terminal provided in the differential stage. When the input signal level V in rises, the output voltage level of the differential stage falls, and this lower voltage level is then inverted by the output stage. As a result, an output voltage having a voltage level V out , which is nearly equal to the input signal voltage level V in , is output from the output stage irrespective of the value of a load connected to an output terminal provided in the output stage. However, in the above-mentioned analog buffer amplifier, the output voltage V out of the output stage is fed back to the differential stage and, as a result, oscillation may occur if the frequency characteristics of the load L are in a predetermined condition. Therefore, a capacitor is provided in the output stage to correct the phase of the output voltage V out and prevent the above oscillation. As a result, a large area in the semiconductor integrated circuit is occupied by the capacitor, and thus a problem arises in that the total area needed for the layout of the semiconductor integrated circuit tends to increase. In this connection, if the capacitor is small size, the range of the load which can be driven by the analog buffer amplifier is limited. Further, in the above semiconductor integrated circuit, a constant current flows through constant current sources provided in the differential stage and the output stage, irrespective of the value of the load driven by the analog buffer amplifier. Particularly, in the constant current source provided in the output stage, it is necessary to determine the value of the constant current flowing through the constant current source by taking into consideration the value of the constant current flowing when the maximum load is driven. As a result, another problem arises in that the constant current value is always equal to the value needed when the maximum load is driven, and thus power is wasted. An article by A. A. A. Ahmed entitled "Zero-Offset Potential Follower Circuits" in RCA Technical Notes, No. 938, 17th September 1973, pages 1-7, RCA, Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A., discloses a current mirror circuit used in a differential amplifier configuration in order to control the currents flowing through first and second bipolar transistors connected to input and output terminals respectively. According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:- a first power supply terminal means and a second power supply terminal means; a first transistor and a second transistor having controlling electrodes connected in common and a first electrode thereof operatively connected to the second power supply terminal means, respectively, said common controlling electrodes being connected to a second electrode of said first transistor; an input terminal means and an output terminal means connected to said first electrodes of said first and second transistors respectively, whereby when an input signal voltage level is supplied to said input terminal means, an output signal voltage level is obtained from said output terminal means in accordance with said input signal voltage level; and a current mirror circuit comprising a pair of transistors formed by a third transistor and a fourth transistor having controlling electrodes connected in common, first electrodes thereof being connected to second electrodes of said first transistor and second transistor, respectively, and second electrodes thereof being connected to said first power supply terminal means and, further, said common controlling electrodes thereof being connected to said first electrode of said fourth transistor. An embodiment of the present invention may provide an analog buffer amplifier constructed without the provision of a feed-back circuit, and thus reducing the total area needed for the layout of the semiconductor integrated circuit by omitting the capacitor for correcting the phase. An embodiment of the present invention may provide a low-power analog buffer amplifier able to regulate the total current supplied from a power supply source in accordance with a value of a load driven by the analog buffer amplifier, thus reducing the consumption of power. An embodiment of the present invention may increase an input impedance of the analog buffer amplifier in a usual mode and reduce a drive ability required for driving the analog buffer amplifier. Another embodiment of the present invention may provide a constant current output circuit by utilizing the above analog buffer amplifier, and may provide a constant current output circuit having the same advantages as those of the above analog buffer amplifier, and able to output a predetermined constant current with a high accuracy and high stability in accordance with a resistance value of a variable resistor connected from outside of a chip to a predetermined terminal of the circuit. An embodiment of the present invention may provide a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising an analog buffer amplifier able to output a predetermined voltage level in accordance with an input signal voltage level irrespective of a value of a load, without consuming high power; and may also provide a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a constant current output circuit utilizing the above analog buffer amplifier, able to output a predetermined constant current in accordance with a constant input signal voltage level and a resistance value of a variable resistor connected from outside of a chip to a predetermined terminal of the circuit. In one embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor integrated circuit operates so that the output voltage level obtained from the source (or the emitter) of the second transistor is determined in accordance with the value of the input signal voltage level supplied to the source (or the emitter) of the first transistor, and the current mirror circuit makes the value of the first current proportional to the value of the second current (namely, the load current), and thus the voltage level supplied to the gates (or bases) of the first and second transistors is varied in accordance with the value of the second current so as to supply enough current from the power supply source to drive the load. In another embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor integrated circuit operates so that the constant output voltage level (D.C. voltage level) is obtained from the source (or the emitter) of the second transistor in accordance with the value of the predetermined constant input signal voltage level (D.C. voltage level) supplied to the source (or the emitter) of the first transistor, and the current mirror circuit makes the value of the first current proportional to the value of the second current (namely, the current flowing through the variable resistor), and thus the voltage level supplied to the gates (or bases) of the first and second transistors is varied in accordance with the value of the second current and the predetermined constant current is output from the output terminal provided in the current mirror circuit in accordance with the value of the second current. Reference is made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a previously proposed semiconductor integrated circuit used as an analog buffer amplifier; Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention: Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a previously proposed constant current output circuit. To clarify the background of the present invention, an example of a previously proposed semiconductor integrated circuit used as an analog buffer amplifier is shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the analog buffer amplifier comprises a differential stage 1 and an output stage 2. The differential stage 1 comprises a pair of p channel type transistors T₁₁ and T₁₂ having gates connected to a drain of the transistor T₁₁ , a pair of N channel type transistors T₁₃ and T₁₄ having sources connected in common, and a constant current source 15 connected between the sources of the transistors T₁₃ and T₁₄ and earth potential. The output stage 2 comprises a P channel type transistor T₁₆ and a constant current source 17 connected between a drain of the transistor T₁₆ and the earth potential. An input signal having a voltage level V in is input to a input terminal IN connected to a gate of the transistor T₁₄ provided in the differential stage 1. Further, a voltage level of a drain of the transistor T₁₄ is supplied to a gate of the transistor T₁₆ provided in the output stage 2, and an output voltage V out obtained from the drain of the transistor T₁₆ is fed back to a gate of the transistor T₁₃ provided in the differential stage 1. Thus, if the input signal level V in supplied to the gate of the transistor T₁₄ rises, the voltage level of the drain of the transistor T₁₄ falls, and this lower voltage level is then inverted by the transistor T 16 . As a result, an output voltage having the voltage level V out , which is nearly equal to the input signal voltage level V in , is output from the drain of the transistor T₁₆ (namely, from an output terminal OUT) irrespective of the value of a load L connected between the output terminal OUT and the earth potential. Thus, the ability for driving the load is increased at the output side of the output stage 2. However, as above-mentioned, in the above analog buffer amplifier, the output voltage V out is fed back to a gate of the transistor T₁₃ , and as a result, oscillation may occur if the frequency characteristics of the load L are in a predetermined condition. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 1, a capacitor C is connected between the gate and drain of the transistor T₁₆ , to correct the phase of the output voltage V out and prevent this oscillation. As a result, a large area in the semiconductor integrated circuit is occupied by the capacitor, and thus a problem arises in that the total area needed for the layout of the semiconductor integrated circuit tends to increase. In this connection, if the capacitor C is small size, the range of the load which can be driven by the analog buffer amplifier becomes limited. Further, in the previously proposed semiconductor integrated circuit, a constant current flows through the constant current sources, irrespective of the value of the load driven by the analog buffer amplifier. Particularly, in the constant current source 17 provided in the output stage 2, it is necessary to determine the value of the constant current flowing through the constant current source by taking into consideration the value of the constant current flowing when the maximum load is driven. As a result, another problem arises in that the constant current value becomes always equal to the value needed when the maximum load is driven, and thus power is wasted. Figure 2 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention, by which these problems may be solved. As shown in Fig. 2, the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a pair of N channel type transistors T₅ and T₈ having gates connected to a drain of the transistor T₅ , and an input terminal IN is connected to a source of the transistor T₅. Thus, each gate voltage of the transistors T₅ and T₈ becomes almost equal to (V in + V th ), where V in and V th correspond to a voltage level supplied to the input terminal IN and a threshold voltage of the transistors T₅ and T₈ , respectively. As a result, the output voltage level V out obtained from a source of the transistor T₈ (namely, from an output terminal OUT) becomes equal to the input voltage level V in , and thus a predetermined load current is supplied to the load L connected between the output terminal OUT and the earth potential. Thus, if it is assumed that the load current increases in accordance with the variation of the input signal level V in or the value of the load L, the N channel transistor T₈ connected to the output terminal OUT will increase the load current flowing from a power supply source V CC through a transistor T₇ , and as a result, a drain voltage of the transistor T₈ will fall. Further the circuit shown in Fig. 2, comprises a current mirror circuit 3 including the transistor T₇ and two transistors T₄ and T₁ (all of these transistors T₇ , T₄ , and T₁ are P channel type transistors having gates connected to a drain of the transistor T₇), and a current having a value proportional to the load current flowing through the transistor T₇ flows through each of the transistors T₄ and T₁. In this connection, the ratio between each current value flowing through each of these transistors T₇ , T₄ , and T₁ is determined by the ratio between the size (namely, each current amplification factor β) of each of these transistors T₇ , T₄ , and T₁. Thus, when the load current increases, the gate voltage of each of these transistors T₇ , T₄, and T₁ constructing the current mirror circuit 3 (namely, a drain voltage of the transistor T₈) falls, and thee current flowing through the P channel transistor T₄ increases. As a result, a drain voltage of the transistors T₄ and T₅ (namely, the gate voltage of each pair of transistors T₅ and T₈) rises. Thus, the gate voltage of each of the N channel transistors T₅ and T₈ rises in accordance with the increased load current, and is regulated so as to compensate for the insufficiency of the gate bias voltage. As mentioned above, if the value of the load current increases in accordance with the input signal level V in or the value of the load L, the current supplied from the power supply source V CC increases, and similarly, if the value of the load current decreases, the current supplied from the power supply source V CC decreases. Also, the current flowing through the transistor T₁ constructing the current mirror circuit 3 becomes equal to the current flowing through the transistor T₄ (if it is assumed that the sizes (namely, each current amplification factor) of each of the transistors T₁ and T₄ are equal), and this equal current flows through the N channel transistors T₂ and T₃. In this connection, the circuit shown in Fig. 2 also comprises another current mirror circuit 4 including the transistor T₃ and a transistor T₆ (both transistors are N channel type transistors), and the value of the current flowing through the transistor T₆ becomes equal to that flowing through the transistor T₃ , if it is assumed that the sizes (namely, each current amplification factor) of each of these transistors T₃ and T₆ are equal. As a result, almost all of the current flowing through the transistors T₄ and T₅ toward the source of the transistor T₅ (namely, toward (or from) the input terminal) flows into the transistor T₆. In other words, the value of the current flowing into the input terminal IN or flowing out of the input terminal IN becomes almost zero in a usual mode, and thus it is possible to remarkably increase the input impedance of the analog buffer amplifier circuit in a usual mode and to reduce the drive ability needed of the system provided for driving the analog buffer amplifier. In this connection, although it is not always necessary to provide the transistor T₂ connected in series to the transistor T₁ , the circuit shown in Fig. 2 is provided with the transistor T₂ to ensure a balance in each circuit which is provided with each of the transistors T₅ and T₂ , and thus it is possible to obtain a highly accurate circuit. As above-mentioned, it is possible to regulate the value of the current supplied from the power supply source in accordance with the value of the load current, and to obtain a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a low-power analog buffer amplifier which does not waste power. Figure 3 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention, which comprises a constant current output circuit utilizing the above analog buffer amplifier. In Fig. 3, members identical to those of Fig. 2 are represented by the same reference numerals or characters (as in all later figures.) As shown in Fig. 3, the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention, comprises a pair of N channel transistors T₅ and T₈ having gates connected to a drain of the transistor T₅ , and a predetermined constant reference voltage V ref (D.C. bias voltage) is supplied to the input terminal IN connected to the source of the transistor T₅. As a result, the output voltage level V a obtained from the source of the transistor T₈ (namely, from a terminal T to which a variable resistor R cnt is connected) becomes equal to the above reference voltage level V ref applied to the input side. In this connection, the above variable resistor R cnt is connected to a terminal T from outside of the chip on which the above integrated circuit is provided, and thus the value of the current I₁ flowing through the variable resistor R cnt becomes equal to the value of V a /R' (namely, the value of V ref /R'), where R' corresponds to the resistance value of the above variable resistor R cnt . Further, the circuit shown in Fig. 3, comprises a current mirror circuit 3' including a P channel type transistor T₉ having a drain connected to a terminal OUT for outputting a predetermined constant current, and the other P channel transistors T₁ , T₄ , and T₇. Thus, if it is assumed that the value of the current flowing through the transistor T₇ is I₁ , the value I₂ of the current flowing through the transistor T₉ (namely, the current obtained from the constant current output terminal OUT) is determined by the following equation, where each of β₇ and β₉ is the current amplification factor of each of the transistors T₇ and T₉. In this connection, the current amplification factor β is a parameter representing the ability of a transistor and is a constant value determined by the size of the transistor, mobility, and thickness of a gate oxide layer of the transistor, and so on. Therefore, if the reference voltage V ref is set to the predetermined constant value, the value I₂ of the current obtained from the terminal OUT is determined only by the resistance value R' of the variable resistor R cnt . As a result, it is possible to obtain a constant current source able to output the predetermined constant current I₂ controlled only by the resistance value R' of the variable resistor R cnt and having a very high accuracy and stability, which resistor R cnt is connected from outside of the chip to the above terminal T. In this connection, a circuit such as shown in Fig. 6 is a previously proposed constant current output circuit able to output a predetermined constant current by using a variable resistor R cnt connected from outside of the chip to a terminal T. As shown in Fig. 6, the circuit comprises a current mirror circuit 5 including a pair of P channel transistors T₂₁ and T₂₂ having gates connected to a drain of the transistor T₂₁ , and the variable resistor R cnt is connected to a drain of the transistor T₂₁ (namely, to a terminal T for connecting the variable resistor), and a terminal OUT ford outputting the predetermined constant current I₂' is connected to a drain of the transistor T₂₂. Thus, the value I₂' of the current output from the terminal OUT becomes proportional to the value I₁' of the current flowing through the variable resistor R cnt (namely, the value of V a '/R', where V a ' is a voltage level of a drain of the transistor T₂₁ , and R' is a resistance value of the variable resistor R cnt ). However, the voltage level V a ' becomes equal to the difference value between a power supply voltage V CC and a threshold voltage V th of the transistor T₂₁ , and thus the value of the level V a ' varies in accordance with the variation of the threshold voltage V th . As a result, the above current value I₂' also varies in accordance with the variation of the threshold voltage V th , and therefore, in a circuit as shown in Fig. 6, it is difficult to obtain an output current with a high accuracy. Contrary to this, according to the above-mentioned circuit of the present invention as shown in Fig. 3, it is possible to output the predetermined constant current with a high accuracy and stability, and to obtain a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a constant current source of low power (namely, a constant current source consuming only little power). As above-mentioned, in the circuits according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, MOS transistors are used as the transistors T₁ to T₉. It is not always necessary to use MOS transistors as these transistors T₁ to T₉ , and bipolar transistors, for example, can be used instead of these MOS transistors. Figure 4 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention, which comprises bipolar transistors T₁' to T₈' corresponding to the MOS transistors T₁ to T₈ shown in Fig. 2. The operation of the circuit shown in Fig. 4, is the same as that of the circuit shown in Fig. 2. Figure 5 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the present invention, which comprises bipolar transistors T₁' to T₉' corresponding to the MOS transistors T₁ to T₉ shown in Fig. 3. The operation of the circuit shown in Fig. 5, is the same as that of the circuit shown in Fig. 3. In this connection, as mentioned above, it is not always necessary to provide the transistor T₂ in each of the circuits shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, and therefore, in each of the circuits shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the above transistor T₂ is not provided. As described above it is possible to obtain a low-power analog buffer amplifier able to regulate the current supplied from the power supply source in accordance with the value of the load driven by the analog buffer amplifier, and to lower the power consumption. Simultaneously, it is not necessary to provide a capacitor in the circuit for correcting the phase, and thus it is possible to reduce the total area needed for the layout of the semiconductor integrated circuit. Further, it is possible to obtain a constant current output circuit having not only the same advantages as those of the above analog buffer amplifier, but also able to output a predetermined constant current with a high accuracy and stability.

Claims: A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:- a first power supply terminal means (V cc ) and a second power supply terminal means; a first transistor (T₅, T₅') and a second transistor (T₈, T₈') having controlling electrodes connected in common and a first electrode thereof operatively connected to the second power supply terminal means, respectively, said common controlling electrodes being connected to a second electrode of said first transistor (T₅, T₅'); an input terminal means (IN) and an output terminal means (OUT, T) connected to said first electrodes of said first (T₅, T₅') and second (T₈, T₈') transistors respectively, whereby when an input signal voltage level (V in , V ref ) is supplied to said input terminal means (IN), an output signal voltage level (V out , V a ) is obtained from said output terminal means (OUT, T) in accordance with said input signal voltage level (V in , V ref ); and a current mirror circuit (3) comprising a pair of transistors formed by a third transistor (T₄, T₄') and a fourth transistor (T₇, T₇') having controlling electrodes connected in common, first electrodes thereof being connected to second electrodes of said first transistor (T₅, T₅') and second transistor (T₈, T₈'), respectively, and second electrodes thereof being connected to said first power supply terminal means (V cc ) and, further, said common controlling electrodes thereof being connected to said first electrode of said fourth transistor (T₇, T₇'). A semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein said transistors (T₅, T₈, T₄, T₇) are field effect transistors and gates thereof are used as said controlling electrodes. A semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein said transistors (T₅', T₈', T₄', T₇') are bi-polar type transistors and bases thereof are used as said controlling electrodes. A semiconductor integrated circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said circuit is further provided with a further current mirror circuit (4) comprising another pair of transistors (T₃, T₃', T₆, T₆') one of which (T₆, T₆') is connected between said input terminal means (IN) and said second power supply terminal means. A semiconductor integrated circuit according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein, in use, a first current flows through said first transistor (T₅, T₅') in proportion to a second current flowing through said second transistor (T₈, T₈'), the value of the second current being determined in accordance with said output voltage level (V out ) and a value of a load (L) connected between said output terminal means (OUT) and said second power supply terminal means, and a voltage level supplied to said controlling electrodes of said first and second transistors (T₅, T₅', T₈, T₈') being varied in accordance with the value of said second current. A semiconductor integrated circuit according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said current mirror circuit (3') is provided with a fifth transistor (T₉, T₉'), having a first electrode connected to a further output terminal means (OUT) provided in addition to said output terminal means (T), and a second electrode connected to said first power supply terminal means (V cc ), a controlling electrode thereof being connected to said first electrode of said fourth transistor (T₇, T₇'), a constant input signal voltage level (V ref ) being applied to said input terminal means (IN), and a variable resistor (R cnt ) being provided between said first electrode of said second transistor (T₈, T₈') and said second power supply terminal means. A semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 6, wherein, in use, a first current flows through said first transistor (T₅, T₅') in proportion to a second current flowing through said second transistor (T₈, T₈'), the value of the second current being determined in accordance with said output signal voltage level (V a ) and a resistance value of said variable resistor (R cnt ), a voltage level supplied to said gates of said first and second transistors (T₅, T₅', T₈, T₈') being varied in accordance with the value of said second current, and a predetermined constant current (I₂) being output from said further output terminal means (OUT) in accordance with the value of the said second current.

Inventors: GOTOH, KUNIHIKO, KOUSAKA, KUNIMITSU
Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H03F3
IPC codes: H03F3, H01L29