Patent Document

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2006-012856 filed Jan. 20, 2006, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a circuit configuration of a band gap circuit, in particular, a band gap circuit capable of outputting an output voltage without changing a K-value even in a case of using a transistor which is large in size and has poor response characteristics with a small K-value. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
       FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram of a conventional band gap reference voltage circuit. The voltage circuit is constituted of PMOS transistors P 21 , P 22 , P 23 , P 24 , and P 25 , NMOS transistors NL 21 , NL 22 , and NL 23 , an n-channel type depression transistor ND 21 , bipolar transistors B 21  and B 22 , and resistors R 21 , R 22 , and R 23 . In  FIG. 2 , when a ratio of an area of an emitter of a first bipolar transistor B 21  to that of a second bipolar transistor B 22  is set to 1:N, an output voltage VREF expressed by the equation
 
 VREF=VBE+Vt× 1 n N (1+ R 21/ R 22)
 
can be obtained under normal conditions. In the equation, VBE is a voltage applied across the base and the emitter of a bipolar transistor, and Vt is obtained by the equation of Vt=kT/q, where k is a Boltzmann constant, T is an absolute temperature, and q is an electron charge.
 
     (Patent Document 1) JP 2004-86750 A 
     The conventional example of  FIG. 2  is configured so as to be capable of outputting a predetermined output voltage VREF from an output terminal under stable conditions when a power supply voltage is applied across a power supply terminal VDD of a high potential and a power supply terminal VSS of a low potential. However, there is a drawback in the conventional example in that, in the case where sizes of the transistors P 24  and P 25  have been increased (to, for example, 100 μm for width “W” and 50 μm for length “L”) for offset elimination, if the transistor is the one manufactured by a process which leads to poor response characteristics in which a K-value is further decreased, the output voltage is stabilized at 0 V immediately after the power supply fluctuation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a band gap constant-voltage circuit which is configured by combining a PMOS transistor, an NMOS transistor, a bipolar transistor, and a resistor, and is capable of preventing an output voltage from being stabilized at 0 V immediately after the power supply fluctuation. 
     According to the constant-voltage circuit of the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a reference power supply circuit of the present invention adopts the following means as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     (1) A reference power supply circuit is characterized in that the back-gates of transistors P 112  and P 113  are each connected to a node  11 . 
     (2) A reference power supply circuit is characterized in that a level shifter circuit is connected to the gate of each of the transistors P 112  and P 113 . 
     In this manner, according to the reference power supply circuit of the present invention, it is possible prevent an output voltage from being stabilized at 0 V immediately after the power supply fluctuation without changing the K-value for a transistor even when the transistor which is large in size and manufactured by a process that leads to poor response characteristics with a small K-value, is used. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram showing a band gap reference voltage circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram showing a conventional band gap reference voltage circuit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is explained.  FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram showing a band gap circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Firstly, a configuration of the band gap circuit is explained. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the band gap circuit includes a differential amplifier, an n-channel type transistor NL 13  connected to the differential amplifier, level shifter circuits connected to an input of the differential amplifier, and a p-channel type transistor P 108  which is a cascode transistor provided between the differential amplifier and a p-channel type transistor P 104 . Note that, hereinafter the n-channel type transistor is abbreviated as n-type transistor, and the p-channel type transistor is abbreviated as p-type transistor. 
     The differential amplifier is formed of a general operational amplifier. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the differential amplifier of the band gap circuit is constituted of a pair of p-type transistors P 112  and P 113  and n-type transistors NL 11  and NL 12 , the n-type transistors having a low threshold voltage in the range of 0.4 to 0.5V (for example, 0.45 V). 
     The source of the n-type transistor NL 11  is connected to a ground, which serves as a reference potential, while the drain thereof is connected to the drain of the p-type transistor P 112 . Also, the gate of the n-type transistor NL 11  is connected to the gate of the n-type transistor NL 12 . Further, the drain and the gate of the n-type transistor N 11  are connected to each other (diode connection). The source of the n-type transistor NL 12  is connected to a ground, while the drain thereof is connected to the drain of the p-type transistor  113 , as in the case of the n-type transistor NL 11 . Also, the gate of the n-type transistor NL 12  is connected to the gate of the n-type transistor NL 11 . 
     The drain of the p-type transistor P 112  is connected to the drain of the n-type transistor NL 11 , and the source of the p-type transistor P 112  is connected to a power supply voltage VCC through the p-type transistor P 108  and P 104 . Also, the back-gate of the p-type transistor P 112  is connected to a node  11 . Further, the gate of the p-type transistor P 112  is connected to the source of a p-type transistor P 114 . The drain of the p-type transistor P 113  is connected to the drain of the n-type transistor NL 12 , while the source thereof is connected to the power supply voltage VCC through the p-type transistors P 108  and P 104 , as in the case of the p-type transistor P 112 . Also, the back-gate of the p-type transistor P 113  is connected to the node  11 . Further, the gate of the p-type transistor P 113  is connected to the source of a p-type transistor P 115 . 
     The n-type transistor NL 13  having a low threshold voltage in the range of 0.4 to 0.5V (for example, 0.45 V) is connected to the differential amplifier, and is also connected to an output terminal VREF  11  through a p-type transistor P 111 . The gate of the n-type transistor NL 13  is connected between the n-type transistor NL 12  and the p-type transistor P 113  both constituting the differential amplifier, with the gate of the n-type transistor NL 13  being connected to the drain of each of the n-type transistor NL 12  and the p-type transistor P 113 . 
     A p-type transistor P 107  is connected to the output terminal VREF  11 . The drain of the p-type transistor P 107  is connected to the output terminal VREF  11 , while the source of the p-type transistor P 107  is connected to the power supply voltage VCC. The gate of the p-type transistor P 107  is connected to the gate of the p-type transistor P 104 , and is also connected to the gate of the p-type transistor P 103  which is used as a constant current source. The p-type transistor P 107  is supplied with a current at the gate from the constant current source to turn on and off the gate. In response to this, the p-type transistor P 107  supplies the output terminal VREF  11  with a current from the power supply voltage VCC. 
     The p-type transistor P 104  is connected to the p-type transistor P 103  which is used as a constant current source. The drain of the p-type transistor P 104  is connected to the differential amplifier circuit through the p-type transistor P 108 , while the source thereof is connected to the power supply voltage VCC. Further, the gate of the p-type transistor P 104  is connected to the gate of each of the p-type transistors P 107 , P 106 , and P 105 . At the same time, the gate of the p-type transistor P 104  is also connected to the gate of the p-type transistor P 103  which is used as a constant current source. The p-type transistor P 104  is supplied with a current at the gate from the constant current source, to thereby turn on and off the gate. In response to this, the p-type transistor P 104  supplies the differential amplifier with a current from the power supply voltage VCC. Also, the p-type transistor P 103 , the p-type transistor P 104 , the p-type transistor P 105 , p-type transistor P 106 , and the p-type transistor P 107 , which are used as constant current power sources, constitute a current mirror circuit. 
     The p-type transistor P 104  is connected to the differential amplifier through the p-type transistor P 108  connected in cascode. In this manner, it is possible to prevent a channel length from being modulated, to thereby supply the differential amplifier with a stable current. Similarly, the p-type transistor P 105  is connected in cascode with the p-type transistor P 109 . The p-type transistor P 107  is connected in cascode with the p-type transistor P 111 . 
     The p-type transistor P 103  and an n-type depression transistor ND 13  are connected to each other through the drains thereof, and used as a constant voltage source. The n-type depression transistor ND 13  used as a direct-current power source has the source and the gate connected to a ground, and has the drain connected to the drain of the p-type transistor P 103 . The source of the p-type transistor P 103  is connected to the power supply voltage VCC, while the drain thereof is connected to the drain of the n-type depression transistor ND 13 . The p-type transistor P 103  has the drain and the gate connected to each other (diode connection), and the gate thereof is connected to the gate of each of the p-type transistor P 104 , p-type transistor P 105 , p-type transistor P 106 , and the p-type transistor P 107 . Similarly, a p-type transistor P 102  and an n-type depression transistor ND 12  are also used as a constant voltage source, and the gate of the p-type transistor P 102  is connected to the gate of each of the p-type transistor P 108 , p-type transistor P 109 , and p-type transistor P 110 . A p-type transistor P 101  and an n-type depression transistor ND 11  are also used as a constant voltage source, and the gate of the p-type transistor P 101  is connected to the gate of the p-type transistor P 111 . 
     The p-type transistor P 114  used as a level shifter circuit has the drain connected to a ground. The source of the p-type transistor P 114  is connected to the power supply voltage VCC through the gate of the p-type transistor  112 , the p-type transistor P 109 , and the p-type transistor P 105 . Also, the gate of the p-type transistor P 114  is connected to the output terminal VREF  11  through a resistor R 12 . Similarly, the p-type transistor P 115  used as a level shifter circuit has the drain connected to a ground, while the source thereof is connected to the power supply voltage VCC through the gate of the p-type transistor P 113 , the p-type transistor P 110 , and the p-type transistor P 106 . Also, the gate of the p-type transistor P 115  is connected to the output terminal VREF  11  through a resistor R 11 . 
     Connected between the output terminal VREF  11  and a ground are the resistor R 12 , the resistor R 13 , and a bipolar transistor B 12  in this order from the output terminal VREF  11  side. In addition, connected between the output terminal VREF  11  and a ground are the resistor R 11  and a bipolar transistor B 11  in this order from the output terminal VREF  11  side. 
     The bipolar transistor B 12  has a base and a collector both connected to a ground, while an emitter thereof is connected to a resistor R 13 . The resistor R 13  is connected to the bipolar transistor B 12  at one end, while connected to the resistor  12  and to the gate of the p-type transistor P 114  at the other end. The resistor R 12  is connected to the resistor R 13  and to the gate of the p-type transistor P 114  at one end, while connected to the output terminal VREF  11  at the other end. 
     The bipolar transistor B 11  has a base and a collector both connected to a ground, while has an emitter connected to the resistor R 11  and to the gate of the p-type transistor P 115 . Also, the resistor R 11  is connected to the bipolar transistor B 12  at one end, while connected to the output terminal VREF  11  at the other end. 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an operation of the band gap circuit is explained by comparison with the operation of the conventional band gap circuit. Unless a transient voltage fluctuation occurs, an input voltage to the differential amplifier remains invariant and a constant voltage is outputted from the VREF  11 . In contrast, when a transient voltage fluctuation occurs due to a power supply fluctuation (for example, the voltage is increased from 6 V to 30 V), the conventional circuit shown in  FIG. 2  is greatly affected by the power supply voltage fluctuation because the back-gates of the p-type transistors P 24  and P 25  are connected to the VCC. When those transistors are increased in size (to, for example, 100 μm in W length and 50 μm in L length), or when a transistor manufactured by a process which leads to poor response characteristics with a decreased K-value is used as each of the P-type transistors P 24  and P 25  for offset elimination, there occur instantaneous interruptions due to a change in a voltage applied to the back-gates when the power supply voltage fluctuation occurs. During the interruptions, an excessive current flows through the emitters of the bipolar transistors B 21  and B 22 , and an output voltage stabilized at a voltage (of, for example, 0 V), which is not a voltage originally intended for stabilization, is outputted to the VREF terminal. 
     On the other hand, according to this embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the back-gates of the p-type transistors P 112  and P 113  are connected to the node  11 , and therefore the back-gates are not affected from the power supply voltage fluctuation. Therefore, there occurs no instantaneous interruptions and no excessive current flows through the bipolar transistor B 11  even when a transient power supply voltage fluctuation occurs, to thereby make it possible to output a constant voltage as originally intended. 
     In a case where the back-gates of the p-type transistors P 24  and P 25  of  FIG. 2  are connected to the node  11 , the threshold values for the p-type transistors P 24  and P 25  increase, which means that a higher voltage than those in the conventional cases is required to turn on the transistors. Accordingly, there occurs a phenomenon in which the p-type transistors P 24  and P 25  are not turned on even when the power is turned on, with the result that the voltage applied to the VREF terminal continues to rise. In view of this, according to this embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the gates of the p-type transistors P 112  and P 113  are connected to the drain of the p-type transistor P 114  or of the p-type transistor P 115 , the p-type transistors P 114  and P 115  each being used as a level shifter circuit, and the gate voltage of the p-type transistors P 112  and P 113  is increased, thereby making it possible to turn on the p-type transistors P 112  and P 113  with a conventional voltage. A modification is made as described above, to thereby make it possible to output a constant output voltage at the time of a power supply fluctuation and a turn-on of the power source.

Technology Category: g