Multi-Value Voltage Generation Circuit for Semiconductor Variation Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor apparatuses face challenges in achieving high accuracy variation correction with low power consumption and small area, particularly due to trade-offs between noise, power consumption, and accuracy, which limits their application in miniaturized LSIs and other semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor apparatus utilizing a multi-value voltage generation circuit and a multi-value voltage bus to supply optimized voltages for correction, with a switch selecting appropriate voltages for each reading circuit, thereby reducing noise and power consumption while improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional current sources with binary arrangement are used for variation correction, then correction accuracy is improved, but noise increases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of voltage correction from binary (2 levels) to multi-value (5 levels: 0V, 1.25V, 2.5V, 3.75V, 5V). This parameter change allows for more precise correction with coarser voltage steps, reducing the noise associated with rapid switching while maintaining high correction accuracy through the increased number of correction levels.
2Measurement precision
If conventional current sources with binary arrangement are used for variation correction, then correction accuracy is improved, but device area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple voltage correction functions into a single multi-value voltage generation circuit. Instead of having separate binary current sources for each correction level, one circuit generates all five voltage levels (0V, 1.25V, 2.5V, 3.75V, 5V) that are then distributed to multiple reading circuits through voltage buses, significantly reducing the total device area required for variation correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-value voltage generation circuit serves multiple functions: it generates correction voltages for all reading circuits simultaneously, provides multiple correction levels (5 values) from a single circuit, and supplies these voltages through shared buses to numerous pixels. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated correction circuits in each reading circuit, reducing overall device area.
3Measurement precision
If more correction levels are provided to improve accuracy, then correction precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic switching of the multi-value voltage correction signals synchronized with the pixel readout cycle. The correction voltages are updated and switched periodically for each pixel row or column, rather than continuously, which reduces dynamic power consumption while maintaining the precision benefits of multiple correction levels during the actual measurement period.
Data Source
AI summary
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor apparatus for solving a trade-off between the area, power consumption, noise and accuracy of correction of a variation correction circuit that corrects variations in resistance and threshold voltage, etc. The present invention comprises a multi-value voltage generation circuit shared by a plurality of reading circuits, a multi-value voltage bus that supplies multi-value voltages to the reading circuits and switches that select a voltage suited to variation correction from multi-value voltages, wherein the multi-value voltages are distributed from the multi-value voltage generation circuit to the plurality of reading circuits, the switches select an optimum voltage for correction in the respective reading circuits to thereby correct variations in the elements.