Negative Voltage Regulation Circuit for Low Current Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage generation circuits face difficulties in regulating negative voltages using positive voltages, leading to high current consumption when attempting to generate or regulate negative voltages for semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A negative voltage regulation circuit is designed using an operational amplifier, pull-up and pull-down elements, and a voltage division unit to regulate negative voltages based on positive voltages, allowing for efficient generation and regulation of negative voltages by converting trimming information like process skew and temperature variations into positive voltages for use in the circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional adding unit is used to generate negative voltage by adding positive voltage and negative voltage, then the target voltage can be achieved, but a large amount of current is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a negative voltage regulation circuit as an intermediary component between the negative voltage generation unit and the adding unit. This regulation circuit uses a small amount of negative voltage to control the level of the final negative read voltage, rather than directly adding large voltages. The intermediary regulation mechanism significantly reduces current consumption while maintaining voltage level accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from direct voltage addition to regulated voltage level control. By using a regulation circuit that adjusts the negative voltage level based on feedback or control signals, the system achieves the same voltage generation function with much lower current consumption, transforming the problem from high-power direct synthesis to low-power regulated output.
2Device complexity
If only positive voltage is used for voltage generation, then the circuit design is simpler, but negative voltage cannot be generated for word line in read operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the voltage generation system into separate functional modules: a negative voltage generation unit that generates the base negative voltage, and a negative voltage regulation unit that regulates its level. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently - the generation unit handles the complex negative voltage creation while the regulation unit provides precise control with minimal complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The negative voltage regulation circuit serves multiple functions: it regulates the negative voltage level, reduces current consumption, and works seamlessly with the existing adding unit that handles positive voltage correction. This multi-functional regulation circuit enables the system to generate both positive and negative voltages with a unified design approach.
3Adaptability or versatility
If negative voltage is used as driving voltage in the adding unit, then negative read voltage can be generated, but the circuit consumes large current
Solution Approach 1:
The negative voltage regulation circuit employs feedback mechanisms to monitor and adjust the negative voltage output level. By using feedback control, the circuit can achieve precise voltage regulation with minimal power consumption, as the feedback signal requires very little current to control the regulation elements and maintain the desired voltage level.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulation circuit dynamically adjusts the negative voltage level based on circuit conditions and control signals, rather than using a fixed high-current approach. This dynamic regulation allows the circuit to maintain negative voltage generation capability while adapting the current consumption to the actual needs of the load, significantly reducing overall power usage.
Data Source
AI summary
A negative voltage regulation circuit includes an operational amplifier configured to receive a feedback voltage and an input voltage, a pull-up element configured to pull-up drive a first node based on output voltage of the operational amplifier, a load element coupled between the first node and a negative voltage terminal, a pull-down element configured to pull-down drive a final negative voltage output terminal using a voltage of the negative voltage terminal based on a voltage level of the first node, and a voltage division unit coupled between the final negative voltage output terminal and a pull-up voltage terminal, and configured to generate the feedback voltage by voltage division.