Offset Voltage Measurement Circuit with Feedback Amplification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In highly integrated semiconductor circuits, such as DRAM and high-performance logic apparatuses, the offset voltage of input transistors becomes challenging to measure directly, leading to imprecision and requiring time-consuming indirect methods.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor integrated circuit with an offset voltage measuring unit and amplifying unit that utilizes multiple measurement nodes and feedback voltages to stabilize and measure offset voltage through a feedback operation, allowing for precise and efficient measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If indirect measurement methods are used to measure offset voltage, then the measurement can be performed, but the measurement process takes a long time and lacks precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the measured offset voltage is fed back to compensate for the actual offset in the amplifier circuit. This allows the system to automatically adjust and measure the offset voltage directly and precisely without time-consuming indirect processes. The feedback loop enables real-time measurement and compensation, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and time loss.
2Productivity
If transistor size is reduced to increase integration, then integration density improves, but offset voltage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service measurement system where the amplifier circuit measures its own offset voltage using an integrated measurement unit. The circuit automatically detects and compensates for its own offset without requiring external measurement equipment or manual intervention. This self-measurement capability allows precise offset voltage control even in highly integrated circuits with small transistors, resolving the contradiction between integration density and offset voltage control.
3Measurement precision
If direct measurement method is used to measure offset voltage, then measurement precision improves, but the measurement cannot be performed with conventional external apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the offset voltage measurement function directly into the amplifier circuit by integrating a measurement unit within the circuit itself. This combination of the amplifier and measurement unit eliminates the need for separate external measurement apparatus. The integrated design allows direct offset voltage measurement with high precision while avoiding the complexity of external measurement systems, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and apparatus complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An offset voltage measuring apparatus includes an offset voltage measuring unit including a plurality of measurement nodes having a current variation in response to a feedback voltage. An offset voltage amplifying unit outputs an output voltage amplified in response to an output signal of the offset voltage measuring unit, changes feedback voltage in response to a change in the output voltage and feeds back the feedback voltage to the offset voltage measuring unit.