[paper] MOSFET-Based Voltage Reference Circuits

Moisello, Elisabetta, Edoardo Bonizzoni, and Piero Malcovati

MOSFET-Based Voltage Reference Circuits in the Last Decade: A Review

Micromachines 15, no. 12 (2024): 1504

Abstract: Voltage reference circuits are a basic building block in most integrated microsystems, covering a wide spectrum of applications. Hence, they constitute a subject of great interest for the entire microelectronics community. MOSFET-based solutions, in particular, have emerged as the implementation of choice for realizing voltage reference circuits, given the supply voltage scaling and the ever-lower power consumption specifications in various applications. For these reasons, this paper aims to review MOSFET-based voltage reference circuits, illustrating their principles of operation, as well as presenting a detailed overview of the state-of-the-art, in order to paint an accurate picture of the encountered challenges and proposed solutions found in the field in the last decade, thus providing a starting point for future research in the field.

FIG: Schematic of a generic threshold voltage-based MOSFET reference circuit

and graphical representation of a transistor ZTC point.

[paper] La:HfO2 gate stacked ferroelectric tunnel FET

Neha Paras^a, Shiromani Balmukund Rahi^b, Abhishek Kumar Upadhyay^c,
Manisha Bharti^d, Young Suh Song^e

Design and analysis of novel La:HfO2 gate stacked ferroelectric tunnel FET
for non-volatile memory applications

Memories - Materials, Devices, Circuits and Systems

Volume 7, April 2024, 100101

DOI: 10.1016/j.memori.2024.100101

a Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
b Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
c X-FAB Dresden GmbH & Co. KG, Dresden, Germany
d National Institute of Technology, Delhi, India
e Korea Military Academy, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Abstract : Recent experimental studies have shown lanthanum-doped hafnium oxide (La:HfO2) possessing ferroelectric properties. This material is of special interest since it is based on lead-free, simple binary oxide of HfO2, and has excellent endurance property (1 × 109 field cycles without fatigue. There exists substantial information about the material aspects of La:HfO2 but it lacks proven application potential for CMOS-compatible low-power memory design. In this work, 10 % La metal cation fraction of HfO2 (La:HfO2) is proposed as the gate stack material in tunnel FET (TFET) for its potential as a memory device. 2D device simulations are carried out to show that the proposed ferroelectric TFET (FeTFET) provides the largest memory window (MW) as compared to present perovskite ferroelectric materials such as PZT, SBT (SrBi2Ta2O9) and silicon doped (4.6 % Si in HfO2) hafnium oxide (Si:HfO2). The larger window is attributed to greater polarization, and the calculation of MW is quantified by the shift in threshold voltage (Vth). The simulations carried out in this work suggest that La:HfO2 can be adopted as a potential ferroelectric material to target low-power FeTFET design at significantly reduced ferroelectric layer thickness.

FIG: Polarization phenomena of the proposed 

La:HfO2 gate stacked ferroelectric tunnel FET

[paper] Open-source design of integrated circuits

Patrick Fath, Manuel Moser, Georg Zachl. Harald Pret

Open-source design of integrated circuits

Elektrotech. Inftech. (2024)

DOI: 10.1007/s00502-023-01195-5

* Institute for Integrated Circuits, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria

Abstract: This paper presents the design of a self-clocked 12-bit non-binary fully differential SAR-ADC using the SKY130 open-source PDK. The entire mixed-signal circuit design and layout were created with free and open-source software. The ADC reaches a sample rate of up to 1.44MS/s at 1.8V supply while consuming 703μW of power on a small 0.175mm area. A configurable decimation filter can increase the ADC resolution up to 16 bits while using an oversampling factor of 256. A 9‑bit thermometer-coded and 3‑bit binary-coded DAC matrix using a 448 aF waffle-capacitor results in a total capacitance of 1.83pF per input. Realizations of configurable analog functions using the form factor of SKY130 high-density standard cells allow the parametrization of an analog circuit in a hardware description language and hardening of the macro in an intentionally digital workflow.

FIG: Block diagram of the proposed open-source design flow,

including the essential tools and used/generated files

Acknowledgements: The authors thank Johannes Kepler University for funding the open-access publication, Google and SkyWater Technologies for igniting this recent wave of open-source IC design, and the large crowd of enthusiasts spending their time on developing and maintaining an extensive array of exciting open-source EDA projects. Open access funding provided by Johannes Kepler University, Linz.

[paper] FDSOI Threshold Voltage Model

Hung-Chi Han1, (Student, IEEE), Zhixing Zhao2, Steffen Lehmann2,

Edoardo Charbon1, (Fellow, IEEE), and Christian Enz1 (Life Fellow, IEEE)

Novel Approach to FDSOI Threshold Voltage Model Validated at Cryogenic Temperatures

in IEEE Access, DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3283298

1 Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
2 GlobalFoundries, 01109 Dresden, Germany

Abstract: The paper presents a novel approach to to the modeling of the back-gate dependence of the threshold voltage of Fully Depleted Silicon-On-Insulator (FDSOI) MOSFETs down to cryogenic temperatures by using slope factors with a gate coupling effect. The FDSOI technology is well-known for its capability to modulate the threshold voltage efficiently by the back-gate voltage. The proposed model analytically demonstrates the threshold voltage as a function of the back-gate voltage without the pre-defined threshold condition, and it requires only a calibration point, i.e., a threshold voltage with the corresponding back-gate voltage, front- and back-gate slope factors, and work functions of front and back gates. The model has been validated over a wide range of the back-gate voltages at room temperature and down to 3 K. It is suitable for optimizing low-power circuits at cryogenic temperatures for quantum computing applications

FIG: Room temperature back-gate coefficient η versus VT−VB for an n-type conventional well (RVT) FDSOI FET with 1 µm of gate length and width. The θ=0 happens at VT−VB = −0.63V due to −0.63V of the front-back gate work function difference 

Acknowledgment: The authors would like to thank Claudia Kretzschmar from GlobalFoundries Germany and GlobalFoundries University Partnership Program for providing 22 FDX® test structures and support. Hung-Chi Han would like to thank Davide Braga from Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for his valuable support. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research & Innovation Program under grant agreement No. 871764. SEQUENCE.

[paper] Systematic approach for IG-FinFET amplifier design using gm/Id method

Alireza Hassanzadeh and Sajad Hadidi

Systematic approach for IG-FinFET amplifier design using gm/Id method

Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing (2021)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10470-021-01917-9

EE Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: In this paper, a systematic approach has been used to apply gm/Id method for the design of Independent Gate (IG) FinFET amplifiers. The design of high-performance amplifiers using gm/Id method has been successfully applied to nanometer devices. IG-FinFETs have been widely used in digital circuit implementations. However, the application of IG-FinFETs in analog circuits is limited and brings many advantages including low power, low voltage operation of transistors. Independent gates of FinFET can receive different voltages that facilitate low voltage operation of the circuit. Simulation-based gm/Id method has been applied to IG-FinFET transistors and a systematic methodology has been developed for the design of IG-FinFET amplifiers. The Berkeley BSIM-IMG 55 nm technology parameters have been used for HSPICE simulations. The designed amplifier has a DC gain of about 45 dB while consuming 6.5 µW from a single 1 V power supply.

Fig: gm/Id vs. normalized Id(Vbg)

[chapter] Low-Voltage Analog IC Design

Deepika Gupta¹

Low-Voltage Analog Integrated Circuit Design

Nanoscale VLSI. Book series (ESIEE) (2020) pp 3-22

DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-7937-0_1

¹Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, IIIT Naya Raipur, India

Abstract: In this chapter, we review the challenges and effective design techniques for ultra-low-power analog integrated circuits. With the miniaturization, having low-power low-voltage mixed signal IC is essential to maintain the electric field in the device. This constraint presents bottleneck for the researchers to design robust analog circuits. Specifically, the low value of supply voltage with small technology influences many specifications of analog IC, e.g., power supply rejection, dynamic range and immunity to noise, etc. In addition, it also affects the ability of the MOS transistor to be operated in the strong inversion region. Note that with the technology reduction, power supply VDD is reducing but the threshold voltage VT is not decreasing proportionally to maintain low leakage current. However, this process reduces the overdrive voltage and limits the staking of transistors. In this case, the transistor can be made to work in weak inversion to work and reduce the power consumption. Further, reduction in VDD to achieve low-power consumption causes many other circuit-related issues such as PVT variations, degradation of dynamic range, mismatching in circuits element and differential paths. There have been many design methods developed for the ultra-low-power analog ICs. In this chapter, we will discuss some of the design techniques to reduce the power consumption in analog ICs. In addition, we will also discuss the basic building blocks of analog circuits with discussed design techniques. The charge-based EKV model can be a very suitable example of a MOS simulation model to be used in all inversion regions of transistor operations [Enz 2017]. In EKV model, the smallest number of core parameters is needed for the accurate behavioral modeling of transistor. Particularly, charge-based EKV model is beneficial for the analysis of analog circuits because it allows the analysis with simple calculations over different inversion regions. Hence, developing new device simulation models specific for analog circuit design is crucial.

Fig: Vth and Vdd scaling trend vs. Leff  [Zhao 2006]

References:

[Enz 2018] Enz C, Chicco F, Pezzotta A (2017) Nanoscale MOSFET modeling-part 1: the simplified EKV model for the design of low-power analog circuits. IEEE Solid-State Circuits Magazine 9(3):26–35

[Zhao 2006] Zhao W, Cao Y (2006) New generation of predictive technology model for sub-45 nm early design exploration. IEEE Trans Electron Devices 53(11):2816–2823

IEEE ICECS 2019 paper submission deadline

ICECS 2019 paper deadline submission is approaching fast: July 15th, 2019

Please distribute this reminder to possible contributors and interested researchers and colleagues. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Analog/mixed-signal/RF circuits
• Biomedical and Bio-Inspired Circuits and Systems
• EDA, Test and Reliability
• Digital circuits and systems
• Linear and Non-linear Circuits
• Low-Power Low-Voltage Design
• Microsystems
• Neural networks, Machine and Deep Learning
• Sensors and Sensing Systems
• Signal Processing, Image and Video
• VLSI Systems and Applications

The technical committee invites authors to submit 4-page papers in standard IEEE double-column format, including references, figures and tables, to clearly present the work, methods, originality, significance and applications of the techniques discussed.

Maurizio Valle; IEEE ICECS 2019 General Chair
https://www.ieee-icecs2019.org/

[paper] Low Power Low Jitter 0.18 CMOS Ring VCO Design with Strategy Based on EKV3.0 Model

Amine AYED and Hamadi GHARIANI

LETI Laboratory-ENIS

Sfax, Tunisia

IJACSA Vol. 8, No. 12, 2017

Abstract—In this paper, the design of micro-power CMOS ring VCO with minimum jitter intended for a concept of frequency synthesizer in biotelemetry systems is studied. A design procedure implemented in MATLAB is described for a circuit realization with TSMC 0.18μm CMOS technology. This conventional design methodology based on EKV3.0 model is clearly suited to the challenges of analog circuits design with reduced channel width. Measures realized with ADS confirmed methodology capability to circuit sizing respecting the specifications of application. The designed ring VCO operates at a central frequency of 433MHz in ISM band with an amplitude of oscillation equal to 500 mV. The integration area was intrinsic (without buffers and without external capacitances). The simulated phase noise is about -108 dBc/Hz at 1MHz, the value of rms jitter is 44.8 ps and the power consumption of the designed VCO is 6.37 mW @ 433 MHz [read more...]

Fig.: Eye diagram for a VCO output @ 433MHz

[Book] Low-power HF Microelectronics: a unified approach

Low-power HF Microelectronics: a unified approach 

ISBN: 9780852968741 e-ISBN: 9781849193610

Editor: Gerson A. S. Machado

Department of Electronic Engineering

Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine

London, UK

Front Matter
1 Low-power HF microelectronics: a unified approach
Part 1: Process technology
2 Device structures and device simulation techniques
3 Stanford's ultra-low-power CMOS technology and applications
4 SOI technology
5 Radiation effects on ICs and a mixed analog CMOS-NPN-PJFET-on-insulator technology
Part 2: Device modelling/characterisation and circuit simulation
6 Modelling and characterisation of GaAs devices
7 The EKV Model: a MOST Model Dedicated to Low-Current and Low-Voltage Analogue Circuit Design and Simulation
8 Non-linear dynamic modelling of RF bipolar transistors
9 APLAC - object-oriented circuit simulator and design tool
10 Noise coupling in mixed-signal ASICs
Part 3: Reliability and test
11 Robust design and reliability analysis
12 Dynamic reliability of systems
13 Fault modelling and simulation for the test of integrated analog and mixed-signal circuits
Part 4: Circuit and system design methodology
14 High-speed and low-power techniques in CMOS and BiCMOS
15 Ultra-low-power digital design
16 Matched delay technique for high-speed digital design
17 Statistical design and optimisation for high-yield BiCMOS analog circuits
18 Design considerations for high-speed amplifiers using complementary BJTs
19 S2I techniques for analog sampled-data signal processing
20 Design of wireless portable systems
21 Low-power radio-frequency ICs and system architectures for portable communications
22 Analog and digital CMOS design for spread-spectrum wireless communications
23 Design considerations for BJT active mixers
24 Distortion in short channel FET circuits
25 Intelligent sensor systems and smart sensors: concepts, focus points and technology
26 Intelligent sensor systems and smart sensors: applications
Back Matter