Reference voltage generating circuit temperature-compensated without addition of manufacturing step and semiconductor device using the same

Claim 2

A reference voltage generating circuit, comprising: a constant current source; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current from said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor; and negative feedback circuit means for applying a negative feedback signal to said amplifier means, wherein said negative feedback circuit means includes resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a supply potential, said second field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, said resistor means and said second field effect transistor having a common connection node through which the negative feedback signal is applied to said amplifier means, said first and second field effect transistors having gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises, and wherein drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors are different from each other and satisfy a predetermined mathematical relationship.

Claim 3

A reference voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein said amplifier means includes a differential amplifier means having an inverted input node and a noninverted input node, and said differential amplifier means is connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor through said noninverted input node, and receives the negative feedback signal through said inverted input node from said negative feedback circuit means.

Claim 4

A reference voltage generating circuit according to claim 2, wherein said resistor means includes first and second resistor elements connected in series between an output node of said differential amplifier means and said supply potential; and said differential amplifier means has said inverted input node connected to a common connection node of said first and second resistor elements.

Claim 5

A reference voltage generating circuit according to claim 3, wherein all active elements, which form said differential amplifier means and said constant current source, are field effect transistors.

Claim 6

A reference voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second field effect transistors have the same conductivity type as well as the same gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics.

Claim 7

A reference voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second field effect transistors have different conductivity types as well as different gate-drain voltage and source current characteristics.

Claim 8

A reference voltage generating circuit, comprising: a constant current source; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current from said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor, wherein said amplifier means includes a differential amplifier means having an inverted input node and a noninverted input node, and said differential amplifier means is connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor through said noninverted input node, and receives a negative feedback signal through said inverted input node from a negative feedback means; wherein said negative feedback circuit means includes resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a supply potential, wherein said resistor means includes first and second resistor elements connected in series; and said differential amplifier means has said inverted input node connected to a common connection node of said first and second resistor elements, said second field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, said first and second field effect transistors having gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises, wherein drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors satisfy a predetermined relationship, and wherein said constant current source includes a third resistor element having a temperature coefficient lower than those of said first and second resistor elements.

Claim 9

A reference voltage generating circuit, comprising: a constant current source; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current from said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor, wherein said amplifier means includes a differential amplifier means having an inverted input node and a noninverted input node, and said differential amplifier means is connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor through said noninverted input node, and receives a negative feedback signal through said inverted input node from a negative feedback means; wherein said negative feedback circuit means includes resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a supply potential, wherein said resistor means includes first and second resistor elements connected in series; and said differential amplifier means has said inverted input node connected to a common connection node of said first and second resistor elements, said second field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, said first and second field effect transistors having gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises, wherein drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors satisfy a predetermined relationship, and wherein said constant current source includes a third resistor element having a temperature coefficient lower than those of said first and second resistor elements.

Claim 10

A reference voltage generating circuit according to claim 7, wherein said first and second resistor elements comprise impurity diffusion regions in a semiconductor substrate, and said third resistor element is a polysilicon resistor.

Claim 11

A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an internal voltage converting circuit formed on said substrate for converting an externally applied external supply voltage into an internal supply voltage; and an internal circuit formed on said substrate for receiving said converted internal supply voltage; wherein said internal voltage converting circuit includes a constant current source receiving said external supply voltage; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current from said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means receiving said eternal supply voltage and connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor; and negative feedback circuit means applying a negative feedback signal to said amplifier means, including resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a ground potential, said second field effect transistor having its gate and a drain connected together, said resistor means and said second field effect transistor having a common connection node through which said negative feedback signal is applied to said amplifier means; said first and second field effect transistors have gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises; and wherein drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors are different from each other and satisfy a predetermined mathematical relationship.

Claim 12

A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an internal voltage converting circuit formed on said substrate for converting an externally applied external supply voltage into an internal supply voltage; and an internal circuit formed on said substrate for receiving said converted internal supply voltage; wherein said internal voltage converting circuit includes a constant current source receiving said external supply voltage; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current from said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means receiving said eternal supply voltage and connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor; and negative feedback circuit means applying a negative feedback signal to said amplifier means, including resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a ground potential, said second field effect transistor having its gate and a drain connected together, said resistor means and said second field effect transistor having a common connection node through which said negative feedback signal is applied to said amplifier means; said first and second field effect transistors have gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises; and wherein drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors are different from each other and satisfy a predetermined mathematical relationship.

Claim 13

A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an internal voltage converting circuit formed on said substrate for converting an externally applied external supply voltage into an internal supply voltage; and an internal circuit formed on said substrate for receiving said converted internal supply voltage; wherein said internal voltage converting circuit includes a constant current source receiving said external supply voltage; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current from said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means receiving said external supply voltage and connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor; and negative feedback circuit means applying a negative feedback signal to said amplifier means, including resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a ground potential, said second transistor having its gate and a drain connected together, said resistor means and said second field effect transistor having a common connection node through which said negative feedback signal is applied to said amplifier means; said first and second field effect transistors have gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises; and drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors are different from each other and satisfy a predetermined mathematical relationship, wherein said semiconductor device is a semiconductor memory device, and said internal circuit includes a memory cell array, a decoder which addresses said memory cell array in response to an externally applied address signal, and a sense amplifier for amplifying a data signal supplied from said memory cell array.

Claim 14

A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an internal voltage converting circuit formed on said substrate for converting an externally applied external supply voltage into an internal supply voltage; and an internal circuit formed on said substrate for receiving said converted internal supply voltage; wherein said internal voltage converting circuit includes a constant current source receiving said external supply voltage; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current from said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means receiving said external supply voltage and connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor; and negative feedback circuit means applying a negative feedback signal to said amplifier means, including resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a ground potential, said second transistor having its gate and a drain connected together, said resistor means and said second field effect transistor having a common connection node through which said negative feedback signal is applied to said amplifier means; said first and second field effect transistors have gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises; and drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors are different from each other and satisfy a predetermined mathematical relationship, wherein said semiconductor device is a semiconductor memory device, and said internal circuit includes a memory cell array, a decoder which addresses said memory cell array in response to an externally applied address signal, and a sense amplifier for amplifying a data signal supplied from said memory cell array.

Claim 15

A reference voltage generating circuit which receives an external supply voltage and supplies a temperature-compensated reference voltage as an internal supply voltage for an internal operation circuit, comprising: a constant current source; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current of said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor; and negative feedback circuit means applying a negative feedback signal to said amplifier means, wherein said negative feedback circuit means includes resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a supply potential, said second field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, said resistor means and said second field effect transistor having a common connection node through which said negative feedback signal is applied to said amplifier means; said first and second field effect transistors have gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises, and drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors are different from each other and satisfy a predetermined mathematical relationship.

Claim 16

A reference voltage generating circuit which receives an external supply voltage and supplies a temperature-compensated reference voltage as an internal supply voltage for an internal operation circuit, comprising: a constant current source; a first field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, and receiving an output current of said constant current source as a drain current; amplifier means connected to a common connection node of said constant current source and said first field effect transistor; and negative feedback circuit means applying a negative feedback signal to said amplifier means, wherein said negative feedback circuit means includes resistor means and a second field effect transistor connected in series between an output node of said amplifier means and a supply potential, said second field effect transistor having its gate and drain connected together, said resistor means and said second field effect transistor having a common connection node through which said negative feedback signal is applied to said amplifier means; said first and second field effect transistors have gate-source voltage and drain current characteristics which are shifted as an ambient temperature rises, and drain currents of said first and second field effect transistors are determined so that temperature coefficients of said gate-source voltages of said first and second field effect transistors are different from each other and satisfy a predetermined mathematical relationship.