Submicron CMOS programmable analog floating-gate circuits and arrays using DC-DC converters.

摘要

A relatively new area of analog integrated circuits is emerging which is likely to have an impact on the signal processing area---analog floating-gate circuits. Analog floating-gate circuits have the potential to deliver more sophisticated signal processing at less power in a smaller space. This is the result of a novel application of digital memory technology---the floating-gate MOSFET, that is used as an analog memory and computational device. Critical to the success of analog floating-gate circuits is on-chip programming. After investigating integrated schemes for DC-DC converters to generate the necessary voltages on chip, this research focuses on charge pumps that are integrated into the programming structure of floating-gate circuits. The impact of this research is far-reaching since programmability is an indispensable feature of analog floating-gate circuits. This research lays the foundation for meeting the requirement of on-chip programming. Charge pumps will eliminate the need for high voltages to be externally supplied or regulated for analog floating-gate circuits. To the design engineer, the utilization of floating-gate circuits will look identical to their non floating-gate counterparts in terms of the value and number of supply voltages. In addition, the integration of on-chip DC-DC converters will reduce pin count, reduce board space for the implementation of the chip and facilitate distributed on chip power supplies for mixed signal integrated circuits.