Programmable resistive elements as variable tuning elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9935616-B2
Application number	US-201615340729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 23, 2015
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure provides circuit and method embodiments for calibrating a signal of an integrated circuit. A programmable resistive element is coupled in series with a node of the integrated circuit, where at least part of the integrated circuit is formed in at least one front end of line (FEOL) device level. The programmable resistive element is formed in at least one back end of line (BEOL) wiring level, and the programmable resistive element is in a non-volatile resistive state that is variable across a plurality of non-volatile resistive states in response to a program signal applied to the programmable resistive element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated circuit comprising:
a differential circuit comprising:
a current mirror circuit formed in at least one front end of line (FEOL) device level of the integrated circuit, wherein
the current mirror circuit comprises a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch that are coupled in parallel with one another,

a first transistor and a second transistor formed in at least one FEOL device level of the integrated circuit, wherein
the first and second transistors are respectively coupled in series with the first and second circuit branches of the current mirror circuit,
the first transistor has a control gate electrode coupled to a noninverting input node, and
the second transistor has a control gate electrode coupled to an inverting input node,

an output node between the second circuit branch of the current mirror circuit and the second transistor,
a first programmable resistive element formed in at least one back end of line (BEOL) wiring level of the integrated circuit, wherein
the first programmable resistive element is coupled in series with the first transistor and the first circuit branch, and

a second programmable resistive element formed in at least one BEOL wiring level of the integrated circuit, wherein
the second programmable resistive element is coupled in series with the second transistor and the second circuit branch.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a calibration circuit coupled to the first and second programmable resistive elements, wherein the calibration circuit is configured to
close a connection between the output node and the inverting input node, in response to a selection of a program mode, and
apply a selected program signal to adjust a non-volatile resistive state of one or more of the first and second programmable resistive elements to trim the differential circuit, wherein
the selected program signal is selected from a plurality of program signals that each have an associated magnitude, polarity, and duration, and
each of the plurality of program signals corresponds to an adjustment from the non-volatile resistive state to another one of the plurality of non-volatile resistive states.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein
the calibration circuit is further configured to
measure a first signal of the differential circuit, and
apply the selected program signal in response to a determination that the first signal does not match a target signal,

the selected program signal is selected based on a difference between the first signal and the target signal, and
the difference indicates which of the first signal and the target signal is larger.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein
the selected program signal corresponds to a small change in the non-volatile resistive state, in response to a magnitude of the difference failing to exceed a difference threshold, and
the selected program signal corresponds to a large change in the non-volatile resistive state, in response to the magnitude exceeding the difference threshold.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein
the first signal comprises a first voltage signal measured at the output node, and
the target signal comprises a target voltage signal applied at the noninverting node.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein
the first signal comprises a first current signal measured at the first circuit branch, and
the target signal comprises a target current signal measured at the second circuit branch.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein
a first program signal is selected as the selected program signal to adjust one or more of the first and second programmable resistive elements to a higher non-volatile resistive state, in response to the first signal having a value that is less than the target signal, and
a second program signal is selected as the selected program signal to adjust one or more of the first and second programmable resistive elements to a lower non-volatile resistive state, in response to the first signal having a value that is greater than the target signal.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein
a first program signal is selected as the selected program signal to adjust one or more of the first and second programmable resistive elements to a lower non-volatile resistive state, in response to the first signal having a value that is less than the target signal, and
a second program signal is selected as the selected program signal to adjust one or more of the first and second programmable resistive elements to a higher non-volatile resistive state, in response to the first signal having a value that is greater than the target signal.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein
the plurality of non-volatile resistive states comprises a logic high non-volatile resistive state and a logic low non-volatile resistive state.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein
the first programmable resistive element is further coupled to a first resistor formed in at least one FEOL device level of the integrated circuit,
the first resistor comprises polysilicon, and
the first resistor is coupled to the first programmable resistive element via a connection that comprises one of a series connection and a parallel connection.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein
the first programmable resistive element comprises an array of programmable resistive sub-elements,
the array comprises a first dimension of M and a second dimension of N, M and N each being integers of 1 or greater, and
one or more non-volatile resistive states of the first programmable resistive sub-elements vary in response to a program signal applied to the first programmable resistive element.

Assignees

• Freescale Semiconductor Inc
• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Sadd Michael A
• Roy Anirban

Classifications

• H03F2203/45374

  the AAC comprising one or more discrete resistors · CPC title

• H03F2203/45372

  the AAC comprising one or more potentiometers · CPC title

• G11C29/50008

  of impedance · CPC title

• H03F2203/45048

  Calibrating and standardising a dif amp · CPC title

• G11C5/147

  Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops (G11C5/141 takes precedence) · CPC title