An Improved Voltage Bandgap Reference with High-Order
Curvature Compensation
Nan Lyu, NingMei Yu, Min Yi
Xi'an University of Technology, Shaanxi Xi’an Jin Hua south road No.5, 710048, china
Email:sheng_xing@yeah.net
Abstract
This paper presents an improved bandgap reference
(BGR) with high-order curvature compensation. By
adding a second-level operational tranconductance
amplifier (OTA) with feedback, fully improve the
correctness of hypothesises in paper [3]. In addition, the
output voltage reference can be further compensated than
the conventional high-order BGR from theoretical
analysis and simulation results. Through the comparison
and analysis with conventional compensation BGR, the
proposed bangap structure has a smaller temperature
coefficient of output voltage reference. Finally the
simulation results based on 0.11μm CMOS process with
1.5V supply voltage indicate that the temperature
coefficient of the proposed reference is 25.5ppm/
during the temperature range (-30~120) over
different process corners.
1. Introduction
Bandgap reference (BGR) is one of the most important
analog necessary blocks required in many circuits such
as voltage regulators and analog-to-digital converters
(ADC), etc [1]. It provides a well-defined, stable
voltage/current reference insensitive to process, power
supply voltage and temperature variations. The
conventional bandgap voltage reference is first-order
temperature compensated [2]. However, the non-
linearity base-emitter voltage and the linearity thermal
voltage of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) largely
limit the first-order temperature compensated bandgap
voltage reference structure to decrease the temperature
coefficient (TC) [4]. To solve this problem, a simple and
effective high-order temperature compensation technique
has been developed [3]. The temperature stability of the
BGR has been increased significantly. However, this
structure does still not completely eliminate the non-
linearity base-emitter voltage of BJT due to itself basic
hypotheses. On the basis of paper [3], an improved high-
order curvature compensation bandgap reference is
described in this paper with an emphasis on verifying the
correctness of hypothesis. Through adding a second-
level operational tranconductance amplifier (OTA) with
feedback, the temperature coefficient is further reduced.
In section 2, by analyzing the conventional first-order
978-1-4799-8485-5/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE
and high-order temperature compensation structures,
illustrates the nonlinear factors of the hypothesis in the
paper [3]. The structure of the proposed improved BGR
is described in detail in section 3. The simulation results
are given and discussed in section 4. Finally, the
conclusion is given in section 5.
2. Conventional CMOS bandgap reference
2.1 First-order temperature compensation
A conventional first-order CMOS bandgap reference is
shown in Figure 1. It is composed of two
reverse temperature coefficient devices. One is the
bipolar junction transistor (base-emitter voltage VBE) and
the other is a current proportional to the absolute
temperature (PTAT). Due to the feedback loop of the
OTA and the same resistance R1 and R2, Va is equal to
Vb. The voltage across R3, is equal to the difference value
between VBE1 and VBE2, called as VBE. The current
flowing in resistance R3 can be described as
VEB1 − VEB 2 VT lnN
I1 = =
R3 R3 (1)
where N is the the emitter area ratio of Q2 and Q1 and VT
is the thermal voltage,which can be given as
KT
VT =
q (2)
The current flowing through R1 is equal to the one
flowing through R2, can be described as
VEB1 VEB1
I2 = =
R1 R2 (3)
Assuming that the M1, M2 and M3 have the same W/L
ratios, the current I3 in M3 is sum of I1 and I2 and equals
to the current flowing through M1 and M2
VT lnN VEB1
I3 = +
R3 R2 (4)
Since the reference voltage output can be written as
 ⎛ V lnN VEB1 ⎞ T ⎛ KT ⎞ ⎛ T ⎞
Vref = I 3 R4 = R4 ⎜ T + ⎟ VBE1 = VG 0 − ⎡⎣VG 0 − VBE 0 ( I Q1 ) ⎤⎦ − (γ − 1) ⎜ ⎟ ln ⎜ ⎟
⎝ R3 R2 ⎠ T0 ⎝ q ⎠ ⎝ T0 ⎠
(5) (9)

where α equals 1 and VBE3 can be described as

T ⎛ KT ⎞ ⎛ T ⎞
VBE 3 = VG 0 − ⎡VG 0 − VBE 0 ( I Q 3 ) ⎤⎦ − (γ − 0) ⎜ ⎟ ln ⎜ ⎟
T0 ⎣ ⎝ q ⎠ ⎝ T0 ⎠ (10)

where α equals 0. From the Eqn.9 and Eqn.10, the

voltage across R6, VNL can be given by

T KT ⎛ T ⎞ (11)
VNL = ⎡VBE 0 ( I Q1 )-VBE 0 ( I Q 3 ) ⎤⎦ + ln ⎜ ⎟
T0 ⎣ q ⎝ T0 ⎠

Assuming that ignore the difference current for VBE0, VNL

Figure 1. Conventional first-order bandgap can be approximately described as
So, through canceling out temperature coefficient
KT ⎛ T ⎞ (12)
between VBE1 and VBE, the temperature coefficient of VNL ≅ ln ⎜ ⎟
q ⎝ T0 ⎠
Vref is reduced. However, the conventional first-order
temperature compensation technology is limited by the
non-linearity VBE, which can be given by From the Eqn.12 is obvious that VNL has a logarithmic
relation with the temperature. The corresponding current
⎛ T⎞ ⎛ T ⎞ γ KT ⎛ T ⎞ KT ⎛ J C ⎞ of the VNL, INL can be described as
VBE = VG 0 ⎜1 − ⎟ + VBE 0 ⎜ ⎟ + ln ⎜ ⎟ + ln ⎜ ⎟
⎝ T0 ⎠ ⎝ T0 ⎠ q ⎝ T0 ⎠ q ⎝ J C 0 ⎠ (6)
VNL 1 KT ⎛ T ⎞
I NL = ≅ ln ⎜ ⎟
where VGO is bandgap voltage of silicon (1.205V), T0 is R6 R6 q ⎝ T0 ⎠
(13)
absolute temperature, the temperature coefficient γ is
approximately equal to 3 and JC is collector current Now, the temperature compensation can be achieved by
density of BJT. Suppose the relationship between JC and added between I1, I2 and IN. Then the reference voltage
temperature can be described as output can be revised as
α
⎛T ⎞ Vref = R4 (I1 + I 2 + I NL ) (14)
JC = JC 0 ⎜ ⎟
⎝ T0 ⎠ (7) Put the I1, I2 and INL into the Eqn.14, the final Vref can be
derived as
The ultimate expression of V can be expressed as
BE
R4 ⎡ R2VT lnN T ⎛ R ⎞ ⎛ KT ⎞ ⎛ T ⎞ ⎤
Vref = ⎢ + VG 0 − (VG 0 − VBE 0 ) − ⎜ γ − 1 − 2 ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ln ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
T ⎛ KT ⎞ ⎛ T ⎞ R2 ⎣ R3 T0 ⎝ R6 ⎠ ⎝ q ⎠ ⎝ T0 ⎠ ⎦
(15)
VBE = VG 0 − (VG 0 − VBE 0 ) − (γ − α ) ⎜ ⎟ ln ⎜ ⎟
T0 ⎝ q ⎠ ⎝ T0 ⎠ (8)
The value R5 and R6 leads to the high-order curvature
2.2 Conventional high-order temperature correction. The high-order nonlinear item in Eqn.15 is
compensation
R4 ⎛ R2 ⎞ ⎛ KT ⎞ ⎛T ⎞
Due to eliminate the second-order temperature ⎜γ −1− ⎟⎜ ⎟ ln ⎜ T ⎟
R2 ⎝ R6 ⎠ ⎝ q ⎠ ⎝ 0⎠
coefficients of VBE, a logarithmic compensating current (16)
INL, flowing through R6 and R5 is added between bandgap
core (BGC) and output stage circuit as shown in Figure Let this item equals 0, R5 and R6 can be derived as
2. To compensate the non-linearity term of Vref, this
method combines the temperature-independent IQ3 (α=0) R2
R6 = R5 =
with the PTAT IQ1 (α=1). According to the formula (8), γ −1 (17)
the VBE1 can be described as
and Vref can be simplistically written as
 R4 ⎡ R2VT lnN T ⎤ This is to greatly shrink the difference between IQ1 and
Vref = ⎢ + VG 0 − (VG 0 − VBE 0 )⎥
R2 ⎣ R3 T0 ⎦
IQ3 and make sure that VBE0(IQ1) in Eqn.8 is substantially
(18) same as VBE0(IQ3) in Eqn.10. So, INL can exactly derived
as

VNL 1 KT ⎛ T ⎞
I NL = = ln ⎜ ⎟
R6 R6 q ⎝ T0 ⎠ (20)

Although the proposed improved high-order temperature

compensation bandgap requires an additional OTA, it
solves the problem between the assumptions and
conclusions in [3]. Moreover, it further decreases the
temperature coefficient.

Figure 2. Schematic of a high-order bandgap circuit in

paper [3]

This structure only requires an additional current mirror,

one BJT and two resistors but effectively decreases the
temperature coefficient. However, completely
eliminating the temperature coefficient in this method is
based on two approximate hypothesizes. First, in the
derivation of Vref, VBE0(IQ1) is equal to VBE0(IQ3). Figure 3. Proposed improved high-order bandgap
Actually, IQ1=I1 and IQ3=I1+I2+3INL. Generally, I1 nearly
equals to I2, but INL is far less than I1 and I2. So, VBE0(IQ1) 4. Implementation and simulation
is not equal to VBE0(IQ3). Second, the correctness of
derivation from Eqn.8 to Eqn.10 is established on the The proposed bandgap is implemented in UMC 0.11μm
independent current across Q3. But, according to the BiCMOS technology. The output voltage is 673.8mV.
derivation conclusion, the flowing into R4 current is a The simulation results of the generated bandgap voltage
temperature-independent one. So, the assumptions and versus power supply voltage are shown in Figure 4. All
derivation results contradict each other. the current consumption was 85μA. The proposed
bandgap was simulated for different process corners over
3. Proposed improved high-order temperature
a temperature range of –30and 120. The simulation
compensation bandgap
results of output voltage as a function of temperature
among a conventional first-order CMOS bandgap, a
In order to solve the problem of the two assumptions in
high-order bandgap structure in [3] and the proposed
[3], this paper proposes an improved high-order
bandgap circuit is shown in Figure 5. The maximum
temperature compensation bandgap as shown in Figure
temperature coefficients of Vref over different process
3. Compared to the [3] structure, the bandgap in this
paper introduced a negative feedback operational corners are 145.9ppm/ 32.5ppm/ 25.5ppm/,
tranconductance amplifier (OTA) between the Q3 and the respectively. Based on comparison of the simulation
two resistances of R5 and R6. The OTA provides large results, it was demonstrated that temperature coefficient
feedback loop gain to ensure that VC is equal to VBE3. But of the proposed bandgap structure is minimum. The
beyond that, the OTA prevents INL flowing into Q3. As simulation parameters are summarized in Table I.
thus, the IQ3 and the current flowing int R4 are all the
temperature-independent currents. In addition, decrease
the M3 width-to-length ratio with the M1/M2 width-to-
length ratio, it can be described as

W3 I W1
= 1
L3 I1 + I 2 L1 (19)

Figure 4. Proposed bandgap voltage as a function of the
power supply voltage
(a) Temperature drift simulations of three bandgap
structures in tt and typical resistance mode
(b) Temperature drift simulations in this work for
twelve different process corners
Fig.5 simulation results of output voltage between three
structures
Table 1. Performance summarize of the proposed
bandgap circuit
Parameter Value
Supply Voltage 1.5V
technology 0.11μm CMOS (tt)
Power 127.5μW (27)
Vref (27) 673.8mV
Temperature drift
(-30~120)
First-order 48ppm/
High-order[3] 10.9ppm/
This work
8.5ppm/
5. Summary
On the basis of [3], this paper presented an improved
voltage bandgap reference high-order curvature
compensation which produces an output voltage of
673.8mV. Compared with the high-order bandgap in
paper [3], the proposed bandgap has better temperature
characteristic from theoretical analysis and simulation
results. The proposed bandgap reference circuit is
implemented in UMC 0.11μm CMOS technology with a
temperature coefficient of 25.5ppm/ over different
process corners and 1.5V supply voltage. The power
consumption is 127.5μW at 27.
Acknowledgments
The project is supported by the national natural science
foundation of China No.61471296
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