The dc operation of a simple current mirror built with two monolithically integrated strained-Si (s-Si) MOSFETs operating in the subthreshold region is studied as a function of temperature. At room temperature, the log-log current relationship is linear over 4 dec. The consumed power is approximately 100 W at 300 K but only 1 nW at 160 K. The cost of this reduction in power is a reduced linear log-log current range. Reducing the temperature further increases the threshold voltage, obstructing operation below 160 K. A comparison is made with the Si control circuit, highlighting the improved linearity and the threshold voltage stability in the s-Si circuit. The estimated cutoff frequency of the subthreshold strained-Si current mirror at 300 K is 50 MHz, compared to 10 kHz for the Si MOSFETs.Index Terms-Cryogenic operation, current mirror, strained-Si (s-Si) MOSFET.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.