analogangle By Ron Mancini

The ultimate zener-diode reference

y recent columns discussed the physics and

M
age, you can use R3 to increase the
zener voltage. (Usually, R2, R1=0.)
applications of discrete-zener-diode references, These circuits use thin-film, laser-
trimmed resistors to obtain initial
and the conclusion they reached is that discrete errors as low as 0.01%, and the
trimming can include temperature
zener diodes make poor references because of tolerance compensation, which can yield
temperature coefficients as low as
buildup (references 1 and 2). ICs surface. The buried-junction 0.6%.
Early-IC designers achieved zener zener diode has an extremely sta- One common reference circuit,
characteristics using reverse-bi- ble subsurface-breakdown mecha- which several semiconductor
ased, npn-transistor base-emitter nism that yields almost-perfect manufacturers supply and which
junctions. This zener-breakdown noise performance. Furthermore, uses a buried-zener diode, is the
effect occurs at the die surface, so it surface contamination and oxide REF02; you can couple a REF02
is subject to contamination and
oxide-charge problems. Surface
zener diodes have several prob- THE BURIED-ZENER DIODE STILL REQUIRES A RATHER
lems: They require breakdown
voltages of greater than 5V, they HIGH 8V, BUT IT IS SUPERIOR IN ALL OTHER RESPECTS.
are noisy, and they have poor
short- and long-term voltage drift. effects do not affect the buried with an external op amp to obtain
Later-IC designers learned that junction, so the resulting zener dual voltage references (Figure 2).
they could bury the transistor diode makes an outstanding volt- The REF02 is the 5V reference, and
base-emitter junction under the age reference. Using a 6.3V zener the differential amplifier inverts
V
diode is common because it is the the 5V to generate a 5V refer-
most stable zener diode over time ence. The matched resistors in the
and temperature (Reference 3). differential amplifier ensure that
I The buried-zener diode still the negative reference voltage
1R
+ requires a rather high 8V, but it is tracks the positive reference volt-
V
V2 _
OUT
superior in all other respects. age and is accurate. Substituting an
2R R 4
Zener diodes still have several op amp with discrete resistors for
problems, such as line regulation, the differential amplifier allows
R3 load regulations, and a fixed volt- different negative reference volt-
age output. IC designers solve ages, but the discrete resistors sac-
these problems using an op amp rifice the precision of the differen-
The buried-zener- and a current source (Figure 1). A tial amplifier. These references are
Figure 1
diode reference often current source biases the zener flexible as well as accurate, and a
includes a current source and an op amp diode, which keeps the zener cur- wealth of application information
to reduce line- and load-regulation toler- rent constant in spite of line-volt- about them exists on the Web.
ances. age fluctuations. The op amp
buffers the zener References
15V
diode, thus mini- 1. Mancini, Ron, Anatomy of a
2 mizing the effect of precision-voltage reference, EDN,
V
0.1 F
IN
V 6
0 5V
load-current fluctu- June 24, 2004, pg 24.
REF02
3 5 ations. An added 2. Mancini, Ron, Designing a
TEMP TRIM
GND
advantage of the op- zener-diode regulator, EDN, Aug
25k
4 25k amp buffer is that 5, 2004, pg 24.
15V
you can adjust the 3. Miller, Perry and Doug
_
ratio of R2 to R1 to Moore, Precision Voltage Refer-
INA
5V
obtain output volt- ences, Analog Applications Journal,
25k 105
+ ages smaller than the November 1999, pg 1.
15V
zener voltage. (Usu-
25k
ally, R3=0.) When Ron Mancini is staff scientist
the required output at Texas Instruments. You can
Figure 2
Adding a differential amplifier to a voltage is greater reach him at 1-352-569-9401,
REF02 yields tracking dual-polarity references. than the zener volt- rmancini@ti.com.
26 edn | September 30, 2004 www.edn.com