Field-effect transistor current switching circuit

摘要

An MOS current steering circuit (10) includes a current mirror arrangement with an input branch (12) and an output branch (16). In the input branch, the conduction channels of a current-limiting transistor (M1) and a current mirror input transistor (M3) are connected in series with each other between a first power supply voltage node V+ and one side of a current source (14). The other side of the current source and the gate of the current-limiting transistor are connected to another supply voltage node (V-). In the output branch, a current mirror output transistor (M4) has one side of its conduction channel connected as a current output node (D). The gates of the input and output transistors are connected together and to the common node (A) of the input transistor and the current source. A control transistor (M2) has its conduction channel connected between the other side of the output transistor and the first voltage supply node. The control transistor switches the output transistor by controlling the output transistor's gate-to-source voltage. Also disclosed are modified versions which include a circuit (20) designed for greater accuracy in the output and a circuit (22) designed for digital-to-analog conversion functions.