A CMOS fast transient response low-dropout regulator with a compact NMOS output driver

Abstract

We present a CMOS low-dropout voltage regulator with a high-speed NMOS compact driver suitable for supplying on-chip voltages for the digital core of a SoC. The LDO is part of a power management controller hardblock integrated within a microcontroller. The die area of the circuit implemented in a 90 nm CMOS process is only 0.054 mm(2). Experimental results show that the developed LDO can supply up to 15 mA and it presents a very fast transient response, with a settling time of approximately 30 ns and a voltage drop of 200 mV when the load current changes from 100 nA to 9 mA