32 nm FinFET-based 0.7-to-1.1 V digital voltage sensor with 50 mV resolution

Abstract

FinFET devices with superior ability in controlling leakage and minimizing short channel effects are anticipated to replace CMOS devices in the near future. This paper presents a design of voltage sensor in 32 nm FinFET. Based on the operation of a p-type FinFET in low-power mode and independent-gate mode, a new technique for designing a controllable delay element (CDE) with high linearity is presented. Then, we develop a 9-bit digital voltage sensor with a voltage range of 0.7 - 1.1 V and 50 mV resolution. The proposed voltage sensor can operate with ultra-low power, a wide voltage range, and fairly high frequency (i.e., 100 MHz).