A power sensor with 80ns response time for power management in microprocessors

A real-time, on-chip power sensor that estimates load currents and on-chip temperatures concurrently is presented. It occupies an area of 0.01mm
²
in 0.13μm CMOS technology. With a simplified 1-point calibration and a response time of 80ns, it shows improvements in input dynamic range by 10×, response time by 6× and sensitivity by 3× over previous such sensors. A current reference with a measured temperature coefficient 91ppm/°C (-20°C to 120°C) is presented. This reference is used for online calibration of the power sensor to enable greater tolerance to PVT variations and aging effects.