A 0.035mm2 150mA fast-response low-dropout regulator based on matching-enhanced error amplifier and multi-threshold-controlled unity-gain buffer in 0.13μm CMOS

A low-dropout regulator (LDR) using a matching-enhanced error amplifier (ME-EA) and a multi-threshold-controlled unity-gain buffer (MTC-UGB) is proposed in this work. With the majority of transistors being high-voltage devices of the process, the regulator tolerates a high in put voltage range, which alleviates the reliability concern caused by low-voltage transistors. The ME-EA allows for tight line and load regulations. The MTC-UGB, by using low-voltage input transistors with locally regulated terminal voltage, enables large loop bandwidth and fast load transient responses without using compensation capacitor or large ESR of the output capacitor for compensation. Fabricated in a 0.13μm CMOS process, the proposed LDR occupies 0.035 mm² of active area and consumes 18 μA of quiescent current and achieves 6 mV of voltage dip for 150 mA of load transient.