Title :
Starved picowatt oscillator for remote sensor wake-up timer
Author :
Kitchener, J.A. ; Phillips, B.J.
Author_Institution :
CHiPTec, Univ. of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Abstract :
A sub-nanowatt oscillator is described. The oscillator is intended for a wake-up timer for remote sensors and hence trades frequency accuracy for reduced power consumption. It is constructed from a five-stage ring of inverters in which the switching speed is reduced using transistors that are always-off, or starved. Fabricated in a 0.35 μm process, the oscillator and its active load dissipate 80 pW at 1.5 Hz from a 1 V supply at 22°C.
Keywords :
CMOS logic circuits; MOSFET; electric sensing devices; logic gates; oscillators; timing circuits; five-stage inverter ring; frequency 1.5 Hz; frequency accuracy; power 80 pW; power consumption; remote sensor wake-up timer; size 0.35 mum; starved picowatt oscillator; subnanowatt oscillator; switching speed; temperature 22 degC; voltage 1 V;
Journal_Title :
Electronics Letters
DOI :
10.1049/el.2012.1485
