A bandgap reference circuit includes a current generation circuit connected to
a voltage generation circuit connected to a smart clamping circuit, and a discharge
circuit connected to the current generation circuit and the voltage generation
circuit. The discharge circuit initially discharges a potential in the current
and voltage generation circuits to improve repeatability. A start circuit within
the current generation circuit then initializes the reference output at about the
supply voltage to improve the speed and settling time of the output signal. The
current generation circuit sources a current to the voltage generation circuit
that translates the current having a positive function of temperature +TC
into a reference voltage. The smart clamping circuit further generates a clamping
voltage having a negative function of temperature -TC and a load resistance.
The clamping voltage and the load resistance are applied across the reference voltage
quickly reducing the reference voltage particularly at high temperatures and during
start-up to a final level, thereby producing a fast and stable reference voltage.
