A Low-Power DCVSL-Like GIDL-Free V oltage Driver for Low-Cost RFID Nonvolatile Memory Hadar Dagan, Adam Teman , Student Member , IEEE, Evgeny Pikhay, Vladislav D ayan, Anatoli Mordakhay, Y akov Roizin

Abstract

The realization of a low-cost passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag requires the ability to fabricate the system in a bulk CMOS process without any additional p rocess steps. A recently presented single-poly C-Flash memory bit- cell provides an ultralow-power option for implementation of a nonvolatile memory array for use in an RFID s ystem, using only core masks. This cell requires the application of a 10-V potential difference between th e cell’s control lines for program and erase operations . Providing the requi red voltages, while u s i n go n l ys t a n d a r dd e v i c e sr e s ults in several design challenges for the voltage drivers, such as the elimination of gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) currents. In t his paper, we present a pair of voltage driver architectures t hat utilize novel techniques to overcome these challenges. In addition, for the first time, we present an in-depth analysis of t he dynamic behavior of standard level shifters. This analysis is applied to our proposed GIDL-free level shifters to provide a sizing methodology for optimization of the area, energy-per-operati on, and delay of these circuits. The drivers were designed and fabricated in a TowerJazz 0.18- m bulk CMOS technology, providing the required functionality with a low static-power figure of 47–49 pW and 0.03–0.36 pJ energy-per-operation.