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This section provides an overview for reference ics as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 9 reference ic manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked reference ic companies as of December, 2024: 1.SGMICRO, 2.Microchip Technology Inc., 3.Taiwan Semiconductor.
Table of Contents
A reference IC is an electronic component that outputs a reference voltage for operating an electronic circuit. Such electronic circuits are also sometimes called reference circuits or reference voltage sources.
The performance of a reference IC includes the initial accuracy of the output reference voltage, stability against fluctuations in supply voltage (called line regulation), stability against load regulation, stability against changes in ambient temperature (called temperature drift), and stability against long-term use (called long-term drift). The reference IC is required to maintain stable voltage output with high accuracy on the order of ppm (0.0001%).
Reference ICs are used in a variety of electronic circuits that require a reference voltage. In power supply control circuits, the output voltage is compared to a reference voltage to maintain a constant output voltage; in AD and DA converters, the input voltage is compared to a reference voltage to convert it to an appropriate output. In a voltage detector, the detection decision is made by comparison with a reference voltage.
Therefore, the performance of these electronic circuits is affected by the performance of the reference IC. Especially in the fields of science, medicine, automotive, military, aviation, and space, reference ICs with high accuracy are required.
There are two types of reference IC configurations: shunt type and series type.
The shunt type consists of two terminals, the reference output, and ground, and is controlled to maintain a constant voltage drop regardless of the current flowing between the two terminals. When used, the IC is connected in parallel to the load, and an external resistor is connected between the power supply and the reference output. The current flowing through the IC varies with the supply voltage and load, but the voltage at the reference output is kept constant by the control of the IC.
The series type consists of three pins: power supply input, reference output, and ground, and when used, the IC is connected in series between the power supply and the load. The reference output is controlled to maintain a constant voltage by varying the internal resistance of the IC in response to variations in supply voltage or load.
The most commonly used method today is the bandgap reference. By matching a voltage with a positive temperature coefficient with a voltage with a negative temperature coefficient, a stable voltage output can be maintained over temperature variations.
When using a reference IC, it is necessary to properly select one that provides the performance required for the application, including not only accuracy and stability, but also start-up settling time and noise characteristics.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Incorporated in 1965, Analog Devices, Inc. designs, manufactures, tests, and markets integrated circuits (ICs), software, and subsystems that leverage analog, mixed-signal, and digital signal processing technologies. The company provides data converter products, power management and reference products for power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing, and energy management applications in the automotive, communications, industrial, and high-end consumer markets. In addition, the company provides digital signal processing and system products for high-speed numeric calculations. It serves clients in the industrial, automotive, consumer, instrumentation, aerospace, and communications markets.
Microchip Technology Incorporated was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona. The company is a developer and manufacturer of control solutions for global markets including the automotive, industrial, communications, human-machine interface, and connectivity industries. The company’s products include microcontrollers, field-programmable gate array products, MOSFET and radio frequency products, and both wired and wireless communications products. The company’s services include wafer foundry and assembly services, test subcontracting manufacturing services, development tools for enabling system designers to program microcontrollers and processors, and timing system products.
Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation is a division of Toshiba focusing on providing designs for end-product developers as well as semiconductor and drive equipment for automotive, industrial equipment, green energy, and consumer and personal electronic devices. Toshiba’s storage products include cloud-scale and enterprise-level products, and PC hard drives. Semiconductor products include Si Cower devices, MOSFETs, IGBTs, IEGTs, isolators, solid state relays, power management and intelligent power ICs, diodes, bipolar transistors, microcontrollers, automotive devices, ICs for wireless communication equipment, general purpose logic ICs, radio-frequency devices, sensors, and linear image sensors.
Renesas Electronics Corporation was established in 2002 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Renesas is a global research, design, and manufacturer of semiconductors used in industries spanning automotive, consumer electronics, the internet of things, power & energy, and industrial sectors. Renesas manufactures both analog and digital products. Analog products include amplifiers, audio & video devices, data converters, PLC, and switches & multiplexers. Digital products include microcontrollers, memory components, sensors, wireless connectivity products, and others. Renesas also offers design resources such as kits, development tools, partner programs, and design tools.
Fuji Electric FA Components & Systems Co., Ltd., established in 2008, the company is a result of a merger between Fuji Electric FA Components & Systems and the Japanese arm of Schneider Electric S.A., the second largest manufacturer in the same field, is a manufacturer of control instruments, such as electromagnetic switches that use electromagnets to open and close the contact points of electrical circuits. The company have a global presence, offering many power-receiving and distributing devices that can be used in cross-border markets through its wide range of products that conform to major standards in the world.
SG Micro, established in 2007, and based in Beijing, China, is a manufacturer of analog integrated circuits (ICs). The company designs and markets different products including motor drivers, digital to analogue converter (DAC), temperature sensors, load switches and gate drivers which are used in automotive, wireless communication, and electronics industries. It has 30 product families and 4600 part numbers that are used by over 5000 customers. In addition, the company uses the QA system technology to ensure that its products meet the required standards.
ST Micro Electronics is a global semiconductor company serving customers with innovations to have a positive impact on people's lives. Their product line is micro electronic systems, such as switches, controllers, sensors and drivers. The main selling point of ST Micro Electronics is its provision of sustainable products, and introducing their electronics to create a more sustainable world. The company, as well as providing the electronic devices, also provides software and support, ensuring that all fields are covered to provide a fully provide a supported and strong relationship with their customer base. ST Micro Electronics believe that technology plays a key role in helping to solve environmental and social challenges, which is why their semiconductor technologies start with their employees, their customers and partners.
Texas Instruments Incorporated was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Texas Instruments is a producer of high tech equipment for industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment industries. Texas Instruments designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers in the United States and internationally. Texas Instruments operates in two segments: analog and embedded processing. The Analog segment offers power products, including battery-management solutions, DC/DC switching regulators, power switches, linear regulators, voltage references, and lighting products. The Embedded Processing segment offers microcontrollers that are used in fields such as electronic equipment and digital signal processors for mathematical computations.
Taiwan Semiconductor, established in 1979 in Taiwan, is a manufacturer and distributor of integrated circuits and wafer semiconductor devices for commercial and industrial customers worldwide. The company's product line includes discrete power rectifiers, power transistors, LED driver ICs, analog ICs, and ESD protection devices. Taiwan Semiconductor has production facilities in China and Taiwan that are compliant with automotive and environmental standards, including IATF 16949, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001. Taiwan Semiconductor is also a member of the ECIA and the PSMA.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SGMICRO |
20.0%
|
| 2 | Microchip Technology Inc. |
20.0%
|
| 3 | Taiwan Semiconductor |
20.0%
|
| 4 | Analog Devices, Inc. |
20.0%
|
| 5 | STMicroelectronics |
20.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the reference ic page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
3 | 42.9% |
|
United States of America
|
2 | 28.6% |
|
China
|
1 | 14.3% |
|
Taiwan
|
1 | 14.3% |
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Industry standard drop-in device for TL431 and TL432.
