Wilson current mirror

<p>A Wilson <a href="/facts/Current_mirror/cUa0QNDQ">current mirror</a> is a three-terminal <a href="/facts/Electrical_circuit/zt94kTW0">circuit</a> (Fig. 1) that accepts an input <a href="/facts/Current_source/1UkYH0aG">current</a> at the input terminal and provides a "<a href="/facts/Mirror/wMu4u6BB">mirrored</a>" <a href="/facts/Current_source/1UkYH0aG">current source</a> or sink output at the output terminal. The mirrored current is a precise copy of the input current. 
</p><p>It may be used as a Wilson current source by applying a constant <a href="/facts/Biasing/lK0e6hbK">bias current</a> to the input branch as in Fig. 2. The circuit is named after George R. Wilson, an <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuit/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuit</a> <a href="/facts/Design/kR4GNeja">design</a> <a href="/facts/Engineer/ph4TnHnG">engineer</a> who worked for <a href="/facts/Tektronix/4yPXfhmV">Tektronix</a>. Wilson devised this configuration in 1967 when he and <a href="/facts/Barrie_Gilbert/z8RgRnTs">Barrie Gilbert</a> challenged each other to find an improved current mirror overnight that would use only three <a href="/facts/Transistor/Bmr8zwL0">transistors</a>. Wilson won the challenge.
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Wilson current mirror open-in-new

Wilson current mirror