Cryo-CMOS for Analog/Mixed-Signal Circuits and Systems

CMOS circuits operating at cryogenic temperature (cryo-CMOS) are required in several low-temperature applications. A compelling example is the electronic interface for quantum processors, which must reside very close to the cryogenic quantum devices it serves, and hence operate at the same temperature, so as to enable practical large-scale quantum computers. Such cryo-CMOS circuits must achieve extremely high performance while dissipating minimum power to be compatible with existing cryogenic refrigerators. These requirements asks for cryo-CMOS electronics on par with or even exceeding their room-temperature counterparts. This paper overviews the challenges and the opportunities in designing cryo-CMOS circuits, with a focus on analog and mixed-signal circuits, such as voltage references and data converters.