In microcontrollers and the like that have programmable drive strengths for GPIOs, said drive strengths are defined in mA. For example you might have a choice of 2mA, 4mA, 6mA, 8mA, etc. My assumption, is that for each output drive strength, there is a corresponding output buffer, and that the software drive strength setting controls a mux that decides which buffer drives the pin. Is that correct?
Second question: I understand that, for example, doubling the drive strength effectively doubles the size of the output buffer (or, equivalently, halves the output impedance), but what is the drive strength actually a measure of? Say the drive strength is 4mA, what does that actually mean? My guess is that the pins Voh/Vol is not guaranteed if you draw a higher current, but I'd be curious to know how these values are characterized/chosen by the vendor.
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I wanted to add this in response to CL. below, but I'm not sure how to add images in comments.
This is from the same datasheet he references:
Edit: jump back and forth a few times between this table, and the "typical" curves below and one gets a better feel for an interpretation of drive strength. The question however remains unanswered. Perhaps this is only something someone who writes data sheets could answer. I suppose the question could also be generalized to "how do IC companies determine their min/typ/max values?". As an example in the image above, the drive strength for "full setting" is given as 15mA, with 3V Vcc, if you want a max Vol of Vss + 0.60V. What is the process to arrive at this number? Set the pin low and force it to sink current until Vol hits 0.6V, then take the current being sunk and round down to the nearest mA? There's probably a statistical component as well to arriving at the number. I'd be surprised if they only characterize one die, probably many over all the different PVT corners.
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