Semiconductor device
First Claim
1. A semiconductor device including a differential level converter circuit that receives a first signal and outputs a second signal of a larger amplitude than an amplitude of the first signal, the differential level converter circuit comprises a first MISFET pair for receiving the first signal;
- a second MISFET pair for improving a withstand voltage of the first MISFET pair; and
a third MISFET pair having cross-coupled gates for latching the second signal from output, wherein a film thickness of gate insulating films of the second MISFET pair is thicker than a film thickness of gate insulating films of the first MISFET pair;
wherein a film thickness of gate insulating films of the third MISFET pair is thicker than the film thickness of the gate insulating films of the first MISFET pair;
wherein an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the second MISFET pair is smaller than an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the third MISFET pair; and
wherein an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the first MISFET pair is smaller than the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the third MISFET pair.
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Abstract
A semiconductor device includes a differential level converter circuit that receives a first signal and outputs a second signal of greater amplitude. The differential level converter has a first MISFET pair for receiving the first signal, a second MISFET pair for enhancing the withstand voltage of the first MISFET pair, and a third MISFET pair with cross-coupled gates for latching the second signal from output. The film thickness of the gate insulating films of the second and third MISFET pairs is made thicker than that of the first MISFET pair, and the threshold voltages of the first and second MISFET pairs are made smaller than that of the third MISFET pair. This level converter circuit operates at high speed even if there is a large difference in the signal amplitude before and after level conversion.
48 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A semiconductor device including a differential level converter circuit that receives a first signal and outputs a second signal of a larger amplitude than an amplitude of the first signal, the differential level converter circuit comprises a first MISFET pair for receiving the first signal;
- a second MISFET pair for improving a withstand voltage of the first MISFET pair; and
a third MISFET pair having cross-coupled gates for latching the second signal from output,wherein a film thickness of gate insulating films of the second MISFET pair is thicker than a film thickness of gate insulating films of the first MISFET pair;
wherein a film thickness of gate insulating films of the third MISFET pair is thicker than the film thickness of the gate insulating films of the first MISFET pair;
wherein an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the second MISFET pair is smaller than an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the third MISFET pair; and
wherein an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the first MISFET pair is smaller than the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the third MISFET pair. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- a second MISFET pair for improving a withstand voltage of the first MISFET pair; and
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11. A semiconductor device including a differential level converter circuit that receives a first signal and outputs a second signal with a larger amplitude than an amplitude of the first signal,
wherein the differential level converter circuit comprises a first MISFET pair for receiving the first signal; - a second MISFET pair for improving the withstand voltages of the first MISFET pair; and
a third MISFET pair having cross-coupled gates for latching the second signal from output, andwherein the second MISFET pair and the third MISFET pair have higher withstand voltages than a withstand voltage of the first MISFET pair;
the second MISFET pair has a threshold voltage with an absolute value smaller than an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the third MISFET pair; and
the first MISFET pair has a threshold voltage with an absolute value smaller than an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the third MISFET pair.
- a second MISFET pair for improving the withstand voltages of the first MISFET pair; and
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12. A semiconductor device including a level converter circuit that receives a first signal with an amplitude of a first voltage and outputs a second signal with an amplitude of a second voltage which is larger than the first voltage;
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wherein the level converter circuit comprises a first MISFET, a second MISFET, a third MISFET, and a fourth MISFET with source-drain paths therein connected in series having the second voltage applying therebetween; and
a fifth MISFET, a sixth MISFET, a seventh MISFET, and an eighth MISFET with source-drain paths therein connected in series having the second voltage applying therebetween; and
wherein the first and third MISFETs receive the first signal at gates therein;
the fifth and seventh MISFETs receive a phase-inverted signal of the first signal at gates therein;
a gate of the fourth MISFET is coupled to a drain of the seventh MISFET;
a gate of the eighth MISFET is coupled to a drain of the third MISFET;
a drain of the third MISFET outputs a first differential output as the second signal;
a drain of the seventh MISFET outputs a second differential output which is a phase-inverted signal of the first differential output signal;
each of the first and fifth MISFETs is of a first conducting type and has a gate insulating film;
each of the third, fourth, seventh, and eighth MISFETs is of a second conducting type and has a gate insulating film thicker than the gate insulating film of each of the first and fifth MISFETs;
each of the second and sixth MISFETs has a gate insulating film thicker than the gate insulting film of each of the first and fifth MISFETs and has a threshold voltage lower than a threshold voltage of each of the third, fourth, seventh, and eighth MISFETs. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification