ECL integrated circuit allowing fast operation

• US 5,574,391 A
• Filed: 05/30/1995
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanibuchi, Toshiaki, Hayakawa, Yasushi, Ueda, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Application Number:
  US08/453,120
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 326/126-127, 326/18
• US Class Current: 326/126
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0136 by means of a pull-up or down element

Abstract

In an ECL circuit, when a potential of an input signal A changes from "L" to "H", an output signal D correspondingly changes from "H" to "L", and, at this time, an output sent from a switching stage circuit is supplied to a gate of a PMOS transistor via a control capacitor. Thereby, a base current of a pull-down transistor flows, and change of a potential of an output terminal node is promoted. An NMOS transistor receiving the potential of the output terminal node is arranged between a node and a VEE supply terminal. Therefore, when the potential changes, the current flowing through a transistor decreases, and the base current of the pull-down transistor further increases, so that the change of the output signal D is further promoted.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first bipolar transistor having first and second electrodes connected to first and second potentials, respectively, and a control electrode receiving an input signal;

a second bipolar transistor having first and second electrodes connected to said first and second potentials, respectively, and a control electrode receiving a reference signal;

a third bipolar transistor having a control electrode connected to said first electrode of said first bipolar transistor, a first electrode connected to said first potential and a second electrode connected to an output terminal node;

a fourth bipolar transistor connected between said output terminal node and said second potential for accelerating change of the potential of said output terminal node; and

adjusting means connected between a control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor and said second potential for adjusting a current flowing into the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor in response to potential change of said output terminal node.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising biasing means connected between said output terminal node and the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor for biasing the current of the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor to an intended state in response to a potential at the same side as the input signal with respect to at least the control electrode of said third bipolar transistor.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said potential at the same side as the input signal with respect to the control electrode of said third bipolar transistor includes the potential at the side of said first electrode of said first or second bipolar transistor.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said potential at the same side as the input signal with respect to the control electrode of said third bipolar transistor is the potential of the control electrode of said first bipolar transistor.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said biasing means includes an MOS transistor having said control electrode connected to the side of the first electrode of said first or second bipolar transistor via a capacitor.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising means connected to said output terminal node and the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor for generating a potential difference between them.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said means for generating the potential difference includes a field-effect transistor.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said means for generating the potential difference includes a resistance.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said first bipolar transistors are provided, and mutually different input signals are supplied to the control electrodes of said plurality of first bipolar transistors, respectively.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein said semiconductor device forms a logic circuit.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first bipolar transistor having first and second electrodes connected to first and second potentials, respectively, and receiving on its control signal an input signal;

a second bipolar transistor having first and second electrodes connected to said first and second potentials, respectively, and receiving on its control electrode a reference potential;

a capacitor for taking out a potential from one of said first electrodes of said first and second bipolar transistors;

a third bipolar transistor having a control electrode connected to said first electrode of said first bipolar transistor, a first electrode connected to said first potential and a second electrode connected to a first output terminal node;

a fourth bipolar transistor connected between said first output terminal node and said second potential for accelerating the change of the potential of said first output terminal node in a first direction;

first adjusting means connected between said first output terminal node and the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor for adjusting a current flowing into the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor in response to the potential of said capacitor;

a fifth bipolar transistor having a control electrode connected to said first electrode of said second bipolar transistor, a first electrode connected to said first potential and a second electrode connected to a second output terminal;

a sixth bipolar transistor connected between said second output terminal node and said second potential for accelerating the change of the potential of said second output terminal node in a second direction different from said first direction; and

second adjusting means connected between said second output terminal node and a control electrode of said sixth bipolar transistor for adjusting a current flowing into the control electrode of said sixth polar transistor in response to the potential of said capacitor.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein

said first and second output terminal nodes output mutually complementary signals,

said first adjusting means includes a field-effect transistor of a first conductivity type,

said second adjusting means includes a field-effect transistor of a second conductivity type, and

said first and second field-effect transistors have threshold voltages adjusted to achieve mutually complementary characteristics.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising means for adjusting the potential of the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor in response to the potential of said first output terminal node.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising means for adjusting the potential of the control electrode of said sixth bipolar transistor in response to the potential of said second output terminal node.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein said first adjusting means adjusts current flowing into the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor in response also to potential change of said first output terminal node and said second adjusting means adjusts current flowing into the control electrode of said fourth bipolar transistor in response also to potential change of said second output terminal node.