Dynamic threshold voltage scheme for low voltage CMOS inverter

• US 5,644,266 A
• Filed: 11/13/1995
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Science Council
• Original Assignee: National Science Council
• Inventors: Chen, Ming-Jer, Yang, Chuang-Hen
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, T.
• Application Number:
  US08/559,201
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 327/534, 327/538, 327/543, 327/379-383, 327/387, 327/389, 327/391, 326/27, 326/81, 326/121, 326/108
• US Class Current: 327/534
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0013 in field effect transistor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0027 in field effect transistor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/01707 in asynchronous circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0018 Special modifications or use of the back gate voltage of a FET

Abstract

The present invention utilizes a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) inverter, which includes a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor connected in cascade, and back-gate biasing circuits. The back-gate biasing circuit consists of capacitors and loads (active load or passive load). By providing a bias voltage to either one of bulks of the transistors or both of them, the constituted CMOS inverter demonstrates higher operation speed and lower standby current than the conventional one.

Claims

1. A low voltage inverter, comprising:

a CMOS inverter consisting of a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor; and

a back-gate biasing circuit consisting of a capacitor and a load, wherein said capacitor is connected between an input terminal of said CMOS inverter and one of bulks of said transistors for biasing via said load.

2. The inverter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said capacitor is connected to said bulk of said PMOS transistor.

3. The inverter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said load includes a PMOS transistor having a source connected to a voltage source, a gate connected to the ground, and a drain connected to said capacitor.

4. The inverter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said capacitor is connected to said bulk of said NMOS transistor.

5. The inverter as claimed in claim 4, wherein said load includes an NMOS transistor having a source connected to the ground, a gate connected to a voltage source, and a drain connected to said capacitor.

6. A low voltage inverter, comprising:

a CMOS inverter consisting of a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor; and

a back-gate biasing circuit consisting of a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a first load and a second load;

wherein said first capacitor is connected between an input terminal of said CMOS inverter and a bulk of said PMOS transistor, said second capacitor is connected between said input terminal and a bulk of said NMOS transistor, said first load biases said bulk of said PMOS transistor, and said second load biases said bulk of said NMOS transistor.

7. The inverter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first load includes a resistor connected between a voltage source and said bulk of said PMOS transistor.

8. The inverter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first load includes a PMOS transistor having a source connected to a voltage source, a gate connected to the ground, and a drain connected to said first capacitor.

9. The inverter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second load includes a resistor connected between a voltage source and said bulk of said NMOS transistor.

10. The inverter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second load includes an NMOS transistor having a source connected to the ground, a gate connected to a voltage source, and a drain connected to said second capacitor.