Current-controlled CMOS circuits with inductive broadbanding

• US 6,340,899 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Green, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHO, JAMES HYONCHOL
• Application Number:
  US09/610,905
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 326/115, 326/83, 326/86-88, 326/112, 326/119, 326/121, 327/52, 327/50, 327/65, 327/81, 327/89
• US Class Current: 326/115
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/42 Modifications of amplifiers to extend the bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/36 the amplifier comprising means for increasing the bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45506 the CSC comprising only one switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45631 the LC comprising one or more capacitors, e.g. coupling capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45638 the LC comprising one or more coils
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45702 the LC comprising two resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45704 the LC comprising one or more parallel resonance circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/7203 the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch in the bias circuit of the amplifier controlling a bias current in the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45183 Long tailed pairs H03F3/4521, H03F3/45237 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/04163 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/693 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/01707 in asynchronous circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/09432 with coupled sources or source coupled logic H03K19/096 takes precedence

Abstract

Various circuit techniques for implementing ultra high speed circuits use current-controlled CMOS (C³MOS) logic with inductive broadbanding fabricated in conventional CMOS process technology. Optimum balance between power consumption and speed for each circuit application is achieve by combining high speed C³MOS logic with inductive broadbanding/C³MOS logic with low power conventional CMOS logic. The combined C³MOS logic with inductive broadbanding/C³MOS/CMOS logic allows greater integration of circuits such as high speed transceivers used in fiber optic communication systems.

Claims

1. A current-controlled metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) circuit fabricated on a silicon substrate, comprising:

first and second n-channel MOSFETs having their source terminals coupled to a first node, their gate terminals coupled to receive a first and second differential logic signals, respectively, and their drain terminals coupled respectively to first and second output nodes;

first and second series RL circuits respectively coupled between said first and second output nodes and a logic high level;

first and second capacitive loads (C_L) respectively coupled to said output nodes; and

a current-source n-channel MOSFET coupled between the source terminals of the first and second select n-channel MOSFETs and a logic low level.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein:

the magnitude of C_L, R, and L are about equal to values determined by the relation L=(0.35)*C_LR².

3. A current-controlled metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) circuit fabricated on a silicon substrate, comprising:

a multiplexing circuit including;

first and second n-channel MOSFETs having their source terminals coupled to a first node, their gate terminals coupled to receive a first pair of differential logic signals, respectively, and their drain terminals coupled to a true output and a complementary output, respectively;

third and fourth n-channel MOSFETs having their source terminals coupled to a second node, their gate terminals coupled to receive a second pair of differential logic signals, and their drain terminals coupled to the true output and a complementary output, respectively;

first and second RL series circuits respectively coupling the true output and the complementary output to a logic high level;

a first select n-channel MOSFET having a drain terminal coupled to the first node, a gate terminal coupled to receive a first select logic signal, and a source terminal; and

a second select n-channel MOSFET having a drain terminal coupled to the second node, a gate terminal coupled to receive a second select logic signal, and a source terminal.

4. The circuit of claim 3 further comprising:

first and second capacitive loads, C_L, coupled, respectively, the true and complementary outputs, wherein the magnitude of C_L, R, and L are about equal to values determined by the relation L=(3.5)*C_LR².

6. The circuit of claim 3 further comprising:

first and second capacitive loads, C_L, coupld, respectively, the true and complementary outputs of said second latch, wherein the magnitude of C_L, R, and L are about equal to valuees determined by the relation L=(3.5)*C_LR².

7. A current-controlled metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSTFET) circuit fabricated on a silicon substrate, comprising a flip-flop including:

a first clocked latch comprising;

first and second n-channel MOSFETs having their source terminals connected together, their gate terminals coupled to receive a pair of differential logic signals, respectively, and their drain terminals connected to a first output and a second output, respectively;

a first clocked n-channel MOSFET having a drain terminal coupled to the source terminals of the first and second n-channel MOSFETs, a gate terminal coupled to receive a first cloack signal CK, and a source terminal;

third and fourth n-channel MOSFETs having their source terminals coupled together, their gate terminals and drain terminals respectively cross-coupled to the first output and the second output;

a second cloacked n-channel MOSFET having a drain terminal coupled to the source terminals of the third and fourth n-channel MOSFETs, a gate terminal coupled to receive a second clock signal CKB, and a source terminal;

first and second RL series circuits respectively coupling the first output and the second output to a logic high level; and

a second clocked latch comprising;

fifth and sixth n-channel MOSFETs having their source terminals connected together, their gate terminals coupled to receive a pair of differential logic signals, respectively, and their drain terminals connected to a third output and a fourth output, respectively;

a third clocked n-channel MOSFET having a drain terminal coupled to the source terminals of the fifth and sixth n-channel MOSFETs, a gate terminal coupled to receive a second clock signal CKB, and a source terminal;

seventh and eight n-channel MOSFETs having their source terminals coupled together, their gate terminals and drain terminals respectively cross-coupled to the third output and the fourth output;

a fourth clocked n-channel MOSFET having a drain terminal coupled to the source terminals of the seventh and eight n-channel MOSFETs, a gate terminal coupled to receive a first clock signal CK, and a source terminal;

third and fourth RL series circuits respectively coupling the third output and the fourth output to a logic high level;

wherein, the gate terminals of the fifth and sixth n-channel MOSFETs in the second clocked latch respectively couple to the first output and the second output of the first clocked latch.

8. A metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) circuit fabricated on a silicon substrate, comprising:

a first circuitry implemented, including first and second output nodes and power supply nodes, using current-controlled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (C³MOS) with inductive broadbanding logic wherein logic levels are signaled by current steering in one of two or more bracnhes in response to differential output signals, and wherein first and second series connected RL circuits couple, respectively, the first and second output nodes to a power supply node, the first circuitry being configured to receive an input signal having a first frequency and to generate a first output signal having a second frequency lower than the first frequency;

second circuitry implemented using current-controlled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (C³MOS) logic wherein logic levels are signaled by current steering in one of two or more branches in response to differential input signals, the second circuitr being configured to receive said first output signals and to generate a second output signal having a third frequency lower than the second frequency; and

third circuitry implemented using coventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic wherein substantially zero static current is dissipated, the third circuitry being configured to receive and process the second output signal having the third frequency.

5. The MOSFET circuit of claim 8 wherein the circuit comprises a transreceiver, the transreceiver comprising:

a first input deserializer implemented by the C³MOS with inductive broadbanding logic, and configured to receive the input signal having the first frequency and to generate a plurality of parallel first signals at the second frequency;

a second input deserializer implemented by the C³MOS logic, and configured to receive the first output having the second frequency and to generate a plurality of parallel third signals at the third frequency;

core circuitry implemented by the CMOS logic, and coupled to said input deserializer, the core circuitry being configured to process the plurality of parallel signal at the third frequency;

a first output serializer implemented by the CMOS logic, and coupled to said input deserializer, the core circuitry being configured to process the plurality of parallel signal at the third frequency;

a first output serializer implemented by the C³MOS logic, and coupled to the core circuitry, the first output serializer being configured to receive the plurality of parallel signals and to generate a plurality of parallel second output signal at the second frequency; and

a second output serializer implemented by the C³MOS with inductive broadbanding logic, and coupled to the first output serializer, the second output serializer being configured to receive the plurality of parallel second signals and to generate a single output signal at the first frequency.

9. The MOSFET circuit of claim 8, wherein the first circuitry comprises an input circuit that is implemented using the (C³MOS) with inductive broadbanding logic, and is configured to deserialize the input signal into a plurality of lower frequency signals.