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MEMS-based, computer systems, clock generation and oscillator circuits and LC-tank apparatus for use therein

  • US 7,157,984 B2
  • Filed: 10/28/2005
  • Issued: 01/02/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A clock generation circuit, the circuit comprising:

  • a substrate;

    a double-balanced, cross-coupled voltage-controlled, reference oscillator fabricated on the substrate and including a micro-electromechanical LC-tank apparatus for generating a differential sinusoidal periodic signal, the LC-tank apparatus comprising a parallel plate capacitor and an inductor fabricated in a plurality of CMOS metal interconnect layers, the parallel plate capacitor comprising a top plate suspended in air over the substrate and moveable in response to a control voltage, and the inductor supported in air over the substrate;

    first circuitry also fabricated on the substrate for converting the differential sinusoidal periodic signal into a single-ended, high frequency, square-wave digital output signal; and

    a cascoded current source coupled through at least one transistor to the reference oscillator.

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