Low Voltage High-Speed Frequency-Divider Circuit
- Summary
- Frequency-divider circuit is a key building block of phase-locked-loop (PLL) and frequency synthesizer (FS) circuits, which are required for all data communication and telecommunication systems. However, the failure of frequency-divider circuits functioning at low-voltage high-frequency operation is a major bottleneck for low-voltage operations of PLL and FS circuits. This invention is a frequency-divider circuit that can operate on a very low voltage and at a very high frequency, which surpasses the existing techniques.
The new frequency-divider circuit can generate output signals having a frequency half of the frequency of the input signal. The new technique when applied enables the frequency-divider circuit to work at a minimum supply voltage while operating effectively at multi-gigahertz frequency range. Experimental results have demonstrated that such a circuit can operate successfully at a frequency of more than 20GHz with a 1-V supply. Besides, it avoids the employment of advanced but expensive fabrication processes using alternative low-threshold devices. It is notable that such special processes are not ready for high-level system integration and low-threshold devices usually suffer from leakage-current and high power consumption problems. The current invention provides a cost-effective solution using standard fabrication technology.
- Technology Benefits
- Conventional CMOS frequency divider designs have a problem where the minimal supply voltage is limited by the DC biasing requirements of the input gate terminal made in form of a CMOS invertor. The new invention can work at frequencies up to 20GHz with a supply voltage as low as 1V in a standard digital CMOS process. This is much lower than conventional frequency dividers (>3V) which achieve the same operation frequency.
- Technology Application
- - High-performance data communication and telecommunication systems
- Phase-locked-loop (PLL) and frequency synthesizer (FS) circuits
- Low-voltage low-power IC products
- Supplementary Information
- Patent Number: US6831489B2
Application Number: US2003442168A
Inventor: Cheung, Sin Luen | Wong, Man Chun | Luong, Howard Cam
Priority Date: 21 May 2002
Priority Number: US6831489B2
Application Date: 21 May 2003
Publication Date: 14 Dec 2004
IPC Current: H03K0003356 | H03K002354
US Class: 327115 | 377047
Assignee Applicant: The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
Title: Low-voltage high-speed frequency-divider circuit
Usefulness: Low-voltage high-speed frequency-divider circuit
Summary: Used in an electronic circuit.
Novelty: Frequency divider circuit for electronic circuit, has two D-flip-flop circuits, where one circuit employs input signal and another circuit employs complement of input signal
- Industry
- Electronics
- Sub Category
- Semiconductor
- Application Date
- 21 May 2003
- Application No.
- US 10/442168
- Patent Information
- US 6831489
- ID No.
- TTC.PA.176
- Country/Region
- Hong Kong
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