International Business Machines Corporation

Robert F Sechler

Chung H Lam

Robert Paul Masleid

Byron Lee Krauter

Scott R Stiffler

Steven W Mittl

Donald Lee Thompson

Paul V Jordan

Linda A Miller

An electronic switch circuit switches out bad decoupling capacitors on a high speed integrated circuit chip. The circuit comprises a control device that operates in the subthreshold or off device state to detect leakage in a decoupling capacitor. This control device operates in a low impedance state if the capacitor is good and in a high impedance sate if the capacitor is bad. A feedback circuit is connected from an internal node of the capacitor to a gate of the control device so that once a state of the capacitor is detected it can be stored on the gate of the control device. A single external signal source shared by a group of capacitors activates the control device to detect leakage in the capacitor. The circuit operates to switch out capacitors that fail during normal operation.

Electronic switch for decoupling capacitor

A pass gate multiplexer receiver integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate including a pass gate circuit including first and second field effect transistors of opposite polarity for providing an input signal to an output line, the first transistor including a first bipolar transistor for providing clamping an electrostatic discharge protection and the second transistor including a second bipolar transistor for providing clamping and electrostatic discharge protection. A control circuit is connected to the pass gate to control operation. In a second embodiment the pass gate further includes a clamping circuit to provide further clamping and electrostatic discharge protection.

Pass gate multiplexer receiver circuit

Voltage-mode logic circuitry with improved input/output characteristics

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Robert F Sechler