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US4952885A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

MOS stage with high output resistance particularly for integrated circuits

Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL
•
Filing: 1989-02-15
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Granted: 1990-08-28
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Expires: 2009-02-15
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Abstract

Abstract A first N-channel transistor (M1) and a second N-channel transistor (M2) are cascode connected and the source electrode of the first transistor is connected to the ground; a third P-channel transistor (M3) and a fourth P-channel transistor (M4) are also cascode connected, and the source of the fourth transistor is connected to a supply voltage; the drains of the second and third transistors (M2, M3) are mutually connected to act as output terminal. According to the invention, the absolute values of the threshold voltages of the second and third transistors are lower than the threshold voltages of the first and fourth transistors, and the gates of the first and second transistors are furthermore mutually connected to act as input terminal for a voltage signal, while the gates of said third and fourth transistors are mutually connected to act as input terminal for a bias voltage.

Inventors

  • 👤 Daniele Devecchi
  • 👤 Guido Torelli

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 11:48
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03F; H03F3/00; H03F3/34; H03F3/343; H03F3/345

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 108 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance, particularly for integrated circuits, comprising a first transistor and a second transistor (M1, M2) of identical polarity, connected in series, said first transistor (M1) having its source electrode connected to a first terminal of a supply voltage generator, said second transistor (M2) having its drain electrode connected to an output terminal of the stage and also to a load, wherein the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the second transistor is lower than the threshold voltage of the first transistor and the gate electrodes of said first and second transistors are mutually connected to form a first input terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 108 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance, particularly for integrated circuits, comprising a first transistor and a second transistor (M1, M2) of identical polarity, connected in series, said first transistor (M1) having its source electrode connected to a first terminal of a supply voltage generator, said second transistor (M2) having its drain electrode connected to an output terminal of the stage and also to a load, wherein the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the second transistor is lower than the threshold voltage of the first transistor and the gate electrodes of said first and second transistors are mutually connected to form a first input terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance according to claim 1, wherein said first input terminal constitutes an input terminal for a voltage signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance according to claim 1, wherein said first input terminal constitutes an input terminal for a fixed bias voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 232 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance, particularly for integrated circuits, comprising a first transistor and a second transistor (M1, M2) of identical polarity, connected in series, said first transistor (M1) having its source electrode connected to a first terminal of a supply voltage generator, said second transistor (M2) having its drain electrode connected to an output terminal of the stage and also to a load, wherein the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the second transistor is lower than the threshold voltage of the first transistor and the gate electrodes of said first and second transistors are mutually connected to form a first input terminal, wherein a branch is inserted between said output terminal (OUT) and a second terminal of the supply voltage generator (V DD ), said branch comprising a third transistor and a fourth transistor (M3, M4) of identical polarity, said polarity being opposite to that of said first and second transistors, said third and fourth transistors being also connected in series and having respectively a drain electrode connected to said output terminal and a source electrode connected to the second terminal of the supply voltage generator, the threshold voltage of the third transistor being lower than the threshold voltage of the fourth transistor, and the gate electrodes of said third and fourth transistors being mutually connected to form an input terminal for a second input voltage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 232 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance, particularly for integrated circuits, comprising a first transistor and a second transistor (M1, M2) of identical polarity, connected in series, said first transistor (M1) having its source electrode connected to a first terminal of a supply voltage generator, said second transistor (M2) having its drain electrode connected to an output terminal of the stage and also to a load, wherein the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the second transistor is lower than the threshold voltage of the first transistor and the gate electrodes of said first and second transistors are mutually connected to form a first input terminal, wherein a branch is inserted between said output terminal (OUT) and a second terminal of the supply voltage generator (V DD ), said branch comprising a third transistor and a fourth transistor (M3, M4) of identical polarity, said polarity being opposite to that of said first and second transistors, said third and fourth transistors being also connected in series and having respectively a drain electrode connected to said output terminal and a source electrode connected to the second terminal of the supply voltage generator, the threshold voltage of the third transistor being lower than the threshold voltage of the fourth transistor, and the gate electrodes of said third and fourth transistors being mutually connected to form an input terminal for a second input voltage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance according to claim 4, wherein said bias voltage is fixed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance according to claim 4, wherein said bias voltage is variable around a fixed value with the same behavior as the input voltage signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance according to claim 4, wherein said first, second, third and fourth transistors are all of the enhancement type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 34 words
An MOS amplifier stage with high output resistance according to claim 4, wherein said first and fourth transistors are of the enhancement type, while said second and third transistors are of the depletion type.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3739194A Cited
US4191898A Cited
US4568844A Cited
US4687954A Cited
US4806877A Cited
US4835423A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-08-27 1994-02-26 1994-08-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-08-27 1998-02-26 1998-08-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-08-27 2002-02-26 2002-08-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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