Reed Smith LLP
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a level converter (LSC) is disclosed. The level converter comprises a voltage-up circuit (LSC1) that operates on low voltage of power supply (VDD) and steps up voltage enough to drive the level converter and a level converter circuit (LSC2) that operates on high voltage of power supply (VDDQ). The voltage-up circuit is capable of constantly generating 2×VDD so that the level converter can convert a low voltage of power supply (VDD) below 1 V to VDDQ. This voltage-up circuit can be configured only with MOSFET transistors produced by thin oxide film deposition, thus enabling high-speed operation. To facilitate designing a circuit for preventing a leakage current from occurring in the level converter during sleep mode of a low-voltage-driven circuit (CB1), the level converter circuit (LSC2) includes a leak protection circuit (LPC) that exerts autonomous control for leak prevention, dispensing with external control signals.
Renesas Technology Corporation
H H
H03K H03K
inventional inventional
Hiroyuki Takao Takeshi Yusuke
Mizuno Watanabe Sakata Kanno