A 12-ps-resolution digital variable-delay macro cell on GaAs 100 K-gates gate array using a meshed air bridge structure

Author

Ohta, Akira ; Higashisaka, Norio ; Heima, Tetsuya ; Hisaka, Takayuki ; Nakano, Hirofumi ; Ohmura, Ryuji ; Takagi, Tadashi ; Tanino, Noriyuki

Author_Institution

High Frequency & Opt. Semicond. Div., Mitsubishi Electr. Corp., Hyogo, Japan

Volume

34

Issue

1

fYear

1999

fDate

1/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

33

Lastpage

41

Abstract

A digital variable-delay macro cell (DVDM) on a GaAs 100 K-gates gate array has been developed for measurement instruments and for elimination of clock skew on printed circuit boards. Three new technologies for high resolution are introduced into the DVDM: (1) a meshed air bridge structure bringing 29% reduction of propagation delay, (2) a rising edge selector circuit creating 33% decrement of standard deviation σ on delay, and (3) a delay circuit with a discharge control path for a high resolution of 12 ps. The DVDM produces 24.4 ns span and 12 ps resolution, about one-quarter that of a conventional DVDM. Linearity error is less than ±27 ps. Power dissipation of the DVDM is 250 mW/cell, about one-third of the value for a conventional Si bipolar junction transistor analog delay circuit

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MESFET integrated circuits; bridge circuits; delay circuits; gallium arsenide; logic arrays; 12 ps; 250 mW; DVDM; GaAs; GaAs gate array; MESFET IC; clock skew; delay circuit; digital variable delay macro cell; measurement instrument; meshed air bridge; printed circuit board; rising edge selector circuit; time resolution; Bipolar transistor circuits; Bridge circuits; Clocks; Gallium arsenide; Instruments; MESFET integrated circuits; Parasitic capacitance; Power dissipation; Printed circuits; Propagation delay;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9200

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/4.736654

Filename

736654