Author_Institution :
IMRA America Inc., Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Abstract :
A gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuit for measuring single shot time intervals with 500-ps resolution has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The circuit contains a 12-b counter that can be extended externally and control circuitry for the detection of multiple intervals. Options such as number of intervals, minimum interval time, and timing resolution are user programmable. The circuit employs a self-contained 2.0-GHz phase-locked loop (PLL) clock synthesizer with less than 5 ps rms jitter and a lock time of 2.5 μs. The circuit is packaged in a 14-mm2, 52-pin thermally enhanced plastic package and operates from a single +5-V supply. The nominal power dissipation is 2.8 W. The circuit is fabricated in a 0.6-μm gate length, enhancement/depletion GaAs MESFET process utilizing four layers of gold interconnect metallization. Inductors, capacitors, and thin film resistors can be fabricated in this process, enabling integrated analog circuitry. The die size is 3.28 by 3.15 mm. The circuit has applications in collision avoidance sensors, laser rangefinders, surveying, police radar, and test instrumentation
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; MESFET integrated circuits; gallium arsenide; mixed analogue-digital integrated circuits; phase locked loops; time measurement; timing circuits; 0.6 micron; 2 GHz; 2.8 W; 5 V; 500 ps; Au; Au interconnect metallization; GaAs; GaAs integrated circuit; collision avoidance sensors; counter; enhancement/depletion GaAs MESFET process; integrated PLL clock synthesis; laser rangefinders; monolithic interval timer IC; phase-locked loop; police radar; single shot resolution; surveying; test instrumentation; thermally enhanced plastic package; thin film resistors; time interval measurement; Circuit testing; Gallium arsenide; Integrated circuit measurements; Integrated circuit testing; Laser radar; Monolithic integrated circuits; Phase locked loops; Plastic packaging; Thin film inductors; Time measurement;
