A DC-shifting predriver has an input port configured for coupling to a serial data stream, an inverting output amplifier having an feedback node and an output port configured for coupling to a transistor at the input to a high-speed DAC or TX driver, and a capacitor AC-coupled between the input port and the feedback node. A weak feedback inverter having structure similar to, but less drive strength than the inverting output amplifier is coupled between the output port and the feedback node to act as a positive feedback latch. The predriver provides a DC shift up to 3V with high reliability and minimal intersymbol interference for data rates from 10 GS/s to 28 GS/s or higher. The predriver may provide multiple input ports implemented as a predriver array in an M-bit system, and the output amplifier may consist of N stages.

A circuit includes a plurality of voltage supply terminals including a lowest voltage supply terminal, an N-type finFET, and a current path electrically coupled to the lowest voltage supply terminal, where the N-type finFET transistor is located in the current path. The N-type finFET transistor includes at least one semiconductor fin, a gate structure made of a gate material located over the at least one fin, an end structure of the gate material located over an end of the at least one fin, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The at least one fin is located over a well region, and the end structure is electrically tied to the well region, in which the well region is not electrically tied to the lowest voltage supply terminal.

A circuit includes a plurality of voltage supply terminals including a lowest voltage supply terminal, an N-type finFET, and a current path electrically coupled to the lowest voltage supply terminal, where the N-type finFET transistor is located in the current path. The N-type finFET transistor includes at least one semiconductor fin, a gate structure made of a gate material located over the at least one fin, an end structure of the gate material located over an end of the at least one fin, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The at least one fin is located over a well region, and the end structure is electrically tied to the well region, in which the well region is not electrically tied to the lowest voltage supply terminal.

Methods, systems, and devices for shifting voltage levels of electrical signals and more specifically for boosted high-speed level shifting are described. A boosted level shifter may include a driver circuit that generates a drive signal having a greater voltage swing than an input signal, and the drive signal may drive the gate of a pull-up transistor within the boosted level shifter. The lower bound of the drive signal may in some cases be a negative voltage. Driving the pull-up transistor with a drive signal having a greater voltage swing than the input signal may improve the operational speed and current-sourcing capability of the pull-up transistor, which may provide speed and efficiency benefits.

Methods, systems, and devices for shifting voltage levels of electrical signals and more specifically for boosted high-speed level shifting are described. A boosted level shifter may include a driver circuit that generates a drive signal having a greater voltage swing than an input signal, and the drive signal may drive the gate of a pull-up transistor within the boosted level shifter. The lower bound of the drive signal may in some cases be a negative voltage. Driving the pull-up transistor with a drive signal having a greater voltage swing than the input signal may improve the operational speed and current-sourcing capability of the pull-up transistor, which may provide speed and efficiency benefits.

An H-bridge integrated laser driver optimizes power dissipation, impedance matching, low-swing and high-swing reliability for electro-absorption modulated laser (EML) and directly modulated laser diode (DML) applications. The laser driver includes a retimer for converting low-speed parallel data to a high-speed serial bit stream and to an inverted representation of the high-speed parallel bit stream, an M-bit PMOS DAC configured to receive a first buffered bit stream, an N-bit NMOS DAC configured to receive a second buffered bit stream substantially synchronized with the first buffered bit stream. A protective device is coupled between the M-bit DAC and the N-bit DAC. A first DC level-shifting predriver array is coupled between the retimer and the M-bit DAC to receive the high-speed parallel bit stream and the inverted high-speed parallel bit stream, and a second DC level-shifting predriver array is coupled between the retimer and the N-bit DAC to receive the high-speed parallel bit stream and the inverted high-speed parallel bit stream. An impedance matching module is coupled to an output of the protective device. The laser driver may be integrated on a CMOS communication chip.

An H-bridge integrated laser driver optimizes power dissipation, impedance matching, low-swing and high-swing reliability for electro-absorption modulated laser (EML) and directly modulated laser diode (DML) applications. The laser driver includes a retimer for converting low-speed parallel data to a high-speed serial bit stream and to an inverted representation of the high-speed parallel bit stream, an M-bit PMOS DAC configured to receive a first buffered bit stream, an N-bit NMOS DAC configured to receive a second buffered bit stream substantially synchronized with the first buffered bit stream. A protective device is coupled between the M-bit DAC and the N-bit DAC. A first DC level-shifting predriver array is coupled between the retimer and the M-bit DAC to receive the high-speed parallel bit stream and the inverted high-speed parallel bit stream, and a second DC level-shifting predriver array is coupled between the retimer and the N-bit DAC to receive the high-speed parallel bit stream and the inverted high-speed parallel bit stream. An impedance matching module is coupled to an output of the protective device. The laser driver may be integrated on a CMOS communication chip.

A method for improving timing between solid state devices, e.g., in non-volatile memory device is described and includes generating timing signals from the data stream so that the data stream is free from synchronization bits. The PWM data stream is converted from CML to CMOS level. An even decoder decodes the even data signal. An odd decoder decodes the odd signal. The decoders rely on the respective signal, even or odd, to increase past a slower rising signal based on both the odd and even signals to change from a default low state to a high state. The clock signal is derived from edges of the data itself.

A method for improving timing between solid state devices, e.g., in non-volatile memory device is described and includes generating timing signals from the data stream so that the data stream is free from synchronization bits. The PWM data stream is converted from CML to CMOS level. An even decoder decodes the even data signal. An odd decoder decodes the odd signal. The decoders rely on the respective signal, even or odd, to increase past a slower rising signal based on both the odd and even signals to change from a default low state to a high state. The clock signal is derived from edges of the data itself.

An integrated circuit includes at least one differential pair of transistors, a bias current generator that is configured to generate a bias current on a bias node that is coupled to a source terminal of each transistor of said differential pair by a respective resistive element. A compensation current generator is configured to generate a compensation current in one of the two resistive elements so as to compensate for a difference between actual values of the threshold voltages of the transistors of said differential pair.