A digital buffer device with self-calibration includes a first buffer circuit, detection circuit, and calibration circuit. The first buffer circuit has a buffer input terminal for receiving an input signal and a buffer output terminal as output of the digital buffer device. The detection circuit includes at least one second buffer circuit for receiving at least one reference signal and generating at least one detection signal to indicate circuit characteristic variations of the at least one second buffer circuit. The at least one second buffer circuit is of a same type of buffer as the first buffer circuit. The calibration circuit has a calibration input terminal for receiving the input signal, and a calibration output terminal coupled to the buffer output terminal. The calibration circuit is for calibrating the first buffer circuit to generate an output signal according to the input signal and the at least one detection signal.

The embodiments herein describe technologies for back-gate biasing of clock trees using a reference generator. A circuit includes a set of clock buffers and a programmable voltage reference generator to apply a voltage to a back gate of a transistor of the set of clock buffers.

A driver circuit controls an output unit that switches whether or not to supply a current to an output line, in accordance with a potential difference between a first control signal to be input and a voltage of the output line. The driver circuit has a control line transmitting the first control signal to the output unit; a connection switching unit switching whether or not to connect the control line and the output line; a pre-stage control unit that is provided between a high potential line and a low potential line and selects and outputs a potential of any one of the high potential line and the low potential line in accordance with a second control signal; and a post-stage control unit causing the connection switching unit to connect the control line and the output line when the pre-stage control unit outputs a voltage higher than a predetermined threshold value.

Apparatuses, and methods, for digital cells power reduction are disclosed. For an embodiment, a first plurality of digital logic cells are directly connected to a Vdd terminal and a Vss terminal that have a potential difference of VDD, a second plurality of digital logic cells being directly connected to a Vdd_R terminal and a Vss_R terminal, wherein a potential difference between the Vdd_R terminal and the Vss terminal is (VDD−X1), and a potential difference between the Vss_R terminal and the Vss terminal is X2, wherein at least one digital logic cell has at least one of (a) an input directly connected to an output of at least one digital logic cell of the second plurality, or (b) an output directly connected to an input of at least one digital logic cell of the second plurality. Vdd, Vdd_R and Vss_R terminal voltages can be generated by an array of devices.

Logic circuitry includes a first logic circuit, second logic circuits, a third logic circuit, and fourth logic circuits. The first logic circuit inverts a first output signal relative to an input signal only in response to a first control signal having a first state that indicates that the input signal has remained in a same logic state for at least a predefined period of time. The second logic circuits are coupled in series. The second logic circuits generate a second output signal in response to the first output signal. The third logic circuit inverts a third output signal relative to the second output signal only in response to the first control signal having the first state. The fourth logic circuits are coupled in series. The fourth logic circuits generate a fourth output signal in response to the third output signal.

Asynchronous circuits implemented using threshold gate(s) and/or majority gate(s) (or minority gate(s)) are described. The new class of asynchronous circuits can operate at lower power supply levels (e.g., less than 1V on advanced technology nodes) because stack of devices between a supply node and ground are significantly reduced compared to traditional asynchronous circuits. The asynchronous circuits here result in area reduction (e.g., 3× reduction compared to traditional asynchronous circuits) and provide higher throughput/mm.sup.2 (e.g., 2× higher throughput compared to traditional asynchronous circuits). The threshold gate(s), majority/minority gate(s) can be implemented using capacitive input circuits. The capacitors can have linear dielectric or non-linear polar material as dielectric.

Asynchronous circuits implemented using threshold gate(s) and/or majority gate(s) (or minority gate(s)) are described. The new class of asynchronous circuits can operate at lower power supply levels (e.g., less than 1V on advanced technology nodes) because stack of devices between a supply node and ground are significantly reduced compared to traditional asynchronous circuits. The asynchronous circuits here result in area reduction (e.g., 3× reduction compared to traditional asynchronous circuits) and provide higher throughput/mm.sup.2 (e.g., 2× higher throughput compared to traditional asynchronous circuits). The threshold gate(s), majority/minority gate(s) can be implemented using capacitive input circuits. The capacitors can have linear dielectric or non-linear polar material as dielectric.

Asynchronous circuits implemented using threshold gate(s) and/or majority gate(s) (or minority gate(s)) are described. The new class of asynchronous circuits can operate at lower power supply levels (e.g., less than 1 V on advanced technology nodes) because stack of devices between a supply node and ground are significantly reduced compared to traditional asynchronous circuits. The asynchronous circuits here result in area reduction (e.g., 3× reduction compared to traditional asynchronous circuits) and provide higher throughput/mm.sup.2 (e.g., 2× higher throughput compared to traditional asynchronous circuits). The threshold gate(s), majority/minority gate(s) can be implemented using capacitive input circuits. The capacitors can have linear dielectric or non-linear polar material as dielectric.

A physically unclonable function device includes a set of diode-connected MOS transistors having a random distribution of respective threshold voltages. A first circuit is configured to impose, on each first transistor, a fixed respective gate voltage regardless of the value of a current flowing in this first transistor. A second circuit is configured to impose, on each second transistor, a fixed respective gate voltage regardless of the value of a current flowing in this second transistor. A current mirror stage is coupled between the first circuit and the second circuit and is configured to deliver the reference current from a sum of the currents flowing in the first transistors. A comparator is configured to deliver a signal whose level depends on a comparison between a first current obtained from a reference current based on the first transistors and a second current of the second transistors.

Asynchronous circuits implemented using threshold gate(s) and/or majority gate(s) (or minority gate(s)) are described. The new class of asynchronous circuits can operate at lower power supply levels (e.g., less than 1V on advanced technology nodes) because stack of devices between a supply node and ground are significantly reduced compared to traditional asynchronous circuits. The asynchronous circuits here result in area reduction (e.g., 3× reduction compared to traditional asynchronous circuits) and provide higher throughput/mm.sup.2 (e.g., 2× higher throughput compared to traditional asynchronous circuits). The threshold gate(s), majority/minority gate(s) can be implemented using capacitive input circuits. The capacitors can have linear dielectric or non-linear polar material as dielectric.