In one embodiment, a voltage level shifter includes a first p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistor having a gate configured to receive an input signal in a first power domain, and a second PMOS transistor, wherein the first and second PMOS transistors are coupled in series between a supply voltage of a second power domain and a node. The voltage level shifter also includes an inverter having an input coupled to the node and an output coupled to a gate of the second PMOS transistor, and a first n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistor having a gate configured to receive the input signal in the first power domain, wherein the first NMOS transistor is coupled between the node and a ground.

A semiconductor device with reduced power consumption can be provided. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is a p-channel transistor including silicon in a channel formation region and the second transistor is an n-channel transistor including a metal oxide in a channel formation region. The metal oxide includes indium, an element M (e.g., gallium), and zinc. A gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor, and one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor can each operate in a subthreshold region.

A CAN bus transmitter has an input to receive a transmit data signal, and CANH and CANL outputs coupled to a CAN bus. The CAN bus transmitter comprises a plurality of CAN driver circuits having inputs coupled through delay circuits with their CANH and CANL outputs in common and connected to the CAN bus. Matching of Cgs capacitances between devices of the CANH and CANL legs provides substantially synchronized changes in the CANH and CANL output logic levels upon a change in the input logic level. Variable delaying of the input logic level changes to each of the plurality of CAN driver circuits reduces emission of unwanted signals from the CAN bus.

A CAN bus transmitter has an input to receive a transmit data signal, and CANH and CANL outputs coupled to a CAN bus. The CAN bus transmitter comprises a plurality of CAN driver circuits having inputs coupled through delay circuits with their CANH and CANL outputs in common and connected to the CAN bus. Matching of Cgs capacitances between devices of the CANH and CANL legs provides substantially synchronized changes in the CANH and CANL output logic levels upon a change in the input logic level. Variable delaying of the input logic level changes to each of the plurality of CAN driver circuits reduces emission of unwanted signals from the CAN bus.

A PUF generator includes a difference generator circuit with first and second transistors having a first predetermined VT. The difference generator circuit is configured to provide a first output signal for generating a PUF signature based on respective turn on times of the first and second transistors. An amplifier includes a plurality of transistors having a second predetermined VT. The amplifier is configured to receive the first output signal and output the PUF signature.

Circuits and methods that use harvested electrostatic energy from transient on-chip data are described in the Application. In one aspect, a method and inverter circuit use harvested electrostatic charge held at any electric potential higher than the common ground reference potential of CMOS circuits in a chip, to partially drive a 0.fwdarw.1 logic transition at the output of the inverter at lower energy drain from the on-chip power grid than a conventional CMOS inverter would with similar performance, slew rates at inverter input and output and with similar output driving transistor geometries.

Devices for reducing power consumption and skew for transmission of signals in a clock distribution circuit are described. A global distribution circuit is configured to divide external clock signals to generate first divided multiphase clock signals and divide one of the first divided multiphase clock signals to generate a reference clock signal. A local distribution circuit is configured to generate second divided multiphase clock signals according to a portion of the first divided multiphase clock signals and the reference clock signal.

A PUF generator includes a difference generator circuit with first and second transistors having a first predetermined VT. The difference generator circuit is configured to provide a first output signal for generating a PUF signature based on respective turn on times of the first and second transistors. An amplifier includes a plurality of transistors having a second predetermined VT. The amplifier is configured to receive the first output signal and output the PUF signature.

Circuits and methods that harvest electrostatic energy from transient on-chip data are described in the Application. In one aspect, a method and inverter circuit harvests electrostatic charge held at its output node at an electric potential comparable to the power supply voltage rail to a common grid/node as the output makes a 1.fwdarw.0 logic transition. This charge harvested at a common grid/node can be used by circuits (described in applications 63/090,169, 63/139,744) to drive 0.fwdarw.1 logic transition at their output nodes at lower energy drain from the on-chip power grid than a conventional CMOS inverter would with similar performance, slew rates at inverter input and output and with similar output driving transistor geometries.

Methods, systems, and devices for leakage current reduction in electronic devices are described. Electronic devices may be susceptible to leakage currents when operating in a first mode, such as an inactive (e.g., a standby) mode. To mitigate leakage current, an electronic device may include transistors coupled in cascode configuration where a gate of a drain-side transistor in the cascode configuration is configured to be biased by an adjustable (e.g., a dynamic) control signal. When the transistors are inactive (e.g., “off”), the control signal may be adjusted to prevent leakage associated with the inactive transistors. Further, a source-side transistor in the cascode configuration may be configured to have a high threshold voltage (e.g., relative to the drain-side transistor).