Multi-Voltage Level Shifter Using Power Multiplexer Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor technology advances and voltage levels decrease, there is a need for reliable level shifters that can efficiently transfer different voltage levels across various power pins on a printed circuit board, particularly for 7 nm chips and more advanced chips like 5 nm, 4 nm, or 3 nm chips.
Innovation Solution
A multi-voltage level shifter is designed with a power multiplexer, a pair of pull-up devices, and a pair of pull-down devices. This configuration allows for the selection of different power voltage candidates, enabling the level shifter to handle low-to-high and high-to-low transitions of the input signal effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a level shifter is designed to handle multiple voltage levels (VDDQ and 2VDDQ) for advanced semiconductor chips, then the adaptability to different power systems is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The level shifter is designed with multiple pull-up devices and pull-down devices that can handle different voltage levels (VDDQ and 2VDDQ). The circuit includes first and second pull-up devices connected to different power voltage sources, and first and second pull-down devices with multiple pull-down paths, enabling a single device to serve multiple voltage level requirements simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The level shifter employs dynamic control through power multiplexer selection to activate specific pull-up and pull-down devices based on the required voltage level. The circuit can dynamically switch between different power voltage candidates and configure the appropriate pull-down paths, allowing adaptive operation across different voltage conditions.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the maximum applied voltage is suppressed to 1.2V for 5nm/4nm/3nm chips, then the power consumption is reduced, but the ability to interface with higher voltage systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The level shifter acts as an intermediary device between low-voltage (1.2V) advanced chips and higher-voltage systems. It includes pull-up devices that can output higher voltage levels and pull-down devices that can interface with lower voltage levels, enabling voltage level translation and compatibility between different voltage domains.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit changes its operating parameters by selecting different power voltage candidates through the power multiplexer. The pull-up and pull-down devices can operate at different voltage levels depending on the selected power candidate, allowing the same hardware to adapt to different voltage requirements without physical modification.
3Reliability
If multiple pull-down paths are provided for different power voltage candidates, then the reliability of voltage level shifting is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The level shifter pre-configures multiple pull-down paths corresponding to different power voltage candidates before operation. The power multiplexer pre-selects the appropriate power voltage candidate, and the corresponding pull-down path is pre-established, ensuring reliable operation without requiring dynamic reconfiguration during signal transitions.
Data Source
AI summary
A level shifter with high reliability is shown, which has a power multiplexer receiving a plurality of power voltage candidates to selectively output a selected power voltage. In response to a low-to-high transition of the input signal of the level shifter, the first output terminal of the level shifter is pulled up to the selected power voltage by the second pull-up device, and the first pull-down device pulls down the second output terminal of the level shifter to a low-voltage level corresponding to the selected power voltage. In response to a high-to-low transition of the input signal, the second output terminal of the level shifter is pulled up to the selected power voltage by the first pull-up device, and the second pull-down device pulls down the first output terminal of the level shifter to the low-voltage level corresponding to the selected power voltage.