Semiconductor Chip Voltage Translation for Area Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of semiconductor chips with different operating voltages in a multichip package poses a risk of transistor destruction and logic circuit malfunction due to voltage mismatches, necessitating the use of buffer circuits operating at different voltages, which increases chip area.
Innovation Solution
One semiconductor chip supplies its operating voltage to the other chip, allowing the generation of a data signal at the high level voltage of the receiving chip, eliminating the need for buffer circuits operating at different voltages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buffer circuits operating at different voltages are provided in each chip to handle voltage mismatches, then voltage compatibility between chips is improved, but chip area increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a voltage translator circuit as an intermediary component between chips operating at different voltages. This translator converts voltage levels, allowing a chip operating at 1.8V to communicate with a chip operating at 1.0V without requiring each chip to have buffer circuits for all possible voltage levels. The translator acts as a mediator that handles voltage conversion centrally, reducing the area burden on individual chips.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage translator circuit serves multiple functions: it performs voltage level conversion, enables bidirectional communication between different voltage domains, and eliminates the need for separate buffer circuits in each chip. By making this single component multi-functional, the overall chip area is reduced while maintaining voltage compatibility across multiple chips with different operating voltages.
2Device complexity
If high voltage chips directly output data signals to low voltage chips, then device complexity is reduced, but transistor destruction occurs due to voltage mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage translator serves as a protective intermediary between high voltage and low voltage chips. When a high voltage chip (1.8V) needs to communicate with a low voltage chip (1.0V), the translator receives the high voltage signal, converts it to the appropriate low voltage level, and then outputs it to the low voltage chip. This prevents direct exposure of low voltage transistors to high voltage signals that would cause destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage translator is positioned in advance in the signal path to cushion or buffer voltage transitions before they reach vulnerable components. By converting voltage levels beforehand, the system prevents harmful high voltage signals from directly reaching low voltage transistors, thus cushioning them from potential damage before it can occur.
3Device complexity
If low voltage chips directly transmit data signals to high voltage chips, then device complexity is reduced, but logic circuit malfunction occurs due to voltage mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage translator acts as an intermediary that receives low voltage signals (1.0V), converts them to high voltage levels (1.8V), and outputs them to high voltage chips. This ensures that the receiving high voltage logic circuit receives signals at the correct voltage level for proper logic operation, preventing malfunctions that would occur with direct low voltage signal transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip operating at a first power supply voltage and a second semiconductor chip operating at a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage to supply the second power supply voltage to the first semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chips according to the present invention are conveniently used for fabrication of the semiconductor device. The first semiconductor chip includes an output circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, interconnected in series and turned on or off complementarily. The output circuit outputs a signal to a first external output terminal. The first semiconductor chip also includes a third transistor connected in series with the first and second transistors and having a gate electrode connected to a second output terminal. The entire chip area is reduced, as compared with the case where plural semiconductor chips, operated at different operating voltages, are interconnected and used as such in a semiconductor device provided with an input/output buffer operating at a voltage different from the respective operating voltages resulting in an increased chip area.