Abstract: A high-voltage, high-speed driver circuit that includes a source amplifier having an amplifying FET device with a drain terminal, a gate terminal and a source terminal, where the amplifying FET device receiving a control signal at its gate terminal and outputs an amplified control signal at its drain terminal. The driver circuit also includes an active load having a self-biasing load FET device with a drain terminal, a gate terminal and a source terminal, where the drain terminal of the load FET device is coupled to a power supply, the source terminal of the load FET device is coupled to the drain terminal of the amplifying FET device, and the source and gate terminals of the load FET device are electrically coupled together by a self-biasing line. The active load includes a load resistor provided within the self-biasing line that provides high impedance and low capacitance.

Abstract: A transformer balun fabricated in silicon and including a series of alternating metal layers and dielectric layers that define first and second outer conductors that are part of a coaxial structure. Each dielectric layer includes a plurality of conductive vias extending through the dielectric layer to provide electrical contact between opposing metal layers, where a top metal layer forms a top wall of each outer conductor and a bottom metal layer forms a bottom wall of each outer conductor and the other metal layers and the dielectric layers define sidewalls of the outer conductors. Inner conductors extends down both of the first and second outer conductors and a first output line is electrically coupled to a sidewall of the first outer conductor and a second output line is electrically coupled to a sidewall of the second outer conductor.

Abstract: A circuit and corresponding method for doubling the frequency of an input signal, even when the input signal is of low frequency or a square wave. The input signal is applied to a phase-shifting circuit that produces a pair of output signals that are theoretically 90° apart in phase, but may lack the desired form if the original input signal is of low frequency. The waveforms of the two output signals are enhanced in latching hysteresis buffers that produce more uniformly squared waves, with zero crossings corrected to be more exactly 90° apart and with desirably steep state transitions. The enhanced-waveform output signals are coupled to an exclusive OR (XOR) gate to produce a double-frequency output.

Abstract: A circuit for supplying selected currents to a charge pump without harmful effects arising from operation of current switches in the charge pump. A charge pump current setting is applied in digital form to a set of two-position switches coupled to binary-weighted current sources. Currents from the sources selected by the switches are combined, and the total current is mirrored to the charge pump. Simultaneously, those of the binary-weighted current sources not selected by the switches to contribute to the charge pump current are separately combined, and this total current is mirrored to an electrical replica of the charge pump. Thus the currents supplied to the charge pump and to the replica charge pump are complementary in the sense that they always add to a constant total current drawn from a common power supply. Therefore, abrupt changes in current load are avoided and switching noise effects are minimized.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) mixing device wherein RF core circuit elements requiring signal splitting are provided with one or more signal splitting element(s) (“balun(s)”) integrated on-chip with the core RF circuit elements. The RF mixing device comprises one or more RF circuit element(s) integrated on a common substrate with one or more balun(s), wherein the common substrate is an insulating substrate further provided with associated silicon-based CMOS circuitry formed in a thin, highly crystalline silicon layer formed on the insulating substrate. The insulating substrate is selected from transparent crystalline materials such as sapphire, spinel, etc. The common substrate is preferably ultrathin silicon-on-sapphire.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) mixing device wherein RF core circuit elements requiring signal splitting are provided with one or more signal splitting element(s) (“balun(s)”) integrated on-chip with the core RF circuit elements. The RF mixing device comprises one or more RF circuit element(s) integrated on a common substrate with one or more balun(s), wherein the common substrate is an insulating substrate further provided with associated silicon-based CMOS circuitry formed in a thin, highly crystalline silicon layer formed on the insulating substrate. The insulating substrate is selected from transparent crystalline materials such as sapphire, spinel, etc. The common substrate is preferably ultrathin silicon-on-sapphire.