Abstract: A circuit comprises first, second, third, and fourth transistors. The first transistor has a first current electrode, a control electrode for receiving an input signal, and a second current electrode. The second transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the first transistor for providing an output signal, a control electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor, and a second current electrode coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal. The third transistor has a first current electrode coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to the first current electrode of the first transistor. The fourth transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the control electrode of the third transistor, a control electrode coupled to the control electrodes of the first and second transistors, and a second current electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor.

Abstract: A circuit comprises first, second, third, and fourth transistors. The first transistor has a first current electrode, a control electrode for receiving an input signal, and a second current electrode. The second transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the first transistor for providing an output signal, a control electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor, and a second current electrode coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal. The third transistor has a first current electrode coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to the first current electrode of the first transistor. The fourth transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the control electrode of the third transistor, a control electrode coupled to the control electrodes of the first and second transistors, and a second current electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is made by utilizing a delay and/or capacitance model and/or setup/hold time model which provides for the ability to isolate issues of transistor performance, metallization capacitance, metallization resistance, power supply voltage, and temperature for the individual design blocks that make up the integrated circuit. This is achieved by utilizing an equation representative of these performance characteristics as certain variables in the equation. The equation also has constants which are determined by first running the design blocks through a standard circuit simulator. The result is a different set of these constants for each design block. Various signal paths are made up of various design blocks so that each path can be analyzed by analyzing the performance of the individual blocks that make up the path. Thus, areas of improvement for the design blocks are more easily identified prior to actually making the integrated circuit.