Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device which can operate at high speed and involves a low power consumption and a high integration density, wherein a Bi-CMOS basic cell and a Bi-CMOS macro cell are employed to define a critical path and a CMOS basic cell and a CMOS macro cell are employed for a portion of the device other than the critical path.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided for performing an arithmetic operation using an arithmetic operation circuit. The integrated circuit includes a read bus for connecting the arithmetic operation circuit with a plurality of registers which store input data and/or output data of said arithmetic operation circuit. A precharge and sense circuit connects said arithmetic operation circuit to said read bus. The precharge and sense circuit includes a precharge circuit to precharge the read bus to a first level before the read operation, and a sense circuit to detect that the level of the read bus has discharged to a second, lower level after the read operation begins. In this way, the integrated circuit can detect very slight potential variations on said read bus.

Abstract: In an input level converter for TTL - CMOS level conversion (or other conversion to CMOS) for an internal logic block operating with CMOS levels, an output transistor for executing the charge or discharge of the output capacitance thereof is formed of a bipolar transistor. Thus, the propagation delay times and their capacitance-dependencies of the input level converter can be lessened. Similarly, in an output level converter for CMOS - TTL level conversion (or other conversion from CMOS) for the internal logic block operating with the CMOS levels, an output transistor for executing the charge or discharge of the output load capacitance thereof is formed of a bipolar transistor. Thus, the propagation delay times and their capacitance-dependencies of the output level converter can also be lessened.

Abstract: An input buffer for processing an external signal is provided in one of passways, which is the most closest to a line for equally dividing the whole of a plurality of memory cell blocks longitudinally or laterally into two sections, the passway interposing between the adjacent memory cell blocks of the plurality of memory cell blocks to which a processed signal of the input buffer is transmitted, whereby the length of the signal pass from the input buffer to each memory cell of the memory cell blocks can be shortened. Therefore, since the memory cell or a logic element existing between the input buffer and the memory cell is operated by a pulse of little distortion without delay of time, a access time can be reduced and a processing speed of a microprocessor can be increased. Further, a degree of freedom in designing a system of a memory or the microprocessor is further improved.

Abstract: An invention is disclosed, which is suitable for operating a bipolar-MOS logic circuit, and in particular Bi-CMOS logic circuit with a low power supply voltage below 5V, e.g. around 3V. According to the present logic circuit, since the base current of a second NPN transistor is supplied from a power supply through a PMOS transistor (first current switching means), the impedance of which is lowered previously by a logic inverting means and an NMOS logic circuit (second current switching means), which is on/off controlled by an input signal, in a transient logic level transition period where the output is switched from the level "1" to "0" (i.e. it falls), it is possible to supply a sufficient base current to the second NPN. In this way, it is possible to turn-on the second NPN with a high speed and to pull down to the level "0" with high speed.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, drain-source paths of an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor are connected between the base and emitter of a bipolar transistor, and control signals are applied to gates of the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor so as to keep the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor at OFF condition when the bipolar transistor is operating and so as to keep the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor at ON condition when the bipolar transistor is in the quiescent state.

Abstract: In an input level converter for TTL - CMOS level conversion (or other conversion to CMOS) for an internal logic block operating with CMOS levels, an output transistor for executing the charge or discharge of the output capacitance thereof is formed of a bipolar transistor. Thus, the propagation delay times and their capacitance-dependencies of the input level converter can be lessened. Similarly, in an output level converter for CMOS - TTL level conversion (or other conversion from CMOS) for the internal logic block operating with the CMOS levels, an output transistor for executing the charge or discharge of the output load capacitance thereof is formed of a bipolar transistor. Thus, the propagation delay times and their capacitance-dependencies of the output level converter can also be lessened.

Abstract: An arithmetic operation circuit is provided which includes a logic processing circuit having a first metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) column cascade-connecting a plurality of MOSFETs and a second MOSFET column cascade-connecting a plurality of MOSFETs. First and second ends of the second MOSFET column are respectively connected to first and second ends of said first column. A first power supply voltage is coupled to the common connecting point of the first ends of said first and second MOSFET columns. An amplifying circuit, including the grounded emitter type bipolar transistor, is provided such that the base thereof is connected to the common connecting point of the second ends of said first and second MOSFET columns.

Abstract: A high-speed operation, low-power consumption gate circuit structure comprises a combination of complementary field-effect-transistors and bipolar transistors and discharge means for discharging accumulated charges from these transistors when the field-effect-transistors and bipolar transistors are turned off.

Abstract: In an input level converter for TTL - CMOS level conversion (or other conversion to CMOS) for an internal logic block operating with CMOS levels, an output transistor for executing the charge or discharge of the output capacitance thereof is formed of a bipolar transistor. Thus, the propagation delay times and their capacitance-dependencies of the input level converter can be lessened. Similarly, in an output level converter for CMOS - TTL level conversion (or other conversion from CMOS) for the internal logic block operating with the CMOS levels, an output transistor for executing the charge or discharge of the output load capacitance thereof is formed of a bipolar transistor. Thus, the propagation delay times and their capacitance-dependencies of the output level converter can also be lessened.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided with an input and/or an output terminal and at least one semiconductor device. The circuit has a resistor provided between the input terminal and/or the output terminal and one of the at least one semiconductor devices and an electronic switch connected in parallel with the resistor. The electronic switch is on-off controlled so as to exhibit a relatively low impedance when the semiconductor device is in operation and a relatively high impedance when the semiconductor device is not in operation. Thus, the semiconductor integrated circuit device is operable at a higher speed with an improved reliability and/or with controllable response characteristics, as compared with the conventional device.

Abstract: When a counter-part power supply designator of a first LSI designates that the counter-part power supply voltage of another LSI is a first power supply difference which is the same as the power supply difference of its own, an output circuit control controls an output circuit and the output circuit produces an output signal having a level adaptive to the counter-part LSI operating at the first power supply voltage. When the counter-part power supply voltage designator designates that the counter-part power supply voltage difference, lower than the first power supply voltage difference, the output circuit control controls the output circuit and the output circuit produces an output signal having a level adaptive to the counter-part LSI operating at the second power supply voltage difference. Thus, a plurality of LSIs can be operated at mutually different power supply voltages.

Abstract: A dynamic logic circuit is provided which is arranged to realize high speed operation. At least one bipolar transistor is provided having a collector, a base and an emitter, with the collector-emitter current path connected between the output of the dynamic logic circuit and a first potential. A precharging device is coupled between a second potential and the output of the dynamic logic circuit to precharge the output according to at least one clock signal which periodically changes its state. Further, at least two field-effect transistors are provided, wherein one assumes an on or off state opposite to that of the precharging means in response to the clock signal while the other operates in response to at least one input signal. The two field-effect transistors have their source-drain current paths connected between the output of the dynamic logic circuit and the base of the bipolar transistor.

Abstract: A high-speed operation, low-power consumption gate circuit structure comprises a combination of complementary field-effect-transistors and bipolar transistors and discharge means for discharging accumulated charges from these transistors when the field-effect-transistors and bipolar transistors are turned off.

Abstract: A composite circuit including a MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor to be driven by the MOS transistors and forming an output stage, a logical inverter circuit connected to an output terminal of the composite circuit to invert the level of the output signal, and a MOS transistor having a source and a drain thereof parallelly connected across a collector and an emitter of the bipolar transistor are provided. When the bipolar transistor conducts with a voltage drop associated with a base-emitter voltage, the parallelly connected MOS transistor renders the bipolar transistor completely conductive so that a level-shiftless output signal is produced.

Abstract: A novel composite circuit comprises a first bipolar transistor with a collector of a first conductivity type connected to a first potential, an emitter of the first conductivity type connected to an output, a second bipolar transistor with a collector of the first conductivity type connected to the output and an emitter of the first conductivity type connected to a second potential, a field effect transistor of a second conductivity type with a gate connected to an input, a source connected to a third potential and a drain connected to the base of the first bipolar transistor, a field effect transistor of the first conductivity type with a gate connected to the input, a drain connected to the base of the first bipolar transistor, and a source connected to the base of the second bipolar transistor, and a unidirectional element inserted between the output and the drain of the field effect transistor of the first conductivity type and having a direction of rectification opposite to that of the PN junction formed

Abstract: A unidirectional switching circuit having no charge storage effect for performing a high-speed switching operation is disclosed in which one of the anode and cathode terminals of a Schottky-barrier diode is connected to one of the source and drain terminals of a field effect transistor to form the series combination of the Schottky-barrier diode and the field effect transistor, that one of end terminals of the series combination which exists on the anode side of the diode, is used as an input terminal, the other end terminal existing on the cathode side is used as an output terminal, the gate electrode of the field effect transistor is used as a switching control electrode, and a current flowing through the switching circuit in a direction from the input terminal to the output terminal is controlled in accordance with a signal applied to the switching control electrode.

Abstract: A carry-look-ahead adder is provided which is implemented as a semiconductor integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a bipolar transistor coupled to the output terminal for providing an output indicative of the arithmetic operation. Impedance elements are coupled to the bipolar transistor and at least one FET is provided to control the on/off state of the bipolar transistor.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor-complementary field effect transistor composite circuit is provided which includes a pair of first and second bipolar transistors each having a collector of a first conductivity type, a base of a second conductivity type and an emitter of a first conductivity type. Collector-emitter current paths of the bipolar transistors are connected in series to each other between first and second potentials, with a connection node providing an output of the composite circuit. Field effect transistors are respectively coupled between the bases and collectors of the bipolar transistors for controlling the on-off states of the bipolar transistors in opposite relationship to one another in response to an input signal provided to the composite circuit. Also, discharge arrangements are provided for the bases of the first and second bipolar transistors to discharge parasitic capacitance in the bases of the first and second bipolar transistors when they are turned off.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory is provided including a plurality of row lines, memory cells driven by selecting a row line, sense amplifiers connected to the memory cells via column lines, and a column line voltage setting circuit for setting a predetermined voltage on the column lines. The predetermined voltage is defined by a voltage necessary to activate semiconductor switch elements constituting the column line voltage setting circuit, and is made nearly equal to the threshold voltage of the sense amplifiers. Thus, a high-speed, low power consumption semiconductor memory can be realized.