Abstract: An integrated circuit device is described. The integrated circuit device comprises a substrate; a plurality of metal routing interconnect layers; an inductor formed in at least one metal layer of the plurality of metal routing interconnect layers; and a bottom metal layer between the plurality of metal routing interconnect layers and the substrate; wherein a pattern ground shield is formed in the bottom metal layer. A method of implementing an integrated circuit device is also disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device is described. The integrated circuit device comprises a substrate; a plurality of metal routing interconnect layers; an inductor formed in at least one metal layer of the plurality of metal routing interconnect layers; and a bottom metal layer between the plurality of metal routing interconnect layers and the substrate; wherein a pattern ground shield is formed in the bottom metal layer. A method of implementing an integrated circuit device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and circuit for clock phase generation are disclosed. The circuit includes an injection locked oscillator, a loop controller, and a phase interpolator. The injection locked oscillator includes an input for receiving an injected clock signal and an output for forwarding a set of fixed clock phases. The loop controller includes an input for receiving a phase separation error of the fixed clock phases and an output for forwarding a supply voltage derived from the phase separation error. The supply voltage matches the free running frequency of the injection locked oscillator to a frequency of the injected clock signal. The phase interpolator includes an input for receiving the set of fixed clock phases directly from the injection locked oscillator, an input for receiving the supply voltage from the loop controller, and an output for forwarding an arbitrary clock phase.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an interconnect structure disposed over a semiconductor substrate. The interconnect structure includes a first device disposed in a first portion of the interconnect structure. A first shielding plane including a first conductive material is disposed in a second portion of the interconnect structure over the first portion of the interconnect structure. A second device is disposed in a third portion of the interconnect structure over the second portion of the interconnect structure. An isolation wall including a second conductive material is disposed in the first, second, and third portions of the interconnect structure. The isolation wall is coupled to the first shielding plane, and surrounds the first device, the first shielding plane, and the second device.

Abstract: An example successive approximation (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes: a track-and-hold (T/H) circuit configured to receive an analog input signal; a digital-to-analog converter (DAC); an adder having inputs coupled to outputs of the T/H circuit and the DAC; a comparison circuit coupled to an output of the adder and configured to perform a comparison operation; and a control circuit, coupled to an output of the comparison circuit, configured to: receive a selected resolution; gate the comparison operation of the comparison circuit based on the selected resolution; and generate a digital output signal having the selected resolution.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and circuit for clock phase generation are disclosed. The circuit includes an injection locked oscillator, a loop controller, and a phase interpolator. The injection locked oscillator includes an input for receiving an injected clock signal and an output for forwarding a set of fixed clock phases. The loop controller includes an input for receiving a phase separation error of the fixed clock phases and an output for forwarding a supply voltage derived from the phase separation error. The supply voltage matches the free running frequency of the injection locked oscillator to a frequency of the injected clock signal. The phase interpolator includes an input for receiving the set of fixed clock phases directly from the injection locked oscillator, an input for receiving the supply voltage from the loop controller, and an output for forwarding an arbitrary clock phase.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for a differential active inductor load for inductive peaking in which cross-coupled capacitive elements are used to cancel out, or at least reduce, the limiting effect of the gate-to-drain capacitance (Cgd) of transistors in the active inductor load. The cross-coupled capacitive elements extend the range over which the active inductor load behaves inductively and increase the quality factor (Q) of each active inductor. Therefore, the achievable inductive peaking of the load is significantly increased, which leads to providing larger signal swing across the load for a given power or, alternatively, lower power for a given signal swing.

Abstract: An example automatic gain control (AGC) circuit includes a base current-gain circuit having a programmable source degeneration resistance responsive to first bits of an AGC code word. The AGC circuit further includes a programmable current-gain circuit, coupled between an input and an output of the base current-gain circuit, having a programmable current source responsive to second bits of the AGC code word. The AGC circuit further includes a bleeder circuit, coupled to the output of the base current-gain circuit, having a programmable current source responsive to logical complements of the second bits of the AGC code word. The AGC circuit further includes a load circuit coupled to the output of the base current-gain circuit.

Abstract: An example automatic gain control (AGC) circuit includes a base current-gain circuit having a programmable source degeneration resistance responsive to first bits of an AGC code word. The AGC circuit further includes a programmable current-gain circuit, coupled between an input and an output of the base current-gain circuit, having a programmable current source responsive to second bits of the AGC code word. The AGC circuit further includes a bleeder circuit, coupled to the output of the base current-gain circuit, having a programmable current source responsive to logical complements of the second bits of the AGC code word. The AGC circuit further includes a load circuit coupled to the output of the base current-gain circuit.

Abstract: An example a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a sampling phase detector configured to receive a reference clock and a feedback clock and configured to supply a first control current and a pulse signal. The PLL further includes a charge pump configured to generate a second control current based on the first control current and the pulse signal. The PLL further includes a loop filter configured to filter the second control current and generate an oscillator control voltage. The PLL further includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) configured to generate an output clock based on the oscillator control voltage. The PLL further includes a frequency divider configured to generate the reference clock from the output clock.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for a differential active inductor load for inductive peaking in which cross-coupled capacitive elements are used to cancel out, or at least reduce, the limiting effect of the gate-to-drain capacitance (Cgd) of transistors in the active inductor load. The cross-coupled capacitive elements extend the range over which the active inductor load behaves inductively and increase the quality factor (Q) of each active inductor. Therefore, the achievable inductive peaking of the load is significantly increased, which leads to providing larger signal swing across the load for a given power or, alternatively, lower power for a given signal swing.

Abstract: An example clock generator circuit includes a fractional reference generator configured to generate a reference clock in response to a base reference clock and a phase error signal, the reference clock having a frequency that is a rational multiple of a frequency of the base reference clock. The clock generator circuit includes a digitally controlled delay line (DCDL) that delays the reference clock based on a first control code, and a pulse generator configured to generate pulses based on the delayed reference clock. The clock generator circuit includes a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) configured to generate an output clock based on a second control code, the DCO including an injection input coupled to the pulse generator to receive the pulses.

Abstract: A phase interpolator implemented in an integrated circuit to generate a clock signal is described. The phase interpolator comprises a plurality of inputs coupled to receive a plurality of clock signals; a plurality of transistor pairs, each transistor pair having a first transistor coupled to a first output node and a second transistor coupled to a second output node, wherein a first clock signal associated with the transistor pair is coupled to a gate of the first transistor and an inverted first clock signal associated with the transistor pair is coupled to a gate of the second transistor; a first active inductor load coupled to the first output node; and a second active inductor load coupled to the second output node.

Abstract: An example phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) configured to generate an output clock based on an oscillator control voltage, a sub-sampling phase detector configured to receive a reference clock and the output clock, and a phase frequency detector configured to receive the reference clock and a feedback clock. The PLL circuit includes a charge pump configured to generate a charge pump current, a multiplexer circuit configured to select either output of the sub-sampling phase detector or output of the phase frequency detector to control the charge pump, and a lock detector configured to receive the reference clock, the feedback clock, and the output of the phase frequency detector to control the multiplexer. The PLL circuit includes a loop filter configured to filter the charge pump current and generate the oscillator control voltage, and a frequency divider configured to generate the reference clock from the output clock.

Abstract: An apparatus, and method therefor, relate generally to broadband IQ generation. In this apparatus, related generally to broadband in-phase and quadrature phase (“IQ”) generation, a divider circuit and a polyphase filter circuit are configured for receiving an oscillator output. The polyphase filter circuit is configured for polyphase filtering the oscillator output into a first quadrature output. The divider circuit is configured for dividing the oscillator output into a second quadrature output. A multiplexer circuit is coupled to the divider circuit and the polyphase filter circuit and configured for selecting either the first quadrature output or the second quadrature output as an IQ output based on a bandwidth of the oscillator output.

Abstract: A circuit for generating a divided clock signal with a configurable phase offset comprises a first latch circuit adapted to receive a clock signal to be divided; a second latch coupled to an output of the first latch circuit and generating a divided output clock signal; and an initialization circuit coupled to the first latch circuit and the second latch circuit, the initialization circuit coupled to receive an initialization signal. The initialization signal determines a phase offset between the divided output clock signal and the clock signal to be divided. A method of generating a divided clock signal is also described.

Abstract: In an example, a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit includes an error detector operable to generate an error signal; an oscillator operable to provide an output signal having an output frequency based on the error signal and a frequency band select signal, the output frequency being a frequency multiplier times a reference frequency; a frequency divider operable to divide the output frequency of the output signal to generate a feedback signal based on a divider control signal; a sigma-delta modulator (SDM) operable to generate the divider control signal based on inputs indicative of an integer value and a fractional value of the frequency multiplier, the SDM responsive to an order select signal operable to select an order of the SDM; and a state machine operable to, in an acquisition state, generate the frequency band select signal and set the order of the SDM.

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a dual-mode oscillator is disclosed. The circuit comprises a first oscillator portion having a first inductor coupled in parallel with a first capacitor between a first node and a second node; a first pair of output nodes coupled to the first and second nodes; a second oscillator portion inductively coupled to the first oscillator portion, the second oscillator portion having a second inductor coupled in parallel with a second capacitor between a third node and a fourth node; a second pair of output nodes coupled to the third and fourth nodes; and a control circuit coupled to enable a supply of current to either the first oscillator portion or the second oscillator portion. A method of implementing a dual-mode oscillator is also disclosed.

Abstract: Voltage-controlled oscillation is described. In an apparatus therefor, an inductor has a tap and has or is coupled to a positive-side output node and a negative side output node. The tap is coupled to receive a first current. A coarse grain capacitor array is coupled to the positive-side output node and the negative side output node and is coupled to respectively receive select signals. A varactor is coupled to the positive-side output node and the negative side output node and is coupled to receive a control voltage. The varactor includes MuGFETs. A transconductance cell is coupled to the positive-side output node and the negative side output node, and the transconductance cell has a common node. A frequency scaled resistor network is coupled to the common node and is coupled to receive the select signals for a resistance for a path for a second current.

Abstract: A common mode logic buffer device includes a current source configured to provide a source current. An input stage includes a first MOS transistor pair configured to generate, from the source current and based upon an input differential voltage, a differential current between two output paths. An output stage includes a second MOS transistor pair configured to generate an output differential voltage based upon an effective impedance provided for the each of the two output paths. An adjustment circuit is configured to adjust, in response to a control signal, the effective impedance of the second MOS transistor pair.