Abstract: An optical receiver generates a voltage signal having a predetermined swing from a current signal, and feeds the voltage signal to a decision circuit. An optical receiving element receives the input optical signal, converts the optical signal to a current signal, and provides the current signal to a preamplifier, which converts the input current signal into a voltage signal. The voltage signal is input to an amplifier having a limiting function, which linearly amplifies the voltage signal when the swing of the voltage signal is smaller than a predetermined value, and limitedly amplifies the voltage signal when the voltage signal is greater than the predetermined value. An automatic-gain-control amplifier receives the output from the amplifier with the limiting function, and amplifies the input voltage signal to a voltage signal having a constant swing.

Abstract: An optical receiver generates a voltage signal having a predetermined swing from a current signal, and feeds the voltage signal to a decision circuit. An optical receiving element receives the input optical signal, converts the optical signal to a current signal, and provides the current signal to a preamplifier, which converts the input current signal into a voltage signal. The voltage signal is input to an amplifier having a limiting function, which linearly amplifies the voltage signal when the swing of the voltage signal is smaller than a predetermined value, and limitedly amplifies the voltage signal when the voltage signal is greater than the predetermined value. An automatic-gain-control amplifier receives the output from the amplifier with the limiting function, and amplifies the input voltage signal to a voltage signal having a constant swing.

Abstract: An optical receiver generates a voltage signal having a predetermined swing from a current signal, and feeds the voltage signal to a decision circuit. An optical receiving element receives the input optical signal, converts the optical signal to a current signal, and provides the current signal to a preamplifier, which converts the input current signal into a voltage signal. The voltage signal is input to an amplifier having a limiting function, which linearly amplifies the voltage signal when the swing of the voltage signal is smaller than a predetermined value, and limitedly amplifies the voltage signal when the voltage signal is greater than the predetermined value. An automatic-gain-control amplifier receives the output from the amplifier with the limiting function, and amplifies the input voltage signal to a voltage signal having a constant swing.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device of a type wherein loads for source follower amplifiers FETs whose gates receive an amplified signal produced from a differential amplifier section and whose each source generates an output signal, comprise first load FETs whose each gate area is small and second load FETs which are respectively series-connected with the first load FETs, whose each gate length is relatively long and each of which has small drain conductance.

Abstract: A semiconductor circuit including first and second FET's for delivering an output signal without being affected by a change in threshold voltage of the FET's is disclosed. According to one practical form of the semiconductor circuit, the drain-source current path of an additional FET whose gate and source are shorted to each other, is connected in parallel to the drain-source current path of the first FET whose gate and drain are shorted to each other, to make the voltage-current characteristic of the second FET agree with that of the parallel combination of the first and additional FET's. According to another practical form of the semiconductor circuit, a voltage dividing circuit is connected in parallel to the drain-source current path of the first FET, and a divided output voltage from the voltage dividing circuit is applied between the gate and source of each of the first and second FET's.

Abstract: A logic circuit made up of FET's is disclosed in which an output interface circuit is formed of a source follower circuit including a signal transmitting FET and a constant-current supplying FET, and a ratio of the gate width of the signal transmitting FET to the gate width of the constant-current supplying FET is set so that the high and low levels of the output signal of the logic circuit are independent of the threshold voltage of the FET's.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device forming MESFETs by use of a semi-insulator GaAs substrate which prevents destruction of an electrostatic destruction protect circuit and a Schottky junction of an internal circuit by causing a part of electrostatic energy, which is applied to external terminals, to flow from a semiconductor region connected to the external terminals into another semiconductor region which is formed in the vicinity of the semiconductor region described above and to which a predetermined fixed potential is applied.