Semiconductor integrated circuit device having a leakage current reduction means
US5703825A · kind A · utility
19Cited by
8References
21Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 30, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K17/161
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit and method for reducing the leakage current drawn by a transistor when it is inactive. In a first implementation, a circuit selectively drives the gate of a transistor to a voltage level above a source voltage. As a result, the gate-source voltage is reversed and the leakage current flowing through the transistor is substantially reduced. In a second implementation, a circuit selectively biases the well of a transistor to a voltage level above a normal bias voltage. As a result, the voltage-current characteristics of the transistor are modified so that the leakage current is substantially eliminated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.