Improving toggle rate in a rail-to-rail comparator output stage

The demand for high-speed components has driven an increase in the speed of analog comparators, a building block for many analog circuits. This paper describes the modification of one of Linear Technology's low-cost, high-speed comparators to increase the output toggle rate beyond the one hundred megahertz range. The essential modifications to the output stage mainly relate to overcoming quasi-saturation of the output devices by extracting unwanted, stored base charge. Additional features were added into a dual comparator package with a tiny footprint to increase consumer interest and to diversify it from other comparators in Linear Technology's line. A final circuit design and physical silicon layout were designed using computer design tools, and the IC was fabricated and tested. The first silicon was tested extensively and worked successfully with only minor undesired discrepancies that were deemed acceptable. The LT1715 design was successful since the design itself accomplished all the desired specifications and the part is now available for sale.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Morris, John D. (John David), 1978-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hae-Seung Lee.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/16854

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/16854