ECL to CMOS converter

摘要

An efficient high-speed ECL to CMOS logic converter for BiCMOS integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a differential amplifier compares an ECL input signal to an ECL reference voltage and generates a pair of complementary intermediate signals on a corresponding pair of differential output nodes. The differential amplifier has two load resistors coupled in series with a common load resistor which limits the upper voltage swing at the differential output nodes. A regenerative stage coupled to the differential output nodes switches between a partially on state and a fully on state in response to the complementary intermediate signals. A pair of inverter stages convert the complementary intermediate signals into a pair of CMOS level signals. A pair of complementary output drivers coupled to the respective complementary inverter stages provide current driving capability. In this embodiment, each output driver includes a CMOS inverter pair and a bipolar transistor coupled between the respective output node of the driver and VDD.