High performance bootstrapped CMOS low to high-swing level-converter for on-chip interconnects

Abstract

This paper proposes a high performance and low power bootstrapped CMOS level-converter (lf-converter) for level restoration from the low-swing on the interconnect line to high-swing at the receiver side. The proposed lf-converter reduces the power-delay product by 83% to 90%, in comparison with the previously reported bootstrapped level-converter circuit (lrc-converter), when implemented on 0.13 mum CMOS 1.2V technology. The active area for lf-converter is 18.7 mum2, which is 3.9% less than the counterpart lrc-converter circuit.