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ML65541/ML65L541

The basic architecture of the ML65541 is shown in Figure

5. It is implemented on a 1.5µm BiCMOS process.

However, in this particular circuit, all of the active devices

are NPNs — the fastest devices available in the process.

In this circuit, there are two paths to the output. One path

sources current to the load capacitance when the signal is

asserted, and the other path sinks current from the output

when the signal is negated.

The assertion path is the emitter follower path consisting

of the level shift transistor Q1, the output transistor Q2,

and the bias resistor R8. It sources current to the output

through the 75ý resistor R7 which is bypassed by another

NPN (not shown) during fast input transients. The

negation path is a current differencing op amp connected

in a follower configuration. The active components in this

amplifier are transistors Q3-Q7. R3-R6 are bias resistors,

and R1 and R2 are the feedback resistors. The key to

understanding the operation of the current differencing op

amp is to know that the currents in transistors Q3 and Q5

are the same at all times and that the voltages at the bases

of Q4 and Q6 are roughly the same. If the output is higher

than the input, then an error current will flow through R2.

This error current will flow into the base of Q6 and be

multiplied by

b squared to the collector of Q7, closing the

loop. The larger the discrepancy between the output and

input, the larger the feedback current, and the harder Q7

sinks current from the load capacitor.

A number of MOSFETs are not shown in Figure 5. These

MOSFETs are used to three-state dormant buffers. For

instance, the feedback resistors R1 and R2 were

implemented as resistive transmission gates to ensure that

disabled buffers do not load the lines they are connected

to. Similarly, there is a PMOS in series with R8 that is

normally on but shuts off for disable. Other MOSFETs

have been included to ensure that disabled buffers

consume no power.

TERMINATION

R7 in Figure 5 also acts as a termination resistor. This 75ý

resistor is in series with the output and therefore helps

suppress noise caused by transmission line effects such as

reflections from mismatched impedances. System

designers using CMOS transceivers commonly have to use

external resistors in series with each transceiver output to

suppress this noise. Systems using the ML65541 or

ML65L541 may not have to use these external resistors.

APPLICATIONS

There are a wide variety of needs for extremely fast buffers

in high speed processor system designs like Pentium,

PowerPC, Mips, Sparc, Alpha and other RISC processors.

These applications are either in the cache memory area or

the main memory (DRAM) area. In addition, fast buffers

find applications in high speed graphics and multimedia

applications. The high capacitive loading due to

multiplexed address lines on the system bus demand

external buffers to take up the excess drive current. The

needed current to skew the transitions between rise and

fall times must be done without adding excessive

propagation delay. The ML65541 and ML65L541 are

equipped with Schottky diodes to clean up ringing from

overshoot and undershoot caused by reflections in

unterminated board traces.