A voltage level translator is provided that operates over a wide range of voltage levels at a fast translation speed. The voltage level translator includes an input terminal that receives an input signal and a capacitor having its first terminal coupled to the input terminal. A clamp circuit is coupled to the input terminal and to the second terminal of the capacitor and operable to provide a signal on the second terminal of the capacitor in response to a first voltage level of the input signal. A voltage source circuit is coupled to the clamp circuit and to the second terminal of the capacitor and provides a signal on the second terminal of the capacitor in response to a second voltage level of the input signal. An output buffer has a first input terminal coupled to the first terminal of the capacitor and a second input terminal coupled to the second terminal of the capacitor. The output buffer provides an output signal having a translated voltage level on its output terminal in response to signals on the first and second terminals of the capacitor.
A level shift circuit which reliably shifts the level of a low-voltage input signal by using a high breakdown voltage element. The level shift circuit includes an input inverter circuit which receives an input signal and inverts the input signal to generate a first inverter signal, a voltage generating circuit which generates at least one intermediate voltage by voltage-dividing a voltage higher than a voltage of the input signal, a level shift inverter circuit which receives the intermediate voltage and the input signal, and an output inverter circuit. The level shift inverter circuit inverts the input signal to generate a level shift signal having an intermediate voltage. The output inverter circuit inverts the level shift signal to generate a level shift output signal.
A SSTL memory interface pre-driver stage that uses a voltage regulator to generate a `virtual` supply is provided. The `virtual` supply, being lower than a power supply voltage of the pre-driver stage, allows low voltage transistors to be used, thereby improving interface performance and decreasing system power consumption. The pre-driver stage uses a biasing circuit to bias the voltage regulator, formed by a transistor arranged in a source follower configuration, to generate the `virtual` supply off which a voltage translator stage of the pre-driver stage operates to generate an output of the pre-driver stage.
