ASIC technology progressively decreases their standard voltage from 5 to 3.3 to 2.5 to 1.8V ...
However, at the same times, the analogue signals stay at a level of about 1V at the input of ADC, and even larger for some analogue applications. Moreover, keeping high linearity performances in amplifier, analog buffer and other analogue processing, is not realy compatible with low voltage power supply.
Foundries "sale" VLSI/ASIC CMOS and BiCMOS technology exhibiting a recommended power supply.
Have you some recommendations or examples of mixed-designs applications using low-voltage ASIC technology with higher voltage supply for part of the design. For example, a mixed ASIC made of 2.5V ASIC technology biasing under 5V one of the last stages of an amplifier design (while satisfying the maximum breakdown voltage recommendations Vds, Vgs, Vce ...)?
Hi Damien Prele ,
the first part of the problem is the power supply. In the lab, you could just use several power supplies. In the field, having just one supply providing the highest voltage, and generating the other voltages by voltage regulators on the board might be the most inexpensive solution.
The second part concerns the signals. In a few cases, just feeding the original signals to a device powered by a different supply voltage might work but most of the time you'll have to shift the voltage range of the signals.
Attenuation can be achieved by a series resistor and an appropriate Zener diode; however, rise time and fall time will increase due to the capacity of the diode. A better solution is clamping the signal (behind the R) to a constant voltage by a fast diode with low capacitance.
Gain requires active elements. Generally, you will get the best performance if you succeed in finding suitable level shifting ICs.
Thanks for your answer. I realize that I was probably not clear. My question is related to the ASIC designer's point of view. I need voltage supply as high as 5 V to design (IC technology) a high linearity amplifier ... and I want to use a low voltage technology. Can I put 5V power supply in part of my ASIC design? that's basically my question, risk, pro, cons ... or for the less, I ask for your feeling in such situation. Best
Hi Damien, sorry, I didn't realize that your high voltage components should be part of the ASIC. I have no experience in this domain but am interested in the answer myself.
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