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Showing papers on "Biasing published in 1980"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the degradation phenomena caused by dc and ac biasing in non-Ohmic ZnO ceramics are studied from the viewpoints of voltage (V)current (I) characteristics, dielectric properties, and thermally stimulated current (TSC).
Abstract: The degradation phenomena caused by dc and ac biasing in non‐Ohmic ZnO ceramics are studied from the viewpoints of voltage (V)‐current (I) characteristics, dielectric properties, and thermally stimulated current (TSC). As a result, it is concluded that the degradation caused by dc biasing is attributed to the asymmetrical deformation of Schottky barriers, due to ion migrations in Bi2O3‐rich intergranular layers and in the depletion layers of the Schottky barriers; and that the degradation caused by ac biasing is attributed to the symmetrical deformation of the Schottky barriers, due to ion migration in the depletion layers of the Schottky barriers. Also, the relationship between the thermal runaway life of non‐Ohmic ZnO ceramics and biasing conditions, such as biasing temperature and bias voltage, is obtained.

213 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the 1/f noise in reverse-biased Hg 0.7 Cd 0.3 Te n+on-p junction photodiodes has been characterized.
Abstract: In this article we present results of experiments to characterize 1/ f noise in Hg 0.7 Cd 0.3 Te n+-on-p junction photodiodes. Under zero-bias voltage conditions, the photodiodes display no 1/ f noise, even in the presence of large photocurrents. Under reverse-bias voltage operation, 1/ f noise is observed. In these experiments, the 1/ f noise was measured as a function of temperature, diode bias voltage, and photon flux. Since these parameters varied the relative contributions of the various current mechanisms, the diode current mechanism responsible for 1/ f noise was isolated. It was found that 1/ f noise is independent of photocurrent and diffusion current but is linearly related to surface generation current. It is proposed that 1/ f noise in reverse-biased (Hg, Cd)Te photodiodes is a result of modulation of the surface generation current by fluctuations in the surface potential.

81 citations


Patent
Werner Hinn1
07 Jan 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, a video signal processing system for automatically controlling the blanking (black) current level of an image reproducing kinescope having cathode and grid intensity control electrodes is described.
Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed in a video signal processing system for automatically controlling the blanking (black) current level of an image reproducing kinescope having cathode and grid intensity control electrodes. During measuring intervals when cathode blanking current is to be monitored, a fixed voltage is applied to the cathode over the entire measuring interval, and a locally generated auxiliary signal is applied to the grid electrode during a portion of the measuring interval. A version of the grid signal appears as a cathode output signal proportional to the level of cathode blanking current conduction. A voltage responsive sensing network coupled to the cathode provides an output difference voltage proportional to the difference in cathode current conducted over the measuring interval. This voltage is utilized to modify the cathode bias in a direction to produce the desired cathode blanking current level at or in the vicinity of kinescope cut-off.

51 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of hole trapping on high purity germanium detectors of the disordered regions (r ∼ 100 A ) created by fast neutrons is theoretically and experimentally addressed.

48 citations


Patent
07 Jul 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, a plurality of semiconductor lasers (431-434) and a photodetector (120) are mounted on a silicon substrate having an integrated circuit (101) fabricated therein.
Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor lasers (431-434) and a photodetector (120) are mounted on a silicon substrate (100) having an integrated circuit (101) fabricated therein. The integrated circuit includes a biasing circuit (405) for establishing a threshold current level that is dependent on the output of the photodetector and a modulator circuit (404) for providing a modulation current that is dependent on the digital values in an input signal. A semiconductor switch (406) selects only one of the plurality of semiconductor lasers for activation by the biasing and modulator circuits. The integrated circuit also includes a circuit (408) that operates the semiconductor switch so as to selectively activate a different one of the plurality of semiconductor lasers in response to either a predetermined output from said photodetector or in response to an external supervisory signal.

42 citations


Patent
Kurafuji Setsuo1
11 Nov 1980
TL;DR: In this article, a bias-voltage generator is described, which is comprised of an oscillator, a charge pumping circuit which absorbs electric charges, accmulated in the semiconductor substrate, by cooperating with the oscillator via a coupling capacitor.
Abstract: A bias-voltage generator is disclosed The bias-voltage generator is comprised of an oscillator, a charge pumping circuit which absorbs electric charges, accmulated in the semiconductor substrate, by cooperating with the oscillator, via a coupling capacitor The oscillator contains therein a means for varying the oscillating frequency thereof in accordance with the variation of the voltage level of the semiconductor substrate Said means is preferably comprised of a CR circuit fabricated by a variable resistor (R) and a capacitor (C) The variable resistor is made of a MOSFET The gate electrode of the MOSFET is directly connected to the semiconductor substrate

34 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An on-chip back-bias generator for 64k dynamic MOS RAM has been developed in this article, which achieves the goal of a single 5 V power supply part while preserving the advantages of substrate bias in n-channel MOS technology.
Abstract: An on-chip back-bias generator for 64K dynamic MOS RAM has been developed.The use of this generator achieves the goal of a single 5 V power supply part while preserving the advantages of substrate bias in n-channel MOS technology. These advantages include the elimination of substrate injection current from localized forward biasing of diodes, improved speed and power characteristics, and a larger differential data signal on the bit sense lines. The generator circuit avoids several pit-falls on on-chip V/SUB BB/ generation. The circuit pumps to a known regulated voltage. This avoids substrate drift with changes in substrate current resulting from changes in cycle time. This drift will change device characteristics and degrade storage levels. A unique two-level reference scheme avoids changes in substrate bias voltage that otherwise result from the shift in V/SUB BB/ between precharged and active memory states when memory duty cycle changes. The standby power used by the generator is only 0.74 mW.

31 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a theoretical investigation of electronic transport in metal contacts to polycrystalline silicon thin films is presented, based on the reported values of grain-boundary potentials indicate that the thermionic emission theory may be applied to the majority-carrier transport only for low bias voltages.
Abstract: A theoretical investigation of electronic transport in metal contacts to polycrystalline silicon thin films is presented. Calculations based upon the reported values of grain-boundary potentials indicate that the thermionic emission theory may be applied to the majority-carrier transport only for low bias voltages. At larger bias voltages, one needs to take account of the voltage lost to the space-charge regions adjacent to the grain boundaries, and a transition from electrode-limited to bulk-limited majority-carrier transport results. We further demonstrate that the injection of minority carriers can dominate the dark current for a range of grain size and interface state densities at the grain boundaries. Under these conditions, the current obeys an \exp (qV/2kT) dependence reminiscent of space-charge recombination, although the origin of the current in this case is minority-carrier diffusion current, with recombination only at grain boundaries in the neutral region. This is a special case of the "high-injection" regime observed in single crystals, but in the present situation it is found even for low bias voltages as a consequence of the band bending at the grain boundaries, which makes the material nearly intrinsic at these points. Finally, we show that the effective minority-carrier diffusion length for the injected carriers under dark conditions itself increases with bias voltage V approximately as \exp (qV/2kT) , in striking contrast to previous treatments.

30 citations


Patent
18 Apr 1980
TL;DR: In this article, an injection laser diode transmitter contains a detector arrangement that permits the quality of the signal transmitted over a fiber optic link of interest to be monitored for degradation and error detection, by examining the transmitted optical pulses.
Abstract: An injection laser diode transmitter contains a detector arrangement that permits the quality of the signal transmitted over a fiber optic link of interest to be monitored for degradation and error detection, by examining the transmitted optical pulses. The transmitted signal component is extracted from the back facet of the ILD for feedback stability control purposes and is coupled to signal quality measuring circuitry from a wideband current-to-voltage converter that is coupled to the output of a fast photo diode that extracts the optical output signal from the rear facet of the ILD for the purposes of generating a feedback control voltage to be used for ILD bias control. The bias current generated through a feedback loop from the fast photo diode to the wideband current-to-voltage converter feeds reference amplifier, the output of which is coupled to a lowpass filter to remove the pulse signal component. The output of the low pass filter is a DC voltage level which is directly proportional to the average optical output of the ILD. The voltage level output of the lowpass filter is applied to a current sink coupled to the ILD. The bias current for the ILD is controlled to drive the differential to zero. Because the bias current control feedback loop is responsive to the optical output of the ILD, the bias current is automatically compensated for changes in temperature. The current-voltage converter output is further coupled to a buffer amplifier to supply an output voltage to downlink signal quality monitoring circuitry. In a repeatered, multichannel fiber optic communication system, this quality-indication signal availability facilitates a fault isolation scheme wherein the transmitter outputs are examined selectively.

29 citations


Patent
20 Aug 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, an ion bombardment of a substrate placed in a vacuum chamber is used for dry chemical etching caused by ion bombardment, where the substrate is in contact with an electrode, connected to a high frequency bias voltage source having one terminal connected to the ground of the chamber.
Abstract: Apparatus for dry chemical etching caused by ion bombardment of a substrate placed in a vacuum chamber. The substrate is in contact with an electrode, connected to a high frequency bias voltage source having one terminal connected to a ground of the chamber. The etchants are produced in the form of plasma by an electrical discharge maintained in the chamber containing a gas or a suitable gaseous mixture. The plasma is produced by a microwave generator and the bias voltage by means of a high frequency source. The respective amplitudes and frequencies of the two sources enable the base of a groove on an electronic circuit to be etched without erosion of the groove.

25 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a new experimental technique is presented for the investigation of the localized electronic states at the silicon-silicon dioxide (SiSiO2) interface, in which the ac conductance and capacitance of metal-oxide semiconductor structures is measured as a function of bias voltage and measurement frequency in the presence of a uniform background of optical illumination.
Abstract: A new experimental technique is presented for the investigation of the localized electronic states at the silicon‐silicon dioxide (Si‐SiO2) interface, in which the ac conductance and capacitance of metal‐oxide semiconductor structures is measured as a function of bias voltage and measurement frequency in the presence of a uniform background of optical illumination. The illumination is of photon energy in excess of the silicon energy gap, and provides for the photogeneration and supply of minority carriers to the silicon surface. The density of interface states and their capture cross sections for both majority and minority carriers can be obtained by this method, as well as possible dependencies of the cross sections on electric field at the semiconductor surface. Results obtained by conductance and capacitance measurements under illumination are in agreement with each other, and the capture cross section for minority carriers (electrons in our case) is observed to fall with increases in interface state e...

Journal ArticleDOI
F.S. Chen1
TL;DR: In this paper, a feedback circuit is described which regulates the light output from an injection laser through simultaneous independent control of bias current and modulation current, which is capable of preserving a large extinction ratio and it is independent of the duty cycle of the modulating signal.
Abstract: A feedback circuit is described which regulates the light output from an injection laser through simultaneous independent control of bias current and modulation current. The circuit is capable of preserving a large extinction ratio and it is independent of the duty cycle of the modulating signal. Experiments were performed on simulated `lasers? and the results are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the bias voltage is modulated by a bias voltage applied to the probe and the electrode to determine the strength of the unknown carrier drift field, which is a feature of the self-verification technique.
Abstract: The conduction current to a probe incorporated into an electrode is proportional to the strength of the charge-carrier drift field; this current is modulated by a bias voltage applied betwen the probe and the electrode. The current/bias-voltage probe characteristics are described which have been derived from computation of the bias field distribution. From these design data the probe can be used to determine the strength of an unknown carrier drift field; an inherent self-verification capability is a feature of the technique. Examples of applications to direct-current point-plane corona are given.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The bipolar mode SIT (BSIT) as mentioned in this paper is a normally-off device, where the channel is completely pinched off by the gate to channel built-in voltage, thus establishing a potential barrier in the channel.
Abstract: Junction gate static induction transistor (JSIT) is designed as normally-off device, where the channel is completely pinched-off by the gate to channel built-in voltage, thus establishing a potential barrier in the channel. An application of forward gate bias voltage lowers the potential barrier and allows the drain current to flow. This normally-off JSIT is called bipolar mode SIT (BSIT). Basic characteristics of BSIT is similar to that of bipolar transistor. BSIT is characterized by low impedance, high current gain, high transconductance and high current density, so that BSIT is promising for high current, high speed and high efficiency switching devices as well as low voltage and low energy integrated circuits. Basic operational principle of BSIT is described by feedback theory with a consideration to the virtual base resistance.

Patent
15 Dec 1980
TL;DR: In this article, a two transistor CMOS inverter has the two transistor gates coupled together by a coupling capacitor and D-C gate bias is supplied to each transistor through high value resistors.
Abstract: A two transistor CMOS inverter has the two transistor gates coupled together by a coupling capacitor. D-C gate bias is supplied to each transistor through high value resistors. The P-channel transistor is biased one threshold below V DD and the N-channel transistor is biased one threshold above ground. The biasing voltages are developed through the use of a current mirror so that the biasing is independent of processing variables and temperature. This form of biasing renders the circuit class B regardless of the source to drain voltage and ensures low current operation. A crystal oscillator created using such an inverter and biasing will operate at voltages substantially below sum of P and N thresholds and at a current level about one-fifth of that of a conventional CMOS oscillator.

Patent
Yannis Tsividis1
25 Aug 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, an auxiliary amplifier branch (M2, M4) is added to the MOS differential amplifier to stabilize the source-to-drain bias voltages of the signal input and load transistors against fluctuations caused by semiconductor waferto-wafer processing variations.
Abstract: An MOS differential amplifier includes a pair of substantially identical branches, each branch having a signal input MOS transistor (M1, M3) feeding a separate MOS load transistor (M5, M7). Both branches are supplied current by a single current-source MOS transistor (M10). In order to stabilize the (source-to-drain) bias voltages of the signal input and load transistors against fluctuations caused by semiconductor wafer-to-wafer processing variations, an auxiliary amplifier branch (M2, M4) is added (for sensing the bias voltage) together with a feedback loop (M8) to the current-source (for controlling the current in response to the sensing of the bias voltage).

Patent
Joseph Straus1
28 Aug 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, a small amplitude test signal is applied to the laser close to threshold and a distortion component at a harmonic of the test signal frequency is isolated from a voltage or current analog generated from the laser light output.
Abstract: Compensation for variation of a semiconductor laser threshold position is based on the utilization of the rectifying property of such lasers near threshold. A small amplitude test signal is applied to the laser close to threshold and a distortion component at a harmonic of the test signal frequency is isolated from a voltage or current analog generated from the laser light output. Depending on the order of the harmonic, the characteristic of this distortion component has a maximum value (even harmonic) or is zero valued (odd harmonic) when the threshold current is applied to the laser. If the laser threshold position changes, a feedback circuit resets the bias current applied to the laser to a value close to but just below, the threshold position. The test signal can also be used to compensate for change in laser slope efficiency to avoid any variation in signal power output at a fixed modulation level.

Patent
31 Mar 1980
TL;DR: In this article, a chroma amplifier and color killer are described for use in a color television receiver, which consists of a first pair of emitter-coupled transistors receiving a current source which has a D.C operating component and an A.C. chroma signal component.
Abstract: A chroma amplifier and color killer are described for use in a color television receiver. In a preferred embodiment, the chroma amplifier comprises a first pair of emitter-coupled transistors receiving a current source which has a D.C. operating component and an A.C. chroma signal component. A second pair of emitter-coupled transistors receives another current source which has only a D.C. operating component substantially equal to that received by the first pair of transistors. A variable ACC voltage and a substantially fixed bias voltage are applied to selected base terminals of the transistors such that one of the first pairs of transistors develops a gain controlled A.C. chroma signal output and one of the second pair of transistors develops an ACC-varied D.C. output signal free of chroma component. The latter signal drives a low power color killer for quenching color reproduction when the color component of the broadcast signal is missing or is of very low amplitude.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Oxygen contamination during rf sputter deposition of NiFe films is shown to cause adverse electrical and magnetic properties as discussed by the authors, most pronounced in films deposited at low bias voltages.
Abstract: Oxygen contamination during rf sputter deposition of NiFe films is shown to cause adverse electrical and magnetic properties. This contamination is most pronounced in films deposited at low bias voltages. Although the bias voltage is not a direct cause of these changes, it is a factor which determines the amount of available oxygen in the sputtering gas which is incorporated into the interior of the films. In addition, a thin oxide layer is frequently found on both top and bottom surfaces of the films. It contains as much as 2 at. % oxygen, a concentration which is shown to mark the onset of deteriorating electrical and magnetic properties when occurring uniformly throughout NiFe in films.

Patent
Hinn Werner1
27 Mar 1980
TL;DR: In this article, an approach for automatically monitoring and controlling the blanking (black) current level of an image reproducing kinescope having cathode and grid intensity control electrodes is described.
Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed in a video signal processing system for automatically monitoring and controlling the blanking (black) current level of an image reproducing kinescope having cathode and grid intensity control electrodes. When cathode blanking current is monitored, a reference voltage is applied to the cathode over the entire monitoring interval, and an auxiliary voltage is applied to the grid electrode during a portion of the monitoring interval. A version of the grid voltage appears as an induced cathode output voltage proportional to the level of cathode blanking current conduction. A voltage responsive sensing network coupled to the cathode provides an output voltage proportional to the difference in cathode current conducted over the monitoring interval. This voltage is processed by a sampling network to produce a control voltage for modifying the cathode bias in a direction to produce the desired cathode blanking current level at or in the vicinity of kinescope cut-off. The sampling network includes two similar time sequential sample and hold circuits. The first circuit samples the induced cathode output voltage, and the second circuit subsequently samples the cathode reference voltage. The sampled voltages are differentially processed to remove unwanted common mode interference signals from the control voltage.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Reflection mode quantum efficiencies for the bias-assisted photoemitter (TE cathode) were calculated using Monte Carlo techniques in this paper, where the transport of photogenerated electrons to the surface as well as the transmission of electrons at the surface into vacuum were considered.
Abstract: Reflection‐mode quantum efficiencies have been calculated for the p‐InP bias‐assisted photoemitter (TE cathode) and have been found to be consistent with experimental data. The calculations, using Monte Carlo techniques, consider the transport of photogenerated electrons to the surface as well as the transmission of electrons at the surface into vacuum. Dependence of the predicted yield upon bias voltage and doping is discussed. Acceptor doping in the mid 1016/cm3 range is indicated as a good choice for a high quantum efficiency photocathode.

Patent
25 Sep 1980
TL;DR: In this article, a relative humidity detector system for adjusting sensitivity of the sensor for changes in environmental temperature so as to provide a true linear relative humidity response is presented. But, the sensor is employed as a three-terminal semiconducting device which is biased with d.c. current, allowing implementation with standard ICs and LSI circuitry, and application of a biasing current on the top electrode allows the RH sensor to be operated simultaneously as a temperature sensor.
Abstract: Sensor and method of fabricating a sensor for detecting relative humidity with a substantially linear response from 0% to 100% and also detecting temperature. The sensor utilizes a unique essentially pure Al2 O3 layer which has a disordered crystalline structure and a density gradient which varies from a low density at its lower surface to a higher density at its upper surface which together produce the desired linear response to relative humidity. The sensor is employed as a three-terminal semiconducting device which is biased with d.c. current, allowing implementation with standard ICs and LSI circuitry. Application of a biasing current on the top electrode allows the RH sensor to be operated simultaneously as a temperature sensor. Also disclosed is a relative humidity detector system for adjusting sensitivity of the sensor for changes in environmental temperature so as to provide a true linear relative humidity response. Periodic discharge of the d.c. biasing signal increases an already long calibration period. Additionally, use of a constant resistance biasing circuit further extends the calibration period.

Patent
02 Jun 1980
TL;DR: In this article, the relationship of the control voltages to the bias voltage determines which of the alternate sources of video signals are coupled to the output of the diode means, which is a circuit for selecting one of a number of different video signals to be processed by a television receiver.
Abstract: A circuit for selecting one of a number of video signals to be processed by a television receiver. The circuit comprises diode means having inputs suitable for coupling to alternate sources of video signals. A bias source applies a bias voltage to the diode means and control means applies various control voltages to the diode means. The relationship of the control voltages to the bias voltage determines which of the alternate sources of video signals are coupled to the output of the diode means.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a broad-band optoelectronic switch based on an avalanche photodiode is described, where the microwave signal is supplied to the switch as intensity modulation on an optical carrier wave.
Abstract: A broad-band optoelectronic switch based on an avalanche photodiode is described. The microwave signal is supplied to the switch as intensity modulation on an optical carrier wave. Switching is achieved by reverse biasing the APD for the on-state and forward biasing for the off-state. Isolation of better than 80 dB is reported over a signal frequency range of 10 MHz to 1 GHz. In the same switch, isolation greater than 60 dB is observed up to 3 GHz. A turn-on time of 400 ns was observed without special techniques for discharging the junction, the turn-off time is much shorter.

Patent
Walter Lee Davis1
25 Feb 1980
TL;DR: In this article, the output current of one of the mirror transistors is compared with the reference current and the level of the current is then forced to equal the reference by means of the bias voltage adjustment.
Abstract: A highly accurate current mirror for IC implementation is comprised of low beta transistors and operates on a low supply voltage by utilizing a bias network with a balance sensing feedback network to control the bias voltage. The output current of one of the mirror transistors is compared with the reference current and the level of the current is then forced to equal the reference by means of the bias voltage adjustment.

Patent
12 Dec 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, a liquid crystal color display with a driving circuit is presented, where at least one of the opposed electrodes of the liquid crystal display cell is divided into a plurality of electrode members aligned in a row, while the driving circuit supplies driving voltages to the plurality of electrodes corresponding to sound signals, the driving voltage being supplied sequentially having different levels in the order of alignment of the plurality.
Abstract: A liquid crystal color display device including a liquid crystal display cell having a Fredericksz transition effect, and a driving circuit for the display cell. At least one of the opposed electrodes of the liquid crystal display cell is divided into a plurality of electrode members aligned in a row, while the driving circuit supplies driving voltages to the plurality of electrode members corresponding to sound signals, the driving voltages being supplied sequentially having different levels in the order of alignment of the plurality of electrode members. The display device further includes a circuit for lowering the AC power source voltage to bias voltage or a predetermined low voltage level, the AC power source voltage being supplied to a common electrode member formed by the other opposed electrodes of the liquid crystal display cell the power-source voltage applying a potential difference to the liquid crystal, the potential difference being equal to the difference between the driving voltages and the predetermined low voltage.

Patent
22 May 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, the surface potential and impurity concentration in a semi-conductor body were measured by monitoring the current flowing in a semiconductor body when the body is biased with a ramp voltage above its flat band voltage and summing the monitored current with the ramp voltage biasing the body.
Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the surface potential and impurity concentration in a semi-conductor body by monitoring the current flowing in a semiconductor body when the body is biased with a ramp voltage above its flat band voltage and summing the monitored current with the ramp voltage biasing the body. The apparatus provides direct measurement of surface potential and impurity concentration in a semiconductor structure and is especially useful in metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) structures.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, high-frequency (∼ THz) radiation detection by metal-metal point contacts at low temperatures as a function of bias voltage was reported, and the dominant detection mechanism can be attributed to rectification due to electron-phonon-scattering induced nonlinearity of the I•V characteristics, a process not observed before.
Abstract: Experimental results are reported of high‐frequency (∼ THz) radiation detection by metal‐metal point contacts at low temperatures as a function of bias voltage. The dominant detection mechanism can be attributed to rectification due to electron‐phonon‐scattering‐induced nonlinearity of the I‐V characteristics, a process not observed before.

Patent
07 Jan 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, a differential amplifier with transistors (TRs) is presented to obtain a DAC with less input bias current and operate even to a low power supply voltage with sufficient performance.
Abstract: PURPOSE:To obtain a differential amplifier circuit with less input bias current and operated even to a low power supply voltage with sufficient performance by constituting the circuit with transistors (TR). CONSTITUTION:The circuit is provided with the 1st and the 2nd TRs 13, 14 constituting a differential amplifier whose emitters are connected in common and whose bases are connected to input terminals 8, 9, the 3rd TR15 if whose base is connected to the collector of the 1st TR13, and the 4th TR16 whose base is connected to the collector of the 2nd TR14, and the collectors of the 3rd and the 4th TRs 15, 16 are connected to the emitter common connecting point of the 1st and the 2nd TRs 13, 14. Through the circuit constitution above, the circuit operation with less input bias current and attaining sufficient performance even at a low power supply voltage is executed.

Patent
Sheng T. Hsu1
30 Jun 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, the conduction paths of second and third transistors of second conductivity type are connected in series between the output point and a second point of operating potential, and different values of control voltage are applied to operate the circuit in different modes, for a control voltage equal to the voltage at the second point the circuit can function to couple the output to the first point.
Abstract: The conduction path of a first transistor means of first conductivity type is connected between a first point of operating potential and an output point. The conduction paths of second and third transistors of second conductivity type are connected in series between the output point and a second point of operating potential. An input signal is applied to the gate electrode of the third transistor while a control voltage is applied to the gate electrodes of the first and second transistors. Different values of control voltage are applied to operate the circuit in different modes. For a control voltage equal to the voltage at the first point the circuit can function to clamp the output to the second point. For a control voltage equal to the voltage at the second point the circuit can function to couple the output to the first point. For a control voltage intermediate the voltage at the first and second points, the circuit functions as a level shift inverter with division of the output voltage across the conduction paths of the second and third transistors.