2114 Static RAMs...

David V. Corbin dvcorbin at optonline.net
Wed Sep 15 12:40:18 CDT 2004


>>> 
>>> Thim makes me conclude that in order to correctly measure 
>>> stand by current consumption on any CMOS circuit, you 
>>> _must_ tie all unused inputs to either Vdd or Vss, 
>>> whichever makes most sense.
>>> 
>>> If the input of a CMOS inverter is left floating, there is 
>>> a good chance it will stay somewhere in the middle between 
>>> high and low and both transistors will be half open for 
>>> current to flow all the way from Vdd to Vss. If the input 
>>> is tied to Vdd or Vss, then at least one of the transistors 
>>> will be shut off, and very little current will flow. This 
>>> is all there is to CMOS low static current con- sumption.
>>> 

The above is quite correct. Over current is merely one of the effects of 
Leaving CMOS inputs floating. What gets real interesting are the
bi-directional pins which
Need to be terminated when they are inputs, but not HARD tied when they are
outputs.
This offten requires some "scaffolding" curcuitry to power up a board
"outside of its native habitat".




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