Methods, devices, and systems for a high voltage tolerant buffer

A method of operating a buffer, comprising:

• providing a sufficiently low first voltage that is greater than or equal to a ground voltage plus a first transistor threshold voltage (VSSQ+Vtp) and less than a supply voltage (VCCQ) from a primary pull-up pre-driver to a gate of a primary pull-up transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the primary pull-up transistor;
• providing a sufficiently low second voltage from a secondary pull-up pre-driver to a gate of a secondary pull-up transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the secondary pull-up transistor;
• providing a sufficiently low third voltage from a primary pull-down pre-driver to a gate of a primary pull-down transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the primary pull-down transistor;
• and
• providing a sufficiently low fourth voltage from a secondary pull-down pre-driver to a gate of a secondary pull-down transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the secondary pull-down transistor.

A semiconductor device, comprising:

• at least one buffer comprising:
• a primary pull-up pre-driver configured to provide a sufficiently low first voltage to a primary pull-up transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the primary pull-up transistor, wherein the sufficiently low first voltage is greater than or equal to a ground voltage plus a transistor threshold voltage (VSSQ+Vtp) and less than or equal to a supply voltage (VCCQ);
• a secondary pull-up pre-driver configured to provide a sufficiently low second voltage to a secondary pull-up transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the secondary pull-up transistor;
• a primary pull-down pre-driver configured to provide a sufficiently low third voltage to a primary pull-down transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the primary pull-down transistor;
• and
• a secondary pull-down pre-driver configured to provide a sufficiently low fourth voltage to a secondary pull-down transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the secondary pull-down transistor.

An electronic system, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one semiconductor device, including at least one buffer comprising:
• a primary pull-up pre-driver adapted to drive a primary pull-up transistor;
• a secondary pull-up pre-driver adapted to drive a secondary pull-up transistor;
• a primary pull-down pre-driver adapted to drive a primary pull-down transistor;
• a secondary pull-down pre-driver adapted to drive a secondary pull-down transistor;
• and
• at least one clamping device, wherein a gate of each of the primary pull-up transistor, the secondary pull-up transistor, the primary pull-down transistor, and the secondary pull-down transistor is coupled to a clamping device of the at least one clamping device;
• wherein the primary pull-up pre-driver, the secondary pull-up pre-driver, the primary pull-down pre-driver, and the secondary pull-down pre-driver are each adapted to drive the transistor operably coupled thereto with a sufficiently low voltage so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the transistor.

A buffer, comprising:

• a primary pull-up pre-driver operably coupled to a primary pull-up transistor, the primary pull-up pre-driver comprising;
• an inverter operably coupled between an input signal and a first transistor and configured to provide a signal to a gate of the first transistor, wherein a drain of the first transistor is operably coupled to a ground voltage;
• a buffer operably coupled between the input signal and a second transistor and configured to provide a signal to a gate of the second transistor, wherein a source of the second transistor is operably coupled to a supply voltage and a drain of the second transistor is operably coupled to a source of the first transistor;
• and
• an output operably coupled between the drain of the second transistor and the source of the first transistor;
• a secondary pull-up pre-driver operably coupled to a secondary pull-up transistor;
• a primary pull-down pre-driver operably coupled to a primary pull-down transistor;
• and
• a secondary pull-down pre-driver operably coupled to a secondary pull-down transistor;
• wherein the primary pull-up pre-driver, the secondary pull-up pre-driver, the primary pull-down pre-driver, and the secondary pull-down pre-driver are each configured to provide a sufficiently low voltage to a gate of the transistor operably coupled thereto so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the transistor.

A method of operating a buffer, comprising:

• providing a first voltage from a primary pull-up pre-driver to a gate of primary pull-up transistor having a gate-to-source, a gate-to-drain, and a source-to-drain voltage drop of less than 1.35 volts so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the primary pull-up transistor;
• providing a sufficiently low second voltage from a secondary pull-up pre-driver to a gate of a secondary pull-up transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the secondary pull-up transistor;
• providing a sufficiently low third voltage from a primary pull-down pre-driver to a gate of a primary pull-down transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the primary pull-down transistor;
• and
• providing a sufficiently low fourth voltage from a secondary pull-down pre-driver to a gate of a secondary pull-down transistor so as to sustain a gate dielectric integrity of the secondary pull-down transistor.