An appropriate device figure of merit for bipolar CML

The effects of base resistance, base transit time, and junction capacitances play a key role in the propagation delay of high-speed bipolar logic gates. A simple device figure of merit for transistors used in current mode logic (CML) circuits, based on minimum propagation delay, is developed. This delay is derived from the large-signal 3-dB cutoff frequency of the CML gate. Results are shown to be applicable for a wide range of device and circuit parameters.<
>