Microchip Technology Incorporated
Low-voltage crystal oscillator circuit compatible with GPIO

Abstract:

Low voltage crystal oscillator having native NMOS transistors used for coupling/decoupling to/from GPIO. The native NMOS transistors function properly at a low supply voltage when on (low resistance) and a high supply voltage when off (high resistance). Oscillator Gm driver bias resistors are repurposed to degenerate the native NMOS transistors when they are off, thereby reducing the leakage current thereof (oscillator circuit decoupled from GPIO nodes). This ensures compliance with the CMOS IIH leakage current specification during an external clock (EC) mode at a high supply voltage.