Patent ID: 7986166

Claim:
A clock buffer circuit for use in a clock network, the clock buffer circuit consisting essentially of: a clock driver circuit that receives an input signal and outputs a buffered signal, the clock driver circuit consisting of: a first CMOS transistor, connected between a power supply line and a ground line, that receives the input signal; and a second CMOS transistor, connected between the power supply line and the ground line, and to the first CMOS transistor, wherein the second CMOS transistor receives the input signal from the first CMOS transistor and generates the buffered signal; a leakage current prevention circuit for disconnecting the first and second CMOS transistors from the power supply line, the leakage current prevention circuit consisting of: a first PMOS transistor connected between a source of a PMOS transistor in the first CMOS transistor and the power supply line, wherein a gate of the first PMOS transistor receives an enable signal; and a second PMOS transistor connected between a source of a PMOS transistor in the second CMOS transistor and the power supply line, wherein a gate of the second PMOS transistor receives the enable signal; and wherein, the widths and lengths of the first and the second PMOS transistors are predefined such that the addition of these transistors in series to the first and second CMOS transistors does not increase the activation time of the first and second CMOS transistors, and wherein the first and second PMOS transistors are deactivated in response to the enable signal thereby disconnecting the first and second CMOS transistors from the power supply line; and an output stabilization holding transistor, connected between an output terminal of the second CMOS transistor and the ground line, and receiving the enable signal, wherein when the output stabilization holding transistor receives the enable signal, the output of the second CMOS transistor is held at ground level.