Patent ID: 7102254

Claim:
An integrated circuit ( 100 ), comprising: an external power supply line ( 130 ); an internal power supply line ( 120 ); a circuit portion ( 102 ) coupled to the internal power supply line ( 120 ); an enable transistor ( 104 ) for coupling the internal power supply line ( 120 ) to the external power supply line ( 130 ); and control means ( 150 , 160 ) coupled to a gate of the enable transistor ( 104 ) for switching the enable transistor ( 104 ) to a conductive state with a first gate voltage, and to a non-conductive state with a second gate voltage, characterized in that the control means ( 150 , 160 ) are arranged to reduce a leakage current through the enable transistor ( 104 ) in the non-conductive state by biasing the gate with the second gate voltage, which is obtained from a back bias power supply line ( 140 ) which is separate from said external power supply line ( 130 ).