Patent attributes
A master-slave flip-flop comprises master and slave latches, with the data output of the master latch connected to the data input of the slave latch. The latches receive clock signals CKM and CKS at their respective clock inputs; each latch is transparent when its clock signal is in a first state and latches a signal applied to its input when its clock signal is in a second state. A clock buffer receives an input clock CKin and generates nominally complementary clock signals CKM and CKS such that one latch is latched while the other is transparent. The clock buffer is arranged to skew CKS with respect to CKM such that the slave latch is made transparent earlier than it would without the skew, making the minimum delay (tpd) between the toggling of CKin and a resulting change at the slave latch's output less than it would otherwise be.