Tutorial 16: Tri-state Buffers in VHDL

Created on: 12 March 2013

A single tri-state buffer with active low enable and a 4-bit wide tri-state buffer with single active low enable are written in VHDL code and implemented on a CPLD.

Both tri-state buffers are implemented in the same VHDL code of a single project.

Tri-state Buffer Symbols

A single tri-state buffer with active low enable pin is shown below. A group of four tri-state buffers with a single enable pin is also shown. Both of these buffers are written in VHDL and implemented on a CPLD.

Tri-state Buffer VHDL Code

The VHDL code for the single and quad tri-state buffers is shown below.

library IEEE;
use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_1164.ALL;

entity tri_state_buffer_top is
    Port ( A    : in  STD_LOGIC;    -- single buffer input
           EN   : in  STD_LOGIC;    -- single buffer enable
           Y    : out STD_LOGIC;    -- single buffer output
           -- 4 input / output buffer with one enable
           IN4  : in  STD_LOGIC_VECTOR (3 downto 0);
           EN4  : in  STD_LOGIC;
           OUT4 : out STD_LOGIC_VECTOR (3 downto 0));
end tri_state_buffer_top;

architecture Behavioral of tri_state_buffer_top is

begin

    -- single active low enabled tri-state buffer
    Y <= A when (EN = '0') else 'Z';
    
    -- 4 input/output active low enabled tri-state buffer
    OUT4 <= IN4 when (EN4 = '0') else "ZZZZ";

end Behavioral;

Single Tri-state Buffer

The single tri-state buffer is created in VHDL using the following line of code:

Y <= A when (EN = '0') else 'Z';

When the EN pin is low, then the logic level on the A input will appear on the Y output. If a logic 1 is on the EN pin, the output Y will be tri-stated (made high impedance indicated by Z in VHDL).

Quad Tri-state Buffer

The quad input tri-state buffer with single enable is created with the following VHDL code:

OUT4 <= IN4 when (EN4 = '0') else "ZZZZ";

When the enable pin EN4 is low, then each of the logic states on the inputs of the buffers will appear on their corresponding outputs. If the EN pin has a logic high applied to it, then all buffers will be tri-stated ("ZZZZ" is used to tri-state all four buffers in the VHDL code).