Abstract: A method of forming a metal oxide ceramic layer is provided, in which a gaseous flow of a vaporized solution of a precursor organo metal compound in a volatile organic solvent, e.g., plus an oxidizing gas, in the presence of a protonating additive substance and/or activating agent in gaseous state, is conducted into contact with a surface of a substrate. The operation is effected under vacuum pressure at a thermal decomposition temperature for converting the precursor compound to its corresponding metal oxide, e.g., having the same oxidation state as in the precursor compound. The additive substance is present in an amount sufficient for facilitating thermal decomposition of the precursor compound and for controlling the in situ oxidation state of the deposited metal and the amount of oxygen in the formed layer, e.g., while suppressing formation of volatile intermediates and of vacancies in the formed layer.

Abstract: A synchronization detector including a phase detector and a distance metric calculator. The phase detector uses the preamble readback signal to estimate the bit periods and outputs a signal indicative of this estimate. This signal is sued by the distance metric calculator to limit its search for the synchronization mark to every mth bit position, where m is a predetermined integer greater than one (1).

Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition is used to form a film of Bi oxide, Sr oxide, and Ta oxide on a heated substrate by decomposing the precursors of these oxides at the surface of the substrate. The precursor of Bi oxide is a Bi complex which includes at least one alkoxide group and is decomposed and deposited at a temperature lower than 450° C. The film of Bi, Sr, and Ta oxides obtained by low-temperature CVD is predominantly non-ferroelectric, but can be converted into a ferroelectric film by a subsequent heating process.

Abstract: Reduced diffusion of excess mobile specie from a metal oxide ceramic is achieved by tailoring the composition an/or deposition parameters. A barrier layer which reacts with the excess mobile specie is provided below the metal oxide ceramic to prevent or reduce the diffusion of the excess mobile specie through the bottom electrode and into the substrate.

Abstract: There is disclosed the process of forming a gate conductor for a semiconductor device. The process begins with the step of providing a semiconductor substrate having a gate stack formed thereon, the gate stack including a sidewall. Dielectric spacers are formed on the gate conductor sidewalls, the dielectric spacers comprising an inner spacer and an outer spacer, the outer spacer being of a doped glass material. Ions are implanted into the semiconductor substrate outwardly of the dielectric spacers. The outer spacers are then removed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a variable gain amplifier has a well-regulated common mode output. The invention has particular applications to CMOS integrated circuits and has other applications. In a specific embodiment, the invention is used with a regulated voltage source that has good stability over a wide bandwidth of load changes.

Abstract: An obstruction detection system utilizes a segmented optical detector and detector-specific signal processing to optically detect the presence of a small object within a defined plane and to screen out interfering signals. In one application, the obstruction detection system is utilized with an automatically closing window to prevent small objects, such as fingers, from being pinched by the window as the window is being closed. In one embodiment of the obstruction detection system, the segmented optical detector includes a series of segmented detector elements that are generally perpendicular to the defined plane. In another embodiment of the obstruction detection system, the segmented optical detector includes segmented detector elements that are generally parallel to the defined plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device including a redundant metal line for replacing a non-operational metal line for connecting to a circuit block. The invention further includes a method for decoupling a defective or otherwise non-operational conductive data line from a circuit block to which it is connected, and replacing the defective conductive data line with a redundant line by coupling it to the same circuit block. A spare conductive block is not needed. The redundant metal lines may be used in multiple levels of hierarchy within an integrated circuit device.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a trench cell capacitor can be used in the formation of a DRAM cell. In one embodiment, a trench is formed within a semiconductor substrate. The trench is lined with a dielectric layer, e.g., an ONO layer. After lining the trench, a collar is formed in an upper portion of the trench by forming an oxide layer in the upper portion. A nitride layer on the oxide layer. The trench is then filled with semiconductor material. For example, a semiconductor region can be epitaxially grown to fill the trench.

Abstract: A buried plate particularly suitable for formation of a common plate of a plurality of trench capacitors, such as are employed in dynamic random access memories, is formed by implantation of impurities in one or more regions of a wafer or semiconductor layer, epitaxially growing a layer of semiconductor material over the implanted regions and diffusing the implanted impurities into the wafer or semiconductor layer and into the epitaxial layer. Diffusion from such a source avoids process complexity compared with provision of diffusion sources within capacitor trenches and further provides an impurity concentration profile which varies with depth within the resulting body of semiconductor material, resulting in a well-defined boundary of the buried plate and an isolation region both above and below the buried plate.

Abstract: A low noise radio frequency amplifier is switchable between a low gain state and a high gain state. A first, common-emitter transistor is active in the high gain state and inactive in the low gain state. The first transistor has a base coupled to a radio frequency input and a first bias input, an emitter coupled to ground, and a collector coupled to an amplified radio frequency output. A second, common-base transistor is active in the low gain state and inactive in the high gain state. The second transistor has an emitter coupled to the radio frequency input, a base coupled to a second bias input, and a collector coupled to the amplified radio frequency output.

Abstract: A method is described for the selective deposition of bismuth based ferroelectric films by selective chemical vapor deposition on a substrate. Selectivity in the deposition process is attained by selection of substrate-precursor combinations which assure high bismuth deposition efficiency in certain areas and low bismuth deposition efficiency in other areas in combination with specific process parameters.

Abstract: A start-up circuit with lower current requirements than a conventional start-up circuit is disclosed. The start-up circuit may achieve lower current requirements by reducing the current of the start-up circuit to approximately zero when the bandgap circuit reaches a predetermined value. For example, the start-up circuit may peak at a current of 3.3 micro Amps in order to ensure that the bandgap circuit reaches the predetermined voltage. Thereafter, the current for the start-up circuit may be reduced to approximately zero once the bandgap circuit no longer requires the start-up circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, an electrically conductive level on the substrate and a metal fuse located at the conductive level wherein the fuse comprises a self-aligned dielectric etch stop layer thereon is provided along with processes for its fabrication.

Abstract: The heat tolerance of an LED alphanumeric display device having a clear epoxy encapsulation can be improved by matching the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the inner circuit board to the high CTE of the epoxy. When heat is applied to fix the device to a circuit board, the components will expand at a nearly equal rate, avoiding cracking and failure.

Abstract: A data access arrangement (DAA) that includes a substrate and an optically-active component disposed on the substrate. The component is encapsulated with a radiation-transmissive material to form an optical medium. The DAA also includes a layer of opaque material disposed around the substrate and the optically-active component so that the substrate and the component are sealed from the outside environment. A lead frame is attached to the substrate that extends through and beyond the opaque material layer to enable electrical contact with the substrate and the component.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a data handling system comprising a central processing unit for executing a sequence of commands stored in a memory. This central processing unit comprises an interrupt request input and a priority input as well as means for servicing an interrupt request by executing a command sequence at a predefined address in said memory. The predefined address is an interrupt base address plus an offset address value defined by a priority number provided at the priority input. The system further comprises an interrupt request control unit comprising interrupt arbitration means and generating, after determining the interrupt request, the highest priority by said interrupt arbitration means, an interrupt request signal fed to said interrupt request input and providing a priority number at said priority input.

Abstract: Th present invention relates to a DMA-controller having a definable plurality of transfer channels. According to the present invention such a unit comprises a data processing unit with a bus interface unit being coupled with a bus for transferring data. The data processing unit executes a data transfer on said bus dependent on programmable parameters. It further comprises a parameter memory storing those parameters for each transfer channel, whereby the parameter memory provides a first memory area which stores for each defined transfer channel a word comprising a vector address to a second memory area comprising specific parameters for said transfer channel.

Abstract: Processing techniques for various modular components provide various surface mount structures for single device components (10) and multiple device components (FIGS. 6 and 7) suitable as character displays. The technique beings with a slab of substrate material 12 patterned on both sides. Plated through holes (33, 43) connecting back side terminals (19, 20) to front side connective strips (22, 24) are formed. Devices (15, 16) are mounted to land areas (13, 34) and wire bonded to connecting pads (14). The front side is coated with epoxy to encapsulate the devices in a layer having an outer surface formed into optional lenses (262, 263). The slab is then separated to provide the modular components.

Abstract: Processing techniques for various surface mount modular components provide various structures for single device components (10) and multiple device components (FIGS. 6 and 7) suitable as character displays. The technique beings with a slab of substrate material 12 patterned on both sides. Plated through holes (33, 43) connecting back side terminals (19, 20) to front side connective strips (22, 24) are formed. Devices (15, 16) are mounted to land areas (13, 34) and wire bonded to connecting pads (14). The front side is coated with epoxy to encapsulate the devices in a layer having an outer surface formed into optional lenses (262, 263). The slab is then separated to provide the modular components.