Abstract: A method of biasing a guard ring structure includes biasing a gate of a MOS transistor to a first bias voltage level, biasing first and second S/D regions of the MOS transistor to a power domain voltage level, biasing a gate of the guard ring structure to a second bias voltage level, and biasing first and second heavily doped regions of the guard ring structure to the power domain voltage level. Each of the first and second S/D regions has a first doping type, each of the first and second heavily doped regions has a second doping type different from the first doping type, and each of the first and second S/D regions and the first and second heavily doped regions is positioned in a substrate region having the second doping type.

Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes an operational amplifier, an output circuit, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor. The operational amplifier is configured to generate an output according to a feedback signal. The output circuit is configured to generate a first current signal in response to a supply voltage and the output of the operational amplifier. The first current signal includes a first ripple signal. The first capacitor and the second capacitor are coupled in parallel between the operational amplifier and the output circuit. The first capacitor is configured to receive the first current signal and feedback to the operational amplifier the first ripple signal.

Abstract: A thermal sensor circuit that includes a temperature sensing circuit, an analog to digital converter, a processor and a divider circuit. The temperature sensing circuit generates a first temperature-dependent voltage and a second temperature-dependent voltage. The analog to digital converter converts a voltage difference between the first temperature-dependent voltage and the second temperature-dependent voltage to generate a first bit stream. The processor generates a second bit stream based on a thermal coefficient, wherein the thermal coefficient is used to calibrate the thermal sensor circuit. The processor further tunes the thermal coefficient until the output bit stream is equivalent to a bit stream of a reference model. The divider circuit divides the first bit stream by a denominator value to generate an output bit stream, wherein the denominator value is determined according to a bit value of the second bit stream.

Abstract: A layout of a semiconductor device stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium includes a first transistor in an active device region, the first transistor comprising a first channel region a first source region and a first drain region. The layout further includes a second transistor in a guard ring region, the second transistor comprising a second channel region a second source region and a second drain region. The second channel region includes a semiconductor material having a higher thermal conductivity than a semiconductor material of the first channel region.

Abstract: A device including at least one transistor cell including metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors each having drain/source terminals and a channel length. The at least one transistor cell includes a first number of transistors of the metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors connected in series, with one of the drain/source terminals of one of the first number of transistors connected to one of the drain/source terminals of another one of the first number of transistors and gates of the first number of transistors connected together. The at least one transistor cell configured to be used to provide a transistor having a longer channel length than the channel length of each of the metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor, a second metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor, and a metal-insulator-metal capacitor. A first terminal of the first metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor is configured to receive a first reference voltage for a higher voltage domain, while a first terminal of the second metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor is configured to receive a second reference voltage for the higher voltage domain. A second terminal of the first metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor is conductively connected to a first terminal of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor, while a second terminal of the second metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor is conductively connected to a second terminal of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor.

Abstract: Systems and methods as described herein may take a variety of forms. In one example, systems and methods are provided for a circuit for powering a voltage regulator. A voltage regulator circuit has an output electrically coupled to a gate of an output driver transistor, the output driver transistor having a first terminal electrically coupled to a voltage source and a second terminal electrically coupled to a first terminal of a voltage divider, the voltage divider having an second terminal electrically coupled to ground, and the voltage divider having an output of a stepped down voltage. A power control circuitry transistor has a first terminal electrically coupled to the voltage source, the power control circuitry transistor having a second terminal electrically coupled to the gate terminal of the output driver transistor, and the power control circuitry transistor having a gate terminal electrically coupled to a status voltage signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) structure including emitters in a first well having a first conductive type, collectors in respective second wells, the second wells having a second conductive type different from the first conductive type and being spaced apart from each other with the first well therebetween, and bases in the first well and between the emitters and the collectors. The BJT structure includes active regions having different widths that form the emitters, the collectors, and the bases.

Abstract: A trimmable resistor circuit and a method for operating the trimmable resistor circuit are provided. The trimmable resistor circuit includes first sources/drains and first gate structures alternatively arranged in a first row, second sources/drains and second gate structures alternatively arranged in a second row, third sources/drains and third gate structures alternatively arranged in a third row, first resistors disposed between the first row and the second row, and second resistors disposed between the second row and the third row. In the method for operating the trimmable resistor circuit, the first gate structures in the first row and the third gate structures in the third row are turned on. Then, the second gate structures in the second row are turned on/off according to a predetermined resistance value.

Abstract: A thermal sensor circuit that includes a temperature sensing circuit, an analog to digital converter, a processor, a divider circuit and a digital circuit is introduced. The temperature sensing circuit generates first and second temperature-dependent voltages. The digital to analog converter converts the first and second temperature-dependent voltages to first and second bit streams. The processor generates a third bit stream based on a thermal coefficient. The divider circuit divides one of the first and second bit streams by a denominator value to generate a fourth bit stream, wherein the denominator value is determined according to a bit value of the third bit stream. The digital circuit subtracts the other one of the first and second bit streams from the fourth bit stream to generate an output bit stream. The processor tunes the thermal coefficient until the output bit stream is equivalent to a bit stream of a reference model.

Abstract: A bandgap reference (BGR) circuit is provided. The BGR circuit includes a first node, a second node, and a third node. A first resistive element is connected between the second node and the third node. The BGR circuit is operative to provide a reference voltage as an output. The BGR circuit further includes a current shunt path connected between the first node and the third node, the current shunt path being operable to regulate a voltage drop across the first resistive element.

Abstract: A circuit is disclosed that includes a first differential input pair, a second differential input pair, a first switch, and a second switch. The first differential input pair receives an output voltage at an output node and a first temperature-dependent voltage. The second differential input pair receives the output voltage and a second temperature-dependent voltage. When the output voltage reaches the second temperature-dependent voltage, the first switch is turned on to pull up the output voltage in response to a first control signal generated according to an output signal of the second differential input pair. When the output voltage reaches the first temperature-dependent voltage, the second switch is turned on to pull down the output voltage in response to a second control signal generated according to an output signal of the first differential input pair.

Abstract: A decoupling capacitance (decap) system which includes: a decap circuit electrically coupled between a first or second reference voltage rail and a first node; and a biasing circuit coupled between the first node and correspondingly the second or first reference voltage rail. Due to the series connection between the decap circuit and the biasing circuit, the voltage drop across the biasing circuit effectively reduces the voltage drop across the decap circuit so that the voltage drop across the decap circuit is less than a voltage drop across the decap system as whole.

Abstract: An IC device includes first and second resistors. The first resistor includes first and second metal segments extending in a first direction in a first metal layer, and a third metal segment extending in a second direction in a second metal layer, and electrically connecting the first and second metal segments. The second resistor includes fourth and fifth metal segments extending in the first direction in the first metal layer, and a sixth metal segment extending in the second direction in a third metal layer, and electrically connecting the fourth and fifth metal segments. The fourth and fifth metal segment have a width greater than a width of the first and second metal segments, the fourth metal segment is between the first and second metal segments and separated from the first metal segment by a distance, and a fourth and fifth metal segment separation is greater than the distance.

Abstract: Systems and methods as described herein may take a variety of forms. In an example, a circuit includes a first voltage stepdown module and a second voltage stepdown module. The first voltage stepdown module has a supply voltage and a first reference voltage as inputs, and an intermediate stepped down voltage as an output, the intermediate stepped down voltage being electrically coupled to a feedback input of the first voltage stepdown module. The second voltage stepdown module includes a low-dropout voltage regulator having the intermediate stepped down voltage and a second reference voltage as inputs and a target voltage as an output.

Abstract: Systems and methods as described herein may take a variety of forms. In one example, systems and methods are provided for a circuit for powering a voltage regulator. A voltage regulator circuit has an output electrically coupled to a gate of an output driver transistor, the output driver transistor having a first terminal electrically coupled to a voltage source and a second terminal electrically coupled to a first terminal of a voltage divider, the voltage divider having an second terminal electrically coupled to ground, and the voltage divider having an output of a stepped down voltage. A power control circuitry transistor has a first terminal electrically coupled to the voltage source, the power control circuitry transistor having a second terminal electrically coupled to the gate terminal of the output driver transistor, and the power control circuitry transistor having a gate terminal electrically coupled to a status voltage signal.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an integrated circuit device includes multiple rows of functional cells, with each row having a cell height. At least one of rows of functional cells includes at least one digital low-dropout voltage regulator (DLVR) cell with the cell height for the row. The DLVR cell includes: an input terminal, an output terminal, a voltage supply terminal, a reference voltage terminal, and one or more pairs of transistors. Each pair of transistors are arranged in cascode configuration connected between the voltage supply terminal and output terminal. The gate of one of the transistors the cascode configuration is connected to the input terminal, and the gate of the other transistor in the cascode configuration is connected to the reference voltage terminal. The four terminals each comprises a metal track in the bottom metal layer and disposed within the cell height.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a temperature-independent current generator that generates a reference current substantially independent of temperature and a mirror current that is a substantial duplicate of the reference current, a pulse signal generator that samples the mirror current so as to generate a pulse signal, and a counter that obtains a number of pulse signals generated by the pulse signal generator, that permits the pulse signal generator to generate a pulse signal when it is determined thereby that the number of pulse signals obtained thereby is less than a predetermined threshold value, and that inhibits the pulse signal generator from generating a pulse signal when it is determined thereby that the number of pulse signals obtained thereby is equal to the predetermined threshold value. A method for monitoring a temperature of the semiconductor device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device is disclosed. The device includes an operational amplifier, an output circuit and a first feedback circuit. The operational amplifier includes an input terminal that is configured to receive a feedback signal. The output circuit is coupled to an output terminal of the operational amplifier and is configured to generate an output signal in response to an output of the operational amplifier. The first feedback circuit is coupled to the output circuit and is configured to couple at least one first ripple signal in the output signal to the input terminal of the operational amplifier that is configured to receive the feedback signal, for adjusting the output signal. A method also is disclosed herein.

Abstract: A noise detecting circuit including an amplifier circuit, a filtering circuit and a comparing circuit. The amplifier circuit is arranged to amplify an input signal and output an amplified signal, wherein the input signal is received from a circuit to be detected and indicates a noise level of the circuit to be detected. The filtering circuit is coupled to the amplifier circuit and arranged to filter the amplified signal and output a filtered signal. The comparing circuit is coupled to the filtering circuit and arranged to compare the filtered signal to a reference voltage and output an output signal indicating the noise level of the circuit to be detected.