Abstract: A photodetector is integrated on a single semiconductor chip with bipolar transistors including a high speed poly-emitter vertical NPN transistor. The photodetector includes a silicon nitride layer serving as an anti-reflective film. The silicon nitride layer and oxide layers on opposite sides thereof insulate edges of a polysilicon emitter from the underlying transistor regions, minimizing the parasitic capacitance between the NPN transistor's emitter and achieving a high frequency response. The method of manufacture is compatible with existing BiCMOS process technology, the silicon nitride layer of the anti-reflective film being formed over the photodetector as well as regions of the chip that include the vertical NPN transistor and other circuit elements.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive semiconductor chip having a physical interface to the environment, where the surface of the physical interface is coated with a fluorocarbon polymer. The polymer is highly scratch resistant and has a characteristic low dielectric constant for providing a low attenuation to electric fields. The polymer can be used instead of conventional passivation layers, thereby allowing a thin, low dielectric constant layer between the object touching the physical interface, and the capacitive sensing circuits underlying the polymer.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive semiconductor chip having a physical interface to the environment, where the surface of the physical interface is coated with a fluorocarbon polymer. The polymer is highly scratch resistant and has a characteristic low dielectric constant for providing a low attenuation to electric fields. The polymer can be used instead of conventional passivation layers, thereby allowing a thin, low dielectric constant layer between the object touching the physical interface, and the capacitive sensing circuits underlying the polymer.

Abstract: Fast and efficient photodiodes with different structures are fabricated using CMOS process technology by adapting transistor structures to form the diode structures. The anode regions of the photodiodes correspond to either PLDD regions of PMOS transistors or P-wells of NMOS transistors to provide two different photodiode structures with different anode region depths and thus different drift region thicknesses. An antireflective film used on the silicon surface of the photodiodes is employed as a silicide-blocking mask at other locations of the device.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive semiconductor chip having a physical interface to the environment, where the surface of the physical interface is coated with a fluorocarbon polymer. The polymer is highly scratch resistant and has a characteristic low dielectric constant for providing a low attenuation to electric fields. The polymer can be used instead of conventional passivation layers, thereby allowing a thin, low dielectric constant layer between the object touching the physical interface, and the capacitive sensing circuits underlying the polymer.

Abstract: A capacitive fingerprint sensor includes a polymeric protective coating defining a sensing surface and having conductive particles suspended therein. The conductive particles act as parallel strings of series capacitors to couple the capacitance the fingerprint-bearing skin of a user's finger applied to the sensing surface to capacitive sensing elements beneath the protective coating. The polymeric material of the coating is durable and scratch resistant. The conductive particles enable use of a protective coating of 10 to 20 microns in thickness while providing a high degree of sensitivity and image resolution.

Abstract: An electrically floating capacitor plate defines a sensing capacitor with a fingerprint sensing surface thereabove. A reference voltage pulse is selectively applied to a pixel input node that is capacitively coupled to the floating plate, which in turn is capacitively coupled to the input node of a charge integrator. During a sensing operation, the charge integrator generates a pixel output signal that is a function of the variable capacitance of the sensing capacitor, which corresponds to a ridge or valley fingerprint characteristic that appears directly above the floating plate.

Abstract: A scanning fingerprint detection system includes an array of capacitive sensing elements, the array having a first dimension greater than the width of a fingerprint and a second dimension less than the length of a fingerprint. Each of the capacitive sensing elements has first and second conductor plates connected across an inverting amplifier, the conductor plates forming capacitors with the ridges and valleys of a fingerprint of a finger pressed against a protective coating above the array, the inverting amplifier generating a signal indicative of a ridge or valley. Circuitry is provided for scanning the array to capture an image of a portion of fingerprint and for assembling the captured images into a fingerprint image.

Abstract: Fast and efficient photodiodes with different structures are fabricated using CMOS process technology by adapting transistor structures to form the diode structures. The anode regions of the photodiodes correspond to either PLDD regions of PMOS transistors or P-wells of NMOS transistors to provide two different photodiode structures with different anode region depths and thus different drift region thicknesses. An antireflective film used on the silicon surface of the photodiodes is employed as a silicide-blocking mask at other locations of the device.

Abstract: A photodetector is integrated on a single semiconductor chip with bipolar transistors including a high speed poly-emitter vertical NPN transistor. The photodetector includes a silicon nitride layer serving as an anti-reflective film. The silicon nitride layer and oxide layers on opposite sides thereof insulate edges of a polysilicon emitter from the underlying transistor regions, minimizing the parasitic capacitance between the NPN transistor's emitter and achieving a high frequency response.

Abstract: A memory cell for an EEPROM memory is fabricated to provide increased oxide thickness at the edge of the tunnel oxide and under the edges of the polysilicon capacitor plate in order to improve the dielectric integrity of the capacitor structure. In one embodiment using a silicided polysilicon process, the oxide is made thicker at the edge of the tunnel oxide by reoxidizing the silicon at the corner of the polysilicon capacitor plate and the underlying substrate surface by exposing the device to a short duration oxidation step after having deposited a 200 Å to 500 Å thick porous oxide over the device to protect the silicide from excessive exposure to the oxidizing ambient. In another embodiment the tunnel oxide is grown in a window in the gate oxide layer, which is about four times thicker than the tunnel oxide, so that the gate oxide completely surrounds the tunnel oxide, and the polysilicon capacitor plate extends beyond the edge of the tunnel oxide terminating at a point above the gate oxide.

Abstract: A fingerprint detector having a smooth sensor surface for contact with a fingerprint includes capacitive sensor plates defining an array of sensor cells below the sensor surface and tungsten ESD protection grid lines surrounding each sensor cell. The sensor surface is defined by silicon carbide and includes silicon oxide filling cavities in the silicon carbide. The cavities inherently result from processing steps, including removal of the tungsten atop the silicon carbide that is used to define the grid lines. Filling the cavities with oxide and smoothing the surface using chemical mechanical polishing provides a scratch-resistant surface and improves the sensitivity of the capacitive sensor cells.

Abstract: A cantilevered beam is formed over a cavity to an accurate length by isotropically etching a fast-etching material, such as hydrogen silisquioxane, out of the cavity. The cavity is initially defined within a slow-etching material. The selectivity of the etch rates of the material within the cavity relative to the material defining the walls of the cavity permits accurate control of the length of the free end of the cantilevered beam. The resonant frequency of the cantilevered beam can be tuned to a narrow predetermined range by laser trimming.

Abstract: A method of and system for providing user input to a computer, or the like, having a display by detecting a change in fingerprint pattern of a user. The system controls the position of a pointer on a display by detecting motion of ridges and pores of a fingerprint of a user and moving the pointer on the display according to detected motion of the ridges and pores of the fingerprint. The system captures successive images of the fingerprint ridges and pores and detects motion of the ridges and pores based upon the captured successive images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to oscillator circuits for providing periodic signals. The oscillator circuit includes a crystal element having a high Q value and good stability. A high-gain amplifier is used with the crystal element to produce an oscillating signal. The oscillator is further configured to include an input protection circuit for reducing the effects of undesirably high input voltage levels, and a coupling capacitor to reduce leakage between the amplifier and the input protection circuit. A high output signal level is provided to a Schmidtt trigger amplifier through configuring the output to be taken from the input of the high-gain amplifier.

Abstract: A scanning fingerprint detection system that includes an array of capacitive sensing elements. The array has a first dimension greater than the width of a fingerprint and a second dimension less than the length of a fingerprint. Each of the capacitive sensing elements has a size less than the width of a fingerprint ridge. Circuitry is provided for scanning the array to capture an image of a portion of fingerprint and for assembling the captured images into a fingerprint image as a fingerprint is moved over the array.

Abstract: A memory device with a test mode control circuit for entering a test mode responsive to a high on the Vss pin or a low on the Vcc pin that supply power to the output pins during normal operation of the memory device. In test mode the wordlines and bitlines of the memory remain active from the time they are activated, typically when the clock switched from a first to a second logic state, until the clock switches back to the first logic state.

Abstract: Methods of forming, in an integrated circuit, aluminum-silicon contacts with a barrier layer is disclosed. The barrier layer is enhanced by the provision of titanium oxynitride layers adjacent the silicide film formed at the exposed silicon at the bottom of the contact. The titanium oxynitride may be formed by depositing a low density titanium nitride film over a titanium metal layer that is in contact with the silicon in the contact; subsequent exposure to air allows a relatively large amount of oxygen and nitrogen to enter the titanium nitride. A rapid thermal anneal (RTA) both causes silicidation at the contact location and also results in the oxygen and nitrogen being gettered to what was previously the titanium/titanium nitride interface, where the oxygen and nitrogen react with the titanium metal and nitrogen in the, atmosphere to form titanium oxynitride. The low density titanium nitride also densifies during the RTA.

Abstract: The invention concerns an instructions sequencer for microprocessor wherein the sequencer presents an architecture, a circuit conception and a presents that improves the compacity and facilitates conception and adaptation operations to different instructions sets, the sequencer having a line and column architecture and very widely produced in the form of a transistor and capacitor matrix, functioning with decoding transistors, preload transistors and a matrix for defining the phases of operating cycles.