Abstract: A tamper-resistant packaging approach protects non-volatile memory. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an array of magnetic memory elements (130-132) in an integrated circuit (100) are protected from magnetic flux(122) by a package (106) including a magnet (120). Flux from the magnet is directed away from the magnetic memory elements by the package. When tampered with, such as by removal of a portion of the package for accessing the magnetic memory elements, the package allows the flux to reach some or all of the magnetic memory elements, which causes a change in a logic state thereof. With this approach, the magnetic memory elements are protected from tampering.

Abstract: A field effect device includes at least one segmented field plate, each of the at least one segmented field plates having a plurality of segments that each form a plate of a capacitor, wherein the field effect device is connected to an electronic element that dynamically connects selected segments to selectively set a gate-to-drain and a drain-to-source capacitance. An ultrasonic device includes a transducer coupled to a switching device that switches the transducer between a transmit mode and a receive mode switching device, wherein the switching device includes the field effect device.

Abstract: A method of making a trench MOSFET includes forming a layer of porous silicon (26) at the bottom of a trench and then oxidizing the layer of porous silicon (26) to form a plug (30) at the bottom of the trench. This forms a thick oxide plug at the bottom of the trench thereby reducing capacitance between gate and drain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-volatile memory device, comprising a memory array (10, 20) with a plurality of memory cells (100, 200) arranged in rows and columns, bit line conductors (12, 22) coupled to said rows of memory cells, an averaging circuit (11, 21) with inputs coupled to a plurality of said bit line conductors (12, 22) and being arranged to determine an average level on respective analog signal levels on said plurality of bit line conductors (12, 22), a monitoring circuit (13, 23) coupled to said averaging circuit (11, 21) and being arranged to monitor said average level and to output a refresh command when said average level shows a predetermined behavior, and a refresh circuit (15, 25) coupled to said monitoring circuit (13, 23) and being arranged to refresh at least a selection of said plurality of memory cells (100, 200) in response to said refresh command.

Abstract: A transmitter comprises a power amplifier which has an amplifier power-supply input and an output to supply a transmission signal with an output power. A power supply has power supply outputs to supply a first power supply voltage and a second power supply voltage. A switching circuit is arranged between the power supply outputs and the amplifier power-supply input. A controller has an input to receive a power change command to control: first the switching circuit to supply the first power supply voltage to the amplifier power-supply input, and the power supply to vary a level of the second power supply voltage, the level of the second power supply voltage being lower or higher than a level of the first power supply voltage if the power change command indicates that the output power has to decrease or increase, respectively, and secondly the switching circuit to supply the second power supply voltage to the amplifier power-supply input.

Abstract: The invention relates to a so-termed punchthrough diode (10) with a stack of, for example, n++, n?, p+, n++ regions (1,2,3,4). In the known diode, these semiconductor regions (1,2,3,4) are positioned in said order on a substrate (11). The diode is provided with connection conductors (5,6). Such a diode does not have a steep I-V characteristic and is therefore less suitable as a TVSD (=Transient Voltage Suppression Device). In particular at voltages below 5 volts, a punchthrough diode could form an attractive alternative as TVSD. In a punchthrough diode (10) according to the invention, a part of the first semiconductor region (1) bordering on the second semiconductor region (2) comprises a number of sub-regions (1A) which are separated from each other by a further semiconductor region (7) of the second, for example p+, conductivity type which is electrically connected to the first connection conductor (5).

Abstract: A method and circuit for preserving linearity of a RF power amplifier, the power amplifier including a RF power output unit (4, 24, 62) having a characteristic drive level and fed by a supply voltage, comprising measuring the output voltage of the RF power output unit (4, 24, 62); comparing the measured output voltage to at least one threshold voltage to produce a control signal; and adapting the drive level or the supply voltage of the RF power output (4, 24, 62) unit by means of the control signal to operate the output unit below its saturation level. A method and circuit for stabilizing an antenna circuit comprising a RF power amplifier and a matching circuit by preserving linearity of a RF power amplifier, where the above power amplifier is used.

Abstract: A power delivery system for a microprocessor or other ASIC. The power delivery system includes a plurality of cascaded buck stages connected in series, wherein a last buck stage in the plurality of cascaded buck stages provides an output voltage Vo in response to an input voltage Vin applied to a first buck stage of the plurality of cascaded stages. A duty cycle control regulates a duty cycle of each buck stage to maintain the output voltage Vo. The duty cycle control sets the duty cycle of the first buck stage of the plurality of cascaded buck stages to 1 if an input-to-output voltage ratio (Vin/Vo) is lower than a threshold input-to-output voltage ratio RT.

Abstract: A method suitable for testing an integrated circuit device is disclosed, the device comprising at least one module, wherein the at least one module incorporates at least one associated module monitor suitable for monitoring a device parameter such as temperature, supply noise, cross-talk etc. within the module.

Abstract: A power insulated gate field effect transistor has main cells (2) controlled by a main cell insulated gate and sense cells (4) controlled by a sense cell insulated gate. A sample and hold circuit (10,50) is arranged to operate in a plurality of states including at least one sample state and a hold state to sense the current flowing through the sense cells (4) when in the at least one sample state but not in the hold state. The sample states may be used in a feedback loop to control a drive amplifier (20) driving the gates of the main and sense cells (2,4) and/or to mirror the current in the sense cells (4) on a measurement output terminal (58).

Abstract: According to an example embodiment, there is a testing device for testing a phase locked loop having a power supply input. The testing device comprises a power supply unit for providing a power supply signal VDD having a variation profile to the power supply input of the phase locked loop, wherein a width and height of said variation profile are formed in such a way, that the voltage controlled oscillator is prevented from outputting an oscillating output signal. There is a means for disabling a feedback signal to a phase comparator of the phase locked loop such that said phase locked loop is operated in an open loop mode, and a meter for measuring a measurement signal of the phase locked loop, while said power supply signal is provided to the power supply input.

Abstract: Consistent with example embodiments, there is a system and method for providing a built-in characterization of a semiconductor device. The device is provided with a built-in, integral, characterization unit allowing characterization of the device without the need for external test equipment.

Abstract: Magnetic shielding is provided using a variety of methods, systems, devices and circuits. Aspects of present invention provide a method for providing magnetic shielding for a circuit comprising magnetically sensitive materials. The circuit is actively shielded from a disturbing magnetic field. A corresponding semiconductor device is also provided. The method and device can provide shielding for strong disturbing magnetic fields.

Abstract: A circuit is provided with a plurality of interconnected logic blocks, a main clock generator for distributing a reference clock signal to the logic blocks. Each logic block in the circuit comprises a local clock generator that generates a set of synchronized local clock signals from the reference clock signal for further provision to respective elements of the logic block. In such a circuit, a phase shift is introduced between a set of local clock signals of a first block and a set of local clock signals of a second block.

Abstract: An integrated circuit arrangement having at least one electrical conductor which, when a current flows through it, produces a magnetic field which acts on at least a further part of the circuit arrangement. The electrical conductor has a first side oriented towards the at least further part of the circuit arrangement and comprises a main line of conductive material, and, connected to its first side, at least one field shaping strip made of magnetic material. Due to the field shaping strip, the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field profile above the electrical conductor is reduced.

Abstract: A method and a test arrangement for testing an SRAM having a first cell and a second cell coupled between a pair of bitlines is disclosed. In a first step, a data value is stored in the first cell being the cell under test (CUT), and its complement is stored in a second cell, being the reference cell. Next, the bitlines are precharged to a predefined voltage. Subsequently, the wordline of the reference cell is enabled for a predefined time period, for instance by providing the wordline with a number of voltage pulses. This causes a drop in voltage of the bitline coupled to the logic ‘0’ node of the reference cell. In a subsequent step, the wordline of the CUT is enabled, which exposes the CUT to the bitline with the reduced voltage. This is equivalent to weakly overwriting the CUT. Finally, the data value in the CUT is evaluated. If the data value has flipped, the CUT is a weak cell. Cells with varying levels of weakness can be detected by varying the reduced voltage on the aforementioned bitline.

Abstract: Known phase detectors have feedbackloops and do not function properly under severe conditions. By providing said phase detectors with difference establishers (1) for establishing differences between input signals and with selectors (2) for selecting one of said differences to be used as an output signal for phase locking purposes, the phase detectors operate better under more severe conditions, with any dead-zone having disappeared. Said selector (2) is a feedbackless selector, then a loop delay no longer exists, the linear range will not get any smaller for higher frequencies, the output jitter will not increase, for sampled input signals. Said selector (2) comprises latches (21,22) and a multiplexer (23). A converter (3) converts input signals into compensated input signals, via a buffer circuit (31,33) coupled to a replica circuit (32,34) per input signal, to provide input signals having substantially equal amplitudes and being compensated with process errors and temperature variations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a testable integrated circuit. In order to replace ground and VDD in certain points of such a circuit, the circuit comprises a cell (34) which comprises a flipflop (11) and means (31) able to set the output voltage of the cell when the circuit is in the operation mode. These means for setting the output voltage are controlled by a control signal (15) which depends on the mode signal that indicates whether the signal is in the test mode or in the operation mode.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement with two piezoelectric layers (2, 5) and to a method of operating the arrangement as a filter. One (2) of the two piezoelectric layers (2, 5) in the arrangement is situated between an electrode (3) and a middle electrode (4), and the other one (5) of the two piezoelectric layers (2, 5) is positioned between another electrode (6) and said middle electrode (4) such that a bulk acoustic wave resonator is formed. The one and the other electrode (3, 6) and the middle electrode (4) are connected to circuitry means for applying high-frequency signals to at least one of the two piezoelectric layers (2, 5) such that the bulk acoustic wave resonator has at least one resonance frequency when the circuitry means are in one switching state, and that the bulk acoustic wave resonator has at least one other resonance frequency different from the at least one resonance frequency when the circuitry means are in another switching state.

Abstract: A down converter includes an integrated circuit, which includes a control FET (CF) and a synchronous rectifier FET (SF). The control FET is a lateral double-diffused (LDMOS) FET, and the conductivity-type of the LDMOS FET and the conductivity-type of the substrate are of the same type.