Abstract: A receiver architecture for receiving an FSK signal having a predetermined number of modulation levels includes a selectivity filter (206) for selectively passing a wanted channel and rejecting unwanted channels. The selectivity filter has a filter bandwidth of about one-half the bandwidth of a pre-modulation filter in a transmitter sending the FSK signal. A discriminator (208) is coupled to the selectivity filter for demodulating the signal. A symbol recovery processor (210) is coupled to the discriminator for recovering the symbols through a maximum likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) technique utilizing N states for each symbol time, wherein N equals the predetermined number of modulation levels, and wherein templates used in the MLSE for symbol transitions are optimized with a bandwidth substantially less than the bandwidth of the pre-modulation filter.

Abstract: A multiple port memory has a word line driver that provides a word line signal to access a first write port of a multiple port memory cell in an array of multiple port memory cells during a write operation. A first logic circuit has a first input for receiving a first port selection signal, a second input for receiving a disable signal, and an output. A buffer circuit has an input coupled to the output of the first logic circuit, and an output for providing the word line signal. The disable signal is asserted to prevent the word line driver from accessing the first write port when a second write port of the multiple port memory cell is accessed during the write operation and the second write port has a higher priority than the first write port.

Abstract: A method provides an interconnect structure having enhanced structural support when underlying functional metal layers are insulated with a low modulus dielectric. A first metal layer having a plurality of openings overlies the substrate. A first electrically insulating layer overlies the first metal layer. A second metal layer overlies the first electrically insulating layer, the second metal layer having a plurality of openings. An interconnect pad that defines an interconnect pad area overlies the second metal layer. At least a certain amount of the openings in the two metal layers are aligned to improve structural strength of the interconnect structure. The amount of alignment may differ depending upon the application and materials used. A bond wire connection or conductive bump may be used with the interconnect structure.

Abstract: A pipelined data processing system includes functional circuitry having a plurality of test points located at predetermined circuit nodes within the functional circuitry, at least one staging storage element associated with a pipeline stage of the data processing system which is coupled to receive test data directly from the plurality of test points, and a multiple input shift register (MISR) coupled to receive test data from the at least one staging storage element and provide a MISR result. In one aspect, the at least on staging storage element has a plurality of staging storage elements wherein each of the plurality of staging storage elements corresponds to a different pipeline stage of the data processing system. In another aspect the MISR result is independent of varying memory access times.

Abstract: A power supply voltage for a memory on an integrated circuit is dynamically adjusted during the operating of the memory. The operating of the memory includes powering the memory at a supply voltage. A test memory of the integrated circuit is concurrently powered while operating the memory. The test memory and the memory each include bit cells of a first bit cell configuration type. A voltage level of the supply voltage is adjusted, while operating the memory, based on the testing of the test memory. The voltage level is adjusted with external variations to assume a value that guarantees no failed operation of the memory but also accurately minimizes the supply voltage. The system and method may be implemented with any type of memory. The memory and test memory may be physically implemented either separated or interspersed on the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A test circuit tests a device under test (DUT) uses a first switching device and a second switching device. The device under test (DUT) has a terminal for receiving a test signal. The first switching device has an output terminal for use in coupling the test signal to the terminal of the DUT when the DUT is being tested. The first switching device is high impedance when the DUT is not being tested. The second switching device is high impedance when the DUT is being tested and couples a bias control signal to the output terminal of the first switching device when the DUT is not being tested. The bias control signal substantially tracks the test signal. Leakage from the first switching device when other DUTs are being tested is greatly reduced because the bias control signal results in little or no bias across the first switching device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die having a plurality of contact pad sites, a plurality of contact pads, an encapsulant barrier, and an encapsulant. A plurality of contact pads is in electrical contact with a predetermined corresponding different one of the contact pad sites. An encapsulant barrier is positioned at an outer perimeter of the semiconductor die. The encapsulant barrier has a height that is as high as or greater than a highest of the plurality of contact pads. The encapsulant barrier is in physical contact with a same surface of the semiconductor die as the contact pad sites. An encapsulant surrounds the semiconductor die and one side of the encapsulant barrier. The encapsulant is blocked from making physical contact with any of the plurality of contact pads by the encapsulant barrier when the device is encapsulated while being supported by a temporary base support layer.

Abstract: In making a multi-bit memory cell, a first insulating layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate. A second insulating layer is formed over the first insulating layer. A layer of gate material is formed over the second insulating layer and patterned to leave a gate portion. The second insulating layer is etched to undercut the gate portion and leave a portion of the second insulating layer between the first insulating layer and the gate portion. Nanocrystals are formed on the first insulating layer. A first portion of the nanocrystals is under the gate portion on a first side of the portion of the second insulating layer and a second portion of the nanocrystals is under the gate portion on a second side of the portion of the second insulating layer. The first and second portions of the nanocrystals are for storing logic states of first and second bits, respectively.

Abstract: A set associative cache includes a plurality of sets, where each set has a plurality of ways. The set associative cache has a plurality of replacement pointers where each set of the plurality of sets has a corresponding replacement pointer within the plurality of replacement pointers, and the corresponding replacement pointer indicates a way of the set. A cache command is provided which specifies a set of the plurality of sets and which specifies a replacement way value. In response to the cache command, a current way value of the replacement pointer corresponding to the specified set is replaced with the replacement way value. The cache may further include way locking control circuitry which indicates whether or not one or more ways is locked. By indicating a locked way with the replacement way value, a locked way can be overridden and thus be used for a subsequent cache line fill.

Abstract: A circuit has a master latch having an input for receiving an input data signal, and an output. A slave latch has a first input coupled to the output of the master latch, and an output for providing an output data signal. A non-volatile storage element stores a predetermined value. The non-volatile storage element has an output coupled to the first input of the slave latch. The output data signal corresponds to one of either the input data signal or the predetermined value stored by the non-volatile storage element in response to a control signal.

Abstract: A storage device structure (10) has two bits of storage per control gate (34) and uses source side injection (SSI) to provide lower programming current. A control gate (34) overlies a drain electrode formed by a doped region (22) that is positioned in a semiconductor substrate (12). Two select gates (49 and 50) are implemented with conductive sidewall spacers adjacent to and lateral to the control gate (34). A source doped region (60) is positioned in the semiconductor substrate (12) adjacent to one of the select gates for providing a source of electrons to be injected into a storage layer (42) underlying the control gate. Lower programming results from the SSI method of programming and a compact memory cell size exists.

Abstract: A method of forming a split gate memory device using a semiconductor layer includes patterning an insulating layer to leave a pillar thereof. A gate dielectric is formed over the semiconductor layer. A charge storage layer is formed over the gate dielectric and along first and second sides of the pillar. A gate material layer is formed over the gate dielectric and pillar. An etch is performed to leave a first portion of the gate material laterally adjacent to a first side of the pillar and over a first portion of the charge storage layer that is over the gate dielectric to function as a control gate of the memory device and a second portion of the gate material laterally adjacent to a second side of the pillar and over a second portion of the charge storage layer that is over the gate dielectric to function as a select gate.

Abstract: Fine pitch contacts are achieved by using traces that extend to the contacts without requiring capture pads at the contact pads. Capture pads are desirably avoided because they have a diameter greater than the line to which they are attached. Preferably, adjacent contact pads are present in the same opening in the dielectric. The traces to the contact pads are in a line so that no widening is required where the lines make contact to the contact pads. The lines can be widened before they get to the contact pads but at the contact pads, they are substantially at the minimum width for the line. Thus, the contact pads can be at a pitch much lower than if capture pads were used.

Abstract: A semiconductor optical device includes an insulating layer, a photoelectric region formed on the insulating layer, a first electrode having a first conductivity type formed on the insulating layer and contacting a first side of the photoelectric region, and a second electrode having a second conductivity type formed on the insulating layer and contacting a second side of the photoelectric region. The photoelectric region may include nanoclusters or porous silicon such that the device operates as a light emitting device. Alternatively, the photoelectric region may include an intrinsic semiconductor material such that the device operates as a light sensing device. The semiconductor optical device may be further characterized as a vertical optical device. In one embodiment, different types of optical devices, including light emitting and light sensing devices, may be integrated together.

Abstract: A semiconductor storage device floats the gate of a conventional transistor between two capacitors to store a logic state which can be utilized to store the condition of a circuit such as a latching type circuit such as a flip-flop or register prior to a power down operation to save power. The gate and first terminals of the two capacitors preferably share the same conductive line such as a polysilicon segment. A second transistor and a second set of capacitors store the complementary state of the logic state so that complementary signals are provided for detecting the stored logic state. After the time for power down has ended, the state of the semiconductor storage device made up of the two transistors and four capacitors is sensed, and the detected logic state is loaded back into the latching type circuit.

Abstract: A circuit's performance may vary based on various factors such as, for example, process, voltage, and/or temperature. In one embodiment, a circuit includes an input terminal which receives an input signal, a delay selection section which delays the input signal by a delay amount selected by a performance variation indicator, an impedance selection section which outputs the delayed input signal as a compensated delayed signal, where the impedance selection section uses a driver impedance amount selected by the performance variation indicator, and an output terminal which outputs the compensated delayed signal. The circuit may also include a ring oscillator, a frequency counter which provides a count value which indicates a number of rising edges of an output of the ring oscillator which occur during a period of a reference frequency, and a decoder which uses the count value to output the performance variation indicator.

Abstract: A semiconductor optical device includes an insulating layer, a photoelectric region formed on the insulating layer, a first electrode having a first conductivity type formed on the insulating layer and contacting a first side of the photoelectric region, and a second electrode having a second conductivity type formed on the insulating layer and contacting a second side of the photoelectric region. The photoelectric region may include nanoclusters or porous silicon such that the device operates as a light emitting device. Alternatively, the photoelectric region may include an intrinsic semiconductor material such that the device operates as a light sensing device. The semiconductor optical device may be further characterized as a vertical optical device. In one embodiment, different types of optical devices, including light emitting and light sensing devices, may be integrated together.

Abstract: A circuit and method efficiently powers a static storage element during a low voltage mode of operation. The static storage element is powered at a first voltage level in an active mode of the static storage element. The static storage element is powered in a low power mode using alternating first and second phases. Powering the static storage element during the first phases in the low power mode includes powering the static storage element at or below a second voltage level, wherein powering the static storage element during the second phases in the low power mode includes powering the static storage element at a higher voltage level than the second voltage level. In another form two modes of low power operation are used where a first mode uses a less power efficient operation than the second mode, but both are more power efficient than a normal power mode.

Abstract: A method includes providing an effective address, providing an address space identifier which identifies a currently executing process, providing a mapping modifier to form a modified address space identifier where the mapping modifier is based on at least one external signal generated outside the processor, using the effective address and the modified address space identifier to form a logical address, and providing a physical address corresponding to the logical address. When the effective address has a first effective address value, the address space identifier has a first address space identifier value, and the mapping modifier has a first mapping value, the physical address has a first physical address value. When the effective address has the first effective address value, the address space identifier has the first address space identifier value, and the mapping modifier has a second mapping value, the physical address has a second physical address value.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first doped region and a second doped region, providing a dielectric over the first doped region and the second doped region, and forming a first gate stack over the dielectric over at least a portion of the first doped region. The first gate stack includes a metal portion over the dielectric, a first in situ doped semiconductor portion over the metal portion, and a first blocking cap over the in situ doped semiconductor portion. The method further includes performing implantations to form source/drain regions adjacent the first and second gate stack, where the first blocking cap has a thickness sufficient to substantially block implant dopants from entering the first in situ doped semiconductor portion. Source/drain embedded stressors are also formed.