Abstract: Flash EEPROM cells are erased and recovered to a common threshold voltage by a two step process. First, the cells are erased. Second, the fixed (control) gates are set at a voltage of the same polarity as the programming voltage and at a magnitude of about half the programming voltage. The source is allowed to float and the drain (bitline) and body are set at a low level and at a polarity opposite to the programming voltage polarity.

Abstract: A delay lock loop circuit includes a forward delay circuit having a plurality of delay elements. Each delay element has a delay time of one unit delay time. The forward delay circuit and each of the delay elements are powered by a supply voltage. The supply voltage is set to thereby set the duration of a unit delay time. Moreover, a feedback delay circuit is provided in order to cause a feedback delay time being substantially equal to a propagation delay of the IC. As the operating conditions of IC change, and the propagation delay thereof increases or decreases, the feedback delay time changes accordingly, and thus the delay caused by forward delay circuit tracks the change in the propagation delay of the IC.

Abstract: The cellular structure of the power device includes a substrate that has a highly doped drain region. Over the substrate there is a more lightly doped epitaxial layer of the same doping. Above the epitaxial layer is a well region formed of an opposite type doping. Covering the wells is an upper source layer of the first conductivity type that is heavily doped. The trench structure includes a sidewall oxide or other suitable insulating material that covers the sidewalls of the trench. The bottom of the trench is filled with a doped polysilicon shield. An interlevel dielectric such as silicon nitride covers the shield. The gate region is formed by another layer of doped polysilicon. A second interlevel dielectric, typically borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) covers the gate. In operation, current flows vertically between the source and the drain through a channel in the well when a suitable voltage is applied to the gate.

Abstract: A method for forming trenches in a device layer disposed on a silicon semiconductor substrate comprises: covering the device layer with an etch resistant masking layer to define at least two trench regions; removing semiconductor material from the exposed trench regions by applying an etching agent that selectively etches the semiconductor substrate with respect to the trench masking layer, thereby forming at least two trenches each comprising a floor and sidewalls; and, during the removal of semiconductor material, exposing the sidewalls to a passivating agent in increasing amounts, thereby passivating the sidewalls while reducing lateral etching of semiconductor material from them.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a weapon safeguarding system with a first contact-sensitive user interface for receiving use data characterizing a user. In this connection the first contact-sensitive use interface is arranged in a contact region of a weapon which is contacted by the user with a view to firing a shot. The weapon safeguarding system further comprises a control device which comprises an input unit for receiving the user data, a computer unit for verifying the user data and an output unit. In the case of a successful verification of the user data, which indicates that the user is a user who is authorized for use, the output unit outputs a release signal in order to release a discharging mechanism of the weapon.

Abstract: A power MOS device that has increased channel width comprises a semiconductor substrate and a doped upper layer of a first conduction type disposed on the substrate. The upper layer comprises a plurality of doped well regions of a second, opposite conduction type and a plurality of heavily doped source regions of the first conduction type at an etched upper surface of the upper layer that comprises parallel corrugations disposed transversely to the source regions. A gate that separates one source region from another comprises an insulating layer and a conductive material. The corrugations provide an increase in width of a channel underlying the gate and the well and source regions.

Abstract: A power metal oxide semiconductor-field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) device using trench technology to achieve a reduced-mask-production process. The power MOSFET device includes a gate signal bus having multiple gate trenches formed using fewer masks than previously required for a similar device. The two-dimensional behavior of the trenches provides an advantageous field-coupling effect that suppresses hot-carrier generation without the need for the commonly used thick layer of silicon dioxide beneath the gate polysilicon. The use of easily controlled silicon trench etching in production of the power MOSFET results in stable, low cost, and high yielding manufacturing.

Abstract: A process for constructing a trench MOS-gated device includes: forming in a semiconductor substrate an extended trench that comprises an upper segment and a bottom segment, wherein the bottom segment has a lesser width relative to a greater width of the trench upper segment and extends to a depth corresponding to the total depth of the extended trench. The bottom segment of the trench is substantially filled with dielectric material. The trench upper segment has a floor and sidewalls comprising dielectric material and is substantially filled with a conductive material to form a gate region. A heavily doped source region of the first conduction type and a heavily doped body region of the second conduction type are formed in a surface well region on the side of the extended trench opposite an extended doped zone.

Abstract: A method for generating a 3-D model of a person's face is disclosed. The 3-D face model carries both the geometry (shape) and the texture (color) characteristics of the person's face. The shape of the face model is represented via a 3-D triangular mesh (geometry mesh), while the texture of the face model is represented via a 2-D composite image (texture image). The geometry mesh is obtained by deforming a predefined standard 3-D triangular mesh based on the dimensions and relative positions of the person's facial features, such as eyes, nose, ears, lips, chin, etc. The texture image is obtained by compositing a set of 2-D images of the person's face which are taken from particular directions such as front, right, left, etc, and modifying them along region boundaries to achieve seamless stitching of color on the 3-D face model. The directional images are taken while the mouth is closed and the eyes are open.

Abstract: An improved digester apparatus converts wet carbonaceous biomass materials to biogas in a digestion unit operating at a controlled temperature and having a concentrator component and a pressure swing component each containing anaerobic bacteria. The apparatus conveys slurried aqueous biomass from a biomass source to the concentrator component and removes the biogas from the concentrator component and conveys concentrated aqueous biomass from the concentrator component to the pressure swing component and conveys digested aqueous biomass from the pressure swing component to the concentrator component. The apparatus removes waste solids from the pressure swing component and a pressure swing pump controls the pressure within the pressure swing component in a cycle comprising a sub-atmospheric first pressure phase and a second pressure phase at or above atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A delay lock loop circuit includes a forward delay circuit receiving a reference clock signal and issuing a delayed clock signal. The forward delay circuit adjustably shifts in time the delayed clock signal relative to the reference clock signal. An inverter receives the delayed clock signal and issues an inverted delayed clock signal. A feedback delay circuit receives a selected one of the delayed and the inverted delayed clock signals, and issues a feedback clock signal that is shifted in time relative to the selected one of the delayed and the inverted delayed clock signals. The feedback clock signal is compared to the reference clock signal. The time shift of the delayed clock signal is adjusted to thereby time-align the reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal.

Abstract: Increasing the number of MOSFET gate bump contacts makes MOSFET gate contacts more durable and reliable. Extension of the under-bump metal laterally from the gate contact with the gate pad metallization out to two or more gate pads overlying the source pad metallization reduces the risk of delamination of the metallization due to thermal and mechanical stresses in assembly and operation. Use of more than one gate pad further reduces such failure risks. The result is a reliable, durable MOSFET gate contact.

Abstract: An MOS power device a substrate comprises an upper layer having an upper surface and an underlying drain region, a well region of a first conductance type disposed in the upper layer over the drain region, and a plurality of spaced apart buried gates, each of which comprises a trench that extends from the upper surface of the upper layer through the well region into the drain region. Each trench comprises an insulating material lining its surface, a conductive material filling its lower portion to a selected level substantially below the upper surface of the upper layer, and an insulating material substantially filling the remainder of the trench. A plurality of highly doped source regions of a second conductance type are disposed in the upper layer adjacent the upper portion of each trench, each source region extending from the upper surface to a depth in the upper layer selected to provide overlap between the source regions and the conductive material in the trenches.

Abstract: Dual work function transistors are provided in a cmos support area 14 with an embedded vertical dram array 12. A wordline layer 54, and nitride cap layer 56 cover the dram array 12 and a gate oxide layer 42 and an undoped polysilicon layer 44 cover the support area 14. A common mask is applied and patterned over the substrate to define the wordlines line structures in the dram array 12 and the gate structures in the support 14. The unwanted portions of the layers 54, 56, 42 and 44 are removed by etching.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures such as the trench and planar MOSFETs (UMOS), trench and planar IGBTs and trench MCTs using trenches to establish a conductor. Improved control of the parasitic transistor in the trench MOSFET is also achieved and cell size and pitch is reduced relative to conventional structures.

Abstract: A method of flash memory cell programming is provided which uses a uniform electric potential across tunnel oxide. The tight Vt distribution and very stable Vt shift over program/erase cycling allows for a multi-level cell capable of having more than 2 bits per cell.

Abstract: A semiconductor Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) cell is fabricated using a vertical access transistor and a storage capacitor formed in a vertical trench. A Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) region is used as a masking region to confine the channel region of the access transistor, the first and second output regions of the access transistor, and a strap region connecting the second output region to the storage capacitor, to a narrow portion of the trench. The so confined second output region of the access transistor has reduced leakage to similar second output regions of adjacent memory cells. Adjacent memory cells can then be placed closer to one another without an increase in leakage and cross-talk between adjacent memory cells.

Abstract: A more robust mechanical connection is provided between a semiconductor device and the device package by adding one or more bumps to the gate connection without adding more gate pad area. A nonconductive layer covers the area around the gate pad and extends over the source area. One or more bumps fabricated on the nonconductive layer provide mechanical strength and support to the gate pad connection. The added bumps are not electrically connected to either the gate or the source. The package connections must be altered, both to fit the added bumps on the control gate, and to connect with fewer bumps on the source.

Abstract: Careful repositioning of MOSFET gate contacts and increasing of their number makes MOSFET gate contacts more durable and reliable without requiring changes in either the leadframe design or the assembly process. Extension of the under-bump metal laterally from the gate contact with the gate pad metallization out to two or more gate pads not overlying the gate pad metallization minimizes the risk of delamination of the metallization due to thermal and mechanical stresses in assembly and operation. Use of more than one gate pad further reduces such failure risks. Positioning the gate pads sufficiently close to the original gate contact permits use of the same leadframe design and assembly process as would be used for a single gate pad placed directly over the gate contact. The result is a reliable, durable MOSFET gate contact compatible with current assembly methods.

Abstract: An improved MOS-gated power device 300 with a substrate 101 having an upper layer 101a of doped monocrystalline silicon of a first conduction type that includes a doped well region 107 of a second conduction type. The substrate further includes at least one heavily doped source region 111 of the first conduction type disposed in a well region 107 at an upper surface of the upper layer, a gate region 106 having a conductive material 105 electrically insulated from the source region by a dielectric material, a patterned interlevel dielectric layer 112 on the upper surface overlying the gate and source regions 114, and a heavily doped drain region of the first conduction type 115. The improvement includes body regions 301 containing heavily doped polysilicon of the second conduction type disposed in a well region 107 at the upper surface of the monocrystalline substrate.