Abstract: A semiconductor package has a substrate with a solder mask layer, and upper and lower surfaces. Conductive traces and electrical contacts are formed on the substrate, and vias are formed in the substrate to electrically connect the conductive traces and electrical contacts. A semiconductor die is attached on the upper surface of the substrate. A mold cap is formed on the upper surface of the substrate and covers the die and the conductive traces. The mold cap includes a mold body having clipped corners and extensions that extend from each of the clipped corners. The extensions and clipped corners help prevent package cracking.

Abstract: A bandgap voltage reference and voltage regulator system includes a bandgap voltage reference circuit and a voltage regulator circuit that share a single, common amplifier. The amplifier acts as a gain stage for the reference circuit and as an error amplifier for a driver stage of the regulator circuit. The regulator circuit has an input reference generated by the reference circuit, and the reference circuit acts as a load to the driver stage, obviating the need for a bias resistance network. By sharing the amplifier and obviating the need for a resistance network, the area and overall quiescent current of the system are reduced. The system can be implemented in CMOS/BiCMOS technology and is suited for low power applications.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package (100) includes a heat spreader (503) formed by depositing a first thin film layer (301) of a first metal on a top surface (150) of a die (110) and to exposed portions of a top surface of an encapsulant (208), depositing a second thin film layer (402) of a second metal on a top surface of the first thin film layer, and depositing a third layer (503) of a third metal on a top surface of the second thin film layer.

Abstract: A transmission node for use in a wireless communication network includes a first register for storing a set of first mask bits, a second register for storing a set of second mask bits, and a mask switching block for multiplexing the set of first mask bits and the set of second mask bits and outputting the set of third mask bits. The transmission node further includes a CPRI unit with an auxiliary interface for receiving the set of third mask bits. An activation block is connected between the CPRI unit and the mask switching block for causing the mask switching block to output the set of second mask bits based on data in a current frame in the CPRI unit.

Abstract: A system for performing diagnostic checks on a data message transmitted from a sensor and received by a receiver includes a receiver clock tick counter, a prescaler counter, a calibration pulse detector, a nibble counter, and a calculator. The system receives first and second data messages transmitted from the sensor. Pulse widths of first and second calibration pulses of the first and second data messages, respectively, and lengths of the first and second data messages are measured using the receiver clock tick, prescaler, and nibble counters based on a compensated receiver clock signal. Thereafter, the pulse widths of the first and second calibration pulses and the lengths of the first and second data messages are compared using the calculator to perform the diagnostic checks.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for adaptive erase recovery of non-volatile memory (NVM) cells within NVM systems. The adaptive erase recovery embodiments adaptively adjust the erase recovery discharge rate and/or discharge time based upon the size of NVM block(s) being erased and operating temperature. In one example embodiment, the erase recovery discharge rate is adjusted by adjusting the number of discharge transistors enabled within the discharge circuitry, thereby adjusting the discharge current for erase recovery. A lookup table is used to store erase recovery discharge rates and/or discharge times associated with NVM block sizes to be recovered and/or operating temperature. By adaptively controlling erase recovery discharge rates and/or times, the disclosed embodiments improve overall erase performance for a wide range of NVM block sizes while avoiding possible damage to high voltage circuitry within the NVM system.

Abstract: A single-ended SAR ADC includes an additional capacitor, a self-test engine, and independent control of sample and hold conditions, which allows for quick and accurate testing of the ADC.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices are provided with dual passivation layers. A semiconductor layer is formed on a substrate and covered by a first passivation layer (PL-1). PL-1 and part of the semiconductor layer are etched to form a device mesa. A second passivation layer (PL-2) is formed over PL-1 and exposed edges of the mesa. Vias are etched through PL-1 and PL-2 to the semiconductor layer where source, drain and gate are to be formed. Conductors are applied in the vias for ohmic contacts for the source-drain and a Schottky contact for the gate. Interconnections over the edges of the mesa couple other circuit elements. PL-1 avoids adverse surface states near the gate and PL-2 insulates edges of the mesa from overlying interconnections to avoid leakage currents. An opaque alignment mark is desirably formed at the same time as the device to facilitate alignment when using transparent semiconductors.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing proximity or touch of an object includes a sensing region, an oscillating signal generator for generating an oscillating signal having an oscillation period, a gating signal generator for generating a gating signal having a gating duration, a controller for controlling the oscillation period or the gating duration and a processor for determining a number N of oscillation periods over the gating duration. The number N is indicative of the object's contact with, or proximity to, the sensing region. The sensor is calibrated by determining an optimal value for the oscillation period or gating duration such that an optimal number N over the gating duration is expected.

Abstract: Microelectronic packages and methods for fabricating microelectronic packages are provided. The fabrication method may be carried-out utilizing a preformed panel having a frontside cavity and a backside cavity in which first and second microelectronic devices are positioned, respectively. One or more frontside RDL layers are produced over the frontside of the preformed panel in ohmic contact with or otherwise electrically coupled to the first microelectronic device. Similarly, one or more backside RDL layers are formed over the backside of the preformed panel in ohmic contact with or otherwise electrically coupled to the second microelectronic device. A frontside contact array is produced over the frontside of the preformed panel and electrically coupled to at least the first microelectronic device through the frontside RDL layers. Lastly, the preformed panel is singulated to yield a microelectronic package including a package body in which the first and second microelectronic devices are embedded.

Abstract: A method of forming a dual port pressure sensor includes forming a first opening and a second opening in a flag of a lead frame. An encapsulant is molded to hold the lead frame in which the encapsulant is over a top of the flag and a bottom of the flag is uncovered by the encapsulant. A first opening in the encapsulant is aligned with and larger than the first opening in the flag and a second opening in the encapsulant aligned with the second opening in the flag. A pressure sensor transducer is attached to the bottom of the flag to cover the first opening in the flag, wherein the pressure sensor transducer provides an electrically detectable correlation to a pressure differential based on a first pressure received on its top side and a second pressure received on its bottom side. An integrated circuit is attached to the bottom of the flag. The integrated circuit is electrically coupled to the pressure sensor. A lid is attached to the encapsulant to form an enclosure around the bottom of the flag.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a body region in the semiconductor substrate, having a first conductivity type, and including a channel region through which charge carriers flow, a drain region in the semiconductor substrate, having a second conductivity type, and spaced from the body region along a first lateral dimension, a drift region in the semiconductor substrate, having the second conductivity type, and electrically coupling the drain region to the channel region, and a plurality of floating reduced surface field (RESURF) regions in the semiconductor substrate adjacent the drift region, having the first conductivity type, and around which the charge carriers drift through the drift region under an electric field arising from a voltage applied to the drain region. Adjacent floating RESURF regions of the plurality of floating RESURF regions are spaced from one another along a second lateral dimension of the device by a respective gap.

Abstract: An approach is provided to generate a number of virtualized circuit designs by applying design-for-manufacturing (DFM) processes to a circuit design. The virtualized circuit designs are checked using design rule checks (DRCs), with the checking resulting in a design rule error quantity that corresponds to each of the virtualized circuit designs. One of the virtualized circuit designs is selected for use in manufacturing the circuit design with the selection based each of the design's design rule error quantities.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one embodiment, memory power gating at word level is provided. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a word level power-gating technique, which is enabled by adding an extra control bit to each subarray (e.g., each word, each row, each wordline, each bitline, each portion of an array, etc.) of a memory array, provides fine-grained power reduction for a memory array. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a gating transistor is provided for each subarray (e.g., each word, each row, each wordline, each bitline, each portion of an array, etc.).

Abstract: In a first circuit for detecting clock glitches in a clock signal, a master counter is clocked by the clock signal and memorizes a master count. An incrementer advances the master count by one increment. A slave counter is clocked by the clock signal and memorizes a slave count. The slave count is retarded relative to the master count by at least a particular number of clock edges. A comparator determines whether the difference between the master count and the slave count is at least a value of the incrementer times the particular number of clock edges.

Abstract: A processor provides memory request and a coherency state value for a coherency granule associated with a memory request. The processor further provides either a first indicator or a second indicator depending on whether the coherency state value represents a cumulative coherency state for a plurality of caches of the processor. The first indicator and the second indicator identify the coherency state value as representing a cumulative coherency state or a potentially non-cumulative coherency state, respectively. If the second indicator is provided, a transaction management module determines whether to request the cumulative coherency state for the coherency granule in response to receiving the second indicator. The transaction management module then provides an indicator of the request for the cumulative coherency state to the processor in response to determining to request the cumulative coherency state.

Abstract: A low leakage current transistor (2) is provided which includes a GaN-containing substrate (11-14) covered by a passivation surface layer (17) in which a T-gate electrode with sidewall extensions (20) is formed and coated with a multi-level passivation layer (30-32) which includes an intermediate etch stop layer (31) which is used to define a continuous multi-region field plate (33) having multiple distances between the bottom surface of the field plate 33 and the semiconductor substrate in the gate-drain region of the transistor.

Abstract: A three dimensional package includes a substrate having a columnar part including a sidewall, and stairs or steps arranged along the sidewall of the columnar part in the form of multiple helixes twisted around the columnar part. Semiconductor integrated circuits (IC dies) are attached on one or both of the supporting surfaces of the stairs. The columnar part, the stairs and the IC dies can be encapsulated with a mold compound.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods for forming microelectronic device packages include forming a trench on a surface of a package body between exposed ends of first and second device-to-edge conductors, and forming a package surface conductor in the trench to electrically couple the first and second device-to-edge conductors. In one embodiment, the package surface conductor is formed by first forming a conductive material layer over the package surface, where the conductive material layer substantially fills the trench, and subsequently removing portions of the conductive material layer from the package surface adjacent to the trench. In another embodiment, the package surface conductor is formed by dispensing one or more conductive materials in the trench between the first and second exposed ends (e.g., using a technique such as spraying, inkjet printing, aerosol jet printing, stencil printing, or needle dispense). Excess conductive material may then be removed from the package surface adjacent to the trench.

Abstract: A simulation system for testing a simulation of a device against one or more violation rules is described. The simulation system comprises a device simulator for executing the simulation of a device using a device design, a device model and a simulation scenario; and one or more violation monitors, one for each violation rule. Each violation monitor comprises a violation information detector for detecting one or more violations of the respective violation rule during the executing of the simulation and, for each violation, determining information representing the respective violation; a violation score unit for calculating, for each violation of the respective violation rule, a violation score in dependence on the information representing the violation and on a violation rule-specific scheme, and a rule score unit for determining, for the respective violation rule, a rule score from the violation scores of the one or more violations during the simulation.