Abstract: The present invention is related to a system and method for wideband multiple access telecommunication. In the method, a block is transmitted from a basestation to a terminal. The block comprises a plurality of chip symbols scrambled with a base station specific scrambling code, the plurality of chip symbols comprising a plurality of spread user specific data symbols which are user specific data symbols spread by using user specific spreading codes and at least one pilot symbol. In the terminal, at least two independent signals that comprise at least a channel distorted version of the transmitted block are generated. The two independent signals are combined with a combiner filter with filter coefficients which are determined by using the pilot symbol, thus a combined filtered signal is obtained. The combined filtered signal is despread and descrambled with a composite code of the basestation specific scrambling code and one of the user specific codes.
Abstract: Electronic devices are disclosed that may be used for infrared radiation detection. An example electronic device includes a substrate, a transistor included in the substrate and a silicon-germanium (Si—Ge) structural layer coupled with the transistor. The structural layer has a stress in a predetermined range, where the predetermined range for the stress is selected prior to deposition of the structural layer. Also, the structural layer is deposited on the substrate subsequent to formation of the transistor such that deposition of the structural layer does not substantially adversely affect the operation of the transistor.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 5, 2006
Publication date:
December 28, 2006
Applicant:
Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum (IMEC, vzw), a Belgium company
Inventors:
Paolo Fiorini, Sherif Sedky, Matty Caymax, Christiaan Baert
Abstract: A method for determining programming/erase conditions and a method for operating a charge-trapping semiconductor device are disclosed. Programming and erase conditions are determined such that a first net charge distribution variation profile, upon going from programmed to erased state, is substantially the opposite of a second net charge distribution variation profile, upon going from erased to programmed state.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 2, 2006
Publication date:
December 28, 2006
Applicant:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Abstract: A method is described for extracting the spatial distribution of charge stored in a charge-trapping layer of a semiconductor device. The method comprises the steps of performing a first charge-pumping measurement on a device under test using a variation of the upper level of the pulse and performing a second charge-pumping measurement on this device using a variation of the lower level of the pulse. The data obtained is combined for extracting the spatial distribution. This is done by establishing a relation between a charge pumping current Icp and a calculated channel length Lcalc of the semiconductor device by reconstructing spatial charge distribution estimates from the charge pumping curves for multiple values of the charge pumping current Icp.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 2, 2006
Publication date:
December 21, 2006
Applicant:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Abstract: Coding, transcoding and iterative filtering methods and apparatus are described wherein a 2D FIFO is used to implement CACLA processing, and wherein the processing methods are block-oriented. A block-by-block processed input image or input coded image, which is delayed in an arbitrary number of lines and columns, is provided such that the output image is produced in a block-by-block schedule at a reduced or minimal memory access and memory size cost. A 2D FIFO which is memory-efficient in image block coding and decoding applications is described. The 2D FIFO has an associated scheduling mechanism for enabling delay of a block-by-block coded input signal, such as an image, in an arbitrary number of lines and columns, such that the output image is produced in a block-by-block schedule.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 23, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 12, 2006
Assignee:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC) vzw
Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus suitable for executing a service or application at a client peer or client side, having a client specific device or client specific platform, with a reconfigurable architecture, said service or application being provided from a service peer or a service side. In a first aspect of the invention, the method comprises transmitting to the client peer from the server peer an abstract bytecode. The abstract bytecode is generated at the service peer by performing a compilation of an application. The abstract bytecode includes hardware bytecode and software bytecode. At the client peer, the abstract bytecode is transformed into native bytecode for the client specific device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 20, 2001
Date of Patent:
December 12, 2006
Assignee:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Inventors:
Yajun Ha, Patrick Schaumont, Serge Vernalde, Marc Engels
Abstract: The present invention is related to a method and corresponding devices for controlled transport of magnetic beads between a position X and different position Y, such that the magnetic beads are manipulated or transported by applying successively a series of N local magnetic fields which have magnetic field gradients different from 0 in the neighborhood of said magnetic beads. Each of these N local magnetic fields is generated by a single current carrying structure, in which the current density is not constant. The invention mainly points to application in the domain of biochips and microarrays, used in diagnostics, genetics and molecular studies.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 26, 2004
Date of Patent:
November 28, 2006
Assignee:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Abstract: A method for manufacturing CMOS devices with fully silicided (FUSI) gates is described. A metallic gate electrode of an NMOS transistor and a metallic gate electrode of a pMOS transistor have a different work function. The work function of each transistor type is determined by selecting a thickness of a corresponding semiconductor gate electrode and a thermal budget of a first thermal step such that, during silicidation, different silicide phases are obtained on the nMOS and the pMOS transistors. The work function of each type of transistor can be adjusted by selectively doping the semiconductor material prior to the formation of the silicide.
Abstract: A probe device is described having a substrate and a die on top of the substrate. The die has an array of stimulation/recording sites having at least one stimulation means and at least one recording means. The substrate comprising the die is folded into a cylindrical shape or a shape with a conical cross-section and, therefore, causes substantially no damage when it is implanted in tissue to be examined or treated, e.g., the brain of a patient in case of a neuro-probe device for use in deep brain stimulation.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 18, 2006
Publication date:
November 23, 2006
Applicants:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Inventors:
Carmen Bartic, Bart Nuttin, Kris Van Kuyck
Abstract: Methods for the quantification of hydrophilic properties of a porous material, as well as determining a depth of damage of a porous material are disclosed. An example method includes performing a first ellipsometric measurement on the porous material using a first adsorptive having a first wetting angle. The example method further includes performing a second ellipsometric measurement on the porous material using a second adsorptive having a second wetting angle, wherein the first and second wetting angles are different towards the porous material. The hydrophilic properties of the porous material are determined based, at least in part, on the first and second ellipsometric measurements.
Type:
Application
Filed:
April 13, 2006
Publication date:
November 16, 2006
Applicant:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC vzw)
Inventors:
Mikhail Baklanov, Konstantin Mogilnikov, Quoc Le
Abstract: A method for manufacturing fully silicided (FUSI) gates and devices, in particular MOSFET devices, is described. The method includes deposition a metal layer over a semiconductor layer of a gate stack, providing a first thermal budget to allow a partial silicidation of the semiconductor layer, selectively removing a remaining unreacted metal layer, and providing a second thermal budget to allow a full silicidation of the semiconductor layer. As a result, the silicide phase can be effectively controlled.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 15, 2006
Publication date:
November 16, 2006
Applicants:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC), Texas Instruments Inc.
Abstract: A method for programming a single bit nonvolatile memory cell integrated on a metal-dielectric-semiconductor technology chip. The memory cell comprises a semiconductor substrate including a source, a drain, and a channel in-between the source and the drain. The memory cell further comprises a control gate that comprises a gate electrode and a dielectric stack. The gate electrode is separated from the channel by the dielectric stack. Further, the dielectric stack comprises at least one charge storage dielectric layer. The method for programming the memory cell comprises applying electrical ground to the source, applying a first voltage having a first polarity to the drain, applying a second voltage of the first polarity to the control gate; and applying a third voltage having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity to the semiconductor substrate.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 7, 2003
Date of Patent:
November 14, 2006
Assignee:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Abstract: One aspect of the invention discloses a method of determining the dopant profile of doped regions in a semiconductor substrate. A pump laser is used to create excess carriers in this semiconductor substrate. The excess carrier concentration will influence the reflection of a probe laser. From the reflected probe laser not only the bulk components but also the near-surface components are eliminated to only yield the bulk components.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 16, 2003
Date of Patent:
November 7, 2006
Assignee:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC) vzw
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for selectively removing a high-k material comprising providing a high-k material on a semiconductor substrate, and contacting the high-k material with a solution comprising HF, an organic compound, and an inorganic acid.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 9, 2004
Date of Patent:
November 7, 2006
Assignee:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Abstract: The present invention relates to the design of essentially digital systems and components. In one embodiment, a parameterized model of a sub-component of an essentially digital system is provided. This sub-component is used in components of the system, e.g. interconnect at the different levels (up to the packaging level) and includes all relevant parameters with their physical constraints. If certain parameters do not play a significant role at the system level exploration, they can be left out of the exploration. But then they should preferably be fixed on the value that allows the cheapest and most reliable process technology solutions (independent of their delay or energy consequences). For the parameters that do have a large impact, the subranges of their trade-off curves, especially Pareto curves, that are appropriate for a given target domain (e.g. ambient multimedia) should be carefully selected to match design cost, process cost and reliability issues.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 2, 2004
Date of Patent:
October 17, 2006
Assignee:
Interniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor device on a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate is disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises providing a device with a monocrystalline semiconductor layer on an insulating layer; providing a mask on the semiconductor layer to provide first shielded portions and first unshielded portions, amorphizing the first unshielded portions to yield first amorphized portions of the monocrystalline semiconductor layer, implanting a first dopant in the first amorphized portions, applying a first solid phase epitaxial regrowth action to the semiconductor device while using the first shielded portions as monocrystalline seeds.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 15, 2005
Date of Patent:
October 17, 2006
Assignees:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC) vzw, Koninklijke Philips Electronics
Abstract: A method for designing an electronic system having at least one digital part. The method includes representing a behavioral description of the system as a first set of objects with a first set of relations therebetween. Furthermore, the method includes refining said behavioral description into an implementable description of said system, said implementable description being represented as a second set of objects with a second set of relations therebetween. Also, the method includes retaining at least one of said second objects for reuse in the design of a second electronic system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 19, 1999
Date of Patent:
September 26, 2006
Assignee:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Inventors:
Patrick Schaumont, Radim Cmar, Serge Vernalde
Abstract: The present invention is related to a method of producing a semiconductor device and the resulting device. The method is suitable in the first place for producing high power devices, such as High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT), in particular HEMT-devices with multiples source-gate-drain groups or multiple base bipolar transistors. According to the method, the interconnect between the source contacts is not produced by air bridge structures, but by etching vias through the semiconductor layer directly to the ohmic contacts and applying a contact layer on the backside of the device.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 30, 2006
Publication date:
September 14, 2006
Applicant:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC)
Abstract: The interprocess communication protocol system provides a generic communication system for communication between specified processes in a complex digital system. In accordance with the interprocess communication protocol, a group of pre-defined communication signals are defined, to which all communications between the processes conform. Interface hardware is disclosed to provide communication between processes. In addition, the communication protocol can be designed into the process as and integral portion of the processes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 25, 2000
Date of Patent:
August 29, 2006
Assignee:
IMEC vzw
Inventors:
Jan Vanhoof, Maryse Wouters, Serge Vernalde, Karl Van Rompaey
Abstract: A method for the production of airgaps in a semiconductor device and device produced therefrom. The formation of airgaps is accomplished, in part, by chemically and/or mechanically changing the properties of a first dielectric layer locally, such that at least part of said first dielectric layer is converted locally and becomes etchable by a first etching substance. The local conversion of the dielectric material may be achieved during anisotropic etching of the material in oxygen containing plasma or ex-situ by performing an oxidizing step (e.g., a UV/ozone treatment or supercritical carbon dioxide with addition of an oxidizer). Formation of airgaps is achieved after creation of conductive lines and, alternatively, a barrier layer by a first etching substance. The airgaps are formed in a dual damascene structure, near the vias and/or the trenches of the damascene structure.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 22, 2006
Publication date:
August 10, 2006
Applicants:
Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC vzw), Texas Instruments, Inc.
Inventors:
Gerald Beyer, Jean Paul Mussy, Karen Maex, Victor Sutcliffe