Abstract: A method for driving a power transistor includes comparing a measurement signal that is representative of a load current to a comparator threshold that corresponds to an overcurrent threshold; generating a first fault signal when the measurement signal exceeds the comparator threshold for a first time interval; generating a second fault signal when the measurement signal exceeds the comparator threshold for a second time interval that is greater than the first time interval; regulating a control voltage provided to the control terminal of the transistor to turn off the transistor in response to the second fault signal; and in response to the first fault signal, adjusting the control voltage to an adjusted voltage level in order to limit the load current to a reduced current level that is preconfigured to be greater than the overcurrent threshold. The adjusted voltage level is sufficient to maintain the power transistor in an on-state.

Abstract: An ESD protection device may include: a first vertically integrated ESD protection structure comprising a first semiconductor portion, a first contact region disposed on a first side of the first semiconductor portion and a first terminal exposed on a second side of the first semiconductor portion opposite the first side of the first semiconductor portion, a second vertically integrated ESD protection structure comprising a second semiconductor portion, a second contact region disposed on a first side of the second semiconductor portion and a second terminal exposed on a second side of the second semiconductor portion opposite the first side of the second semiconductor portion, an electrical connection layer, wherein the first vertically integrated ESD protection structure and the second vertically integrated ESD protection structure are disposed on the electrical connection layer laterally separated from each other and are electrically connected with each other anti-serially via the electrical connection lay

Abstract: A Signal Processing Unit (SPU) having a thresholding circuit configured to detect a peak cell of a radar data cube, and to output an identification of the peak cell and energy values of the peak cell and its adjacent cells; and an interpolation circuit coupled to the thresholding circuit, and configured to determine and transmit from the SPU to a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a relative position of the peak cell between the adjacent cells based on the energy values.

Abstract: A package is disclosed. In one example, the package comprises a carrier comprising a thermally conductive and electrically insulating layer, a laminate comprising a plurality of connected laminate layers, an electronic component mounted between the carrier and the laminate. An encapsulant is at least partially arranged between the carrier and the laminate and encapsulating at least part of the electronic component.

Abstract: A digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) circuit includes: a first time-to-digital converter (TDC) and a first digital loop filter (DLF) that are configured to be coupled between a reference clock source and a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), where the first TDC is configured to, during an acquisition mode, generate a phase error by: receiving a reference clock signal from the reference clock source; receiving a clock signal that is based on an output of the DCO divided by a dividing factor, computing a phase error using the reference clock signal and the clock signal; detecting cycle slipping in the computed phase error; and in response to detecting the cycle slipping, modifying the computed phase error to reduce the impact of cycle slipping on the DPLL circuit; and a first frequency divider circuit configured to generate the clock signal by dividing the output of the DCO by the dividing factor.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a hybrid multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar concept. Via a first subset of a plurality of transmit channels and during a first time interval, first frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar signals are con-currently transmitted with different phase offsets among different transmit channels of the first subset in accordance with a first predefined code division multiplexing scheme. Via a second subset of the transmit channels and during a second time interval subsequent to the first time interval, second FMCW radar signals are concurrently transmitted with different phase offsets among different transmit channels of the second subset in accordance with a second predefined code division multiplexing scheme.

Abstract: A radar device may include a radar transmitter to output a radio frequency (RF) transmission signal including a plurality of frequency-modulated chirps. The radar device may include a radar receiver to receive an RF radar signal, and generate, based on the RF radar signal, a dataset including a set of digital values, the dataset being associated with a chirp or a sequence of successive chirps. The radar device may include a neural network to filter the dataset to reduce an interfering signal included in the dataset, the neural network being a convolutional neural network. At least one layer of the neural network may be a complex-valued neural network layer includes complex-valued weighting factor, where the complex-valued neural network layer is configured to perform one or more operations according to a complex-valued computation.

Abstract: In an example, a substrate is oriented to a target axis, wherein a residual angular misalignment between the target axis and a preselected crystal channel direction in the substrate is within an angular tolerance interval. Dopant ions are implanted into the substrate using an ion beam that propagates along an ion beam axis. The dopant ions are implanted at implant angles between the ion beam axis and the target axis. The implant angles are within an implant angle range. A channel acceptance width is effective for the preselected crystal channel direction. The implant angle range is greater than 80% of a sum of the channel acceptance width and twofold the angular tolerance interval. The implant angle range is smaller than 500% of the sum of the channel acceptance width and twofold the angular tolerance interval.

Abstract: A memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of evaluation elements, wherein each evaluation element of the plurality of evaluation elements is connectable with a memory cell of the memory device. The memory device further comprises an interconnection unit configured for connecting the plurality of memory cells to a first assignment of evaluation elements in a first state and for connecting the same plurality of memory cells to a second assignment of the evaluation elements in a second state. The memory device comprises an evaluation unit configured for controlling the interconnection unit to transition from the first state to the second state. The evaluation unit is configured for evaluating the plurality of memory cells in the first state to obtain a first evaluation result, and for evaluating the plurality of memory cells in the second state to obtain a second evaluation result.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having opposing first and second main surfaces; a plurality of transistor cells each including a source region, a drift zone, a body region separating the source region from the drift zone, a field plate trench extending into the drift zone and including a field plate, and a planar gate on the first main surface and configured to control current through a channel of the body region; a drain region at the second main surface; and a diffusion barrier structure including alternating layers of Si and oxygen-doped Si and a Si capping layer on the alternating layers of Si and oxygen-doped Si. The diffusion barrier structure may be interposed between body regions of adjacent transistor cells and/or extend along the channel of each transistor cell and/or vertically extend in the semiconductor substrate between adjacent field plate trenches.

Abstract: A method for determining a reflectivity value indicating a reflectivity of an object is provided. The method includes performing a Time-of-Flight (ToF) measurement using a ToF sensor. A correlation function of the ToF measurement increases over distance within a measurement range of the ToF sensor such that an output value of the ToF sensor for the ToF measurement is independent of the distance between the ToF sensor and the object. The method further includes determining the reflectivity value based on the output value of the ToF sensor for the ToF measurement.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a semiconductor-based substrate with a functional structure that is formed in or on the semiconductor-based substrate. The apparatus includes a frame structure surrounding the functional structure and includes a coating that covers the functional structure and is delimited by the frame structure.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor die, arranging an electrical connector over the semiconductor die, the electrical connector including a conductive core, an absorbing feature arranged on a first side of the conductive core, and a solder layer arranged on a second side of the conductive core, opposite the first side and facing the semiconductor die, and soldering the electrical connector onto the semiconductor die by heating the solder layer with a laser, wherein the laser irradiates the absorbing feature and absorbed energy is transferred from the absorbing feature through the conductive core to the solder layer.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes: a pass transistor drive circuit including an digital input, and at least one output configured to be coupled to at least one pass transistor; a digital feedback circuit having a first analog input configured to be coupled to the at least one pass transistor, and a digital output coupled to the digital input of the pass transistor drive circuit; and an analog feedback circuit including a second analog input configured to be coupled to the at least one pass transistor, and an analog output coupled to an over voltage node of the pass transistor drive circuit, where the analog feedback circuit has a DC gain greater than zero.

Abstract: A microfabricated structure includes a perforated stator; a first isolation layer on a first surface of the perforated stator; a second isolation layer on a second surface of the perforated stator; a first membrane on the first isolation layer; a second membrane on the second isolation layer; and a pillar coupled between the first membrane and the second membrane, wherein the first isolation layer includes a first tapered edge portion having a common surface with the first membrane, wherein the second isolation layer includes a first tapered edge portion having a common surface with the second membrane, and wherein an endpoint of the first tapered edge portion of the first isolation layer is laterally offset with respect to an endpoint of the first tapered edge portion of the second isolation layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first gate trench and a second gate trench both extending from a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor mesa delimited by the first and second gate trenches; and a field plate trench extending from the first main surface through the semiconductor mesa. The field plate trench includes a field plate separated from each sidewall and a bottom of the field plate trench by an air gap. The field plate is anchored to the semiconductor substrate at the bottom of the field plate trench by an electrically insulative material that occupies a space in a central part of the field plate, the electrically insulative material spanning the air gap to contact the semiconductor substrate at the bottom of the field plate trench. Methods of producing the semiconductor device are also described.

Abstract: A data storage device comprises a plurality of storage elements, each storage element configured for storing a piece of information. The plurality of storage elements is accessible as a plurality of word sets, each word set comprising a set of storage elements, and is accessible as a plurality of slice sets, each slice set comprising a set of storage elements. Each storage element is a part of a word set and a part of a slice set. The device further comprises a control unit configured for obtaining word information and slice information and for executing a write operation to parallelly write the word information into a first word set of the plurality of word sets and the slice information into a first slice set of the plurality of slice sets, wherein the first word set and the first slice set comprise a common storage element defined by an overlap of the first word set and the first slice set in a layout of the plurality of storage elements.

Abstract: A MEMS device includes a package for providing an inner volume, a MEMS microphone arranged in the inner volume, a sound port through the package to the inner volume, and a passive acoustic attenuation filter acoustically coupled to the sound port.

Abstract: A molded semiconductor package includes: a semiconductor die; a substrate attached to a first side of the semiconductor die; a plurality of leads electrically connected to a pad at a second side of the semiconductor die opposite the first side; a heat sink clip thermally coupled to the pad; and a molding compound encapsulating the semiconductor die, part of the leads, part of the heat sink clip, and at least part of the substrate. The molding compound has a first main side, a second main side opposite the first main side and at which the substrate is disposed, and an edge extending between the first main side and the second main side. The leads protrude from opposing first and second faces of the edge of the molding compound. The heat sink clip protrudes from opposing third and fourth faces of the edge of the molding compound.

Abstract: Signal processing circuitry includes at least one processor configured to obtain a digitized radar signal, and further configured, for one or more iterations, to: determine a first power of at least one first signal sample of the radar signal; determine a second power of at least one second signal sample of the radar signal, the at least one second signal sample being subsequent in time to the at least one first signal sample; and determine a difference value between the second power and the first power. The at least one processor further configured to detecting a burst interference signal occurring within the radar signal based on the one or more difference values from the one or more iterations.