Abstract: A RAID 0 disk array has an optimizing algorithm for allocating the amount of data stored to each drive in a disk array. The algorithm allocates a proportion of the data for each stripe to the various disk drives based at least in part on the data transfer rate for each drive. The disk array may be constructed such that about half of the disk drives write to the outside tracks of the drives while the remaining disks write to the inside tracks. Using the algorithm, the minimum data transfer rate for the disk array may be maximized.

Abstract: Provided is a process for forming a barrier film to prevent resist poisoning in a semiconductor device by depositing a second nitrogen-free barrier layer on top of a first barrier layer containing nitrogen. A low-k dielectric layer is formed over the second barrier layer. This technique maintains the low electrical leakage characteristics of the first barrier layer and reduces nitrogen poisoning of a photoresist layer subsequently applied.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which uses a plating electrode in an electrolyte bath. The plating electrode works to purify an electrolyte polishing solution during the electro-polishing process. Preferably, the plating electrode is employed in a closed loop feedback system. The plating electrode may be powered by a power supply which is controlled by a controller. A sensor may be connected to the controller and the sensor may be configured to sense a characteristic (for example, but not limited to: resistance, conductance or optical transmission, absorption of light, etc.) of the electrolyte bath, which tends to indicate the level of saturation. Preferably, the plating electrode is easily replaceable.

Abstract: In exemplary embodiments, a method and computer program product for predicting quiescent current variation of an integrated circuit die include steps of: (a) receiving as input a value of a derating factor from a process monitor cell on an integrated circuit die and an on-chip variation of the derating factor; (b) constructing a curve fitting formula for estimating a quiescent current of the integrated circuit die as a function of the derating factor; (c) calculating minimum and maximum values of the quiescent current from the curve fitting formula, the value of the derating factor from the process monitor cell, and the on-chip variation of the derating factor to generate an estimate of minimum and maximum values for the quiescent current; and (d) generating as output the estimated minimum and maximum values of the quiescent current.

Abstract: A bus that may be used in an integrated circuit chip. The bus generally comprises a master interface, a slave interface, and a control logic. The master interface may be configured to (i) receive an early command signal having a predetermined timing relationship to a first clock edge and (ii) present a bus wait signal proximate a second clock edge. The slave interface may be configured to (i) present a command signal a delay after the first clock edge and (ii) receive a slave wait signal. The control logic may be configured to (i) register the early command signal to generate the command signal and (ii) convert the slave wait signal into the bus wait signal.

Abstract: A bus layout design is provided which includes a first electrically conductive layer with a first bus and a second bus and a second electrically conductive layer with a first bus and a second bus. Vias are provided between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer such that the first bus and the second bus of the first electrically conductive layer are electrically connected.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and system for providing a high quality spiral inductor in an integrated circuit environment. A layer of inductor may be placed within the metal layers along with negative capacitance generation circuitry of the present invention to compensate for the capacitance associated with the metal layers adjacent to the inductor to provide a higher quality factor for the inductor. Advantageously, circuitry of the present invention may be employed within an integrated circuit without modifying the layer structure of the integrated circuit. Additionally, values of the components of the circuitry may be selectively and independently chosen to synthesize a variable range of negative capacitance.

Abstract: A tool for designing integrated circuits that optimizes the placement and timing of memory blocks within the circuit. Given a manufactured slice that has a number of blocks already diffused and logically integrated, the memory generation tool herein automatically considers the available diffused memory and the gate array of the slices to configure and optimize them into a customer's requirements for memory. The memory generation tool has a memory manager, a memory resource database, a memory resource selector, and a memory composer. Together these all interact to generate memories from the available memories within the memory resource database. The memory composer actually generates the RTL logic shells for the memories, and outputs the memory designs in Verilog, VHDL, or other tool synthesis language. Once a memory is created, it is tested.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a method for reducing artifacts in a video sequence of image frames is disclosed. The method and system include classifying scenes in the sequence of image frames, analyzing the content of the image frames and performing temporal filtering on the image frames. The method and system further include applying a set of rules to results of the classification and the content analysis to adapt characteristics of the temporal filtering for the scene.

Abstract: A phase shift mask having transmission properties that are dependent at least in part on an intensity of an incident light beam. The phase shift mask has a mask substrate that is substantially transparent to the incident light beam. A first phase shift layer is disposed on the mask substrate. The first phase shift layer has a refractive index that is nonlinear with the intensity of the incident light beam. The refractive index of the first phase shift layer changes with the intensity of the incident light beam on the phase shift mask. By using a first phase shift layer on the phase shift mask that has a refractive index that is non linear with the intensity of the incident light beam, properties of a light beam transmitted through the first phase shift layer, such as interference patterns in the transmitted light beam, can be adjusted by adjusting the intensity of the incident light beam.

Abstract: A method of silicon design reproducibility enhancement using priority assignments prior to performing a conventional optical proximity correction process on a device. The present invention seeks to improve the manufacturability of VLSI devices. The present invention inserts a priority assignment step prior to the conventional OPC correction process in order to assert better control over transistor parameters. The priority assignment step sorts the layout by degree of importance to the cell/device performance. Areas designated as critical are given higher priority values while areas designated as non-critical are given lower priority values. The present invention imposes more precise accuracy requirements to high priority value areas and less precise accuracy requirements to low priority value areas. As a result, the present invention imposes the tightest accuracy requirements to critical areas of device performance, rather than attempting to achieve overall accuracy during the OPC correction process.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a bond out design includes steps of: (a) receiving as input an initial bond out design including at least one selected I/O pad and a top redistribution layer; (b) determining whether to include a lower redistribution layer in an optimized bond out design; (c) selecting a trace design to be included in the optimized bond out design for connecting the selected I/O pad to the top redistribution layer according to a bump function of the selected I/O pad; and (d) generating as output the optimized bond out design.

Abstract: A method and computer program are disclosed for generating a hardware description language configuration from a generic phase locked loop architecture that include steps of: (a) receiving as input values for a set of configuration variables for a phase locked loop; (b) applying the values for the set of configuration variables to a generic top level model of the phase locked loop to generate a specific configuration of the phase locked loop from the generic top level model; and (c) generating as output a hardware description language code for the specific configuration of the phase locked loop.

Abstract: An apparatus including a plurality of first base circuits, a plurality of second base circuits, a first test circuit, a second test circuit, and a test path. The plurality of first base circuits may be coupled to the plurality of second base circuits via one or more base circuit paths on a layout. The first test circuit may be disposed in a first distal location of the layout. The second test circuit may be disposed in a second distal location of the layout. The test path may be configured to (i) couple the first test circuit to the second test circuit and (ii) generate a test time delay from the first test circuit to the second test circuit incrementally longer than a maximum time delay generated by any of the base circuit paths.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for mapping a customer memory onto a plurality of physical memories.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a high-k dielectric layer on a semiconductor wafer. A metal silicate dielectric layer is initially deposited on the wafer. A dopant having dissociable oxygen is introduced into the metal silicate on the wafer. According to one embodiment the metal silicate comprises a group IV metal and the dopant is an oxide of one of an alkaline metal and an alkaline earth metal. According to another embodiment the metal silicate comprises a group III metal.

Abstract: Methods and structure for initializing a RAID storage volume substantially in parallel with processing of host generated I/O requests. Initialization of a RAID volume may be performed as a background task in one aspect of the invention while host generated I/O requests proceed in parallel with the initialization. The initialization may preferably the performed by zeroing all data including parity for each stripe to thereby make each stripe XOR consistent. Host generated I/O requests to write information on the volume may utilize standard read-modify-write requests where the entire I/O request affects information in a portion of the volume already initialized by background processing. Other host I/O requests use standard techniques for generating parity for all stripes affected by the write requests. These and other features and aspects of the present invention make a newly defined RAID volume available for host processing is quickly as possible.

Abstract: A circuit generally comprising a plurality of read input registers, a read output register, a write input register and a plurality of write output registers is generally disclosed. The read input registers may be configured to buffer a first read signal received within a plurality of first transfers. The read output register may be configured to transmit the first read signal in a second transfer. The write input register may be configured to buffer a first write signal received in a third transfer. The write output registers may be configured to transmit the first write signal within a plurality of fourth transfers.

Abstract: A method and computer program are disclosed for automatically repairing crosstalk violations in an integrated circuit design that include steps of: (a) receiving as input an integrated circuit design; (b) performing an initial cell placement and global routing from the integrated circuit design; (c) identifying nets having crosstalk violations according to a first set of rules from the initial cell placement and global routing; (d) performing a detailed routing that includes providing crosstalk protection for the nets identified in step (c); (e) identifying nets having crosstalk violations according to a second set of rules from the detailed routing; and (f) performing an additional detailed routing that includes providing crosstalk protection for the nets identified in step (e).

Abstract: A method of noise analysis and correction of noise violations for an integrated circuit design includes steps of receiving as input a standard parasitic exchange file for an integrated circuit design and parsing the standard parasitic exchange file to generate a resistance graph. A representation of the resistance graph is generated to determine noise critical nets. A list is generated of only noise critical nets from the representation of the resistance graph. A net is selected from the list of only noise critical nets, and a value of total crosstalk noise in the selected net from all aggressor nets relative to the selected net is calculated. The value of total crosstalk noise in the selected net is generated as output for correcting a noise violation.