Abstract: A data serializer includes a differential output stage. The differential output stage has n pairs of first and second control inputs, wherein each pair of control inputs corresponds to one of n data inputs. Each pair of first and second control inputs is driven by first and second logic AND circuits having p-channel output drive transistors.

Abstract: A differential output buffer includes a differential output stage, first and second push-pull circuits and first and second adjustable, controlled current sources. The differential output stage has first and second differential data outputs and first and second output stage control inputs. The first push-pull circuit has first and second complementary data inputs and has an output coupled to the first output stage control input. The second push-pull circuit has first and second complementary data inputs and has an output coupled to the second output stage control input. The outputs of the first and second push-pull circuits have rise times that are controlled by the first controlled current source and fall times that are controlled by the second controlled current source.

Abstract: Automated photolithography of integrated circuit wafers is enabled with a processor connected to a Rayleigh derator, a form factor generator, a logic synthesizer, a layout generator, a lithography module and a wafer process. The Rayleigh derator receives manufacturing information resulting from yield data in the wafer process, and this manufacturing data is then used to derate the theoretical minimum feature size available for etching wafer masks given a known light source and object lens numerical aperture. This minimum feature size is then used by a form factor generator in sizing transistors in a net list to their smallest manufacturable size. A logic synthesizer then converts the net list into a physical design using a layout generator combined with user defined constraints. This physical design is then used by the mask lithography module to generate wafer masks for use in the semiconductor manufacturing. Manufacturing data including process and.

Abstract: A method of stably and uniformly erasing a non-volatile memory or memory array in a gate insulator in which carrier-trapping sites for carrier storage are furnished is described. A first method of the invention is the application of a discharge pulse(s) to a gate after erasure where the discharge pulse(s) discharges unstable holes injected into the gate insulator. A second method of the invention is injection of electrons into the trap sites of all the cells in a memory array to be erased before erasure. This makes Vth distribution across the memory array uniform after erasure. A third method of the invention is a reduced bias approach to erase stably the electrons stored in the trap sites. This includes not only literally “erase,” but also “annihilate or neutralize” trapped electron charge by hole charge.

Abstract: A process for forming an integrated circuit structure wherein trenches and/or vias are formed in a predetermined pattern in a dielectric layer, lined with a barrier layer of a first electrically conductive material, and then filled with a second electrically conductive material, and the structure is then planarized to remove the first and second electrically conductive material from the upper surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the improvements comprise: a) before the planarizing step, forming over the second electrically conductive material a layer of a planarizable material capable of being planarized at about the same rate as the first electrically conductive material; and b) then planarizing the structure to remove: i) the planarizable material; ii) the second electrically conductive material; and iii) the first electrically conductive material; above the upper surface of the dielectric material; whereby the planarizable material above the second electrically conductive material in the trenche

Abstract: A substantially vertical interdigitated plate capacitor, formed in interlayer dielectric material between upper and lower interconnect layers of conductors in an integrated circuit, comprising a lower plate that has at least one U-shaped portion and a horizontal portion connected to an upper edge of the U-shaped portion. The capacitor's upper plate also has at least one U-shaped portion positioned within the interior of the lower plate's U-shaped portion and a horizontal portion connected to an upper edge of each vertically extending leg. The integrated circuit incorporating the capacitor comprises a via connection having a U-shaped layer extending between the conductors of the relatively upper and relatively lower interconnect layers and is formed simultaneously with one of the U-shaped portions of the capacitor plates.

Abstract: A system for silicon chip evaluation comprising a chip embedded in a wafer and one or more testbench circuits embedded in the wafer, wherein the one or more testbenches provide verification of the chip. One aspect of the present invention concerns a method for silicon chip verification comprising the steps of (A) embedding a chip in a silicon wafer, (B) embedding one or more testbench circuits in the silicon wafer, and (C) communicating between the one or more testbenches and the chip to provide silicon verification of the chip.

Abstract: A circuit for reducing the number of bits in a K bit value from K to N bits. The circuit generally comprises a first summing circuit, a control circuit, an error feedback circuit, a second summing circuit, and a processor. The first summing circuit may add an error offset value and the N+m MSB's of the K bit value to produce a result data value. The control circuit may generate a dither offset value. The error feedback circuit may receive m LSBs of the result data value and generate an error value in dependence on the m LSBs. The second summing circuit may add the dither offset value and the error value to provide the error offset value. The processor may selectively control generation of the dither offset value and the error value.

Abstract: Provided are a self-aligned semiconductor fuse structure, a method of making such a fuse structure, and apparatuses incorporating such a fuse structure. The fuse break point, that point at which the electrical link of which the fuse is part is severed by a laser beam, is self-aligned by the use of photolithographically patterned anti-reflective dielectric coatings. The self-alignment allows the size location of the break point to be less sensitive to the laser beam size and alignment. This has several advantages including allowing photolithographic control and effective size reduction of the laser spot irradiating the fuse material and surrounding structure. This permits reduced fuse pitch, increasing density and the efficiency of use of chip area, and results in reduced thermal exposure, which causes less damage to chip. In addition, laser alignment is less critical and therefore less timely, which increases throughput in fabrication.

Abstract: A method for detecting contaminants on an implement. A stream of gas is directed over at least a portion of the implement, to entrain at least a portion of the contaminants on the implement, and produce a contaminant laden stream of gas. At least a portion of the contaminant laden stream of gas is sampled, and the amount of contaminants in the sampled portion of the contaminant laden stream of gas is measured. The amount of contaminants in the sampled portion of the contaminant laden stream of gas is reported.

Abstract: A process for inhibiting the passage of dopant from a gate electrode into a thin gate oxide comprises nitridation of the upper surface of the thin gate oxide, prior to formation of the gate electrode over the gate oxide, to thereby form a barrier of nitrogen atoms in the upper surface region of the gate oxide adjacent the interface between the gate oxide and the gate electrode to inhibit passage of dopant atoms from the gate electrode into the thin gate oxide during annealing of the structure. In one embodiment, a selective portion of silicon oxide on a silicon substrate may be etched to thin the oxide to the desired thickness using a nitrogen plasma with a bias applied to the silicon substrate. Nitridation of the surface of the etched silicon oxide is then carried out in the same apparatus by removing the bias from the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A polishing table 11 in the CMP apparatus 10 has a diameter smaller than the diameter of a polishing pad 12. The polishing pad 12 is disposed on the polishing table so as to cover the entire top surface of the polishing table 11. A space 13 is formed between outside of the outer peripheral surface of the polishing table 11 and under the outer peripheral bottom surface portion of the polishing pad 12 projecting outside from the edge of the polishing table 11. A trough 14 with an opening 14a on top thereof as a device for withdrawing the used slurry is disposed around the outer peripheral surface of the polishing table 11 so as to be located a part thereof in the space 13.

Abstract: A fabrication method of the present invention includes the following steps: A step of forming gate electrodes in a logic circuit region; a step of forming first and second protective insulating layers in the logic circuit region; a step of forming a first gate insulating layer and a word gate layer in a memory region; a step of forming a second gate insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate and forming side insulating layers on both sides of the word gate layer in the memory region; a step of anisotropically etching the second conductive layer, thereby forming control gates in the shape of sidewalls and a conductive layer continuous with the control gates in regions in which common contact sections are formed; a step of removing the first and second protective insulating layers; and a step of forming impurity layers which form either a source or drain.

Abstract: An on-chip data independent method and apparatus for channel error estimation in a data recovery scheme is based on measuring phase noise statistics. The apparatus (10) receives a data pulse and four quadrature clock signals and has a discriminating device (11) to provide a count signal for each data pulse received depending on which clock signal was the first to clock the particular data pulse. A pair of counters (12 and 13) counts the number of data pulses received at different phase offsets to provide a value representing a statistical ratio of the counts at different clock phase offsets from which an error rate for the received data pulses based on the counts at different clock phase offsets can be determined from a look-up table (16). By re-configuring the circuitry, the system can be adapted to measure clock window asymmetry.

Abstract: A test coupon for performing pre-qualification test on a substrate is disclosed. The test coupon includes at least two substrate test structures, and an edge connector for providing external electrical connections. Traces patterned on the test coupon connect the test structures with the edge connector, such that a test apparatus maybe coupled to the edge connector for testing the test coupon without the need to manually solder connections to the test coupon. The test coupon may also be used to perform the actual qualification of certain process changes in substrate construction and to monitor production lot quality and reliability.

Abstract: A microprocessor is configured to fetch a compressed instruction set which comprises a subset of a corresponding non-compressed instruction set. The compressed instruction set is a variable length instruction set including 16-bit and 32-bit instructions. The 32-bit instructions are coded using an extend opcode, which indicates that the instruction being fetched is an extended (e.g. 32 bit) instruction. The compressed instruction set further includes multiple sets of register mappings from the compressed register fields to the decompressed register fields. Certain select instructions are assigned two opcode encodings, one for each of two mappings of the corresponding register fields. The compressed register field is directly copied into a portion of the decompressed register field while the remaining portion of the decompressed register field is created using a small number of logic gates.

Abstract: The invention is directed to optimization of an initial routing that connects nets on a surface, each of the nets including plural interconnected net pins. The surface is divided into a set of areas, and a boundary pin is defined at each point on a boundary of one of the areas where the boundary of the one of the areas intersects a net. Routing optimization is then performed in at least one of the areas, the routing optimization optimizing the routing among the net pins and the boundary pins within the at least one of the areas. The invention is also directed to optimization of an initial routing that connects nets on a surface, each of the nets including plural interconnected net pins. The surface is divided into a first set of pre-defined areas, and routing optimization is performed independently in each of the pre-defined areas in the first set.

Abstract: In digital processing, a method and circuit for implementing at least one of a maximum and a minimum instruction between a source operand and a destination operand in which an arithmetic operation is performed using the source and destination operands to generate a result and the storage of data in a destination storage is controlled in accordance with the sign of the source operand, the sign of the destination operand and the sign of the said result.

Abstract: A circuit configured to correct a duty cycle error or vary the duty cycle of a clock signal. The circuit includes a differential amplifier or control circuit that receives differential signal inputs. At least one differential pair of transistors is connected to outputs of the differential amplifier or control circuit. Outputs of the one or more differential pairs of transistors are connected to inputs of a differential circuit. The differential amplifier or control circuit is connected to the outputs of the differential circuit. The one or more differential pairs of transistors is configured to change a DC level of at least one of the inputs of the differential circuit in order to shift a cross over point of the inputs of the differential circuit and thereby effect a duty cycle change (or correction) at the outputs of the differential circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed which enables a host computer to adjust the caching strategy used for writing its write request data to storage media during execution of various software applications. The method includes the step of generating a caching-flushing parameter in the host computer. The cache flushing parameter is then transferred from the host computer to a controller which has a cache memory. Thereafter, a quantity of write request data is written from the cache memory to a storage medium in accordance with the cache-flushing parameter.