Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor apparatus that prevents diffusion of materials of a magnetic film during the process for manufacturing the semiconductor apparatus. The semiconductor apparatus includes: a substrate; a semiconductor device formed on a principal surface of the substrate and including an interconnect layer; a magnetic shielding film of a magnetic material covering the semiconductor device; and a buffer film disposed between the semiconductor device and the magnetic shielding film. The buffer film prevents diffusion of the magnetic material of the magnetic shielding film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device design support apparatus comprises: an input unit (101) which inputs layout information (108), LSI design information (109), switching information (110), a primitive library (111); an electrical current waveform computation unit (102) which obtains an electrical current waveform in instance units; an electrical current dispersion value computation unit (103) which obtains electrical current dispersion values of each segment; a segment dividing unit (104) which judges whether or not the electrical current dispersion value of a segment is not less than a permitted value and divides the segment in cases in which the electrical current dispersion value is not less than the permitted value; a macro-model creation unit (105) which creates a macro-model for each segment; a substrate netlist extraction unit (106) which extracts a substrate netlist; and a substrate noise analysis netlist creation unit (107) which creates a substrate noise analysis netlist from a macro-model of each segment and t

Abstract: An error reduction apparatus includes a combing absence detector to detect absence of combing from a luminance signal, a combing presence detector to detect presence of combing from a color-difference signal, a vertical low-pass filter to receive the color-difference signal, and a selector to select one of the color-difference signal and a color-difference signal to which the vertical low-pass filter is applied based on detection results of the combing absence detector and the combing presence detector, and if combing is absent in the luminance signal and combing is present in the color-difference signal, the error reduction apparatus applies the vertical low-pass filter to the color-difference signal and outputs the signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a substrate, an insulating interlayer, an interconnect as one example of an electro-conductive pattern, a through-electrode, and a bump as one example of a connection terminal, wherein the insulating interlayer is positioned up above the surface of the substrate, the interconnect is positioned on the surface of the insulating interlayer, the through-electrode extends through the substrate and the insulating interlayer, from the back surface of the former to the surface of the latter, one end of which is connected to the interconnect, and the bump is provided on the back surface side of the substrate, and connected to the other end of the through-electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device 200 comprises a SiCN film 202 formed on a semiconductor substrate (not shown), a first SiOC film 204 formed thereon, a SiCN film 208 formed thereon, a second SiOC film 210 formed thereon, a SiO2 film 212 and a SiCN film 214 formed thereon. The first SiOC film 204 has a barrier metal layer 216 and via 218 formed therein, and the second SiOC film 210 has a barrier metal layer 220 and wiring metal layer 222 formed therein. Carbon content of the second SiOC film 210 is adjusted larger than that of the first SiOC film 204. This makes it possible to improve adhesiveness of the insulating interlayer with other insulating layers, while keeping a low dielectric constant of the insulating interlayer.

Abstract: There is a room for improvement in conventional semiconductor devices in terms of reducing the chip area. A semiconductor device 1 comprises an evaluation transistor 10 (first characteristic evaluation device), an evaluation transistor (second characteristic evaluation device), measurement pads 30 (first measurement pads) and measurement pads 40 (second measurement pads). The measurement pad 30 and the measurement pad 40 are provided in different layers in the interconnect layer.

Abstract: The SOI substrate includes a supporting substrate, an insulating layer (first insulating layer), another insulating layer (second insulating layer), and a silicon layer (silicon active layer). On a surface of the supporting substrate, which is the surface on the side of the silicon layer, the first insulating layer is provided. On a surface of the silicon layer, which is the surface on the side of the supporting substrate, the second insulating layer is provided. The supporting substrate and the silicon layer are adhered to each other, so that the interface between the first and the second insulating layers constitutes an adhesion plane. The adhesion plane performs as a gettering site in the SOI substrate.

Abstract: In a current controlling apparatus for controlling a load current flowing through a load, a reference level generating circuit generates a reference level signal, and a reference signal generating circuit generates a reference signal in accordance with the reference level signal. A bridge circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor elements so that the semiconductor elements are turned ON and OFF to supply the load current to the load. A sensing circuit senses the load current, to thereby generate a sense signal in accordance with the load current. A current correction circuit including a correction comparator compares the sense signal with the reference level signal to generate a correction signal, so that the reference signal is corrected by the correction signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a PLL circuit of a small circuit size capable of generating clock including a jitter component with ease. A phase comparator 11 compares the phase of an input reference clock signal CKR to the phase of a signal fed back from a frequency divider 14 to route an output signal corresponding to the phase difference to a filter unit 12. The filter unit 12 detects a low frequency component of the output signal of the phase comparator 11 to route the so detected component to a voltage controlled oscillator 13. The voltage controlled oscillator 13 generates, as an output signal CKF, an oscillation signal of an oscillation frequency which is controlled on the basis of the output voltage of the filter unit 12. The frequency divider 14 divides the frequency of the output signal CKF to output the resulting signal to the phase comparator 11.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device including a semiconductor element to be protected having first and second electrodes, and a protection circuit coupled between the first and second electrodes, a switch circuit is inserted between the first and second electrodes in series to the protection circuit. The switch circuit is turned ON by such a voltage that turns ON the semiconductor element.

Abstract: A method for depositing a film includes: (a) processing a wafer, including forming a high dielectric constant film on a first wafer; and achieving nitridation of the high dielectric constant film formed on the first wafer; and (b) performing coating process including forming a high dielectric constant film on a second wafer; and achieving nitridation of the high dielectric constant film formed on the second wafer. The processing the wafer and the performing the coating process are carried out in the same reaction chamber. The coating process is carried out before the processing the wafer.

Abstract: To perform a timing analysis at a high analysis accuracy while reducing a TAT. A circuit analyzer according to the present invention performs a timing analysis on a design target circuit after a layout change. The circuit analyzer includes a storage device in which an extraction range reference is set, an extraction range setting unit and a timing analysis unit. The extraction setting unit sets the extraction range reference including a layout-changed portion, as a parasitic element extraction target range. The timing analysis unit performs a timing analysis by using, as an analysis target, a predetermined range including a parasitic element extracted from the extraction target range.

Abstract: A conventional power MOSFET structure is difficult to improve a breakdown voltage of an element even using a super-junction structure. A power MOSFET according to an embodiment of the invention is a semiconductor device of a super-junction structure, including: a gate electrode filled in a trench formed on a semiconductor substrate; a gate wiring metal forming a surface layer; and a gate electrode plug connecting between the gate electrode and the gate wiring metal. Thus, a polysilicon layer necessary for the conventional typical power MOSFET is unnecessary. That is, column regions of an element active portion and an outer peripheral portion can be formed under the same conditions. As a result, it is possible to improve an element breakdown voltage as compared with the conventional one.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a circuit block formed in a peripheral edge portion of a semiconductor chip, a circuit block pad formed on the circuit block providing an electrical connection for said circuit block, and a bonding pad laterally offset from the circuit block and the circuit block pad, the bonding pad being electrically connected to the circuit block pad and electrically connected to a lead frame by a bonding wire, the laterally offset bonding pad thereby functioning as a substitute wire bonding pad for the circuit block.

Abstract: A small size power amplifier includes a first amplifier provided for a first signal path; a second amplifier provided for said first signal path; and a third amplifier provided for a second signal path parallel to said first signal path. A voltage control circuit configured to bias one of a first set of said first amplifier and said second amplifier, and a second set of said third amplifier, based on an output power.

Abstract: A multi-processor system includes a plurality of processors; and a memory section connected with the plurality of processors and configured to store a message transmitted from each of the plurality of processor to another. The memory section has a plurality of priority buffer regions corresponding to a plurality of priority levels, and the message is classified based on a priority level allocated to the message. Each of the plurality of priority buffer regions stores the message having the priority level corresponding to the buffer region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes in an interconnect structure which includes a first interconnect made of a copper-containing metal, a first Cu silicide layer covering the upper portion of the first interconnect, a conductive first plug provided on the upper portion of the Cu silicide layer and connected to the first interconnect, a Cu silicide layer covering the upper portion of the first plug, a first porous MSQ film provided over the side wall from the first interconnect through the first plug and formed to cover the side wall of the first interconnect, the upper portion of the first interconnect, and the side wall of the first plug, and a first SiCN film disposed under the first porous MSQ film to contact with the lower portion of the side wall of the first interconnect and having the greater film density than the first porous MSQ film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a programmable-gate-array copy protection method and a system which prevent unauthorized copying of an FPGA program. A copy protection method for a field-programmable gate array, the method comprising a step of causing a user-specific gate array to boot a user circuit data to the field-programmable gate array, the user-specific gate array being connected to the field-programmable gate array and a memory device in which the user circuit data is stored and being pre-programmed at a semiconductor-vender's factory.

Abstract: Scribe lines demarcating semiconductor chips comprise, in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, first-type scribe lines of the minimum width enabling cutting by dicing or other means, and second-type scribe lines enabling placement of TEGs, alignment marks or other accessories, and a placement pattern is set so that a unit cell which can be exposed in a single shot comprises one second-type scribe line. By this means, the area occupied by scribe lines can be reduced. Further, by decreasing the number of placement of semiconductor chips constituting a unit cell, and by cutting substantially along the center line of second-type scribe lines, the shapes of scribe lines on the periphery of semiconductor chips can be changed, so that the position in the unit cell can be determined.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an input side flip-flop; a combinational circuit having an input connected with the input side flip-flop; an output side flip-flop connected with an output of the combinational circuit; and a delay test circuit. The delay test circuit generates output clock pulses by removing an optional one from equal to or more than 3 continuing clock pulses of an input clock signal, and supplies the output clock pulse to the input side flip-flop and the output side flip-flop.