Abstract: A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.

Abstract: There is provided a driver circuit includes a polarity control unit that decides a polarity preceding by one line from an input polarity signal to generate a data polarity control signal, a data control unit that performs data interchange, at the time of latching the input data, based on the data polarity control signal, and a selector unit that controls the data interchange in an output circuit based on the data polarity control signal.

Abstract: A method of forming a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes forming a semiconductor substrate, forming upper and lower portions of a first gate electrode on a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, the lower portion of the first gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, the upper portion of the first gate electrode formed on the lower portion of the first gate electrode and having a gate length which is less than a gate length of the lower portion of the first gate electrode, forming a spacer insulating film to contact respective surfaces of the upper and lower portions of the first gate electrode, in which a length of the spacer insulating film combined with the gate length of the upper portion of the first gate electrode is equal to the gate length of the lower portion of the first gate electrode, forming an electric charge trapping film covering a portion of the semiconductor substrate, a surface of the lower portion of the first gate electrode, and a surface of the

Abstract: A current source circuit includes a reference current source circuit; a reference voltage source circuit generating a voltage proportional to a thermal voltage based on the reference current; a first transistor connected between the reference voltage source circuit and the second power supply voltage and through which a first current flows; a second transistor which has a gate applied with a voltage as a result of addition of the voltage generated by the reference voltage source circuit and a voltage between a source and a drain of the first transistor and through which a second current flows; a current source supplying a third current of a current value proportional to that of the first current; and a third transistor through which a difference current between the second current and the third current flows. An output current is supplied based on the difference current.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a MISFET of trench gate structure, a trench is formed from a major surface of a semiconductor layer of first conductivity type which serves as a drain region, in a depth direction of the semiconductor layer, a gate insulating film including a thermal oxide film and a deposited film is formed over the internal surface of the trench, and after a gate electrode has been formed in the trench, impurities are introduced into the semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type to form a semiconductor region of second conductivity type which serves as a channel forming region, and impurities are introduced into the semiconductor region of second conductivity type to form the semiconductor region of first conductivity type which serves as a source region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, includes a chip, a first external terminal, a second external terminal, and a partial antenna wiring that is coupled to the first external terminal, and that constitutes a matching circuit, wherein the chip includes first and second electrode pads that are coupled to the partial antenna wiring, a third electrode pad that is different from each of the first and second electrode pads, and that is coupled to the second external terminal, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit that is coupled to the third electrode pad.

Abstract: A phase locked loop circuit according to the present invention includes a selector that selects an input clock, a 1/m frequency divider that divides a frequency of the input clock, a 1/n frequency divider that divides a frequency of a feedback clock, a phase difference detector, a first voltage controlled oscillator that includes a first voltage holding circuit, a second voltage controlled oscillator that includes a second voltage holding circuit, and a selection circuit that outputs any output of the first and second voltage controlled oscillators as an output clock and outputs any output of the first and second voltage controlled oscillators as a feedback clock. The input clock is switched when the voltage controlled oscillator in a holding mode generates the output clock and the voltage controlled oscillator in a normal mode generates the feedback clock.

Abstract: A data processing device for detecting the abnormal operation of a CPU is provided. The data processing device comprises a CPU, an interrupt counter, and a counter-abnormal-value detection circuit. The interrupt counter increments a count value based on an interrupt start signal which is outputted in response to an interrupt signal indicative of an interrupt request to the CPU and which indicates that the interrupt request has been accepted, and decrements the count value based on an end-of-interrupt signal which indicates that processing corresponding to the interrupt has completed. The counter-abnormal-value detection circuit detects abnormalities by comparing the count value with a predetermined value.

Abstract: Provided is a technology capable of improving a production yield of a semiconductor device having, for example, IGBG as a semiconductor element. After formation of an interconnect on the surface side of a semiconductor substrate, a supporting substrate covering the interconnect is bonded onto the interconnect. Then, a BG tape is overlapped and bonded onto the supporting substrate and the semiconductor substrate is ground from the backside. The BG tape is then peeled off and an impurity is introduced into the backside of the semiconductor substrate by ion implantation. Then, the supporting substrate is peeled off, followed by heat treatment of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a technique for ensuring both an SNM and a write margin simultaneously in a semiconductor device having static memory cells. A semiconductor device has a plurality of static memory cells. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array having the static memory cells arranged in a matrix, a temperature sensor circuit for sensing a temperature in the semiconductor device, and a word driver for controlling a voltage supplied to a word line of the memory cell array based on an output of the temperature sensor circuit at the time of writing to or reading from a memory cell.

Abstract: The erase operation of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory is executed by a method including applying an erase pulse to a data erase area in a memory cell array, determining whether the threshold voltage of a memory cell arranged in the data erase area reaches an erase level and outputting a verify result, and determining whether a new erase pulse is applied or a state is shifted to a wait state based on the verify result. The new erase pulse is applied when the threshold voltage does not reach the erase level and the application of the new erase pulse is prohibited and the wait operation is performed when the threshold voltage reaches the erase level.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate (e.g., a P-type semiconductor substrate), and an isolation region formed in the substrate to isolate an element formation region from the other region. The semiconductor device also includes a gate electrode formed over the element formation region. The gate electrode extends over each of first and second regions of the isolation region opposing each other with the element formation region interposed therebetween. The semiconductor device further includes a pair of diffusion regions (e.g., N-type diffusion regions) formed in the element formation region so as to be spaced apart from each other in a channel length direction with reference to the gate electrode. At least a portion of each of upper surfaces of the first and second regions is depressed to a depth of not less than 5% of a channel width to be located under an upper surface of the element formation region. In each of resultant depressions also, a portion of the gate electrode is present.

Abstract: A semiconductor device 100 is provided with a multiplex through plug 111 that fills an opening extending through the silicon substrate 101. The multiplex through plugs 111 comprises a column-shaped and solid first through electrode 103, a first insulating film 105 that covers the cylindrical face of the first through electrode 103, a second through electrode 107 that covers the cylindrical face of the first insulating film 105 and a second insulating film 109 that covers the cylindrical face of the second through electrode 107, and these have a common central axis. The upper cross sections of the first insulating film 105, the second through electrode 107 and the second insulating film 109 are annular-shaped.

Abstract: A technique capable of manufacturing a semiconductor device without posing contamination in a manufacturing apparatus regarding a phase change memory including a memory cell array formed of memory cells using a storage element (RE) by a variable resistor and a select transistor (CT). A buffer cell is arranged between a sense amplifier (SA) and a memory cell array (MCA) and between a word driver (WDB) and the memory cell array. The buffer cell is formed of the resistive storage element (RE) and the select transistor (CT) same as those of the memory cell. The resistive storage element in the memory cell is connected to a bit-line via a contact formed above the resistive storage element. Meanwhile, in the buffer cell, the contact is not formed above the resistive storage element, and a state of being covered with an insulator is kept upon processing the contact in the memory cell. By such a processing method, exposure and sublimation of a chalcogenide film used in the resistive storage element can be avoided.

Abstract: An n-type buried diffusion layer is formed on the surface layer of the prescribed area of a p-type silicon substrate, and a p-type first high-concentration isolation diffusion layer is formed in the silicon substrate so as to surround the buried diffusion layer. An n-type epitaxial layer is formed on the silicon substrate, the buried diffusion layer, and the first high-concentration isolation diffusion layer. A p-type second high-concentration isolation diffusion layer is formed in the epitaxial layer on the first high-concentration isolation diffusion layer. A p-type low-concentration isolation diffusion layer for isolating the epitaxial layer into a plurality of island regions is formed in the epitaxial layer on the second high-concentration isolation diffusion layer.

Abstract: An apparatus provides good bonding between a package structure and a substrate and extended solder bonding life, even under heat stress. Of a lead frame to be used for a package structure having a configuration in which a semiconductor chip, an island of the lead frame, and external connection terminals are sealed with a resin from one surface, and the island and the external connection terminals are exposed on the other surface, the external connection terminals include a first external connection terminal disposed at a central part of each of sides of an outer rim of a semiconductor chip mounting region in which the semiconductor chip is to be mounted and a second external connection terminal outside the first external connection terminal at each of the sides of the outer rim of the semiconductor chip mounting region, wherein the first external connection terminal area exceeds the second external connection terminal's.

Abstract: A high-frequency power amplifier which can reduce a variation of power gain due to the dependence on gate length of a power amplification field effect transistor is provided. The high-frequency power amplifier comprises, over a semiconductor chip, a bias control circuit, a bias transistor and an amplification transistor which are coupled so as to configure a current mirror circuit, and a gate length monitor circuit comprising a replicating transistor. The amplification transistor amplifies an RF signal and a bias current of the bias control circuit is supplied to the bias transistor. The transistors are fabricated by the same semiconductor manufacturing process, and have the same variation of gate length. The gate length monitor circuit generates a detection voltage depending on the gate length. According to the detection voltage, the bias control circuit controls the bias current, thereby compensating the gate length dependence of transconductance of the amplification transistor.

Abstract: A light amplification circuit includes a photodiode PD with an epi-sub structure, an I/V conversion circuit that converts current output from the PD into a voltage, and a correction circuit that removes charge and discharge current, which is cause by a parasitic capacitance of the photodiode, from current output from the PD between the PD and the I/V conversion circuit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an external tool unit configured to provide a man-machine interface to a debugging user; and a microcontroller. The microcontroller includes: a CPU section configured to execute a program as a debugging target in a response to a first clock signal, wherein a clock rate of the first clock signal is changed in response to an instruction from the CPU section; a first transmitting section configured to transmit debugging data to the external tool unit in response to the first clock signal; a second transmitting section configured to transmit the debugging data to the external tool unit in response to a second clock signal which is different from the first clock signal; and a receiving section configured to receive data transmitted from the external tool unit.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes burying a conductive pattern in an insulating film made of SiOH, SiCOH or organic polymer, treating surfaces of the insulating film and the conductive pattern with plasma which includes a hydrocarbon gas as a treatment gas, and forming a diffusion barrier film, which is formed of an SiCH film, an SiCHN film, an SiCHO film or an SiCHON film, over the insulating film and the conductive pattern with performing a plasma CVD by adding an Si-containing gas to the treatment gas while increasing the addition amount gradually or in a step-by-step manner.