Abstract: A memory cell includes a substrate layer, with a plurality of silicided semiconductor fins stacked on the substrate layer and spaced apart from one another. A first metal liner layer is stacked on the plurality of silicided semiconductor fins and on the substrate layer. A plurality of first contact pillars are stacked on the first metal liner layer adjacent a different respective one of the plurality of silicided semiconductor fins. A configurable resistance structure covers portions of the first metal liner layer that are stacked on the substrate layer and portions of the first metal liner layer that are stacked on each of the plurality of silicided semiconductor fins. A metal fill layer is stacked on the configurable resistance structure. A plurality of second contact pillars ism stacked on the metal fill layer adjacent a space between a different pair of adjacent silicided semiconductor fins of the plurality thereof.

Abstract: Described herein is a MEMS acoustic transducer device provided with a micromechanical detection structure that detects acoustic-pressure waves and supplies a transduced electrical quantity, and with an integrated circuit operatively coupled to the micromechanical detection structure and having a reading module that generates at output an audio signal as a function of the transduced electrical quantity. The integrated circuit is further provided with a recognition module, which recognizes a sound activity event associated to the transduced electrical quantity. The MEMS acoustic transducer has an output that supplies at output a data signal that carries information regarding recognition of the sound activity event.

Abstract: A reflector micromechanical structure includes a frame with a window. The frame is elastically connected to an anchorage structure by first elastic elements. An actuation structure operatively coupled to the frame is configured to generate a first actuation movement of the frame about a first actuation axis. A mobile mass is positioned within the window and elastically coupled to the frame by second elastic elements. A mass distribution is associated to the mobile mass such as to generate, by an inertial effect in response to the first actuation movement, a second actuation movement of rotation of the mobile mass about a second actuation axis.

Abstract: A fly-back type switched current regulator includes a primary transformer winding coupled to receive a rectified DC signal derived from an AC signal. The drain of a power transistor is coupled to the primary winding, with the source of the power transistor coupled to an input of a comparison circuit and a primary transformer winding sense resistor. A control terminal of the power transistor is coupled to an output of the comparison circuit. A capacitor stores a variable reference signal for application at a first capacitor terminal to another input of the differential circuit. The variable reference signal is compared to a winding current signal generated by the sense resistor by the comparison circuit. An injection circuit applies an AC signal derived from the rectified DC signal to a second terminal of the capacitor so as to modulate the stored variable reference signal. The regulator is coupled to drive LEDs.

Abstract: A device includes an OLED pixel and a control circuit controlled at a refresh rate thereof. The device includes first and second dummy control circuits having similar operating characteristics to the control circuit. A controller and logic circuit switch on the first and second dummy control circuits and apply an input voltage so the first and second dummy control circuits output first and second output voltages. At a first time, the controller and logic circuit switch off the second dummy control circuit so a leakage current flows through the second dummy control circuit to ground, causing the second output voltage to reduce. Comparison circuitry determines a second time at which, due to the reduction of the second output voltage, a difference between the first and second output voltages is greater than a threshold. Determination circuitry determines the refresh frequency based upon elapsed time between the first and second times.

Abstract: A method is for processing an analog channel signal from a transmission channel. The method may include converting of the analog channel signal to a digital channel signal, and performing a channel estimation digital processing of the digital channel signal. The channel estimation digital processing may include for at least one frame, generating transfer functions of the transmission channel, the transfer functions respectively associated with reference symbols of the frame, and averaging processing of the transfer functions to generate an average transfer function. The method may include decoding of symbols of the frame following the reference symbols using the average transfer function.

Abstract: A class-D amplifier includes a signal processing block. The signal processing block generates a first processed signal representing a difference between a first differential signal and a second differential signal, when a duty cycle of the first differential signal is greater than that of the second differential signal. The signal processing block generates the first processed signal representing a reference DC level, when the duty cycle of the first differential signal is less than that of the second differential signal. A second processed signal representing a difference between the second differential signal and the first differential signal is generated when the duty cycle of the second differential signal is greater than that of the first differential signal, and the second processed signal representing the reference DC level is generated when the duty cycle of the second differential signal is less than that of the first differential signal.

Abstract: A resistive microelectronic fluid sensor implemented as an integrated voltage divider circuit can sense the presence of a fluid within a fluid reservoir, identify the fluid, and monitor fluid temperature or volume. Such a sensor has biomedical, industrial, and consumer product applications. After fluid detection, the fluid can be expelled from the reservoir and replenished with a fresh supply of fluid. A depression at the bottom of the sample reservoir allows a residual fluid to remain undetected so as not to skew the measurements. Electrodes can sense variations in the resistivity of the fluid, indicating a change in the fluid chemical composition, volume, or temperature. Such fluctuations that can be electrically sensed by the voltage divider circuit can be used as a thermal actuator to trigger ejection of all or part of the fluid sample.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a movable mirror system to selectively reflect an incident image projection beam traveling along a first path toward a second path different than a first path. The image projection beam displays a corrected image at a first location but would otherwise display an uncorrected image at a second location when the movable mirror system reflects the image projection beam toward the second path. The electronic device also includes an optical correction system having at least one corrective optic element to correct the image projection beam to display a corrected image at the second location when the movable mirror system reflects the image projection beam toward the second path.

Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to a microfluidic delivery system that dispenses a fluid in a direction that, at least in part, opposes gravity. In one embodiment, the microfluidic delivery system includes a microfluidic refill cartridge that is configured to be placed in a housing. The microfluidic refill cartridge includes at least one nozzle that faces upward or off to a side. The microfluidic refill cartridge includes a fluid transport member that allows fluid to travel upward from a fluid reservoir in opposition to gravity. A fluid path is located above the fluid transport member placing an end of the fluid transport member in fluid communication with a chamber and a nozzle. In response to the microfluidic delivery system receiving an electrical signal, an ejection element is configured to cause fluid in the chamber to be expelled through the nozzle.

Abstract: A circuit for reading a memory cell of a non-volatile memory device provided with a memory array with cells arranged in wordlines and bitlines, among which a first bitline, associated to the memory cell, and a second bitline, has: a first circuit branch associated to the first bitline and a second circuit branch associated to the second bitline, each with a local node, coupled to which is a first dividing capacitor, and a global node, coupled to which is a second dividing capacitor; a decoder stage for coupling the local node to the first or second bitlines and coupling the global node to the local node; and a differential comparator stage supplies an output signal indicative of the datum stored; and a control unit for controlling the decoder stage, the coupling stage, and the differential comparator stage for generation of the output signal.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously manufacturing First and second pixels respectively shielded on a first and on a second side are simultaneously manufactured using a process wherein a first insulator is deposited on an active area. A first metal level is deposited and defined, with a first mask, to form a shield on the first side of the first pixel and on the second side of the second pixel, and a line opposite to the shield. A second insulator is deposited, and via openings therein are defined, with a second mask. An overlying second metal level is deposited and defined, with a third mask, to form two connection areas covering the via openings on each side of the first and second pixels. The second and third masks are identical for the first and second pixels.

Abstract: A phase change memory device includes two portions with local bitlines connected to memory cells. A reading stage is configured to read logic data stored by the first and second memory cells. A first main bitline extends between the reading stage and the first local bitlines and a first main switch is coupled between the first main bitline and reading stage and likewise for the second portion. Local switches are associated with respective ones of the local bitlines. A first reference signal generator is coupled to the reading stage. The phase change memory device is configured to operate in a first reading mode, in which the logic data stored by the first memory cell is read by the reading stage by comparison with the reference signal.

Abstract: A method for multi-touch integrity sensing for a multi-touch capacitive touch screen is disclosed. By determining the integrity of touches, a distinction is identified between wanted touches, such as via a finger or stylus, and unwanted touches such as via foreign matter, errors, and the like.

Abstract: A structure includes a substrate having an upper surface provided with recesses and coated with a continuous barrier layer topped with a continuous copper layer filling at least the recesses. The structure is planarized by a chemical-mechanical polishing of the copper, such a polishing being selective with respect to the barrier layer so that copper remains in the recesses and is coplanar with the upper surface of the substrate. Two such structures are then direct bonded to each other (copper to copper) with opposite areas having a same topology.

Abstract: A dual width SOI FinFET is disclosed in which different portions of a strained fin have different widths. A method of fabrication of such a dual width FinFET entails laterally recessing the strained fin in the source and drain regions using a wet chemical etching process so as to maintain a high degree of strain in the fin while trimming the widths of fin portions in the source and drain regions to less than 5 nm. The resulting FinFET features a wide portion of the fin in the channel region underneath the gate, and a narrower portion of the fin in the source and drain regions. An advantage of the narrower fin is that it can be more easily doped during the growth of the epitaxial raised source and drain regions.

Abstract: A current mirror circuit includes an input current leg and an output current leg. The input current leg includes: a first bipolar junction transistor (BJT) having a collector terminal configured to receive an input current sourced at a current node and a first metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) having a gate terminal coupled to the current node and a source terminal coupled to a base terminal of the first BJT. The output current leg includes: a second BJT having a collector terminal configured to supply an output current and a second MOSFET having a gate terminal coupled to the current node and a source terminal coupled to a base terminal of the second BJT.

Abstract: A photonic integrated device includes a first waveguide and a second waveguide. The first and second waveguides are mutually coupled at a junction region the includes a bulge region.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a current comparator to generate an output current based upon a difference between a current flowing in an output branch and a current flowing in an input branch. A pair of transistors is coupled to an output of the current comparator. A first amplifier has inputs coupled to the pair of transistors and to a reference voltage, the first amplifier being configured to subtract the reference voltage from a voltage across the pair of transistors and output a difference voltage. A second amplifier has inputs coupled to the difference voltage and to the reference voltage, the second amplifier being configured to subtract the difference voltage from the reference voltage and output a pulse skipping mode reference signal.

Abstract: A photosensor is formed within a semiconductor substrate layer having a front side and a back side. An isolation structure delimits an active region of the semiconductor substrate layer which includes a charge collecting region. The front side of semiconductor substrate layer includes a charge transfer circuit. A reflecting mirror is mounted at the back side of the semiconductor substrate layer. The reflecting mirror includes a pupil opening configured to admit light into the active region at the back side. An underside reflective surface of the reflecting mirror is configured to reflect light received from the active region back into the active region.