Abstract: A trench in a semiconductor substrate is lined with a first insulation layer. A hard mask layer deposited on the first insulation layer is used to control performance of an etch that selectively removes a first portion of the first insulating layer from an upper trench portion while leaving a second portion of first insulating layer in a lower trench portion. After removing the hard mask layer, an upper portion of the trench is lined with a second insulation layer. An opening in the trench that includes a lower open portion delimited by the second portion of first insulating layer in the lower trench portion and an upper open portion delimited by the second insulation layer at the upper trench portion, is then filled by a single deposition of polysilicon material forming a unitary gate/field plate conductor of a field effect rectifier diode.

Abstract: A cap is mounted to a support substrate, the cap including a cap body and an optical shutter. The cap and support substrate define a housing. An electronic chip is disposed in the housing above the support substrate. A face of the electronic chip supports an optical device that is optically coupled with the optical shutter. The cap body is thermally conductive. Within the housing, a thermally conductive linking structure is coupled in a thermally conductive manner between the cap body and the electronic chip. The thermally conductive linking structure surrounds the electronic chip. A thermal interface material fills a portion of the housing between the thermally conductive linking structure and the cap body.

Abstract: A row decoder located on one side of a memory array selectively drives word lines in response to a row address. A word line fault detection circuit located on an opposite side of the first memory array operates to detect an open word line fault between the opposed sides of the memory array. The word line fault detection circuit includes a first clamp circuit that operates to clamp the word lines to ground. An encoder circuit encodes signals on the word lines to generate an encoded address. The encoded address is compared to the row address by a comparator circuit which sets an error flag indicating the open word line fault has been detected if the encoded address does not match the row address.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a near-field communications circuit, comprising: a near-field communications controller; a matching network; and a switch, wherein the switch has one or more inputs, coupled to one or more outputs of the near-field communications controller via the matching network, and a plurality of outputs, each output being suitable for coupling the switch to a corresponding one of a plurality of near-field communications antennas.

Abstract: A substrate has an active area including first and second doped regions separated by portions of the substrate. Gates are located over the active area, each gate formed extending over a portion of the substrate separating adjacent first and second doped regions. A length of the doped regions is greater than other devices within the substrate that have a same gate oxide thickness. A first metallization layer has first electrical connectors between each of the first doped regions and a gate immediately adjacent thereto, and second electrical connectors connected to each of the second doped regions. A second metallization layer has a first electrical connector connected to each first electrical connector of the first metallization layer, and a second electrical connector connected to each second electrical connector of the first metallization layer, with the second electrical connector of the second metallization layer not overlapping the gates.

Abstract: The charge transfer transistors of a positive or negative charge pump are biased at their gate terminals with a control voltage that provides for an higher level of gate-to-source voltage in order to reduce switch resistance in passing a boosted (positive or negative) voltage to a voltage output of the charge pump. This control voltage is generated using a bootstrapping circuit whose polarity of operation (i.e., negative or positive) is opposite to a polarity (i.e., positive or negative) of the charge pump.

Abstract: A glitch filter is provided. The glitch filter receives an input signal and sets a voltage level of an intermediary input node in accordance with a state of the input signal. The glitch filter charges or discharges a switched capacitance based on the voltage level of the intermediary input node and charges or discharges a filter capacitance based on a charge of the switched capacitance. The glitch filter sets a state of an output signal based on the charge of the filter capacitance. The glitch filter includes a reset stage that at least partially filters a burst of glitches in the input signal from the output signal by controlling the charge of the switched capacitance based on the state of the input signal and the state of the output signal.

Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a switch coupled between an input terminal intended to receive a first voltage and an output terminal coupled to a decoupling capacitor and intended to also be coupled to a load. A comparison stage is configured to compare the first voltage and a second voltage that is present at the output terminal. A first adjustment stage is configured to limit a positive inrush current flowing between the input terminal and the output terminal and a second adjustment stage is configured to limit a negative inrush current flowing between the output terminal and the input terminal. A control circuit is configured to activate either the first adjustment stage or the second adjustment stage as a function of a result of the comparison.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical structure includes a body of semiconductor material having a fixed frame internally defining a cavity, a mobile mass elastically suspended in the cavity and movable with a first resonant movement about a first rotation axis and with a second resonant movement about a second rotation axis, orthogonal to the first axis. First and second pairs of supporting elements, extending in cantilever fashion in the cavity, are rigidly coupled to the frame, and are piezoelectrically deformable to cause rotation of the mobile mass about the first and second rotation axes. First and second pairs of elastic-coupling elements are elastically coupled between the mobile mass and the first and the second pairs of supporting elements. The first and second movements of rotation of the mobile mass are decoupled from one another and do not interfere with one another due to the elastic-coupling elements of the first and second pairs.

Abstract: An input node is configured to receive a supply signal which may be of a first polarity or a second polarity opposite the first polarity. A high input current circuit couples the input node to an output node through at least one power transistor having a control electrode. A low input current circuit couples a supply current from the input node to control circuit configured to control the power transistor. A circuit is provided to detect polarity reversal with respect to the supply signal. A protection circuit for the low input current circuit operates to decouple the control circuit from the input node if the supply signal has the second polarity. A protection circuit for the high input current circuit operates to short-circuit the control electrode of the power transistor to the current path provided by the power transistor between the input node and the output node.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electronic device includes locally implanting ionic species into a first region of a silicon nitride layer and into a first region of an electrically insulating layer located under the first region of the silicon nitride layer. A second region of the silicon nitride layer and a region of the electrically insulating layer located under the second region of the silicon nitride layer are protected from the implantation. The electrically insulating layer is disposed between a semi-conducting substrate and the silicon nitride layer. At least one trench is formed extending into the semi-conducting substrate through the silicon nitride layer and the electrically insulating layer. The trench separates the first region from the second region of the electrically insulating layer. The electrically insulating layer is selectively etched, and the etch rate of the electrically insulating layer in the first region is greater than the etch rate in the second region.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system that is configured to eject fluid vertically away from a thermal microfluidic die for use with scented oils or other fluids. The die is coupled to a rigid planar support board that separates the die from a reservoir of the fluid. The support board includes an opening that is lined with an inert liner that protects an interior surface of the support board from the fluid. The support board includes contact to an external power supply and contacts to the die on a first surface. The die is coupled to this first surface such that the second surface remains free of electrical connections.

Abstract: Semiconductor dice are arranged on a substrate such as a leadframe. Each semiconductor die is provided with electrically-conductive protrusions (such as electroplated pillars or bumps) protruding from the semiconductor die opposite the substrate. Laser direct structuring material is molded onto the substrate to cover the semiconductor dice arranged thereon, with the molding operation leaving a distal end of the electrically-conductive protrusion to be optically detectable at the surface of the laser direct structuring material. Laser beam processing the laser direct structuring material is then performed with laser beam energy applied at positions of the surface of the laser direct structuring material which are located by using the electrically-conductive protrusions optically detectable at the surface of the laser direct structuring material as a spatial reference.

Abstract: A MEMS inertial sensor includes a supporting structure and an inertial structure. The inertial structure includes at least one inertial mass, an elastic structure, and a stopper structure. The elastic structure is mechanically coupled to the inertial mass and to the supporting structure so as to enable a movement of the inertial mass along a first direction, when the supporting structure is subjected to an acceleration parallel to the first direction. The stopper structure is fixed with respect to the supporting structure and includes at least one primary and one secondary stopper elements. If the acceleration exceeds a first threshold value, the inertial mass abuts against the primary stopper element and subsequently rotates about an axis of rotation defined by the primary stopper element. If the acceleration exceeds a second threshold value, rotation of the inertial mass terminates when the inertial mass abuts against the secondary stopper element.

Abstract: An estimate of unit current element mismatch error in a digital to analog converter circuit is obtained through a correlation process. Unit current elements of the digital to analog converter circuit are actuated by bits of a thermometer coded signal generated in response to a quantization output signal. A correlation circuit generates the estimates of the unit current element mismatch error from a correlation of a first signal derived from the thermometer coded signal and a second signal derived from the quantization output signal.

Abstract: Semiconductor chips are arranged on an elongated substrate and encapsulated by an insulating encapsulation. Electrically conductive formations and electrically conductive plating lines are plated on the insulating encapsulation using, for example, Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) or Direct Copper Interconnect (DCI) material. The electrically conductive plating lines include first transverse plating lines as well as second plating lines branching out from the first plating lines towards the electrically conductive formations. A first partial cutting step is then performed to form grooves which remove the first plating lines. An insulating material is dispensed in the grooves to encapsulate the end portions of the second plating lines. A second cutting step median along the groove and through the elongate substrate is performed to produce singulated semiconductor devices (such as “die pad up” Quad-Flat No-lead (QFN) packages). End portions of the second plating lines are encapsulated by the insulating material.

Abstract: One or more semiconductor dice are arranged on a substrate. The semiconductor die or dice have a first surface adjacent the substrate and a second surface facing away from the substrate. Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) processing is applied to the semiconductor die or dice to form fiducial markers on the second surface of the semiconductor die or dice. Laser direct structuring (LDS) material is molded onto the substrate. The fiducial markers on the second surface of the semiconductor die or dice are optically detectable at the surface of the LDS material. Laser beam processing is applied to the molded LDS material at spatial positions located as a function of the optically detected fiducial markers to provide electrically conductive formations for the semiconductor die or dice.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by a semiconductor part with a semiconductor substrate and an interconnection part including levels of metals. An electrostatic-discharge sensor includes a semiconductor structure in the semiconductor part and a network of metal antennas in the interconnection part. The electrostatic-discharge sensor has at least one pair of two nodes having one of a resistive link or a capacitive link or a PN-junction link in the semiconductor structure. The antennas of the network of antennas coupled to the nodes of the least one pair of two nodes exhibit an asymmetry in one or more of shape and size.

Abstract: A redistribution layer for an integrated circuit is made by forming a conductive interconnection layer; forming a conductive body in electrical contract with the interconnection layer; and covering the conductive body with a first coating layer having a thickness less than 100 nm. The first coating layer is configured to provide a protection against oxidation and/or corrosion of the conductive body. To carry out an electrical test of the integrated circuit, a testing probe locally perforates the first coating layer until the conductive body is electrically contacted by the testing probe.

Abstract: A support substrate has a mounting face with a metal heat transfer layer. Holes are provided to extend at least partially through the metal heat transfer layer. Metal heat transfer elements are disposed in the holes of the metal heat transfer layer of the support substrate. An electronic integrated circuit (IC) chip has a rear face that is fixed to the mounting face of the support substrate via a layer of adhesive material. The metal heat transfer elements disposed in the holes of the metal layer of the support substrate extend to protrude, relative to the mounting face of the support substrate, into the layer of adhesive material.