Abstract: First and second wells are formed in a semiconductor substrate. First and second trenches in the first second wells, respectively, each extend vertically and include a central conductor insulated by a first insulating layer. A second insulating layer is formed on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The second insulating layer is selectively thinned over the second trench. A polysilicon layer is deposited on the second insulating layer and then lithographically patterned to form: a first polysilicon portion over the first well that is electrically connected to the central conductor of the first trench to form a first capacitor plate, a second capacitor plate formed by the first well; and a second polysilicon portion over the second well forming a floating gate electrode of a floating gate transistor of a memory cell having an access transistor whose control gate is formed by the central conductor of the second trench.

Abstract: A capacitive element has its terminals coupled together by two thyristors electrically in antiparallel. The discharge of the capacitive element is controlled by the application of a gate current to one thyristor of the two thyristors which is in a reverse-biased state in response to a voltage stored across the terminals of the capacitive element. The reverse-biased thyristor responds to the applied gate current by passing a leakage current to discharge the stored voltage.

Abstract: A first electronic device includes a first near-field communication antenna and a second near-field communication antenna. The first and second near-field communication antennas of the first electronic device are alternately activated. The first antenna is dedicated to supporting communication between the first electronic device and a second electronic device. The second antenna is dedicated to support charging of the second electronic device.

Abstract: A decoder decodes a memory address and selectively drives a select line (such as a word line or mux line) of a memory. An encoding circuit encodes the data on select lines to generate an encoded address. The encoded address and the memory address are compared by a comparison circuit to generate a test result signal which is indicative of whether the decoder is operating properly. To test the comparison circuit for proper operation, a subset of an MBIST scan routine causes the encoded address to be blocked from the comparison circuit and a force signal to be applied in its place. A test signal from the scan routine and the force signal are then compared by the comparison circuit, with the test result signal generated from the comparison being indicative of whether the comparison circuit itself is operating properly.

Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is provided in circuits which use of a tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) or an impact ionization MOSFET (IMOS). These circuits are supported in silicon on insulator (SOI) and bulk substrate configurations to function as protection diodes, supply clamps, failsafe circuits and cutter cells. Implementations with parasitic bipolar devices provide additional parallel discharge paths.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first domain supplied with power at a first supply voltage. A first transistor comprising in the first domain includes a first gate region and a first gate dielectric region. A second domain is supply with power at a second supply voltage and includes a second transistor having a second gate region and a second gate dielectric region, the second gate region being biased at a voltage that is higher than the first supply voltage. The first and second gate dielectric regions have the same composition, wherein that composition configures the first transistor in a permanently turned off condition in response to a gate bias voltage lower than or equal to the first supply voltage. The second transistor is a floating gate memory cell transistor, with the second gate dielectric region located between the floating and control gates.

Abstract: A device includes a particle propagation channel, a particle deflector, a particle source, and a particle sink. The particle deflector facilitates ballistic transport of particles from a particle inflow portion through a particle flow deflection portion to a particle outflow portion. The particle deflector is arranged at the particle flow deflection portion and is activatable to deflect particles in the flow deflection portion and is configured to selectively prevent the particles from reaching the particle outflow portion. The particle source and particle sink are configured to cause a current path of the particles through the device.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) actuator device includes a frame, and a first functional sub-structure positioned within the frame and mechanically coupled thereto by supporting elements. The first functional sub-structure is subdivided into first and second portions. The first portion is subdivided into first and second sub-portions separated from one another by a first through trench, and the second portion is subdivided into first and second sub-portions separated from one another by a second through trench. First and second piezo-electric structures are respectively carried by the first and second sub-portions of the first portion. Third and fourth piezo-electric structures are respectively carried by the first and second sub-portions of the second portion. A third through trench extends between the frame and the first functional sub-structure except for regions in which the supporting elements are present.

Abstract: A delay independent differential hysteresis receiver. The differential hysteresis receiver uses two parallel paths in a first receiver stage, each path having a comparator with a dedicated offset on the complimentary inputs. A second receiver stage includes a hold circuit that brings the two parallel paths of the first receiver stage together to form a receiver hysteresis output.

Abstract: A processing system includes a digital processing unit, one or more non-volatile memories configured to store a firmware to be executed by the digital processing unit, a diagnostic circuit configured to execute a self-test operation of the processing system in response to a diagnostic mode enable signal, and a reset circuit. The reset circuit is configured to perform a complex reset of the processing system by generating a first reset of the processing system in response to a given event and generating a second reset of the processing system once the self-test operation has been executed. The processing system is configured to set the diagnostic mode enable signal in response to the first reset, thereby activating execution of the self-test operation.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit generates a charge pump output signal at a first node and is enabled by a charge pump control signal. A diode has first and second terminals coupled to first and second nodes. A comparator has an inverting input coupled to the second node and a non-inverting input coupled to a third node, and causes generation of the charge pump control signal. A first current mirror produces a first current at the second node, and a second current mirror produces a second current (equal in magnitude to the first current) at the third node. The first terminal and second terminals may be a cathode and an anode. The first current mirror may be a current sink sinking a first current from the second node. The second current mirror may be current source sourcing a second current (equal in magnitude to the first current) to the third node.

Abstract: A method of controlling the execution of a payment application by a mobile terminal, in near field communication with a payment device. The method includes transmitting an application selection request to the payment device, and verifying the application identifier received from the payment device against a list of authorized applications. The verification is performed by the circuit having the application selection request transiting therethrough.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to leadless semiconductor packages with improved wettable flanks that encourage the formation of solder fillets when the leadless semiconductor package is mounted to a substrate. The solder fillets are consistently formed and are easily detectable by inspection systems, such as automated optical inspection (AOI) systems.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an image sensor includes: first and second voltage rails; first and second regulators configured to generate first and second regulated voltage at the first and second voltage rails, respectively; and a plurality of pixels coupled to the first and second voltage rails. Each pixel includes: first and second transistor coupled first and second storage capacitor, respectively. A third transistor is coupled between a control terminal of the first transistor and the first or second voltage rails. The third transistor is configured to limit a slew rate of current flowing between the control terminal of the second transistor and the first or second voltage rails to a first slew rate when the image sensor operates in global shutter mode, and to a second slew rate when the image sensor operates in rolling mode, the first slew rate being smaller than the second slew rate.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes first zones containing integrated circuits, each first zone including a substrate and a sealing ring at a periphery of the substrate. The first zones are separated from each other by second zones defining cutting lines or paths. The integrated circuit includes an electrically conductive fuse that extends between a first location inside the integrated circuit and a second location situated outside the integrated circuit beyond one of the cutting lines. This electrically conductive fuse includes a portion that passes through the sealing ring and another portion that straddles the adjacent cutting line. The portion of the fuse that passes through is electrically isolated from the sealing ring and from the substrate. The straddling portion is configured to be sliced, when cutting the wafer along the cutting line, so as to cause the fuse to change from an electrical on state to an electrical off state.

Abstract: A blind opening is formed in a bottom surface of a semiconductor substrate to define a thin membrane suspended from a substrate frame. The thin membrane has a topside surface and a bottomside surface. A stress structure is mounted to one of the topside surface or bottomside surface of the thin membrane. The stress structure induces a bending of the thin membrane which defines a normal state for the thin membrane. Piezoresistors are supported by the thin membrane. In response to an applied pressure, the thin membrane is bent away from the normal state and a change in resistance of the piezoresistors is indicative of the applied pressure.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a proximity detection device. The proximity detection device includes one or more photodetectors and a readout circuit configured to sample one or more output signals from the one or more photodetectors at regular intervals throughout a detection period. The proximity detection device includes a pulse transmission circuit configured to transmit into the scene a first optical pulse having a first pulse duration and a second optical pulse having a second pulse duration that is at least 50 percent longer than the first pulse duration.

Abstract: An interconnect structure for use in coupling transistors in an integrated circuit is disclosed, including various configurations in which ferroelectric capacitors exhibiting negative capacitance are coupled in series with dielectric capacitors. In one embodiment, the negative capacitor includes a dielectric/ferroelectric bi-layer. When a negative capacitor is electrically coupled in series with a conventional dielectric capacitor, the series combination behaves like a stable ferroelectric capacitor for which the overall capacitance can be measured experimentally, and tuned to a desired value. The composite capacitance of a dielectric capacitor and a ferroelectric capacitor having negative capacitance coupled in series is, in theory, infinite, and in practice, very large. A series combination of positive and negative capacitors within a microelectronic interconnect structure can be used to make high capacity DRAM memory cells.

Abstract: The electrical relay device comprising a component of electrical relay type including a controllable motor, and a switching module including at least one fixed electrical contact, and at least one movable electrical contact that is mechanically coupled to the motor and configured to be placed, using the motor, in at least one position, referred to as the disconnected position, in which it does not make contact with a fixed electrical contact, or in at least one position, referred to as the connected position, in which it does make contact with the at least one fixed electrical contact.

Abstract: A method includes simultaneously controlling several transistors by a first signal and separately controlling the transistors by distinct second pulsed signals.