Abstract: A method of fabrication, including the steps for supplying a substrate including a layer of semiconductor material covered by a sacrificial gate including a sacrificial gate insulator including a middle part, and edges covered by sacrificial spacers and having a thickness tox; removal of the sacrificial gate insulator and the sacrificial gate material; formation of a conformal deposition of thickness thk of dielectric material inside of the groove formed in order to form a gate insulator, with tox>thk?tox/2; formation of a gate electrode within the groove; removal of the sacrificial spacers so as to open up edges of the gate insulator layer; formation of spacers on the edges of the gate insulator layer on either side of the gate electrode, these spacers having a dielectric constant at the most equal to 3.5.

Abstract: An all-around gate field-effect transistor includes two drain-source areas supported by a semiconductor substrate. At least one channel region, surrounded with a gate insulated by a gate insulator, extends between the two drain-source areas. The at least one channel region is located above an insulating layer resting on the substrate and positioned between the two drain-source areas. This insulating layer has a thickness-to-permittivity ratio at least 2 times greater than that of the gate insulator. An extension of the insulating layer is positioned to insulate at least one of the channel regions from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A transfer gate transistor includes a semiconductor substrate including a charge collection source region, a portion forming a channel region and a top region forming a drain region. A trench in the substrate surrounds the top region and the portion of the substrate. A vertical insulated gate structure for the transistor is formed in the trench. The vertical insulated gate structure includes an insulating liner on sidewalls and a bottom of said trench and an electrode including an upper conductive part and a lower conductive part. A width of the upper conductive part parallel to an upper surface of the substrate increases as depth from the upper surface of the substrate increases. A thickness of the insulating liner adjacent the upper conductive part decreases as depth from the upper surface of the substrate increases. A thickness of the insulating liner adjacent the lower conductive part is substantially constant.

Abstract: A germanium waveguide is formed from a P-type silicon substrate that is coated with a heavily-doped N-type germanium layer and a first N-type doped silicon layer. Trenches are etched into the silicon substrate to form a stack of a substrate strip, a germanium strip, and a first silicon strip. This structure is then coated with a silicon nitride layer.

Abstract: An E/O phase modulator may include a waveguide having an insulating substrate, a single-crystal silicon strip and a polysilicon strip of a same thickness and doped with opposite conductivity types above the insulating substrate, and an insulating interface layer between the single-crystal silicon strip and polysilicon strip. Each of the single-crystal silicon strip and polysilicon strip may be laterally continued by a respective extension, and a respective electrical contact coupled to each extension.

Abstract: A system on a chip includes at least one integrated circuit that is configured to operate at least at one operating point. A monitoring circuit acquires at least the cumulative duration of activity of the at least one integrated circuit. An evaluation circuit establish at least one instantaneous state of aging of the at least one integrated circuit based on the at least one cumulative duration of activity. An adjustment circuit operates to change the at least one operating point on the basis of the at least one state of aging of the at least one integrated circuit.

Abstract: A system-on-a-chip includes an integrated circuit and an estimation circuit. The estimation circuit operates to acquire at least one physical parameter representative of the use of the integrated circuit and determine an instantaneous state of aging of the integrated circuit as a function of the at least one physical parameter. A margin of use of the integrated circuit is then calculated by comparing the instantaneous state of aging with a presumed state of aging.

Abstract: An intermediate signal is separated into a first sub-signal and a second sub-signal according to a separation coefficient having a known real value. The first sub-signal is delivered to a first photonic circuit containing at least one photonic device to be characterized and a first photonic part. The second sub-signal is delivered to a second photonic circuit containing a second photonic part having a same transfer function as the first photonic part but lacking the at least one photonic device. Optical output signals from the first and second photonic circuits are converted into first and second electrical signals. Losses of the at least one photonic device are determined from processing the electrical signals and from the known real value of the separation coefficient.

Abstract: A PNP transistor is manufactured in parallel with the manufacture of NPN, NMOS, and PMOS transistors. A first semiconductor layer is deposited on a P-type doped semiconductor substrate and divided into first, second, and third regions, with the third region forming the base. An insulating well is deeply implanted into the substrate. First and second third wells, respectively of N-type and P-type are formed to extend between the second region and third region and the insulating well. A third well of P-type is formed below the third region to provide the collector. Insulating layers are deposited over the third region and patterned to form an opening. Epitaxial growth of a second P-type doped semiconductor layer is performed in the opening to provide the emitter.

Abstract: A device includes both low-voltage (LV) and high-voltage (HV) metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors of opposite types. Gate stacks for the transistors are formed over a semiconductor layer. First spacers made of a first insulator are provided on the gate stacks of the LV and HV MOS transistors. Second spacers made of a second insulator are provided on the gate stacks of the HV MOS transistors only. The insulators are selectively removed to expose the semiconductor layer. Epitaxial growth of semiconductor material is made from the exposed semiconductor layer to form raised source-drain structures that are separated from the gate stacks by the first spacers for the LV MOS transistors and the second spacers for the HV MOS transistors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit may include an SOI substrate having a buried insulating layer, and a semiconductor film above the buried insulating layer. The semiconductor film may have first patterns in a first zone defining gate regions of first MOS transistors and also first dummy gate regions. The first zone may include two domains having a space therebetween, and the space may be filled by at least one insulating material and be situated between two dummy gate regions above a region of the supporting substrate without any insulating trench.

Abstract: A pixel includes a semiconductor layer with a charge accumulation layer extending in the semiconductor layer. A transistor has a read region penetrating into said semiconductor layer down to a first depth. An insulating wall penetrates into the semiconductor layer from an upper surface and containing an insulated conductor connected to a node of application of a potential. The insulating wall includes at least a portion provided with a deep insulating plug penetrating into the insulated conductor down to a second depth greater than the first depth. A continuous portion of the insulating wall laterally delimits, at least partially, a charge accumulation area and includes a wall portion with the deep insulating plug at least partially laterally delimiting the read region of the transistor.

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 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: 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.

Abstract: A pixel includes a semiconductor layer with a charge accumulation layer extending in the semiconductor layer. A transistor has a read region penetrating into said semiconductor layer down to a first depth. An insulating wall penetrates into the semiconductor layer from an upper surface and containing an insulated conductor connected to a node of application of a potential. The insulating wall includes at least a portion provided with a deep insulating plug penetrating into the insulated conductor down to a second depth greater than the first depth. A continuous portion of the insulating wall laterally delimits, at least partially, a charge accumulation area and includes a wall portion with the deep insulating plug at least partially laterally delimiting the read region of the transistor.

Abstract: A color image sensor including an array of pixels is formed in a semiconductor layer having a back side that receives an illumination. Insulated conductive walls penetrate into the semiconductor layer from the back side and separate the pixels from one another. For each pixel, a color pixel penetrates into from 5 to 30% of a thickness of the semiconductor layer from the back side and occupies at least 90% of the surface area delimited by the walls. An electrically-conductive layer extends from the lateral wall of the filter all the way to the walls.

Abstract: An electronic component includes a semiconductor layer having a first surface coated with a first insulating layer and a second surface coated with an interconnection structure. A laterally insulated conductive pin extends through the semiconductor layer from a portion of conductive layer of the interconnection structure all the way to a contact pad arranged at the level of the first insulating layer.

Abstract: Each pixel of a global shutter back-side illuminated image sensor includes a photosensitive area. On a front surface, a first transistor includes a vertical ring-shaped electrode penetrating into the photosensitive area and laterally delimiting a memory area. The memory area penetrates into the photosensitive area less deeply than the insulated vertical ring-shaped electrode. A read area is formed in an intermediate area which is formed in the memory area. The memory area, the intermediate area and read area define a second transistor having an insulated horizontal electrode forming a gate of the second transistor. The memory area may be formed by a first and second memory areas and an output signal is generated indicative of a difference between charge stored in the first memory area and charge stored in the second memory area after a charge transfer to the first memory area.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit (1), comprising: a field-effect transistor (2), comprising: first and second conduction electrodes (201, 202); a channel zone (203) arranged between the first and second conduction electrodes; a gate stack (220) arranged vertically in line with the channel zone, and comprising a gate electrode (222); an RRAM-type memory point (31) formed under the channel zone, or formed in the gate stack under the gate electrode.