Abstract: Generally described, one or more embodiments are directed to semiconductor packages comprising a plurality of leads and methods of forming same. The plurality of leads include active leads that are electrically coupled to bond pads of a semiconductor die and thereby coupled to active components of the semiconductor die, and inactive leads that are not electrically coupled to bond pads of the semiconductor die. The active leads have surfaces that are exposed at a lower surface of the semiconductor package and forms lands, while the inactive leads are not exposed at the lower surface of the package.

Abstract: A control circuit and a method for delaying an electronic signal are provided, along with a time-to-digital converter including the control circuit. The example control circuit includes a first delay circuit having a first plurality of delay elements electrically connected in series and configured to generate a first control voltage associated with a first delay time. The control circuit further includes a second delay circuit having a second plurality of delay elements electrically connected at least in part in series. The second delay circuit is configured to generate a second control voltage associated with a second delay time. A first group of delay elements within the second plurality of delay elements exhibits the first delay time based on the first control voltage, and a second group of the second plurality of delay elements exhibits a second delay time based at least in part on the second control voltage.

Abstract: A sensor includes detection circuitry and control circuitry coupled to the detection circuitry. The detection circuitry generates a detection signal indicative of a detected physical quantity. The control circuitry, in operation receives the detection signal and a frequency-indication signal, and generates a trigger signal based on the frequency-indication signal and a set of local reference signals. The sensor generates a digital output signal and a locking signal based on the trigger signal and the detection signal. The generating the digital output signal includes outputting a sample of the digital output signal based on the trigger signal. The locking signal is temporally aligned with the digital output signal.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method of detection of a touch contact by a sensor including a first step of comparison of a voltage with a first voltage threshold; and a second step of comparison of the voltage with a second voltage threshold, the second step being implemented if the first voltage threshold has been reached within a duration shorter than a first duration threshold, the second voltage threshold being higher than the first voltage threshold.

Abstract: A level-shifter circuit receives one or more input signals in an input level domain and includes provides at an output node an output signal in an output level domain shifted with respect to the input level domain. The circuit includes output circuitry including a first drive node and a second drive node that receive first and second logical signals so that the output signal has a first output level or a second output level in the output level domain as a function of at least one of the first and second logical signals. The circuit includes first and second shift capacitors coupled to the first and second drive nodes as well as capacitor refresh circuitry.

Abstract: Single gate and dual gate FinFET devices suitable for use in an SRAM memory array have respective fins, source regions, and drain regions that are formed from portions of a single, contiguous layer on the semiconductor substrate, so that STI is unnecessary. Pairs of FinFETs can be configured as dependent-gate devices wherein adjacent channels are controlled by a common gate, or as independent-gate devices wherein one channel is controlled by two gates. Metal interconnects coupling a plurality of the FinFET devices are made of a same material as the gate electrodes. Such structural and material commonalities help to reduce costs of manufacturing high-density memory arrays.

Abstract: A diode and method of design the layout of the same having reduced parasitic capacitance is disclosed. In particular, the diode for providing fast response protection of an RF circuit from a high power noise event, such as an ESD, voltage spike, power surge or other noise is disclose. The parasitic capacitance in disclosed circuit is a greatly reduced compared to the prior art, thus significantly increasing the speed of the response to dissipate all high power noise events.

Abstract: A device includes an interface, which, in operation, couples to a non-volatile memory. The device includes circuitry coupled to the interface. The circuitry, in operation: reads a data configuration structure stored on the non-volatile memory, the data configuration structure being associated with a client circuit of a plurality of client circuits; and configures the client circuit, the configuring including writing data words of the data configuration structure to the client circuit, the writing including determining an address of the client circuit, the address being associated with at least one of the data words, the determining being based on number of data words in the data configuration structure.

Abstract: Methods and structures for forming strained-channel finFETs are described. Fin structures for finFETs may be formed in two epitaxial layers that are grown over a bulk substrate. A first thin epitaxial layer may be cut and used to impart strain to an adjacent channel region of the finFET via elastic relaxation. The structures exhibit a preferred design range for increasing induced strain and uniformity of the strain over the fin height.

Abstract: An output potential level among two first levels is delivered according to an input level among two second levels. The output potential level is delivered at a first node connecting together first and second transistors electrically in series between two second nodes of application of the first levels. A first DC voltage defining a high limit for the control voltage of the first transistor is delivered by a first voltage generator powered by one of the second nodes. A second DC voltage defining a high limit for the control voltage of the second transistor is delivered by a second voltage generator controlled by a value representative of the first voltage and powered between the second nodes.

Abstract: An electronic device has an input which, in operation, receives an input stream of accelerometer data samples indicative of acceleration values along at least one axis. The devices includes circuitry, coupled to the input. The circuitry, in operation, executes an automatic-learning algorithm on blocks of samples of the input stream of accelerometer data samples to identify, for each block, a corresponding condition-of-user-movement from among a plurality of determined conditions-of-user-movement. The circuitry generates a plurality of streams of samples based on the input stream of accelerometer data samples, and for each condition of movement identified, selects a corresponding stream of samples of the plurality of streams of samples. The circuitry executes a wrist-tilt gesture detection algorithm using samples of the selected stream of the plurality of streams of samples.

Abstract: One or more keys are derived from a master key by executing a plurality of encryption operations. A first encryption operation uses the master key to encrypt a plaintext input having a plurality of bytes. Multiple intermediate encryption operations are performed using a respective intermediate key generated by a previous encryption operation to encrypt respective plaintext inputs having a number of bytes. At least two bytes of a plaintext input have values based on a respective set of bits of a plurality of sets of bits of an initialization vector, wherein individual bits of the respective set of bits are introduced into respective individual bytes of the plaintext input and the respective set of bits has at least two bits and at most a number of bits equal to the number of bytes of the plaintext input.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a scan chain circuit comprising cascaded flip-flops having a functional input node and a test input node configured to be selectively coupled to logic circuitry at a clock edge time. A clock line is provided configured to distribute one or more clock signals to the flip-flops in the chain, wherein the flip-flops in the chain have active clock edges applied thereto at respective clock edge times. The chain of flip-flops comprise a set of flip-flops configured to receive an edge inversion signal and to selectively invert their active clock edges in response to the edge inversion signal being asserted.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a memory device including a memory plane having non-volatile memory cells and being non-observable in read mode from outside the memory device, a controller, internal to the memory device, configured to detect the memorized content of the memory plane, and when the memorized content contains locking content, automatically lock any access to the memory plane from outside the memory device, the integrated circuit then being in a locked status, and authorize delivery outside the memory device of at least one sensitive datum stored in the memory plane.

Abstract: An active flyback converter is transitioned between a plurality of operational states based on a comparison of a control voltage signal to voltage thresholds and a count of a number of consecutive switching cycles during which a clamp switch is kept off. The plurality of operational states includes a run state, an idle state, a first burst state, and a second burst state. Each set of consecutive switching cycles of the first burst state includes a determined number of switching cycles during which signals are generated to turn the power switch on and off and to maintain an off state of the clamp switch, and a switching cycle in a determined position in the set of switching cycles during which signals are sequentially generated to turn the power switch on, turn the power switch off, turn the clamp switch on and turn the clamp switch off.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide a device for measuring the flow of fluid inside a tube moved by a peristaltic pump is provided with: a detection electrode arrangement coupled to the tube to detect an electrostatic charge variation originated by the mechanical action of the peristaltic pump on the tube; a signal processing stage, electrically coupled to the detection electrode arrangement to generate an electrical charge variation signal; and a processing unit, coupled to the signal processing stage to receive and process in the frequency domain the electrical charge variation signal to obtain information on the flow of a fluid that flows through the tube based on the analysis of frequency characteristics of the electrical charge variation signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas sensor device that detects gases with large molecules (e.g., a gas with a molecular weight between 150 g/mol and 450 g/mol), such as siloxanes. The gas sensor device includes a thin film gas sensor and a bulk film gas sensor. The thin film gas sensor and the bulk film gas sensor each include a semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) film, a heater, and a temperature sensor. The SMO film of the thin film gas sensor is an thin film (e.g., between 90 nanometers and 110 nanometers thick), and the SMO film of the bulk film gas sensor is an thick film (e.g., between 5 micrometers and 20 micrometers thick). The gas sensor device detects gases with large molecules based on a variation between resistances of the SMO thin film and the SMO thick film.

Abstract: Unclonable function circuitry includes a plurality of pairs of phase-change memory cells in a virgin state, and sensing circuitry coupled to the plurality of pairs of phase-change memory cells in the virgin state. The sensing circuitry identifies a subset of the plurality of pairs of phase-change memory cells in the virgin state based on a reliability mask. Signs of differences of effective resistance values of the identified subset of the plurality of pairs of phase-change memory cells in the virgin state are sensed by the sensing circuitry. The sensing circuitry generates a string of bits based on the sensed signs of differences in the effective resistance values of the identified subset of the plurality of pairs of phase-change memory cells in the virgin state. Processing circuitry coupled to the unclonable function circuitry, in operation, executes one or more operations using the generated string of bits.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising: a semiconductor body of silicon carbide, SiC, having a first and a second face, opposite to one another along a first direction, which presents positive-charge carriers at said first face that form a positive interface charge; a first conduction terminal, which extends at the first face of the semiconductor body; a second conduction terminal, which extends on the second face of the semiconductor body; a channel region in the semiconductor body, configured to house, in use, a flow of electrons between the first conduction terminal and the second conduction terminal; and a trapping layer, of insulating material, which extends in electrical contact with the semiconductor body at said channel region and is designed so as to present electron-trapping states that generate a negative charge such as to balance, at least in part, said positive interface charge.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a reconfigurable stream switch and an arithmetic circuit. The stream switch, in operation, streams data. The arithmetic circuit has a plurality of inputs coupled to the reconfigurable stream switch. In operation, the arithmetic circuit generates an output according to AX+BY+C, where A, B and C are vector or scalar constants, and X and Y are data streams streamed to the arithmetic circuit through the reconfigurable stream switch.