Abstract: A semiconductor substrate includes excavations which form trenches sunk. A capacitive element includes: a first dielectric envelope conforming to sides and bottoms of the trenches; a first semiconductor layer conforming to a surface of the first dielectric envelope in the trenches; a second dielectric envelope conforming to a surface of the first semiconductor layer in the trenches; and a second semiconductor layer conforming to a surface of the second dielectric envelope in the trenches.

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 method includes detecting, by a first near-field communication device, the presence of a second near-field communication device. In a case where the second device is intended to be charged in near-field by the first device, the method further includes adjusting, by a control device, an impedance of an impedance matching circuit forming part of a near-field communication circuit of the first device.

Abstract: An embodiment transistor comprises a semiconductor drain region delimited by a first trench, and, in the first trench, a first electrically conductive element electrically coupled to a node of application of a potential closer to a drain potential of the transistor than to a source potential of the transistor.

Abstract: An ultralong time constant time measurement device includes elementary capacitive elements that are connected in series. Each elementary capacitive element is formed by a stack of a first conductive region, a dielectric layer having a thickness suited for allowing charge to flow by direct tunnelling effect, and a second conductive region. The first conductive region is housed in a trench extending from a front face of a semiconductor substrate down into the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer rests on the first face of the semiconductor substrate and in particular on a portion of the first conductive region in the trench. The second conductive region rests on the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A first integrated circuit chip is assembled to a second integrated circuit chip with a back-to-back surface relationship. The back surfaces of the integrated circuit chips are attached to each other using one or more of an adhesive, solder or molecular bonding. The back surface of at least one the integrated circuit chips is processed to include at least one of a trench, a cavity or a saw cut.

Abstract: An embodiment method for determining a carry digit indicator bit of a first binary datum includes a step for processing of the first binary datum masked by a masking operation, and not including any processing step of the first binary datum.

Abstract: A method of configuring a contactless communication device is provided. The contactless communication device includes integrated circuits hosting at least two applications compatible with the same communication protocols or compatible with the same communication protocol and using different communication parameters and a contactless communication circuit. The method includes detecting, by the contactless communication circuit, an interruption of a transaction initiated by a proximity coupling reader.

Abstract: An integrated circuit memory includes a state transistor having a floating gate which stores a respective data value. A device for protecting the data stored in the memory includes a capacitive structure having a first electrically-conducting body coupled to the floating gate of the state transistor, a dielectric body, and a second electrically-conducting body coupled to a ground terminal. The dielectric body is configured, if an aqueous solution is brought into contact with the dielectric body, to electrically couple the floating gate and the ground terminal so as to modify the charge on the floating gate and to lose the corresponding data. Otherwise, the dielectric body is configured to electrically isolate the floating gate and the ground terminal.

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: The disclosure concerns a resistive memory cell, including a stack of a selector, of a resistive element, and of a layer of phase-change material, the selector having no physical contact with the phase-change material. In one embodiment, the selector is an ovonic threshold switch formed on a conductive track of a metallization level.

Abstract: A device includes an application processor and a hardware signal processor coupled to the application processor. The hardware signal processor, in operation: receives a command pre-list during an initialization phase of the hardware signal processor, the command pre-list including a plurality of function describers, each of the plurality of function describers being associated with a respective plurality of parameter describers; generates a command list based on the command pre-list during the initialization phase; and stores the command list in memory circuitry.

Abstract: Trenches of different depths in an integrated circuit are formed by a process utilizes a dry etch. A first stop layer is formed over first and second zones of the substrate. A second stop layer is formed over the first stop layer in only the second zone. A patterned mask defines the locations where the trenches are to be formed. The dry etch uses the mask to etch in the first zone, in a given time, through the first stop layer and then into the substrate down to a first depth to form a first trench. This etch also, at the same time, etch in the second zone through the second stop layer, and further through the first stop layer, and then into the substrate down to a second depth to form a second trench. The second depth is shallower than the first depth.

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 near-field communication device operates to transmit data by near-field communications techniques to another device. The near-field communication device includes a memory that stores a message to be transmitted in an ASCII format. The message is retrieved from the memory and transmitted using the near-field communications techniques in an ASCII format.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving a main supply voltage; generating a first regulated output voltage with a DC-DC converter; providing the main supply voltage to a driver of a control terminal of an output transistor of an LDO; receiving, at an input terminal of the LDO, the first regulated output voltage; generating, at an output terminal of the LDO, a second regulated output voltage from the first regulated output voltage; and when the main supply voltage falls below a predetermined threshold, discharging a capacitor coupled to the input terminal of the LDO by activating a switch coupled to the input terminal of the LDO.

Abstract: Integrated circuits are supported by a semiconductor substrate wafer. Each integrated circuit includes an electrically active area. A thermally conductive protective structure is formed around the active areas of the various integrated circuits along scribe paths. The protective structure is located between the electrically active areas of the integrated circuits and a laser ablation area of the scribe paths. Separation of the integrated circuits is performed by scribing the semiconductor substrate wafer along the scribe paths. The process for scribing includes performing a laser ablation in the laser ablation area and then performing one of an etching or a physical scribing.

Abstract: A near-field communication circuit of a first NFC device alternates, in low power mode, between: first phases of emission of field bursts and second phases spanning an entire duration separating two successive first phases. Each second phase includes a field detector enabling phase. In one implementation, the field detector enabling phase extends all along a duration of the second phase. In an alternate implementation, the field detector enabling phase is interrupted by field detector disabling phases. Each field detector disabling phase has a duration shorter than a minimum duration of each first phase.

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 contactless transponder includes an autonomous power supply and a non-volatile memory device. In a first mode of operation, an apparatus external to the transponder transmits to the transponder, according to a contactless communication protocol, module command information associated with a module external to the transponder and module data information relating to data to be written to or to be read from the module. The transponder stores the module command information and module data information in a first area of the non-volatile memory device. In response to an activation signal, the transponder autonomously communicates, according to a first communication protocol, with the module by using the module command information and module data information.