Abstract: An embodiment method for smoothing consumed current is based on a current copying suite and on a current source supplying a reference current, the currents being transformed into a reference voltage for the regulation of a voltage regulator such that the consumed current viewed by the power supply only depends on the reference current.

Abstract: A first near-field communication device is remotely powered by a second near-field communication device. The first near-field communication device receives from the second near-field communication device a frame indicating a failure of a data reception by the second near-field communication device. In response, at least one transmission parameter of the first near-field communication device is modified prior to another attempt of transmission of the data.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a near-field communication module and a powering circuit for delivering a power supply voltage to the near-field communication module. When the near-field communication module is in a low power mode, the powering circuit is configured for an operational mode where it is periodically started to provide the power supply voltage.

Abstract: The integrated circuit comprises at least one transistor including a separate gate structure and field plate, disposed on a front face of a semiconductor substrate, and a doped conduction region in the semiconductor substrate located plumb with an edge of the gate structure and plumb with an edge of the field plate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a circuit and method for determining a sign indicator bit of a binary datum including a step for processing of the binary datum masked with a masking operation, and not including any processing step of the binary datum.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present description concerns a method wherein a time of beginning of a periodic step of activation of a near-field communication circuit of a first device, charged in near field by a second device, is adjusted according to a frequency of an electromagnetic field emitted by the second device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic device comprising a first capacitor and a quartz crystal coupled in series between a first node and a second node; an inverter coupled between the first and second nodes; a first variable capacitor coupled between the first node and a third node; and a second variable capacitor coupled between the second node and the third node.

Abstract: A method of configuration of a mobile terminal including a near-field communication device is provided. The method includes determining the geographic position of the mobile terminal. The method further includes selecting, from a configuration table stored in an internal memory of the mobile terminal, a set of one or a plurality of configuration parameters of the near-field communication device according to the geographic position, and applying a selected set of parameters to the near-field communication device.

Abstract: An electronic chip includes a shared strip with first and second spaced apart portions extending along a direction of elongation and an intermediate connecting portion extending between the first and second portions. The second portion is connected to a pad that has a greater surface area than the second portion. The first portion is formed by a first plurality of metallic strips. Metallic strips of the first plurality of metallic strips that are adjacent and side by side are separated by a distance smaller than a width of those metallic strips. The second portion is formed by a second plurality of metallic strips. Metallic strips of the second plurality of metallic strips that are adjacent and side by side are separated by a distance smaller than a width of those metallic strips.

Abstract: A circuit monitors a first voltage delivered by a battery. The monitored first voltage is compared with a second voltage. When the comparator detects that the first voltage is smaller than the second voltage, a counter starts counting. If the value of the counter during said counting exceeds a limiting value, an interruption signal is generated to control an operating mode of an electronic device power by said battery.

Abstract: A transistor is disclosed. In an embodiment a transistor includes a first semiconductor region of a substrate, a first trench delimiting the first semiconductor region on a first side, a first electrically-conductive element located in the first trench, a channel area in contact with the first semiconductor region and a first area of contact with the first semiconductor region, wherein the channel area and the first area of contact are on the same surface side of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for detecting a reading error of a datum in memory. A binary word which is representative of the datum and an error correcting or detecting code is read by: reading a first part of the binary word stored at a first address in a first memory circuit; and reading a second part of the binary word stored at a second address in a second memory circuit. The first and second parts read from the first and second memory circuits, respectively, are concatenated to form a read binary word. The datum is then obtained by removing the error correcting or detecting code from the read binary word. A new error correcting or detecting code is calculated from the obtained datum and compared to the removed error correcting or detecting code to detect error in the obtained datum.

Abstract: An embodiment electronic device includes a first circuit including first and second transistors series-coupled between a node of application of a power supply voltage and a node of application of a reference voltage, the first and second transistors being coupled to each other by a first node, and a second circuit, configured to compare a first voltage on the first node with first and second voltage thresholds.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a contact on a semiconductor region includes a step of forming a stack of layers on lateral walls and at a bottom of an orifice (aligned with the semiconductor region) crossing a dielectric region along a longitudinal direction. The step of forming step is carried out from a first surface of the dielectric region and includes forming a polysilicon layer and a layer of a first metal in contact with the polysilicon layer. The first metal is preferably a metal selected from the group of transition metals and is well suited to forming with the polysilicon layer a metal silicide. The method further includes a step of performing thermal anneal causing a reaction between the first metal and the polysilicon layer to produce a layer of metal silicide. At least a portion of that layer of metal silicide extends in the longitudinal direction of the orifice.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a substrate with an active area, a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and a phase-change material. The integrated circuit further includes a heating element in an L-shape, with a long side in direct physical contact with the phase-change material and a short side in direct physical contact with a via. The heating element is surrounded by first, second, and third insulating spacers, with the first insulating spacer having a planar first sidewall in contact with the long side of the heating element, a convex second sidewall, and a planar bottom face in contact with the short side of the heating element. The second and third insulating spacers are in direct contact with the first insulating spacer and the long side of the heating element.

Abstract: Memory devices such as phase change memory (PCM) devices utilizing Ovonic Threshold Switching (OTS) selectors may be used to fill the gap between dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and mass storage and may be incorporated in high-end microcontrollers. Since the programming efficiency and reading phase efficiency of such devices is directly linked to the leakage current of the OTS selector as well as sneak-path management, a sense amplifier disclosed herein generates an auto-reference that takes into account the leakage currents of unselected cells and includes a regulation loop to compensate for voltage drop due to read current sensing. This auto-referenced sense amplifier, built utilizing the principle of charge-sharing, may be designed on a 28 nm fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) technology, provides robust performance for a wide range of sneak-path currents and consequently for a large range of memory array sizes, and is therefore suitable for use in embedded memory in high-end microcontroller.

Abstract: A contactless communication device includes an electronic integrated circuit chip and an antenna coupled to the electronic integrated circuit chip to supply an electric signal for powering the electronic integrated circuit chip. An ambient luminosity detection element is coupled to the electronic integrated circuit chip. An ambient luminosity level measured by the ambient luminosity detection element is supplied to the electronic integrated circuit chip for comparison to a darkness threshold. A contactless communication is authorized only when the measured ambient luminosity level is greater than the darkness threshold.

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: 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.