Abstract: For manufacturing an optical microelectromechanical device, a first wafer of semiconductor material having a first surface and a second surface is machined to form a suspended mirror structure, a fixed structure surrounding the suspended mirror structure, elastic supporting elements which extend between the fixed structure and the suspended mirror structure, and an actuation structure coupled to the suspended mirror structure. A second wafer is machined separately to form a chamber delimited by a bottom wall having a through opening. The second wafer is bonded to the first surface of the first wafer in such a way that the chamber overlies the actuation structure and the through opening is aligned to the suspended mirror structure. Furthermore, a third wafer is bonded to the second surface of the first wafer to form a composite wafer device. The composite wafer device is then diced to form an optical microelectromechanical device.

Abstract: A sensor is driven at a first heating power value. The sensor generates a sensing signal that is indicative of a sensed entity. A possible onset of a sensor contamination condition is detected as a function of the sensing signal generated by the sensor. If such detecting fails to indicate onset of a sensor contamination condition, the sensor continues to be driven at the first heating power value. However, if such detecting indicates onset of a sensor contamination condition, a protection mode is activated. In the protection mode, the sensor is driven at a second heating power value for a protection interval, where the second heating power value is lower than the first heating power value. Furthermore, the operation may refrain from supplying power to the sensor for a further protection interval, wherein the further protection interval is longer than the protection interval.

Abstract: A circuit comprises first and second input supply nodes configured to receive a supply voltage therebetween. The circuit comprises a high-side driver circuit configured to be coupled to a high-side switch and produce a first signal between first and second high-side output nodes. The circuit comprises a low-side driver circuit configured to be coupled to a low-side switch and produce a second signal between first and second low-side output nodes. The circuit comprises a floating node configured to receive a floating voltage applied between the floating node and the second high-side output node, a bootstrap diode between the first input supply node and an intermediate node, and a current limiter circuit between the intermediate node and the floating node and configured to sense the floating voltage and counter a current flow from the intermediate node to the floating node as a result of the floating voltage reaching a threshold value.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a vertical-channel semiconductor device. For manufacturing the vertical-channel semiconductor device, starting from a work wafer having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side along a direction, a first doped region is formed in the work wafer, from the second side of the work wafer. The work wafer has a first conductivity type and a first doping level, the first doped region has the first conductivity type and a second doping level higher than the first doping level. A device active region having a channel region extending in the direction is formed in the work wafer, on the first side of the work wafer. The first doped region and the device active region delimit, in the work wafer, a drift region. The first doped region is formed before the device active region.

Abstract: An in-memory computation (IMC) circuit includes a memory array formed by memory cells arranged in row-by-column matrix. Computational weights for an IMC operation are stored in the memory cells. Each column includes a bit line connected to the memory cells. A switching circuit is connected between each bit line and a corresponding column output. The switching circuit is controlled to turn on to generate the analog signal dependent on the computational weight and for a time duration controlled by the coefficient data signal. A column combining circuit combines (by addition and/or subtraction) and integrates analog signals at the column outputs of the biasing circuits. The addition/subtraction is dependent on one or more a sign of the coefficient data and a sign of the computational weight and may further implement a binary weighting function.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical electroacoustic transducer includes a supporting frame of semiconductor material, a membrane of semiconductor material, connected to the supporting frame along a perimeter and having central symmetry, and a piezoelectric actuator on a peripheral portion of the membrane. The membrane has through slits of elongated shape arranged around a center of the membrane.

Abstract: An in-memory computation (IMC) circuit includes a memory array formed by memory cells arranged in row-by-column matrix. Computational weights for an IMC operation are stored in the memory cells. Each column includes a bit line connected to the memory cells. A biasing circuit is connected between each bit line and a corresponding column output. A column combining circuit combines and integrates analog signals at the column outputs of the biasing circuits. Each biasing circuit operates to apply a fixed reference voltage level to its bit line. Each biasing circuit further includes a switching circuit that is controlled to turn on for a time duration controlled by asps comparison of a coefficient data signal to a ramp signal to generate the analog signal dependent on the computational weight. The ramp signal is generated using a reference current derived from a reference memory cell.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a solid body of SiC having a surface and having a first conductivity type. A first implanted region and a second implanted region have a second conductivity type and extend into the solid body in a direction starting from the surface and delimit between them a surface portion of the solid body. A Schottky contact is on the surface and in direct contact with the surface portion. Ohmic contacts are on the surface and in direct contact with the first and second implanted regions. The solid body includes an epitaxial layer including the surface portion and a bulk portion. The surface portion houses a plurality of doped sub-regions which extend in succession one after another in the direction, are of the first conductivity type, and have a respective conductivity level higher than that of the bulk portion.

Abstract: A thermographic sensor is proposed. The thermographic sensor includes a plurality of sensing elements each comprising at least one thermo-couple. The thermographic sensor is integrated on a semiconductor on insulator body that is patterned to define a grid suspended from a substrate; for each sensing element, the grid has a frame with the cold joint of the thermo-couple, a plate with the hot joint of the thermo-couple and one or more arms sustaining the plate from the frame. The frames include one or more conductive layers of thermally conductive material for thermally equalizing the cold joints with the substrate. Moreover, each sensing element may also include a processing circuit for the thermo-couple that is integrated on the corresponding frame. A thermographic device including the thermographic sensor and a corresponding signal processing circuit, and a system including one or more thermographic devices are also proposed.

Abstract: A method of making a MEMS device including forming a mirror stack on a handle layer, applying a first bonding layer to the mirror stack, and disposing a substrate on the first bonding layer. The handle layer is removed and a second bonding layer is applied. A cap layer is disposed on the second bonding layer. The mirror stack is formed by disposing a silicon layer on the handle layer, disposing a first insulating layer on the silicon layer, etching portions of the first insulating layer, and depositing a first conductive layer on the first insulating layer. The formation also includes depositing a second insulating layer on the first conductive layer, a portion of the second insulating layer to expose a portion of the first conductive layer exposed, and forming a conductive pad on the exposed portion of the first conductive layer.

Abstract: A MEMS angular rate sensor is presented with two pairs of suspended masses that are micromachined on a semiconductor layer. A first pair includes two masses opposite to and in mirror image of each other. The first pair of masses has driving structures to generate a mechanical oscillation in a linear direction. A second pair of masses includes two masses opposite to and in mirror image of each other. The second pair of masses is coupled to the first pair of driving masses with coupling elements. The two pairs of masses are coupled to a central bridge. The central bridge has a differential configuration to reject any external disturbances. Each of the masses of the two pairs of masses includes different portions to detect different linear and angular movements.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical mirror device has, in a die of semiconductor material: a fixed structure defining a cavity; a tiltable structure carrying a reflecting region, elastically suspended above the cavity and having a main extension in a horizontal plane; at least one first pair of driving arms, carrying respective piezoelectric structures which can be biased to generate a driving force that causes rotation of the tiltable structure about a rotation axis parallel to a first horizontal axis of the horizontal plane; elastic suspension elements, which elastically couple the tiltable structure to the fixed structure at the rotation axis and are rigid to movements out of the horizontal plane and compliant to torsion about the rotation axis. In particular, the driving arms of the first pair are magnetically coupled to the tiltable structure to cause its rotation about the rotation axis by magnetic interaction, following biasing of the respective piezoelectric structures.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electronic device based on SiC includes forming a structural layer of SiC on a front side of a substrate. The substrate has a back side that is opposite to the front side along a direction. Active regions of the electronic device are formed in the structure layer, and the active regions are configured to generate or conduct electric current during the use of the electronic device. A first electric terminal is formed on the structure layer, and an intermediate layer is formed at the back side of the substrate. The intermediate layer is heated by a LASER beam in order to generate local heating such as to favor the formation of an ohmic contact of Titanium compounds. A second electric terminal of the electronic device is formed on the intermediate layer.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a circuit board that manages supply of electricity to the electronic device. The circuit board includes an integrated circuit and an external capacitor coupled to a supply terminal of the circuit board. During a startup operation of the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit supplies a first charging current to charge the capacitor to a supply voltage value. The circuit board includes a boost circuit that receives a portion of the first charging current and outputs a second charging current that augments charging of the capacitor. The second charging current is an amplification of the first charging current. The integrated circuit enables operation of the electronic device after the capacitor is charged to the supply voltage value.

Abstract: An exemplary package comprises a smart card having a first side and a second side, the first side comprising a first area having reproduced thereon first readable information and a second area having reproduced thereon second readable information. The first side having a laminar member applied so as to cover the first side, the laminar member comprising a light-impermeable material and a first light-permeable portion at the first side. The first readable information is visible through the first light-permeable portion and the second readable information is covered and made invisible by the light-impermeable material. A light-permeable film material is wrapped onto the smart card having the laminar member applied thereon.

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: In an embodiment a direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter includes a first switching circuit configured to switch a supply of an input voltage to an energy storage circuit configured to generate an output voltage, a driving circuit configured to drive the first switching circuit according to a comparison between the output voltage and a comparison voltage and a soft-start circuit configured to raise the comparison voltage from a start voltage to a target voltage during a soft-start phase of the DC-DC converter having a soft-start duration, wherein the soft-start circuit comprises a soft-start capacitor configured to provide the comparison voltage during the start phase, the soft-start capacitor having a soft-start capacitance, an auxiliary capacitor having an auxiliary capacitance, a second switching circuit configured to alternately charge and discharge the auxiliary capacitor with an auxiliary current according to a clock signal having a clock frequency and a charging circuit.

Abstract: A first input node receives a first input signal and a second input node receives a second input signal. The first and second input signals are in phase quadrature. An edge detector circuit senses the first input signal and produces a pulsed signal indicative of edges detected in the first input signal. A pulse skip and reset circuit senses the pulsed signal and the second input signal, and produces a reset signal indicative of pulses detected in the pulsed signal while the second input signal is de-asserted. A sampling circuit senses the second input signal and the reset signal, and produces an output signal that is deasserted in response to assertion of the second input signal and is asserted in response to a pulse being detected in the reset signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an electronic device including a semiconductor body having a first electrical conductivity and provided with a front side; an active area of the semiconductor body, accommodating the source and gate regions of the electronic device and configured to accommodate, in use, a conductive channel of the electronic device; and an edge region of the electronic device, surrounding the active area. The edge region accommodates at least in part: i) an edge termination region, having a second electrical conductivity opposite to the first electrical conductivity, extending into the semiconductor body at the front side; and ii) a gate connection terminal of conductive material, electrically coupled to the gate region, extending on the front side partially superimposed on the edge termination region and capacitively coupled with a portion of the semiconductor body adjacent and external to the edge termination region.

Abstract: A probe device includes an optical device including at least one of a photodetector or a first light source. A cover structure is included and is arranged in front of the optical device. The cover structure includes an electrode which contacts, in use, a body tissue.