Abstract: A memory cell includes a substrate with a semiconductor region and an insulating region. A first insulating layer extends over the substrate. A phase change material layer rests on the first insulating layer. The memory cell further includes an interconnection network with a conductive track. A first end of a first conductive via extending through the first insulating layer is in contact with the phase change material layer and a second end of the first conductive via is in contact with the semiconductor region. A first end of a second conductive via extending through the first insulating layer is in contact with both the phase change material layer and the conductive track, and a second end of the second conductive via is in contact only with the insulating region.

Abstract: A pre-molded substrate for semiconductor devices includes a sculptured electrically conductive (e.g., copper) laminar structure having spaces therein. The laminar structure includes one or more die pads having a first die pad surface configured to have semiconductor chips mounted thereon. A pre-mold material molded onto the laminar structure penetrates into the spaces therein and provides a laminar pre-molded substrate including the first die pad surface left exposed by the pre-mold material with the die pad(s) bordering on the pre-mold material. One or more stress-relief curved portions are provided at the periphery of one or more of the die pads. The stress-relief curved portions are configured to border on the pre-mold material over a smooth surface to effectively counter the formation of cracks in the pre-mold material as a result of the pre-molded substrate being bent.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEMS) structure includes a fixed frame internally defining a cavity, and a mobile mass suspended in the cavity and movable with a first resonant rotational mode about a first rotation axis and with a second resonant rotational mode about a second rotation axis orthogonal to the first. A pair of supporting elements extends in the cavity, is rigidly coupled to the fixed frame, and is elastically deformable to cause rotation of the mobile mass about the first rotation axis. A pair of elastic-coupling elements is elastically coupled between the mobile mass and the first pair of supporting elements. Each of the elastic-coupling elements includes a first and second elastic portions, the first elastic portion being compliant to torsion about the second rotation axis. The second elastic portion is compliant to bending outside of a horizontal plane of main extension of the MEMS structure.

Abstract: A back end of line (BEOL) structure for an integrated circuit chip includes a last metal structure providing a bonding pad. A passivation structure over the bonding pad includes a first opening extending exposing an upper surface of the bonding pad. A conformal nitride layer extends over the passivation structure and is placed in contact with the upper surface of the bonding pad. An insulator material layer covers the conformal nitride layer and includes a second opening that extends through both the insulator material layer and the conformal nitride layer. A foot portion of the conformal nitride layer on the upper surface of the bonding pad is self-aligned with the second opening.

Abstract: A semiconductor die includes a structural body that has a power region and a peripheral region surrounding the power region. At least one power device is positioned in the power region. Trench-insulation means extend in the structural body starting from the front side towards the back side along a first direction, adapted to hinder conduction of heat from the power region towards the peripheral region along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The trench-insulation means have an extension, in the second direction, greater than the thickness of the structural body along the first direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a device configured to detect whether the device is in a bag or being taken out of the bag. The device determines whether the device is in a bag or being taken out of the bag based on motion measurements generated by a motion sensor and electrostatic charge measurements generated by an electrostatic charge sensor. By using both distance measurements and motion measurements, the device is able to detect whether the device is in the bag or being taken out of the bag with high efficiency, accuracy, and robustness.

Abstract: A closed-loop microelectromechanical accelerometer includes a substrate of semiconductor material, an out-of-plane sensing mass and feedback electrodes. The out-of-plane sensing mass, of semiconductor material, has a first side facing the supporting body and a second side opposite to the first side. The out-of-plane sensing mass is also connected to the supporting body to oscillate around a non-barycentric fulcrum axis parallel to the first side and to the second side and perpendicular to an out-of-plane sensing axis. The feedback electrodes are capacitively coupled to the sensing mass and are configured to apply opposite electrostatic forces to the sensing mass.

Abstract: A semiconductor device for ambient sensing including: a cap traversed by a hole; and a main body mechanically coupled to the cap so as to delimit a cavity, which is interposed between the main body and the cap. The main body includes a semiconductor body and a coupling structure, which is interposed between the semiconductor body and the cap and laterally delimits a channel, which fluidically couples the cavity and the hole. The channel performs a mechanical filtering that is finer than the mechanical filtering performed by the hole.

Abstract: A wireless device includes an energy harvester and an energy storage that operate in a sequence of energy harvesting cycles to alternately harvest energy and release energy for supplying the wireless device. The wireless device also includes a processing circuit and a wireless communication circuit. A configuration method for the wireless device includes first step where a base station receives a signal from the wireless device indicating wireless communication circuit entry into a receiving operation mode. In a second step, the base station transmits configuration data to the wireless device. The received configuration data is temporarily stored in a memory area of the wireless communication circuit. In a third step, the temporarily stored configuration data is transmitted from the wireless communication circuit to the processing circuit for storage in a memory area. The second and third steps are carried out during distinct energy harvesting cycles of the wireless device.

Abstract: A detection method of a user of an apparatus is provided in which the apparatus is coupled to a charge variation sensor having a control unit and an electrode to detect an electric/electrostatic charge variation of the user. The detection method includes acquiring, through the electrode, a charge variation signal indicative of the presence of the user. A filtered signal is generated by filtering the charge variation signal. A feature signal is generated as a function of the filtered signal. A movement signal indicative of a movement of the user is generated as a function of the feature signal. A presence signal indicative of the presence of the user is generated as a function of the movement signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for sanitization of a surface by emission of a plurality of sanitization wavelengths, and to a device for implementing the method. The method comprises emitting light using first LEDs configured to emit the sanitization wavelengths, receiving, by a circuit, a feedback signal from a light sensor indicating a light intensity received by the light sensor during the light emission, and controlling the first LEDs with the circuit based on the feedback signal.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing electroacoustic modules including: forming an assembly with a redistribution structure and a plurality of dice arranged in a dielectric region; forming a wafer with a semiconductor body and a plurality of respective unit portions laterally staggered, each of which includes a respective supporting region, set in contact with the semiconductor body, and a number of actuators; reducing the thickness of the semiconductor body and then selectively removing portions of the semiconductor body so as to singulate, starting from the wafer, a plurality of transduction structures, each including a semiconductor substrate, which contacts a corresponding supporting region and is traversed by cavities delimited by portions of the supporting region that form membranes mechanically coupled to the actuators; and then coupling the transduction structures to the redistribution structure of the assembly.

Abstract: A control method of an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a control unit coupled to a proximity sensor to detect a first distance of a user in a field of view, and coupled to a charge variation sensor to detect an electric/electrostatic charge variation caused by the user in a detection region. The control method includes acquiring a charge variation signal and generating charge variation parameters as a function of the charge variation signal. The control method further includes determining whether a condition on charge variation parameters is verified, and if the condition on charge variation parameters is verified, activating the proximity sensor and acquiring a proximity signal. Proximity parameters are generated as a function of the proximity signal. If a condition on proximity parameters is verified, one or more functionalities of the apparatus are activated.

Abstract: A microfluidic dispenser device of inhalable substances includes a casing, housed in which are a driving circuit and a microfluidic cartridge having a tank that contains a liquid to be delivered. The microfluidic cartridge is provided with at least one nebulizer controlled by the driving device. The nebulizer includes: a substrate; a plurality of chambers formed on the substrate and fluidically coupled to the tank for receiving the liquid to be delivered; and a plurality of heaters, which are formed on the substrate in positions corresponding to respective chambers, are thermally coupled to the respective chambers and are separated from the respective chambers by an insulating layer, and are controlled by the driving device. Each chamber is fluidically connected with the outside by at least one respective nozzle.

Abstract: A touchscreen resistive sensor includes a network of resistive sensor branches coupled to a number of sensor nodes arranged at touch locations of the touchscreen. A test sequence is performed by sequentially applying to each sensor node a reference voltage level, jointly coupling to a common line the other nodes, sensing a voltage value at the common line, and declaring a short circuit condition as a result of the voltage value sensed at the common line reaching a short circuit threshold. A current value level flowing at the sensor node to which the reference voltage level is applied is sensed and a malfunction of the resistive sensor branch coupled with the sensor node to which a reference voltage level is applied is generated as a result of the current value sensed at the sensor node reaching an upper threshold or lower threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards a configurable accelerator framework device that includes a stream switch and a plurality of convolution accelerators. The stream switch has a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports. Each of the input ports is configurable at run time to unidirectionally pass data to any one or more of the output ports via a stream link. Each one of the plurality of convolution accelerators is configurable at run time to unidirectionally receive input data via at least two of the plurality of stream switch output ports, and each one of the plurality of convolution accelerators is further configurable at run time to unidirectionally communicate output data via an input port of the stream switch.

Abstract: A power device for surface mounting has a leadframe including a die-attach support and at least one first lead and one second lead. A die, of semiconductor material, is bonded to the die-attach support, and a package, of insulating material and parallelepipedal shape, surrounds the die and at least in part the die-attach support and has a package height. The first and second leads have outer portions extending outside the package, from two opposite lateral surfaces of the package. The outer portions of the leads have lead heights greater than the package height, extend throughout the height of the package, and have respective portions projecting from the first base.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a single integrated circuit chip with a main logic that operates a vehicle component such as a valve driver. Isolated from the main logic within the chip is a safety area that operates to verify proper operation of the main logic. The safety area is internally powered by an internal regulated voltage generated by an internal voltage regulator that generates the internal regulated voltage from an external voltage while protecting against shorts of the external line delivering the external voltage. The safety area includes protection circuits that level shift external analog signals downward in voltage for monitoring within the safety area, the protection circuits serving to protect against shorts of the external line delivering the external analog signals.

Abstract: A micropump device is formed in a monolithic semiconductor body integrating a plurality of actuator elements arranged side-by-side. Each actuator element has a first chamber extending at a distance from a first face of the monolithic body; a membrane arranged between the first face and the first chamber; a piezoelectric element extending on the first face over the membrane; a second chamber, arranged between the first chamber and a second face of the monolithic body; a fluidic inlet path fluidically connecting the second chamber with the outside of the monolithic body; and a fluid outlet opening extending in a transverse direction in the monolithic body from the second face as far as the second chamber, through the first chamber. The monolithic formation of the actuator elements and the possibility of driving the actuator elements at different voltages enable precise adjustment of flows, from very low values to high values.

Abstract: A circuit configured to sense an input analog signal generated by a sensor at a first frequency and to generate an output digital signal indicative of the sensed input analog signal. The circuit includes a conditioning circuit, an ADC, a feedback circuit, and a low-pass filter. The conditioning circuit is configured to receive the input analog signal and to generate a conditioned analog signal. The ADC is configured to provide a converted digital signal based on the conditioned analog signal. The feedback circuit includes a band-pass filter configured to selectively detect a periodic signal at a second frequency higher than the first frequency and to act on the conditioning circuit to counter variations of the periodic signal at the second frequency. The low-pass filter is configured to filter out the periodic signal from the converted digital signal to generate the output digital signal.