Abstract: A circuit for comparing a voltage with a threshold, including: first and second nodes of application of the voltage; a first branch including a first transistor series-connected with a first resistor between first and second nodes; a second branch parallel to the first branch, including second and third series-connected resistors forming a voltage dividing bridge between the first and second nodes, the midpoint of the dividing bridge being connected to a control node of the first transistor; and a third branch including a second transistor in series with a resistive and/or capacitive element, between the control node of the first transistor and the first or second node, a control node of the second transistor being connected to the junction point of the first transistor and of the first resistor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a silicon-on-insulator wafer and interconnect layer providing a support for a coplanar waveguide formed above a top side of the support. A through-silicon via is formed from a back side of the support and passing through the silicon-on-insulator wafer to reach the interconnect layer. A trench is formed from the back side of the support underneath the coplanar waveguide. The trench extends over at least an entire length of the coplanar waveguide. The trench passes through the silicon-on-insulator wafer to reach the interconnect layer and may have a substantially same depth as the through-silicon via.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor is supported by a single-crystal silicon substrate including a collector contact region. A first epitaxial region forms a collector region of a first conductivity type on the collector contact region. A second epitaxial region forms a base region of a second conductivity type. Deposited semiconductor material forms an emitter region of the first conductivity type. The collector region, base region and emitter region are located within an opening having sidewalls lined with an insulating sheath. A portion of the insulating sheath adjacent the base region is removed and a base contact region is formed by epitaxial material grown from a portion of the base region exposed by removal of the portion of the insulating sheath.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes at least one integrated cell disposed at a location of the integrated circuit. The at least one integrated cell may have two integrated devices coupled to at least one site of the integrated cell and a multiplexer, and the two integrated devices respectively oriented in two different directions of orientation. A first integrated device of the two integrated devices that is oriented in one of the two directions of orientation is usable. The integrated circuit may include a controller configured to detect the direction of orientation which, having regard to the disposition of the integrated cell at the location, may allow the first integrated device to be usable, and to control the multiplexer to couple the first integrated device electrically to the at least one site.

Abstract: A low-noise amplifier device includes an inductive input element, an amplifier circuit, an inductive output element and an inductive degeneration element. The amplifier device is formed in and on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate supports metallization levels of a back end of line structure. The metal lines of the inductive input element, inductive output element and inductive degeneration element are formed within one or more of the metallization levels. The inductive input element has a spiral shape and the an amplifier circuit, an inductive output element and an inductive degeneration element are located within the spiral shape.

Abstract: A method for producing a capacitor stack in one portion of a substrate, the method including: forming a cavity along a thickness of the portion of the substrate from an upper face of the substrate, depositing a plurality of layers contributing to the capacitor stack onto the wall of the cavity and onto the surface of the upper face, and removing matter from the layers until the surface of the upper face is reached. The forming of the cavity includes forming at least one trench and, associated with each trench, at least one box. The at least one trench includes a trench outlet that opens into the box. The box includes a box outlet that opens at the surface of the upper face, and the box outlet being shaped to be larger than the trench outlet.

Abstract: A terahertz imager includes an array of pixel circuits. Each pixel circuit has an antenna and a detector. The detector is coupled to differential output terminals of the antenna. A frequency oscillator is configured to generate a frequency signal on an output line. The output line is coupled to an input terminal of the antenna of at least one of the pixel circuits.

Abstract: An amplifier includes at least two amplification stages coupled in parallel. Each amplification stage includes at differential pair of amplifying MOS transistors having gates connected to a first and second input nodes common to amplifying stages, and bulk regions connected to each other but insulated from bulk regions of the amplifying MOS transistors of the other amplification stages. A configuration circuit generates bias voltage for application to the bulk terminals in each amplification stage to set the threshold voltages of the amplifying MOS transistors, and thus configuring the operating range of each amplification stage so that different amplification stages have different operating ranges.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pinned photodiode, including: forming a region of photon conversion into electric charges of a first conductivity type on a substrate of the second conductivity type; coating said region with a layer of a heavily-doped insulator of the second conductivity type; and annealing to ensure a dopant diffusion from the heavily-doped insulator layer.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optimized image filter. The optimized image and video obtains an input image and selects a target pixel for modification. Difference values are then determined between the selected target pixel and each reference pixel of a search area. Subsequently, a weighting function is used to determine weight values for each of the reference pixels of the search area based on their respective difference value. The selected target pixel is then modified by the optimized image filter using the determined weight values. A new target pixel in an apply patch is then selected for modification. The new target pixel is modified using the previously determined weight values reassigned to a new set of reference pixels. The previously determined weight values are reassigned to the new set of reference pixels based on each of the new set of reference pixels' position relative to the new target pixel.

Abstract: A front-side image sensor may include a substrate in a semiconductor material and an active layer in the semiconductor material. The front side image sensor may also include an array of photodiodes formed in the active layer and an insulating layer between the substrate and the active layer.

Abstract: A strained semiconductor layer is produced from a semiconductor layer extending on an insulating layer. A thermal oxidization is performed on the semiconductor layer across its entire thickness to form two bars extending in a direction of a transistor width. Insulating trenches are formed in a direction of a transistor length. A strain of the strained semiconductor layer is induced in one implementation before the thermal oxidation is performed. Alternatively, the strain is induced after the thermal oxidation is performed. The insulating trenches serve to release a component of the strain extending in the direction of transistor width. A component of the strain extending in the direction of transistor length is maintained. The bars and trenches delimit an active area of the transistor include source, drain and channel regions.

Abstract: A multiplying digital to analog converter includes first and second inputs for receiving first and second differential input signals. A differential amplifier has first and second differential input nodes and first and second differential output nodes. A first capacitor is coupled in series with a first switch between the first differential input node and the first input. The first capacitor is further coupled to at least one reference voltage supply node via one or more further switches. A second capacitor is coupled between the first differential input node and the first differential output node. A third capacitor is coupled between the first differential input node and the first input.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a transistor from a stack including at least one gate pattern comprising at least one flank, the method including forming at least one gate spacer over at least the flank of the gate pattern; and reducing, after a step of exposure of the stack to a temperature greater than or equal to 600° C., of a dielectric permittivity of the at least one gate spacer, the reducing including at least one ion implantation in a portion at least of a thickness of the at least one gate spacer.

Abstract: Local variability of the grain size of work function metal, as well as its crystal orientation, induces a variable work function and local variability of transistor threshold voltage. If the metal nitride for the work function metal of the transistor gate is deposited using a radio frequency physical vapor deposition, equiaxed grains are produced. The substantially equiaxed structure for the metal nitride work function metal layer (such as with TiN) reduces local variability in threshold voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit (1), comprising: a field-effect transistor (2), comprising: first and second conduction electrodes (201, 202); a channel zone (203) arranged between the first and second conduction electrodes; a gate stack (220) arranged vertically in line with the channel zone, and comprising a gate electrode (222); an RRAM-type memory point (31) formed under the channel zone, or formed in the gate stack under the gate electrode.

Abstract: Local variability of the grain size of work function metal, as well as its crystal orientation, induces a variable work function and local variability of transistor threshold voltage. If the metal nitride for the work function metal of the transistor gate is deposited using a radio frequency physical vapor deposition, equiaxed grains are produced. The substantially equiaxed structure for the metal nitride work function metal layer (such as with TiN) reduces local variability in threshold voltage.

Abstract: An integrated image sensor may include adjacent pixels, with each pixel including an active semiconductor region including a photodiode, an antireflection layer above the photodiode, a dielectric region above the antireflection layer and an optical filter to pass incident luminous radiation having a given wavelength. The antireflection layer may include an array of pads mutually separated by a dielectric material of the dielectric region. The array may be configured to allow simultaneous transmission of the incident luminous radiation and a diffraction of the incident luminous radiation producing diffracted radiations which have wavelengths below that of the incident radiation, and are attenuated with respect to the incident radiation.

Abstract: A method for securing a data processing system having a processing unit is disclosed. At least a group of N1 digital words of m1 bits is selected from among the set of M1 digital words. N1 is less than M1. These words are selected in such a way that each selected digital word differs from all the other selected digital words by a number of bits at least equal to an integer p which is at least equal to 2. The group of N1 digital words of m1 bits form at least one group of N1 executable digital instructions. The processing unit is configured to make it capable of executing each instruction of the at least one group of N1 executable digital instructions.

Abstract: A device for transferring charges photogenerated in a portion of a semiconductor layer delimited by at least two parallel trenches, each trench including, lengthwise, at least a first and a second conductive regions insulated from each other and from the semiconductor layer, including the repeating of a first step of biasing of the first conductive regions to a first voltage to form a volume accumulation of holes in the area of this portion located between the first regions, while the second conductive regions are biased to a second voltage greater than the first voltage, and of a second step of biasing of the first regions to the second voltage and of the second regions to the first voltage.