Abstract: Examples of contactor controllers, systems and methods enable quick-turn-off (QTO) using an output voltage of a contactor controller when its supply voltage is below a threshold but does not interfere with QTO when sufficient supply voltage is available. In an example, when VM loss occurs, a high-side (HS) clamp of a contactor controller is disabled, and a low-side (LS) clamp current is generated using the output voltage. The LS clamp current may be adjusted to achieve a desired QTO voltage. In another example, a HS clamp is disabled and the charging of the gate of a LS field-effect transistor (FET) is enabled only when the output voltage increases above a power-off QTO threshold (less than the LS clamp voltage); the QTO voltage is set by a voltage detection and comparison circuit of the contactor controller.

Abstract: An example apparatus includes: a first level shifting circuit including a supply output; a first deserializer stage including a supply input, a first input, a first output, and a second output, the supply input coupled to the supply output; a second level shifting circuit including a second input and a third output, the second input coupled to the first output; and a second deserializer stage including a third input, a fourth output and a fifth output, the third input coupled to the third output.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus includes a base, a first inductor, and a second inductor. The first inductor is on the base. The first inductor has a first winding extension, a second winding extension, and a first winding coupled between the first winding extension and the second winding extension, in which at least a part of the second winding extension is vertically between at least a part of the first winding extension and the base. Also, the second inductor is on the base. The second inductor has a third winding extension, a fourth winding extension, and a second winding coupled between the third winding extension and the fourth winding extension, in which at least a part of the fourth winding extension is vertically between at least a part of the third winding extension and the base, and the second winding is laterally adjacent to the first winding.

Abstract: A circuit includes a microcontroller having a clock output and a data output. The microcontroller includes a serial-peripheral interface (SPI) circuit, a pulse-width modulation (PWM) generator, and a central processing unit (CPU). The SPI circuit is configured to provide an SPI clock signal and an SPI data signal to the data output. The PWM generator is configured to provide a continuous PWM signal to the clock output. The CPU is coupled to the SPI circuit and the PWM generator, and the CPU has executable instructions configured to synchronize the PWM signal to the SPI clock signal.

Abstract: A nested loop controller includes a first register having a first value initialized to an initial first value, a second register having a second value initialized to an initial second value, and a third register configured as a predicate FIFO, initialized to have a third value. The second value is advanced in response to a tick instruction during execution of a loop. In response to the second value reaching a second threshold, the second register is reset to the initial second value. The nested loop controller further includes a comparator coupled to the second register and to the predicate FIFO and configured to provide an outer loop indicator value as input to the predicate FIFO when the second value is equal to the second threshold, and provide an inner loop indicator value as input to the predicate FIFO when the second value is not equal to the second threshold.

Abstract: An example device comprising: first clock divider circuitry to be coupled to a first clock; first counter circuitry configured to be coupled to the first clock divider circuitry, the first counter circuitry configured to increment based on the first clock and a second clock; second clock divider circuitry to be coupled to a third clock; second counter circuitry configured to be coupled to the second clock divider circuitry, the second counter circuitry configured to increment based on the third clock and the second clock; and comparison circuitry coupled to the first and second counter circuitry.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for an apparatus. In an example, the apparatus includes a clock switching circuit coupled to oscillators and one or more circuit units. The clock switching circuit is configured to receive, from the oscillators, a set of frequency signals, provide an uplink primary clock signal and an enable signal to the one or more circuit units, the enable signal determined synchronously with the uplink primary clock signal, receive, from the one or more circuit units or a clock management circuit, a clock frequency request, provide the uplink primary clock signal based on a first signal of the set of frequency signals, and according to the clock frequency request, determining whether to continue to provide the uplink primary clock signal based on the first signal or on a second signal of the set of frequency signals.

Abstract: A layer of additive material is formed in a circular printing area on a substrate using additive sources distributed across a printing zone. The additive sources form predetermined discrete amounts of the additive material. The substrate and the additive sources are rotated with respect to each other around a center of rotation, so that a pattern of the additive material is formed in a circular printing area on the substrate. Each additive source receives actuation waveforms at an actuation frequency that is proportional to a distance of the additive source from the center of rotation. The actuation waveforms include formation signals, with a maximum of one formation signal in each cycle of the actuation frequency. The formation signals result in the additive sources forming the predetermined discrete amounts of the additive material on the substrate.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises an oscillator having a control input and a clock output. The apparatus also comprises a frequency control circuit having an input and a control output, the control output coupled to the control input, and a reference clock generator having a reference clock output. The apparatus also comprises a multiplexer having a first multiplexer input, a second multiplexer input, a selection input, and a multiplexer output, the first multiplexer input coupled to the clock output, the second multiplexer input coupled to the reference clock output, and the multiplexer output coupled to the input of the frequency control circuit.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor product includes forming a dielectric layer over a top level metallization layer of a semiconductor process wafer. The dielectric layer is patterned using a grayscale mask process to define a contact pad opening in the dielectric layer, thereby producing a patterned dielectric layer in which the contact pad opening is aligned to a contact pad defined in the top level metallization layer. A metal layer is deposited over the patterned dielectric layer, including within the contact pad opening. A portion of the metal layer is removed by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, with a remaining portion of the metal layer having a sloped sidewall.

Abstract: Described examples include a method that includes setting a reference iq signal in a field-oriented control of a motor such that the field-oriented control modulates power from a power supply using a modulator to apply a torque on the motor that is opposite to a kinetic energy applied to the motor. The method also includes setting a reference id signal in the field-oriented control such that the motor current provided to the power supply is reduced.

Abstract: A wafer metrology system including a dynamic sampling scheme configured to optimize a sampling rate for measurement of process wafers in an IC fabrication flow based on process capability index data as well as measurement history data. For a stable process, the process wafers may be sampled at a lower rate without negatively affecting quality control.

Abstract: A regenerative braking controller for an AC motor. To determine an electromagnetic torque for slowing or stopping the motor, the regenerative braking controller accesses a lookup table to retrieve a braking torque value corresponding to a current estimate of rotor velocity. The retrieved braking torque may correspond to a maximum or minimum torque level at which regenerative braking will occur at the current rotor velocity, or to a torque level at which charging current during regenerative braking will be maximized. If an external mechanical brake is present, the regenerative braking controller can forward an external braking torque signal to a controller so that the mechanical brake can apply the remainder of the braking force beyond that indicated by the regenerative braking torque. A method for establishing the braking torques to be stored in the lookup table is also disclosed.

Abstract: In some examples, an integrated circuit includes an isolation layer disposed on or over a semiconductor substrate. The integrated circuit also includes a first conductive plate located over the isolation layer and a composite dielectric layer located over the first conductive plate. The composite dielectric layer includes a first sublayer comprising a first chemical composition; a second sublayer comprising a second different chemical composition; and a third sublayer comprising a third chemical composition substantially similar to the first chemical composition. The integrated circuit further includes a second conductive plate located directly on the composite dielectric layer above the first conductive plate.

Abstract: In one example, a method comprises using a first transducer, emitting a first acoustic signal representing a first code. The method further comprises using the first transducer, receiving a second acoustic signal, and converting the second acoustic signal to a sensor signal. The method further comprises computing a time-of-flight for the second acoustic signal based on a time difference between when the first transducer emits the first acoustic signal and when the first transducer receives the second acoustic signal. The method further comprises responsive to the correlation result indicating that the third acoustic signal is a reflection of a third acoustic signal emitted by a second transducer: determining a delay time between when the first transducer emits the first acoustic signal and when the second transducer emits the third acoustic signal; adjusting the time-of-flight based on the delay time; and providing a distance measurement based on the adjusted time-of-flight.

Abstract: In a method of operating a computer system, an instruction loop is executed by a processor in which each iteration of the instruction loop accesses a current data vector and an associated current vector predicate. The instruction loop is repeated when the current vector predicate indicates the current data vector contains at least one valid data element and the instruction loop is exited when the current vector predicate indicates the current data vector contains no valid data elements.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to integrated devices with a conductive barrier structure. In an example, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a conductive barrier structure, a channel layer, a barrier layer, a gate, and a conductive structure. The substrate is of a first semiconductor material. The conductive barrier structure is on the substrate. The channel layer is of a second semiconductor material and is on the conductive barrier structure. The barrier layer is on the channel layer, and the channel layer is between the barrier layer and the conductive barrier structure. The gate is over the barrier layer opposing the channel layer. The conductive structure is electrically coupled between the conductive barrier structure, the channel layer, and the barrier layer.

Abstract: A technique for reinitializing a coupled circuit, the technique including receiving a common configuration value associated with states of a coupled circuit, tracking states associated with the coupled circuit while the coupled circuit is in a low power state based on the common configuration value, receiving the tracked state associated with the coupled circuit, receiving a scaling value associated with the coupled circuit, determining a current state of the coupled circuit based on the tracked state and the scaling value, and transmitting an indication of the current state to the coupled circuit when the coupled circuit has exited the low power state.

Abstract: Various examples disclosed herein relate to trimming of system elements to prepare the elements for execution of boot code and application code. In an example embodiment, a system is provided. The system includes system control circuitry, direct memory access (DMA) circuitry, and processing circuitry. The system control circuitry is configured to instruct the DMA circuitry to obtain trim data from memory upon detecting that a first group of system elements has reached an initialized state. The DMA circuitry obtains the trim data and writes it to trim registers. The system control circuitry supplies the trim data to a second group of system elements to bring them to an operational level, then instructs the processing circuitry to execute boot code.

Abstract: Circuits and systems include a parallel resistor-capacitor (RC) network coupled between a pin and ground, and first and second transistors coupled in source follower configuration with a common gate coupling. The source of the first transistor is coupled to the pin. A first switch couples a drain of the first transistor to the common gate coupling during soft-start (SS) and decouples that connection during over current limit (OCL) sensing, and a second switch couples a drain of the second transistor to the common gate coupling during OCL sensing and decouples that connection during SS. A first current source is enabled deliver a constant current to the pin during SS. A second current source is enabled to generate a reference voltage at the source of the second transistor during OCL, which reference voltage is transferred to the pin by the source follower configuration. A comparator controls the switches to transition from SS to OCL sensing.