Abstract: Chip packages and electronic devices are provided that include a heat sink flexibly interfaced with a die for enhanced temperature control. In one example, a solid state electronic assembly is provided that includes a first integrated circuit (IC) die mounted to a substrate and a heat sink mounted over the first IC die. The heat sink includes a thermally conductive plate and a first thermal carrier. The first thermal carrier has a first end mechanically fixed to the conductive plate. The first thermal carrier has a second end cantilevered from the conductive plate. The second end is in conductive contact with a top surface of the first IC die.

Abstract: An apparatus for clock deskew includes: a first delay element configured to receive a clock signal from a clock, wherein the delay element comprises multiple delay lines; a first multiplexer coupled to the multiple delay lines; a sensor configured to sense a voltage, a temperature, or both, and to provide a sensor output based at least on the sensed voltage and/or the sensed temperature; and a converter configured to receive the sensor output, and to generate a converted signal; wherein the first multiplexer is configured to provide a delay line output from one of the multiple delay lines based at least in part on the converted signal.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for initializing a memory. Each row of the memory includes data bits and associated parity bits. A write buffer contains bit values for initializing the memory, and a control circuit performs a first set of write operations that write values from the write buffer to the data bits of the memory without writing values to the associated parity bits. The write buffer performs a second set of write operations that write values from the write buffer to the parity bits associated with the data bits without writing data to the data bits.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for detecting changes to an IC are disclosed. In an example implementation, an apparatus includes an electromagnetic (EM) sensor. A high-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is configured to quantize a segment of the EM signal of an IC measured by the EM sensor. The quantized segment of the EM signal is unique to process-voltage-temperature (PVT) characteristics exhibited by the IC. The apparatus also includes a processing circuit configured to prompt the high-resolution ADC, via a control signal, to produce the quantized segment of the EM signal. The processing circuit determines a first signature from the quantized segment and retrieves a baseline signature corresponding to the IC from a data storage circuit. In response to the first signature being different from the baseline signature, the processing circuit indicates that a change to the IC is detected.

Abstract: Designing circuits can include, within a circuit design, detecting, using a processor, a high fan-out net having loads with a same timing requirement, wherein the circuit design is technology specific for a target integrated circuit (IC), determining, using the processor, a region having a predetermined shape and an area sized to fit loads of the high fan-out net within the region on the target IC, and determining, using the processor, a delay of the high fan-out net based upon a distance from a center of the region to an edge of the region. Designing circuits can also include assigning, using the processor, the delay to the high fan-out net.

Abstract: Techniques for improved semiconductor inventory tracking, control, and testing are provided. The techniques include marking the semiconductor packaging with a 2-dimensional (“2D”) bar code that is stored in a data server. The data server associates the 2D barcode with performance data for the semiconductor, as well as with a “circuit-based identifier,” which comprises hard-wired electrical features that uniquely identify the semiconductor and that are embedded within the semiconductor. Associating the 2D bar code with chip performance reduces the number of times that a chip needs to be tested. Associating the 2D bar code with the circuit-based identifier provides certain functionality such as anti-counterfeiting functionality, device verification, and the like.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for providing and operating an efficient infrastructure to implement a built-in clock stop and scan dump (CSSD) scheme for fabric blocks, such as block random access memory (BRAM), UltraRAM (URAM), digital signal processing (DSP) blocks, configurable logic elements (CLEs), and the like. This is a very useful feature for system debug and can also be applied for emulation use cases (e.g., FPGA emulation). This scheme can be applied to any tiled architecture that has highly repetitive blocks. The infrastructure may include a DFx controller shared across multiple tiled blocks with some distributed logic in each block, in an effort to minimize or at least reduce area overhead. The infrastructure may also minimize or at least reduce utilization of fabric resources in an effort to ensure the least perturbation of the original design, such that the design issues being debugged can be easily reproduced.

Abstract: Partitioning a circuit design can include determining, using a processor, a target area utilization and a target cut utilization by iterating over a range of timing violations and determining, using the processor, a worst allowed timing violation based upon the target area utilization and the target cut utilization. Circuit elements of the circuit design can be assigned to partitions, using the processor, for implementation of the circuit design in a multi-die integrated circuit based upon a partition cost calculated using the target area utilization, the target cut utilization, and the worst allowed timing violation.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes: a semiconductor substrate; a shallow trench isolation (STI) region in the semiconductor substrate; one or more active devices formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a resistor array having a plurality of resistors disposed above the STI region; wherein the resistor array comprises a portion of one or more interconnect contact layers that are for interconnection to the one or more active devices.

Abstract: An example method of calibrating a source-synchronous system includes: performing initial calibration of a source-synchronous receiver, which is configured to receive data signals and a strobe, to determine an initial strobe delay and initial data delays; setting a strobe delay circuit that delays the strobe to have the initial strobe delay and data delay circuits that delay the data signals to have the initial data delays; measuring first data eye margins of the data signals at a first time; calculating metrics for the data signals based on the first data eye margins; and measuring second data eye margins of the data signals at a second time; and updating the data delay circuits and the strobe delay circuit based on the second data eye margins and the metrics.

Abstract: A system includes an integrated circuit configured to receive a multiplicand number, a multiplier number, and a modulus at one or more data inputs. The multiplicand number is partitioned into a plurality of multiplicand words. Each multiplicand word has a multiplicand word width. The multiplier number is partitioned into a plurality of multiplier words. Each multiplier word has a multiplier word width different from the multiplicand word width. A plurality of outer loop iterations of an outer loop is performed to iterate through the plurality of the multiplicand words. Each outer loop iteration of the outer loop includes a plurality of inner loop iterations of an inner loop performed to iterate through the plurality of the multiplier words. A Montgomery product of the multiplicand number and the multiplier number with respect to the modulus is determined.

Abstract: An example method of calibrating a source-synchronous system includes: performing initial calibration of a source-synchronous receiver, which is configured to receive data signals and a strobe, to determine an initial strobe delay and initial data delays; setting a strobe delay circuit that delays the strobe to have the initial strobe delay and data delay circuits that delay the data signals to have the initial data delays; measuring first data eye margins of the data signals at a first time; calculating metrics for the data signals based on the first data eye margins; and measuring second data eye margins of the data signals at a second time; and updating the data delay circuits and the strobe delay circuit based on the second data eye margins and the metrics.

Abstract: An example clamping assembly tray for packaging a semiconductor device includes a frame having a bottom surface and side walls extending from the bottom surface that define a cavity; and a compressible member disposed on the bottom surface of the frame within the cavity, where a top portion of the compressible member provides a support surface for supporting the semiconductor device, the support surface being between the bottom surface and a top edge of the side walls.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for enabling copper-to-copper (Cu—Cu) bonding at reduced temperatures (e.g., at most 200° C.) by significantly reducing Cu oxide formation. These techniques provide for faster cycle time and entail no extraordinary measures (e.g., forming gas). Such techniques may also enable longer queue (Q) or staging times. One example semiconductor structure generally includes a semiconductor layer, an adhesion layer disposed above the semiconductor layer, an anodic metal layer disposed above the adhesion layer, and a cathodic metal layer disposed above the anodic metal layer. An oxidation potential of the anodic metal layer may be greater than an oxidation potential of the cathodic metal layer. Such a semiconductor structure may be utilized in fabricating IC packages implementing 2.5D or 3D integration.

Abstract: Integrated (IC) package testing systems and methods for testing an IC package are provided herein that accommodate IC packages having different die heights. In one example, the IC package testing system includes a test fixture base, a socket, and a test fixture head. The socket is disposed on the test fixture base and configured to receive an IC package for testing. The test fixture head is movable towards and away from the base. The test fixture head includes a base plate and a plurality of independently movable pushers. The plurality of pushers are configured to engage the IC package disposed the socket.

Abstract: A receiver includes: an automatic gain controller (AGC) configured to receive an analog signal; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to receive an output from the AGC and to output a digitized signal, wherein a most significant bit of the digitized signal corresponds to a sliced data, and a least significant bit of the digitized signal corresponds to an error signal; and an adaptation unit configured to control the AGC, the ADC, or both the AGC and the ADC, based at least in part on the digitized signal to achieve a desired data digitization and data slicing.

Abstract: In an example, a circuit of a neural network implemented in an integrated circuit (IC) includes a layer of hardware neurons, the layer including a plurality of inputs, a plurality of outputs, a plurality of weights, and a plurality of threshold values, each of the hardware neurons including: a logic circuit having inputs that receive first logic signals from at least a portion of the plurality of inputs and outputs that supply second logic signals corresponding to an exclusive NOR (XNOR) of the first logic signals and at least a portion of the plurality of weights; a counter circuit having inputs that receive the second logic signals and an output that supplies a count signal indicative of the number of the second logic signals having a predefined logic state; and a compare circuit having an input that receives the count signal and an output that supplies a logic signal having a logic state indicative of a comparison between the count signal and a threshold value of the plurality of threshold values; wherein

Abstract: An integrated circuit and method for providing a variable gain amplifier are disclosed. One embodiment of the a variable gain amplifier comprises at least one load, a cascode circuit coupled to the load, a folded-gilbert stage, coupled to the cascode circuit, the folded-gilbert stage comprising a main differential pair of transistors and an internal pair of transistors, and a digital to analog converter, coupled to the folded-gilbert stage, for steering currents between the main differential pair of transistors and the internal pair of transistors to change a gain of the variable gain amplifier.

Abstract: Methods and circuits are disclosed for error recovery in redundant processing systems. Respective instances of a software program are executed in lockstep on redundant processing circuits. Using a control circuit, in response to detecting a non-fatal error, an interrupt is generated and non-functioning ones of the processing circuits are disabled. The interrupt is serviced using the functional processing circuits operating in lockstep. In servicing the interrupt, a processing state of the processing circuits is stored and a reset of the processing circuits is triggered. Following the reset, the processing circuits are configured to operate in lockstep. The state of the processing circuits is restored to the stored processing state and a return from the interrupt is signaled. In response to the signaled return from interrupt, execution of the software program is resumed on the processing circuits in lockstep at a point at which the non-fatal error was detected.

Abstract: Various example implementations are directed to circuits and methods for debugging logic circuits utilizing a data bus for communication. According to an example implementation, an apparatus includes a logic circuit configured to communicate data over a data bus according to a communication protocol. The apparatus also includes a logic analyzer circuit coupled to the data bus. The logic analyzer circuit is configured to capture, in response to a control signal, samples of data signals communicated on the data bus. The logic analyzer circuit determines respective pairs of start and end positions of the data transactions in the captured samples. The logic analyzer circuit outputs the samples of the data signals and a set of metadata including the determined pairs of start and end positions of data transactions in the samples.