Abstract: An apparatus includes: buffer circuitry having a buffer input and a buffer output; a transistor coupled between the buffer output and a current terminal, the transistor having a control terminal; and level shifter circuitry having a level shifter input and a level shifter output, the level shifter input coupled to the buffer input, and the level shifter output coupled to the control terminal.

Abstract: In examples, a semiconductor die comprises a semiconductor substrate having a surface, the surface having first and second surface portions, and a radiator layer on the surface. The radiator layer comprises a metal member having a first metal member portion above the first surface portion and a second metal member portion above the second surface portion, a first distance between the first metal member portion and the first surface portion, and a second distance between the second metal member portion and the second surface portion, the first distance less than the second distance. The radiator layer includes first and second electrodes. The radiator layer includes a piezoelectric layer extending along a length of the radiator layer and on each of the first and second electrodes, the piezoelectric layer between the first and second metal members and the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A quantum-based sensor includes a hollow electromagnetic (EM) waveguide having non-metallic layers and external metallic layers. The hollow EM waveguide encloses a gas having a pressure that is less than a threshold pressure, and all interior surfaces of the hollow EM waveguide in contact with the gas are non-metallic.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, a metal layer, an inductor in the metal layer, and a shield above the inductor. The metal layer is a first metal layer; and the shield may be is in a second metal layer above the first metal layer. The shield may include a plurality of metal strips substantially perpendicular to metal lines of the inductor.

Abstract: A physics cell includes a sealed glass vial that contains a high-purity dipolar gas (e.g., OCS) at a low pressure (e.g., between about 0.01 millibar and 0.2 millibar). The vial can be sealed using a laser cutting process that involves only local heating of the vial that does not denature the bulk of the contained gas. One or more electromagnetically translucent windows or vial-end access points provide access to electromagnetic waves launched or received by one or more electromagnetic antennas at a frequency that is adjusted to match the quantum transition frequency of the gas based on a detected maximum absorption frequency. The glass-vial physics cell can be fabricated at lower cost than physics cells fabricated from bonded wafers. Multiple vials can be joined by a waveguide in an enclosure so that launch and receive antennas can be provided at a single end of the vials.

Abstract: In described examples, a system (e.g., a security system or a vehicle operator assistance system) is configured to configure a phased spatial light modulator (SLM) to generate a diffraction pattern. A coherent light source is optically coupled to direct coherent light upon the SLM. The SLM is configured to project diffracted coherent light toward a region of interest. An optical element is configured to focus the diffracted coherent light toward the at least one region of interest.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing TSVs within a semiconductor device. According to embodiments illustrated and described in the disclosure, a TSV may be tested by stimulating and measuring a response from a first end of a TSV while the second end of the TSV held at ground potential. Multiple TSVs within the semiconductor device may be tested in parallel to reduce the TSV testing time according to the disclosure.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic detection system that uses frequency-modulation or phase-modulation coding to distinguish emitted bursts from multiple transducers, a receiver associated with a transducer uses peak search, peak buffer, and peak rank stages in one or more receiver signal processing paths to identify valid received ultrasonic signal envelope peaks in correlator outputs. The peak rank stage can support different modes respectively designed to handle one code, two or more codes, or two or more codes with support for Doppler frequency shift detection. Valid peak information (e.g., amplitude and time) can be reported to a central controller and/or stored locally in a fusion stage to generate more intelligent information for targets or obstacles using peaks from multiple bursts.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing TSVs within a semiconductor device. According to embodiments illustrated and described in the disclosure, a TSV may be tested by stimulating and measuring a response from a first end of a TSV while the second end of the TSV held at ground potential. Multiple TSVs within the semiconductor device may be tested in parallel to reduce the TSV testing time according to the disclosure.

Abstract: A temperature compensated oscillator circuit includes a first oscillator, a second oscillator, a first divider, a second divider, a frequency ratio circuit, and a temperature compensation circuit. The first divider is coupled to the first oscillator, and is configured to divide a frequency of a first oscillator signal generated by the first oscillator. The second divider is coupled to the second oscillator, and is configured to divide a frequency of a second oscillator signal generated by the second oscillator. The frequency ratio circuit is coupled to the first divider and the second divider, and is configured to determine a frequency ratio of an output of the first divider to an output of the second divider. The temperature compensation circuit is coupled to the frequency ratio circuit and the first oscillator, and is configured to generate a compensated frequency based on the frequency ratio and the first oscillator signal.

Abstract: A temperature compensated oscillator circuit includes a first oscillator, a second oscillator, a first divider, a second divider, a frequency ratio circuit, and a temperature compensation circuit. The first divider is coupled to the first oscillator, and is configured to divide a frequency of a first oscillator signal generated by the first oscillator. The second divider is coupled to the second oscillator, and is configured to divide a frequency of a second oscillator signal generated by the second oscillator. The frequency ratio circuit is coupled to the first divider and the second divider, and is configured to determine a frequency ratio of an output of the first divider to an output of the second divider. The temperature compensation circuit is coupled to the frequency ratio circuit and the first oscillator, and is configured to generate a compensated frequency based on the frequency ratio and the first oscillator signal.

Abstract: A system comprises first and second Hall-effect sensors and an amplifier. The first Hall-effect sensor has a first bias current direction parallel to a first direction, a pair of first bias input terminals spaced along the first direction, and a pair of first sense output terminals spaced along an orthogonal second direction. The second Hall-effect sensor has a second bias current direction parallel to the second direction, a pair of second bias input terminals spaced along the second direction, and a pair of second sense output terminals connected out of phase with the first sense terminals. The amplifier has a pair of amplifier input terminals coupled to the first and second sense terminals.

Abstract: An optical distance measurement system includes a transmission circuit and a receive circuit. The transmission circuit is configured to generate narrowband intensity modulated light transmission signals over a first band of frequencies and direct the narrowband light transmission signal toward a target object. The receive circuit is configured to receive reflected light off the target object, convert the reflected light into a current signal proportional to the intensity of the reflected light, filter frequencies outside a second band of frequencies from the current signal to create a filtered current signal, and convert the filtered current signal into a voltage signal. The second band of frequencies corresponds with the first band of frequencies.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a semiconductor wafer, a dielectric layer, and an isolation element. The semiconductor wafer has a first wafer portion and a second wafer portion each extending from a frontside surface to a backside surface. The dielectric layer interfaces with the first wafer portion and with the second wafer portion each on the frontside surface. The isolation element has an isolation dielectric material, and the isolation element extends between a first side surface of the first wafer portion and a second side surface of the second wafer portion and from an extension plane of the frontside surface to an extension plane of the backside surface. Also disclosed herein is a system comprising the IC and a package substrate coupled to the IC.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing TSVs within a semiconductor device. According to embodiments illustrated and described in the disclosure, a TSV may be tested by stimulating and measuring a response from a first end of a TSV while the second end of the TSV held at ground potential. Multiple TSVs within the semiconductor device may be tested in parallel to reduce the TSV testing time according to the disclosure.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing TSVs within a semiconductor device. According to embodiments illustrated and described in the disclosure, a TSV may be tested by stimulating and measuring a response from a first end of a TSV while the second end of the TSV held at ground potential. Multiple TSVs within the semiconductor device may be tested in parallel to reduce the TSV testing time according to the disclosure.

Abstract: An optical distance measurement system includes a transmission circuit and a receive circuit. The transmission circuit is configured to generate narrowband intensity modulated light transmission signals over a first band of frequencies and direct the narrowband light transmission signal toward a target object. The receive circuit is configured to receive reflected light off the target object, convert the reflected light into a current signal proportional to the intensity of the reflected light, filter frequencies outside a second band of frequencies from the current signal to create a filtered current signal, and convert the filtered current signal into a voltage signal. The second band of frequencies corresponds with the first band of frequencies.

Abstract: An amplifier includes a graphene Hall sensor (GHS). The GHS includes a graphene layer formed above a substrate, a dielectric structure formed above a channel portion of the graphene layer, and a conductive gate structure formed above at least a portion of the dielectric structure above the channel portion of the graphene layer for applying a gate voltage. The GHS also includes first and second conductive excitation contact structures coupled with corresponding first and second excitation portions of the graphene layer for applying at least one of the following to the channel portion of the graphene layer: a bias voltage; and a bias current. The GHS further includes first and second conductive sense contact structures coupled with corresponding first and second sense portions of the graphene layer. The amplifier also includes a current sense amplifier (CSA) coupled to the GHS. The CSA senses current output from the GHS.

Abstract: An example semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die configured to detect a force. In addition, the semiconductor package includes a mold compound covering the semiconductor die. Further, the semiconductor package includes an engagement surface including a pattern of projections adapted to engage with a mounting surface on a member of interest.

Abstract: A force sensor including a semiconductor die, and a die pad coupled to the semiconductor die, the semiconductor die configured to detect a force in the die pad. In addition, the force sensor includes a mold compound covering the semiconductor die and having an outer perimeter, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, the outer perimeter extending between the first side and the second side, the die pad exposed out of the mold compound along the first side. Further, the force sensor includes a mounting frame engaged with the die pad along the second side of the mold compound, the mounting frame including multiple mounting pads extended outward in multiple directions from the outer perimeter.