Abstract: There is described a microarray device (1) for recognition of DNA in a material; the microarray device (1) comprising a plurality of microlocations (3), each of which is associated to a pre-set DNA sequence and is designed to be set in contact with a specimen of the material to carry out a process of hybridization with a corresponding DNA sequence contained in the specimen of the material itself; the microarray device (1) further comprises a plurality of microsensors (5), each of which is set in a position corresponding to a corresponding microlocation (3) and is designed to supply at output an electrical signal (SM) indicating the absorption of ultraviolet radiation (UV) that occurs in the microlocation (3) when, following upon the hybridization process, the microlocation (3) itself is traversed by a beam of ultraviolet radiation (UV).

Abstract: A shoe (1) having an active air-conditioning device (2) for maintaining the temperature inside the shoe (1) at a value selectively above or below the temperature of the outside environment. The air-conditioning device(20) is integrated in the sole (3) of the shoe (1), and comprises a main heat exchanger (4) for exchanging heat with the inside of the shoe (1), and air compressing device (5) for feeding a pressurized air stream to the main heat exchanger (4), an auxiliary heat exchanger (10) located between the air compressing device (5) and the main heat exchanger (4) to reduce the temperature of the pressurized air stream, an expansion valve (11) located immediately downstream from the auxiliary heat exchanger (10) to rapidly expand and so cool the pressurized air stream, and a bypass conduit (12) with a relative on-off valve (13), for connecting the main heat exchanger (4) directly to the air compressing device.

Abstract: A shoe (1) having an active air-conditioning device (2) for maintaining the temperature inside the shoe (1) at a value selectively above or below the temperature of the outside environment. The air-conditioning device(20) is integrated in the sole (3) of the shoe (1), and comprises a main heat exchanger (4) for exchanging heat with the inside of the shoe (1), and air compressing device (5) for feeding a pressurized air stream to the main heat exchanger (4), an auxiliary heat exchanger (10) located between the air compressing device (5) and the main heat exchanger (4) to reduce the temperature of the pressurized air stream, an expansion valve (11) located immediately downstream from the auxiliary heat exchanger (10) to rapidly expand and so cool the pressurized air stream, and a bypass conduit (12) with a relative on-off valve (13), for connecting the main heat exchanger (4) directly to the air compressing device.

Abstract: In order to optimize writing of the cell, the latter is written in a condition of equilibrium between an injection current Ig and the displacement current CppVsl. In this way, during writing, the voltage of the floating gate region Vfl remains constant, as does the drain current and the rise in the threshold voltage. In particular, both for programming and for soft-writing after erasure, the substrate of the cell is biased at a negative voltage Vsb with respect to the source region, and the control gate region of the cell receives a ramp voltage Vcg with a selected predetermined inclination Vsl satisfying an equilibrium condition Vsl<Ig,sat/Cpp.

Abstract: To compensate the offset of a differential stage, the stage has at least one programmable, floating gate transistor with a programmable threshold, which is initially set to a threshold level other than the required threshold value, so that the differential stage is initially unbalanced. A balance input voltage is applied to the inputs of the differential stage. A programming voltage is applied to the programmable transistor to modify the set threshold until the differential stage switches. Upon switching, the programming voltage is cut off immediately, so that the charge required for the differential stage to be balanced with a balance input voltage is memorized in the programmable transistor.

Abstract: Integrated circuit fabrication with a thin layer of oxynitride atop the interlevel dielectric, to provide an etch stop to withstand the overetch of the metal layer.

Abstract: A DFT technique for the detection of bridging faults in CMOS and BiCMOS logic ICs, employs purposely integrated monitoring inverters, driven by signal nodes of the functional circuits to be tested, for revealing the presence of intermediate voltages of a critical value. The monitoring inverters are supplied through a dedicated shadow line that is connected to either one of the supply rails of the functional circuits through a load: a resistance, for a static implementation, or a capacitor, for a dynamic (clocked) implementation. Absence of series connected built-in current sensors (BICSs) avoids degradation of the performance of the functional circuits and is compatible with scaling down of the power supply and with on-line testing techniques. Only critical bridging faults may be reliably and selectively detected, thus reducing the number of rejects, failing a conventional IDDQ test.

Abstract: The present programming method exploits the close dependence of tunneling current on the voltage drop across the tunnel oxide layer. A bootstrapped capacitor connected to the drain terminal of the transistor is employed. The charge state of the capacitor determines the bias of the tunnel oxide and is in turn determined by the charge state in the floating gate. Biasing by the bootstrapped capacitor is such as to permit passage of the tunneling current and, hence, a change in the threshold voltage of the transistor until the floating gate reaches the desired charge level, and to prevent passage of the tunneling current upon the transistor reaching the desired threshold. Programming is thus performed automatically and to a predetermined degree of accuracy, with no need for a special circuit for arresting the programming operation when the desired threshold is reached.