Abstract: A layout of a semiconductor device stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium includes a first transistor in an active device region, the first transistor comprising a first channel region a first source region and a first drain region. The layout further includes a second transistor in a guard ring region, the second transistor comprising a second channel region a second source region and a second drain region. The second channel region includes a semiconductor material having a higher thermal conductivity than a semiconductor material of the first channel region.

Abstract: A three-dimensional integrated circuit includes a first layer including at least one sensing element configured to output at least one temperature-dependent voltage; and a second layer disposed vertically with respect to the first layer and coupled to the first layer by at least one via. The second layer includes: a compare circuit configured to generate at least one intermediate voltage in response to comparing the at least one temperature-dependent voltage to a feedback voltage; a control circuit configured to generate at least one control signal in response to the intermediate voltage; and a switching circuit configured to couple a capacitor coupled to a feedback node to one of a first voltage supply and a second voltage supply in response to the at least one control signal to generate an output signal that is based on a temperature sensed by the sensing element.

Abstract: A signal processing circuit including a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion circuits, an in-memory computing device, and a control method thereof are provided. Each analog-to-digital conversion circuit includes a reset switch, a capacitor array circuit, a voltage comparator, and a successive approximation circuit. A first terminal of the reset switch receives a first reference voltage, and a second terminal of the reset switch receives an input voltage signal. The capacitor array circuit adjusts the input voltage signal according to a successive approximation control signal to generate an adjusted voltage. The voltage comparator compares the voltage levels of the adjusted voltage and a second reference voltage to generate a comparison signal. The successive approximation circuit generates a successive approximation control signal according to the comparison signal and generates an output digital signal corresponding to the input voltage signal.

Abstract: A trimmable resistor circuit and a method for operating the trimmable resistor circuit are provided. The trimmable resistor circuit includes first sources/drains and first gate structures alternatively arranged in a first row, second sources/drains and second gate structures alternatively arranged in a second row, third sources/drains and third gate structures alternatively arranged in a third row, first resistors disposed between the first row and the second row, and second resistors disposed between the second row and the third row. In the method for operating the trimmable resistor circuit, the first gate structures in the first row and the third gate structures in the third row are turned on. Then, the second gate structures in the second row are turned on/off according to a predetermined resistance value.

Abstract: A system for designing a temperature sensor arrangement includes a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium, including instructions, connected to the processor. The processor is configured to execute the instructions for designing a sensor array, the sensor array includes a first transistor of a first device, and a plurality of second transistors of a second device. The processor is configured to execute the instructions for designing a guard ring region between the sensor array and another circuit of an integrated circuit, the guard ring region includes a transistor structure. The processor is configured to execute the instructions for designing a thermally conductive element between the sensor array and the guard ring region, the thermally conductive element is connected to the transistor structure, the first transistor and each of the plurality of second transistors. The processor is configured to execute the instructions for generating the temperature sensor arrangement.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a plurality of source/drain (S/D) regions in the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of S/D regions includes a first dopant having a first dopant type, and the each of the plurality of S/D regions are electrically coupled together. The semiconductor device further includes a gate stack over the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a channel region in the substrate, wherein the channel region is below the gate stack and between adjacent S/D regions of the plurality of S/D regions, the channel region includes a second dopant having the first dopant type, and a concentration of the second dopant in the channel region is less than a concentration of the first dopant in each of the plurality of S/D regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an edge active cell, an inner active cell and a middle active cell. The edge active cell is located near an edge of the semiconductor device. The edge active cell includes a plurality of fingers. The inner active cell is adjacent to the edge active cell toward a central portion of the semiconductor device. The inner active cell includes a plurality of fingers and at least one of the plurality of fingers of the edge active cell is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of fingers of the inner active cell. The middle active cell is located near the central portion of the semiconductor device. The middle active cell includes a plurality of fingers and each of the fingers of the middle active cell is electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: A thermal sensor circuit that includes a temperature sensing circuit, an analog to digital converter, a processor, a divider circuit and a digital circuit is introduced. The temperature sensing circuit generates first and second temperature-dependent voltages. The digital to analog converter converts the first and second temperature-dependent voltages to first and second bit streams. The processor generates a third bit stream based on a thermal coefficient. The divider circuit divides one of the first and second bit streams by a denominator value to generate a fourth bit stream, wherein the denominator value is determined according to a bit value of the third bit stream. The digital circuit subtracts the other one of the first and second bit streams from the fourth bit stream to generate an output bit stream. The processor tunes the thermal coefficient until the output bit stream is equivalent to a bit stream of a reference model.

Abstract: A layout of a semiconductor device is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The layout includes a first transistor in an active device region and a second transistor in a guard ring region. The first transistor includes a first channel region, a first gate structure across the first channel region, and a first source region and a first drain region on opposite sides of the first channel region. The second transistor includes a second channel region, a second gate structure across the second channel region, a second source region and a second drain region on opposite sides of the second channel region. The second channel region includes a semiconductor material having a higher thermal conductivity than a semiconductor material of the first channel region.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for reducing and cancelling out kickback noise are disclosed. In one example, a circuit for a comparator is disclosed. The circuit includes: a first transistor group, a second transistor group, and a first switch. The first transistor group comprises a first transistor having a drain coupled to a first node, and a second transistor having a source coupled to the first node. Gates of the first transistor and the second transistor are coupled together to a first input of the comparator. The second transistor group comprises a third transistor having a drain coupled to a second node, and a fourth transistor having a source coupled to the second node. Gates of the third transistor and the fourth transistor are coupled together to a second input of the comparator. The first switch is connected to and between the first node and the second node.

Abstract: A three-dimensional integrated circuit includes a first layer including at least one sensing element configured to output at least one temperature-dependent voltage; and a second layer disposed vertically with respect to the first layer and coupled to the first layer by at least one via. The second layer includes: a compare circuit configured to generate at least one intermediate voltage in response to comparing the at least one temperature-dependent voltage to a feedback voltage; a control circuit configured to generate at least one control signal in response to the intermediate voltage; and a switching circuit configured to couple a capacitor coupled to a feedback node to one of a first voltage supply and a second voltage supply in response to the at least one control signal to generate an output signal that is based on a temperature sensed by the sensing element.

Abstract: A trimmable resistor circuit and a method for operating the trimmable resistor circuit are provided. The trimmable resistor circuit includes first sources/drains and first gate structures alternatively arranged in a first row, second sources/drains and second gate structures alternatively arranged in a second row, third sources/drains and third gate structures alternatively arranged in a third row, first resistors disposed between the first row and the second row, and second resistors disposed between the second row and the third row. In the method for operating the trimmable resistor circuit, the first gate structures in the first row and the third gate structures in the third row are turned on. Then, the second gate structures in the second row are turned on/off according to a predetermined resistance value.

Abstract: A method of making a temperature sensor arrangement includes forming a sensor array. The sensor array includes a first transistor of a first device and a plurality of second transistors of a second device different from the first device. The method further includes forming a guard ring region between the sensor array and another circuit of an integrated circuit. The guard ring region includes a transistor structure. The method further includes forming a thermally conductive element between the sensor array and the guard ring region. The thermally conductive element is connected to the transistor structure, the first transistor and each of the plurality of second transistors.

Abstract: A computing device in some examples includes multiple digital-to-analog converters (DACs) having outputs connected to respective operational amplifiers, with outputs connected to the gates of respective transistors, each forming a serial combination with a respective memory element. The serial combinations are connected between a voltage reference point and a conductive line. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the conductive line at the input. The DACs generate analog signals having ON-periods of lengths corresponding to the respective numbers at the DACs' inputs. The transistors generate currents indicative of the level of output signals of the respective DACs and memory states of the respective memory elements for the ON-periods. The combined currents charges or discharges the conductive line, which has a parasitic capacitance, to a voltage, which is indicative of the sum of the numbers weighted by the memory states. The voltage is converted to a digital representation of the weighted sum.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for reducing and cancelling out kickback noise are disclosed. In one example, a circuit for a comparator is disclosed. The circuit includes: a first transistor group, a second transistor group, and a first switch. The first transistor group comprises a first transistor having a drain coupled to a first node, and a second transistor having a source coupled to the first node. Gates of the first transistor and the second transistor are coupled together to a first input of the comparator. The second transistor group comprises a third transistor having a drain coupled to a second node, and a fourth transistor having a source coupled to the second node. Gates of the third transistor and the fourth transistor are coupled together to a second input of the comparator. The first switch is connected to and between the first node and the second node.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate. An active area is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. A first guard ring is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and entirely surrounds the active area. The first guard ring has a first conductivity type. A via penetrates through the semiconductor substrate and is spaced apart from the active area such that the via is disposed outside of the first guard ring. A second guard ring is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and entirely surrounds the via and the first guard ring. The second guard ring has the first conductivity type and is disjoint from the first guard ring.

Abstract: A memory array structure that includes memory columns having first bit lines and second bit lines is introduced. Each of the memory columns includes a bit line pair, a pre-charge switch pair and a first switch pair. Output voltages from the first bit lines and the second bit lines are used to generated a first average voltage and a second average voltage, respectively. One of the first average voltage and the second average voltage is a lower average voltage and another one of the first average voltage and the second average voltage is a higher average voltage. The pre-charge switch pair and the first switch pair of a selected memory column among the plurality of memory columns are controlled to repeatedly perform an incremental step to increment the lower average voltage by a step voltage until the lower average voltage is greater than the higher average voltage.

Abstract: A circuit is disclosed that includes a capacitive element, a control circuit, and a first switch and a second switch. The capacitive element is configured to generate an output voltage at a terminal thereof. The control circuit is configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal in response to a first temperature-dependent voltage, a second temperature-dependent voltage, and the output voltage. The first switch and the second switch are coupled to the capacitive element, and configured to be turned on or off in response to the first control signal and the second control signal respectively. The first switch and the second switch have different switching status from each other in a charge mode.

Abstract: A continuous time delta sigma modulator is described in this application. In one example, the continuous time delta sigma modulator includes: a quantizer, a buffer module, a randomizer, and a reference module. The quantizer includes a comparator that generates a digital output based on a comparison of a reference potential with an input generated based on a sample of an analog signal. The buffer module stores the digital output for a predetermined delay period and outputs the digital output after the predetermined delay period as a delayed digital output. The randomizer randomizes the delayed digital output to generate a randomized digital output. The reference module modifies the reference potential based on the randomized digital output.

Abstract: A layout of a semiconductor device is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The layout includes a first transistor in an active device region and a second transistor in a guard ring region. The first transistor includes a first channel region, a first gate structure across the first channel region, and a first source region and a first drain region on opposite sides of the first channel region. The second transistor includes a second channel region, a second gate structure across the second channel region, a second source region and a second drain region on opposite sides of the second channel region. The second channel region includes a semiconductor material having a higher thermal conductivity than a semiconductor material of the first channel region.