Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit device is provided. The method includes forming a transistor over a frontside of a substrate; forming an interconnect structure over the transistor; depositing a first transition metal layer over the interconnect structure; performing a plasma treatment to turn the first transition metal layer into a first transition metal dichalcogenide layer; forming a dielectric layer over the first transition metal dichalcogenide layer; forming a first gate electrode over the dielectric layer and a first portion of the first transition metal dichalcogenide layer; and forming a first source contact and a first drain contact respectively connected with a second portion and a third portion of the first transition metal dichalcogenide layer, the first portion of the first transition metal dichalcogenide layer being between the second and third portions of the first transition metal dichalcogenide layers.

Abstract: An eFuse with at least one fuse unit is provided. The fuse unit includes a first common node providing a first reference voltage, a second common node providing a second reference voltage, at least one fuse coupled to the first common node, and a determining unit coupled between the fuse and the second common node, generating an output signal indicating whether the fuse is blown or not according to a first condition in a normal mode and a second condition in a test mode.

Abstract: An exemplary calibration apparatus includes a detecting circuit and a calibrating circuit. The detecting circuit is arranged for generating a detection result by detecting relationship between edges of a plurality of signals generated from a plurality of signal sources, wherein at least one of the edges is a falling edge. The calibrating circuit is coupled to the detecting circuit, and arranged for calibrating at least one of the signal sources according to the detection result. An exemplary calibration method includes the following steps: generating a detection result by detecting relationship between edges of a plurality of signals generated from a plurality of signal sources, wherein at least one of the edges is a falling edge; and calibrating at least one of the signal sources according to the detection result.

Abstract: An eFuse with at least one fuse unit is provided. The fuse unit includes a first common node providing a first reference voltage, a second common node providing a second reference voltage, at least one fuse coupled to the first common node, and a determining unit coupled between the fuse and the second common node, generating an output signal indicating whether the fuse is blown or not according to a first condition in a normal mode and a second condition in a test mode.

Abstract: An eFuse with at least one fuse unit is provided. The fuse unit includes a common node, a sensing unit with a first input terminal and a second input terminal, at least one fuse coupled between the common node and the first input terminal of the sensing unit with a resistance, and a switching unit coupled between the common node and the second input terminal of the sensing unit. A resistance of the switching unit is equivalent to a first resistance in a normal mode and equivalent to a second resistance in a test mode, and the second resistance is higher than the first resistance. The sensing unit generates an output signal indicating whether the fuse is blown or not according to the resistances of the fuse and the switching unit.

Abstract: A hardware status detecting circuit for detecting a hardware status of a target apparatus includes a plurality of hardware status detectors operating in response to the hardware status of the target apparatus, and a signal processing unit coupled to the hardware status detectors for generating a hardware status detecting signal having information of operational statuses of the hardware status detectors embedded therein.

Abstract: An eFuse with at least one fuse unit is provided. The fuse unit includes a common node, a sensing unit with a first input terminal and a second input terminal, at least one fuse coupled between the common node and the first input terminal of the sensing unit with a resistance, and a switching unit coupled between the common node and the second input terminal of the sensing unit. A resistance of the switching unit is equivalent to a first resistance in a normal mode and equivalent to a second resistance in a test mode, and the second resistance is higher than the first resistance. The sensing unit generates an output signal indicating whether the fuse is blown or not according to the resistances of the fuse and the switching unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to an encoding method for encoding a codeword to obtain a parity code. The code is embedded in the codeword and divides the codeword to have intermediate symbol locations between a first and a second set of data symbols. Each data symbol forms a coefficient. The first and the second set of data symbols and the parity code respectively form a first polynomial (M1(x)), a second polynomial (M2(x)), and a parity code polynomial (R(x)). The method comprises: first, designing a first code generator polynomial (G1(x)); next, dividing M1(x)x4 by G1(x) to obtain a first remainder polynomial (R1(x)); next, generating a second code generator polynomial (G2(x)) from G1(x); next, generating a third polynomial (M3(x)); next, dividing M3(x)x4 by G2(x) to obtain a second remainder polynomial (R2(x)); next, performing an adding procedure to R1(x) and R2(x) to obtain R(x); finally, obtaining the parity code from each coefficient of R(x).

Abstract: An apparatus for generating Viterbi-processed data using an input signal obtained from reading an optical disc includes a Viterbi decoding unit and a control circuit. The Viterbi decoding unit is arranged to process the input signal and generate the Viterbi-processed data. In addition, the control circuit is arranged to control at least one component of the apparatus based upon at least one signal within the apparatus. Additionally, the component includes a phase locked loop (PLL) processing unit, an equalizer, and/or the Viterbi decoding unit. An associated apparatus including an equalizer and a Viterbi module is further provided. An associated apparatus including a Viterbi decoding unit and a control circuit is also provided. An associated apparatus including an equalizer, at least one offset/gain controller, and a Viterbi module is further provided. An associated apparatus including an equalizer, a Viterbi module, and a peak/bottom/central (PK/BM/DC) detector is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling discrete data in a disk overwrite area or a power calibration area comprises a signal-processing unit, an address-processing unit, a control signal-processing unit, a clock recovery circuit, a signal-processing unit parameter control unit, and a clock recovery circuit parameter control unit, wherein the control signal-processing unit uses a message produced by a data on the disc to determine the control signals such as hold, load, or increasing bandwidth for holding, loading, and increasing the bandwidth of the parameters for processing the related circuits (such as the circuit of the signal-processing unit or the clock recovery circuit) of the discrete data produced between the two data clusters, so as to increase the convergent speed of the circuits for assuring the accuracy of reading data.

Abstract: A data buffering method used when performing a read operation on an optical storage medium is disclosed. After a first data unit having an unidentifiable and temporarily undeducible ID address is reproduced through the read operation, the method starts storing the first data unit and subsequently reproduced data units into a buffer memory in turn. After a second ID address of a second data unit of the subsequently reproduced data units is identified, the method deduces a target memory address of the buffer memory according to the second ID address and a target ID address. A buffer start pointer is then set according to the deduced target memory address.

Abstract: A light beam is scanned on a track of a recording medium, the track having a first track region and a second track region, each track region having a physical property that has recurring deviations. A wobble signal is derived from the light beam, the wobble signal having information associated with the recurring deviations. Whether the light beam is at the first track region or the second track region is determined based on a frequency, a period, or a pulse width of the wobble signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for writing encoded data into a storage medium includes a quality-check signal generator, a defect judgment unit and a verification unit. The quality-check signal generator is utilized for generating a quality-check signal; the defect judgment unit is coupled to the quality-check signal generator and is utilized for generating a defect judgment result according to the quality-check signal; and the verification unit is coupled to the defect judgment unit and is utilized for referring to the defect judgment result to selectively verify the encoded data that have been written into the storage medium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a data search system for searching the data sync pattern by using a physical address or by detecting the falling edge of the blank area end. The data search system comprises a first data start indicator, a second data start indicator, a decision circuit, a window generator and a data sync pattern search circuit. The first data start indicator generates a first start search signal indicating a first start position. The second data start indicator generates a second start search signal indicating a second start position. The decision circuit selects to output one of the start search signals. The window generator generates a window interval starting from the start position. The data sync pattern search circuit searches a data sync pattern of the data in the window interval to determine the data following the data sync pattern.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an address protection method and circuit capable of efficiently protecting inputting addresses from corruption. The predictable order of a series of original addresses is checked and then the correct addresses are generated by correcting the corrupted addresses within the original addresses. The address protection method and circuit according to the present invention can improve the accuracy of the inputting addresses and increase the validity of data in response to the inputting addresses.

Abstract: A control circuit and a control method of controlling a rotation frequency of a spindle in an optical disc drive, the control circuit comprising: a spindle controller, electrically coupled to the spindle, for driving the spindle to rotate an optical disc according to a rotation control signal; a detector, electrically coupled to the spindle controller, for detecting the rotation frequency and for generating detecting signals; a frequency-adjusting module, electrically coupled to the detector, for adjusting at least one of the detecting signals to reduce a rotation frequency difference between detecting signals; a signal selector, electrically coupled to the frequency-adjusting module, for receiving output signals generated from the frequency-adjusting module and then outputting the rotation control signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to an encoding method for encoding a codeword to obtain a parity code. The code is embedded in the codeword and divides the codeword to have intermediate symbol locations between a first and a second set of data symbols. Each data symbol forms a coefficient. The first and the second set of data symbols and the parity code respectively form a first polynomial (M1(x)), a second polynomial (M2(x)), and a parity code polynomial (R(x)).

Abstract: A light beam is scanned on a track of a recording medium, the track having a first track region and a second track region, each track region having a physical property that has recurring deviations. A wobble signal is derived from the light beam, the wobble signal having information associated with the recurring deviations. Whether the light beam is at the first track region or the second track region is determined based on a frequency, a period, or a pulse width of the wobble signal.

Abstract: A modulation method for a first data string having a plurality of symbols is disclosed. The method includes: appending a data string to the first data string to form a second data string; and converting the second data string to a code word sequence by converting each of the symbols in the first data string to a code word according to predetermined modulation rules and a symbol set selected from the second data string. Each code word has a first fixed number of bits, each symbol has a second fixed number of bits, and each symbol set has a fixed number of symbols.

Abstract: A first method for determining the start of user data in a data block on an optical disc is disclosed. The first method includes: setting a plurality of predetermined time intervals; detecting a first sync pattern and a second sync pattern; and utilizing one of the predetermined time intervals and a time interval between the first sync pattern and the second sync pattern to determine the start of the user data. In addition, a second method for determining the start of user data in a data block on an optical disc is disclosed. The second method includes: detecting a first sync pattern; when the first sync pattern is found, detecting a sync ID of the first sync pattern; and when the sync ID of the first sync pattern is found, determining the start of the user data according to the sync ID of the first sync pattern.