Abstract: A detector for detecting electromagnetic waves, the detector having an antenna for receiving the electromagnetic waves, a semiconductor element, wherein a termination section of the semiconductor element establishes a termination resistor of the antenna, wherein the termination section is provided for heating a temperature-sensitive part of the semiconductor element, wherein the semiconductor element comprises a temperature-dependent characteristic that is dependent from the temperature of the temperature sensitive part and a measurement unit for measuring the temperature-dependent characteristic of the semiconductor element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing ESD protection of an integrated circuit using a temporary conductive coating. The method deposits a temporary conductive coating upon a chip die between contacts to be protected such that a conductive path is created between contacts, provides a carrier substrate that is then bonded to the chip die and then the conductive coating is deactivated to ready the device for use. The deactivation of the conductive coating may involve physical removal of the conductive coating (or a portion thereof), oxidation of the conductive coating to form a non-conductive coating, or some other process to interrupt the conductive path between contacts. The apparatus of the invention is a chip having a temporary conductive coating deposited thereon to protect the integrated circuit from ESD events.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing ESD protection of an integrated circuit using a temporary conductive coating. The method deposits a temporary conductive coating upon a chip die between contacts to be protected such that a conductive path is created between contacts, provides a carrier substrate that is then bonded to the chip die and then the conductive coating is deactivated to ready the device for use. The deactivation of the conductive coating may involve physical removal of the conductive coating (or a portion thereof), oxidation of the conductive coating to form a non-conductive coating, or some other process to interrupt the conductive path between contacts. The apparatus of the invention is a chip having a temporary conductive coating deposited thereon to protect the integrated circuit from ESD events.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for varactor bank switching for a voltage controlled oscillator, is disclosed. Varactor bank switching involves partitioning a varactor bank switch into two anti-parallel branches, wherein each branch comprises a pass-gate circuit that is series-connected to a fixed varactor or capacitor; and maintaining an output common mode voltage of an actual oscillator signal at the varactor-side terminal of each pass-gate circuit, such that a threshold voltage of the switch transistor in the pass-gate circuit is not exceeded and the switch remains in an off-state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for varactor bank switching for a voltage controlled oscillator is disclosed. Varactor bank switching involves generating a negative bias voltage signal as a control signal for a varactor bank switch in an off-state, the varactor bank switch comprising a pass-gate circuit including switching transistors. Generating the negative bias voltage signal includes employing an active rectifier circuit running at the speed of an oscillation signal, the negative bias voltage signal maintaining the gate-source voltage of the pass-gate circuit below a threshold voltage to prevent said switching transistors from becoming conductive in an off-state.

Abstract: An inductor and method of operating the inductor by combining primary and secondary coils with passive coupling, active parallel, or active cross-coupling structures. The first includes at least one passive coupling structure having at least one coupling coil arranged between a primary coil and at least one of the secondary coils and/or between two of the secondary coils. The second includes an active coupling structure arranged between a primary coil and at least one secondary coil and/or between at least two of the secondary coils, to selectively parallel couple the primary coil and one of the secondary coils and/or at least two of the secondary coils. The third includes an active coupling structure to selectively cross couple a primary coil and at least one of the secondary coils and/or to selectively cross couple at least two of the secondary coils.

Abstract: An inductor including a primary coil coaxially arranged and operated in parallel with isolated secondary coils each including at least one loop winding with two open-circuited ports. At least one phase shifting device is arranged between open-circuited ports of at least one secondary coil. A method to operate an inductor by combining primary and secondary coils with phase shifting devices to get a wide tuning range is also provided. The method includes the step of phase shifting open-circuited ports of at least one secondary coil.

Abstract: A continuously tunable inductor with an inductive-capacitive (LC) voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having a primary coil. The inductor includes a separate isolated secondary coil, a set of transistors composing a closed loop with the secondary coil, a magnetic coupling between the primary coil of the LC VCO and the secondary coil, an electrical coupling between the LC VCO and the set of transistors composing a closed loop with the secondary coil, and means for electric current injection into the closed loop. Such an inductor can be tuned by modulating a mutual inductance, which is magnetically and electrically coupled with the LC VCO by injection of an electric current (I0).

Abstract: A photo detector device comprising a first layer comprising a first material, and a second layer arranged adjacent to the first layer, the second layer comprising strained silicon, wherein the second layer further comprises a light absorption region located substantially within the strained silicon, wherein the first or the second layer is arranged on a substrate.

Abstract: A photo detector comprising a grating (PC). The grating (PC) is arranged on top of a surface of an active semiconductor layer. The grating (PC) is patterned in uninterrupted first strips (ST1), that are arranged in a first direction (x) in a first predetermined interval (a), and second strips (ST2), that are arranged in a second direction (y) in a second predetermined interval (b). The second strips (ST2) each comprise at least one interruption in a region between each two neighboring first strips (ST1) in form of a predetermined gap (d). Positively doped regions (P) and negatively doped regions (N) each are arranged as strips in parallel with the first strips (ST1) such that in a region between each two neighboring first strips (ST1) alternately either one of the positively doped regions (P) or one of the negatively doped regions (N) is arranged.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for a memory input/output (I/O) pin has five different modes of operation. The memory chip is enabled to operate with unbuffered (or registered) dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) as well as fully buffered DIMMs. A T-coil circuit equalizes the capacitive loading of the high-speed functions. An exemplary embodiment provides a memory chip containing a multi-functional physical I/O circuit that can act as power or ground; as a DDR2 or DDR3 interface; as a high-speed differential receiver; or as a high-speed differential transmitter.

Abstract: A method of protecting a target from a projectile propelled from a firearm comprises detecting an approaching projectile, continuously monitoring the projectile and transmitting an actual position of the projectile to a controller, computing an estimated projectile trajectory based upon the actual position of the projectile, determining an actual position of a target with a plurality of position sensors and a plurality of attitude sensors, determining whether the estimated projectile trajectory coincides with the actual position of the target, and triggering a plurality of muscle stimulators operably coupled to the controller and to the target when the estimated projectile trajectory coincides with the actual position of the target, wherein the muscle stimulators stimulate the target to move in a predefined manner, and wherein the target moves by an amount sufficient to avoid any contact with the approaching projectile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for varactor bank switching for a voltage controlled oscillator is disclosed. Varactor bank switching involves generating a negative bias voltage signal as a control signal for a varactor bank switch in an off-state, the varactor bank switch comprising a pass-gate circuit including switching transistors. Generating the negative bias voltage signal includes employing an active rectifier circuit running at the speed of an oscillation signal, the negative bias voltage signal maintaining the gate-source voltage of the pass-gate circuit below a threshold voltage to prevent said switching transistors from becoming conductive in an off-state.

Abstract: A detector for detecting electromagnetic waves, the detector having an antenna for receiving the electromagnetic waves, a semiconductor element, wherein a termination section of the semiconductor element establishes a termination resistor of the antenna, wherein the termination section is provided for heating a temperature-sensitive part of the semiconductor element, wherein the semiconductor element comprises a temperature-dependent characteristic that is dependent from the temperature of the temperature sensitive part and a measurement unit for measuring the temperature-dependent characteristic of the semiconductor element.