Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) having a heat-generating element, such as a power MOSFET, a current-carrying conductor coupled to the heat-generating element, a sense conductor adjacent the current-carrying conductor, and a failure-detection circuit coupled to the sense conductor. When thermal cycling of the IC causes the resistance of the sense conductor to become greater than a temperature-dependent threshold value, the failure-detection circuit generates a signal indicating that the integrated circuit will soon fail. The resistance of the sense conductor is determined by injecting a current into the sense conductor to generate a voltage. The temperature-dependent threshold value is a voltage generated by injecting a current into a reference conductor disposed away from the current-carrying and sense conductors. A voltage comparator compares the two voltages to generate the output.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) having a heat-generating element, such as a power MOSFET, a current-carrying conductor coupled to the heat-generating element, a sense conductor adjacent the current-carrying conductor, and a failure-detection circuit coupled to the sense conductor. When thermal cycling of the IC causes the resistance of the sense conductor to become greater than a temperature-dependent threshold value, the failure-detection circuit generates a signal indicating that the integrated circuit will soon fail. The resistance of the sense conductor is determined by injecting a current into the sense conductor to generate a voltage. The temperature-dependent threshold value is a voltage generated by injecting a current into a reference conductor disposed away from the current-carrying and sense conductors. A voltage comparator compares the two voltages to generate the output.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a circuit block disposed in and supported by the semiconductor substrate and comprising an inductor, and a discontinuous noise isolation guard ring surrounding the circuit block. The discontinuous noise isolation guard ring includes a metal ring supported by the semiconductor substrate and a ring-shaped region disposed in the semiconductor substrate, having a dopant concentration level, and electrically coupled to the metal ring, to inhibit noise in the semiconductor substrate from reaching the circuit. The metal ring has a first gap and the ring-shaped region has a second gap.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a circuit block disposed in and supported by the semiconductor substrate and comprising an inductor, and a discontinuous noise isolation guard ring surrounding the circuit block. The discontinuous noise isolation guard ring includes a metal ring supported by the semiconductor substrate and a ring-shaped region disposed in the semiconductor substrate, having a dopant concentration level, and electrically coupled to the metal ring, to inhibit noise in the semiconductor substrate from reaching the circuit. The metal ring has a first gap and the ring-shaped region has a second gap.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a first inverter circuit including a first PMOS transistor and a first NMOS transistor, a drain electrode of the first PMOS transistor coupled to a drain electrode of the first NMOS transistor, and a second inverter circuit including a second PMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor, a drain electrode of the second PMOS transistor coupled to a drain electrode of the second NMOS transistor. A first output voltage pad coupled to gate electrodes of the first and second PMOS and NMOS transistors, and between the drain electrode of the first PMOS transistor and the drain electrode of the NMOS transistor to self-bias the first inverter circuit. A second output voltage pad coupled between the drain electrode of the second PMOS transistor and the drain electrode of the second NMOS transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a first inverter circuit including a first PMOS transistor and a first NMOS transistor, a drain electrode of the first PMOS transistor coupled to a drain electrode of the first NMOS transistor, and a second inverter circuit including a second PMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor, a drain electrode of the second PMOS transistor coupled to a drain electrode of the second NMOS transistor. A first output voltage pad coupled to gate electrodes of the first and second PMOS and NMOS transistors, and between the drain electrode of the first PMOS transistor and the drain electrode of the NMOS transistor to self-bias the first inverter circuit. A second output voltage pad coupled between the drain electrode of the second PMOS transistor and the drain electrode of the second NMOS transistor.

Abstract: In general, various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for simulating distributed effects by providing a meshing pattern (200) (e.g., a two-dimensional meshing pattern that is part of a recognition layer), applying that meshing pattern to the physical layout (100), and partitioning the physical layout into a three-dimensional netlist (300) of components derived from the unit cells defined by the meshing pattern (200), thereby modeling the parasitics within the design.

Abstract: In general, various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for simulating distributed effects by providing a meshing pattern (200) (e.g., a two-dimensional meshing pattern that is part of a recognition layer), applying that meshing pattern to the physical layout (100), and partitioning the physical layout into a three-dimensional netlist (300) of components derived from the unit cells defined by the meshing pattern (200), thereby modeling the parasitics within the design.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (10) uses a plurality of floating field conductors (26, 28) to provide a substantially uniform electric field along the surface of the drift region (17) of the device (10). This substantially uniform electric field increases the breakdown voltage per unit length of the drift region (17).

Abstract: A silicon integrated circuit includes a vertical power DMOS transistor and a vertical NPN transistor in separate epitaxial pockets by a method including simultaneously forming a plurality of D-well regions in the DMOS transistor and the base region in the NPN transistor, and including simultaneously forming the elemental source regions and the emitter region. N-type buried layers are provided simultaneously in the DMOS and the NPN transistors, respectively. Also formed simultaneously are two N+ plugs connecting the two buried layers, respectively, to the epitaxial surface of the integrated circuit die. None of these economically attractive simultaneous steps requires deviation in either device from optimum geometries. Also disclosed are compatible and integrated steps for forming small signal CMOS transistors. This method also includes a full self-alignment of gate, source and channel regions in the DMOS transistor as well as in the CMOS transistors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has small signal MOS logic transistors formed in an N-type basket which basket itself is formed in an N-type epitaxial pocket that is defined by an enclosing P-type isolation wall. In a second epitaxial pocket a relatively high-current carrying bipolar transistor is formed. The MOS containing N-type basket is tied to one DC voltage which the substrate and isolation walls are connected to a lower level DC voltage. Substrate currents that are caused by the high current in the bipolar transistor are prevented by the N-type basket from inducing voltage changes in the MOS transistors.