Abstract:
A contact structure for semiconductor devices which are integrated on a semiconductor layer is provided. The structure comprises at least one MOS device and at least one capacitor element where the contact is provided at an opening formed in an insulating layer which overlies at least in part the semiconductor layer. Further, the opening has its surface edges, walls and bottom coated with a metal layer and filled with an insulating layer.
Abstract:
A microelectromechanical structure, usable in an optical switch for directing a light beam towards one of two light guide elements, including: a mirror element, rotatably movable; an actuator, which can translate; and a motion conversion assembly, arranged between the mirror element and the actuator. The motion conversion assembly includes a projection integral with the mirror element and elastic engagement elements integral with the actuator and elastically loaded towards the projection. The elastic engagement elements are formed by metal plates fixed to the actuator at one of their ends and engaging the projection with an abutting edge countershaped with respect to the projection.
Abstract:
A processor is provided with a set of instructions formed, in general, of an operation section and an operand section. For at least one of the instructions, the operand section represents operation control signals of the processor. In this way, an extension of the set of instructions can be achieved for tailoring the set of instructions to the user's own requirements. Consequently, the processor control unit should be capable of coupling its outputs to its inputs upon receiving one such instruction, thereby to transfer such internal operation control signals without interpretation.
Abstract:
The device is for driving and controlling a rotation motor and a voice coil motor for a hard disk drive system that includes a disk and an arm carrying a read/write head to be positioned with respect thereto. A duty-cycle control loop including a current sensing circuit is connected to the voice coil motor, and an arm position control loop including a speed detection circuit is also connected to the voice coil motor. The duty-cycle control loop and the arm position control loop are digitally implemented by a DSP as a function of digital data representing a first analog signal generated by the current sensing circuit representative of current conducting in a winding of the voice coil motor, and a second analog signal generated by the speed detection circuit representative of an instant speed of the voice coil motor.
Abstract:
The selection/deselection circuit is for non-volatile memory word lines having a decoding line connected between a supply voltage and ground, and including a series of decoding transistors of the same conductivity controlled by respective selection signals and at least a load transistor whose conductivity is opposite to the conductivity of the decoding transistors in series with the series of transistors and biased by a control voltage. The load transistor produces an activating or deactivating voltage of a memory word line, and a circuit for controlling the load transistor is provided. Such an auxiliary control circuit includes a sensing element in series with the decoding transistors and the load transistor for producing a sensing signal switching between a first value when only one memory line is actually selected and a second value when multiple memory word lines appear to be simultaneously selected. Also, an inverter receives the sensing signal and outputs a first signal. A high pass filter receives the first signal and produces a control transient voltage for transitorily bringing the load transistor to a state of full conduction when the sensing signal switches from the first value to the second value.
Abstract:
A method is provided for manufacturing electronic non-volatile memory devices on a semiconductor substrate including a matrix of memory cells having floating gate regions formed on respective active areas and an oxide layer separating the active areas. The method may include forming sidewalls of the floating gate regions that are slanted with respect to a surface of the semiconductor substrate, forming a trench in the oxide layer following the formation of the floating gate regions, and forming a plug of polycrystalline silicon in the trench. The slanted sidewalls of the floating gate regions provide a lead-in for the formation of upper layers.
Abstract:
A circuit for reverse battery protection includes an isolation circuit and a control circuit. The isolation is circuit coupled between a gate output of an electronic fuse (E-fuse) and at least one external metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). The E-fuse is coupled between a battery voltage pin and an external ground pin and further coupled to a microcontroller. The isolation circuit is configured to disconnect the gate output from the at least one external MOSFET when the battery is installed with reverse polarity. The control circuit is coupled between the external ground pin and the at least one external MOSFET. The control circuit is configured to turn on the at least one external MOSFET when the battery is installed with the reverse polarity.
Abstract:
A controller for an electronic circuit that includes a first and a second switch is provided. The controller includes an event detector stage that receives logic electrical signals and a pulse generator circuit, which is coupled to the event detector stage and generates a dead time signal based on edges of the logic electrical signals detected by the event detector stage. The dead time signal includes pulses delimited by an edge of a first type and by a subsequent edge of a second type. A combinatorial sampling circuit generates a first and a second sampled preliminary signal. An update stage updates the values of the first and the second control signals at each pulse of the dead time signal based on the first and the second sampled preliminary signals, subsequently to the edge of the first type or the second type of the pulse of the dead time signal.
Abstract:
A circuit for reverse battery protection includes an isolation circuit and a control circuit. The isolation is circuit coupled between a gate output of an electronic fuse (E-fuse) and at least one external metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). The E-fuse is coupled between a battery voltage pin and an external ground pin and further coupled to a microcontroller. The isolation circuit is configured to disconnect the gate output from the at least one external MOSFET when the battery is installed with reverse polarity. The control circuit is coupled between the external ground pin and the at least one external MOSFET. The control circuit is configured to turn on the at least one external MOSFET when the battery is installed with the reverse polarity.
Abstract:
A voltage-controlled oscillator in a phase-locked loop circuit is calibrated via a dichotomous search in a set of candidate frequency bands via a sequence of subsequent halving steps that produce reduced subsets of the set of candidate frequency bands. The reduced subsets have respective upper bound values and lower bound values, as well as central values. The central value of the subset resulting from the halving step of index i in the sequence is a function of the average of the upper bound value and the lower bound value of the subset resulting from the halving step of index i−1 in the sequence.