Abstract:
A field-effect transistor structure wherein a single patterned thin film semiconductor layer: is monocrystalline, and epitaxially matched to and dielectrically isolated from an underlying body region, in channel locations; and is polycrystalline in source/drain locations which abut said channel locations.
Abstract:
A method is provided for forming isolated regions of oxide of an integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same. A pad oxide layer is formed over a portion of a substrate. A first silicon nitride layer is formed over the pad oxide layer. A polysilicon buffer layer is then formed over the first silicon nitride layer. A second silicon nitride layer is formed over the polysilicon layer. A photoresist layer is formed and patterned over the second silicon nitride layer. An opening is etched through the second silicon nitride layer and the polysilicon buffer layer to expose a portion of the first silicon nitride layer. A third silicon nitride region is then formed on at least the polysilicon buffer layer exposed in the opening. The first silicon nitride layer is etched in the opening. A field oxide region is then formed in the opening.
Abstract:
A voltage regulator (400) having a charge pump includes a bias current circuit (402) which produces a bias current (I.sub.bias). The bias current (I.sub.bias) is mirrored by a first mirror circuit (404) and multiplied by gain stage Q4.sub.beta and mirrored again by a factor "c" on the output of DMOS2. The same I.sub.bias is mirrored by a ratio "b" and multiplied by the product of Q5.sub.beta and Q6.sub.beta. The push-pull current operation at the output terminal (416) is obtained by turning on and off switches SW1 (418) and SW2 (420) that are controlled by a clock signal. The voltage regulator (400) further includes an output voltage clamp (424) that keeps control of the V.sub.boost voltage by controlling the amount of bias current (I.sub.bias).
Abstract:
A DVD player that integrates a DVD device into a personal computer is provided. As such, the personal computer is able to output audio-visual works from a DVD CD-ROM. When integrating a DVD device with a personal computer, various problems must be overcome. For example, in a personal computer, the video display is controlled by a graphics controller, and in order to render an audio-visual stream in a personal computer, the audio-visual stream and the graphics controller must be synchronized. The synchronization problem arises because the graphics controller only displays data at the beginning of 33.4 millisecond time intervals. Thus, although the audio portion may be played almost immediately, the video portion may have to wait for up to 33.4 milliseconds before being displayed. In this manner, the audio portion and the video portion become unsynchronized which means that the audio portion plays before the corresponding video portion is displayed. The DVD player solves this problem by synchronizing the start of the audio-visual stream with the graphics controller so that the time at which a video sequence is displayed coincides with one of the graphics controller's 33.4 millisecond time intervals.
Abstract:
A method is provided for forming an improved landing pad of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same. A first opening is formed through a first dielectric layer to expose a portion of a diffused region. A dual polysilicon landing pad is formed in the first opening and on a portion of the first dielectric layer adjacent the first opening. The dual landing pad is preferably formed from two polysilicon landing pads with an oxide formed in between a portion of the two polysilicon layers and over the first polysilicon layer. This landing pad will enhance the planarization of the wafer at this stage of the manufacturing and tolerate misalignment of subsequently formed metal contacts without invading design rules.
Abstract:
A driver circuit for a power device of a power driving stage is capable of providing slew rate control. The driver circuit includes the following elements: a charging source of current, a discharging source of current, a first switch, a second switch, a conductive device, a capacitive element, an amplifier, and the power device. Both the first and second switches receive a control signal. The elements of the driver circuit are configured such that the conductive device will conduct only when the following two conditions are met: the control signal is a certain logic level and the voltage generated by the amplifier is larger than a reference voltage. When the control signal transitions from a first to a second logic state, a charging current is delivered to the capacitive element, an output voltage of the driver circuit increased to the reference voltage, and a voltage on a control terminal of the power device also increases to a charge pump voltage level. When the control signal transitions from the second to the first logic state, the conductive device conducts as long as the output voltage generated by the power device is larger than the reference voltage and the discharging source of current operates to quickly discharge the capacitive element so that the voltage at the node at the input terminal of the amplifier is quickly reduced until it approximates the reference voltage.
Abstract:
A method is provided for forming an improved device dielectric of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same. For scaling geometries for use in the submicron regime, a composite dielectric layer used as a device dielectric is formed over a plurality of active areas adjacent to a field oxide region. The composite dielectric layer is formed before the field oxide region is formed and comprises a non-porous silicon nitride layer. The non-porous silicon nitride layer preferably comprises a thin deposited silicon nitride layer overlying a thin nitridized region of the substrate. The silicon nitride layer is partially oxidized during the subsequent formation of a field oxide region between the plurality of active areas. An oxide layer may be formed over the silicon nitride layer before the formation of the field oxide region which will then be densified during the field oxide formation. The composite dielectric layer is then patterned and etched to form the dielectric portion of various integrated circuit devices.
Abstract:
A mask is used for lightly doped drain and halo implants in an integrated circuit device. The mask exposes only portions of the substrate adjacent to field effect transistor gate electrodes. Since the halo implant is made only near the transistor channels, where it performs a useful function, adequate device reliability and performance is obtained. Since the halo implant is masked from those portions of the active regions for which it is not necessary, active region junction capacitances are lowered. Such lowered capacitances result in an improved transistor switching speed. The mask used to define the lightly doped drain and halo implant region can be easily formed from a straight forward combination of already existing gate and active area geometries.
Abstract:
A DVD CD-ROM player integrated with a personal computer is provided. When integrating a DVD CD-ROM with a personal computer, there are various problems that must be overcome. For example, the stream from the DVD CD-ROM utilizes a 27 MHz clock. However, a personal computer typically does not have a 27 MHz clock, but instead has a system clock, that runs at the frequency of the processor. Therefore, in order to play a DVD-based audio-visual work in a personal computer, a clock running at 27 MHz is needed. As such, a software clock running at 27 MHz is provided which facilitates the integration of a DVD CD-ROM into a personal computer. By using a software clock, synchronization of the audio-visual stream is facilitated and both cost and development time are reduced.
Abstract:
A circuit and method to clamp a node of a power device connected to a driving node of a polyphase d-c motor to a reference potential during a powering off of the drive includes a current mirror and a comparator. A first input of the comparator is connected to the reference potential, and a second input is connected to the driving node. The reference potential may be a ground potential, or, preferably, the potential at another driving node of the motor. An output of the comparator is connected to a first side of the current mirror. A circuit is connected to apply a current reflecting the output of the comparator to a low side driver connected to the node.