公开(公告)号：US11573189B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-07

申请号：US16683987

申请日：2019-11-14

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Yaojian Leng

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L31/103 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/88 ,  H01L31/02 ,  G01N17/02

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring copper corrosion in an integrated circuit (IC) device are disclosed. A corrosion-sensitive structure formed in the IC device may include a p-type active region adjacent an n-type active region to define a p-n junction space charge region. A copper region formed over the silicon may be connected to both the p-region and n-region by respective contacts, to thereby define a short circuit. Light incident on the p-n junction space charge region, e.g., during a CMP process, creates a current flow through the metal region via the short circuit, which drives chemical reactions that cause corrosion in the copper region. Due to the short circuit configuration, the copper region is highly sensitive to corrosion. The corrosion-sensitive structure may be arranged with less corrosion-sensitive copper structures in the IC device, with the corrosion-sensitive structure used as a proxy to monitor for copper corrosion in the IC device.

公开(公告)号：US20230028136A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-26

申请号：US17649884

申请日：2022-02-03

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Tik Man Lee ,  Adrian Yuk-Kei Wong

IPC: H05B45/12 ,  H05B47/105 ,  H05B47/19

Abstract: Various examples relate to adjustable light sources. An example may include an apparatus including a light source to adjustably emit light toward a region of interest at least partially responsive to a control signal. The apparatus may also include a sensor to generate a signal indicative of an intensity of light sensed by the sensor in the region of interest. The apparatus may also include a wireless-communication equipment to broadcast a value that represents the intensity of light received by the sensor. The wireless-communication equipment may also receive a broadcast of a further value that represents an intensity of light in a further region of interest. The apparatus may also include a processor to adjust the control signal at least partially responsive to the further value. Related devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US11564172B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-24

申请号：US16555181

申请日：2019-08-29

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Stefan Weiers

IPC: H02M1/42 ,  H04W52/02 ,  G06F1/26 ,  G06F3/06 ,  H02M1/00

Abstract: A communication device for connection with a power source and a host device is provided. The communication device comprises a device controller and a converter circuit. The device controller is adapted for data communication with the host device and the converter circuit is configured to provide a virtual device ground at least to the device controller, so as to compensate a ground potential difference between the host device and the communication device.

公开(公告)号：US11545544B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-03

申请号：US17155431

申请日：2021-01-22

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Yaojian Leng ,  Justin Sato

IPC: H01L23/522 ,  H01L49/02

Abstract: A three-dimensional metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor is formed in an integrated circuit structure. The 3D MIM capacitor may include a bottom conductor including a bottom plate portion (e.g., formed in a metal interconnect layer) and vertically-extending sidewall portions extending from the bottom plate portion. An insulator layer is formed on the bottom plate portion and the vertically extending sidewall portions of the bottom conductor. A top conductor is formed over the insulating layer, such that the top conductor is capacitively coupled to both the bottom plate portion and the vertically extending sidewall portions of the bottom conductor, to thereby define an increased area of capacitive coupling between the top and bottom conductors. The vertically extending sidewall portions of the bottom conductor may be formed in a single metal layer or by components of multiple metal layers.

公开(公告)号：US11545428B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-03

申请号：US16999358

申请日：2020-08-21

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Yaojian Leng

IPC: H01L23/522 ,  H01L49/02 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L23/00

Abstract: A method of forming a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor with copper top and bottom plates may begin with a copper interconnect layer (e.g., Cu MTOP) including a copper structure defining the capacitor bottom plate. A passivation region is formed over the bottom plate, and a wide top plate opening is etched in the passivation region, to expose the bottom plate. A dielectric layer is deposited into the top plate opening and onto the exposed bottom plate. Narrow via opening(s) are then etched in the passivation region. The wide top plate opening and narrow via opening(s) are concurrently filled with copper to define a copper top plate and copper via(s) in contact with the bottom plate. A first aluminum bond pad is formed on the copper top plate, and a second aluminum bond pad is formed in contact with the copper via(s) to provide a conductive coupling to the bottom plate.

公开(公告)号：US11513577B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-29

申请号：US17301094

申请日：2021-03-24

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Eric Ching ,  Venkatraman Iyer

IPC: G06F1/26 ,  G06F1/3203 ,  G06F9/4401 ,  G06F13/20 ,  G06F1/3215

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and devices for communicating a source of a 10SPE wake. Such a communication may be performed over a low-pin count hardware interface of a 10SPE physical layer (PHY) module having a split arrangement. A controller side of a 10SPE PHY may perform a local or remote 10SPE wake forward in response to a communicated source of a wake. Also disclosed is a digital interface for operatively coupling a PHY controller to PHY transceiver over a low-pin count connection, where the digital interface includes circuitry for checking the integrity of circuitry of the digital interface.

公开(公告)号：US11508500B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-22

申请号：US17071442

申请日：2020-10-15

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Paul Fest ,  Jacob Williams ,  Josh Kaufman

IPC: H01C17/00 ,  H01C7/00 ,  H01L49/02 ,  H01L27/06 ,  H01C17/30

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a thin film resistor (TFR) in an integrated circuit (IC) device. A TFR film is formed and annealed over an IC structure including IC elements and IC element contacts. At least one TFR cap layer is formed, and a TFR etch defines a TFR element from the TFR film. A TFR contact etch forms TFR contact openings over the TFR element, and a metal layer is formed over the IC structure and extending into the TFR contact openings to form metal contacts to the IC element contacts and the TFR element. The TFR cap layer(s), e.g., SiN cap and/or oxide cap formed over the TFR film, may (a) provide an etch stop during the TFR contact etch and/or (b) provide a hardmask during the TFR etch, which may eliminate the use of a photomask and thereby eliminate post-etch removal of photomask polymer.

公开(公告)号：US11494324B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-08

申请号：US16998097

申请日：2020-08-20

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Vincent Quiquempoix ,  Yann Johner

IPC: G06F13/00 ,  G06F13/20 ,  G06F13/42 ,  G06F13/40

Abstract: An apparatus such as a node in a daisy chain of electronic devices includes a serial data input port receive input from an electronic device in the daisy chain. The apparatus includes a serial data output port to send output to another electronic device in the daisy chain. The apparatus includes a chip select input port configured to receive input from a master control unit, and an interface circuit configured to, in a daisy chain streaming mode, and based on a received command and changed edge of a signal on the chip select input port, repeatedly: read data from a data source of the apparatus to yield data, output the data to the serial data output port, and copy other data received at the serial data input port to the serial data output port after the data.

公开(公告)号：US11461139B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-04

申请号：US16842870

申请日：2020-04-08

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Michael Simmons ,  Anjana Priya Sistla ,  Priyank Gupta

IPC: G06F9/50 ,  G06F8/41 ,  G06F9/54 ,  G06F12/02

Abstract: An apparatus includes processing cores, memory blocks, a connection between each of processing core and memory block, chip selection circuit, and chip selection circuit busses between the chip selection circuit and each of the memory blocks. Each memory block includes a data port and a memory check port. The chip selection circuit is configured to enable writing data from a highest priority core through respective data ports of the memory blocks. The chip selection circuit is further configured to enable writing data from other cores through respective memory check ports of the memory blocks.

公开(公告)号：US20220307868A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-29

申请号：US17303675

申请日：2021-06-04

Applicant: Microchip Technology Incorporated

Inventor： Ganesh Shaga ,  Sudheer Puttapudi ,  Surendra Akkina

IPC: G01D5/20

Abstract: An apparatus for inductive rotational-position sensing is disclosed. An apparatus may include an electrically conductive material defining a continuous path for electrical current to flow between a first and a second location. The continuous path may include a first path portion, defined as a generally clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around a geometric center of the continuous path, and a second path portion, defined as a generally counter-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around the geometric center. The continuous path may also include a radial-direction-reversal region at which one of the first path portion or the second path portion changes from being defined as a generally outward path for the electrical current to flow away from the geometric center to being defined as a generally inward path for the electrical current to flow toward the geometric center. Related systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.