Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a protective layer (25) for protecting an intermediate structural layer (22) against etching with hydrofluoric acid (HP), the intermediate structural layer (22) being made of a material that can be etched or damaged by hydrofluoric acid, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first layer of aluminium oxide, by atomic layer deposition, on the intermediate structural layer (22); performing a thermal crystallization process on the first layer of aluminium oxide, forming a first intermediate protective layer (25a),- forming a second layer of aluminium oxide, by atomic layer deposition, above the first intermediate protective layer; and performing a thermal crystallisation process on the second layer of aluminium oxide, forming a second intermediate protective layer (25b) and thereby completing the formation of the protective layer (25). The method for forming the protective layer (25) can be used, for example, during the manufacturing steps of an inertial sensor such as a gyroscope or an accelerometer.
Abstract:
A retinal prosthesis including an electronic stimulation unit (40) housed inside an eye and including: a plurality of electrodes (62); an electronic control circuit (92, 102), which is electrically connected to the electrodes and supplies to the electrodes electrical stimulation signals designed to stimulate a portion of a retina of the eye; and a local antenna (114) connected to the electronic control circuit. The retinal prosthesis further includes an electromagnetic expansion (35) housed inside the eye and formed by a first expansion antenna (44) and a second expansion antenna (46) electrically connected together, the first expansion antenna being magnetically or electromagnetically coupled to an external antenna (38), the second expansion antenna being magnetically or electromagnetically coupled to the local antenna, the electromagnetic expansion moreover receiving an electromagnetic supply signal transmitted by the external antenna and generating a corresponding replica signal.
Abstract:
A control device for a switching mode DC-DC converter, the converter comprising at least a half-bridge with at least first (Q1) and second (Q2) switches connected between an input voltage (Vin) and a reference voltage. The converter further comprises a transformer (20) with a primary coupled with the center point (HB) of the half -bridge and a secondary (22) coupled with a load (Load). The control device comprises an error detector (2) configured to determine an error signal (Se) between a first signal (Vout1) representative of the voltage (Vout) across the load and a first reference signal (Vref2) and a frequency controller (100) configured to increase the switching frequency of the half -bridge when the error signal (Se) is kept below a second signal (Vrefl).
Abstract:
Device (100) for detecting and monitoring local parameters within a solid structure (300). The device comprises an integrated detection module (1) made on a single chip, having an integrated functional circuitry portion (16) comprising at least one integrated sensor (10) and an integrated antenna (11), and electromagnetic means (2) for transmitting/receiving signals and energy exchange. The integrated functional circuitry portion (16) comprises a functional surface (18) facing towards the outside of the chip. A passivation layer (15) is arranged to completely cover at least the functional surface (18), so that the integrated detection module (1) is entirely hermetically sealed and galvanically insulated from the surrounding environment. The integrated antenna (11), the electromagnetic means (2) and the remote antenna (221) are operatively connected wirelessly through magnetic or electromagnetic coupling.
Abstract:
The present invention in a single structure combines a pad comprising a connection terminal suitable for connecting the circuit elements integrated in a chip to circuits outside of the chip itself and at least one condenser. By combining a connection pad and a condenser in a single structure it is possible to reduce the overall area of the chip that otherwise in common integrated circuits would be greater due to the presence of the condenser itself. In this way, the costs and size of the chip can be reduced.
Abstract:
A driver circuit may include a first node (VA), and a first circuit to generate on the first node (VA) an inverted replica of an input signal (VIN) during driver switching between a first supply voltage (Vdd1) and ground, the inverted replica having a threshold voltage value based upon a reference voltage (Vref) greater than the first supply voltage (Vdd1). The driver circuit may include a cascode stage (M3) to be controlled by the reference voltage (Vref) and to be coupled between a second supply voltage (Vdd2) and the first node, a delay circuit (D) to generate a delayed replica of the input signal (VIN), an amplifier, and a switching network (M5, M6) to couple a control terminal of an active load transistor (M9) either to one of the reference voltage (Vref) or to ground, based upon the input signal (VIN).
Abstract:
A testing system for carrying out electrical testing of at least a through via (10) extending, at least in part, through a substrate (3) of a body (2) of semiconductor material and having a first end (10b) buried within the substrate (3) and not accessible from the outside of the body (2). The testing system has an electrical test circuit (22) integrated in the body (2) and electrically coupled to the through via (10) and to electrical-connection elements (8) carried by the body (2) for electrical connection towards the outside; the electrical test circuit (22) has a buried microelectronic structure (28) integrated in the substrate (3) so as to be electrically coupled to the first end (10b) of the through via (10), thereby closing an electrical path within the substrate (3) and enabling detection of at least one electrical parameter of the through via (10) through the electrical-connection means (8).
Abstract:
Circuit (1) of a voltage controlled oscillator comprising: - a bridge structure including two cross-coupled transistors of N type (M 3 , M 4 ) and two cross-coupled transistors of P type (M 5 , M 6 ); - a current mirror (3) connected to the two cross-coupled transistors of N type (M 3 , M 4 ) and arranged to generate a bias current (I B ) for the circuit (1); - an LC resonator (2) placed in parallel between the two cross-coupled transistors of N type (M 3 , M 4 ) and the two cross-coupled transistors of P type (M 5 , M 6 ). The circuit (1) is characterised in that the LC resonator (2) comprises: two pairs of differential inductors (L 1 , L 2 ) mutually coupled by means of a mutual inductance coefficient (M), each pair comprising a first inductor (L 1 ) arranged on a respective branch (10a) of an external loop, and a second inductor (L 2 ) arranged on a respective branch (12a) of an internal loop; a first varactor (C v33 ) connected to a common node (A) and to a first branch (12a) of the internal loop; a second varactor (C v33 ) connected to the common node (A) and to a second branch (12a) of the internal loop.
Abstract:
It is described a driving circuit (1) having at least one output terminal (OUT) connected to an ultrasonic pulse generator circuit and providing thereto with an output voltage (Vout), characterized in that it comprises at least one first portion (2A) connected to a first voltage reference (VPH) and including at least one first output transistor (MOP) being inserted between the first voltage reference (VPH) and the output terminal (OUT), such a first portion (2A) further comprising: at least one first high voltage comparator (3A) being connected to said output terminal (OUT) and to a first threshold voltage reference (VTHP), at least one first start-up circuit (4A) being controlled by a first setting signal (SETP); at least one first switching ON /OFF circuit (5A) being connected at its input to the first start-up circuit (4A), in correspondence with a first internal circuit node (XP), and to the first high voltage comparator (3A), in correspondence with a second internal circuit node (YP), and at its output to a control terminal of the first output transistor (MOP); the first start-up circuit (4A) providing a switching on signal (ONA) to the first switching on/ off circuit (5A) while the high voltage comparator (3A) provides a switching off signal (OFFA) to the first switching on/ off circuit (5A) which causes the switching off of the output transistor (MOP), the high voltage comparator (3A) generating the switching off signal (OFFA) when the output voltage (Vout) reaches a first desired supply voltage value which depends on the value of the first threshold voltage reference (VTHP).
Abstract:
In order to verify robustness in regard to electrical overstresses of an electronic circuit under test (DUT), the latter is exposed to electrical overstresses (12, 14), and the behaviour thereof following upon exposure to said electrical overstresses is monitored (18). Moreover, the electrical overstress is applied to the electronic circuit (DUT) when the electronic circuit (DUT) is in its normal applicational conditions of operation. In particular, there is envisaged both the testing of the electronic circuit (DUT) in dynamic conditions by causing it to be traversed by the currents that characterize operation thereof and by exposing at least one supply line (20) of said electronic circuit under test (DUT) to electrical overstresses and the testing of said electronic circuit under test (DUT) in static conditions, without causing it to be traversed by the currents that characterize operation thereof and by exposing to electrical overstresses both the supply (20) and the input and/or output lines of said electronic circuit under test (DUT). The device (14) for generating the overstresses can be mounted on a circuit board (12), which can be coupled as daughter board to a mother board (10), on which the electronic circuit under test (DUT) is mounted.