Circuits and methods for balancing Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) are disclosed. An inverter circuit comprises an inverter input node configured to receive an inverter input signal, wherein the inverter input node is coupled to gates of an inverter pair, wherein the inverter pair includes an inverter pair n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistor and an inverter pair p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistor, an inverter output node configured to provide an inverter output signal, wherein the inverter output signal is an inversion of the inverter input signal, and at least one balancing transistor configured to balance a voltage at a source of the inverter pair PMOS, a source of the inverter pair NMOS, or any combination thereof.

The present invention provides a semiconductor device and a voltage-setting method capable of suppressing degradation of elements constituting a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device comprises a logical block, a diagnosis section for diagnosing the operation of the logical block, and a voltage controller for setting a voltage value for operating the logical block using a lower limit voltage value diagnosed by the diagnosis section when the logical block operates normally.

This application relates to control of semiconductor devices, in particular MOS devices, so as to reduce RTS/flicker noise. A circuit (100) includes a first MOS device (103, 104) and a bias controller (107). The circuit is operable in at least a first circuit state (P.sub.RO) in which the first MOS device is active to contribute to a first signal (Sout) and a second circuit state (P.sub.RST) in which the first MOS device does not contribute to the first signal. The bias controller is operable to control voltages at one or more terminals of the first MOS device to apply a pre-bias (V.sub.PB1, V.sub.PB2) during an instance of the second circuit state. The pre-bias is applied to set an occupancy state of charge carriers traps within the first MOS device, to limit noise during subsequent operation in the first circuit state. In embodiments, the bias controller is configured so that at least one parameter of the pre-bias is selectively variable in use based on one or more operating conditions.

A supply-less transmitter output termination resistor with high accuracy is presented. This termination resistor can be used for applications with high supply voltage and low voltage devices. The termination resistor is programmable and includes many parallel branches. Each branch can be turned off or on with a switch. The biasing for the switch is in such a way that it keeps the resistance of the switch constant independent of the supply voltage or the output common mode voltage. This will increase the accuracy of the termination resistor. Besides HDMI this technique can be used for many other applications.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for increasing uniformity of wear in semiconductor devices due to, for example, negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI). The method may include receiving a first NBTI control signal. The method may involve receiving a second NBTI control signal based at least in part on the first NBTI control signal. The method may also involve asserting the first NBTI control signal at a clock input pin of a latch. Further, the method may include asserting the second NBTI control signal at a data input pin of the latch. The method may additionally involve toggling electrical elements downstream of the latch based at least in part on an output of the latch based on the first and second NBTI control signals to increase uniformity of wear on the electrical elements in a default low-power state during NBTI toggling mode.

According to various aspects, systems and methods for providing a soft-decoding physical unclonable function are provided. According to one embodiment, PUF circuitry includes circuit elements with impedance values that are used to generate a PUF value. For example, one or more resistors may be connected to a voltage source. The resistors may generate a resulting voltage signal that is measured and indicates a ratio of the impedance values of the resistors. Due to manufacturing variations, each impedance value may be unique, such that the impedance values may be used to provide a unique number sequence. Each ratio value may be converted into a single bit or multi-bit digital value through digitization, for example with a comparator and/or an analog to digital converter, and the series of digital values may represent or be used to generate a unique number sequence.

A method for decreasing entropy in a system includes iteratively applying a set of electromagnetic (EM) pulses to the system, the set of EM pulses effect swaps between the following pairs of system energy levels: a first system energy level in which the reset system is in a lowest energy level and the target system is in a first target system energy level that is not a lowest energy level, and a corresponding second system energy level in which the reset system is in a highest energy level and the target system is in a second target system energy level that is next lowest in energy after the first target system energy level, and waiting a time period.

A method for driving a load includes driving a load to an initial voltage within a voltage window, the voltage window based on an input voltage and an offset voltage, and driving the load to approximately the input voltage.

A power switch control circuit is disclosed. A sensor circuit may determine a leakage current of a power switch coupled to a power supply signal and a power terminal of a circuit block. The power switch may be configured to selectively couple or decouple the circuit block from the power supply signal using a switch control signal. The switch control circuit may, in response to receiving a request to open the power switch, determine a target voltage level that is greater than a voltage level of the power supply signal for the switch control signal using the leakage current, and transition the switch control signal from an initial voltage to the target voltage level.

An integrated circuit according to one or more embodiments may include a terminal to which an impedance element and a power supply having a predetermined potential can be connected. The integrated circuit may be configured to change a potential of one of electrodes of the impedance element connected to the terminal, detect a change in electrical characteristics of the terminal based on characteristics of the impedance element when the potential of the one electrode of the impedance element is changed, to determine a setting condition among a plurality of setting conditions that are used for an operation of the integrated circuit, store the setting condition in a storage, and use the setting condition stored in the storage for the operation of the integrated circuit.