A ring-oscillator control circuit (100) including voltage reference (110), a ring oscillator (120), a power supply (130, 140) and a supply controller (150). The supply controller (150) is configured to select the power supply (130, 140) among an energy storage (130) and an energy source (140) such as to supply the ring oscillator (120) in function of the voltage reference (110).

A contactless readable programmable transponder to monitor chip join and method of use are disclosed. The method includes reading a frequency of an oscillator associated with a chip module. The method further includes correlating the frequency with a bond quality of the chip module.

An injection-locked oscillator includes an oscillator and an injection circuit. The oscillator includes a first oscillation node through which a first oscillation signal is output and a second oscillation node through which a second oscillation signal is output, the second oscillation signal having a phase opposite to that of the first oscillation signal. The injection circuit provides an injection current between the first oscillation node and the second oscillation node according to a reference signal. The injection circuit includes a charging element configured to be charged or discharged in response to a reference signal and to provide the injection current between the first oscillation node and the second oscillation node.

A charge pump driver circuit (320) arranged to output a charge pump control signal (325). The charge pump driver circuit (320) includes a bias current source component (330) arranged to generate a bias current (335), a control stage (340) and an output stage (350). The control stage (340) is coupled to the bias current source component (330) and arranged to receive the bias current (335). The control stage (340) is further arranged to receive an input signal (215) and to generate a control current signal (345) proportional to the bias current (335) in accordance with the input signal (215). The output stage (350) is arranged to receive the control current signal (345) generated by the control stage (340) and to generate the charge pump control voltage signal (325) based on the control current signal (345) generated by the control stage (340). The bias current source component (330) is arranged to vary the bias current (335) in response to variations in temperature.

A charge pump driver circuit (320) arranged to output a charge pump control signal (325). The charge pump driver circuit (320) includes a bias current source component (330) arranged to generate a bias current (335), a control stage (340) and an output stage (350). The control stage (340) is coupled to the bias current source component (330) and arranged to receive the bias current (335). The control stage (340) is further arranged to receive an input signal (215) and to generate a control current signal (345) proportional to the bias current (335) in accordance with the input signal (215). The output stage (350) is arranged to receive the control current signal (345) generated by the control stage (340) and to generate the charge pump control voltage signal (325) based on the control current signal (345) generated by the control stage (340). The bias current source component (330) is arranged to vary the bias current (335) in response to variations in temperature.

A ring oscillator system for characterizing substrate strain including, a substrate including a through-substrate-via, at least two ring oscillators, wherein a first ring oscillator is closer to the through-substrate-via than a second ring oscillator, and a logic difference circuit that is configured to receive an input from at least the first ring oscillator and the second ring oscillator, and detect a difference between the signal frequency of the first ring oscillator and the signal frequency of the second ring oscillator.

A low-power voltage controlled oscillator is provided. The voltage controlled oscillator includes (2n+1) first circuit components (n is an integer of one or more). An output terminal of the first circuit component in a k-th stage (k is an integer of one or more and 2n or less) is connected to an input terminal of the first circuit component in a (k+1)-th stage. An output terminal of the first circuit component in a (2n+1)-th stage is connected to an input terminal of the first circuit component in a first stage. One of the first circuit components includes a second circuit component and a third circuit component whose input terminal is connected to an output terminal of the second circuit component. The third circuit component includes a first transistor and a second transistor whose source-drain resistance is controlled in accordance with a signal input to a gate through the first transistor.

A ring oscillator (200) comprises a feedback chain (110, 122) having a plurality of inverters (111-113). The ring oscillator (200) also comprises, for at least one of the inverters (111-113) of the chain (110, 122), a further inverter (211). Each of the at least one further inverter (211) is connected in parallel with the corresponding inverter (111-113) of the chain (110, 122) by means of a capacitor (250).

An IC degradation sensor is disclosed. The IC degradation management sensor includes an odd number of first logic gates electrically connected in a ring oscillator configuration, each first logic gate having an input and an output. Each first logic gate further includes a first PMOS transistor, a first NMOS transistor and a second logic gate having an input and an output. The input of the second logic gate is the input of the first logic gate, and the drains of the first PMOS transistor and the first NMOS transistor are electrically connected to the output of the second logic gate, and the output of the second logic gate is the output of the first logic gate.

The integration of monolayer graphene with a semiconductor device for gas sensing applications involves obtaining a CMOS device that is prepared to receive monolayer graphene channels. After population of the monolayer graphene channels on the CMOS device, electrical contacts are formed at each end of the monolayer graphene channels with interconnect vias having sidewalls angled at less then 90°. Additional metallization pads are added at the location of the monolayer graphene channels to improve planarity and reliability of the semiconductor processing involved.