Methods and apparatuses for use in tuning reactance are described. Open loop and closed loop control for tuning of reactances are also described. Tunable inductors and/or tunable capacitors may be used in filters, resonant circuits, matching networks, and phase shifters. Ability to control inductance and/or capacitance in a circuit leads to flexibility in operation of the circuit, since the circuit may be tuned to operate under a range of different operating frequencies.

This application is directed to a low cost IC solution that provides Super CMOS microelectronics macros. Hereinafter, SCMOS refers to Super CMOS and Schottky CMOS. SCMOS device solutions includes a niche circuit element, such as complementary low threshold Schottky barrier diode pairs (SBD) made by selected metal barrier contacts (Co, Ti, Ni or other metal atoms or compounds) to P- and N- Si beds of the CMOS transistors. A DTL like new circuit topology and designed wide contents of broad product libraries, which used the integrated SBD and transistors (BJT, CMOS, and Flash versions) as basic components. The macros are composed of diodes that are selectively attached to the diffusion bed of the transistors, configuring them to form (i) generic logic gates, (ii) functional blocks of microprocessors and microcontrollers such as but not limited to data paths, multipliers, muliplier-accumaltors, (ii) memory cells and control circuits of various types (SRAM's with single or multiple read/write port(s), binary and ternary CAM's), (iii) multiplexers, crossbar switches, switch matrices in network processors, graphics processors and other processors to implement a variety of communication protocols and algorithms of data processing engines for (iv) Analytics, (v) block-chain and encryption-based security engines (vi) Artificial Neural Networks with specific circuits to emulate or to implement a self-learning data processor similar to or derived from the neurons and synapses of human or animal brains, (vii) analog circuits and functional blocks from simple to the complicated including but not limited to power conversion, control and management either based on charge pumps or inductors, sensor signal amplifiers and conditioners, interface drivers, wireline data transceivers, oscillators and clock synthesizers with phase and/or delay locked loops, temperature monitors and controllers; all the above are built from discrete components to all grades of VLSI chips. Solar photovoltaic electricity conversion, bio-lab-on-a-chip, hyperspectral imaging (capture/sensing and processing), wireless communication with various transceiver and/or transponder circuits for ranges of frequency that extend beyond a few 100 MHz, up to multi-THz, ambient energy harvesting either mechanical vibrations or antenna-based electromagnetic are newly extended or nacent fields of the SCMOS IC applications.

An integrated circuit includes a first transistor including a first current electrode, a second current electrode, and a bulk tie; a first conductive line coupled between the first current electrode and a first supply voltage; and a second conductive line coupled to the second current electrode. A resistance of the second conductive line is at least 5 percent greater than a resistance of the first conductive line. The bulk tie is coupled to a second supply voltage. The first supply voltage is different than the second supply voltage.

An integrated circuit includes several metallization levels separated by an insulating region. A hollow housing whose walls comprise metallic portions is produced within various metallization levels. A controllable capacitive device includes a suspended metallic structure situated in the hollow housing within a first metallization level including a first element fixed on two fixing zones of the housing and at least one second element extending in cantilever fashion from the first element and includes a first electrode of the capacitive device. A second electrode includes a first fixed body situated at a second metallization level adjacent to the first metallization level facing the first electrode. The first element is controllable in flexion from a control zone of this first element so as to modify the distance between the two electrodes.

In one embodiment, a cascode rectifier structure includes a group III-V semiconductor structure includes a heterostructure disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A first current carrying electrode and a second current carrying electrode are disposed adjacent a major surface of the heterostructure and a control electrode is disposed between the first and second current carrying electrode. A rectifier device is integrated with the group III-V semiconductor structure and is electrically connected to the first current carrying electrode and to a third electrode. The control electrode is further electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate and the second current path is generally perpendicular to a primary current path between the first and second current carrying electrodes. The cascode rectifier structure is configured as a two terminal device.

A method for forming a semiconductor device includes depositing a dielectric layer over fins formed in a semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer includes a screen layer over tops of the fins. An etch stop feature is formed on the screen layer. The etch stop feature is patterned down to the screen layer in regions across the device. A dummy gate material formed over the fins is planarized down to the etch stop feature, a dielectric fill between gate structures patterned from the dummy gate material is planarized down to the etch stop feature and a gate conductor is planarized to the etch stop feature.

A semiconductor device having stable electric characteristics is provided. The transistor includes first to third oxide semiconductor layers, a gate electrode, and a gate insulating layer. The second oxide semiconductor layer has a portion positioned between the first and third oxide semiconductor layers. The gate insulating layer has a region in contact with a top surface of the third oxide semiconductor layer. The gate electrode overlaps with a top surface of the portion with the gate insulating layer positioned therebetween. The gate electrode faces a side surface of the portion in a channel width direction with the gate insulating layer positioned therebetween. The second oxide semiconductor layer includes a region having a thickness greater than or equal to 2 nm and less than 8 nm. The length in the channel width direction of the second oxide semiconductor layer is less than 60 nm.

A structure having: a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs) connected between a common input and a common output, each one of the field effect transistors comprises: a source region, a drain region, and a gate electrode for controlling carriers through a channel region of a transistor region of the structure between the source region and the drain region; a plurality of diodes, each one of the diodes being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of FETs, each one of the diodes having an electrode in Schottky contact with a diode region of the corresponding one of the FETs. The gate electrode and the diode electrode extend along parallel lines. The source region, the drain region, the channel region, and a diode region having therein the diode are disposed along a common line.

In accordance with an embodiment, semiconductor component includes a compound semiconductor material based semiconductor device coupled to a silicon based semiconductor device and a protection element, wherein the silicon based semiconductor device is a transistor. The protection element is coupled in parallel across the silicon based semiconductor device and may be a resistor, a diode, or a transistor. In accordance with another embodiment, the silicon based semiconductor device is a diode. The compound semiconductor material may be shorted to a source of potential such as, for example, ground, with a shorting element.

Methods of forming 3-D ICs with integrated passive devices (IPDs) include stacking separately prefabricated substrates. An active device (AD) substrate has contacts on its upper portion. A ground plane is located between the AD substrate and an IPD substrate. The ground plane provides superior IPD to AD cross-talk attenuation.