Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Richtek Technology Corporation

Che-Wei Wu

Yu-Hsiang Cheng

Po-Chin Fan

San-Hsien Liu

A switching converter for converting an input voltage to an output voltage includes: a power stage circuit which includes a high-side switch, a low-side switch and an auxiliary transistor; and a conversion control circuit for controlling the high-side switch, the low-side switch and the auxiliary transistor. In a switching conversion mode, the conversion control circuit controls the auxiliary transistor to be ON, and controls the high-side switch and the low-side switch to switch an inductor to convert the input voltage to the output voltage. In a pre-charging mode, the conversion control circuit controls the low-side switch to be OFF, and controls the auxiliary transistor to pre-charge the output voltage. In a linear conversion mode, the conversion control circuit controls the low-side switch to be OFF, and controls the auxiliary transistor to linearly convert the input voltage to the output voltage according to a feedback signal related to the output voltage.

Switching converter having linear conversion function and conversion control circuit and method thereof

A thin-film deposition system includes a top plate positioned above a wafer and configured to generate a plasma during a thin-film deposition process. The system includes a sensor configured to generate sensor signals indicative of a lifetime of a component of the thin-film deposition system, a characteristic of a thin-film deposited by the thin-film deposition system or a characteristic of a process material that flows into the thin-film deposition system. The system includes a control system configured to adjust a relative location of a top plate of the thin-film deposition system with respect to a location of a wafer in the thin-film deposition system during the thin-film deposition process responsive to the sensor signals.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Che-Wei Wu