Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chien-Chun Tsai

Ying-Yu Hsu

Wen-Hung Huang

Mu-Shan Lin

Chung-Hui Chen

Chih-Hsien Chang

Ruey-Bin Sheen

Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh

Yu-Jie Huang

Tsung-Hsin Yu

Tien-Chien Huang

Yu-Chi Chen

Yu-Nan Shih

Weichih Chen

Meng-Ting Tsai

A semiconductor structure including first finfet cells and second finfet cells. Each of the first finfet cells has an analog fin boundary according to analog circuit design rules, and each of the second finfet cells has a digital fin boundary according to digital circuit design rules. The semiconductor structure further includes first circuits formed with the first finfet cells, second circuits formed with the second finfet cells, and third circuits formed with one or more of the first finfet cells and one or more of the second finfet cells.

Circuits designed and manufactured with first and second fin boundaries

A semiconductor circuit and a method of operating the same are provided. The semiconductor circuit comprises a first digital-to-analog converter configured to generate a first output current in response to a first binary code, and a second digital-to-analog converter configured to generate a second output current in response to a second binary code associated with the first binary code. The semiconductor circuit further comprises a first current-to-voltage converter configured to generate a first candidate voltage based on the first output current, and a second current-to-voltage converter configured to generate a second candidate voltage based on the second output current. The semiconductor circuit further comprises a multiplexer configured to output the target voltage based on the first candidate voltage or the second candidate voltage. The target voltage includes a configurable range associated with the second binary code.

Semiconductor circuit and method for providing configurable reference voltage with full-scale range

Digital controlled delay lines are provided. A digital controlled delay line includes a plurality of delay cells coupled in a chain forming a propagation path to propagate an input signal and to delay the input signal by a delay time. The propagation path is formed when a single delay cell is operated in a feedback mode, the delay cells previous to the single delay cell in the chain are operated in a propagation mode, a subsequent delay cell following the single delay cell in the chain is operated in a standby mode, and the delay cells following the first subsequent delay cell in the chain are operated in an idle mode.

Digital controlled delay line

The present disclosure relates to a system which includes a memory controller interface, a memory unit interface, and a correction block. The memory controller interface includes a digitally-controlled delay line (DCDL). The memory unit interface is coupled to the memory controller interface, and is configured to communicate with the memory controller interface through a first signal and a second signal. The correction block is configured to determine a result of alignment between the first signal and the second signal, and to provide a correction signal configured to align the first signal to the second signal. Other systems, devices and methods are disclosed.

Data sampling alignment method for memory interface

A system for capturing an eye diagram is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes: a delay line arranged to receive a digital signal and output a time delayed version of the digital signal; an edge detection circuit arranged to receive the digital signal and the time delayed version of the digital signal, the edge detection circuit operating to output a signal corresponding to a logical value of the digital signal received coincident with an edge of the time delay version of the digital signal; a voltage comparator arranged to receive the digital signal and a reference voltage, the voltage comparator operating to output a first signal when a voltage of the digital signal and the reference voltage are equal to each other; and a controller that includes: an edge detection circuit receiver connected to receive the output signal from the edge detection circuit; a delay line control circuit connected to provide a delay time control signal to the delay line; a voltage comparator receiver connected to receive the first signal from the voltage comparator; and a voltage control unit connected to provide a controlled voltage to the voltage comparator.

On-chip eye diagram capture

The present disclosure relates to an interface comprising a memory controller and a memory unit coupled to the memory controller and configured to communicate with the memory controller through a first signal and a second signal. The interface further comprises a determination unit comprising judgment logic configured to send a control signal configured to align the first signal with the second signal. The memory controller further comprises a digitally-controlled delay line (DCDL) coupled to the determination unit and configured to receive the control signal, wherein the determination unit instructs the DCDL to adjust a delay of the first signal to align the first signal with the second signal. The memory controller further comprises a value register configured to store a signal delay value corresponding to alignment between the first signal with the second signal which is contained within the control signal. Other devices and methods are disclosed.

Data sampling alignment method for memory inferface

A device is disclosed that includes a driver circuit and a control circuit. The driver circuit is configured to provide an output signal according to an input signal, and operated with a first voltage and a second voltage. The driver circuit includes a pull up unit and a pull down unit configured to pull up and pull down a voltage level of the output signal, respectively. The control circuit is configured to selectively enable one of the pull up unit and the pull down unit according to the input signal, so as to adjust the voltage level of the output signal. The control circuit is further configured to drive the enabled one of the pull up unit and the pull down unit in a voltage mode or a current mode selectively according to the voltage level of the output signal, the first voltage and the second voltage.

Supply boost device

A circuit comprises a voltage supply node, a reference voltage node, and a plurality of transistors coupled with the voltage supply node and the reference voltage node. The circuit also comprises a circuit input, a first delay element and a second delay element. The first delay element is coupled with the circuit input and one transistor of the plurality of transistors. The second delay element is coupled with the circuit input and a second transistor of the plurality of transistors. The circuit further comprises a circuit output coupled with the first transistor of the plurality of transistors and the second transistor of the plurality of transistors. The circuit additionally comprises a bias generator coupled with the circuit output, the first transistor of the plurality of transistors and the second transistor of the plurality of transistors.

Driver circuit

An eye diagram capture device includes a delay line arranged to receive a digital signal and output time delayed version of the digital signal. An edge detection circuit is arranged to receive the digital signal and the time delayed version of the digital signal, the edge detection circuit operating to output a signal corresponding to a logical value of the digital signal received coincident with an edge of the time delay version of the digital signal. A voltage comparator is arranged to receive the digital signal and a reference voltage. The voltage comparator operates to output a first signal when the a voltage of the digital signal and the reference voltage are equal to each other.

A method includes providing a design of a semiconductor device such as a stacked CMOS device comprising a plurality of circuit elements to be assigned into a layout of a plurality of tiers, and identifying at least one first type of circuit element within the plurality of circuit elements based on at least one predetermined criterion. Each respective one of the at least one first type of circuit element is to be assigned to a respective designated one of the plurality of tiers. The method further includes dividing the remainder of the plurality of circuit elements into at least two groups of circuit elements based on circuit density, and assigning the at least one first type of circuit element and the at least two groups of circuit elements to respectively different ones of the plurality of tiers of the semiconductor device.

Growing community of inventors

Jhudong, Taiwan

Chien-Chun Tsai