Other

Tezzaron Semiconductor, Inc.

P-chip IP Holdings Inc.

Tachyon Semiconductor Corporation

University of California

Pharmaseq, Inc.

Robert Patti

Sangki Hong

Ioannis Kymissis

Wlodek Mandecki

Efrain Rodriguez

Ramasamy Chockalingam

Chockalingam Ramasamy

Sung-Joo Ben Yoo

Mark Francis Hilbert

Mark Klecka

Kamal Khadiri

Derrick Brent Wilson

Lee Hoyman

Bruce Tyda

An apparatus and system having an optical integrated circuit (referred to herein as an OMTP) configured for power on during discovery and optically communicating with the OMTP reader for the purpose of extracting data.

All optical identification and sensor system with power on discovery

The disclosed embodiments provide a method for integrating an optical interposer with one or more electronic dies and an optical-electronic (OE) printed circuit board (PCB). This method involves first applying surface-connection elements to a surface of the optical interposer, and then bonding the one or more electrical dies to the optical interposer using the surface-connection elements. Next, the method integrates the OE-PCB onto the surface of the optical interposer, wherein the integration causes the surface-connection elements to provide electrical connections between the optical interposer and the OE-PCB.

Optical-electrical interposers

A method for stacking integrated circuit substrates and the substrates used therein are disclosed. In the method, an integrated circuit substrate having top and bottom surfaces is provided. The substrate is divided vertically into a plurality of layers including an integrated circuit layer having integrated circuit elements constructed therein and a buffer layer adjacent to the bottom surface. An alignment fiducial mark extending from the top surface of the wafer into the substrate to a depth below that of the circuit layer is constructed. The vias are arranged in a pattern that provides a fiducial mark when viewed from the bottom surface of the substrate. The pattern can be chosen such that it is recognized by a commercial stepper/scanner/contact mask aligner when viewed from said backside of said wafer. After the substrate is thinned, the alignment fiducial mark is then used to position a mask used in subsequent processing.

Fiducial scheme adapted for stacked integrated circuits

A basic building block for wafer scale stacked integrated circuits is disclosed. The building block includes an integrated circuit device having an integrated circuit substrate having a circuit layer sandwiched between a buffer layer and a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side being in contact with the circuit layer. The top surface of the dielectric layer includes a plurality of pads. Each pad extends above the top surface by a predetermined distance. The pads have dimensions that reduce irregularities in the top surface of the pads. In addition, the pads are arranged in a manner to promote planarization of the surface of the wafer via CMP.

Method for bonding wafers to produce stacked integrated circuits

A circuit having an interconnect network and plurality of processing blocks is disclosed. The interconnect network has a plurality of network nodes arranged in a two-dimensional array on a first substrate. Each network node has a plurality of communication ports and is connected to each adjacent network node by a communication bus that connects only those two network nodes and processing blocks adjacent to that communication bus. A programmable switch within each node connects one of the input ports to one of the output ports in response to connection information stored in a memory in that node. Three-dimensional embodiments can be constructed by including a second substrate that overlies the first substrate and includes a second such interconnect network that is connected vertically through one or more nodes. The circuit easily accommodates spare processing blocks that can be substituted for defective blocks by altering the connection information.

Network with programmable interconnect nodes adapted to large integrated circuits

An integrated circuit wafer element and an improved method for bonding the same to produce a stacked integrated circuit. Plugs that extend from one surface of the wafer into the wafer are used to provide vertical connections and to bond the wafers together. A stacked integrated circuit is constructed by bonding the front side of a new wafer to a wafer in the stack and then thinning the backside of the new wafer to a thickness that leaves a portion of the plugs extending above the surface of the backside of the thinned wafer. The elevated plug ends can then be used to bond another wafer by bonding to pads on the front side of that wafer. The mating bonding pads can include depressed regions that mate to the elevated plug ends.

Interlocking conductor method for bonding wafers to produce stacked integrated circuits

A memory that stores a plurality of data storage words, each data storage word includes a plurality of data storage cells arranged as a plurality of columns of data storage cells, at least one of the data storage cells storing data specifying a data value having 3 or more states. The memory includes a plurality of data lines, one such data line corresponding to each column of data storage cells. Each data storage cell sets its state or provides a signal representative of its state via the data line connected to that cell in response to control signals. The memory also includes an error encryption circuit for receiving a data word to be stored in the memory and generating therefrom an encrypted data storage word. The encryption circuit divides the encrypted data storage word into a plurality of sub-data storage words. The two least significant bits of the sub-data storage words are encrypted via a first error-encryption algorithm and the most significant bits of the sub-data storage words are either not encrypted or encrypted via a second error encryption algorithm, the second error encryption algorithm having a Hamming Distance that is less than the Hamming Distance of the first error-encryption algorithm. An error decrypting circuit generates a corrected data word from the uncorrected sub-data storage words by generating an increment or decrement to be added to an uncorrected sub-data storage word to arrive at a correct sub-data storage word value.

Error-correcting code adapted for memories that store multiple bits per storage cell

A reconfigurable memory having M bit lines and a plurality of row lines, where M>1. The memory includes an array of memory storage cells, each memory storage cell storing a data value. The data value is read from or into the storage cells by coupling that data value to one of the bit lines in response to a row control signal on one of the row lines. A row select circuit generates the row control signal on one of the row lines in response to a row address being coupled to the row select circuit. The row select circuit includes a memory for storing a mapping of the row addresses to the row lines that determines which of the row lines is selected for each possible value of the row address.

Dynamically configurated storage array with improved data access

A memory organized as a two-dimensional array of data storage cells having a plurality of rows and columns. Each data storage cell has first, second, third, and fourth terminals, each data storage cell sinking a current between the first and second terminals indicative of a charge stored therein when the third terminal is at a first potential. The memory has a plurality of bit lines, one corresponding to each column. The first terminal of each data storage cell in each column is connected to the bit line corresponding to that column when the third terminal is at the first potential and each data storage cell is disconnected from that bit line when the third terminal is at a second potential. The memory also includes a plurality of column select lines and row select lines. There is one column select line corresponding to each column and one additional column select line adjacent to either the first or last column. The fourth terminal of each data storage cell in each column is connected to the column select line corresponding to that column. Similarly, there are row select lines, one corresponding to each row, the third terminal of each data storage cell in each row being connected to the row select line corresponding to that row. The second terminal of each data storage cell in each column is connected to the column select line of an adjacent column. The charge stored by each data storage cell is determined by the potential difference between the first and second terminals of that data storage cell when the third and fourth terminals of that data storage cell are held at a first potential.

Memory based on a four-transistor storage cell

A multi-level memory in which each storage cell stores multiple bits. The memory includes a plurality of storage words, a data line, a plurality of reference lines, and a read circuit. Each storage word includes a data memory cell and a plurality of reference memory cells. A stored charge determines a conductivity value measurable between the first and second terminals of each memory cell. The read circuit generates a digital value indicative of the value stored in the data memory cell of a storage word that is connected to the data and reference lines by comparing the conductivity of the data line with a continuous conductivity curve determined by the conductivities of the reference lines.

Growing community of inventors

Warrenville, IL, United States of America

Robert Patti