Complex ICs Research Articles

Security Analysis of IoT Devices: From the system level to the logic level

IoT devices have become more and more widespread and are playing an important role in the evolving digital society. At the same time, IoT nodes are embedded devices that are always online, often making them interesting targets for potential attackers. Since many IoT applications are closely linked to humans, e. g., medical implants, smart appliances and speakers, and (autonomous) cars, it is of crucial importance that they are trusted to provide safety. Trust in embedded devices is therefore a challenge that concerns industry and policy makers alike. As engineers know, today’s embedded systems are often very complex, consisting of software and firmware, PCBs with digital and analog components and, of course, very complex ICs, which include CPUs that make a device “smart.”

Simple and Low-Cost PLC Modem for IoT Applications

We present in this paper a simple and low-cost Power Line Communication (PLC) modem for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The proposed modem implements a simple on-off-keying (OOK) modulation/demodulation with only discrete electronic components, not requiring complex ICs, such as processing units. It uses the ground and neutral wires as a channel communication, eliminating the need for complex isolation circuitry. To improve its robustness to noise, the developed PLC modem includes an automatic receiver gain adjustment and a transmitter sweep carrier frequency algorithm. Laboratory tests show that the developed PLC modem is capable of transmitting data at 9,600 bps with no errors if the noise spectral density in the power line is below 111 nVRMS2/Hz in the bandwidth of 150 kHz to 500 kHz. The system was also evaluated in a residential power network, where it presented a bit error rate below 1.21%. Due to its low cost, the developed PLC modem is suitable for low data rate IoT applications such as energy consumption monitoring, appliance monitoring and control, environmental monitoring (temperature, humidity, luminosity), security monitoring (presence sensors), etc.

ESD Design Verification Aided by Mixed-Mode Multiple-Stimuli ESD Simulation

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is a grand design challenge for complex ICs in advanced technologies. ESD simulation is indispensable to guide ESD protection designs. However, no existing ESD simulation methods may accurately predict ESD protection designs in a universal manner due to various inherent limitations. TCAD-based ESD simulation is very useful for ESD protection designs. Transmission line pulse (TLP) and very fast TLP (VFTLP) are widely used to evaluate human body model (HBM) and charged device model (CDM) ESD protection designs, which provide rich details for calibrating TCAD ESD simulation for design prediction and validation. Using various ESD protection devices fabricated in 28nm CMOS and 45nm SOI CMOS technologies, a comprehensive experimental and simulation study finds that the ESD stimuli used in TCAD ESD design simulation have profound impacts on many subtle ESD protection behaviors, particularly in comparison with ESD testing. This study cautions against over-interpretation of TCAD ESD simulation results, obtained using any specific ESD stimulus, attempting to accurately predict practical ESD protection designs. A mixed-mode multiple-stimuli ESD simulation method is therefore developed to address the ESD stimulus induced ESD performance variation, hence offering a technique to achieve ESD protection design prediction.

Non-Pad-Based in Situ In-Operando CDM ESD Protection Using Internally Distributed Network

Charged device model (CDM) electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is an emerging design challenge to ICs at advanced technology nodes. It was recently reported that the traditional pad-based CDM ESD protection methods are fundamentally faulty, which causes uncertainties in CDM ESD protection designs, testing and failure analysis. Re-thinking of onchip CDM ESD protection becomes imperative for complex ICs implemented in advanced technologies. This paper reports a disruptive CDM ESD protection method utilizing non-pad-based internally-distributed ESD protection network as a robust in situ in-operando CDM ESD protection solution. The proposed internal-distributed CDM ESD protection mesh network can be realized using interposer or through-silicon-via (TSV) ESD protection structures to achieve local 3D CDM ESD protection via heterogeneous integration. The new concept was validated using an internal-CDM-protected oscillator IC implemented in a foundry 45nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology.

EC-IC Bypass; Our Experience of Cerebral Revascularization with Intraoperative Dual-Image Video Angiography (Diva).

Background:Extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) arterial bypass has been used in the treatment of various cerebrovascular ischemic disease due to atherosclerosis or Moyamoya disease, skull base tumors encasing large IC artery or complex IC aneurysms.Aim:The aim is to analyze surgical technique (EC-IC bypass) and its outcome with intraoperative use of dual image video angiography (DIVA) and Doppler ultrasound.Materials and Methods:We studied in this article a series of 23 patients operated in Banbuntane Hotokukai Hospital, Fujita Health University, for which a superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis was done for steno-occlusive disease, giant IC aneurysm or Moyamoya disease. The study was conducted between 2018 and 2020. We used dual-image video angiography (DIVA) and Doppler ultrasound to assess the luminal patency of anastomosis during the procedure.Results:In this study, three patients presented with Moyamoya disease, 4 had aneurysm, whereas 16 patients presented with the vascular steno-occlusive disease. The patients were divided into three categories (steno-occlusive disease, Moyamoya, and flow replacement for giant aneurysm). Dual image video angiography, along with intraoperative Doppler, helped us in the assessment of luminal patency of the anastomosis.Conclusion:Hemodynamic recovery after cerebrovascular bypass brings about a better outcome in ischemic stroke. The result of surgery improves with proper selection of patients with hemodynamic impairment (in Stage 2). With various modalities such as intraoperative Doppler, DIVA (Dual-image Video Angiography) and improved surgical techniques may aid in the reduction of complications and improve clinical outcome.

Mathematical analysis of organic-pass transistor using pseudo-p-OTFTs

Steady state behavior analysis of organic thin film transistor (OTFTs) has been thoroughly researched in the past few decades. Yet, this static logic analysis has drawbacks of high power dissipation and high power consumption, and a large number of prerequisites in the number of transistors for the digital logic circuit application. Hence, to overcome these basic fundamental drawbacks of static logic, the dynamic logic study of organic thin film transistor has been analyzed in this paper. The fundamental basic of dynamic logic is a pass transistor for which logic high and logic low model is designed at an operating voltage of 5 V and frequency of 5 kHz. Additionally, the novel approach of analytical model for organic pass transistor (OPT) circuit is included and verified using MATLAB. The transient individualities of organic pass transistor OPT are examined through Atlas 2-D numerical device simulator. The reduction in the power dissipation along with additional voltage scaling and reduction in the clock frequency such as pipelining may further enable the applications into more complex VLSI ICs.

Anticancer activity and DNA interaction of ruthenium acetate clusters bearing azanaphthalene ancillary ligands

Six triruthenium complexes (1–6) ([Ru3O(CH3COO)6(L)3]PF6, L = quinazoline (qui) (complex 1), 5-nitroisoquinoline (5-nitroiq) (complex 2), 5-bromoisoquinoline (5-briq) (complex 3), isoquinoline (iq) (complex 4), 5-aminoisoquinoline (5-amiq) (complex 5), and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroisoquinoline (thiq) (complex 6)) have been studied regarding their anti-cancer activity (B16F10 and A549 cells) and their interactions with fish sperm DNA (fs-DNA). The crystallographic data of complex 4 show the typical triangular geometry, where the three isoquinoline ligands display different degrees of co-planarity with the [Ru3O] unit. In the range of 2 to 200 μM, these complexes make B16F10 cells less viable. The overall cytotoxicity order is complex 4 > complex 6 > complex 2 > complex 5 > complex 1. The two first complexes have IC50 of 10 and 50 μM, respectively, being less toxic to L929 non-tumoral cells. The complexes can displace ethidium bromide (EB) from DNA, but the intercalation constant values (Kapp ~105 M−1) are low due to the smaller size of the azanaphtalene ligands as compared to classic intercalating molecules. Complex 5 provides the highest constants in both the EB displacement (Kapp = 12.5 × 105 M−1) and direct spectrophotometric titration with fs-DNA (Kb = 6.3 × 104 M−1) assays, possibly because its amino group can assist interaction with DNA through hydrogen bonds. Hypochromism of complexes IC band was observed (T = 310 K), suggesting hydrophobic contributions. Low values of Kapp and circular dichroism spectra for DNA-compound 6 mixtures, suggest semi-intercalative and major groove binding interaction modes. Compared to cisplatin, incubation of complexes 1–6 with plasmid pUC19 shows no DNA cleavage. Results for the interaction with DNA do not correlate with cytotoxicity, which suggests that DNA is not the pharmacological target of this class of compounds.

New Era for Semiconductors

A Revolutionary Transistor Wafer Process Opens Possibility Of Building Complex Ics In Uk Fabs.

LVI-based failure analysis after PRBS defect activation: Two cases study

Laser Voltage Image technique demonstrated over years its effectiveness in identifying the ICs failure root causes. In this paper two cases study are presented, all based on the use of LVI technique. The DUT analysed, implemented in BiCMOS technology, belongs to the Automotive market segment. Parallel Lapping technique have been used in order to characterize morphological marginalities and abnormalities. Results from this two cases should be good examples to prove how this kind of approach - fault isolation driven by LVI - is a powerful technique able to identify quickly and precisely failure root causes in high complexity ICs, characterized by intermittent scan chain integrity stabilized after PRBS defect activation, especially when APTG diagnosis does not highlight clear results.

A Full-Chip ESD Protection Circuit Simulation and Fast Dynamic Checking Method Using SPICE and ESD Behavior Models

Full-chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit design verification is needed for complex ICs at advanced technology nodes despite being largely impractical due to the limitation of ESD device models and CAD tools. This paper reports a new circuit-level ESD protection design simulation and dynamic checking method using SPICE and ESD device behavior models which allows comprehensive, quantitative, and dynamic verification of ESD protection circuit designs at chip level-based entirely on ESD discharging functions. The new ESD protection circuit simulation method is validated using ICs designed and fabricated in a 28 nm CMOS. This ESD-function-based ESD circuit simulation method is technology independent, which can handle various ICs including complex multiple power domain circuits and ICs using nontraditional ESD protection structures.

Complex automotive ICs defect localization driven by quiescent power supply current: Three cases study

Quiescent current (IDDQ) test demonstrated over years its effectiveness in identifying the ICs failure root causes. In this paper three cases study are presented, all based on the use of IDDQ test during Emission Microscopy (EMMI). The DUTs analyzed, implemented in different technological solutions (BCD and BiCMOS), belong to the automotive market segment. In the cases here described the emission microscopy approach from both front and backside has been considered. Different physical analysis techniques have been used in order to characterize morphological marginalities or abnormalities. Results from the three cases should be good examples to prove how this kind of approach - fault isolation driven by IDDQ - is a powerful technique able to identify quickly and precisely failure root causes in high complexity ICs, independently of design and technology, and even when Automatic Test Pattern Generation (ATPG) is not available.Preferred presentation:[] Oral.[] Poster.[X] No preference.Preferred track (please, tick one or number 1 to 3 tracks in order of preference: 1 = most suiting, 3 = least suiting).[3]A - Quality and Reliability Assessment Techniques and Methods for Devices and Systems[] B1 - Si Technologies & Nanoelectronics: Hot Carriers, High K, Gate Materials[] B2 - Si Technologies & Nanoelectronics: Low K, Cu Interconnects[] B3 - Si Technologies & Nanoelectronics: ESD, Latch-up[1]C - Progress in Failure Analysis: Defect Detection and Analysis[] D - Reliability of Microwave and Compound Semiconductors Devices[2]E1 - Power Devices Reliability: Silicon and Passive[] E2 - Power Devices Reliability: Wide Bandgap Devices[] F - Packaging and Assembly Reliability[] G - MEMS, Sensors and Organic Electronics Reliability[] H - Photonics Reliability[] I - Extreme Environments and Radiation[] K - Renewable Energies Reliability[] L - Modeling for Reliability[] SS1 (Special Session) - Reliability in Traction Applications

Transferring the Incremental Capacity Analysis to Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

In order to investigate the battery degradation and to estimate their health, various techniques can be applied. One of them, which is widely used for Lithium-ion batteries, is the incremental capacity analysis (ICA). In this work, we apply the ICA to Lithium-Sulfur batteries, which differ in many aspects from Lithium-ion batteries and possess unique behavior. One of the challenges of applying the ICA to Lithium-Sulfur batteries is the representation of the IC curves, as their voltage profiles are often non-monotonic, resulting in more complex IC curves. The ICA is at first applied to charge and discharge processes at various temperature levels and afterward the technique is applied to a cell undergoing cycling degradation. It is shown that the ageing processes are trackable from the IC curves and it opens a possibility for their utilization for state-of-health estimation.

Trimodal Scan-Based Test Paradigm

This paper presents a novel scan-based design for test (DFT) paradigm. Compared with conventional scan, the presented approach either significantly reduces test application time while preserving high fault coverage or allows applying a much larger number of vectors within the same time interval. An equally important factor is the toggling activity during test—with this scheme, it remains similar to that of the mission mode. Several techniques are introduced that allow integration of the proposed scheme with the state-of-the-art test generation and application methods. In particular, the new scheme uses redesigned scan cells to dynamically configure scan chains into different modes of operation for use with the underlying test-per-clock principle. The experimental results obtained for large and complex industrial application-specific IC designs illustrate the feasibility of the proposed test scheme despite additional costs and efforts entailed in consolidating architectural changes and operations across a DFT flow.

Molecular Marriage via Charge Transfer Interaction in Organic Charge Transfer Co-Crystals toward Solid-State Fluorescence Modulation

A set of three new binary-component charge transfer (CT) complexes (Ia, Ib, and Ic) based on anthracene derivatives 1-acetyl-3-naphthyl-(9-anthryl)-2-pyrazoline (ANNP)/1-acetyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-(9-anthryl)-2-pyrazoline (AMAP)/1-acetyl-3-thiophene-5-(9-anthryl)-2-pyrazoline (ATAP) as donors (D) and 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) as acceptor (A) were fabricated via molecular self-assembly and comprehensively characterized. Crystal structural analysis revealed that acceptor molecules become sandwiched in a face-to-face manner between the anthracene units through charge transfer, hydrogen bond, and π···π interactions forming CT organic co-crystals with a unique mixed stacking of D··A··D··A··D (Ib and Ic) and DAD···DAD (Ia) arrangement. All of these crystals displayed significant enhancement and red-shift in fluorescence and color-tunable emission such as blue to orange in the solid state. Remarkably, the solid state luminescence efficiency of these CT co-crystals has been improved in comparison to pris...

Fan-Out Packaging: Technologies and market trends

The semiconductor industry is facing a new era in which device scaling and cost reduction will not continue on the path they followed for the past few decades, with Moore's law in its foundation. Advanced nodes do not bring the desired cost benefit anymore and R&D investments in new lithography solutions and devices below 10nm nodes are rising substantially. In order to answer market demands, the industry seeks further performance and functionality boosts in integration. While scaling options remain uncertain in the shorter term and continue to be investigated, the spotlight turns to advanced packages. Emerging packages such as fan-out wafer level solution aim to bridge the gap and revive the cost/performance curve while at the same time adding more functionality through integration. In this work we will focus on Fan-Out packaging, an embedded package of most interest at the moment. The principle of Fan-Out technology is to embed products in a mold compound and allow redistribution layer pitch to be independent from die size. This approach is already mature for several years thanks to high volume products claimed by Nanium and JCET/Stats ChipPAC using eWLB type of Fan-Out, and with many other developments from OSATs and an aggressive technology from TSMC (inFO). 2016 was a turning point for the Fan-Out market with Apple A1O application processor being packaged using TSMC solution. This partnership changed the game and may create a trend of acceptance of Fan-Out packages for complex applications. The market for Fan-Out packages in 2016 already reached $500M, with potential breakthrough events in store in 2017 that could make the market reach $2B in 2020. Understanding the potential of that market and the high demand from telecom industry for a thin and cheap package, capable of embedding complex ICs, other important OSATs like Powertech or Amkor are willing to enter the market with their own technologies. TSMC being the first example, foundries too could look at the OSATs reserved market through wafer-level packages, Samsung's reaction being interesting to follow. Each player has its own view on how to gain market share and meet the technical and financial challenges associated to Fan-Out packaging such as cost reduction, yield improvement, die shift… This work brings analysis of the strategies and offers of main players involved and describes potential success scenarios for them. It also helps to define what is Fan-Out Packaging and what are the different products and platforms, player per player, avoiding confusion already visible in the industry where many players call their solution a “Fan-Out” to benefit from the buzz created by Apple despite having significant differences from one to another (chip-first, chip-last, face-up, face-down, etc…). As package price represents the final verdict, carrier size evolution is also an important topic, both for wafers and panels, since it can help to drastically reduce the cost. This work shows that the main trend is still to keep wafer carriers but some players are already investing and developing panel-based solution and we expect volume production soon. While end-customers are pushing for a switch to panel, numerous challenges are limiting its widespread though. This work describes technical, economic and maturity challenges associated to panel manufacturing. Overall, the presentation will provide an overview of the products announcements, commercialization roadmaps as well as market forecasts per application. Insights and trends into the different fan-out packaging approaches by applications, business models and major players will be reviewed.

Serum Sickness-like Syndrome as the First Manifestation of IBD

This case presents an interesting presentation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD that resembles Serum Sickness Syndrome. This would shed more light on IBD disease nature, especially autoimmune pathology. Establishing autoantibodies and immune complexes causality will help in diagnosis and treatment of IBD. 34-year-old Caucasian female was transferred to our care with constellation of symptoms including fevers, chills, diarrhea, recent hematochezia, diffuse arthralgia and anasarca. Erythematous skin lesions on extensor surfaces of her arm and legs. Progressive bilateral edema in her lower and upper extremities. The patient was admitted for further evaluation of inflammatory arthritis, possible serum sickness disease and systemic connective tissues disease. Gastroenterology and Rheumatology services were consulted. She was started on oral steroids. The patient started to improve symptomatically. Serum sickness disease was the probable diagnosis with rheumatology work-up suggesting immune complex pathology with decreased levels of C3 with normal C4, negative ANA, RF. High CRP, ESR. Colonoscopy was planned given her diarrhea, hematochezia and anemia. Biopsies were consistent with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specifically Crohn's disease. Management plan was to continue on Mesalamine and steroid taper. This case represents an unusual presentation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that suggests a unique systemic process. One explanation of such phenomenon would be serum sickness disorder with deposits of Immune complexes IC in various tissues causing symptoms. Rheumatologist work-up goes with picture of immune complexes although antigens are not clear yet. Searching for source of stimuli for immune complex formation; the eventual diagnosis of IBD suggested causality. Immune complexes might be part of IBD pathogenesis or caused by intestinal leakage. Patient symptoms improved dramatically on high dose prednisone with a taper down. This will work on arthralgia caused by serum sickness like diseases but also can manage the flare-up attack related to her IBD. This case report raises questions about how pathogenesis can be better looked into while studying the interaction of autoimmune diseases. Further understanding of this can help the future of IBD diagnosis, management and treatment.Figure 1

자기유도 무선전력전송시 진폭편이변조 제어가 가능한 양방향 자기장 무선통신 시스템

A novel bidirectional magnetic wireless communication system is proposed in this study. This system provides the communication capability between the source and load sides by high-frequency signal while wireless power is transferred. Contrary to the conventional wireless communication systems using complex IC circuit and active components, the proposed system is simply composed of passive components. It is practical and beneficial for environmental robustness, cost effectiveness, and simple implementation. The detailed static analysis of the proposed system for power and communication lines is established. The proposed system is experimentally verified, and results show that a 0.1 voltage gain for communication line is obtained while a 2.0 voltage gain for the power line is achieved. The proposed system is adequate for practical applications as it allows the inductive power transfer system to wirelessly and easily communicate between the source and load sides.

The Impact of the Polarization Orientation on Laser SEE Modeling in Complex ICs

Numerical and experimental evaluation of the influence of laser radiation polarization orientation on ionization response of 180-nm and 90-nm CMOS ICs is performed. Comparative research is carried out to determine how the polarization of various sized laser beams affects the parameters of IC ionization response. The necessity of considering the orientation of laser radiation polarization for laser local radiation effect simulation is shown.

The Bottom Line of Complex ICs and Systems on Chip [From the EIC

The Bottom Line of Complex ICs and Systems on Chip [From the EIC

Synthesis, X-ray spectral, and magnetochemical study of copper complexes based on tridentate azomethines of 3-allylsalicylaldehyde

Tridentate azomethine ligands (H2L) based on 3-allylsalicylaldehyde and o-aminophenol, o-aminothiophenol, or 2-ethylamino-5-nitroaniline were synthesized and identified by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies. The structure of complexes (Ia-Ic) was studied by magnetochemistry and EXAFS spectroscopy. Complexes Ia and Ib (X = O, S) are binuclear and exhibit antiferromagnetic exchange interaction: 2J = −36.5 and −950 cm−1, respectively. Complex Ic (X = NC2H5) is mononuclear (μeff = 1.75 μB at 275 K and does not change as temperature decreases).