Actel

About: Actel is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Antifuse & Field-programmable gate array. The organization has 364 authors who have published 402 publications receiving 12674 citations.

Method of forming antifuses having minimum areas

Abstract: Antifuses having minimum areas are formed by a process including the steps of forming doped regions in a semiconductor substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the surface of the substrate, performing masking and etching steps to form apertures in the dielectric layer over portions of the doped regions where antifuses are to be formed, depositing a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and the apertures, the second dielectric layer having a faster etch rate than the first dielectric layer, etching the second dielectric layer to leave spacers at the edges of the apertures, forming the antifuse dielectric in the apertures, and forming upper antifuse electrodes over the antifuse dielectric. In another process, a process for forming antifuses includes the steps of forming a dielectric layer over the surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a first layer of polysilicon over the insulating layer, forming apertures in between portions of the first polysilicon layer where antifuses are to be formed, doping the exposed regions in the substrate using the polysilicon as a masking member, depositing an oxide over the polysilicon regions, etching the oxide to expose the substrate between the regions of first layer polysilicon, forming the antifuse dielectric in the apertures, and forming upper antifuse electrodes over the antifuse dielectric. The process of the present invention may also be used to form antifuses in layers above the substrate.

Apparatus and method for improving cache access throughput in pipelined processors

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in improving cache storage unit utilization during an interlock of an instruction pipeline generates a control signal during one cycle of the interlock if the interlocked instruction may require storage unit management work. In response to the control signal, selector control logic in the storage unit generates a priority signal indicating the interlocked instruction for selection by the storage unit for processing. In response to the control signal and the priority signal, the cache management logic is used during the interlock on the interlocked instruction to prepare for supplying needed data when the interlock is released.

Oxide-nitride-oxide antifuse reliability

Abstract: Compact, low-resistance oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) antifuses are studied for time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB), program disturb, programmed antifuse resistance stability, and effective screen. ONO antifuses are superior to oxide antifuses. No ONO antifuse failures were observed in 1.8 million accelerated burn-in device-hours accumulated on 1108 product units. This is in agreement with the 1/E field acceleration model. >

Non-volatile memory architecture for programmable-logic-based system on a chip

Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block. A digital input/output circuit block is coupled to the programmable logic block. A SRAM block is coupled to the programmable logic block. At least one non-volatile memory block is coupled to the programmable logic block. A JTAG port is coupled to the programmable logic block. An analog circuit block including an analog-to-digital converter may be coupled to the programmable logic block and an analog input/output circuit block may be coupled to the analog circuit block.

Programmable dedicated FPGA functional blocks for multiple wide-input functions.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a plurality of programmable multi-bit output functional block modules, each capable of assuming the functionality of one of the set of adders, subtracters, magnitude comparators, identity comparators, up/down counters, registers, multi-bit ANDs, and similar devices, are placed in predetermined locations of the FPGA chip. The number of functional blocks is much fewer than the number of FPGA modules on the chip. Each of the functional blocks has a plurality of inputs and outputs, each of which is capable of being connected to the neighboring programmable interconnect resources. Communication between and amongst functional blocks is carried out with the standard programmable resources available on board the FPGA chip.