Patent · US Expired

Conditioning semiconductor-on-insulator transistors for programmable logic devices

US6369608B1 · kind B1 · utility

2Cited by
14References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 18, 2001
Grant dateApr 9, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 18, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/17792
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Method and apparatus for preconditioning and in-use conditioning of transistors formed on a semiconductor-on-insulator structure is described. More particularly, transistors of a programmable logic device (PLD), such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), are preconditioned to take advantage of charge accumulation owing to a “floating body” effect. This preconditioning takes a form of switching transistors on and off prior to customer operation. Accordingly, semiconductor-on-insulator transistors accumulate charge during this switching period, so when customer operation takes place, transistor switching times are less variable over a period of operation of the PLD. Additionally, a design process and implementation is described for identification and in-use conditioning of transistors that may need conditioning during customer operation to control switching time variability.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.