Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure including a stacked layer of first and second semiconductor layers and a hard mask layer over the stacked layer is formed. A sacrificial cladding layer is formed over at least sidewalls of the exposed hard mask layer and stacked layer. An etching is performed to remove lateral portions of the sacrificial cladding layer, thereby leaving the sacrificial cladding layer on sidewalls of the exposed hard mask layer and stacked layer. A first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer made of a different material than the first dielectric layer are formed. The second dielectric layer is recessed, and a third dielectric layer made of a different material than the second dielectric layer is formed on the recessed second dielectric layer. During the etching operation, a protection layer is formed over the sacrificial cladding layer.

Abstract: A fault detection method, includes the following steps. A target sequence is received, the target sequence includes several data. A first moving average operation is performed on the target sequence to establish a first moving average sequence. A second moving average operation is performed on the target sequence to establish a second moving average sequence. A difference operation between the first moving average sequence and the second moving average sequence is performed to obtain a difference sequence, the difference sequence includes several difference values. An upper limit value is set. When one of the difference values is greater than the upper limit value, the target sequence is determines as abnormal.

Abstract: An optical system affixed to an electronic apparatus is provided, including a first optical module, a second optical module, and a third optical module. The first optical module is configured to adjust the moving direction of a first light from a first moving direction to a second moving direction, wherein the first moving direction is not parallel to the second moving direction. The second optical module is configured to receive the first light moving in the second moving direction. The first light reaches the third optical module via the first optical module and the second optical module in sequence. The third optical module includes a first photoelectric converter configured to transform the first light into a first image signal.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes selective use of a cladding layer during the fabrication process to provide critical dimension uniformity. The cladding layer can be formed before forming a recess in an active channel structure or can be formed after filling a recess in an active channel structure with dielectric material. These techniques can be used in semiconductor structures such as gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures implemented in an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dielectric layer over a contact pad of a device, forming a first polymer layer over the dielectric layer, forming a first conductive line and a first portion of a second conductive line over the first polymer layer, patterning a photoresist to form an opening over the first portion of the second conductive feature, wherein after patterning the photoresist the first conductive line remains covered by photoresist, forming a second portion of the second conductive line in the opening, wherein the second portion of the second conductive line physically contacts the first portion of the second conductive line, and forming a second polymer layer extending completely over the first conductive line and the second portion of the second conductive line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor includes a supporting silicon layer and a memory module. The memory module and the supporting silicon layer are bonded via a bonding structure. The bonding structure includes at least one bonding film whose thickness is less than 200 ?.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first stack structure, a second stack structure, and a third stack structure. Each of the stack structure includes semiconductor layers vertically spaced from one another. The first, second, and third stack structures all extend along a first lateral direction. The second stack structure is disposed between the first and third stack structures. The semiconductor device includes a first gate structure that extends along a second lateral direction and wraps around each of the semiconductor layers. The semiconductor layers of the first stack structure are coupled with respective source/drain structures. The semiconductor layers of the second stack structure are coupled with respective source/drain structures. The semiconductor layers of the third stack structure are coupled with a dielectric passivation layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) on a substrate, a spacer adjacent to the MTJ, a liner adjacent to the spacer, and a first metal interconnection on the MTJ. Preferably, the first metal interconnection includes protrusions adjacent to two sides of the MTJ and a bottom surface of the protrusions contact the liner directly.

Abstract: An optical integrated circuit (IC) structure includes: a substrate including a fiber slot formed in an upper surface of the substrate and extending from an edge of the substrate, and an undercut formed in the upper surface and extending from the fiber slot; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate; a dielectric structure disposed on the semiconductor layer; an interconnect structure disposed in the dielectric structure; a plurality of vents that extend through a coupling region of the dielectric structure and expose the undercut; a fiber cavity that extends through the coupling region of dielectric structure and exposes the fiber slot; and a barrier ring disposed in the dielectric structure, the barrier ring surrounding the interconnect structure and routed around the perimeter of the coupling region.

Abstract: A method includes etching a semiconductor substrate to form a trench, with the semiconductor substrate having a sidewall facing the trench, and depositing a first semiconductor layer extending into the trench. The first semiconductor layer includes a first bottom portion at a bottom of the trench, and a first sidewall portion on the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate. The first sidewall portion is removed to reveal the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate. The method further includes depositing a second semiconductor layer extending into the trench, with the second semiconductor layer having a second bottom portion over the first bottom portion, and a second sidewall portion contacting the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate. The second sidewall portion is removed to reveal the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of channel layers vertically separated from one another. The semiconductor device also includes an active gate structure comprising a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion wraps around each of the plurality of channel layers. The semiconductor device further includes a gate spacer extending along a sidewall of the upper portion of the active gate structure. The gate spacer has a bottom surface. Moreover, a dummy gate dielectric layer is disposed between the gate spacer and a topmost channel layer of plurality of channel layers. The dummy gate dielectric layer is in contact with a top surface of the topmost channel layer, the bottom surface of the gate spacer, and the sidewall of the gate structure.

Abstract: An optical system affixed to an electronic apparatus is provided, including a first optical module, a second optical module, and a third optical module. The first optical module is configured to adjust the moving direction of a first light from a first moving direction to a second moving direction, wherein the first moving direction is not parallel to the second moving direction. The second optical module is configured to receive the first light moving in the second moving direction. The first light reaches the third optical module via the first optical module and the second optical module in sequence. The third optical module includes a first photoelectric converter configured to transform the first light into a first image signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) on a substrate, a first spacer on one side of the of the MTJ, a second spacer on another side of the MTJ, a first metal interconnection on the MTJ, and a liner adjacent to the first spacer, the second spacer, and the first metal interconnection. Preferably, each of a top surface of the MTJ and a bottom surface of the first metal interconnection includes a planar surface and two sidewalls of the first metal interconnection are aligned with two sidewalls of the MTJ.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming semiconductor fins on a substrate. A first dummy gate is formed over the semiconductor fins. A recess is formed in the first dummy gate, and the recess is disposed between the semiconductor fins. A dummy fin material is formed in the recess. A portion of the dummy fin material is removed to expose an upper surface of the first dummy gate and to form a dummy fin. A second dummy gate is formed on the exposed upper surface of the first dummy gate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) on a substrate, a first spacer on one side of the of the MTJ, a second spacer on another side of the MTJ, a first metal interconnection on the MTJ, and a liner adjacent to the first spacer, the second spacer, and the first metal interconnection. Preferably, each of a top surface of the MTJ and a bottom surface of the first metal interconnection includes a planar surface and two sidewalls of the first metal interconnection are aligned with two sidewalls of the MTJ.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor layers vertically separated from one another. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure that comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion wraps around each of the plurality of semiconductor layers. The semiconductor device includes a gate spacer that extends along a sidewall of the upper portion of the gate structure and has a bottom surface. A portion of the bottom surface of the gate spacer and a top surface of a topmost one of the plurality of semiconductor layers form an angle that is less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes selective use of a cladding layer during the fabrication process to provide critical dimension uniformity. The cladding layer can be formed before forming a recess in an active channel structure or can be formed after filling a recess in an active channel structure with dielectric material. These techniques can be used in semiconductor structures such as gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures implemented in an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A plurality of fins is formed over a substrate. Dummy gates are formed patterned over the fins, each dummy gate having a spacer on sidewalls of the patterned dummy gates. Recesses are formed in the fins using the patterned dummy gates as a mask. A passivation layer is formed over the fins and in the recesses in the fins. The passivation layer is patterned to leave a remaining passivation layer only in some of the recesses in the fins. Source and drain regions are epitaxially formed only in the recesses in the fins without the remaining passivation layer.

Abstract: Provided are devices with replacement structures and methods for fabricating such structures. A method includes forming a layer over a semiconductor material having a top surface in a horizontal plane; forming a dummy structure over the layer, wherein the dummy structure has sidewall, wherein the dummy structure lies directly over a first region of the layer and over a first region of the semiconductor material under the first region of the layer, and wherein the dummy structure does not lie directly over a second region of the layer or over a second region of the semiconductor material under the second region of the layer, and removing the second region of the layer and forming a side edge of the first region of the layer, wherein the side edge forms an angle of from 90 to 100 degrees with the horizontal plane.

Abstract: A method of starting an electronic device includes: receiving a first wireless signal carrying a first identification data by a wireless receiver before the electronic device enters a normal operating state; comparing the first identification data with a valid data; obtaining an account name and a password according to the first identification data if the first identification data matches the valid data and logging in to an operating system with the account name and the password so as to allow the electronic device to enter the normal operating state; and not logging in to the operating system if the first identification data does not match the valid data.