Abstract: A method includes forming a first polymer layer to cover a metal pad of a wafer, and patterning the first polymer layer to form a first opening. A first sidewall of the first polymer layer exposed to the first opening has a first tilt angle where the first sidewall is in contact with the metal pad. The method further includes forming a metal pillar in the first opening, sawing the wafer to generate a device die, encapsulating the device die in an encapsulating material, performing a planarization to reveal the metal pillar, forming a second polymer layer over the encapsulating material and the device die, and patterning the second polymer layer to form a second opening. The metal pillar is exposed through the second opening. A second sidewall of the second polymer layer exposed to the second opening has a second tilt angle greater than the first tilt angle.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a first waveguide structure and a second waveguide structure on a substrate in which the first waveguide structure and the second waveguide structure is spaced apart from each other by a recess; conformally forming an un-doped dielectric layer to cover the first and second waveguide structures and to form a gap between two corresponding portions of the un-doped dielectric layer laterally covering the first waveguide structure and the second waveguide structure, respectively; and forming a doped filling layer to fill the gap.

Abstract: A carrier structure is provided, in which at least one positioning area is defined on a chip-placement area of a package substrate, and at least one alignment portion is disposed on the positioning area. Therefore, the precision of manufacturing the alignment portion is improved by disposing the positioning area on the chip-placement area, such that the carrier structure can provide a better alignment mechanism for the chip placement operation.

Abstract: A lighting device includes a light board and a light dimmer circuit. The light board includes multiple first light emitting elements and second light emitting elements. The first light emitting elements are disposed in a first area of the light board. The second light emitting elements are disposed in a second area of the light board. The light dimmer circuit is configured to drive the second light emitting elements to generate flickering lights from the second area of the light board, and is configured to drive the first light emitting elements to generate non-flickering lights from the first area of the light board.

Abstract: A throttle control method for a mobile device include collecting input data, generating a first set of user experience indices according to the input data, and checking whether a user experience index of the first set of user experience indices satisfies a UEI threshold. The input data includes common information data, current configuration data and a plurality of throttle control parameters. Each user experience index of the first set of user experience indices is corresponding to at least one of throttle control parameter of the plurality of throttle control parameters.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with dual side source/drain (S/D) contact structures and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The method includes forming a fin structure on a substrate, forming a superlattice structure on the fin structure, forming first and second S/D regions within the superlattice structure, forming a gate structure between the first and second S/D regions, forming first and second contact structures on first surfaces of the first and second S/D regions, and forming a third contact structure, on a second surface of the first S/D region, with a work function metal (WFM) silicide layer and a dual metal liner. The second surface is opposite to the first surface of the first S/D region and the WFM silicide layer has a work function value closer to a conduction band energy than a valence band energy of a material of the first S/D region.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an imaging device including a first image sensor element and a second image sensor element respectively comprising a pixel unit disposed within a semiconductor substrate. The first image sensor element is adjacent to the second image sensor element. A first micro-lens overlies the first image sensor element and is laterally shifted from a center of the pixel unit of the first image sensor element by a first lens shift amount. A second micro-lens overlies the second image sensor element and is laterally shifted from a center of the pixel unit of the second image sensor element by a second lens shift amount different from the first lens shift amount.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a die, a molding surrounding the die, a first dielectric layer disposed over the die and the molding, and a second dielectric layer disposed between the first dielectric layer and the die, and between the first dielectric layer and the molding. A material content ratio in the first dielectric layer is substantially greater than that in the second dielectric layer. In some embodiments, the material content ratio substantially inversely affects a mechanical strength of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a transistor over a semiconductor substrate. The transistor includes a ferroelectric layer arranged along a sidewall of a word line. The ferroelectric layer includes a species with valence of 5, valence of 7, or a combination thereof. An oxide semiconductor layer is electrically coupled to a source line and a bit line. The ferroelectric layer is disposed between the oxide semiconductor layer and the word line.

Abstract: An antiferroelectric field effect transistor (Anti-FeFET) of a memory cell includes an antiferroelectric layer instead of a ferroelectric layer. The antiferroelectric layer may operate based on a programmed state and an erased state in which the antiferroelectric layer is in a fully polarized alignment and a non-polarized alignment (or a random state of polarization), respectively. This enables the antiferroelectric layer in the FeFET to provide a sharper/larger voltage drop for an erase operation of the FeFET (e.g., in which the FeFET switches or transitions from the programmed state to the erased state) relative to a ferroelectric material layer that operates based on switching between two opposing fully polarized states.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dummy pattern over test region of a substrate; forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer laterally surrounding the dummy pattern; removing the dummy pattern to form an opening; forming a dielectric layer in the opening; performing a first testing process on the dielectric layer; performing an annealing process to the dielectric layer; and performing a second testing process on the annealed dielectric layer.

Abstract: A device includes: a stack of semiconductor nanostructures; a gate structure wrapping around the semiconductor nanostructures, the gate structure extending in a first direction; a source/drain region abutting the gate structure and the stack in a second direction transverse the first direction; a contact structure on the source/drain region; a backside conductive trace under the stack, the backside conductive trace extending in the second direction; a first through via that extends vertically from the contact structure to a top surface of the backside dielectric layer; and a gate isolation structure that abuts the first through via in the second direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first dielectric layer, a stack of semiconductor layers disposed over the first dielectric layer, a gate structure wrapping around each of the semiconductor layers and extending lengthwise along a direction, and a dielectric fin structure and an isolation structure disposed on opposite sides of the stack of semiconductor layers and embedded in the gate structure. The dielectric fin structure has a first width along the direction smaller than a second width of the isolation structure along the direction. The isolation structure includes a second dielectric layer extending through the gate structure and the first dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer extending through the first dielectric layer and disposed on a bottom surface of the gate structure and a sidewall of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: A device includes a fin extending from a substrate, a gate stack over and along sidewalls of the fin, a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate stack, and an epitaxial source/drain region in the fin and adjacent the gate spacer. The epitaxial source/drain region includes a first epitaxial layer on the fin, the first epitaxial layer including silicon, germanium, and arsenic, and a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer including silicon and phosphorus, the first epitaxial layer separating the second epitaxial layer from the fin. The epitaxial source/drain region further includes a third epitaxial layer on the second epitaxial layer, the third epitaxial layer including silicon, germanium, and phosphorus.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a photodetector disposed in a semiconductor substrate. A wave guide filter having a substantially planar upper surface is disposed over the photodetector. The wave guide filter includes a light filter disposed in a light filter grid structure. The light filter includes a first material that is translucent and has a first refractive index. The light filter grid structure includes a second material that is translucent and has a second refractive index less than the first refractive index.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a fin structure disposed over a substrate; a gate structure disposed over part of the fin structure; a source/drain structure, which includes part of the fin structure not covered by the gate structure; an interlayer dielectric layer formed over the fin structure, the gate structure, and the source/drain structure; a contact hole formed in the interlayer dielectric layer; and a contact material disposed in the contact hole. The fin structure extends in a first direction and includes an upper layer, wherein a part of the upper layer is exposed from an isolation insulating layer. The gate structure extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The contact material includes a silicon phosphide layer and a metal layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first metal layer over a substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the first metal layer. The method includes forming a trench in the dielectric layer, and performing a surface treatment process on a sidewall surface of the trench to form a hydrophobic layer. The hydrophobic layer is formed on a sidewall surface of the dielectric layer. The method further includes depositing a metal material in the trench and over the hydrophobic layer to form a via structure.