Abstract: Various embodiments provide a thickness sensor and method for measuring a thickness of discrete conductive features, such as conductive lines and plugs. In one embodiment, the thickness sensor generates an Eddy current in a plurality of discrete conductive features, and measures the generated Eddy current generated in the discrete conductive features. The thickness sensor has a small sensor spot size, and amplifies peaks and valleys of the measured Eddy current. The thickness sensor determines a thickness of the discrete conductive features based on a difference between a minimum amplitude value and a maximum amplitude value of the measured Eddy current.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: performing a self-limiting process to modify a top surface of a wafer; after the self-limiting process completes, removing the modified top surface from the wafer; and repeating the performing the self-limiting process and the removing the modified top surface from the wafer until a thickness of the wafer is decreased to a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a wet chemical heating system and a method of transporting wet chemical. The method includes providing a wet chemical in a conduit, heating the wet chemical by a first radiative heating unit at a first portion of the conduit, including elevating a temperature of the wet chemical at the first portion of the conduit to a first temperature greater than a second temperature of the first portion of the conduit; and dispensing the wet chemical from the conduit.

Abstract: A method of cleaning and polishing a backside surface of a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes placing an abrasive brush, comprising an abrasive tape wound around an outer surface of a brush member of the abrasive brush, on the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer. The method also includes rotating the brush member to polish the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer by abrasive grains formed on the abrasive tape and to clean the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer by the brush member which is not covered by the abrasive tape.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method for fabricating a semiconductor device with a protruding contact. The method includes providing a substrate; forming a bit line structure on the substrate; forming a capacitor contact structure next to the bit line structure; recessing a top surface of the bit line structure; and forming a landing pad layer covering a portion of a top surface of the capacitor contact structure and an upper portion of a sidewall of the capacitor contact structure.

Abstract: Some implementations described herein relate to dispensing a slurry onto a polishing pad for a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process. These implementations also involve rotating the polishing pad while the slurry is dispensed onto the polishing pad. Rotation of the polishing pad results in a traversal of the slurry radially outward toward a polishing pad outer edge of the polishing pad. The polishing pad includes a plurality of groove segments and a geometric patterns formed by the plurality of the groove segments impede the flow of the slurry to the polishing pad outer edge.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a circuit board includes: providing a first double-sided copper laminate including a dielectric layer, a first copper foil layer and a copper plating layer wherein the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer defines a groove, the copper plating layer includes a first copper plating portion in the groove and a second copper plating portion beside the first copper plating portion. A double-sided circuit substrate including base layer and two first wiring layers is provided, wherein each first wiring layer includes a signal line. Conductive paste blocks are disposed in the base layer and on both sides of the signal line; and a first double-sided copper laminate is stacked on each side of the double-sided circuit substrate, disposing the signal line in the groove. The conductive paste blocks are pressed electrically connect same to the second copper plating portions. The present disclosure further provides a circuit board.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical planarization system includes a chemical mechanical planarization pad that rotates during a chemical mechanical planarization process. A chemical mechanical planarization head places a semiconductor wafer in contact with the chemical mechanical planarization pad during the process. A slurry supply system supplies a slurry onto the pad during the process. A pad conditioner conditions the pad during the process. An impurity removal system removes debris and impurities from the slurry.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a wet chemical heating system, including a first conduit for transporting wet chemical, a dispensing head connected to the first conduit, and a radiative heating element configured to heat the wet chemical in the first conduit and positioned at an upper stream of the dispensing head.

Abstract: A method includes cropping a plurality of images from a layout of an integrated circuit, generating a first plurality of hash values, each from one of the plurality of images, loading a second plurality of hash values stored in a hotspot library, and comparing each of the first plurality of hash values with each of the second plurality of hash values. The step of comparing includes calculating a similarity value between the each of the first plurality of hash values and the each of the second plurality of hash values. The method further includes comparing the similarity value with a pre-determined threshold similarity value, and in response to a result that the similarity value is greater than the pre-determined threshold similarity value, recording a position of a corresponding image that has the result. The position is the position of the corresponding image in the layout.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure with capacitor landing pads. The method includes the following operations: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a bit line structure protruding from the semiconductor substrate; depositing a landing pad layer to cover the bit line structure; planarizing a top surface of the landing pad layer; limning a trench in the landing pad layer to form the capacitor landing pads; forming an air gap within a sidewall of the bit line structure; and filling a first dielectric layer in the trench to seal the air gap.

Abstract: A keyswitch assembly includes a switch module, a support mechanism, a blocking mechanism, an enhancing light source, and a backlight source. The switch module includes a substrate, a signal generator, and a signal sensor. The signal generator generates a sensing signal. The signal sensor receives the sensing signal to obtain a sensing strength. The support mechanism is disposed on the substrate. The blocking mechanism is disposed on the substrate and has a light-permeable portion. A portion of the blocking mechanism inserts into or escapes from a gap between the signal generator and the signal sensor. The backlight source is disposed on the substrate and located outside the vertical projection of the blocking mechanism on the substrate. The enhancing light source is disposed on the substrate and located within the vertical projection of the blocking mechanism on the substrate and corresponds to the light-permeable portion.

Abstract: A keyswitch assembly includes a switch module, a support mechanism, and a blocking mechanism. The switch module includes a substrate, a signal generator, and a signal sensor. The signal generator provides a sensing signal. The signal sensor receives the sensing signal to obtain a sensing intensity. The support mechanism is disposed on the substrate. A top portion of the support mechanism moves in response to a pressing force. The blocking mechanism includes a pivoting portion rotatably disposed on the substrate, a connecting piece extending from the pivoting portion and movably connected to the support mechanism to be driven by the top portion to swivel relative to the substrate, and a blocking piece extending from the pivoting portion and driven by the connecting piece to be inserted into or escape from the gap between the signal generator and the signal sensor to change the magnitude of the sensing intensity.

Abstract: The present application discloses a semiconductor device with a protruding contact and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device with the protruding contact. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a capacitor contact structure protruding from the substrate, and a landing pad layer covering a portion of a top surface of the capacitor contact structure and an upper portion of a sidewall of the capacitor contact structure.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a thickness of a film on a substrate includes detecting atomic force responses of the film to exposure of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The use of atomic force microscopy to evaluate thicknesses of thin films avoids underlayer noise commonly encountered when optical metrology techniques are utilized to evaluate film thicknesses. Such underlayer noise adversely impacts the accuracy of the thickness evaluation.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing tool includes a cleaning chamber configured to perform a post-chemical mechanical polishing/planarization (post-CMP) cleaning operation in an oxygen-free (or in a near oxygen-free) manner. An inert gas may be provided into the cleaning chamber to remove oxygen from the cleaning chamber such that the post-CMP cleaning operation may be performed in an oxygen-free (or in a near oxygen-free) environment. In this way, the post-CMP cleaning operation may be performed in an environment that may reduce oxygen-causing corrosion of metallization layers and/or metallization structures on and/or in the semiconductor wafer, which may increase semiconductor processing yield, may decrease semiconductor processing defects, and/or may increase semiconductor processing quality, among other examples.

Abstract: A method includes cropping a plurality of images from a layout of an integrated circuit, generating a first plurality of hash values, each from one of the plurality of images, loading a second plurality of hash values stored in a hotspot library, and comparing each of the first plurality of hash values with each of the second plurality of hash values. The step of comparing includes calculating a similarity value between the each of the first plurality of hash values and the each of the second plurality of hash values. The method further includes comparing the similarity value with a pre-determined threshold similarity value, and in response to a result that the similarity value is greater than the pre-determined threshold similarity value, recording a position of a corresponding image that has the result. The position is the position of the corresponding image in the layout.

Abstract: An object is to make it easier to lift and move a wheelchair by keeping casters from hanging even when the wheelchair is lifted by one hand. To this end, a wheelchair includes a folding mechanism that couples a left-side support arm and a right-side support arm foldably in a left-right direction of the vehicle body. The folding mechanism includes an operation part for use in changing a state of a left-side support arm and a right-side support arm from one of a folded state or an unfolded state to another. The operation part is arranged between a rear drive wheel and a caster in a side view of the vehicle body.