Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first fin type pattern on a substrate, a second fin type pattern, parallel to the first fin type pattern, on the substrate, and an epitaxial pattern on the first and second fin type patterns. The epitaxial pattern may include a shared semiconductor pattern on the first fin type pattern and the second fin type pattern. The shared semiconductor pattern may include a first sidewall adjacent to the first fin type pattern and a second sidewall adjacent to the second fin type pattern. The first sidewall may include a first lower facet, a first upper facet on the first lower facet and a first connecting curved surface connecting the first lower and upper facets. The second sidewall may include a second lower facet, a second upper facet on the second lower facet and a second connecting curved surface connecting the second lower and upper facets.

Abstract: Provided herein as a steerable surgical robotic system for positioning a catheter comprising a sheath and a guidewire within a patient body, including a sheath driver configured to advance and retract a sheath having a hollow interior along a sheath advance and retract path extending therein, a guidewire driver configured to advance and retract a guidewire along a guidewire advance and retract path extending therein, wherein each of the sheath advance and retract path and the guidewire advance and retract path extend between pairs of rollers in the respective sheath and roller drivers, and the paths are parallel to each another.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a flexible, narrow medical device (such as a micro-catheter or a guidewire) that is controllably moved and steered through lumens of a body. The medical device may include an electrically-actuatable bendable portion at a distal end, which may be provided by a polymer electrolyte layer, electrodes distributed about the polymer electrolyte layer, and electrical conduits coupled to the electrodes, such that the polymer electrolyte layer deforms asymmetrically in response to an electrical signal through one or more conduits. The disclosure further includes a controller for moving the device into and out of bodily lumens and for applying the electrical signal for steering the device. The device further includes methods of preparing the polymer electrolyte layer in tubular shape.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a flexible, narrow medical device (such as a micro-catheter or a guidewire) that is controllably moved and steered through lumens of a body. The medical device may include an electrically-actuatable bendable portion at a distal end, which may be provided by a polymer electrolyte layer, electrodes distributed about the polymer electrolyte layer, and electrical conduits coupled to the electrodes, such that the polymer electrolyte layer deforms asymmetrically in response to an electrical signal through one or more conduits. The disclosure further includes a controller for moving the device into and out of bodily lumens and for applying the electrical signal for steering the device. The device further includes methods of preparing the polymer electrolyte layer in tubular shape.

Abstract: A medical device includes at least one ionic electroactive polymer actuator, the actuator including at least one polymer electrolyte member defining at least a surface and a plurality of electrodes disposed about the surface of the at least one polymer electrolyte member, an elongate, flexible portion defining a proximal end and a distal end secured adjacent to the ionic electroactive polymer actuator and the elongate, flexible portion further comprising a core and a sleeve surrounding the core and a plurality of electrically-conductive wires, each having a proximal end and a distal end coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the at least one polymer electrolyte member deforms asymmetrically in response to the application of an electrical potential supplied through at least one of the plurality of electrically-conductive wires to at least one of the plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device are provided. The methods may include forming a gate structure on a core-peri region of a substrate. The substrate may further include a cell region. The methods may also include forming a gate spacer on a sidewall of the gate structure, forming a first impurity region adjacent the gate spacer in the core-peri region of the substrate by performing a first ion implantation process, removing the gate spacer, forming a second impurity region in the core-peri region of the substrate between the gate structure and the first impurity region by performing a second ion implantation process, forming a stress film on the gate structure, an upper surface of the first impurity region, and an upper surface of the second impurity region, and forming a recrystallization region by crystallizing the first impurity region and the second impurity region by performing an annealing process.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device capable of enhancing short channel effect by forming a carbon-containing semiconductor pattern in a source/drain region. The semiconductor device includes a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode spaced apart from each other on a fin-type pattern, a recess formed in the fin-type pattern between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, and a semiconductor pattern including a lower semiconductor film formed along a profile of the recess and an upper semiconductor film on the lower semiconductor film, wherein the lower semiconductor film includes a lower epitaxial layer and an upper epitaxial layer sequentially formed on the fin-type pattern, and a carbon concentration of the upper epitaxial layer is greater than a carbon concentration of the lower epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a field insulating film including a first region and a second region on a substrate, a recess in the first region of the field insulating film, a gate electrode on the second region of the field insulating film, and a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate electrode and a sidewall of the recess.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a first region and a second region, fin type active areas extending in a first direction away from the substrate in each of the first and second regions, a plurality of nanosheets extending parallel to an upper surface of the fin type active areas and being spaced apart from the upper surface of the fin type active areas, a gate extending over the fin type active areas in a second direction crossing the first direction, a gate dielectric layer interposed between the gate and each of the nanosheets, first source and drain regions included in the first region and second source and drain regions included in the second region, and insulating spacers interposed between the fin type active areas and the nanosheets, wherein air spacers are interposed between the insulating spacers and the first source and drain regions.

Abstract: A dummy gate electrode layer and a dummy gate mask layer may be formed on a substrate. The dummy gate mask layer may be patterned to form a dummy gate mask so that a portion of the dummy gate electrode layer is exposed. Ions may be implanted into the exposed portion of the dummy gate electrode layer and a portion of the dummy gate electrode layer adjacent thereto by an angled ion implantation to form a growth blocking layer in the dummy gate electrode layer. The dummy gate electrode layer may be etched using the dummy gate mask as an etching mask to form a dummy gate electrode. A spacer may be formed on side surfaces of a dummy gate structure including the dummy gate electrode and the dummy gate mask. An SEG process may be performed to form an epitaxial layer.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including: a fin structure on a substrate including a negative channel field-effect transistor (nFET) region and a positive channel field-effect transistor (pFET) region; a gate structure on the fin structure; and a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate structure, wherein the source/drain structure formed in the nFET region is an epitaxial layer including an n-type impurity at a concentration of about 1.8×1021/cm3 or more, includes silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) on an outer portion of the source/drain structure, and includes Si but not Ge in an inner portion of the source/drain structure, wherein an inclined surface contacting an uppermost surface of the source/drain structure forms an angle of less than about 54.7° with a top surface of the fin structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first active fin, a plurality of second active fins, a first source/drain layer structure, and a second source/drain layer structure. The first active fin may be on a first region of a substrate. The second active fins may be on a second region of the substrate. The first and second gate structures may be on the first and second active fins, respectively. The first source/drain layer structure may be on a portion of the first active fin that is adjacent to the first gate structure. The second source/drain layer structure may commonly contact upper surfaces of the second active fins adjacent to the second gate structure. A top surface of the second source/drain layer structure may be further from the surface of the substrate than a top surface of the first source/drain layer structure is to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a first region and a second region, fin type active areas extending in a first direction away from the substrate in each of the first and second regions, a plurality of nanosheets extending parallel to an upper surface of the fin type active areas and being spaced apart from the upper surface of the fin type active areas, a gate extending over the fin type active areas in a second direction crossing the first direction, a gate dielectric layer interposed between the gate and each of the nanosheets, first source and drain regions included in the first region and second source and drain regions included in the second region, and insulating spacers interposed between the fin type active areas and the nanosheets, wherein air spacers are interposed between the insulating spacers and the first source and drain regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a field insulating film including a first region and a second region on a substrate, a recess in the first region of the field insulating film, a gate electrode on the second region of the field insulating film, and a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate electrode and a sidewall of the recess.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a flexible, narrow medical device (such as a micro-catheter or a guidewire) that is controllably moved and steered through lumens of a body. The medical device may include an electrically-actuatable bendable portion at a distal end, which may be provided by a polymer electrolyte layer, electrodes distributed about the polymer electrolyte layer, and electrical conduits coupled to the electrodes, such that the polymer electrolyte layer deforms asymmetrically in response to an electrical signal through one or more conduits. The disclosure further includes a controller for moving the device into and out of bodily lumens and for applying the electrical signal for steering the device. The device further includes methods of preparing the polymer electrolyte layer in tubular shape.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including: a fin structure on a substrate including a negative channel field-effect transistor (nFET) region and a positive channel field-effect transistor (pFET) region; a gate structure on the fin structure; and a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate structure, wherein the source/drain structure formed in the nFET region is an epitaxial layer including an n-type impurity at a concentration of about 1.8×1021/cm3 or more, includes silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) on an outer portion of the source/drain structure, and includes Si but not Ge in an inner portion of the source/drain structure, wherein an inclined surface contacting an uppermost surface of the source/drain structure forms an angle of less than about 54.7° with a top surface of the fin structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first active fin, a plurality of second active fins, a first source/drain layer structure, and a second source/drain layer structure. The first active fin may be on a first region of a substrate. The second active fins may be on a second region of the substrate. The first and second gate structures may be on the first and second active fins, respectively. The first source/drain layer structure may be on a portion of the first active fin that is adjacent to the first gate structure. The second source/drain layer structure may commonly contact upper surfaces of the second active fins adjacent to the second gate structure. A top surface of the second source/drain layer structure may be further from the surface of the substrate than a top surface of the first source/drain layer structure is to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a field insulating film including a first region and a second region on a substrate, a recess in the first region of the field insulating film, a gate electrode on the second region of the field insulating film, and a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate electrode and a sidewall of the recess.