Abstract: A light sensor includes a photodetector sensor region formed in a semiconductor substrate. To shape the spectral response of the light sensor, a dielectric optical coating filter covers the photodetector sensor region and a circumferential region of the substrate that surrounds the photodetector sensor region. In accordance with specific embodiments, the dielectric optical coating filter has chamfered corners to improve the thermal reliability of the dielectric optical coating covering the photodetector sensor region. Methods for making such a light sensor are also disclosed.

Abstract: Light sensors including dielectric optical coatings to shape their spectral responses, and methods for fabricating such light sensors in a manner that accelerates lift-off processes and increases process margins, are described herein. In an embodiment, a light sensor includes a photodetector sensor region formed in a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric optical coating filter covering the photodetector sensor region, and dummy dielectric optical coating features beyond the photodetector sensor region, wherein the dummy dielectric optical features include one or more dummy corners, dummy islands and/or dummy rings. Alternatively, or additionally, the dielectric optical coating filter includes chamfered corners, which improves the thermal reliability of the dielectric optical coating.

Abstract: Light sensors including dielectric optical coatings to shape their spectral responses, and methods for fabricating such light sensors in a manner that accelerates lift-off processes and increases process margins, are described herein. In an embodiment, a light sensor includes a photodetector sensor region formed in a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric optical coating filter covering the photodetector sensor region, and dummy dielectric optical coating features beyond the photodetector sensor region, wherein the dummy dielectric optical features include one or more dummy corners, dummy islands and/or dummy rings. Alternatively, or additionally, the dielectric optical coating filter includes chamfered corners, which improves the thermal reliability of the dielectric optical coating.

Abstract: A fluid capturing device is described herein that can contain and manage urine or other secretions that may be emitted from a penis. The fluid capturing device can include a sheath that conforms to at least part of the penis. For example, the sheath can include a proximal portion that covers at least a part of the shaft of the penis and a distal portion that covers at least a part of the head of the penis. In addition, the fluid capturing device can include an absorbent that can absorb the excretions or emissions from the penis. The absorbent can be removed and replaced from the sheath, including while the sheath is at least partially secured to the penis.

Abstract: Light sensors including dielectric optical coatings to shape their spectral responses, and methods for fabricating such light sensors in a manner that accelerates lift-off processes and increases process margins, are described herein. In certain embodiments, a short duration soft bake is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, temperature cycling is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, photolithography is performed using a photomask that includes one or more dummy corners, dummy islands and/or dummy rings. Each of the aforementioned embodiments form and/or increase a number of micro-cracks in the dielectric optical coating not covering the photodetector sensor region, thereby enabling an accelerated lift-off process and an increased process margin. Alternatively, or additionally, a portion of the photomask can include chamfered corners so that the dielectric optical coating includes chamfered corners, which improves the thermal reliability of the dielectric optical coating.

Abstract: Systems and methods for negotiating control of a shared audio or visual resource are disclosed. A request for control of a shared audio or visual resource is received at an arbiter. The arbiter maintains existing state information for ownership of the shared audio or visual resource and ownership transition conditions of the shared audio or visual resource. The request is received from one of a process executing on an embedded system and a process executing on a mobile computing device. New state information regarding ownership of the shared audio or visual resource is determined based at least in part on the request for control and the ownership transition conditions. The new state information indicates which of the processes controls output of the shared audio or visual resource.

Abstract: Monolithic optical sensor devices, and methods for fabricating such devices, are described herein. In an embodiment, a semiconductor wafer substrate includes a plurality of photodetector (PD) regions. A wafer-level inorganic dielectric optical filter is deposited and thereby formed over at least a subset of the plurality of PD regions. One or more wafer-level organic color filter(s) is/are deposited and thereby formed on one or more selected portion(s) of the wafer-level inorganic dielectric optical filter that is/are over selected ones of the PD regions. For example, an organic red filter, an organic green filter and an organic blue filter can be over, respectively, portions of the wafer-level inorganic dielectric optical filter that are over first, second and third PD regions.

Abstract: Light sensors including dielectric optical coatings to shape their spectral responses, and methods for fabricating such light sensors in a manner that accelerates lift-off processes and increases process margins, are described herein. In certain embodiments, a short duration soft bake is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, temperature cycling is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, photolithography is performed using a photomask that includes one or more dummy corners, dummy islands and/or dummy rings. Each of the aforementioned embodiments form and/or increase a number of micro-cracks in the dielectric optical coating not covering the photodetector sensor region, thereby enabling an accelerated lift-off process and an increased process margin. Alternatively, or additionally, a portion of the photomask can include chamfered corners so that the dielectric optical coating includes chamfered corners, which improves the thermal reliability of the dielectric optical coating.

Abstract: Light sensors including dielectric optical coatings to shape their spectral responses, and methods for fabricating such light sensors in a manner that accelerates lift-off processes and increases process margins, are described herein. In certain embodiments, a short duration soft bake is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, temperature cycling is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, photolithography is performed using a photomask that includes one or more dummy corners, dummy islands and/or dummy rings. Each of the aforementioned embodiments form and/or increase a number of micro-cracks in the dielectric optical coating not covering the photodetector sensor region, thereby enabling an accelerated lift-off process and an increased process margin. Alternatively, or additionally, a portion of the photomask can include chamfered corners so that the dielectric optical coating includes chamfered corners, which improves the thermal reliability of the dielectric optical coating.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for forming salicide, in which a semiconductor substrate is provided with at least one exposed silicon surface. The semiconductor substrate is placed into a sputtering chamber. A silicide-forming metal layer, formed of a metal such as Co, Ni, is sputter-deposited over the exposed silicon surface. A process temperature is controlled below room temperature during the sputter deposition and preferably between approximately 0° C. to 10° C. The silicide-forming metal layer formed on the exposed silicon surface is first annealed to convert the silicide-forming metal layer into a salicide layer. Also, the system of the present invention is comprised of a sputter chamber including a mount for mounting a semiconductor substrate and a cooling mechanism coupled with the mount for cooling the semiconductor substrate. The cooling mechanism includes a controller to maintain a process temperature below room temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a defective array of NVRAM cells. A counter is provided which times an erase time interval for the NVRAM cells during a regular erase function. The computed erase interval is compared with a maximum erase interval to determine at least a first characteristic which indicates the block of NVRAMs is at the end of its useful life. A second characteristic is determined by computing the slope in the erase time function versus the number of simulated erase functions. When the slope of the erase function exceeds a maximum slope, the NVRAM array is determined to be at the end of its useful life.