Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to memory devices and methods of forming the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to resistive random-access (ReRAM) memory devices incorporating reference cells for achieving high sensing yield. The present disclosure provides a memory device including a main cell structure including a switching element arranged between a pair of conductors, and a reference cell structure electrically coupled to the main cell structure. The reference cell structure includes a switching element arranged between a pair of conductors, in which the switching element of the reference cell structure has a dimension that is different from a dimension of the switching element of the main cell structure.

Abstract: Disclosed are an image display method and a 3d display system. The method is adapted to the 3d display system including a 3d display device and includes the following steps. A first image and a second image are obtained by splitting an input image according to a 3d image format. Whether the input image is a 3D format image complying with the 3D image format is determined through a stereo matching processing performed on the first image and the second image. An image interweaving process is enabled to be performed on the input image to generate an interweaving image in response to determining that the input image is the 3D format image complying with the 3D image format, and the interweaving image is displayed via the 3D display device.

Abstract: Bands for wearable devices include multiple band retainers used to maintain engagement between an assembly (e.g., a pair) of bands. Some band retainers may be permanently affixed with the band at a certain location of the band, while other band retainers can be removable. The removable band retainers can be moved to different locations of the band, thus allowing the band retainer to retain another band at different locations. As a result, the assembly of bands can be used with different users, and in particular, users with different wrist sizes. Moreover, using multiple band retainers can provide an engagement force between the bands to withstand higher-impact events, such as swimming and diving. Additionally, bands and band retainers may include one or more liquid-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, a protection oxide film, and a nitride hard mask. The gate dielectric layer is over the semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode is over the gate dielectric layer. An entirety of a first portion of the gate dielectric layer directly under the gate electrode is of uniform thickness. The protection oxide film is in contact with a top surface of the gate electrode. The gate dielectric layer extends beyond a sidewall of the protection oxide film. The nitride hard mask is in contact with a top surface of the protection oxide film.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor integrated chip (IC). The image sensor IC includes one or more interconnects arranged within an inter-level dielectric (ILD) structure on a first side of a substrate. An image sensing element is arranged within the substrate. Sidewalls of the substrate form one or more trenches extending from a second side of the substrate to within the substrate on opposing sides of the image sensing element. A dielectric structure is arranged on the sidewalls of the substrate that form the one or more trenches. A conductive core is arranged within the one or more trenches and is laterally separated from the substrate by the dielectric structure. The conductive core is electrically coupled to the one or more interconnects.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor having a photodetector disposed within a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric structure is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor substrate. An isolation structure extends from the dielectric structure into the first side of the semiconductor substrate. The isolation structure laterally wraps around the photodetector and comprises an upper portion disposed above the first side of the semiconductor substrate and directly contacting sidewalls of the dielectric structure. The isolation structure comprises a first material different from a second material of the dielectric structure.

Abstract: An optical device with isolation structures and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The optical device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, first and second radiation sensing devices disposed in the substrate, a first isolation structure disposed in the substrate. The first isolation structure has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The optical device further includes a second isolation structure disposed in the substrate and on the first surface of the first isolation structure. The second isolation structure includes a metal structure and a dielectric layer surrounding the metal structure. The second isolation structure vertically extends over the first surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, a protection oxide film, and a nitride hard mask. The gate dielectric layer is over the semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode is over the gate dielectric layer. An entirety of a first portion of the gate dielectric layer directly under the gate electrode is of uniform thickness. The protection oxide film is in contact with a top surface of the gate electrode. The gate dielectric layer extends beyond a sidewall of the protection oxide film. The nitride hard mask is in contact with a top surface of the protection oxide film.

Abstract: A method includes depositing a gate dielectric layer over a substrate. A gate electrode layer, a protection oxide layer, and a hard mask are sequentially deposited over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode layer and the protection oxide layer are patterned by using the hard mask as an etching mask to form a gate structure over the gate dielectric layer. An etching process is performed to remove the hard mask and thin the protection oxide layer after forming the gate structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a dielectric layer having a first dielectric surface and a second dielectric surface opposite to the first dielectric surface. The dielectric layer defines a recess in the first dielectric surface, and the recess includes a sidewall of the dielectric layer. A first conductive layer contacts a bottom surface of the dielectric layer. The sidewall of the dielectric layer is directly over the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer contacts the first conductive layer and the dielectric layer. The second conductive layer vertically extends from the first conductive layer to above the dielectric layer. A third conductive layer contacts the second conductive layer. The third conductive layer is laterally separated from a sidewall of the second conductive layer that faces the third conductive layer by a non-zero distance.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of interconnects within a dielectric structure over a substrate. A passivation structure is arranged over the dielectric structure. The passivation structure has sidewalls connected to one or more upper surfaces of the passivation structure. A bond pad is arranged directly between the sidewalls of the passivation structure. An upper passivation layer is disposed over the passivation structure and the bond pad. The upper passivation layer extends from over an upper surface of the bond pad to within a recess in the upper surface of the bond pad.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an integrated chip. The method may be performed by forming a plurality of interconnect layers within a dielectric structure over an upper surface of a substrate. A passivation structure is formed over the dielectric structure. The passivation structure has sidewalls and a horizontally extending surface defining has a recess within an upper surface of the passivation structure. A bond pad is formed having a lower surface overlying the horizontally extending surface and one or more protrusions extending outward from the lower surface. The one or more protrusions extend through one or more openings within the horizontally extending surface to contact a first one of the plurality of interconnect layers. An upper passivation layer is deposited on sidewalls and an upper surface of the bond pad and on sidewalls and the upper surface of the passivation structure.

Abstract: A method includes depositing a gate dielectric layer over a substrate. A gate electrode layer, a protection oxide layer, and a hard mask are sequentially deposited over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode layer and the protection oxide layer are patterned by using the hard mask as an etching mask to form a gate structure over the gate dielectric layer. An etching process is performed to remove the hard mask and thin the protection oxide layer after forming the gate structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of interconnects within a dielectric structure over a substrate. A passivation structure is arranged over the dielectric structure. The passivation structure has sidewalls connected to one or more upper surfaces of the passivation structure. A bond pad is arranged directly between the sidewalls of the passivation structure. An upper passivation layer is disposed over the passivation structure and the bond pad. The upper passivation layer extends from over an upper surface of the bond pad to within a recess in the upper surface of the bond pad.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer, and a protection oxide film in contact with a top surface of the gate electrode. A top surface of the protection oxide film is free from contact with a hard mask comprising nitrogen.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit having a bond pad with a relatively flat surface topography that mitigates damage to underlying layers. In some embodiments, the integrated circuit has a plurality of metal interconnect layers within a dielectric structure over a substrate. A passivation structure is arranged over the dielectric structure. The passivation structure has a recess with sidewalls connecting a horizontal surface of the passivation structure to an upper surface of the passivation structure. A bond pad is arranged within the recess and has a lower surface overlying the horizontal surface. One or more protrusions extend outward from the lower surface through openings in the passivation structure to contact one of the metal interconnect layers. Arranging the bond pad within the recess and over the passivation structure mitigates stress to underlying layers during bonding without negatively impacting an efficiency of an image sensing element within the substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer, and a protection oxide film in contact with a top surface of the gate electrode.

Abstract: A method of fabricating polysilicon gate structure in an image sensor device includes depositing a gate dielectric layer on a surface of a substrate. Then a polysilicon layer is deposited over the gate dielectric layer. Next, a protection film is deposited over the polysilicon layer. A hard mask is formed over the protection film, and the polysilicon gate structure is patterned. Following that, the hard mask is stripped off. The protection film exhibits etching selectivity against the polysilicon layer and has a thickness of between 40 and 60 angstroms. The hard mask is removed by phosphoric acid solution wet etching process.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an integrated chip. The method may be performed by forming a plurality of interconnect layers within a dielectric structure over an upper surface of a substrate. A passivation structure is formed over the dielectric structure. The passivation structure has sidewalls and a horizontally extending surface defining has a recess within an upper surface of the passivation structure. A bond pad is formed having a lower surface overlying the horizontally extending surface and one or more protrusions extending outward from the lower surface. The one or more protrusions extend through one or more openings within the horizontally extending surface to contact a first one of the plurality of interconnect layers. An upper passivation layer is deposited on sidewalls and an upper surface of the bond pad and on sidewalls and the upper surface of the passivation structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement and method of formation are provided herein. A semiconductor arrangement includes an active area on a substrate, where the active area is at least one of a p-type region or an n-type region. The substrate includes a well, where the well is a p-well when the active area is a p-type region, and the well is an n-well when the active area is an n-type region. The well includes a photodiode. The active area is connected to a voltage supply having a voltage level, such as ground. The active area on the substrate increases a distance between the photodiode and the active area, which reduces junction leakage as compared to a semiconductor arrangement where the active area is formed at least partially within the substrate.