Abstract: A method is provided for supporting environmental control in a semiconductor wafer processing space, the method includes: flowing a first gas under pressure in a first direction through a first diffuser tube, thereby generating a first lateral flow of gas through a sidewall of the first diffuser tube; flowing a second gas under pressure in a second direction through a second diffuser tube, thereby generating a second lateral flow of gas through a sidewall of the second diffuser tube, the second direction being opposite the first direction; combining the first and second lateral flows of gas within a housing; and outputting the combined lateral flows of gas from the housing to produce a laminar gas flow covering an opening to the semiconductor wafer processing space.

Abstract: A diaphragm position of a valve may be detected and/or determined such that operation of the diaphragm may be monitored. A sensor included in the valve may generate sensor data that may be used to monitor the position of the diaphragm, which in turn may be used to determine a flow of a fluid through the valve. In this way, the sensor may be used to determine whether the diaphragm is properly functioning, may be used to identify and detect failures of the diaphragm, and/or may be used to quickly terminate operation of an associated deposition tool. This may reduce semiconductor substrate scrap, may reduce device failures on semiconductor substrates that are processed by the deposition tool, may increase semiconductor processing quality of the deposition tool, and/or may increase semiconductor processing yields of the deposition tool.

Abstract: A chuck vacuum line of a semiconductor processing tool includes a first portion that penetrates a sidewall of a main pumping line of the semiconductor processing tool. The chuck vacuum line includes a second portion that is substantially parallel to the sidewall of the main pumping line and to a direction of flow in the main pumping line. A size of the second portion increases between an inlet end of the second portion and an outlet end of the second portion along the direction of flow in the main pumping line.

Abstract: A method of forming a device includes forming a through via extending into a substrate. The method further includes forming a first insulating layer over the surface of the substrate. The method further includes forming a first metallization layer in the first insulating layer and electrically connected to the through via. The method further includes forming a capacitor over the first metallization layer, wherein the capacitor comprises a first capacitor dielectric layer and a second capacitor dielectric layer. The method further includes depositing a continuous second insulating layer over the first insulating layer. The capacitor is within the second insulating layer. The method further includes depositing a third insulating layer over the second insulating layer. The method further includes forming a second metallization layer in the third insulating layer. A bottom surface of the second metallization layer is below a bottom surface of the third insulating layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a device includes forming a through via extending into a substrate. The method further includes forming a first insulating layer over the surface of the substrate. The method further includes forming a first metallization layer in the first insulating layer and electrically connected to the through via. The method further includes forming a capacitor over the first metallization layer, wherein the capacitor comprises a first capacitor dielectric layer and a second capacitor dielectric layer. The method further includes depositing a continuous second insulating layer over the first insulating layer. The capacitor is within the second insulating layer. The method further includes depositing a third insulating layer over the second insulating layer. The method further includes forming a second metallization layer in the third insulating layer. A bottom surface of the second metallization layer is below a bottom surface of the third insulating layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a device comprises forming a through via extending from a surface of a substrate into the substrate. The method also comprises forming a first insulating layer over the surface of the substrate. The method further comprises forming a first metallization layer in the first insulating layer, the first metallization layer electrically connecting the through via. The method additionally comprises forming a capacitor over the first metallization layer. The capacitor comprises a first capacitor dielectric layer over the first metallization layer and a second capacitor dielectric layer over the first capacitor dielectric layer. The method also comprises forming a second metallization layer over and electrically connecting the capacitor.

Abstract: Three dimensional integrated circuit structures and manufacturing methods of the same are disclosed. The three dimensional integrated circuit structure includes a first chip and a second chip. The first chip is bonded to the second chip at a bonding interface. A through via of the first chip and a bonding pad of the second chip are electrically connected, and a diffusion barrier layer of the through via contacts the bonding pad at the bonding interface.

Abstract: Three dimensional integrated circuit structures and manufacturing methods of the same are disclosed. The three dimensional integrated circuit structure includes a first chip and a second chip. The first chip is bonded to the second chip at a bonding interface. A through via of the first chip and a bonding pad of the second chip are electrically connected, and a diffusion barrier layer of the through via contacts the bonding pad at the bonding interface.

Abstract: An ultra-low power transmitter applied in multi-channel frequency shift keying (FSK) communication is provided. The transmitter includes a fixed-frequency generation device, a low-frequency frequency synthesizer, and an injection locking device. The fixed-frequency generation device provides a reference frequency to the low-frequency frequency synthesizer. The frequency synthesizer divides the reference frequency with corresponding divisors for generating a plurality of divided frequency signals. Then, the divided frequency signals are injected into the injection locking device. The injection locking device will lock at the average frequency of previously mentioned divided frequencies. Wherein, the injection locking device filters the high frequency noise, which is produced by the frequency synthesizer, at the time of the injection locking. The ultra-low power transmitter obtains a high-frequency transmitted signal by using the frequency-locked signal.

Abstract: A duplexer, applying in a cable modem, comprises a first mixer, a band-pass filter and a second mixer, in order to filter MoCA interference signal of downstream signals, a series of steps are carried out, which comprising up-conversion, filtering lower and lower frequency. The duplexer use a synthesizer to provide the local oscillator source to the first mixer and the second mixer according to the channel scan signals and use a channel scan controller to provide the channel scan signal of the local oscillator source to the synthesizer.

Abstract: An ultra-low power transmitter applied in multi-channel frequency shift keying (FSK) communication is provided. The transmitter includes a fixed-frequency generation device, a low-frequency frequency synthesizer, and an injection locking device. The fixed-frequency generation device provides a reference frequency to the low-frequency frequency synthesizer. The frequency synthesizer divides the reference frequency with corresponding divisors for generating a plurality of divided frequency signals. Then, the divided frequency signals are injected into the injection locking device. The injection locking device will lock at the average frequency of previously mentioned divided frequencies. Wherein, the injection locking device filters the high frequency noise, which is produced by the frequency synthesizer, at the time of the injection locking. The ultra-low power transmitter obtains a high-frequency transmitted signal by using the frequency-locked signal.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for a duty-cycled injection locked oscillator is provided for frequency shift keyed (FSK) signal transmissions. The oscillator includes a resonance LC tank and a first switching device. The first switching device is coupled to the resonance LC tank and injects an initial current pulse with a predetermined pulse magnitude into the resonance LC tank. The initial current pulse also fixes an initial phase of the duty-cycled injection locked free-running oscillator in response to the predetermined magnitude of the initial current pulse to enable fast settling of injection locking and high data rate operation of the duty-cycled injection locked oscillator. The oscillator also includes a second switching device, such as a differential pair of switching devices. The second switching device is coupled to the LC resonance tank for injecting a gated periodic reference signal having a duty cycle modified to reduce power of the reference signal by approximately seventy-five per cent.

Abstract: A duplexer, applying in a cable modem, comprises a first mixer, a band-pass filter and a second mixer, in order to filter MoCA interference signal of downstream signals, a series of steps are carried out, which comprising up-conversion, filtering lower and lower frequency. The duplexer use a synthesizer to provide the local oscillator source to the first mixer and the second mixer according to the channel scan signals and use a channel scan controller to provide the channel scan signal of the local oscillator source to the synthesizer.

Abstract: A method of forming a device comprises forming a through via extending from a surface of a substrate into the substrate. The method also comprises forming a first insulating layer over the surface of the substrate. The method further comprises forming a first metallization layer in the first insulating layer, the first metallization layer electrically connecting the through via. The method additionally comprises forming a capacitor over the first metallization layer. The capacitor comprises a first capacitor dielectric layer over the first metallization layer and a second capacitor dielectric layer over the first capacitor dielectric layer. The method also comprises forming a second metallization layer over and electrically connecting the capacitor.

Abstract: Capacitor designs for substrates, such as interposers, and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. A through via is formed in the interposer, and a capacitor is formed between a lower level metallization layer and a higher level metallization layer. The capacitor may be, for example, a planar capacitor with dual capacitor dielectric layers.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for a duty-cycled injection locked oscillator is provided for frequency shift keyed (FSK) signal transmissions. The oscillator includes a resonance LC tank and a first switching device. The first switching device is coupled to the resonance LC tank and injects an initial current pulse with a predetermined pulse magnitude into the resonance LC tank. The initial current pulse also fixes an initial phase of the duty-cycled injection locked free-running oscillator in response to the predetermined magnitude of the initial current pulse to enable fast settling of injection locking and high data rate operation of the duty-cycled injection locked oscillator. The oscillator also includes a second switching device, such as a differential pair of switching devices. The second switching device is coupled to the LC resonance tank for injecting a gated periodic reference signal having a duty cycle modified to reduce power of the reference signal by approximately seventy-five per cent.

Abstract: System and method for reducing substrate warpage in a thermal process. An embodiment comprises pre-heating a substrate in a loadlock chamber before performing the thermal process of the substrate. After the thermal process, the substrate is cooled down in a loadlock chamber. The pre-heat and cool-down process reduces the warpage of the substrate caused by the differences in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of the materials that make up the substrate.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement is provided. The circuit arrangement includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal, a first transistor and a second transistor coupled to each other and to the first input terminal and the second input terminal, each of the first transistor and the second transistor having a first controlled terminal, a second controlled terminal and a control terminal, an input matching circuit coupled to the first input terminal, the second input terminal, the first transistor and the second transistor, a first resistive element coupled between the control terminal and the second controlled terminal of the first transistor, a second resistive element coupled between the control terminal and the second controlled terminal of the second transistor, and an output terminal coupled to the second controlled terminals of the first transistor and the second transistor.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, a receiver is provided. The receiver includes an envelope detector configured to generate a waveform corresponding to an envelope of a signal received by the receiver, a carrier recovery circuit configured to generate a carrier signal based on the waveform, wherein the carrier signal has a frequency corresponding to a center frequency of the received signal, and a template generator configured to generate a local template signal based on the waveform, the local template signal including a plurality of pulses. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a method of controlling a receiver is also provided.

Abstract: Capacitor designs for substrates, such as interposers, and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. A through via is formed in the interposer, and a capacitor is formed between a lower level metallization layer and a higher level metallization layer. The capacitor may be, for example, a planar capacitor with dual capacitor dielectric layers.