Abstract: A polishing pad, a polishing apparatus and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package using the same are provided. In some embodiments, a polishing pad includes a sub-pad portion and a top pad portion over the sub-pad portion. The top pad portion includes a plurality of grooves having a first width and a plurality of openings having a second width different from the first width, and the openings are located in a center zone of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A method includes encapsulating a device in an encapsulating material, planarizing the encapsulating material and the device, and forming a conductive feature over the encapsulating material and the device. The formation of the conductive feature includes depositing a first conductive material to from a first seed layer, depositing a second conductive material different from the first conductive material over the first seed layer to form a second seed layer, plating a metal region over the second seed layer, performing a first etching on the second seed layer, performing a second etching on the first seed layer, and after the first seed layer is etched, performing a third etching on the second seed layer and the metal region.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and packaged semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of contact pads over a substrate, and forming an insulating material over the plurality of contact pads and the substrate. The insulating material is patterned to form an opening over each of the plurality of contact pads, and the plurality of contact pads is cleaned. The method includes forming an under-ball metallization (UBM) structure over the plurality of contact pads and portions of the insulating material. Cleaning the plurality of contact pads recesses a top surface of each of the plurality of contact pads.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes receiving a first substrate including an IMD layer disposed over the first substrate and a plurality of conductive bumps disposed in the IMD layer; receiving a second substrate; disposing a patterned adhesive over the first substrate, wherein at least a portion of the IMD layer is exposed through the patterned adhesive; and bonding the first substrate with the second substrate, wherein a top surface of the at least portion of the IMD layer is exposed through the patterned adhesive after bonding the first substrate with the second substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, including receiving a first substrate including a plurality of conductive bumps disposed over the first substrate; receiving a second substrate; disposing an adhesive over the first substrate; removing a portion of the adhesive to expose at least one of the plurality of conductive bumps; and bonding the first substrate with the second substrate.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and packaged semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of contact pads over a substrate, and forming an insulating material over the plurality of contact pads and the substrate. The insulating material is patterned to form an opening over each of the plurality of contact pads, and the plurality of contact pads is cleaned. The method includes forming an under-ball metallization (UBM) structure over the plurality of contact pads and portions of the insulating material. Cleaning the plurality of contact pads recesses a top surface of each of the plurality of contact pads.

Abstract: Examples associated with graphical response grouping are described. One example includes providing a query to a set of client devices. The query may request a graphical response from respective users of members of the set of client devices. A graphical response is received from the respective users via the client devices. The graphical responses are classified into groups based on graphical attributes of the graphical responses. Representative responses from the groups are provided to a supervisor.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, including receiving a first substrate including a plurality of conductive bumps disposed over the first substrate; receiving a second substrate; disposing an adhesive over the first substrate; removing a portion of the adhesive to expose at least one of the plurality of conductive bumps; and bonding the first substrate with the second substrate.

Abstract: The present invention features interferon-free therapies for the treatment of HCV. Preferably, the treatment is over a shorter duration of treatment, such as no more than 16 weeks, alternatively no more than 12 weeks, or alternatively no more than 8 weeks. In one aspect, the treatment comprises administering at least two direct acting antiviral agents to a subject with HCV infection, wherein the treatment lasts for 16, 12, or 8 weeks and does not include administration of either interferon or ribavirin, and said at least two direct acting antiviral agents comprise (a) Compound 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) Compound 2 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: The present invention features interferon-free therapies for the treatment of HCV. Preferably, the treatment is over a shorter duration of treatment, such as no more than 12 weeks. In one aspect, the treatment comprises administering at least two direct acting antiviral agents to a subject with HCV infection, wherein the treatment lasts for 12 weeks and does not include administration of either interferon or ribavirin, and said at least two direct acting antiviral agents comprise (a) Compound 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) Compound 2 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising: receiving a first substrate including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface and a plurality of conductive bumps disposed over the first surface; receiving a second substrate; disposing an adhesive over the first substrate or the second substrate; heating the adhesive in a first ambiance; bonding the first substrate with the second substrate by applying a force of less than about 10,000N upon the first substrate or the second substrate and heating the adhesive in a second ambiance; and thinning down a thickness of the first substrate from the second surface.

Abstract: A dialing method for a calling party includes determining a plurality of phone number groups to be dialed in a simultaneous or sequential ringing mode, each of the groups including at least one phone number; and transmitting the plurality of phone number groups and a dialing flag to a calling server. The dialing flag including a simultaneous or sequential ringing flag indicating that the plurality of phone number groups are to be dialed in the simultaneous or sequential ringing mode. The calling party can freely custom multiple phone numbers expected to be rung simultaneously or sequentially and transmit them to a calling server, without registering in the calling server in advance. Thus, the trouble of the user registering the numbers in the calling server may be avoided and the calling server does not need to maintain a large-scale database for storing the multiple numbers at a large cost.

Abstract: Inducing perturbation by varying a supply amount of the resource type in the system and measuring performance of the software entity at multiple variation levels of the supply amount of the resource type in the system. A model may be built that characterizes a relationship between the measured performance and the variation levels. The model may be applied to detect the resource bottleneck. The model may be also applied for capacity planning.

Abstract: Inducing perturbation by varying a supply amount of the resource type in the system and measuring performance of the software entity at multiple variation levels of the supply amount of the resource type in the system. A model may be built that characterizes a relationship between the measured performance and the variation levels. The model may be applied to detect the resource bottleneck. The model may be also applied for capacity planning.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising: receiving a first substrate including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface and a plurality of conductive bumps disposed over the first surface; receiving a second substrate; disposing an adhesive over the first substrate or the second substrate; heating the adhesive in a first ambiance; bonding the first substrate with the second substrate by applying a force of less than about 10,000N upon the first substrate or the second substrate and heating the adhesive in a second ambiance; and thinning down a thickness of the first substrate from the second surface.

Abstract: A method of determining landmarks includes receiving, at a computing system, a plurality of potential landmark measurements and corresponding signal measurements. The method further includes determining, at the computing system, a plurality of landmark candidates from the plurality of potential landmark candidates and corresponding signal measurements. The method further includes determining a normalized signal distance between a first signal measurement corresponding to a first landmark candidate of the plurality of landmark candidates and a second signal measurement corresponding to a second landmark candidate of the plurality of landmark candidates. The method further includes determining, at the computing system, that the first landmark corresponds to the second landmark based on the normalized signal distance.

Abstract: A dialing method for a calling party includes determining a plurality of phone number groups to be dialed in a simultaneous or sequential ringing mode, each of the groups including at least one phone number; and transmitting the plurality of phone number groups and a dialing flag to a calling server. The dialing flag including a simultaneous or sequential ringing flag indicating that the plurality of phone number groups are to be dialed in the simultaneous or sequential ringing mode. The calling party can freely custom multiple phone numbers expected to be rung simultaneously or sequentially and transmit them to a calling server, without registering in the calling server in advance. Thus, the trouble of the user registering the numbers in the calling server may be avoided and the calling server does not need to maintain a large-scale database for storing the multiple numbers at a large cost.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method to identify a region of an image including a barcode based on, at least in part, an entity specific feature associated with the barcode; detect a codeword boundary for the barcode based on, at least in part, an adaptive boundary determination mechanism; and decode the codeword based on, at least in part, a plurality of metrics associated with the entity.

Abstract: A method of determining landmarks includes receiving, at a computing system, a plurality of potential landmark measurements and corresponding signal measurements. The method further includes determining, at the computing system, a plurality of landmark candidates from the plurality of potential landmark candidates and corresponding signal measurements. The method further includes determining a normalized signal distance between a first signal measurement corresponding to a first landmark candidate of the plurality of landmark candidates and a second signal measurement corresponding to a second landmark candidate of the plurality of landmark candidates. The method further includes determining, at the computing system, that the first landmark corresponds to the second landmark based on the normalized signal distance.

Abstract: A method of detecting a revisit position includes receiving at a computing system a plurality of position data points, each of the plurality of position data points including a signal scan measurement. The method farther includes calculating a first signal distance between a first signal scan measurement corresponding to a first position data point of the plurality of position data points and a second signal scan measurement corresponding to a second position data point of the plurality of position data points. The method further includes determining that the first signal distance is less than a first threshold, that the first signal distance is a local minimum for the first position data point, and the first signal distance is a local minimum for the second position data point. The method further includes, based on the determining, identifying the first and second position data points as revisit points.