Abstract: A method and mechanism for managing shifts in a shifting queue. A reservation station in a processing device includes a queue of shifting entries. On a given cycle, zero, one, or two instructions may be dispatched and stored in the queue. Depending upon the dispatch conditions and the state of the queue, existing entries within the queue may be shifted to make room for the newly dispatched instruction(s) at the top of the queue. Shift vectors are generated which identify entries of the queue which are to be shifted and by how much. A queue management approach is adopted in which three rules are generally followed: (i) Only shift entries that must shift due to dispatch pressure from above; (ii) If an entry must be shifted elsewhere, shift it as far down the array as the particular implementation allows; and (iii) Don't allow the previous conditions to force additional entries to shift that are not required to shift by dispatch pressure.

Abstract: Analysis of a semiconductor die having silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is enhanced by accessing the circuitry within the die from the back side without necessarily breaching or needing to breach the thin insulator layer of the SOI structure. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a portion of substrate is removed from the back side of a semiconductor die having a SOI structure and a backside opposite circuitry in a circuit side. An exposed region is formed where the substrate has been removed. A detectable response from the exposed region is induced, for example, by an electron beam, as a function of a portion of the active circuitry within the die.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and a system for providing data representation associated with non-sampled workpieces. Measured metrology data relating to a first workpiece is received. Metrology data corresponding to a second workpiece is approximated based upon the metrology data relating to the first workpiece to provide a projected metrology data relating to the second workpiece.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a substrate having a first crystal orientation and an insulating layer overlying the substrate is provided. A plurality of silicon layers are formed overlying the insulating layer. A first silicon layer comprises silicon having the first crystal orientation and a second silicon layer comprises silicon having a second crystal orientation. In addition, a method of forming a semiconductor device providing a silicon-on-insulator structure comprising a substrate with a silicon layer overlying the substrate and a first insulating layer interposed therebetween is provided. An opening is formed in a first region of the silicon-on-insulator structure by removing a portion of the silicon layer and the first insulating layer to expose a portion of the substrate layer. Selective epitaxial silicon is grown in the opening. A second insulating layer is formed in the silicon grown in the opening to provide an insulating layer between the grown silicon in the opening and the substrate.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to facilitate dual damascene interconnect integration with two imprint acts. The method provides for creation of a pair of translucent imprint molds containing the dual damascene pattern to be imprinted. The first imprint mold of the pair contains the via features of the dual damascene pattern and the second imprint mold of the pair contains the trench features. The via feature imprint mold is brought into contact with a first imaging layer deposited upon a first transfer layer which is deposited upon a dielectric layer of a substrate. The trench feature imprint mold is brought into contact with a second imaging layer deposited upon a second transfer layer which is deposited upon the first imaging layer of the substrate. When each imaging layer is exposed to a source of illumination, it cures with a structure matching the features of the corresponding imprint mold.

Abstract: A method for doping fin structures in FinFET devices includes forming a first glass layer on the fin structure of a first area and a second area. The method further includes removing the first glass layer from the second area, forming a second glass layer on the fin structure of the first area and the second area, and annealing the first area and the second area to dope the fin structures.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate verifying that bottom apertures in tapered vias are open and free of obstruction. Scatterometry can be employed to monitor tapered via formation during and/or after a dry etch process on a photoresist bilayer. Information regarding critical dimensions at the bottoms of tapered vias can be analyzed to assess whether bottom apertures exhibit a minimum acceptable diameter that is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold tolerance. Via apertures with dimensions below the threshold tolerance and/or regions of a wafer evincing unacceptable frequent occurrences of faulty via apertures are considered occluded, or suspect, and a corrective re-etch can be performed thereon.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for fabricating multi-bit SONOS flash memory cells, comprising forming a first dielectric layer and a charge trapping layer over a substrate of a wafer and selectively etching the dielectric and charge trapping layers down to a substrate region to form a bitline opening, then implanting a dopant ion species into the substrate associated with the bitline opening in a bitline region. A radical oxidation process is then used to form a second dielectric layer of a triple layer dielectric-charge trapping-dielectric stack over the charge trapping layer and to fill the bitline opening in the bitline regions of the wafer. Finally, a wordline structure is then formed over the triple layer dielectric-charge trapping-dielectric stack and the bitline regions of the wafer.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for facilitating concurrent formation of copper vias and memory element structures. The methods involve forming vias over metal lines and forming copper plugs, wherein the copper plugs comprise memory element film forming copper plugs (memE copper plugs) and non-memory element forming copper plugs (non-memE copper plugs), forming a tantalum-containing cap over an upper surface of non-memE copper plugs, and depositing memory element films. The tantalum-containing cap prevents the formation of the memory element films in the non-memE copper plugs. The subject invention advantageously facilitates cost-effective manufacturing of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A method is provided for selectively using a PCIXCAP pin input to detect PCI/PCI-X bus mode or as DC pin input. The method provides a PCI/PCI-X device having PCIXCAP pin input, and a circuit having a plurality of voltage level detection structures and an output corresponding to each voltage level detection structure. Each output is received by a first logic to detect the PCI bus mode of a device defining a first, PCIXCAP mode for the pin input. The method ensures that one of the plurality of voltage level detection structures may be used as a DC signal logic to provide a DC output signal to a second logic. A mode of the PCIXCAP pin input is selected so as to provide the DC output signal under conditions where the PCI/PCI-X bus mode is not being detected. In an embodiment, the DC output signal is used in as a PCI Hot-Plug interface signal.

Abstract: A physical layer transceiver, configured for retrieving signal samples from a prescribed network medium having an undetermined length, includes a digital feedforward equalizer, configured for generating equalized signal samples from the retrieved signal samples and based on supplied equalizer settings, and an equalizer controller. The equalizer controller is configured for supplying selected equalizer settings that overcome intersymbol interference encountered by transmission of the signal samples across the prescribed network medium. The equalizer controller is configured for supplying prescribed initial equalizer settings to the digital feedforward equalizer, receiving equalized signal samples from the digital feedforward equalizer, and selectively changing the prescribed initial equalizer settings based on comparing the equalized signal samples to a prescribed equalization threshold.

Abstract: A deinterleaver module in an OFDM wireless transceiver includes partitioned memory banks for storage of code word fragments from an interleaved data stream, each code word fragment associated with a prescribed subcarrier frequency. Each code word fragment includes a prescribed number of code word bits based on a prescribed modulation of the interleaved data stream, and the code word bits for each code word fragment are written into respective selected locations of the corresponding memory bank based on the prescribed modulation and the corresponding prescribed subcarrier frequency. Write enable signals, bit selection signals, and address signals for each of the code word bits are generated based on applying logical operands to a cascaded sequence of successively delayed signals synchronous with a local clock signal. The deinterleaver module outputs deinterleaved data from the memory banks based on parallel output of the respective stored code word bits from a selected address of the memory banks.

Abstract: An APC controller is configured to operate on a segregated data structure during its normal operation and to establish a control state during an initializing event for a non-initialized manufacturing context on the basis of other initialized or non-initialized manufacturing contexts. Thus, the processing of pilot substrates may be reduced or the processing of the pilot substrates may be initiated on the basis of reliably established process parameters.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first memory access request from a first device during a first interval. The first memory access request is to access a first page of a multiple-page memory. The method further includes receiving a second memory access request from the first device during a second interval subsequent to the first interval and receiving a third memory access request from a second device during the second interval. The method additionally includes preferentially selecting the second memory access request over the third memory access request for provision to the multiple-page memory if an indicator indicates the second memory access request is expected to access the first page of the multiple-page memory.

Abstract: A serial communication system includes an integrated circuit having a master serial interface; and a processor having a slave serial interface coupled to the master serial interface through a clock signal line and a data signal line. The slave serial interface is responsive to a read temperature command issued by the master serial interface to return a first temperature value associated with the processor.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which differing metal layers are sequentially deposited on silicon-containing regions so that the type and thickness of the metal layers may be adapted to specific characteristics of the underlying silicon-containing regions. Subsequently, a heat treatment is performed to convert the metals into metal silicides so as to improve the electrical conductivity of the silicon-containing regions. In this way, silicide portions may be formed that are individually adapted to specific silicon-containing regions so that device performance of individual semiconductor elements or the overall performance of a plurality of semiconductor elements may significantly be improved. Moreover, a semiconductor device is disclosed comprising at least two silicon-containing regions having formed therein differing silicide portions, wherein at least one silicide portion comprises a noble metal.

Abstract: A driver circuit. In one embodiment, the driver circuit includes a plurality of pull-up circuits and a plurality of pull-down circuits. The driver circuit also includes control logic that is coupled to activate/deactivate the pull-up and pull-down circuits. The driver circuit may perform emphasized signal transmissions having a voltage swing of a first magnitude or de-emphasized signal transmissions having a voltage swing of a second magnitude, wherein the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude. The control logic is further configured to activate and/or deactivate pull-up and/or pull-down circuits such that the driver circuit output impedance in the emphasized mode is substantially equal to the output impedance in the de-emphasized mode.

Abstract: An ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) controller is provided that comprises at least one parallel port for connecting to at least one ATA compliant storage device, and at least one serial port for connecting to at least one SATA (Serial ATA) compliant storage device. Further, there is a port switching unit provided for switching to at least one of the parallel and serial ports to enable data transfer to and/or from a storage device connected to the port. This enables a software driven reconfiguration making it possible to switch between a mode where the controller behaves like a conventional ATA controller, and a mode where the controller behaves like a conventional SATA controller. A significant amount of hardware may be reused.

Abstract: A multiple channel transistor provides a transistor with an improved drive current and speed by using tunable hot carrier effects. A thin gate oxide has a carrier confinement layer formed on top thereof. Holes produced by hot carrier effects are retained by the carrier confinement layer directly above the gate oxide layer. The holes switch on the bottom transistor of the multi-channel transistor, thereby increasing the drive current.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting bubbles in a lithographic immersion medium and for controlling a lithographic process based at least in part on the detection of bubbles is provided. A bubble monitoring component emits an incident beam that passes through the immersion medium and is incident upon a substrate to produce a reflected and/or diffracted beam(s). The reflected and/or diffracted beam(s) is received by one or more optical detectors. The presence or absence of bubbles can be derived from information extracted by scatterometry from the reflected and/or diffracted beams. A process control component interacts with a positioning component and an optical exposure component to alter a lithographic process based at least in part on the results of the scatterometry.