Abstract: A workfunction modulation-based sensor comprising a field-effect transistor (FET). The FET comprises a substrate, a gate dielectric, a metal gate, a source, a drain, and a layer of sensing material that is electrically connected to the metal gate. An electrical connection that connects to the source of the FET. An electrical connection that connects to the drain of the FET. An electrical connection that connects to the layer of sensing material. An environment that includes an adsorbate gas surrounding, at least a portion of, the layer of sensing material. Wherein the sensing material is adapted to adsorb, at least in part, the adsorbate gas. The amount of adsorbate gas adsorbed on the layer of sensing material modulates the workfunction of the FET such that the degree of adsorbate gas adsorption corresponds to one of the temperature or pressure associated with the environment of the FET.

Abstract: FinFET structures and methods of manufacturing the FinFET structures are disclosed. The method includes performing an oxygen anneal process on a gate stack of a FinFET structure to induce Vt shift. The oxygen anneal process is performed after sidewall pull down and post silicide.

Abstract: A method, structure, and design structure for a through-silicon-via Wilkinson power divider. A method includes: forming an input on a first side of a substrate; forming a first leg comprising a first through-silicon-via formed in the substrate, wherein the first leg electrically connects the input and a first output; forming a second leg comprising a second through-silicon-via formed in the substrate, wherein the second leg electrically connects the input and a second output, and forming a resistor electrically connected between the first output and the second output.

Abstract: A method and a semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a partial via etched in a stacked structure and a trough above the partial via. The method includes performing thick wiring using selective etching while etching the partial via to an etch stop layer.

Abstract: Methods and structures for configuring an integrated circuit including repeated cells that are divided into banks having a respective power assist and a respective operational assist are provided. A method includes configuring the banks without power assist and operational assist. The method further includes selecting the power assist for a bank based on a determination that a weak cell remains in the bank after configuring the bank with the respective operational assist.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for manufacturing a three-dimensional chip package. A method includes forming a linear groove on an alignment rail, attaching an alignment rod to the linear groove, forming alignment channels on a plurality of integrated circuit chips, and aligning the plurality of integrated circuit chips by stacking the plurality of integrated circuit chips along the alignment rail. Another method includes forming an alignment ridge on an alignment rail, forming alignment channels on a plurality of integrated circuit chips, and aligning the plurality of integrated circuit chips by stacking the plurality of integrated circuit chips along the alignment rail.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for extracting parasitics in a design of an integrated circuit with multi-patterning requirements. The method includes determining resistance solutions and capacitance solutions. The method further includes performing parasitic extraction of the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions to generate mean values for the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions. The method further includes capturing a multi-patterning source of variation for each of the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions during the parasitic extraction. The method further includes determining a sensitivity for each captured source of variation to a respective vector of parameters. The method further includes determining statistical parasitics by multiplying each of the resistance solutions and the capacitance solutions by the determined sensitivity for each respective captured source of variation.

Abstract: A method of generating a capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristic for a discrete device formed within a semiconductor structure may include exposing first and second contact regions associated with the discrete device, coupling a high-frequency impedance probe having a frequency range of about 5 Mhz to about 110 Mhz to an impedance analyzer, and coupling the high-frequency impedance probe to a first and a second atomic force probe tip. Using an atomic force microscope, the first atomic force probe tip is coupled to the exposed first contact region and the second atomic force probe tip is coupled to the exposed second contact region. The C-V characteristic for the discrete device is then measured on the impedance analyzer, whereby the impedance analyzer applies an operating frequency corresponding to the frequency range of about 5 Mhz to about 110 Mhz to the first and second contact regions of the discrete device using the high-frequency impedance probe.

Abstract: A circuit configuration and methods for controlling parameters of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) fabricated on a substrate. A bias voltage is electrically coupled to the substrate and can be adjusted to alter the working parameters of a target BJT.

Abstract: Near-neighbor trimming of dummy fill shapes with built-in optical proximity corrections (OPCs) for semiconductor applications is provided. A method for the near-neighbor trimming includes adding one or more hole shapes onto a semiconductor design layout comprising a plurality of design shapes. The method further includes trimming adjacent ones of the plurality of which are covered by the one or more hole shapes.

Abstract: A low gate-to-drain capacitance merged finFET and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a plurality of fins on a substrate. The method further includes forming at least one dummy gate structure intersecting the plurality of fins. The method further includes forming a gap between sidewalls of the fins and an insulator material, which exposes portions of the substrate. The method further includes merging the fins together with semiconductor material formed within the gaps and over the insulator material.

Abstract: A structure including a first interconnect including a first line overlying a first via and a second interconnect including a second line overlying a second via. The first line and the second line are co-planar. The first interconnect comprises a first conductor, the first conductor comprises a metal silicide including titanium silicide, cobalt silicide, nickel silicide, tungsten silicide, platinum silicide, molybdenum silicide, tantalum silicide, or some combination thereof. The second interconnect comprises a second conductor, the second conductor comprising copper.

Abstract: Integrated circuits with memory built-in self-test (BIST) logic and methods of testing using the same are disclosed. The method includes setting an address window for locating defects in a memory array. The method further includes comparing output data of the memory array to expected data to determine that a defect exists at location “M” in the memory array within the address window. The method further includes storing, in registers, the address M and a resultant bit fail vector associated with the location “M” of the defect found in the memory array. The method further includes resetting the registers to a null value and resetting the address window with a new minimum and maximum address pair, to compare the output data of the memory array to the expected data within the reset address window which excludes address M.

Abstract: Structures, methods, and systems for designing and verifying integrated circuits including redundant logic blocks are provided. An integrated circuit includes selection logic and selectable logic blocks that are individually controllable by the selection logic. The selectable logic blocks include respective instances of a redundant logic block, and respective instances of an interface logic block that selectively disable the redundant logic blocks in the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method of removing a handler wafer. There is provided a handler wafer and a semiconductor device wafer having a plurality of semiconductor devices, the semiconductor device wafer having an active surface side and an inactive surface side. An amorphous carbon layer is applied to a surface of the handler wafer. An adhesive layer is applied to at least one of the amorphous carbon layer of the handler wafer and the active surface side of the semiconductor device wafer. The handler wafer is joined to the semiconductor device wafer through the adhesive layer or layers. Laser radiation is applied to the handler wafer to cause heating of the amorphous carbon layer that in turn causes heating of the adhesive layer or layers. The plurality of semiconductor devices of the semiconductor device wafer are then separated from the handler wafer.

Abstract: A metal gate structure with a channel material and methods of manufacture such structure is provided. The method includes forming dummy gate structures on a substrate. The method further includes forming sidewall structures on sidewalls of the dummy gate structures. The method further includes removing the dummy gate structures to form a first trench and a second trench, defined by the sidewall structures. The method further includes forming a channel material on the substrate in the first trench and in the second trench. The method further includes removing the channel material from the second trench while the first trench is masked. The method further includes filling remaining portions of the first trench and the second trench with gate material.

Abstract: An arrangement of semiconductor devices to monitor semiconductor defects. There is a first semiconductor device arranged in proximity to a second semiconductor device, the second semiconductor device having a plurality of temperature sensing devices at locations in the second semiconductor device; a plurality of through silicon vias extending between the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device to electrically connect the first semiconductor device to the second semiconductor device; and a testing program to cause the plurality of temperature sensing devices in the second semiconductor device to sense the temperature at a plurality of corresponding locations in the first semiconductor device such that a predetermined rise in temperature at one location of the plurality of temperature sensing devices in the second semiconductor device is indicative of a defect in the corresponding location in the first semiconductor device. Methods of monitoring defects are also disclosed.

Abstract: A technique for locking a cache memory device (or portion thereof) which includes the following actions: (i) writing full traversal branching instructions in a cache way of a cache memory device; and (ii) subsequent to the writing step, locking the cache way. The locking action is performed by adjusting cache locking data to indicate that data in the cache way will not be overwritten during normal operations of the cache memory device. The writing action and the locking action are performed by a machine.

Abstract: Structure and method for fabricating a barrier layer that separates an electromechanical device and a CMOS device on a substrate. An example structure includes a protective layer encapsulating the electromechanical device, where the barrier layer may withstand an etch process capable of removing the protective layer, but not the barrier layer. The substrate may be silicon-on-insulator or a multilayer wafer substrate. The electromechanical device may be a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) or a nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS).

Abstract: A phase change memory cell and a method for fabricating the phase change memory cell. The phase change memory cell includes a bottom electrode and a first non-conductive layer. The first non-conductive layer defines a first well, a first electrically conductive liner lines the first well, and the first well is filled with a phase change material in the phase change memory cell. A second non-conductive layer is deposited above the first non-conductive layer. A second well is defined by the second non-conductive layer and positioned directly above the first well. A second electrically conductive liner lines at least one wall of the second well such that the second electrically conductive liner is not in physical contact with the first electrically conductive liner. Furthermore, the phase change material is deposited in the second well.