Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes: a light source comprising a first light beam and a second light beam, a photomask, a polarization controlling system positioned between the light source and the photomask, a wafer state for holding a wafer, and a lens positioned between the photomask and the wafer stage. The polarization controlling system diverts the first light beam into a first polarization direction and diverts the second light beam into a second polarization direction, wherein the first polarization direction and the second polarization direction are different from each other.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a bottom wafer having a first dielectric block and a first conductive block on the first dielectric block; at least one stacking wafer having a second dielectric block and at least one second conductive block on the second dielectric block, wherein the stacking wafers are bonded to the bottom wafer by an adhesive layer, and no bump pad is positioned between the bottom wafer and the stacking wafer; and a conductive via penetrating through the stacking wafer and into the bottom wafer in a substantially linear manner, wherein the conductive via is positioned within the first conductive block and the second conductive block.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and second region, a conductive via positioned in the first region of the semiconductor substrate, at least one active element positioned in the second region of the semiconductor substrate, a conductive layer extending from the first region to the second region and electrically connecting the conductive via to the active element, and an auxiliary structure positioned in the first region of the semiconductor substrate and proximate to the conductive via. The auxiliary structure can be a stress-absorbing structure, and the volume of the stress-absorbing structure decreases as the volume of the conductive via increases. The auxiliary structure can be a heat-evacuating structure, and the heat-evacuating structure is configured to transfer the operating heat generated by the active element from the first region of the semiconductor substrate to the conductive via through the conductive layer.

Abstract: A recess is usually formed on the sidewall of the trench due to the dry etch. The recess may influence the profile of an element formed in the trench. Therefore, a method of flattening a recess in a substrate is provided. The method includes: first, providing a substrate having a trench therein, wherein the trench has a sidewall comprising a recessed section and an unrecessed section. Then, a recessed section oxidation rate change step is performed to change an oxidation rate of the recessed section. Later, an oxidizing process is performed to the substrate so as to form a first oxide layer on the recessed section, and a second oxide layer on the unrecessed section, wherein the second oxide layer is thicker than the first oxide layer. Finally, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer are removed to form a flattened sidewall of the trench.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a bottom wafer having a first annular dielectric block, at least one stacking wafer having a second annular dielectric block positioned on the bottom wafer, and a conductive via penetrating through the stacking wafer and into the bottom wafer in a substantially linear manner. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom wafer and the stacking wafer are bonded by an intervening adhesive layer, no bump pad is positioned between the bottom wafer and the stacking wafer, and the conductive via is positioned within the first annular dielectric block and the second annular dielectric block.

Abstract: A method for forming a shallow trench isolation includes providing a substrate with a trench, a first liner layer and a second liner layer sequentially in the trench with a first oxide filling the trench, performing a first wet etching to remove part of the first oxide and part of the first liner layer to expose the substrate, performing a second wet etching to remove part of the second liner layer so that the second liner layer is lower than surface of the substrate, performing a third wet etching to remove part of the first oxide and part of the first liner layer, and filling the trench with a second oxide to form a shallow trench isolation.

Abstract: A through substrate via having a low stress is provided. The through substrate via is positioned in a substrate. The through substrate via includes: an outer tube penetrating the substrate; at least one inner tube disposed within the outer tube; a dielectric layer lining on a side wall of the outer tube, and a side wall of the inner tube; a strength-enhanced material filling the inner tube; and a conductive layer filling the outer tube.

Abstract: A method for testing a memory device is disclosed. The method includes: respectively writing at least one test data into a plurality of storage blocks in the memory device such that a plurality of first time written test data are stored in the storage blocks; in a read with write back test mode, reading the first time written test data from the storage blocks in the memory device and writing the plurality of first time written test data into the storage blocks to generate a plurality of second time written test data; and in a compress test mode, reading the plurality of second time written test data from the storage blocks by a compress test operation and determining whether the memory device operates erroneously according to the plurality of second time written test data and the test data.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a replaced photomask including a substrate and a plurality of etched patterns. The plurality of etched patterns are formed on the substrate according to a photomask layout which has a plurality of photomask layout patterns categorized into a plurality of first groups. Each of the first groups includes a plurality of identical initial layout patterns, and each of the first groups is reproduced from an initial layout having a plurality of initial layout patterns categorized into a plurality of second groups to which the plurality of first groups respectively correspond, wherein the plurality of photomask layout patterns respectively correspond to the plurality of initial layout patterns and at least one of the plurality of the photomask layout patterns is replaced by a standardized photomask layout pattern.

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory structure is disclosed, in which, the active area is a donut-type pillar at which a novel vertical transistor is disposed and has a gate filled in the central cavity of the pillar and upper and lower sources/drains located in the upper and the lower portions of the pillar respectively. A buried bit line is formed in the substrate beneath the transistor. A word line is horizontally disposed above the gate. A capacitor is disposed above the word line as well as the gate and electrically connected to the upper source/drain through a node contact. The node contact has a reverse-trench shape with the top surface electrically connected to the capacitor and with the bottom of the sidewalls electrically connected to the upper source/drain. The word line passes through the space confined by the reverse-trench shape.

Abstract: A sensing amplifier consists of a sensing circuit, a boosting circuit, at least one bit-line isolating circuit, and at least a P-sensing enhancement circuit. The sensing circuit is disposed between a sensing line and a complementary sensing line. The boosting circuit boosts the sensing line and the complementary sensing line during a boosting stage. The bit-line isolating circuit is coupled to the sensing circuit for controlling whether to isolate a bit line/complementary bit line from the sensing line/complementary sensing line. The P-sensing enhancement circuit is coupled to the sensing line, the complementary sensing line, and a reference voltage. When the bit-line isolating circuit isolates the bit line from the sensing line and isolates the complementary bit line from the complementary sensing line, a voltage level of the bit line or the complementary bit line is pulled up to the reference voltage by the P-sensing enhancement circuit during an enhancement stage.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and second region, a conductive via positioned in the first region of the semiconductor substrate, at least one active element positioned in the second region of the semiconductor substrate, a conductive layer extending from the first region to the second region and electrically connecting the conductive via to the active element, and an auxiliary structure positioned in the first region of the semiconductor substrate and proximate to the conductive via. The auxiliary structure can be a stress-absorbing structure, and the volume of the stress-absorbing structure decreases as the volume of the conductive via increases. The auxiliary structure can be a heat-evacuating structure, and the heat-evacuating structure is configured to transfer the operating heat generated by the active element from the first region of the semiconductor substrate to the conductive via through the conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit structure comprises the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; forming a hole extending from the first side of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate; filling the hole with conductive material; thinning the second side of the semiconductor substrate to a first predetermined thickness, so that the bottom of the hole does not protrude from the second side of the semiconductor substrate; and etching the second side of the semiconductor to substrate to a second predetermined thickness, thereby exposing the bottom of the hole.

Abstract: A memory device includes a mesa structure and a word line. The mesa structure, having two opposite side surfaces, includes at least one pair of source/drain regions and at least one channel base region corresponding to the pair of source/drain regions formed therein. The word line includes two linear sections and at least one interconnecting portion. Each linear section extends on the respective side surface of the mesa structure, adjacent to the channel base region. The at least one interconnecting portion penetrates through the mesa structure, connecting the two linear sections.

Abstract: A memory device includes a plurality of isolations and trench fillers arranged in an alternating manner in a direction, a plurality of mesa structures between the isolations and trench fillers, and a plurality of word lines each overlying a side surface of the respective mesa. In one embodiment of the present invention, the width measured in the direction of the trench filler is smaller than that of the isolation, each mesa structure includes at least one paired source/drain regions and at least one channel base region corresponding to the paired source/drain regions, and each of the word lines is on a side surface of the mesa structure, adjacent the respective isolation, and is arranged adjacent the channel base region.

Abstract: A temperature sensing system, which comprises: a temperature analyzing circuit, for sensing temperature and generating an analyzing result in response to the sensed temperature; and a control unit, for controlling a temperature sensing time interval; wherein the control unit continuously changes the temperature sensing time interval according to a predetermined temperature range in response to the sensed temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a recess array device structure in a semiconductor substrate. The method includes the steps of: providing a base material including a semiconductor substrate and a first material; forming a plurality of second recesses on the semiconductor substrate; forming a second material in the second recesses; forming a metal layer on the second material and the base material, wherein the metal layer includes a first portion and a second portion; removing the second portion to form a plurality of metal layer openings; to and etching the base material according to the metal layer openings so as to form a plurality of third recesses. Accordingly, the metal layer can overcome the non-selectivity issue during the etching process.

Abstract: A method for wafer alignment includes the following steps. First, a wafer including a first material layer and a second material layer on the top of the first material layer is provided, wherein the first material layer includes a first alignment mark. Then, the wafer is aligned in an exposure tool. After that, the second material layer is patterned to form a second alignment mark. Finally, an offset distance between the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark is measured in the exposure tool.

Abstract: A system for generating a tunable DC slope includes: a first stage, supplied with an external voltage, for receiving a process, voltage and temperature (PVT) insensitive reference voltage and generating a voltage independent current; a second stage, coupled to the first stage and supplied with the external voltage, for generating a voltage dependent current and summing the voltage dependent current and the voltage independent current to generate a sloped voltage; and a third stage, coupled to the second stage and supplied with the external voltage, for amplifying the sloped voltage, and tapping the resultant sloped voltage at a desired point for generating the output DC slope.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and an isolation structure, which includes a trench in the substrate, a lower filling layer at the bottom of the trench, and an upper filling layer on the lower filling layer, wherein the lower filling layer is denser than the upper filling layer, and the lower filling layer contains chlorine. The method for forming an isolation structure includes the steps of forming a trench in a substrate wherein the trench comprises side surfaces and a bottom surface, forming a nitride liner on the side surfaces of the trench, growing an epitaxial silicon layer from to the bottom surface of the trench, oxidizing the epitaxial silicon layer to form a lower filling layer in the lower portion of the trench, and filling a portion of the trench above the lower filling layer with dielectric material.