Abstract: A method includes forming a gate structure over a substrate; forming a first gate spacer and a second gate spacer on opposite sidewalls of the gate structure, respectively; implanting a first dopant of a first conductivity type into the substrate form a lightly doped source region adjacent to the first gate spacer, and a lightly doped drain region adjacent to the second gate spacer; forming a patterned mask over a first portion of the lightly doped drain region, while leaving a second portion of the lightly doped drain region exposed; and with the patterned mask in place, implanting a second dopant of the first conductivity type into the substrate, resulting in converting the second portion of the lightly doped drain region into a drain region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are related to a memory system including unit storage circuits. In one aspect, each of the unit storage circuits abuts an adjacent one of the unit storage circuits. In one aspect, each of the unit storage circuits includes a first group of memory cells, a second group of memory cells, a first sub-word line driver to apply a first control signal to the first group of memory cells through a first sub-word line extending along a direction, and a second sub-word line driver to apply a second control signal to the second group of memory cells through a second sub-word line extending along the direction. In one aspect, the memory system includes a common word line driver abutting one of the unit storage circuits and configured to apply a common control signal to the unit storage circuits through a word line extending along the direction.

Abstract: A CMP slurry composition and a method of polishing a metal layer are provided. In some embodiments, the CMP slurry composition includes about 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a metal oxide, and about 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a chelator. The chelator includes a thiol compound or a thiolether compound.

Abstract: A method for a lithography exposure process is provided. The method includes irradiating a target droplet with a laser beam to create an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. The method further includes reflecting the EUV light with a collector. The method also includes discharging a cleaning gas over the collector through a gas distributor positioned next to the collector. A portion of the cleaning gas is converted to free radicals before the cleaning gas leaves the gas distributor, and the free radicals are discharged over the collector along with the cleaning gas.

Abstract: A method of making a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device includes forming a bottom conductive layer. The method includes forming an anti-ferromagnetic layer over the bottom conductive layer and forming a tunnel layer over the anti-ferromagnetic layer. The method includes forming a free magnetic layer, having a magnetic moment aligned in a direction that is adjustable by applying an electromagnetic field, over the tunnel layer, wherein the anti-ferromagnetic layer, the tunnel layer and the free magnetic layer are part of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) unit. The method includes forming a top conductive layer over the free magnetic layer. The method includes performing at least one lithographic process to remove portions of the bottom conductive layer, the MTJ unit and the top conductive layer that is uncovered by a photoresist layer. The method includes removing a portion of a sidewall of the MTJ unit.

Abstract: A device is manufactured by providing a semiconductor fin protruding from a major surface of a silicon substrate comprising silicon. A liner and a shallow trench isolation (STI) region are formed adjacent the semiconductor fin. A silicon cap is deposited over the semiconductor fin. The resulting cap consists of crystalline silicon in the portion over the semiconductor fin and consists of amorphous silicon in the portions over the liner and STI region. An HCl etch bake process is performed to remove the portions of amorphous silicon over the liner and the STI region.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a substantially undoped channel region includes forming a plurality of fins extending from a substrate. In various embodiments, each of the plurality of fins includes a portion of a substrate, a portion of a first epitaxial layer on the portion of the substrate, and a portion of a second epitaxial layer on the portion of the first epitaxial layer. The portion of the first epitaxial layer of each of the plurality of fins is oxidized, and a liner layer is formed over each of the plurality of fins. Recessed isolation regions are then formed adjacent to the liner layer. The liner layer may then be etched to expose a residual material portion (e.g., Ge residue) adjacent to a bottom surface of the portion of the second epitaxial layer of each of the plurality of fins, and the residual material portion is removed.

Abstract: A failure-in-time (FIT) evaluation method for an IC is provided. The FIT evaluation method includes accessing data representing a layout of the IC including a metal line and a plurality of vertical interconnect accesses (VIAs); picking a plurality of nodes along the metal line; dividing the metal line into a plurality of metal segments based on the nodes; and determining FIT value for each of the metal segments to verify the layout and fabricate the IC. The number of the nodes is less than the number of the VIAs, and a distance between two adjacent VIAs of the VIAs is less than a width of the metal line.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device. The MEMS device includes a first dielectric structure disposed over a first semiconductor substrate, where the first dielectric structure at least partially defines a cavity. A second semiconductor substrate is disposed over the first dielectric structure and includes a movable mass, where opposite sidewalls of the movable mass are disposed between opposite sidewall of the cavity. A first piezoelectric anti-stiction structure is disposed between the movable mass and the first dielectric structure, wherein the first piezoelectric anti-stiction structure includes a first piezoelectric structure and a first electrode disposed between the first piezoelectric structure and the first dielectric structure.

Abstract: A read method and a write method for a memory circuit are provided, wherein the memory circuit includes a memory cell and a selector electrically coupled to the memory cell. The read method includes applying a first voltage to the selector, wherein a first voltage level of the first voltage is larger than a voltage threshold corresponding to the selector; and applying, after the applying of the first voltage, a second voltage to the selector to sense one or more bit values stored in the memory cell, wherein a second voltage level of the second voltage is constant and smaller than the voltage threshold, wherein a first duration of the applying of the first voltage is smaller than a second duration of the applying of the second voltage, wherein the second voltage is applied following the end of the first duration.

Abstract: Short channel, horizontal gate-all-around (GAA) nanostructure (e.g., nanosheet, nanowire, or the like) transistors, methods of manufacturing and devices formed with the GAA transistors are disclosed herein. According to some methods, the GAA transistors are formed with a guard band for preventing diffusion of APT doping into the channel region, with shallow source/drain depths, and/or with epitaxial growth of the device channel regions after well and APT implantation in the substrate. As such, the GAA transistors are formed to mitigate issues such as bottom sheet voltage threshold (Vt) shift, junction leakage, APT dopant out-diffusion, well proximity effect, APT implant contamination that may be induced by anti-punch through (APT) doping diffusion during fabrication of gate all-around (GAA) transistors. The GAA transistors and methods of manufacturing, however, may be utilized in a wide variety of ways, and may be integrated into a wide variety of devices and technologies.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a light detecting device. The light detecting devices includes an insulating layer, a silicon layer, a light detecting layer, N first doped regions and M second doped regions. The silicon layer is disposed over the insulating layer. The light detecting layer is disposed over the silicon layer and extends within at least a portion of the silicon layer. The first doped regions have a first dopant type and are disposed within the light detecting layer. The second doped regions have a second dopant type and are disposed within the light detecting layer. The first doped regions and the second doped regions are alternatingly arranged. M and N are integers equal to or greater than 2.

Abstract: A sense amplifier is provided. A first terminal of a first invertor is connected to a power node and a second terminal of the first invertor is connected to a cell current source. A first terminal of a second invertor is connected to the power node and a second terminal of the second invertor is connected to a reference current source. The first invertor is cross coupled with the second invertor at a first node and a second node. A pre-charge circuit is connected to the first node and the second node. A first pull up transistor and a second pull up transistor are connected between a supply voltage node and the power node. A signal level detector circuit is connected to the second pull up transistor. The signal level detector circuit switches on the second pull up transistor when a remaining voltage on one of the first node and the second node is below a reference voltage.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for memory repair using a lookup table (LUT)-free dynamic memory allocation process. An array of memory cells having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns is provided. Further, each memory cell of the array has multiple data states and a permanent state. One or more abnormal memory cells is/are identified in a row of the array and, in response to identifying an abnormal memory cell, the abnormal memory cell is set to the permanent state. The abnormal memory cells include failed memory cells and, in some embodiments, tail memory cells having marginal performance. During a read or write operation on the row, the one or more abnormal memory cells is/are identified by the permanent state and data is read from or written to a remainder of the memory cells while excluding the abnormal memory cell(s).

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprises the following steps: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a dummy insulation layer and a dummy electrode sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate; forming spacers on sidewalls of the dummy electrode; removing the dummy electrode to exposes inner sidewalls of the spacers; and performing an ion implantation process to the inner sidewalls of the spacers and the dummy insulation layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate including a first region and a second region; a first device disposed in the first region and a second device disposed in the second region, wherein a voltage level of the first device is greater than a voltage level of the second device; a first isolation disposed in the first region, wherein the first isolation includes a first depth; and a second isolation disposed in the second region, wherein the second isolation includes a second depth, and the first depth is greater than the second depth.

Abstract: A method of forming a memory device is provided. In some embodiments, a memory cell is formed over a substrate, and a sidewall spacer layer is formed along the memory cell. A lower etch stop layer is formed on the sidewall spacer layer, and an upper dielectric layer is formed on the lower etch stop layer. A first etching process is performed to etch back the upper dielectric layer using the lower etch stop layer as an etch endpoint.

Abstract: Different embodiments of local redundancy decoder circuits that can be used in a memory device are disclosed. The different types of local redundancy decoder circuits are operably connected to the columns of memory cells in a memory array.

Abstract: An interposer includes one or more capacitors to store charge to provide signals to an integrated circuit electrically connected to the interposer. First connectors to each capacitor are interspersed with second connectors to the capacitors and are spaced apart from adjacent second connectors. The one or more capacitors and the resistances associated with the conductive paths between each capacitor and a connector or another capacitor can be modeled.

Abstract: An embodiment method includes providing a wafer including a first integrated circuit die, a second integrated circuit die, and a scribe line region between the first integrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die. The method further includes forming a kerf in the scribe line region and after forming the kerf, using a mechanical sawing process to fully separate the first integrated circuit die from the second integrated circuit die. The kerf extends through a plurality of dielectric layers into a semiconductor substrate.