Abstract: A method of generating a layout diagram of an IC cell includes defining a boundary recess in a boundary of the cell by extending a first portion of the boundary along a first direction, extending a second portion of the boundary away from the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second portion being contiguous with the first portion, and extending a third portion of the boundary away from the first portion in the second direction, the third portion being contiguous with the first portion. An active region is positioned in the cell by extending the active region away from the first portion in a third direction opposite to the second direction. The layout diagram is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

Abstract: A method comprises bonding a first chip on a second chip, depositing a first hard mask layer over a non-bonding side of the first chip, depositing a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer, etching a first substrate of the first semiconductor chip using the second hard mask layer as a first etching mask and etching the IMD layers of the first chip and the second chip using the first hard mask layer as a second etching mask.

Abstract: A method of forming a photonic device that comprises a substrate and a dielectric material including two or more openings that expose a portion of the substrate, the two or more openings each having an aspect ratio of at least 1. A bottom diode material comprising a compound semiconductor material that is lattice mismatched to the substrate occupies the two or more openings and is coalesced above the two or more openings to form the bottom diode region. The method may further include forming a top diode material and an active diode region between the top and bottom diode materials.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled with an input/output (I/O) pad. The ESD protection circuit includes a clamp field effect transistor (FET) coupled between a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage. An inverter includes an input end and an output end. The output end of the inverter is coupled with a gate of the clamp FET. A RC time constant circuit is disposed between the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage. A current mirror includes a first transistor. The current minor is coupled between the input end of the inverter and the second supply voltage. A circuit is coupled with the input end of the inverter. The circuit is capable of outputting a voltage state on the input end of the inverter that is capable of substantially turning off the clamp FET while the I/O pad is subjected to a latch-up test using a negative current.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a planar PMOS device at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an NMOS device at the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the NMOS device is a Fin field effect transistor (FinFET).