Abstract: A method for forming a sensor with increased overhang to prevent passivation stress fractures is provided. Embodiments include forming a first passivation layer over a dielectric layer patterned over a first top metal layer of a logic region of a sensor and a second top metal layer of an array region of the sensor; planarizing the first passivation layer and the dielectric layer to form a level surface above the first top metal layer and the second top metal layer; etching the dielectric layer to form a pad opening in the array region of the sensor based on a predetermined overhang value, the pad opening exposing a portion of the surface of the second top metal layer; and forming a second passivation layer over the level surface and the pad opening in the array region.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic layer is capped with a metallic oxide (or nitride) layer that provides a perpendicular-to-plane magnetic anisotropy to the layer. The surface of the ferromagnetic layer is treated with a plasma to prevent diffusion of oxygen (or nitrogen) into the layer interior. An exemplary metallic oxide layer is formed as a layer of metallic Mg that is plasma treated to reduce its grain size and enhance the diffusivity of oxygen into its interior. Then the plasma treated Mg layer is naturally oxidized and, optionally, is again plasma treated to reduce its thickness and remove the oxygen rich upper surface.

Abstract: Generally, examples are provided relating to conductive features that include a barrier layer, and to methods thereof. In an embodiment, a metal layer is deposited in an opening through a dielectric layer(s) to a source/drain region. The metal layer is along the source/drain region and along a sidewall of the dielectric layer(s) that at least partially defines the opening. The metal layer is nitrided, which includes performing a multiple plasma process that includes at least one directional-dependent plasma process. A portion of the metal layer remains un-nitrided by the multiple plasma process. A silicide region is formed, which includes reacting the un-nitrided portion of the metal layer with a portion of the source/drain region. A conductive material is disposed in the opening on the nitrided portions of the metal layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of semiconductor processing. The method may be performed by etching a substrate to define a trench within the substrate. A sacrificial material is formed within the trench. The sacrificial material has an exposed upper surface. A plurality of discontinuous openings are formed to expose separate segments of a sidewall of the sacrificial material. The plurality of discontinuous openings are separated by non-zero distances along a length of the trench. An etching process is performed to simultaneously etch the exposed upper surface and the sidewall of the sacrificial material.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate. As viewed from a top-view, the substrate has a first sidewall, one or more second sidewalls, and a plurality of third sidewalls. The first sidewall extends along a first direction and defines a first side of a trench. The one or more second sidewalls extends along the first direction and define a second side of the trench. The plurality of third sidewalls are oriented in parallel and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The plurality of third sidewalls protrude outward from the second side of the trench and define a plurality of parallel releasing openings that are separated along the first direction by the substrate. The trench continuously extends in opposing directions past the plurality of parallel releasing openings.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated capacitor on a semiconductor surface on a substrate includes etching a capacitor dielectric layer including at least one silicon compound material layer on a bottom plate which is above and electrically isolated from the semiconductor surface to provide at least one defined dielectric feature having sloped dielectric sidewall portion. A dielectric layer is deposited to at least partially fill pits in the sloped dielectric sidewall portion to smooth a surface of the sloped dielectric sidewall portion. The dielectric layer is etched, and a top plate is then formed on top of the dielectric feature.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a substrate, dummy conductive structures, and resistor elements is provided. The substrate includes a resistor region and has isolation structures and dummy support patterns located in the resistor region. Each of the isolation structures is located between two adjacent dummy support patterns. Each of the dummy conductive structures is disposed on each of the isolation structures and equidistant from the dummy support patterns on both sides. The resistor elements are disposed above the dummy conductive structures and aligned with the dummy conductive structures.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) structure includes a bottom electrode structure. A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element is over the bottom electrode structure. The MTJ element includes an anti-ferromagnetic material layer. A ferromagnetic pinned layer is over the anti-ferromagnetic material layer. A tunneling layer is over the ferromagnetic pinned layer. A ferromagnetic free layer is over the tunneling layer. The ferromagnetic free layer has a first portion and a demagnetized second portion. The MRAM also includes a top electrode structure over the first portion.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge, ESD, protection structure (200) formed within a semiconductor substrate of an integrated circuit device (600). The integrated circuit device (600) comprising: a radio frequency domain (632); a digital domain (610). The ESD protection structure (200) further includes an intermediate domain located between the radio frequency domain (632) and the digital domain (610) that comprises at least one radio frequency, RF, passive or active device that exhibits an impedance characteristic that increases as a frequency of operation increases.

Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a semiconductor element having one and the other surface, a lead terminal connected electrically and thermally to the semiconductor element, a first solder which bonds the lead terminal and the one surface of the semiconductor element together, a circuit layer over which the semiconductor element is disposed and a second solder which bonds the other surface of the semiconductor element and the circuit layer together. The inequality (A/B)<1 holds, where A and B are the tensile strength of the first and second solder, respectively. As a result, even if the lead terminal which thermally expands because of heat generated by the semiconductor element expands or contracts toward the semiconductor element, a stress applied by the lead terminal is absorbed and relaxed by the first solder. This prevents damage to the surface electrode of the semiconductor element by suppressing the occurrence of cracks.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has an active region through which current flows and an edge termination structure region arranged outside the active region. The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, and formed in the edge termination structure region, on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, in contact with one of a third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type in the active region and a third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type in contact with a source electrode. The second semiconductor layer has an impurity concentration that is lower than that of the third semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer is not in contact with a surface of the first semiconductor layer.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device comprises: a plurality of dies stacked on top of each other, each of the dies comprising a first major surface, an IO conductive pattern on the first major surface and extended to a minor surface substantially perpendicular to the major surfaces to form at least one IO electrical contact on the minor surface, and the plurality of dies aligned so that the corresponding minor surfaces of all dies substantially coplanar with respect to each other to form a common flat sidewall, and a plurality of IO routing traces formed over the sidewall and at least partially spaced away from the sidewall. The plurality of IO routing traces are spaced apart from each other in a first direction on the sidewall, and each of IO routing traces is electrically connected to a respective IO electrical contact and extended across the sidewall in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction on the sidewall.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor package device and a method for manufacturing the same. In embodiments of the present disclosure, a semiconductor package device includes a carrier, a first antenna, a second antenna, a package body and a first shield. The carrier includes an antenna area and a component area. The first antenna is formed on the antenna area. The second antenna extends from the antenna area and over the first antenna. The second antenna is electrically connected to the first antenna. The package body includes a first portion covering the component area and a second portion covering the antenna area. The first shield is conformally formed on the first portion of the package body and exposes the second portion of package body.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a plurality of chip areas and a scribe line defined thereon, and a mark pattern disposed in the scribe line. The mark pattern includes a plurality of unit cells immediately adjacent to each other, and each unit cell includes a first active region, a second active region isolated from the first active region, a plurality of first gate structures extending along a first direction and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a plurality of first conductive structures. The first gate structures straddle the first active region and the second active region. The first conductive structures are disposed on the first active region, the second active region, and two opposite sides of the first gate structures.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices include at least one semiconductor fin in each of a first region and a second region. A first work function stack includes a bottom layer and a middle layer formed over the at least one semiconductor fin in the first region. A second work function stack includes a first layer and a second layer formed over the at least one semiconductor fin in the second region. The first layer is continuous with the bottom layer of the first work function stack and the second layer is continuous with the middle layer of the first work function stack, but has a smaller thickness than the middle layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package with an internal routing circuit. The internal routing circuit is formed from multiple molding routing layers in a leadframe land grid array semiconductor package by using a laser to blast away un-designed conductive areas to create conductive paths on each molding compound layer of the semiconductor package.

Abstract: A method and structure is provided in which germanium or a germanium tin alloy can be used as a channel material in either planar or non-planar architectures, with a functional gate structure formed utilizing either a gate first or gate last process. After formation of the functional gate structure, and contact openings within a middle-of-the-line (MOL) dielectric material, a hydrogenated silicon layer is formed that includes hydrogenated crystalline silicon regions disposed over the germanium or a germanium tin alloy, and hydrogenated amorphous silicon regions disposed over dielectric material. The hydrogenated amorphous silicon regions can be removed selective to the hydrogenated crystalline silicon regions, and thereafter a contact structure is formed on the hydrogenated crystalline silicon regions.

Abstract: A complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuit including: a substrate; and a plurality of field-effect transistors on the substrate. Each of the field-effect transistors includes: a plurality of contacts; a source connected to one of the contacts; a drain connected to another one of the contacts; a gate; and a spacer between the gate and the contacts. The spacer of one of the field-effect transistors has a larger airgap than the spacer of another one of the field-effect transistors.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a first surface. A STI structure extends from the first surface into the substrate. The STI structure includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion extends from the first surface into the substrate, and has an intersection with the first surface. The second portion extends away from the first portion, and has a tip at a distance away from the intersection in a direction parallel to the first surface. The first portion and the second portion are filled with a dielectric material.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to reduced power consumption OLED displays at reduced cost for reduced information content applications, such as wearable displays. Image quality for wearable displays can be different than for high information content smart phone displays and TVs, where the wearable display has an architecture that in includes, for example, an all phosphorescent device and/or material system that may be fabricated at reduced cost. The reduced power consumption can facilitate wireless and solar charging.