Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes fins formed thereon and a patterned hard mask layer formed on a top surface of the fins. The method further includes: forming an isolation material layer covering the semiconductor substrate, the fins, and the patterned hard mask layer; performing planarization of the isolation material layer, stopping at the patterned hard mask layer; and performing oxygen ion implantation to form an oxygen injection region within the fins and the isolation material layer; back-etching the isolation material layer, stopping above the oxygen injection region, to form a remaining portion of the isolation material layer exposing a portion of the fins; and performing thermal annealing to cause a thermal oxidation of a portion of the fins through oxygen ions in the oxygen injection region, thereby forming an oxide layer within the plurality of fins.

Abstract: One embodiment of the instant disclosure provides a semiconductor structure that comprises: a first device layer including a first active layer disposed over a substrate and a first gate layer disposed on the active layer, where at least one of the first active layer and the first gate layer includes a first layer alignment structure; a first bounding layer disposed over the first device layer, the first bounding layer including an opening arranged to detectably expose the first layer alignment structure; and a second device layer disposed over the bounding layer including a second layer alignment structure, where the second layer alignment structure is substantially aligned to the first layer alignment structure through the opening.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a substrate, first and second fin-type active areas which extend in a first direction on the substrate, first and second gate lines on the substrate that extend in a second direction that crosses the first direction, and first and second contact structures. The first and second gate lines intersect the first and second fin-type active areas, respectively. The first contact structure is on the first fin-type active area at a side of the first gate line and contacts the first gate line. The second contact structure is on the second fin-type active area at a side of the second gate line. The first contact structure includes a first lower contact including metal silicide and a first upper contact on the first lower contact. The second contact structure includes a second lower contact including metal silicide and a second upper contact on the second lower contact.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a conductive layer on a source side; a first electrode layer provided on the conductive layer; a second electrode layer provided between the conductive layer and the first electrode layer; a semiconductor layer extending through the first electrode in a first direction from the conductive layer to the first electrode layer; a first semiconductor body provided between the conductive layer and the semiconductor layer, the first semiconductor body including first impurities; and a second semiconductor body provided between the conductive layer and the first semiconductor body, the second semiconductor body including second impurities with a higher concentration than a concentration of the first impurities in the first semiconductor body. A diffusion coefficient of the second impurities in the second semiconductor body is smaller than a diffusion coefficient of the second impurities in the first semiconductor body.

Abstract: This invention discloses a semiconductor power device disposed in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor power device includes trenched gates each having a stick-up gate segment extended above a top surface of the semiconductor substrate surrounded by sidewall spacers. The semiconductor power device further includes slots opened aligned with the sidewall spacers substantially parallel to the trenched gates. The stick-up gate segment further includes a cap composed of an insulation material surrounded by the sidewall spacers. A layer of barrier metal covers a top surface of the cap and over the sidewall spacers and extends above a top surface of the slots. The slots are filled with a gate material same as the gate segment for functioning as additional gate electrodes for providing a depletion layer extends toward the trenched gates whereby a drift region between the slots and the trenched gate is fully depleted at a gate-to-drain voltage Vgs=0 volt.

Abstract: A mounting structure, including: a first component that has a first bump; a second component that has a second bump; a mounting component that has a primary mounting surface and a secondary mounting surface; a first solder that connects an electrode on the primary mounting surface and the first bump; a second solder that connects an electrode on the secondary mounting surface and the second bump; and a reinforcing resin that covers a part of the first solder and that is not in contact with the primary mounting surface.

Abstract: A fingerprint sensor is provided. The fingerprint sensor includes a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB), a fingerprint sensing die and a molding compound. The multi-layer PCB includes a bottom dielectric layer, at least one intermediate dielectric layer disposed on the bottom dielectric layer, a top dielectric layer disposed on the intermediate dielectric layer and a trench. The trench is formed by digging out a portion of the intermediate dielectric layer and a portion of the top dielectric layer. The fingerprint sensing die is disposed in the trench of the multi-layer PCB and mounted on an upper surface of the bottom dielectric layer of the multi-layer PCB. The fingerprint sensing die includes a sensing array capable of sensing fingerprint information of a user. The fingerprint sensing die is covered by the molding compound, and the trench of the multi-layer PCB is filled with the molding compound.

Abstract: An image sensor including at least one pixel for collecting charge in its photodiode is provided. The image sensor comprises: a substrate having a first surface on a front side and a second surface on a back side, a photodetector formed in the silicon substrate and having a light-receiving surface on the second surface, and a first layer with positive charges disposed on the second surface, the first layer being configured to form an electron accumulation region at the light-receiving surface of the photodetector for suppressing a dark current at a back side interface of the image sensor. A method for fabricating an image sensor including a first layer with positive charges is also provided.

Abstract: A wafer level package device, electronic device, and fabrication methods for fabrication of the wafer level package device are described that include forming an exposed lead tip on the wafer level package for providing a solder buttress structure when coupling the wafer level package device to another electrical component. In implementations, the wafer level package device includes at least one integrated circuit die, a metal pad, a first dielectric layer, a redistribution layer, a second dielectric layer, a pillar structure, a molding layer, a pillar layer, and a plating layer, where the pillar layer is sawn to form pad contacts on at least two sides of the wafer level package device. The exposed pad contact facilitate a solder fillet and buttress structure resulting in improved board level reliability.

Abstract: Memory cell architectures and methods of forming the same are provided. An example memory cell can include a switch element and a memory element. A middle electrode is formed between the memory element and the switch element. An outside electrode is formed adjacent the switch element or the memory element at a location other than between the memory element and the switch element. A lateral dimension of the middle electrode is different than a lateral dimension of the outside electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a lead frame including: one or more solder bonding regions containing copper material or copper plating; and a molding resin adhesion region containing a copper oxide film. The solder bonding regions are exposed on a surface of the lead frame. Further, provided is a lead frame manufacturing method including: forming a resist film in a molding resin adhesion region that is included in a surface of a lead frame member made of copper, or that is included in a surface of a copper-plated lead frame member; forming a plating film by performing a metal plating process on one or more solder bonding regions included in the surface of the lead frame member; removing the resist film; and forming a copper oxide film by oxidizing the molding resin adhesion region.

Abstract: Stress generation free thru-silicon-via structures with improved performance and reliability and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming a first conductive diffusion barrier liner on an insulator layer within a thru-silicon-via of a wafer material. The method further includes forming a stress absorption layer on the first conductive diffusion barrier. The method further includes forming a second conductive diffusion barrier on the stress absorption layer. The method further includes forming a copper plate on the second conductive diffusion barrier.

Abstract: A wafer level package, electronic device including the wafer level package, and fabrication methods are described that include forming a cantilever pillar design as a portion of the wafer level package and/or a segmented solder connection for preventing and reducing connection stress and increasing board level reliability. In implementations, the wafer level device that employs example techniques in accordance with the present disclosure includes at least a section of a processed semiconductor wafer including at least one integrated circuit die, a first dielectric layer disposed on the processed semiconductor wafer, a first pillar, a second pillar formed on the first pillar, a second dielectric layer formed on the first dielectric layer and surrounding a portion of the first pillar and the second pillar, and at least one solder ball disposed on the second pillar.

Abstract: A method of forming a die package includes forming a conductive column over a first side of a carrier, attaching a semiconductor die to the first side of the carrier, and forming a molding compound over the first side of the carrier. The semiconductor die and the conductive column are embedded in the molding compound. A second side of the carrier opposite the first side is under a compressive stress. The method also includes forming a first compressive dielectric layer over the semiconductor die, the conductive column, and the molding compound, forming a first redistribution layer (RDL) over the first compressive dielectric layer, and forming a first passivation layer over the first RDL.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a memory device having a via landing pad in the peripheral circuit that minimizes the memory cell size. A device having features of the present invention comprises a peripheral circuit region and a magnetic memory cell region including at least a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element. The peripheral circuit region comprises a substrate and a bottom contact formed therein; a landing pad including a first magnetic layer structure formed on top of the bottom contact and a second magnetic layer structure separated from the first magnetic layer structure by an insulating tunnel junction layer, wherein each of the insulating tunnel junction layer and the second magnetic layer structure has an opening aligned to each other; and a via partly embedded in the landing pad and directly coupled to the first magnetic layer structure through the openings.

Abstract: An imager module having an interposer chip electrically connected to and routing signals between an image sensor, a printed circuit board (PCB), and a voice coil motor (VCM) is disclosed. In some example embodiments, one or more surface mount devices (SMDs) may further be attached to the interposer chip, the PCB, or both the interposer chip and the PCB. The interposer chip may further have a cavity therethrough to allow light to impinge in the image sensor. The interposer chip may still further have through silicon vias (TSVs) to route signals from the PCB to the VCM.

Abstract: A method for forming optical devices. The method includes providing a gallium nitride substrate member having a crystalline surface region and a backside region. The method also includes subjecting the backside region to a laser scribing process to form a plurality of scribe regions on the backside region and forming a metallization material overlying the backside region including the plurality of scribe regions. The method removes at least one optical device using at least one of the scribe regions.

Abstract: An intermediate semiconductor structure in fabrication includes a silicon semiconductor substrate, a hard mask of silicon nitride (SiN) over the substrate and a sacrificial layer of polysilicon or amorphous silicon over the hard mask. The sacrificial layer is patterned into sidewall spacers, each of the sidewall spacers having vertically tapered inner and outer sidewalls providing a rough triangular shape. The rough triangular sidewall spacers are used as a temporary hard mask to pattern the SiN hard mask.

Abstract: A device includes first and second fins defined in a semiconductor substrate and a raised isolation post structure positioned between the first and second fins, wherein an upper surface of the raised isolation post structure is at a level that is approximately equal to or greater than a level corresponding to an upper surface of each of the first and second fins. A first space is defined by a sidewall of the first fin and a first sidewall of the raised isolation post structure, a second space is defined by a sidewall of the second fin and a second sidewall of the raised isolation post structure, and a gate structure is positioned around a portion of each of the first and second fins and around a portion of the raised isolation post structure, wherein at least portions of the gate structure are positioned in the first and second spaces.

Abstract: Vertical channel field effect transistors and methods of forming the same include forming one or more vertical channels on a bottom source/drain layer. A seed layer is deposited on horizontal surfaces around the one or more vertical channels. A metal gate is deposited on the seed layer. A top source/drain layer is deposited above the one or more vertical channels and the metal gate.