Abstract: A method including etching a dual damascene feature in a dielectric layer, the dual damascene feature including a first via opening, a second via opening, and a trench opening, forming a seed layer within the dual damascene feature, the seed layer including a conductive material, and heating the seed layer causing the seed layer to reflow and fill the first via opening, fill the second via opening, and partially fill the trench opening to form a first via, a second via, and a fuse line, respectively, wherein the seed layer no longer remains along an entire length of a sidewall of the trench opening. The method further including forming an insulating layer on top of the fuse line, and forming a fill material on top of the insulating layer and substantially filling the trench opening.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having five gate stacks on different regions of a substrate and methods of making the same are described. The device includes a semiconductor substrate and isolation features to separate the different regions on the substrate. The different regions include a p-type field-effect transistor (pFET) core region, an input/output pFET (pFET IO) region, an n-type field-effect transistor (nFET) core region, an input/output nFET (nFET IO) region, and a high-resistor region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip which includes a semiconductor integrated circuit provided in an insulator, a first pad a pad having an upper surface of which is exposed via an opening formed in the insulator, and capacitors provided in a capacitor region of the semiconductor chip under the pad. The capacitors are provided in the capacitor region to satisfy a rule of a coverage. And contacts respectively connected to two electrodes of the capacitors are provided at positions that do not vertically overlap the opening.

Abstract: An LED luminaire has a dye-sensitized solar cell for converting light emitted from a light source to electric energy and uses the converted electric energy. Since the dye-sensitized solar cell plays a role of a diffusion plate, the LED luminaire may diffuse light and convert wasted light into power. Further, since energy consumption and green-house gas generation decrease, it is possible to provide an environment-friendly LED luminaire. Moreover, if the power generated by the dye-sensitized solar cell is used for cooling the LED luminaire, it is possible to enhance heat dissipation efficiency of the LED luminaire.

Abstract: Integrated circuits and methods of fabricating integrated circuits are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method of fabricating an integrated circuit includes depositing a layer of a high-k dielectric material; depositing a layer of a work function shifter material over a portion of the high-k dielectric material to form an overlapping region; heat treating the layer of the high-k dielectric material and the layer of the work function shifter material to as to form a transformed dielectric material via thermal diffusion that is a combination of the high-k dielectric and work function shifter materials in the overlapping region; and depositing a layer of a first replacement gate fill material to obtain multiple threshold voltages.

Abstract: Electrical components for microelectronic devices and methods for forming electrical components. One particular embodiment of such a method comprises depositing an underlying layer onto a workpiece, and forming a conductive layer on the underlying layer. The method can continue by disposing a dielectric layer on the conductive layer. The underlying layer is a material that causes the dielectric layer to have a higher dielectric constant than without the underlying layer being present under the conductive layer. For example, the underlying layer can impart a structure or another property to the film stack that causes an otherwise amorphous dielectric layer to crystallize without having to undergo a separate high temperature annealing process after disposing the dielectric layer onto the conductive layer. Several examples of this method are expected to be very useful for forming dielectric layers with high dielectric constants because they avoid using a separate high temperature annealing process.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to thin film transistors with one or more trenches to control the threshold voltage and off-current and methods of making the same. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device can include a substrate comprising a surface with a thin film transistor formed thereon, a first passivation layer formed over the thin film transistor, a trench formed within the first passivation layer and a second passivation layer formed over the first passivation layer and within the trench.

Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same. The device includes a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure stacked sequentially on a substrate. The first and second electrode structures include stacked first electrodes and stacked second electrodes, respectively. Each of the first and second electrodes includes a horizontal portion parallel with the substrate and an extension portion extending from the horizontal portion along a direction penetrating an upper surface of the substrate. Here, the substrate may be closer to top surfaces of the extension portions of the first electrodes than to the horizontal portion of at least one of the second electrodes.

Abstract: A lateral diffusion metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) comprises a semiconductor substrate having an STI structure in a top surface of the substrate, a drift region below the STI structure, and a source region and a drain region on opposite sides of the STI structure. A gate conductor is on the substrate over a gap between the STI structure and the source region, and partially overlaps the drift region. Floating gate pieces are over the STI structure. A conformal dielectric layer is on the top surface and on the gate conductor and floating gate pieces and forms a mesa above the gate conductor and floating gate pieces. A conformal etch-stop layer is embedded within the conformal dielectric layer. A drift electrode is formed on the conformal etch-stop layer over, relative to the top surface, the drift region. The drift electrode has a variable thickness relative to the top surface.

Abstract: A finger metal oxide metal (MOM) capacitor includes an outer conducting structure defined in a plurality of metal layers and a plurality of via layers of an integrated circuit. First and second side portions include a plurality of first and second finger sections extending in the plurality of metal layers and first and second hole vias connecting the first and second finger sections, respectively. A middle portion connects the first and second side portions. An inner conducting structure is defined in the plurality of metal layers and the plurality of via layers of the integrated circuit. A plurality of “T”-shaped sections are defined in the plurality of metal layers and third hole vias connecting the plurality of “T”-shaped sections. Middle portions of the plurality of “T”-shaped sections extend towards the middle portion and between the first side portion and the second side portion of the outer conducting structure.

Abstract: A high density deep trench MIM capacitor structure is provided wherein conductive-compressive-conformally applied layers of a semiconductor material, such as a Poly-SixGe1-x, are interleaved within MIM capacitor layers to counterbalance the tensile stresses created by such MIM capacitor layers. The interleaving of conductive-compressive-conformally applied material layers are adapted to counterbalance convex (upward) bowing of silicon wafers during the manufacturing process of high density deep trench MIM capacitor silicon devices to thereby help maximize production yields of such devices per wafer.

Abstract: A vertical NAND flash memory device includes a substrate having a face and a string of serially connected flash memory cells on the substrate. A first flash memory cell is adjacent the face, and a last flash memory cell is remote from the face. The flash memory cells include repeating layer patterns that are stacked on the face, and a pillar that extends through the series of repeating layer patterns. The pillar includes at least one oblique wall. At least two of the series of repeating layer patterns in the string are of different thicknesses. Other vertical microelectronic devices and related fabrication methods are also described.

Abstract: A backside illuminated image sensor has a carbon nanotube transparent conductive coating formed on the backside of the image sensor. In one implementation the carbon nanotube transparent conductive coating acts as a wavelength selective filter to filter out infrared light. In one implementation the carbon nanotube transparent conductive coating has an optical transparency between 50% and 80% for blue and green color bands.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside. A plurality of image sensors is disposed at the front side of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of clear color-filters is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of metal rings encircles the plurality of clear color-filters.

Abstract: A first transistor in which an image signal is input to one of a first source and a first drain through an image signal line and a first scan signal is input to the first gate through a first scan signal line; a capacitor whose one of two electrodes is electrically connected to the other of the first source and the first drain of the first transistor; a second transistor in which one of a second source and a second drain is electrically connected to the other of the first source and the first drain of the first transistor and a second scan signal is input to a second gate through a second scan signal line; and a liquid crystal element whose first electrode is electrically connected to the other of the second source and the second drain of the second transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes a Group III-V semiconductor substrate, circuit elements in and on the substrate, a first metal layer over the substrate, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer. The ILD layer defines a via that extends through it to the first metal layer. Over the ILD layer is thick second metal layer and a passivation layer. The second metal layer includes an interconnect that extends through the via into contact with the first metal layer. The second metal layer is patterned to define at least one conductor. The passivation layer covers the second metal layer and the interlayer dielectric layer, and includes stacked regions of dielectric material. Ones of the regions under tensile stress alternate with ones of the regions under compressive stress, such that the passivation layer is subject to net compressive stress.

Abstract: Semiconductor packages including a die pad, at least one connecting bar, at least one supporting portion, a plurality of leads, a semiconductor chip, a heat sink and a molding compound. The connecting bar connects the die pad and the supporting portion. The leads are electrically isolated from each other and the die pad. The semiconductor chip is disposed on the die pad and electrically connected to the leads. The heat sink is supported by the supporting portion. The molding compound encapsulates the semiconductor chip and the heat sink. Heat from the semiconductor chip is efficiently dissipated from the die pad through the connecting bar, through the supporting portion, and through the heat sink.

Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is provided with an improved on-state breakdown voltage VCE. The improvement of the on-state breakdown voltage for the HBT improves the output power characteristics of the HBT and the ability of the HBT to withstand large impedance mismatch (large VSWR). The improvement in the on-state breakdown voltage is related to the suppression of high electric fields adjacent a junction of a collector layer and a sub-collector layer forming a collector region of the HBT.

Abstract: An array substrate includes an oxide semiconductor layer; an etch stopper including a first contact hole exposing each of both sides of the oxide semiconductor layer; source and drain electrodes spaced apart from each other with the oxide semiconductor layer therebetween; a first passivation layer including a contact hole exposing each of both ends of the oxide semiconductor layer and each of ends of the source and drain electrode that oppose the both ends of the oxide semiconductor layer, respectively; and a connection pattern at the second contact hole contacting both the oxide semiconductor layer and each of the source and drain electrodes.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element in accordance with an embodiment includes a photoelectric conversion layer, a cathode electrode, and an anode electrode. The cathode electrode is arranged on one surface of the photoelectric conversion layer and includes monolayer graphene and/or multilayer graphene in which a portion of carbon atoms is substituted with at least nitrogen atoms. The anode electrode is arranged on the other surface of the photoelectric conversion layer.