Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices, circuits, and methods of determining power consumption in an electronic device (e.g., HDD) so that the determined power consumption can be used to determine a concentration of the gaseous oxidizing agent component in an interior gas space of the sealed enclosure and/or actively supply gaseous oxidizing agent component to the interior gas space of the electronic device if the determined power consumption is below a threshold value.

Abstract: A passive circuit component includes an edge having a low line edge roughness (LER). A method for manufacturing the passive circuit component includes a self-aligned double patterning (SADP) etch process using a tri-layer process flow. The tri-layer process flow includes use of an underlayer, hard mask, and photoresist. The passive circuit component made by this method achieves improved mismatch between like components due to the low LER.

Abstract: Forming an integrated circuit, for example by first, concurrently forming a first front end of line (FEOL) layer having a first thickness and a surface contacting or facing a semiconductor substrate frontside and a second FEOL layer, having a second thickness and including a same material as the first FEOL layer and having a surface contacting or facing a semiconductor substrate backside, and second, processing the second FEOL layer to reduce the second thickness.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor surface layer having a first conductivity type, as well as a buried layer, a deep trench structure and a shallow trench isolation structure, the semiconductor surface layer over the semiconductor substrate and having a top surface, the buried layer having an opposite second conductivity type between the semiconductor surface layer and the semiconductor substrate, the deep trench structure including a trench that extends through the semiconductor surface layer and into the buried layer, a dielectric liner on a sidewall of the trench from the semiconductor surface layer to the buried layer, and polysilicon that extends on the dielectric liner and fills the trench to the side of the semiconductor surface layer, the shallow trench isolation structure extends into the semiconductor surface layer, and the shallow trench isolation structure in contact with the deep trench structure.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor surface layer having a first conductivity type, the semiconductor surface layer over the semiconductor substrate and having a top surface, a buried layer having an opposite second conductivity type between the semiconductor surface layer and the semiconductor substrate, a dielectric isolation layer that extends over and into the semiconductor surface layer, a deep trench structure that extends through the dielectric isolation layer into the semiconductor surface layer, and a silicide blocking layer on a top surface of the deep trench structure.

Abstract: A device including a thin film resistor (TFR) structure. The TFR structure is accessible by one or more conductive vias that extend vertically from an upper metal layer to completely penetrate a TFR layer positioned thereunder. The conductive vias are coupled to one or more sidewalls of the TFR layer at or near the sites of penetration. The TFR structure can be manufactured by a method that includes etching a via trench completely through the TFR layer and a dielectric layer above the TFR layer, and filling the via trench with a conductor coupled to a sidewall of the TFR layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for frictionless payments in Web 3.0 and the Metaverse are disclosed. A method may include a buyer bot: monitoring a buyer interaction with a merchant of a digital collectable via a buyer vault/digital wallet, the digital collectable having a cryptocurrency price in a cryptocurrency; determining a fiat currency price in a fiat currency for the cryptocurrency price; receiving, from the buyer vault/digital wallet, conformation of a purchase of the digital collectable at the fiat currency price; executing payment for the digital collectable in the fiat currency at the fiat currency price; transforming the payment in the fiat currency to a digital collectable concierge service designated account; engaging a fiat-to-crypto on-ramp to convert the fiat currency to the cryptocurrency; and providing the payment in the cryptocurrency to a digital collectable smart contract that mints or delivers the digital collectable to the buyer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a bipolar transistor extending into a [100] surface of a semiconductor substrate having a crystalline lattice. A deep trench surrounds the bipolar transistor and has a path having a plurality of sides. At least one side extends in a direction parallel to a <100> axis of the crystalline lattice.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit that includes placing a semiconductor substrate in a process chamber at an initial temperature, wherein one or more trenches are located within the semiconductor substrate. The temperature of the substrate is increased in a substantially oxygen-free ambient to an oxide-growth temperature. The temperature is then maintained at the oxide growth temperature while providing an oxidizing ambient, thereby forming an oxide layer on sidewalls of the trench. The temperature of the semiconductor wafer is then reduced to a final temperature below the initial temperature and removed from the process chamber.

Abstract: Forming an integrated circuit, for example by first, concurrently forming a first front end of line (FEOL) layer having a first thickness and a surface contacting or facing a semiconductor substrate frontside and a second FEOL layer, having a second thickness and including a same material as the first FEOL layer and having a surface contacting or facing a semiconductor substrate backside, and second, processing the second FEOL layer to reduce the second thickness.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit forms a first oxygen diffusion barrier layer in a fixed position relative to a semiconductor substrate and forms an aperture through the first oxygen diffusion barrier layer to expose a portion of the semiconductor substrate. The method also forms a first LOCOS region in an area of the aperture and a second oxygen diffusion barrier layer along the first LOCOS region and along at least a sidewall portion of the first oxygen diffusion barrier layer in the area of the aperture. The method also deposits a polysilicon layer, at a temperature of 570° C. or less, over the second oxygen diffusion barrier layer, etches the polysilicon layer and the second oxygen diffusion barrier layer to form a spacer in the area of the aperture, and forms a second LOCOS region in the area of the aperture and aligned to the spacer.

Abstract: A microelectronic device includes an integrated deep trench in a substrate, with a field oxide layer on the substrate. The integrated deep trench includes a of deep trench extending into semiconductor material of the substrate, a deep trench sidewall dielectric layer contacting the substrate and an electrically conductive trench-fill material contacting the deep trench sidewall dielectric layer. The conductive trench-fill material is covered during the formation of the field oxide layer to minimize the trench-fill seam void volume. Minimizing the trench-fill seam void volume minimizes optical defectivity observed in subsequent yield enhancement. The integrated deep trench may be configured as a capacitor or may be configured as a contact to the underlying substrate.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a semiconductor substrate including majority carrier dopants of a first conductivity type, a semiconductor surface layer including majority carrier dopants of a second conductivity type, field oxide that extends on the semiconductor surface layer, and an isolation structure. The isolation structure includes a trench that extends through the semiconductor surface layer and into one of the semiconductor substrate and a buried layer of the semiconductor substrate, and polysilicon including majority carrier dopants of the second conductivity type, the polysilicon fills the trench to a side of the semiconductor surface layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate having a plurality of the IC. A thin-film resistor (TFR) layer is deposited on the dielectric layer, and an underlayer (UL) including carbon is formed on the TFR layer. A hard mask layer including silicon is formed on the UL. Masked etching of the hard mask layer transfers a pattern of a photoresist layer onto the hard mask layer to form a hard mask layer pattern. Masked etching of the UL transfers the hard mask layer pattern onto the UL to form a UL pattern. Masked etching of the TFR layer transfers the UL pattern onto the TFR layer to form a TFR layer pattern including a matched pair of TFRs. The matched pair of TFRs are generally included in circuitry configured together for implementing at least one function.

Abstract: A method including obtaining x-ray data for a multi-component object; processing the x-ray data to obtain at least first and second 3D representations of the object with respective first and second resolutions, the first resolution being higher than the second resolution; identifying a plurality of regions of the second 3D representation, each region corresponding to one of a number of components of the object, by at least identifying a number of initial regions of the second 3D representation, each initial region having pixel values in one of a plurality of ranges of pixel values, and adjusting each of the number of initial regions based on a comparison between the initial region and features derived from 2D sections of the object from the first 3D representation; and obtaining a 3D model.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming and patterning a hardmask over a substrate such that the patterned hardmask exposes regions of the substrate. The exposed regions are etched, thereby forming trenches and a semiconductor fin between the trenches. Prior to removing the hardmask, a photoresist layer is formed and patterned, thereby exposing a section of the semiconductor fin. A dopant is implanted into the exposed section through the hardmask.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a second metal level located between first and third metal levels, a dielectric layer located over the metal levels, and first, second and third vias within the dielectric layer. The first via traverses the first dielectric layer from a surface of the dielectric layer to the first metal level and has a first diameter. The second via traverses the dielectric layer from the surface to the second metal level and has the first diameter. The third via traverses the dielectric layer from the surface to the third metal level and has a second diameter greater than the first diameter. In some implementations the first, second and third metal levels implement a capacitor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with an isolation structure and a trench capacitor, each formed using a single resist mask for etching corresponding first and second trenches of different widths and different depths, with dielectric liners formed on the trench sidewalls and polysilicon filling the trenches and deep doped regions surrounding the trenches, including conductive features of a metallization structure that connect the polysilicon of the isolation structure trench to the deep doped region to form an isolation structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring power usage and temperature within a data storage device, and adjusting performance based on the power usage and temperature. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a data storage device (DSD) having an interface to communicate with a host device, and a circuit. The circuit may be configured to receive a first limit designation for a first operating parameter of the DSD via the interface, monitor a value of the first operating parameter of the DSD, evaluate a pending workload of operations to be performed by the DSD, estimate a future value of the first operating parameter based on the pending workload, and adjust performance of the DSD based on the future value and the first limit designation.

Abstract: A device including a thin film resistor (TFR) structure. The TFR structure is accessible by one or more conductive vias that extend vertically from an upper metal layer to completely penetrate a TFR layer positioned thereunder. The conductive vias are coupled to one or more sidewalls of the TFR layer at or near the sites of penetration. The TFR structure can be manufactured by a method that includes etching a via trench completely through the TFR layer and a dielectric layer above the TFR layer, and filling the via trench with a conductor coupled to a sidewall of the TFR layer.