Abstract: A semiconductor device having an open profile gate electrode, and a method of manufacture, are provided. A funnel-shaped opening is formed in a dielectric layer and a gate electrode is formed in the funnel-shaped opening, thereby providing a gate electrode having an open profile. In some embodiments, first and second gate spacers are formed alongside a dummy gate electrode. The dummy gate electrode is removed and upper portions of the first and second gate spacers are removed. The first and second gate spacers may be formed of different materials having different etch rates.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transistor device having a channel region comprising a sandwich film stack with a plurality of different layers that improve device performance, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the transistor device has a source region and a drain region disposed within a semiconductor substrate. A sandwich film stack is laterally positioned between the source region and the drain region. The sandwich film stack has a lower layer, a middle layer of a carbon doped semiconductor material disposed over the lower layer, and an upper layer disposed over the middle layer. A gate structure is disposed over the sandwich film stack. The gate structure is configured to control a flow of charge carriers in a channel region located between the source region and the drain region.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a substrate, a plurality of low-k dielectric layers over the substrate, a first dielectric layer over the plurality of low-k dielectric layers, and a metal line in the first dielectric layer. A stress tuning dielectric layer is over the first dielectric layer, wherein the stress tuning dielectric layer includes a first opening and a second opening. The metal line extends into the first opening. The second opening has a bottom substantially level with a top surface of the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is over the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a transistor device having a channel region comprising a sandwich film stack with a plurality of different layers that improve device performance, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the method is performed by selectively etching a semiconductor substrate to form a recess along a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. A sandwich film stack having a plurality of nested layers is formed within the recess. At least two of the nested layers include different materials that improve different aspects of the performance of the transistor device. A gate structure is formed over the sandwich film stack. The gate structure controls the flow of charge carriers in a channel region having the sandwich film stack, which is laterally positioned between a source region and a drain region disposed within the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a transistor device having a strained channel and an associated device. In some embodiments, the method is performed by performing a first etch of a substrate to produce a recess having a largest width at an opening along a top surface of the substrate. An etch stop layer is formed by doping a bottom surface of the recess with a dopant. A second etch of the recess is then performed to form a source/drain recess, wherein the etch stop layer resists etching of the second etch. A stress inducing material is formed within the source/drain recess onto the etch stop layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes etching a recess into a substrate and epitaxially growing a source/drain region in the recess. The source/drain region includes a first undoped layer of stressor material lining the recess, a lightly doped layer of stressor material over the first undoped layer, a second undoped layer of stressor material over the lightly doped layer, and a highly doped layer of stressor material over the second undoped layer.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a method and a device to achieve a strained channel. A volume of a source or drain recess is controlled by a performing an etch of a substrate to produce a recess. An anisotropic etch stop layer is then formed by doping a bottom surface of the recess with a boron-containing dopant, which distorts the crystalline structure of the bottom surface. An anisotropic etch of the recess is then performed. The anisotropic etch stop layer resists anisotropic etching such that the recess comprises a substantially flat bottom surface after the anisotropic etch. The source or drain recess is then filled with a stress-inducing material to produce a strained channel.

Abstract: Disclosed is drum-type IC burn-in and test equipment including burn-in equipment. The burn-in equipment includes therein a first working platform, a second working platform, a drum-type burn-in device, and a parts pickup device. The first working platform includes a first parts disposition section and a parts feeding device. The second working platform includes a parts transferring device. The drum-type burn-in device is rotatably mounted between the first and second working platforms and includes multiple planar sections circumferentially mounted thereto with each planar section having at least one burner mounted thereon. This arrangement allows a parts feeding device to sequentially dispose unburned ICs and a parts transferring device to sequentially pick up completely-burned ICs. As such, the drum-type burn-in device helps increase the number of ICs disposed and also helps improve the throughput and increase the manufacturing speed.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing for safely breaking electronic communication with a smart card on removal from the electronic device. A safeguard structure rotates with respect to the housing to cover the smart card when inserted, and a switch breaks communication between the smart card and the electronic device when the safeguard structure is rotated away from the housing to enable removal of the smart card. The breaking of communication safely prevents damage to, or corruption of, data in the smart card upon removal from the electronic device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a source region and a drain region formed in the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes an impurity diffusion stop layer formed in a recess of the substrate between the source region and the drain region, wherein the impurity diffusion stop layer covers bottom and sidewalls of the recess. The semiconductor device further includes a channel layer formed over the impurity diffusion stop layer and in the recess, and a gate stack formed over the channel layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a source feature and a drain feature formed in a substrate. The semiconductor device having a gate stack over a portion of the source feature and over a portion of the drain feature. The semiconductor device further having a first cap layer formed over substantially the entire source feature not covered by the gate stack, and a second cap layer formed over substantially the entire drain feature not covered by the gate stack. A method of forming a semiconductor device including forming a source feature and drain feature in a substrate. The method further includes forming a gate stack over a portion of the source feature and over a portion of the drain feature. The method further includes depositing a first cap layer over substantially the entire source feature not covered by the gate stack and a second cap layer over substantially the entire drain feature not covered by the gate stack.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes etching a recess into a substrate and epitaxially growing a source/drain region in the recess. The source/drain region includes a first undoped layer of stressor material lining the recess, a lightly doped layer of stressor material over the first undoped layer, a second undoped layer of stressor material over the lightly doped layer, and a highly doped layer of stressor material over the second undoped layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an active region and a trench isolation. The active region is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The trench isolation is disposed adjacent to the active region. The trench isolation includes a lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion is located on the lower portion. The upper portion has a width gradually decreased from a junction between the upper portion and the lower portion toward a top of the trench isolation. In a method for fabricating the semiconductor device, at first, the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a trench in the semiconductor substrate. Then, an insulator fills the trench to form the trench isolation. Thereafter, the gate structure is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Then, the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a recess adjacent to the trench isolation. Thereafter, at least one doped epitaxial layer grows in the recess.

Abstract: A system for attaching a device to a glasses frame includes a spring clip that applies pressure to two sides of the glasses frame, and a magnet for attaching the device thereto. The device may attach directly to the magnet, or via a slide-on attachment piece. The spring clip may include a spring arm having distal ends that assist the spring clip in applying pressure to the glasses frames.

Abstract: A method of reliability testing of a semiconductor device is described. The embodiment, includes providing a capacitor including an insulating layer interposing two conductive layers. A plurality of voltages are provided to the capacitor including providing a first voltage and a second voltage greater than the first voltage. A leakage associated with the capacitor is measured while applying the second voltage. In an embodiment, the leakage measured while applying the second voltage indicates that a failure of the insulating layer of the capacitor has occurred. In an embodiment, the capacitor is an inter-digitated metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitor. The reliability testing may be correlated to TDDB test results. The reliability testing may be performed at a wafer-level.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack over a first portion of a source and a first portion of a drain. The method includes depositing a first cap layer comprising silicon over a second portion of the source and depositing a second cap layer comprising silicon over a second portion of the drain. The method includes depositing a metal layer over the gate stack, the first cap layer and the second cap layer. The method includes annealing the semiconductor device until all of the silicon in the first and second cap layers reacts with metal from the metal layer, wherein the annealing causes metal from the metal layer to react with silicon in the first cap layer, the second cap layer, the source, and the drain. Annealing the semiconductor device includes forming a salicide layer having a germanium concentration less than 3% by weight.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising: a display configured to output image data; and at least one processor configured to: detect an input; select a portion of the image data based on the input; and generate a preview of the image data based on the selected portion.

Abstract: Among other things, a semiconductor device or transistor and a method for forming the semiconductor device are provided for herein. The semiconductor device comprises one or more v-shaped recesses in which stressed monocrystalline semiconductor material, such as silicon germanium, is grown, to form at least one of a source or a drain of the semiconductor device. The one or more v-shaped recesses are etched into a substrate in-situ. The semiconductor device comprises at least one of a source or a drain having a height-to-length ratio exceeding at least 1.6 when poly spacing between a first part of the semiconductor device (e.g., first transistor) and a second part of the semiconductor device (e.g., second transistor) is less than about 60 nm.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a source region and a drain region formed in the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes an impurity diffusion stop layer formed in a recess of the substrate between the source region and the drain region, wherein the impurity diffusion stop layer covers bottom and sidewalls of the recess. The semiconductor device further includes a channel layer formed over the impurity diffusion stop layer and in the recess, and a gate stack formed over the channel layer. The impurity diffusion stop layer substantially prevents impurities of the substrate and the source and drain regions from diffusing into the channel layer.

Abstract: A system for attaching a device to a glasses frame includes a spring clip that applies pressure to two sides of the glasses frame, and a magnet for attaching the device thereto. The device may attach directly to the magnet, or via a slide-on attachment piece. The spring clip may include a spring arm having distal ends that assist the spring clip in applying pressure to the glasses frames.