Abstract: In a method for enabling devices to communicate securely, a first device dynamically generates a human body nonce (HBN) and then sends that HBN to a second device via a human body communication conduit (HBCC). After sending the HBN from the first device to the second device, the first device uses the HBN to establish security for an over-the-air (OTA) communication session between the first device and the second device. For instance, the first device may derive a key, based at least in part on the HBN, and the first device may use the key to encrypt communications to be sent OTA between the first device and the second device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Transistor fin elements (e.g., fin or tri gate) may be modified by radio frequency (RF) plasma and/or thermal processing for purpose of dimensional sculpting. The etched, thinned fins may be formed by first forming wider single crystal fins, and after depositing trench oxide material between the wider fins, etching the wider fins using a second etch to form narrower single crystal fins having undamaged top and sidewalls for epitaxially growing active channel material. The second etch may remove a thickness of between a 1 nm and 15 nm of the top surfaces and the sidewalls of the wider fins. It may remove the thickness using (1) chlorine or fluorine based chemistry using low ion energy plasma processing, or (2) low temperature thermal processing that does not damage fins via energetic ion bombardment, oxidation or by leaving behind etch residue that could disrupt the epitaxial growth quality of the second material.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for sculpting and cladding the channel region of fins on a semiconductor substrate during a replacement gate process (e.g., for transistor channel applications). The sculpting and cladding can be performed when the channel region of the fins are re-exposed after the dummy gate used in the replacement gate process is removed. The sculpting includes performing a trim etch on the re-exposed channel region of the fins to narrow a width of the fins (e.g., by 2-6 nm). A cladding layer, which may include germanium (Ge) or silicon germanium (SiGe), can then be deposited on the trimmed fins, leaving the source/drain regions of the fins unaffected. The sculpting and cladding may be performed in-situ or without air break to increase the quality of the trimmed fins (e.g., as compared to an ex-situ process).

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for achieving multiple fin dimensions on a single die or semiconductor substrate. In some cases, multiple fin dimensions are achieved by lithographically defining (e.g., hardmasking and patterning) areas to be trimmed using a trim etch process, leaving the remainder of the die unaffected. In some such cases, the trim etch is performed on only the channel regions of the fins, when such channel regions are re-exposed during a replacement gate process. The trim etch may narrow the width of the fins being trimmed (or just the channel region of such fins) by 2-6 nm, for example. Alternatively, or in addition, the trim may reduce the height of the fins. The techniques can include any number of patterning and trimming processes to enable a variety of fin dimensions and/or fin channel dimensions on a given die, which may be useful for integrated circuit and system-on-chip (SOC) applications.

Abstract: Complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor nanowire structures are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first nanowire disposed above a substrate. The first nanowire has a mid-point a first distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. A first gate electrode stack completely surrounds the discrete channel region of the first nanowire. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a second nanowire disposed above the substrate. The second nanowire has a mid-point a second distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. The first distance is different from the second distance.

Abstract: Microelectronic structures embodying the present invention include a field effect transistor (FET) having highly conductive source/drain extensions. Formation of such highly conductive source/drain extensions includes forming a passivated recess which is back filled by epitaxial deposition of doped material to form the source/drain junctions. The recesses include a laterally extending region that underlies a portion of the gate structure. Such a lateral extension may underlie a sidewall spacer adjacent to the vertical sidewalls of the gate electrode, or may extend further into the channel portion of a FET such that the lateral recess underlies the gate electrode portion of the gate structure. In one embodiment the recess is back filled by an in-situ epitaxial deposition of a bilayer of oppositely doped material. In this way, a very abrupt junction is achieved that provides a relatively low resistance source/drain extension and further provides good off-state subthreshold leakage characteristics.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for transistor fabrication including a sacrificial protective layer for source/drain (S/D) regions to minimize contact resistance. The sacrificial protective layer may be selectively deposited on S/D regions after such regions have been formed, but prior to the deposition of an insulator layer on the S/D regions. Subsequently, after contact trench etch is performed, an additional etch process may be performed to remove the sacrificial protective layer and expose a clean S/D surface. Thus, the sacrificial protective layer can protect the contact locations of the S/D regions from contamination (e.g., oxidation or nitridation) caused by insulator layer deposition. The sacrificial protective layer can also protect the S/D regions from undesired insulator material remaining on the S/D contact surface, particularly for non-planar transistor structures (e.g., finned or nanowire/nanoribbon transistor structures).

Abstract: A thin film composite polyamide membrane having a porous support and a thin film polyamide layer comprising a reaction product of m-phenylene diamine (mPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC), characterized by the thin film polyamide layer having a critical strain value of less than 10%. In another embodiment, the thin film polyamide layer has a modulus of greater than 0.75 (GPa). In yet another embodiment, the thin film polyamide layer has an equilibrium swelling value of at least 45%. In another embodiment, the thin film polyamide layer has a thickness of at least 230 nm.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming transistor devices having source and drain regions with high concentrations of boron doped germanium. In some embodiments, an in situ boron doped germanium, or alternatively, boron doped silicon germanium capped with a heavily boron doped germanium layer, are provided using selective epitaxial deposition in the source and drain regions and their corresponding tip regions. In some such cases, germanium concentration can be, for example, in excess of 50 atomic % and up to 100 atomic %, and the boron concentration can be, for instance, in excess of 1E20 cm?3. A buffer providing graded germanium and/or boron concentrations can be used to better interface disparate layers. The concentration of boron doped in the germanium at the epi-metal interface effectively lowers parasitic resistance without degrading tip abruptness. The techniques can be embodied, for instance, in planar or non-planar transistor devices.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for write suppression to improve endurance rating of non-volatile memories, such as QLC-NAND SSDs or other relatively slow, low endurance non-volatile memories. In an embodiment, an SSD is configured with a fast frontend non-volatile memory, a relatively slow lower endurance backend non-volatile memory, and a frontend manager that selectively transfers data from the fast memory to the slow memory based on transfer criteria. In operation, write data from the host is initially written to the fast memory by the frontend manager. The data is moved from the fast memory to the slow memory in bands. For each data band stored in the fast memory, the frontend manager tracks invalid data counts and data age. Only bands that still remain valid are transferred to the slow memory. After a given band has been fully transferred, it is erased and re-usable for other incoming writes by the frontend manager.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques related one or more systems, apparatuses, methods, etc. for integrating a near field communications (NFC) coil antenna in a portable device. For example, the NFC antenna is integrated under a metal chassis of the portable device. The metal chassis and a conductive coating—that is integrated underneath the full metal chassis—are designed to include one or more slots to provide high impedance to Eddy current induced in the conductive coating.

Abstract: In a method for enabling devices to communicate securely, a first device dynamically generates a human body nonce (HBN) and then sends that HBN to a second device via a human body communication conduit (HBCC). After sending the HBN from the first device to the second device, the first device uses the HBN to establish security for an over-the-air (OTA) communication session between the first device and the second device. For instance, the first device may derive a key, based at least in part on the HBN, and the first device may use the key to encrypt communications to be sent OTA between the first device and the second device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A display having an integrated antenna with a substantially uniform transparency and/or light across the display. The display may have a uniformity layer that is an optical balance of the antenna, wherein the uniformity layer and the antenna have respective optical transparencies that provide a substantially uniform transparency across the display. The display may also have a backlight that has a surface brightness intensity corresponding to an optical inverse of the antenna, and is configured to provide a substantially uniform light across the display.

Abstract: Examples may include techniques to recover data from a solid state drive (SSD) using exclusive OR (XOR) parity information. Data saved to non-volatile types of block-erasable memory such as NAND memory included in the SSD may be recovered via use of XOR parity information saved to types of write-in-place memory such as a 3-dimensional cross-point memory also included in the SSD.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for exchanging information between a solid state drive (SSD) and a write-in-place non-volatile memory via a host device. In an embodiment, access control information defines state of the SSD, where the access control information determines and/or is based on an access by the host device to other non-volatile memory of the SSD. The access control information includes address conversion information defining a correspondence of a logical address with a physical address for a location of the other non-volatile memory of the SSD. At least some of the access control information is stored by the SSD to the write-in-place non-volatile memory for later retrieval by the SSD. In another embodiment, the SSD signals that a commit operation is to be performed to flush any cached or buffered access control information into the write-in-place non-volatile memory.

Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to method, system and apparatus to optimize wireless charging to identify a proximal Near-Field Communication (NFC) tag and prevent damage by a magnetic wireless charging field. The disclosed embodiment provide different methods for NFC tag detection without impacting A4WP wireless charging. In an exemplary method, dedicated NFC reader is used to interleave the NFC and A4WP signals on the same coil. In one implementation the signals are frequency-multiplexed. In another implementation, the signals are time-multiplexed.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for programming memory devices such as solid-state drives. In an embodiment, a memory controller is configured to execute a programming sequence that interleaves coarse and fine tuning steps for neighboring word lines. In one example, three consecutive word lines are programmed in six steps. At step 1, word line n is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 2, word line n+1 is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 3, word line n is fine programmed to its target voltage level; at step 4, word line n+2 is coarse programmed to an intermediate voltage level; at step 5, word line n+1 is fine programmed to its target voltage level; at step 6, word line n+2 is fine programmed to its target voltage level. No reads are allowed until all cell levels are programmed. Phase change memory may be used as staging buffer.

Abstract: Complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor nanowire structures are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first nanowire disposed above a substrate. The first nanowire has a mid-point a first distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. A first gate electrode stack completely surrounds the discrete channel region of the first nanowire. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a second nanowire disposed above the substrate. The second nanowire has a mid-point a second distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. The first distance is different from the second distance.

Abstract: A nanowire device having a plurality of internal spacers and a method for forming said internal spacers are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a nanowire stack disposed above a substrate, the nanowire stack having a plurality of vertically-stacked nanowires, a gate structure wrapped around each of the plurality of nanowires, defining a channel region of the device, the gate structure having gate sidewalls, a pair of source/drain regions on opposite sides of the channel region; and an internal spacer on a portion of the gate sidewall between two adjacent nanowires, internal to the nanowire stack. In an embodiment, the internal spacers are formed by depositing spacer material in dimples etched adjacent to the channel region. In an embodiment, the dimples are etched through the channel region. In another embodiment, the dimples are etched through the source/drain region.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming transistor devices having reduced parasitic contact resistance relative to conventional devices. The techniques can be implemented, for example, using a standard contact stack such as a series of metals on, for example, silicon or silicon germanium (SiGe) source/drain regions. In accordance with one example such embodiment, an intermediate boron doped germanium layer is provided between the source/drain and contact metals to significantly reduce contact resistance. Numerous transistor configurations and suitable fabrication processes will be apparent in light of this disclosure, including both planar and non-planar transistor structures (e.g., FinFETs), as well as strained and unstrained channel structures. Graded buffering can be used to reduce misfit dislocation. The techniques are particularly well-suited for implementing p-type devices, but can be used for n-type devices if so desired.