Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display of a time divisional color display, which includes a plurality of pixels having liquid crystal capacitors, respectively, and light is not supplied to some pixels and light supplied to other pixels. Preferably, data voltages are applied to the pixels to which light is not supplied and data voltages are not applied to the pixel to which light is supplied. Accordingly, since a liquid crystal panel assembly is divided into several areas to be scanned sequentially and a light source of a light source unit corresponding to the area being scanned is maintained in light-off state, it is possible to secure enough data scan time as well as to increase light-on-time of the light sources. With this, time to charge electric charges of the liquid crystal capacitors is increased to improve image quality, and, according as light-on time of the light sources is increased, clearness of the image quality is also increased.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an environment for testing integrated circuits includes a first die coupled to a tester. The first die includes a removable connection configured to couple a signal from the first die with an adapter layer to a second die being tested. The removable connection may be an elastomeric interposer or a probe, for example.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a shallow trench isolation (STI) method (500) may include forming an etch mask layer over both a first and second substrate side (504). An etch mask layer over a first substrate side (506) may be patterned to form a STI etch mask, and trenches may be etched into a substrate (508). A trench dielectric layer can be formed over a first substrate side (510). An etch mask layer formed over a second substrate side can be etched (512), reducing and/or eliminating stress that may deform a substrate or otherwise adversely affect STI features. A trench dielectric may then be chemically-mechanically polished (step 514).

Abstract: Shallow trench isolation methods and corresponding structures are disclosed. According to one embodiment (900) a nitride layer (1006), having an opening (1014), is formed over a silicon substrate (1002). The portion of the substrate (1002) below the opening (1014) is oxidized to form a substrate consuming rounding oxide layer (1018). The formation of the rounding oxide layer (1018) results in rounded edges in the substrate (1002). An isotropic, or alternatively, an anisotropic rounding oxide etch removes the rounding oxide layer (1018) to expose the substrate (1002). A trench (1026) can be formed by applying a silicon etch using the nitride layer (1006) as an etch mask. The trench (1026) can be subsequently filled with a deposited trench isolation material (1030).

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a structure for monitoring a process step may include an etch stop layer (102) formed on a substrate (104) and a trench emulation layer (106) formed over an etch stop layer (102). Monitor trenches (108) may be formed through a trench emulation layer (106) that terminate at an etch stop layer (102). Monitor trenches (108) may have a depth equal to a trench emulation layer (106) thickness. A trench emulation layer (106) thickness may be subject to less variation than a substrate trench depth. A monitor structure (100) may thus be used to monitor features formed by one or more process steps that may vary according to trench depth. Such process steps may include a shallow trench isolation insulator chemical mechanical polishing step. In addition, or alternatively, a monitor structure (100) may be formed on a non-semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, but include SOI features, providing a less expensive alternative to monitoring some SOI process steps.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed relate to wafer level burn-in of integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer. One embodiment disclosed performs monitored burn-in on sample wafers from a manufactured lot of wafers and determines a burn-in time for the lot from results of the monitored burn-in. The burn-in on remaining wafers from the lot is then performed for the burn-in time that was determined. Another embodiment disclosed performs burn-in on wafers from a manufactured lot of wafers while monitoring in real-time the burn-in for a subset of wafers in the lot. Using fallout data from the real-time monitoring, a determination is made as to whether the burn-in time is sufficient. If the burn-in time is determined to be sufficient, then the burn-in of the lot is stopped.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a test interface for testing integrated circuits includes an array of dice. A removable electrical connection (e.g., an interposer) may be coupled between the array of dice and a wafer containing multiple dice to be tested. The removable electrical connection allows electrical signals to be transmitted between the array of dice and the wafer. The test interface may be used in conjunction with a tester.

Abstract: According to one embodiment (300), a method of forming a self-aligned contact can include forming adjacent conducting structures with sidewalls (302). A first insulating layer may then be formed without first forming a liner (304), such as a liner that is conventionally formed to protect underlying conducting structures and/or a substrate. A contact hole may then be etched between adjacent conducting structures (306). Contact structures may then be formed (308).

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed relate to wafer level burn-in of integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer. One embodiment disclosed performs monitored burn-in on sample wafers from a manufactured lot of wafers and determines a burn-in time for the lot from results of the monitored burn-in. The burn-in on remaining wafers from the lot is then performed for the burn-in time that was determined. Another embodiment disclosed performs burn-in on wafers from a manufactured lot of wafers while monitoring in real-time the burn-in for a subset of wafers in the lot. Using fallout data from the real-time monitoring, a determination is made as to whether the burn-in time is sufficient. If the burn-in time is determined to be sufficient, then the burn-in of the lot is stopped.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor structure includes removing a cover layer. The cover layer is on a first dielectric layer, the dielectric layer is in a trench in a substrate, and a protective layer is on the substrate. Isolation regions formed by this method have a thickness which is independent of non-uniformities resulting form chemical-mechanical polishing.

Abstract: An embodiment of a memory cell includes a series of four substantially oblong parallel active regions, arranged side-by-side such that the inner active regions of the series include source/drain regions for p-channel transistors, and the outer active regions include source/drain regions for n-channel transistors. Another embodiment of the memory cell includes six transistors having gates substantially parallel to one another, where three of the gates are arranged along a first axis and the other three gates are arranged along a second axis parallel to the first axis. In another embodiment, the memory cell may include substantially oblong active regions arranged substantially in parallel with one another, with substantially oblong local interconnects arranged above and substantially perpendicular to the active regions.

Abstract: Architecture, circuitry, and methods are provided for producing a content addressable memory (CAM). The CAM includes one or more CAM cells arranged in an array. Each CAM cell is symmetrical about its x- and y-axis to form rows and columns of the array. Additionally, each CAM cell can use either SRAM or DRAM storage cells implemented in either a binary or ternary arrangement. If the CAM cell is a ternary SRAM design, then the cell size is no more than 4 microns by 1-½ microns, assuming a 0.15 micron critical dimension. Critical dimension is noted as the smallest resolvable size for the particular process being employed. The CAM cell utilizes a selection circuitry that will disable the compare circuit during times when a compare operation is not being performed. This will ensure the compare circuit will not consume power during, for example, a read or write operation.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes filling a trench in a first dielectric layer with a gate material. The first dielectric layer is on a semiconductor substrate, and spacers are in the trench. A semiconductor device formed from this structure includes notched gates.

Abstract: According to one embodiment (100), a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming diffusion regions in a substrate with a gate, first spacer, and second spacer as a diffusion mask (102). A second spacer may then be removed (104) prior to the formation of an interlayer dielectric. An interlayer dielectric may then be formed (106) over a gate structure and first spacer. A contact hole may then be etched through the interlayer dielectric that is self-aligned with the gate (108).