Abstract: Methods of forming contacts for source/drain regions and a contact plug for a gate stack of a finFET device are disclosed herein. Methods include etching a contact opening through a dielectric layer to expose surfaces of a first source/drain contact and repairing silicon oxide structures along sidewall surfaces of the contact opening and along planar surfaces of the dielectric layer to prevent selective loss defects from occurring during a subsequent selective deposition of conductive fill materials and during subsequent etching of other contact openings. The methods further include performing a selective bottom-up deposition of conductive fill material to form a second source/drain contact. According to some of the methods, once the second source/drain contact has been formed, the contact plug may be formed over the gate stack.

Abstract: A soft-switching power converter includes a main switch, an energy-releasing switch, and an inductive coupled unit. The main switch is a controllable switch. The energy-releasing switch is coupled to the main switch. The inductive coupled unit is coupled to the main switch and the energy-releasing switch. The inductive coupled unit includes a first inductance, a second inductance coupled to the first inductance, and an auxiliary switch unit. The auxiliary switch unit is coupled to the second inductance to form a closed loop. The main switch and the energy-releasing switch are alternately turned on and turned off. The auxiliary switch unit is controlled to start turning on before the main switch is turned on so as to provide at least one current path.

Abstract: An optical system affixed to an electronic apparatus is provided, including a first optical module, a second optical module, and a third optical module. The first optical module is configured to adjust the moving direction of a first light from a first moving direction to a second moving direction, wherein the first moving direction is not parallel to the second moving direction. The second optical module is configured to receive the first light moving in the second moving direction. The first light reaches the third optical module via the first optical module and the second optical module in sequence. The third optical module includes a first photoelectric converter configured to transform the first light into a first image signal.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a photodetector disposed in a semiconductor substrate. A wave guide filter having a substantially planar upper surface is disposed over the photodetector. The wave guide filter includes a light filter disposed in a light filter grid structure. The light filter includes a first material that is translucent and has a first refractive index. The light filter grid structure includes a second material that is translucent and has a second refractive index less than the first refractive index.

Abstract: In some implementations, one or more semiconductor processing tools may form a metal cap on a metal gate. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may form one or more dielectric layers on the metal cap. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may form a recess to the metal cap within the one or more dielectric layers. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may perform a bottom-up deposition of metal material on the metal cap to form a metal plug within the recess and directly on the metal cap.

Abstract: A package structure includes a thermal dissipation structure, a first encapsulant, a die, a through integrated fan-out via (TIV), a second encapsulant, and a redistribution layer (RDL) structure. The thermal dissipation structure includes a substrate and a first conductive pad disposed over the substrate. The first encapsulant laterally encapsulates the thermal dissipation structure. The die is disposed on the thermal dissipation structure. The TIV lands on the first conductive pad of the thermal dissipation structure and is laterally aside the die. The second encapsulant laterally encapsulates the die and the TIV. The RDL structure is disposed on the die and the second encapsulant.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an integrated chip structure. The method may be performed by forming a plurality of interconnect layers within a first interconnect structure disposed over an upper surface of a first semiconductor substrate. An edge trimming process is performed to remove parts of the first interconnect structure and the first semiconductor substrate along a perimeter of the first semiconductor substrate. The edge trimming process results in the first semiconductor substrate having a recessed surface coupled to the upper surface by way of an interior sidewall disposed directly over the first semiconductor substrate. A dielectric capping structure is formed onto a sidewall of the first interconnect structure after performing the edge trimming process.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for manufacturing a semiconductor layer. The method includes: placing a first wafer in a cavity to form a metal film on the first wafer; before forming the metal film, the temperature inside the cavity is a first temperature; transferring the first wafer on which the metal film has been formed out of the cavity; the temperature in the cavity is a second temperature, and the second temperature is greater than the first temperature; introducing an inert gas into the cavity to cool the cavity, such that the temperature in the cavity is equal to the first temperature; after the temperature in the cavity is equal to the first temperature, placing a second wafer in the cavity to form the metal film on the second wafer. The manufacturing method can reduce the defects on the surface of the metal film.

Abstract: A speaker system includes a first driver unit, a second driver unit and a cylinder case. The first driver unit and the second driver unit are disposed face to face with the same axial line. The axial line of the first driver unit and the axial line of the second driver unit forms a coaxial axial line or parallel axial lines. The cylinder case is hollow. The first driver unit and the second driver unit are disposed inside the cylinder case and contacts the inner wall of the cylinder case so that the central axial line of the cylinder case is parallel to the coaxial axial line or the parallel axial lines. A speak device includes a plurality of speaker systems. By the aforementioned configuration, even driver units may be disposed in a common cavity.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for manufacturing a semiconductor layer. The method includes: placing a first wafer in a cavity to form a metal film on the first wafer; before forming the metal film, the temperature inside the cavity is a first temperature; transferring the first wafer on which the metal film has been formed out of the cavity; the temperature in the cavity is a second temperature, and the second temperature is greater than the first temperature; introducing an inert gas into the cavity to cool the cavity, such that the temperature in the cavity is equal to the first temperature; after the temperature in the cavity is equal to the first temperature, placing a second wafer in the cavity to form the metal film on the second wafer. The manufacturing method can reduce the defects on the surface of the metal film.

Abstract: A pre-processing method, a method for forming a metal silicide and a semiconductor processing apparatus are disclosed by the present invention. In the pre-processing method, a plasma etching process is performed on a semiconductor structure including a substrate. A first conductive portion and an isolation spacer covering a side surface of the first conductive portion are formed on a surface of an active area in the substrate. In the plasma etching process, a bias voltage applied to a surface of the semiconductor structure is adjusted by adjusting power outputs of two RF sources and is not lower than 150 V. In the metal silicide formation method, after a semiconductor structure including a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion is pre-processed in the manner as described above, a metal film is deposited thereon and annealed to result in the formation of the metal silicide.

Abstract: A pre-processing method, a method for forming a metal silicide and a semiconductor processing apparatus are disclosed by the present invention. In the pre-processing method, a plasma etching process is performed on a semiconductor structure including a substrate. A first conductive portion and an isolation spacer covering a side surface of the first conductive portion are formed on a surface of an active area in the substrate. In the plasma etching process, a bias voltage applied to a surface of the semiconductor structure is adjusted by adjusting power outputs of two RF sources and is not lower than 150 V. In the metal silicide formation method, after a semiconductor structure including a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion is pre-processed in the manner as described above, a metal film is deposited thereon and annealed to result in the formation of the metal silicide.

Abstract: A method for providing visual effect messages on a receiving end and associated transmitting end configuration is provided. At the transmitting end, visual effect positions and visual effects of messages are determined according to an input message. The visual effect positions and visual effect information are transmitted to the receiving end, and are displayed at the visual effect positions at the receiving end according to the visual information.

Abstract: A tamper-evident container is disclosed. The tamper-evident container includes a containing base, a lid, and a release structure. The containing base has a base edge and the lid has a lid edge. The lid is fixed to the containing base for closing and the base edge encloses the lid edge. The release is disposed at the containing base. The release structure includes a barrier line and two break lines. The break lines are extended from two ends of the barrier line to the base edge. A detachable zone is encompassed by the barrier line, the break lines, and the base edge. The break lines are for detaching the detachable zone from the containing base, so that the lid edge is partially exposed so as to separate the lid from the containing base.

Abstract: A tamper-evident container is disclosed. The tamper-evident container includes a containing base, a lid, and a release structure. The lid is fixed to the containing base for closing. The release structure is disposed at the lid or the containing base. The release structure comprises a break line and at least one hole. The hole is disposed on the break line and the break line is for separating the lid from the containing base.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying a branch structure by emulating natural visual effects of a branch structure, e.g., lightning, is provided. The branch structure comprises branches each formed by segments. Each segment is generated by randomly providing a segment end position according to a segment start position, and randomly determining whether another branch is provided at each segment.

Abstract: An method for manufacturing an imitation leather includes preparing an animal skin powder, blending the animal skin powder and a matrix to form the imitation plastic material and then the imitation plastic material being cooled and granulated to form granules and melting and feeding the granules of the imitation plastic material to a sheet extruding equipment to extrude the flexible sheet imitation leather. The animal skin powder comprises an animal epidermis powder and has a particle size of 0.2 um-0.3 mm. The matrix comprises an elastic material. The animal skin powder and the matrix are blended under a blending temperature between 100-160° C. and the animal skin powder is present in the imitation plastic material in an amount of 30-70 wt %, based on the total weight of the imitation plastic material.

Abstract: A method for providing visual effect messages on a receiving end and associated transmitting end configuration is provided. At the transmitting end, visual effect positions and visual effects of messages are determined according to an input message. The visual effect positions and visual effect information are transmitted to the receiving end, and are displayed at the visual effect positions at the receiving end according to the visual information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying a branch structure by emulating natural visual effects of a branch structure, e.g., lightning, is provided. The branch structure comprises branches each formed by segments. Each segment is generated by randomly providing a segment end position according to a segment start position, and randomly determining whether another branch is provided at each segment.

Abstract: A physiological signal sensing device, a containing device and a method for transporting a protective film are provided. The physiological sensing device includes a sensing module, a transporter, and a driving assembly. The sensing module is used for sensing vital signals. The transporter is used for transporting a protective film. The driving assembly includes a first structural member, a second structural member and a third structural member. One of the second and the third structural members selectively connects to the transporting device depending on the rotation direction of the first structural member for driving the transporter to transport the protective film from a starting site to an ending site.