Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first dummy source/drain, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, and a second dummy source/drain. The first transistor and a second transistor adjacent to the first transistor are at a first elevation. The first dummy source/drain is disposed at the first elevation. The third transistor and a fourth transistor adjacent to the third transistor, are at a second elevation different from the first elevation. The second dummy source/drain is disposed at the second elevation. The second transistor is vertically aligned with the third transistor. The first dummy source/drain is vertically aligned with a source/drain of the fourth transistor. The second dummy source/drain is vertically aligned with a source/drain of the first transistor. The gate structure between the second dummy source/drain and a source/drain of the third transistor is absent. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a package and a cooling cover. The package includes a first die having an active surface and a rear surface opposite to the active surface. The rear surface has a cooling region and a peripheral region enclosing the cooling region. The first die includes micro-trenches located in the cooling region of the rear surface. The cooling cover is stacked on the first die. The cooling cover includes a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port located over the cooling region and communicated with the micro-trenches.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first-voltage power rail and a second-voltage power rail in a first connection layer, and includes a first-voltage underlayer power rail and a second-voltage underlayer power rail below the first connection layer. Each of the first-voltage and second-voltage power rails extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to a first direction. Each of the first-voltage and second-voltage underlayer power rails extends in the first direction. The integrated circuit includes a first via-connector connecting the first-voltage power rail with the first-voltage underlayer power rail, and a second via-connector connecting the second-voltage power rail with the second-voltage underlayer power rail.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a package substrate; semiconductor devices disposed on the package substrate; a package ring disposed on a perimeter of the package substrate surrounding the semiconductor devices; a cover including silicon bonded to the package ring and covering the semiconductor devices; and a thermal interface structure (TIS) thermally connecting the semiconductor devices to the cover.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes one or more active semiconductor components, wherein a front side is defined over the semiconductor substrate and a back side is defined beneath the semiconductor substrate. A front side power rail is formed at the front side of the semiconductor device and is configured to receive a first reference power voltage. First and second back side power rails are formed on the back side of the semiconductor substrate and are configured to receive corresponding second and third reference power voltages. The first, second and third reference power voltages are different from each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first gate structure extending along a first lateral direction. The semiconductor device includes a first interconnect structure, disposed above the first gate structure, that extends along a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction. The first interconnect structure includes a first portion and a second portion electrically isolated from each other by a first dielectric structure. The semiconductor device includes a second interconnect structure, disposed between the first gate structure and the first interconnect structure, that electrically couples the first gate structure to the first portion of the first interconnect structure. The second interconnect structure includes a recessed portion that is substantially aligned with the first gate structure and the dielectric structure along a vertical direction.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes first-type transistors aligned within a first-type active zone, second-type transistors aligned within a second-type active zone, a first power rail and a second power rail extending in a first direction. A first distance between the long edge of the first power rail and the first alignment boundary of the first-type active zone is different from a second distance between the long edge of the second power rail and the first alignment boundary of the second-type active zone. Each of the first distance and the second distance is along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A bond head is provided. The bond head includes a bond base, a chuck member, and an elastic material. The chuck member protrudes from a surface of the bond base, and has a chuck surface formed with vacuum holes for holding a die using differential air pressure. In the direction parallel to the chuck surface, the width of the chuck surface is less than the width of the bond base and is equal to or greater than the width of the die. The elastic material is disposed over the chuck surface. The elastic material is arranged around the periphery of the chuck surface to cover edges and/or corners of the chuck surface.

Abstract: A method for predicting clinical severity of a neurological disorder includes steps of: a) identifying, according to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image of a brain, brain image regions each of which contains a respective portion of diffusion index values of a diffusion index, which results from image processing performed on the MRI image; b) for one of the brain image regions, calculating a characteristic parameter based on the respective portion of the diffusion index values; and c) calculating a severity score that represents the clinical severity of the neurological disorder of the brain based on the characteristic parameter of the one of the brain image regions via a prediction model associated with the neurological disorder.

Abstract: Some implementations described herein include systems and techniques for fabricating a wafer-on-wafer product using a filled lateral gap between beveled regions of wafers included in a stacked-wafer assembly and along a perimeter region of the stacked-wafer assembly. The systems and techniques include a deposition tool having an electrode with a protrusion that enhances an electromagnetic field along the perimeter region of the stacked-wafer assembly during a deposition operation performed by the deposition tool. Relative to an electromagnetic field generated by a deposition tool not including the electrode with the protrusion, the enhanced electromagnetic field improves the deposition operation so that a supporting fill material may be sufficiently deposited.

Abstract: A system including a processor configured to perform generating a plurality of different layout blocks; selecting, among the plurality of layout blocks, layout blocks corresponding to a plurality of blocks in a floorplan of a circuit; combining the selected layout blocks in accordance with the floorplan into a layout of the circuit; and storing the layout of the circuit in a cell library or using the layout of the circuit to generate a layout for an integrated circuit (IC) containing the circuit. Each of the plurality of layout blocks satisfies predetermined design rules and includes at least one of a plurality of different first block options associated with a first layout feature, and at least one of a plurality of different second block options associated with a second layout feature different from the first layout feature.

Abstract: A video encoder with quality estimation is shown. The video encoder has a video compressor, a video reconstructor, a quality estimator, and an encoder top controller. The video compressor receives the source data of a video to generate compressed data. The video reconstructor is coupled to the video compressor for generation of playback-level data that is buffered for inter prediction by the video compressor, wherein the video reconstructor generates intermediate data and, based on the intermediate data, the video reconstructor generates playback-level data. The quality estimator is coupled to the video reconstructor to receive the intermediate data. Quality estimation is performed based on the intermediate data rather than the playback-level data. Based on the quality estimation result, the encoder top controller adjusts at least one video compression factor in real time.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of horizontal conducting lines in a first connection layer, a plurality of gate-conductors below the first connection layer, a plurality of terminal-conductors below the first connection layer, and a via-connector directly connecting one of the horizontal conducting lines with one of the gate-conductors or with one of the terminal-conductors. The integrated circuit also includes a plurality of vertical conducting lines in a second connection layer above the first connection layer, and a plurality of pin-connectors for a circuit cell. A first pin-connector is directly connected between a first horizontal conducting line and a first vertical conducting line atop one of the gate-conductors. A second pin-connector is directly connected between a second horizontal conducting line and a second vertical conducting line atop a vertical boundary of the circuit cell.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus with a local interconnect structure. The apparatus can include a first transistor, a second transistor, a first interconnect structure, a second interconnect structure, and a third interconnect structure. The local interconnect structure can be coupled to gate terminals of the first and second transistors and routed at a same interconnect level as reference metal lines coupled to ground and a power supply voltage. The first interconnect structure can be coupled to a source/drain terminal of the first transistor and routed above the local interconnect structure. The second interconnect structure can be coupled to a source/drain terminal of the second transistor and routed above the local interconnect structure. The third interconnect structure can be routed above the local interconnect structure and at a same interconnect level as the first and second interconnect structures.

Abstract: Provided is a physiological signal monitoring apparatus, including: a waterproof housing, a base, an electrocardiogram signal processing unit, an upper patch layer, a lower patch layer, and at least two electrodes, wherein the electrocardiogram signal processing unit is accommodated between the waterproof housing and the base; and the electrodes are located between the upper patch layer and the lower patch layer, and are electrically coupled to the electrocardiogram signal processing unit, so as to sense electrocardiogram signals for the electrocardiogram signal processing unit to process.

Abstract: A battery secondary protection circuit and a mode switching method thereof are disclosed. The battery secondary protection circuit is coupled in series with a battery primary protection circuit and has a power pin and a sensing pin. The switching method includes steps of: (S1) determining whether a voltage difference between the power pin and the sensing pin is greater than a default value; and (S2) selectively switching the battery secondary protection circuit to a first mode or a second mode according to a determination result of the step (S1). The battery secondary protection circuit delays a first delay time and a second delay time in the first mode and the second mode respectively and then performs a circuit protection operation. The first delay time is longer than the second delay time.

Abstract: A stream decompression circuit is disclosed. The stream decompression circuit includes a coding length first-in-first-out (FIFO) and a calculation circuit. The coding length FIFO is coupled to a variable length coding (VLC) circuit and used to store a coding length that the VLC circuit codes sub-streams and output a specific number of bits when the coding length accumulates over the specific number of bits. The calculation circuit is coupled between the coding length FIFO and a multiplexer circuit and used to calculate a number of bits required for decompression and output an output multiplex control signal to the multiplexer circuit to control the multiplexer circuit to output the sub-streams according to a specific order.

Abstract: A battery secondary protection circuit includes a first pin, a second pin, a first sensing circuit, a first current source, a first enabling circuit and a first protection circuit. The first pin and the second pin are coupled to two terminals of a first battery. The first sensing circuit, coupled between the first pin and second pin, provides a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal. The first current source, coupled between the first pin and second pin, provides a first current. The first enabling circuit, coupled to the first sensing circuit and first current source, generates a first enabling signal according to the first sensing signal. The first protection circuit is coupled to the first sensing circuit. When the first enabling signal enables the first current source, the first protection circuit generates a first protection signal according to a second sensing signal changed with the first current.

Abstract: A battery secondary protection circuit and a mode switching method thereof are disclosed. The battery secondary protection circuit is coupled in series with a battery primary protection circuit and has a power pin and a sensing pin. The switching method includes steps of: (S1) determining whether a voltage difference between the power pin and the sensing pin is greater than a default value; and (S2) selectively switching the battery secondary protection circuit to a first mode or a second mode according to a determination result of the step (S1). The battery secondary protection circuit delays a first delay time and a second delay time in the first mode and the second mode respectively and then performs a circuit protection operation. The first delay time is longer than the second delay time.

Abstract: A test sheet for occult blood includes a permeable substrate layer, a test layer, and an outer layer. The permeable substrate layer and the test layer are jointed side by side or stacked from top to bottom on the outer layer. The permeable substrate layer is configured to carry biologic sample, and the test layer includes test agent. The outer layer protects the user from the biologic sample. At least one fold line is formed on the front surface of the connection of the permeable substrate layer and the test layer, or alternatively, on the front surface of the permeable substrate layer. When the test sheet is folded along the fold line, the biologic sample permeates the permeable substrate layer and reacts with the test agent. If the reaction causes color change, the biologic sample is determined to contain occult blood.