Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate structure disposed over a channel region, a source/drain epitaxial layer disposed at a source/drain region, a nitrogen containing layer disposed on the source/drain epitaxial layer, a silicide layer disposed on the nitrogen containing layer, and a conductive contact disposed on the silicide layer.

Abstract: A signal processing device comprises: input transducer(s) configured to convert input(s) to an input signal; output transducer(s) configured to convert an output signal to output(s); a signal processing circuit configured to at least subtract a feedback estimation signal from the input signal to produce a feedback compensated signal; and an adaptive feedback estimator.

Abstract: A system and a method related to a key performance indicator (KPI) analysis system with a KPI rules builder and a method to generate configurable diagnostic KPI rules. The diagnostic engine for the KPI analysis system can be set up for easy usage by a user without detailed knowledge of specific sensor parameters in relation to the KPI rules. Instead, the KPI rules builder may provide a high level, abstract, organizational interface for generating KPI rules without specific preset correspondence of sensors to KPI rules.

Abstract: A signal processing device comprises: input transducer(s) configured to convert input(s) to an input signal; output transducer(s) configured to convert an output signal to output(s); a signal processing circuit configured to at least subtract a feedback estimation signal from the input signal to produce a feedback compensated signal; and an adaptive feedback estimator.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor structure are provided. One of the methods includes the following operations. A substrate is received, and the substrate includes a first transistor with a first conductive region and a second transistor with a second conductive region, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have different conductive types. A first laser anneal is performed on the first conductive region to repair lattice damage. An amorphization is performed on the first conductive region and the second conductive region to enhance silicide formation to a desired phase transformation in the subsequent operations. A pre-silicide layer is formed on the substrate after the amorphization. A thermal anneal is performed to the substrate to form a silicide layer from the pre-silicide layer. A second laser anneal is performed on the first conductive region and the second conductive region after the formation of the pre-silicide layer.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor structure are provided. One of the methods includes: receiving a substrate including a first conductive region of a first transistor and a second conductive region of a second transistor, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have different conductive types; performing an amorphization on the first conductive region and the second conductive region; performing an implantation over the first conductive region of the first transistor; forming a contact material layer over the first conductive region and the second conductive region; performing a thermal anneal on the first conductive region and the second conductive region; and performing a laser anneal on the first conductive region and the second conductive region.

Abstract: A method for forming a fin-based transistor includes forming a fin on a substrate; overlaying at least an upper portion of the fin with nitrogen-based radicals, wherein the nitrogen-based radicals are distributed along a sidewall and over a top surface of the upper portion of the fin with respective different concentrations; and forming an oxide layer over the upper portion of the fin using a thermal oxidation process.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, systems and computer programs for optimizing standard operating procedure for a control system. The invention comprises (i) recording a sequence of control system operator actions, (ii) identifying a control system process corresponding to the recorded sequence of control system operator actions, (iii) retrieving a standard operating procedure associated with the identified control system process, (iv) determining a first set of deviations between (a) the recorded sequence of control system operator actions and (b) the standard operating procedure, (v) determining a second set of deviations between (c) a set of KPI values associated with the recorded sequence of control system operator actions and (d) a set of KPI values associated with the standard operating procedure, and (vi) modifying the standard operating procedure to reduce deviation between (e) the recorded sequence of control system operator actions and (f) said standard operating procedure.

Abstract: A method for forming a fin-based transistor includes forming a fin on a substrate; overlaying at least an upper portion of the fin with nitrogen-based radicals, wherein the nitrogen-based radicals are distributed along a sidewall and over a top surface of the upper portion of the fin with respective different concentrations; and forming an oxide layer over the upper portion of the fin using a thermal oxidation process.

Abstract: A system and a method related to a key performance indicator (KPI) analysis system with a KPI rules builder and a method to generate configurable diagnostic KPI rules. The diagnostic engine for the KPI analysis system can be set up for easy usage by a user without detailed knowledge of specific sensor parameters in relation to the KPI rules. Instead, the KPI rules builder may provide a high level, abstract, organizational interface for generating KPI rules without specific preset correspondence of sensors to KPI rules.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, systems and computer programs for optimizing standard operating procedure for a control system. The invention comprises (i) recording a sequence of control system operator actions, (ii) identifying a control system process corresponding to the recorded sequence of control system operator actions, (iii) retrieving a standard operating procedure associated with the identified control system process, (iv) determining a first set of deviations between (a) the recorded sequence of control system operator actions and (b) the standard operating procedure, (v) determining a second set of deviations between (c) a set of KPI values associated with the recorded sequence of control system operator actions and (d) a set of KPI values associated with the standard operating procedure, and (vi) modifying the standard operating procedure to reduce deviation between (e) the recorded sequence of control system operator actions and (f) said standard operating procedure.

Abstract: A method of model identification for a process with unknown initial conditions in an industrial plant, the method comprising collecting a set of manipulated variables and corresponding set of process variables from the process; obtaining a plurality of manipulated variables from the collected set of manipulated variables; for each of the plurality of manipulated variables, obtaining optimal model parameters of a model transfer function and computing a model fitting index for optimized simulated process variables generated by the model transfer function using the optimal model parameters; identifying a best model fitting index among the model fitting indices computed; selecting a manipulated variable associated with the best model fitting index as an initial steady state condition for the model transfer function; and selecting the optimal model parameters corresponding with the best model fitting index as the best model parameters of the model transfer function to tune the controller.

Abstract: A method of qualifying performance of a conventional control valve in a process plant, the valve being controlled by a controller, the method comprising a processor obtaining data samples from a database stored on a server of the process plant, each data sample comprising a process variable, a set-point, and a manipulated variable; the processor computing a non-linearity index from the data samples and determining if the non-linearity index is greater than a threshold value; if the non-linearity index is greater than the threshold value, the processor charting a plot of the process variable against the manipulated variable and determining if the plot has an elliptical or rectangular fit; and if the plot has an elliptical fit, the processor determining if a percentage of the total number of data samples lying within a theoretical ellipse encompassed within the elliptical fit is less than or equal to a preset percentage.

Abstract: A method of model identification for a process with unknown initial conditions in an industrial plant, the method comprising collecting a set of manipulated variables and corresponding set of process variables from the process; obtaining a plurality of manipulated variables from the collected set of manipulated variables; for each of the plurality of manipulated variables, obtaining optimal model parameters of a model transfer function and computing a model fitting index for optimized simulated process variables generated by the model transfer function using the optimal model parameters; identifying a best model fitting index among the model fitting indices computed; selecting a manipulated variable associated with the best model fitting index as an initial steady state condition for the model transfer function; and selecting the optimal model parameters corresponding with the best model fitting index as the best model parameters of the model transfer function to tune the controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring an industrial process comprising a plurality of variables. The apparatus comprises a defining module configured for defining a normal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under a normal condition and for defining an abnormal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under an abnormal condition; a modelling module configured for modelling a normal-condition model from the normal-condition data set and modelling an abnormal-condition model from the abnormal-condition data set; a plotting module configured for plotting a normal-condition plot from the normal-condition model and plotting an abnormal-condition plot from the abnormal-condition model; and an analysis module configured for analysing live data values of the variables for simultaneous display with the normal-condition plot and the abnormal-condition plot.

Abstract: A posture sensing alert apparatus is provided. The posture sensing alert apparatus comprises an attachment element, a detecting element, a processing element and an alert element. The attachment element is adapted to attach on a human body. The detecting element is disposed on the attachment element and is adapted to sense a posture change from the human body. The processing element is disposed on the attachment element and connects to the detecting element. The processing element is adapted to output a signal to the alert element in response to the posture change for a predetermined period so that the alert element is adapted to output an alert accordingly.

Abstract: A metric based performance monitoring a process control system is disclosed in which diagnostics are performed at multiple levels of the plant, results of the diagnostics converted into Key Performance Indicators and compared to predetermined benchmarks such that an integrated and overall determination of the plants' performance may be displayed.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring an industrial process comprising a plurality of variables. The apparatus comprises a defining module configured for defining a normal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under a normal condition and for defining an abnormal-condition data set may comprise data values of the variables when the industrial process is operating under an abnormal condition; a modelling module configured for modelling a normal-condition model from the normal-condition data set and modelling an abnormal-condition model from the abnormal-condition data set; a plotting module configured for plotting a normal-condition plot from the normal-condition model and plotting an abnormal-condition plot from the abnormal-condition model; and an analysis module configured for analysing live data values of the variables for simultaneous display with the normal-condition plot and the abnormal-condition plot.

Abstract: A posture sensing alert apparatus is provided. The posture sensing alert apparatus comprises an attachment element, a detecting element, a processing element and an alert element. The attachment element is adapted to attach on a human body. The detecting element is disposed on the attachment element and is adapted to sense a posture change from the human body. The processing element is disposed on the attachment element and connects to the detecting element. The processing element is adapted to output a signal to the alert element in response to the posture change for a predetermined period so that the alert element is adapted to output an alert accordingly.

Abstract: A method for providing a system for establishing a control valve performance in a process operation. The system includes establishing an expected flow rate for a control valve by measuring a differential pressure between an upstream and downstream position of a control valve of interest and using the formula Q = Cv × ? ? ( x ) × ? ? ? P G , measuring an actual flow rate across the control valve, comparing the actual flow rate with the expected flow rate to determine the difference in value between the actual and expected flow rate, determining if the difference is within an acceptable range of values from the expected flow rate and establishing the performance of the control valve.