Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first gate stack structure over a substrate, a source/drain epitaxial layer, a lightly doped region, and a silicide region. The source/drain epitaxial layer is disposed in the substrate and adjacent to the first gate stack structure. The lightly doped region is located in the substrate to be electrically connected to the source/drain epitaxial layer. The lightly doped region includes a first portion protrudes from a sidewall of the source/drain epitaxial layer. The silicide region is in contact with a top surface and sidewalls of a top portion of the source/drain epitaxial layer and a top surface of the first portion of the lightly doped region. The top portion of the source/drain epitaxial layer is higher than the top surface of the first portion of the lightly doped region.

Abstract: A method includes providing a layered structure on a substrate, the layered structure including a bottom layer formed over the substrate and a photoresist layer formed over the bottom layer, exposing the photoresist layer to a radiation source, developing the photoresist layer, patterning the bottom layer and removing portions of the substrate through openings in the patterned bottom layer. In some embodiments, a middle layer is provided between the bottom layer and the photoresist layer. The material of the bottom layer includes at least one cross-linking agent that has been functionalized to decrease its affinity to other materials in the bottom layer.

Abstract: A method includes forming a multi-layer stack comprising dummy layers and semiconductor layers located alternatingly, and forming a plurality of dummy gate stacks on sidewalls and a top surface of the multi-layer stack. Two of the plurality of dummy gate stacks are immediately neighboring each other, and have a space in between. A first source/drain region and a second source/drain region are formed in the multi-layer stack, with the second source/drain region overlapping the first source/drain region. The method further includes replacing the plurality of dummy gate stacks with a plurality of replacement gate stacks, replacing a first one of the plurality of replacement gate stacks with a first dielectric isolation region, forming a deep contact plug in the space, forming a front-side via over the deep contact plug, and forming a back-side via under the deep contact plug, wherein the front-side via is electrically connected to the back-side via through the deep contact plug.

Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of a dual Bluetooth architecture of a single IC includes: after establishing a first link of a first Bluetooth circuit, performing a first group of steps; and after establishing a second link of a second Bluetooth circuit, performing a second group of steps. The first group of steps includes: determining whether the second link uses a modulation technique; when the second link uses the modulation technique, disabling the first Bluetooth circuit from using it; and when the second link does not use the modulation technique, enabling the first Bluetooth circuit to use it. The second group of steps includes: determining whether the first link uses the modulation technique; when the first link uses the modulation technique, disabling the second Bluetooth circuit from using it; and when the first link does not use the modulation technique, enabling the second Bluetooth circuit to use it.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a bottom semiconductor device, a top semiconductor device over the bottom semiconductor device in a thickness direction of the IC device, and a multilayer structure between the bottom semiconductor device and the top semiconductor device in the thickness direction. The multilayer structure includes a lower dielectric layer over the bottom semiconductor device, an upper dielectric layer over the lower dielectric layer, and an interlayer metal structure between the lower dielectric layer and the upper dielectric layer. The interlayer metal structure is electrically coupled to at least one of the bottom semiconductor device or the top semiconductor device.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, includes forming protective layer over substrate having plurality of protrusions and recesses. The protective layer includes polymer composition including polymer having repeating units of one or more of: Wherein a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, and i are each independently H, —OH, —ROH, —R(OH)2, —NH2, —NHR, —NR2, —SH, —RSH, or —R(SH)2, wherein at least one of a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, and i on each repeating unit is not H. R, R1, and R2 are each independently a C1-C10 alkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, a C1-C10 hydroxyalkyl group, a C2-C10 alkoxy group, a C2-C10 alkoxy alkyl group, a C2-C10 acetyl group, a C3-C10 acetylalkyl group, a C1-C10 carboxyl group, a C2-C10 alkyl carboxyl group, or a C4-C10 cycloalkyl carboxyl group, and n is 2-1000. A resist layer is formed over protective layer, and resist layer is patterned.

Abstract: An imaging lens including a first lens group, a second lens group, and an aperture stop disposed between the first lens group and the second lens group is provided. The first lens group includes at least one and at most three lenses with refractive powers, and the second lens group has a positive refractive power and includes at least two and at most three lenses with a refractive powers. The imaging lens satisfies conditions of 2 mm<LT<20 mm and 0.8<D1/LT<1.4, where D1 is a lens diameter of the lens closest to the object side, and LT is distance along the optical axis between two outermost lens surfaces at opposite ends of the first lens group and the second lens group.

Abstract: A method includes performing a first laser shot on a first portion of a top surface of a first package component. The first package component is over a second package component, and a first solder region between the first package component and the second package component is reflowed by the first laser shot. After the first laser shot, a second laser shot is performed on a second portion of the top surface of the first package component. A second solder region between the first package component and the second package component is reflowed by the second laser shot.

Abstract: A method of performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process includes holding a wafer by a retainer ring attached to a carrier, pressing the wafer against a first surface of a polishing pad, the polishing pad rotating at a first speed, dispensing a slurry on the first surface of the polishing pad, and generating vibrations at the polishing pad.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided, including a first cell. The first cell includes a first pair of active regions, at least one first gate, two first conductive segments, and a first interconnect structure. The first pair of active regions extends in a first direction and stacked on each other. The at least one first gate extends in a second direction different from the first direction, and is arranged across the first pair of active regions, to form at least one first pair of devices that are stacked on each other. The first conductive segments are coupled to the first pair of active regions respectively. The first interconnect structure is coupled to at least one of a first via or one of the two first conductive segments.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first inverter, a first transmission gate, and a second inverter constructed with wide type-one transistors and wide type-two transistors. The integrated circuit also includes a first clocked inverter and a second clocked inverter constructed with narrow type-one transistors and narrow type-two transistors. A master latch is formed with the first inverter and the first clocked inverter. A slave latch is formed with the second inverter and the second clocked inverter. The first transmission gate is coupled between the master latch and the slave latch. The wide type-one transistors are formed in a wide type-one active-region structure and the narrow type-one transistors are formed in a narrow type-one active-region structure. The wide type-two transistors are formed in a wide type-two active-region structure and the narrow type-two transistors are formed in in a narrow type-two active-region structure.

Abstract: An embodiment is a method including forming a first interconnect structure over a first substrate, the first interconnect structure including dielectric layers and metallization patterns therein, the metallization patterns including a top metal layer including top metal structures, forming a passivation layer over the top metal structures of the first interconnect structure, forming a first opening through the passivation layer, forming a probe pad in the first opening and over the passivation layer, the probe pad being electrically connected to the first top metal structure, performing a circuit probe test on the probe pad, removing the probe pad, and forming a bond pad and a bond via in dielectric layers over the passivation layer, the bond pad and bond via being electrically coupled to a second top metal structure of the top metal structures and a third top metal structure of the top metal structures.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first inverter, a first transmission gate, and a second inverter constructed with wide type-one transistors and wide type-two transistors. The integrated circuit also includes a first clocked inverter and a second clocked inverter constructed with narrow type-one transistors and narrow type-two transistors. A master latch is formed with the first inverter and the first clocked inverter. A slave latch is formed with the second inverter and the second clocked inverter. The first transmission gate is coupled between the master latch and the slave latch. The wide type-one transistors are formed in a wide type-one active-region structure and the narrow type-one transistors are formed in a narrow type-one active-region structure. The wide type-two transistors are formed in a wide type-two active-region structure and the narrow type-two transistors are formed in in a narrow type-two active-region structure.

Abstract: Integrated fan-out packages and methods of forming the same are disclosed. An integrated fan-out package includes two dies, an encapsulant, a first metal line and a plurality of dummy vias. The encapsulant is disposed between the two dies. The first metal line is disposed over the two dies and the encapsulant, and electrically connected to the two dies. The plurality of dummy vias is disposed over the encapsulant and aside the first metal line.

Abstract: A method includes bonding a first device die to a second device die through face-to-face bonding, wherein the second device die is in a device wafer, forming a gap-filling region to encircle the first device die, performing a backside-grinding process on the device wafer to reveal a through-via in the second device die, and forming a redistribution structure on the backside of the device wafer. The redistribution structure is electrically connected to the first device die through the through-via in the second device die. A supporting substrate is bonded to the first device die.

Abstract: A device includes a first row of active areas, a second row of active areas, and a first power via. The first row of active areas includes first active areas that extend in a first direction and second active areas that extend in the first direction. Each of the first active areas has a first width in a second direction and each of the second active areas has a second width in the second direction that is smaller than the first width. The second row of active areas is situated above or below the first row of active areas and includes third active areas that extend in the first direction. Each of the third active areas has the second width in the second direction. The first power via extends in a third direction between a transistor level of the device and a backside metal layer of the device and is situated between the first row of active areas and the second row of active areas.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first active region disposed on the substrate, a first gate structure disposed on the first active region, and a second gate structure disposed on the first active region and spaced apart from the first gate structure. The first active region includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the first active region and the second portion of the first active region collectively specify a first stair profile. The first stair profile is located between the first gate structure and the second gate structure from a top view.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first conductive pattern disposed within a first region from a top view perspective and extending along a first direction, a first phase shift circuit disposed within the first region, a first transmission circuit disposed within a second region from the top view perspective, and a first gate conductor extending from the first region to the second region along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first phase shift circuit and the first transmission circuit are electrically connected with the first conductive pattern through the first gate conductor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second conductive layers, a first epitaxial structure and a first via structure. The first conductive layer extends along a first direction, and provides a first reference voltage signal. The second conductive layer extends along the first direction, and is separated from the first conductive layer along a second direction. The first epitaxial structure is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and has a first width along the first direction. The first via structure is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and transmits the first reference voltage signal from the first conductive layer through the second conductive layer to the first epitaxial structure. The first via structure has a second width along the first direction. The second width is approximately equal to or larger than twice of the first width.

Abstract: A method is provided, including following operations: identifying a first contact via, a second contact via, or a combination thereof in a first standard cell, wherein the first contact via is coupled between a first active region and a first conductive line on a first side, and the second contact via is coupled between a second active region and a second conductive line on a second side; calculating a first cell height according to a first width of the first and second active regions, and calculating a second cell height according to a second width of the first and second active regions; calculating multiple first available cell heights based on a ratio between the first and second cell heights; generating layout designs of multiple first cells; and manufacturing at least first one element in the integrated circuit based on the layout designs of the first cells.