Abstract: An embodiment method includes forming a first plurality of bond pads on a device substrate, depositing a spacer layer over and extending along sidewalls of the first plurality of bond pads, and etching the spacer layer to remove lateral portions of the spacer layer and form spacers on sidewalls of the first plurality of bond pads. The method further includes bonding a cap substrate including a second plurality of bond pads to the device substrate by bonding the first plurality of bond pads to the second plurality of bond pads.

Abstract: Wafer bowing induced by deep trench capacitors is ameliorated by structures formed on the reverse side of the wafer. The structures on the reverse side include tensile films. The films can be formed within trenches on the back side of the wafer, which enhances their effect. In some embodiments, the wafers are used to form 3D-IC devices. In some embodiments, the 3D-IC device includes a high voltage or high power circuit.

Abstract: A device includes insulation regions over portions of a semiconductor substrate, and a III-V compound semiconductor region over top surfaces of the insulation regions, wherein the III-V compound semiconductor region overlaps a region between opposite sidewalls of the insulation regions. The III-V compound semiconductor region includes a first and a second III-V compound semiconductor layer formed of a first III-V compound semiconductor material having a first band gap, and a third III-V compound semiconductor layer formed of a second III-V compound semiconductor material between the first and the second III-V compound semiconductor layers. The second III-V compound semiconductor material has a second band gap lower than the first band gap. A gate dielectric is formed on a sidewall and a top surface of the III-V compound semiconductor region. A gate electrode is formed over the gate dielectric.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes depositing a first III-V layer over a substrate. The method includes depositing a first III-V compound layer over the first III-V layer. Depositing the first III-V compound layer includes depositing a lower III-V compound layer. Depositing the first III-V compound layer includes depositing an upper III-V compound layer over the lower III-V compound layer, wherein the first III-V layer has a doping concentration greater than that of the upper III-V compound layer. The method includes repeating depositing III-V compound layers until a number of III-V compound layers is equal to a predetermined number of III-V compound layers. The method includes forming a second III-V compound layer an upper most III-V compound layer, wherein the second III-V compound layer is undoped or doped. The method includes forming an active layer over the second III-V compound layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a packaging method, including: providing a first semiconductor substrate; forming a bonding region on the first semiconductor substrate, wherein the bonding region of the first semiconductor substrate includes a first bonding metal layer and a second bonding metal layer; providing a second semiconductor substrate having a bonding region, wherein the bonding region of the second semiconductor substrate includes a third bonding layer; and bonding the first semiconductor substrate to the second semiconductor substrate by bringing the bonding region of the first semiconductor substrate in contact with the bonding region of the second semiconductor substrate; wherein the first and third bonding metal layers include copper (Cu), and the second bonding metal layer includes Tin (Sn). An associated packaging structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a substrate, a first III-V layer over the substrate, having a first band gap, and a second III-V layer over the first III-V layer, having a second band gap. The second III-V layer includes a first surface in contact with the first III-V layer and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second band gap at the second surface is greater than the second band gap at the first surface. The present disclosure also provides a manufacturing method of the aforesaid semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A quantum nano-tip (QNT) thin film, such as a silicon nano-tip (SiNT) thin film, for flash memory cells is provided to increase erase speed. The QNT thin film includes a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer arranged over the first dielectric layer. Further, the QNT thin film includes QNTs arranged over the first dielectric layer and extending into the second dielectric layer. A ratio of height to width of the QNTs is greater than 50 percent. A QNT based flash memory cell and a method for manufacture a SiNT based flash memory cell are also provided.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure of a control gate is provided, including depositing a first dielectric layer overlying a substrate, forming a surface modification layer from the first dielectric layer; and forming semiconductor dots on the surface modification layer. The surface modification layer has a bonding energy to the semiconductor dots less than the bonding energy between the first dielectric layer and the semiconductor dots. Therefore the semiconductor dots have higher density to form on the surface modification layer than that to directly form on the first dielectric layer. And a semiconductor device is also provided to tighten threshold voltage (Vt) and increase programming efficiency.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate; and a graded III-V layer over the substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes a p-doped gallium nitride (GaN) layer over the graded III-V layer. The semiconductor structure further includes one or more sets of GaN layers over the p-doped GaN layer. Each set of the one or more sets of GaN layers includes a lower GaN layer, wherein the lower GaN layer is undoped, unintentionally doped having N-type doping, or N-type doped. Each set of the one or more sets of GaN layers includes an upper GaN layer on the lower GaN layer, wherein the upper GaN layer is P-type doped. The semiconductor structure includes a second GaN layer over the one or more sets of GaN layers, the second GaN layer being either undoped or unintentionally doped having the N-type doping. The semiconductor structure includes an active layer over the second GaN layer.

Abstract: Wafer bowing induced by deep trench capacitors is ameliorated by structures formed on the reverse side of the wafer. The structures on the reverse side include tensile films. The films can be formed within trenches on the back side of the wafer, which enhances their effect. In some embodiments, the wafers are used to form 3D-IC devices. In some embodiments, the 3D-IC device includes a high voltage or high power circuit.

Abstract: A quantum nano-tip (QNT) thin film, such as a silicon nano-tip (SiNT) thin film, for flash memory cells is provided to increase erase speed. The QNT thin film includes a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer arranged over the first dielectric layer. Further, the QNT thin film includes QNTs arranged over the first dielectric layer and extending into the second dielectric layer. A ratio of height to width of the QNTs is greater than 50 percent. A QNT based flash memory cell and a method for manufacture a SiNT based flash memory cell are also provided.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and a method of holding a device. The apparatus includes a wafer chuck having first and second holes that extend therethrough, and a pressure control structure that can independently and selectively vary a fluid pressure in each of the first and second holes between pressures above and below an ambient pressure. The method includes providing a wafer chuck having first and second holes that extend therethrough, and independently and selectively varying a fluid pressure in each of the first and second holes between pressures above and below an ambient pressure.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a structure and method of forming a GaN film on a Si substrate that includes an additional or second high temperature (HT) AlN seed layer, introduced for reducing the tensile stress of GaN on a Si substrate. The second HT AlN seed layer is disposed over a first HT AlN seed layer, and has a low V/III ratio compared to the first HT AlN seed layer. The second HT AlN seed layer has better lattice matching between Si and GaN and this reduces the tensile stress on GaN. The additional HT AlN seed layer further acts as a capping layer and helps annihilate or terminate threading dislocations (TDs) originating from a LT AlN seed layer. The second HT AlN seed layer also helps prevent Si diffusion from the substrate to the GaN film.

Abstract: A High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) includes a first III-V compound layer having a first band gap, and a second III-V compound layer having a second band gap over the first III-V compound layer. The second band gap is smaller than the first band gap. The HEMT further includes a third III-V compound layer having a third band gap over the second III-V compound layer, wherein the third band gap is greater than the first band gap. A gate electrode is formed over the third III-V compound layer. A source region and a drain region are over the third III-V compound layer and on opposite sides of the gate electrode.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for forming flash memory. In this method, a first tunnel oxide is formed over a semiconductor substrate. A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is then formed on the first tunnel oxide. The SAM includes spherical or spherical-like crystalline silicon dots having respective diameters which are less than approximately 30 nm. A second tunnel oxide is then formed over the SAM.

Abstract: An embodiment semiconductor wafer includes a bottom semiconductor layer having a first doping concentration, a middle semiconductor layer over the bottom semiconductor layer, and a top semiconductor layer over the middle semiconductor layer. The middle semiconductor layer has a second doping concentration greater than the first doping concentration, and the top semiconductor layer has a third doping concentration less than the second doping concentration. A lateral surface of the bottom semiconductor layer is an external surface of the semiconductor wafer, and sidewalls of the bottom semiconductor layer, the middle semiconductor layer, and top semiconductor layer are substantially aligned.

Abstract: An embodiment semiconductor wafer includes a bottom semiconductor layer having a first doping concentration, a middle semiconductor layer over the bottom semiconductor layer, and a top semiconductor layer over the middle semiconductor layer. The middle semiconductor layer has a second doping concentration greater than the first doping concentration, and the top semiconductor layer has a third doping concentration less than the second doping concentration. A lateral surface of the bottom semiconductor layer is an external surface of the semiconductor wafer, and sidewalls of the bottom semiconductor layer, the middle semiconductor layer, and top semiconductor layer are substantially aligned.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a barrier structure over a substrate. The method further includes forming a channel layer over the barrier structure. The method further includes depositing an active layer over the channel layer. The method further includes forming source/drain electrodes over the channel layer. The method further includes annealing the source/drain electrodes to form ohmic contacts in the active layer under the source/drain electrodes.

Abstract: A High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) includes a first III-V compound layer having a first band gap, and a second III-V compound layer having a second band gap over the first III-V compound layer. The second band gap is smaller than the first band gap. The HEMT further includes a third III-V compound layer having a third band gap over the second III-V compound layer, wherein the third band gap is greater than the first band gap. A gate electrode is formed over the third III-V compound layer. A source region and a drain region are over the third III-V compound layer and on opposite sides of the gate electrode.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transistor device having a donor bi-layer configured to provide low-resistance to source and drain contacts while maintaining a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas within a channel layer, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the transistor device has a channel layer disposed over a substrate and a donor bi-layer disposed over the channel layer. The donor bi-layer includes a mobility-enhancing layer of AlzGa(1-z)N disposed over the channel layer and having a first molar fraction z in a first range, and a resistance-reducing layer of AlxGa(1-x)N disposed on and in contact with the mobility-enhancing layer of AlzGa(1-z)N and having a second molar fraction x in a second range less than the first range. Source and drain contacts are over the resistance-reducing layer of AlxGa(1-x)N. The donor bi-layer has a conduction band energy that monotonically decreases from top to bottom surfaces of the donor bi-layer.