Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising an insulating layer that includes a seed layer formed on a substrate. The seed layer is formed by removing hydrogen from the substrate, depositing a seed layer precursor and exposing the precursor to excited atoms to form a seed layer on the substrate. In addition to serving as a template for the growth of a high K dielectric layer, the seed layer retards the undesirable oxidation of the silicon surface thereby improving the performance of active devices that include the insulating layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising, providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a substantially-hydroxylated SiOxHy layer on the semiconductor substrate in a presence of oxygen and hydrogen, and forming a metallic oxide, high-K dielectric layer on the substantially-hydroxylated SiOxHy layer. The substantially-hydroxylated SiOxHy layer has a surface concentration of hydroxyl (OH) species equal to or greater than about 3×1014 hydroxyl per cm2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a III-V semiconductor substrate, and an insulating layer deposited on the substrate by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). The use of ALD to deposit the insulating layer was found to facilitate the creation of active devices that avoid Fermi layer pinning. In addition, such insulating layer may be advantageously used as a passivation layer in III-V substrate based active devices and transistors.

Abstract: A lithium niobate-based electro-optic device is formed to include a parylene conformal coating layer, as a sealant against moisture. The use of parylene (preferably, parylene-C) has been found to form an acceptable moisture vapor barrier without the need for additional hermetic packaging of the electro-optic device.

Abstract: An active voltage limiting and failure detection system for an energy storage cell of a multiple energy storage cell pack includes a first electrical circuit and a second electrical circuit connected to the energy storage cell. The first electrical circuit is powered by the energy storage cell and includes means for drawing a significant amount of power from the energy storage cell when a cell voltage Vcell reaches a maximum voltage Vmax to reduce the cell voltage Vcell, means for stopping the drawing of the significant amount of power to reduce the cell voltage Vcell when the cell voltage Vcell reaches a minimum voltage Vmin, and means for drawing no power when the cell voltage Vcell reaches a shutdown voltage Vshutdown. The second electrical circuit includes means for indicating a cell active condition when the cell voltage Vcell is above a threshhold active voltage Vactive, and means for indicating a cell inactive condition when the cell voltage Vcell drops below the threshhold active voltage Vactive.

Abstract: A lithium niobate-based electro-optic device is formed to include a parylene conformal coating layer, as a sealant against moisture. The use of parylene (preferably, parylene-C) has been found to form an acceptable moisture vapor barrier without the need for additional hermetic packaging of the electro-optic device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having composite dielectric layer formed between a silicon substrate and a gate electrode. The composite gate dielectric layer including a layer of silicon oxide, SiOx≦2, having a dielectric constant of greater than about 3.9 and about 12 or less, and a complementary dielectric layer for inhibiting the flow of leakage current through the composite dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a gate dielectric layer. The method includes the step of ion implanting at least one of Zr, Hf, La, Y, Al, Ti and Ta into the gate dielectric layer at low implant energy level to increase the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer. Subsequently, the implanted gate dielectric layer is annealed.

Abstract: A process for forming a metal oxide or a metal silicate gate dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. A suitably prepared substrate is placed in a chamber. An organic precursor gas is flowed into the chamber. An inorganic precursor gas is then flowed into the chamber. The organic precursor gas catalyzes a reaction between itself, the inorganic precursor and the substrate to form a dielectric layer on the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having composite dielectric layer formed between a silicon substrate and a gate electrode. The composite gate dielectric layer including a layer of silicon oxide, SiOX≦2, having a dielectric constant of greater than about 3.9 and about 12 or less, and a complementary dielectric layer for inhibiting the flow of leakage current through the composite dielectric layer.

Abstract: A dry pipe valve accelerator is operative for quickening the operation of a dry pipe valve in a dry sprinkler system in order to hasten the delivery of water throughout the system in response to the operation of one or more sprinkler heads of the system. The accelerator is automatically actuated in response to a slight but significant rate of decay in system gas pressure, such as is caused by the operation of a sprinkler head of the system; and when the accelerator is actuated, an exhaust valve element thereof is moved from a closed position to an open position wherein the accelerator provides an interconnection between the pressurized portion of the system and the intermediate chamber of the dry pipe valve to effect the opening of the latter.