Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming an electrically conductive layer containing silicon on a substrate and forming a mask pattern on the electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive layer is selectively etched to define a first sidewall thereon, using the mask pattern as an etching mask. The first sidewall of the electrically conductive layer may be exposed to a nitrogen plasma to thereby form a first silicon nitride layer on the first sidewall. The electrically conductive layer is then selectively etched again to expose a second sidewall thereon that is free of the first silicon nitride layer. The mask pattern may be used again as an etching mask during this second step of selectively etching the electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include an isolation layer, gate electrodes, an insulating interlayer, an impurity region, a capping layer and a plug. The isolation layer may be formed in the substrate. The gate electrodes may be formed on the substrate. The insulating interlayer may be formed on the gate electrodes. The insulating interlayer may have a contact hole between the gate electrodes. The impurity region may be in the substrate exposed through the contact hole. The capping layer may be on the impurity region. The plug may be on the capping layer. Thus, the impurities may not be lost from the impurity region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a refrigerator and a defrost control method thereof that are capable of sensing an amount of frost formed on an evaporator based on a change amount of absolute humidity in the refrigerator to control a defrost operation. A defrost control method of a refrigerator including a storage chamber and an evaporator to cool the storage chamber, includes sensing absolute humidity in the storage chamber, determining an estimated amount of frost formed on the evaporator using time segments in which the absolute humidity in the storage chamber decreases, and controlling a defrost operation based on the estimated amount of frost. According to the present embodiments, it is possible to perform the defrost operation at the point of time for optimum defrost, thereby maximizing energy efficiency and cooling efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed is an air conditioner, in which, when a temperature sensor is rotated, the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is increased or the temperature sensing cycle is elongated in a rotating section where an object does not exist rather than in a rotating section where the object exists. Further, the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is increased or the temperature sensing cycle is elongated if the object is located at a short distance from the air conditioner rather than if the object is located at a normal distance from the air conditioner, and the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is decreased or the temperature sensing cycle is shortened if the object is located at a long distance from the air conditioner rather than if the object is located at a normal distance from the air conditioner.

Abstract: Disclosed are a turbidity sensor, which correctly senses a turbidity of water although the surface of the turbidity sensor is covered with foreign substances, such as scale, and an electric home appliance having the turbidity sensor. The turbidity sensor includes a light emitting part emitting light, a first light receiving part receiving light emitted from the light emitting part and travelling straight, a second light receiving part receiving light emitted from the light emitting part and scattered, and a control unit determining a turbidity of water according to a ratio of the amounts of the light received by the plurality of light receiving parts. The first light receiving part is installed in a direction of directly receiving the light emitted from the light emitting part, and the second light receiving part is installed in another direction of not directly receiving the light emitted from the light emitting part.

Abstract: A device to detect a heat source, which can detect position of a heat source faster and more efficiently using a sensor capable of detecting a heat source, a home appliance having such a detecting device and a method of detecting a heat source are disclosed. The heat source detecting method includes performing a first mode to scan an overall area to be searched, performing a second mode to scan at least one specific region included in the area to be searched, and detecting a heat source in the area to be searched by selectively controlling a sensor the first mode and the second mode. Accordingly, a period of renewing position information of a heat source is shortened, and unnecessary detecting operation is eliminated. As a result, the heat source detecting device can more efficiently detect a heat source, using a sensor having limited performance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method to detect a heart-rate and an air conditioning system having the apparatus. As peak points of vital signs acquired from a user are detected via determination of a period, a reliable heart rate variability is calculated based on the peak points. As the emotional state of the user can be diagnosed based on vital signs of the user, optimal air-conditioning control according to physical characteristics or emotional state of the user can be accomplished by sequentially controlling a variety of air-conditioning control factors according to the priority thereof until the user becomes comfortable.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell block, a first switching block, and a second switching block. A plurality of memory cells are arranged in the memory cell block and each of the memory cells includes a memory transistor having a floating gate and a control gate and is connected to a local bit line and includes a selection transistor connected to the memory transistor in series that is connected to a source line. The first switching block selectively connects a global bit line to the local bit line and the second switching block controls the memory cells in the memory cell block in units of a predetermined number of bits. The first switching block includes at least two switching devices connected in parallel between the global bit line and the local bit line.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device can include forming at least one layer on a first and a second side of a semiconductor substrate. Portions of the at least one layer may be removed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate to form a pattern of the at least one layer on the first side of the substrate while the at least one layer is maintained on the second side of the substrate. A capping layer can be formed on the pattern of the at least one layer on the first side of the substrate and on the at least one layer on the second side of the semiconductor substrate. The capping layer can be removed on the second side of the semiconductor substrate, thereby exposing the at least one layer on the second side of the substrate while maintaining the capping layer on the first side of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a non-volatile memory device and a method of operating the same. The non-volatile memory device includes a first transistor connected to an nth bitline and a second transistor connected to an (n+1)th bitline. The first transistor and the second transistor are serially coupled between the nth bitline and the (n+1)th bitline. The non-volatile memory device may include a 2-transistor 1-bit unit cell where a drain region and a source region of a memory cell have the same or similar structure. Since a cell array of a non-volatile memory device according to the invention may include a 2-transistor 2-bit unit cell, storage capacity of the non-volatile memory device may be doubled.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a first sensing line, a first word line, a depletion channel region, and impurity regions. The first sensing line and the first word line are formed adjacent to each other in parallel on a substrate. The first sensing line and the first word line have a tunnel oxide layer, a first conductive pattern, a dielectric layer pattern and a second conductive pattern sequentially stacked on the substrate. The depletion channel region is formed at an upper portion of the substrate under the first sensing line. The impurity regions are formed at upper portions of the substrate exposed by the first sensing line and the first word line.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a nonvolatile memory device includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having a cell array region and a peripheral circuit region. Cell gate patterns are formed in the cell array region, and peripheral gate patterns are formed in the peripheral circuit region. Each of the cell gate patterns includes a control gate pattern and a capping pattern, and each of the peripheral gate patterns has a smaller thickness than the cell gate pattern. An interlayer dielectric layer is formed on the resultant structure having the cell gate patterns and the peripheral gate patterns. The interlayer dielectric layer is planarized by etching until the top surface of the capping pattern is exposed, so that an interlayer dielectric pattern is formed. The interlayer dielectric pattern covers the peripheral circuit region and fills a space between the cell gate patterns.

Abstract: In a method for driving a display, one frame may be divided into more sub frames than a number of bits of data. A time period of the one frame may be divided into a number of periods corresponding to a number of scan lines multiplied by the number of sub frames. A start position of the sub frames may be set based on a bit weight of the data so that gradations are linearly expressed. Remainders of the sub frames may be obtained by dividing the start position of the sub frames by the number of sub frames. A line number of a scan line to which a scan signal is supplied may be obtained based on the time period of the one frame, the start position of the sub frames, and the number of the sub frames.

Abstract: An electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) device includes an EEPROM cell located on a semiconductor substrate, the EEPROM cell including a memory transistor and a selection transistor. A source region and a drain region are located on the semiconductor substrate adjacent to opposite sides of the EEPROM cell, respectively, and a floating region is positioned between the memory transistor and the selection transistor. The source region includes a first doped region, a second doped region and a third doped region, where the first doped region surrounds a bottom surface and sidewalls of the second doped region, and the second doped surrounds a bottom surface and sidewalls of the third doped region. Also, a second impurity concentration of the second doped region is higher than that of the first doped region and lower than that of the third doped region.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell block, a first switching block, and a second switching block. A plurality of memory cells are arranged in the memory cell block and each of the memory cells includes a memory transistor having a floating gate and a control gate and is connected to a local bit line and includes a selection transistor connected to the memory transistor in series that is connected to a source line. The first switching block selectively connects a global bit line to the local bit line and the second switching block controls the memory cells in the memory cell block in units of a predetermined number of bits. The first switching block includes at least two switching devices connected in parallel between the global bit line and the local bit line.

Abstract: A data driving circuit for driving pixels of a display to display images with uniform brightness may include a gamma voltage unit that generates gray scale voltages, a digital-analog converter that selects, as a data signal, one of the gray scale voltages using first data, a decoder that generates second data using the first data, a latch for storing the first data and the second data, a current sink that receives a predetermined current from the pixel during a first partial period of a complete period for driving the pixel based on the selected gray scale voltage, a voltage controller that controls a voltage value of the data signal using the second data and a compensation voltage generated based on the predetermined current, and a switching unit that supplies the data signal to the pixel during any partial period of the complete period elapsing after the first partial period.

Abstract: A data driver capable of displaying images with a substantially uniform brightness, an organic light emitting display device using the same, and a method of driving the organic light emitting display device. The data driver includes a plurality of current sink units for controlling predetermined currents to flow through data lines, a plurality of voltage generators for resetting values of gray scale voltages using compensation voltages generated when the predetermined currents flow, a plurality of digital-to-analog converters for selecting one gray scale voltage among the gray scale voltages as a data signal in response to bit values of the data supplied from the outside, and a plurality of switching units for supplying the data signal to the data lines. The predetermined currents may be set equal to pixel currents that correspond to a maximum brightness.

Abstract: A data driving circuit capable of displaying images having uniform brightness. The present invention provides a data driving circuit of a display device having: at least one current sinking unit for controlling a predetermined current to flow in a data line; at least one voltage generating unit for resetting voltage values of enhancement voltages using a compensation voltage generated when the predetermined current flows; at least one digital-analog converter for selecting as a data signal one of the enhancement voltages to correspond to a digital value of externally supplied data; at least one boosting unit for boosting a voltage value of the data signal; and at least one switching unit for providing the data line with the boosted data signal.

Abstract: A data driving circuit for driving pixels of a light emitting display to display images with uniform brightness may include a gamma voltage unit that generates a plurality of gray scale voltages, a digital-analog converter that selects, as a data signal, one of the plurality of gray scale voltages using first data, a decoder that generates second data using the first data, a current sink, a voltage controller that controls a voltage value of the data signal using the second data and a compensation voltage generated based on the predetermined current, and a switching unit that supplies the data signal to the pixel during any partial period of the complete period elapsing after the first partial period. The current sink receives a predetermined current from the pixel during a first partial period of a complete period for driving the pixel based on the selected gray scale voltage.

Abstract: An organic light emitting display device capable of displaying an image of uniform brightness. A scan driver drives scan lines and light emitting control lines that are formed parallel to each other. A data driver drives data lines formed at a direction intersecting the scan lines and the light emitting control lines, and pixels are disposed to be coupled with the scan lines, the light emitting control lines, and the data lines. An auxiliary line is formed parallel to the data lines. One side of the auxiliary line is coupled with a reference power supply and another side of the auxiliary line is coupled with a current source. Connectors are disposed at crossing areas of the auxiliary line and the scan lines. A voltage transfer unit is coupled with the connectors and transfers a voltage supplied to the connectors to the data driver.