Abstract: A portion of a buffer layer on a backside of a substrate of a photomask assembly may be removed prior to formation of one or more capping layers on the backside of the substrate. The one or more capping layers may be formed directly on the backside of the substrate where the buffer layer is removed from the substrate, and a hard mask layer may be formed directly on the one or more capping layers. The one or more capping layers may include a low-stress material to promote adhesion between the one or more capping layers and the substrate, and to reduce and/or minimize peeling and delamination of the capping layer(s) from the substrate. This may reduce the likelihood of damage to the pellicle layer and/or other components of the photomask assembly and/or may increase the yield of an exposure process in which the photomask assembly is used.

Abstract: A photomask assembly may be formed such that stress relief trenches are formed in a pellicle frame of the photomask assembly. The stress relief trenches may reduce or prevent damage to a pellicle that may otherwise result from deformation of the pellicle. The stress relief trenches may be formed in areas of the pellicle frame to allow the pellicle frame to deform with the pellicle, thereby reducing the amount damage to the pellicle caused by the pellicle frame.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a lower electrode over a substrate, a first capacitor dielectric layer over the lower electrode, an intermediate electrode over the first capacitor dielectric layer, and a second capacitor dielectric layer is over the intermediate electrode. An upper electrode is over the second capacitor dielectric layer. The upper electrode is completely confined over the intermediate electrode. A first protection layer is completely confined over the intermediate electrode. The first protection layer covers opposing sidewalls of the upper electrode and upper surfaces of the intermediate electrode and the upper electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to fabricate a multifunctional collimator structure In one embodiment, an optical collimator, includes: a dielectric layer; a substrate; and a plurality of via holes, wherein the dielectric layer is formed over the substrate, wherein the plurality of via holes are configured as an array along a lateral direction of a first surface of the dielectric layer, wherein each of the plurality of via holes extends through the dielectric layer and the substrate from the first surface of the dielectric layer to a second surface of the substrate in a vertical direction, wherein the substrate has a bulk impurity doping concentration equal to or greater than 1×1019 per cubic centimeter (cm?3) and a first thickness, and wherein the bulk impurity doping concentration and the first thickness of the substrate are configured so as to allow the optical collimator to filter light in a range of wavelengths.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cost-effective method to fabricate a multifunctional collimator structure for contact image sensors to filter ambient infrared light to reduce noises. In one embodiment, an optical collimator, includes: a dielectric layer; a substrate; a plurality of via holes; and a conductive layer, wherein the dielectric layer is formed over the substrate, wherein the plurality of via holes are configured as an array along a lateral direction of a first surface of the dielectric layer, wherein each of the plurality of via holes extends through the dielectric layer and the substrate from the first surface of the dielectric layer to a second surface of the substrate in a vertical direction, and wherein the conductive layer is formed over at least one of the following: the first surface of the first dielectric layer and a portion of sidewalls of each of the plurality of via holes, and wherein the conductive layer is configured so as to allow the optical collimator to filter light in a range of wavelengths.

Abstract: Optical sensors and their making methods are described herein. In some embodiments, a described sensing apparatus includes: an image sensor; a collimator above the image sensor, wherein the collimator includes an array of apertures; and an optical filtering layer above the collimator, wherein the optical filtering layer is configured to filter a portion of light to be transmitted into the array of apertures.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device structure. The semiconductor device structure has a first conductive layer disposed over a substrate and a first capacitor dielectric layer comprising a first dielectric material disposed over the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is over the first capacitor dielectric layer, a second capacitor dielectric layer comprising a second dielectric material is disposed over the second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer is over the second capacitor dielectric layer. A first barrier layer is disposed between an upper surface of the first conductive layer and a lower surface of the first capacitor dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure and the formation method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a first capacitor and a second capacitor over the semiconductor substrate. The first capacitor has a first capacitor dielectric layer, and the second capacitor has a second capacitor dielectric layer. The first capacitor dielectric layer is between the second capacitor dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate. The first capacitor and the second capacitor are electrically connected in parallel. The first capacitor has a first linear temperature coefficient and a first quadratic voltage coefficient. The second capacitor has a second linear temperature coefficient and a second quadratic voltage coefficient. One or both of a first ratio of the first linear temperature coefficient to the second linear temperature coefficient and a second ratio of the first quadratic voltage coefficient to the second quadratic voltage coefficient is negative.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure and the formation method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a first capacitor and a second capacitor over the semiconductor substrate. The first capacitor has a first capacitor dielectric layer, and the second capacitor has a second capacitor dielectric layer. The first capacitor dielectric layer is between the second capacitor dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate. The first capacitor and the second capacitor are electrically connected in parallel. The first capacitor has a first linear temperature coefficient and a first quadratic voltage coefficient. The second capacitor has a second linear temperature coefficient and a second quadratic voltage coefficient. One or both of a first ratio of the first linear temperature coefficient to the second linear temperature coefficient and a second ratio of the first quadratic voltage coefficient to the second quadratic voltage coefficient is negative.