Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an isolation structure on the substrate, a fin protruding from the substrate and through the isolation structure, a gate stack engaging the fin, and a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate stack. The gate spacer includes an inner sidewall facing the gate stack and an outer sidewall opposing the inner sidewall. The inner sidewall has a first height measured from a top surface of the fin and a bowed structure in a top portion of the inner sidewall. The bowed structure extends towards the gate stack for a first lateral distance measured from a middle point of the inner sidewall. The first lateral distance is less than about 8% of the first height.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an isolation structure on the substrate, a fin protruding from the substrate and through the isolation structure, a gate stack engaging the fin, and a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate stack. The gate spacer includes an inner sidewall facing the gate stack and an outer sidewall opposing the inner sidewall. The inner sidewall has a first height measured from a top surface of the fin and a bowed structure in a top portion of the inner sidewall. The bowed structure extends towards the gate stack for a first lateral distance measured from a middle point of the inner sidewall. The first lateral distance is less than about 8% of the first height.

Abstract: A method includes providing a structure having a substrate and a fin protruding from the substrate; forming a dummy gate stack over the fin; forming a gate spacer on sidewalls of the dummy gate stack; removing the dummy gate stack using a radical etch process, resulting in a gate trench; and forming a metal gate stack in the gate trench.

Abstract: A switching regulator having adjustable inductor current threshold employs a control method which includes: (S1) determining whether an output voltage is greater than a reference voltage or determining whether a switching frequency of the power stage is smaller than a predetermined lower frequency limit, and (S2) when it is determined yes in the step (S1), adjusting the inductor current threshold, such that the switching regulator operates under a pseudo discontinuous conduction mode (PDCM) wherein the switching frequency is not smaller than the predetermined lower frequency limit. Consequently, when the switching regulator operates under a light load mode, an optimum balance between a total power consumption and switching noise interference will be ensured.

Abstract: A switching regulator having adjustable inductor current threshold employs a control method which includes: (S1) determining whether an output voltage is greater than a reference voltage or determining whether a switching frequency of the power stage is smaller than a predetermined lower frequency limit, and (S2) when it is determined yes in the step (S1), adjusting the inductor current threshold, such that the switching regulator operates under a pseudo discontinuous conduction mode (PDCM) wherein the switching frequency is not smaller than the predetermined lower frequency limit. Consequently, when the switching regulator operates under a light load mode, an optimum balance between a total power consumption and switching noise interference will be ensured.

Abstract: A vertical-transition structure comprises a microstrip line and a combination of a coaxial connector and a metallic ring underneath the microstrip line. A first through hole is created next to the microstrip line and near one end of its signal line. The metallic ring has a second through hole. The coaxial connector has a center conductor including an extended portion to be inserted into the second through hole via its center, and subsequently through the first through hole to connect to the signal line vertically. Specially, the extended portion is not inserted through the center of the first through hole. The present structure can improve the high-frequency insertion loss of the vertical transition caused by the sudden change of electromagnetic field distributions from a coaxial line to a microstrip line and the resonant response of the coaxial connector, and therefore, increase the 1-dB transmission passband of the vertical transition substantially.

Abstract: In a method for adjusting brightness of a display screen of an electronic device, a current brightness value of the display screen and a current illumination value of ambient lights are acquired, and then are processed by denoising and normalizing. The current brightness value is adjusted to meet user preferences by self-learning according to the current illumination value and a brightness/illumination relationship table which stores a relationship between brightness values of the display screen and illumination values of ambient lights determined according to the user preferences.

Abstract: A method for identifying friction parameters for a linear module is disclosed. Since an acting interval of a friction is determined by a relative velocity between two contacting surfaces, and when the relative velocity is much greater than a Stribeck velocity, there is only a Coulomb friction and a viscous friction exist between the contacting surfaces, it is possible to use a measured torque signal of this interval to identify a Coulomb friction torque, a the linear module's friction torque, and the linear module's equivalent inertia. When the relative velocity between the two contacting surfaces is smaller than the Stribeck velocity, it is possible to identify a maximum static friction torque and the Stribeck velocity by referring to the three known parameters. Thereby, all the friction parameters can be identified within one reciprocating movement of the linear module, making the method highly feasible in practice.

Abstract: A method for detecting a preload residual rate involves: a. installing a temperature sensor on one of two preloaded elements; b. making the two preloaded elements to move with respect to each other, and recording a time-related temperature variation sensed by the temperature sensor, so as to obtain an initial temperature-rising curve; c. making the two preloaded elements to move with respect to each other, and recording a time-related temperature variation sensed by the temperature sensor, so as to obtain a detected temperature-rising curve; and d. comparing the initial and detected temperature-rising curves, so as to obtain the preload residual rate between the two preloaded elements of the step c to the step b. The method detects a preload residual rate applied to an object when the object is operating while being advantageous in terms of cost, service life, response and accuracy.

Abstract: A vertical-transition structure comprises a microstrip line and a combination of a coaxial connector and a metallic ring underneath the microstrip line. A first through hole is created next to the microstrip line and near one end of its signal line. The metallic ring has a second through hole. The coaxial connector has a center conductor including an extended portion to be inserted into the second through hole via its center, and subsequently through the first through hole to connect to the signal line vertically. Specially, the extended portion is not inserted through the center of the first through hole. The present structure can improve the high-frequency insertion loss of the vertical transition caused by the sudden change of electromagnetic field distributions from a coaxial line to a microstrip line and the resonant is response of the coaxial connector, and therefore, increase the 1-dB transmission passband of the vertical transition substantially.

Abstract: In a method for adjusting brightness of a display screen of an electronic device, a current brightness value of the display screen and a current illumination value of ambient lights are acquired, and then are processed by denoising and normalizing. The current brightness value is adjusted to meet user preferences by self-learning according to the current illumination value and a brightness/illumination relationship table which stores a relationship between brightness values of the display screen and illumination values of ambient lights determined according to the user preferences.

Abstract: A method for identifying friction parameters for a linear module is disclosed. Since an acting interval of a friction is determined by a relative velocity between two contacting surfaces, and when the relative velocity is much greater than a Stribeck velocity, there is only a Coulomb friction and a viscous friction exist between the contacting surfaces, it is possible to use a measured torque signal of this interval to identify a Coulomb friction torque, a the linear module's friction torque, and the linear module's equivalent inertia. When the relative velocity between the two contacting surfaces is smaller than the Stribeck velocity, it is possible to identify a maximum static friction torque and the Stribeck velocity by referring to the three known parameters. Thereby, all the friction parameters can be identified within one reciprocating movement of the linear module, making the method highly feasible in practice.

Abstract: A method for detecting a preload residual rate involves: a. installing a temperature sensor on one of two preloaded elements; b. making the two preloaded elements to move with respect to each other, and recording a time-related temperature variation sensed by the temperature sensor, so as to obtain an initial temperature-rising curve; c. making the two preloaded elements to move with respect to each other, and recording a time-related temperature variation sensed by the temperature sensor, so as to obtain a detected temperature-rising curve; and d. comparing the initial and detected temperature-rising curves, so as to obtain the preload residual rate between the two preloaded elements of the step c to the step b. The method detects a preload residual rate applied to an object when the object is operating while being advantageous in terms of cost, service life, response and accuracy.

Abstract: The invention provides DC-DC converters comprising a load sensor, a variable Power MOS, and a Power MOS width controlling and driving device. The Power MOS width controlling and driving device is coupled between the load sensor and the variable Power MOS. The variable Power MOS comprises a plurality of PMOS transistors coupled in parallel and a plurality of NMOS transistors coupled in parallel. After the load sensor detects the load current of the DC-DC converter, the Power MOS width controlling and driving device conducts the PMOS and NMOS transistors according to the sensed load current to control the total size of the conduction paths that couple a transformed DC voltage output terminal to a source of an original DC voltage or ground.

Abstract: A charger including a regulator, a controller and a compensation-adjusting unit for accurately charging to a battery device is provided. The regulator provides a charging current to the battery device. The controller is coupled to the regulator for controlling the charging current. The compensation-adjusting unit is coupled to the regulator and the battery device for receiving a first reference voltage. In a first operation mode, the compensation-adjusting unit outputs the first reference voltage to the regulator. In a second operation mode, the controller instructs the regulator to transiently generate a first charging current and a second charging current. Responsive to the first and the second charging currents, the output voltage of the battery device presents a first output voltage and a second output voltage. The compensation-adjusting unit pre-estimates a parasitic resistance of the battery device by detecting the first and the second output voltage, thus compensating the first reference voltage.

Abstract: The invention provides DC-DC converters comprising a load sensor, a variable Power MOS, and a Power MOS width controlling and driving device. The Power MOS width controlling and driving device is coupled between the load sensor and the variable Power MOS. The variable Power MOS comprises a plurality of PMOS transistors coupled in parallel and a plurality of NMOS transistors coupled in parallel. After the load sensor detects the load current of the DC-DC converter, the Power MOS width controlling and driving device conducts the PMOS and NMOS transistors according to the sensed load current to control the total size of the conduction paths that couple a transformed DC voltage output terminal to a source of an original DC voltage or ground.

Abstract: The invention discloses DC-DC converters comprising an inductance, a pulse width modulator generating a pulse signal according to the voltage level of a transformed voltage output terminal, a load sensor sensing a load current, an adaptive enable signal generator generating a PMOS transistor enable signal and an NMOS transistor enable signal based on the pulse signal and the load current, and a power transistor set comprising at least one PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor. The power transistor set is used in coupling the transformed voltage output terminal to an original DC voltage source or ground via the inductance. The conductance of the PMOS and NMOS transistors are controlled by the PMOS and NMOS transistor enable signals, respectively. The adaptive enable signal generator makes a first dead-time between the PMOS and NMOS transistor enable signals decreasing with increasing load current.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus for supplying an output voltage to a load is provided, which comprises a power output unit, a feedback unit and a control unit. The power output unit adjusts and supplies the output voltage to the load in accordance with at least one driving signal. The feedback unit dynamically detects output condition of the power output unit and outputs the corresponding detection result. The control unit determines a skipping ratio for an internal clock in accordance with the detection result output from the feedback unit, and outputs the internal clock with a part of the pulses being skipped to act as the driving signal.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus for supplying an output voltage to a load is provided, which comprises a power output unit, a feedback unit and a control unit. The power output unit adjusts and supplies the output voltage to the load in accordance with at least one driving signal. The feedback unit dynamically detects output condition of the power output unit and outputs the corresponding detection result. The control unit determines a skipping ratio for an internal clock in accordance with the detection result output from the feedback unit, and outputs the internal clock with a part of the pulses being skipped to act as the driving signal.

Abstract: A delay line, an analog-to-digital converting device and a load-sensing circuit using the same are provided. The delay line comprises a delay-control terminal, a reset terminal, and n delay cells DCELLx (0<x?n). The delay cells DCELL1˜DCELLn are connected in series to each other. Each of the delay cells DCELLx is coupled to the delay-control terminal and the reset terminal for transmitting the first level stage by stage between the delay cells according to a delay time decided by the delay-control terminal in a sensing period. The outputs of all delay cells are reset to the second level when the sensing period is finished. The sensing period is decided by the signal from the reset terminal. Wherein, at least an output terminal ty (0<y?n) of a delay cell DCELLy among the delay cells DCELL1˜DCELLn used as output terminal of the delay line.