Abstract: A selective semiconductor deposition process that employs an alternating sequence of a deposition step and an etch step. During each deposition step, a semiconductor material is deposited on single crystalline surfaces at a greater deposition rate than on insulator surfaces. A combination of hydrogen chloride and a germanium-containing gas is employed within each etch step. The germanium-containing gas is employed to enhance the etch rate of hydrogen chloride, thereby enabling an effective etch process at temperatures as low as 380° C. Deposited semiconductor material is removed from above insulator surfaces, while a fraction of the deposited semiconductor material remains on semiconductor surfaces after each etch step, thereby providing a selective deposition of the semiconductor material.

Abstract: A high order silane having a formula of SinH2n+2, in which n is an integer greater than 3, in combination with a germanium precursor gas is employed to deposit an epitaxial semiconductor alloy material including at least silicon and germanium on a single crystalline surface. The germanium precursor gas effectively reduces the gas phase reaction of the high order silane, thereby improving the thickness uniformity of the deposited epitaxial semiconductor alloy material. The combination of the high order silane and the germanium precursor gas provides a high deposition rate in the Frank-van der Merwe growth mode for deposition of a single crystalline semiconductor alloy material.

Abstract: A high order silane having a formula of SinH2n+2, in which n is an integer greater than 3, in combination with a germanium precursor gas is employed to deposit an epitaxial semiconductor alloy material including at least silicon and germanium on a single crystalline surface. The germanium precursor gas effectively reduces the gas phase reaction of the high order silane, thereby improving the thickness uniformity of the deposited epitaxial semiconductor alloy material. The combination of the high order silane and the germanium precursor gas provides a high deposition rate in the Frank-van der Merwe growth mode for deposition of a single crystalline semiconductor alloy material.

Abstract: Cyclic deposit and etch (CDE) selective epitaxial growth employs an etch chemistry employing a combination of hydrogen chloride and a germanium-containing gas to provide selective deposition of a silicon germanium alloy at temperatures lower than 625° C. High strain epitaxial silicon germanium alloys having a germanium concentration greater than 35 atomic percent in a temperature range between 400° C. and 550° C. A high order silane having a formula of SinH2n+2, in which n is an integer greater than 3, in combination with a germanium-containing precursor gas is employed to deposit the silicon germanium alloy with thickness uniformity and at a high deposition rate during each deposition step in this temperature range. Presence of the germanium-containing gas in the etch chemistry enhances the etch rate of the deposited silicon germanium alloy material during the etch step.

Abstract: A method for paying back customers for unused service units remaining after a billing cycle. A payback amount is determined by the product of the number of unused service units remaining and the payback rate amount. The payback amount credited to the customer is the calculated payback rate or a maximum payback amount, wherever is smaller. A total payback amount can be determined based on a combination of payback amounts for various services, including voice services, texting services, email services, and/or data storage services.

Abstract: A method of depositing an epitaxial layer that includes chemically cleaning the deposition surface of a semiconductor substrate and treating the deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate with a hydrogen containing gas at a pre-bake temperature. The hydrogen containing gas treatment may be conducted in an epitaxial deposition chamber. The hydrogen containing gas removes oxygen-containing material from the deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate. The deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate may then be treated with a gas flow comprised of at least one of hydrochloric acid (HCl), germane (GeH4), and dichlorosilane (H2SiCl2) that is introduced to the epitaxial deposition chamber as temperature is decreased from the pre-bake temperature to an epitaxial deposition temperature. At least one source gas may be applied to the deposition surface for epitaxial deposition of a material layer.

Abstract: A method of depositing an epitaxial layer that includes chemically cleaning the deposition surface of a semiconductor substrate and treating the deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate with a hydrogen containing gas at a pre-bake temperature. The hydrogen containing gas treatment may be conducted in an epitaxial deposition chamber. The hydrogen containing gas removes oxygen-containing material from the deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate. The deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate may then be treated with a gas flow comprised of at least one of hydrochloric acid (HCl), germane (GeH4), and dichlorosilane (H2SiCl2) that is introduced to the epitaxial deposition chamber as temperature is decreased from the pre-bake temperature to an epitaxial deposition temperature. At least one source gas may be applied to the deposition surface for epitaxial deposition of a material layer.

Abstract: Cyclic deposit and etch (CDE) selective epitaxial growth employs an etch chemistry employing a combination of hydrogen chloride and a germanium-containing gas to provide selective deposition of a silicon germanium alloy at temperatures lower than 625° C. High strain epitaxial silicon germanium alloys having a germanium concentration greater than 35 atomic percent in a temperature range between 400° C. and 550° C. A high order silane having a formula of SinH2n+2, in which n is an integer greater than 3, in combination with a germanium-containing precursor gas is employed to deposit the silicon germanium alloy with thickness uniformity and at a high deposition rate during each deposition step in this temperature range. Presence of the germanium-containing gas in the etch chemistry enhances the etch rate of the deposited silicon germanium alloy material during the etch step.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for listing available resources in a client-server e-commerce system. The method comprises receiving from a first seller a first listing of at least one resource offered by the first seller and receiving from a second seller a second listing of at least one resource offered by the second seller. For each resource of the first and second listings, the method further comprises receiving an indication of attributes of the resource, receiving an indication of relationships between the attributes, and based on the received indication of attributes and the indication of relationships, dividing the attributes into at least two sets, wherein the dividing of the attributes is characteristic of an organizational structure offering services.

Abstract: A method for paying back customers for unused service units remaining after a billing cycle. A payback amount is determined by the product of the number of unused service units remaining and the payback rate amount. The payback amount credited to the customer is the calculated payback rate or a maximum payback amount, wherever is smaller. A total payback amount can be determined based on a combination of payback amounts for various services, including voice services, texting services, email services, and/or data storage services.

Abstract: Access to a bus is granted to one of a number of requesting communication circuits that each submitted a bus control request during a request period of an arbitration period in response to the entries in a priority table. If a requesting communication circuit has an identity and priority that match the identity and priority of a communication circuit stored in a row of the priority table that corresponds with the arbitration period, access to the bus is granted to the requesting communication circuit.

Abstract: An input memory circuit, which has a plurality of addresses that have an associated plurality of keys, forwarding information, and enable/disable flags, receives a plurality of input cells, extracts key information from each input cell, compares the key information from each input cell with the keys, and outputs forwarding information for an input cell when the key information of the input cell matches a key at an address and the address is enabled.

Abstract: Access to a bus is granted to one of a number of requesting communication circuits that each submitted a bus control request during a request period of an arbitration period in response to the entries in a priority table. If a requesting communication circuit has an identity and priority that match the identity and priority of a communication circuit stored in a row of the priority table that corresponds with the arbitration period, access to the bus is granted to the requesting communication circuit.

Abstract: A scrambling operation is used to space apart the grants that a communication circuit receives during a period of time, such as 512 arbitration periods. An operator can enter the number of arbitration periods that a communication circuit is to receive in blocks of sequential logical address ranges. The logical addresses are then changed to physical addresses that are spaced apart, thereby significantly reducing the buffering required by the communication circuit.

Abstract: Access to a bus is granted to one of a number of requesting communication circuits that each submitted a bus control request during a request period of an arbitration period in response to the entries in a priority table. If a requesting communication circuit has an identity and priority that match the identity and priority of a communication circuit stored in a row of the priority table that corresponds with the arbitration period, access to the bus is granted to the requesting communication circuit.

Abstract: Access to a bus is granted to one of a number of requesting communication circuits that each submitted a bus control request during a request period of an arbitration period in response to grant information which can be stored in a primary and a backup priority table. If a requesting communication circuit has an identity and priority that match the identity and priority of a communication circuit stored in a row of the primary or backup priority table that corresponds with the arbitration period, and the identities stored in the tables match only one requesting communication circuit, access to the bus is granted to the requesting communication circuit.