Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating an image sensor. The method includes the following operations. A cavity is formed at a first surface of a substrate. A germanium layer is formed in the cavity. A first heavily doped region is formed in the germanium layer by an implantation operation. A second heavily doped region is formed at a position proximal to a top surface of the germanium layer, wherein the second heavily doped region is laterally surrounded by the first heavily doped region from a top view perspective. An interconnect structure is formed over the germanium layer.

Abstract: Structures with doping free connections and methods of fabrication are provided. An exemplary structure includes a substrate; a first region of a first conductivity type formed in the substrate; an overlying layer located over the substrate; a well region of a second conductivity type formed in the overlying layer; a conductive plug laterally adjacent to the well region and extending through the overlying layer to electrically contact with the first region; and a passivation layer located between the conductive plug and the well region.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a substrate having a first semiconductor material. A second semiconductor material is disposed on the first semiconductor material and a passivation layer is disposed on the second semiconductor material. A first doped region and a second doped region extend through the passivation layer and into the second semiconductor material. A silicide is arranged within the passivation layer and along tops of the first doped region and the second doped region.

Abstract: A bonding structure that may be used to form 3D-IC devices is formed using first oblong bonding pads on a first substrate and second oblong bonding pads one a second substrate. The first and second oblong bonding pads are laid crosswise, and the bond is formed. Viewed in a first cross-section, the first bonding pad is wider than the second bonding pad. Viewed in a second cross-section at a right angle to the first, the second bonding pad is wider than the first bonding pad. Making the bonding pads oblong and angling them relative to one another reduces variations in bonding area due to shifts in alignment between the first substrate and the second substrate. The oblong shape in a suitable orientation may also be used to reduce capacitive coupling between one of the bonding pads and nearby wires.

Abstract: Germanium-based sensors are disclosed herein. An exemplary germanium-based sensor includes a germanium photodiode and a junction field effect transistor (JFET) formed from a germanium layer disposed on and/or in a silicon substrate. A doped silicon layer, which can be formed by in-situ doping epitaxially grown silicon, is disposed between the germanium layer and the silicon substrate. In embodiments where the germanium layer is on the silicon substrate, the doped silicon layer is disposed between the germanium layer and an oxide layer. The JFET has a doped polysilicon gate, and in some embodiments, a gate diffusion region is disposed in the germanium layer under the doped polysilicon gate. In some embodiments, a pinned photodiode passivation layer is disposed in the germanium layer. In some embodiments, a pair of doped regions in the germanium layer is configured as an e-lens of the germanium-based sensor.

Abstract: A device structure according to the present disclosure may include a first die having a first substrate and a first interconnect structure, a second die having a second substrate and a second interconnect structure, and a third die having a third interconnect structure and a third substrate. The first interconnect structure is bonded to the second substrate via a first plurality of bonding layers. The second interconnect structure is bonded to the third interconnect structure via a second plurality of bonding layers. The third substrate includes a plurality of photodiodes and a first transistor. The second die includes a second transistor having a source connected to a drain of the first transistor, a third transistor having a gate connected to drain of the first transistor and the source of the second transistor, and a fourth transistor having a drain connected to the source of the third transistor.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor including first chip and a second chip. The first chip includes a first substrate, a plurality of photodetectors disposed in the first substrate, a first interconnect structure disposed on a front side of the first substrate, and a first bond structure disposed on the first interconnect structure. The second chip underlies the first chip. The second chip includes a second substrate, a plurality of semiconductor devices disposed on the second substrate, a second interconnect structure disposed on a front side of the second substrate, and a second bond structure disposed on the second interconnect structure. A first bonding interface is disposed between the second bond structure and the first bond structure. The second interconnect structure is electrically coupled to the first interconnect structure by way of the first and second bond structures.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a substrate having a first semiconductor material. A second semiconductor material is disposed on the first semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material is a group IV semiconductor or a group III-V compound semiconductor. A passivation layer is disposed on the second semiconductor material. The passivation layer includes the first semiconductor material. A first doped region and a second doped region extend through the passivation layer and into the second semiconductor material.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a substrate including a first material, wherein the first material generates electrical signals from radiation within a first range of wavelengths, an image sensor element including a second material, wherein the second material generates electrical signals from radiation within a second range of wavelengths, the second range is different from first range, a transparent layer proximal to a light receiving surface of the image sensor element, wherein the transparent layer is transparent to radiation within the second range of wavelength, and an interconnect structure connected to a signal transmitting surface of the image sensor element.

Abstract: Germanium-based sensors are disclosed herein. An exemplary germanium-based sensor includes a germanium photodiode and a junction field effect transistor (JFET) formed from a germanium layer disposed on and/or in a silicon substrate. A doped silicon layer, which can be formed by in-situ doping epitaxially grown silicon, is disposed between the germanium layer and the silicon substrate. In embodiments where the germanium layer is on the silicon substrate, the doped silicon layer is disposed between the germanium layer and an oxide layer. The JFET has a doped polysilicon gate, and in some embodiments, a gate diffusion region is disposed in the germanium layer under the doped polysilicon gate. In some embodiments, a pinned photodiode passivation layer is disposed in the germanium layer. In some embodiments, a pair of doped regions in the germanium layer is configured as an e-lens of the germanium-based sensor.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor with a passivation layer for dark current reduction. A device layer overlies a substrate. Further, a cap layer overlies the device layer. The cap and device layers and the substrate are semiconductor materials, and the device layer has a smaller bandgap than the cap layer and the substrate. For example, the cap layer and the substrate may be silicon, whereas the device layer may be or comprise germanium. A photodetector is in the device and cap layers, and the passivation layer overlies the cap layer. The passivation layer comprises a high k dielectric material and induces formation of a dipole moment along a top surface of the cap layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell includes a germanium-containing well embedded in a single crystalline silicon substrate and extending to a proximal horizontal surface of the single crystalline silicon substrate, wherein germanium-containing well includes germanium at an atomic percentage greater than 50%. A silicon-containing capping structure is located on a top surface of the germanium-containing well and includes silicon at an atomic percentage greater than 42%. The silicon-containing capping structure prevents oxidation of the germanium-containing well. A photovoltaic junction may be formed within, or across, the trench by implanting dopants of a first conductivity type and dopants of a second conductivity type.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor with a passivation layer for dark current reduction. A device layer overlies a substrate. Further, a cap layer overlies the device layer. The cap and device layers and the substrate are semiconductor materials, and the device layer has a smaller bandgap than the cap layer and the substrate. For example, the cap layer and the substrate may be silicon, whereas the device layer may be or comprise germanium. A photodetector is in the device and cap layers, and the passivation layer overlies the cap layer. The passivation layer comprises a high k dielectric material and induces formation of a dipole moment along a top surface of the cap layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell includes a germanium-containing well embedded in a single crystalline silicon substrate and extending to a proximal horizontal surface of the single crystalline silicon substrate, wherein germanium-containing well includes germanium at an atomic percentage greater than 50%. A silicon-containing capping structure is located on a top surface of the germanium-containing well and includes silicon at an atomic percentage greater than 42%. The silicon-containing capping structure prevents oxidation of the germanium-containing well. A photovoltaic junction may be formed within, or across, the trench by implanting dopants of a first conductivity type and dopants of a second conductivity type.

Abstract: Image sensors and methods of forming the same are provided. An image sensor according to the present disclosure includes a silicon substrate, a germanium region disposed in the silicon substrate, a doped semiconductor isolation layer disposed between the silicon substrate and the germanium region, a heavily p-doped region disposed on the germanium region, a heavily n-doped region disposed on the silicon substrate, a first n-type well disposed immediately below the germanium region, a second n-type well disposed immediately below the heavily n-doped region, and a deep n-type well disposed below and in contact with the first n-type well and the second n-type well.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system of vertebral compression fracture detection. The method of vertebral compression fracture detection includes: recombining a plurality of anatomical images captured in at least a spine segment of a target individual into a 3D image; using a multi-planar reconstruction method to reformat the 3D image to obtain at least one sagittal reformatted image; using a classification model to determine whether the sagittal reformatted image covers the middle section of the vertebral column or not; using a vertebral detection method to detect each vertebral body in the sagittal reformatted image covering the middle section of the vertebral column; using a keypoint localization method to localize a plurality of keypoints of each vertebral body which was detected in the sagittal reformatted image; evaluating the compression fracture grade of each vertebral body in the sagittal reformatted image.

Abstract: The medical image recognition method includes the following steps: transmitting an accession number to a recognition module through a prediction unit; receiving an accession number and a human body image by a recognition model, and importing the human body image into a set of neural network models respectively; wherein each of the neural network models outputs at least one recognition result; the recognition module returns the recognition results to the prediction unit, and then the recognition results are stored in database.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a single-photon avalanche detector (SPAD) device including a silicon substrate including a recess in an upper surface of the silicon substrate. A p-type region is arranged in the silicon substrate below a lower surface of the recess. An n-type avalanche region is arranged in the silicon substrate below the p-type region and meets the p-type region at a p-n junction. A germanium region is disposed within the recess over the p-n junction.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate. First and second gate electrode structures are disposed over the substrate and are spaced laterally from one another. A common source/drain region is disposed in the semiconductor substrate between the first and second gate electrode structures. An insulator layer overlies the first and second gate electrode structures. A source/drain contact extends through the insulator layer between the first and second gate electrode structures to contact the common source/drain region. First and second sidewall spacer structures are disposed along outer sidewalls of the first and second gate electrode structures, respectively, and have first and second outer sidewalls, respectively, adjacent to the source/drain contact.

Abstract: Germanium-based sensors are disclosed herein. An exemplary germanium-based sensor includes a germanium photodiode and a junction field effect transistor (JFET) formed from a germanium layer disposed in a silicon substrate, in some embodiments, or on a silicon substrate, in some embodiments. A doped silicon layer, which can be formed by in-situ doping epitaxially grown silicon, is disposed between the germanium layer and the silicon substrate. In embodiments where the germanium layer is on the silicon substrate, the doped silicon layer is disposed between the germanium layer and an oxide layer. The JFET has a doped polysilicon gate, and in some embodiments, a gate diffusion region is disposed in the germanium layer under the doped polysilicon gate. In some embodiments, a pinned photodiode passivation layer is disposed in the germanium layer. In some embodiments, a pair of doped regions in the germanium layer is configured as an e-lens of the germanium-based sensor.