Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a plurality of chip areas and a scribe line defined thereon, and a mark pattern disposed in the scribe line. The mark pattern includes a plurality of unit cells immediately adjacent to each other, and each unit cell includes a first active region, a second active region isolated from the first active region, a plurality of first gate structures extending along a first direction and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a plurality of first conductive structures. The first gate structures straddle the first active region and the second active region. The first conductive structures are disposed on the first active region, the second active region, and two opposite sides of the first gate structures.

Abstract: An optical image capturing system is provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical image capturing system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens. At least one lens among the first lens to the fifth lens has positive refractive power. The sixth lens may have negative refractive power and an object side and an image side thereof are aspherical wherein at least one surface of the sixth lens has an inflection point. The optical image capturing system has six lenses with refractive power. When meeting some certain conditions, the optical image capturing system may have outstanding light-gathering ability and an adjustment ability about the optical path in order to elevate the image quality.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for protecting a device are provided. A first device to be protected includes a gate dielectric of a first thickness. A second device includes a gate dielectric of a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. A gate is shared by the first device and the second device.

Abstract: A four-piece optical lens for capturing image and a four-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with refractive power; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; and a fourth lens with positive refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the four lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.

Abstract: An optical image capturing system is provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical image capturing system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens and a fourth lens. The first lens has a refractive power and the object side thereof may be convex. The second lens and the third lens have refractive power. The object side and the image side of the foregoing lenses may be aspheric. The fourth lens may have positive refractive power. The object side and the image side thereof are aspheric. At least one of surfaces of the fourth lens may have one inflection point. The four lenses have refractive power. When meeting some certain conditions, the optical image capturing system may have outstanding light-gathering ability and an adjustment ability about the optical path in order to elevate the image quality.

Abstract: An optical image capturing system is provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical image capturing system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens and a fourth lens. The first lens has a refractive power and the object side thereof may be convex. The second lens and the third lens have refractive power. The object side and the image side thereof may be aspheric. The fourth lens may have positive refractive power. The object side and the image side thereof are aspheric. At least one of sides of the fourth lens may have one inflection point. The four lenses have refractive power. When meeting some certain conditions, the optical image capturing system may have outstanding light-gathering ability and an adjustment ability about the optical path in order to elevate the image quality.

Abstract: A pixel array substrate including a substrate, an active device, a planarization layer, a first conductive layer, a first insulation layer and a second conductive layer is provided. The active device is disposed on the substrate. The planarization layer covers the active device and has a first opening. The first conductive layer is disposed on the planarization layer and is electrically connected with a first end of the active device. The first insulation layer is disposed on the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer is disposed on the first insulation layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer cover a side surface of the first opening of the planarization layer.

Abstract: A counter, a counting method and an apparatus for image sensing are introduced in the present disclosure. The counter includes a plurality of dual phase clock generators and a plurality of column counters. Each of the plurality of dual phase clock generator receives a common clock signal and generates dual phase clock signals which comprise a first clock signal and a second clock signal according to the common clock signal. Each of the plurality of column counters is coupled to one of the plurality of dual phase clock generators to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and is configured to output a counting value according to the first clock signal and the second clock signal. Each of the plurality of dual phase clock generators provides the first clock signal and the second clock signal to a group of the plurality of column counters.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for protecting a device are provided. A first device to be protected includes a gate dielectric of a first thickness. A second device includes a gate dielectric of a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. A gate is shared by the first device and the second device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a source/drain diffusion area, and a first doped region. The source/drain diffusion area is defined between a first isolation structure and a second isolation structure. The source/drain diffusion area includes a source region, a drain region, and a device channel. The device channel is between the source region and the drain region. The first doped region is disposed along a first junction between the device channel and the first isolation structure in a direction from the source region to the drain region. The first doped region is separated from at least one of the source region and the drain region, and has a dopant concentration higher than that of the device channel. The semiconductor device of the present disclosure has low random telegraph signal noise and fewer defects.

Abstract: An active device substrate and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The active device substrate includes a substrate, first and second scan lines, a data line, first and second active devices and first and second pixel electrodes. The first active device includes a first semiconductor channel layer, a first gate, a first source and a first drain. The first gate is electrically connected to the first scan line. The first pixel electrode is electrically connected to the first drain. The second active device includes a second semiconductor channel layer, a second gate and a second drain. The first semiconductor channel layer is connected to a source region of the second semiconductor channel layer. The first semiconductor channel layer and the second semiconductor channel layer belong to same layer. The second gate is electrically connected to the second scan line. The second pixel electrode is electrically connected to the second drain.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a device. The device includes a substrate comprising a silicon layer disposed over an insulating layer. The substrate includes a transistor device region and a radio-frequency (RF) region. An interconnect structure is disposed over the substrate and includes a plurality of metal layers disposed within a dielectric structure. A handle substrate is disposed over an upper surface of the interconnect structure. A trapping layer separates the interconnect structure and the handle substrate.

Abstract: A noncontact fluid bearing is manufactured by disposing a flow controller in a cavity of a carrier to form a pressure chamber within the cavity. A sealing layer of the flow controller is located between a porous layer of the flow controller and the pressure chamber and has micro through holes communicating with the pressure chamber and pores of the porous layer. Because the sealing layer is located in the pressure chamber and a surface of the porous layer is exposed by a housing of the carrier, the noncontact fluid bearing can be processed from the exposed surface of the porous layer to conform standards of thickness and flatness. Furthermore, the sealing layer peeling from the noncontact fluid bearing is prevented.

Abstract: A self-calibration time-to-digital converter (TDC) integrated circuit for single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) based depth sensing is disclosed. The circuit includes a SPAD matrix with a plurality of SPAD pixels arranged in m rows and n columns, the SPAD pixels in each column of SPAD pixels are connected by a column bus; a global DLL unit with n buffers and n clock signals; and an image signal processing unit for receiving image signals from the column TDC array. The circuit can also include a row control unit configured to enable one SPAD pixel in each row for a transmitting signal; a circular n-way multiplexer for circularly multiplexing n clock signals in the global DLL unit; a column TDC array with n TDCs, each TDC further comprises a counter and a latch, the latch of each TDC is connected to the circular n-way multiplexer for circular multiplexing.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a source/drain diffusion area, and a first doped region. The source/drain diffusion area is defined between a first isolation structure and a second isolation structure. The source/drain diffusion area includes a source region, a drain region, and a device channel. The device channel is between the source region and the drain region. The first doped region is disposed along a first junction between the device channel and the first isolation structure in a direction from the source region to the drain region. The first doped region is separated from at least one of the source region and the drain region, and has a dopant concentration higher than that of the device channel. The semiconductor device of the present disclosure has low random telegraph signal noise and fewer defects.

Abstract: A counter, a counting method and an apparatus for image sensing are introduced in the present disclosure. The counter includes a plurality of dual phase clock generators and a plurality of column counters. Each of the plurality of dual phase clock generator receives a common clock signal and generates dual phase clock signals which comprise a first clock signal and a second clock signal according to the common clock signal. Each of the plurality of column counters is coupled to one of the plurality of dual phase clock generators to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and is configured to output a counting value according to the first clock signal and the second clock signal. Each of the plurality of dual phase clock generators provides the first clock signal and the second clock signal to a group of the plurality of column counters.

Abstract: A photosensitive element and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The manufacturing method of the photosensitive element includes successively depositing a second conductive layer, a photosensitive material layer, and a first top electrode material layer on a substrate; forming a first patterned photoresist layer on the first top electrode material layer; patterning the first top electrode material layer by using the first patterned photoresist layer as a mask to form a first top electrode; removing the first patterned photoresist layer; patterning the photosensitive material layer by using the first top electrode as a mask to form a photosensitive layer; forming an insulation layer having an opening on the first top electrode; and forming a second top electrode on the insulation layer, and the second top electrode is electrically connected to the first top electrode via the opening.

Abstract: An optical image capturing system is provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical image capturing system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens and a fourth lens. The first lens has a refractive power and the object side thereof may be convex. The second lens and the third lens have refractive power. The object side and the image side thereof may be aspheric. The fourth lens may have positive refractive power. The object side and the image side thereof are aspheric. At least one of sides of the fourth lens may have one inflection point. The four lenses have refractive power. When meeting some certain conditions, the optical image capturing system may have outstanding light-gathering ability and an adjustment ability about the optical path in order to elevate the image quality.

Abstract: An optical image capturing system is provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical image capturing system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens and a fourth lens. The first lens has a refractive power and the object side thereof may be convex. The second lens and the third lens have refractive power. The object side and the image side of the foregoing lenses may be aspheric. The fourth lens may have positive refractive power. The object side and the image side thereof are aspheric. At least one of surfaces of the fourth lens may have one inflection point. The four lenses have refractive power. When meeting some certain conditions, the optical image capturing system may have outstanding light-gathering ability and an adjustment ability about the optical path in order to elevate the image quality.