Abstract: One or more passivation layers are added to the end of a semiconductor process flow to provide additional protection for devices (e.g., transistors) formed during the process. An additional layer is then formed and/or an anneal is performed to mitigate threshold voltage shifting that may be induced by the passivation layers. Mitigation of threshold voltage shifting increases the life expectancy of devices (e.g., transistors) formed during the process, which in turn mitigates yield loss by facilitating predictable or otherwise desirable behavior of the devices (e.g., transistors).

Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit has a waveguide having a bend and plurality of multiple trenches with parallel front and back interfaces. The trench and waveguide refractive indexes are different such that a refractive interface is defined between the waveguide and the trench. The trench may include a material of higher refractive index than the waveguide, such as silicon, or alternatively a material having a lower refractive index than the waveguide, such as an air void. The trench is disposed on the waveguide bend such that the front and back planar interfaces have an angle of incidence to a direction of the lightwave propagation from the waveguide. The invention also includes beamsplitters that include trenches that reflect a portion of a lightwave in a first direction and a portion of a lightwave in a second direction.

Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit has a waveguide having a bend and plurality of multiple trenches with parallel front and back interfaces. The trench and waveguide refractive indexes are different such that a refractive interface is defined between the waveguide and the trench. The trench may include a material of higher refractive index than the waveguide, such as silicon, or alternatively a material having a lower refractive index than the waveguide, such as an air void. The trench is disposed on the waveguide bend such that the front and back planar interfaces have an angle of incidence to a direction of the lightwave propagation from the waveguide. The invention also includes beamsplitters that include trenches that reflect a portion of a lightwave in a first direction and a portion of a lightwave in a second direction.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device wherein there is provided a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. A dopant is implanted in one region of the substrate of opposite conductivity type and that region is masked, preferably with a silicon oxide mask. A relatively heavy dose of a dopant of the first conductivity type is implanted in a different region of the substrate while retaining the mask on the region of the substrate doped with dopant of the opposite conductivity type. The two implants are driven farther into the substrate to form a first tank of said first conductivity type and a second tank of opposite conductivity type by an annealing step while retaining the mask on the region of the substrate doped with dopant of the opposite conductivity type. A second implant of the first conductivity type is then implanted into the tank of first conductivity type while retaining the mask on the region of the substrate doped with dopant of the opposite conductivity type.