Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of electronic device manufacturing, and in particular, to multi-layered epitaxial stacks, such as complementary field-effect-transistors (cFETs). A method is used to fabricate a layered middle dielectric isolation (MDI) structure and carbon-doping of epitaxially grown silicon germanium layers together in the cFETs. In some embodiments, by integrating the layered MDI structure together with carbon-doping of SiGe layers into the cFETs, relaxation, wafer bow, and defects in a stack have been significantly reduced when compared to traditional stacks. Advantageously, multi-layered epitaxial stacks incorporate a greater number of silicon channels (e.g., pMOS and nMOS channels) when compared to traditional stacks. Furthermore, the selectivity in the downstream processes is improved by an order of magnitude.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of electronic device manufacturing, and in particular, to multi-layered epitaxial stacks, such as complementary field-effect-transistors (cFETs). A method is used to fabricate a layered middle dielectric isolation (MDI) structure and carbon-doping of epitaxially grown silicon germanium layers together in the cFETs. In some embodiments, by integrating the layered MDI structure together with carbon-doping of SiGe layers into the cFETs, relaxation, wafer bow, and defects in a stack have been significantly reduced when compared to traditional stacks. Advantageously, multi-layered epitaxial stacks incorporate a greater number of silicon channels (e.g., pMOS and nMOS channels) when compared to traditional stacks. Furthermore, the selectivity in the downstream processes is improved by an order of magnitude.

Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to produce semiconductor structures that include a high-k dielectric material. The methods include pre-cleaning a semiconductor substrate surface. An interfacial layer is formed on the substrate surface by exposing the substrate to an oxidizing atmosphere and thermally annealing the surface. The interfacial layer is treated with hydration chemistry to form a treated interfacial layer, followed by deposition of a high-k dielectric layer on the treated interfacial layer.

Abstract: A reader and method for reading a mobile driver's license (mDL) and other forms of electronic identification are provided. The reader may establish wireless communication with a driver's mobile device to receive the mobile driver's license information from the smartphone after prompting the driver to approve transfer of the information. The reader may securely store the received information and transfer the information to a docking system and may ensure reliable deletion of the data by linking the data with a triggering event. The reader may also read physical driver's licenses and other forms of physical identification, car registrations, and other similar items, and may capture images.

Abstract: Two-dimensional (2D) materials formed in very thin layers improve the operation of semiconductor devices. However, forming a contact on 2D material tends to damage and penetrate the 2D material. A relatively gentle etch process has been developed that is very selective to the 2D material and allows vertical holes to be etched down to the 2D material without damaging or penetrating the 2D material. A low-power deposition process forms a protective liner when performing the metal fill to further prevent damage to the 2D material when forming the metal contacts in the holes. These processes allow a vertical metal contact to be formed on a planar 2D material or a vertical sidewall contact be formed in a 3D NAND without damaging the 2D material. This increases the contact area, reduces the contact resistance, and improves the performance of the 2D material in the device.

Abstract: Platform software is installed onto a native hardware platform (NHWP) containing a hard disk drive. That hard disk drive is formatted and structured as the NHWP would expect to use it to boot and run. However, the structure of that hard disk is converted to a drive image file (compressed or uncompressed) that can be loaded into a Virtual Machine Environment (VME). By mounting the drive image (or a partition of a drive image), the VME can use the partition as if it were a device rather than a file.

Abstract: A method for reducing power consumption and heat generation in a computer system employs a substitute idle task that puts the processor into a dormant mode, e.g., sleep, nap, or doze mode. The substitute idle task replaces a conventional operating system idle task. The substitute idle task may have a low priority, such as that of the conventional idle task, which it replaces. At each occurrence of a quantum interrupt, a task scheduler schedules applications for execution during the accompanying time slice. After the scheduled applications are done, the substitute idle task is executed. The dormant mode caused by the idle task reduces the system's power consumption. The idle task may also have a high priority and be designed to run for a predetermined percentage of time. Because the processor spends the predetermined percentage of time in the dormant mode, known power consumption reduction may be guaranteed in the system.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant computer uses multiple commercial processors operating synchronously, i.e., in lock-step. In an exemplary embodiment, redundancy logic isolates the outputs of the processors from other computer components, so that the other components see only majority vote outputs of the processors. Processor resynchronization, initiated at predetermined time, milestones, and/or in response to processor faults, protects the computer from single event upsets. During resynchronization, processor state data is flushed and an instance of these data in accordance with processor majority vote is stored. Processor caches are flushed to update computer memory with more recent data stored in the caches. The caches are invalidated and disabled, and snooping is disabled. A controller is notified that snooping has been disabled. In response to the notification, the controller performs a hardware reset of the processors. The processors are loaded with the stored state data, and snooping and caches are enabled.

Abstract: A proximity sensor for use with a guidance system of a smart bomb including a ranging radar proximity sensor configured for mounting on a smart bomb and a radome connected to the ranging radar proximity sensor. A laser radiation sensor system is attached to the proximity sensor, which is configured and arranged to detect laser radiation reflected from a target which passes through the radome and output the azimuth and elevation angles to the target to the guidance system.