Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, a stadium structure within the stack structure, and conductive contact structures. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. Each of the tiers comprises one of the conductive structures and one of the insulative structures. The stadium structure comprises a forward staircase structure having steps comprising edges of the tiers, and a reverse staircase structure opposing the forward staircase structure and having additional steps comprising additional edges of the tiers. The conductive contact structures vertically extend to upper vertical boundaries of at least some of the conductive structures of the stack structure at the steps of the forward staircase structure and the additional steps of the reverse staircase structure, and are each integral and continuous with one of the conductive structures.

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, the stack structure divided into block structures separated from one another by slot structures, strings of memory cells vertically extending through the block structures of the stack structure, the strings of memory cells individually comprising a channel material vertically extending through the stack structure, an additional stack structure vertically overlying the stack structure and comprising a vertical sequence of additional conductive structures and additional insulative structures arranged in additional tiers, first pillars extending through the additional stack structure and vertically overlying the strings of memory cells, each of the first pillars horizontally offset from a center of a corresponding string of memory cells, second pillars extending through the additional stack structure and vertically ove

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, a staircase structure, a first liner material, an etch stop structure, and conductive contact structures. The stack structure includes conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. The stack structure includes sidewalls horizontally bounding the staircase structure. The staircase structure has steps includes edges of tiers of the stack structure. The first liner material is on the steps and the sidewalls and includes horizontally extending portions on the steps and vertically extending portions on the sidewalls. The etch stop structure is on the horizontally extending portions of the first liner material, the vertically extending portions of the first liner material being free of the etch stop structure. The conductive contact structures extend through the etch stop structure and the first liner material and to the conductive structures.

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, the stack structure divided into block structures separated from one another by slot structures, strings of memory cells vertically extending through the block structures of the stack structure, the strings of memory cells individually comprising a channel material vertically extending through the stack structure, an additional stack structure vertically overlying the stack structure and comprising a vertical sequence of additional conductive structures and additional insulative structures arranged in additional tiers, first pillars extending through the additional stack structure and vertically overlying the strings of memory cells, each of the first pillars horizontally offset from a center of a corresponding string of memory cells, second pillars extending through the additional stack structure and vertically ove

Abstract: A roaming domain name system (DNS) firewall is provided for execution by an endpoint agent provided on a mobile computing device. The increase of the mobile workforce presents security challenges as mobile computer devices are regularly connecting to unknown, untrusted or unverified networks. These networks can present security risks to organizations by routing URL resolutions requests to malicious DNS servers that may be utilized for redirecting traffic to unsafe hosts. A roaming DNS firewall on the mobile computing device monitors access to networks to determine if the network is deemed safe or unsafe based upon associated network parameters. In response to the determination of an unsafe network the DNS identifiers are modified or trusted to a trusted DNS to ensure DNS requests are not processed by a malicious DNS host.

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising alternating conductive structures and insulative structures. Memory cells vertically extend through the stack structure, and comprise a channel material vertically extending through the stack structure. An additional stack structure vertically overlies the stack structure and comprises additional conductive structures and additional insulative structures. First pillar structures extend through the additional stack structure and vertically overlie a portion of the memory cells. Second pillar structures are adjacent to the first pillar structures and extend through the additional stack structure and vertically overlie another portion of the memory cells. Slot structures are laterally adjacent to the first pillar structures and to the second pillar structures and extend through at least a portion of the additional stack structure.

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, a stadium structure within the stack structure, and conductive contact structures. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. Each of the tiers comprises one of the conductive structures and one of the insulative structures. The stadium structure comprises a forward staircase structure having steps comprising edges of the tiers, and a reverse staircase structure opposing the forward staircase structure and having additional steps comprising additional edges of the tiers. The conductive contact structures vertically extend to upper vertical boundaries of at least some of the conductive structures of the stack structure at the steps of the forward staircase structure and the additional steps of the reverse staircase structure, and are each integral and continuous with one of the conductive structures.

Abstract: Systems and methods for converting metal oxide to metal using metal carbide as an intermediate, include: reacting the metal oxide with carbon to produce the metal carbide, wherein the metal carbide is in a form of powder or pellets; and subjecting the metal carbide produced from the metal oxide and the carbon to electrolysis in an electrorefiner to produce and purify the metal.

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, a stadium structure within the stack structure, and conductive contact structures. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. Each of the tiers comprises one of the conductive structures and one of the insulative structures. The stadium structure comprises a forward staircase structure having steps comprising edges of the tiers, and a reverse staircase structure opposing the forward staircase structure and having additional steps comprising additional edges of the tiers. The conductive contact structures vertically extend to upper vertical boundaries of at least some of the conductive structures of the stack structure at the steps of the forward staircase structure and the additional steps of the reverse staircase structure, and are each integral and continuous with one of the conductive structures.

Abstract: Ransomware attacks may be prevented by monitoring file access requests. When a process requests a directory listing, the results provided may be modified based on whether the process is trusted or not. For trusted processes, the results provided are the actual directory listing, while the results provided to processes that aren't trusted may be modified to include seeded files. Access to the seeded files may be monitored to determine if the process is associated with a ransomware attack, and steps taken to mitigate an attempted ransomware attack. Ransomware may also be prevented by ensuring that only trusted processed are allowed to access certain files. In order to provide an improved user experience, the processes can be determined automatically from a system structure and their trustworthiness determined.

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, the stack structure divided into block structures separated from one another by slot structures, strings of memory cells vertically extending through the block structures of the stack structure, the strings of memory cells individually comprising a channel material vertically extending through the stack structure, an additional stack structure vertically overlying the stack structure and comprising a vertical sequence of additional conductive structures and additional insulative structures arranged in additional tiers, first pillars extending through the additional stack structure and vertically overlying the strings of memory cells, each of the first pillars horizontally offset from a center of a corresponding string of memory cells, second pillars extending through the additional stack structure and vertically ove

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, a stadium structure within the stack structure, and conductive contact structures. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. Each of the tiers comprises one of the conductive structures and one of the insulative structures. The stadium structure comprises a forward staircase structure having steps comprising edges of the tiers, and a reverse staircase structure opposing the forward staircase structure and having additional steps comprising additional edges of the tiers. The conductive contact structures vertically extend to upper vertical boundaries of at least some of the conductive structures of the stack structure at the steps of the forward staircase structure and the additional steps of the reverse staircase structure, and are each integral and continuous with one of the conductive structures.

Abstract: The child safety gate system is a modular barricade that forms a barricade in a door selected from a plurality of previously identified doors. The child safety gate system comprises a gate, a plurality of pivot frames and a plurality of latch frames. There is a one to one correspondence between any pivot frame selected from the plurality of pivot frames and a latch frame selected from the plurality of latch frames. Each door contained within the plurality of previously identified doors has installed in it a pivot frame the corresponding latch frame. The selected pivot frame and the corresponding latch frame are used to removably attach the gate to any selected door. This modular behavior allows the installation of the barricade structure in any door selected from the plurality of previously identified doors as required.

Abstract: A system, method and software are disclosed for evaluating investments. In one example, managed trust investments are analyzed with respect to one or more indexes. An indication is created of how the managed investment compares to the one or more indexes or their own benchmarks, and suggested changes to the managed investment may be presented.

Abstract: A method of making a colloidal solution of high confinement semiconductor nanocrystals includes: forming a first solution by combining a solvent, growth ligands, and at most one semiconductor precursor; heating the first solution to the nucleation temperature; and adding to the first solution, a second solution having a solvent, growth ligands, and at least one additional and different precursor than that in the first solution to form a crude solution of nanocrystals having a compact homogenous semiconductor region. The method further includes: waiting 0.5 to 20 seconds and adding to the crude solution a third solution having a solvent, growth ligands, and at least one additional and different precursor than those in the first and second solutions; and lowering the growth temperature to enable the formation of a gradient alloy region around the compact homogenous semiconductor region, resulting in the formation of a colloidal solution of high confinement semiconductor nanocrystals.

Abstract: A method of making a colloidal solution of high confinement semiconductor nanocrystals includes: forming a first solution by combining a solvent, growth ligands, and at most one semiconductor precursor; heating the first solution to the nucleation temperature; and adding to the first solution, a second solution having a solvent, growth ligands, and at least one additional and different precursor than that in the first solution to form a crude solution of nanocrystals having a compact homogenous semiconductor region. The method further includes: waiting 0.5 to 20 seconds and adding to the crude solution a third solution having a solvent, growth ligands, and at least one additional and different precursor than those in the first and second solutions; and lowering the growth temperature to enable the formation of a gradient alloy region around the compact homogenous semiconductor region, resulting in the formation of a colloidal solution of high confinement semiconductor nanocrystals.

Abstract: A high confinement semiconductor nanocrystal and method for making such nanocrystal are described. The nanocrystal includes a compact homogenous semiconductor region having a first composition in the center area of the nanocrystal, with its diameter being less than 2.0 nm; and a gradient alloy region comprised of a second varying alloy composition which extends from the surface of the compact homogenous semiconductor region to the surface of the nanocrystal.

Abstract: A method of making II-VI core-shell semiconductor nanowires includes providing a support; depositing a layer including metal alloy nanoparticles on the support; and heating the support and growing II-VI core semiconductor nanowires where the metal alloy nanoparticles act as catalysts and selectively cause localized growth of the core nanowires. The method further includes modifying the growth conditions and shelling the core nanowires to form II-VI core-shell semiconductor nanowires.

Abstract: A method of making a colloidal solution of indium phosphide semiconductor nanocrystals, includes forming a first solution by combining solvents and ligands; and heating the first solution to a temperature equal to or higher than 290° C. and, while heating, adding to the first solution, a second solution containing trialkylindium, a phosphorus precursor and solvents and ligands so that a reaction takes place that forms a colloidal solution of indium phosphide semiconductor nanocrystals. The method further includes forming core shell indium phosphide semiconductor nanocrystals by forming semiconducting shells on the nanocrystals.