Abstract: This invention unveils an optical microphone utilizing diamond cantilevers and its associated acoustic sensing system. The core component is a diamond cantilever, featuring a diamond diaphragm with a centrally located U-shaped groove. The manufacturing process involves several key steps: initially preparing the diamond diaphragm using silicon in a chemical vapor deposition setup, where methane and hydrogen are reacted under specific temperature and pressure conditions to form a diamond polycrystalline film on the silicon. This film is then separated from the substrate to create the diaphragm. Subsequently, a U-shaped groove is crafted on the diaphragm by applying a dry etching template and etching, resulting in the formation of the diamond cantilever, with a thickness ranging from 10 to 100 ?m. This method establishes a novel approach to creating sensitive and durable optical microphones.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: first and second fin structures, disposed on a substrate, that respectively extend in parallel to an axis; a first gate feature that traverses the first fin structure to overlay a central portion of the first fin structure; a second gate feature that traverses the second fin structure to overlay a central portion of the second fin structure; a first spacer comprising: a first portion comprising two layers that respectively extend from sidewalls of the first gate feature toward opposite directions of the axis; and a second portion comprising two layers that respectively extend from sidewalls of the first portion of the first spacer toward the opposite directions of the axis; and a second spacer comprising two layers that respectively extend from sidewalls of the second gate feature toward the opposite directions of the axis.

Abstract: The thin film deposition system includes: a deposition chamber, a precursor source container containing a precursor source; and a precursor conduit. The precursor conduit is elongated and extends between a proximate end and a distal end, and the proximate end is coupled to an outlet of the precursor source container, and the distal end is coupled to an inlet of the deposition chamber.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system is provided. The semiconductor processing system includes a first chamber arranged to perform a first semiconductor process; a second chamber arranged to perform a second semiconductor process; a cooling chamber having a pedestal; and a plurality of non-contact temperature sensors mounted in the cooling chamber, and arranged to measure a temperature of a wafer disposed on the pedestal. In one aspect, the first chamber is arranged to transfer the wafer to the cooling chamber upon completion of the first semiconductor process in the first chamber. In another aspect, the cooling chamber is arranged to measure the temperature of the wafer in the cooling chamber and arranged to transfer the wafer to the second chamber when the temperature of wafer is at a target temperature, or pause processing of the wafer when the temperature of the wafer is not at the target temperature.

Abstract: A multi-mode power system includes a battery module, a first conversion circuit, and a second conversion circuit. The battery module includes a battery path switch and a battery group. The first conversion circuit includes switches and a first capacitor, wherein the switches include the battery path switch. The multi-mode power system operates in one of plural operation mode combinations, wherein when the first conversion circuit operates in a first outgoing mode or a first bypass mode, the second conversion circuit operates in a second incoming mode, a second outgoing mode, or a second bypass mode; when the first conversion circuit operates in a first incoming mode, the second conversion circuit operates in the second incoming mode or the second bypass mode.

Abstract: The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for evolving a root of trust and an electronic device using the method. Through the present disclosure, the root of trust can be evolved several times to strengthen the security verification capability for secure boot. Different from the conventional method of burning the root of trust in the read-only memory, the present disclosure uses a block protection storage device to write a verification firmware to be added to the root of trust into an unprotected block of the block protection storage device. Further, after the writing is completed, the unprotected block in which the verification firmware is written becomes a protected block, so as to make the evolvable root of trust secure and reliable, and can achieve credibility for evolving the root of trust.

Abstract: An isolation structure, comprising: an isolation material layer, filled in a trench of a substrate; and a protection layer, having two portions extending from a topmost surface of the substrate to a top surface of the isolation material layer across boundaries of the trench, and covering opposite edges of the isolation material layer, wherein the two portions of the protection layer are laterally spaced apart from each other, and the protection layer has an etching selectivity with respect to the isolation material layer.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of detecting database anomalies, includes reading historical data in a destination database at an end of a data pipeline, determining bounds including an upper bound and a lower bound based on the read historical data, reading current data for a first specified time period in the destination database, responsive to determining the upper or the lower bound is exceeded, determining database transactions that caused the exceeding, and transmitting alerts to owners of the database transactions.

Abstract: A method for forming an isolation structure includes: forming a trench at a surface of a substrate; forming a mask pattern on the substrate, wherein the mask pattern has an opening communicated with the trench; filling a first isolation material layer in the opening and the trench, wherein a surface of the first isolation material layer defines a first recess; filling a second isolation material layer into the first recess; partially removing the first and second isolation material layers, to form a second recess, performing first and second oblique ion implantation processes, to form damage regions in the first isolation material layer; performing a decoupled plasma treatment, to transform portions of the damage regions into a protection layer having etching selectivity with respect to the damage regions; and removing the damage regions.

Abstract: A control circuit for controlling a power supply circuit to provide power to a system device which includes a communication circuit includes: a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller configured to switch a transformer of the power supply circuit to generate a first output voltage; and a switched capacitor converter configured to generate a second output voltage according to the first output voltage. The second output voltage provides power to the communication circuit, wherein the communication circuit generates a power saving signal to control the PWM controller and the switched capacitor converter. When the power saving signal is enabled, the first output voltage is decreased and a duty ratio of the switched capacitor converter is increased.

Abstract: A power conversion circuit includes an N-level PWM power converter and a switching capacitor power converter. The N-level PWM power converter includes shared switches shared with the switching capacitor power converter, and PWM switches. In an N-level PWM mode, the shared switches and the PWM switches periodically switch an inductor and a capacitor, to execute power conversion between a first power and a second power by N-level PWM switching operation. The switching capacitor power converter includes the shared switches and auxiliary switches. In a capacitive conversion mode, the shared switches and the auxiliary switches periodically switch the capacitor, to execute power conversion between the first power and the second power by capacitive power conversion operation. In the capacitive conversion mode, a portion of the plural PWM switches are always OFF such that one end of the inductor is floating.

Abstract: A switched capacitor converter includes plural switch units. The switch units are configured to switch a coupling relationship of a capacitor between a first power and a second power, wherein at least one of the switch units includes a switch circuit. The switch circuit includes a first switch, a second switch, and a switch driving circuit, wherein the conduction resistance of the first switch is greater than the conduction resistance of the second switch, and the parasitic capacitance of the first switch is less than the parasitic capacitance of the second switch. The switch driving circuit turns on the first switch before the second switch is turned on and/or turns off the first switch after the second switch is turned off, such that the switching loss of the switch circuit is less than a predetermined target value.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of detecting database anomalies, includes reading historical data in a destination database at an end of a data pipeline, determining bounds including an upper bound and a lower bound based on the read historical data, reading current data for a first specified time period in the destination database, responsive to determining the upper or the lower bound is exceeded, determining database transactions that caused the exceeding, and transmitting alerts to owners of the database transactions.

Abstract: A multi-mode power system includes a battery module, a first conversion circuit, and a second conversion circuit. The battery module includes a battery path switch and a battery group. The first conversion circuit includes switches and a first capacitor, wherein the switches include the battery path switch. The multi-mode power system operates in one of plural operation mode combinations, wherein when the first conversion circuit operates in a first outgoing mode or a first bypass mode, the second conversion circuit operates in a second incoming mode, a second outgoing mode, or a second bypass mode; when the first conversion circuit operates in a first incoming mode, the second conversion circuit operates in the second incoming mode or the second bypass mode.

Abstract: Techniques are described for distributing network device tasks across virtual machines executing in a computing cloud. A network device includes a network interface to send and receive messages, a routing unit comprising one or more processors configured to execute a version of a network operating system, and a virtual machine agent. The virtual machine agent is configured to identify a virtual machine executing at a computing cloud communicatively coupled to the network device, wherein the identified virtual machine executes an instance of the version of the network operating system, to send, using the at least one network interface and to the virtual machine, a request to perform a task, and to receive, using the at least one network interface and from the virtual machine, a task response that includes a result of performing the task. The routing unit is configured to update the network device based on the result.

Abstract: A switched capacitor converter includes plural switch units. The switch units are configured to switch a coupling relationship of a capacitor between a first power and a second power, wherein at least one of the switch units includes a switch circuit. The switch circuit includes a first switch, a second switch, and a switch driving circuit, wherein the conduction resistance of the first switch is greater than the conduction resistance of the second switch, and the parasitic capacitance of the first switch is less than the parasitic capacitance of the second switch. The switch driving circuit turns on the first switch before the second switch is turned on and/or turns off the first switch after the second switch is turned off, such that the switching loss of the switch circuit is less than a predetermined target value.

Abstract: The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for evolving a root of trust and an electronic device using the method. Through the present disclosure, the root of trust can be evolved several times to strengthen the security verification capability for secure boot. Different from the conventional method of burning the root of trust in the read-only memory, the present disclosure uses a block protection storage device to write a verification firmware to be added to the root of trust into an unprotected block of the block protection storage device. Further, after the writing is completed, the unprotected block in which the verification firmware is written becomes a protected block, so as to make the evolvable root of trust secure and reliable, and can achieve credibility for evolving the root of trust.

Abstract: A scanner includes a light source configured to apply a light to a backside of a wafer. The light is reflected from the backside of the wafer. A first mirror is configured to receive the light from the backside of the wafer and reflect the light. A sensor is configured to receive the light from the first mirror and generate an output signal indicative of a backside topography of the wafer.

Abstract: A scanner includes a light source configured to apply a light to a backside of a wafer. The light is reflected from the backside of the wafer. A first mirror is configured to receive the light from the backside of the wafer and reflect the light. A sensor is configured to receive the light from the first mirror and generate an output signal indicative of a backside topography of the wafer.

Abstract: A power conversion circuit includes an N-level PWM power converter and a switching capacitor power converter. The N-level PWM power converter includes shared switches shared with the switching capacitor power converter, and PWM switches. In an N-level PWM mode, the shared switches and the PWM switches periodically switch an inductor and a capacitor, to execute power conversion between a first power and a second power by N-level PWM switching operation. The switching capacitor power converter includes the shared switches and auxiliary switches. In a capacitive conversion mode, the shared switches and the auxiliary switches periodically switch the capacitor, to execute power conversion between the first power and the second power by capacitive power conversion operation. In the capacitive conversion mode, a portion of the plural PWM switches are always OFF such that one end of the inductor is floating.