Abstract: A soil sensor assembly and methods of measuring undisturbed soil are disclosed. The soil sensor assembly can be a volumetric water content (VWC) sensor. The soil sensor assembly can include at least one soil probe. The soil probes can be secured to a support to enable an installation of the soil sensor assembly in a target soil. The soil probes can include helical blades secured concentrically along the support at predefined longitudinal locations. The soil probes can include at least one radiofrequency (RF) electrode secured to the helical blades at a predefined radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the support. The soil sensor assembly can also include at least one electronics unit coupled to the RF electrodes to receive and/or transmit RF signals from the RF electrodes. The soil sensor assembly can enable a self-tapping installation action and/or enable alienating the soil measurements (e.g., by RF electrodes) away from a disturbed soil.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a cut inside a replacement metal gate trench to mitigate n-p proximity effects and methods of manufacture. The structure described herein includes: a first device; a second device, adjacent to the first device; a dielectric material, of the first device and the second device, including a cut within a trench between the first device and the second device; and a common gate electrode shared with the first device and the second device, the common gate electrode provided over the dielectric material and contacting underlying material within the cut.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed includes, among other things, forming at least one layer of sacrificial material above an underlying conductive structure, forming a sacrificial contact structure in the at least one layer of sacrificial material and forming at least one layer of insulating material around the sacrificial contact structure. In this example, the method also includes performing at least one process operation to expose an upper surface of the sacrificial contact structure, removing the sacrificial contact structure so as to form a contact opening that exposes the upper surface of the underlying conductive structure and forming a final contact structure in the contact opening, the final contact structure conductively contacting the underlying conductive structure.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and manufacturing system are disclosed herein for a vertical field effect transistor (vFET) including top and bottom source/drain regions produced in one epitaxial growth process. The vFET may contain a semiconductor substrate; a fin above the semiconductor substrate; a structure on a middle portion of each sidewall of the fin, wherein a lower portion of each sidewall of the fin adjacent the semiconductor substrate and at least a top of the fin are uncovered by the structure; a top source/drain (S/D) region on at least the top of the fin; and a bottom S/D region on the lower portion of the fin and the semiconductor substrate. The structure on each sidewall may be a gate or a dummy gate, i.e., the vFET may be formed in a gate-first or a gate-last process.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology uses predefined handwriting characteristics to create and/or refine a stylus position interpolation function over time to provide more accurate and adaptive renderings of the user's handwriting on a touch screen. As the presently disclosed technology is performed on a specific device and uses data collected from one or more specific users, it adapts the stylus position interpolation function for any device-specific or user-specific variations. Further, as the stylus position interpolation function adapts iteratively over time, it may not converge and continues to adapt as the device ages, the user's habits change, or identify of the user changes, and environmental conditions of the device change.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods that mitigate interferences between two vehicle-to everything (V2X) communications channels to maintain a sufficient communication range for both channels. A method comprises, in a V2X communication unit, detecting energy of an adjacent channel, or current and future scheduled transmission in the adjacent channel, if available, the adjacent channel being adjacent to a main channel, and if adjacent channel transmission is detected, deferring transmission in the main channel to maintain a sufficient communication range for both the main channel and the adjacent channel.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a cut inside a replacement metal gate trench to mitigate n-p proximity effects and methods of manufacture. The structure described herein includes: a first device; a second device, adjacent to the first device; a dielectric material, of the first device and the second device, including a cut within a trench between the first device and the second device; and a common gate electrode shared with the first device and the second device, the common gate electrode provided over the dielectric material and contacting underlying material within the cut.

Abstract: A method includes sampling output from sensor having electrode junctions integrated on a device including a display, detecting capacitance between the device ground and a user (CBD) based on the output sampled and a pre-defined model, and defining one of two grounding states of the device based on the capacitance detected. Output is processed based on the grounding state defined and touch coordinates are determined based on the output processed. The touch coordinates are reported to a controller of the display.

Abstract: Electrical feedthroughs are presented for redistributing thermally-induced stresses that result from welding. In some embodiments, an electrical feedthrough includes a tubular conduit having a flange at one end. The flange includes a first surface disposed opposite a second surface. The first surface includes at least one of a protrusion and a notch. The electrical feedthrough also includes an electrically-conductive terminal disposed through the tubular conduit. An electrically-insulating material is disposed between the tubular conduit and the electrically-conductive terminal and forms a seal therebetween. The protrusion and the notch are configured individually or as a combination to reduce thermally-induced stresses within the electrically-insulating material that result from welding the flange. Methods for welding such electrical feedthroughs to a wall, such as a wall of a battery housing, are also presented.

Abstract: An electrified vehicle assembly includes, among other things, an outer shaft that is rotatable about an axis. The outer shaft rotatably couples a motor of an electrified vehicle to a transmission component of the electrified vehicle. A shaft insert provides a conduit for a fluid and that blocks the fluid from flowing radially between the shaft insert and the outer shaft relative to the axis. The shaft insert includes a polymer-based material, a composite material, or both.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods broadcast a device state in a wireless communication network. A wireless audio output device is configured to be paired with a second wireless device via a first piconet connection, wherein the second wireless device comprises a source of audio data to be output by the wireless audio output device. The wireless audio output device includes a processor configured to detect a change in the state of the wireless audio output device and set a transmission parameter of a broadcast transmission based at least in part on the detected change in the state and a transceiver configured to broadcast an advertising message to the second wireless device including information describing the wireless audio output device via the broadcast transmission.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a control circuit for a movable mirror. The control circuit includes driving circuitry configured to drive the movable mirror with a drive signal to effectuate oscillating of the movable mirror, opening angle determination circuitry configured to determine an opening angle of the movable mirror, and amplitude control circuitry. The amplitude control circuitry is configured to a) first cause the driving circuitry to generate the drive signal as having an upper threshold drive amplitude, and b) then later cause the driving circuitry to generate the drive signal as having a nominal drive amplitude, as a function of the opening angle of the movable mirror being equal to a desired opening angle.

Abstract: One illustrative integrated circuit product disclosed herein includes a plurality of FinFET transistor devices, a plurality of fins, each of the fins having an upper surface, and an elevated isolation structure having an upper surface that is positioned at a level that is above a level of the upper surface of the fins. In this example, the product also includes a first gate structure having an axial length in a direction corresponding to the gate width direction of the transistor devices, wherein at least a portion of the axial length of the first gate structure is positioned above the upper surface of the elevated isolation structure.

Abstract: Via CD control for BEOL interconnects is described. For example, a method of fabricating an interconnect structure includes forming a lower metallization layer comprising alternating metal lines and dielectric lines above a substrate. The method also includes forming an inter-layer dielectric layer above the metallization layer. The method also includes forming a first grating pattern above the inter-layer dielectric layer, orthogonal to the alternating metal lines and dielectric lines of the lower metallization layer. The method also includes forming a second grating pattern above the first grating pattern. The method also includes patterning the inter-layer dielectric layer using the first grating pattern and the second grating pattern to form via locations and line regions in the inter-layer dielectric layer. The method also includes forming metal vias and metal lines in the via locations and line regions, respectively, of the inter-layer dielectric layer.

Abstract: Content on a display user interface of an electronic device, such as a wearable electronic device, can be manipulated using capacitive touch sensors that may be seamlessly integrated into the housing or strap of the electronic device. The capacitive touch sensors can advantageously replace mechanical buttons and other mechanical user interface components, such as a crown, to provide industrial design opportunities not possible with the inclusion of mechanical buttons and mechanical interface components. Moreover, the capacitive touch sensors can enable ambidextrous user interface control of content displayed on a touchscreen without requiring the user to touch the touchscreen. In some examples, content displayed on the touchscreen can be accessed in response to a variety of touch gestures processed by the capacitive touch sensors.

Abstract: Devices and methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices for forming uniform nano sheet spacers self-aligned to the channel are provided. One method includes, for instance: obtaining an intermediate semiconductor device having a substrate, multiple layers disposed on the substrate, and at least one gate structure disposed on the multiple layers; depositing an oxide layer over the device; etching the oxide layer to form replacement sidewall spacers positioned on left and right sides of the at least one gate structure; etching the multiple layers to form at least one stack structure; and forming a plurality of recesses within the at least one stack structure. Also disclosed is an intermediate semiconductor, which includes, for instance: a substrate; and at least one stack structure disposed on the substrate, the at least one stack structure having an upper portion and a base portion, wherein a plurality of recesses are located within the base portion.

Abstract: A technique relates to forming a semiconductor device. A starting semiconductor device having a fin structure patterned in a substrate, and a gate formed over the fin structure, the gate having a mid-region and an end-region is first provided. A trench is then patterned over the mid-region of the gate and a trench is patterned over the end-region of the gate. The patterned trenches are then etched over the mid-region of the gate and the end-region of the gate to form the trenches. A conformal low-k dielectric layer can then be deposited over the structure to fill the trenches and pinch off the trench formed in the mid-region and the trench formed in the end-region.

Abstract: A computer network appliance may include a memory and a processor cooperating with the memory to run a classification kernel module performing traffic shaping on data packets based upon a first set of queuing disciplines (qdiscs). The processor may further run at least one virtual device also performing traffic shaping on the data packets based upon a second set of qdiscs different than the first set of qdiscs, and provide the data packets to a network interface.

Abstract: Provided herein, in some embodiments, are systems, methods, compositions, and kits for detecting and quantifying analytes using a primary analyte binding molecule conjugated to a nucleic acid template.

Abstract: A machine for obtaining very high power density is provided, significantly increasing the air-gap magnetic flux density and eliminating the ferromagnetic steel traditionally employed to carry and shield magnetic flux. In one embodiment, an arrangement of main coils and a set of compensating coils is employed to cancel out the field outside the machine without the use of iron while maintaining air gap field levels that are 3 to 10 times greater than conventional machines.