Abstract: Technologies pertaining to designing microsystems-enabled photovoltaic (MEPV) cells are described herein. A first restriction for a first parameter of an MEPV cell is received. Subsequently, a selection of a second parameter of the MEPV cell is received. Values for a plurality of parameters of the MEPV cell are computed such that the MEPV cell is optimized with respect to the second parameter, wherein the values for the plurality of parameters are computed based at least in part upon the restriction for the first parameter.

Abstract: Optical ring resonator devices are disclosed that can be used for optical filtering, modulation or switching, or for use as photodetectors or sensors. These devices can be formed as microdisk ring resonators, or as open-ring resonators with an optical waveguide having a width that varies adiabatically. Electrical and mechanical connections to the open-ring resonators are made near a maximum width of the optical waveguide to minimize losses and thereby provide a high resonator Q. The ring resonators can be tuned using an integral electrical heater, or an integral semiconductor junction.

Abstract: A dynamic directory and tetrahedralization method. The dynamic directory of degree of freedom data for elements in a non-conformal mixed-element mesh includes elements subdividable into tetrahedral, in which a respective degree of freedom value is stored for each element, wherein the degree of freedom value is current as element subdivision proceeds. The tetrahedralization method includes providing a non-conformal mixed element mesh comprising elements subdividable into tetrahedra, identifying respective degree of freedom values for the elements in the mesh, and performing element subdivision based on the degree of freedom values of elements in the mesh.

Abstract: Optical ring resonator devices are disclosed that can be used for optical filtering, modulation or switching, or for use as photodetectors or sensors. These devices can be formed as microdisk ring resonators, or as open-ring resonators with an optical waveguide having a width that varies adiabatically. Electrical and mechanical connections to the open-ring resonators are made near a maximum width of the optical waveguide to minimize losses and thereby provide a high resonator Q. The ring resonators can be tuned using an integral electrical heater, or an integral semiconductor junction.

Abstract: Undesirable Steiner points in tetrahedralized meshes may be minimized by tetrahedralization processes that order element subdivision based on degree of freedom data for elements in the mesh and/or treat element degree of freedom as non-static during element subdivision. Applying look-ahead, breadth-first-search subdivision, and other strategic subdivision techniques further minimizes the need for Steiner points.

Abstract: Undesirable Steiner points in tetrahedralized meshes may be minimized by tetrahedralization processes that order element subdivision based on degree of freedom data for elements in the mesh and/or treat element degree of freedom as non-static during element subdivision. Applying look-ahead, breadth-first-search subdivision, and other strategic subdivision techniques further minimizes the need for Steiner points.

Abstract: The invention provides a monitor wafer and a method using the wafer to measure the conformality of dielectric films and in particular, for measuring the sidewall deposition thickness of dielectric films.

Abstract: The invention provides a monitor wafer and a method using the wafer to measure the conformality of dielectric films and in particular, for measuring the sidewall deposition thickness of dielectric films.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The method forms an insulator layer over a substrate and a doped layer over the insulator layer. Further, the invention patterns a conductor layer over the doped layer. The conductor layer includes gate conductors. The invention implants a second impurity through the conductor layer and into the doped layer. The second impurity is of an opposite type than that of the first type of impurity. Also, the second impurity decreases the effective concentration of the first impurity in the doped layer. The amount of the second type of impurity that penetrates through the conductor layer into the doped layer changes depending upon the length of the gate conductors within the conductor layer.

Abstract: A thick-oxide ESD transistor for a BiCMOS integrated circuit has its source/drain contacts formed of the BiCMOS base or emitter polysilicon and its source/drain formed by an outdiffusion of the respective polysilicon contact. In one embodiment the BiCMOS resistor doping deepens the ESD source/drains, and in another embodiment the BiCMOS collector reach through doping deepens the ESD source/drains. The entire ESD transistor is fabricated from a standard BiCMOS process without any additional steps, has an area of about 100 square microns, can shunt up to 6000 volts, and has a turn-on time of about 10 picoseconds.

Abstract: A data structure is used in semiconductor process integration studies for manufacture of device structures, where one dimension of the data structure is used to represent each film layer in the device and one or two additional dimensions represent vertical regions within the device. Primary data values within this data structure are the thickness of film layers at the corresponding vertical region. Using this data structure, process integration studies can be performed rapidly and efficiently on a microcomputer. The data structure simplifies the identification of overetching and overfilling, facilitating the use of thinner film layers and shorter process steps. Statistical simulations, to account for process control limitations on the uniformity of deposition and etching rates, are easily accommodated by a natural extension of the data structure to an additional dimension.