Abstract: A system includes a navigation apparatus and controller. The navigation apparatus includes a body assembly that includes a plurality of pneumatic or artificial muscles that are configured to interact with a sidewall of the conduit and move the body assembly through the conduit. The plurality of pneumatic or artificial muscles are independently actuated to steer the body assembly. The navigation apparatus also includes a sensor array coupled to the body assembly. The sensor array is positioned to interact with the sidewall of the conduit and provide signals as the body assembly moves through the interior cavity. The controller is communicatively coupled to the sensor array and configured to determine a characteristic of the conduit based on the signals provided by the sensor array.

Abstract: Various aspects and embodiments are directed to a streamlined computer device and a graphical user interface that organizes interface elements into views of computer content for presentation to a user. Various views of digital media content permits users to easily and efficiently access various digital media content. Different views are used to provide an interface that is responsive to configurations of the device and responsive to activity being performed by the user. Aspects include permitting the user to maintain and manage digital media content libraries. According to some embodiments, the libraries comprise user digital media content and references digital media content. Functionality provided to a user can be tailored to the type of content displayed, accessed and/or managed. According to various aspects, methods and systems are provided for accessing and managing digital media libraries on a streamlined computing device with a plurality selectable I/O profiles.

Abstract: A semiconductor field-effect device is disclosed that utilizes an octagonal or inverse-octagonal deep trench super-junction in combination with an octagonal or inverse-octagonal gate trench. The field-effect device achieves improved packing density, improved current density, and improved on resistance, while at the same time maintaining compatibility with the multiple-of-45°-angles of native photomask processing and having well characterized (010), (100) and (110) (and their equivalent) silicon sidewall surfaces for selective epitaxial refill and gate oxidation, resulting in improved scalability. By varying the relative length of each sidewall surface, devices with differing threshold voltages can be achieved without additional processing steps. Mixing trenches with varying sidewall lengths also allows for stress balancing during selective epitaxial refill.

Abstract: A semiconductor field-effect device is disclosed that utilizes an octagonal or inverse-octagonal deep trench super-junction in combination with an octagonal or inverse-octagonal gate trench. The field-effect device achieves improved packing density, improved current density, and improved on resistance, while at the same time maintaining compatibility with the multiple-of-45°-angles of native photomask processing and having well characterized (010), (100) and (110) (and their equivalent) silicon sidewall surfaces for selective epitaxial refill and gate oxidation, resulting in improved scalability. By varying the relative length of each sidewall surface, devices with differing threshold voltages can be achieved without additional processing steps. Mixing trenches with varying sidewall lengths also allows for stress balancing during selective epitaxial refill.

Abstract: A semiconductor field-effect device is disclosed that utilizes an octagonal or inverse-octagonal deep trench super-junction in combination with an octagonal or inverse-octagonal gate trench. The field-effect device achieves improved packing density, improved current density, and improved on resistance, while at the same time maintaining compatibility with the multiple-of-45°-angles of native photomask processing and having well characterized (010), (100) and (110) (and their equivalent) silicon sidewall surfaces for selective epitaxial refill and gate oxidation, resulting in improved scalability. By varying the relative length of each sidewall surface, devices with differing threshold voltages can be achieved without additional processing steps. Mixing trenches with varying sidewall lengths also allows for stress balancing during selective epitaxial refill.

Abstract: A semiconductor field-effect device is disclosed that utilizes an octagonal or inverse-octagonal deep trench super-junction in combination with an octagonal or inverse-octagonal gate trench. The field-effect device achieves improved packing density, improved current density, and improved on resistance, while at the same time maintaining compatibility with the multiple-of-45°-angles of native photomask processing and having well characterized (010), (100) and (110) (and their equivalent) silicon sidewall surfaces for selective epitaxial refill and gate oxidation, resulting in improved scalability. By varying the relative length of each sidewall surface, devices with differing threshold voltages can be achieved without additional processing steps. Mixing trenches with varying sidewall lengths also allows for stress balancing during selective epitaxial refill.

Abstract: A semiconductor field-effect device is disclosed that utilizes an octagonal or inverse-octagonal deep trench super-junction in combination with an octagonal or inverse-octagonal gate trench. The field-effect device achieves improved packing density, improved current density, and improved on resistance, while at the same time maintaining compatibility with the multiple-of-45°-angles of native photomask processing and having well characterized (010), (100) and (110) (and their equivalent) silicon sidewall surfaces for selective epitaxial refill and gate oxidation, resulting in improved scalability. By varying the relative length of each sidewall surface, devices with differing threshold voltages can be achieved without additional processing steps. Mixing trenches with varying sidewall lengths also allows for stress balancing during selective epitaxial refill.

Abstract: A semiconductor field-effect device is disclosed that utilizes an octagonal or inverse-octagonal deep trench super-junction in combination with an octagonal or inverse-octagonal gate trench. The field-effect device achieves improved packing density, improved current density, and improved on resistance, while at the same time maintaining compatibility with the multiple-of-45°-angles of native photomask processing and having well characterized (010), (100) and (110) (and their equivalent) silicon sidewall surfaces for selective epitaxial refill and gate oxidation, resulting in improved scalability. By varying the relative length of each sidewall surface, devices with differing threshold voltages can be achieved without additional processing steps. Mixing trenches with varying sidewall lengths also allows for stress balancing during selective epitaxial refill.

Abstract: In a general aspect, a semiconductor device can include a gate having a first trench portion disposed within a first trench of a junction field-effect transistor device, a second trench portion disposed within a second trench of the junction field-effect transistor device, and a top portion coupled to both the first trench portion and to the second trench portion. The semiconductor device can include a mesa region disposed between the first trench and the second trench, and including a single PN junction defined by an interface between a substrate dopant region having a first dopant type and a channel dopant region having a second dopant type.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a source region extending along a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, a drain region extending along the top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a field shaping region disposed within the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region. A cross-section of the semiconductor substrate extending from the source region to the drain region through the field shaping region includes an insulating region. The semiconductor device also includes an active region disposed within the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region. The active region is disposed adjacent to the field shaping region in a direction perpendicular to the cross-section of the semiconductor substrate extending from the source region to the drain region through the field shaping region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active region having a first floating charge control structure and a termination region having a second floating charge control structure. The second floating charge control structure is at least twice as long as the first floating control structure.

Abstract: In a general aspect, a semiconductor device can include a gate having a first trench portion disposed within a first trench of a junction field-effect transistor device, a second trench portion disposed within a second trench of the junction field-effect transistor device, and a top portion coupled to both the first trench portion and to the second trench portion. The semiconductor device can include a mesa region disposed between the first trench and the second trench, and including a single PN junction defined by an interface between a substrate dopant region having a first dopant type and a channel dopant region having a second dopant type.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active region having a first floating charge control structure and a termination region having a second floating charge control structure. The second floating charge control structure is at least twice as long as the first floating control structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a source region extending along a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, a drain region extending along the top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a field shaping region disposed within the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region. A cross-section of the semiconductor substrate extending from the source region to the drain region through the field shaping region includes an insulating region. The semiconductor device also includes an active region disposed within the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region. The active region is disposed adjacent to the field shaping region in a direction perpendicular to the cross-section of the semiconductor substrate extending from the source region to the drain region through the field shaping region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source region, a drain region, a gate region, and a drift region. The drift region further includes an active drift region and inactive floating charge control (FCC) regions. The active drift region conducts current between the source region and the drain region when voltage is applied to the gate region. The inactive FCC regions, which field-shape the active drift region to improve breakdown voltage, are vertically stacked in the drift region and are separated by the active drift region. Vertically stacking the inactive FCC regions reduce on-resistance while maintaining higher breakdown voltages.

Abstract: Voltage termination structures include one or more capacitively coupled trenches, which can be similar to the trenches in the drift regions of the active transistor. The capacitively coupled trenches in the termination regions are arranged with an orientation that is either parallel or perpendicular to the trenches in the active device drift region. The Voltage termination structures can also include capacitively segmented trench structures having dielectric lined regions filled with conducting material and completely surrounded by a silicon mesa region. The Voltage termination structures can further include continuous regions composed entirely of an electrically insulating layer extending a finite distance vertically from the device surface.

Abstract: According to the present invention, semiconductor device breakdown voltage can be increased by embedding field shaping regions within a drift region of the semiconductor device. A controllable current path extends between two device terminals on the top surface of a planar substrate, and the controllable current path includes the drift region. Each field shaping region includes two or more electrically conductive regions that are electrically insulated from each other, and which are capacitively coupled to each other to form a voltage divider dividing a potential between the first and second terminals. One or more of the electrically conductive regions are isolated from any external electrical contact. Such field shaping regions can provide enhanced electric field uniformity in current-carrying parts of the drift region, thereby increasing device breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source region, a drain region, a gate region, and a drift region. The drift region further includes an active drift region and inactive floating charge control (FCC) regions. The active drift region conducts current between the source region and the drain region when voltage is applied to the gate region. The inactive FCC regions, which field-shape the active drift region to improve breakdown voltage, are vertically stacked in the drift region and are separated by the active drift region. Vertically stacking the inactive FCC regions reduce on-resistance while maintaining higher breakdown voltages.

Abstract: Floating trenches are arranged in the layout of a single DMOS transistor or an array of DMOS transistors, the array forming a single power transistor. The trenches run perpendicular to the gate width direction either outside the transistor(s) or between rows of the transistors. The floating trenches are at a potential between the drain voltage and the substrate voltage (usually ground). The potentials of the opposing trenches cause merging depletion regions in the drift region. This merging shapes the field lines so as to increase the breakdown voltage of the transistor and provide other advantages. The technique is applicable to both lateral and vertical DMOS transistors.

Abstract: One or more vertical DMOS transistors, such as trench FETS, are formed between opposing floating poly-filled trench portions. The opposing trench portions may include two parallel trenches, rectangular trenches, hexagonal trenches, octagonal trenches, circular trenches, or other shapes. The floating trench portions are capacitively coupled to assume a potential somewhere between the high drain voltage (below the trenches) and the body voltage (near the top of the trenches). The floating trench portions will have a potential below the drift region and deplete the drift region. The depletion regions caused by the opposing trench portions will merge under the gate with a sufficiently high drain voltage. The electric field lines in the drift region will be shaped to increase the breakdown voltage of the device.