Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for vehicle navigation. The systems and methods may detect traffic lights. For example, one or more traffic lights may be detected using detection-redundant camera detection paths, a fusion of information from a traffic light transmitter and one or more cameras, based on contrast enhancement for night images, and based on low resolution traffic light candidate identification followed by high resolution candidate analysis. Additionally, the systems and methods may navigation based on a worst time to red estimation.

Abstract: A charge trap memory device is provided. In one embodiment, the charge trap memory device includes a semiconductor material structure having a vertical channel extending from a first diffusion region formed in a semiconducting material to a second diffusion region formed over the first diffusion region, the vertical channel electrically connecting the first diffusion region to the second diffusion region. A tunnel dielectric layer is disposed on the vertical channel, a multi-layer charge-trapping region including a first deuterated layer disposed on the tunnel dielectric layer, a first nitride layer disposed on the first deuterated layer, and a second nitride layer comprising a deuterium-free trap-dense, oxygen-lean nitride disposed on the first nitride layer. The second nitride layer includes a majority of charge traps distributed in the multi-layer charge-trapping region.

Abstract: An embodiment of a semiconductor memory device including a multi-layer charge storing layer and methods of forming the same are described. Generally, the device includes a channel formed from a semiconducting material overlying a surface on a substrate connecting a source and a drain of the memory device; a tunnel oxide layer overlying the channel; and a multi-layer charge storing layer including an oxygen-rich, first oxynitride layer on the tunnel oxide layer in which a stoichiometric composition of the first oxynitride layer results in it being substantially trap free, and an oxygen-lean, second oxynitride layer on the first oxynitride layer in which a stoichiometric composition of the second oxynitride layer results in it being trap dense. In one embodiment, the device comprises a non-planar transistor including a gate having multiple surfaces abutting the channel, and the gate comprises the tunnel oxide layer and the multi-layer charge storing layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The method includes forming a first oxide layer on a surface of a substrate. The first oxide layer is exposed to a first decoupled plasma nitridation process having a first bias. Subsequently, a charge-trapping layer is formed on the first oxide layer. The charge-trapping layer is exposed to an oxidation process and then to a second decoupled plasma nitridation process having a second, different, bias.

Abstract: A method of scaling a nonvolatile trapped-charge memory device and the device made thereby is provided. In an embodiment, the method includes forming a channel region including polysilicon electrically connecting a source region and a drain region in a substrate. A tunneling layer is formed on the substrate over the channel region by oxidizing the substrate to form an oxide film and nitridizing the oxide film. A multi-layer charge trapping layer including an oxygen-rich first layer and an oxygen-lean second layer is formed on the tunneling layer, and a blocking layer deposited on the multi-layer charge trapping layer. In one embodiment, the method further includes a dilute wet oxidation to densify a deposited blocking oxide and to oxidize a portion of the oxygen-lean second layer.

Abstract: Scaling a charge trap memory device and the article made thereby. In one embodiment, the charge trap memory device includes a substrate having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region electrically connecting the source and drain. A tunnel dielectric layer is disposed above the substrate over the channel region, and a multi-layer charge-trapping region disposed on the tunnel dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor devices including non-volatile memories and methods of fabricating the same to improve performance thereof are provided. Generally, the device includes a memory transistor comprising a polysilicon channel region electrically connecting a source region and a drain region formed in a substrate, an oxide-nitride-nitride-oxide (ONNO) stack disposed above the channel region, and a high work function gate electrode formed over a surface of the ONNO stack. In one embodiment the ONNO stack includes a multi-layer charge-trapping region including an oxygen-rich first nitride layer and an oxygen-lean second nitride layer disposed above the first nitride layer. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The method includes subjecting a substrate to a first oxidation process to form a tunnel oxide layer overlying a polysilicon channel, and forming over the tunnel oxide layer a multi-layer charge storing layer comprising an oxygen-rich, first layer comprising a nitride, and an oxygen-lean, second layer comprising a nitride on the first layer. The substrate is then subjected to a second oxidation process to consume a portion of the second layer and form a high-temperature-oxide (HTO) layer overlying the multi-layer charge storing layer. The stoichiometric composition of the first layer results in it being substantially trap free, and the stoichiometric composition of the second layer results in it being trap dense. The second oxidation process can comprise a plasma oxidation process or a radical oxidation process using In-Situ Steam Generation.