Abstract: A hot spot defect detecting method and a hot spot defect detecting system are provided. In the method, hot spots are extracted from a design of a semiconductor product to define a hot spot map comprising hot spot groups, wherein local patterns in a same context of the design yielding a same image content are defined as a same hot spot group. During runtime, defect images obtained by an inspection tool performing hot scans on a wafer manufactured with the design are acquired and the hot spot map is aligned to each defect image to locate the hot spot groups. The hot spot defects in each defect image are detected by dynamically mapping the hot spot groups located in each defect image to a plurality of threshold regions and respectively performing automatic thresholding on pixel values of the hot spots of each hot spot group in the corresponding threshold region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an inter-metal dielectric layer disposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The inter-metal dielectric layer includes: a first dielectric layer disposed on the first metal layer and in direct contact with the first metal layer, wherein the first dielectric layer has a stress value less than 0; a second dielectric layer disposed on the first dielectric layer, wherein the second dielectric layer has a stress value greater than 0; and a third dielectric layer disposed on the second dielectric layer, wherein the third dielectric layer has a stress value less than 0. A thickness of the third dielectric layer is greater than a thickness of the second dielectric layer, and the thickness of the second dielectric layer is greater than a thickness of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: In some examples, a device can include an antenna to emit waves in a radiation pattern having a first beamwidth, a directional radiation control device located in a path of the waves, where the directional radiation control device is to receive the waves from the antenna and is shaped to cause the waves to be directed in a different radiation pattern having a second beamwidth that is larger than the first beamwidth.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor fabrication method. The method includes forming a gate stack in an area previously occupied by a dummy gate structure; forming a first metal cap layer over the gate stack; forming a first dielectric cap layer over the first metal cap layer; selectively removing a portion of the gate stack and the first metal cap layer while leaving a sidewall portion of the first metal cap layer that extends along a sidewall of the first dielectric cap layer; forming a second metal cap layer over the gate stack and the first metal cap layer wherein a sidewall portion of the second metal cap layer extends further along a sidewall of the first dielectric cap layer; forming a second dielectric cap layer over the second metal cap layer; and flattening a top layer of the first dielectric cap layer and the second dielectric cap layer using planarization operations.

Abstract: A transistor includes: a substrate; a first fin and a second fin protruding upwardly from a top surface of the substrate, wherein the first fin and the second fin are concentric, and each of the first fin and the second fin comprises a first straight section, a second straight section in parallel with the first straight section, a first curved section, and a second curved section; a first drain and a second drain; a first source and a second source; a first curved channel and a second curved channel located at the first curved section of the first fin and the first curved section of the second fin, respectively; and a third curved channel and a fourth curved channel located at the second curved section of the first fin and the second curved section of the second fin, respectively.

Abstract: A control circuit for safe charging a rechargeable battery comprising a forced short-circuit switch, a safety switch, an automatic change switch, a first rectification circuit, a second rectification circuit, a reverse-polarity detection circuit, a charging-signal output circuit, an oscillation circuit, and a condition-indicating signal assembly. Power supply can be provided from a conventional charging device or a spare battery. During the charging operations, the reverse-polarity detection circuit is used for detecting the correct polarity connection; when reverse polarity was connected, the automatic change switch will correct the polarity by indication the occupance of such condition with the indicating lamps in the condition-indicating signal assembly so as to provide a smooth and safe battery recharging.