Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for stimulating emission from at least one an emitter, such as a quantum dot or organic molecule, on the surface of a photonic crystal comprising a patterned dielectric substrate. Embodiments of this system include a laser or other source that illuminates the emitter and the photonic crystal, which is characterized by an energy band structure exhibiting a Fano resonance, from a first angle so as to stimulate the emission from the emitter at a second angle. The coupling between the photonic crystal and the emitter may result in spectral and angular enhancement of the emission through excitation and extraction enhancement. These enhancement mechanisms also reduce the emitter's lasing threshold. For instance, these enhancement mechanisms enable lasing of a 100 nm thick layer of diluted organic molecules solution with reduced threshold intensity. This reduction in lasing threshold enables more efficient organic light emitting devices and more sensitive molecular sensing.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for tracking points of interest of a user of a mobile device are disclosed. One method includes determining points of interest of a user of a mobile device. The method includes obtaining user-related information, wherein the user-related information includes spatial information about the user, and determining at least one point of interest of the user based on the user-related information. Another embodiment includes an apparatus for determining points of interest of a user. For one embodiment, the apparatus is a mobile device. The mobile device is operative to obtain user-related information, wherein the user-related information comprising spatial information about the user, and the mobile device is operative to determine at least one point of interest of the user based on the user-related information.

Abstract: A photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser (PCSEL) includes a gain medium electromagnetically coupled to a photonic crystal whose energy band structure exhibits a Dirac cone of linear dispersion at the center of the photonic crystal's Brillouin zone. This Dirac cone's vertex is called a Dirac point; because it is at the Brillouin zone center, it is called an accidental Dirac point. Tuning the photonic crystal's band structure (e.g., by changing the photonic crystal's dimensions or refractive index) to exhibit an accidental Dirac point increases the photonic crystal's mode spacing by orders of magnitudes and reduces or eliminates the photonic crystal's distributed in-plane feedback. Thus, the photonic crystal can act as a resonator that supports single-mode output from the PCSEL over a larger area than is possible with conventional PCSELs, which have quadratic band edge dispersion. Because output power generally scales with output area, this increase in output area results in higher possible output powers.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses for controlling a location sensing system of a mobile device are disclosed. One method includes collecting location related information of the mobile device. The method further includes controllably setting the mobile device to operate in one of a high-power state, a low-power state, or a transitional state based on the collected location related information, wherein a satellite-based positioning system receiver of the mobile device generates location information in the transitional state and in the on-state, and the satellite-based positioning system receiver does not generate location information in the low-power state. When operating in the transitional state, the mobile device repeatedly checks the collected location related information and transitions to the low-power state or the high-power state based on the collected location related information.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming patterned features over the semiconductor substrate, wherein gaps are formed between the patterned features; filling the gaps with a first filling material, wherein the first filling material has a first top surface higher than top surfaces of the patterned features; and performing a first planarization to lower the top surface of the first filling material, until the top surfaces of the patterned features are exposed. The method further includes depositing a second filling material, wherein the second filling material has a second top surface higher than the top surfaces of the patterned features; and performing a second planarization to lower the top surface of the second filling material, until the top surfaces of the patterned features are exposed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a distributed feedback laser array includes: forming a bottom separate confinement layer on a substrate; forming a quantum-well layer on the bottom separate confinement layer; forming a selective-area epitaxial dielectric mask pattern on the quantum-well layer; forming a top separate confinement layer on the quantum-well layer through selective-area epitaxial growth using the selective-area epitaxial dielectric mask pattern, the top separate confinement layer having different thicknesses for different laser units; removing the selective-area epitaxial dielectric mask pattern; forming an optical grating on the top separate confinement layer; and growing a contact layer on the optical grating. The present disclosure achieves different emission wavelengths for different laser units without significantly affect emission performance of the quantum-well material.

Abstract: A photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser (PCSEL) includes a gain medium electromagnetically coupled to a photonic crystal whose energy band structure exhibits a Dirac cone of linear dispersion at the center of the photonic crystal's Brillouin zone. This Dirac cone's vertex is called a Dirac point; because it is at the Brillouin zone center, it is called an accidental Dirac point. Tuning the photonic crystal's band structure (e.g., by changing the photonic crystal's dimensions or refractive index) to exhibit an accidental Dirac point increases the photonic crystal's mode spacing by orders of magnitudes and reduces or eliminates the photonic crystal's distributed in-plane feedback. Thus, the photonic crystal can act as a resonator that supports single-mode output from the PCSEL over a larger area than is possible with conventional PCSELs, which have quadratic band edge dispersion. Because output power generally scales with output area, this increase in output area results in higher possible output powers.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses for authenticating a user of a mobile device are disclosed. One method includes tracking a plurality of locations of the mobile device, tracking motion behavior of the mobile device, and generating a user profile for the user over a period of time based on the tracked plurality of locations and the tracked motion behavior. A present user of the mobile device is authenticated based on a comparison of the user profile with a present user profile of the present user, wherein the present user profile comprises recent location information of the mobile device and recent motion behavior of the mobile device.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses for automatically detecting and sharing user stays of a mobile device of a user are disclosed. One method includes persistently collecting location information, determining a group of users for sharing the user stays, determining whether the mobile device is within a specific distance of a specific location for at least specific minimum duration based on the location information, determining a user stay based on the location information and the specific distance, determining if the user stay is private or public to at least a portion of the group of users based on preferences of the user and the location information, and sharing the user stay with the at least the portion of the group of users by sending notifications to the group of users if the user stay is determined to be public to the at least the portion of the group of users.

Abstract: An organic dye laser produces a continuous-wave (cw) output without any moving parts (e.g., without using flowing dye streams or spinning discs of solid-state dye media to prevent photobleaching) and with a pump beam that is stationary with respect to the organic dye medium. The laser's resonant cavity, organic dye medium, and pump beam are configured to excite a lasing transition over a time scale longer than the associated decay lifetimes in the organic dye medium without photobleaching the organic dye medium. Because the organic dye medium does not photobleach when operating in this manner, it may be pumped continuously so as to emit a cw output beam. In some examples, operation in this manner lowers the lasing threshold (e.g., to only a few Watts per square centimeter), thereby facilitating electrical pumping for cw operation.

Abstract: A device having a gate where the profile of the gate provides a first width at a top region and a second width at a bottom region is described. The gate may include tapered sidewalls. The gate may be a metal gate structure.

Abstract: A method of forming an isolation trench having localized stressors is provided. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a trench is formed in a substrate and partially filled with a dielectric material. In an embodiment, the trench is filled with a dielectric layer and a planarization step is performed to planarize the surface with the surface of the substrate. The dielectric material is then recessed below the surface of the substrate. In the recessed portion of the trench, the dielectric material may remain along the sidewalls or the dielectric material may be removed along the sidewalls. A stress film, either tensile or compressive, may then be formed over the dielectric material within the recessed portion. The stress film may also extend over a transistor or other semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an array of unit metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns is provided. Each of the unit MOS devices includes an active region laid out in a row direction and a gate electrode laid out in a column direction. The semiconductor structure further includes a first unit MOS device in the array and a second unit MOS device in the array, wherein active regions of the first and the second unit MOS devices have different conductivity types.

Abstract: A method of reducing impurities in a high-k dielectric layer comprising the following steps. A substrate is provided. A high-k dielectric layer having impurities is formed over the substrate. The high-k dielectric layer being formed by an MOCVD or an ALCVD process. The high-k dielectric layer is annealed to reduce the impurities within the high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: An isolation trench having localized stressors is provided. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a trench is formed in a substrate and partially filled with a dielectric material. In an embodiment, the trench is filled with a dielectric layer and a planarization step is performed to planarize the surface with the surface of the substrate. The dielectric material is then recessed below the surface of the substrate. In the recessed portion of the trench, the dielectric material may remain along the sidewalls or the dielectric material may be removed along the sidewalls. A stress film, either tensile or compressive, may then be formed over the dielectric material within the recessed portion. The stress film may also extend over a transistor or other semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a metal gate using a gate last process. A trench is formed on a substrate. The profile of the trench is modified to provide a first width at the aperture of the trench and a second width at the bottom of the trench. The profile may be formed by including tapered sidewalls. A metal gate may be formed in the trench having a modified profile. Also provided is a semiconductor device including a gate structure having a larger width at the top of the gate than the bottom of the gate.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, and a first and a second MOS device. The first MOS device includes a first gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first gate dielectric is planar; and a first gate electrode over the first gate dielectric. The second MOS device includes a second gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate; and a second gate electrode over the second gate dielectric. The second gate electrode has a height greater than a height of the first gate electrode. The second gate dielectric includes a planar portion underlying the second gate electrode, and sidewall portions extending on sidewalls of the second gate electrode.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses for generating a user profile of a mobile device user are disclosed. One method includes tracking user stays of the user over time, wherein the user stays include at least one location, and generating the user profile based at least in part on at least one of an arrival time, a time duration or a frequency of visits of the user at each of the user stays. Another method includes determining a current state of a mobile device user. The method includes tracking locations of user stays of the mobile device user over time, and determining a current state of a mobile device user based on user stays within a predetermined time of a present time, wherein the predetermined time is dependent upon an application of the user device or an observed behavior of a user of the user device.

Abstract: An organic dye laser produces a continuous-wave (cw) output without any moving parts (e.g., without using flowing dye streams or spinning discs of solid-state dye media to prevent photobleaching) and with a pump beam that is stationary with respect to the organic dye medium. The laser's resonant cavity, organic dye medium, and pump beam are configured to excite a lasing transition over a time scale longer than the associated decay lifetimes in the organic dye medium without photobleaching the organic dye medium. Because the organic dye medium does not photobleach when operating in this manner, it may be pumped continuously so as to emit a cw output beam. In some examples, operation in this manner lowers the lasing threshold (e.g., to only a few Watts per square centimeter), thereby facilitating electrical pumping for cw operation.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a core device with a high-k gate dielectric and an I/O device with a silicon dioxide or other non-high-k gate dielectric, and a method of fabricating such a device. A core well and an I/O well are created in a semiconductor substrate and separated by an isolation structure. An I/O device is formed over the I/O well and has a silicon dioxide or a low-k gate dielectric. A resistor may be formed on an isolation structure adjacent to the core well. A core-well device such as a transistor is formed over the core well, and has a high-k gate dielectric. In some embodiments, a p-type I/O well and an n-type I/O well are created. In a preferred embodiment, the I/O device or devices are formed prior to forming the core device and protected with a sacrificial layer until the core device is fabricated.