Abstract: Contact structures and methods of forming the same are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece including a conductive feature embedded in a first dielectric layer, treating the workpiece with a nitrogen-containing plasma, after the treating, depositing a first etch stop layer (ESL) over the workpiece, depositing a second ESL over the first ESL, depositing a second dielectric layer over the second ESL, forming an opening through the second dielectric layer, the second ESL and the first ESL to expose the conductive feature, and forming a contact via in the opening. The first ESL includes aluminum nitride or silicon carbonitride and the second ESL includes aluminum oxide or silicon oxycarbide.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning a preclean process chamber in between wafer processing. The internal pressure of the preclean process chamber is reduced to a first pressure and a first gas that consists of oxygen and an inert or noble gas, is introduced into the chamber. Plasma is generated within the preclean process chamber using the first gas at the first pressure. Internal pressure is then reduced to a second pressure, less than the first, and the first gas is continued into the chamber. Plasma is then generated using the first gas at the second pressure. Thereafter, a second gas, consisting of an oxygen-free inert or noble gas, is introduced into the chamber at the second pressure, following which plasma is generated within the chamber using only the second gas.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a barrier layer between a gate structure and gate spacer layers, and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The a method includes forming a fin structure on a substrate, forming a polysilicon structure on the fin structure, performing a nitridation operation to form a barrier layer on the polysilicon structure and the fin structure, forming gate spacer layers on the barrier layer, forming a source/drain region in the fin structure and adjacent to the barrier layer, annealing the gate spacer layers, and replacing the polysilicon structure with a gate structure.

Abstract: A hairpin gripper includes: a gripper main body; a first finger grip part provided on the gripper main body and configured to grip a first portion of a hairpin; and a second finger grip part provided on the gripper main body and configured to grip a second portion of the hairpin independently of the first finger grip part. As a result, the hairpin gripper obtains an advantageous effect of improving the accuracy of an operation of clamping the hairpin and improving productivity and production efficiency.

Abstract: A method includes etching a gate stack to form a trench extending through the gate stack, the gate stack including a metal gate electrode and a gate dielectric, wherein forming the trench removes a portion of the gate stack to separate the gate stack into a first gate stack portion and a second gate stack portion; extending the trench through an isolation region under the gate stack and into a semiconductor substrate under the isolation region; conformally depositing a first dielectric material on surfaces in the trench; and depositing a second dielectric material on the first dielectric material to fill the trench, wherein the first dielectric material is a more flexible material than the second dielectric material.

Abstract: A wafer treatment system is provided. The wafer treatment system includes a wafer treatment chamber defining a treatment area within which a wafer is treated. The wafer treatment system includes a gas injection system. The gas injection system includes a gas injector configured to inject a first gas, used for treatment of the wafer, into the treatment area. A first gas tube is configured to conduct the first gas at a first temperature to the gas injector. The gas injection system includes a heating enclosure enclosing the gas injector. A second gas tube is configured to conduct a heated gas to the heating enclosure to increase an enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure to a second enclosure temperature. A temperature of the first gas is increased in the gas injector from the first temperature to a second temperature due to the second enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning a preclean process chamber in between wafer processing. The internal pressure of the preclean process chamber is reduced to a first pressure and a first gas that consists of oxygen and an inert or noble gas, is introduced into the chamber. Plasma is generated within the preclean process chamber using the first gas at the first pressure. Internal pressure is then reduced to a second pressure, less than the first, and the first gas is continued into the chamber. Plasma is then generated using the first gas at the second pressure. Thereafter, a second gas, consisting of an oxygen-free inert or noble gas, is introduced into the chamber at the second pressure, following which plasma is generated within the chamber using only the second gas.

Abstract: A wafer treatment system is provided. The wafer treatment system includes a wafer treatment chamber defining a treatment area within which a wafer is treated. The wafer treatment system includes a gas injection system. The gas injection system includes a gas injector configured to inject a first gas, used for treatment of the wafer, into the treatment area. A first gas tube is configured to conduct the first gas at a first temperature to the gas injector. The gas injection system includes a heating enclosure enclosing the gas injector. A second gas tube is configured to conduct a heated gas to the heating enclosure to increase an enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure to a second enclosure temperature. A temperature of the first gas is increased in the gas injector from the first temperature to a second temperature due to the second enclosure temperature at the heating enclosure.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first cell arranged in a first row extending in a first horizontal direction, a second cell arranged in a second row adjacent to the first row, and a third cell continuously arranged in the first row and the second row. The first cell and the second cell comprise respective portions of a first power line extending in the first horizontal direction, and the third cell includes a second power line electrically connected to the first power line and extending in the first horizontal direction in the first row.

Abstract: A method includes forming image sensors in a semiconductor substrate. A first alignment mark is formed close to a front side of the semiconductor substrate. The method further includes performing a backside polishing process to thin the semiconductor substrate, forming a second alignment mark on the backside of the semiconductor substrate, and forming a feature on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The feature is formed using the second alignment mark for alignment.

Abstract: An integrated circuit including: a power rail including first and second conductive lines spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction, wherein the first and second conductive lines extend in parallel to each other in a first horizontal direction, and are electrically connected to each other, to supply power to a first standard cell, wherein the first and second conductive lines are disposed at a boundary of the first standard cell; and a third conductive line between the first and second conductive lines and extending in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, to transfer an input signal or an output signal of the first standard cell.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cryogenic pump for semiconductor processing, including a body having a flange, configured to be coupled to a process chamber, and an opening defined at a first end of the body; one or more capture plate modules disposed in the body; and a cold header thermally coupled to the one or more capture plate modules. A longitudinal axis of the body is defined from the first end of the body to a second end of the body. A first lateral dimension of the opening is less than a second lateral dimension of the body, the first and second lateral dimensions being defined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The second lateral dimension is defined at a position between the opening and the second end.

Abstract: A remote training apparatus for a drone flight in a mixed reality includes: a processor; and a memory, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to generate a virtual flight space using arrangement information of one or more anchors and tags arranged in a physical space for the flight of the drone, and receive and register a flight training scenario generated in the virtual flight space from a second computer belonging to a remote expert group that remotely communicates with a first computer belonging to a drone operator group, wherein the flight training scenario includes one or more virtual obstacles and one or more flight instruction commands, and at least some of the flight instruction commands are mapped to the one or more virtual obstacles, and receive one or more annotations generated by the remote expert group from the second computer to transmit the annotations to the first computer.

Abstract: A method includes forming image sensors in a semiconductor substrate. A first alignment mark is formed close to a front side of the semiconductor substrate. The method further includes performing a backside polishing process to thin the semiconductor substrate, forming a second alignment mark on the backside of the semiconductor substrate, and forming a feature on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The feature is formed using the second alignment mark for alignment.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first standard cell including a first first-type transistor, a first second-type transistor, a third second-type transistor, and a third first-type transistor, a second standard cell including a second first-type transistor, a second second-type transistor, a fourth second-type transistor and a fourth first-type transistor, a plurality of wiring layers which are disposed on the first and second standard cells and includes a first wiring layer, a second wiring layer, and a third wiring layer sequentially stacked. A source contact of the first first-type transistor and a source contact of the second first-type transistor are electrically connected through a first power rail of the plurality of wiring layers, and a source contact of the third first-type transistor and a source contact of the fourth first-type transistor are electrically connected through a second power rail of the plurality of wiring layers.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a patterning process for a strap region in a memory cell for the removal of material between polysilicon lines. The patterning process includes depositing a first hard mask layer in a divot formed on a top portion of a polysilicon layer interposed between a first polysilicon gate structure and a second polysilicon gate; depositing a second hard mask layer on the first hard mask layer. The patterning process also includes performing a first etch to remove the second hard mask layer and a portion of the second hard mask layer from the divot; performing a second etch to remove the second hard mask layer from the divot; and performing a third etch to remove the polysilicon layer not covered by the first and second hard mask layers to form a separation between the first polysilicon gate structure and the second polysilicon structure.

Abstract: An AI motion recognition based smart hometraining platform is configured to include: a photographing unit; an motion image generation unit; a joint information generation unit; a deep learning determination unit determining whether the user motion is suitable by inputting user joint information; a correction information generation unit extracting correction information, and generating an image for a correction image or correction information based on the extracted correction information; a user image generation unit generating a user image acquired by overlaying a joint information image of the joint information generation unit to the user image; and a display displaying both the image for the correction message or the correction information and the user image of the user image generation unit in the display.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first standard cell including a first first-type transistor, a first second-type transistor, a third second-type transistor, and a third first-type transistor, a second standard cell including a second first-type transistor, a second second-type transistor, a fourth second-type transistor and a fourth first-type transistor, a plurality of wiring layers which are disposed on the first and second standard cells and includes a first wiring layer, a second wiring layer, and a third wiring layer sequentially stacked. A source contact of the first first-type transistor and a source contact of the second first-type transistor are electrically connected through a first power rail of the plurality of wiring layers, and a source contact of the third first-type transistor and a source contact of the fourth first-type transistor are electrically connected through a second power rail of the plurality of wiring layers.

Abstract: An AI motion recognition based smart hometraining platform is configured to include: a photographing unit; an motion image generation unit; a joint information generation unit; a deep learning determination unit determining whether the user motion is suitable by inputting user joint information; a correction information generation unit extracting correction information, and generating an image for a correction image or correction information based on the extracted correction information; a user image generation unit generating a user image acquired by overlaying a joint information image of the joint information generation unit to the user image; and a display displaying both the image for the correction message or the correction information and the user image of the user image generation unit in the display.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first and second active pattern extending in a first direction on a substrate, a first and second gate electrode extending in a second direction to intersect the first and second active pattern, a first source/drain contact extending in the second direction and connected to a first and source/drain region of the first and second active patterns, respectively, a first source/drain via connected to the first source/drain contact, a first cell separation film extending in the second direction and crosses the first active pattern and the second active pattern, between the first source/drain contact and the second gate electrode, a first gate via connected to the second gate electrode and arranged with the first source/drain via along the first direction, and a first connection wiring which extending in the first direction and connects the first source/drain via and the first gate via.