Abstract: The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; a dielectric layer formed on the substrate; an opening, formed through the dielectric layer; a contact layer formed at bottom of the opening; a blocking layer formed on a sidewall surface of the opening; and a plug formed in the opening. The plug is formed on a sidewall surface of the blocking layer and in contact with the contact layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a dielectric layer with an opening on a substrate; forming a material film in the opening; forming a blocking film on the material film; and removing the blocking film at the bottom of the opening to expose the material film. The remaining blocking film forms an initial blocking layer. The method further includes forming a conductive-material film in the opening; performing an annealing process to form a contact layer at the bottom of the opening by making the substrate, the material film, and the conductive-material film react with each other; and planarizing the conductive-material film, the initial blocking layer, and the material film to expose the dielectric layer. The remaining initial blocking layer forms a blocking layer in the opening; and the remaining conductive-material film forms a plug in contact with the blocking layer and the contact layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a fabrication method of the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate. The dielectric layer contains a contact hole, and a bottom of the contact hole exposes a surface of the substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a metal silicide layer disposed on the surface of the substrate exposed by the bottom of the contact hole. Further, the semiconductor device includes a barrier layer disposed on a surface of the metal silicide layer, and a plug layer disposed over the barrier layer and fully filling the contact hole.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a fabrication method of the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a source-drain plug layer in the substrate, a gate structure in the substrate, and a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate and covering the gate structure and the source-drain plug layer. The dielectric layer contains a first through-hole having a bottom exposing a top surface of the source-drain plug layer, and a second through-hole having a bottom exposing a top surface of the gate structure. Further, the semiconductor device includes an interface layer disposed on each of the top surface of the source-drain plug layer exposed by the first through-hole and the top surface of the gate structure exposed by the second through-hole.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a fabrication method of the semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a first dielectric layer and a plurality of gate structures, forming source-drain doped regions, and forming a source-drain plug. The first dielectric layer covers surfaces of the gate structure, the source-drain doped region and the source-drain plug. The method also includes forming a first plug in the first dielectric layer, and forming a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer. The first plug is in contact with a top surface of one of the source-drain plug and the gate structure. The second dielectric layer covers the first plug. Further, the method includes forming a second plug material film in the first and second dielectric layers. The second plug material film is in contact with the top surface of one of the source-drain plug and the gate structure.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for performing on/off detection in a wearable electronic device. Upon detecting a set of measurements indicating unfolding of one or more arms in the wearable electronic device, the system initiates a power-on sequence comprising a powering of electronic components in the wearable electronic device from a battery in the wearable electronic device. Upon detecting a first set of subsequent measurements indicating placement of the wearable electronic device on a head of a user, the system generates output indicating a powered state in the wearable electronic device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for forming the semiconductor device are provided. The method includes providing a substrate and forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the substrate. The method also includes forming a contact hole exposing a portion of the surface of the substrate by etching the interlayer dielectric layer. In addition, the method includes forming an adhesion layer at a bottom and on a sidewall of the contact hole, and forming a metal seed layer at a bottom and on a sidewall of the adhesion layer by a selective growth method. Further, the method includes forming a metal layer filling the contact hole on the metal seed layer.

Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of computer-implemented methods, computing systems, and program products for analyzing a flood operation on a hydrocarbon reservoir. For example, an embodiment of a computer implemented method for analyzing a flood operation for a hydrocarbon reservoir having a plurality of zones is provided. The embodiment includes receiving injection profile data (ILT) and injection rates. The embodiment also uses the received injection profile data and injection rates to split each injection well into multiple zonal level injectors. The embodiment also includes running capacitance resistance modeling treating each zonal level injector as a single injector, where running capacitance resistance modeling includes generating interwell connectivities at the zonal level.

Abstract: Semiconductor device and fabrication method are provided. The method for forming the semiconductor device includes providing a substrate; forming a dielectric layer on the substrate; forming a through hole in the dielectric layer, the through hole exposing a portion of a top surface of the substrate; performing a surface treatment process on the dielectric layer of sidewalls of the through hole; and filling a metal layer in the through hole.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method for forming same are provided. The method for forming a semiconductor device includes: providing a base; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over the base; forming contact holes by etching the interlayer dielectric layer; forming a barrier layer over the base in the contact holes; and forming a metal layer over the barrier layer. The contact holes exposed a portion of a surface of the base. The metal layer fully filled the contact hole.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a dielectric layer with an opening on a substrate; forming a material film in the opening; forming a blocking film on the material film; and removing the blocking film at the bottom of the opening to expose the material film. The remaining blocking film forms an initial blocking layer. The method further includes forming a conductive-material film in the opening; performing an annealing process to form a contact layer at the bottom of the opening by making the substrate, the material film, and the conductive-material film react with each other; and planarizing the conductive-material film, the initial blocking layer, and the material film to expose the dielectric layer. The remaining initial blocking layer forms a blocking layer in the opening; and the remaining conductive-material film forms a plug in contact with the blocking layer and the contact layer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for studying physical or chemical properties of molecules, and/or interactions between molecules such as protein-ligand interactions. The methods, systems, and devices involve transient induced molecular electronic spectroscopy (TIMES). In some configuration, a microfluidic channel having at least one inlet and at least one outlet is used for holding molecules for analyzing the molecules or interactions between molecules.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for enrichment and detection of molecules of a target biomarker. In one aspect, In one aspect, a biosensor device for enriching and detecting biomarker molecules include a substrate, and a microarray of hydrophilic islands disposed on the substrate. A sensing area on each of the microarray hydrophilic islands is structured to anchor bio-molecular probes of at least one type for detecting molecules of a target biomarker and to attract an array of nanodroplets of a biomarker solution that includes the target biomarker molecules. A hydrophobic surface is disposed to surround the microarray of hydrophilic islands.

Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of computer-implemented methods, computing systems, and program products for analyzing a flood operation on a hydrocarbon reservoir. An embodiment of a computer implemented method of identifying conformance candidates is provided. The embodiment includes, for a first entity: solving an injection entity index to generate an injection entity index value, solving a production entity index to generate a production entity index value, evaluating an operation entity index that represents operation status to generate an operation entity index value, and combining the injection entity index value, the production entity index value, and the operation entity index value to generate a conformance problem index value for the first entity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-propelled soft robot body, including a tube which is internally and axially provided with a tube cavity, and at least one propelling structure, comprising a first driving unit, a second driving unit and a third driving unit, which are evenly fixed on a peripheral wall of the tube cavity, relative to an axis thereof, and along the axis of the tube; and the first driving unit, the second driving unit and the third driving unit are respectively telescopic along the axis of the tube; at least two support structures, with each two adjacent support structures having at least one propelling structure arranged therebetween, the support structures are fixedly connected with the propelling structure and arranged on the peripheral wall of the tube cavity.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device includes a frame containing a front portion configured to rest over a nose of a user, a first arm configured to rest over an ear of the user. The wearable electronic device also includes a first hinge connecting the front portion and the first arm. The first hinge includes an interior portion that houses a wire connected to a first electronic component in the front portion and a second electronic component in the first arm. The first hinge also includes an exterior portion that hides the wire during rotation of the first arm about the first hinge between a folded position and an unfolded position.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for performing on/off detection in a wearable electronic device. Upon detecting a set of measurements indicating unfolding of one or more arms in the wearable electronic device, the system initiates a power-on sequence comprising a powering of electronic components in the wearable electronic device from a battery in the wearable electronic device. Upon detecting a first set of subsequent measurements indicating placement of the wearable electronic device on a head of a user, the system generates output indicating a powered state in the wearable electronic device.

Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of computer-implemented methods, computing systems, and program products for analyzing a flood operation on a hydrocarbon reservoir. For example, an embodiment of a computer implemented method of using producer centered polygons to identify at least one infill drilling location in a hydrocarbon reservoir having a plurality of producers and at least one injector is provided.

Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of computer-implemented methods, computing systems, and program products for analyzing a flood operation on a hydrocarbon reservoir. For example, an embodiment of a computer implemented method of analyzing a flood operation on a hydrocarbon reservoir having heavy oil is provided. The embodiment includes, for a first injection well of the hydrocarbon reservoir: receiving injection rate data and production rate data, establishing a plurality of time windows based on breakthrough time of each production well that has broken through until the current date, and running capacitance resistance modeling for each established time window to generate interwell connectivities for each well pair. The embodiment further includes determining a value of injected fluid for the first injection well as a function of time in the future using a continuous function estimated interwell connectivity and an estimated oil-cut value.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device includes a frame containing a first arm configured to rest over an ear of a user. The wearable electronic device also includes a bone conduction unit disposed within the first arm at a position that contacts a head of the user. The bone conduction unit includes a bone conduction transducer and a suspension that isolates at least one surface of the bone conduction transducer from contacting the frame. The suspension includes a first attachment point that is attached to a side of the bone conduction transducer and a second attachment point that is attached to the first arm.