Abstract: A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece that includes a gate structure, a first gate spacer feature, a second gate spacer feature, a gate-top dielectric feature over the gate structure, the first gate spacer feature and the second gate spacer feature, a first source/drain feature over a first source/drain region, a second source/drain feature over a second source/drain region, a first dielectric layer over the first source/drain feature, and a second dielectric layer over the second source/drain feature. The method further includes replacing a top portion of the first dielectric layer with a first hard mask layer, forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer while the second dielectric layer is exposed, etching the second dielectric layer to form a source/drain contact opening and to expose the second source/drain feature, and forming a source/drain contact over the second source/drain feature.

Abstract: The application disclose a digital serializer/deserializer circuit and a data eye monitoring method thereof. A received analog signal is converted to first digital samples at a first sample rate. The first digital samples are equalized to generate a first equalized signal. A symbol decision signal is generated from the first equalized signal. The received analog signal is converted to second digital samples at a second sample rate. Difference between the first digital samples and the second digital samples is determined, and the first equalized signal and the determined difference are combined to generate a signal processing output. A data eye error rate is determined according to the symbol decision signal and the signal processing output.

Abstract: A communication receiver includes a first signal processing circuit and a second signal processing circuit. The first signal processing circuit includes a first feedforward equalizer and a decision circuit. The first feedforward equalizer processes a received signal to generate a first equalized signal. The decision circuit performs hard decision upon the first equalized signal to generate a first symbol decision signal. The second signal processing circuit includes a second feedforward equalizer, a decision feedforward equalizer, and a first decision feedback equalizer. The second feedforward equalizer processes the first equalized signal to generate a second equalized signal. The decision feedforward equalizer processes the first symbol decision signal to generate a third equalized signal. The first decision feedback equalizer generates a second symbol decision signal according to the second equalized signal and the third equalized signal.