Abstract: A semiconductor device including a source/drain region having a V-shaped bottom surface and extending below gate spacers adjacent a gate stack and a method of forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a gate stack over a fin; forming a gate spacer on a sidewall of the gate stack; etching the fin with a first anisotropic etch process to form a first recess adjacent the gate spacer; etching the fin with a second etch process using etchants different from the first etch process to remove an etching residue from the first recess; etching surfaces of the first recess with a third anisotropic etch process using etchants different from the first etch process to form a second recess extending below the gate spacer and having a V-shaped bottom surface; and epitaxially forming a source/drain region in the second recess.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a fin structure over a substrate, a vertical stack of silicon nanostructures disposed over the fin structure, an isolation structure disposed around the fin structure, a germanium-containing interfacial layer wrapping around each of the vertical stack of silicon nanostructures, a gate dielectric layer wrapping around the germanium-containing interfacial layer, and a gate electrode layer wrapping around the gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes first and second dielectric features and a first semiconductor layer disposed between the first and second dielectric features. The structure further includes an isolation layer disposed between the first and second dielectric features, and the isolation layer is in contact with the first and second dielectric features. The first semiconductor layer is disposed over the isolation layer. The structure further includes a gate dielectric layer disposed over the isolation layer and a gate electrode layer disposed over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode layer has an end extending to a level between a first plane defined by a first surface of the first semiconductor layer and a second plane defined by a second surface opposite the first surface.

Abstract: A card connecting assembly mountable on a circuit board for insertion of an electronic card includes a card connector disposed on the circuit board, and an electronic card mounting structure having first and second guiderails for the electronic card to be slidably insertable thereinto, and a latch mechanism integrally formed and elastically connected with the first guiderail. The latch mechanism includes an operating portion and a latch portion. With the latch portion engaged in the notch when the electronic card is inserted into the card connector to prevent removal thereof. Through the operating portion operably and elastically displaced away from the first guiderail, the latch portion is disengageable from the notch, the electronic card is permitted to be removed from the card connector.

Abstract: Semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor device comprises first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers over a substrate, wherein the first semiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layers are separated and stacked up, and a thickness of each second semiconductor layer is less than a thickness of each first semiconductor layer; a first interfacial layer around each first semiconductor layer; a second interfacial layer around each second semiconductor layer; a first dipole gate dielectric layer around each first semiconductor layer and over the first interfacial layer; a second dipole gate dielectric layer around each second semiconductor layer and over the second interfacial layer; a first gate electrode around each first semiconductor layer and over the first dipole gate dielectric layer; and a second gate electrode around each second semiconductor layer and over the second dipole gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: forming a fin extending from a substrate; forming a first gate mask over the fin, the first gate mask having a first width; forming a second gate mask over the fin, the second gate mask having a second width, the second width being greater than the first width; depositing a first filling layer over the first gate mask and the second gate mask; depositing a second filling layer over the first filling layer; planarizing the second filling layer with a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) process, the CMP process being performed until the first filling layer is exposed; and planarizing the first filling layer and remaining portions of the second filling layer with an etch-back process, the etch-back process etching materials of the first filling layer, the second filling layer, the first gate mask, and the second gate mask at the same rate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes first channel nanostructures in a first device region and second channel nanostructures in a second device region. The first channel nanostructures are disposed between first and second dielectric fins. The second channel nanostructures are disposed between first and third dielectric fins. A gate dielectric layer is formed to surround each of the first and the second channel nanostructures and over the first, the second and the third dielectric fins. A first work function layer is formed to surround each of the first channel nanostructures. A second work function layer is formed to surround each of the second channel nanostructures. A first gap is present between every adjacent first channel nanostructures and a second gap present is between every adjacent second channel nanostructures.

Abstract: Methods and semiconductor structures are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes depositing a top epitaxial layer over a substrate, forming a fin structure from the top epitaxial layer and a portion of the substrate, recessing a source/drain region of the fin structure to form a source/drain recess, conformally depositing a semiconductor layer over surfaces of the source/drain recess, etching back the semiconductor layer to form a diffusion stop layer over a bottom surface of the source/drain recess, depositing a first epitaxial layer over the diffusion stop layer and sidewalls source/drain recess, depositing a second epitaxial layer over the first epitaxial layer, and depositing a third epitaxial layer over the second epitaxial layer. A germanium concentration of the diffusion stop layer is greater than a germanium concentration of the top epitaxial layer or a germanium concentration of the first epitaxial layer.

Abstract: An optical modulator includes a waveguide. The waveguide includes a first optical coupling region, a first electrical coupling region, and a first plurality of regions. The first optical coupling region is doped with first dopants. The first electrical coupling region is doped with the first dopants. The first plurality of regions are doped with the first dopants and are sandwiched between the first optical coupling region and the first electrical coupling region. The first plurality of regions have respective decreasing doping concentrations as distances of the first plurality of regions increase from the first electrical coupling region. The first plurality of regions have respective decreasing heights as the distances of the first plurality of regions increase from the first electrical coupling region. A maximum doping concentration of the first plurality of regions is smaller than a doping concentration of the first electrical coupling region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and related method for forming a gate structure. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a fin extending from a substrate. In some cases, the fin includes a plurality of semiconductor channel layers. In some examples, the semiconductor device further includes a gate dielectric surrounding each of the plurality of semiconductor channel layers. In some embodiments, a first thickness of the gate dielectric disposed on a top surface of a topmost semiconductor channel layer of the plurality of semiconductor channel layers is greater than a second thickness of the gate dielectric disposed on a surface of another semiconductor channel layer disposed beneath the topmost semiconductor channel layer.

Abstract: Techniques described herein enable respective (different) types of metal silicide layers to be formed for p-type source/drain regions and n-type source/drain regions in a selective manner. For example, a p-type metal silicide layer may be selectively formed over a p-type source/drain region (e.g., such that the p-type metal silicide layer is not formed over the n-type source/drain region) and an n-type metal silicide layer may be formed over the n-type source/drain region (which may be selective or non-selective). This provides a low Schottky barrier height between the p-type metal silicide layer and the p-type source/drain region, as well as a low Schottky barrier height between the n-type metal silicide layer and the n-type source/drain region. This reduces the contact resistance for both p-type source/drain regions and n-type source/drain regions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layered material for mucoadhesion, comprising a modified acrylic polymer and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, wherein the weight ratio of the modified acrylic polymer: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is 1:4 to 4:1, and the layered material has a thickness of 0.0001 millimeters to 100 millimeters. The layered material of the present invention has mucoadhesion ability, so it can be prepared into a patch or a needle patch and help the fixation of the patch or the needle patch, and this is advantageous for the controlled-release of drugs. The present invention also relates to a patch comprising the layered material. In addition, the present invention relates to a microneedle patch comprising a needle layer, a base layer and a backing layer, wherein the backing layer comprises the aforementioned layered material and benefits the fixation of the microneedle patch. This microneedle patch is suitable for lesions on mucosa.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus is described. The electronic apparatus includes an integrated fan-out package, a dielectric housing, and a plurality of conductive patterns. The dielectric housing is covering the integrated fan-out package, wherein a gap or a first dielectric layer is in between the dielectric housing and the integrated fan-out package. The plurality of conductive patterns is located on a surface of the dielectric housing, wherein the plurality of conductive patterns is located in between the dielectric housing and the integrated fan-out package.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and a method for handling contamination in the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus can include a deposition apparatus and a processor. The deposition apparatus can include a chamber, a detection module configured to detect impurities in the chamber, and a gas scrubbing device configured to remove the impurities. The processor can be configured to receive, from the detection module, an impurity characteristic associated with the impurities; compare the impurity characteristic to a baseline characteristic; and instruct the gas scrubbing device to supply a decontamination gas in the chamber based on the comparison of the impurity characteristic to the baseline characteristic.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes first channel nanostructures in a first device region, second channel nanostructures in a second device region, a dielectric fin at a boundary between the first device region and the second device region, a high-k dielectric layer surrounding each of the first channel nanostructures and each of the second channel nanostructures and over the dielectric fin, a first work function layer surrounding each of the first channel nanostructures and over the high-k dielectric layer and a second work function layer surrounding each of the second channel nanostructures and over the high-k dielectric layer and the first work function layer. The first work function layer fully fills spaces between the first channel nanostructures and has an edge located above the dielectric fin. The second work function layer fully fills spaces between the second channel nanostructures.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method to enlarge the process window for forming a source/drain contact. The method may include receiving a workpiece that includes a source/drain feature exposed in a source/drain opening defined between two gate structures, conformally depositing a dielectric layer over sidewalls of the source/drain opening and a top surface of the source/drain feature, anisotropically etching the dielectric layer to expose the source/drain feature, performing an implantation process to the dielectric layer, and after the performing of the implantation process, performing a pre-clean process to the workpiece. The implantation process includes a non-zero tilt angle.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a substrate having a front side, a back side below the front side, and first functional circuitry and a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamp circuit on the front side of the substrate. The IC device further includes a first connection tower that extends below the back side of the substrate and is connected to an input/output pad below the back side of the substrate, and one or more first front side conductors and one or more first front side vias which connect the first buried connection tower to the first functional circuitry and to the first ESD clamp circuit.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first dielectric layer over a first channel region in a first region and over a second channel region in a second region; introducing a first dipole element into the first dielectric layer in the first region to form a first dipole-containing gate dielectric layer in the first region; forming a second dielectric layer over the first dipole-containing gate dielectric layer; introducing fluorine into the second dielectric layer to form a first fluorine-containing gate dielectric layer over the first dipole-containing gate dielectric layer; and forming a gate electrode over the first fluorine-containing gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of first forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) stack on a substrate, in which the MTJ stack includes a pinned layer on the substrate, a barrier layer on the pinned layer, and a free layer on the barrier layer. Next, a top electrode is formed on the MTJ stack, the top electrode, the free layer, and the barrier layer are removed, a first cap layer is formed on the top electrode, the free layer, and the barrier layer, and the first cap layer and the pinned layer are removed to form a MTJ and a spacer adjacent to the MTJ.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first connection tower, and one or more first front side conductors and one or more first front side metal vias. The semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor substrate segment having first functional circuitry and a second semiconductor substrate segment having a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamp circuit. The first connection tower connects to an input/output pad. The one or more first front side conductors and one or more first front side metal vias connect the first buried connection tower to the first functional circuitry in the first semiconductor substrate segment and to the first ESD clamp circuit in the second semiconductor substrate segment.