Abstract: An integrated circuit die with two material layers having metal nano-particles and the method of forming the same are provided. The integrated circuit die includes a device layer comprising a first transistor, a first interconnect structure on a first side of the device layer, a first material layer on the first interconnect structure, wherein the first material layer comprises first metal nano-particles, and a second material layer bonded to the first material layer, wherein the second material layer comprises second metal nano-particles, and wherein the first material layer and the second material layer share an interface.

Abstract: A system for reflowing a semiconductor workpiece including a stage, a first vacuum module and a second vacuum module, and an energy source is provided. The stage includes a base and a protrusion connected to the base, the stage is movable along a height direction of the stage relative to the semiconductor workpiece, the protrusion operably holds and heats the semiconductor workpiece, and the protrusion includes a first portion and a second portion surrounded by and spatially separated from the first portion. The first vacuum module and the second vacuum module respectively coupled to the first portion and the second portion of the protrusion, and the first vacuum module and the second vacuum module are operable to respectively apply a pressure to the first portion and the second portion. The energy source is disposed over the stage to heat the semiconductor workpiece held by the protrusion of the stage.

Abstract: An imaging optical lens system includes eight lens elements which are, in order from an object side to an image side along an optical path: a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element, a sixth lens element, a seventh lens element and an eighth lens element. The first lens element has positive refractive power. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The seventh lens element has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof, and the image-side surface of the seventh lens element has at least one convex critical point in an off-axis region thereof.

Abstract: An optical system, comprising: (i) multiple input optical fibers; (ii) an optical mode multiplexer/demultiplexer coupled to said input optical fibers with, said optical mode multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising a plurality of metamaterial structures having length and forming at least one stage of metamaterials, the at least one stage of metamaterials is being situated on a surface of the optical mode multiplexer/demultiplexer facing the input optical fibers, and the at least one stage of metamaterials is oriented at angles between 60 and 120 degrees relative to the axis of the input fibers; and the metasurfaces are structured to receive a first optical signal having a first mode from at least one of said multiple input optical fibers and convert the first mode to a different mode.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of providing a substrate having a medium-voltage (MV) region and a low-voltage (LV) region, forming fin-shaped structures on the LV region, forming an insulating layer between the fin-shaped structures, forming a hard mask on the LV region, and then performing a thermal oxidation process to form a gate dielectric layer on the MV region. Preferably, a hump is formed on the substrate surface of the MV region after the hard mask is removed, in which the hump further includes a first hump adjacent to one side of the substrate on the MV region and a second hump adjacent to another side of the substrate on the MV region.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; fin active regions protruded above the semiconductor substrate; and a gate stack disposed on the fin active regions; wherein the gate stack includes a high-k dielectric material layer, and various metal layers disposed on the high-k dielectric material layer. The gate stack has an uneven profile in a sectional view with a first dimension D1 at a top surface, a second dimension D2 at a bottom surface, and a third dimension D3 at a location between the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein each of D1 and D2 is greater than D3.

Abstract: A memory cell circuit, a memory cell array structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The memory cell circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor and a capacitor. The first transistor has a first end electrically coupled to a bit line, and a gate of the first transistor is electrically coupled to a primary word line. The second transistor has a first end electrically coupled to a second end of the first transistor, and a gate of the second transistor is electrically coupled to an auxiliary word line. A first end of the capacitor is electrically coupled to a second end of the second transistor and a second end of the capacitor receives a reference voltage.

Abstract: A common mode filter includes a first iron core, a second iron core, a first coil, and a second coil. The first iron core includes two first electrode portions and two second electrode portions. The second iron core is disposed above the first iron core, and the first iron core and the second iron core are adhered to each other. All surfaces of the second iron core are coated with an insulating layer. The first coil is wound around the first iron core and the second iron core. The second coil is wound around the first iron core and the second iron core.

Abstract: A quantum memory device includes: a waveguide configured to spatially confine paths of photons therein; a memory cell that includes a micro-ring resonator (MRR), a frequency tuner, and a quantum memory material portion, wherein the MRR includes a first segment that is parallel to a segment of the waveguide, wherein the frequency tuner is configured to modulate a photon resonance frequency in the MRR by modifying an effective refractive index within, or around, a second segment of the MRR, and wherein the quantum memory material portion includes a quantum memory material having a ground state and an excitation state that stores photons therein and located within or on a third segment of the MRR; and a control circuit configured to modulate the photon resonance wavelength in the MRR during a first step of a photon capture operation to match a predefined wavelength, and to generate captured photons in the MRR.

Abstract: A memory device based on thyristors, comprises the following elements. A plurality of gate structures, are continuous structures in the first direction. A plurality of bit lines, extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A plurality of source lines, extending in the first direction. A plurality of channels, extending in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and penetrating the gate structures. The first doped regions of the channels are coupled to the bit lines, and the second doped regions of the channels are coupled to the source lines. A plurality of memory units formed by the gate structures and corresponding channels. The source lines are arranged in sequence according to the second direction to form a stair structure, and the lengths of the source lines decrease in sequence in the first direction.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a gate structure on a channel region of a substrate; a gate mask on the gate structure, the gate mask including a first dielectric material and an impurity, a concentration of the impurity in the gate mask decreasing in a direction extending from an upper region of the gate mask to a lower region of the gate mask; a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate mask and the gate structure, the gate spacer including the first dielectric material and the impurity, a concentration of the impurity in the gate spacer decreasing in a direction extending from an upper region of the gate spacer to a lower region of the gate spacer; and a source/drain region adjoining the gate spacer and the channel region.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes coating a photoresist film over a target layer over a semiconductor substrate; performing a lithography process to pattern the photoresist film into a photoresist layer; performing a directional ion bombardment process to the photoresist layer along a direction tilted with respect to a normal direction of the semiconductor substrate, such that a carbon atomic concentration in the photoresist layer is increased; and etching the target layer using the photoresist layer as an etch mask.

Abstract: Middle-of-line (MOL) interconnects and corresponding techniques for forming the MOL interconnects are disclosed herein. An exemplary MOL interconnect structure includes a barrier-free source/drain contact, a barrier-free source/drain via, and a barrier-free gate via disposed in an insulator layer. The barrier-free source/drain is disposed on an epitaxial source/drain, and the barrier-free source/drain contact includes tungsten, molybdenum, or a combination thereof. The barrier-free source/drain via is disposed on the barrier-free source/drain contact and the barrier-free source/drain via includes molybdenum. The barrier-free gate via is disposed on a gate stack disposed adjacent to the epitaxial source/drain, and the barrier-free gate via includes tungsten, molybdenum, or a combination thereof. A width of the barrier-free source/drain via and/or the barrier-free gate via may be less than about 16 nm. The barrier-free source/drain via and/or the barrier-free gate via may be formed at the same time (e.g.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a pattern transfer processing chamber includes a pattern transfer processing chamber and a loading area external to the pattern transfer processing chamber. The loading area is configured to transfer a wafer to or from the pattern transfer processing chamber. The loading area comprises a first region including a loadport, a second region including a load-lock between the first region and the pattern transfer processing chamber, and an embedded baking chamber configured to heat a patterned photoresist on the wafer.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a gate structure on a channel region of a substrate; a gate mask on the gate structure, the gate mask including a first dielectric material and an impurity, a concentration of the impurity in the gate mask decreasing in a direction extending from an upper region of the gate mask to a lower region of the gate mask; a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate mask and the gate structure, the gate spacer including the first dielectric material and the impurity, a concentration of the impurity in the gate spacer decreasing in a direction extending from an upper region of the gate spacer to a lower region of the gate spacer; and a source/drain region adjoining the gate spacer and the channel region.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, an interconnection structure, a color filter, and a first isolation structure. The semiconductor substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The interconnection structure is disposed over the first surface, and the color filter is disposed over the second surface. The first isolation structure includes a bottom portion, an upper portion and a diffusion barrier layer surrounding a sidewall of the upper portion. A top surface of the upper portion of the first isolation structure extends into and is in contact with a dielectric layer of the interconnection structure.

Abstract: An alignment structure for a semiconductor device and a method of forming same are provided. A method includes forming an isolation region over a substrate and forming an alignment structure over the isolation region. Forming the alignment structure includes forming a sacrificial gate electrode layer over the substrate and the isolation region. The sacrificial gate electrode layer is patterned to form a plurality of first sacrificial gates over the isolation region. At least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates is reshaped. The at least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates is disposed at an edge of the alignment structure in a plan view. A sidewall of the at least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates comprises a notch at an interface between the at least one of the plurality of first sacrificial gates and the isolation region.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure according to the present disclosure includes a conductive feature in a top portion of a substrate, a bottom electrode layer over and in electrical coupling with the conductive feature, an insulator layer over the bottom electrode layer, a semiconductor layer over the insulator layer, a ferroelectric layer over the semiconductor layer, and a top electrode layer over the ferroelectric layer. The semiconductor layer includes a plurality of portions with different thicknesses.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dielectric layer over an epitaxial source/drain region. An opening is formed in the dielectric layer. The opening exposes a portion of the epitaxial source/drain region. A barrier layer is formed on a sidewall and a bottom of the opening. An oxidation process is performing on the sidewall and the bottom of the opening. The oxidation process transforms a portion of the barrier layer into an oxidized barrier layer and transforms a portion of the dielectric layer adjacent to the oxidized barrier layer into a liner layer. The oxidized barrier layer is removed. The opening is filled with a conductive material in a bottom-up manner. The conductive material is in physical contact with the liner layer.

Abstract: A device structure includes semiconductor devices located on a substrate; metal interconnect structures located in dielectric material layers overlying the semiconductor devices; and a non-Ohmic voltage-triggered switch including a first switch electrode that is electrically connected to one of the semiconductor devices through a subset of the metal interconnect structures, a second switch electrode, and a non-Ohmic switching material portion providing a non-Ohmic current-voltage characteristics and in contact with the first switch electrode and the second switch electrode. The non-Ohmic voltage-triggered switch may be used as an electrostatic discharge (ESD) switch.