Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate containing a shallow trench isolation structure that laterally surrounds a transistor active region, at least one line trench vertically extending into the semiconductor substrate, and a source region and a drain region located in the transistor active region. A contoured channel region continuously extends from the source region to the drain region underneath the at least one line trench. A gate dielectric contacts all surfaces of the at least one line trench and extends over an entirety of the contoured channel region. A gate electrode containing at least one fin portion overlies the gate dielectric.

Abstract: A stack of alternating layers of dielectric and conductive materials are formed on a substrate. A first portion of the stack of alternating layers forms a plurality of blocks of NAND memory. A second portion of the stack of alternating layers forms a configurable capacitor structure. The configurable capacitor structure is configurable to form one or more capacitors of configurable capacitance.

Abstract: Aiming at the problem of slow crystallization rate of poly(ethylene furandicarboxylate) (PEF), a preparation method for a bio-based nucleating agent for PEF and an application thereof are disclosed. In a technical solution, glycine having a bio-based source is subjected to an amidation reaction with furoic acid under the catalysis of p-toluenesulfonic acid, followed by an acid-base neutralization reaction with sodium hydroxide to obtain a bio-based nucleating agent for PEF. The bio-based nucleating agent prepared by the present disclosure can significantly accelerate a crystallization rate of PEF. Most importantly, the bio-based nucleating agent has no effect on the bio-based properties of PEF.

Abstract: A fan module includes a fan cover, a fixed grid coupled to the fan cover, a fan assembly positioned between the fan cover and the fixed grid, and at least one movable grid coupled to the fixed grid. The at least one movable grid is configured to move between an open position and a closed position. The fan module further includes a knob extending through the fan cover and the fixed grid. The knob is configured to move the at least one movable grid between the open position and the closed position. The knob includes an elongated portion, with the elongated portion being configured to prevent removal of the fan cover when the at least one movable grid is in the open position and permit removal of the fan cover when the at least one movable grid is in the closed position.

Abstract: A memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, a memory opening fill structure including a vertical semiconductor channel and a memory film. The memory film includes a tunneling dielectric layer in contact with the vertical semiconductor channel, a first vertical stack of first dielectric oxide material portions located at levels of the insulating layers and including a dielectric oxide material of a first element, and a second vertical stack of second dielectric oxide material portions located at levels of the electrically conductive layers and including a mixed dielectric oxide material that is a dielectric oxide material of the first element and a second element.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for preventing erase disturb in NAND. Erase voltages are applied to a source line and bit lines associated with selected memory cells, while applying an erase enable voltage to word lines connected to the selected cells. Preventing erase disturb may include raising the channel potential of unselected memory cells to a source line voltage that has a sufficiently low magnitude to not erase the unselected cells given a voltage on word lines connected to the unselected cells. The unselected cells share bit lines with the selected cells and may also share word lines. Preventing erase disturb may also include applying voltages to the select transistors that prevent the erase voltage from passing from the shared bit lines to the channels of the unselected cells. The voltages decrease from the bit lines to the unselected memory cells and may prevent GIDL generation. Current consumption is kept low.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes a first alternating stack of first insulating layers and first electrically conductive layers located over a semiconductor material layer, an inter-tier dielectric layer, and a second alternating stack of second insulating layers and second electrically conductive layers located over the inter-tier dielectric layer. A memory opening vertically extends through the second alternating stack, the inter-tier dielectric layer, and the first alternating stack. A memory opening fill structure is located in the memory opening, and includes a first vertical semiconductor channel, a second vertical semiconductor channel, and an inter-tier doped region located between the first and the second semiconductor channel, and providing a first p-n junction with the first vertical semiconductor channel and providing a second p-n junction with the second vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that adjust a focus of a camera based on a distance associated with a determined user attention. For example, an example process may include obtaining sensor data from one or more sensors in a physical environment. The process may include determining at least one gaze direction of at least one eye based on the sensor data. The process may further include determining a distance associated with user attention based on a convergence determined based on an intersection of gaze directions of the at least one gaze direction, or a distance of an object in a 3D representation of the physical environment based on the at least one gaze direction. The process may further include adjusting a focus of a camera of the one or more sensors based on the distance associated with the user attention.

Abstract: The memory device includes a memory block with memory cells arranged in word lines that are divided into sub-blocks. Control circuitry is configured to program each of the word lines of a selected sub-blocks in a plurality of program loops. During at least one program loop, the control circuitry applies a programming pulse to a selected word line. The control circuitry is also configured to simultaneously apply a verify voltage to the selected word line and a pass voltage to unselected word lines. In a first phase of a multi-phase pre-charge process, the control circuitry reduces the voltages applied to the selected word line and at least one unprogrammed word line to a low voltage. In a second phase that follows the first phase, the control circuitry reduces the voltages applied to all word lines that remained at the pass voltage to the low voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a vertical stack of repetition units, where each instance of the repetition unit extends along a first horizontal direction and includes a first electrically conductive strip, a first memory film located over the first electrically conductive strip, discrete semiconductor channels that are laterally spaced apart from each other along the first horizontal direction and located above the first memory film, a second memory film located above the discrete semiconductor channels, a second electrically conductive strip located above the second memory film, and an insulating strip located above the first electrically conductive strip.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a vertical stack of repetition units, where each instance of the repetition unit extends along a first horizontal direction and includes a first electrically conductive strip, a first memory film located over the first electrically conductive strip, discrete semiconductor channels that are laterally spaced apart from each other along the first horizontal direction and located above the first memory film, a second memory film located above the discrete semiconductor channels, a second electrically conductive strip located above the second memory film, and an insulating strip located above the first electrically conductive strip.

Abstract: To provide more test data during the manufacture of non-volatile memories and other integrated circuits, machine learning is used to generate virtual test values. Virtual test results are interpolated for one set of tests for devices on which the test is not performed based on correlations with other sets of tests. In one example, machine learning determines a correlation study between bad block values determined at die sort and photo-limited yield (PLY) values determined inline during processing. The correlation can be applied to interpolate virtual inline PLY data for all of the memory dies, allowing for more rapid feedback on the processing parameters for manufacturing the memory dies and making the manufacturing process more efficient and accurate. In another set of embodiments, the machine learning is used to extrapolate limited metrology (e.g., critical dimension) test data to all of the memory die through interpolated virtual metrology data values.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes alternating stacks of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers which are located over a substrate and are laterally spaced apart from each other by first backside trenches and second backside trenches that are interlaced along a horizontal direction, first backside trench fill structures located in the first backside trenches, and second backside trench fill structures located in the second backside trenches. Each of the first backside trench fill structures includes a respective set of first backside support bridge structures located at a first vertical spacing from the substrate, and each of the second backside trench fill structures includes a respective set of second backside support bridge structures located at a second vertical spacing from the substrate that is different from the first vertical spacing.

Abstract: Memory cells of a second sub-block are programmed by pre-charging channels of unselected memory cells connected to the selected word line, boosting the pre-charged channels of unselected memory cells and applying a program voltage to selected non-volatile memory cells connected to the selected word line. The pre-charging includes applying one or more overdrive voltages to word lines connected to memory cells of a first sub-block to provide a conductive path from memory cells of the second sub-block through the first sub-block to a source line and maintaining the word lines connected to memory cells of the first sub-block at one or more overdrive voltages while ramping down signals at the end of the pre-charging. Dummy word lines, positioned between sub-blocks, are maintained at a resting voltage during the boosting in order to cut-off channels of memory cells in the second sub-block from channels of memory cells in the first sub-block.

Abstract: In a non-volatile memory system that performs programming of selected memory cells (in coordination with pre-charging and boosting of channels for unselected memory cells) and program-verify to determine whether the programming was successful, the system transitions from program-verify to the next dose of programming by concurrently lowering a voltage applied to a selected word line and voltages applied to word lines on a first side of the selected word line at the conclusion of program-verify. Subsequent to lowering the voltage applied to the selected word line, the system successively lowers voltages applied to groups of one or more word lines on a second side of the selected word line at the conclusion of program-verify beginning with a group of one or more word lines immediately adjacent the selected word line and progressing to other groups of one or more word lines disposed increasingly remote from the selected word line.

Abstract: A memory device includes a semiconductor channel, a gate electrode, and a stack located between the semiconductor channel and the gate electrode. The stack includes, from one side to another, a first ferroelectric material portion, a second ferroelectric material portion, and a gate dielectric portion that contacts the semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and word-line-level electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, and a vertical layer stack located over the alternating stack, the vertical layer stack including an insulating cap layer, drain select electrodes, and a drain-select-level insulating layer. The drain select electrodes are laterally spaced apart from each other by drain-select-level isolation structures. Memory stack structures including a respective vertical semiconductor channel and a respective memory film vertically extend through the alternating stack and the vertical layer stack. Each of the vertical semiconductor channels includes a word-line-level semiconductor channel portion extending through the alternating stack, a connection channel portion contacting a top end of the word-line-level semiconductor channel, and a drain-select-level semiconductor channel portion vertically extending through the vertical layer stack.