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 semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor fins, at least one gate stack, a refill isolation, and an air gap. Each of the semiconductor fins extends in an X direction. Two adjacent ones of the semiconductor fins are spaced apart from each other in a Y direction transverse to the X direction. The at least one gate stack has two stack sections spaced apart from each other in the Y direction. The stack sections are disposed over two adjacent ones of the semiconductor fins, respectively. The refill isolation and the air gap are disposed between the stack sections.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a first interconnect structure including metallization patterns; a second interconnect structure including a power rail; a device layer between the first interconnect structure and the second interconnect structure, the device layer including a first transistor, the first transistor including an epitaxial source/drain region; and a conductive via extending through the device layer, the conductive via connecting the power rail to the metallization patterns, the conductive via contacting the epitaxial source/drain region.

Abstract: A temperature measuring apparatus for measuring a temperature of a substrate is described. A light emitting source that emits light signals such as laser pulses are applied to the substrate. A detector on the other side of the light emitting source receives the reflected laser pulses. The detector further receives emission signals associated with temperature or energy density that is radiated from the surface of the substrate. The temperature measuring apparatus determines the temperature of the substrate during a thermal process using the received laser pulses and the emission signals. To improve the signal to noise ratio of the reflected laser pulses, a polarizer may be used to polarize the laser pulses to have a S polarization. The angle in which the polarized laser pulses are applied towards the substrate may also be controlled to enhance the signal to noise ratio at the detector's end.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor fins, at least one gate stack, a refill isolation, and an air gap. Each of the semiconductor fins extends in an X direction. Two adjacent ones of the semiconductor fins are spaced apart from each other in a Y direction transverse to the X direction. The at least one gate stack has two stack sections spaced apart from each other in the Y direction. The stack sections are disposed over two adjacent ones of the semiconductor fins, respectively. The refill isolation and the air gap are disposed between the stack sections.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a first interconnect structure including metallization patterns; a second interconnect structure including a power rail; a device layer between the first interconnect structure and the second interconnect structure, the device layer including a first transistor, the first transistor including an epitaxial source/drain region; and a conductive via extending through the device layer, the conductive via connecting the power rail to the metallization patterns, the conductive via contacting the epitaxial source/drain region.

Abstract: In an exemplary aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a device. The device includes a semiconductor substrate, a stack of semiconductor layers over the semiconductor substrate, a gate structure over and between the stack of semiconductor layers, where the gate structure engages with the stack of semiconductor layers. Moreover, the device also includes a silicide layer extending along sidewall surfaces of the stack of semiconductor layers, and a source/drain feature on a sidewall surface of the silicide layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing silicon germanium facets in planar metal oxide semiconductor structures is disclosed. For example, a device fabricated according to the method may include a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of gate stacks formed on the substrate, a plurality of source/drain regions formed from silicon germanium, and a shallow trench isolation region positioned between two source/drain regions of the plurality of source/drain regions. Each source/drain region of the plurality of source/drain regions is positioned adjacent to at least one gate stack of the plurality of gate stacks. Moreover, the shallow trench isolation region forms a trench in the substrate without intersecting the two source/drain regions.

Abstract: A projection device including an imaging module, a freeform-surface reflective mirror, and a projection lens assembly is provided. The imaging module is configured to provide imaging beams and includes a display panel and a light-source module. The imaging beams are transmitted toward the projection lens assembly by the freeform-surface reflective mirror. The projection lens assembly includes a first optical axis and a second optical axis. The first optical axis passes through the projection lens assembly. The imaging beams emitted by the projection device form an imaging-beam region, in which the first optical axis does not pass through a geometric center of the imaging-beam region, and the second optical axis passes through a geometric center region of the display panel. The geometric center region is a region having a distance less than or equal to 40% of a minimum width of the display panel from a geometric center of the display panel.

Abstract: A microstructured passage module for aerosolizer is disclosed. The module includes a plate overlaid by a cover, an entrance, an exit, a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of pillars. The protrusions and pillars project from and are integral parts of the plate. Further, the plate can be divided into a first zone proximate to the entrance and a second zone proximate to the exit. The protrusions are arranged into parallel rows in a direction from the entrance to the exit and form parallel passages therebetween in the first zone for the liquid to flow along. The protrusions in each column are spaced from one another by tunnels. The pillars are interposingly disposed in the second zone and define certain channels therebetween. Moreover, a plurality of pillars further disposed in the passages increase a flow resistance for the liquid flowing through the passages.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of first providing a substrate having a first region and a second region, forming a first bottom barrier metal (BBM) layer on the first region and the second region, forming a first work function metal (WFM) layer on the first BBM layer on the first region and the second region, and then forming a diffusion barrier layer on the first WFM layer.

Abstract: A layout pattern of a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) includes a substrate having a first cell region and a second cell region and a diffusion region on the substrate extending through the first cell region and the second cell region. Preferably, the diffusion region includes a first H-shape and a second H-shape according to a top view.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first device and a second device. The first device includes: a first gate structure formed over an active region and a first air spacer disposed adjacent to the first gate structure. The second device includes: a second gate structure formed over an isolation structure and a second air spacer disposed adjacent to the second gate structure. The first air spacer and the second air spacer have different sizes.

Abstract: A surface inspection system for foil article is disclosed. The surface inspection system comprises a box having a top long narrow opening and a bottom long narrow opening, a bridge interface, a first light source, a second light source, a first modular camera device having a first camera, and a second modular camera device having a second camera. In which, the first light source, the second light source, the first modular camera device, and the second modular camera device all accommodated in the box, and are coupled to a control box through the bridge interface. Particularly, this surface inspection system is allowed to be integrated in an automatic production line of a foil article like electro-forming aluminum foil (also called electronic aluminum foil), so as to achieve an in-line inspection of the surface morphology of the electro-forming aluminum foil.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for training an image embedding model. In one aspect, a method comprises: obtaining training data comprising a plurality of training examples, wherein each training example comprises: an image pair comprising a first image and a second image; and selection data indicating one or more of: (i) a co-click rate of the image pair, and (ii) a similar-image click rate of the image pair; and using the training data to train an image embedding model having a plurality of image embedding model parameters.

Abstract: A positioning system based on street view information for a vehicle is provided. The positioning system includes a database, an image capturing module and a processing circuit. The database includes information of a plurality of identifiable objects with high discrimination and location information of the plurality of identifiable objects. The image capturing module is disposed on the vehicle and configured to capturing a current image. The processing circuit is configured to determine whether at least one current identifiable object in the current image matches at least one of the plurality of identifiable objects with high discrimination.

Abstract: A display apparatus and an image processing method thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes a display panel and an image processing device. The image processing device receives a low-resolution image from a host. The image processing device tracks a user's gaze to define a region of interest (ROI). The image processing device performs a video super-resolution (VSR) reconstruction on an original ROI image corresponding to the ROI in the low-resolution image to generate a high-definition ROI image. The image processing device pastes the high-definition ROI image back to the ROI in the low-resolution image to generate a processed image. The image processing device controls the display panel to display the processed image.

Abstract: A pixel of an image sensor includes: a semiconductor material substrate; a photosensitive region formed in the substrate, the photosensitive region generating photo-induced electrical charge in response to illumination with light; a storage node formed in the substrate proximate to the photosensitive region, the storage node selectively receiving and storing photo-induced electrical charge generated by the photosensitive region; a transfer gate structure formed between the photosensitive region and the storage node to regulate a transfer of the photo-induced electrical charge therebetween; an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) formed over the transfer gate structure; and a light-shielding structure contained within the ILD and covering the transfer gate structure so as to inhibit light from reaching the transfer gate structure, the light-shielding structure including an indentation on a first end surface of the light-shielding structure, which first end surface is proximate to the transfer gate structure, wherein a

Abstract: A memory with built-in synchronous-write-through (SWT) redundancy includes a plurality of memory input/output (IO) arrays, a plurality of SWT circuits, and at least one spare SWT circuit. The at least one spare SWT circuit is used to replace at least one of the plurality of SWT circuits that is defective.

Abstract: In an exemplary aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a device. The device includes a semiconductor substrate, a stack of semiconductor layers over the semiconductor substrate, a gate structure over and between the stack of semiconductor layers, where the gate structure engages with the stack of semiconductor layers. Moreover, the device also includes a silicide layer extending along sidewall surfaces of the stack of semiconductor layers, and a source/drain feature on a sidewall surface of the silicide layer.