Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing tool and process to form semiconductor devices is provided. An edge ring of the semiconductor manufacturing tool comprises a high electron mobility material in order to extend an electrical field and sheath such that curvature from the sheath is moved away from a semiconductor wafer so that an impact from the curvature is reduced or eliminated during an etching process.

Abstract: A finFET device and a method of forming are provided. The method includes forming a first dielectric layer over a transistor. The method also includes forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer. The method also includes forming a first opening in the second dielectric layer to expose at least a portion of a gate electrode of the transistor. The method also includes forming a second opening in the first dielectric layer to expose at least a portion of a source/drain region of the transistor. The second opening is connected to the first opening, and the first opening is formed before the second opening. The method also includes forming an electrical connector in the first opening and the second opening.

Abstract: A FinFET device and a method of forming the same are provided. A method includes forming a fin over a substrate. An isolation region is formed adjacent the fin. A dummy gate structure is formed over the fin. The fin adjacent the dummy gate structure is recessed to form a first recess. The first recess has a U-shaped bottom surface. The U-shaped bottom surface is below a top surface of the isolation region. The first recess is reshaped to form a reshaped first recess. The reshaped first recess has a V-shaped bottom surface. At least a portion of the V-shaped bottom surface comprises one or more steps. A source/drain region is epitaxially grown in the reshaped first recess.

Abstract: Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The method includes forming first and second fin structures over a semiconductor substrate. Each of the first and second fin structures has an upper portion and a lower portion. The method also includes forming a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) layer surrounding the upper and lower portions of the first fin structure. The method further includes doping the PSG layer to form a doped PSG layer. In addition, the method includes forming a borosilicate glass (BSG) layer surrounding the upper and lower portions of the second fin structure. The BSG layer extends over the doped PSG layer. The method also includes forming an isolation layer over the BSG layer. The method further includes partially etching the isolation layer, the BSG layer and the doped PSG layer to expose the upper portions of the first and second fin structures.

Abstract: A fin-type field effect transistor comprising a substrate, fins, insulators, at least one gate stack and strained material portions is described. The insulators are disposed in trenches of the substrate and between the fins. The upper portion of the fin is higher than a top surface of the insulator and the upper portion has a substantially vertical profile, while the lower portion of the fin is lower than the top surface of the insulator and the lower portion has a tapered profile. The at least one gate stack is disposed over the fins and on the insulators. The strained material portions are disposed on two opposite sides of the at least one gate stack.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of forming the same are described. A semiconductor device includes an active area adjacent a gate structure. The gate structure includes a gate electrode over a gate dielectric, the gate dielectric having a bottom surface in a first plane. A second etch interacts with a first composition and an initial dopant to remove a bottom portion of a first sidewall spacer adjacent the gate structure, such that a bottom surface of the first sidewall spacer lies in a second plane different than the first plane. The removal of the bottom portion of the first sidewall spacer reduces a first distance between a source or drain and a bottom surface of the gate electrode, thus reducing proximity loading of the semiconductor device and improving functionality of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon-based substrate, a gate structure and a laminated sacrificial oxide layer. The gate structure is on the silicon-based substrate. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer has a first portion on the silicon-based substrate and a second portion conformal to the gate structure, in which a first thickness of the first portion is substantially the same as a second thickness of the second portion. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer includes a native oxide layer and a silicon oxy-nitride layer. The native oxide layer is on the silicon-based substrate and conformal to the gate structure. The silicon oxy-nitride layer is conformal to the native oxide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon-based substrate, a gate structure and a laminated sacrificial oxide layer. The gate structure is on the silicon-based substrate. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer has a first portion on the silicon-based substrate and a second portion conformal to the gate structure, in which a first thickness of the first portion is substantially the same as a second thickness of the second portion. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer includes a native oxide layer and a silicon oxy-nitride layer. The native oxide layer is on the silicon-based substrate and conformal to the gate structure. The silicon oxy-nitride layer is conformal to the native oxide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon-based substrate, a gate structure and a laminated sacrificial oxide layer. The gate structure is on the silicon-based substrate. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer has a first portion on the silicon-based substrate and a second portion conformal to the gate structure, in which a first thickness of the first portion is substantially the same as a second thickness of the second portion. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer includes a native oxide layer and a silicon oxy-nitride layer. The native oxide layer is on the silicon-based substrate and conformal to the gate structure. The silicon oxy-nitride layer is conformal to the native oxide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of forming the same are described. A semiconductor device includes an active area adjacent a gate structure. The gate structure includes a gate electrode over a gate dielectric, the gate dielectric having a bottom surface in a first plane. A second etch interacts with a first composition and an initial dopant to remove a bottom portion of a first sidewall spacer adjacent the gate structure, such that a bottom surface of the first sidewall spacer lies in a second plane different than the first plane. The removal of the bottom portion of the first sidewall spacer reduces a first distance between a source or drain and a bottom surface of the gate electrode, thus reducing proximity loading of the semiconductor device and improving functionality of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon-based substrate, a gate structure and a laminated sacrificial oxide layer. The gate structure is on the silicon-based substrate. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer has a first portion on the silicon-based substrate and a second portion conformal to the gate structure, in which a first thickness of the first portion is substantially the same as a second thickness of the second portion. The laminated sacrificial oxide layer includes a native oxide layer and a silicon oxy-nitride layer. The native oxide layer is on the silicon-based substrate and conformal to the gate structure. The silicon oxy-nitride layer is conformal to the native oxide layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. A substrate with protrusion structures is provided. A patterned photoresist layer is formed over the substrate, including the protrusion structures. An ion-implantation is applied to the substrate, including to the patterned photoresist layer and an outer portion of the patterned photoresist layer is formed a hardened portion. A two-stage-striping process is performed to remove the patterned photoresist layer. The first stage is performing a low-temperature-dry-etch to substantially remove the hardened portion of the patterned photoresist layer. The second stage is performing a wet etch to remove the remaining patterned photoresist layer.

Abstract: A static memory and a static memory cell are provided. The static memory cell includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a fifth transistor, a sixth transistor, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a first pull-down switch, and a second pull-down switch. When a data writing operation is performed, the latching capability of the latch circuit constituted by the first to the sixth transistors is disabled by turning off the second transistor or the fifth transistor, so that the speed of the data writing operation is increased and the data writing performance is improved. The first switch and the second switch provide a path for reading or writing data, and the third switch is coupled to a bit line for receiving data from or transmitting data to the bit line.

Abstract: A single-ended SRAM including at least one memory cell and a third switch is provided. The memory cell includes a data-latching unit, a first switch, a second switch and a data-transferring unit. The data-latching unit is configured for latching the received input data and provides a storage data and the inverse data of the storage data. The first switch transfers a reference data to the data-latching unit according to a first word-line signal. The second switch transfers the reference data to the data-latching unit according to a second word-line signal. The data-transferring unit decides whether or not to transfer the reference data to the bit-line according to the storage data and a control signal. The third switch receives the reference data and the control signal and transfers the reference data to the first switch, the second switch and the data-transferring unit according to the control signal.

Abstract: A single-ended SRAM including at least one memory cell and a third switch is provided. The memory cell includes a data-latching unit, a first switch, a second switch and a data-transferring unit. The data-latching unit is configured for latching the received input data and provides a storage data and the inverse data of the storage data. The first switch transfers a reference data to the data-latching unit according to a first word-line signal. The second switch transfers the reference data to the data-latching unit according to a second word-line signal. The data-transferring unit decides whether or not to transfer the reference data to the bit-line according to the storage data and a control signal. The third switch receives the reference data and the control signal and transfers the reference data to the first switch, the second switch and the data-transferring unit according to the control signal.

Abstract: A power supply, an over voltage protection (OVP) apparatus, and an OVP method are provided. The present invention employs the OVP apparatus for monitoring a core power. When a voltage level of the core power is higher than a reference voltage, the OVP apparatus disables a power supply unit. As such, the present invention is adapted for avoiding damage to a capacitor of a conversion unit or load caused by abnormal boost of the voltage level of the core power.

Abstract: A method of measuring dimensional characteristics includes providing a substrate and forming a reflective layer over the substrate. A dielectric layer is then formed over the reflective layer. The dielectric layer includes a grating pattern and a resistivity test line inset in a transparent region. Radiation is then directed onto the dielectric layer so that some of the radiation is transmitted through the transparent region to the reflective layer. A radiation pattern is then detected from the radiation reflected and scattered by the metal grating pattern. The radiation pattern is analyzed to determine a first dimensional information. Then the resistance of the resistivity test line is measured, and that resistance is analyzed to determine a second dimensional information. The first and second dimensional informations are then compared.

Abstract: A multi-processor system and a performance adjustment method thereof are disclosed. The multi-processor system includes a first processing unit and a second processing unit, the performance adjustment method includes: first, detecting the load of each processing unit to obtain corresponding detected data; then, determining whether one of the processing units has the most load; finally, if the first processing unit has the most load, increasing the power supply to the first processing unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preventing an output device from being damaged, which comprises the steps of: dividing the output value of an output device into a plurality of areas, defining a ratio value to every area, receiving a desired output value, determining the current area where the desired output value device is located, and calculating the desired output value with the ratio value to obtain an actual output volume and output the actual output volume.

Abstract: A process of stripping a patterned photoresist layer and removing a dielectric liner includes performing an oxygen-containing plasma dry etch process and performing a fluorine-containing plasma dry etch process in the same reaction chamber at a process temperature less than 120° C.