Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method to form a bonded semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a first bonding layer on a first wafer, forming a debonding structure on a second wafer, forming a second bonding layer on the debonding structure, bonding the first and second wafers with the first and second bonding layers, and debonding the second wafer from the first wafer via the debonding structure. The debonding structure includes a first barrier layer, a second barrier layer, and a water-containing dielectric layer between the first and second barrier layers.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a structure having a dielectric layer over a conductive feature, wherein the conductive feature includes a second metal. The method further includes etching a hole through the dielectric layer and exposing the conductive feature and depositing a first metal into the hole and in direct contact with the dielectric layer and the conductive feature, wherein the first metal entirely fills the hole. The method further includes annealing the structure such that atoms of the second metal are diffused into grain boundaries of the first metal and into interfaces between the first metal and the dielectric layer. After the annealing, the method further includes performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process to remove at least a portion of the first metal.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to method for the fabrication of spacer structures between source/drain epitaxial structures and metal gate structures in nanostructure transistors. The method includes forming a fin structure with alternating first and second nanostructure elements on a substrate. The method also includes etching edge portions of the first nanostructure elements in the fin structure to form spacer cavities, and depositing a spacer layer on the fin structure to fill the spacer cavities. Further, treating the spacer layer with a microwave-generated plasma to form an oxygen concentration gradient within the spacer layer outside the spacer cavities and removing, with an etching process, the treated portion of the spacer layer. During the etching process, a removal rate of the etching process for the treated portion of the spacer layer is based on an oxygen concentration within the oxygen concentration gradient.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a first semiconductor channel member and a second semiconductor channel member over the first semiconductor channel member and a porous dielectric feature that includes silicon and nitrogen. In the semiconductor device, the porous dielectric feature is sandwiched between the first and second semiconductor channel members and a density of the porous dielectric feature is smaller than a density of silicon nitride.

Abstract: A method for producing ethyl lactate includes subjecting lactic acid and ethanol to an esterification reaction in the presence of an antimony catalyst, so as to obtain ethyl lactate. The antimony catalyst is selected from the group consisting of antimony trioxide, antimony pentoxide, antimony trichloride, and combinations thereof, and the esterification reaction is carried out at a temperature ranging from 80° C. to 88° C. and under a pressure of 1 atm.

Abstract: A sperm sorting device includes a foundation unit and a channel unit. The foundation unit includes a foundation wall, a surrounding wall extending from a periphery of the foundation wall, and a plurality of column portions. The channel unit has an inner bordering wall, a base plate surrounded by and connected to the inner bordering wall and having first and second surfaces, and a plurality of channel holes. The column portions of the foundation unit respectively extend through the channel holes. A distance between a summit surface of each of the column portions and the foundation wall is not smaller than a distance between the second surface and the foundation wall. Each of the channel holes has a selection space that is not occupied by the respective one of the column portions and that gradually reduces in size in a direction from the foundation wall to the base plate.

Abstract: An amplification circuit includes an amplifier, a first mirror-branch circuit, a second mirror-branch circuit, a first variable current source, a second variable current source, and an operation amplifier. The amplifier can receive an operation current and an input signal, and output the amplified input signal. The first mirror-branch circuit and the second mirror-branch circuit are coupled to the amplifier. The first variable current source is coupled to the first mirror-branch circuit and provides a first reference current. The second variable current source is coupled to the second mirror-branch circuit and provides a second reference current. The operation amplifier is coupled to the first mirror-branch circuit, the second mirror-branch circuit and the amplifier. The first reference current and the second reference current are related to the operation current.

Abstract: A device includes at least one semiconductor unit which includes a first source/drain portion, a second source/drain portion, at least one nanosheet segment which is disposed to interconnect the first and second source/drain portions, a gate portion disposed around the at least one nanosheet segment, and a first inner spacer portion and a second inner spacer portion which are disposed to separate the gate portion from the first and second source/drain portions, respectively. Each of the first and second inner spacer portions has a carbon-rich region which confronts the gate portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure and methods of forming the same are described. The structure includes a gate dielectric layer disposed over a substrate, a gate electrode layer disposed over the gate dielectric layer, and a first gate spacer disposed adjacent the gate dielectric layer. The first gate spacer includes an inner surface facing the gate dielectric layer and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and the first gate spacer includes a fluorine concentration that decreases from the inner surface and the outer surface towards a center of the first gate spacer. The structure further includes a second gate spacer disposed on the outer surface of the first gate spacer, and the second gate spacer includes a fluorine concentration that decreases from an outer surface towards an inner surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to method for the fabrication of spacer structures between source/drain epitaxial structures and metal gate structures in nanostructure transistors. The method includes forming a fin structure with alternating first and second nanostructure elements on a substrate. The method also includes etching edge portions of the first nanostructure elements in the fin structure to form spacer cavities, and depositing a spacer layer on the fin structure to fill the spacer cavities. Further, treating the spacer layer with a microwave-generated plasma to form an oxygen concentration gradient within the spacer layer outside the spacer cavities and removing, with an etching process, the treated portion of the spacer layer. During the etching process, a removal rate of the etching process for the treated portion of the spacer layer is based on an oxygen concentration within the oxygen concentration gradient.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device that includes a transistor. The transistor includes a source/drain region that includes a front surface and a back surface opposite to the front surface. The transistor includes a salicide region on the back surface and a channel region in contact with the source/drain region. The channel region has a front surface co-planar with the front surface of the source/drain region. The transistor further includes a gate structure disposed on a front surface of the channel region. The semiconductor device also includes a backside contact structure that includes a conductive contact in contact with the salicide region and a liner layer surrounding the conductive contact.

Abstract: A method for filling a gap includes: filling a dielectric layer in the gap so that a seam is formed in the dielectric layer, the dielectric layer including two surface portions at two opposite sides of the seam, respectively; introducing a surface modification agent into the seam such that each of the two surface portions has first functional groups and second functional groups; forming a stress layer on the dielectric layer to cover the seam, the stress layer including a material different from that of the dielectric layer; and applying an energy field to permit the two surface portions to bond with each other through reaction between the first functional groups and the second functional groups.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide semiconductor device structures and methods of forming the same. The method includes removing a first semiconductor layer disposed between a second semiconductor layer and a third semiconductor layer and performing an oxide refill process to form a seamless dielectric material between the second and third semiconductor layers. The oxide refill process includes exposing the second and third semiconductor layers to a silicon-containing precursor at a first flow rate for a first duration to form a monolayer, and exposing the monolayer to an oxygen-containing precursor at a second flow rate for a second duration to form the seamless dielectric material, the second flow rate is about twice to about 20 times the first flow rate, and the second duration is about twice to about 20 times the first duration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for impact analysis of port construction on a coastal ecotone based on remote sensing data, which belongs to the technical field of remote sensing application. The method quantifies landscape data and satellite image data, and then converts the data into intuitive images to observe the spatio-temporal change of the coastal ecotone after port construction. The method includes: step 1: obtaining remote sensing image data of a research region; step 2: preprocessing the remote sensing image data to obtain processed images; step 3: establishing an evaluation system of human disturbance indexes; and step 4: generating a spatio-temporal distribution map of regional disturbance indexes. The present invention provides a method capable of quantifying the impact range and the impact degree of the port construction factor on the coastal ecotone, provides an idea for reducing the impact of port construction on a surrounding environment.

Abstract: A method of dust pollution monitoring and risk forewarning for a dry bulk port based on an inspection robot belongs to the technical field of environmental monitoring. The method plans an inspection route of the inspection robot in the stage of the inspection robot path planning, and makes the inspection robot perform an inspection task automatically along the planned route; in the stage of data acquisition, transmission, and processing, a multi-source environmental monitoring module installed on the inspection robot is used for monitoring the concentration of dust pollutants in the air and environmental parameters in real-time; and in the stage of data analysis and risk forewarning, the monitoring data is analyzed and visualized to judge a possible over-standard risk of dust pollutant concentration and perform forewarning. The present invention can improve the resolution and flexibility of dust pollution monitoring in the dry bulk port.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) chip with polish stop layers and a method of fabricating the IC chip are disclosed. The method includes forming a first IC chip having a device region and a peripheral region. Forming the first IC chip includes forming a device layer on a substrate, forming an interconnect structure on the device layer, depositing a first dielectric layer on a first portion of the interconnect structure in the peripheral region, depositing a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer and on a second portion of the interconnect structure in the device region, and performing a polishing process on the second dielectric layer to substantially coplanarize a top surface of the second dielectric layer with a top surface of the first dielectric layer. The method further includes performing a bonding process on the second dielectric layer to bond a second IC chip to the first IC chip.

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 switch device includes a driver circuit, a switch circuit and a level transition circuit. The driver circuit includes an input terminal for receiving an input signal, an output terminal for outputting an output signal, a first terminal coupled to a first reference terminal, and a second terminal coupled to a second reference terminal. The switch circuit includes a control terminal for receiving the output signal. The level transition circuit includes a first terminal for receiving the output signal, a second terminal coupled to a third reference terminal, and a third terminal for receiving the input signal. In a transition interval, the input signal is transitioned from a first input signal level to a second input signal level, the level transition circuit transitions the output signal from a first output signal level to a third output signal level between the first output signal level and a second output signal level.

Abstract: A bias circuit includes a current mirror circuit, an operational amplifier, and a bias generating circuit. The current mirror circuit includes a reference branch circuit and at least one mirror branch circuit. The reference branch circuit generates a reference current according to a base current, and the at least one mirror branch circuit generates at least one mirrored current according to the reference current. The operational amplifier receives a first voltage from the reference branch circuit and a second voltage from the at least one mirror branch circuit, and adjusts the first voltage by generating a control voltage according to the second voltage. The bias generating circuit is coupled to the at least one mirror branch circuit and generates a bias signal according to the at least one mirrored current.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device that includes a transistor. The transistor includes a source/drain region that includes a front surface and a back surface opposite to the front surface. The transistor includes a salicide region on the back surface and a channel region in contact with the source/drain region. The channel region has a front surface co-planar with the front surface of the source/drain region. The transistor further includes a gate structure disposed on a front surface of the channel region. The semiconductor device also includes a backside contact structure that includes a conductive contact in contact with the salicide region and a liner layer surrounding the conductive contact.