Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a fin-shape structure protruding from a substrate, a gate stack disposed above the fin-shape structure, an epitaxial feature disposed above the fin-shape structure, and a gate spacer disposed on a sidewall of the gate stack. The gate spacer includes an air gap. The air gap exposes a portion of the epitaxial feature.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a battery module having a plurality of cells includes a sensor adapted to obtain respective cell voltages of the plurality of cells. The controller is adapted to receive data from the sensor, the controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. The controller is configured to sort the respective cell voltages to create a voltage ranking. The voltage ranking is repeated with at least one new set of cell voltage readings obtained at a predefined checking frequency. Differences in the voltage ranking of the plurality of cells are analyzed. The controller is adapted to control operation of the battery module based in part on differences in the voltage ranking. The controller may be adapted to predict likelihood of a thermal runway event based in part on the differences in the voltage ranking.

Abstract: A touch status monitor method includes detecting a touch on a touch screen when operating in a low-power detect scan mode. The method further includes, in response to detecting the touch, switching from the low-power detect scan mode to a low-power active scan mode and labeling the current event as a touch down event. The method further includes, in response to labeling the current event as the touch down event, applying a lock to prevent updating a baseline when entering the low-power detect scan mode. And the method further includes, in response to detecting that the touch has left the touch screen, releasing the lock, labeling the current event as a touch up event, switching from the low-power active scan mode to the low-power detect scan mode, and updating the baseline.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a fin protruding from a substrate, a first and a second metal gate stacks disposed over the fin, and a dielectric feature defining a sidewall of each of the first and the second metal gate stacks. Furthermore, the dielectric feature includes a two-layer structure, where sidewalls of the first layer are defined by the second layer, and where the first and the second layers have different compositions.

Abstract: A system for estimating a parameter of a battery assembly includes a sensing device connected to a cell of the battery assembly, the battery assembly having a first battery chemistry, the sensing device including a measurement cell having a second battery chemistry that is different than the first battery chemistry. The system includes an estimator configured to acquire a set of first estimates of a first state of charge (SOC) of the battery assembly, acquire a set of second estimates of a second SOC of the sensing device, and blend the sets of estimates to generate a blended SOC relation describing the second SOC of the sensing device as a function of the first SOC of the battery assembly. The estimator is also configured to filter the set of first estimates using the blended SOC relation to generate a final estimate of the SOC of the battery assembly.

Abstract: A telescopic device includes a first U-shaped connector with a plurality sets of adjustment slots defined in two sides thereof and arranged along an adjustment direction; a second U-shaped connector defining first through holes in two sides thereof, the second U-shaped connector being inserted into the first U-shaped connector with U-shaped openings thereof opposite to each other to define an accommodating space; a first spring located in the accommodating space and abutting against the first and second U-shaped connectors, respectively; an elastic pin with two ends thereof extending through the first through holes and engaging into one of the plurality sets of adjustment slots; and an initial fixing pin being detachably connected to the first and second U-shaped connectors. A telescopic annular tunnel steel arch includes an upper arch, two lower arches and two telescopic devices connecting two ends of the upper arch to the two lower arches, respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a source/drain region formed in a semiconductor substrate, a source/drain contact structure formed over the source/drain region, and a gate electrode layer formed adjacent to the source/drain contact structure. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first spacer and a second spacer laterally and successively arranged from the sidewall of the gate electrode layer to the sidewall of the source/drain contact structure. The semiconductor device structure further includes a silicide region formed in the source/drain region. The top width of the silicide region is greater than the bottom width of the source/drain contact structure and less than the top width of the source/drain region.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides devices, systems, kits and methods useful for quantitation of biomolecules such as intact proteins and nucleic acids.

Abstract: A mixed chemistry battery including a sensing cell having a first chemistry, a battery cell having a second chemistry that is different than the first chemistry. The mixed chemistry battery also includes a sensor configured to measure a temperature of the mixed chemistry battery and a heating system configured to heat the second battery cell. The mixed chemistry battery further includes a battery monitoring system configured to selectively connect the heating system to at least one of the first battery cell and the second battery cell based upon the temperature of the mixed chemistry battery.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first conductive feature over a semiconductor substrate, forming an ILD layer over the first conductive feature, patterning the ILD layer to form a trench, and forming a conductive layer over the patterned ILD layer to fill the trench. The method further includes polishing the conductive layer to form a via contact configured to interconnect the first conductive feature with a second conductive feature, where polishing the conductive layer exposes a top surface of the ILD layer, polishing the exposed top surface of the ILD layer, such that a top portion of the via contact protrudes from the exposed top surface of the ILD layer, and forming the second conductive feature over the via contact, such that the top portion of the via contact extends into the second conductive feature.

Abstract: A control valve includes a valve body, a first valve core, a second valve core, a first drive shaft, and a second drive shaft. The first valve core is in transmission connection with a first drive member via the first drive shaft; the second valve core is in transmission connection with a second drive member via the second drive shaft; the valve body includes a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion; the main body of the first valve core is of a spherical structure, and the first valve core can deflect around the first limiting portion; and/or the main body of the second valve core is of a spherical structure, and the second valve core can deflect around the second limiting portion.

Abstract: A method and structure for forming a semiconductor device includes etching back a source/drain contact to define a substrate topography including a trench disposed between adjacent hard mask layers. A contact etch stop layer (CESL) is deposited along sidewall and bottom surfaces of the trench, and over the adjacent hard mask layers, to provide the CESL having a snake-like pattern disposed over the substrate topography. A contact via opening is formed in a dielectric layer disposed over the CESL, where the contact via opening exposes a portion of the CESL within the trench. The portion of the CESL exposed by the contact via opening is etched to form an enlarged contact via opening and expose the etched back source/drain contact. A metal layer is deposited within the enlarged contact via opening to provide a contact via in contact with the exposed etched back source/drain contact.

Abstract: The yaw control system may obtain time series data of a wind turbine generator set in response to a strategy adjustment request, the time series data of the wind turbine generator set comprising time series data for a wind facing angle; determine a generator set operating duration corresponding to each wind facing angle according to the time series data of the wind facing angle; determine a data distribution characteristic of the generator set operating duration corresponding to the wind facing angle according to generator set operating durations corresponding to multiple wind facing angles; and when identifying that the data distribution characteristic of the generator set operating duration corresponding to the wind facing angle meets a corresponding strategy adjustment condition, adjust a yaw control strategy, to perform yaw control on the wind turbine generator set according to an adjusted yaw control strategy.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. In an embodiment, an exemplary semiconductor device includes two stacks of channel members; a source/drain feature extending between the two stacks of channel members along a direction; a source/drain contact disposed under and electrically coupled to the source/drain feature; two gate structures over and interleaved with the two stacks of channel members; a low-k spacer horizontally surrounding the source/drain contact; and a dielectric layer horizontally surrounding the low-k spacer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. A semiconductor device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first fin-shaped structure extending lengthwise along a first direction over a substrate, a first epitaxial feature over a source/drain region of the first fin-shaped structure, a gate structure disposed over a channel region of the first fin-shaped structure and extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a source/drain contact over the first epitaxial feature. The bottom surface of the gate structure is closer to the substrate than a bottom surface of the source/drain contact.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of forming the same are provided. In an embodiment, an exemplary semiconductor structure includes a gate structure disposed over a channel region of an active region, a drain feature disposed over a drain region of the active region; a source feature disposed over a source region of the active region, a backside source contact disposed under the source feature, an isolation feature disposed on and in contact with the source feature, a drain contact disposed over and electrically coupled to the drain feature, and a gate contact via disposed over and electrically coupled to the gate structure. A distance between the gate contact via and the drain contact is greater than a distance between the gate contact via and the isolation feature. The exemplary semiconductor structure would have a reduced parasitic capacitance and an enlarged leakage window.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: forming a first fin extending from a substrate; forming a second fin extending from the substrate, the second fin being spaced apart from the first fin by a first distance; forming a metal gate stack over the first fin and the second fin; depositing a first inter-layer dielectric over the metal gate stack; and forming a gate contact extending through the first inter-layer dielectric to physically contact the metal gate stack, the gate contact being laterally disposed between the first fin and the second fin, the gate contact being spaced apart from the first fin by a second distance, where the second distance is less than a second predetermined threshold when the first distance is greater than or equal to a first predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method for semiconductor fabrication includes providing a device structure having an isolation structure, a fin adjacent the isolation structure, gate structures over the fin and the isolation structure, one or more dielectric layers over the isolation structure and the fin and between the gate structures, a first contact hole over the fin, and a second contact hole over the isolation structure. The method further includes depositing a protection layer and treating it with a plasma so that the protection layer in the first contact hole and the protection layer in the second contact hole have different etch selectivity in an etching process; and etching the protection layer to etch through the protection layer on the bottom surface of the first contact hole without etching through the protection layer on the bottom surface of the second contact hole.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel methods to prepare paper pulp from non-wood fiber sources, and preferably from a variety of different non-homogeneous fiber sources. The methods use a unique combination of caustic and temperature without a digestor to improve performance of the resulting fibers.