Abstract: A method of reducing the contact resistance of metal silicides to the p+ silicon area or the n+ silicon area of the substrate comprising: (a) forming a metal germanium (Ge) layer over a silicon-containing substrate, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of Co, Ti, Ni and mixtures thereof; (b) optionally forming an oxygen barrier layer over said metal germanium layer; (c) annealing said metal germanium layer at a temperature which is effective in converting at least a portion thereof into a substantially non-etchable metal silicide layer, while forming a Si—Ge interlayer between said silicon-containing substrate and said substantially non-etchable metal silicide layer; and (d) removing said optional oxygen barrier layer and any remaining alloy layer. When a Co or Ti alloy is employed, e.g.

Abstract: A method for enhancing spatial resolution of a transmission electron microscopy TEM) system configured for electron holography. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes configuring a first lens to form an initial virtual source with respect to an incident parallel beam, the initial virtual source positioned at a back focal plane of said first lens. A second lens is configured to form an intermediate virtual source with respect to the incident parallel beam, the position of said intermediate virtual source being dependent upon a focal length of the first lens and a focal length of the second lens. A third lens is configured to form a final virtual source with respect to the incident parallel beam, wherein the third lens has a focal length such that a front focal plane of the third lens lies beyond the position of the intermediate virtual source, with respect to a biprism location.

Abstract: A wrist exerciser includes a casing comprised of upper and lower casing members mounted together to form a substantially spherical shape. A rotor has opposite shafts rotatably received in the holes defined in the casing for rotatably supporting the rotor in the casing. Illumination elements are mounted on an outside surface of the rotor. A power source is fixed in the rotor for powering the illumination elements. A control circuit is in electrical connection with the power source and the illumination elements for selectively lighting the illumination elements. A transmission device is mounted in the rotor and has an interface circuit connected to the control circuit and a socket connector in connection with the interface circuit.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of forming a wiring layer in an integrated circuit structure that forms an organic insulator, patterns the insulator, deposits a liner on the insulator, and exposes the structure to a plasma to form pores in the insulator in regions next to the liner. The liner is formed thin enough to allow the plasma to pass through the liner and form the pores in the insulator. During the plasma processing, the plasma passes through the liner without affecting the liner. After the plasma processing, additional liner material may be deposited. After this, a conductor is deposited and excess of portions of the conductor are removed from the structure such that the conductor only remains within patterned portions of the insulator. This method produces an integrated circuit structure that has an organic insulator having patterned features, a liner lining the patterned features, and a conductor filling the patterned features.

Abstract: An interconnect structure in which the adhesion between an upper level low-k dielectric material, such as a material comprising elements of Si, C, O, and H, and an underlying diffusion capping dielectric, such as a material comprising elements of C, Si, N and H, is improved by incorporating an adhesion transition layer between the two dielectric layers. The presence of the adhesion transition layer between the upper level low-k dielectric and the diffusion barrier capping dielectric can reduce the chance of delamination of the interconnect structure during the packaging process. The adhesion transition layer provided herein includes a lower SiOx— or SiON-containing region and an upper C graded region. Methods of forming such a structure, in particularly the adhesion transition layer, are also provided.

Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a saddle shell, a frame and two pneumatic cushions. The saddle shell has a relatively narrower front end and a relatively wider rear end. The frame has a relatively narrower front end connected to a bottom side of the front end of the saddle shell, and a relatively wider rear end located below the rear end of the saddle shell. The pneumatic cushions are spacedly disposed between a bottom side of the rear end of the saddle shell and the rear end of the frame. The pneumatic cushions each have an enclosed chamber that is filled with gas.

Abstract: A data transmission device is mounted to a wrist exerciser for detecting the rotational speed of a rotor inside the wrist exerciser and generating and transmitting exercising data associated with the rotational speed from the wrist exerciser to an external device. The data transmission device includes a transmitter unit coupled to a casing of the wrist exerciser and having a sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the rotor and issuing a detection signal, and a processing circuit receiving and processing the detection signal to provide an output of the exercising data, including counts of rotation and the rotational speed. A transmission cable has a first end connectable with the output of the processing circuit to receive the exercising data and a second end engageable with a counterpart device of the external device for forwarding the exercising data to the external device.

Abstract: A suicide cap structure and method of fabricating a suicide cap having a low sheet resistance. The method provides a semiconductor substrate and a MOSFET structure comprising a gate insulator on the substrate, an Si-containing gate electrode on the gate insulator layer, and source/drain diffusions. Atop the gate electrode and source/drain diffusions is formed a layer of metal used in forming a silicide region atop the transistor gate electrode and diffusions; an intermediate metal barrier layer formed atop the silicide forming metal layer; and, an oxygen barrier layer formed atop the intermediate metal barrier layer. As a result of annealing the MOSFET structure, resulting formed silicide regions exhibit a lower sheet resistance. As the intermediate metal barrier layer comprises a material exhibiting tensile stress, the oxygen barrier layer may comprise a compressive material for minimizing a total mechanical stress of the cap structure and underlying layers during the applied anneal.

Abstract: A method of producing electrical contacts having reduced interface roughness as well as the electrical contacts themselves are disclosed herein. The method of the present invention comprises (a) forming an alloy layer having the formula MX, wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Co and Ni and X is an alloying additive, over a silicon-containing substrate; (b) optionally forming an optional oxygen barrier layer over said alloy layer; (c) annealing said alloy layer at a temperature sufficient to form a MXSi layer in said structure; (d) removing said optional oxygen barrier layer and any remaining alloy layer; and optionally (e) annealing said MXSi layer at a temperature sufficient to form a MXSi2 layer in said structure.

Abstract: A rotor is rotatably received in a casing to form a wrist exerciser. The rotor includes a spherical body defining a bore in which an inner flange is formed. First and second weight members are received in the bore on opposite sides of the flange. The weight members have inner end portions releasably attached to opposite surfaces of the flange. Through holes are defined in the first and second weight members to receive an axle of which ends project beyond opposite ends of the body to rotatably engage a support ring of the casing.

Abstract: A cap nitride stack which prevents etch penetration to the HDP nitride while maintaining the electromigration benefits of HDP nitride atop Cu. In one embodiment, the stack comprises a first layer of HDP nitride and a second layer of a Si—C—H compound disposed over the first layer. The Si—C—H compound is for example BLoK, or N-BLoK (Si—C—H—N), and is selected from a group of materials that has high selectivity during via RIE such that RIE chemistry from the next wiring level does not punch through. Carbon and nitrogen are the key elements. In another embodiment, the stack comprises a first layer of HDP nitride, followed by a second layer of UVN (a plasma nitride), and a third layer comprising HDP nitride disposed over the second layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconducting device including a gate dielectric atop a semiconducting substrate, the semiconducting substrate containing source and drain regions adjacent the gate dielectric; a gate conductor atop the gate dielectric; a conformal dielectric passivation stack positioned on at least the gate conductor sidewalls, the conformal dielectric passivation stack comprising a plurality of conformal dielectric layers, wherein no electrical path extends entirely through the stack; and a contact to the source and drain regions, wherein the discontinuous seam through the conformal dielectric passivation stack substantially eliminates shorting between the contact and the gate conductor. The present invention also provides a method for forming the above-described semiconducting device.

Abstract: A method for enhancing spatial resolution of a transmission electron microscopy TEM) system configured for electron holography. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes configuring a first lens to form an initial virtual source with respect to an incident parallel beam, the initial virtual source positioned at a back focal plane of said first lens. A second lens is configured to form an intermediate virtual source with respect to the incident parallel beam, the position of said intermediate virtual source being dependent upon a focal length of the first lens and a focal length of the second lens. A third lens is configured to form a final virtual source with respect to the incident parallel beam, wherein the third lens has a focal length such that a front focal plane of the third lens lies beyond the position of the intermediate virtual source, with respect to a biprism location.

Abstract: Fail sites in a semiconductor are isolated through a difference image of a fail area and a healthy area. The fail area comprises an image of a semiconductor with a fail. The healthy area comprises an image of a semiconductor absent the fail or, in other words, an image of a semiconductor with healthy structure. Instructions cause a variation in the intensities of the difference image to appear at the fail site.

Abstract: A wrist exercise includes a casing rotatably receiving a rotor therein. The casing defines slots that are aligned in pair. The rotor has axially aligned rotation shafts respectively and rotatably received in holes defined in the casing for rotatably supporting the rotor inside the casing. A drive roller is mounted to one of the rotation shafts. A drive bar is partially and movable received in the casing through the aligned slots to drivingly engage the drive roller whereby by forcibly pulling the drive bar out of the casing, the drive roller is caused to drive an initial rotation of the rotor with a high rotational speed.

Abstract: A structure of a fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell comprises a housing having a plurality of receiving containers mounted therein; and a plurality of reaction units, wherein one reaction unit is mounted in one receiving container respectively and has one electrode and the other electrode, one of the electrodes and one of the other electrodes are mounted protruding from the housing, and the remaining electrodes and the remaining other electrodes are coupled with one another sequentially such that a state of series connection is formed between the electrodes and the other electrodes.

Abstract: A method for preparing a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample for electron holography includes forming a sacrificial material over an area of interest on the sample, and polishing the sample to a desired thickness, wherein the area of interest is protected from rounding during the polishing. The sacrificial material is removed from the sample following the polishing.

Abstract: A vehicle lamp with two lighting circles comprises a reflecting mask being a mask with a cambered reflecting shield; a light transmitting shield sealing a front side of the reflecting mask; a stop ring installed within the reflecting shield; the stop ring dividing an interior of the reflecting mask into a central light emitting area and an outer annular light emitting area; a main light emitting body embedded into a central through hole at a rear side of the reflecting shield; a first bulb received in an interior of the central light emitting area; and at least one sub-light emitting body having a lamp seat which is installed near a small through hole near an outer edge of the reflecting shield; a second bulb passing into the outer annular light emitting area. By the main light emitting body and the sub-light emitting body, different light effects are presented.

Abstract: An inline electron holograph method for observing a specimen with a transmission electron microscope having an electron gun, a collimating lens system, two spaced objective lenses, a biprism, and an imaging means comprises the steps of: with the first objective lens forming a virtual image of a portion of the specimen; with the second objective lens focussing the virtual image at an intermediate image plane to form an intermediate image; and projecting the intermediate image onto the imaging means.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for enhancing uni-directional diffusion of a metal during silicidation by using a metal-containing silicon alloy in conjunction with a first anneal in which two distinct thermal cycles are performed. The first thermal cycle of the first anneal is performed at a temperature that is capable of enhancing the uni-directional diffusion of metal, e.g., Co and/or Ni, into a Si-containing layer. The first thermal cycle causes an amorphous metal-containing silicide to form. The second thermal cycle is performed at a temperature that converts the amorphous metal-containing silicide into a crystallized metal rich silicide that is substantially non-etchable as compared to the metal-containing silicon alloy layer or a pure metal-containing layer. Following the first anneal, a selective etch is performed to remove any unreacted metal-containing alloy layer from the structure.