Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a fin structure in which first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers are alternatively stacked; forming a sacrificial gate structure over the fin structure; etching a source/drain (S/D) region of the fin structure, which is not covered by the sacrificial gate structure, thereby forming an S/D space; laterally etching the first semiconductor layers through the S/D space, thereby forming recesses; forming a first insulating layer, in the recesses, on the etched first semiconductor layers; after the first insulating layer is formed, forming a second insulating layer, in the recesses, on the first insulating layer, wherein a dielectric constant of the second insulating layer is less than that of the first insulating layer; and forming an S/D epitaxial layer in the S/D space, wherein the second insulating layer is in contact with the S/D epitaxial layer.

Abstract: Multi-gate devices and methods for fabricating such are disclosed herein. An exemplary device includes a channel layer, a first source/drain feature, a second source/drain feature, and a metal gate. The channel layer has a first horizontal segment, a second horizontal segment, and a vertical segment connects the first horizontal segment and the second horizontal segment. The first horizontal segment and the second horizontal segment extend along a first direction, and the vertical segment extends along a second direction. The vertical segment has a width along the first direction and a thickness along the second direction, and the thickness is greater than the width. The channel layer extends between the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature along a third direction. The metal gate wraps channel layer. In some embodiments, the first horizontal segment and the second horizontal segment are nanosheets.

Abstract: A memory circuit includes a memory array including a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell including a gate structure including a ferroelectric layer and a channel layer adjacent to the gate structure, the channel layer including a metal oxide material. A driver circuit is configured to output a gate voltage to the gate structure of a memory cell, the gate voltage having a positive polarity and a first magnitude in in a first write operation and a negative polarity and a second magnitude in in a second write operation, and to control the second magnitude to be greater than the first magnitude.

Abstract: A photolithography system utilizes tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation for photolithography. The photolithography system irradiates the droplets with a laser. The droplets become a plasma and emit extreme ultraviolet radiation. The photolithography system senses contamination of a collector mirror by the tin droplets and adjusts the flow of a buffer fluid to reduce the contamination.

Abstract: A method of playing audio and video is provided. The method includes: obtaining a streaming media content to be encapsulated, and parsing the streaming media content to obtain audio parameter information and/or video parameter information; forming a Media Presentation Description (MPD) file in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format according to the audio parameter information and/or the video parameter information, wherein the MPD file in JSON format includes multiple streaming media content segments, each streaming media content segment includes a video segment and/or an audio segment, each of the video segment and the audio segment includes multiple arrays, and each array includes the audio parameter information or the video parameter information; sending the MPD file in JSON format to a client.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein for forming fin-like field effect transistors (FinFETs) that maximize strain in channel regions of the FinFETs. An exemplary method includes forming a fin having a first width over a substrate. The fin includes a first semiconductor material, a second semiconductor material disposed over the first semiconductor material, and a third semiconductor material disposed over the second semiconductor material. A portion of the second semiconductor material is oxidized, thereby forming a second semiconductor oxide material. The third semiconductor material is trimmed to reduce a width of the third semiconductor material from the first width to a second width. The method further includes forming an isolation feature adjacent to the fin. The method further includes forming a gate structure over a portion of the fin, such that the gate structure is disposed between source/drain regions of the fin.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure includes a method of forming a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate having a plurality of first semiconductor layers and a plurality of second semiconductor layers disposed over the substrate. The method also includes patterning the first semiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layers to form a first fin and a second fin, removing the first semiconductor layers from the first and second fins such that a first portion of the patterned second semiconductor layers becomes first suspended nanostructures in the first fin and that a second portion of the patterned second semiconductor layers becomes second suspended nanostructures in the second fin, and doping a threshold modifying impurity into the first suspended nanostructures in the first fin. The impurity causes transistors formed with the first fin and second fin have different threshold voltages.

Abstract: A method of measuring a network speed, a computing device, and a computer-program product are provided. The method includes: obtaining a downloading duration and a downloading byte count of each of N consecutive video segments upon receiving a network speed measurement command during downloading video content, wherein the video content comprises multiple video segments; calculating out a total downloading duration and a total downloading byte count of the N video segments according to the downloading duration and the downloading byte count of each of the N video segments; and calculating out a current network speed according to the total downloading duration and the total downloading byte count.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a fin-like field-effect transistor (FinFET). The device includes one or more fin structures over a substrate, each with source/drain (S/D) features and a high-k/metal gate (HK/MG). A first HK/MG in a first gate region wraps over an upper portion of a first fin structure, the first fin structure including an epitaxial silicon (Si) layer as its upper portion and an epitaxial growth silicon germanium (SiGe), with a silicon germanium oxide (SiGeO) feature at its outer layer, as its middle portion, and the substrate as its bottom portion. A second HK/MG in a second gate region, wraps over an upper portion of a second fin structure, the second fin structure including an epitaxial SiGe layer as its upper portion, an epitaxial Si layer as it upper middle portion, an epitaxial SiGe layer as its lower middle portion, and the substrate as its bottom portion.

Abstract: A method of switching resolution is provided. The method includes: in playing audio and/or video using DASH, acquiring a media presentation description (MPD) file and obtaining resolution information through parsing the MPD file; during the playing of the audio and/or video, periodically determining a currently secure downloading speed according to a preset time interval and determining whether a resolution switching for the audio and/or video currently being played is required according to the secure downloading speed and the resolution information; and in accordance with a determination that the resolution switching is required, determining a switching time point according to an elapsed duration of a currently playing segment and a preset secure buffering duration and performing resolution switching at the switching time point.

Abstract: Various methods are disclosed herein for fabricating non-planar circuit devices having strain-producing features. An exemplary method includes forming a fin structure that includes a first portion that includes a first semiconductor material and a second portion that includes a second semiconductor material that is different than the first semiconductor material. The method further includes forming a masking layer over a source region and a drain region of the fin structure, forming a strain-producing feature over the first portion of the fin structure in a channel region, removing the masking layer and forming an isolation feature over the strain-producing feature, forming an epitaxial feature over the second portion of the fin structure in the source region and the drain region, and performing a gate replacement process to form a gate structure over the second portion of the fin structure in the channel region.

Abstract: A multi-gate semiconductor device having a fin element, a gate structure over the fin element, an epitaxial source/drain feature adjacent the fin element; a dielectric spacer interposing the gate structure and the epitaxial source/drain feature.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present application provides a memory device. The memory device includes a chip that includes a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell. A magnetic-field-shielding structure comprised of conductive or magnetic material at least partially surrounds the chip. The magnetic-field-shielding structure comprises a sidewall region that laterally surrounds the chip, an upper region extending upward from the sidewall region, and a lower region extending downward from the sidewall region. At least one of the upper region and/or lower region terminate at an opening over the chip.

Abstract: A finFET device having a substrate and a fin disposed on the substrate. The fin includes a passive region, a stem region overlying the passive region, and an active region overlying the stem region. The stem region has a first width and the active region has a second width. The first width is less than the second width. The stem region and the active region also have different compositions. A gate structure is disposed on the active region.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; a first fin active region of a first semiconductor material disposed within the first region, oriented in a first direction, wherein the first fin active region has a <100> crystalline direction along the first direction; and a second fin active region of a second semiconductor material disposed within the second region and oriented in the first direction, wherein the second fin active region has a <110> crystalline direction along the first direction.

Abstract: A method includes: obtaining a video data file and an audio data file of streaming media content to be played from a server, when the streaming media content is played using DASH; obtaining a video bitrate from the video data file, and obtaining an audio bitrate from the audio data file; and determining a capacity of a video buffer area and a capacity of an audio buffer area according to the video bitrate and the audio bitrate.

Abstract: A method includes: sending, upon receipt of an audio-only playing instruction in a process of synchronously playing audio and video of streaming media content using DASH, a request of obtaining audio data files of the streaming media content to a server, wherein video data files formed according to video content of the streaming media content and the audio data files formed according to audio content of the streaming media content are stored in the server; receiving the audio data files of the streaming media content from the server, and parsing out the audio content according to the audio data files; performing audio-only playing for the streaming media content according to the audio content.

Abstract: A memory device, including: memory cells, first conductive lines, second conductive lines, third conductive lines and fourth conductive lines. The memory cells are arranged in an array. Each memory cell includes a transistor and a capacitor connected to a gate terminal of the transistor in series. The first conductive lines extend in a first direction. Each first conductive line connects to gate terminals of transistors arranged in same column in the array. The second conductive lines extend in the first direction. Each second conductive line connects to source terminals of transistors arranged in same column in the array. The third conductive lines extend in the first direction. Each third conductive line connects to drain terminals of transistors arranged in same column in the array. The fourth conductive lines extend in a second direction. Each fourth conductive line couples to the capacitor arranged in same row in the array.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present application provides a magnetic memory device. The magnetic memory device comprises a bottom electrode, and a first synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SyAF) layer including a first pinning layer and a second pinning layer disposed over the bottom electrode and having opposite magnetization directions and separated by a first spacer layer. The magnetic memory device further comprises a reference layer disposed over the first pair of pinning layers and a free layer disposed over the reference layer and separated from the reference layer by a tunneling barrier layer. The magnetic memory device further comprises a second synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SyAF) layer including a third pinning layer and a fourth pinning layer disposed over the free layer and having opposite magnetization directions and separated by a second spacer layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a device on a substrate includes doping a channel region of the device with dopants. The method further includes growing an undoped epitaxial layer over the channel region, wherein growing the undoped epitaxial layer comprises deactivating dopants in the channel region to form a deactivated region. The method further includes forming a gate structure over the deactivated region.