In one embodiment, a method includes providing a substrate comprising a source/drain contact region and a dummy gate, forming a first etch stop layer aligned to the source/drain contact region, where the first etch stop layer does not cover the dummy gate. The method may include forming a second etch stop layer over the first etch stop layer, the second etch stop layer covering the first etch stop layer and the dummy gate. The method may include converting the dummy gate to a metal gate. The method may include removing the second etch stop layer using a plasma etching process. The method may include removing the first etch stop layer.

A cost effective process flow for manufacturing semiconductor on insulator structures is parallel is provided. Each of the multiple semiconductor-on-insulator composite structures prepared in parallel comprises a charge trapping layer (CTL).

Provided is a method of manufacturing a nanorod. The method comprising comprises the steps of: providing a growth substrate and a support substrate; epitaxially growing a nanomaterial layer onto one surface of the growth substrate; forming a sacrificial layer on one surface of the support substrate; bonding the nanomaterial layer with the sacrificial layer; separating the growth substrate from the nanomaterial layer; flattening the nanomaterial layer; forming a nanorod by etching the nanomaterial layer; and separating the nanorod by removing the sacrificial layer.

This method comprises the following steps: a) providing a stack successively comprising: a substrate; a first electrode; a first dielectric layer, having a first electrical strength; a second metal electrode; a second dielectric layer, having a second dielectric strength that is strictly less than the first dielectric strength; a third electrode; the first dielectric layer and the second electrode having a first interface, the second dielectric layer and the second electrode having a second interface; b) etching the stack by bombardment with electrically charged species, so as to define resistive memory cells; the bombardment of step b) being adapted so that electrically charged species accumulate at the first and second interfaces of each resistive memory cell, so as to generate an electric field that is strictly less than the first electrical strength and is strictly greater than the second dielectric strength.

A device may include: a highly doped n.sup.+ Si region; an intrinsic silicon multiplication region disposed on at least a portion of the n.sup.+ Si region, the intrinsic silicon multiplication having a thickness of about 90-110 nm; a highly doped p.sup.− Si charge region disposed on at least part of the intrinsic silicon multiplication region, the p.sup.− Si charge region having a thickness of about 40-60 nm; and a p.sup.+ Ge absorption region disposed on at least a portion of the p.sup.− Si charge region; wherein the p.sup.+ Ge absorption region is doped across its entire thickness. The thickness of the n.sup.+ Si region may be about 100 nm and the thickness of the p.sup.− Si charge region may be about 50 nm. The p.sup.+ Ge absorption region may confine the electric field to the multiplication region and the charge region to achieve a temperature stability of 4.2 mV/° C.

Die stacks and methods of making die stacks with very thin dies are disclosed. The die surfaces remain flat within a 5 micron tolerance despite the thinness of the die and the process steps of making the die stack. A residual flux height is kept below 50% of the spacing distance between adjacent surfaces or structures, e.g. in the inter-die spacing.

A semiconductor device and a method of producing the semiconductor device are described. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a metallization layer over the semiconductor substrate; a plating over the metallization layer, the plating including NiP; a passivation over the metallization layer and laterally adjacent the plating such that a surface of the plating that faces away from the semiconductor substrate is uncovered by the passivation, wherein a seam is present along an interface between the passivation and the plating; and a structure that covers the seam along a periphery of the plating and delimits a bondable area for the plating. The structure extends from the periphery of the plating onto the passivation. The structure includes an imide having a curing temperature below a recrystallization temperature of the NiP or an oxide having a deposition temperature below the recrystallization temperature of the NiP.

A method of Silicon Selective Epitaxial Growth (SEG) applied to a Silicon on Insulator (SOI) wafer to provide a first region of customized thickness includes with the SOI wafer having a standard thickness, applying a hard mask to a plurality of regions of the SOI wafer including the first region; applying photo-lithography protection to cover the hard mask in all of the plurality of regions except the first region; removing the hard mask in the first region; and performing Silicon SEG in the first region to provide the customized thickness in the first region, wherein the customized thickness is greater than the standard thickness.

Methods for etching a semiconductor structure and for conditioning a processing reactor in which a single semiconductor structure is treated are disclosed. An engineered polycrystalline silicon surface layer is deposited on a susceptor which supports the semiconductor structure. The polycrystalline silicon surface layer may be engineered by controlling the temperature at which the layer is deposited, by grooving the polycrystalline silicon surface layer or by controlling the thickness of the polycrystalline silicon surface layer.

A bonding apparatus configured to bond substrates comprises a first holder configured to vacuum-exhaust a first substrate to attract and hold the first substrate on a bottom surface thereof; a second holder disposed under the first holder, and configured to vacuum-exhaust a second substrate to attract and hold the second substrate on a top surface thereof; a mover configured to move the first holder and the second holder relatively in a horizontal direction; a laser interferometer system configured to measure a position of the first holder or the second holder which is moved by the mover; a linear scale configured to measure a position of the mover; and a controller configured to control the mover based on a measurement result of the laser interferometer system and a measurement result of the liner scale.