A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate including a first region and a second region; forming a first initial gate dielectric layer in the first region and forming a second initial gate dielectric layer in the second region; injecting doped elements into the first initial gate dielectric layer and the second initial gate dielectric layer; and thinning the first initial gate dielectric layer and the second initial gate dielectric layer, to form a first gate dielectric layer and a second gate dielectric layer, where a thickness of the first gate dielectric layer is greater than a thickness of the second gate dielectric layer. A negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI) effect is improved for a first transistor and a second transistor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dry pump and an exhaust gas treatment method which can improve an effect of inhibiting a reaction product from adhering to the inside of a gas outlet port of the dry pump, a gas exhaust pipe, or the like and can also improve an energy saving effect. To attain the object, the present invention includes the gas exhaust pipe disposed to be connected to the gas outlet port of the dry pump and to a gas inlet port of a detoxification device, and a heat exchanger which heats a diluent gas introduced therein using a heat generated from the dry pump and introduces the heated diluent gas into the gas exhaust pipe to heat a used gas to a temperature of not less than a predetermined value.

A vapor phase epitaxial growth device comprises a reactor vessel and a wafer holder arranged within the reactor vessel. The wafer holder includes a wafer holding surface configured to hold a wafer with a wafer surface oriented substantially vertically downward. The device comprises a first material gas supply pipe configured to supply a first material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a second material gas supply pipe configured to supply a second material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a gas exhaust pipe configured to exhaust gases and arranged below the wafer holding surface. A distance between the gas exhaust pipe and an axis line passing through a center of the wafer holding surface is greater than distances between the axis line and each of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe.

A method of manufacturing a transfer die. The manufactured transfer die comprises a semiconductor device suitable for bonding to a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The method comprises the steps of providing a non-conductive isolation region in a semiconductor stack, the semiconductor stack comprising a sacrificial layer above a substrate; and etching an isolation trench into the semiconductor stack from an upper surface thereof, such that the isolation trench extends only to a region of the semiconductor stack above the sacrificial layer. The isolation trench and the non-conductive isolation region together separate a bond pad from a waveguide region in the optoelectronic device.

A graphene compound made from the method of preparing graphene flakes or chemical vapor deposition grown graphene films on a SiO.sub.2/Si substrate; exposing the graphene flakes or the chemical vapor deposition grown graphene film to hydrogen plasma; performing hydrogenation of the graphene; wherein the hydrogenated graphene has a majority carrier type; creating a bandgap from the hydrogenation of the graphene; applying an electric field to the hydrogenated graphene; and tuning the bandgap.

A vapor phase epitaxial growth device comprises a reactor vessel and a wafer holder arranged within the reactor vessel. The wafer holder includes a wafer holding surface configured to hold a wafer with a wafer surface oriented substantially vertically downward. The device comprises a first material gas supply pipe configured to supply a first material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a second material gas supply pipe configured to supply a second material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a gas exhaust pipe configured to exhaust gases and arranged below the wafer holding surface. A distance between the gas exhaust pipe and an axis line passing through a center of the wafer holding surface is greater than distances between the axis line and each of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe.

A semiconductor device having favorable electrical characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device is manufactured by a first step of forming a semiconductor layer containing a metal oxide, a second step of forming a first insulating layer, a third step of forming a first conductive film over the first insulating layer, a fourth step of etching part of the first conductive film to form a first conductive layer, thereby forming a first region over the semiconductor layer that overlaps with the first conductive layer and a second region over the semiconductor layer that does not overlap with the first conductive layer, and a fifth step of performing first treatment on the conductive layer. The first treatment is plasma treatment in an atmosphere including a mixed gas of a first gas containing an oxygen element but not containing a hydrogen element, and a second gas containing a hydrogen element but not containing an oxygen element.

A semiconductor device having favorable electrical characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device is manufactured by a first step of forming a semiconductor layer containing a metal oxide, a second step of forming a first insulating layer, a third step of forming a first conductive film over the first insulating layer, a fourth step of etching part of the first conductive film to form a first conductive layer, thereby forming a first region over the semiconductor layer that overlaps with the first conductive layer and a second region over the semiconductor layer that does not overlap with the first conductive layer, and a fifth step of performing first treatment on the conductive layer. The first treatment is plasma treatment in an atmosphere including a mixed gas of a first gas containing an oxygen element but not containing a hydrogen element, and a second gas containing a hydrogen element but not containing an oxygen element.

A transistor device structure may include a submount, a transistor device on the carrier submount, and a metal bonding layer between the submount and the transistor die, the metal bonding stack providing mechanical attachment of the transistor die to the submount. The metal bonding stack may include gold, tin and nickel. A weight percentage of a combination of nickel and tin in the metal bonding layer is greater than 50 percent and a weight percentage of gold in the metal bonding layer is less than 25 percent.

A photovoltaic device comprises plural layers separated into plural cells, each comprising a region of a photoactive layer and electrodes on opposite sides thereof. Each of the regions of the photoactive layer are formed comprising a first part that comprises photoactive material and a second part that is not photoactive and that has a greater transmittance of visible light than the light absorbing photoactive material, in pre-selected locations, or in a pre-selected distribution of locations, across the region of the photoactive layer. One of the first and second parts are located in plural separate areas within the other of the first and second parts. The transparency of the photovoltaic device is increased by the transmission of light through the second part that is not photoactive.