Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Mstar Semiconductor, Inc.

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Chia-Ming Yang

Sterling Smith

Ying-Ho Chen

Wen-Chih Chiou

Syun-Ming Jang Jang

Tsu Shih

Hsin-Fei Meng

Jean Wang

Henry Lo

Po-Hsiung Leu

Shin-Yeu Tsai

Sheng-Fu Horng

Chen-Peng Fan

Henry Tin-Hang Yung

Horng-Der Chang

Joshua Tseng

Huimin Tsai

Chin-Hsin Peng

Chao-Ping Huang

Chih-Shiun Lu

Tsang-Yu Liu

Yun-Da Fan

Jian-Lin Hwang

A TMDS receiver includes a plurality of data channels, a clock channel, and an off-line mode detector. Each data channel receives a video signal and the clock channel receives a clock signal. Each data channel comprises a channel decoder for decoding the signals received by the corresponding receiving channel. The off-line mode detector detects an off-line mode detector, and then turns on a plurality of first data channels for a first predetermined period to determine an operation mode of video signal transmitted on said first data channels if the activity of the clock signal is valid. The off-line mode detector also activates a plurality of second data channels among the plurality of data channels according to the operation mode if the operation mode is determined as valid.

Method for detecting digital video interface off-line mode and associated receiver

An organic-semiconductor-based infrared receiving device comprises an electrode layer having a positive layer and a negative layer to form an electric field, and a transport layer located between the positive and negative layers and having a first and a second predetermined material combined in a predetermined ratio. The energy of infrared light from a light source is received at an interface between the first and second materials. The thickness of the transport layer can be increased to enhance the light absorbance in the infrared light range to form electron-hole pairs, which are then parted to form a plurality of electrons and holes driven by the electric field to move to the negative layer and the positive layer, respectively, so that a predetermined photocurrent is generated.

Organic-semiconductor-based infrared receiving device

A method of forming a metal feature in a low-k dielectric layer is provided. The method includes forming an opening in a low-k dielectric layer, forming a metal layer having a substantially planar surface over the low-k dielectric layer using spin-on method, and stress free polishing the metal layer. Preferably, the metal layer comprises copper or copper alloys. The metal layer preferably includes a first sub layer having a substantially non-planar surface and a second sub layer having a substantially planar surface on the first sub layer.

Method to implement stress free polishing

A high-speed video signal processing system, which includes a reception end for receiving analog signals; a plurality of analog to digital converters coupled to the reception end for converting analog signals received from the reception end to digital signals according to control signals; and an interleaving controller coupled to the plurality of analog to digital converters for generating the control signals to selectively enable the plurality of analog to digital converters according to a predetermined sequence.

High-speed video signal processing system

A video signal processing system capable of adjusting errors and related methods are introduced. The video signal processing system and related calibration methods utilize the characteristic of periodic breaks of video signals to perform various kinds of calibrations including gain calibration of ADC, offset calibration of ADC, dc-level shifting of input signals, and quatization errors spreading by adding analog random signals to input video signals. The required high accuracy in video signal processing systems is achieved in the present invention with the claimed calibration methods.

Video signal processing system including analog to digital converter and related method for calibrating analog to digital converter

A video signal processing system with a dynamic calibration loop of an ADC comprises a calibration switch for transmitting signals according to a control signal; a reference switch module for transmitting reference voltages according to a plurality of control signals; a reference voltage generator coupled to the reference switch module for providing the reference voltages; a coarse tuner coupled to the calibration switch and the reference switch module for coarse-tuning received signals; an ADC coupled to the coarse tuner for converting analog signals to digital signals; a fine-tuner coupled to the ADC for fine-tuning received signals; and a calibration logic module for controlling the calibration switch, the reference switch module, the coarse tuner, the ADC, and the fine tuner according to signals outputted from the fine tuner, so as to compensate errors of the ADC.

Video signal processing system with a dynamic ADC calibration loop and related methods

A method of reducing copper hillocks in copper metallization is described. An opening is made through a dielectric layer overlying a substrate on a wafer. A copper layer is formed overlying the dielectric layer and completely filling the opening. The copper layer is polished back to leave the copper layer only within the opening. Copper hillocks are reduced by applying F ions to the copper layer to form a buffer zone on a surface of the copper layer and in-situ depositing a capping layer overlying the copper layer. The F ions remove copper oxide naturally formed on the copper surface and the buffer zone transfers thermal vertical strain in the copper to horizontal strain thereby preventing formation of copper hillocks.

Solution for copper hillock induced by thermal strain with buffer zone for strain relaxation

A polishing assembly for use in a linear chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and a method for forming such assembly are described. In the polishing assembly, a plurality of polishing pads are adhesively joined to a top surface of a continuous belt. Each of the plurality of polishing pads is provided with a leading edge which has a lower lip and a trailing edge which has an upper lip. The upper lip of the trailing edge of a first polishing pad covers the lower lip of the leading edge of a second polishing pad when the pads are adhesively bonded to the continuous belt such that the first pad leads the second pad in the direction of rotation for the continuous belt such that the upper lip protects the lower lip to prevent delamination of the pads. The tight seam made possible by the present invention novel tapered joint further prevents water absorption or penetration and therefore prolongs the lifetime of the polishing pads.

Polishing assembly for a linear chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method for forming

A method for preventing copper corrosion on a wafer during a chemical mechanical polishing process when the process is temporarily halted due to equipment malfunction and an apparatus for carrying out such method are disclosed. In the method, after the chemical mechanical polishing process is stopped for correcting equipment malfunction or any other processing problems, a cleaning solvent is sprayed toward the wafer surface to remove substantially all slurry solution from the surface to prevent corrosion of the copper layer, or other metal layer, by the slurry solution. The cleaning solvent may be sprayed from spray nozzles mounted around and juxtaposed to the polishing table onto which the polishing pad is mounted as long as the spray nozzles do not interfere with the rotation of the polishing pad.

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Hsin-Chu, Taiwan

Chia-Ming Yang