International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Jonathan R Fry

Jonathan D Bradbury

Michael R Kane

Jang Sim

Tuhin Sinha

Taryn J Davis

Daniel Piper

Yongchun Xin

Christopher J Penny

Marc Adam Bergendahl

Christopher Joseph Waskiewicz

James J Demarest

Jean E Wynne

Vincent James McGahay

Melissa Alyson Smith

Andrew J Martin

Kathryn E Schlichting

Christopher F Klabes

Michael Rizzolo

Terence Lawrence Kane

Jeffrey Nettey

John Scott Houston

Elnatan Mataev

Lahiruka Winter

Kathleen Chalas

Cheng-Yi Lin

Alexander C Leventhal

Cameron E Tidd

Michael K Gschwind

Dureseti Chidambarrao

Bassem M Hamieh

Michael Lapointe

Bharat Biyani

Kam Hou U

Max S Cioban

Adam Yang

Choong Ho Lee

Youseung Jin

Dominic Rossillo

Cheng-Tin Luo

Victoria A Nwobodo

Zero expanded functional gate structures are formed by utilizing a dipole material spacer as a means to prevent expanded void formation during a replacement metal gate process. Notably, the dipole material spacer prevents expanded void formation into the dielectric spacer thus preventing the functional gate structures from being in direct physical contact with the source/drain regions. Improvement in yield loss and reliability is thus provided utilizing a dipole material spacer during a replacement metal gate process.

Zero expansion in a replacement metal gate process with a spacer

A method for production analysis includes: receiving production data at a processor from a plurality of tools spatially arranged within a manufacturing facility; creating a hierarchal topology of the data in the processor, wherein each level of the hierarchal topology is based on a different one of a plurality of static parameters that are selected from a list consisting of: a tool identifier, a batch identifier, and a spatial orientation; displaying, at a user interface implemented by the processor, a first analysis of a first level of the hierarchal topology, wherein the analysis contains parameters related to other levels of the hierarchal topology; receiving, via the user interface, a selection by a user of a first parameter displayed on the first analysis; and updating the user interface to display a second analysis of a second level of the hierarchal topology that is related to the first parameter.

Exploratory data interface

Embodiments of the invention provide a method that includes forming an IC layer having an inactive region and an active region. The active region includes a device-under-fabrication (DUF). The inactive region includes a geometric feature having a geometric shape. A film is deposited over the active DUF and the geometric feature such that a first portion of the film will be part of the active DUF, and such that a second portion of the film is over the geometric feature. A geometric shape of the film over the geometric feature matches the geometric shape of the geometric feature. Determining a thickness of the film is based at least in part a difference between a footprint of the geometric shape of the film and a footprint of the geometric shape of the geometric feature.

Conformal film thickness determination using angled geometric features and vertices tracking

An example operation may include one or more of connecting, by a load leveler, to a blockchain network comprising a plurality of nodes and configured to store a common work item, computing, by the load leveler, loads across the plurality of the nodes that need to execute the common work item upon completion of current tasks, determining, by the load leveler, a network load impact based on execution of a common blockchain consensus checking process on the network nodes, executing, by the load leveler, a work assessment process based on the loads computed across the plurality of the nodes and on the determined network load impact of the blockchain network, and assigning, by the load leveler, new tasks to the nodes based on results of the execution of the work assessment process.

Load leveler

A micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) valve is provided. The MEMS valve includes first and second bodies, a medium and a thermal element. The first body defines a first channel and a second channel intersecting the first channel. The second body defines a third channel and is movable within the first channel between first and second positions. When the second body is at the first positions, the second and third channels align and permit flow through the second and third channels. When the second body is at the second positions, the second and third channels misalign and inhibit flow through the second channel. The medium is charged into the first channel at opposite sides of the second body. The thermal element is proximate to the first channel and is operable to cause the medium to drive movements of the second body to the first or the second positions.

Micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) valve

Microfluidic chips incorporating liquid level sensors for precise sensing of liquid levels in microfluidic system structures, e.g., channels, cavities or reservoirs without moving parts. The microfluidic system uses liquid level photosensors and use optical properties to measure liquid volumes. A light coupling emitter or waveguide transmits the light toward the fluid channel at a critical angle. Multiple light coupling emitters and photosensor array can detect light for a variety of scenarios (based on fluid refraction index) and exploit the phenomenon of critical angles to measure exact angles of reflection/refraction. The waveguide coupler(s) and photosensors are manufactured at the microscale, and use both reflected light and refracted light as monitor signals. A feedback control system (e.g., compensating for rate and tolerance drift) is devised using signals generated by the sensors upon detecting reflected or refracted sensed light for increased accuracy of detecting precise amounts of fluid volumes being dispensed.

MEMS optical liquid level sensor

A computer-implemented method executed by a processor for reducing exposure of a plurality of objects to environmental conditions by employing a smart room tracking system is presented. The computer-implemented method includes counting a number of individuals within a space including the plurality of objects via one or more image capture devices and determining whether each individual makes direct eye contact with any of the plurality of objects by evaluating orientation, posture, and eye movement of each individual. The computer-implemented method further includes shielding, via an object viewing controller, an object of the plurality of objects from view when no direct eye contact is determined and making an object of the plurality of objects viewable, via the object viewing controller, when direct eye contact is determined.

Smart display apparatus and control system

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a base visualization having first data in a first set of channels, where each channel in the first set of channels is associated with a respective range in the base visualization. It is detected that the respective ranges of the first set of channels fall outside a perceptual bandwidth of a first user. The base visualization is automatically transformed to a second visualization, based on the perceptual bandwidth of the first user. The second visualization includes second data in a second set of channels, where each channel in the second set of channels is associated with a respective range in the second visualization. The respective ranges of the second set of channels fall within the perceptual bandwidth of the first user.

Multimodal data visualization using bandwidth profiles and optional environmental compensation

A blockchain may be used as a stochastic timer. The posting of a blockchain solution for verification may be a trigger that determines an event schedule. Because the only entity that knows when the solution will be posted is the solving entity, the solving entity may be rewarded with the ability to potentially exploit this knowledge. However, because the solving of a blockchain is a competitive process, there is a risk that if the solving entity retains the solution for greater exploitation, then another entity will post the solution and therefore gain the benefit. A blockchain stochastic timer can thus provide the necessary incentive for entities to invest computational resources into blockchain solutions.

Blockchain stochastic timer transaction synchronization

A semiconductor device that includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface, the surface having several regions having different thermal and/or mechanical requirements; and a composite thermal interface material including several spatially localized thermal interface materials placed on the surface, each of the several thermal interface materials tailored to the different thermal and/or mechanical requirements of each of the regions. Also disclosed is a method of forming the composite thermal interface material.

Spatially localized thermal interface materials

An opto-mechanical fuse is provided. The opto-mechanical fuse includes a chassis component, an extrusion disposed on a monitored component proximate to the chassis component and a sensor. The sensor includes an optical conductor mounted to the chassis component to assume one of an optically transmitting state and an optically non-transmitting state in both power-on and power-off conditions. An assumption of the optically non-transmitting state by the optical conductor occurs due to an interaction of the optical conductor and the extrusion resulting from a predefined magnitude of deflection of the monitored component.

Opto-mechanical fuse

A thermal interface material and systems and methods for forming a thermal interface material include depositing a layer of a composite material, including at least a first material and a second material, the first material including a carrier fluid and the second material including a filler particle suspended within the first material. A particle manipulator is positioned over the layer of the composite material, the particle manipulator including at least one emitter to apply a particle manipulating field to bias a movement of the filler particles. The second material is redistributed by applying the particle manipulating field to interact with the second material causing the second material to migrate from a surrounding region in the composite material into a high concentration region in the composite material to form a customized thermal interface such that the high concentration region is configured and positioned corresponding to a hotspot.

Filler particle position and density manipulation with applications in thermal interface materials

A MEMS multiplexing system including: first and second fluid inputs; and a mixing network. The mixing network including: a first channel to receive the first fluid input; a second channel to receive the second fluid input; a multiplexing valve communicating with the first channel and the second channel, the multiplexing valve to cause the transport of the first fluid into the second channel so as to form a first interleaved fluid downstream from the multiplexing valve in the second channel and to cause the transport of the second fluid into the first channel so as to form a second interleaved fluid downstream from the multiplexing valve in the first channel; and the first channel and the second channel intersecting downstream from the valve so as to force mixing of the first interleaved fluid and the second interleaved fluid.

Micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) multiplexing mixing

An integrated circuit (IC) device, such as a wafer, die, or the like, includes a viscoelastic pad upon a contact. The viscoelastic pad includes a viscoelastic material and an electrically conductive material within the viscoelastic material. The viscoelastic pad provides for a probe needle of an IC device tester to be electrically connected to the IC device contact without the probe needle directly contacting the IC device contact. The viscoelastic pad may be probed multiple instances by the probe needle and may be washed or otherwise removed from the IC device after testing is completed. The viscoelastic pad may be formed upon the IC device by forming the viscoelastic material within a mask, aligning the viscoelastic pad to the IC device contact, and ejecting the viscoelastic material from the mask upon the IC device contact.

Viscoelastic pad upon integrated circuit device contact for multipass electrical characterization probe testing

Embodiments of the invention include a fracture ring sensor and a method of using the same to detect out of tolerance forces. Aspects of the invention include a product having a defined an out of tolerance force, a fracture ring sensor, and a mounting assembly coupling the fracture ring sensor to the product. The fracture ring sensor is patterned with a conductive trace and is manufactured to break when subjected to a predetermined amount of force. The predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to a percentage of the out of tolerance force of the product.

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Wappingers Falls, NY, United States of America

Jonathan R Fry