Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device including at least one of the following steps: forming an oxide layer on and/or over a silicon substrate. Forming a first photoresist pattern on and/or over the oxide layer. Forming a trench by etching the oxide layer and the substrate using the first photoresist pattern as a mask. Removing the first photoresist pattern. Filling the trench with a trench oxide layer. Planarizing the trench oxide layer. Forming an etch stop layer on and/or over the trench oxide layer. Forming a second photoresist pattern on and/or over the etch stop layer. Etching the etch stop layer and the trench oxide layer using the second photoresist pattern as an etch mask. Removing the second photoresist pattern and the etch stop layer.

Abstract: A low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulator that includes an error amplifier which compares a reference voltage with a feedback voltage of an output voltage and outputs an error signal based on the result of the comparison, the error amplifier being biased by an input voltage; a first MOS transistor having a gate electrically connected to the error signal, a source electrically connected to the input voltage and a drain electrically connected to the output voltage; a voltage divider which transmits a predetermined part of the output voltage to the error amplifier as feedback voltage; and a level limiter which limits a level of the output voltage from changing beyond and below an offset voltage when a level of a load current changes. In accordance with embodiments, A predetermined number of comparators and MOS transistor type-switches are provided to enhance the slew ratio of the regulated output voltage and to reduce standby electricity consumption.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip may include a wafer, a semiconductor device formed on the wafer, a first dielectric layer formed on the wafer and the semiconductor device, a first metal interconnection formed on the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer formed on the first dielectric layer and the lower interconnection, and a third dielectric layer formed on the second dielectric layer. A second metal interconnection may be formed in the third dielectric layer, a first nitride layer formed on the third dielectric layer and the first metal interconnection, a via hole extending through the wafer, the first dielectric layer, the second dielectric layer, the third dielectric layer and the first nitride layer, a via formed in the via hole and a third metal interconnection formed on the first oxide layer, an exposed upper end of the via and the second metal interconnection.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same includes forming a via pattern having a matrix form in a dielectric layer. The via pattern includes a via slit provided at the center of the via pattern and a plurality of via holes provided at an outer periphery of the via pattern and surrounding the via slit. Metal plugs are formed in the via holes.

Abstract: A PIP capacitor and methods thereof. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a field oxide film over a silicon substrate to define a device isolating region and/or an active region. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a lower polysilicon electrode having doped impurities on and/or over an field oxide film. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include performing an oxidizing step to form a first oxide film over a polysilicon and/or a second oxide film on and/or over an active region. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming an upper polysilicon electrode on and/or over a region of a first oxide film and forming a gate electrode on and/or over a second oxide film at substantially the same time. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a polysilicon resistor. A PIP capacitor is disclosed.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a photodiode formed in the semiconductor substrate, a first impurity region formed in the semiconductor substrate spaced from the photodiode, a second impurity region formed in the semiconductor substrate spaced from the first impurity region, a first gate formed over the semiconductor substrate between the photodiode and the first impurity region, a second gate formed over the semiconductor substrate between the first impurity region and the second impurity region, a spacer formed over the fourth impurity region and a first sidewall of the second gate, and an insulating film formed over the photodiode, the first gate, the first impurity region and a second sidewall and a portion of the uppermost surface of the second gate.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device capable of simplifying a silicide manufacturing process using a photo resist overhang structure. According to embodiments, a surface is subjected to a monochlorobenzene coating processing to cure the surface of the exposed photo resist so as not to react with developing solution and such a processed photo resist is developed to make the lower of the photo resist in the overhang structure so as to form an accurate pattern according to the clear removal of the oxide film, making it possible to simply manufacture the silicide and the non-silicide without performing an etching process by a subsequent cobalt deposition process.

Abstract: A reference voltage generating circuit includes a reference voltage generating unit generating a uniform reference voltage in response to a bias voltage, a bias voltage generating unit generating the bias voltage, and a start-up circuit, after activating the bias voltage generating unit by receiving a first supply voltage, canceling a change of the first supply voltage to maintain a separation from the bias voltage generating unit. The circuit adopts a start-up circuit having a voltage distributing unit, thereby preventing a quiescent point of a bias voltage generating unit from entering a zero state and prevents a reference voltage from rising in a power-up state that an analog supply voltage rises according to a change of an external design environment such as a power, a temperature, a process parameter and the like, thereby generating a reference voltage more stably. As a result, current consumption and power consumption are minimized.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an image sensor that may include transistors, a first dielectric, a crystalline semiconductor layer on and/or over the first dielectric, a photodiode, a dummy region, via contacts, and a second dielectric. A photodiode may be formed by implanting impurity ions into a crystalline semiconductor layer to correspond the pixel region. A dummy region may be formed in the crystalline semiconductor layer excepting a region for the photodiode. Via contacts may penetrate the dummy region, and may be connected to the first metal interconnections. A second dielectric may include a plurality of second metal interconnections on and/or over the crystalline semiconductor layer. The plurality of second metal interconnections may electrically connect the via contacts to the photodiode.

Abstract: A multi-layered metal interconnection includes a diffusion barrier directly formed on a conductive layer, an etching stop layer directly formed on the diffusion barrier, at least one dielectric layer formed over the etch stop layer, at least one of a via formed in the at least one dielectric layer and a trench formed in the at least one dielectric layer.

Abstract: Provided are a channel management method and a channel selection method for a wireless node in a wireless ad-hoc network. The channel management method includes the steps of: (a) when a current mode is a first mode, performing channel selection using a method for evenly distributing a channel within an interference range; and (b) when the current mode is a second mode, performing channel selection based on a channel switching probability. According to the method, by preventing a channel change from being continuously repeated in a wireless ad-hoc network using multi-channel multi-interface, it is possible to prevent data transmission delay and network performance deterioration.

Abstract: Provided are three-dimensional microstructures and their methods of formation. The microstructures are formed by a sequential build process and include microstructural elements which are affixed to one another. The microstructures find use, for example, in coaxial transmission lines for electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, an interconnection and an interlayer dielectric, an image sensing device, a trench, a buffer layer, a barrier pattern, a via hole, and a metal contact. The semiconductor substrate includes a readout circuitry. The interconnection and an interlayer dielectric layer are formed on and/or over the semiconductor substrate while the interconnection is connected to the readout circuitry. The image sensing device may be formed on and/or over the interlayer dielectric and a trench may be formed in the image sensing device, the trench corresponding to the interconnection. The buffer layer may be formed on a sidewall of the trench. The barrier pattern may be formed on the buffer layer with the via hole penetrating through the image sensing device and the interlayer dielectric under the barrier pattern and exposing the interconnection. The metal contact may be formed in the via hole.

Abstract: A data driver circuit and a delay-locked loop (DLL) circuit that can operate normally in spite of errors, etc., caused when an analog data signal is applied to a display panel are provided. The data driver circuit receives a first data signal and a first clock signal and outputs a second data signal to be transmitted to a display panel. The data driver circuit includes a data driver for sampling the first data signal in response to a second clock signal and outputting the second data signal obtained by analog-converting the first data signal, a mask signal generator for generating a mask signal indicating presence within a predetermined time period measured from a point in time at which the second data signal begins to change, and a DLL for generating the second clock signal from the first clock signal.

Abstract: An image sensor and a method of fabricating an image sensor. A method of fabricating an image sensor may include forming a plurality of photodiodes on and/or over a semiconductor substrate, a filter array including color filters arranged corresponding to upper parts of photodiodes, a plurality of hydrophilic lenses arranged over a filter array spaced apart from one another, and/or a plurality of hydrophobic lenses arranged over a filter array between hydrophilic lenses. A curvature of a lens may be substantially equal in a horizontal, vertical and/or diagonal direction.

Abstract: A method of predicting a substrate current in a high voltage device that may accurately predict substrate current components in each of a first region, a second region, and a third region. This may be accomplished by modeling a substrate current component in a third region, in which an inconsistency may occur when a substrate current in a high voltage device is calculated, for example using BSIM3-based modeling. According to embodiments, a substrate current for a third region may be modeled by an expression with a ternary operator, and the modeled substrate current may be added to a substrate current obtained through BSIM3-based modeling.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having both vertical and horizontal type gates and a method for fabricating the same for obtaining high integration of the semiconductor device and integration with other devices while also maximizing the breakdown voltage and operational speed and preventing damage to the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A resistance memory element, a phase change memory element, a resistance random access memory device, an information reading method thereof, a phase change random access memory device, and an information reading method thereof are provided. The resistance random access memory device includes an array of resistance memory element arranged in a matrix. Each resistance memory element includes a substrate in which a source region and a drain region are formed along the column direction and a channel region is formed between the source region and the drain region, a bit line formed on the channel region out of a conductive material to have a shape extending along the arrangement direction of the columns, a resistance switching layer formed on the bit line out of a material of which electrical resistance is switched by an electrical signal, and a word line formed on the resistance switching layer out of a conductive material to have a shape extending along the row direction.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor includes forming an active region for an ESD device, an active region for a first polygate and the semiconductor, and a second polygate having a form of a blanket trench on a substrate, forming an interlayer dielectric layer including first and second insulating on the substrate, planarizing the interlayer dielectric layer, forming a contact pattern to open a portion of the interlayer dielectric layer over the first polygate, forming a first polygate trench by performing a first etch process with respect to the second insulating layer below the contact pattern, and performing a second etch process to remove the first insulating layer inside the first polygate trench and to remove the first insulating layer over the active region of the semiconductor other than the second polygate.

Abstract: A method of coding a moving picture reduces blocking artifacts. The method includes defining pixel sets S0, S1, S2 around a block boundary, selectively determining a deblocking mode as a default mode or a DC offset mode depending on the degree of blocking artifacts. If the default mode is selected, frequency information is obtained around the block boundary per pixel using a 4-point DCT kernel, for example, a magnitude of a discontinuous component belonging to the block boundary is replaced with a minimum magnitude of discontinuous components belonging to the surroundings of the block boundary in the frequency domain and the replacing step is applied to the spatial domain. If the DC offset mode is selected and a determination is made to perform DC offset mode, the blocking artifacts in a smooth region are removed in the DC offset mode.