Patents Examined by Aaron Dehne
  • Patent number: 8933568
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a power semiconductor element that is a semiconductor element; bonding parts provided for bonding of an upper surface and a lower surface of the semiconductor element; and metal plates bonded to the power semiconductor element from above and below through the bonding parts, wherein the bonding part includes a mesh metal body disposed between the semiconductor element and the metal plate, and a bonding member in which the mesh metal body is embedded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Takayama, Yukio Yasuda, Hajime Kato, Kazuaki Hiyama, Taishi Sasaki, Mikio Ishihara
  • Patent number: 8901675
    Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a CMOS device. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first active region and a second active region. The method also includes forming a first trench on the first active region using a first barrier layer and a second substitute gate electrode layer to protect a gate region on the second active region, followed by forming a first work function layer and a first metal gate in the first trench. Further, the method includes forming a second trench on the second active region using a second barrier layer to protect the first metal gate structure, followed by forming a second work function layer and a second metal gate in the second trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.
    Inventors: Weihai Bu, Wenbo Wang, Shaofeng Yu, Hanming Wu
  • Patent number: 8878296
    Abstract: Integrated circuits with electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuitry are provided. The ESD protection circuitry does not include polysilicon resistors. The ESD protection circuitry may include n-channel transistors coupled in parallel between an output node that is connected to an input/output pin and a ground terminal. The n-channel transistors may each have a drain terminal that is coupled to the output node through first metal paths and a source terminal that is coupled to the ground terminal through second metal paths. The first and second metal paths may be routed over gate terminals of the respective n-channel transistors to provide sufficient resistance. The first and second metal paths may provide desired pull-down resistance in the ESD protection circuitry so that the ESD protection circuitry can sink sufficient current through each of the n-channel transistors to protect internal circuitry from damage in an ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley Jensen, Charles Y. Chu
  • Patent number: 8866223
    Abstract: An embodiment of a process for manufacturing a power semiconductor device envisages the steps of: providing a body of semiconductor material having a top surface and having a first conductivity; forming columnar regions having a second type of conductivity within the body of semiconductor material, and surface extensions of the columnar regions above the top surface; and forming doped regions having the second type of conductivity, in the proximity of the top surface and in contact with the columnar regions. The doped regions are formed at least partially within the surface extensions of the columnar regions; the surface extensions and the doped regions have a non-planar surface pattern, in particular with a substantially V-shaped groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alfio Guarnera, Mario Giuseppe Saggio, Ferruccio Frisina
  • Patent number: 8853779
    Abstract: An embodiment of a process for manufacturing a power semiconductor device envisages the steps of: providing a body of semiconductor material having a top surface and having a first conductivity; forming columnar regions having a second type of conductivity within the body of semiconductor material, and surface extensions of the columnar regions above the top surface; and forming doped regions having the second type of conductivity, in the proximity of the top surface and in contact with the columnar regions. The doped regions are formed at least partially within the surface extensions of the columnar regions; the surface extensions and the doped regions have a non-planar surface pattern, in particular with a substantially V-shaped groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alfio Guarnera, Mario Giuseppe Saggio, Ferruccio Frisina
  • Patent number: 8847267
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light emitting diode with metal piles and one or more passivation layers and a method for making the diode including a first steps of performing mesa etching respectively on a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer belonging to stacked layers formed on a substrate in sequence! a second step of forming a reflector layer on the mesa-etched upper and side face! a third step of contacting one or more first electrodes with the first semiconductor layer and one or more second electrodes through the reflector layer with the second semiconductor layer; a fourth step of forming a first passivation layer on the reflector layer and the contacted electrodes; and a fifth step of connecting the first electrodes to a first bonding pad through one or more first electrode lines, bring one ends of vertical extensions having the shape of a metal pile into contact with one or more second electrodes, and connecting the other ends of the vertical extensions to a second bonding
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Korea Photonics Technology Institute
    Inventors: Sang Mook Kim, Jong Hyeob Baek, Gang Ho Kim, Jung-In Kang, Hong Seo Yom, Young Moon Yu
  • Patent number: 8847256
    Abstract: Provided are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system. The light emitting device comprises a first semiconductor layer comprising a plurality of vacant space parts, an active layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the active layer. Each of the plurality of air-lenses has a thickness less than that of the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Hoon Han
  • Patent number: 8835994
    Abstract: A structural alternative to retro doping to reduce transistor leakage is provided by providing a liner in a trench, undercutting a conduction channel region in an active semiconductor layer, etching a side, corner and/or bottom of the conduction channel where the undercut exposes semiconductor material in the active layer and replacing the removed portion of the conduction channel with insulator. This shaping of the conduction channel increases the distance to adjacent circuit elements which, if charged, could otherwise induce a voltage and cause a change in back-channel threshold in regions of the conduction channel and narrows and reduces cross-sectional area of the channel where the conduction in the channel is not well-controlled; both of which effects significantly reduce leakage of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Ervin, Jeffrey B. Johnson, Paul C. Parries, Chengwen Pei, Geng Wang, Yanli Zhang
  • Patent number: 8823054
    Abstract: A semiconductor switching device includes a package, and a semiconductor switching element provided in the package and having a collector electrode and an emitter electrode. A main collector terminal and a main emitter terminal reflect voltage drop generated during application of current by a floating component in the package. A second collector terminal and a second emitter terminal detect a voltage between the collector electrode and the emitter electrode without reflecting the voltage drop. A third emitter terminal is arranged close to the second emitter terminal, and detects the voltage drop generated between the main emitter terminal and the second emitter terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kurachi
  • Patent number: 8816381
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a light-emitting device includes a substrate, a plurality of pads and a plurality of light-emitting elements. The pads has electric conductance, and are arranged on the substrate. A reflecting layer which is formed by electroplating is provided on a surface of each of the pads. The light-emitting elements are mounted on the pads. A depressed part is left on the substrate. The depressed part is formed on the substrate by removing a pattern on the substrate, by which the pads are electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Betsuda, Kozo Ogawa, Koyoshi Nishimura, Soichi Shibusawa
  • Patent number: 8785313
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and the method includes forming a stack of a work function layer, a blocking structure, and a metal cap layer sequentially on a substrate. The forming of the blocking structure includes sequentially depositing at least a metal diffusion prevention layer over the work function layer and an electrical performance enhancement layer over the metal diffusion prevention layer before forming the metal cap layer. The electrical performance enhancement layer includes a TiN layer having a Ti/N ratio greater than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bor-Wen Chan, Hsueh Wen Tsau
  • Patent number: 8772125
    Abstract: A method of double-sided patterning including positioning a first silicon wafer with its back side facing upwards and forming one or more deep trenches serving as alignment marks on the back side of the first silicon wafer; performing alignment with respect to the alignment marks and forming a back-side pattern on the first silicon wafer; depositing a polishing stop layer on the back side of the first silicon wafer; flipping over the first silicon wafer and bonding its back side with the front side of a second silicon wafer; polishing the front side of the first silicon wafer to expose the alignment marks from the front side; performing alignment with respect to the alignment marks and forming a front-side pattern on the first silicon wafer; removing the second silicon wafer and the polishing stop layer to obtain a double-sided patterned structure on the first silicon wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Shanghai Hua Hong Nec Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lei Wang, Xiaobo Guo
  • Patent number: 8759877
    Abstract: This invention teaches stress release metal electrodes for gate, drain and source in a field effect transistor and stress release metal electrodes for emitter, base and collector in a bipolar transistor. Due to the large difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between semiconductor materials and metal electrodes, significant strain and stresses can be induced in the devices during the fabrication and operation. The present invention provides metal electrode with stress release structures to reduce the strain and stresses in these devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Inventors: Ishiang Shih, Cindy Xing Qiu, Chunong Qiu, Yi-Chi Shih
  • Patent number: 8748964
    Abstract: Memory cells including a charge storage structure having a gettering agent therein can be useful for non-volatile memory devices. Providing for gettering of oxygen from a charge-storage material of the charge storage structure can facilitate a mitigation of detrimental oxidation of the charge-storage material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rhett T. Brewer, Durai V. Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 8741780
    Abstract: A structural alternative to retro doping to reduce transistor leakage is provided by providing a liner in a trench, undercutting a conduction channel region in an active semiconductor layer, etching a side, corner and/or bottom of the conduction channel where the undercut exposes semiconductor material in the active layer and replacing the removed portion of the conduction channel with insulator. This shaping of the conduction channel increases the distance to adjacent circuit elements which, if charged, could otherwise induce a voltage and cause a change in back-channel threshold in regions of the conduction channel and narrows and reduces cross-sectional area of the channel where the conduction in the channel is not well-controlled; both of which effects significantly reduce leakage of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Ervin, Jeffrey B. Johnson, Paul C. Parries, Chengwen Pei, Geng Wang, Yanli Zhang
  • Patent number: 8716155
    Abstract: Methods of improving charge trapping are disclosed. One such method includes forming an oxide-nitride-oxide tunnel stack and a silicon nitride layer on the oxide-nitride-oxide tunnel stack. This silicon nitride layer is implanted with ions. These ions may function as electron traps or as fields. The silicon nitride layer may be part of a flash memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak A. Ramappa, Kyu-Ha Shim
  • Patent number: 8703541
    Abstract: An electronic system is provided including forming a substrate having a radiating patterned pad, mounting an electrical device having an external interconnect over the radiating patterned pad with the external interconnect offset from the radiating patterned pad, and aligning the external interconnect with the radiating patterned pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Stats Chippac Ltd.
    Inventors: Haengcheol Choi, Ki Youn Jang, Taewoo Kang, Il Kwon Shim
  • Patent number: 8679967
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, methods, and systems for fabricating memory lines and structures using double sidewall patterning for four times half pitch relief patterning. The invention includes forming features from a first template layer disposed above a substrate, forming half-pitch sidewall spacers adjacent the features, forming smaller features in a second template layer by using the half-pitch sidewall spacers as a hardmask, forming quarter-pitch sidewall spacers adjacent the smaller features, and forming conductor features from a conductor layer by using the quarter-pitch sidewall spacers as a hardmask. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Roy E. Scheuerlein, Yoichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8680678
    Abstract: A conductive electrode paste or ink formulation including a getter removes or reduces the concentration of the unwanted impurities in an electronic device. These reductions may happen during or immediately after the fabrication or sealing of the device, or they may occur after some activation time or event. Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and residual solvents are gettered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: John Devin MacKenzie, Jian Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 8664036
    Abstract: An oxide semiconductor layer with excellent crystallinity is formed to enable manufacture of transistors with excellent electrical characteristics for practical application of a large display device, a high-performance semiconductor device, etc. By first heat treatment, a first oxide semiconductor layer is crystallized. A second oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the first oxide semiconductor layer. By second heat treatment, an oxide semiconductor layer including a crystal region having the c-axis oriented substantially perpendicular to a surface is efficiently formed and oxygen vacancies are efficiently filled. An oxide insulating layer is formed over and in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer. By third heat treatment, oxygen is supplied again to the oxide semiconductor layer. A nitride insulating layer containing hydrogen is formed over the oxide insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hotaka Maruyama, Yoshiaki Oikawa, Katsuaki Tochibayashi