Patents Examined by Brad Smith
  • Patent number: 6894338
    Abstract: A data storage element (and method of forming the same) includes a substrate comprising a semiconductor material, a metal oxide layer including an electrically insulating rare earth metal oxide disposed upon a surface of the substrate, a conductive material disposed upon the metal oxide layer, a first electrode electrically connected to the conductive material, and a second electrode connected to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nestor A. Bojarczuk, Jr., Eduard Albert Cartier, Supratik Guha
  • Patent number: 6890790
    Abstract: The present invention is related to methods and apparatus that allow a chalcogenide glass such as germanium selenide (GexSe1-x) to be doped with a metal such as silver, copper, or zinc without utilizing an ultraviolet (UV) photodoping step to dope the chalcogenide glass with the metal. The chalcogenide glass doped with the metal can be used to store data in a memory device. Advantageously, the systems and methods co-sputter the metal and the chalcogenide glass and allow for relatively precise and efficient control of a constituent ratio between the doping metal and the chalcogenide glass. Further advantageously, the systems and methods enable the doping of the chalcogenide glass with a relatively high degree of uniformity over the depth of the formed layer of chalcogenide glass and the metal. Also, the systems and methods allow a metal concentration to be varied in a controlled manner along the thin film depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiutao Li, Allen McTeer, Gregory Herdt, Trung T. Doan
  • Patent number: 6882051
    Abstract: One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as “nanowires”, include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Arun Majumdar, Ali Shakouri, Timothy D. Sands, Peidong Yang, Samuel S. Mao, Richard E. Russo, Henning Feick, Eicke R. Weber, Hannes Kind, Michael Huang, Haoquan Yan, Yiying Wu, Rong Fan
  • Patent number: 6881626
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a bitline area, a string selection transistor, a plurality of memory transistors, a ground selection transistor, and a source area which are serially disposed. The memory transistors are silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) transistors having a multi-layered charge storage layer. The memory transistors are also depletion mode transistors having a negative threshold voltage. In a method of fabricating the non-volatile memory device, a first conductive type diffusion layer is formed at a predetermined area of a first conductive type substrate. Impurities of a second conductive type are implanted into a predetermined area of a surface of the substrate where the first conductive type diffusion layer is formed, thereby forming an inversely doped area at a surface of the first conductive type diffusion layer. A string selection gate, a plurality of memory gates, and a ground selection gate are formed over a predetermined area of the first conductive type diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chany-Hyun Lee, Jung-Dal Choi
  • Patent number: 6878587
    Abstract: An intermediate metal plug is used to raise the platform to which contact is to be made. In the illustrated process, a partial bit line plug is formed adjacent a stacked capacitor, and an interlevel dielectric formed over the capacitor. The bit line contact is completed by extending a via from the bit line, formed above the interlevel dielectric, down to the level of the intermediate plug, and the via is filled with metal. The height of the via to be filled is thus reduced by the height of the intermediate plug. In one embodiment, the intermediate plug is slightly shorter than an adjacent container-shaped capacitor. In another embodiment, the intermediate plug is about as high as an adjacent stud capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Deboer, Vishnu K. Agarwal
  • Patent number: 6879034
    Abstract: A semiconductor package comprising a low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate defining opposed top and bottom surfaces. The substrate comprises at least two stacked ceramic layers and electrically conductive patterns which extend between the layers and along the top surface of the substrate. Mounted to the top surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the conductive patterns is at least one semiconductor die. A plurality of leads extend at least partially about the substrate in spaced relation thereto. Each of the leads defines opposed top and bottom surfaces, the semiconductor die being electrically connected to at least one of the leads. A package body at least partially encapsulates the substrate, the semiconductor die and the leads such that at least a portion of the bottom surface of each of the leads is exposed in the package body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Young Yang, Sun Goo Lee, Choon Heung Lee
  • Patent number: 6876082
    Abstract: Within a microelectronic fabrication and a method for fabricating the microelectronic fabrication a barrier layer is formed over a substrate. Within the method and the microelectronic fabrication the barrier layer is formed of a refractory metal nitride barrier material having within its thickness a gradient in nitrogen concentration. The barrier layer has low resistivity and improved electromigration performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsien-Ming Lee, Shing-Chuang Pan, Chung-Shi Liu, Chen-Hua Yu
  • Patent number: 6873056
    Abstract: A process of making an electrode-to-electrode bond structure includes a step of forming a resin coating on a first bonding object having a first electrode portion in a manner such that the resin coating covers the first electrode portion. Then, an opening is formed in the resin coating to expose the first electrode portion. Then, the opening is filled with a metal paste containing a metal and a resin component. Then, the first bonding object is placed on a second bonding object having a second electrode portion in a manner such that the metal paste filled in the opening faces the second electrode portion while the resin coating contacts the second bonding object. Finally, heat-treatment is performed to cause the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion to be electrically connected with each other via the metal while causing the resin coating to harden.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Seiki Sakuyama, Nobuhiro Imaizumi, Tomohisa Yagi
  • Patent number: 6872660
    Abstract: Methods of forming conductive contacts are described. According to one implementation, the method includes forming a transistor gate structure over a substrate. The gate structure includes a conductive silicide covered by insulative material. A dielectric layer is formed over the substrate and the gate structure. A contact opening is etched into the dielectric layer adjacent the gate structure. After the etching, the substrate is exposed to oxidizing conditions effective to oxidize any conductive silicide within the contact opening which was exposed during the contact opening etch. After the oxidizing, conductive material is formed within the contact opening. According to another embodiment, after the etching, it is determined whether conductive silicide of the gate structure was exposed during the etching. The substrate is then exposed to oxidizing conditions only if conductive silicide of the gate structure was exposed during the etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jigish D. Trivedi, Zhongze Wang, Chi-Chen Cho
  • Patent number: 6861287
    Abstract: An electronic package comprised of multiple chip stacks attached together to form a single, compact electronic module. The module is hermetically sealed in an enclosure. The enclosure comprises a pressurized, thermally conductive fluid, which is utilized for cooling the enclosed chip stack. A structure that allows for densely-packed, multiple chip stack electronic packages to be manufactured with improved heat dissipation efficiency, thus improving the performance and reliability of the multi-chip electronic packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Farrar, Jerome M. Eldridge
  • Patent number: 6861728
    Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric stack device having a plurality of layers comprises the steps of providing a silicon substrate, forming a metal-oxide layer on a silicon oxide layer which is formed on the silicon substrate, and performing an annealing with respect to the metal-oxide layer and the silicon oxide layer until a silicate layer is formed to replace the metal-oxide layer and the silicon oxide layer is removed, wherein the annealing is performed at a temperature between about 800° C. and about 1000° C. for a time period between about 1 second and about 10 minutes. After forming the silicon oxide layer on the silicon substrate, the metal-oxide layer may be deposited on the silicon oxide layer. Alternatively, the metal-oxide layer may be deposited on the silicon substrate, and the silicon oxide layer grows between the metal-oxide layer and the silicon substrate. The metal-based oxide is preferably an Yttrium-based oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nestor A. Bojarczuk, Jr., Eduard A. Cartier, Matthew W. Copel, Supratik Guha
  • Patent number: 6852611
    Abstract: A ROM embedded DRAM allows hard programming of ROM cells by shorting DRAM capacitor plates during fabrication. In one embodiment, the intermediate dielectric layer is removed and the plates are shorted with a conductor. In another embodiment, an upper conductor and dielectric are removed and a conductor is fabricated in contact with the DRAM storage plate. The memory allows ROM cells to be hard programmed to different data states, such as Vcc and Vss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip G. Wald, Casey Kurth, Scott Derner
  • Patent number: 6853078
    Abstract: On a substrate provided with a transistor, an electrode pad for product connected electrically to the transistor is formed. A metal bump is provided on a surface of the electrode pad for product. An electrode pad for test to be used specifically for a wafer-level burn-in, which is connected electrically to the transistor, is further formed on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazufumi Yamaya, Koji Shimomura
  • Patent number: 6853028
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a cell region and a peripheral circuit region at the semiconductor substrate. A plurality active regions are disposed in the cell region in parallel with each other. A plurality of cell line patterns cross over the active regions in parallel. A couple of tunnel insulating layers and the floating gate electrodes are disposed between the cell line patterns and the active regions. A dummy region is interposed between the cell region and the peripheral circuit region where at least one dummy line pattern is disposed in the dummy region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Hee Kim, Chul-Soon Kwon, Jin-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 6844248
    Abstract: A low temperature process for forming a metal doped silicon layer in which a silicon layer is deposited onto a substrate at low temperatures, with a metal doping layer then deposited upon the silicon layer. This structure is then annealed at low temperatures to form a metal doped semiconductor having greater than about 1×1020 dopant atoms per cm3 of silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: The Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Hameed A. Naseem, M. Shahidul Haque, William D. Brown
  • Patent number: 6844215
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of forming tapered drain-to-anode connectors in a back plane of an active matrix OLED device. The method is also used in forming laterally spaced anode layers in contact with respectively corresponding drain-to-anode connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Amalkumar P. Ghosh
  • Patent number: 6844249
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and it is an object of the invention to form a semiconductor area formed in island-like patterns as a single crystal or an area which can be regarded as a single crystal, and to simultaneously achieve a laminated structure by which various characteristics of TFTs can be stabilized, wherein an insulation film is formed on a glass substrate, and island-like semiconductor layer is formed thereon. A laser beam passed through a cylindrical lens is made into a linear laser beam and irradiated onto the island-like semiconductor layer by an optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ritsuko Kawasaki, Kenji Kasahara, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6844590
    Abstract: The major surface of a semiconductor substrate of a semiconductor device includes first and second regions and a boundary area therebetween. A first gate insulating film and a first gate electrode are formed in the first region. A second gate insulating film different from the first gate insulating film and a second gate electrode are formed in the second region. A device isolation region is formed in the boundary area. This device isolation region includes a trench formed in the major surface, and an insulating layer having a portion buried in the trench and a portion projecting upward from the major surface. The bottom of the trench has depths different with portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Mitsuhiro Noguchi, Yuji Takeuchi, Michiharu Matsui, Hiroaki Hazama
  • Patent number: 6841821
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell is fabricated using a conventional logic process, with minor modifications. The cell is fabricated by forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) region in a well region of a semiconductor substrate. A recessed region is formed in the STI region, wherein the recessed region extends into the STI region and exposes a sidewall region in the well region. A capacitor region is formed in the sidewall region. A dielectric layer is formed over the well region, including the sidewall region. A gate electrode is then formed over the dielectric layer, wherein a portion of the gate electrode extends into the recessed region. An access transistor of the cell is then formed in a self-aligned manner with respect to the gate electrode. A capacitor structure is formed by the gate electrode (in the recessed region), the dielectric layer on the sidewall region, and the capacitor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Monolithic System Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Fu-Chieh Hsu
  • Patent number: 6841394
    Abstract: A nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device and a method for fabricating the same are provided that increase a process margin and simplify process steps. In addition, a number of masks is reduced to save the cost and at the same time minimize or reduce a layout area. The nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device can include first and second split wordlines formed along a first direction on a substrate at prescribed intervals, a first electrode of a first ferroelectric capacitor on the second split wordline and a first electrode of a second ferroelectric capacitor on the first split wordline, first and second ferroelectric layers respectively on surfaces of the first electrodes of the first and second ferroelectric capacitors, and second electrodes of the first and second ferroelectric capacitors, respectively, on surfaces of the first and second ferroelectric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Bok Kang, Jun Sik Lee