Patents Examined by Long Tran
  • Patent number: 8405123
    Abstract: In a gated diode ESD protection structure, the gate is split into two parts to divide the total reverse voltage between two gate regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Vladislav Vashchenko, Konstantin G. Korablev
  • Patent number: 8399293
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of electronic devices and their associated driver and/or controller integrated circuits and in particular to the mechanical packaging of electronic devices and to the packaging of electronic devices and their associated driver and/or controller integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Wafer-Level Packaging Portfolio LLC
    Inventors: Juergen Leib, Hidefumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8399795
    Abstract: This invention relates to a plasma surface modification process (and a corresponding a system) of a solid object (100) comprising creating plasma (104) by a plasma source (106), application of the plasma (104) to at least a part of a surface (314) of the solid object (100), generating ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic waves (102) by at least one ultrasonic high intensity and high power acoustic wave generator (101), wherein the ultrasonic acoustic waves are directed to propagate towards said surface (314) of the object (100) so that a laminar boundary layer (313) of a gas or a mixture of gases (500) flow in contact with said solid object (100) is thinned or destructed for at least a part of said surface (314). In this way, the plasma can more efficiently access and influence the surface of the solid object to be treated by the plasma, which speeds the process time up significantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignees: Force Technology, Technical University of Denmark
    Inventors: Niels Krebs, Alexander Bardenshtein, Yukihiro Kusano, Henrik Bindslev, Henrik Junge Mortensen
  • Patent number: 8399969
    Abstract: A chip package and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The chip package includes a substrate and a chip disposed over the substrate. A solder layer is disposed between the chip and the substrate. A conductive pad is disposed between the solder layer and the substrate, wherein the conductive pad includes a first portion disposed under the solder layer, a second portion disposed away from the first portion and a connective portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion. The connective portion has a width which is narrower than a width of the first portion along a first direction perpendicular to a second direction extending from the first portion to the connective portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: VisEra Technologies Company Limited
    Inventors: Kuo-Ching Chang, Wu-Cheng Kuo, Tzu-Han Lin
  • Patent number: 8399312
    Abstract: A radiation-hardened semiconductor structure including an insulator material doped with at least one of a transition metal, a lanthanide, and an actinide, and a semiconductor material located over the insulator material. A semiconductor device including the radiation-hardened semiconductor structure is also disclosed, as are methods of forming the radiation-hardened semiconductor structure and the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventor: John S. Canham
  • Patent number: 8399976
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thermoplastic resin case, a semiconductor chip mounted within the thermoplastic resin case, a metal terminal having a wire bonding surface and an opposing contact surface, and a wire connected between the wire bonding surface and the semiconductor chip. The contact surface of the metal terminal is thermoplastically bonded at an area to the inside of the thermoplastic resin case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Matsumoto, Tatsuya Iwasa, Junji Yamada, Masaru Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8394684
    Abstract: Techniques are discloses to apply an external stress onto the source/drain semiconductor fin sidewall areas and latch the same onto the semiconductor fin before releasing the sidewalls for subsequent salicidation and contact formation. In particular, the present disclosure provides methods in which selected portions of a semiconductor are subjected to an amorphizing ion implantation which disorients the crystal structure of the selected portions of the semiconductor fins, relative to portions of the semiconductor fin that is beneath a gate stack and encapsulated with various liners. At least one stress liner is formed and then stress memorization occurs by performing a stress latching annealing. During this anneal, recrystallization of the disoriented crystal structure occurs. The at least one stress liner is removed and thereafter merging of the semiconductor fins in the source/drain regions is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sivananda K. Kanakasabapathy, Hemanth Jagannathan, Sanjay Mehta
  • Patent number: 8395239
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a seal ring region and a circuit region, at least one corner bump disposed in the circuit region, a seal ring structure disposed in the seal ring region, and a connector electrically coupling a metal layer of the seal ring structure to the at least one corner bump. The at least one corner bump is configured to be coupled to a signal ground. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a seal ring region and a circuit region, providing at least one corner bump in a triangular corner bump zone in the circuit region, providing a seal ring structure in the seal ring region, electrically coupling a metal layer of the seal ring structure to the at least one corner bump, and electrically coupling the at least one corner bump to a signal ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsien-Wei Chen, Chung-Ying Yang
  • Patent number: 8395072
    Abstract: A resistance welding quality determination method comprises: a step of detecting a voltage value applied to a welding electrode of a resistance welding machine; a step of detecting a current value supplied to the welding electrode; a step of calculating a welding resistance value based on the voltage value and the current value; a step of correcting the welding resistance value based on a change amount of a contact resistance value between the work and the welding electrode during welding of a work; and a step of determining welding quality of the work based on a corrected welding resistance value obtained by correcting the welding resistance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Yugo Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8395163
    Abstract: A MOSFET capable of achieving decrease in the number of steps in a manufacturing process and improvement in integration includes an SiC wafer composed of silicon carbide and a source contact electrode arranged in contact with the SiC wafer and containing titanium, aluminum, silicon, and carbon as well as a remaining inevitable impurity. The SiC wafer includes an n+ source region having an n conductivity type and a p+ region having a p conductivity type. Both of the n+ source region and the p+ region are in contact with the source contact electrode. The source contact electrode contains aluminum and titanium in a region including an interface with the SiC wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideto Tamaso
  • Patent number: 8395148
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device including a thin film transistor whose electric characteristics are stable. In addition, it is another object to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device at low cost with high productivity. In a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor, a semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor is formed with an oxide semiconductor layer to which a metal element is added. As the metal element, at least one of metal elements of iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, gold, manganese, molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, and tantalum is used. In addition, the oxide semiconductor layer contains indium, gallium, and zinc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichiro Sakata
  • Patent number: 8390089
    Abstract: Provided is a back side illuminated image sensor device. The image sensor device includes a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The image sensor also includes a radiation-detection device that is formed in the substrate. The radiation-detection device is operable to detect a radiation wave that enters the substrate through the back side. The image sensor further includes a deep trench isolation feature that is disposed adjacent to the radiation-detection device. The image sensor device further includes a doped layer that at least partially surrounds the deep trench isolation feature in a conformal manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Szu-Ying Chen, Chun-Chieh Chuang, Jen-Cheng Liu, Dun-Nian Yaung
  • Patent number: 8389316
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an active region; a gate strip overlying the active region; and a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device. A portion of the gate strip forms a gate of the MOS device. A portion of the active region forms a source/drain region of the MOS device. The semiconductor structure further includes a stressor region over the MOS device; and a stressor-free region inside the stressor region and outside the region over the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Sen Wang, Chung-Te Lin, Min Cao, Sheng-Jier Yang
  • Patent number: 8390093
    Abstract: A galvanic isolation system provides galvanic isolation in digital transfer integrated circuits by using conductivity modulation of the semiconductor substrate. Modulation of the conductivity of the substrate affects eddy current losses of a (differential) RF inductor that is isolated from the substrate by a sufficient amount of dielectric material, which provides a basis for signal transfer from the modulated substrate to the inductor across the isolation barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Hopper, Peter Smeys, William French, Andrei Papou, Aditi Dutt Chaudhuri
  • Patent number: 8378341
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention has a first interconnect layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor element; the first interconnect layer has an insulating layer, and a first interconnect filled in a surficial portion of the insulating layer; the semiconductor element has a semiconductor layer, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode; the semiconductor layer is positioned over the first interconnect layer; the gate insulating film is positioned over or below semiconductor layer; and the gate electrode is positioned on the opposite side of the semiconductor layer while placing the gate insulating film in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hayashi, Naoya Inoue, Kishou Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8373177
    Abstract: An LED light source can include protection members to protect bonding wires. The LED can include a substrate including electrode patterns, a sub mount substrate located on the substrate, at least one flip LED chip mounted on the sub mount substrate and a phosphor rein covering the LED chip. The bonding wires can connect each of the electrode patterns to conductor patterns connecting to electrodes of the LED chip. The protection members can be located so as to surround both sides of the bonding wires. In addition, because each height of the protection members is higher than each maximum height of the bonding wires and is lower than a height of the phosphor resin, the protection members can protect the bonding wires from external pressure while the light flux is not reduced. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide a reliable LED light source having a favorable light distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kotani, Takahiko Nozaki
  • Patent number: 8373230
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for fabricating a semiconductor device, includes implanting one or more regions on a semiconductor wafer; performing a layer transfer onto a carrier; and transferring from said carrier to a target wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Monolithic 3D Inc.
    Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Brian Cronquist, Isreal Beinglass, Jan Lodewijk de Jong, Deepak C. Sekar
  • Patent number: 8373259
    Abstract: A system includes an optical transceiver assembly, including a flip chip connection of a semiconductor die with a photonic transceiver that overhangs a substrate to which it is to be connected. The assembly further includes an alignment pin that is held to the semiconductor die at a micro-engineered structure in the semiconductor die. The alignment pin provides passive alignment of the photonic transceiver with an optical lens that interfaces the photonic transceiver to one or more optical channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Brian H. Kim, Simon S. Lee
  • Patent number: 8367555
    Abstract: Methods for removing a masking material, for example, a photoresist, and electronic devices formed by removing a masking material are presented. For example, a method for removing a masking material includes contacting the masking material with a solution comprising cerium. The cerium may be comprised in a salt. The salt may be cerium ammonium nitrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Afzali-Ardakani, Emanuel Israel Cooper, Mahmoud Khojasteh, Ronald W. Nunes, George Gabriel Totir
  • Patent number: 8368085
    Abstract: A semiconductor package includes at least four lead frames each having an extending portion and a connecting portion, a heat dissipation plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, at least one semiconductor chip positioned on the top surface of the heat dissipation plate. At least one conductive wire electrically connects the chip to the lead frames. An encapsulation covers the lead frames, the heat dissipation plate, the semiconductor chip, and the conductive wires, while the bottom surface of the heat dissipation plate and the extending portions of the lead frames are exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Optoelectronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hung-Chin Lin, Kuo-Fu Peng, Chien-Min Chen, Ko-Wei Chien