Patents Examined by Paul Budd
  • Patent number: 9135977
    Abstract: In deep submicron memory arrays there is noted a relatively steady on current value and, therefore, threshold values of the transistors comprising the memory cell are reduced. This, in turn, results in an increase in the leakage current of the memory cell. With the use of an ever increasing number of memory cells leakage current must be controlled. Random access memories with a dynamic threshold voltage control scheme implemented with no more than minor changes to the existing MOS process technology is disclosed. The disclosed invention controls the threshold voltage of MOS transistors. Methods for enhancing the impact of the dynamic threshold control technology using this apparatus are also included. The invention is particularly useful for SRAM, DRAM and NVM devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SemiSolutions, LLC
    Inventor: Ashok Kumar Kapoor
  • Patent number: 9123739
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first nitride semiconductor layer; a second nitride semiconductor layer formed over the first nitride semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode facing the second nitride semiconductor layer via a gate insulating film. Because the second nitride semiconductor layer is formed by stacking plural semiconductor layers with their Al composition ratios different from each other, the Al composition ratio of the second nitride semiconductor layer changes stepwise. The semiconductor layers forming the second nitride semiconductor layer are polarized in the same direction so that, among the semiconductor layers, a semiconductor layer nearer to the gate electrode has higher (or lower) intensity of polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Okamoto, Tatsuo Nakayama, Takashi Inoue, Hironobu Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9105745
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure has a semiconductor substrate and an nFET and a pFET disposed upon the substrate. The pFET has a semiconductor SiGe channel region formed upon or within a surface of the semiconductor substrate and a gate dielectric having an oxide layer overlying the channel region and a high-k dielectric layer overlying the oxide layer. A gate electrode overlies the gate dielectric and has a lower metal layer abutting the high-k layer, a scavenging metal layer abutting the lower metal layer, and an upper metal layer abutting the scavenging metal layer. The metal layer scavenges oxygen from the substrate (nFET) and SiGe (pFET) interface with the oxide layer resulting in an effective reduction in Tinv and Vt of the pFET, while scaling Tinv and maintaining Vt for the nFET, resulting in the Vt of the pFET becoming closer to the Vt of a similarly constructed nFET with scaled Tinv values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Changhwan Choi, Martin M. Frank, Unoh Kwon, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 9105570
    Abstract: An embodiment is a method comprising diffusing carbon through a surface of a substrate, implanting carbon through the surface of the substrate, and annealing the substrate after the diffusing the carbon and implanting the carbon through the surface of the substrate. The substrate comprises a first gate, a gate spacer, an etch stop layer, and an inter-layer dielectric. The first gate is over a semiconductor substrate. The gate spacer is along a sidewall of the first gate. The etch stop layer is on a surface of the gate spacer and over a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The inter-layer dielectric is over the etch stop layer. The surface of the substrate comprises a surface of the inter-layer dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Chen Su, Huang-Ming Chen, Chun-Feng Nieh, Pei-Chao Su
  • Patent number: 9105837
    Abstract: Bipolar memory cells and a memory device including the same are provided, the bipolar memory cells include two bipolar memory layers having opposite programming directions. The two bipolar memory layers may be connected to each other via an intermediate electrode interposed therebetween. The two bipolar memory layers may have the same structure or opposite structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-jung Kim, Young-bae Kim, Ji-hyun Hur, Dong-soo Lee, Man Chang, Chang-bum Lee, Seung-ryul Lee
  • Patent number: 9070704
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a gate electrode disposed on a semiconductor substrate and source/drain regions disposed at both sides of the gate electrode, the source/drain regions being formed by implanting impurities. The source/drain regions include an epitaxial layer formed by epitaxially growing a semiconductor material having a different lattice constant from that of the semiconductor substrate in a recessed position at a side of the gate electrode, and a diffusion layer disposed in a surface layer of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9059192
    Abstract: A metal-insulation-metal (MIM) device including a first metal layer, a first insulation layer, a second metal layer, and a second insulation layer is provided. The first insulation layer is disposed on the first metal layer. The second metal layer is disposed on a part of the first insulation layer. The second insulation layer is disposed on a side wall of the second metal layer and on another part of the first insulation layer. A width of the first insulation layer under the second metal layer and the second insulation layer parallel to the first metal layer is greater than a with of the second metal layer parallel to the first metal layer. A manufacture method of an MIM device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Hung-Sui Lin, Mao-Hsiung Lin
  • Patent number: 9048261
    Abstract: Field effect transistors fabricated using atomic layer doping processes are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of an atomic layer doping method, a semiconducting surface and a dopant gas mixture are prepared. Further, a dopant layer is grown on the semiconducting surface by applying the dopant gas mixture to the semiconducting surface under a pressure that is less than 500 Torr and a temperature that is between 300° C. and 750° C. The dopant layer includes at least 4×1020 active dopant atoms per cm3 that react with atoms on the semiconducting surface such that the reacted atoms increase the conductivity of the semiconducting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Young-Hee Kim, Isaac Lauer, Ramachandran Muralidhar, Dae-Gyu Park, Xinhui Wang, Min Yang
  • Patent number: 9048176
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a nonvolatile storage device. The device includes a plurality of first conductive layers each extending in a first direction, a plurality of second conductive layers each extending in a second direction and spaced from the first layers, and memory cells each provided between the first layers and the second layers and including a rectifying element including a semiconductor layer, and a variable resistance element stacked with the rectifying element. The method includes a film formation step, a heating step and a patterning step. The film formation step is configured to form a rectifying element material film including an amorphous semiconductor film. The heating step is configured to heat the rectifying element material film. The patterning step is configured to form the rectifying element including the semiconductor layer by patterning the rectifying element material film after the heating step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Sonehara, Nobuaki Yasutake
  • Patent number: 9040998
    Abstract: A light-emitting device in which reduction in performance due to moisture is suppressed is provided. The light-emitting device has a structure in which a partition having a porous structure surrounds each of light-emitting elements. The partition having a porous structure physically adsorbs moisture; therefore, in the light-emitting device, the partition functions as a hygroscopic film at a portion extremely close to the light-emitting element, so that moisture or water vapor remaining in the light-emitting device or entering from the outside can be effectively adsorbed. Thus, reduction in performance of the light-emitting device due to moisture or water vapor can be effectively suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Tsurume, Hideomi Suzawa, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9041156
    Abstract: A reference voltage generating circuit has more than two first wells each having a first impurity concentration and more than two second wells each having a second impurity concentration different from the first impurity concentration. A first group of MOS transistors has more than two MOS transistors formed in respective ones of the first wells. A second group of MOS transistors has More than two MOS transistors formed in respective ones of the second wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Hideo Yoshino, Hirofumi Harada, Jun Osanai
  • Patent number: 9012297
    Abstract: Structures and methods of forming moisture barrier capacitor on a semiconductor component are disclosed. The capacitor is located on the periphery of a semiconductor chip and includes an inner plate electrically connected to a voltage node, an outer plate with fins for electrically connecting to a different voltage node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Barth, Helmut Horst Tews
  • Patent number: 9000509
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a pipe gate having a pipe channel hole; a plurality of interlayer insulation layers and a plurality of gate electrodes alternately stacked over the pipe gate; a pair of columnar cell channels passing through the interlayer insulation layers and the gate electrodes and coupling a pipe channel formed in the pile channel hole; a first blocking layer and a charge trapping and charge storage layer formed on sidewalls of the columnar cell channels; and a second blocking layer formed between the first blocking layer and the plurality of gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Ki-Hong Lee, Kwon Hong, Dae-Gyu Shin
  • Patent number: 9000408
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The device also includes a resistive material between the first and second electrodes. An active material is between the first electrode and the resistive material. The active material is in electrical communication with the first electrode and the active material is in electrical communication with the second electrode through the resistive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ovonyx, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Kostylev, Tyler Lowrey, Wolodymyr Czubatyj
  • Patent number: 9000596
    Abstract: A MOS transistor having a gate insulator including a dielectric of high permittivity and a conductive layer including a TiN layer, wherein the nitrogen composition in the TiN layer is sub-stoichiometric in its lower portion and progressively increases to a stoichiometric composition in its upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Pierre Caubet, Sylvain Baudot
  • Patent number: 8975683
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a pipe insulation layer having a pipe channel hole, a pipe gate disposed over the pipe insulation layer, a pair of cell strings each having a columnar cell channel, and a pipe channel coupling the columnar cell channels and surrounding inner sidewalls and a bottom of the pipe channel hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Ki-Hong Lee, Kwon Hong, Dae-Gyu Shin
  • Patent number: 8975682
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes at least one capacitor with metal electrodes. At least one of the electrodes (10 or 30) is formed from at least surface-silicided hemispherical grain silicon or silicon alloy. A fabrication process for obtaining such a capacitor with silicided metal electrodes is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Aomar Halimaoui, Rebha El Farhane, Benoit Froment
  • Patent number: 8952535
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a first insulation film including a first opening reaching a diffusion region of a transistor; a first barrier metal over the diffused region in the first opening; a first conduction layer formed over the first barrier metal in the first opening and formed of a first conductor; a second barrier metal formed over the first conduction layer in the first opening; a second conduction layer formed over the second barrier metal in the first opening and formed of a second conductor; a third barrier metal formed over the first gate electrode in the second opening; a fourth barrier metal formed in the second opening and contacting with the third barrier metal; and a third conduction layer formed of the second conductor contacting with the fourth barrier metal in the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Masaki Haneda, Akiyoshi Hatada
  • Patent number: 8946060
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method includes forming a gate stack over a major surface of a substrate. The method further includes recessing the substrate to form source and drain recess cavities adjacent to the gate stack in the substrate. The method further includes selectively growing a strained material in the source and drain recess cavities in the substrate using an LPCVD process, wherein the LPCVD process is performed at a temperature of about 660 to 700° C. and under a pressure of about 13 to 50 Torr, using SiH2Cl2, HCl, GeH4, B2H6, and H2 as reaction gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Hung Cheng, Chii-Horng Li, Tze-Liang Lee
  • Patent number: 8941191
    Abstract: A radio frequency microelectromechanical (RF MEMS) device can comprise an actuation p-n junction and a sensing p-n junction formed within a semiconductor substrate. The RF MEMS device can be configured to operate in a mode in which an excitation voltage is applied across the actuation p-n junction varying a non-mobile charge within the actuation p-n junction to modulate an electric field acting upon dopant ions and creating electrostatic forces. The electrostatic forces can create a mechanical motion within the actuation p-n junction. The mechanical motion can modulate a depletion capacitance of the sensing p-n junction, thereby creating a motional current. At least one of the p-n junctions can be located at an optimal location to maximize the efficiency of the RF MEMS device at high resonant frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Cornell University
    Inventors: Eugene Hwang, Sunil Ashok Bhave