Patents Examined by Quinton A Brasfield
  • Patent number: 11056436
    Abstract: A method of forming a package assembly includes forming a first dielectric layer over a carrier substrate; forming a conductive through-via over the first dielectric layer; treating the conductive through-via with a first chemical, thereby roughening surfaces of the conductive through-via; and molding a device die and the conductive through-via in a molding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shih Ting Lin, Szu-Wei Lu, Jing-Cheng Lin, Chen-Hua Yu
  • Patent number: 11049828
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method of making an electronic device. As non-limiting examples, various aspects of this disclosure provide various methods of making electronic devices, and electronic devices manufactured thereby, that comprise utilizing a compressed interconnection structure (e.g., a compressed solder ball, etc.) in an encapsulating process to form an aperture in an encapsulant. The compressed interconnection structure may then be reformed in the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: AMKOR TECHNOLOGY SINGAPORE HOLDING PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Gyu Wan Han, Jin Seong Kim, Byong Woo Cho
  • Patent number: 11043449
    Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a connection structure including an insulating layer, a redistribution layer disposed on the insulating layer, and a connection via penetrating through the insulating layer and connected to the redistribution layer, a semiconductor chip having an active surface on which connection pads are disposed and an inactive surface opposing the active surface, and having the active surface disposed on the connection structure to face the connection structure, and an encapsulant covering at least a portion of the semiconductor chip, wherein the semiconductor chip includes a groove formed in the active surface, and the groove has a shape in which a width of a region of at least a portion of an internal region located closer to a central portion of the semiconductor chip than the active surface is greater than a width of an entrance region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Woo Myung, Ha Kyeong Lee, Hyun Mi Kang
  • Patent number: 11031371
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package comprises: a first component comprising a plurality of first dies stacked on top of each other, each of first dies comprising at least one side surface and an electrical contact exposed on the side surface, and the plurality of first dies aligned so that the corresponding side surfaces of all first dies substantially coplanar with respect to each other to form a common sidewall; a first conductive pattern formed over the sidewall and at least partially spaced away from the sidewall, the first conductive pattern electrically interconnecting the electrical contacts of the plurality of first dies; at least one second component; and a second conductive pattern formed on a surface of the second component, the second conductive pattern affixed and electrically connected to the first conductive pattern formed over the sidewall of the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: SanDisk Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin Tien Chiu, Tiger Tai, Ken Qian, C C Liao, Hem Takiar, Gursharan Singh
  • Patent number: 11031358
    Abstract: A method for forming a sensor with increased overhang to prevent passivation stress fractures is provided. Embodiments include forming a first passivation layer over a dielectric layer patterned over a first top metal layer of a logic region of a sensor and a second top metal layer of an array region of the sensor; planarizing the first passivation layer and the dielectric layer to form a level surface above the first top metal layer and the second top metal layer; etching the dielectric layer to form a pad opening in the array region of the sensor based on a predetermined overhang value, the pad opening exposing a portion of the surface of the second top metal layer; and forming a second passivation layer over the level surface and the pad opening in the array region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: MARVELL ASIA PTE, LTD.
    Inventors: Aarthi Sridharan, Gong Cheng, Premachandran Chirayarikathuveedu, Fahad Mirza, Carole Graas, Sricharan Tubati, Nurul Islam Mohd
  • Patent number: 11031547
    Abstract: A ferromagnetic layer is capped with a metallic oxide (or nitride) layer that provides a perpendicular-to-plane magnetic anisotropy to the layer. The surface of the ferromagnetic layer is treated with a plasma to prevent diffusion of oxygen (or nitrogen) into the layer interior. An exemplary metallic oxide layer is formed as a layer of metallic Mg that is plasma treated to reduce its grain size and enhance the diffusivity of oxygen into its interior. Then the plasma treated Mg layer is naturally oxidized and, optionally, is again plasma treated to reduce its thickness and remove the oxygen rich upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Guenole Jan, Ru-Ying Tong
  • Patent number: 11031286
    Abstract: Generally, examples are provided relating to conductive features that include a barrier layer, and to methods thereof. In an embodiment, a metal layer is deposited in an opening through a dielectric layer(s) to a source/drain region. The metal layer is along the source/drain region and along a sidewall of the dielectric layer(s) that at least partially defines the opening. The metal layer is nitrided, which includes performing a multiple plasma process that includes at least one directional-dependent plasma process. A portion of the metal layer remains un-nitrided by the multiple plasma process. A silicide region is formed, which includes reacting the un-nitrided portion of the metal layer with a portion of the source/drain region. A conductive material is disposed in the opening on the nitrided portions of the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Yip Loh, Chih-Wei Chang, Hong-Mao Lee, Chun-Hsien Huang, Yu-Ming Huang, Yan-Ming Tsai, Yu-Shiuan Wang, Hung-Hsu Chen, Yu-Kai Chen, Yu-Wen Cheng
  • Patent number: 11018218
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of semiconductor processing. The method may be performed by etching a substrate to define a trench within the substrate. A sacrificial material is formed within the trench. The sacrificial material has an exposed upper surface. A plurality of discontinuous openings are formed to expose separate segments of a sidewall of the sacrificial material. The plurality of discontinuous openings are separated by non-zero distances along a length of the trench. An etching process is performed to simultaneously etch the exposed upper surface and the sidewall of the sacrificial material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuei-Sung Chang, Te-Hao Lee
  • Patent number: 11011601
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate. As viewed from a top-view, the substrate has a first sidewall, one or more second sidewalls, and a plurality of third sidewalls. The first sidewall extends along a first direction and defines a first side of a trench. The one or more second sidewalls extends along the first direction and define a second side of the trench. The plurality of third sidewalls are oriented in parallel and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The plurality of third sidewalls protrude outward from the second side of the trench and define a plurality of parallel releasing openings that are separated along the first direction by the substrate. The trench continuously extends in opposing directions past the plurality of parallel releasing openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuei-Sung Chang, Te-Hao Lee
  • Patent number: 10978548
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated capacitor on a semiconductor surface on a substrate includes etching a capacitor dielectric layer including at least one silicon compound material layer on a bottom plate which is above and electrically isolated from the semiconductor surface to provide at least one defined dielectric feature having sloped dielectric sidewall portion. A dielectric layer is deposited to at least partially fill pits in the sloped dielectric sidewall portion to smooth a surface of the sloped dielectric sidewall portion. The dielectric layer is etched, and a top plate is then formed on top of the dielectric feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Elizabeth Costner Stewart, Jeffrey A. West, Thomas D. Bonifield, Joseph Andre Gallegos, Jay Sung Chun, Zhiyi Yu
  • Patent number: 10964689
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a substrate, dummy conductive structures, and resistor elements is provided. The substrate includes a resistor region and has isolation structures and dummy support patterns located in the resistor region. Each of the isolation structures is located between two adjacent dummy support patterns. Each of the dummy conductive structures is disposed on each of the isolation structures and equidistant from the dummy support patterns on both sides. The resistor elements are disposed above the dummy conductive structures and aligned with the dummy conductive structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Jui-Fa Lu, Chien-Nan Lin, Ching-Hua Yeh
  • Patent number: 10937956
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) structure includes a bottom electrode structure. A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element is over the bottom electrode structure. The MTJ element includes an anti-ferromagnetic material layer. A ferromagnetic pinned layer is over the anti-ferromagnetic material layer. A tunneling layer is over the ferromagnetic pinned layer. A ferromagnetic free layer is over the tunneling layer. The ferromagnetic free layer has a first portion and a demagnetized second portion. The MRAM also includes a top electrode structure over the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chern-Yow Hsu, Wei-Hang Huang, Shih-Chang Liu, Chia-Shiung Tsai
  • Patent number: 10937782
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge, ESD, protection structure (200) formed within a semiconductor substrate of an integrated circuit device (600). The integrated circuit device (600) comprising: a radio frequency domain (632); a digital domain (610). The ESD protection structure (200) further includes an intermediate domain located between the radio frequency domain (632) and the digital domain (610) that comprises at least one radio frequency, RF, passive or active device that exhibits an impedance characteristic that increases as a frequency of operation increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Dolphin Abessolo Bidzo, Janusz Tomasz Klimczak, Detlef Clawin, Radu Mircea Secareanu
  • Patent number: 10916491
    Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a semiconductor element having one and the other surface, a lead terminal connected electrically and thermally to the semiconductor element, a first solder which bonds the lead terminal and the one surface of the semiconductor element together, a circuit layer over which the semiconductor element is disposed and a second solder which bonds the other surface of the semiconductor element and the circuit layer together. The inequality (A/B)<1 holds, where A and B are the tensile strength of the first and second solder, respectively. As a result, even if the lead terminal which thermally expands because of heat generated by the semiconductor element expands or contracts toward the semiconductor element, a stress applied by the lead terminal is absorbed and relaxed by the first solder. This prevents damage to the surface electrode of the semiconductor element by suppressing the occurrence of cracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Kato, Kohei Yamauchi, Hiromichi Gohara, Tatsuhiko Asai
  • Patent number: 10840326
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has an active region through which current flows and an edge termination structure region arranged outside the active region. The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, and formed in the edge termination structure region, on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, in contact with one of a third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type in the active region and a third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type in contact with a source electrode. The second semiconductor layer has an impurity concentration that is lower than that of the third semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer is not in contact with a surface of the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kobayashi, Yasuhiko Oonishi, Masanobu Iwaya
  • Patent number: 10811386
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device comprises: a plurality of dies stacked on top of each other, each of the dies comprising a first major surface, an IO conductive pattern on the first major surface and extended to a minor surface substantially perpendicular to the major surfaces to form at least one IO electrical contact on the minor surface, and the plurality of dies aligned so that the corresponding minor surfaces of all dies substantially coplanar with respect to each other to form a common flat sidewall, and a plurality of IO routing traces formed over the sidewall and at least partially spaced away from the sidewall. The plurality of IO routing traces are spaced apart from each other in a first direction on the sidewall, and each of IO routing traces is electrically connected to a respective IO electrical contact and extended across the sidewall in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction on the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SanDisk Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin Tien Chiu, Hem Takiar, Gursharan Singh, Fisher Yu, C C Liao
  • Patent number: 10784208
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor package device and a method for manufacturing the same. In embodiments of the present disclosure, a semiconductor package device includes a carrier, a first antenna, a second antenna, a package body and a first shield. The carrier includes an antenna area and a component area. The first antenna is formed on the antenna area. The second antenna extends from the antenna area and over the first antenna. The second antenna is electrically connected to the first antenna. The package body includes a first portion covering the component area and a second portion covering the antenna area. The first shield is conformally formed on the first portion of the package body and exposes the second portion of package body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Kuo-Hsien Liao, Cheng-Nan Lin, Chieh-Chen Fu
  • Patent number: 10777508
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a plurality of chip areas and a scribe line defined thereon, and a mark pattern disposed in the scribe line. The mark pattern includes a plurality of unit cells immediately adjacent to each other, and each unit cell includes a first active region, a second active region isolated from the first active region, a plurality of first gate structures extending along a first direction and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a plurality of first conductive structures. The first gate structures straddle the first active region and the second active region. The first conductive structures are disposed on the first active region, the second active region, and two opposite sides of the first gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chih-Kai Kang, Sheng-Yuan Hsueh, Yi-Chung Sheng, Kuo-Yu Liao, Shu-Hung Yu, Hung-Hsu Lin, Hsiang-Hung Peng
  • Patent number: 10756194
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices include at least one semiconductor fin in each of a first region and a second region. A first work function stack includes a bottom layer and a middle layer formed over the at least one semiconductor fin in the first region. A second work function stack includes a first layer and a second layer formed over the at least one semiconductor fin in the second region. The first layer is continuous with the bottom layer of the first work function stack and the second layer is continuous with the middle layer of the first work function stack, but has a smaller thickness than the middle layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ruqiang Bao, Siddarth A. Krishnan, Unoh Kwon, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 10734247
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package with an internal routing circuit. The internal routing circuit is formed from multiple molding routing layers in a leadframe land grid array semiconductor package by using a laser to blast away un-designed conductive areas to create conductive paths on each molding compound layer of the semiconductor package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: UTAC Headquarters PTE. LTD
    Inventors: Saravuth Sirinorakul, Suebphong Yenrudee