Patents Examined by W. David Coleman
  • Patent number: 7956363
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate for a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device having the substrate, an object of the invention is to provide such a substrate for a display device that can be obtained by a simple production method with high reliability, and a liquid crystal display device having the same. A substrate for a display device contains: an accumulated electrode having an accumulated structure containing a lower layer formed on a substrate, and a upper layer containing ZnO and formed on the lower layer; an insulating film covering the accumulated electrode; a contact hole opening in the insulating film on the accumulated electrode; and a pixel electrode formed on the insulating film and being connected directly to the upper layer of the accumulated electrode through the contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Hoshino, Katsunori Misaki, Akihiro Matsui, Hideya Hashii
  • Patent number: 7955989
    Abstract: Semiconductors are textured with aqueous solutions containing non-volatile alkoxylated glycols, their ethers and ether acetate derivatives having molecular weights of 170 or greater and flash points of 75° C. or greater. The textured semiconductors can be used in the manufacture of photovoltaic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC
    Inventors: Robert K. Barr, Corey O'Connor
  • Patent number: 7952213
    Abstract: An overlay mark arrangement for reducing the asymmetric profile and an overlay shift during an integrated circuit manufacturing process is disclosed. In one embodiment, the overlay mark arrangement may comprise a first mark, a second mark and a stress releasing means. The first mark is used to indicate the position of a lower layer, the second mark is used to indicate the position of an upper layer; and the stress releasing means is used to release the film stress induced by the upper layer. Unlike the conventional overlay mark arrangements, which will have a severe overlay mark shift due to the film stress, the asymmetric overlay mark profile can be improved by using multiple trenches around the overlay marks according to certain embodiments of the invention disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin Cheng Yang, Chun Chung Huang
  • Patent number: 7951623
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing an optical semiconductor device, the process including: disposing a sheet for optical-semiconductor-element encapsulation including a resin sheet A and a plurality of resin layers B discontinuously embedded in the resin sheet A and a plurality of optical semiconductor elements mounted on a substrate in such a way that each of the plurality of optical semiconductor elements faces either one of the plurality of resin layers B; and followed by embedding each of the plurality of optical semiconductor elements in either one of the plurality of resin layers B. According to the process of the invention, optical semiconductor elements can be embedded at once. As a result, an optical semiconductor device which is excellent in LED element protection and durability can be easily obtained. Consequently, the optical semiconductor device obtained can have a prolonged life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Noriaki Harada, Ryuuichi Kimura, Kouji Akazawa
  • Patent number: 7948086
    Abstract: There is provided a technique for improving the flatness at the surface of members embedded in a plurality of recesses without resulting in an increase in the time required for the manufacturing processes. According to this technique, the dummy patterns can be placed up to the area near the boundary BL between the element forming region DA and dummy region FA by placing the first dummy pattern DP1 of relatively wider area and the second dummy pattern DP2 of relatively small area in the dummy region FA. Thereby, the flatness of the surface of the silicon oxide film embedded within the isolation groove can be improved over the entire part of the dummy region FA. Moreover, an increase of the mask data can be controlled when the first dummy patterns DP1 occupy a relatively wide region among the dummy region FA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignees: Renesas Electronics Corporation, Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Kuroda, Kozo Watanabe, Hirohiko Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7947975
    Abstract: A dopant composition for organic semiconductors is an electron acceptor characterized by an evaporation point above 150° C. or a glass phase. The dopant composition includes a compound represented by structural formula (1): wherein R1 to R5 are independently hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, nitro, or cyano; or a phenyl or annulated aromatic group optionally substituted with chlorine or fluorine. Also included are doped organic semiconductors and organic electronic components comprising the dopant composition, and methods of preparing the doped organic semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Kanitz
  • Patent number: 7947559
    Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a semiconductor device having an impurity region with an impurity concentration of a first dose in a substrate. In the method, first impurity ions of a first conductivity type are implanted into the substrate, and a rapid thermal processing (RTP) is performed on the substrate to activate the first impurity ions. Second impurity ions of the first conductivity type are implanted into the substrate having the activated first impurity ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung Bong Rouh, Dong Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 7947994
    Abstract: According to the nitride semiconductor device with the active layer made of the multiple quantum well structure of the present invention, the performance of the multiple quantum well structure can be brought out to intensify the luminous output thereof thereby contributing an expanded application of the nitride semiconductor device. In the nitride semiconductor device comprises an n-region having a plurality of nitride semiconductor films, a p-region having a plurality of nitride semiconductor films, and an active layer interposed therebetween, a multi-film layer with two kinds of the nitride semiconductor films is formed in at least one of the n-region or the p-region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tanizawa, Tomotsugu Mitani, Yoshinori Nakagawa, Hironori Takagi, Hiromitsu Marui, Yoshikatsu Fukuda, Takeshi Ikegami
  • Patent number: 7947536
    Abstract: There is provided herein a process for forming an encapsulated electronic device. The device has active areas and sealing areas on a substrate. The process includes providing the substrate; forming a discontinuous pattern of a material having a first surface energy on at least a portion of the sealing areas; forming multiple active layers, where at least one active layer is formed by liquid deposition from a liquid medium having a surface energy greater than the first surface energy; providing an encapsulation assembly; and bonding the encapsulation assembly to the substrate in the sealing areas. Also provided are devices formed by the disclosed processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Nigel Morton Coe, Kyle D. Frischknecht, Charles D. Lang, Matthew Stainer, Raymond S. Pflanzer
  • Patent number: 7947602
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to offer a method for forming a conductive pattern on a substrate and solder protrusions on the conductive pattern. The pitch of the conductive pattern corresponds to the pitch of electrodes on a semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Chizuko Ito, Mutsumi Masumoto
  • Patent number: 7944063
    Abstract: Alignment marks for use on substrates. In one example, the alignment marks consist of periodic 2-dimensional arrays of structures, the spacing of the structures being smaller than an alignment beam but larger than an exposure beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Sami Musa
  • Patent number: 7944004
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of making an integrated circuit with multiple thickness and/or multiple composition high-K gate dielectric layers and integrated circuits containing multiple thickness and/or multiple composition high-K gate dielectrics. The methods involve forming a layer of high-K atoms over a conventional gate dielectric and heating the layer of high-K atoms to form a high-K gate dielectric layer. Methods of suppressing gate leakage current while mitigating mobility degradation are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mariko Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 7943968
    Abstract: A charge coupled device is manufactured by using a crystalline silicon film that is formed by growing a crystal in parallel with a substrate by utilizing the nickel element with an amorphous silicon film used as a starting film. The crystal growth direction is made coincident with the charge transfer direction. As a result, the charge coupled device is given high charge transfer efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Satoshi Teramoto
  • Patent number: 7939917
    Abstract: Example embodiments provide tape structures including a base layer, a neutralizing layer and an adhesive layer. The base layer may support an object. The neutralizing layer may be arranged on the base layer. The neutralizing layer may be grounded to neutralize charges between the base layer and the object. The adhesive layer may be arranged on the neutralizing layer. The object may be attached to the adhesive layer. Example embodiments also provide methods of manufacturing the tape structures, methods of separating a wafer, and apparatuses for separating a wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Hoon Lee, Jong-Keun Jeon, Yong-Jin Lee, Soon-Ju Choi
  • Patent number: 7939355
    Abstract: An accelerometer and a method of fabricating an integrated accelerometer comprises the steps of providing an SOI wafer with a selected resistivity to eliminate any need for additional doping of the SOI wafer, providing a single mask on the SOI wafer, and simultaneously defining all components of the accelerometer in the SOI wafer without using any pn-junctions to define any piezoresistive components and to provide the same resistivity of all components. The step of simultaneously defining all components of the accelerometer in the SOI wafer comprises defining all components of a linear or angular accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Erik J. Eklund, Andrei M. Shkel
  • Patent number: 7939377
    Abstract: A semiconductor element sealed substrate including a semiconductor element covered by an insulating layer is fabricated while a wiring substrate formed by stacking wiring layers is fabricated by a process different from the process of fabricating the semiconductor element sealed substrate. Next, the semiconductor element sealed substrate and the wiring substrate are stacked on each other in such a way that electrode terminals of the semiconductor element and corresponding conductive bumps on the outermost wiring layer face each other. The electrode terminals and the conductive bumps are thus connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumimasa Katagiri, Akihiko Tateiwa
  • Patent number: 7939877
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming capacitors. A first capacitor storage node may be formed within a first opening in a first sacrificial material. A second sacrificial material may be formed over the first capacitor storage node and over the first sacrificial material, and a retaining structure may be formed over the second sacrificial material. A second opening may be formed through the retaining structure and the second sacrificial material, and a second capacitor storage node may be formed within the second opening and against the first storage node. The first and second sacrificial materials may be removed, and then capacitor dielectric material may be formed along the first and second storage nodes. Capacitor electrode material may then be formed along the capacitor dielectric material. Some embodiments include methods of forming DRAM unit cells, and some embodiments include DRAM unit cell constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John Kennedy
  • Patent number: 7939456
    Abstract: A microwave heating system comprises a microwave applicator cavity; a microwave power supply to deliver power to the applicator cavity; a dielectric support to support a generally planar workpiece; a dielectric gas manifold to supply a controlled flow of inert gas proximate to the periphery of the workpiece to provide differential cooling to the edge relative to the center; a first temperature measuring device configured to measure the temperature near the center of the workpiece; and, a second temperature measuring device configured to measure the temperature near the edge of the workpiece. The gas flow is controlled to minimize the temperature difference from center to edge, and may be recipe driven or controlled in real time, based on the two temperature measurements. The method is particularly useful for monolithic semiconductor wafers, various semiconducting films on substrates, and dielectric films on semiconducting wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Lambda Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Iftikhar Ahmad, Keith R. Hicks
  • Patent number: 7935542
    Abstract: To provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device capable of forming, as a protective film of an MTJ element, a silicon nitride film having good insulation properties without deteriorating the properties of the MTJ element. The method of the invention includes steps of forming a silicon nitride film over the entire surface including an MTJ element portion (MTJ element and an upper electrode) while using a parallel plate plasma CVD apparatus as a film forming apparatus and a film forming gas not containing NH3 but composed of SiH4/N2/helium (He). The film forming temperature is set at from 200 to 350° C. More ideally, a flow rate ratio of He to SiH4 is set at from 100 to 125.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsunori Murata, Mikio Tsujiuchi, Ryoji Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7935611
    Abstract: A silicon layer having a conductivity type opposite to that of a bulk is provided on the surface of a silicon substrate and hydrogen ions are implanted to a predetermined depth into the surface region of the silicon substrate through the silicon layer to form a hydrogen ion-implanted layer. Then, an n-type germanium-based crystal layer whose conductivity type is opposite to that of the silicon layer and a p-type germanium-based crystal layer whose conductivity type is opposite to that of the germanium-based crystal layer are successively vapor-phase grown to provide a germanium-based crystal. The surface of the germanium-based crystal layer and the surface of the supporting substrate are bonded together. In this state, impact is applied externally to separate a silicon crystal from the silicon substrate along the hydrogen ion-implanted layer, thereby transferring a laminated structure composed of the germanium-based crystal and the silicon crystal onto the supporting substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Akiyama, Yoshihiro Kubota, Atsuo Ito, Makoto Kawai, Yuuji Tobisaka, Koichi Tanaka