Patents Examined by W. David Coleman
  • Patent number: 7858981
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention include providing carbon doped regions and raised source/drain regions to provide tensile stress in NMOS transistor channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Hattendorf, Jack Hwang, Anand Murthy, Andrew N. Westmeyer
  • Patent number: 7851349
    Abstract: A method for producing a connection electrode for a first semiconductor zone and a second semiconductor zone includes producing a trench extending through the first semiconductor zone right into the second semiconductor zone in such a way that the first semiconductor zone is uncovered at sidewalls of the trench and the second semiconductor zone is uncovered at least at a bottom of the trench. The method also includes applying a protective layer to a first one of the first and second semiconductor zones in the trench, and producing a first connection zone in the second of the two semiconductor zones, which is not covered by the protective layer. The method further includes depositing an electrode layer at least onto the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench for the purpose of producing the connection electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Walter Rieger, Paul Ganitzer, Oliver Haeberlen, Franz Hirler, Markus Zundel, Rudolf Zelsacher, Erwin Bacher
  • Patent number: 7851312
    Abstract: A semiconductor component that includes a field plate and a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor component. A body region is formed in a semiconductor material that has a major surface. A gate trench is formed in the epitaxial layer and a gate structure is formed on the gate trench. A source region is formed adjacent the gate trench and extends from the major surface into the body region and a field plate trench is formed that extends from the major surface of the epitaxial layer through the source and through the body region. A field plate is formed in the field plate trench, wherein the field plate is electrically isolated from the sidewalls of the field plate trench. A source-field plate-body contact is made to the source region, the field plate and the body region. A gate contact is made to the gate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 7851297
    Abstract: A dual workfunction semiconductor device which comprises a first and second control electrode comprising a metal-semiconductor compound, e.g. a silicide or a germanide, and a dual workfunction semiconductor device thus obtained are disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises forming a blocking region for preventing diffusion of metal from the metal-semiconductor compound of the first control electrode to the metal-semiconductor compound of the second control electrode, the blocking region being formed at a location where an interface between the first and second control electrodes is to be formed or is formed. By preventing metal to diffuse from the one to the other control electrode the constitution of the metal-semiconductor compounds of the first and second control electrodes may remain substantially unchanged during e.g. thermal steps in further processing of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Stefan Jakschik, Jorge Adrian Kittl, Marcus Johannes Henricus van Dal, Anne Lauwers, Masaaki Niwa
  • Patent number: 7851822
    Abstract: A charge-coupled device includes a photosensitive region for collecting charge in response to incident light; a first and third gate electrode made of a transmissive material spanning at least a portion of the photosensitive region; and a second gate electrode made of a transmissive material that is less transmissive than the first and third gates and spans at least a portion of the photosensitive region; wherein the first, second and third gates are arranged symmetrically within an area that spans the photosensitive region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Eric J. Meisenzahl
  • Patent number: 7851275
    Abstract: A pixel of an image sensor includes a polysilicon layer, and an active region which needs to be electrically coupled with the polysilicon layer, wherein the polysilicon layer extends over a portion of the active region, such that the polysilicon layer and the active region are partially overlapped, and the polysilicon layer and the active region are coupled through a buried contact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Inventors: Woon-Il Choi, Hyung-Sik Kim, Ui-Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 7851359
    Abstract: A silicon interposer producing method comprising the steps of forming through holes 12 in a silicon wafer 11, forming an oxide coating 13 on the silicon wafer 11, providing a power feeding layer 14 for plating on one of the surfaces of the through holes 12, supplying a low thermal expansion filler 15 having a thermal expansion coefficient lower than the thermal expansion coefficient of the conductive material 16 of through-hole electrodes 17 to the through holes 12, filling the conductive material 16 into the through holes 12 by plating to form the through-hole electrodes 17, and removing the power feeding layer 14 for plating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Sunohara
  • Patent number: 7846808
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device that reduces the overall number of masking processes while also preventing short-circuiting between electrodes. The method can include sequentially forming a first insulating film, a lower metal layer, a second insulating material, an upper metal layer, and a third insulating material over a semiconductor substrate; forming a third insulating film and an upper electrode by performing a first etching process using a mask to pattern the third insulating material and the upper metal layer; and then forming a second insulating film and a lower electrode by performing a second etching process using the mask to pattern the second insulating material and the lower metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Il Hwang, Jeong-Yei Jang
  • Patent number: 7847360
    Abstract: A radiation detector of the ?E-E type is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppina Valvo, Piero Giorgio Fallica, Stefano Agosteo, Alberto Fazzi
  • Patent number: 7846765
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method for forming an organic layer pattern which is characterized by forming a thin layer by coating a coating solution including a polyimide-based polymer having a heteroaromatic pendant group including a heteroatom in its polyimide major chain, a photoinitiator and a crosslinking agent on a substrate and drying the substrate, and exposing and developing the thin layer, an organic layer pattern prepared by the method, and an organic memory device comprising the pattern. According to example embodiments, a high-resolution micropattern may be formed without undergoing any expensive process, e.g., photoresist, leading to simplification of the preparation process and cost reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Kyun Lee, Won Jae Joo, Kwang Hee Lee, Tae Lim Choi, Myung Sup Jung
  • Patent number: 7846750
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode comprises a reflective film (e.g., of Mo or the like) including one or more layers provided on an interior surface of a rear glass substrate of the photovoltaic device. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface(s) of the rear glass substrate and/or reflective film is/are textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. The rear glass substrate and textured rear electrode/reflector are used in a photovoltaic device (e.g., CIS or CIGS solar cell) where an active semiconductor film is provided between the rear electrode/reflector and a front electrode(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventor: Leonard L. Boyer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7846817
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to manufacture a semiconductor element and an integrated circuit that have high performance over a large-sized substrate with high throughput and high productivity. When single crystal semiconductor layers are transferred from a single crystal semiconductor substrate (a bond wafer), the single crystal semiconductor substrate is etched selectively (this step is also referred to as groove processing), and a plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers divided such that they have the size of semiconductor elements to be manufactured are transferred to a different substrate (a base substrate). Thus, a plurality of island-shaped single crystal semiconductor layers (SOI layers) can be formed over the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Ikuko Kawamata, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 7847293
    Abstract: Lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of non-polar gallium nitride (GaN) films results in significantly reduced defect density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Haskell, Michael D. Craven, Paul T. Fini, Steven P. DenBaars, James S. Speck, Shuji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7842614
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, including depositing an interconnect material including Cu or Cu alloy over an insulating film, and polishing the interconnect material by CMP with a polishing liquid, wherein the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the polishing liquid is controlled so as to be in the range of 400 mV to 700 mV vs. Ag/AgCl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kanki, Takahiro Kimura, Tetsuya Shirasu
  • Patent number: 7842584
    Abstract: There are provided a semiconductor device having a structure which can realize not only suppression of a punch-through current but also reuse of a silicon wafer used for bonding, in manufacturing a semiconductor device using an SOI technique, and a manufacturing method thereof. A semiconductor film into which an impurity imparting a conductivity type opposite to that of a source region and a drain region is implanted is formed over a substrate, and a single crystal semiconductor film is bonded to the semiconductor film by an SOI technique to form a stacked semiconductor film. A channel formation region is formed using the stacked semiconductor film, thereby suppressing a punch-through current in a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sho Kato, Fumito Isaka, Tetsuya Kakehata, Hiromichi Godo, Akihisa Shimomura
  • Patent number: 7842605
    Abstract: Material is removed from a substrate surface (e.g., from a bottom portion of a recessed feature on a partially fabricated semiconductor substrate) by subjecting the surface to a plurality of profiling cycles, wherein each profiling cycle includes a net etching operation and a net depositing operation. An etching operation removes a greater amount of material than is being deposited by a depositing operation, thereby resulting in a net material etch-back per profiling cycle. About 2-10 profiling cycles are performed. The profiling cycles are used for removing metal-containing materials, such as diffusion barrier materials, copper line materials, and metal seed materials by PVD deposition and resputter. Profiling with a plurality of cycles removes metal-containing materials without causing microtrenching in an exposed dielectric. Further, overhang is reduced at the openings of the recessed features and sidewall material coverage is improved. Integrated circuit devices having higher reliability are fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anshu A. Pradhan, Robert Rozbicki
  • Patent number: 7842612
    Abstract: An area made from a compound of a metallic material and semi-conducting material is produced selectively in a substrate made from semi-conducting material by previously forming a germanium oxide layer with a thickness comprised between 3 nm and 5 nm over a predefined part of a surface of the substrate and a silicon oxide layer on the rest of the surface. A metallic layer is deposited on the oxide layers. The metallic material is chosen such that its oxide is thermodynamically more stable than germanium oxide and thermodynamically less stable than silicon oxide. Thermal annealing is then performed to obtain reduction of the germanium oxide by said metallic material followed by formation of the compound, at the level of said part of the surface of the substrate. The metallic layer is then removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Fabrice Nemouchi
  • Patent number: 7843075
    Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and methods of forming interconnect between a workpiece and substrate and its application to packaging of microelectronic devices are described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Lakshmi Supriya, Anna M. Prakash, Tommy L. Ashton
  • Patent number: 7838951
    Abstract: A semiconductor sensor and a manufacturing method of the same capable of making the specific gravity of a weight part to be greater than that of a weight part made of semiconductor material only is disclosed. The semiconductor sensor includes the weight part, a supporting part, a flexible part, and plural piezoresistive elements. The weight part includes a weight part photosensitive resin layer made of photosensitive resin in which metal particles are included. The supporting part surrounds and is separated from the weight part. The flexible part is provided between the weight part and the supporting part to support the weight part. The flexible part includes a flexible part semiconductor layer where the plural piezoresistive elements are formed. This configuration allows the specific gravity of the weight part photosensitive resin layer greater than that of the weight part semiconductor layer due to the metal particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunari Kimino
  • Patent number: 7838438
    Abstract: A dielectric layer, an MIM capacitor, a method of manufacturing the dielectric layer and a method of manufacturing the MIM capacitor. The method of manufacturing the dielectric layer includes chemically reacting a metal source with different amounts of an oxidizing agent based on the cycle of the chemical reactions in order to control leakage characteristics of the dielectric layer, the electrical characteristics of the dielectric layer, and the dielectric characteristics of the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ki Vin Im, Jae Hyun Yeo, Kyoung Ryul Yoon, Jong Cheol Lee, Eun Ae Chung, Young Sun Kim