Patents by Inventor Clarence B. Ferguson

Clarence B. Ferguson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Protection of charge trapping dielectric flash memory devices from UV-induced charging in BEOL processing
    Patent number: 7118967
    Abstract: A method of protecting a charge trapping dielectric flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a charge trapping dielectric flash memory cell including a charge trapping dielectric charge storage layer in a semiconductor device; and during processing steps subsequent to formation of the charge trapping dielectric charge storage layer, protecting the charge trapping dielectric flash memory cell from exposure to a level of UV radiation sufficient to deposit a non-erasable charge in the charge trapping dielectric flash memory cell. In one embodiment, the step of protecting is carried out by selecting processes in BEOL fabrication which do not include use, generation or exposure of the semiconductor device to a level of UV radiation sufficient to deposit the non-erasable charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Spansion, LLC
    Inventors: Minh V. Ngo, Ning Cheng, Jeff P. Erhardt, Clarence B. Ferguson, Cyrus Tabery, John Caffall, Tyagamohan Gottipati, Dawn Hopper
  • UV-blocking etch stop layer for reducing UV-induced charging of charge storage layer in memory devices in BEOL processing
    Patent number: 7091088
    Abstract: A method of protecting a charge trapping dielectric flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a charge trapping dielectric flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; depositing over the charge trapping dielectric flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer; forming at least one layer over the at least one UV-protective layer; and etching the at least one layer to form an opening therein with an etchant species selective to stop on a layer below the at least one UV-protective layer, wherein the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Ning Cheng, Clarence B. Ferguson, Emmanuil H. Lingunis, Minh Van Ngo, Joerg Reiss, Jean Y. Yang, Jeffrey A. Shields, Cyrus Tabery
  • UV-blocking layer for reducing UV-induced charging of SONOS dual-bit flash memory devices in BEOL processing
    Patent number: 7018896
    Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque sub-layer of a contact cap layer or a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Minh V. Ngo, Tazrien Kamal, Mark T. Ramsbey, Arvind Halliyal, Jaeyong Park, Ning Cheng, Jeff P. Erhardt, Clarence B. Ferguson, Jeffrey A. Shields, Angela T. Hui, Robert A. Huertas, Tyagamohan Gottipati
  • UV-blocking layer for reducing UV-induced charging of SONOS dual-bit flash memory devices in BEOL processing
    Publication number: 20040191989
    Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque sub-layer of a contact cap layer or a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Minh V. Ngo, Tazrien Kamal, Mark T. Ramsbey, Arvind Halliyal, Jaeyong Park, Ning Cheng, Jeff P. Erhardt, Clarence B. Ferguson, Jeffrey A. Shields, Angela T. Hui, Robert A. Huertas, Tyagamohan Gottipati
  • UV-blocking layer for reducing UV-induced charging of SONOS dual-bit flash memory devices in BEOL
    Patent number: 6774432
    Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. A SONOS flash memory device, including a SONOS flash memory cell; and at least one UV-protective layer, in which the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material, is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Minh V. Ngo, Tazrien Kamal, Mark T. Ramsbey, Arvind Halliyal, Jaeyong Park, Ning Cheng, Jeff P. Erhardt, Clarence B. Ferguson, Jeffrey A. Shields, Angela T. Hui, Robert A. Huertas, Tyagamohan Gottipati
  • UV-BLOCKING LAYER FOR REDUCING UV-INDUCED CHARGING OF SONOS DUAL-BIT FLASH MEMORY DEVICES IN BEOL PROCESSING
    Publication number: 20040151025
    Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. A SONOS flash memory device, including a SONOS flash memory cell; and at least one UV-protective layer, in which the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material, is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Minh V. Ngo, Tazrien Kamal, Mark T. Ramsbey, Arvind Halliyal, Jaeyong Park, Ning Cheng, Jeff P. Erhardt, Clarence B. Ferguson, Jeffrey A. Shields, Angela T. Hui, Robert A. Huertas, Tyagamohan Gottipati