Patents by Inventor Gregory E. Howard

Gregory E. Howard 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).

  • Patent number: 6909125
    Abstract: We disclose the structure of an electronic device, the method of making the device and the operation of the device. The device is built near the top of a substrate. It has, near the top surface, a buried layer that is electrically communicable to a drain terminal. The device has a body region over the buried layer. A portion of the body region contacts a gate region connected to a gate terminal. The device has a channel region, of which the length spans the distance between the buried layer and a source region, which projects upward from the channel region and is connected to a source terminal. The device current flows in the channel substantially perpendicularly to the top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Leland S. Swanson
  • Patent number: 6905932
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (100) and a method for constructing a semiconductor device (100) are disclosed. A trench isolation structure (112) and an active region (110) are formed proximate an outer surface of a semiconductor layer (108). An epitaxial layer (111) is deposited outwardly from the trench isolation structure (112). A first insulator layer (116) and a second insulator layer (118) are grown proximate to the epitaxial layer (111). A gate stack (123) that includes portions of the first insulator layer (116 and the second insulator layer (118) is formed outwardly from the epitaxial layer (111). The gate stack (123) also includes a gate (122) with a narrow region (130) and a wide region (132) formed proximate the second insulator layer (118. The epitaxial layer (111) is heated to a temperature sufficient to allow for the epitaxial layer (111) to form a source/drain implant region (126) in the active region (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Jeffrey Babcock, Angelo Pinto
  • Patent number: 6894366
    Abstract: An improved BJT is described that maximizes both Bvceo and Ft/Fmax for optimum performance. Scattering centers are introduced in the collector region (80) of the BJT to improve Bvceo. The inclusion of the scattering centers allows the width of the collector region WCD (90) to be reduced leading to an improvement in Ft/Fmax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Jeffrey Babcock, Angelo Pinto, Scott Balster
  • Patent number: 6890836
    Abstract: In a method to singulate a semiconductor wafer (100) into chips, trench streets (107) of predetermined depth (105a) are formed across the first, active wafer surface (102) to define the outline of the chips (101). Thereafter, the fabrication of the active first wafer surface is completed and protected. Then, the wafer is flipped to expose the second wafer surface (103), and the wafer is subjected to a cutting saw. The saw is aligned with the trenches in the first surface so that the saw cuts the second surface along streets (106), which extend the trenches through the wafer. The saw is stopped cutting at a depth (105b), when the saw streets just coalesce with the trench streets, respectively, whereby the chips are completely singulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Leland S. Swanson
  • Patent number: 6887765
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method used in manufacturing an intermediate structure in a bipolar junction transistor includes implanting a base dopant in a semiconductor substrate to form a base, forming a dielectric layer outwardly from the semiconductor substrate, etching a portion of the dielectric layer to form an emitter region, forming an emitter polysilicon layer on the semiconductor substrate, and after forming the emitter polysilicon layer, annealing the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Angelo Pinto
  • Patent number: 6873040
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device package with a first part (101) having a cavity (104) to mount the chip (105), further I/O terminals (102) on the top surface and terminals (103) on the bottom surface. The chip has contact pads (107a and 107b). The second part (110) of the package has bottom surface terminals (111) aligned with the chip contact pads, and bottom terminals (112) aligned with the terminals (102) of the first package part. The connections are provided by stud bumps between the chip contact pads and terminals (111), and by reflow material between terminals (102) and (1.12). The connector lines (109a and 109b) in the second package part (110) comprise signal/power and ground layers. The layers are spaced by insulation between. 10 and 50 ?m thick, and the connector lines have a width less than three times the insulator thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Mukul Saran
  • Patent number: 6861678
    Abstract: We disclose the structure of a JFET device, the method of making the device and the operation of the device. The device is built near the top of a substrate. It has a buried layer that is electrically communicable to a drain terminal. It has a body region above the buried layer. A portion of the body region contacts a gate region connected to a gate terminal. The device has a channel region, of which the length spans the distance between the buried layer and a source region, which projects upward from the channel region and is connected to a source terminal. The device current flows in the channel substantially perpendicularly to the top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Leland S. Swanson
  • Patent number: 6847106
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a semiconductor circuit comprising a semiconductor die electrically connected to a package substrate through a plurality of electrical contacts. A lid above and substantially parallel to the top surface of the die forms a portion of the semiconductor circuit package. A plurality of lid supports each comprising a post and standoff member collectively create a separation between the lid and top surface of the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Leland S. Swanson
  • Patent number: 6838348
    Abstract: High-voltage bipolar transistors (30, 60) in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated circuits are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, an collector region (28) is formed in epitaxial silicon (24, 25) disposed over a buried insulator layer (22). A base region (32) and emitter (36) are disposed over the collector region (28). Buried collector region (31) are disposed in the epitaxial silicon (24) away from the base region (32). The transistor may be arranged in a rectangular fashion, as conventional, or alternatively by forming an annular buried collector region (31). According to another disclosed embodiment, a high voltage transistor (60) includes a central isolation structure (62), so that the base region (65) and emitter region (66) are ring-shaped to provide improved performance. A process for fabricating the high voltage transistor (30, 60) simultaneously with a high performance transistor (40) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Gregory E. Howard, Angelo Pinto, Phillipp Steinmann, Scott G. Balster
  • Patent number: 6833300
    Abstract: Contacts are formed to integrated circuit devices by first forming a conductive layer (80) on a semiconductor device. An optional dielectric layer (130) is formed over the conductive layer and a carbon containing dielectric layer (140) is formed over the optional dielectric layer (130). Contacts are formed to the conductive layer (80) by etching openings in the carbon containing dielectric layer (140) and the optional dielectric layer (130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Leland S. Swanson, Gregory E. Howard
  • Publication number: 20040245624
    Abstract: In one embodiment, solder balls of multiple sizes may be used to couple one or more semiconductor structures to an electrical device. For example, a printed circuit board structure may support one or more integrated circuit packages includes at least one package with a substrate having a bottom surface. The structure may also include a printed circuit board that includes: (1) one or more first regions each having a top surface opposite the bottom surface of the substrate and separated from the bottom surface by a first distance; and (2) one or more second regions each having a top surface opposite the bottom surface of the substrate and separated from the bottom surface of the substrate by a second distance, the top surface of the second region being closer to the bottom surface of the substrate than the top surface of the first region such that the second distance is smaller than the first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Leland S. Swanson, Gregory E. Howard
  • Publication number: 20040235272
    Abstract: In a method to singulate a semiconductor wafer (100) into chips, trench streets (107) of predetermined depth (105a) are formed across the first, active wafer surface (102) to define the outline of the chips (101). Thereafter, the fabrication of the active first wafer surface is completed and protected. Then, the wafer is flipped to expose the second wafer surface (103), and the wafer is subjected to a cutting saw. The saw is aligned with the trenches in the first surface so that the saw cuts the second surface along streets (106), which extend the trenches through the wafer. The saw is stopped cutting at a depth (105b), when the saw streets just coalesce with the trench streets, respectively, whereby the chips are completely singulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Leland S. Swanson
  • Publication number: 20040232524
    Abstract: In a method to singulate a semiconductor wafer (100) into chips, trench streets (107) of predetermined depth (105a) are formed across the first, active wafer surface (102) to define the outline of the chips (101). Thereafter, the fabrication of the active first wafer surface is completed and protected. Then, the wafer is flipped to expose the second wafer surface (103), and the wafer is subjected to a cutting saw. The saw is aligned with the trenches in the first surface so that the saw cuts the second surface along streets (106), which extend the trenches through the wafer. The saw is stopped cutting at a depth (105b), when the saw streets just coalesce with the trench streets, respectively, whereby the chips are completely singulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Gregory E. Howard, Leland S. Swanson
  • Publication number: 20040207046
    Abstract: High-voltage bipolar transistors (30, 60) in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated circuits are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, an collector region (28) is formed in epitaxial silicon (24, 25) disposed over a buried insulator layer (22). A base region (32) and emitter (36) are disposed over the collector region (28). Buried collector region (31) are disposed in the epitaxial silicon (24) away from the base region (32). The transistor may be arranged in a rectangular fashion, as conventional, or alternatively by forming an annular buried collector region (31). According to another disclosed embodiment, a high voltage transistor (60) includes a central isolation structure (62), so that the base region (65) and emitter region (66) are ring-shaped to provide improved performance. A process for fabricating the high voltage transistor (30, 60) simultaneously with a high performance transistor (40) is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Gregory E. Howard, Angelo Pinto, Phillipp Steinmann, Scott G. Balster
  • Publication number: 20040188802
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (30) in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is disclosed. The transistor collector (28), heterojunction base region (20), and intrinsic emitter region (25) are formed in the thin film silicon layer (6) overlying the buried insulator layer (4). A base electrode (10) is formed of polysilicon, and has a polysilicon filament (10f) that extends over the edge of an insulator layer (8) to contact the silicon layer (6). After formation of insulator filaments (12) along the edges of the base electrode (10) and insulator layer (8), the thin film silicon layer (6) is etched through, exposing an edge. An angled ion implantation then implants the heterojunction species, for example germanium and carbon, into the exposed edge of the thin film silicon layer (6), which after anneal forms the heterojunction base region (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Angelo Pinto, Gregory E. Howard
  • Publication number: 20040183167
    Abstract: A recessed-bond semiconductor package substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of metal layers, wherein the metal layers further include a first metal layer and at least one underlying metal layer, and wherein the underlying metal layer is configured for a direct interconnection with a semiconductor die. Preferably, the top metal layer includes a ground plane. An underlying metal layer comprises the signal layer, which is preferably bonded to the die by a plurality of bond wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Edgardo R. Hortaleza, Gregory E. Howard
  • Patent number: 6794237
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (30) in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is disclosed. The transistor collector (28), heterojunction base region (20), and intrinsic emitter region (25) are formed in the thin film silicon layer (6) overlying the buried insulator layer (4). A base electrode (10) is formed of polysilicon, and has a polysilicon filament (10f) that extends over the edge of an insulator layer (8) to contact the silicon layer (6). After formation of insulator filaments (12) along the edges of the base electrode (10) and insulator layer (8), the thin film silicon layer (6) is etched through, exposing an edge. An angled ion implantation then implants the heterojunction species, for example germanium and carbon, into the exposed edge of the thin film silicon layer (6), which after anneal forms the heterojunction base region (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Angelo Pinto, Gregory E. Howard
  • Patent number: 6789238
    Abstract: A system and methodology for fabricating integrated circuits (ICs) on wafer die monitors at a subset of die one or more parameters that can affect the performance capabilities of associated ICs. One or more respective parameters for unmeasured die are derived based on one or more of the measured parameter. Fuses are selectively set for ICs at each die location based on parameters associated with each respective die location, thereby configuring the respective ICs accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Leland Swanson, Gregory E. Howard
  • Patent number: 6770952
    Abstract: High-voltage bipolar transistors (30, 60) in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated circuits are disclosed. In one disclosed embodiment, an collector region (28) is formed in epitaxial silicon (24, 25) disposed over a buried insulator layer (22). A base region (32) and emitter (36) are disposed over the collector region (28). Buried collector region (31) are disposed in the epitaxial silicon (24) away from the base region (32). The transistor may be arranged in a rectangular fashion, as conventional, or alternatively by forming an annular buried collector region (31). According to another disclosed embodiment, a high voltage transistor (60) includes a central isolation structure (62), so that the base region (65) and emitter region (66) are ring-shaped to provide improved performance. A process for fabricating the high voltage transistor (30, 60) simultaneously with a high performance transistor (40) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Gregory E Howard, Angelo Pinto, Phillipp Steinmann, Scott G. Balster
  • Publication number: 20040145066
    Abstract: Laser alignment structures are formed over an integrated circuit by forming structures of a first width (90) adjacent to structures of a second width (100) where the second width is greater than five times the first width. In addition the structures of a first width are separated from each other by a distance that between one and five times the first width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Leland S. Swanson, Gregory E. Howard