Patents by Inventor Steven H. Voldman

Steven H. Voldman 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: 8423936
    Abstract: A method and semiconductor structure to avoid latch-up is disclosed. The method includes identifying at least one high voltage device on a semiconductor chip, identifying a circuit on the semiconductor chip separated from the identified at least one high voltage device by a guard ring, evaluating the circuit for a latch-up condition, and when the latch-up condition occurs, adjusting the contact-circuit spacing in the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8420518
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: forming a trench in a back side of a substrate; depositing a dopant on surfaces of the trench; forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure in a top side of the substrate opposite the trench; forming a deep well in the substrate; out-diffusing the dopant into the deep well and the substrate; forming an N-well and a P-well in the substrate; and filling the trench with a conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip F. Chapman, David S. Collins, Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8410534
    Abstract: Disclosed are integrated circuit structures each having a silicon germanium film incorporated as a local interconnect and/or an electrical contact. These integrated circuit structures provide improved local interconnects between devices and/or increased capacitance to devices without significantly increasing structure surface area or power requirements. Specifically, disclosed are integrated circuit structures that incorporate a silicon germanium film as one or more of the following features: as a local interconnect between devices; as an electrical contact to a device (e.g., a deep trench capacitor, a source/drain region of a transistor, etc.); as both an electrical contact to a deep trench capacitor and a local interconnect between the deep trench capacitor and another device; and as both an electrical contact to a deep trench capacitor and as a local interconnect between the deep trench capacitor and other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8390074
    Abstract: A structure for preventing latchup. The structure includes a latchup sensitive structure and a through wafer via structure bounding the latch-up sensitive structure to prevent parasitic carriers from being injected into the latch-up sensitive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8301288
    Abstract: A scheduling optimizer system, method and program product that analyzes a device for sensitivities, such as ESD sensitivities, and allows for modification of a floor schedule of the assembly unit of the device based on the sensitivity of the device while improving the overall performance of the assembly unit are disclosed. The scheduling optimizer analyzes sensitivity data for a device during operation of the assembly unit on the floor schedule. The floor schedule is then optimized based on the analyzed sensitivity data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian T. Denton, Cuc K Huynh, Shreesh S. Tandel, Steven H. Voldman
  • Publication number: 20120238069
    Abstract: A method includes forming an ESD active device on a substrate, forming a ground plane on a backside of the substrate and forming at least one through wafer via electrically connected to a negative power supply of the ESD active device and the ground plane to provide a low series resistance path to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Steven H. VOLDMAN
  • Publication number: 20120205741
    Abstract: A design structure is embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design. The design structure includes a high resistivity substrate and a buried inductor formed directly in the high resistivity substrate and devoid of an insulating layer therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Max G. LEVY, Steven H. VOLDMAN
  • Patent number: 8232625
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a circuit structure and a method of manufacturing a circuit, and more specifically to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit with a through wafer via structure and a method of manufacture. An ESD structure includes an ESD active device and at least one through wafer via structure providing a low series resistance path for the ESD active device to a substrate. An apparatus includes an input, at least one power rail and an ESD circuit electrically connected between the input and the at least one power rail, wherein the ESD circuit comprises at least one through wafer via structure providing a low series resistance path to a substrate. A method, includes forming an ESD active device on a substrate, forming a ground plane on a backside of the substrate and forming at least one through wafer via electrically connected to a negative power supply of the ESD active device and the ground plane to provide a low series resistance path to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8227318
    Abstract: A method of forming an isolation region is provided that in one embodiment substantially reduces divot formation. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a first pad dielectric layer on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and forming a trench through the first pad dielectric layer into the semiconductor substrate. In a following process sequence, the first pad dielectric layer is laterally etched to expose an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate that is adjacent the trench, and the trench is filled with a trench dielectric material, wherein the trench dielectric material extends atop the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate adjacent the trench and abuts the pad dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Max Levy, Natalie Feilchenfeld, Richard Phelps, BethAnn Rainey, James Slinkman, Steven H. Voldman, Michael Zierak, Hubert Enichlmair, Martin Knaipp, Bernard Loeffler, Rainer Minixhofer, Jong-Mun Park, Georg Roehrer
  • Publication number: 20120132974
    Abstract: Disclosed are integrated circuit structures each having a silicon germanium film incorporated as a local interconnect and/or an electrical contact. These integrated circuit structures provide improved local interconnects between devices and/or increased capacitance to devices without significantly increasing structure surface area or power requirements. Specifically, disclosed are integrated circuit structures that incorporate a silicon germanium film as one or more of the following features: as a local interconnect between devices; as an electrical contact to a device (e.g., a deep trench capacitor, a source/drain region of a transistor, etc.); as both an electrical contact to a deep trench capacitor and a local interconnect between the deep trench capacitor and another device; and as both an electrical contact to a deep trench capacitor and as a local interconnect between the deep trench capacitor and other devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8188570
    Abstract: A design structure is embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design. The design structure includes a high resistivity substrate and a buried inductor formed directly in the high resistivity substrate and devoid of an insulating layer therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Max G. Levy, Steven H. Voldman
  • Publication number: 20120126319
    Abstract: A disposable structure displaced from an edge of a gate electrode and a drain region aligned to the disposable structure is formed. Thus, the drain region is self-aligned to the edge of the gate electrode. The disposable structure may be a disposable spacer, or alternately, the disposable structure may be formed simultaneously with, and comprise the same material as, a gate electrode. After formation of the drain regions, the disposable structure is removed. The self-alignment of the drain region to the edge of the gate electrode provides a substantially constant drift distance that is independent of any overlay variation of lithographic processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Natalie B. Feilchenfeld, Jeffrey P. Gambino, Xuefeng Liu, Benjamin T. Voegeli, Steven H. Voldman, Michael J. Zierak
  • Publication number: 20120124533
    Abstract: A method and semiconductor structure to avoid latch-up is disclosed. The method includes identifying at least one high voltage device on a semiconductor chip, identifying a circuit on the semiconductor chip separated from the identified at least one high voltage device by a guard ring, evaluating the circuit for a latch-up condition, and when the latch-up condition occurs, adjusting the contact-circuit spacing in the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Steven H. VOLDMAN
  • Patent number: 8171435
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a circuit (e.g., an electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit), a design methodology and a design system. In the circuit, an ESD device is wired to a first metal level (e.g., M1). An inductor is formed in a second metal level (e.g., M5) above the first metal level and is aligned over and electrically connected in parallel to the ESD device by a single vertical via stack. The inductor is configured to nullify, for a given application frequency, the capacitance value of the ESD device. The quality factor of the inductor is optimized by providing, on a third metal level (e.g., M3) between the second metal level and the first metal level, a shield to minimize inductive coupling. An opening in the shield allows the via stack to pass through, trading off Q factor reduction for size-scaling and ESD robustness improvements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhong-Xiang He, Robert M. Rassel, Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8138579
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of forming semiconductor structures, and more particularly to structures and methods of forming SiGe and/or SiGeC buried layers for SOI/SiGe devices. An integrated structure includes discontinuous, buried layers having alternating Si and SiGe or SiGeC regions. The structure further includes isolation structures at an interface between the Si and SiGe or SiGeC regions to reduce defects between the alternating regions. Devices are associated with the Si and SiGe or SiGeC regions. The invention is also directed to a design structure on which a circuit resides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xuefeng Liu, Robert M. Rassel, Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8129772
    Abstract: Disclosed are integrated circuit structures each having a silicon germanium film incorporated as a local interconnect and/or an electrical contact. These integrated circuit structures provide improved local interconnects between devices and/or increased capacitance to devices without significantly increasing structure surface area or power requirements. Specifically, disclosed are integrated circuit structures that incorporate a silicon germanium film as one or more of the following features: as a local interconnect between devices; as an electrical contact to a device (e.g., a deep trench capacitor, a source/drain region of a transistor, etc.); as both an electrical contact to a deep trench capacitor and a local interconnect between the deep trench capacitor and another device; and as both an electrical contact to a deep trench capacitor and as a local interconnect between the deep trench capacitor and other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8114750
    Abstract: A disposable structure displaced from an edge of a gate electrode and a drain region aligned to the disposable structure is formed. Thus, the drain region is self-aligned to the edge of the gate electrode. The disposable structure may be a disposable spacer, or alternately, the disposable structure may be formed simultaneously with, and comprise the same material as, a gate electrode. After formation of the drain regions, the disposable structure is removed. The self-alignment of the drain region to the edge of the gate electrode provides a substantially constant drift distance that is independent of any overlay variation of lithographic processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Natalie B. Feilchenfeld, Jeffrey P. Gambino, Xuefeng Liu, Benjamin T. Voegeli, Steven H. Voldman, Michael J. Zierak
  • Patent number: 8108822
    Abstract: A structure, apparatus and method for circuits to minimize sensitivity to latch. The method includes, for example, identifying element density of at least one functional circuit block and element attributes of elements associated with the at least one functional circuit block. An element density function parameterized from the element attributes is formed. The placement of the at least one functional circuit block is modified relative to other functional circuit blocks based on the element density function to substantially eliminate latching effects in a circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8108817
    Abstract: Method and semiconductor structure to avoid latch-up. Method includes identifying at least one high voltage device on a semiconductor chip, identifying a circuit on the semiconductor chip separated from the identified at least one high voltage device by a guard ring, evaluating the circuit for a latch-up condition, and when the latch-up condition occurs, adjusting the contact-circuit spacing in the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 8105924
    Abstract: A far subcollector, or a buried doped semiconductor layer located at a depth that exceeds the range of conventional ion implantation, is formed by ion implantation of dopants into a region of an initial semiconductor substrate followed by an epitaxial growth of semiconductor material. A reachthrough region to the far subcollector is formed by outdiffusing a dopant from a doped material layer deposited in the at least one deep trench that adjoins the far subcollector. The reachthrough region may be formed surrounding the at least one deep trench or only on one side of the at least one deep trench. If the inside of the at least one trench is electrically connected to the reachthrough region, a metal contact may be formed on the doped fill material within the at least one trench. If not, a metal contact is formed on a secondary reachthrough region that contacts the reachthrough region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley A. Orner, Robert M. Rassel, David C. Sheridan, Steven H. Voldman