Having Specific Type Of Active Device (e.g., Cmos) Patents (Class 257/204)
  • Patent number: 7355218
    Abstract: The source area (3) is highly doped, like the channel area, for the same conductance type. The drain area (4) is doped for the opposite conductance type. This results in a saving of area since the source connection (S) can at the same time be used as the well connection or substrate connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Rainer Florian Schnabel, Michael Bernhard Sommer
  • Patent number: 7352018
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating stacked non-volatile memory cells. Further, the invention relates to stacked non-volatile memory cells. The invention particularly relates to the field of non-volatile NAND memories having non-volatile stacked memory cells. The stacked non-volatile memory cells are formed on a semiconductor wafer, having a bulk semi-conductive substrate and an SOI semi-conductive layer and are arranged as a bulk FinFET transistor and an SOI FinFet transistor being arranged on top of the bulk FinFET transistor. Both the FinFET transistor and the SOI FinFet transistor are attached to a common charge-trapping layer. A word line with sidewalls is arranged on top of said patterned charge-trapping layer and a spacer oxide layer is arranged on the sidewalls of said word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Michael Specht, Franz Hofmann, Johannes Luyken
  • Patent number: 7348610
    Abstract: A semiconductor on insulator substrate and a method of fabricating the substrate. The substrate including: a first crystalline semiconductor layer and a second crystalline semiconductor layer; and an insulating layer bonding a bottom surface of the first crystalline semiconductor layer to a top surface of the second crystalline semiconductor layer, a first crystal direction of the first crystalline semiconductor layer aligned relative to a second crystal direction of the second crystalline semiconductor layer, the first crystal direction different from the second crystal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, David V. Horak, Charles W. Koburger, III, Leathen Shi, III
  • Patent number: 7348611
    Abstract: The present invention provides CMOS structures including at least one strained pFET that is located on a rotated semiconductor substrate to improve the device performance. Specifically, the present invention utilizes a Si-containing semiconductor substrate having a (100) crystal orientation in which the substrate is rotated by about 45° such that the CMOS device channels are located along the <100> direction. Strain can be induced upon the CMOS structure including at least a pFET and optionally an nFET, particularly the channels, by forming a stressed liner about the FET, by forming embedded stressed wells in the substrate, or by utilizing a combination of embedded stressed wells and a stressed liner. The present invention also provides methods for fabricating the aforesaid semiconductor structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Meikei Ieong, Qiqing C. Ouyang, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: 7342289
    Abstract: A structure to improve carrier mobility of a MOS device in an integrated circuit. The structure comprises a semiconductor substrate, containing a source region and a drain region; a conductive gate overlying a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate; a conformal stress film covering the source region, the drain region, and the conductive gate. In addition, the structure may comprise a semiconductor substrate, containing a source region and a drain region; a conductive gate overlying a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of stress films covering the source region, the drain region, and the conductive gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chien-Chao Huang, Chung-Hu Ge, Wen-Chin Lee, Chenming Hu, Carlos H. Diaz, Fu-Liang Yang
  • Patent number: 7335563
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing rotated field effect transistors. The method comprises providing a substrate including a first gate structure and a second gate structure, which are not parallel to each other. The method further includes performing a first ion implant substantially orthogonal to an edge of the first gate structure to form a first impurity region and performing a second ion implant at a direction different than that of the first ion implant and substantially orthogonal to an edge of the second gate structure to form a second impurity region under the edge of the second gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Andres Bryant, Myung-hee Na, Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7332780
    Abstract: A dual structure is introduced to the transistor in a flip-flop or a data input step controlled by a clock of a semiconductor logic circuit. The dual structure is formed by connecting a transistor with a MOS transistor having a channel of the same conductivity type in series with respect to the line of a source or drain and connecting their gates to each other, or by connecting an inverter with p-MOS transistors, one for VDD side and one for VSS side of the output step. The dual structure prevents single event phenomenon in a semiconductor logic circuit, such as inverter, SRAM and data latch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Sumio Matsuda, Satoshi Kuboyama, Yasushi Deguchi
  • Publication number: 20080035958
    Abstract: A magnetic random access memory includes a semiconductor substrate having a projection projecting from a substrate surface, first and second gate electrodes and a first source diffusion layer formed on first and second side surfaces and an upper surface of the projection, first and second drain diffusion layers formed in the substrate surface at roots on the first and second side surfaces of the first projection, first and second word lines formed above the semiconductor substrate, a bit line formed above the first and second word lines, a first magnetoresistive effect element formed between the bit line and the first word line, a second magnetoresistive effect element formed between the bit line and the second word line, a first contact which connects the first magnetoresistive effect element and the first drain diffusion layer, and a second contact which connects the second magnetoresistive effect element and the second drain diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Asao
  • Publication number: 20080035957
    Abstract: An improved complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor which may decrease the occurrence of dark current is provided. The CMOS image sensor includes a plurality of isolation regions formed in a substrate and a first impurity-doped region formed between the isolation region and separated from a side surface of the isolation region by a predetermined interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Jung-ho Park, Tae-seok Oh
  • Publication number: 20080035959
    Abstract: A chip scale package is disclosed that includes a semiconductor die further comprising an array of power buses electrically coupled to a high power integrated circuit, and a plurality of Under Bump Metallization (UBM) multi-layer power buses disposed parallel to one another and spanning substantially across the entire length of the semiconductor die. The plurality of multi-layer UBM power buses, electrically coupled to the array of power buses, further includes a thick metal layer configured in a geometric shape that have interconnection balls completely posited thereupon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventor: Hunt H. Jiang
  • Patent number: 7330369
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to process a semiconductor substrate by fabricating a first layer on the substrate using semiconductor fabrication techniques; fabricating a second layer above the first layer having one or more NANO-bonding areas; self-assemblying one or more NANO-elements; and bonding the NANO-elements to the NANO-bonding areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Inventor: Bao Tran
  • Patent number: 7326595
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit has a first functional block, a second functional block, and a signal line routed from the first functional block to the second functional block in a metal interconnection layer. A complementary pair of metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits with source, gate, and drain terminals are located near the signal line between the first and second functional blocks. The drain terminals extend to the same metal interconnection layer as the signal line, but are not connected to the signal line. The circuit can be redesigned to invert the signal transmitted on the signal line by altering a single mask defining the metal interconnection layer, so as to divide the signal line into a first part connected to the gate terminals and a second part connected to the drain terminals of the complementary pair of metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuta Kuroki
  • Publication number: 20080017887
    Abstract: A thin film transistor array substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer including a source region having a first conductivity type, a drain region having the first conductivity type, and a channel region between the source region and the drain region, and formed over a substrate; and a gate electrode opposite to the channel region with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween. The channel region contains an impurity of a second conductivity type doped with a predetermined distribution in a film thickness direction, and the impurity of the second conductivity type has a peak concentration point around an interface between the channel region and the insulating substrate or on the insulating substrate side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi NAGATA, Naoki NAKAGAWA, Takuji IMAMURA
  • Patent number: 7321139
    Abstract: A layout for a transistor in a standard cell is disclosed. The layout for a transistor includes an active region with at least one portion having a first edge and at least one portion having a second edge all perpendicular to a channel of the transistor; and a gate placed on top of the active region with a distance from an edge of the gate to the first edge being shorter than a distance from the edge of the gate to the second edge of the active region, wherein the active region is of a non-rectangular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mi-Chang Chang, Liang-Kai Han, Huan-Tsung Huang, Wen-Jya Liang, Li-Chun Tien
  • Patent number: 7319260
    Abstract: A locked hinge based technique for controllably holding surface-micromachined modules off the edge of a substrate for subsequent processing. The mechanism enables reliable, accurate, and low-cost fabrication of even complex multi layer flip-chip MEMS devices using for example only a simple two-layer module processing sequence, a sequence involving materials already in use in the process. The sequence is also free from the interference of an alignment-hindering sacrificial substrate member. The technique is disclosed by way of a micromirror example and is arranged for convenient bypassing where use of another bonding technique is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Mark A. Michalicek
  • Patent number: 7317238
    Abstract: A plurality of N-doped strip portions are formed alternating with a plurality of P-doped regions. When a voltage is applied to the N-doped strip portions, a capacitance is created between the N-doped strip portions and the P-doped strip portions. A capacitance is also created between the N-doped strip portions and the underlying epitaxial silicon layer. A larger interface area between N-doped and P-doped regions generally increases the capacitance. By providing the N-doped strip portions, as opposed to a continuous N-doped region, the combined interface area between the N-doped strip portions and the underlying epitaxial silicon layer is reduced. However, more interface area is provided between the N-doped strip portions and the P-doped strip portions. A circuit simulation indicates that junction capacitance per unit peripheral length is 0.41 fF/?m, while the junction capacitance per unit area is 0.19 fF/?m^2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jung S. Kang, Peter P. Jeng, Michael M. DeSmith, Md Monzur Hossain, Yi-feng Liu
  • Patent number: 7315063
    Abstract: A CMOS transistor structure and related method of manufacture are disclosed in which a first conductivity type MOS transistor comprises an enhancer and a second conductivity type MOS transistor comprises a second spacer formed of the same material as the enhancer. The second conductivity type MOS transistor also comprises a source/drain region formed in relation to an epitaxial layer formed in a recess region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-eun Lee, Seong-ghil Lee, Yu-gyun Shin, Jong-wook Lee, Young-pil Kim
  • Publication number: 20070295996
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device supported on a semiconductor substrate that includes a plurality of transistor cells, each cell has a source and a drain region disposed on opposite sides of a gate region in the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed as an electrode layer on top of the gate region for controlling an electric current transmitted between the source and the drain regions. The gate electrode layer disposed on top of the semiconductor substrate is patterned into a wave-like shaped stripes for substantially increasing an electric current conduction area between the source and drain regions across the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventor: Shekar Mallikararjunaswamy
  • Patent number: 7309628
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is formed as part of an integrated circuit. The semiconductor device, which is formed in an active semiconductor layer, is surrounded by a guardian that provides a diffusion barrier against contaminants and also provides assistance in avoiding dishing above the semiconductor device during chemical mechanical polishing. The dielectric that is above the semiconductor device and inside the guardian is etched to form an opening that receives one of an optical fiber, an electromagnetic signal source, or an electromagnetic signal load. The remaining dielectric is in layers that are of substantially uniform thickness. The guardian is built up in layers that are part of a normal integrated circuit process. These include contact layers, via layers, and interconnect layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Inventors: Omar Zia, Hsiao-Hui Chen, Lawrence Cary Gunn, III
  • Publication number: 20070278525
    Abstract: A cell based integrated circuit chip includes a top voltage supply rail and a bottom voltage supply rail and a plurality of metal layers defining at least one filler cell. The filler cell is formed by a first field effect transistor of a first type conductivity, typically an n-channel MOSFET. The source or drain electrodes of the n-channel MOSFET are arranged to as act as a capacitor with respect to the bottom voltage supply rail and to which at least one of the source and drain electrodes is connected. A second field effect transistor of an opposite-type conductivity to the first field effect transistor, typically a p-channel MOSFET, is also provided. The source or drain electrodes of the p-channel MOSFET are connected in series between the top voltage supply rail and a gate electrode of the n-channel MOSFET. The gate electrode of the p-channel MOSFET is connected to a source of ground potential via a resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventor: Pramod Acharya
  • Patent number: 7279727
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a diffusion region which is formed in the semiconductor substrate and serves as a region for the formation of a MIS transistor; an element isolation region surrounding the diffusion region; at least one gate conductor film which is formed across the diffusion region and the element isolation region, includes a gate electrode part located on the diffusion region and a gate interconnect part located on the element isolation region, and has a constant dimension in the gate length direction; and an interlayer insulating film covering the gate electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a gate contact which passes through the interlayer insulating film, is connected to the gate interconnect part, and has the dimension in the gate length direction larger than the gate interconnect part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisaku Ikoma, Atsuhiro Kajiya, Katsuhiro Ootani, Kyoji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7279712
    Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Abe, Nobuo Nakamura, Keiji Mabuchi, Tomoyuki Umeda, Hiroaki Fujita, Eiichi Funatsu, Hiroki Sato
  • Publication number: 20070215906
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a bulk technology integrated circuit (bulk IC) including a bulk silicon layer and complementary MOSFET (CMOS) transistors fabricated thereon. The integrated circuit also includes a single transistor dynamic random access memory (1T DRAM) cell arranged adjacent to and integrated with the bulk IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Albert Wu, Roawen Chen
  • Patent number: 7259412
    Abstract: A solid state imaging device includes a substrate of a first conductivity type. A transistor, which includes a first gate electrode and a first and second impurity areas, is provided on a surface of the substrate. The first and second impurity areas are formed in the surface of the substrate and sandwich a region under the first gate electrode. A third impurity area of a second conductivity type is formed in the surface of the substrate and spaced from the second impurity area at an opposite side to the first gate electrode. A fourth impurity area is formed under the second impurity area and connected to the third impurity area. A second gate electrode is provided above the substrate. A fifth impurity area of the second conductivity type is formed in the surface of the substrate. The third and fifth impurity areas sandwich a region under the second gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yamaguchi, Hiroshige Goto, Masayuki Ayabe, Hisanori Ihara
  • Patent number: 7256081
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided with a stressed channel region, where the stresses film causing the stress in the stress channel region can extend partly or wholly under the gate structure of the semiconductor device. In some embodiments, a ring of stress film surround the channel region, and may apply stress from all sides of the channel. Consequently, the stress film better surrounds the channel region of the semiconductor device and can apply more stress in the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Haining S. Yang, Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 7253464
    Abstract: Depletion-mode ferroelectric transistors are adapted for use as non-volatile memory cells for memory devices and electronic systems. Various embodiments are described having a diode interposed between the bit line and a source/drain region of the transistor for added margin against read disturb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig T. Salling, Brian W. Huber
  • Patent number: 7244975
    Abstract: A high-voltage device structure includes a high-voltage device disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor includes an active region and an isolation region, and the high-voltage device is disposed in the active region. The high-voltage device structure includes a source diffusion region of a first conductive type, a drain region of the first conductive type, and a gate longer than the source diffusion region and the drain diffusion region so as to form spare regions on both sides of the gate. The isolation region is outside the active region and surrounds the active region. In the isolation region, an isolation ion implantation region of a second conductive type and an extended ion implantation region are disposed to prevent parasitic current from being generating between the source diffusion region and the drain diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Anchor Chen, Chih-Hung Lin, Hwi-Huang Chen, Jih-Wei Liou, Chin-Hung Liu, Ming-Tsung Tung, Chien-Ming Lin, Jung-Ching Chen
  • Patent number: 7242045
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic element that can be used in a magnetic memory is disclosed. The magnetic element includes pinned, nonmagnetic spacer, and free layers. The spacer layer resides between the pinned and free layers. The free layer can be switched using spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. The magnetic element may also include a barrier layer, a second pinned layer. Alternatively, second pinned and second spacer layers and a second free layer magnetostatically coupled to the free layer are included. In one aspect, the free layer(s) include ferromagnetic material(s) diluted with nonmagnetic material(s) and/or ferrimagnetically doped to provide low saturation magnetization(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Grandis, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul P. Nguyen, Yiming Huai, Zhitao Diao, Frank Albert
  • Patent number: 7238975
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including at least one MOS transistor in a peripheral circuit comprises a semiconductor substrate, isolation insulating films for defining a plurality of element formation regions, each of the isolation insulating films being buried in an isolation trench provided in the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate provided in each of the element formation regions via a first gate insulating film, a control gate provided on the floating gate via a second gate insulating film, and source and drain regions provided in the semiconductor substrate in self-alignment with the control gate, wherein the floating gate is self-aligned at an isolation end in a direction of a channel width, and comprises a plurality of polysilicon films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroaki Hazama, Seiichi Mori, Hirohisa Iizuka, Norio Ootani, Kazuhito Narita
  • Patent number: 7233032
    Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) device including a substrate and an SRAM unit cell. The substrate includes an n-doped region interposing first and second p-doped regions. The SRAM unit cell includes: (1) a first pass-gate transistor and a first pull-down transistor located at least partially over the first p-doped region; (2) first and second pull-up transistors located at least partially over the n-doped region; and (3) a second pass-gate transistor, a second pull-down transistor, and first and second read port transistors, all located at least partially over the second p-doped region. A boundary of the SRAM unit cell comprises first and second primary dimensions having an aspect ratio of at least about 3.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 7227201
    Abstract: The present invention provides a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, a method of manufacture therefor, and an integrated circuit including the same. The CMOS device (100), in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, includes a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device (120) having a first gate dielectric layer (133) and a first gate electrode layer (138) located over a substrate (110), wherein the first gate dielectric layer (133) has an amount of nitrogen located therein. In addition to the PMOS device (120), the CMOS device further includes an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device (160) having a second gate dielectric layer (173) and a second gate electrode layer (178) located over the substrate (110), wherein the second gate dielectric layer (173) has a different amount of nitrogen located therein. Accordingly, the present invention allows for the individual tuning of the threshold voltages for the PMOS device (120) and the NMOS device (160).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ajith Varghese, Husam Alshareef, Rajesh Khamankar
  • Patent number: 7224232
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for use in power amplifiers for reducing the peak voltage that transistors are subjected to. A power amplifier is provided with first and second switching devices and an inductor connected between the switching devices. The switching devices are driven such that the switching devices are turned on and off during the same time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Susanne A. Paul, Timothy J. Dupuis, John Blake Pavelka
  • Patent number: 7217966
    Abstract: A transistor array is self-protected from an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event which can cause localized ESD damage by integrating an ESD protection device into the transistor array. The ESD protection device operates as a transistor during normal operating conditions, and provides a low-resistance current path during an ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Vladislav Vashchenko, Peter J. Hopper, Philipp Lindorfer
  • Patent number: 7215562
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device in which a pair of wiring lines extending in a first direction are arranged repeatedly with a predetermined pitch, comprising: a group of pair transistors in which a plurality of pair transistors is arranged according to a repetition unit with a predetermined pattern, the pair transistors composed of a MOS transistor of which a gate is connected to one line of the pair of wiring lines and of another MOS transistor of which a gate is connected to the other line of the pair of wiring lines, wherein the repetition unit of the group of pair transistors includes a plurality of the pair transistors such that two MOS transistors are adjacent to each other in the first direction, and at least one pair of pair transistors such that two MOS transistors are not adjacent to each other and diagonally opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Elpida Memory Inc.
    Inventor: Junichi Sekine
  • Patent number: 7211841
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes CMOS circuit blocks and analog control lines arranged outside a layout of the CMOS circuit blocks so that the analog wiring and circuit blocks do not overlap each other. The distance of signal lines within a circuit block and the analog control lines can become as long as necessary, and the signal line within the circuit block and the analog control lines are not coupled via parasitic capacitance, and mutual interference is suppressed. In another aspect, a method of arranging a semiconductor integrated circuit includes providing a plurality of functional circuit blocks and connecting analog control wiring to the functional circuit blocks. The analog control wiring is arranged outside a layout of the functional circuit blocks on the semiconductor integrated circuit so that the analog control wiring does not overlap any one of the functional circuit blocks so as to reduce or eliminate interference between signal lines within a circuit block and the analog control lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Niigata Seimitsu Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Munehiro Karasudani
  • Patent number: 7208361
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device is described. That method comprises forming a polysilicon layer on a dielectric layer, which is formed on a substrate. The polysilicon layer is etched to generate a patterned polysilicon layer with an upper surface that is wider than its lower surface. The method may be applied, when using a replacement gate process to make transistors that have metal gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Uday Shah, Chris E. Barns, Mark L. Doczy, Justin K. Brask, Jack Kavalieros, Matthew V. Metz, Robert S. Chau
  • Patent number: 7202516
    Abstract: A structure and method are provided in which a stress present in a film is reduced in magnitude by oxidizing the film through atomic oxygen supplied to a surface of the film. In an embodiment, a mask is used to selectively block portions of the film so that the stress is relaxed only in areas exposed to the oxidation process. A structure and method are further provided in which a film having a stress is formed over source and drain regions of an NFET and a PFET. The stress present in the film over the source and drain regions of either the NFET or the PFET is then relaxed by oxidizing the film through exposure to atomic oxygen to provide enhanced mobility in at least one of the NFET or the PFET while maintaining desirable mobility in the other of the NFET and PFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Belyansky, Diane C. Boyd, Bruce B. Doris, Oleg Gluschenkov
  • Patent number: 7199431
    Abstract: An improved semiconductor device is disclosed with a NMOS transistor formed on a P-Well in a deep N-well, a PMOS transistor formed on a N-Well in the deep N-well, a first voltage coupled to a source node of the PMOS, and a second voltage higher than the first voltage coupled to the N-well, wherein the second voltage expands a depletion region associated with the PMOS and NMOS transistor for absorbing electrons and holes caused by alien particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Chung-Jung Lee, Tong-Chern Ong
  • Patent number: 7193322
    Abstract: A strained-silicon (Si) channel CMOS device shallow trench isolation (STI) oxide region, and method for forming same have been provided. The method forms a Si substrate with a relaxed-SiGe layer overlying the Si substrate, or a SiGe on insulator (SGOI) substrate with a buried oxide (BOX) layer. The method forms a strained-Si layer overlying the relaxed-SiGe layer; a silicon oxide layer overlying the strained-Si layer, a silicon nitride layer overlying the silicon oxide layer, and etches the silicon nitride layer, the silicon oxide layer, the strained-Si layer, and the relaxed-SiGe layer, forming a STI trench with trench corners and a trench surface. The method forms a sacrificial oxide liner on the STI trench surface. In response to forming the sacrificial oxide liner, the method rounds and reduces stress at the STI trench corners, removes the sacrificial oxide liner, and fills the STI trench with silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7183594
    Abstract: A configurable gate array cell contains at least two doping zones of a different conduction type and a poly gate terminal. In a plan view representation of the gate array cell, the poly gate terminal, with at least one section, extends further than the doping zones at least partly in the horizontal direction, thereby enabling improved contact-connection to the adjacent cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Elisabeth Hartwig
  • Patent number: 7176076
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates semiconductor fabrication by providing methods of fabrication that selectively form high-k dielectric layers within NMOS regions. An I/O dielectric layer is formed in core and I/O regions of a semiconductor device (506). The I/O dielectric layer is removed (508) from the core region of the device. A core dielectric layer is formed in the core region (510). A barrier layer is deposited and patterned to expose the NMOS devices of the core region (512). The core dielectric layer is removed from the core NMOS devices (514). A high-k dielectric layer is formed (514) over the core and I/O regions. Then, the high-k dielectric layer is removed (512) from PMOS regions/devices of the core region and the NMOS and PMOS regions/devices of the I/O region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James Joseph Chambers, Mark Robert Visokay, Luigi Colombo
  • Patent number: 7176522
    Abstract: A method comprises forming a first semiconductor device in a substrate, where the first semiconductor device comprises a gate structure, a spacer disposed on sidewalls of the gate structure, the spacer having a first thickness, and raised source and drain regions disposed on either side of the gate structure. The method further comprises forming a second semiconductor device in the substrate and electrically isolated from the first semiconductor device, where the second semiconductor device comprises a gate structure, a spacer disposed on sidewalls of the gate structure, the spacer having a second thickness less than the first thickness of the spacer of the first semiconductor device, and recessed source and drain regions disposed on either side of the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shui-Ming Cheng, Hung-Wei Chen, Zhong Tang Xuan
  • Patent number: 7170115
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a plurality of CMOS-type base cells arranged on a semiconductor substrate and m wiring layers, and gate array type logic cells are composed of the base cells and the wiring layers. Wiring within and between the logic cells is constituted by using only upper n (n<m) wiring layers. It becomes possible to shorten a development period and reduce a development cost when a gate array type semiconductor integrated circuit device becomes large in scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Tokunaga, Shigeki Furuya, Yuuji Hinatsu
  • Patent number: 7170116
    Abstract: Well bias circuitry for selectively biasing the voltages of the well areas of an integrated circuit. In one embodiment, the well bias circuitry includes a switching cell located in a row of cells of the integrated circuit for selectively coupling a voltage supply line to a well bias line. The switching cell may include two level shifters, each for providing a voltage to a gate of a coupling transistor to make the coupling transistor non conductive in response to an enable signal. The switching cells may be sequentially coupled such that the coupling transistors of each of the switching cells are not made conductive at the same time so as to reduce inrush current due to changing the well bias from a well bias voltage to a supply voltage. In one example, the switching cells may include delay circuitry for delaying the change in state of the enable signal before being provided to the next switching cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher K. Y. Chun, Der Yi Sheu
  • Patent number: 7157751
    Abstract: The present invention realizes a display device having C-MOS p-Si TFTs which enable the high integration by reducing spaces for P-MOS TFTs and N-MOS TFTs in driving circuit or the like thereof. The present invention adopts a self-aligned C-MOS process which uses a half tone mask as an exposure mask for manufacturing the C-MOS p-Si TFTs mounted on the display device. With the use of the half tone mask, the alignment or positioning at a bonding portion between a P-MOS portion and an N-MOS portion becomes unnecessary and hence, the number of photolithography steps can be reduced and the high integration of C-MOS TFT circuits can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Sonoda, Toshiki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 7157338
    Abstract: A method for making a power device produces a power device comprising active cells having designs that vary depending on where they are located in the active area. Design variations include structural variations and variations in the material used to produce the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Zommer, Vladimir Tsukanov
  • Patent number: 7154136
    Abstract: Regions of an integrated circuit are isolated by a structure that includes at least one isolating trench on the periphery of an active area. The trench is deep, extending at least about 0.5 ?m into the substrate. The isolating structure prevents photons and electrons originating in peripheral circuitry from reaching the active area. Where the substrate has a heavily-doped lower layer and an upper layer on it, the trench can extend through the upper layer to the lower layer. A thermal oxide can be grown on the trench walls. A liner can also be deposited on the sidewalls of each trench. A fill material having a high-extinction coefficient is then deposited over the liner. The liner can also be light absorbent so that both the liner and fill material block photons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan G. Cole, Troy Sorensen
  • Patent number: 7138987
    Abstract: There is provided an input-output (I/O) protective circuit having more stable I/O protective function for use in the liquid crystal display device. An IO protective circuit includes: a resistance 13 provided between an I/O terminal pad 11 and an I/O primary stage thin film transistor 12, a wiring connecting the I/O terminal pad 11 with the resistance 13, and two I/O protective thin film transistors 14 connected in series between a ground terminal 20 and a power source terminal 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ekisho Sentan Gijutsu Kaihatsu Center
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakazaki
  • Patent number: 7132751
    Abstract: A memory includes an insulating layer; a plurality of spaced-apart semiconductor lines formed on the insulating layer; and a plurality of spaced-apart conductive gate lines formed on the insulating layer. Each of the gate lines is disposed to intersect the plurality of semiconductor lines at a plurality of intersections. The semiconductor lines include a plurality of body regions disposed at the intersections, with each of the body regions including a channel formed from a silicon carbide material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Peter L. D. Chang
  • Patent number: 7115920
    Abstract: A drive strength tunable FinFET, a method of drive strength tuning a FinFET, a drive strength ratio tuned FinFET circuit and a method of drive strength tuning a FinFET, wherein the FinFET has either at least one perpendicular and at least one angled fin or has at least one double-gated fin and one split-gated fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry Bernstein, Edward J. Nowak, BethAnn Rainey