Voltage Variable Capacitor (i. E., Capacitance Varies With Applied Voltage) Patents (Class 257/312)
  • Patent number: 7635833
    Abstract: An image sensor with an electronic neutral density filter. Each pixel of the image sensor is capable of being electronically adjusted such that the total charge integration is effectively changed by an amount of the adjustment. The adjustment uses a variable capacitor, here are paper wrapped are formed by an MOS transistor. The capacitor may be within each pixel, or may be shared between multiple pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Forza Silicon
    Inventor: Barmak Mansoorian
  • Patent number: 7619273
    Abstract: A varactor comprising a first layer separated from a second layer by an insulating layer, wherein the first layer is a first type of semiconductor material and the second layer is a second type of semiconductor material and the insulation layer is arranged to allow an accumulation region to be formed in the first layer and second layer when a positive bias is applied to the first layer and the second layer and a depletion region to be formed in the first layer and second layer when a negative bias is applied to the first layer and the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Niall K Kearney
  • Patent number: 7612400
    Abstract: An MIM device includes a lower electrode of a metal nitride film, a hysteresis film of an oxide film containing Nb formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode of a metal nitride film formed on the hysteresis film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Teruo Kurahashi, Hideharu Shido, Kenji Ishikawa, Takeo Nagata, Yasuyoshi Mishima, Yukie Sakita
  • Publication number: 20090250739
    Abstract: Device structures with hyper-abrupt p-n junctions, methods of forming hyper-abrupt p-n junctions, and design structures for an integrated circuit containing devices structures with hyper-abrupt p-n junctions. The hyper-abrupt p-n junction is defined in a SOI substrate by implanting a portion of a device layer to have one conductivity type and then implanting a portion of this doped region to have an opposite conductivity type. The counterdoping defines the hyper-abrupt p-n junction. A gate structure carried on a top surface of the device layer operates as a hard mask during the ion implantations to assist in defining a lateral boundary for the hyper-abrupt-n junction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Johnson, Alvin J. Joseph, Robert M. Rassel, Yun Shi
  • Patent number: 7592220
    Abstract: In accordance with the objectives of the invention a new method and structure is provided for the creation of a capacitor. A contact pad and a lower capacitor plate have been provided over a substrate. Under the first embodiment of the invention, a layer of etch stop material, serving as the capacitor dielectric is deposited after which a triple layer of passivation is created over a substrate. The compound passivation layer is first etched, using a fuse mask, to define and expose the capacitor dielectric and a fuse area after which the passivation layer is second etched to define and expose the contact pad. A layer of AlCu is then deposited, patterned and etched to create a capacitor upper plate and a contact interconnect over the contact pad. Under a second embodiment of the invention, a triple layer of passivation is created over a layer of etch stop material deposited over a substrate, a contact pad and a lower capacitor plate have been provided over the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuan Chang Lin, James Chiu
  • Patent number: 7579644
    Abstract: One or more on-chip VNCAP or MIMCAP capacitors utilize a variable MOS capacitor to improve the uniform capacitance value of the capacitors. This permits the production of silicon semiconductor chips on which are mounted capacitors having capacitive values that are precisely adjusted to be within a range of between about 1% and 5% of their design value. This optimization can be achieved by the use of a back-to-back connection between a pair of the variable MOS capacitors for DC decoupling. It involves the parallelization of on-chip BEOL capacitance of VNCAP and/or MIMCAP capacitors by the insertion in the FEOL of pairs of back-to-back variable MOS capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jonghae Kim, Moon J. Kim, Jean-Olivier Plouchart, Robert E. Trzcinski
  • Patent number: 7569912
    Abstract: An integrated circuit design for differential variable capacitors uses an integration method to integrate an integrated circuit having differential variable capacitors as a whole, and takes the parasitic effect into consideration for the manufacturing process to lower the circuit inaccuracy and reduce the chip size effectively. Such arrangement lowers the manufacturing cost, identifies the quality of loading quality of the overall variable capacitance during the manufacture, and further controls the quality of loading capacity of the overall variable capacitance effectively. Furthermore, this invention does not need to reposition for the symmetrical position of the coils, and thus giving a very precise positioning to reduce the level of difficulty for the manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bour-Yi Sze, Felix Kao, Chih-Long Ho
  • Patent number: 7560798
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor structure, which includes a non-planar varactor having a geometrically designed depletion zone with a taper, as to provide improved Cmax/Cmin with low series resistance. Because of the taper, the narrowest portion of the depletion zone can be designed to be fully depleted, while the remainder of the depletion zone is only partially depleted. The fabrication of semiconductor structure may follow that of standard FinFET process, with a few additional or different steps. These additional or different steps may include formation of a doped trapezoidal (or triangular) shaped silicon mesa, growing/depositing a gate dielectric, forming a gate electrode over a portion of the mesa, and forming a highly doped contact region in the mesa where it is not covered by the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7557400
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a MOS capacitor in which a drain region and a source region of a MOS structure are commonly connected, and a capacitance is formed between the commonly connected drain region/source region and a gate electrode of the MOS structure; and a wiring capacitor which has a first comb-shaped wiring that is formed on said MOS capacitor through an interlayer insulating film, is connected to the gate electrode of said MOS capacitor, and has projecting portions projecting like comb teeth and a second comb-shaped wiring that is formed on said MOS capacitor through the interlayer insulating film, is arranged across an inter-line insulating film from the first comb-shaped wiring, is connected to the drain region and source region, and has projecting portions projecting like comb teeth, wherein the projecting portions of the second comb-shaped wiring are arranged alternately with the projecting portions of the first comb-shaped wiring and arranged perpendicularly to a channel direction connecting t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Osamu Wada, Hiroaki Nakano, Hiroshi Ito, Toshimasa Namekawa, Atsushi Nakayama
  • Patent number: 7550820
    Abstract: This invention discloses a decoupling capacitor in an integrated circuit, comprising a plurality of dedicated PN diodes with a total junction area greater than one tenth of a total active area of functional devices for which the dedicated PN diodes are intended to protect, a N-type region of the dedicated PN diodes coupling to a positive supply voltage (Vdd), and a P-type region of the dedicated PN diodes coupling to a complimentary lower supply voltage (Vss), wherein the dedicated PN diodes are reversely biased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsien-Te Chen, Jen-Hang Yang, Chun-Hui Tai
  • Patent number: 7547939
    Abstract: An improved solution for performing switching, routing, power limiting, and/or the like in a circuit, such as a radio frequency (RF) circuit, is provided. A semiconductor device that includes at least two electrodes, each of which forms a capacitor, such as a voltage-controlled variable capacitor, with a semiconductor channel of the device is used to perform the desired functionality in the RF circuit. The device includes electrodes that can provide high power RF functionality without the use of ohmic contacts or requiring annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Grigory Simin, Michael Shur, Remigijus Gaska
  • Patent number: 7528468
    Abstract: A capacitor assembly (82) is formed on a substrate (20). The capacitor assembly a first conductive plate (38) and a second conductive plate (60) formed over the substrate such that the second conductive plate is separated from the first conductive plate by a distance. A conductive trace (40) is formed over the substrate that is connected to the first conductive plate and extends away from the capacitor assembly. A conductive shield (62) is formed over at least a portion of the conductive trace that is separated from the first and second conductive plates to control a fringe capacitance between the second conductive plate and the conductive trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew C. McNeil, Dubravka Bilic, Stephen R. Hooper
  • Publication number: 20090108320
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a design structure transistor that operates as a capacitor and an associated method of tuning capacitance within such a capacitor. The embodiments of the capacitor comprise a field effect transistor with front and back gates above and below a semiconductor layer, respectively. The capacitance value exhibited by the capacitor can be selectively varied between two different values by changing the voltage condition in a source/drain region of the transistor, e.g., using a switch or resistor between the source/drain region and a voltage supply. Alternatively, the capacitance value exhibited by the capacitor can be selectively varied between multiple different values by changing voltage conditions in one or more of multiple channel regions that are flanked by multiple source/drain regions within the transistor. The capacitor will exhibit different capacitance values depending upon the conductivity in each of the channel regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Corey K. Barrows, Joseph A. Iadanza, Edward J. Nowak, Douglas W. Stout, Mark S. Styduhar
  • Publication number: 20090057742
    Abstract: A varactor and method of fabricating the varactor. The varactor includes a silicon body in a silicon layer of an SOI substrate; a polysilicon electrode comprising a gate region and a plate region separated from the body by a gate dielectric layer, the gate and plate regions contiguous, the electrode electrically connected to a first pad; and a source formed in the body on a first side of the gate region, a drain formed in the body on a second and opposite side of the gate region, and a body contact formed in the body on a side of the plate region away from the gate region, the source, drain and body contact, separated from each other by regions of the body under the electrode, the source, drain and body contact electrically connected to each other and to a second pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Sungjae Lee, Scott keith Springer
  • Patent number: 7498219
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and fabrication methods are provided in which a capacitor dielectric is provided with phosphorus or other n-type dopants through implantation of other techniques to reduce the voltage coefficient of capacitance and/or the dielectric absorption of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Weidong Tian, Jozef Mitros, Victor Ivanov
  • Publication number: 20090045446
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device having a first active semiconductor component and a second active semiconductor component, the electrical connections of which are routed out of the semiconductor components in the form of connecting legs is disclosed. In one embodiment, the first semiconductor component is at least partially electrically connected to the second semiconductor component by means of a plug-in connection. The plug-in connection is realized by virtue of the connecting legs of the second semiconductor component engaging in the electrical connections of the first semiconductor component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventor: Ralf Otremba
  • Patent number: 7489004
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical variable capacitor has a first and a second electrode, and a dielectric region arranged on the first electrode. An intermediate electrode is arranged on the dielectric region. The first electrode is fixed and anchored to a substrate, and the second electrode includes a membrane movable with respect to the first electrode according to an external actuation, in particular an electrostatic force due to an actuation voltage applied between an actuation electrode and the first electrode. The second electrode is suspended over the intermediate electrode in a first operating condition, and contacts the intermediate electrode in a second operating condition; in particular, in the second operating condition, a short-circuit is established between the second electrode and the intermediate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Chantal Combi, Andrea Rusconi Clerici Beltrami, Benedetto Vigna
  • Patent number: 7485915
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a capacitor which includes a capacitor insulating film at least including a first insulating film and a ferroelectric film formed in contact with the first insulating film, containing a compound of a preset metal element and a constituent element of the first insulating film as a main component and having a dielectric constant larger than that of the first insulating film, a first capacitor electrode formed of one of Cu and a material containing Cu as a main component, and a second capacitor electrode formed to sandwich the capacitor insulating film in cooperation with the first capacitor electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hayato Nasu, Takamasa Usui, Hideki Shibata
  • Patent number: 7485916
    Abstract: A field effect device includes at least one segmented field plate, each of the at least one segmented field plates having a plurality of segments that each form a plate of a capacitor, wherein the field effect device is connected to an electronic element that dynamically connects selected segments to selectively set a gate-to-drain and a drain-to-source capacitance. An ultrasonic device includes a transducer coupled to a switching device that switches the transducer between a transmit mode and a receive mode switching device, wherein the switching device includes the field effect device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: NXP, B.V.
    Inventors: John Petruzzello, Theodore Letavic, Benoit Dufort
  • Publication number: 20080315277
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 1 includes MOS transistors 10 and 70 and a MOS varactor 20. The transistors 10 and 70 and the varactor 20 are formed in the same semiconductor substrate 30. The gate insulating films 15 and 75 of the transistors 10 and 70 are the thinnest gate insulating films in the gate insulating films of the transistor formed in the semiconductor substrate 30. The thickness of the gate insulating film 25 of the varactor 20 is larger than the thickness of the gate insulating films 15 and 75.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasutaka NAKASHIBA
  • Patent number: 7459747
    Abstract: The invention realizes a smaller-sized OTP memory cell and large reduction of its manufacturing process and cost. An embedded layer (BN+) to be a lower electrode of a capacitor is formed in a drain region of a cell transistor of an OTP memory, a capacitor insulation film having a small thickness where dielectric breakdown can occur by a predetermined voltage applied from a data line is formed on this embedded layer, and a conductive layer to be an upper electrode of a capacitor is formed on the capacitor insulation film and on a field oxide film. The embedded layer (BN+) partially overlaps a high concentration drain region (N+).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Obuchi
  • Patent number: 7459741
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device excellent in data holding characteristics even when a cell area is reduced is disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor memory device comprises a transistor including a source, a drain and a channel region disposed in a semiconductor substrate, and including a gate electrode disposed through a gate insulator on a surface of the semiconductor substrate of the channel region, a capacitor connected to the channel region, a first wiring line electrically connected to the gate electrode, and a second wiring line electrically connected to the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaru Kidoh, Hideaki Aochi, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito
  • Patent number: 7456464
    Abstract: It is an object to obtain a semiconductor device having such a structure that respective electrical characteristics of an insulated gate type transistor and an insulated gate type capacitance are not deteriorated and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. An NMOS transistor Q1 and a PMOS transistor Q2 which are formed in an NMOS formation region A1 and a PMOS formation region A2 respectively have P?pocket regions 17 and N?pocket regions 27 in vicinal regions of extension portions 14e and 24e of N+ source-drain regions 14 and P+source-drain regions 24, respectively. On the other hand, an N-type variable capacitance C1 and a P-type variable capacitance C2 which are formed in an N-type variable capacitance formation region A3 and a P-type variable capacitance formation region A4 respectively do not have a region of a reverse conductivity type which is adjacent to extraction electrode regions corresponding to the P?pocket regions 17 and the N?pocket regions 27.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Maeda, Hiroyuki Takashino, Toshihide Oka
  • Patent number: 7456459
    Abstract: The present invention discloses capacitors having via connections and electrodes designed such that they provide a low inductance path, thus reducing needed capacitance, while enabling the use of embedded capacitors for power delivery and other uses. One embodiment of the present invention discloses a capacitor comprising the following: a top capacitor electrode and a bottom capacitor electrode, wherein the top electrode is smaller than the bottom electrode, comprising, on all sides of the capacitor; in an array, a multiplicity of vias located on all sides of the top and bottom capacitor electrodes, wherein the top electrode and the vias connecting to the top electrode act as an inner conductor, and the bottom electrode and the vias connecting to the bottom electrode act as an outer conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventor: Lixi Wan
  • Patent number: 7453115
    Abstract: A capacitor structure having a dielectric layer disposed between two conductive electrodes, wherein the dielectric layer contains at least one charge trap site corresponding to a specific energy state. The energy states may be used to distinguish memory states for the capacitor structure, allowing the invention to be used as a memory device. A method of forming the trap cites involves an atomic layer deposition of a material at pre-determined areas in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cem Basceri, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7439819
    Abstract: Deterioration in frequency stability with time in a conventional piezoelectric oscillator using an accumulation type MOS capacitance element is improved. A P-channel transistor type or an N-channel transistor type is used as a MOS capacitance element in a variable capacitance circuit used in a piezoelectric oscillator. A bias voltage is applied between P-type or N-type extraction electrodes formed in source and drain regions and an N-type extraction electrode provided in an N-well region or a P-type extraction electrode provided in a P-well region. Instability in the MOS capacitance element with time is thus eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignees: Epson Toyocom Corporation, NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ohshima, Shigehisa Kurogo, Masayuki Ishikawa, Susumu Kurosawa, Yuki Fujimoto, Yasutaka Nakashiba
  • Patent number: 7436015
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit includes MOSFETs and MOS capacitors formed on the same substrate. Each of the MOS capacitors has a multiplicity of first electrodes formed in one region of the substrate, insulating layers formed on/above respective substrate regions between neighboring first electrodes, each layer covering at least the respective substrate region, and a multiplicity of second electrodes formed on/above the respective insulating layers. The MOS capacitors have improved frequency response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Toshimasa Tanaka, Hironori Oku
  • Publication number: 20080246071
    Abstract: A MOS varactor includes a shallow PN junction beneath the surface of the substrate of a MOS structure. In depletion mode, the depletion region of the MOS structure merges with the depletion region of the shallow PN junction. This increases the total width of the depletion region of the MOS varactor to reduce Cmin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Ltd.
    Inventors: Manju Sarkar, Purakh Raj Verma
  • Publication number: 20080237677
    Abstract: The semiconductor variable capacitor includes a capacitor including an n-well 16 formed in a first region of a semiconductor substrate 10, an insulating film 18 formed over the semiconductor substrate 10 and a gate electrode 20n formed above the n-well 16 with the insulating film 18 interposed therebetween; and a p-well 14 of a second conduction type formed in a second region adjacent to the first region of the semiconductor substrate 10. The gate electrode 20n has an end which is extended to the second region and formed above the p-well 14 with the insulating film 18 interposed therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Toshiro FUTATSUGI
  • Publication number: 20080237676
    Abstract: Disclosed is a varactor and/or variable capacitor. The varactor/variable capacitor includes a plurality of first conductive-type wells vertically formed on a substrate, a plurality of second conductive-type ion implantation areas formed in the first conductive-type wells, at least one second conductive-type plug electrically connected to the second conductive-type ion implantation areas, an isolation layer formed at sides of an uppermost second conductive-type ion implantation area, and a first conductive-type ion implantation area in an uppermost first conductive-type well electrically disconnected from the uppermost second conductive-type ion implantation area by the isolation area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Su Lim
  • Publication number: 20080203457
    Abstract: An insulated gate semiconductor device (30) includes a gate (34), a source terminal (36), a drain terminal (38) and a variable input capacitance at the gate. A ratio between the input capacitance (Cfiss) when the device is on and the input capacitance Ciiss when the device is off is less than two and preferably substantially equal to one. This is achieved in one embodiment of the invention by an insulation layer 32 at the gate having an effective thickness dins larger than a minimum thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: North-West University
    Inventors: Barend Visser, Ocker Cornelis De Jager
  • Patent number: 7417277
    Abstract: Conventional capacitors constituted of a FET incur degradation in frequency response. A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, an N-type FET, a P-type FET, and capacitors. The N-type FET includes N-type impurity diffusion layers, a P-type impurity-implanted region, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode. The P-type FET includes P-type impurity diffusion layers, an N-type impurity-implanted region, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode. The capacitor includes N-type impurity diffusion layers, an N-type impurity-implanted region, a capacitance insulating layer, and an upper electrode. The capacitor includes P-type impurity diffusion layers, a P-type impurity-implanted region, a capacitance insulating layer, and an upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ohkubo, Yasutaka Nakashiba
  • Publication number: 20080191260
    Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a first and a second varactor which are connected in an anti-series configuration. This connection is done such that a first, substantially electrically conductive region is present between a second region with dopant of a first conductivity type and a third region with dopant of the first conductivity type. The second and third regions comprise dopant that is distributed uniformly within the region. The first region is provided with or connected to a contact which has an AC resistance of at least 1 k?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Leonardus Cornelis Nicolaas De Vreede, Lis Karen Nanver, Koen Buisman
  • Publication number: 20080169495
    Abstract: The embodiments of the invention provide a structure, method, etc. for a fin differential MOS varactor diode. More specifically, a differential varactor structure is provided comprising a substrate with an upper surface, a first vertical anode plate, and a second vertical anode plate electrically isolated from the first vertical anode plate. Moreover, a semiconductor fin comprising a cathode is between the first vertical anode plate and the second vertical anode plate, wherein the semiconductor fin, the first vertical anode plate, and the second vertical anode plate are each positioned over the substrate and perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Bradley A. Orner, Edward J. Nowak, Robert M. Rassel
  • Publication number: 20080164507
    Abstract: An area-efficient gated diode includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an active region of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer proximate an upper surface thereof, and at least one trench electrode extending vertically through the active region and at least partially into the semiconductor layer. A first terminal of the gated diode is connected to the trench electrode, and a second terminal is connected to the active region. The gated diode is operative in one of at least first an second modes as a function of a voltage potential applied between the first and second terminals. The first mode is characterized by the creation of an inversion layer in the semiconductor layer surrounding the trench electrode. The gated diode has a first capacitance in the first mode and a second capacitance in the second mode, the first capacitance being greater than the second capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leland Chang, Robert H. Dennard, David M. Fried, Wing Kin Luk
  • Publication number: 20080157159
    Abstract: A metal-on-semiconductor varactor with a high value of Cmax/Cmin comprises a semiconductor bottom plate with an array of semiconductor pillars. The pillars may be in an accumulation mode to provide a high capacitance or in a depletion mode to provide a low capacitance. The maximum capacitance in an accumulation mode is primarily determined by the capacitance of the semiconductor pillars. The minimum capacitance in a depletion mode is primarily determined by a capacitor formed on an inter-pillar semiconductor surface between the semiconductor pillars. The minimum capacitance, and hence the value of Cmax/Cmin may be tuned by adjusting process parameters, design parameters and by alterations in the MOS varactor structure such as forming a highly doped semiconductor layer beneath the inter-pillar semiconductor surface or forming a plate insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terence B. Hook, Jae-Eun Park
  • Publication number: 20080149983
    Abstract: MOS varactor having an entire accumulation and depletion regime of its CV characteristic curve in one bias regime (negative or positive). The MOS varactor may comprise a gate electrode, a well region of semiconductor material having a first conductivity type (e.g., p-type), contact regions to the well region that comprise heavily doped semiconductor material of the first conductivity type (e.g., p+-type), and a Schottky junction formed between the gate and contact regions. The Schottky junction may be formed by spacing the contact regions away from the gate electrode and siliciding the substrate surface. The gate electrode may be formed from semiconductor material of a second conductivity type (e.g., n-type) opposite to the first conductivity type, thus changing the flat band voltage of the MOS varactor and shifting accumulation and depletion regime of the CV characteristic curve in one bias regime, such as the negative bias regime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Mark Rassel, Douglas Duane Coolbaugh, Zhong-Xiang He, Ebenezer E. Eshun, David S. Collins, Douglas Brian Hershberger
  • Patent number: 7388247
    Abstract: A high precision microelectromechanical capacitor with programmable voltage source includes a monolithic MEMS device having a capacitance actuator, a trim capacitor, and a high precision, programmable voltage source. The trim capacitor has a variable capacitance value, preferably for making fine adjustments in capacitance. The capacitance actuator is preferably mechanically coupled to and electrically isolated from the trim capacitor and is used to control the capacitance value of the trim capacitor. The capacitance adjustment of the trim capacitor is non-destructive and may be repeated indefinitely. The trim capacitor may be adjusted by mechanically changing the distance between its electrodes. The programmable voltage source provides a highly accurate and stable output voltage potential corresponding to control signals for controlling the capacitance actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Isaac Lagnado, Paul R. de la Houssaye
  • Patent number: 7388248
    Abstract: A capacitor structure having a dielectric layer disposed between two conductive electrodes, wherein the dielectric layer contains at least one charge trap site corresponding to a specific energy state. The energy states may be used to distinguish memory states for the capacitor structure, allowing the invention to be used as a memory device. A method of forming the trap cites involves an atomic layer deposition,of a material at pre-determined areas in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cem Basceri, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7382014
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a capacitor includes a lower electrode, a dielectric and an upper electrode on the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer including more than one polycrystalline tantalum oxide layer and more than one separation layer, wherein the polycrystalline tantalum oxide layers and the separation layers are alternately stacked, while one of the polycrystalline tantalum oxide layers is a lowermost layer among the stacked layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinpei Iijima
  • Patent number: 7378739
    Abstract: A capacitor including a polysilicon layer doped with impurities to be conductive, a first dielectric layer formed on the polysilicon layer, a first conductive layer formed on the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer formed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer formed on the first dielectric layer. The second conductive layer is coupled to the polysilicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-Kyu Kwak, Keum-Nam Kim
  • Patent number: 7375376
    Abstract: A semiconductor display device with an interlayer insulating film in which surface levelness is ensured with a limited film formation time, heat treatment for removing moisture does not take long, and moisture in the interlayer insulating film is prevented from escaping into a film or electrode adjacent to the interlayer insulating film. A TFT is formed and then a nitrogen-containing inorganic insulating film that transmits less moisture compared to organic resin film is formed so as to cover the TFT. Next, organic resin including photosensitive acrylic resin is applied and an opening is formed by partially exposing the organic resin film to light. The organic resin film where the opening is formed, is then covered with a nitrogen-containing inorganic insulating film which transmits less moisture than organic resin film does.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Satoshi Murakami, Masahiko Hayakawa, Kiyoshi Kato, Mitsuaki Osame, Takashi Hirosue, Saishi Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20080111176
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a transistor that operates as a capacitor and an associated method of tuning capacitance within such a capacitor. The embodiments of the capacitor comprise a field effect transistor with front and back gates above and below a semiconductor layer, respectively. The capacitance value exhibited by the capacitor can be selectively varied between two different values by changing the voltage condition in a source/drain region of the transistor, e.g., using a switch or resistor between the source/drain region and a voltage supply. Alternatively, the capacitance value exhibited by the capacitor can be selectively varied between multiple different values by changing voltage conditions in one or more of multiple channel regions that are flanked by multiple source/drain regions within the transistor. The capacitor will exhibit different capacitance values depending upon the conductivity in each of the channel regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Corey K. Barrows, Joseph A. Iadanza, Edward J. Nowak, Douglas W. Stout, Mark S. Styduhar
  • Patent number: 7368775
    Abstract: A single transistor planar DRAM memory cell with improved charge retention and reduced current leakage and a method for forming the same, the method including providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate dielectric on the semiconductor substrate; forming a pass transistor structure adjacent a storage capacitor structure on the gate dielectric; forming sidewall spacer dielectric portions adjacent either side of the pass transistor to include covering a space between the pass transistor and the storage capacitor; forming a photoresist mask portion covering the pass transistor and exposing the storage capacitor; and, carrying out a P type ion implantation and drive in process to form a P doped channel region in the semiconductor substrate underlying the storage capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Mu Huang, Mingchu King, Yun Chang
  • Publication number: 20080079051
    Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor varactor may be formed with HALO implants regions having an opposite polarity from the polarity of the well of the varactor. The HALO implant regions can be angled away from the source and drain. The HALO implant regions can stop the depletion from continuing as the bias voltage applied to the gate continues to increase. Stopping that depletion can create a constant capacitance when the varactor is in a depletion bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Luo Yuan, Derchang Kau, Wei-Kai Shih, Shafqat Ahmed, Brian K. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 7342314
    Abstract: The present invention provides a device having a useful structure which is arranged on a substrate and has a useful structure side edge. In addition, an auxiliary structure is arranged on the substrate adjacent to the useful structure, the auxiliary structure having an auxiliary structure side edge, wherein the useful structure side edge is opposite to the auxiliary structure side edge separated by a distance, and wherein the auxiliary structure useful structure distance is dimensioned such that a form of the useful structure side edge or a form of the substrate next to the useful structure side edge differs from a form in a device where there is no auxiliary structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jens Bachmann, Klaus Goller, Dirk Grueneberg, Reiner Schwab
  • Patent number: 7342276
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, including: a semiconductor material; a conductive element; and a substantially monocrystalline insulator disposed between the semiconductor material and the conductive element and substantially lattice matched to the semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Ooms, Jerald A. Hallmark
  • Patent number: 7339238
    Abstract: It is an object to obtain a semiconductor device including a capacitance having a great Q-value. In an SOI substrate comprising a support substrate (165), a buried oxide film (166) and an SOI layer (171), an isolating oxide film 167 (167a to 167c) is selectively formed in an upper layer portion of the SOI layer (171) with a part of the SOI layer (171) remaining as a P? well region (169). Consequently, an isolation (partial isolation) structure is obtained. An N+ diffusion region (168) is formed in the SOI layer (171) between the isolating oxide films (167a) and (167b) and a P+ diffusion region (170) is formed in the SOI layer (171) between the isolating oxide films (167b) and (167c). Consequently, there is obtained a junction type variable capacitance (C23) having a PN junction surface of the P? well region (169) provided under the isolating oxide film (167b) and the N+ diffusion region (168).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Maeda, Takashi Ipposhi, Yuuichi Hirano
  • Publication number: 20080048236
    Abstract: Provided is a parallel-varactor capacitor. The capacitor comprises a first varactor and a second varactor. The first varactor has a first capacitance which varies depending on voltages applied to a first anode and a first cathode. The second varactor has a second capacitance which varies depending on voltages applied to a second anode and a second cathode. The first anode is connected to the second cathode and the first cathode is connected to the second anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventor: Seyeob Kim
  • Patent number: 7326990
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first hydrogen barrier film, a capacitor device formed on the first hydrogen barrier film, and a second hydrogen barrier film formed to cover the capacitor device. The first and second hydrogen barrier films each contain at least one common type of atoms for allowing the first and second hydrogen barrier films to adhere to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Mikawa, Yuji Judai, Toshie Kutsunai