Of Capacitor (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.008)
  • Patent number: 8569819
    Abstract: A metal oxide first electrode layer for a MIM DRAM capacitor is formed wherein the first and/or second electrode layers contain one or more dopants up to a total doping concentration that will not prevent the electrode layers from crystallizing during a subsequent anneal step. One or more of the dopants has a work function greater than about 5.0 eV. One or more of the dopants has a resistivity less than about 1000 ??cm. Advantageously, the electrode layers are conductive molybdenum oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangxin Rui, Hiroyuki Ode
  • Patent number: 8569820
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a capacitor plate includes a plurality of first parallel conductive members, and a plurality of second parallel conductive members disposed over the plurality of first parallel conductive members. A first base member is coupled to an end of the plurality of first parallel conductive members, and a second base member is coupled to an end of the plurality of second parallel conductive members. A connecting member is disposed between the plurality of first parallel conductive members and the plurality of second parallel conductive members, wherein the connecting member includes at least one elongated via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Barth, Erwin Ruderer, Alexander Von Glasow, Philipp Riess, Erdem Kaltalioglu, Peter Baumgartner, Thomas Benetik, Helmut Horst Tews
  • Publication number: 20130277799
    Abstract: An example of a capacitor includes a series of ridges and trenches and an interconnect region on the integrated circuit substrate. The series of ridges and trenches and the interconnect region have a capacitor foundation surface with a serpentine cross-sectional shape on the series of ridges and trenches. Electrical conductors are electrically connected to the electrode layers from the interconnect region for access to the electrode layers of the capacitor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Hung Chen, Kuang-Yeu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20130277798
    Abstract: A method and structures are provided for implementing semiconductor signal-capable capacitors with deep trench and Through-Silicon-Via (TSV) technologies. A deep trench N-well structure is formed and an implant is provided in the deep trench N-well structure with a TSV formed in a semiconductor chip. At least one angled implant is created around the TSV in a semiconductor chip. The TSV is surrounded with a dielectric layer and filled with a conducting material which forms one electrode of the capacitor. A connection is made to one implant forming a second electrode to the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Philip R. Germann, John E. Sheets, II
  • Patent number: 8564094
    Abstract: Metal-insulator-metal capacitors with a bottom electrode including at least two portions of a metal nitride material. At least one of the portions of the metal nitride material includes a different material than another portion. Interconnects including at least two portions of a metal nitride material are also disclosed, at least one of the portions of the metal nitride material are formed from a different material than another portion of the metal nitride material. Methods for fabricating such MIM capacitors and interconnects are also disclosed, as are semiconductor devices including such MIM capacitors and interconnects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yongjun Jeff Hu
  • Patent number: 8563391
    Abstract: A method for forming a metal-insulator-metal capacitor in a multilevel semiconductor device utilizes the copper interconnect levels of the semiconductor device as parts of the capacitor. A lower capacitor plate consists of a copper interconnect level and a first metal layer formed on the copper interconnect level by selective deposition methods. The upper capacitor plate includes the same pattern as the capacitor dielectric, the pattern having an area less than the area of the lower capacitor plate. The upper capacitor plate is formed of a second metal layer. The first and second metal layers may each be formed of cobalt, tungsten, nickel, molybdenum, or a combinations of one of the aforementioned elements with boron and/or phosphorus. Conductive vias provide contact from the upper capacitor plate and lower capacitor plate, to interconnect levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chun-Hong Chen, Minghsing Tsai
  • Publication number: 20130270620
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure that includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; a shallow trench isolation (STI) feature formed in the semiconductor substrate. The STI feature includes a first portion disposed in the first region and having a first thickness T1 and a second portion disposed in the second region and having a second thickness T2 greater than the first depth, the first portion of the STI feature being recessed from the second portion of the STI feature. The semiconductor structure also includes a plurality of fin active regions on the semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of conductive features disposed on the fin active regions and the STI feature, wherein one of the conductive features covers the first portion of the STI feature in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Hsin Hu, Sun-Jay Chang
  • Publication number: 20130270671
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate a capacitor array arranged on a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor array includes an array of unit capacitors arranged in a series of rows and columns. An interconnect structure couples unit capacitors of the array to establish a plurality of capacitor elements. The respective capacitor elements have different numbers of unit capacitors and different corresponding capacitances. In establishing the plurality of capacitor elements, the interconnect structure couples unit capacitors of the array in substantially identical sub-arrays tiled over the semiconductor substrate. Other methods and devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Ting Lu, Chih-Chiang Chang
  • Patent number: 8558294
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate formed with an active element, an oxidation resistant film formed over the semiconductor substrate so as to cover the active element, a ferroelectric capacitor formed over the oxidation resistance film, the ferroelectric capacitor having a construction of consecutively stacking a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode, and an interlayer insulation film formed over the oxidation resistance film so as to cover the ferroelectric capacitor, wherein there are formed, in the interlayer insulation film, a first via-plug in a first contact hole exposing the first electrode and a second via-plug in a second contact hole exposing the lower electrode, and wherein there is formed another conductive plug in the interlayer insulation film in an opening exposing the oxidation resistant film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Naoya Sashida
  • Patent number: 8557673
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a capacitor structure is provided, which includes the steps of: on a substrate having a first oxide layer, (a) forming a first suspension layer on the first oxide layer; (b) forming a first shallow trench into the first oxide layer above the substrate; (c) forming a second oxide layer filling the first shallow trench; (d) forming a second suspension layer on the second oxide layer; (e) forming a second shallow trench through the second suspension layer into the second oxide layer above the first suspension layer; (f) forming at least one deep trench on the bottom surface of the second shallow trench through the second and the first oxide layers, (g) forming an electrode layer on the inner surface of the deep trench; and (h) removing the first and second oxide layers through the trench openings in the first and the second suspension layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Inotera Memories, Inc.
    Inventors: Shin-Bin Huang, Cheng-Yeh Hsu, Chung-Lin Huang
  • Patent number: 8557672
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus may include one or more insulator layers having a refractory metal and a non-refractory metal for use in a variety of electronic systems and devices. Embodiments can include electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus having a tantalum aluminum oxynitride film. The tantalum aluminum oxynitride film may be structured as one or more monolayers. The tantalum aluminum oxynitride film may be formed using atomic layer deposition. Metal electrodes may be disposed on a dielectric containing a tantalum aluminum oxynitride film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Forbes, Kie Y. Ahn, Arup Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 8551836
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an insulating film over a semiconductor substrate, forming a capacitor including a lower electrode, a capacitor dielectric film including a ferroelectric material, and an upper electrode over the insulating film, forming a first protective insulating film over a side surface and upper surface of the capacitor by a sputtering method, and forming a second protective insulating film over the first protective insulating film by an atomic layer deposition method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Wensheng Wang
  • Patent number: 8551857
    Abstract: The technique for manufacturing a high-capacitance and high-accuracy MIM electrostatic capacitor by a small number of steps is provided. After a lower electrode of the electrostatic capacitor and second wiring are formed at the same time on a first interlayer insulating film, an opening part is formed in a second interlayer insulating film deposited on the first interlayer insulating film. Next, a capacitance insulating film, a second metal film and a protective metal film are sequentially deposited on the second interlayer insulating film including the interior of the opening part, and the protective metal film, the second metal film and the capacitance insulating film on the second interlayer insulating film are polished and removed by a CMP method, thereby causing the capacitance insulating film, an upper electrode made of the second metal film and the protective metal film to remain in the opening part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Imamura, Tsuyoshi Fujiwara, Toyohiko Kuno
  • Patent number: 8551856
    Abstract: Methods are provided for forming a capacitor. In one embodiment, a method comprises providing an insulator material layer over a substrate, etching at least one via in the insulator material layer and depositing a contact material fill in the at least one via to form a first set of contacts. The method further comprises etching the insulator material layer adjacent at least one contact of the first set of contacts to form at least one void, depositing a dielectric material layer over the at least one void and over the first set of contacts and depositing a contact material fill in the at least void to form a second set of contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Rennie, Thomas J. Knight
  • Publication number: 20130256836
    Abstract: A package for a use in a package-on-package (PoP) device. The package includes a substrate, a polymer layer formed on the substrate, a first via formed in the polymer layer, and a material disposed in the first via to form a first passive device. The material may be a high dielectric constant dielectric material in order to form a capacitor or a resistive material to form a resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ching-Wen Hsiao, Chen-Shien Chen
  • Publication number: 20130256834
    Abstract: Back-side MOM/MIM structures are integrated on a device with front-side circuitry. Embodiments include forming a substrate having a front side and a back side that is opposite the front side, the substrate including circuitry on the front side of the substrate; and forming a metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitor, a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, or a combination thereof on the back side of the substrate. Other embodiments include forming a through-silicon via (TSV), in the substrate, connecting the MOM capacitor, the MIM capacitor, or a combination thereof to the circuitry on the front side of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Juan Boon TAN, Yeow Kheng Lim, Shao Ning Yuan, Soh Yun Siah, Shunqiang Gong
  • Publication number: 20130256835
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of non-planar capacitor. The non-planar capacitor can comprise a plurality of fins above a semiconductor substrate. Each fin can comprise at least an insulator section on the semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor section, which has essentially uniform conductivity, stacked above the insulator section. A gate structure can traverse the center portions of the fins. This gate structure can comprise a conformal dielectric layer and a conductor layer (e.g., a blanket or conformal conductor layer) on the dielectric layer. Such a non-planar capacitor can exhibit a first capacitance, which is optionally tunable, between the conductor layer and the fins and a second capacitance between the conductor layer and the semiconductor substrate. Also disclosed herein are method embodiments, which can be used to form such a non-planar capacitor and which are compatible with current state of the art multi-gate non-planar field effect transistor (MUGFET) processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Di Sarro, Robert J. Gauthier, JR., Tom C. Lee, Junjun Li, Souvick Mitra, Christopher S. Putnam
  • Patent number: 8546232
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has memory cell portions and compensation capacitance portions on a single substrate. The memory cell portion and the compensation capacitance portion have mutually different planar surface areas. The memory cell portion and the compensation capacitance portion include capacitance plate electrodes of the same structure. The capacitance plate electrode has a laminated structure including a boron-doped silicon germanium film and a metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Sako
  • Publication number: 20130252397
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a capacitor structure is provided, which includes the steps of: on a substrate having a first oxide layer, (a) forming a first suspension layer on the first oxide layer; (b) forming a first shallow trench into the first oxide layer above the substrate; (c) forming a second oxide layer filling the first shallow trench; (d) forming a second suspension layer on the second oxide layer; (e) forming a second shallow trench through the second suspension layer into the second oxide layer above the first suspension layer; (f) forming at least one deep trench on the bottom surface of the second shallow trench through the second and the first oxide layers, (g) forming an electrode layer on the inner surface of the deep trench; and (h) removing the first and second oxide layers through the trench openings in the first and the second suspension layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: INOTERA MEMORIES, INC.
    Inventors: SHIN-BIN HUANG, CHENG-YEH HSU, CHUNG-LIN HUANG
  • Publication number: 20130249052
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method of fabricating the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, the structure includes a first substrate having a buried plate or plates in the substrate. Each buried plate includes at least one buried plate contact, and a plurality of deep trench capacitors disposed about the at least one buried plate contact. A first oxide layer is disposed over the first substrate. The deep trench capacitors and buried plate contacts in the first substrate may be accessed for use in a variety of memory and decoupling applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jennifer E. Appleyard, John E. Barth, JR., John B. DeForge, Herbert L. Ho, Babar A. Khan, Kirk D. Peterson, Andrew A. Turner
  • Patent number: 8541828
    Abstract: Methods for depositing high-K dielectrics are described, including depositing a first electrode on a substrate, wherein the first electrode is chosen from the group consisting of platinum and ruthenium, applying an oxygen plasma treatment to the exposed metal to reduce the contact angle of a surface of the metal, and depositing a titanium oxide layer on the exposed metal using at least one of a chemical vapor deposition process and an atomic layer deposition process, wherein the titanium oxide layer includes at least a portion of rutile titanium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Hashim, Edward L. Haywood, Sandra G. Malhotra, Xiangxin Rui, Sunil Shanker
  • Patent number: 8541867
    Abstract: A structure includes a first metallic electrode, a dielectric film formed over the first metallic electrode, and a second metallic electrode formed over the dielectric film. The second metallic electrode includes an oxygen scavenging material. The oxygen scavenging material is selected such that an oxygen density decreases in a region between the first metallic electrode and the second metallic electrode responsive to elevating a temperature of the first metallic electrode, the dielectric film, and the second metallic electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Martin M. Frank
  • Publication number: 20130244394
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a capacitor includes: forming a first silicon layer over a semiconductor substrate, where the first silicon layer is doped with a dopant; forming an undoped second silicon layer over the first silicon layer; forming an opening by etching the second silicon layer and the first silicon layer; forming a storage node in the opening; and removing the first silicon layer and the second silicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Beom-Yong KIM, Kee-Jeung LEE, Yun-Hyuck JI, Seung-Mi LEE, Jae-Hyoung KOO, Kwan-Woo DO, Kyung-Woong PARK, Ji-Hoon AHN, Woo-Young PARK
  • Patent number: 8536676
    Abstract: The present invention is drawn to an MMIC capacitor comprising a dielectric material interposed between a metal top plate and a metal bottom plate; and a passivation layer having the composition of the dielectric material and applied to the capacitor components such that thickness of the layer eliminates a corona effect. The invention also includes a method for passivating a layer of SiN material onto a top plate having a thickness sufficient to reduce a corona effect dependent on an applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin L. Robinson
  • Patent number: 8536678
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor die having a substrate with a front side and a back side includes fabricating openings for through substrate vias on the front side of the semiconductor die. The method also includes depositing a first conductor in the through substrate vias, depositing a dielectric on the first conductor and depositing a second conductor on the dielectric. The method further includes depositing a protective insulator layer on the back side of the substrate covering the through substrate vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matthew Michael Nowak, Shiqun Gu
  • Patent number: 8536636
    Abstract: An RF switch to controllably withstand an applied RF voltage Vsw, or a method of fabricating such a switch, which includes a string of series-connected constituent FETs with a node of the string between each pair of adjacent FETs. The method includes controlling capacitances between different nodes of the string to effectively tune the string capacitively, which will reduce the variance in the RF switch voltage distributed across each constituent FET, thereby enhancing switch breakdown voltage. Capacitances are controlled, for example, by disposing capacitive features between nodes of the string, and/or by varying design parameters of different constituent FETs. For each node, a sum of products of each significant capacitor by a proportion of Vsw appearing across it may be controlled to approximately zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Mark Englekirk
  • Publication number: 20130221482
    Abstract: A capacitor suitable for inclusion in a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first metallization level, a capacitor dielectric, a capacitor plate, an interlevel dielectric layer, and a second metallization level. The first metallization level overlies the substrate and includes a first metallization plate overlying a capacitor region of the substrate. The capacitor dielectric overlies the first metallization plate and includes a dielectric material such as a silicon oxide or silicon nitride compound. The capacitor plate is an electrically conductive structure that overlies the capacitor dielectric. The interlevel dielectric overlies the capacitor plate. The second metallization layer overlies the interlevel dielectric layer and may include a second metallization plate and a routing element. The routing element may be electrically connected to the capacitor plate. The metallization plates may include a fingered structure that includes a plurality of elongated elements extending from a cross bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Xu Cheng, Todd C. Roggenbauer, Jiang-Kai Zuo
  • Publication number: 20130207232
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices having capacitors are provided. The semiconductor device includes spiral storage nodes disposed on a semiconductor substrate to vertically extend along spiral lines, a dielectric layer on the spiral storage nodes, and a plate node formed on the dielectric layer of the spiral storage nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Hyung Ju JIN
  • Patent number: 8507344
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method for forming the semiconductor device includes forming one or more buried gates in a semiconductor substrate, forming a landing plug between the buried gates, forming a bit line region exposing the landing plug over the semiconductor substrate, forming a glue layer in the bit line region, forming a bit line material in the bit line region, and removing the glue layer formed at inner sidewalls of the bit line region, and burying an insulation material in a part where the glue layer is removed. A titanium nitride (TiN) film formed at sidewalls of the damascene bit line is removed, so that resistance of the bit line is maintained and parasitic capacitance of the bit line is reduced, resulting in the improvement of device characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Chan Woo Kim
  • Publication number: 20130200482
    Abstract: A method for formation of a shallow trench isolation (STI) in an active region of a device comprising trench capacitive elements, the trench capacitive elements comprising a metal plate and a high-k dielectric includes etching a STI trench in the active region of the device, wherein the STI trench is directly adjacent to at least one of the metal plate or high-k dielectric of the trench capacitive elements; and forming an oxide liner in the STI trench, wherein the oxide liner is formed selectively to the metal plate or high-k dielectric, wherein forming the oxide liner is performed at a temperature of about 600° C. or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sunfei FANG, Oleg GLUSCHENKOV, Byeong Y. KIM, Rishikesh KRISHNAN, Daewon YANG
  • Publication number: 20130200489
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices having capacitor arrays and methods of forming the same. A semiconductor device is formed including a capacitor array. The capacitor array includes a plurality of operational capacitors formed along a diagonal of the capacitor array. The capacitor array also includes a plurality of dummy capacitors formed substantially symmetrically about the plurality of operational capacitors in the capacitor array. A first operational capacitor is formed at a first edge of the capacitor array. Each one of the plurality of operational capacitors is electrically coupled to a non-adjacent other one of the plurality of operational capacitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Feng HUANG, Chia-Chung CHEN
  • Publication number: 20130200490
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include a capacitor structure and a method for forming a capacitor structure. An embodiment is a structure comprising a conductor-insulator-conductor capacitor on a substrate. The conductor-insulator-conductor capacitor comprises a first conductor on the substrate, a dielectric stack over the first conductor, and a second conductor over the dielectric stack. The dielectric stack comprises a first nitride layer, a first oxide layer over the first nitride layer, and a second nitride layer over the first oxide layer. A further embodiment is a method comprising forming a first conductor on a substrate; forming a first nitride layer over the first conductor; treating the first nitride layer with a first nitrous oxide (N2O) treatment to form an oxide layer on the first nitride layer; forming a second nitride layer over the oxide layer; and forming a second conductor over the second nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tai-Chun Lin, Wen-Tsao Chen, Chih-Ho Tai, Ming-Ray Mao, Kuan-Chi Tsai
  • Patent number: 8501505
    Abstract: In embodiments of the current invention, methods of combinatorial processing and a test chip for use in these methods are described. These methods and test chips enable the efficient development of materials, processes, and process sequence integration schemes for semiconductor manufacturing processes. In general, the methods simplify the processing sequence of forming devices or partially formed devices on a test chip such that the devices can be tested immediately after formation. The immediate testing allows for the high throughput testing of varied materials, processes, or process sequences on the test chip. The test chip has multiple site isolated regions where each of the regions is varied from one another and the test chip is designed to enable high throughput testing of the different regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Guarav Verma, Tony P. Chiang, Imran Hashim, Sandra G. Malhotra, Prashant B. Phatak, Kurt H. Weiner
  • Patent number: 8501268
    Abstract: A method of forming a material over a substrate includes performing at least one iteration of the following temporally separated ALD-type sequence. First, an outermost surface of a substrate is contacted with a first precursor to chemisorb a first species onto the outermost surface from the first precursor. Second, the outermost surface is contacted with a second precursor to chemisorb a second species different from the first species onto the outermost surface from the second precursor. The first and second precursors include ligands and different central atoms. At least one of the first and second precursors includes at least two different composition ligands. The two different composition ligands are polyatomic or a lone halogen. Third, the chemisorbed first species and the chemisorbed second species are contacted with a reactant which reacts with the first species and with the second species to form a reaction product new outermost surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhe Song, Chris M. Carlson
  • Publication number: 20130193499
    Abstract: A device comprises a semiconductor substrate having first and second implant regions of a first dopant type. A gate insulating layer and a gate electrode are provided above a resistor region between the first and second implant regions. A first dielectric layer is on the first implant region. A contact structure is provided, including a first contact portion conductively contacting the gate electrode, at least part of the first contact portion directly on the gate electrode. A second contact portion directly contacts the first contact portion and is formed directly on the first dielectric layer. A third contact portion is formed on the second implant region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chung-Hui CHEN
  • Publication number: 20130193555
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a capacitor within a trench in a workpiece, the capacitor comprising a bottom electrode, a dielectric layer disposed over the bottom electrode, and a top electrode disposed over the dielectric layer. A cap layer is formed over the capacitor. Forming the capacitor and forming the cap layer comprise optimizing at least one of: a width of the trench, a thickness of the bottom electrode, a thickness of the dielectric layer, a thickness of the top electrode, and a thickness of the cap layer, so that the cap layer completely covers the top electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Chi Tu
  • Patent number: 8497565
    Abstract: In a disclosed embodiment, a stacked capacitor (100) has bottom, middle and top metal electrode layers (141A, 141B, 141C) interleaved with dielectric layers (142A, 142B) conformally disposed within holes (140A, 140B, 140C) in a protective overcoat or backend dielectric layer (110) over a top metal layer (115) of an integrated circuit (105). A top electrode (155) contacts the top metal electrode layer (141C). A bottom electrode (150) electrically couples an isolated part of the top metal electrode layer (141C) through a bottom electrode via (165A) to a first contact node (135A) in the top metal layer (115) which is in contact with the bottom metal electrode layer (141A). A middle electrode (160) electrically couples a part of the middle metal electrode layer (141B) not covered by the top metal layer (115) through a middle electrode via (165B) to a second contact node (135B) in the top metal electrode layer (115).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Byron Lovell Willaims, Maxwell Walthour Lippitt, III, Betty Mercer, Scott Montgomery, Binghua Hu
  • Patent number: 8497566
    Abstract: A method of forming a capacitor includes forming a conductive first capacitor electrode material comprising TiN over a substrate. TiN of the TiN-comprising material is oxidized effective to form conductive TiOxNy having resistivity no greater than 1 ohm·cm over the TiN-comprising material where x is greater than 0 and y is from 0 to 1.4. A capacitor dielectric is formed over the conductive TiOxNy. Conductive second capacitor electrode material is formed over the capacitor dielectric. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated, including capacitors independent of method of fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishwanath Bhat, Noel Rocklein, F. Daniel Gealy
  • Patent number: 8492817
    Abstract: An improved trench structure, and method for its fabrication are disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention provide a trench in which the collar portion has an air gap instead of a solid oxide collar. The air gap provides a lower dielectric constant. Embodiments of the present invention can therefore be used to make higher-performance devices (due to reduced parasitic leakage), or smaller devices, due to the ability to use a thinner collar to achieve the same performance as a thicker collar comprised only of oxide (with no air gap). Alternatively, a design choice can be made to achieve a combination of improved performance and reduced size, depending on the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Anne Marie Ebert, Johnathan E. Faltermeier
  • Publication number: 20130181325
    Abstract: A discrete Through-Assembly Via (TAV) module includes a substrate, and vias extending from a surface of the substrate into the substrate. The TAV module is free from conductive features in contact with one end of each of the conductive vias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hua Chen, Chen-Shien Chen, Ching-Wen Hsiao
  • Publication number: 20130181269
    Abstract: A device comprises a semiconductor substrate having first and second implant regions and an electrode above and between the first and second implant regions of a first dopant type. A contact structure is in direct contact with the first and second implant regions and the electrode. A third implant region has a second dopant type different from the first dopant type. A bulk contact is provided on the third implant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chung-Hui CHEN
  • Publication number: 20130181191
    Abstract: An electronic device including a bio-polymer material and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The electronic device of the present invention comprises: a substrate; a first electrode disposed on the substrate; a bio-polymer layer disposed on the first electrode, wherein the bio-polymeric material is selected from a group consisting of wool keratin, collagen hydrolysate, gelatin, whey protein and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose; and a second electrode disposed on the biopolymer material layer. The present invention is suitable for various electronic devices such as an organic thin film transistor, an organic floating gate memory, or a metal-insulator-metal capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Jenn-Chang Hwang, Chao-Ying Hsieh, Lung-Kai Mao, Chun-Yi Lee, Li-Shiuan Tsai, Cheng-Lung Tsai, Wei-Cheng Chung, Ping-Chiang Lyu
  • Patent number: 8486780
    Abstract: A metal oxide first electrode layer for a MIM DRAM capacitor is formed wherein the first and/or second electrode layers contain one or more dopants up to a total doping concentration that will not prevent the electrode layers from crystallizing during a subsequent anneal step. One or more of the dopants has a work function greater than about 5.0 eV. One or more of the dopants has a resistivity less than about 1000 ?? cm. Advantageously, the electrode layers are conductive molybdenum oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangxin Rui, Hiroyuki Ode
  • Patent number: 8486801
    Abstract: A fabricating method of a DRAM structure includes providing a substrate comprising a memory array region and a peripheral region. A buried gate transistor is disposed within the memory array region, and a planar gate transistor is disposed within the peripheral region. Furthermore, an interlayer dielectric layer covers the memory array region, the buried gate transistor and the planar gate transistor. Then, a capping layer of the planar gate transistor and part of the interlayer dielectric layer are removed simultaneously so that a first contact hole, a second contact hole and a third contact hole are formed in the interlayer dielectric layer. A drain doping region of the buried gate transistor is exposed through the first contact hole, a doping region of the planar gate transistor is exposed through the second contact hole, and a gate electrode of the planar gate transistor is exposed through the third contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Inotera Memories, Inc.
    Inventors: Tzung-Han Lee, Chung-Lin Huang, Ron Fu Chu
  • Patent number: 8487369
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of first trenches formed inside a plurality of active regions; a plurality of buried gates configured to partially fill insides of the plurality of the first trenches; a plurality of second trenches formed to be extended in a direction crossing the plurality of the buried gates; and a plurality of buried bit lines configured to fill the plurality of the second trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Su-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 8486799
    Abstract: A dielectric layer is formed in the surface of an anode body which is composed of a sintered body, a semiconductor layer composed of an electrically-conductive polymer is formed on the dielectric layer, and then an electric conductor layer is formed on the semiconductor layer with an electrically-conductive paste which contains a dispersant to obtain a solid electrolytic capacitor element: The electric conductor layer of the solid electrolytic capacitor element is electrically connected to a cathode terminal using the electrically-conductive paste which contains a dispersant, and the anode body is electrically connected to an anode terminal through a lead wire by welding. The solid electrolytic capacitor element connected to the terminals is immersed in a solvent, and then the solid electrolytic capacitor element is encapsulated with a resin to obtain a solid electrolytic capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventor: Kazumi Naito
  • Publication number: 20130175665
    Abstract: A trench structure that in one embodiment includes a trench present in a substrate, and a dielectric layer that is continuously present on the sidewalls and base of the trench. The dielectric layer has a dielectric constant that is greater than 30. The dielectric layer is composed of tetragonal phase hafnium oxide with silicon present in the grain boundaries of the tetragonal phase hafnium oxide in an amount ranging from 3 wt. % to 20 wt. %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael P. Chudzik, Bachir Dirahoui, Rishikesh Krishnan, Siddarth A. Krishnan, Oh-jung Kwon, Paul C. Parries, Hongwen Yan
  • Publication number: 20130175589
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has at least two active regions, each having at least one active device that includes a gate electrode layer, and a shallow trench isolation (STI) region between the active regions. A decoupling capacitor comprises first and second dummy conductive patterns formed in the same gate electrode layer over the STI region. The first and second dummy conductive regions are unconnected to any of the at least one active device. The first dummy conductive pattern is connected to a source of a first potential. The second dummy conductive pattern is connected to a source of a second potential. A dielectric material is provided between the first and second dummy conductive patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chung-Hui CHEN
  • Patent number: 8482009
    Abstract: A method of forming a SOI substrate, diodes in the SOI substrate and electronic devices in the SOI substrate and an electronic device formed using the SOI substrate. The method of forming the SOI substrate includes forming an oxide layer on a silicon first substrate; ion-implanting hydrogen through the oxide layer into the first substrate, to form a fracture zone in the substrate; forming a doped dielectric bonding layer on a silicon second substrate; bonding a top surface of the bonding layer to a top surface of the oxide layer; thinning the first substrate by thermal cleaving of the first substrate along the fracture zone to form a silicon layer on the oxide layer to formed a bonded substrate; and heating the bonded substrate to drive dopant from the bonding layer into the second substrate to form a doped layer in the second substrate adjacent to the bonding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Walter Dyer, Junedong Lee, Dominic J. Schepis
  • Publication number: 20130171797
    Abstract: A method of forming a multi-component dielectric layer on the surface of a substrate by atomic layer deposition includes injecting a cocktail source of a plurality of sources at least having a cyclopentadienyl ligand, wherein the cocktail source is adsorbed on a surface of a substrate by injecting the cocktail source, performing a first purge process to remove a non-adsorbed portion of the cocktail source, injecting a reactant to react with the adsorbed cocktail source, wherein a multi-component layer is formed by the reaction between the reactant and the absorbed cocktail source, and performing a second purge process to remove reaction byproducts and an unreacted portion of the reactant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Kyung-Woong PARK, Kee-Jeung LEE, Jae-Hyoung KOO, Kwan-Woo DO, Ji-Hoon AHN, Woo-Young PARK