Static Random Access Memory Structures (sram) (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.661)
  • Publication number: 20090258471
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates semiconductor device fabrication by providing mechanisms for utilizing different isolation schemes within embedded memory and other logic portions of a device. The isolation mechanism of the embedded memory portion is improved relative to other portions of the device by increasing dopant concentrations or reducing the depth of the dopant profiles within well regions of the embedded memory array. As a result, smaller isolation spacing can be employed thereby permitting a more compact array. The isolation mechanism of the logic portion is relatively less than that of the embedded memory portion, which permits greater operational speed for the logic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
  • Patent number: 7598134
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells and peripheral devices. At least some of the individual memory cells include carbonated portions that contain SiC. At least some of the peripheral devices do not include any carbonated portions. A transistor includes a first source/drain, a second source/drain, a channel including a carbonated portion of a semiconductive substrate that contains SiC between the first and second sources/drains and a gate operationally associated with opposing sides of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 7598544
    Abstract: Hybrid carbon nanotube FET (CNFET), static ram (SRAM) and method of making same. A static ram memory cell has two cross-coupled semiconductor-type field effect transistors (FETs) and two nanotube FETs (NTFETs), each having a channel region made of at least one semiconductive nanotube, a first NTFET connected to the drain or source of the first semiconductor-type FET and the second NTFET connected to the drain or source of the second semiconductor-type FET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Nanotero, Inc.
    Inventors: Claude L. Bertin, Mitchell Meinhold, Steven L. Konsek, Thomas Rueckes, Frank Guo
  • Patent number: 7598141
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a static random access memory device includes selectively removing an insulating film and growing a single crystalline silicon layer using selective epitaxy growth, the single crystalline silicon layer being grown in a portion from which the insulating film is removed; recessing the insulating film; and depositing an amorphous silicon layer on the single crystalline silicon layer and the insulating film, such that the amorphous silicon layer partially surrounds a top surface and side surfaces of the single crystalline silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Hoon Lee, Sang-Jin Park, Won-Seok Yoo, Kong-Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 7598542
    Abstract: SRAM devices and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed, by which a process margin and a degree of device integration are enhanced by reducing the number of contact holes of an SRAM device unit cell using local interconnections. A disclosed example device includes first and second load elements; first and second drive transistors; a common gate electrode connected in one body to a gate electrode of the first load element and a gate electrode of the first drive transistor to apply a sync signal to the gate electrodes; the common gate electrode overlapping with a junction layer of the second load element and a junction layer region of the second drive transistor; the common gate electrode being electrically connected to an upper line via a plug in one contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ahn Heui Gyun
  • Publication number: 20090244954
    Abstract: A digital logic storage structure includes cross coupled first and second complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) inverters formed on a semiconductor substrate, the CMOS inverters including a first storage node and a second storage node that is the logical complement of the first storage node; both of the first and second storage nodes each selectively coupled to a deep trench capacitor through a switching transistor, with the switching transistors controlled by a common capacitance switch line coupled to gate conductors thereof; wherein, in a first mode of operation, the switching transistors are rendered nonconductive so as to isolate the deep trench capacitors from the inverter storage nodes and, in a second mode of operation, the switching transistors are rendered conductive so as to couple the deep trench capacitors to their respective storage nodes, thereby providing increased resistance of the storage nodes to single event upsets (SEUs).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Ethan H. Cannon, Toshiharu Furukawa, David Horak, Charles W. Koburger, III, Jack A. Mandelman
  • Patent number: 7592268
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes: forming a plurality of gate lines on a substrate by performing an etching process; forming an oxide layer on the gate lines and the substrate by employing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method; and sequentially forming a buffer oxide layer and a nitride layer on the oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Ki-Won Nam, Kyung-Won Lee
  • Publication number: 20090218631
    Abstract: Conductive stripes laterally abutting the dielectric lines are formed over a thin semiconductor layer on a gate dielectric. Angled halo ion implantation is performed to implant p-type dopants on the side of the drains of pull-down transistors and a first source/drain region of each pass gate transistor. The dielectric lines are removed and the pattern of the conductive stripes is transferred into the semiconductor layer to form gate electrodes. The resulting pass gate transistors are asymmetric transistors have a halo implantation on the side of the first source/drain regions, while the side of a second source/drain regions does not have such a halo implantation. As such, the pass gate transistors provide enhanced readability, writability, and stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Huilong Zhu, Qingqing Liang
  • Publication number: 20090194824
    Abstract: By providing a body controlled double channel transistor, increased functionality in combination with enhanced stability may be accomplished. For instance, flip flop circuits usable for static RAM cells may be formed on the basis of the body controlled double channel transistor, thereby reducing the number of transistors required per cell, which may result in increased information density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventor: Frank Wirbeleit
  • Publication number: 20090189227
    Abstract: A SRAM bit cell and an associated method of producing the SRAM bit cell with improved performance and stability is provided. In one configuration, channel mobility of the transistors within the SRAM bit cell may be adjusted to provide improved stability. In order to adjust the channel mobility, a stress memorization technique may be used, a wide spacer may be used, germanium may be implanted on tensile stress silicon nitride, a compressive liner may be used or silicon germanium may be embedded in one or more of the devices in the cell. In another configuration, the gate capacitance of each device within the SRAM bit cell may be adjusted to achieve high SRAM yield. For instance, a thick gate oxide may be used, phosphorous pre-doping may be used or fluorine pre-doping may be used in one or more of the devices within the cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: TOSHIBA AMERICA ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Katsura Miyashita
  • Patent number: 7566613
    Abstract: A memory gain cell for a memory circuit, a memory circuit formed from multiple memory gain cells, and methods of fabricating such memory gain cells and memory circuits. The memory gain cell includes a storage device capable of holding a stored electrical charge, a write device, and a read device. The read device includes a fin of semiconducting material, electrically-isolated first and second gate electrodes flanking the fin, and a source and drain formed in the fin adjacent to the first and the second gate electrodes. The first gate electrode is electrically coupled with the storage device. The first and second gate electrodes are operative for gating a region of the fin defined between the source and the drain to thereby regulate a current flowing from the source to the drain. When gated, the magnitude of the current is dependent upon the electrical charge stored by the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, Mark Charles Hakey, David Vaclav Horak, Charles William Koburger, III, Mark Eliot Masters, Peter H. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 7564093
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises static random access memory (SRAM) cells formed in a semiconductor substrate, first deep trenches isolating each boundary of an n-well and a p-well of the SRAM cells, second deep trenches isolating the SRAM cells into each unit bit cell, and at least one or more contacts taking substance voltage potentials in regions isolated by the first and second deep trenches. Then, the device becomes possible to improve a soft error resistance without increasing the device in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Satoshi Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20090173971
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a memory cell having source/drain regions for defining source/drains of a first pull-up or pull-down (PU/PD) transistor for a first storage node, a second PU/PD transistor for a second storage node, and driver, cell pass, and buffer pass transistors. The memory cell includes a first gate electrode region for the first PU/PD and driver transistors, a second gate electrode region for the cell pass and buffer pass transistors, and a third gate electrode region for the second PU/PD transistor. The third gate electrode region and the cell pass transistor are coupled to the first storage node and the first gate electrode region is coupled to the second storage node. The buffer pass and driver transistors are coupled to a source/drain path of the cell pass transistor and the buffer pass transistor is coupled between a bitline (BL) node and the driver transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Theodore Warren Houston, Xiaowei Deng
  • Publication number: 20090166680
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, a method includes forming N-diffusion and P-diffusion fins in a semiconductor substrate. A P-diffusion gate layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate and removed from the N-diffusion fins. A pass-gate N-diffusion gate layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate and removed from the P-diffusion fins and pull-down N-diffusion fins. A pull-down N-diffusion layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Ravi Pillarisetty, Suman Datta, Jack Kavalieros, Brian S. Doyle, Uday Shah
  • Patent number: 7554163
    Abstract: A first semiconductor region has a smaller width along a gate length direction than a second semiconductor region. In this case, the first semiconductor region has a larger width along a gate width direction than the second semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamada, Atsuhiro Kajiya, Satoshi Ishikura
  • Patent number: 7550344
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a lower hydrogen-barrier film; a capacitor formed on the lower hydrogen-barrier film and including a lower electrode, a capacitive insulating film, and an upper electrode; an interlayer dielectric film formed so as to cover the periphery of the capacitor; and an upper hydrogen-barrier film covering the top and lateral portions of the capacitor. An opening, which exposes the lower hydrogen-barrier film where the lower hydrogen-barrier film is located around the capacitor, and which is tapered and flares upward, is formed in the interlayer dielectric film, and the upper hydrogen-barrier film is formed along the lateral and bottom faces of the opening, and is in contact with the lower hydrogen-barrier film in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toyoji Ito, Eiji Fujii, Kazuo Umeda
  • Publication number: 20090152641
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a first n-type transistor; a first p-type transistor; a first wiring layer having a first interconnecting portion for connecting a drain of the first n-type transistor and a drain of the first p-type transistor; and a second wiring layer having a first conductive portion electrically connected to the first interconnecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
    Inventor: Narumi Ohkawa
  • Publication number: 20090134464
    Abstract: A static random access memory at least includes: pluralities of transistors disposed on a substrate, each transistor at least includes a gate, a gate dielectric layer, a source doped region and a drain doped region, in which some of the source doped regions are used for connecting with a Vss voltage or a Vdd voltage, and a salicide layer disposed on the gates, the source doped regions except those source doped regions used for connecting a Vss voltage and a Vdd voltage and the drain doped regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Chung-Li Hsiao
  • Patent number: 7535751
    Abstract: A dual-port SRAM cell structure includes a first inverter area where a first inverter is constructed on a semiconductor substrate; a second inverter area where a second inverter is constructed on the semiconductor substrate, the first and second inverters being cross-coupled to form one or more data stage nodes for latching a value; and a first pass gate transistor area where a first write port pass gate transistor and a first read port pass gate transistor share a first oxide defined region for balancing device performances thereof. The first write port pass gate transistor and the first read port pass gate transistor are coupled to the data storage nodes for selectively reading or writing a value therefrom or thereinto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Taiwan Semioconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huai-Ying Huang, Forst Hung, Feng-Ming Chang
  • Publication number: 20090108373
    Abstract: Techniques for combining transistors having different threshold voltage requirements from one another are provided. In one aspect, a semiconductor device comprises a substrate having a first and a second nFET region, and a first and a second pFET region; a logic nFET on the substrate over the first nFET region; a logic pFET on the substrate over the first pFET region; a SRAM nFET on the substrate over the second nFET region; and a SRAM pFET on the substrate over the second pFET region, each comprising a gate stack having a metal layer over a high-K layer. The logic nFET gate stack further comprises a capping layer separating the metal layer from the high-K layer, wherein the capping layer is further configured to shift a threshold voltage of the logic nFET relative to a threshold voltage of one or more of the logic pFET, SRAM nFET and SRAM pFET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Martin M. Frank, Arvind Kumar, Vijay Narayanan, Jeffrey Sleight
  • Publication number: 20090108372
    Abstract: A planar pass gate NFET is designed with the same width as a planar pull-down NFET. To optimize a beta ratio between the planar pull-down NFET and an adjoined planar pass gate NFET, the threshold voltage of the planar pass gate NFET is increased by providing a different high-k metal gate stack to the planar pass gate NFET than to the planar pull-down NFET. Particularly, a threshold voltage adjustment dielectric layer, which is formed over a high-k dielectric layer, is preserved in the planar pass gate NFET and removed in the planar pull-down NFET. The combined NFET active area for the planar pass gate NFET and the planar pull-down NFET is substantially rectangular, which enables a high fidelity printing of the image of the combined NFET active area by lithographic means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiangdong Chen, Shang-Bin Ko, Dae-Gyu Park
  • Publication number: 20090108374
    Abstract: Hybrid SRAM circuit, hybrid SRAM structures and method of fabricating hybrid SRAMs. The SRAM structures include first and second cross-coupled inverters coupled to first and second pass gate devices. The pull-down devices of the inverters are FinFETs while the pull-up devices of the inverters and the pass gate devices are planar FETs or pull-down and pull-up devices of the inverters are FinFETs while the pass gate devices are planar FETs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert C. Wong, Haining Sam Yang
  • Publication number: 20090098695
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit includes the steps of providing a substrate having a semiconductor surface, forming a gate dielectric and a plurality of gate electrodes thereon in both NMOS and PMOS regions using the surface. A multi-layer offset spacer stack including a top layer and a compositionally different bottom layer is formed and the multi-layer spacer stack is etched to form offset spacers on sidewalls of the gate electrodes. The transistors designed to utilize a thinner offset spacer are covered with a first masking material, and transistors designed to utilize a thicker offset spacer are patterned and first implanted. At least a portion of the top layer is removed to leave the thinner offset spacers on sidewalls of the gate electrodes. The transistors designed to utilize the thicker offset spacer are covered with a second masking material, and the transistors designed to utilize the thinner offset spacer are patterned and second implanted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Shashank Ekbote, Deborah J. Riley, Borna Obradovic
  • Publication number: 20090098694
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit includes the steps of providing a substrate having a semiconductor surface, forming a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor surface and a polysilicon layer on the gate dielectric layer. The polysilicon layer is patterned while being undoped to form a plurality of polysilicon comprising gates. A first pattern is used to protect a plurality of PMOS devices and a first n-type implant is performed to dope the gates and source/drain regions for a plurality of NMOS devices. A second pattern is used to protect the PMOS devices and the sources/drains and gates for a portion of the plurality of NMOS devices and a second n-type implant is performed to dope the gates of the other NMOS devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Shashank Ekbote, Borna Obradovic, Greg C. Baldwin
  • Publication number: 20090086528
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for a back gated static random access memory (SRAM) cell are provided. One method embodiment for operating an SRAM cell includes applying a potential to a back gate of a pair of cross coupled p-type pull up transistors in the SRAM during a write operation. The method includes applying a ground to the back gate of the pair of cross coupled p-type pull up transistors during a read operation. The charge stored on a pair of cross coupled storage nodes of the SRAM is coupled to a front gate and a back gate of a pair of cross coupled n-type pull down transistors in the SRAM during the write operation and during a read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Hussein I. Hanafi
  • Patent number: 7512017
    Abstract: An apparatus including a first diffusion formed on a substrate, the first diffusion including a pair of channels, each of which separates a source from a drain; a second diffusion formed on the substrate, the second diffusion including a channel that separates a source from a drain; a first gate electrode formed on the substrate, wherein the first gate electrode overlaps one of the pair of channels on the first diffusion to form a pass-gate transistor; and a second gate electrode formed on the substrate, wherein the second gate electrode overlaps one of the pair of channels of the first diffusion to form a pull-down transistor and overlaps the channel of the second diffusion to form a pull-up transistor, and wherein the pass-gate, pull-down and pull-up transistors are of at least two different constructions. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Peter L. D. Chang
  • Patent number: 7488639
    Abstract: In order to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device such as a high-performance semiconductor integrated circuit device capable of reducing a soft error developed in each memory cell of a SRAM, the surface of a wiring of a cross-connecting portion, of a SRAM memory cell having a pair of n-channel type MISFETs whose gate electrodes and drains are respectively cross-connected, is formed in a shape that protrudes from the surface of a silicon oxide film. A silicon nitride film used as a capacitive insulating film, and an upper electrode are formed on the wiring. A capacitance can be formed of the wiring, the silicon nitride film and the upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Akio Nishida, Yasuko Yoshida, Shuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7486543
    Abstract: In an asymmetrical SRAM device, and a method of manufacturing the same, the asymmetrical SRAM device includes a semiconductor substrate on which a plurality of unit cell regions are defined, and a plurality of active regions formed in each of the unit cell regions of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the active regions of each unit cell region are a mirror image of active regions of an adjacent one of the plurality of unit cell regions with respect to a boundary line between the adjacent unit cell regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-woong Kang, Jong-hyon Ahn
  • Patent number: 7476944
    Abstract: Static random access memories (SRAMs) include a semiconductor substrate having a buried insulator in a predetermined portion of the semiconductor substrate and a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) region including a semiconductor layer on the buried insulator. A flip-flop circuit is in the SOI region and a pass transistor connected to the flip-flop circuit is on a bulk region of the semiconductor substrate. The bulk region of the semiconductor substrate is a separate region from the SOI region. The flip-flop circuit may include at least two CMOS inverters and the pass transistor may be a plurality of pass transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-wook Lee
  • Publication number: 20080308847
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit device that includes a plurality of MuGFETs is disclosed. A PMOS fin of a MuGFET is formed on a substrate. The PMOS fin includes a channel of a first surface of a first crystal orientation. A NMOS fin of another MuGFET is formed on the substrate. The NMOS fin includes a channel on the substrate at one of 0° and 90° to the PMOS fin and includes a second surface of a second crystal orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Weize XIONG, Cloves Rinn Cleavelin, Angelo Pinto, Rick L. Wise
  • Patent number: 7465643
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes subjecting a semiconductor substrate to thermal treatment at a temperature ranging from 770 to 830° C. to fix channel ions then forming a HTO film. The method thereby prevents a threshold voltage of a gate from changing due to diffusion of channel ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Dae Young Kim
  • Publication number: 20080305623
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a method of processing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece, the workpiece comprising a material layer to be patterned disposed thereon. A hard mask is formed over the material layer. A first pattern is formed in the hard mask and an upper portion of the material layer using a first etch process. A second pattern is formed in the hard mask and the upper portion of the material layer using a second etch process, the second pattern being different than the first pattern. The first pattern and the second pattern are formed in a lower portion of the material layer using a third etch process and using the hard mask as a mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Haoren Zhuang, Helen Wang, Len Yuan Tsou, Scott D. Halle
  • Patent number: 7449741
    Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) cell structure at least comprising a substrate, a transistor, an upper electrode and a capacitor dielectric layer. A device isolation structure is set up in the substrate to define an active region. The active region has an opening. The transistor is set up over the active region of the substrate. The source region of the transistor is next to the opening. The upper electrode is set up over the opening such that the opening is completely filled. The capacitor dielectric layer is set up between the upper electrode and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: United Microeletronic Corp.
    Inventors: Tzung-Han Lee, Kuang-Pi Lee, Wen-Jeng Lin, Rern-Hurng Larn
  • Patent number: 7445980
    Abstract: The present invention is a CMOS SRAM cell comprising two access devices, each access device comprised of a tri-gate transistor having a single fin; two pull-up devices, each pull-up device comprised of a tri-gate transistor having a single fin; and two pull-down devices, each pull-down device comprised of a tri-gate transistor having multiple fins. A method for manufacturing the CMOS SRAM cell, including the dual fin tri-gate transistor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Suman Datta, Brian S. Doyle, Robert S. Chau, Jack Kavalieros, Bo Zheng, Scott A. Hareland
  • Patent number: 7439580
    Abstract: A trench type top drain MOSgated device has a drain electrode on the die top and a source electrode on the die bottom surface. The device is turned on by a control voltage connected between a drain and a gate region. The device cell has a body short trench and a gate trench. Gate poly is disposed in the bottom of the gate trench and is disposed adjacent a thin gate oxide lining a channel region with minimum overlap of the drain drift region. The bottom of the body short trench contains a contact which shorts the body region to the channel region. The body short, top drain region and gate polysilicon are simultaneously silicided. The gate trench is widened at its top to improve Qgd characteristics. Both the body short trench and gate trench are simultaneously filled with gap fill material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Kinzer, David Paul Jones, Kyle Spring
  • Publication number: 20080246094
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a gate dielectric layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate; a gate conductive layer doped with impurities selected from nitrogen, carbon, silicon, germanium, fluorine, oxygen, helium, neon, xenon or a combination thereof on the gate dielectric layer; and source/drain doped regions formed adjacent to the gate conductive layer in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the source and drain doped regions are substantially free of the impurities doped into the gate conductive layer. These impurities reduce the diffusion rates of the N-type of P-type dopants in the gate conductive layer, thereby improving the device performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Jhon Jhy Liaw, Chih-Hung Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7432562
    Abstract: The invention includes SRAM constructions comprising at least one transistor device having an active region extending into a crystalline layer comprising Si/Ge. A majority of the active region within the crystalline layer is within a single crystal of the crystalline layer, and in particular aspects an entirety of the active region within the crystalline layer is within a single crystal of the crystalline layer. The SRAM constructions can be formed in semiconductor on insulator assemblies, and such assemblies can be supported by a diverse range of substrates, including, for example, glass, semiconductor substrates, metal, insulative materials, and plastics. The invention also includes electronic systems comprising SRAM constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arup Bhattacharyya
  • Publication number: 20080239827
    Abstract: A string of nonvolatile memory cells are formed with control gates extending between floating gates, control gates and floating gates separated by tunnel dielectric layers. Electron tunneling between control gates and floating gates is used for programming. A process for forming a memory array forms odd numbered floating gates from a first layer and even numbered floating gates from a second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Nima Mokhlesi
  • Patent number: 7425744
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to different methods and systems relating to design and implementation of memory cells such as, for example, static random access memory (SRAM) cells. In one embodiment, a memory cell may include a first layer of conductive material and a second layer of conductive material. The first layer may include a first gate region and a first interconnect region, and the second layer of conductive material may include a second gate region and a second interconnect region. It will be appreciated that the various techniques described herein for using multiple layers of conductive material to form interconnect regions and/or gate regions of memory cells provides extra degrees of freedom in fine tuning memory cell parameters such as, for example, oxide thickness, threshold voltage, maximum allowed gate voltage, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Nima Mokhlesi, Jeffrey Lutze
  • Publication number: 20080220572
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and memory cells are formed using silicon rich barrier layers to prevent diffusion of dopants from differently doped polysilicon films to overlying conductive layers or to substrates. A polycilicide gate electrode structure may be formed using the silicon rich barrier layers. Methods of forming the semiconductor devices and memory cells are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sanh Dang Tang, Chris Braun, Farrell M. Good
  • Patent number: 7417302
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first insulation layer on the substrate is patterned to form a first opening having a first width. A lower electrode is formed along an inner contour of the first opening. A second insulation layer on the first insulation layer is patterned to form a second opening that has a second width greater than the first width and is connected to the first opening with a stepped portion. A dielectric layer is formed on the lower electrode in the first opening, a sidewall of the second opening and a first stepped portion between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer, so that the electrode layer is covered with the dielectric layer. An upper electrode is formed on the dielectric layer. Accordingly, a leakage current between the lower and upper electrodes is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Woo Lee, Hong-Jae Shin, Jeong-Hoon Ahn, Seung-Man Choi, Byung-Jun Oh, Yoon-Hae Kim
  • Publication number: 20080191282
    Abstract: A circuit array includes a plurality cells, wherein each cell has at least one group of odd fins. The cells may be arranged in a repeating pattern that includes mirror images of the pattern. A plurality of fin forming regions are provided about which the fins are formed for the dual fin and single fin transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGST
    Inventors: Florian Bauer, Klaus Von Arnim
  • Patent number: 7408231
    Abstract: In an integrated circuit device, there are various optimum gate lengths, thickness of gate oxide films, and threshold voltages according to the characteristics of circuits. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device in which the circuits are integrated on the same substrate, the manufacturing process is complicated in order to set the circuits to the optimum values. As a result, in association with deterioration in the yield and increase in the number of manufacturing days, the manufacturing cost increases. In order to solve the problems, according to the invention, transistors of high and low thresholds are used in a logic circuit, a memory cell uses a transistor of the same high threshold voltage and a low threshold voltage transistor, and an input/output circuit uses a transistor having the same high threshold voltage and the same concentration in a channel, and a thicker gate oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Koichiro Ishibashi, Kenichi Osada
  • Publication number: 20080179682
    Abstract: A circuit includes a plurality of first MuGFET devices supported by a substrate and having a first performance level. A plurality of second MuGFET devices is supported by the substrate and have a second performance level. The first and second devices in one embodiment are arranged in separate areas that facilitate different processing of the first and second devices to tailor their performance characteristics. In one embodiment, the circuit is an SRAM having pull down transistors with higher performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Florian Bauer, Christian Pacha
  • Publication number: 20080157221
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device for decreasing a chip area by changing a connecting structure of pull up transistors and pull down transistors are disclosed. The semiconductor device can include pull up and pull down transistors including a first pull down transistor, a first pull up transistor, a second pull up transistor and a second pull down transistor, the first pull down transistor, the first pull up transistor, the second pull up transistor and the second pull down transistor being sequentially arranged in a series form on a SRAM, and line type contacts and metal lines formed on the respective pull up and pull down transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: Yong-Geun Lee
  • Patent number: 7384839
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an SRAM cell with reduced leakage is disclosed. The method comprises fabricating asymmetrical transistors in the SRAM cell. The transistors are asymmetrical in a manner that reduces the drain leakage current of the transistors. The fabrication of asymmetrical pass transistors comprises forming a dielectric region on a surface of a substrate having a first conductivity type. A gate region having a length and a width is formed on the dielectric region. Source and drain extension regions having a second conductivity type are formed in the substrate on opposite sides of the gate region. A first pocket impurity region having a first concentration and the first conductivity type is formed adjacent the source. A second pocket impurity region having a second concentration and the first conductivity type may be formed adjacent the drain. If formed, the second concentration is smaller than the first concentration, reducing the gate induced drain leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
  • Patent number: 7382026
    Abstract: A contact connected to a word line is formed on a gate electrode of an access transistor of an SRAM cell. The contact passes through an element isolation insulating film to reach an SOI layer. A body region of a driver transistor and that of the access transistor are electrically connected with each other through the SOI layer located under the element isolation insulating film. Therefore, the access transistor is in a DTMOS structure having the gate electrode connected with the body region through the contact, which in turn is also electrically connected to the body region of the driver transistor. Thus, operations can be stabilized while suppressing increase of an area for forming the SRAM cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hirano, Takashi Ipposhi, Shigeto Maegawa, Koji Nii
  • Publication number: 20080122004
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device can include a first chip having transistors of only the NMOS type, a second chip having transistors of only the PMOS type, and an interconnection electrically connecting the first and second chips to each other. By forming NMOS and PMOS transistors on separate chips, the total number of implant photo processes can be decreased, thereby reducing the fabrication cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventor: JIN HA PARK
  • Patent number: 7378309
    Abstract: A method of fabricating local interconnect on a silicon-germanium 3D CMOS includes fabricating an active silicon CMOS device on a silicon substrate. An insulator layer is deposited on the silicon substrate and a seed window is opened through the insulator layer to the silicon substrate and to a silicon CMOS device gate. A germanium thin film is deposited on the insulator layer and into windows, forming a contact between the germanium thin film and the silicon device. The germanium thin film is encapsulated in a dielectric material. The wafer is heated at a temperature sufficient to flow the germanium, while maintaining the other layers in a solid condition. The wafer is cooled to solidify the germanium as single crystal germanium and as polycrystalline germanium, which provides local interconnects. Germanium CMOS devices may be fabricated on the single crystal germanium thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Paul J. Schuele, Sheng Teng Hsu, Jer-Shen Maa
  • Patent number: 7375401
    Abstract: A semiconductor thin film is formed having a lateral growth region which is a collection of columnar or needle-like crystals extending generally parallel with a substrate. The semiconductor thin film is illuminated with laser light or strong light having equivalent energy. As a result, adjacent columnar or needle-like crystals are joined together to form a region having substantially no grain boundaries, i.e., a monodomain region which can substantially be regarded as a single crystal. A semiconductor device is formed by using the monodomain region as an active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Akiharu Miyanaga, Jun Koyama, Takeshi Fukunaga