Total Dielectric Isolation Patents (Class 438/295)
  • Patent number: 9412789
    Abstract: A memory device includes a first plurality of memory cells arranged in a first crossbar array, a first thickness of dielectric material overlying the first plurality of memory cells, and a second plurality of memory cells arranged in a second crossbar array overlying the first thickness of dielectric material. The memory device further includes a second thickness of dielectric material overlying the second plurality of memory cells. In a specific embodiment, the memory device further includes a Nth thickness of dielectric material overlying an Nth plurality of memory cells, where N is an integer ranging from 3 to 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Crossbar, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Brad Herner
  • Patent number: 9224606
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including reentrant isolation structures and a method for making such a device. A preferred embodiment comprises a substrate of semiconductor material forming at least one isolation structure having a reentrant profile and isolating one or more adjacent operational components. The reentrant profile of the at least one isolation structure is formed of substrate material and is created by ion implantation, preferably using oxygen ions applied at a number of different angles and energy levels. In another embodiment the present invention is a method of forming an isolation structure for a semiconductor device performing at least one oxygen ion implantation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Hua Yu, Chen-Nan Yeh, Chu-Yun Fu, Ding-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 9154126
    Abstract: An output driver circuit is provided. In accordance with various example embodiments, an output driver circuit includes a high-side driver circuit having transistors coupled in anti-series between a power source and an output node, and a low-side driver circuit having transistors coupled in anti-series between the output node and ground. For each transistor, a diode is connected between the source and drain of the transistor, with the diodes of the respective high-side and low-side circuits being arranged to prevent/mitigate the flow of current in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Gustaaf Nierop, Clemens Gerhardus Johannes de Haas, Luc Van Dijk
  • Patent number: 9006070
    Abstract: Methods of making an integrated circuit are disclosed. An embodiment method includes etching a trench in a silicon substrate, depositing a first layer of isolation material in the trench, the first layer of isolation material projecting above surface of the silicon substrate, capping the first layer of isolation material by depositing a second layer of isolation material, the second layer of isolation material extending along at least a portion of sidewalls of the first layer of isolation material, epitaxially-growing a silicon layer upon the silicon substrate, the silicon layer horizontally adjacent to the second layer of isolation material, and forming a gate structure on the silicon layer, the gate structure defining a channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Min Hao Hong, You-Hua Chou, Chih-Tsung Lee, Shiu-Ko JangJian, Miao-Cheng Liao, Hsiang-Hsiang Ko, Chen-Ming Huang
  • Patent number: 9000555
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate, a buried oxide (BOX) layer overlying the substrate, at least one semiconductor device overlying the BOX layer, and at least one STI region in the substrate and adjacent the at least one semiconductor device. The at least one STI region defines a sidewall surface with the substrate and may include a nitride layer lining a bottom portion of the sidewall surface, an oxide layer lining a top portion of the sidewall surface above the bottom portion, and an insulating material within the nitride and oxide layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Qing Liu, Nicolas Loubet, Prasanna Khare
  • Patent number: 8952484
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The non-volatile memory includes a substrate, a gate structure, a first doped region, a second doped region and a pair of isolation structures. The gate structure is disposed on the substrate. The gate structure includes a charge storage structure, a gate and spacers. The charge storage structure is disposed on the substrate. The gate is disposed on the charge storage structure. The spacers are disposed on the sidewalls of the gate and the charge storage structure. The first doped region and the second doped region are respectively disposed in the substrate at two sides of the charge storage structure and at least located under the spacers. The isolation structures are respectively disposed in the substrate at two sides of the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guan-Wei Wu, I-Chen Yang, Yao-Wen Chang, Tao-Cheng Lu
  • Patent number: 8951850
    Abstract: A method for semiconductor fabrication includes patterning one or more mandrels over a semiconductor substrate, the one or more mandrels having dielectric material formed therebetween. A semiconductor layer is formed over exposed portions of the one or more mandrels. A thermal oxidation is performed to diffuse elements from the semiconductor layer into an upper portion of the one or more mandrels and concurrently oxidize a lower portion of the one or more mandrels to form the one or more mandrels on the dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hong He, Chiahsun Tseng, Chun-Chen Yeh, Yunpeng Yin
  • Patent number: 8906771
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming isolation structures. A semiconductor base may be provided to have a crystalline semiconductor material projection between a pair of openings. SOD material (such as, for example, polysilazane) may be flowed within said openings to fill the openings. After the openings are filled with the SOD material, one or more dopant species may be implanted into the projection to amorphize the crystalline semiconductor material within an upper portion of said projection. The SOD material may then be annealed at a temperature of at least about 400° C. to form isolation structures. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions that include a semiconductor material base having a projection between a pair of openings. The projection may have an upper region over a lower region, with the upper region being at least 75% amorphous, and with the lower region being entirely crystalline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Mikhalev, Jim Fulford, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Gordon A. Haller, Lequn Liu
  • Patent number: 8907405
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures with dual trench regions and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor structures are provided herein. The method includes forming a gate structure on an active region and high-k dielectric material formed in one or more trenches adjacent to the active region. The method further includes forming a sacrificial material over the active region and portions of the high-k dielectric material adjacent sidewalls of the active region. The method further includes removing unprotected portions of the high-k dielectric material, leaving behind a liner of high-k dielectric material on the sidewalls of the active region. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material and forming a raised source and drain region adjacent to sidewalls of the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Reinaldo A. Vega, Hongwen Yan
  • Patent number: 8815693
    Abstract: A method includes patterning a fin on a semiconductor substrate, depositing a local trench isolation (LTI) layer on the semiconductor substrate, patterning a gate stack over a channel region of the fin and over a portion of the LTI layer, depositing a first capping layer over exposed portions of the LTI layer, performing an etching process to remove oxide material from exposed portions of the fin, and epitaxially growing a semiconductor material from exposed portions of the fin to define active regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Emre Alptekin, Ravikumar Ramachandran, Viraj Y. Sardesai, Reinaldo A. Vega
  • Patent number: 8716082
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system comprising a semiconductor device, a method of controlling the semiconductor device in the system, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device in the system. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor region located in a semiconductor layer formed on an isolating layer; an ONO film on the semiconductor region; bit lines on either side of the semiconductor region, which are located in the semiconductor layer, and are in contact with the isolating layer; a device isolating region on two different sides of the semiconductor region from the sides on which the bit lines are located, the device isolating region being in contact with the isolating layer; and a first voltage applying unit that is coupled to the semiconductor region. In this semiconductor device, the semiconductor region is surrounded by the bit lines and the device isolating region, and is electrically isolated from other semiconductor regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventor: Yukio Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 8692266
    Abstract: A circuit substrate structure including a substrate, a dielectric stack layer, a first plating layer and a second plating layer is provided. The substrate has a pad. The dielectric stack layer is disposed on the substrate and has an opening exposing the pad, wherein the dielectric stack layer includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a third dielectric layer located between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer, and there is a gap between the portion of the first dielectric layer surrounding the opening and the portion of the second dielectric layer surrounding the opening. The first plating layer is disposed at the dielectric stack layer. The second plating layer is disposed at the pad, wherein the gap isolates the first plating layer from the second plating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Optromax Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Kuo-Tso Chen
  • Patent number: 8685830
    Abstract: A method of filling shallow trenches is disclosed. The method includes: successively forming a first oxide layer and a second oxide layer over the surface of a silicon substrate where shallow trenches are formed in; etching the second oxide layer to form inner sidewalls with an etchant which has a high etching selectivity ratio of the second oxide layer to the first oxide layer; growing a high-quality pad oxide layer by thermal oxidation after the inner sidewalls are removed; and filling the trenches with an isolation dielectric material. By using this method, the risk of occurrence of junction spiking and electrical leakage during a subsequent process of forming a metal silicide can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Shanghai Hua Hong NEC Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fan Chen, Xiongbin Chen, Kai Xue, Keran Zhou, Jia Pan, Hao Li, Yongcheng Wang
  • Patent number: 8535992
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods of making memory devices are shown. Methods and configurations as shown provide folded and vertical memory devices for increased memory density. Methods provided reduce a need for manufacturing methods such as deep dopant implants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, John K. Zahurak, Michael P. Violette
  • Publication number: 20130230959
    Abstract: In one implementation, a method of forming a field effect transistor includes etching an opening into source/drain area of a semiconductor substrate. The opening has a base comprising semiconductive material. After the etching, insulative material is formed within the opening over the semiconductive material base. The insulative material less than completely fills the opening and has a substantially uniform thickness across the opening. Semiconductive source/drain material is formed within the opening over the insulative material within the opening. A transistor gate is provided operatively proximate the semiconductive source/drain material. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, Michael P. Violette, Robert Burke
  • Patent number: 8524569
    Abstract: In a method of forming an isolation layer, first and second trenches are formed on a substrate. The first and the second trenches have first and second widths, respectively, and the second width is greater than the first width. A second isolation layer pattern partially fills the second trench. A first isolation layer pattern and the third isolation layer pattern are formed. The first isolation layer pattern fills the first trench, and the third isolation layer pattern is formed on the second isolation layer pattern and fills a remaining portion of the second trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-Hyuk Kang, Jung-Won Lee, Bo-Un Yoon, Kun-Tack Lee
  • Patent number: 8501566
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a recessed channel access transistor device is provided. A semiconductor substrate having thereon a recess is provided. A gate dielectric layer is formed in the recess. A gate material layer is then deposited into the recess. A dielectric cap layer is formed on the gate material layer. The dielectric cap layer and the gate material layer are etched to form a gate pattern. A liner layer is then formed on the gate pattern. A spacer is formed on the liner layer on each sidewall of the gate pattern. The liner layer not masked by the spacer is etched to form an undercut recess that exposes a portion of the gate material layer. The spacer is then removed. The exposed portion of the gate material layer in the undercut recess is oxidized to form an insulation block therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chung-Yen Chou, Tieh-Chiang Wu, Hsin-Jung Ho
  • Patent number: 8440532
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of providing a semiconductor device is provided, in which instead of forming isolation regions before the formation of the semiconductor devices, the isolation regions are formed after the semiconductor devices. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate. A placeholder dielectric is formed on a portion of a first surface of the substrate adjacent to the semiconductor device. A trench is etched into the substrate from a second surface of the substrate that is opposite the first surface of the substrate, wherein the trench terminates on the placeholder dielectric. The trench is filled with a dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Huilong Zhu, Qingqing Liang, Zhijiong Luo, Haizhou Yin
  • Publication number: 20130032895
    Abstract: A high-voltage transistor device comprises a spiral resistive field plate over a first well region between a drain region and a source region of the high-voltage transistor device, wherein the spiral resistive field plate is separated from the first well region by a first isolation layer, and is coupled between the drain region and the source region. The high-voltage transistor device further comprises a plurality of first field plates over the spiral resistive field plate with each first field plate covering one or more segments of the spiral resistive field plate, wherein the plurality of first field plates are isolated from the spiral resistive field plate by a first dielectric layer, and wherein the plurality of first field plates are isolated from each other, and a starting first field plate is connected to the source region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Donald R. Disney, Ognjen Milic, Kun Yi
  • Patent number: 8338909
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first isolation region in the semiconductor substrate; after the step of forming the first isolation region, forming a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the step of forming the MOS device comprises forming a source/drain region; and after the step of forming the MOS device, forming a second isolation region in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufactuirng Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ka-Hing Fung
  • Patent number: 8324060
    Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a NAND flash memory array having vertical channels and sidewall gate structure and a fabricating method of the same. The NAND flash memory array has insulator strip structure and one or more semiconductor strips are next to the both sides of the insulator strip. The NAND flash memory array allows for an improvement of the integrity by decreasing the memory cell area by half and less, and solves the problems of the conventional three-dimensional structure regarding isolation between not only channels but also source/drain regions at the bottom of trenches. The method for fabricating the NAND flash memory array having a pillar structure uses the conventional CMOS process and an etching process with minimum masks, enables to cut down costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Seoul National University Industry Foundation
    Inventors: Byung Gook Park, Seong Jae Cho
  • Patent number: 8304316
    Abstract: In a power semiconductor device and a method of forming a power semiconductor device, a thin layer of semiconductor substrate is left below the drift region of a semiconductor device. A power semiconductor device has an active region that includes the drift region and has top and bottom surfaces formed in a layer provided on a semiconductor substrate. A portion of the semiconductor substrate below the active region is removed to leave a thin layer of semiconductor substrate below the drift region. Electrical terminals are provided directly or indirectly to the top surface of the active region to allow a voltage to be applied laterally across the drift region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Cambridge Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Florin Udrea, Gehan Anil Joseph Amaratunga, Tanya Trajkovic, Vasantha Pathirana
  • Patent number: 8269284
    Abstract: There are provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which achieves a reduction in implantation masks, and such a semiconductor device. By implanting boron into NMOS regions using a resist mask and another resist mask as the implantation masks, p-type impurity regions serving as the halo regions of access transistors and drive transistors are formed. By further implanting phosphorus or arsenic into a PMOS region using another resist mask as the implantation mask, n-type impurity regions serving as the halo regions of load transistors are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Nil, Motoshige Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8268693
    Abstract: A “tabbed” MOS device provides radiation hardness while supporting reduced gate width requirements. The “tabbed” MOS device also utilizes a body tie ring, which reduces field threshold leakage. In one implementation the “tabbed” MOS device is designed such that a width of the tab is based on at least a channel length of the MOS device such that a radiation-induced parasitic conduction path between the source and drain region of the device has a resistance that is higher than the device channel resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Joseph Gaul, Michael D. Church, Brent R. Doyle
  • Patent number: 8249737
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a rapid thermal annealing method for a semiconductor device, which includes the steps of: establishing a ternary correspondence relationship among a device electrical parameter, an annealing temperature, and an STI distribution density; deriving an STI distribution density in a specific area of the semiconductor device and a target STI distribution density; determining whether the STI distribution density in the specific area is larger than the target STI distribution density; if the STI distribution density in the specific area is larger than the target STI distribution density, adding a virtual structure in the specific area to make the STI distribution density in the specific area equal to the target STI distribution density; and deriving from the ternary correspondence relationship a target annealing temperature corresponding to the target STI distribution density and performing an annealing process with the annealing temperature on the semiconductor device to achieve a tar
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corp.
    Inventors: Jianhua Ju, Xianjie Ning
  • Patent number: 8241998
    Abstract: The invention relates to semiconductor-on-insulator structure and its method of manufacture. This structure includes a substrate, a thin, useful surface layer and an insulating layer positioned between the substrate and surface layer. The insulating layer is at least one dielectric layer of a high k material having a permittivity that is higher than that of silicon dioxide and a capacitance that is substantially equivalent to that of a layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness of less than or equal to 30 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Ian Cayrefourcq
  • Patent number: 8236638
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device is provided which includes (a) providing a layer stack comprising a semiconductor layer (211) and a dielectric layer (209) disposed between the substrate and the semiconductor layer, (b) creating a trench (210) which extends through the semiconductor layer and which exposes a portion of the dielectric layer, the trench having a sidewall, (c) creating a spacer structure (221) which comprises a first material and which is adjacent to the sidewall of the trench, and (d) forming a stressor layer (223) which comprises a second material and which is disposed on the bottom of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Konstantin V. Loiko, Toni D. Van Gompel, Rode R. Mora, Michael D. Turner, Brian A. Winstead, Mark D. Hall
  • Patent number: 8187940
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, including (a) etching a semiconductor substrate to form a first trench defining an active region; (b) forming a first spacer on sidewalls of the first trench; (c) etching a bottom of the first trench to form a second trench; (d) etching a sidewall of the second trench to form a third trench including an undercut space; (e) forming a device isolation structure that fills the first, second and third trenches; (f) etching the semiconductor substrate of a gate region to form a recess; and (g) forming a gate that fills the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Don Lee, Jae Goan Jeong
  • Patent number: 8119489
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an isolation structure and the structure thereof is provided. The method is compatible with the embedded memory process and provides the isolation structure with a poly cap thereon to protect the top corners of the isolation structure, without using an extra photomask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Ping-Chia Shih
  • Patent number: 8067293
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having high-voltage and low-voltage device regions, forming a field insulating layer in the high-voltage device region, forming a first gate oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate, exposing the semiconductor substrate in the low-voltage device region by etching part of the first gate oxide layer and also etching part of the field insulating layer to form a stepped field insulating layer, forming a second gate oxide layer on the first gate oxide layer in the high-voltage device region and on the exposed semiconductor substrate in the low-voltage device region, and forming a gate over the stepped field insulating layer and part of the second gate oxide layer in the high-voltage device region adjoining the field insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cho Eung Park
  • Patent number: 8067292
    Abstract: A method of forming an isolation structure, comprising: (a) providing a base having a recess; (b) forming a stop layer on the base and in the recess; (c) forming a dielectric material on the stop layer so as to allow the rest of the recess to be filled with the dielectric material; (d) removing the dielectric material over the base by performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process until a part of the stop layer is exposed so as to form a dielectric layer in the recess; and (e) removing a part of the stop layer, wherein the another part of the stop layer and the dielectric layer filled in the recess constitute the isolation structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Da Cheng, Chin-Tsan Yeh, Tuung Luoh, Chin-Ta Su, Ta-Hung Yang, Kuang-Chao Chen
  • Patent number: 7982281
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a SOI device includes a first composite structure including a substrate layer, a substrate isolation layer being disposed on or above the substrate layer, a buried layer being disposed on or above the substrate isolation layer, and a semiconductor layer being disposed on or above the buried layer; a trench structure being formed within the first composite structure; and a second composite structure provided on the side walls of the trench structure, wherein the second composite structure includes a first isolation layer covering the part of the side walls formed by the semiconductor layer and formed by an upper part of the buried layer; and a contact layer covering the isolation layer and the part of the side walls formed by a lower part of the buried layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Gabriel Dehlinger
  • Patent number: 7951683
    Abstract: In-situ semiconductor process that can fill high aspect ratio (typically at least 6:1, for example 7:1 or higher), narrow width (typically sub 0.13 micron, for example 0.1 micron or less) gaps with significantly reduced incidence of voids or weak spots is provided. This deposition part of the process may involve the use of any suitable high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP CVD) chemistry. Prior to etch back, the feature gap is plugged with an etch selectivity layer. The etch back part of the process involves multiple steps including a sputter etch to reduce the top hat formations followed by a reactive plasma etch to open the gap. This method improves gapfill, reduces the use of high cost fluorine-based etching and produces interim gaps with better sidewall profiles and aspect ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc
    Inventor: Sunil Shanker
  • Patent number: 7910969
    Abstract: A MRAM memory and process thereof is described. A GMR magnetic layer is patterned to form a memory bit layer and an intermediate conductive layer. The intermediate conductive layer is disposed between two conductive layers such that shallow metal plugs can be utilized to interconnect the intermediate conductive layer and the conductive layers. Thus, a conventional deep tungsten plug process, interconnecting two conductive layers, is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Northern Lights Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Vicki Wilson, Guoqing Zhan, James Chyi Lai
  • Patent number: 7902029
    Abstract: Processes for forming self-aligned, deposited source/drain, insulated gate, transistors and, in particular, FETs. By depositing a source/drain in a recess such that it remains only in the recess, the source/drain can be formed self-aligned to a gate and/or a channel of such a device. For example, in one such process a gate structure of a transistor may be formed and, in a material surrounding the gate structure, a recess created so as to be aligned to an edge of the gate structure. Subsequently, a source/drain conducting material may be deposited in the recess. Such a source/drain conducting material may be deposited, in some cases, as layers, with one or more such layers being planarized following its deposition. In this way, the conducting material is kept within the boundaries of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Acorn Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Grupp, Daniel J. Connelly, Paul A. Clifton, Carl M. Faulkner
  • Patent number: 7888746
    Abstract: In various embodiments, semiconductor structures and methods to manufacture these structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor structure having a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate and a dielectric region is disclosed. The dielectric region is adjacent to the active layer of the SOI substrate and the dielectric region includes a portion of a buried oxide (BOX) layer of the SOI substrate. At least a portion of the dielectric region extends from a surface of the active layer of the SOI substrate to a depth of at least about three microns or greater below the surface of the active layer. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: HVVi Semiconductors, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Albert Tischler
  • Patent number: 7880261
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) fabrication technique is provided for isolating very high voltage (1000s of volts) circuitry and low voltage circuitry formed on the same semiconductor die. Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) technology is combined with a pair of adjacent backside high voltage isolation trenches that are fabricated to be wide enough to stand off voltages in excess of 1000V. The lateral trench is fabricated at two levels: the active silicon level and at the wafer backside in the SOI bulk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Hopper, William French, Ann Gabrys
  • Patent number: 7863144
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the device, which suppresses off-current by improving the problem of leakage current due to hump characteristics, making it possible to maximize the reliability of the device. Embodiments relate to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including forming a well having two ends in a semiconductor substrate. A shallow trench isolation (STI) is formed by etching both ends of the well and the semiconductor substrate adjacent both ends of the well. A gate oxide film and a photoresist film are formed over the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate including the STI. The photoresist film is patterned for an impurity ion implant into one side area including the edge of the side wall of the STI. A barrier area is formed by implanting an impurity ion into one side area including the side wall edge of the STI using the patterned photoresist film as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeong-Gyun Jeong
  • Patent number: 7859026
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods for its fabrication are provided. The semiconductor device comprises a trench formed in the semiconductor substrate and bounded by a trench wall extending from the semiconductor surface to a trench bottom. A drain region and a source region, spaced apart along the length of the trench, are formed along the trench wall, each extending from the surface toward the bottom. A channel region is formed in the substrate along the trench wall between the drain region and the source region and extending along the length of the trench parallel to the substrate surface. A gate insulator and a gate electrode are formed overlying the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventor: William A. Ligon
  • Publication number: 20100323487
    Abstract: A “tabbed” MOS device provides radiation hardness while supporting reduced gate width requirements. The “tabbed” MOS device also utilizes a body tie ring, which reduces field threshold leakage. In one implementation the “tabbed” MOS device is designed such that a width of the tab is based on at least a channel length of the MOS device such that a radiation-induced parasitic conduction path between the source and drain region of the device has a resistance that is higher than the device channel resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Gaul, Michael D. Church, Brent R. Doyle
  • Patent number: 7855116
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which has a nonvolatile memory cell portion, a low-voltage operating circuit portion of a peripheral circuit region and a high-voltage operating circuit portion of the peripheral circuit region formed on a substrate and in which elements of the above portions are isolated from one another by filling insulating films, the upper surface of the filling insulating films in the high-voltage operating circuit portion lies above the surface of the substrate and the upper surface of at least part of the filling insulating films in the low-voltage operating circuit portion is pulled back to a portion lower than the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiro Kiyotoshi
  • Patent number: 7842577
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first isolation region in the semiconductor substrate; after the step of forming the first isolation region, forming a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the step of forming the MOS device comprises forming a source/drain region; and after the step of forming the MOS device, forming a second isolation region in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ka-Hing Fung
  • Patent number: 7838934
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed, in which an insulating layer may be formed in a strained silicon layer under source/drain regions to substantially overcome conventional problems resulting from a channel decrease in the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myung Jin Jung
  • Patent number: 7781303
    Abstract: A method for preparing a shallow trench isolation comprising the steps of forming at least one trench in a semiconductor substrate, performing an implanting process to implant nitrogen-containing dopants into an upper sidewall of the trench such that the concentration of the nitrogen-containing dopants in the upper sidewall is higher than that in the bottom sidewall of the trench, forming a spin-on dielectric layer filling the trench and covering the surface of the semiconductor substrate, performing a thermal oxidation process to form a silicon oxide layer covering the inner sidewall. Since the nitrogen-containing dopants can inhibit the oxidation rate and the concentration of the nitrogen-containing dopants in the upper inner sidewall is higher than that in the bottom inner sidewall of the trench, the thickness of the silicon oxide layer formed by the thermal oxidation process is larger at the bottom portion than at the upper portion of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Promos Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Hai Jun Zhao
  • Patent number: 7776715
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a memory cell comprises forming a plurality of doped semiconductor layers on a carrier substrate. The method further comprises forming a plurality of digit lines separated by an insulating material. The digit lines are arrayed over the doped semiconductor layers. The method further comprises etching a plurality of trenches into the doped semiconductor layers. The method further comprises depositing an insulating material into the plurality of trenches to form a plurality of electrically isolated transistor pillars. The method further comprises bonding at least a portion of the structure formed on the carrier substrate to a host substrate. The method further comprises separating the carrier substrate from the host substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, H. Montgomery Manning
  • Publication number: 20090321845
    Abstract: Low voltage, middle voltage and high voltage CMOS devices have upper buffer layers of the same conductivity type as the sources and drains that extend under the sources and drains and the gates but not past the middle of the gates, and lower bulk buffer layers of the opposite conductivity type to the upper buffer layers extend from under the upper buffer layers to past the middle of the gates forming an overlap of the two bulk buffer layers under the gates. The upper buffer layers and the lower bulk buffer layers can be implanted for both the NMOS and PMOS FETs using two masking layers. For middle voltage and high voltage devices the upper buffer layers together with the lower bulk buffer layers provide a resurf region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Jun Cai
  • Patent number: 7638398
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active region defining at least four surfaces, the four surfaces including first, second, third, and fourth surfaces, a gate insulation layer formed around the four surfaces of the active region, and a gate electrode formed around the gate insulation layer and the four surfaces of the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jun-Hee Cho
  • Patent number: 7625807
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates semiconductor fabrication by maintaining shape and density of an etch stop layer (206) during trench fill operations. The shape and density of the etch stop layer (206) is maintained by forming a protective alloy liner layer (310) on the etch stop layer (206) prior to trench fill operations. The protective alloy liner (310) is comprised of an alloy that is resistant to materials employed in the trench fill operations. As a result, clipping and/or damage to the etch stop layer (206) is mitigated thereby facilitating a subsequent planarization process that employs the etch stop layer (206). Additionally, selection of thickness and composition (1706) of the formed protective alloy (310) yields a stress amount and type (1704) that is applied to channel regions of unformed transistor devices, ultimately providing for an improvement in channel mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Manuel A. Quevedo-Lopez, James J. Chambers, Leif Christian Olsen
  • Patent number: 7595253
    Abstract: Example embodiments provide a semiconductor device and a method of forming the same. According to the method, a capping insulation pattern may be formed to cover the top surface of a filling insulation pattern in a trench. The capping insulation pattern may have an etch selectivity according to the filling insulation pattern. As a result, the likelihood that the filling insulation layer may be etched by various cleaning processes and the process removing the buffer insulation pattern may be reduced or prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: II-Young Yoon, Hong-Jae Shin, Nae-In Lee, Jae-Ouk Choo, Ja-Eung Koo
  • Publication number: 20090194842
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an SOI substrate, a first STI-type isolation region, a second STI-type isolation region, and an alignment mark region. The SOI substrate includes a support substrate, an insulating layer deposited on the support substrate, and a semiconductor layer which includes a thin film region and a thick film region. The thin film region includes a first semiconductor layer deposited on the support substrate, and the thick film region includes the first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer deposited on a part of the first semiconductor layer. The first STI-type isolation region is disposed at the thin film region. The second STI-type isolation region is disposed at the thick film region. The alignment mark region is disposed at the thick film region. An alignment mark to be used for alignment of the second STI-type isolation region is disposed at the alignment mark region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinji OHARA