Forming Bipolar Transistor By Formation Or Alteration Of Semiconductive Active Regions Patents (Class 438/309)
  • Patent number: 8389995
    Abstract: A method for producing a solid-state semiconducting structure, includes steps in which: (i) a monocrystalline substrate is provided; (ii) a monocrystalline oxide layer is formed, by epitaxial growth, on the substrate; (iii) a bonding layer is formed by steps in which: (a) the impurities are removed from the surface of the monocrystalline oxide layer; (b) a semiconducting bonding layer is deposited by slow epitaxial growth; and (iv) a monocrystalline semiconducting layer is formed, by epitaxial growth, on the bonding layer so formed. The solid-state semiconducting heterostructures so obtained are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.)
    Inventors: Guillaume Saint-Girons, Ludovic Largeau, Gilles Patriarche, Philippe Regreny, Guy Hollinger
  • Patent number: 8389316
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an active region; a gate strip overlying the active region; and a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device. A portion of the gate strip forms a gate of the MOS device. A portion of the active region forms a source/drain region of the MOS device. The semiconductor structure further includes a stressor region over the MOS device; and a stressor-free region inside the stressor region and outside the region over the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Sen Wang, Chung-Te Lin, Min Cao, Sheng-Jier Yang
  • Publication number: 20130049067
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and manufacturing method for the same, and an ESD circuit are provided. The semiconductor structure comprises a first doped region, a second doped region, a third doped region and a resistor. The first doped region has a first type conductivity. The second doped region has a second type conductivity opposite to the first type conductivity. The third doped region has the first type conductivity. The first doped region and the third doped region are separated by the second doped region. The resistor is coupled between the second doped region and the third doped region. An anode is coupled to the first doped region. A cathode is coupled to the third doped region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsin-Liang Chen, Wing-Chor Chan, Shyi-Yuan Wu
  • Patent number: 8384167
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate in which a SiGe layer having a first width in a channel direction is embedded in a channel forming region; gate insulating film formed on the channel forming region; a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film and having a region protruding from a forming region of the SiGe layer with a second width wider than the first width; and source/drain regions having extension regions formed on the semiconductor substrate which sandwiches the channel forming region, thereby forming a field effect transistor, wherein the extension region is apart from the SiGe layer so that a depletion layer extending from a junction surface between the extension region and the semiconductor substrate does not reach the SiGe layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kikuchi, Hitoshi Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8372723
    Abstract: This disclosure, in one aspect, provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that includes forming a collector for a bipolar transistor within a semiconductor substrate, forming a base within the collector, forming a patterned isolation layer over the collector and base, forming an emitter layer over the patterned isolation layer, forming an isolation layer over the emitter layer, patterning the patterned isolation layer, the emitter layer and the isolation layer to form at least one emitter structure having an isolation region located on a sidewall thereof, and forming a buried contact in the collector to a depth sufficient to adequately contact the collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Agere Systems LLC
    Inventors: Mark Dyson, Daniel C. Kerr, Nace M. Rossi
  • Patent number: 8368177
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type. The semiconductor body includes a first semiconductor zone of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. The first semiconductor zone extends to a surface of the semiconductor body. A second semiconductor zone of the first conductivity type is embedded in the first semiconductor zone and extends as far as the surface. A third semiconductor zone of the second conductivity type at least partly projects from the first semiconductor zone along a lateral direction running parallel to the surface. A contact structure provides an electrical contact with the first and second semiconductor zones at the surface. The second semiconductor zone is arranged, along the lateral direction, between the part of the third semiconductor zone which projects from the first semiconductor zone and a part of the contact structure in contact with the first semiconductor zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Peter Meiser, Gerhard Prechtl, Nils Jensen
  • Patent number: 8367510
    Abstract: In a bipolar silicon carbide semiconductor device in which an electron and a hole recombine with each other during current passage within a silicon carbide epitaxial film grown from a surface of a silicon carbide single crystal substrate, an object described herein is the reduction of defects which are the nuclei of a stacking fault which is expanded by current passage, thereby suppressing the increase of the forward voltage of the bipolar silicon carbide semiconductor device. In a method for producing a bipolar silicon carbide semiconductor device, the device is subjected to a thermal treatment at a temperature of 300° C. or higher in the final step of production. Preferably, the above-mentioned thermal treatment is carried out after the formation of electrodes and then the resulting bipolar silicon carbide semiconductor device is mounted in a package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyanagi, Hidekazu Tsuchida, Isaho Kamata, Masahiro Nagano, Yoshitaka Sugawara, Koji Nakayama, Ryosuke Ishii
  • Patent number: 8343841
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first semiconductor layer on a front side of the semiconductor substrate. Additional semiconductor layers may be formed on a font side of the first semiconductor layer. The substrate is subsequently removed. In some embodiments, one or more additional semiconductor layers may be formed on the back side of the first semiconductor layer after the semiconductor substrate has been removed. Additionally, in some embodiments, a portion of the first semiconductor layer is removed along with the semiconductor substrate. In such embodiments, the first semiconductor layer is subsequently etched to a known thickness. Source regions and device electrodes may be then be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: James A. Cooper, Xiaokun Wang
  • Publication number: 20120322219
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes forming a base region for a transistor using a base mask and forming a contact region to the base region. The contact region is formed in an area that is at least partially outside of the base mask. The method then forms an emitter region in a diffused base region. The base region diffuses outwardly to be formed under the contact region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: DIODES ZETEX SEMICONDUCTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: David Neil Casey
  • Patent number: 8334179
    Abstract: A semiconductor system is described, which is made up of a highly n-doped silicon substrate and a first n-silicon epitaxial layer, which is directly contiguous to the highly n-doped silicon substrate, and having a p-doped SiGe layer, which is contiguous to a second n-doped silicon epitaxial layer and forms a heterojunction diode, which is situated above the first n-doped silicon epitaxial layer and in which the pn-junction is situated within the p-doped SiGe layer. The first n-silicon epitaxial layer has a higher doping concentration than the second n-silicon epitaxial layer. Situated between the two n-doped epitaxial layers is at least one p-doped emitter trough, which forms a buried emitter, a pn-junction both to the first n-doped silicon epitaxial layer and also to the second n-doped silicon epitaxial layer being formed, and the at least one emitter trough being completely enclosed by the two epitaxial layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ning Qu, Alfred Goerlach
  • Patent number: 8324044
    Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor device that has a silicon substrate including a first major surface and a second major surface thereof, a front surface device structure being formed in a region of the first major surface, the method has a step of forming a rear electrode in a region of the second major surface, which includes evaporating or sputtering aluminum-silicon onto the second major surface to form an aluminum silicon film as a first layer of the rear electrode, the aluminum silicon film having a silicon concentration of at least 2 percent by weight when the thickness thereof is less than 0.3 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Kazama, Tsunehiro Nakajima, Koji Sasaki, Akio Shimizu, Takashi Hayashi, Hiroki Wakimoto
  • Publication number: 20120295414
    Abstract: Methods are provided for producing stacked electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamps. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate in which first and second serially-coupled transistors are formed. The first transistor includes a first well region having a first lateral edge partially forming the first transistor's base. The second transistor including a second well region having a second lateral edge partially forming the second transistor's base. Third and fourth well regions are formed in the first and second transistors, respectively, and extend a different distance into the substrate than do the well regions of the first and second transistors. The third well region has a third lateral edge separated from the first lateral edge by a first spacing dimension D1. The fourth well region has a fourth lateral edge separated from the second lateral edge by a second spacing dimension D2, which is different than D1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Rouying Zhan, Amaury Gendron, Chai Ean Gill
  • Patent number: 8309436
    Abstract: A method of producing an epitaxial substrate for a solid-state imaging device, comprising: forming a gettering sink by injecting laser beam to a semiconductor substrate through one surface thereof, condensing the laser beam to an arbitrarily selected portion of the semiconductor substrate, thereby causing multi-photon absorption process to occur in the portion, and forming a gettering sink having a modified crystal structure; and epitaxially growing at least two epitaxial layers on the semiconductor substrate in which the gettering sink is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari Kurita
  • Patent number: 8298901
    Abstract: An improved method for manufacturing bipolar transistors is disclosed. The method for forming a PNP transistor comprises the steps of forming a P type collector on a substrate, forming a PNP epitaxial base on the P type collector, forming a PNP extrinsic base in the PNP epitaxial base, and forming a PNP emitter in contact with the PNP extrinsic base. The method for forming an NPN transistor comprises the steps of forming an N type collector on a substrate, forming a NPN epitaxial base on the N type collector, forming an NPN extrinsic base in the NPN epitaxial base, and forming an NPN emitter in contact with the NPN extrinsic base. The PNP and NPN transistors may be manufactured in the same control flow process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Foote, Edward F. Pressley, Joseph A. DeSantis, Alexei Sadovnikov, Christoher J. Knorr
  • Publication number: 20120264269
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a first fin above a substrate, forming a first emitter region in a first portion of the first fin, forming a first collector region in a second portion of the first fin, and forming a first base region in a third portion of the first fin. The third portion of the first fin is disposed underneath a first gate electrode. The method further includes forming a second fin adjacent to the first fin and above the substrate. The second fin is composed of a semiconductor material. The method also includes forming a first base contact over the second fin. The first base contact is coupled to the first base region through the second fin, the substrate, and the first fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Po-Yao Ke, Tao-Wen Chung, Shine Chung, Fu-Lung Hsueh
  • Patent number: 8283234
    Abstract: An array is formed by a plurality of cells, wherein each cell is formed by a bipolar junction selection transistor having a first, a second, and a control region. The cell includes a common region, forming the second regions of the selection transistors, and a plurality of shared control regions overlying the common region. Each shared control region forms the control regions of a plurality of adjacent selection transistors and accommodates the first regions of the plurality of adjacent selection transistors as well as contact portions of the shared control region. Blocks of adjacent selection transistors of the plurality of selection transistors share a contact portion and the first regions of a block of adjacent selection transistors are arranged along the shared control region between two contact portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Agostino Pirovano, Fabio Pellizzer
  • Publication number: 20120248573
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for forming a tunable semiconductor device and the resulting structure. The invention comprises forming a semiconductor substrate. Next, pattern a first mask over the semiconductor substrate. Dope regions of the semiconductor substrate not protected by the first mask to form a first discontinuous subcollector. Remove the first mask. Pattern a second mask over the semiconductor substrate. Dope regions of the semiconductor substrate not protected by the second mask and on top of the first discontinuous subcollector to form a second discontinuous subcollector. Remove the second mask and form a collector above the second discontinuous subcollector. Breakdown voltage of the device may be tuned by varying the gaps separating doped regions within the first and second discontinuous subcollectors. Doped regions of the first and second discontinuous subcollectors may be formed in a mesh pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Louis Harame, Alvin Jose Joseph, Qizhi Liu, Ramana Murty Malladi
  • Patent number: 8269253
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) comprises an insulator layer comprising a first group III-V intrinsic layer doped with a rare earth additive. The HEMT also comprises a second group III-V intrinsic layer formed over the insulator layer, and a group III-V semiconductor layer formed over the second group III-V intrinsic layer. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a HEMT comprises forming a first group III-V intrinsic layer and doping the first group III-V intrinsic layer with a rare earth additive to produce an insulator layer. The method also comprises forming a second group III-V intrinsic layer over the insulator layer, and further forming a group III-V semiconductor layer over the second group III-V intrinsic layer. A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is formed at a heterojunction interface of the group III-V semiconductor layer and the second group III-V intrinsic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald H. Birkhahn
  • Publication number: 20120223369
    Abstract: Some embodiments include gated bipolar junction transistors. The transistors may include a base region between a collector region and an emitter region; with a B-C junction being at an interface of the base region and the collector region, and with a B-E junction being at an interface of the base region and the emitter region. The transistors may include material having a bandgap of at least 1.2 eV within one or more of the base, emitter and collector regions. The gated transistors may include a gate along the base region and spaced from the base region by dielectric material, with the gate not overlapping either the B-C junction or the B-E junction. Some embodiments include memory arrays containing gated bipolar junction transistors. Some embodiments include methods of forming gated bipolar junction transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh N. Gupta, Farid Nemati, Scott T. Robins
  • Patent number: 8247287
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises forming an epitaxial layer over a substrate of an opposite conductivity type, the epitaxial layer being separated by a buffer layer having a doping concentration that is substantially constant in a vertical direction down to the buffer layer. A pair of spaced-apart trenches is formed in the epitaxial layer from a top surface of the epitaxial layer down at least into the buffer layer. A dielectric material is formed in the trenches over the first and second sidewall portions. Source/collector and body regions of are formed at the top of the epitaxial layer, the body region separating the source/collector region of the pillar from a drift region of the epitaxial layer that extends from the body region to the buffer layer. An insulated gate member is then formed in each of the trenches adjacent to and insulated from the body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Parthasarathy, Sujit Banerjee
  • Patent number: 8247300
    Abstract: An integrated circuit and method of fabricating the integrated circuit is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes vertical bipolar transistors (30, 50, 60), each having a buried collector region (26?). A carbon-bearing diffusion barrier (28c) is disposed over the buried collector region (26?), to inhibit the diffusion of dopant from the buried collector region (26?) into the overlying epitaxial layer (28). The diffusion barrier (28c) may be formed by incorporating a carbon source into the epitaxial formation of the overlying layer (28), or by ion implantation. In the case of ion implantation of carbon or SiGeC, masks (52, 62) may be used to define the locations of the buried collector regions (26?) that are to receive the carbon; for example, portions underlying eventual collector contacts (33, 44c) may be masked from the carbon implant so that dopant from the buried collector region (26?) can diffuse upward to meet the contact (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Angelo Pinto, Manfred Schiekofer, Scott G. Balster, Gregory E. Howard, Alfred Hausler
  • Patent number: 8242007
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device including a source/drain and a gate formed using a doped polysilicon process, and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device. The method comprises: forming a gate insulating layer on a part of an active region on a first conductivity type epitaxial layer; forming a conductive layer on the epitaxial layer; implanting high concentration impurities of a second conductivity type a first portion of the conductive layer on the gate insulating layer and second portions of the conductive layer on both sides of the first insulating layer; patterning the conductive layer; forming a second insulating layer on the epitaxial layer and high concentration impurity regions of the second conductivity type below the second conductive pattern; and implanting low-concentration impurities of the second conductivity type into the epitaxial layer between a gate structure and the high concentration impurity regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-ho Park, Chang-ki Jeon, Hyi-jeong Park
  • Publication number: 20120202332
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor component structure in a semiconductor body. In one embodiment, the method includes producing two differently doped semiconductor zones of the same conduction type, and carrying out a first implantation, implanting dopant atoms of a first conduction type into the semiconductor body via one of the sides over the whole area. A mask is produced on the one side, partly leaving free the one side. A second implantation is carried out, implanting dopant atoms of the first conduction type into the region left free by the mask proceeding from the one of the sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Manfred Pfaffenlehner
  • Patent number: 8232156
    Abstract: Vertical heterojunction bipolar transistors with reduced base-collector junction capacitance, as well as fabrication methods for vertical heterojunction bipolar transistors and design structures for BiCMOS integrated circuits. The vertical heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a barrier layer between the intrinsic base and the extrinsic base that blocks or reduces diffusion of a dopant from the extrinsic base to the intrinsic base. The barrier layer has at least one opening that permits direct contact between the intrinsic base and a portion of the extrinsic base disposed in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Renata Camillo-Castillo, Erik M. Dahlstrom, Qizhi Liu
  • Patent number: 8216910
    Abstract: A wafer comprising at least one high Ft HBT and at least one high BVceo HBT having various collector profiles on a common III-V compound semiconductor based wafer. The N+ implant in the collector varies the collector profiles of individual HBTs on the wafer. The method for preparing the device comprises forming of HBT layers up to and including collector layer on non-silicon based substrate, performing ion implantation, annealing for implant activation, and forming remaining HBT layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Mary Chen, Marko Sokolich
  • Publication number: 20120168909
    Abstract: A method for integrating a bipolar injunction transistor in a semiconductor chip includes the steps of forming an intrinsic base region of a second type of conductivity extending in the collector region from a main surface through an intrinsic base window of the sacrificial insulating layer, forming an emitter region of the first type of conductivity extending in the intrinsic base region from the main surface through an emitter window of the sacrificial insulating layer, removing the sacrificial insulating layer, forming an intermediate insulating layer on the main surface, and forming an extrinsic base region of the second type of conductivity extending in the intrinsic base region from the main surface through an extrinsic base window of the intermediate insulating layer
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alfonso Patti, Antonino Schillaci, Bartolome Marrone, Gianleonardo Grasso, Rajesh Kumar
  • Patent number: 8203173
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit has: a substrate; a basic logic cell placed on the substrate and configured to function as a part of a logic circuit; and a dummy cell placed on the substrate and not configured to function as a part of a logic circuit. The basic logic cell includes a diffusion layer formed in the substrate, and a distance from the diffusion layer to a boundary between the basic logic cell and another cell adjacent to the basic logic cell is equal to a first distance. The dummy cell includes a dummy diffusion layer that is a diffusion layer formed in the substrate, and a distance from the dummy diffusion layer to a boundary between the dummy cell and another cell adjacent to the dummy cell is equal to the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Toshifumi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20120133024
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a mask layer which is used as an implantation mask when forming a doping region and which is used as an etching mask when forming an opening and a contact element formed in the opening. The contact element is in contact with the doping region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Prechtl, Andreas Peter Meiser, Thomas Ostermann
  • Publication number: 20120104555
    Abstract: This invention discloses an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device formed in a semiconductor substrate. The IGBT device has a split-shielded trench gate that includes an upper gate segment and a lower shield segment. The IGBT device may further include a dummy trench filled with a dielectric layer disposed at a distance away from the split-shielded trench gate. The IGBT device further includes a body region extended between the split-shielded trench gate and the dummy trench encompassing a source region surrounding the split-shielded trench gate near a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The IGBT device further includes a heavily doped N region disposed below the body region and above a source-dopant drift region above a bottom body-dopant collector region at a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate. In an alternative embodiment, the IGBT may include a planar gate with a trench shield electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Madhur Bobde, Anup Bhalla
  • Publication number: 20120105094
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a SiC BJT are provided. The SiC BJT comprises an emitter region, a base region and a collector region. The collector region is arranged on a substrate having an off-axis orientation of about 4 degrees or lower. Further, a defect termination layer (DTL) is arranged between the substrate and the collector region. A thickness and a doping level of the DTL are configured to terminate basal plane dislocations in the DTL and reduce the growth of defects from the DTL to the collector region. At least some of the embodiments are advantageous in that SiC BJTs with improved stability are provided. Further, a method of evaluating the degradation performance of a SiC BJT is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Andrei Konstantinov
  • Publication number: 20120098098
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing a stacked bipolar transistor which includes two bipolar transistors connected in series is disclosed. Each bipolar transistor includes a breakdown inducing feature. The breakdown inducing features have reflection symmetry with respect to each other. A process for forming an integrated circuit containing a stacked bipolar transistor which includes two bipolar transistors connected in series, with breakdown inducing features having reflection symmetry, is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sameer P. Pendharkar, Marie Denison, Yongxi Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120097974
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving high current gain, and low on-resistance, from a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) in high temperature and high power applications are disclosed. In some embodiments, a thin doped delta layer is inserted at the base emitter junction but inside the base layer. In addition, in some embodiments, a surface recombination layer is inserted between the emitter-base regions of the device. In some embodiments, use of an ion implantation step is avoided to achieve simplicity and low cost of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITETSSENTERET PÅ KJELLER (UNIK)
    Inventor: Muhammad NAWAZ
  • Patent number: 8158451
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a homojunction or a heterojunction with a controlled dopant (concentration) profile and a method of making the same. Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a method for manufacturing a junction comprising forming a first semiconductor material comprising a first dopant having a first concentration and thereupon; forming a second semiconductor material comprising a second dopant, having a second concentration thereby forming a junction, and depositing by Atomic Layer Epitaxy or Vapor Phase Doping at least a fraction of a monolayer of a precursor suitable to form the second dopant on the first semiconductor material, prior to forming the second semiconductor material, thereby increasing the second concentration of the second dopant at the junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Ngoc Duy Nguyen, Roger Loo, Matty Caymax
  • Publication number: 20120088339
    Abstract: A vertical semiconductor device (e.g. a vertical power device, an IGBT device, a vertical bipolar transistor, a UMOS device or a GTO thyristor) is formed with an active semiconductor region, within which a plurality of semiconductor structures have been fabricated to form an active device, and below which at least a portion of a substrate material has been removed to isolate the active device, to expose at least one of the semiconductor structures for bottom side electrical connection and to enhance thermal dissipation. At least one of the semiconductor structures is preferably contacted by an electrode at the bottom side of the active semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: IO SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart B. Molin, Michael A. Stuber
  • Patent number: 8143910
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor integrated circuit including: a first path that includes a first logic circuit; a second path that includes a second logic circuit; and a subsequent-stage circuit that is connected to an output of the first path and is connected to an output of the second path, in which the second path further includes a first internal path that is selected as a propagation path during a normal operation period; and a second internal path that is selected as a propagation path during a test operation period and includes a delay circuit having a delay amount larger than a delay amount of the first internal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kobatake
  • Patent number: 8133791
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method according to the part of the surface of the semiconductor body adjoining the opening and which is to be kept free is provided with a cover layer after which the high-crystalline layer is formed by means of a deposition process. The material of the cover layer can then easily be chosen such that it can be selectively etched relative to the silicon underneath. In addition, the cover layer can easily be selectively deposited on the relevant part of the surface because use can be made of an anisotropic deposition process. In such a process the cover layer is not deposited in the hollow and on the bottom of the hollow. It will be apparent that for the high-crystalline layer also other materials can be chosen such as SiGe having such low Ge contents that the SiGe cannot be etched selectively very well compared to the Silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Erwin B. Hijzen, Philippe Meunier-Bellard, Johannes J. T. M. Donkers
  • Patent number: 8133765
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-frequency integrated circuit requiring ESD protection for a circuit node. One or more metallic layer is deposited within the integrated circuit and patterned to form a transmission line. The metallic layers are generally already present in the integrated circuit for signal routing. The transmission line is coupled between the circuit node and a terminal of an ESD protection device, with a transmission line return conductor coupled to a high-frequency ground. The transmission line is formed with an electrical length that transforms the impedance of the ESD protection device substantially into an open circuit at the circuit node at an operational frequency of the integrated circuit. The other terminal of the ESD protection device is coupled to the high-frequency ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Uwe Hodel, Wolfgang Soldner
  • Publication number: 20120056305
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device and methods for manufacturing the BJT device. In an embodiment, the BJT device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a collector region, and a material layer disposed over the semiconductor layer. The material layer has a trench therein that exposes a portion of the collector region. A base structure, spacers, and emitter structure are disposed within the trench of the material layer. Each spacer has a top width and a bottom width, the top width being substantially equal to the bottom width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Tsung Kuo, Shih-Chang Liu, Chia-Shiung Tsai
  • Patent number: 8129248
    Abstract: In the method of producing bipolar transistor structures in a semiconductor process, an advanced epitaxial trisilane process can be used without the risk of poly stringers being formed. A base window is structured in a polycrystalline silicon layer covered with an oxide layer, and a further step is epitaxial growing of a silicon layer in the base window from trisilane. The window structuring is performed in a sequence of anisotropic etch and isotropic ash steps, thereby creating stepped and inwardly sloping window edges. Due to the inwardly sloping side walls of the window, the epitaxially grown silicon layer is formed without inwardly overhanging structures, and the cause of poly stringers forming is thus eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas Scharnagl, Berthold Staufer
  • Patent number: 8119475
    Abstract: A method of forming a gate of a semiconductor device comprising providing a semiconductor substrate over which a gate insulating layer, a first conductive layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductive layer are sequentially formed, the semiconductor substrate defining gate line regions; removing he second conductive layer between gate line regions; removing the dielectric layer so that a top surface of the first conductive layer between the gate line regions is exposed; performing a first etch process in order to lower a height of the first conductive layer between the gate line region; removing he dielectric layer between the gate line regions; and, performing a second etch process in order to remove the first conductive layer between the gate line regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Hoon Lee
  • Publication number: 20120032303
    Abstract: The present invention relates to semiconductor technologies, and more particularly to a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) in a CMOS base technology and methods of forming the same. The BJT includes a semiconductor substrate having an emitter region, a base having a first contact, and a collector having a second contact and a well plug; a first silicide film on the first contact; a second silicide film on the second contact; a first silicide blocking layer on or over the semiconductor substrate between the first and second silicide films, and a second silicide blocking layer on the semiconductor substrate between the first silicide film and the emitter region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Badih ELKAREH, Kyu Ok LEE, Sang Yong LEE
  • Patent number: 8110472
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor power device includes a plurality of transistor cells distributed over different areas having varying amount of ballasting resistances depending on a local thermal dissipation in each of the different areas. An exemplary embodiment has the transistor cells with a lower ballasting resistance formed near a peripheral area and the transistor cells having a higher ballasting resistance are formed near a bond pad area. Another exemplary embodiment comprises cells with a highest ballasting resistance formed in an area around a wire-bonding pad, the transistor cells having a lower resistance are formed underneath the wire-bonding pad connected to bonding wires for dissipating heat and the transistor cells having a lowest ballasting resistance are formed in an areas away from the bonding pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Ltd
    Inventors: François Hébert, Anup Bhalla
  • Publication number: 20120007103
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT), where the surface region between the emitter and base contacts (1, 2) on the transistor is given a negative electric surface potential with respect to the potential in the bulk SiC. The present disclosure also relates to a method for increasing the current gain in a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) by the reduction of the surface recombination at the SiC surface between the emitter and base contacts (1, 2) of the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventor: Martin Domeij
  • Patent number: 8093131
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device of the present invention, a first base region 16 is extended to a part under a gate electrode 7 while having a vertical concentration profile of an impurity that increases from the surface of a semiconductor layer 3 and becomes maximum under an emitter region 5, and the length in the lateral direction from a point where the impurity concentration becomes maximum located under an end of the gate electrode 7 to the boundary with a second base region 15 is not smaller than the length in the vertical direction from the point where the impurity concentration becomes maximum to the boundary with the second base region 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Teruhisa Ikuta, Yoshinobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20110304019
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a bipolar transistor semiconductor device are described, along with devices fabricated in accordance with the methods. The methods include the steps of forming a stack of layers over a semiconductor body comprising a window definition layer (18,38), a layer (20) of semiconductor material, a first insulating layer (22), and a second insulating layer (24) which is selectively etchable with respect to the first insulating layer. A trench (26) is then etched into the stack down to the window definition layer. The portion of the trench extending through the second insulating layer is widened to form a wider trench portion (28) therethrough. A window (36) is defined in the window definition layer which is aligned with the wider trench portion, and serves to define the base-collector or base-emitter junction in the finished device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Pilippe Meunier-Beillard, Erwin Hijzen, Johannes J.T.M. Donkers
  • Patent number: 8067290
    Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a method for the fabrication of a bipolar transistor having a collector region comprised within a semiconductor body separated from an overlying base region by one or more isolation cavities (e.g., air gaps) filled with low permittivity gas. In particular, a multilayer base-collector dielectric film is deposited over the collector region. A base region is formed onto the multilayer dielectric film and is patterned to form one or more base connection regions. The multilayer dielectric film is selectively etched during a plurality of isotropic etch processes to allow for the formation of one or more isolation region between the base connection regions and the collector region, wherein the one or more isolation regions comprise cavities filled with a gas having a low dielectric constant (e.g., air). The resultant bipolar transistor has a reduced base-collector capacitance, thereby allowing for improved frequency properties (e.g., higher maximum frequency operation).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Josef Boeck, Wolfgang Liebl, Thomas Meister, Herbert Schaefer
  • Patent number: 8058121
    Abstract: A semiconductor device fabricating method is described. The semiconductor device fabricating method comprises forming an epitaxial layer on a substrate, wherein the epitaxial layer is the same conductive type as the substrate. A first doped region having the different conductive type from the epitaxial layer is formed in the epitaxial layer. An annealing process is performed to diffuse dopants in the first doped region. A second doped region and an adjacent third doped region are formed in the first doped region. The second doped region is a different conductive type from that of the first doped region, and the third doped region is the same conductive type as that of the first doped region. A gate structure is formed on the epitaxial layer covering a portion of the second and the third doped regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Chu-Feng Chen, Chung-Ren Lao, Pai-Chun Kuo, Chien-Hsien Song, Hua-Chun Chiue, An-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 8058124
    Abstract: The semiconductor device, which provides reduced electric current leakage and parasitic resistance to achieve stable current gain, is provided. A first polycrystalline semiconductor layer is grown on a p-type polycrystalline silicon film exposed in a lower surface of a visor section composed of a multiple-layered film containing a p-type polycrystalline silicon film and a silicon nitride film, while growing the first semiconductor layer on a n-type collector layer, and then the first polycrystalline semiconductor layer is selectively removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Ono, Akiko Fujita
  • Patent number: 8053843
    Abstract: A semiconductor device for ESD protection includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type and a well region of a second conductivity type formed within the substrate. The well region is characterized by a first depth. The device includes an MOS transistor, a first bipolar transistor, and a second bipolar transistor. The MOS transistor includes a first lightly doped drain (LDD) region of a second depth within the well region, and a drain region and an emitter region within in the first LDD region. The emitter region is characterized by a second conductivity type. The first bipolar transistor is associated with the emitter region, the first LDD region, and the well region, and is characterized by a first trigger voltage. The second bipolar transistor is associated with the first LDD region, the well region, and the substrate, and is characterized by a second trigger voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventors: Chi Kang Liu, Ta Lee Yu, Quan Li
  • Patent number: 8043910
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor structure includes a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a Schottky diode. The structure has a substrate, the heterojunction bipolar transistor overlying and contacting the substrate, wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a transistor collector layer, and a Schottky diode overlying the substrate and overlying the transistor collector layer. The Schottky diode includes a Schottky diode barrier layer structure that desirably is not of the same material, doping, and thickness as the transistor collector layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Berinder P. S. Brar