Abstract: A semiconductor photodiode includes a semiconductor substrate; a first conduction type first semiconductor layer formed above the semiconductor substrate; a high resistance second semiconductor layer formed above the first semiconductor layer; a first conduction type third semiconductor layer formed above the second semiconductor layer; and a second conduction type fourth semiconductor layer buried in the second semiconductor layer, in which the fourth semiconductor layer is separated at a predetermined distance in a direction horizontal to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming diodes. A stack may be formed over a first conductive material. The stack may include, in ascending order, a sacrificial material, at least one dielectric material, and a second conductive material. Spacers may be formed along opposing sidewalls of the stack, and then an entirety of the sacrificial material may be removed to leave a gap between the first conductive material and the at least one dielectric material. In some embodiments of forming diodes, a layer may be formed over a first conductive material, with the layer containing supports interspersed in sacrificial material. At least one dielectric material may be formed over the layer, and a second conductive material may be formed over the at least one dielectric material. An entirety of the sacrificial material may then be removed.

Abstract: In a method for the manufacture of an active matrix OLED display, at least two thin-film transistors and one storage capacitor are provided to drive each pixel, with a reduced number of photolithographic patterning steps.

Abstract: Provided is a pixel for picking up an image signal capable of suppressing an occurrence of a cross-talk. The pixel for picking up an image signal includes a substrate surrounded by a trench, a photodiode, and a pass transistor. The photodiode is formed at an upper portion of the substrate and includes a P-type diffusion area and an N-type diffusion area which are joined with each other in a longitudinal direction. The pass transistor is formed at the upper portion of the substrate and includes the one terminal that is the joined P-type diffusion area and the N-type diffusion area, the other terminal that is a floating diffusion area, and a gate terminal disposed between the two terminals. The pixel for picking up an image signal is surrounded by the trench which penetrates the substrate from the upper portion to the lower portion of the substrate, and the trench is filled with an insulator.

Abstract: A serially-connected diode pair made of diodes having a high withstand voltage and a low on-resistance is formed based on a high withstand voltage vertical PNP bipolar transistor process technology. Two of the diode pairs are connected in parallel to form a bridge so that there is formed a high-efficiency full-wave rectifier circuit that is free from a leakage current due to a parasitic transistor. The serially-connected diode pair is formed by connecting a diode composed of a P type semiconductor substrate, that makes an anode, and an N type buried layer, that makes a cathode, and a diode composed of a P+ type conductive layer, that makes an anode, and an N type epitaxial layer, that makes a cathode, in series with an electrode AC1.

Abstract: An integrated power transistor includes emitter or source regions, and a comb-like patterned metal electrode structure interconnecting the emitter or source regions and defining at least one connection pad. The comb-like patterned metal electrode structure includes a plurality of fingers. A current sensing resistor produces a voltage drop representative of a current delivered to a load by the integrated power transistor. The current sensing resistor includes a portion of a current carrying metal track having a known resistance value and extending between one of the fingers and a connectable point along the current carrying metal track.

Abstract: An optical detector includes a detector surface operable to receive light, a depleted field region coupled to the underside of the detector surface, a charge collection node underlying the depleted field region, an active pixel area that includes the portion of the depleted field region above the charge collection node and below the detector surface, and two or more guard regions coupled to the underside of the detector surface and outside of the active pixel area. The depleted field region includes an intrinsic or a near-intrinsic material. The charge collection node has a first width, and the guard regions are separated by a second width that is greater than the first width of the charge collection node. The guard regions are operable to prevent crosstalk to an adjacent optical detector.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical IGBT and a vertical free-wheeling diode in a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of base regions is disposed at a first-surface side portion of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of collector regions and a plurality of cathode regions are alternately disposed in a second-surface side portion of the semiconductor substrate. The base regions include a plurality of regions where channels are provided when the vertical IGBT is in an operating state. The first-side portion of the semiconductor substrate include a plurality of IGBT regions each located between adjacent two of the channels, including one of the base regions electrically coupled with an emitter electrode, and being opposed to one of the cathode regions. The IGBT regions include a plurality of narrow regions and a plurality of wide regions.

Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection clamps (61, 95) for I/O terminals (22, 23) of integrated circuit (IC) cores (24) comprise a bipolar transistor (25) with an integrated Zener diode (30) coupled between the base (28) and collector (27) of the transistor (25). Prior art variations (311, 312, 313, 314) in clamp voltage in different parts of the same IC chip or wafer caused by prior art deep implant geometric mask shadowing are avoided by using shallow implants (781, 782) and forming the base (28, 68) coupled anode (301, 75) and collector (27, 70, 64) coupled cathode (302, 72) of the Zener (30) using opposed edges (713, 714) of a single relatively thin mask (71, 71?). The anode (301, 75) and cathode (302, 72) are self-aligned and the width (691) of the Zener space charge region (69) therebetween is defined by the opposed edges (713, 714) substantially independent of location and orientation of the ESD clamps (61, 95) on the die or wafer.

Abstract: A resistor-equipped transistor includes a package that provides an external collector connection node (114, 134), an external emitter connection node (120, 140) and an external base connection node (106, 126). The package contains a substrate upon which a transistor (102, 122), first and second resistors, and first and second diodes are formed. The transistor has an internal collector (118, 138), an internal emitter (120, 140) and an internal base (116, 136) with the first resistor (104, 124) being electrically connected between the internal base and the external base connection node and the second resistor (108, 128) being electrically connected between the internal base and the internal emitter.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device configured to protect a circuit from ESD conditions. The protection device includes an emitter region having a first diffusion polarity; a collector region laterally spaced apart from the emitter region, and having the first diffusion polarity; and a barrier region interposed laterally between the emitter region and the collector region while contacting the emitter region. The barrier region has a second diffusion polarity opposite from the first diffusion polarity. The device can further include a base region having the second diffusion polarity, and laterally surrounding and underlying the emitter region and the barrier region. The barrier region can have a higher dopant concentration than the base region, and block a lateral current flow between the collector and emitter regions, thus forming a vertical ESD device having enhanced ESD performance.

Abstract: Provided are a compound semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate including a first region and a second region; a transistor including first to third conductive impurity layers stacked on the substrate of the first region; and a variable capacitance diode spaced apart from the transistor of the first region and including the first and second conductive impurity layers stacked on the substrate of the second region.

Abstract: Methods and heterostructure barrier varactor (HBV) diodes optimized for application with frequency multipliers at providing outputs at submillimeter wave frequencies and above. The HBV diodes include a silicon-containing substrate, an electrode over the silicon-containing substrate, and one or more heterojunction quantum wells of alternating layers of Si and SiGe of one or more electrodes of the diode. Each SiGe quantum well preferably has a floating SiGe layer between adjacent SiGe gradients followed by adjacent Si layers, such that, a single homogeneous structure is provided characterized by having no distinct separations. The plurality of Si/SiGe heterojunction quantum wells may be symmetric or asymmetric.

Abstract: A structure of power semiconductor device integrated with clamp diodes sharing same gate metal pad is disclosed. This improved structure can prevent the degradation of breakdown voltage due to electric field in termination region blocked by polysilicon.

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.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) package having electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection function and a method of fabricating the same adopt a composite substrate to prepare an embedded diode and an LED, and use an insulating layer in the composite substrate to isolate some individual embedded diodes, such that the LED device has the ESD protection.

Abstract: A vertical light-emitting diode (VLED) structure fabricated with a SixNy layer responsible for providing increased light extraction out of a roughened n-doped surface of the VLED are provided. Such VLED structures fabricated with a SixNy layer may have increased luminous efficiency when compared to conventional VLED structures fabricated without a SixNy layer. Methods for creating such VLED structures are also provided.

Abstract: In the case of adjacent high voltage nodes in which one node is protected by a lateral BJT clamp, the irreversible burnout due to transient latch-up between the two adjacent high voltage pins of the structure is avoided by increasing the base contact region by including a sinker connected to the base.

Abstract: A device for protecting a semiconductor device from electrostatic discharge may include a high voltage first conductivity type well formed in a semiconductor substrate. A first stack region may have a first conductivity type drift region, and a first conductivity type impurity region stacked in succession in the high voltage first conductivity type well. A second stack region may have a second conductivity type drift region, and a second conductivity type impurity region stacked in succession in the high voltage first conductivity type well. A device isolating film formed between the first stack region and the second stack region for isolating the first stack region from the second stack region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a IGBT region including a first region on a first surface of the substrate and providing a channel-forming region and a second region on a second surface of the substrate and providing a collector; a diode region including a third region on the first surface and providing an anode or a cathode and a fourth region on the second surface and providing the anode or the cathode; a periphery region including a fifth region on the first surface and a sixth region on the second surface. The first, third and fifth regions are commonly and electrically coupled, and the second, fourth and sixth regions are commonly and electrically coupled with one another.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for electronic circuit protection are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a substrate includes an n-well and a p-well adjacent the n-well. An n-type active area and a p-type active area are disposed in the n-well. The p-type active area, the n-well, and the p-well are configured to operate as an emitter, a base, and a collector of an PNP bipolar transistor, respectively, and the p-type active area surrounds at least a portion of the n-type active area so as to aid in recombining carriers injected into the n-well from the p-well before the carriers reach the n-type active area. The n-well and the p-well are configured to operate as a breakdown diode, and a punch-through breakdown voltage between the n-well and the p-well is lower than or equal to about a breakdown voltage between the p-type active area and the n-well.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for electronic circuit protection are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises an internal circuit electrically connected between a first node and a second node, and a protection circuit electrically connected between the first node and the second node and configured to protect the internal circuit from transient electrical events. The protection circuit comprises a bipolar transistor having an emitter connected to the first node, a base connected to a third node, and a collector connected to a fourth node. The protection circuit further comprises a first diode electrically connected between the third node and the fourth node, and a second diode electrically connected between the second node and the fourth node. The first diode is an avalanche breakdown diode having an avalanche breakdown voltage lower than or about equal to a breakdown voltage associated with the base and the collector of the bipolar transistor.

Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming diodes. A stack may be formed over a first conductive material. The stack may include, in ascending order, a sacrificial material, at least one dielectric material, and a second conductive material. Spacers may be formed along opposing sidewalls of the stack, and then an entirety of the sacrificial material may be removed to leave a gap between the first conductive material and the at least one dielectric material. In some embodiments of forming diodes, a layer may be formed over a first conductive material, with the layer containing supports interspersed in sacrificial material. At least one dielectric material may be formed over the layer, and a second conductive material may be formed over the at least one dielectric material. An entirety of the sacrificial material may then be removed.

Abstract: The semiconductor device includes: memory cells each having a first multilayer electrode including a first lower electrode made of a first conductive film and a first upper electrode made of a second conductive film formed one on the other with a first interface film therebetween; and a diode having a diode electrode made of the second conductive film and a second interface film as a silicon oxide film formed at the interface between the diode electrode and a substrate. The first interface film has a thickness with which electrical connection between the lower electrode and the upper electrode is maintained, and the second interface film has a thickness with which epitaxial growth between the substrate and the diode electrode is inhibited.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a bi-directional diode structure is formed to have a substantially symmetrical current-voltage characteristic.

Abstract: An electronic structure includes a resistive memory device, and a P-I-N diode in operative association with the resistive memory device. A plurality of such electronic structures are used in a resistive memory array, with the P-I-N diodes functioning as select devices in the array. Methods are provided for fabricating such resistive memory device-P-I-N diode structures.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type complementary to the first conductivity type arranged in or on the first semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device has a region of the first conductivity type arranged in the second semiconductor layer. A first electrode contacts the region of the first conductivity type and the second semiconductor layer. A trench extends into the first semiconductor layer, and a voltage dependent short circuit diverter structure has a highly-doped diverter region of the second conductivity type. This diverter region is arranged via an end of a channel region and coupled to a diode arranged in the trench.

Abstract: Large tuning range junction varactor includes first and second junction capacitors coupled in parallel between first and second varactor terminals. First and second plates of the capacitors are formed by three alternating doped regions in a substrate. The second and third doped regions are of the same type sandwiching the first doped region of the second type. A first varactor terminal is coupled to the second and third doped regions and a second varactor terminal is coupled to the first doped region. At the interfaces of the doped regions are first and second depletion regions, the widths of which can be varied by varying the voltage across the terminals from zero to full reverse bias. At zero bias condition, junction capacitance (Cmax) is enhanced due to summation of two junction capacitances in parallel. At reverse bias condition, with the merging of the two junction depletion widths, the capacitor areas are drastically reduced, thereby reducing Cmin significantly.

Abstract: In an ESD protection circuit an NPN BJT snapback device is provided with high breakdown voltage by including a RESURF region or by forming a PIN diode in the BJT. Holding voltage is increased by forming a sub-collector sinker region with the desired configuration.

Abstract: Forming a metal-insulator diode and carbon memory element in a single damascene process is disclosed. A trench having a bottom and a sidewall is formed in an insulator. A first diode electrode is formed in the trench during a single damascene process. A first insulating region comprising a first insulating material is formed in the trench during the single damascene process. A second insulating region comprising a second insulating material is formed in the trench during the single damascene process. A second diode electrode is formed in the trench during the single damascene process. The first insulating region and the second insulating region reside between the first diode electrode and the second diode electrode to form a metal-insulator-insulator-metal (MIIM) diode. A region of carbon is formed in the trench during the single damascene process. At least a portion of the carbon is electrically in series with the MIIM diode.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a body of a first conductivity type having a source region and a channel, the body being in contact with a top contact layer. The device also comprises a gate arranged adjacent the channel and a drift zone of a second conductivity type arranged between the body and a bottom contact layer. An integrated diode is formed partially by a first zone of the first conductivity type within the body and being in contact with the top contact layer and a second zone of the second conductivity type being in contact with the bottom contact layer. A reduced charge carrier concentration region is formed in the drift zone having a continuously increasing charge carrier lifetime in the vertical direction so that the charge carrier lifetime is lowest near the body and highest near the bottom contact layer.

Abstract: A method of making a nonvolatile memory device includes fabricating a diode in a low resistivity, programmed state without an electrical programming step. The memory device includes at least one memory cell. The memory cell is constituted by the diode and electrically conductive electrodes contacting the diode.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a first electrode, a diode steering element, at least three resistivity switching storage elements, and a second electrode. The diode steering element electrically contacts the first electrode and the at least three resistivity switching storage elements. The second electrode electrically contacts only one of the at least three resistivity switching storage elements.

Abstract: An imager device that has an isolation structure such that pinned photodiode characteristics are maintained without increasing doping levels. The invention provides an isolation structure to maintain pinned photodiode characteristics without increasing doping levels around the photodiode. By creating a substrate region surrounding the charge-collection region of the photodiode, the photodiode may be electrically isolated from the bulk substrate. This region fixes the depletion region so that it does not migrate toward the surface of the substrate or the STI region. By doing so, the region prevents charge from being depleted from the substrate and the accumulation region, reducing dark current.

Abstract: An integrated power transistor includes emitter or source regions, and a comb-like patterned metal electrode structure interconnecting the emitter or source regions and defining at least one connection pad. The comb-like patterned metal electrode structure includes a plurality of fingers. A current sensing resistor produces a voltage drop representative of a current delivered to a load by the integrated power transistor. The current sensing resistor includes a portion of a current carrying metal track having a known resistance value and extending between one of the fingers and a connectable point along the current carrying metal track.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes providing an insulating layer containing a plurality of openings, forming a first semiconductor layer in the plurality of openings in the insulating layer and over the insulating layer, and removing a first portion of the first semiconductor layer, such that first conductivity type second portions of the first semiconductor layer remain in lower portions of the plurality of openings in the insulating layer, and upper portions of the plurality of openings in the insulating layer remain unfilled. The method also includes forming a second semiconductor layer in the upper portions of the plurality of openings in the insulating layer and over the insulating layer, and removing a first portion of the second semiconductor layer located over the insulating layer.

Abstract: Methods and associated structures of forming microelectronic devices are described. Those methods may include forming a first layer of magnetic material and at least one via structure disposed in a first dielectric layer, forming a second dielectric layer disposed on the first magnetic layer, forming at least one conductive structure disposed in the second dielectric layer, forming a third layer of dielectric material disposed on the conductive structure, forming a second layer of magnetic material disposed in the third layer of dielectric material and in the second layer of dielectric material, wherein the first and second layers of the magnetic material are coupled to one another.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a photoactive array having an integrated backplane is provided. The layers of the device may be stamped or deposited on a planar or a curved substrate, such as a semispherical or ellipsoidal substrate. Each metal layer may be stamped using an elastomeric stamp and a vacuum mold. By depositing the patterned and full-surface layers in a single process, a photosensitive array with an integrated transistor backplane may be fabricated, resulting in improved sensitivity and performance.

Abstract: A memory includes a first vertical bipolar select device including a first base and a first emitter, a first phase change element coupled to the first emitter, a second vertical bipolar select device including a second base and a second emitter, a second phase change element coupled to the second emitter, and a buried word line contacting the first base and the second base.

Abstract: A mesostructured aluminosilicate material is described, constituted by at least two spherical elementary particles, each of said spherical particles being constituted by a matrix based on silicon oxide and aluminum oxide, having a pore size in the range 1.5 to 30 nm, a Si/Al molar ratio of at least 1, having amorphous walls with a thickness in the range 1 to 20 nm, said spherical elementary particles having a maximum diameter of 10 ?m. A process for preparing said material and its application in the fields of refining and petrochemistry are also described.

Abstract: A semiconductor-on-insulator transistor device includes a source region, a drain region, a body region, and a source-side lateral bipolar transistor. The source region has a first conductivity type. The body region has a second conductivity type and is positioned between the source region and the drain region. The source-side lateral bipolar transistor includes a base, a collector, and an emitter. A silicide region connects the base to the collector. The emitter is the body region. The collector has the second conductivity type, and the base is the source region and is positioned between the emitter and the collector.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) device is disclosed. The LED device includes a semiconductor substrate with a light-emitting diode chip disposed thereon. At least two isolated outer wiring layers are disposed on the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate and are electrically connected to the light-emitting diode chip, serving as input terminals. A lens module is adhered to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate to cap the light-emitting diode chip. In one embodiment, the lens module comprises a glass substrate having a first cavity formed at a first surface thereof, a fluorescent layer formed over a portion of a first surface exposed by the first cavity, facing the light-emitting diode chip, and a molded lens formed over a second surface of the glass carrier opposing to the first surface.

Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection clamps (61, 95) for I/O terminals (22, 23) of integrated circuit (IC) cores (24) comprise a bipolar transistor (25) with an integrated Zener diode (30) coupled between the base (28) and collector (27) of the transistor (25). Prior art variations (311, 312, 313, 314) in clamp voltage in different parts of the same IC chip or wafer caused by prior art deep implant geometric mask shadowing are avoided by using shallow implants (781, 782) and forming the base (28, 68) coupled anode (301, 75) and collector (27, 70, 64) coupled cathode (302, 72) of the Zener (30) using opposed edges (713, 714) of a single relatively thin mask (71, 71?). The anode (301, 75) and cathode (302, 72) are self-aligned and the width (691) of the Zener space charge region (69) therebetween is defined by the opposed edges (713, 714) substantially independent of location and orientation of the ESD clamps (61, 95) on the die or wafer.

Abstract: A method of forming a vertical diode and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (e.g., a semiconductor memory device such as a phase-change memory device) includes forming an insulating structure having an opening on a substrate and filling the opening with an amorphous silicon layer. A metal silicide layer is formed to contact at least a portion of the amorphous silicon layer and a polysilicon layer is then formed in the opening by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the metal silicide layer. A doped polysilicon layer is formed by implanting impurities into the polysilicon layer. Thus, the polysilicon layer is formed in the opening without performing a selective epitaxial growth (SEG) process, so that electrical characteristics of the diode may be improved.

Abstract: In a SiGe BJT process, a diode is formed by defining a p-n junction between the BJT collector and BJT internal base, blocking the external gate regions of the BJT and doping the emitter poly of the BJT with the same dopant type as the internal base thereby using the emitter contact to define the contact to the internal base. Electrical contact to the collector is established through a sub-collector or by means of a second emitter poly and internal base both doped with the same dopant type as the collector.

Abstract: Large tuning range junction varactor includes first and second junction capacitors coupled in parallel between first and second varactor terminals. First and second plates of the capacitors are formed by three alternating doped regions in a substrate. The second and third doped regions are of the same type sandwiching the first doped region of the second type. A first varactor terminal is coupled to the second and third doped regions and a second varactor terminal is coupled to the first doped region. At the interfaces of the doped regions are first and second depletion regions, the widths of which can be varied by varying the voltage across the terminals from zero to full reverse bias. At zero bias condition, junction capacitance (Cmax) is enhanced due to summation of two junction capacitances in parallel. At reverse bias condition, with the merging of the two junction depletion widths, the capacitor areas are drastically reduced, thereby reducing Cmin significantly.

Abstract: A positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN)/negative-intrinsic-positive (NIP) diode includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces opposite to each other. The semiconductor substrate is of a first conductivity. The PIN/NIP diode includes at least one trench formed in the first main surface which defines at least one mesa. The trench extends to a first depth position in the semiconductor substrate. The PIN/NIP diode includes a first anode/cathode layer proximate the first main surface and the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench. The first anode/cathode layer is of a second conductivity opposite to the first conductivity. The PIN/NIP diode includes a second anode/cathode layer proximate the second main surface, a first passivation material lining the trench and a second passivation material lining the mesa. The second anode/cathode layer is the first conductivity.

Abstract: A method of making a nonvolatile memory device includes fabricating a diode in a low resistivity, programmed state without an electrical programming step. The memory device includes at least one memory cell. The memory cell is constituted by the diode and electrically conductive electrodes contacting the diode.

Abstract: A semiconductor module includes: a semiconductor element (13) having a working unit (11) and a guard ring unit (12); and heat radiation members (15, 14) arranged on an upper surface and a lower surface of the semiconductor element for cooling the semiconductor element. A passivation film (20) covers the guard ring but does not cover the working unit. The upper heat radiation member (15) is made of a flat metal plate connected to the working unit without contact with the passivation film. The upper heat radiation member is connected to the lower heat radiation member (14) in the thermo-conducting way.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for LED modules that include an LED die integrated in an LED package with a submount that includes an electronic component for controlling the light emitted by the LED die. The electronic component integrated in the submount may include drive hardware, a network interface, memory, a processor, a switch-mode power supply, a power facility, or another type of electronic component.