Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm David C. Ripma
  • Patent number: 7029982
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a doped-PCMO thin film layer includes preparing a PCMO precursor solution having a transition metal additive therein; and spin-coating the doped-PCMO spin-coating solution onto a wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Wei Zhuang, David R. Evans, Fengyan Zhang, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7029944
    Abstract: A method of forming a microlens structure is provided along with a CCD array structure employing a microlens array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Conley, Jr., Yoshi Ono, Wei Gao, David R. Evans
  • Patent number: 7029961
    Abstract: A laser annealing mask is provided with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns. The mask comprises a first section with aperture patterns for transmitting approximately 100% of incident light, and at least one section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns for diffracting incident light. In one aspect, a second mask section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns has an area adjacent a vertical edge and a third mask section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns adjacent the opposite vertical edge, with the first mask section being located between the second and third mask sections. The section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns transmits approximately 40% to 70%, and preferably 50% to 60% of incident light energy density. In some aspects, the section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns includes a plurality of different cross-hatched aperture patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Albert Crowder, Yasuhiro Mitani, Apostolos T. Voutsas
  • Patent number: 7023975
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling communications privacy in a Home Network telephone system. The method comprises: using a gateway to send and receive calls on at least one external telephone line; supplying privacy and public mode bridging options; and, selectively excluding bridges between external telephone lines and a plurality of Home Network endpoints. In response to the privacy mode being selected, the gateway bridges a call between a first external telephone line and a first endpoint, and prevents bridges between the first external telephone line and other endpoints in the system. Alternately, when the public mode is selected, the gateway bridges a call between the first external telephone line and the first endpoint; and permits bridges between the first external telephone line and other endpoints in the system. That is, while the call is bridged to the first endpoint, a bridge is added between the first telephone line and the second endpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Mansfield, Sherman L. Gavette
  • Patent number: 7016094
    Abstract: Perovskite materials having magnetoresistive effect under the influence of an electric field can be employed in the construction of nonvolatile solid state electro-optic modulator. These materials display nonvolatile changes in electrical resistance and reactant when subjected to an electric field. As with other known perovskite materials, this is accompanied by nonvolatile changes in electro-optic properties related to dispersion and absorption of electromagnetic radiation. The nonvolatility of these materials is exploited in the construction of nonvolatile display and nonvolatile solid state electro-optic modulators such as waveguide switch or phase or amplitude modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Awaya, David R. Evans
  • Patent number: 7009231
    Abstract: A method for forming a doped PGO ferroelectric thin film, and related doped PGO thin film structures are described. The method comprising: forming either an electrically conductive or electrically insulating substrate; forming a doped PGO film overlying the substrate; annealing; crystallizing; and, forming a single-phase c-axis doped PGO thin film overlying the substrate, having a Curie temperature of greater than 200 degrees C. Forming a doped PGO film overlying the substrate includes depositing a doped precursor in the range between 0.1N and 0.5N, with a molecular formula of Pby-xMxGe3O11, where: M is a doping element; y=4.5 to 6; and, x=0.1 to 1. The element M can be Sn, Ba, Sr, Cd, Ca, Pr, Ho, La, Sb, Zr, or Sm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Fengyan Zhang, Wei-Wei Zhuang, Jong-Jan Lee, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7008833
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel ferroelectric transistor design using a resistive oxide film in place of the gate dielectric. By replacing the gate dielectric with a resistive oxide film, and by optimizing the value of the film resistance, the bottom gate of the ferroelectric layer is electrically connected to the silicon substrate, eliminating the trapped charge effect and resulting in the improvement of the memory retention characteristics. The resistive oxide film is preferably a doped conductive oxide in which a conductive oxide is doped with an impurity species. The doped conductive oxide is most preferred to be In2O3 with the dopant species being hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, or aluminum oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tingkai Li, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7009278
    Abstract: A memory array layer for use in a 3D RRAM is formed, with peripheral circuitry, on a silicon substrate; layers of silicon oxide, bottom electrode material, silicon oxide, resistor material, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, top electrode and covering oxide are deposited and formed. Multiple memory array layers may be formed on top of one another. The RRAM of the invention may be programmed in a single step or a two step programming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7008813
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a germanium photodetector includes preparing a silicon wafer as a silicon substrate; depositing a layer of silicon nitride on the silicon substrate; patterning and etching the silicon nitride layer; depositing a first germanium layer on the silicon nitride layer; patterning and etching the germanium layer wherein a portion of the germanium layer is in direct physical contact with the silicon substrate; depositing a layer of silicon oxide on the germanium layer wherein the germanium layer is encapsulated by the silicon oxide layer; annealing the structure at a temperature wherein the germanium melts and the other layers remain solid; growing a second, single-crystal layer of germanium on the structure by liquid phase epitaxy; selectively removing the silicon oxide layer; and completing the germanium photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc..
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Jer-Shen Maa, Douglas J. Tweet, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7008801
    Abstract: A method of forming a ferroelectric thin film on a high-k layer includes preparing a silicon substrate; forming a high-k layer on the substrate; depositing a seed layer of ferroelectric material at a relatively high temperature on the high-k layer; depositing a top layer of ferroelectric material on the seed layer at a relatively low temperature; and annealing the substrate, the high-k layer and the ferroelectric layers to form a ferroelectric thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tingkai Li, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7001846
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a high-density silicon-on-insulator (SOI) cross-point memory array and an array structure are provided. The method comprises: selectively forming a hard mask on an SOI substrate, defining memory areas, active device areas, and top electrode areas; etching to remove the exposed silicon (Si) surfaces; selectively forming metal sidewalls adjacent the hard mask; filling the memory areas with memory resistor material; removing the hard mask, exposing the underlying Si active device areas; forming an overlying layer of oxide; etching the oxide to form contact holes to the active device areas; forming diodes in the contact holes; and, forming bottom electrode lines overlying the diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 6998661
    Abstract: A method of forming an electrode and a ferroelectric thin film thereon, includes preparing a substrate; depositing an electrode on the substrate, wherein the electrode is formed of a material taken from the group of materials consisting of iridium and iridium composites; and forming a single-phase, c-axis PGO ferroelectric thin film thereon, wherein the ferroelectric thin film exhibits surface smoothness and uniform thickness. An integrated circuit includes a substrate; an electrode deposited on the substrate, wherein the electrode is formed of a material taken from the group of materials consisting of iridium and iridium composites, wherein the iridium composites are taken from the group of composites consisting of IrO2, Ir—Ta—O, Ir—Ti—O, Ir—Nb—O, Ir—Al—O, Ir—Hf—O, Ir—V—O, Ir—Zr—O and Ir—O; and a single-phase, c-axis PGO ferroelectric thin film formed on the electrode, wherein the ferroelectric thin film exhibits surface smoothness and uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Fengyan Zhang, Jer-Shen Maa, Wei-Wei Zhuang, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 6998317
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a non-volatile memory device includes preparing a substrate; depositing a layer of HfO2 by atomic layer deposition; annealing the substrate and HfO2 layer in situ; exposing the HfO2 layer to a plasma discharge, thereby forming a charge-trapping layer; depositing a gate structure; and completing the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 6995738
    Abstract: A system provides a two-panel projection system wherein both display devices run a sequence of red, green, and blue color fields with the sequences staggered so that two different color images are projected at any given time. Each panel shows a color field for two thirds of a frame time while the combination of colors displayed changes every one third of a frame time. With two separate red-green-blue sequences being projected, the display will be twice as bright as a single panel system and the presence of two different color fields at any give time will reduce the visibility of any color splitting artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Florence
  • Patent number: 6995053
    Abstract: A vertical thin-film transistor (V-TFT) is provided along with a method for forming the V-TFT. The method comprises: providing a substrate made from a material such as Si, quartz, glass, or plastic; conformally depositing an insulating layer overlying the substrate; forming a gate, having sidewalls and a thickness, overlying a substrate insulation layer; forming a gate oxide layer overlying the gate sidewalls, and a gate insulation layer overlying the gate top surface; etching the exposed substrate insulation layer; forming a first source/drain region overlying the gate insulation layer; forming a second source/drain region overlying the substrate insulation layer, adjacent a first gate sidewall; and, forming a channel region overlying the first gate sidewall with a channel length about equal to the thickness of the gate, interposed between the first and second source/drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Schuele, Apostolos T. Voutsas
  • Patent number: 6991942
    Abstract: An MFIS memory array having a plurality of MFIS memory transistors with a word line connecting a plurality of MFIS memory transistor gates, wherein all MFIS memory transistors connected to a common word line have a common source, each transistor drain serves as a bit output, and all MFIS channels along a word line are separated by a P+ region and are further joined to a P+ substrate region on an SOI substrate by a P+ region is provided. Also provided are methods of making an MFIS memory array on an SOI substrate; methods of performing a block erase of one or more word lines, and methods of selectively programming a bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng Teng Hsu, Fengyan Zhang, Tingkai Li
  • Patent number: 6987870
    Abstract: A digital scanner system and method are provided for selecting a destination profile using personal identification data. The method comprises: supplying personal identification data; supplying a document; scanning the document; and, sending the scanned document to a destination selected in response to the personal identification data. The personal identification data can be biometric data such as retina images, voice audio, and fingerprints, or a smart card. The method typically comprises: establishing a network with a plurality of connecting destination addresses. Then, sending the scanned document includes sending the file of digital information via the network to a particular destination address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Wanda M. Harney, Guy Eden
  • Patent number: 6982221
    Abstract: A method of forming a ?F pitch high density line array, where F is the minimum line width of a photolithographic process used to accomplish the method of the invention; includes depositing a conductive material on a wafer; depositing a layer of sacrificial material; etching the sacrificial material to form a placeholder having width and space of F; depositing sidewall spacer material hard mask to a thickness of about ?F on the sacrificial material; anisotropically etching the hard mask material; depositing a layer of silicon oxide and smoothing the silicon oxide; selectively removing the placeholder; depositing a second sidewall spacer layer to a thickness of about ?F; depositing and smoothing another hard mask layer; etching the silicon oxide and conductive material using the other hard mask lines as a pattern; etching to form interconnect lines; and selectively etching any remaining hard mask material to expose lines and contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 6972238
    Abstract: A memory cell and method for controlling the resistance properties in a memory material are provided. The method comprises: forming manganite; annealing the manganite in an oxygen atmosphere; controlling the oxygen content in the manganite in response to the annealing; and, controlling resistance through the manganite in response to the oxygen content. The manganite is perovskite-type manganese oxides with the general formula RE1-xAExMnOy, where RE is a rare earth ion and AE is an alkaline-earth ion, with x in the range between 0.1 and 0.5. Controlling the oxygen content in the manganite includes forming an oxygen-rich RE1-xAExMnOy region where y is greater than 3. A low resistance results in the oxygen-rich manganite region. When y is less than 3, a high resistance is formed. More specifically, the process forms a low resistance oxygen-rich manganite region adjacent an oxygen-deficient high resistance manganite region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng Teng Hsu, Fengyan Zhang
  • Patent number: 6972239
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a PCMO thin film at low temperature for use in a RRAM device includes preparing a PCMO precursor; preparing a substrate; placing the substrate into a MOCVD chamber; introducing the PCMO precursor into the MOCVD chamber to deposit a PCMO thin film on the substrate; maintaining a MOCVD vaporizer at between about 240° C. to 280° C. and maintaining the MOCVD chamber at a temperature of between about 300° C. to 400° C.; removing the PCMO thin-film bearing substrate from the MOCVD chamber; and completing the RRAM device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tingkai Li, Wei-Wei Zhuang, Lawrence J. Charneski, David R. Evans, Sheng Teng Hsu