Abstract: A data receiving apparatus and method includes a current-voltage conversion block, which receives a current-type transmit signal including data and a clock signal inserted into the data at a different level from the data, and then converts the received signal into at least one first voltage and at least one second voltage having a different level from the first voltage, and a comparison block, which makes a comparison between the first and second voltages, and then outputs the received signal as one of the data and the clock signal based on a result of the comparison. The data receiving apparatus can easily recover a clock signal while exhibiting better characteristics during the recovery of the clock signal because it is insensitive to a variation in reference voltage and a variation in current at the transmitting state of the timing controller, which are caused by a process variation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device includes forming an oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming first and second trenches by partially etching the oxide layer and the semiconductor substrate, forming a small trench overlapping with the second trench so that the second trench has a stepped structure, and depositing one or more dielectric layers so that the first trench forms a device isolation layer defining a semiconductor device region and the second trench having a stepped structure forms a drain extension device isolation layer. The breakdown voltage of the LDMOS device may be improved while reducing the on-resistance, thereby improving the operational reliability of the device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: an active region defined by a device isolation layer on and/or over a substrate; a second conductive well on and/or over the active region; an extended drain formed at one side of the second conductive well; a gate electrode on and/or over the second conductive well and the extended drain; and a source and a drain formed at both sides of the gate electrode, in which extended regions are formed at the corners of the second conductive well under the gate electrode.

Abstract: A method includes forming a buffer lower metal line over a semiconductor substrate for absorbing an external impact, forming a pre-metal-dielectric layer which covers the buffer lower metal line, the pre-metal-dielectric layer having a via hole formed therein to expose a portion of the buffer lower metal line, forming a seed layer over a surface of the pre-metal-dielectric layer having the via hole formed therein, forming polyimide which exposes the via hole and the seed layer formed over the pre-metal-dielectric layer in the vicinity of the via hole, growing an upper metal line over the exposed seed layer, subjecting the semiconductor substrate having the upper metal line formed thereon to a thermal process, removing the polyimide by dry etching, and bonding a bonding portion onto the upper metal line.

Abstract: An image sensor and a method of manufacturing an image sensor. An image sensor may include a readout circuitry having a metal line on and/or over a first substrate. An image sensor may include an image sensing part having a first conductive-type conductive layer and/or a second conductive-type conductive layer over a metal line. An image sensor may include a pixel division area formed on and/or over an image sensing part corresponding to a pixel boundary. An image sensor may include a ground contact on and/or over a pixel division area. An image sensor may include a contact plug connected with a sidewall of an image sensing part. A method of manufacturing an image sensor is disclosed.

Abstract: A back side illumination image sensor according to an embodiment includes: a device isolation region and a pixel region that are on a front side of a first substrate; a light sensor and a readout circuit that are on the pixel region; an interlayer dielectric layer and a metal line that are on the front side of the first substrate; a second substrate that is bonded to the front side of the first substrate on which the metal line is formed; a pixel isolating dielectric layer that is on the device isolation region at a back side of the first substrate; and a microlens that is on the light sensor at the back side of the first substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the device include connecting a second wafer to a first wafer, forming a hard mask layer on and/or over a backside of the second wafer, forming a hard mask pattern over the second layer and then forming a via hole by etching the first and the second wafers to a predetermined depth using the hard mask pattern as an etching mask.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for fabrication of a liquid crystal display with improved optical transmission, which includes sequentially forming a first oxide film, a silicon film, and a second oxide film on a semiconductor substrate, selectively etching the silicon film and the second oxide film to expose the first oxide film, forming a oxynitride film on at least the silicon film, forming a polysilicon layer over the oxynitride film, selectively etching the polysilicon layer to form a top electrode, forming an insulating film on and/or over the substrate, including the top electrode, and forming metal wirings on outer regions of the top electrode.

Abstract: A reference voltage generation circuit is disclosed. The reference voltage generation circuit includes an operational amplifier configured to output a constant voltage in accordance with reference voltages input to first and second terminals of the operational amplifier, and a start-up circuit configured to initiate operation of the operational amplifier when the start-up circuit switches from an idle mode to an active mode, including a first transistor having a gate connected to an output of the operational amplifier, a source connected to a supply voltage, and a drain connected to a resistor, configured to supply a reference current to the resistor in accordance with the operational amplifier output, thereby generating the reference voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming a metal line. The method includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having a first metal line, performing an oxidation process with respect to the first metal line, performing an oxide removal process to remove an oxide generated in the oxidation process, forming an etch stop layer on the metal line, forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the first metal line, and forming a damascene pattern on the interlayer dielectric layer, and forming a second metal line, which is connected with the first metal line, in the damascene pattern. The oxidation process for the first metal line can include a hydrogen peroxide treatment process using a solution including oxygen. The oxide removal process can be performed by using an oxalic acid (HOOC—COOH) solution.

Abstract: A flash memory device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The flash memory device can include first and second memory gates on a substrate, an oxide layer on sides of and on the substrate outside of the first and second memory gates, a source poly contact between the first and second memory gates, first and second select gates outside the first and second memory gates, a drain region outside the first and second select gates, and a metal contact on the drain region and the source poly contact.

Abstract: Disclosed are lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistors having a uniform threshold voltage and methods for manufacturing the same. The methods include forming a polysilicon layer over the semiconductor substrate including a shallow trench isolation region, etching a portion of the polysilicon layer over an active region, implanting first conductive-type impurity ions using the polysilicon layer as a mask to form a first conductive-type body region, implanting second conductive-type impurity ions using the polysilicon layer as a mask to form a second conductive-type channel region in the first conductive-type body region, removing the polysilicon layer, forming gate electrodes in the polysilicon-free region, and forming a source region and a drain region in the first conductive-type body region using the gate electrode and the shallow trench isolation as ion-implantation masks.

Abstract: Provided are an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same. The image sensor comprises a substrate, a bonding silicon, an interlayer dielectric, a first contact plug, a second contact plug, a second metal interconnection, and a color filter layer and a microlens. The substrate comprises a first metal interconnection. The bonding silicon is formed on the substrate, and comprises a plurality of impurity regions. The interlayer dielectric is formed on the bonding silicon. The first contact plug penetrates the bonding silicon and is electrically connected to the first metal interconnection. The second contact plug penetrates the interlayer dielectric and is connected to a surface of the bonding silicon. The second metal interconnection is formed on the interlayer dielectric, and is connected to the second contact plug. The color filter layer and a microlens are formed over the second metal interconnection.

Abstract: Provided are image sensors and methods of manufacturing the same. An image sensor includes a metal line and an interlayer insulation layer on a semiconductor substrate including a readout circuit; an image detection unit on the interlayer insulation layer and including stacked first and second doping layers; a pixel separation unit penetrating the image detection unit, separating the image detection unit by pixel; a first metal contact penetrating the image detection unit and the interlayer insulation layer to contact the metal line; a first barrier pattern protecting the first metal contact from contacting the second doping layer, while exposing the first metal contact to the first doping layer; and a second metal contact in a trench above the first metal contact, wherein the second metal contact is electrically connected to the second doping layer while being isolated from the first metal contact by a second barrier pattern.

Abstract: An EEPROM device may have, at the region where the control gate is formed, a gate oxide layer having a relatively smaller thickness than the gate oxide layer of the tunneling region by removing the gate oxide layer, at a predetermined thickness, at the region where the control gate is formed. Thus, integration of an EEPROM device may be maximized as a result of minimizing the area of the control gate.

Abstract: An image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same. An image sensor may include a first interlayer dielectric layer having a first metal wiring and/or a bonding silicon including impurity regions on and/or over a first interlayer dielectric layer. An image sensor may include a second interlayer dielectric layer formed on and/or over a bonding silicon, and/or a first contact plug connected to a first metal wiring. An image sensor may include a third interlayer dielectric layer on and/or over a second interlayer dielectric layer, a second contact plug connected to a first impurity region and/or a second metal wiring on and/or over a second interlayer dielectric layer. An image sensor may include and a color filter layer and/or a microlens. A dielectric layer may be between a first contact plug and a first impurity region. A dielectric layer may be on and/or over a second interlayer dielectric layer.

Abstract: A stable and reliable EEPROM device includes an EEPROM cell having first, second and third control voltage terminals for performing operations for programming, reading and erasing data, respectively, a first transistor configured to supply a programming operation voltage to the first control voltage terminal during the programming operation, a second transistor configured to supply a ground voltage to the first control voltage terminal, the data of which will not be programmed during the programming operation, and a third transistor connected to the second control voltage terminal and turned on by an address selected for reading the data of the EEPROM cell during the reading operation.

Abstract: A source driver and a liquid crystal display (LCD) device having the same. A source driver may carry a clock in a data current, and may recover a clock signal and/or a data signal without being substantially affected by external frequencies and/or resistance. A source driver may include a trans-impedance amplifier which may receive data currents, convert data currents into voltages, and/or output voltages as data voltages and/or clock voltages. A source driver may include a comparator electrically coupled to a trans-impedance amplifier, which may change levels of data and/or clock voltages applied from a trans-impedance amplifier, and/or may output level-changed voltages as data signals and/or a clock signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the characteristics of a semiconductor device is disclosed. The measuring apparatus may include first to M-th (wherein M is a positive integer not less than 1) starved devices each being biased in response to a bias voltage varying in accordance with a variable first supply voltage, thereby varying an amount of current flowing through a semiconductor device included in the starved device. Interconnect lines may interconnect the first to M-th starved devices. A measuring unit measures at least one of a delay time caused by the semiconductor devices of the starved devices themselves, and a compound delay time caused by the semiconductor devices of the starved devices themselves plus a delay time caused by the interconnect lines. The measured results can be analyzed under conditions more approximate to diverse situations exhibited in practical chips in accordance with development of manufacturing processes and techniques.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a manufacturing method of a one time programmable (OTP) memory device including: forming a common source in a linear configuration on a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate at both sides of the source; forming a gate over the gate dielectric layer; forming a spacer between the gates and at both side walls of the gate; and forming a drain on the semiconductor substrate at both sides of the spacer. With embodiments, the OTP memory device can be formed together with the logic part using the logic process and can increase the storage capacity of the OTP memory device by improving density of memory arrays.