Patents Examined by Allen Parker
  • Patent number: 9847312
    Abstract: A package structure includes an encapsulant, an active component, a first lead frame segment, and a second lead frame segment. The active component is encapsulated within the encapsulant and includes first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes are respectively disposed on and electrically connected to the first and second lead frame segments. The first and second lead frame segments respectively have first and second exposed surfaces. The first exposed surface and the first electrode are respectively located on opposite sides of the first lead frame segment. The second exposed surface and the second electrode are respectively located on opposite sides of the second lead frame segment. The first and second exposed surfaces are exposed outside the encapsulant. A minimal distance from the first electrode to the second electrode is less than a minimal distance from the first exposed surface to the second exposed surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Hsin-Chang Tsai, Peng-Hsin Lee
  • Patent number: 9842853
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a first semiconductor layer containing an acceptor and a memory cell array including an interlayer insulating layer and a conductive layer arranged in a first direction above the first semiconductor layer and a memory columnar body extending in the first direction and having a lower end positioned lower than a position of a top surface of the first semiconductor layer, the memory columnar body containing a second semiconductor layer in a columnar shape having a side face opposite to a side face of the conductive layer, wherein a first portion of the first semiconductor layer in contact with the side face of the memory columnar body contains a donor in a higher concentration than a second portion different from the first portion of the first semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Sato, Shigeki Kobayashi, Tsutomu Murase
  • Patent number: 9842986
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor structure comprises a memory region. The memory region comprises a bottom via, a recap layer on the BV, a bottom electrode on the recap layer, a magnetic tunneling junction layer on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode on the MTJ layer. The material of the recap layer is different from that of the BV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Hsia-Wei Chen, Hung Cho Wang, Kuei-Hung Shen
  • Patent number: 9837579
    Abstract: In a method for producing a semiconductor light emitting device: a semiconductor lamination of first and second semiconductor layers having different conductive types is formed; a portion of the semiconductor lamination is removed to expose an area of a surface of the first semiconductor layer; a conductor layer connecting the first and second semiconductor layers is formed; a first electrode is formed on the exposed areas of the first semiconductor layer and a second electrode is formed on an upper surface of the second semiconductor layer; a barrier layer covering at least one of the first and second electrodes is formed; and a connection part in the conductor layer connecting the first and second semiconductor layers is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Onishi, Shun Kitahama
  • Patent number: 9836247
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing device capable of an image processing with using a general-purpose image processing hardware in accordance with video input without mediation of a CPU. The image processing device includes: a storage medium for storing an image data acquired by video inputting unit for acquiring video images; a CPU for a general processing; image processing unit for processing the image data stored in the storage medium; setting unit for determining a processing content of the image processing unit; a command list indicating an order of setting and activating the image processing unit; and command writing unit for setting and activating the image processing unit based on the command list in synchronization with input of the image data from the video inputting unit without mediation of the CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Kido, Shoji Muramatsu, Hiroyuki Hamasaki, Akihiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9831172
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first device isolation region and a second device isolation region defining a first active region, a second active region, and a third active region in a substrate, a recess region exposing an upper surface of the first active region and upper surfaces of the first and second device isolation regions, and active buffer patterns on the second and third active regions. The first active region is located between the second and third active regions, the first device isolation region is located between the first and second active regions, the second device isolation region is located between the first and third active regions. Upper sidewalls of the second and third active regions are exposed in the recess region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daeik Kim, Jemin Park, Sunghee Han, Yoosang Hwang
  • Patent number: 9831327
    Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices and methods. The ESD protection devices include a semiconductor substrate, a buried semiconducting layer, and an overlying semiconducting layer. The ESD protection devices also include a first bipolar device that includes a first bipolar device region, a first device base region, and a first device emitter region. The ESD protection devices also include a second bipolar device that includes a second bipolar device region, a second device well, a second device base region, and a second device emitter region. The ESD protection devices further include a sinker well that electrically separates the first bipolar device from the second bipolar device. The ESD protection devices are configured to transition from an off state to an on state responsive to receipt of greater than a threshold ESD voltage by the first device base region. The methods include methods of forming the ESD protection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Rouying Zhan
  • Patent number: 9831350
    Abstract: Provided is a thin film transistor (TFT) that includes a first electrode on a substrate separated from a second electrode, an oxide semiconductor pattern on the second electrode including a channel region, a third electrode on the oxide semiconductor pattern, a first insulating layer on the substrate including the third electrode including first contact holes exposing a part of the first electrode, a part of the second electrode, and a part of the third electrode, a gate electrode on the first insulating layer and corresponding to a part of the oxide semiconductor pattern, a second insulating layer on the substrate including the gate electrode including a second contact hole corresponding to the first contact hole that exposes a part of the second electrode, and a pixel electrode on the second insulating layer electrically connected to the second electrode through the first contact hole and the second contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeon-Keon Moon, Je-Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 9828236
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a capacitive micro- machined transducer (100), in particular a CMUT, the method comprising depositing a first electrode layer (10) on a substrate (1), depositing a first dielectric film (20) on the first electrode layer (10), depositing a sacrificial layer (30) on the first dielectric film (20), the sacrificial layer (30) being removable for forming a cavity (35) of the transducer, depositing a second dielectric film (40) on the sacrificial layer (30), depositing a second electrode layer (50) on the second dielectric film (40), and patterning at least one of the deposited layers and films (10, 20, 30, 40, 50), wherein the depositing steps are performed by Atomic Layer Deposition. The present invention further relates to a capacitive micro-machined transducer (100), in particular a CMUT, manufactured by such method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Dirksen, Ruediger Mauczok, Koray Karakaya, Johan Klootwijk, Bout Marcelis, Marcel Mulder
  • Patent number: 9831291
    Abstract: An organic light emitting display device includes first and second electrodes facing each other on a substrate, a charge generation layer formed between first and second electrodes, a first light emitting unit including a first emission layer formed between the first electrode and the charge generation layer, a hole transport layer supplying holes from the first electrode to the first emission layer, and a second light emitting unit including a second emission layer formed between the second electrode and the charge generation layer, a hole transport layer supplying holes from the charge generation layer to the second emission layer, wherein a total thickness of the hole transport layer of the first light emitting unit is greater than that of the hole transport layer of the second light emitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-Haeng Heo, Jeong-Dae Seo
  • Patent number: 9831238
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device that occupies a small area, a highly integrated semiconductor device, or a semiconductor device with high productivity. To fabricate an integrated circuit, a first insulating film is formed over a p-channel transistor; a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is formed over the first insulating film; a second insulating film is formed over the transistor; an opening, that is, a contact hole part of a sidewall of which is formed of the oxide semiconductor of the transistor, is formed in the first insulating film and the second insulating film; and an electrode connecting the p-channel transistor and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor to each other is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hidekazu Miyairi, Shinya Sasagawa
  • Patent number: 9831307
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip having gate electrodes separated from an epitaxial source/drain region by gaps filled with a flowable dielectric material. In some embodiments, the integrated chip has an epitaxial source/drain region protruding outward from a substrate. A first gate structure, having a conductive gate electrode, is separated from the epitaxial source/drain region by a gap. A flowable dielectric material is disposed within the gap, and a pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer is arranged above the flowable dielectric material. The PMD layer continuously extends between a sidewall of the first gate structure and a sidewall of a second gate structure, and has an upper surface that is substantially aligned with an upper surface of the conductive gate electrode. A metal contact is electrically coupled to the conductive gate electrode and is disposed within an inter-level dielectric layer over the PMD layer and the first gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Chang Chen, Po-Hsiung Leu, Ding-I Liu
  • Patent number: 9824970
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of forming integrated circuit (IC) structures with hybrid metallization interconnects. A dual damascene process is performed to form trenches in an upper portion of a dielectric layer and contact holes that extend from the trenches to a gate electrode and to contact plugs on source/drain regions. A first metal is deposited into the contact holes by electroless deposition and a second metal is then deposited. Alternatively, a single damascene process is performed to form a first contact hole through a dielectric layer to a gate electrode and a first metal is deposited therein by electroless deposition. Next, a dual damascene process is performed to form trenches in an upper portion of the dielectric layer, including a trench that traverses the first contact hole, and to form second contact holes that extend from the trenches to contact plugs on source/drain regions. A second metal is then deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Xunyuan Zhang, Ruilong Xie
  • Patent number: 9825177
    Abstract: A semiconductor device which includes a transistor having a miniaturized structure is provided. A first insulator is provided over a stack in which a semiconductor, a first conductor, and a second conductor are stacked in this order. Over the first insulator, an etching mask is formed. Using the etching mask, the first insulator and the second conductor are etched until the first conductor is exposed. After etching the first conductor until the semiconductor is exposed so as to form a groove having a smaller width than the second conductor, a second insulator and a third conductor are formed sequentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Shinya Sasagawa, Satoru Okamoto, Motomu Kurata, Yuta Endo
  • Patent number: 9823574
    Abstract: A device for semiconductor fabrication includes a substrate and a layer formed over the substrate, wherein the layer includes an alignment mark. The alignment mark includes a first plurality of elongated members that are oriented lengthwise along a first direction and are distributed along a second direction. The alignment mark further includes a second plurality of elongated members that are oriented lengthwise along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and are distributed along the second direction, wherein the second direction is different from each of the first and third directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ching-Huang Chen, Hung-Chang Hsieh, Kuei-Liang Lu, Ya Hui Chang, Spencer Lin
  • Patent number: 9824924
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a package that includes an electric device having a recess. In one embodiment, the electric device is a sensor and the recess reduces signal drift of the sensor caused by thermal expansion of the package. In another embodiment, the recess is substantially filled with adhesive material, thus increasing adhesion between the electric device and a substrate of the package while at the same time allowing for lower adhesive fillets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Kim-Yong Goh, Xueren Zhang, Yiyi Ma
  • Patent number: 9818776
    Abstract: An imaging system may include an image sensor that may be a backside illuminated (BSI) image sensor. The BSI sensor may be bonded to an inactive silicon substrate or bonded to an active silicon substrate like a digital signal processor (DSP). Through-oxide vias (TOVs) may be formed in the image sensor die. A bond pad region may be formed on a light shielding layer to facilitate coupling the light shield to a ground source or other power sources. Color filter housing structures may be formed over active image sensor pixels on the image sensor die. In-pixel grid structures may be integrated with the color filter housing structures to help reduce crosstalk. The light shielding layer may also be formed over reference image sensor pixels on the image sensor die. The TOVs, the in-pixel grid structures, and the light shielding structures may be formed simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Swarnal Borthakur, Marc Sulfridge
  • Patent number: 9818919
    Abstract: LED packages are disclosed that are compact and efficiently emit light, and can comprise encapsulants with planar surfaces that refract and/or reflect light within the package encapsulant. The packages can comprise a submount with a plurality of LEDs, which emit different colors of light, and a blanket conversion material layer on the LEDs and the submount. The encapsulant can be on the submount, over the LEDs, and light reflected within the encapsulant will reach the conversion material to be absorbed and emitted omnidirectionally. Reflected light can now escape the encapsulant, allowing for efficient emission and a broader emission profile, when compared to conventional packages with hemispheric encapsulants or lenses. The LED package can have a higher chip area to LED package area ratio. By using an encapsulant with planar surfaces, the LED package provides unique dimensional relationships between the features and LED package ratios, enabling more flexibility with different applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: Theodore Lowes, Eric J. Tarsa, Sten Heikman, Bernd Keller, Jesse Reiherzer, Hormoz Benjamin
  • Patent number: 9818691
    Abstract: A corrosion resistant semiconductor device includes fuse elements that can be cut by laser light. An upper portion of the fuse elements is covered with a porous insulating film so that, when laser light irradiated from a rear surface of a semiconductor substrate is collected at selected fuse elements, the fuse elements generate heat, expand, and rupture. A metal lattice having a plurality of windows is disposed over the fuse elements to permit rapid expansion of the fuse elements when irradiated with the laser light. Alternatively, a metal array having a plurality of independent light-shielding portions may be disposed over the fuse elements to prevent the laser light from adversely affecting circuitry on the front surface side of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SII Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Imura, Yoshitaka Kimura, Masaru Akino
  • Patent number: 9818877
    Abstract: A shallow trench isolation layer is formed on a structure comprising semiconductor fins. Portions of the fins are recessed to a level below the shallow trench isolation layer. Epitaxial stressor regions are then formed on the recessed fin areas. A bottom portion of the epitaxial stressor regions are contained by the shallow trench isolation layer, which delays formation of the diamond shape as the epitaxial region is grown. Once the epitaxial stressor regions exceed the level of the shallow trench isolation layer, the diamond shape starts to form. The result of delaying the start of the diamond growth pattern is that the epitaxial regions are narrower for a given fin height. This allows for taller fins, which provide more current handling capacity, while the narrower epitaxial stressor regions enable a smaller fin pitch, allowing for increased circuit density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Henry K. Utomo, Reinaldo Ariel Vega