Patents Examined by Andre? Stevenson
  • Patent number: 7211489
    Abstract: The present invention enables the production of improved high-reliability, high-density semiconductor devices. The present invention provides the high-density semiconductor devices by decreasing the size of semiconductor device structures, such as gate channel lengths. Short-channel effects are prevented by the use of highly localized halo implant regions formed in the device channel. Highly localized halo implant regions are formed by a tilt pre-amorphization implant and a laser thermal anneal of the halo implant region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Qi Xiang, Robert B. Ogle, Eric N. Paton, Cyrus E. Tabery, Bin Yu
  • Patent number: 7211488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming an interlayer dielectric film in a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention selectively forms an insulating film spacer only at a region where a plug is formed between metal lines and removes the insulating film spacer at a region where the plug is not formed to lower the aspect ratio between the metal lines, in a process of burying an insulating material between the metal lines to electrically insulate them. Therefore, the present invention can easily bury the insulating material even between the metal lines having a narrow gap without voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Ga Won Lee
  • Patent number: 7208403
    Abstract: A method for routing a plurality of signal traces out of a plurality of corresponding bumper pads for implementation of a die on a multi-layer circuit board includes utilizing the plurality of bumper pads positioned in a periphery area of the die; utilizing a plurality of power/ground bumper pads positioned in a center area of the die; assigning a plurality of signal traces corresponding to a plurality of bumper pads as a plurality of first-layer traces being routed in a first layer of the multi-layer circuit board; assigning a plurality of signal traces corresponding to a plurality of bumper pads as a plurality of second-layer traces being routed in a second layer of the multi-layer circuit board; routing the plurality of first-layer traces straight away from the die; and routing the plurality of second-layer traces with a turn not to be vertically underneath the first-layer traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Silicon Integrated Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Chung-Yi Fang, Tze-Hsiang Chao, Yi-Show Su
  • Patent number: 7201803
    Abstract: A valve control system for a semiconductor processing chamber includes a system control computer and a plurality of electrically controlled valves associated with the processing chamber. The system further includes a programmable logic controller in communication with the system control computer and operatively coupled to the electrically controlled valves. The refresh time for control of the valves may be less than 10 milliseconds. Consequently, valve control operations do not significantly extend the period of time required for highly repetitive cycling in atomic layer deposition processes. A hardware interlock may be implemented through the output power supply of the programmable logic controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Siqing Lu, Yu Chang, Dongxi Sun, Vinh Dang, Michael X. Yang, Anzhong (Andrew) Chang, Anh N. Nguyen, Ming Xi
  • Patent number: 7198996
    Abstract: A component built-in module including a core layer formed of an electric insulating material, and an electric insulating layer and a plurality of wiring patterns, which are formed on at least one surface of the core layer. The electric insulating material of the core layer is formed of a mixture including at least an inorganic filler and a thermosetting resin. At least one or more of active components and/or passive components are contained in an internal portion of the core layer. The core layer has a plurality of wiring patterns and a plurality of inner vias formed of a conductive resin. The electric insulating material formed of the mixture including at least an inorganic filler and a thermosetting resin of the core layer has a modulus of elasticity at room temperature in the range from 0.6 GPa to 10 GPa. Thus, it is possible to provide a thermal conductive component built-in module capable of filling the inorganic filler with high density; burying the active component such as a semiconductor etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Nakatani, Yasuhiro Sugaya, Toshiyuki Asahi, Shingo Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7198964
    Abstract: A method for identifying faults in a semiconductor fabrication process includes storing measurements for a plurality of parameters of a wafer in the semiconductor fabrication process. A first subset of the parameters is selected. The subset is associated with a feature formed on the wafer. A principal component analysis model is applied to the first subset to generate a performance metric. A fault condition with the wafer is identified based on the performance metric. A system includes a data store and a fault monitor. The data store is adapted to store measurements for a plurality of parameters of a wafer in a semiconductor fabrication process. The fault monitor is adapted to select a first subset of the parameters, the subset being associated with a feature formed on the wafer, apply a principal component analysis model to the first subset to generate a performance metric, and identify a fault condition with the wafer based on the performance metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Cherry, Daniel Kadosh
  • Patent number: 7195981
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit employable with a power converter. In one embodiment, the method of forming the integrated circuit includes forming a power switch of a power train of the power converter on a semiconductor substrate, and forming a driver switch of a driver configured to provide a drive signal to the power switch and embodied in a transistor. The method of forming the transistor includes forming a gate over the semiconductor substrate, and forming a source/drain by forming a lightly doped region adjacent a channel region recessed into the semiconductor substrate and forming a heavily doped region adjacent the lightly doped region. The method of forming the transistor further includes forming an oppositely doped well within the channel region, and forming a doped region with a doping concentration profile less than the heavily doped region between the heavily doped region and the oppositely doped well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Enpirion, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashraf W. Lotfi, Jian Tan
  • Patent number: 7195942
    Abstract: Radiation-emitting semiconductor device, method for fabricating same and radiation-emitting optical device. A radiation-emitting semiconductor device with a multilayer structure (100) comprising a radiation-emitting active layer (10), with electrical contacts (30, 40) for impressing a current in the multilayer structure (100) and with a radiotransparent window layer (20). The window layer is arranged exclusively on the side of the multilayer structure (100) facing away from a main direction of radiation of the semiconductor device and has at least one side wall that includes a first side wall portion (20a) which extends obliquely, concavely or in a stepwise manner toward a central axis of the semiconductor device lying perpendicular to the multilayer sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Osram GmbH
    Inventors: Dominik Eisert, Volker Haerle, Frank Kuehn, Manfred Mundbrod-Vangerow, Uwe Strauss, Ulrich Zehnder
  • Patent number: 7189655
    Abstract: By entering a low acceleration Si ion beam of 500 V or lower or a low acceleration Si ion beam of 500 V-2000 V having been slanted such that an injection depth becomes shallow, which has been mass-separated from a liquid alloy ion source containing Si by a mass separator and converged by an ion optical system, the amplitude defect near a surface of the Mo/Si multilayer film or the Mo2C/Si multilayer film is removed by a physical sputter or a gas assist etching such that an interlayer of the Mo/Si multilayer film or the Mo2C/Si multilayer film in a lower layer is not destroyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: SII Nano Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Takaoka
  • Patent number: 7186648
    Abstract: Methods for forming a diffusion barrier on low aspect features of an integrated circuit include at least three operations. The first operation deposits a barrier material and simultaneously etches a portion of an underlying metal at the bottoms of recessed features of the integrated circuit. The second operation deposits barrier material to provide some minimal coverage over the bottoms of the recessed features. The third operation deposits a metal conductive layer. Controlled etching is used to selectively remove barrier material from the bottom of the recessed features, either completely or partially, thus reducing the resistance of subsequently formed metal interconnects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Rozbicki, Michal Danek
  • Patent number: 7183209
    Abstract: The semiconductor device fabrication method of the present invention includes forming metal wirings on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first blocking layer on the semiconductor substrate and the metal wiring, forming a first FSG on the first blocking layer, forming a second blocking layer on the first FSG, forming a second FSG on the second blocking layer, and forming a protection layer on the second FSG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Rae Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 7183191
    Abstract: Channels are formed that pass through an active surface of a semiconductor substrate to provide isolation between adjacent active surface regions defining individual die locations. Bond pads on the substrate are bumped with intermediate conductive elements, after which a material used to encapsulate the active surface is applied, filling the channels and covering exposed peripheral edges of the active surface integrated circuitry. The encapsulant is then planarized to expose the ends of the bumps. External conductive elements such as solder balls are then formed on the exposed bump ends. The semiconductor wafer is diced in alignment with the channels to singulate the semiconductor devices, the encapsulant in the channels keeping the edges of the integrated circuitry substantially hermetically sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry D. Kinsman, Salman Akram
  • Patent number: 7179728
    Abstract: The invention provides an optical component whose siting, shape and size are well controlled and a method of manufacturing such an optical component. The optical component of the present invention includes a base member disposed on a substrate, and an optical member disposed on the top surface of the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kaneko, Satoshi Kito, Tetsuo Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 7179665
    Abstract: A method of processing a sample, comprising the steps of: introducing dopant into a sample thereby producing a doped sample; producing a healed sampled including a doping density profile in response to introducing the dopant into the sample; and measuring the doping density profile of the healed sample by performing reflectometry using light generated within the visible wavelength spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
    Inventor: Dean Levi
  • Patent number: 7176087
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method of forming an electrical connection in an integrated circuitry device. According to one preferred implementation, a diffusion region is formed in semiconductive material. A conductive line is formed which is laterally spaced from the diffusion region. The conductive line is preferably formed relative to and within isolation oxide which separates substrate active areas. The conductive line is subsequently interconnected with the diffusion region. According to another preferred implementation, an oxide isolation grid is formed within semiconductive material. Conductive material is formed within the oxide isolation grid to form a conductive grid therein. Selected portions of the conductive grid are then removed to define interconnect lines within the oxide isolation grid. According to another preferred implementation, a plurality of oxide isolation regions are formed over a semiconductive substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell P. Noble
  • Patent number: 7176129
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating highly conductive regions in semiconductor substrates for radio frequency applications are used to fabricate two structures: (1) a first structure includes porous Si (silicon) regions extending throughout the thickness of an Si substrate that allows for the subsequent formation of metallized posts and metallized moats in the porous regions; and (2) a second structure includes staggered deep V-grooves or trenches etched into an Si substrate, or some other semiconductor substrate, from the front and/or the back of the substrate, wherein these V-grooves and trenches are filled or coated with metal to form the metallized moats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: King-Ning Tu, Ya-Hong Xie, Chang-Ching Yeh
  • Patent number: 7176044
    Abstract: The present invention relates to b-stageable die attach adhesives, methods of preparing such adhesives, methods of applying such adhesives to the die and other substrate surfaces, and assemblies prepared therewith for connecting microelectronic circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Henkel Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah Derfelt Forray, Puwei Liu, Benedicto delos Santos
  • Patent number: 7172918
    Abstract: A thermopile-based detector for monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes, and a method of monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes using thermopile-based sensing of conditions in and/or affecting such processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Jose Arno
  • Patent number: 7169625
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic determination of semiconductor plasma chamber matching a source of fault are provided. Correlated plasma attributes are measured for process used for calibration both in a chamber under study and in a reference chamber. Principal component analysis then is performed on the measured correlated attributes so as to generate steady principal components and transitional principal components; and these principal components are compared to reference principal components associated with a reference chamber. The process used for calibration includes a regular plasma process followed by a process perturbation of one process parameter. Similar process perturbation runs are conducted several times to include different perturbation parameters. By performing inner products of the principal components of chamber under study and the reference chamber, matching scores can be reached. Automatic chamber matching can be determined by comparing these scores with preset control limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew F. Davis, Lei Lian
  • Patent number: 7166540
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting semiconductor die and integral heat spreader are disclosed. In one embodiment, thermal expansion of the integral heat spreader is restricted by physical constraints during the process of heating interface material that bonds the integral heat spreader and semiconductor die together. In an alternative embodiment, thermal expansion of the integral hat spreader is restricted by applying an external compressive force to the integral heat spreader while heating interface material that bonds the integral heat spreader and semiconductor die together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Nitin A. Deshpande, Sandeep B. Sane