Patents Examined by Andrew Q. Tran
  • Patent number: 10035699
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a MEMS device includes depositing an expandable material into a first recess of a cap wafer. The cap wafer includes a plurality of walls that surround and define the first recess and a second recess. The cap wafer is bonded to a MEMS wafer including a first MEMS device and a second MEMS device. The first MEMS device is encapsulated in the first recess, and the second MEMS device is encapsulated in the second recess. The expandable material is then heated to at least an activation temperature to cause the expandable material to expand after the first recess has been sealed. The expansion of the expandable material causes a reduction in volume of the first recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ashwin K. Samarao, Gary O'Brien, Ando Feyh
  • Patent number: 10037896
    Abstract: A fabrication method includes: (1) forming a wire array on a fabrication substrate; (2) forming a porous layer within a portion of the fabrication substrate below the wire array; (3) separating the porous layer and the wire array from a remaining portion of the fabrication substrate; and (4) affixing top ends of the wire array to a target substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Jeffrey Weisse, Xiaolin Zheng
  • Patent number: 10026615
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor fins include forming first spacers on a first sidewall of each of a plurality of mandrels using an angled deposition process. A second sidewall of one or more of the plurality of mandrels is masked. Second spacers are formed on a second sidewall of all unmasked mandrels. The second sidewall of the one or more of the plurality of mandrels is unmasked. The mandrels are etched away. Fins are formed from a substrate using the first and second spacers as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marc A. Bergendahl, Kangguo Cheng, John R. Sporre, Sean Teehan
  • Patent number: 10008537
    Abstract: A complementary bit cell includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device having a free layer coupled to a first access transistor and having a pinned layer coupled to a bit line. The complementary bit cell also includes a second MTJ device having a free layer coupled to the same bit line and having a pinned layer coupled to a second access transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Xia Li, Xiaochun Zhu, Yu Lu
  • Patent number: 9997369
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a plurality of mandrel structures. A plurality of first spacers is formed on sidewalls of the mandrel structures. A plurality of second spacers is formed on sidewalls of the first spacers. The plurality of first spacers is removed selective to the plurality of second spacers and mandrel structures. A cut mask is formed over a first set of second spacers in the plurality of second spacers and a first set of mandrel structures in the plurality of mandrel structures. A second set of second spacers in the plurality of spacers and a second set of mandrel structures in the plurality of mandrel structures remain exposed. One of the second set of mandrel structures and the second set of second spacers is removed selective to the second set of second spacers and the second set of mandrel structures, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gauri Karve, Fee Li Lie, Eric R. Miller, Stuart A. Sieg, John R. Sporre, Sean Teehan
  • Patent number: 9991117
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor fins include forming first spacers on a first sidewall of each of a plurality of mandrels using an angled deposition process. A second sidewall of one or more of the plurality of mandrels is masked. Second spacers are formed on a second sidewall of all unmasked mandrels. The second sidewall of the one or more of the plurality of mandrels is unmasked. The mandrels are etched away. Fins are formed from a substrate using the first and second spacers as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marc A. Bergendahl, Kangguo Cheng, John R. Sporre, Sean Teehan
  • Patent number: 9984877
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor fins include forming first spacers on a first sidewall of each of a plurality of mandrels using an angled deposition process. A second sidewall of one or more of the plurality of mandrels is masked. Second spacers are formed on a second sidewall of all unmasked mandrels. The second sidewall of the one or more of the plurality of mandrels is unmasked. The mandrels are etched away. Fins are formed from a substrate using the first and second spacers as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marc A. Bergendahl, Kangguo Cheng, John R. Sporre, Sean Teehan
  • Patent number: 9984948
    Abstract: A power electronics module includes: a baseplate, a power semiconductor chip arranged on the baseplate, and an encapsulation structure arranged on the baseplate and configured to encapsulate the power semiconductor chip, wherein the encapsulation structure is an epoxy having an elastic modulus in a range of 1 to 20 Giga Pascal, GPa, at room temperature and a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 20 ppm/K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: David Guillon, Heinz Lendenmann, Hui Huang
  • Patent number: 9976981
    Abstract: Provided is a charge-transfer-type sensor suitable for high integration while eliminating a potential barrier. A sensor provided with a semiconductor substrate 10 partitioned into a sensing region 5 in which a potential varies in corresponding fashion to a variation in the external environment, a charge input region 2 for supplying charges to the sensing region 5, an input charge control region 3 interposed between the sensing region 5 and the charge input region 2, and a charge accumulation region 7 for accumulating electric charges transported from the sensing region 5, the sensor for detecting the amount of electric charges accumulated in the charge accumulation region 7, wherein a diffusion layer 4 is formed between the input charge control region 3 and the sensing region 5 of the substrate 10, and dopants for producing charges having the same polarity as the charges supplied from the charge input region 2 are diffused in the diffusion layer 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Fumihiro Dasai, Kazuaki Sawada
  • Patent number: 9966120
    Abstract: A data sensing circuit may include a pair of first signal lines, and a pair of second signal lines precharged with a first power supply voltage. The data sensing circuit may also include a line level control block configured for applying a second power supply voltage to any one signal line of the pair of second signal lines in response to a read command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: One Gyun Na
  • Patent number: 9941247
    Abstract: A memory device including a stack semiconductor device including; an upper substrate vertically stacked on a lower substrate, the upper substrate including N upper through-silicon vias (UTSV) and upper driving circuits, and the lower substrate including N lower through-silicon vias (LTSV) and lower driving circuits, wherein each one of the upper driving circuits is stagger-connected between a Kth UTSV and a (K+1)th LTSV, where ‘N’ is a natural number greater than 1, and ‘K’ is a natural number ranging from 1 to (N?1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hae-Suk Lee, Kyo-Min Sohn, Ho-Young Song, Sang-Hoon Shin, Han-Vit Jung
  • Patent number: 9941398
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductive substrate comprising a top surface, a III-V compound layer over the semiconductive substrate, and a first passivation layer over the III-V compound layer. The semiconductor structure also includes an etch stop layer over the first passivation layer. The semiconductor structure further includes a gate stack over the first passivation layer and surrounded by the etch stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Han-Chin Chiu, Sheng-De Liu, Yu-Syuan Lin, Yao-Chung Chang, Cheng-Yuan Tsai
  • Patent number: 9928919
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and manufacture for memory device startup is provided. Flash memory devices are configured such that, upon the power supply voltage reaching a pre-determined level, each flash memory is arranged to load the random access memory with instructions for the flash memory, and then execute a first portion of the instructions for the flash memory. After executing the first portion of the instructions for the flash memory, each separate subset of the flash memories waits for a separate, distinct delay period. For each flash memory, after the delay period expires for that flash memory, the flash memory executes a second portion of the instructions for the flash memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley Edman Sundahl, Sean Michael O'Mullan, Gregory Charles Yancey, Kenneth Alan Okin
  • Patent number: 9929283
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first well region, and a second well region. The semiconductor substrate has a first conductivity type. The first and second well regions are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The first and second well regions have a second conductivity type that is opposite to the first conductivity type. The semiconductor device also includes a first top layer and a second top layer. The first top layer is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The first top layer extends from the first well region to the second well region. The first top layer has the first conductivity type. The second top layer is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and on the first top layer. The second top layer extends from the first well region to the second well region. The second top layer has the second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Manoj Kumar, Wen-Hsin Lin, Shin-Cheng Lin, Chia-Hao Lee, Chih-Cherng Liao
  • Patent number: 9929165
    Abstract: Methods of producing integrated circuits are provided. An exemplary method includes patterning a source line photoresist mask to overlie a source line area of a substrate while exposing a drain line area. The source line area is between a first and second memory cell and the drain line area is between the second and a third memory cell. A source line is formed in the source line area. A source line dielectric is concurrently formed overlying the source line while a drain line dielectric is formed overlying a drain line area. A drain line photoresist mask is patterned to overlie the source line in an active section while exposing the source line in a strap section, and while exposing the drain line area. The drain line dielectric is removed from over the drain line area while a thickness of the source line dielectric in the strap section is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Laiqiang Luo, Yu Jin Eugene Kong, Daxiang Wang, Fan Zhang, Danny Pak-Chum Shum, Pinghui Li, Zhiqiang Teo, Juan Boon Tan, Soh Yun Siah, Pey Kin Leong
  • Patent number: 9917199
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes etching a semiconductor layer using a gate structure and spacers as a mask to protect portions of the semiconductor layer that extend beyond the gate structure. Undercuts are formed in a buried dielectric layer under the gate structure. Source and drain regions are epitaxially growing and wrapped around the semiconductor layer by forming the source and drain regions adjacent to the gate structure on a first side of the semiconductor layer and in the undercuts on a second side of the semiconductor layer opposite the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni
  • Patent number: 9917072
    Abstract: A method includes forming a first through-via from a first conductive pad of a first device die, and forming a second through-via from a second conductive pad of a second device die. The first and second conductive pads are at top surfaces of the first and the second device dies, respectively. The first and the second conductive pads may be used as seed layers. The second device die is adhered to the top surface of the first device die. The method further includes encapsulating the first and the second device dies and the first and the second through-vias in an encapsulating material, with the first and the second device dies and the first and the second through-vias encapsulated in a same encapsulating process. The encapsulating material is planarized to reveal the first and the second through-vias. Redistribution lines are formed to electrically couple to the first and the second through-vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Hua Yu, Kuo-Chung Yee, Hao-Yi Tsai, Tin-Hao Kuo
  • Patent number: 9911492
    Abstract: Structures and methods for a multi-bit phase change memory are disclosed herein. A method includes establishing a write-reference voltage that incrementally ramps over a write period. The increments of the write-reference voltage correspond to discrete resistance states of a storage cell of the multi-bit phase change memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chung H. Lam, Scott C. Lewis, Thomas M. Maffitt, Jack R. Morrish
  • Patent number: 9911738
    Abstract: Methods for forming a structure that includes vertical-transport field-effect transistors and structures that include vertical-transport field-effect transistors. A first semiconductor fin is separated from a second semiconductor fin by a gap. A gate stack is conformally deposited that extends across the first semiconductor fin, the second semiconductor fin, and the gap. A section of the gate stack is located in the gap. A gate strap layer is formed in the gap on the section of the gate stack. The gate stack is patterned to form a first gate electrode associated with the first semiconductor fin and a second gate electrode associated with the second semiconductor fin. The gate strap layer masks the section of the gate stack when the gate stack is patterned. The first gate electrode is connected with the second gate electrode by the gate strap layer and the section of the gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niimi, Kwan-Yong Lim, Brent A. Anderson, Junli Wang
  • Patent number: 9905297
    Abstract: A method of controlling a memory device includes receiving an address value that indicates a range of addresses within the memory device, each address within the range of addresses corresponding to storage locations within each of two distinct storage dice within the memory device. The address value is stored within a programmable register within the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Scott C. Best