Patents Examined by Chakila Tillie
  • Patent number: 7541216
    Abstract: A method of forming an aligned connection between a nanotube layer and a raised feature is disclosed. A substrate having a raised feature has spacers formed next to the side of the raised feature. The spacers are etched until the sidewalls of the raised feature are exposed forming a notched feature at the top of the spacers. A patterned nanotube layer is formed such that the nanotube layer overlies the top of the spacer and contacts a side portion of the raised feature in the notched feature. The nanotube layer is then covered with an insulating layer. Then a top portion of the insulating layer is removed to expose a top portion of the etched feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Nantero, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin D. Yates, Christopher L. Neville
  • Patent number: 7524707
    Abstract: A semiconductor process and apparatus includes forming first and second metal gate electrodes (151, 161) over a hybrid substrate (17) by forming the first gate electrode (151) over a first high-k gate dielectric (121) and forming the second gate electrode (161) over at least a second high-k gate dielectric (122) different from the first gate dielectric (121). By forming the first gate electrode (151) over a first SOI substrate (90) formed by depositing (100) silicon and forming the second gate electrode (161) over an epitaxially grown (110) SiGe substrate (70), a high performance CMOS device is obtained which includes high-k metal PMOS gate electrodes (161) having improved hole mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Olubunmi O. Adetutu, Mariam G. Sadaka, Ted R. White, Bich-Yen Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7524732
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with an L-shape spacer and the method for manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device comprises a substrate, a composite spacer, and a tunnel insulating layer. The substrate comprises a shallow trench isolation structure and a neighboring active area. The composite spacer is formed on the sidewall of the shallow trench isolation structure, and further comprises a first insulating layer and an L-shape second insulating layer spacer, wherein the first insulating layer is located between the L-shape second insulating layer spacer and the substrate. The tunnel insulating layer is located on the substrate of the active area and connects to the first insulating layer of the composite spacer on its corresponding side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Promos Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-We Pan, Shi-Cheng Lin, Ching-Hung Fu, Chih-Ping Chung
  • Patent number: 7507675
    Abstract: A method for patterning a polished silicon surface is disclosed, the method including steps leading to an organic monolayer on at least a part of the silicon surface, the monolayer being functionalized in specific desired locations. The method can be used to produce a device comprising one or more FET structures, the gate of the FET being formed by the functionalized organic monolayer. The functionalized monolayer preferably contains oligosaccharides or oligopeptides which are capable of interacting with biological substance, such that the device acts as a bio-sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V., Wageningen University
    Inventors: Johannes Teunis Zuilhof, Klaus Simon, Ernst Jan Robert Sudholter, Qiao-Yu Sun
  • Patent number: 7494916
    Abstract: Design structure embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design. The design structure includes an interconnect structure with a liner formed on roughened dielectric material in an insulating layer and a conformal liner repair layer bridging that breaches in the liner. The conformal liner repair layer is formed of a conductive material, such as a cobalt-containing material. The conformal liner repair layer may be particularly useful for repairing discontinuities in a conductive liner disposed on roughened dielectric material bordering the trenches and vias of damascene interconnect structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Lu-Chen Hsu, Jack Allan Mandelman, William Robert Tonti, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 7482261
    Abstract: A semiconductor interconnect structure is provided that includes a new capping layer/dielectric material interface which is embedded inside the dielectric material. In particular, the new interface is an air gap that is located in the upper surface of a dielectric material that is adjacent to a conductive region or feature. The air gap may be unfilled, partially filled or completely filled with either a dielectric capping layer or an upper dielectric material. The presence of the air gap in the upper surface of the dielectric material that is adjacent to the conductive region or feature provides a new interface that has a high mechanical strength and thus the resultant structure is highly reliable. Moreover, the new interface provided in the present invention has a high dielectric breakdown resistance which is important for future technology extendibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 7470927
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a circuitry component includes providing a semiconductor substrate, a first coil over said semiconductor substrate, a passivation layer over said first coil; and depositing a second coil over said passivation layer and over said first coil. Said second coil may be deposited by forming a first metal layer over said passivation layer, forming a pattern defining layer over said first metal layer, a first opening in said pattern defining layer exposing said first metal layer, forming a second metal layer over said first metal layer exposed by said first opening, removing said pattern defining layer, and removing said first metal layer not under said second metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Megica Corporation
    Inventors: Wen-Chieh Lee, Mou-Shiung Lin, Chien-Kang Chou, Yi-Cheng Liu, Chiu-Ming Chou, Jin-Yuan Lee
  • Patent number: 7459344
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of fabricating a micromachined structure, and in particular to a method of forming a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) structure. A thin silicon cantilevered or suspended structure used to make micromachined structures is first formed from a SOI wafer or a bulk silicon wafer, followed by formation of the micromachined structures by semiconductor manufacturing techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Hua Chang, Hua-Shu Wu
  • Patent number: 7449372
    Abstract: The manufacturing method of a substrate having a conductive layer has the steps of: forming an inorganic insulating layer over a substrate; forming an organic resin layer with a desired shape over the inorganic insulating layer; forming a low wettability layer with respect to a composition containing conductive particles on a first exposed portion of the inorganic insulating layer; removing the organic resin layer; and coating a second exposed portion of the inorganic insulating layer with a composition containing conductive particles and baking, thereby forming a conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gen Fujii, Masafumi Morisue, Hironobu Shoji, Junya Maruyama, Kouji Dairiki, Tomoyuki Aoki
  • Patent number: 7442644
    Abstract: To remove the disparate substrate from nitride semiconductor layer grown over the disparate substrate, that is made of a material different from nitride semiconductor, by irradiating the disparate substrate with laser beam having a wavelength shorter than the band gap wavelength of the nitride semiconductor layer, while supplying an acidic or alkaline etching solution to the interface between the disparate substrate and the nitride semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Nogami
  • Patent number: 7442589
    Abstract: Methods and systems for growing uniform oxide layers include an example method including growing a first layer of oxide on first and second facets of the substrate, with the first facet having a faster oxide growth rate. The oxide is removed from the first facet and a second oxide layer is grown on the first and second facets. Removing the oxide from the first facet includes shielding the second facet and exposing the substrate to a deoxidizing condition. The second facet is then exposed to receive the second oxide layer. Areas having differing oxide thicknesses are also grown by repeatedly growing oxide layers, selectively shielding areas, and removing oxide from exposed areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lianzhong Yu, Ken L. Yang, Thomas Keyser
  • Patent number: 7439110
    Abstract: A strained HOT MOSFET fabrication method. The MOSFET fabrication method includes providing a semiconductor structure which includes (a) a first semiconductor layer having a first crystallographic orientation, (b) a buried insulating layer on top of the first semiconductor layer, (c) a second semiconductor layer on top of the buried oxide layer. The second semiconductor layer has a second crystallographic orientation different from the first crystallographic orientation. The method further includes forming a third semiconductor layer on top of the first semiconductor layer which has the first crystallographic orientation. The method further includes forming a fourth semiconductor layer on top of the third semiconductor layer. The fourth semiconductor layer (a) comprises a different material than that of the third semiconductor layer, and (b) has the first crystallographic orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Woo-Hyeong Lee, Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 7439145
    Abstract: A diode structure fabrication method. In a P? substrate, an N+ layer is implanted. The N+ layer has an opening whose size affects the breakdown voltage of the diode structure. Upon the N+ layer, an N? layer is formed. Then, a P+ region is formed to serve as an anode of the diode structure. An N+ region can be formed on the surface of the substrate to serve as a cathode of the diode structure. By changing the size of the opening in the N+ layer during fabrication, the breakdown voltage of the diode structure can be changed (tuned) to a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 7432189
    Abstract: A method for reducing capacitances between semiconductor device wirings is provided. A sacrificial layer is formed over a dielectric layer. A plurality of features are etched into the sacrificial layer and dielectric layer. The features are filled with a filler material. The sacrificial layer is removed, so that parts of the filler material remain exposed above a surface of the dielectric layer, where spaces are between the exposed parts of the filler material, where the spaces are in an area formerly occupied by the sacrificial layer. Widths of the spaces between the parts of the filler material are shrunk with a shrink sidewall deposition. Gaps are etched into the dielectric layer through the shrink sidewall deposition. The filler material and shrink sidewall deposition are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: S. M. Reza Sadjadi, Zhi-Song Huang
  • Patent number: 7432165
    Abstract: Disclosed are a semiconductor memory device, a semiconductor device, and a method for production thereof. The semiconductor memory device and semiconductor device do not need for a distance for alignment of lithography to make the contact hole with lithography to form the gate electrode. Hence the resulting devices have a reduced area for the cell array. The semiconductor memory device is composed of a substrate having trenches formed side by side, a plate electrode which is formed to a prescribed depth from the surface of the inner wall of the trench, a capacitor insulating film which covers the surface of the inner wall of the trench, a memory node electrode MN which fills the trench, with the capacitor insulating film interposed between them, and a memory node contact plug which is buried in a contact hole which is so made as to reach the memory node electrode from the surface of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuzo Fukuzaki, Hiroshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7427520
    Abstract: A memory (43) of a control unit (4) stores correction data (81) indicating a relationship between a decrement in a measurement value of a film thickness by removal of organic contamination adsorbed onto a substrate and an amount of adsorbed organic contamination corresponding to a difference between a true film thickness and the measurement. The difference is caused by organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate before removal of organic contamination. In a film-thickness measuring apparatus (1), a calculating/measuring part 41 obtains a first measurement value of a film thickness on a substrate (9) using an ellipsometer (23), and further obtains a second measurement value which is affected by remaining organic contamination after organic contamination adsorbed onto the substrate (9) is removed by an organic contamination remover (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Kono, Yoshiyuki Nakazawa, Toshikazu Kitajima
  • Patent number: 7422970
    Abstract: A method is provided for modifying a circuit containing a plurality of electrodes, within a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting at least two electrodes for making a connection; (b) removing materials covering the electrodes with a focused ion beam (FIB) or a laser to form contact holes for respectively exposing the electrodes; (c) depositing in the contact holes a conductive material for forming electrically conductive piers, by applying the focused ion beam (FIB) or laser, with gas molecules ejected from a nozzle; (d) disposing an electrically conductive viscid material over each of the electrically conductive piers; and (e) disposing an electrically conductive bridge floor to connect with the electrically conductive viscid material to form an electrically conductive bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Integrated Service Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Been Yu, Yung-Shun Liao, Hsin-Sheng Liao
  • Patent number: 7416974
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising a first step of forming a layer insulation film on a lower layer wiring provided on a substrate and forming a connection hole in the layer insulation film, a second step of forming an alloy layer composed of a first metallic material constituting the lower layer wiring and a second metallic material different from the first metallic material, on the surface side of the lower layer wiring in the region to be a bottom portion of the connection hole, a third step of sputter-etching the alloy layer, and a fourth step of forming a via in the connection hole in the state of reaching the lower layer wiring; and the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Arakawa
  • Patent number: 7407865
    Abstract: An epitaxial growth method for forming a high-quality epitaxial growth semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes forming a single crystalline layer on a single crystalline wafer; forming a mask layer having nano-sized dots on the single crystalline layer; forming a porous buffer layer having nano-sized pores by etching the mask layer and the surface of the single crystalline layer; annealing the porous buffer layer; and forming an epitaxial material layer on the porous buffer layer using an epitaxial growth process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Corning Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-soo Park
  • Patent number: 7405122
    Abstract: A method for forming a capacitor comprises providing a substrate. A bottom electrode material layer is formed on the substrate. A first mask layer is formed on the bottom electrode material layer. A second mask layer is formed on the first mask layer. The second mask layer is patterned to form a patterned second mask layer in a predetermined region for formation of a capacitor. A plurality of hemispherical grain structures are formed on a sidewall of the patterned second mask layer. The first mask layer is etched by using the hemispherical grain structures and the patterned second mask layer as a mask, thereby forming a patterned first mask layer having a pattern. The pattern of the first mask layer is transferred to the bottom electrode material layer. And, a capacitor dielectric layer and a top electrode layer are formed on the bottom electrode material layer to form the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hengyuan Lee, Lurng-Shehng Lee, Ching Chiun Wang, Pei-Jer Tzeng