Patents Examined by Christian D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6911682
    Abstract: Three trace electromechanical circuits and methods of using same are described. A circuit includes first and second electrically conductive elements with a nanotube ribbon (or other electromechanical elements) disposed therebetween. The nanotube ribbon is movable toward at least one of the first and second electrically conductive elements in response to electrical stimulus applied to at least one of the first and second electrically conductive elements and the nanotube ribbon. Such circuits may be formed into arrays of cells. The upper and lower electrically conductive traces may be aligned or unaligned vertically. An electrical stimulus may be applied to at least one of the first and second electrically conductive elements and the nanotube ribbon to move the nanotube ribbon toward at least one of the first and second electrically conductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Nantero, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Rueckes, Brent M. Segal, Darren K. Brock
  • Patent number: 6908867
    Abstract: There are contained the steps of forming sequentially a first conductive film, a dielectric film, and a second conductive film on a first insulating film, forming an upper electrode of a capacitor by patterning the second conductive film, patterning the dielectric film to leave under the upper electrode, forming a lower electrode of the capacitor by patterning the first conductive film, covering the capacitor and the first insulating film with a second insulating film, and annealing at least one of the first insulating film and the second insulating film in an inert-gas atmosphere and then exposing the film to an N2O plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Tatsuya Yokota
  • Patent number: 6902950
    Abstract: A microelectronic package including a microelectronic die having an active surface and at least one side. An encapsulation material is disposed adjacent the microelectronic die side(s). A portion of the encapsulation material is removed to expose a back surface of the microelectronic die which has a metallization layer disposed thereon. A protective layer is disposed on the metallization layer prior to encapsulation, such that when the portion of the encapsulation material is removed, the protective layer prevents the metallization layer from being damaged. After the portion of the encapsulation material is removed, the protective layer is removed and the metallization layer is exposed. A heat spreader may then be attached to the microelectronic die by abutting the heat spreader against the metallization layer and reflowing the metallization layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Qing Ma, Xiao-Chun Mu, Quat T. Vu
  • Patent number: 6891254
    Abstract: A sealing process in a manufacturing method for semiconductor devices improves product reliability. A die pad 14 with a semiconductor chip 32 mounted thereon is placed between first and second molding dies 40, 42 such that the die pad 14 is supported above the second molding die 42. A sealant 30 is then injected between the first and second molding dies 40, 42 to seal the semiconductor chip 32. Part of the die pad 14 has one or more protrusions 16 projecting in the direction of the second molding die 42. Injecting the sealant 30 presses the protrusions 16 against the second molding die 42 and seals the semiconductor chip 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 6872651
    Abstract: The invention includes a semiconductor device, and a method for making the same, wherein bumps of a semiconductor chip and inner leads of a film tape carrier can be securely bonded to each other by thermal welding using a heating unit. A semiconductor wafer 50 is etched using a potassium iodide or ammonium iodide solution. By the etching, a barrier metal layer 48 is removed while the upper face of a bump 10 is simultaneously roughened and many prominences 12 are formed. The formation of the prominences 12 increases the surface area of the upper face of the bump 10 and improves the bonding between the bump 10 of the semiconductor chip and the lead of the film tape carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Michiyoshi Takano
  • Patent number: 6867120
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device, particles are removed from the surface of a gold conductive layer before an intermediate insulating layer of an amino silane compound is formed. An organic insulating layer is formed on the intermediate insulating layer. As a result, adhesion strength between the conductive layer and the intermediate insulating layer can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Okajima, Masahisa Ikeya
  • Patent number: 6864188
    Abstract: To increase the etching resistance and to reduce the etching rate of a silicon-containing mask layer, an additional substance is mixed into the mask layer or into an etching gas. The additional substance is present in the mask layer or a concentration of the additional substance can be subsequently increased in the mask layer. During a subsequent etching process for patterning using the mask layer, the mask layer is removed at a reduced etching rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Matthias Goldbach
  • Patent number: 6864137
    Abstract: A process of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The initial process steps are forming a first insulating film above a semiconductor substrate and removing a selected portion of the first insulating film to form an opening. The next step is depositing a first electrode, a dielectric film and a second electrode successively on a bottom portion of the opening, The deposits being oriented such that they are in substantially parallel relationship with a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The final steps are removing selected portions of the first electrode, the dielectric film and the second electrode, forming a capacitor at a selected position in the opening, forming a second insulating film at least in the opening, and forming a third insulating film on the second insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takashi Yoshitomi, Yuichi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 6852577
    Abstract: A method for forming a low temperature polysilicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor thin film transistor (LTPS CMOS TFT). It utilizes six photo-etching processes (PEP) to form the LTPS CMOS TFT that comprises an N type metal oxide semiconductor thin film transistor (NMOS TFT) having lightly doped drains (LDD) and a P type metal oxide semiconductor thin film transistor (PMOS TFT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Kun-Hong Chen
  • Patent number: 6852578
    Abstract: A high speed, low power Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Array, which includes a 4T cell with two integrated Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBD) is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the cell bulk area and speed advantage is 30%, and AC power saving is 75% compared with the 6T CFET cell. The physical construct of the 4T cell saves capacitance in all critical nodes intra or inter cell wise, eliminates pass transistors, reduces the well noises. Typical embodiment uses a 0.15-um-rule based layout, and 1.5V supports operation at 5 ns cycles. SBD are used extensively with CFET to form a CMOS version of the Diode Transistor Logic circuitry. Generic control functions can be implemented including NAND/NOR gates, level shifting, decoding, voltage generator, ESD and latch-up protection, leakage control, and dynamic VT setting while in operation. Product applications include DRAM, SRAM, PLD, DRAM, CAM, Flash, Computing, Networking, and Communication devices as standalone system component or embedded into any ASIC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Inventor: Augustine Wei-Chun Chang
  • Patent number: 6849520
    Abstract: A trench isolation in a semiconductor device, and a method for fabricating the same, includes: forming a trench having inner sidewalls for device isolation in a silicon substrate; forming an oxide layer on a surface of the silicon substrate that forms the inner sidewalls of the trench; supplying healing elements to the silicon substrate to remove dangling bonds; and filling the trench with a device isolation layer, thereby forming the trench isolation without dangling bonds causing electrical charge traps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul-Sung Kim, Si-Young Choi, Jung-Woo Park, Jong-Ryol Ryu, Byeong-Chan Lee
  • Patent number: 6847121
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes, a circuit constituting section having a function circuit and an externally-drawing electrode, connected to the function circuit, on a surface of the circuit constituting section. An insulating layer is provided on a side of a rear surface of the circuit constituting section. The insulating layer has a face opposite to the circuit constituting section, which has an area that is larger than an area of the rear surface of the circuit constituting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Dotta, Kazuo Tamaki
  • Patent number: 6844239
    Abstract: A method for forming a shallow well of a semiconductor device using low-energy ion implantation is described. A well region is formed to the depth of a trench isolation layer using a low-energy, high-dose ion implantation process. The method for forming a well using low-energy ion implantation can minimize well margin reduction caused by impurity spread and well margin reduction caused by shrinkage of a thick photoresist pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 6844594
    Abstract: A method of forming minimally spaced word lines is described. A double exposure technique is employed at the gate formation level. A small trench is defined through gate stack layers by using a tapered etch or spacers to achieve the desired width of the trench. A filler material fills the trench and forms a filler plug. The gate layers adjacent to the trench are then patterned and etched and the filler plug is removed to obtain gate stacks spaced apart by a distance of less than about 400 Angstroms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Werner Juengling
  • Patent number: 6841443
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a deep trench capacitor for dynamic memory cells in which a trench is etched into the depth of a semiconductor substrate, and wherein the interior of the trench is provided with a doping and a dielectric and is filled with a conductive material as an inner electrode. The inner electrode and the dielectric are etched back within a collar region, and a collar is formed using a collar process comprising a collar oxide deposition and etching back of the collar oxide on the substrate surface and in the trench as far as the inner electrode, after which the inner electrode is completed by further steps of depositing and etching back conductive layers. Prior to the doping a masking layer is applied to the collar region of the trench, and this masking layer is removed again before the collar process. Before the dielectric is applied the surface of the lower regions of the trench outside the collar region a layer of grains of conductive material is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Temmler, Anke Krasemann
  • Patent number: 6841421
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a power supply semiconductor chip that has a plurality of current passing electrodes. Conductive plates are disposed on the current electrodes, and conductive wires used for an external connection of the device are fixed on the conductive plates, but not directly on the current passing electrode. A large plate is first fixed on the semiconductor chip, and then the back surface of the large plate is removed to form the individual conductive plates. Because the conductive wires are soldered onto the conductive plates, the semiconductor chip does not receive impact of wire bonding. Even when the conductive wires are wire bonded to the conductive plates, the plates may serve as shock absorbers during wire bonding procedure to reduce the impact of the wire bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Aono, Kikuo Okada
  • Patent number: 6833559
    Abstract: A method of precluding diffusion of a metal into adjacent chalcogenide material upon exposure to a quanta of actinic energy capable of causing diffusion of the metal into the chalcogenide material includes forming an actinic energy blocking material layer over the metal to a thickness of no greater than 500 Angstroms and subsequently exposing the actinic energy blocking material layer to said quanta of actinic energy. In one implementation, an homogenous actinic energy blocking material layer is formed over the metal and subsequently exposed to said quanta of actinic energy. A method of forming a non-volatile resistance variable device includes providing conductive electrode material over chalcogenide material having metal ions diffused therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Moore
  • Patent number: 6833298
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor component having at least one transistor cell and an edge cell. The method includes providing a semiconductor body having a channel zone in the region of a transistor cell, a first terminal zone in the region of an edge cell, an insulation layer applied to a front side of the semiconductor body, and an electrode layer applied to the insulation layer. The electrode layer and the insulation layer are patterned in the region of the edge cell and the transistor cell and serve for fabricating complementary doped regions in the channel zone and the first terminal zone. In the region of the edge cell, the patterned electrode layer serves for the subsequent removal of the complementary doped zone during the fabrication of a contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Hans Weber
  • Patent number: 6828623
    Abstract: A memory device with homogeneous oxynitride tunneling dielectric. Specifically, the present invention describes a flash memory cell that includes a tunnel oxide dielectric layer including homogeneous oxynitride. The tunnel oxide dielectric layer separates a floating gate from a channel region that is formed between a source region and a drain region in a substrate. The flash memory cell further includes a dielectric layer that separates a control gate from the floating gate. In one case, the homogenous oxynitride is a defect free silicon nitride. The homogeneity of the oxynitride is due to the uniform distribution of nitride within the tunnel oxide dielectric layer. Further, the use of the homogeneous oxynitride can increase the dielectric constant and lower the barrier height of the tunnel oxide dielectric layer for increased performance. Also, the homogenous oxynitride supports source-side channel hot hole erasing in the flash memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Guo, Nian Yang, Zhigang Wang
  • Patent number: 6818512
    Abstract: A multi-bit split-gate (MSG) flash cell with multi-shared source/drain and making of the same are disclosed. The MSG is formed with N+1 stacked gates comprising floating gates and control gates, separated by N select gates, all sharing the same source/drain between a pair of bit lines. With the disclosed MSG, a multiplicity of N+1 bit programming can be accomplished bit by bit where the programmed bits are selected by word line, bit line and control gate. In the erase operation, erased bits are selected by word line, while in the read operation, operations similar to write operation are performed. Thus, it is disclosed here that a plurality of N+1 bits or cells, where N is any integer, can be formed between two bit lines and along the same word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Chia-Ta Hsieh