Patents Examined by Donald L. Monin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6130463
    Abstract: A silicided region (11a) is formed in part of a surface of a gate electrode (3a) which is far from a storage node when a diffusion region (7a) is connected to a bit line and a diffusion region (8a) is connected to the storage node. A silicided region (12a) is formed in a surface of the diffusion region (7a) connected to the bit line. A MOSFET which suppresses a leakage current from the storage node to the gate electrode and decreases the resistance of the diffusion region connected to the bit line and the resistance of said gate electrode is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidekazu Oda, Tomohiro Yamashita, Shuichi Ueno
  • Patent number: 6127699
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising a source, a drain, and a gate electrode having an increased effective gate length. A semiconductor device is fabricated by a process comprising the following steps: forming active areas separated by field oxide regions; forming a lightly doped region in each active area; forming a heavily doped p-Si (or a-Si) layer; depositing and patterning several dielectric layers to form a gate area surrounded by vertical spacers; forming a groove in the gate area and the substrate; forming a gate oxide layer in the groove and driving dopants in the doped p-Si (or a-Si) layer into the substrate to form the source and the drain; and forming a gate electrode in the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Mosel Vitelic, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng-Tsung Ni, Chih-Hsun Chu
  • Patent number: 6127213
    Abstract: An improved method for simultaneously forming low voltage and high voltage devices is disclosed. The method includes using gradient doping to generate the gradient concentration in a semiconductor such that can tolerate higher threshold voltage. The device can get higher driving current by using gradient doping only in drain regions in metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). In addition, the invention can simultaneously generate higher current gain bipolar junction transistor (BJT) for applied integrated circuit. Further more, the invention can meet small layout rule of low voltage device and the only drain region to be operated in a high voltage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Ming-Tsung Tung
  • Patent number: 6127239
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes: a) forming a first opening into a substrate surface; b) forming a polysilicon layer over the substrate surface and within the first opening to a thickness which less than completely fills the first opening to leave a second opening within the first opening; c) forming a coating layer over the polysilicon layer and within the second opening; d) etching the coating layer and the polysilicon layer to remove the coating layer and the polysilicon layer from over the substrate surface and leave the coating layer and the polysilicon layer within the opening; and e) after the etching, removing the coating layer from within the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Jost, Bradley J. Howard
  • Patent number: 6127695
    Abstract: A lateral field effect transistor of SiC for high switching frequencies comprises a source region layer (5) and a drain region layer (6) laterally spaced and highly doped n-type, an n-type channel layer (4) extending laterally and interconnecting the source region layer and the drain region layer for conducting a current between these layers in the on-state of the transistor, and a gate electrode (9) arranged to control the channel layer to be conducting or blocking through varying the potential applied to the gate electrode. A highly doped p-type base layer (12) is arranged next to the channel layer at least partially overlapping the gate electrode and being at a lateral distance to the drain region layer. The base layer is shorted to the source region layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Acreo AB
    Inventors: Christopher Harris, Andrei Konstantinov
  • Patent number: 6127709
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a guard ring in the termination area that is formed using the same processing steps that form the active area of the device and without requiring additional masking steps or a passivation layer. The guard ring is formed in an opening in the field oxide located in the termination area and is electrically connected to a polysilicon field plate that is located atop a portion of the field oxide region. The guard ring increases the rated voltage of the device without the introduction of a passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corp.
    Inventors: Kenneth Wagers, Ming Zhou
  • Patent number: 6127232
    Abstract: A counter-doped epitaxial silicon (doped opposite to the substrate type) is used to form the buried layer in a CMOS transistor, while maintaining an abrupt channel profile. Shallow source/drain junctions with abrupt source/drain profiles may be formed using raised (or elevated) source/drain design. The invention encompasses a transistor structure including a doped silicon substrate, and an oppositely-doped epitaxial silicon layer formed on the substrate. A gate is formed on the epitaxial layer, the gate defining a channel region in the epitaxial layer underneath the gate. A layer is formed on the epitaxial silicon layer on opposing sides of, and is electrically isolated from, the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Amitava Chatterjee, Richard A. Chapman, Syed Suhail Murtaza
  • Patent number: 6126703
    Abstract: A processing system includes a plurality of types of internal processing machines that perform various processes on a semiconductor substrate and an interface section that delivers and receives the semiconductor substrate to and from an external exposure machine for performing an exposure process on the substrate subjected to a resist coating process, wherein the interface section includes a transfer unit for taking in the substrate subjected to a specific process from at least one of the internal processing machines and transferring the substrate and a substrate table unit for temporarily holding the substrate to transfer the substrate between the internal processing machine and the external exposure machine via the transfer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masami Akimoto, Issei Ueda
  • Patent number: 6127720
    Abstract: A semiconductor device provided with a wide and shallow first groove and a second groove in the first groove area, having a narrower width than that of the first groove around a predetermined area in a one-conductive area provided in the upper region of a semiconductor substrate as a mesa groove, wherein at least the second groove is covered with an electrical insulator. The upper surface of the electrical insulator is located approximately as high as or lower than the upper surface of the electrical insulating film. Thus, especially in a mesa semiconductor device with a high-voltage resistance, an insulating protective layer having a sufficient thickness can be formed stably over the entire region of a mesa groove. As a result, the variation in high-voltage resistance characteristics can be decreased and the processing yield affected by breakage or cracking in the mesa groove region during subsequent processes caused by the formation of the mesa groove can be improved greatly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Nakura, Isamu Kawashima, Jutarou Kotani, Hidekazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6124621
    Abstract: A structure of a spacer in a semiconductor device is disclosed. Firstly, a gate without a spacer is provided on a substrate. A first insulating layer is formed on the sidewall of the gate. After a lightly doped drain is subsequently achieved in the substrate, a second insulating layer is formed on the first spacer. The process following this embodiment described above is to form a heavily doped drain in the substrate, then the whole MOSFET fabrication is completed. The present invention can enhance the stability of resistance of the gate and reduce pollution of the machine. Therefore, quality and efficiency of the fabrication of MOSFET will be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Yung-Chang Lin, Jih-Wen Chou, Tung-Po Chen
  • Patent number: 6124159
    Abstract: A method for integrating a high-voltage device and a low-voltage device. A substrate has a high-voltage device region, a low-voltage device region and a scribe region, wherein a patterned insulating layer is formed on the substrate in the high-voltage device region and the scribe region. A grade region is formed in the substrate exposed by the patterned insulating layer in the high-voltage device region. A plurality of protuberances is formed on the substrate exposed by the patterned insulating layer in the high-voltage device region and in the scribe region. The patterned insulating layer and the protuberances are removed to form recesses at locations of the protuberances. A first gate structure and a second gate structure are respectively formed on the substrate between the grade region in the high-voltage device region and on the substrate in the low-voltage device region while using the recesses as alignment marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Tung-Yuan Chu
  • Patent number: 6124193
    Abstract: An antifuse comprises a lower electrode formed from a metal layer in a microcircuit. A interlayer dielectric layer is disposed over the lower electrode and has an aperture formed therein. A conductive plug, formed from a material such as tungsten, is formed in the aperture. The upper surface of the interlayer dielectric is etched back to create a raised portion of the plug. The upper edges of the plug are rounded. An antifuse layer, preferably comprising a silicon nitride, amorphous silicon, silicon nitride sandwich incorporating a thin silicon dioxide layer above or below the amorphous silicon layer or such a sandwich structure covered by a titanium nitride layer, is disposed above the plug. An upper electrode, preferably comprising a metal layer is disposed over the antifuse layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Frank W. Hawley, John L. McCollum, Ying Go, Abdelshafy Eltoukhy
  • Patent number: 6121676
    Abstract: A method of making a stacked microelectronic assembly such as a semiconductor chip assembly and its resulting structure includes providing a flexible substrate having a plurality of attachment sites and conductive terminals and including a wiring layer with leads extending to the attachment sites. The method includes assembling a plurality of microelectronic elements to the attachment sites and electrically interconnecting the microelectronic elements and the leads so that the electrically connected microelectronic elements are movable relative to the flexible substrate. The flexible substrate is then folded so as to stack at least some of the microelectronic elements in substantially vertical alignment with one another to provide a stacked assembly with the conductive terminals exposed at the bottom end of the stack. The stacked assembly is held in place using a thermally conductive adhesive and/or a mechanical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventor: Vernon Solberg
  • Patent number: 6119325
    Abstract: Aspects for device and package separation of a multi-layer integrated circuit device attached at a frontside to an integrated circuit package are described. In an exemplary method aspect, the method includes slicing through material coupling the multi-layer integrated circuit to the integrated circuit package with a high power water stream. The slicing further includes cutting through solder bump material. Additionally, the multi-layer integrated circuit device is utilized for device analysis from a frontside following separation from the integrated circuit package by the step of slicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Courtney Black, Richard C. Blish, II
  • Patent number: 6121085
    Abstract: A method of making contact openings for memory cell units of DRAM IC devices is disclosed. The contact opening is used to connect the cell transistor source/drain terminal to the storage capacitor electrode located substantially above. The method includes the step of first patterning the initial opening in a shielding layer for the contact opening. The diameter of the initial opening is then reduced by the formation of sidewall spacers in initial opening. The initial opening in the shielding layer is then used to implement the etching for the formation of the contact opening. Due to reduced size of the contact opening, short-circuiting situations arising between the via formed in the contact opening and the bit lines next to the via as a result of misalignment in the process of fabrication can be reduced, thereby improving the device fabrication yield rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chia-Wen Liang, Sun-Chieh Chien, Der-Yuan Wu, Jason Jenq
  • Patent number: 6121654
    Abstract: A nonvolatile, high-speed, bit-addressable memory device is disclosed. A tunnel barrier layer is disposed between a charge supply medium and a charge storage medium, with the tunnel barrier layer having a crested energy profile with a maximum half-way between the charge storage layer and the charge supply layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventor: Konstantin K. Likharev
  • Patent number: 6121640
    Abstract: A monolithic integrated device includes a protection structure and is formed in a semiconductor material substrate having a first conductivity type, which device includes at least a first epitaxial layer formed on the substrate. The integrated device further includes a bipolar first transistor formed of a base region having a second conductivity type and including a first buried region formed in the first epitaxial layer, and having a first diffused region which extends from the first buried region to contact a top surface of the integrated device through a surface contact region with a high concentration of dopant material. The first transistor also has an emitter region with the first conductivity type, embedded in the base region, and including a second buried region formed on the first buried region and a second diffused region, with a high concentration of dopant material, which extends from the second buried region to contact the top surface of the integrated device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Salvatore Leonardi
  • Patent number: 6121087
    Abstract: The switching properties of the disclosed device, low off current and high on current, also allows the device to be employed to replace EEPROM, fuses, anti-fuses or other electrically-alterable non volatile switching devices in programmable logic devices. The disclosed device can be fabricated with low cost methods. The manufacturing methods are compatible with current tools and procedures which allows the device to be added to CMOS circuits to replace masked ROM with more flexible flash memory at a modest increase in cost. The cell operational method and manufacturing methods allows the size of the memory element to be scaled smaller to maintain a low cost and high performance as the minimum feature size of microelectronic circuits is reduced in the future. The disclosed cell approach also offers simpler programming methods to simplify memory array design, supports higher cell currents for high speed applications, and uses lower cost manufacturing methods than an "ETOX" cell approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Mann, Eugene R. Worley
  • Patent number: 6118165
    Abstract: A photodiode that is less susceptible to electromagnetic noise without a shield case is produced by forming an n-type layer on a p-type substrate serving as a first p-type layer, separating the n-type layer from side edges by providing a p-type separation strip around the n-type layer, forming a second p-type layer on the n-type layer with part of the latter left uncovered, and coating the entire surface with a protective film layer. On the protective film layer, a first and a second electrode are provided, and, through an opening formed in the protective film layer, the first electrode is connected to the n-type layer and the second electrode is connected to the p-type separation strip and to the second p-type layer. The second electrode is connected to the ground level so that the first and second p-type layers are kept at the ground level, whereas the electric charge produced through photoelectric conversion is fed out from the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Yano
  • Patent number: 6117689
    Abstract: A structure for, and method of forming, an oxygen diffusion resistant electrode for high-dielectric-constant materials is disclosed. The electrode comprises a single grain of an oxygen stable material over a barrier layer. The single crystal oxygen stable layer is generally substantially impervious to oxygen diffusion at all relevant deposition and annealing temperatures. The disclosed structure is an integrated circuit comprising an array of microelectronic structures, with each of the microelectronic structures comprising an oxidizable layer (e.g., polysilicon 50), a barrier layer (e.g. TiN 64) overlying the oxidizable layer, a single crystal oxygen stable layer (e.g., Pt 98) overlying the barrier layer, and a high-dielectric-constant material layer (e.g., barium strontium titanate 36) overlying the oxygen stable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Scott R. Summerfelt