Patents Examined by Eric Ward
  • Patent number: 10205008
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device with favorable electrical characteristics. Provided is a semiconductor device with stable electrical characteristics. Provided is a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device with a high yield. The manufacturing method includes a first step of forming an insulating film over a substrate, a second step of transferring the substrate in an atmospheric atmosphere, a third step of heating the insulating film, and a fourth step of forming a metal oxide film. The third step and the fourth step are successively performed in an atmosphere where water vapor partial pressure is lower than water vapor partial pressure in the atmospheric air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Obonai, Hironobu Takahashi, Yasuharu Hosaka, Masahiro Watanabe, Takuya Handa, Yukinori Shima, Takashi Hamochi
  • Patent number: 10199523
    Abstract: A surface region of a semiconductor material on a surface of a semiconductor device is doped during its manufacture, by coating the surface region of the semiconductor material with a dielectric material surface layer and locally heating the surface of the semiconductor material in an area to be doped to locally melt the semiconductor material with the melting being performed in the presence of a dopant source. The heating is performed in a controlled manner such that a region of the surface of the semiconductor material in the area to be doped is maintained in a molten state without refreezing for a period of time greater than one microsecond and the dopant from the dopant source is absorbed into the molten semiconductor. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor material structure in which a junction is formed and may incorporate a multi-layer anti-reflection coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: NEWSOUTH INNOVATIONS PTY LIMITED, SUNTECH POWER INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Alison Maree Wenham, Ziv Hameiri, Jing Jia Ji, Ly Mai, Zhengrong Shi, Budi Tjahjono, Stuart Ross Wenham
  • Patent number: 10199481
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes carrying out a first heat treatment accompanied by nitration on a first insulating film and a silicon carbide substrate in a first gas atmosphere, after the carrying out of the first heat treatment and after a temperature of the silicon carbide substrate has become 700° C. or less, removing the silicon carbide substrate from a processing apparatus and exposing the silicon carbide substrate to air in an atmosphere outside of the processing apparatus, and after the exposing of the silicon carbide substrate to air in the atmosphere, carrying out a second heat treatment on the first insulating film and the silicon carbide substrate in a second gas atmosphere which is an inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Hama, Yasuaki Kagotoshi
  • Patent number: 10199458
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having a superjunction structure formed by a first conduction type column and a second conduction type column, including a first region of the superjunction structure in which a PN ratio increases in a direction from a first surface side to a second surface side of the superjunction structure; and a second region of the superjunction structure that contacts the first region and is adjacent to a channel region of the semiconductor device, wherein a PN ratio of the second region is less than the PN ratio at an end of the first region on the second surface side and thickness of the second region is less than thickness of the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sakata, Mutsumi Kitamura
  • Patent number: 10177223
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including at least one fin extending upward from a substrate and a gate on the substrate, wherein the gate includes outer sidewalls, wherein the fin extend through a width of the gate. A spacer material can be adjacent to the outer sidewalls of the gate, wherein a top surface of the spacer material is below the top surface of the gate and above the top surface of the fin. The semiconductor device can also include an epitaxial semiconductor layer over the fins on each side of the spacer material. A low-k dielectric material can be deposited above each epitaxial semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device also includes a dielectric top layer forming a top surface of the transistor, wherein the dielectric top layer seals an air gap between the top surface of the fins and the dielectric top layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Darsen D. Lu, Xin Miao, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10164044
    Abstract: Some embodiments disclose a gate stack having a gate (e.g., polysilicon (poly) material) horizontally between shallow trench isolations (STIs), a tungsten silicide (WSix) material over the gate and the STIs, and a tungsten silicon nitride (WSiN) material on a top surface of the WSix material. Some embodiments disclose a gate stack having a gate between STIs, a first WSix material over the gate and the STIs, a WSiN interlayer material on a top surface of the first WSix material, and a second WSix material on a top surface of the WSiN interlayer material. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yushi Hu, John Mark Meldrim, Eric Blomiley, Everett Allen McTeer, Matthew J. King
  • Patent number: 10164176
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing one or more interconnects to a magnetoresistive structure, the method comprising depositing a first conductive material (i) in a via which is formed through a first surface of a first dielectric layer and (ii) directly on the first surface of the first dielectric layer. The method further includes etching the first conductive material wherein, after etching the first conductive material, a portion of the first conductive material remains (i) in the via and (ii) directly on the first surface of the first dielectric layer. The method also includes partially filling the via by depositing a second conductive material (i) in the via and (ii) directly on the first conductive material remaining in the via, depositing a first electrode material (i) in the via and (ii) directly on the second conductive material which is in the via, and forming a magnetoresistive structure over the first electrode material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Everspin Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kerry Joseph Nagel, Kenneth Smith, Moazzem Hossain, Sanjeev Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 10163784
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In the semiconductor device, an upper part of a storage node contact plug is increased in size, and an area of overlap between a storage node formed in a subsequent process and a storage node contact plug is increased, such that resistance of the storage node contact plug is increased and device characteristics are improved. The semiconductor device includes at least one bit line formed over a semiconductor substrate, a first storage node contact plug formed between the bit lines and coupled to an upper part of the semiconductor substrate, and a second storage node contact plug formed over the first storage node contact plug, wherein a width of a lower part of the second storage node contact plug is larger than a width of an upper part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Dae Sik Park
  • Patent number: 10153291
    Abstract: A method fabricates a lateral non-volatile storage cell. The lateral non-volatile storage cell includes a first transistor including a first transistor body formed on a dielectric layer. The first transistor includes a source region and drain region on opposite sides of the first transistor body. A second transistor is laterally adjacent to the first transistor and includes a second transistor body, parallel with the first transistor body, formed on the dielectric layer. A first layer of gate oxide of a first thickness is formed over the first transistor body, and a second layer of gate oxide of a second thickness is formed over a portion of the second transistor body. The first thickness and the second thickness are different. A floating gate is formed over the first layer of gate oxide, the second layer of gate oxide, and the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John B. DeForge, John J. Ellis-Monaghan, Terence B. Hook, Kirk D. Peterson
  • Patent number: 10147649
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate stack over the substrate. The gate stack has a first upper portion and a first lower portion, and the first upper portion is wider than the first lower portion. The semiconductor device structure includes a spacer layer surrounding the gate stack. The spacer layer has a second upper portion and a second lower portion. The second upper portion is thinner than the second lower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming-Heng Tsai, Chun-Sheng Liang, Pei-Lin Wu, Yi-Ren Chen, Shih-Hsun Chang
  • Patent number: 10141476
    Abstract: A light emitting diode chip scale packaging structure is disclosed. The light emitting diode chip scale packaging structure comprises a light emitting diode chip and a lens. The lens covers the light emitting diode chip. A curve of an outer surface of the lens in a cross-section view substantially complies with a polynomial of: z=?i=0nai*yi, A center point of the curve corresponding to the light emitting diode chip is a zero point of y-z coordinate axes. z is a variable of vertical axis of the curve. y is a variable of horizontal axis of the curve. ai is a constant coefficient in a term of ith degree. 3<n?6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Che-Hsuan Huang, Shu-Hsiu Chang, Hsin-Lun Su, Chih-Hao Lin, Tzong-Liang Tsai
  • Patent number: 10134658
    Abstract: High power transistors, such as high power gallium nitride (GaN) transistors, are described. These high power transistors have larger total gate widths than conventional high power transistors by arranging multiple linear arrays of gate, drain, and source contacts in parallel. Thereby, the total gate width and the power rating of the high power transistor may be increased without elongating the die of the high power transistor. Accordingly, the die of the high power transistor may be mounted in a smaller circuit package relative to conventional dies with the same power rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Aram Mkhitarian, Vincent Ngo
  • Patent number: 10134845
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having first and second opposing sides and an edge termination region arranged between an active region and an outer rim. The semiconductor body further includes a first doping region in the active region and connected to a first electrode arranged on the first side of the semiconductor body, a second doping region in the active region and the edge termination region and connected to a second electrode arranged on the second side of the semiconductor body, a drift region between the first doping region and the second doping region, the drift region comprising a first portion adjacent to the first side of the semiconductor body and a second portion arranged between the first portion and the second doping region, and an insulating region arranged in the edge termination region between the second doping region and the first portion of the drift region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Franz Hirler, Anton Mauder
  • Patent number: 10126145
    Abstract: An analog signal is supplied to a first conversion section of a physical quantity sensor device, converted to digital, and set to be an initial output value of the first conversion section. Adjustment information for the first conversion section is calculated based on the error between the initial output value and a target output value of the first conversion section. Before an initial output value of a physical quantity sensor is measured for calculating initial setting information of a physical quantity sensor device, the first conversion section is adjusted based on the adjustment information. Also, a digital signal is supplied to a second conversion section of the physical quantity sensor device, converted to analog, and set to be an initial output value of the second conversion section. The second conversion section is adjusted based on adjustment information for the second conversion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mutsuo Nishikawa, Katsuyuki Uematsu, Kazuhiro Matsunami
  • Patent number: 10126203
    Abstract: Method for detecting an air filter condition, in particular for combustion engines, comprising the following steps: calculation of a linear regression over data-couples values, each comprising pressure drop value at the air filter and square of air flow value crossing the air filter, corresponding to said pressure drop value, in order to obtain an angular coefficient of the linear regression, comparison of the angular coefficient or of the function construed on the angular coefficient with at least one threshold in order to detect an operative condition of the air filter (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FPT MOTORENFORSCHUNG AG
    Inventor: Thomas Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 10121951
    Abstract: In a light-emitting device substrate (2), a light reflecting surface covered with an anodized aluminum layer (12) is formed on one side of a base (14), and a glass-based insulator layer (11) and electrode patterns (5?6) disposed on the first insulating layer (11) are formed on the one side of the base (14) in a region not covered with the anodized aluminum layer (12). A glass-based insulator layer (13) is formed at least on the other side of the base (14) that is opposite the one side of the base (14). Therefore, a light-emitting device substrate having high reflectivity, high heat dissipation capability, dielectric withstand capability, and long-term reliability and excellent in mass productivity can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Itoh, Masahiro Konishi
  • Patent number: 10115638
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing MOS transistors with replacement gates may be formed with elevated LDD regions and/or recessed replacement gates on a portion of the transistors. Elevating the LDD regions is accomplished by a selective epitaxial process prior to LDD implant. Recessing the replacement gates is accomplished by etching substrate material after removal of sacrificial gate material and before formation of a replacement gate dielectric layer. Elevating the LDD regions and recessing the replacement gates may increase a channel length of the MOS transistors and thereby desirably increase threshold uniformity of the transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Mahalingam Nandakumar
  • Patent number: 10115830
    Abstract: A gate insulating film is formed over an oxide semiconductor film. A gate electrode is formed over the gate insulating film. An interlayer insulating film is formed over the oxide semiconductor film and the gate electrode. Planarization treatment is performed on the interlayer insulating film. An opening is formed in the interlayer insulating film subjected to the planarization treatment. A conductive film is formed in the opening and over the interlayer insulating film subjected to the planarization treatment. A pair of conductive films is formed by performing planarization treatment on the conductive film. A first region and a second region are formed in the oxide semiconductor film by adding an impurity to the pair of conductive films. The second region and the opening overlap with each other. The second region is formed by an impact caused by addition of the impurity to the pair of conductive films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10115667
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a cell semiconductor pattern disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor dummy pattern is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor dummy pattern is co-planar with the cell semiconductor pattern. A first circuit is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the cell semiconductor pattern. A first interconnection structure is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the cell semiconductor pattern. A first dummy structure is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the cell semiconductor pattern. Part of the first dummy structure is co-planar with part of the first interconnection structure. A second dummy structure not overlapping the cell semiconductor pattern is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. Part of the second dummy structure is co-planar with part of the first interconnection structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: AMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jang-Gn Yun, Jaesun Yun, Joon-Sung Lim
  • Patent number: 10109639
    Abstract: A method fabricates a lateral non-volatile storage cell. The lateral non-volatile storage cell includes a first transistor including a first transistor body formed on a dielectric layer. The first transistor includes a source region and drain region on opposite sides of the first transistor body. A second transistor is laterally adjacent to the first transistor and includes a second transistor body, parallel with the first transistor body, formed on the dielectric layer. A first layer of gate oxide of a first thickness is formed over the first transistor body, and a second layer of gate oxide of a second thickness is formed over a portion of the second transistor body. The first thickness and the second thickness are different. A floating gate is formed over the first layer of gate oxide, the second layer of gate oxide, and the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John B. DeForge, John J. Ellis-Monaghan, Terence B. Hook, Kirk D. Peterson