Patents Examined by Farid Khan
  • Patent number: 9911815
    Abstract: Planar and non-planar field effect transistors with extended-drain structures, and techniques to fabricate such structures. In an embodiment, a field plate electrode is disposed over an extended-drain, with a field plate dielectric there between. The field plate is disposed farther from the transistor drain than the transistor gate. In a further embodiment, an extended-drain transistor has source and drain contact metal at approximately twice a pitch, of the field plate and the source and/or drain contact metal. In a further embodiment, an isolation dielectric distinct from the gate dielectric is disposed between the extended-drain and the field plate. In a further embodiment, the field plate may be directly coupled to one or more of the transistor gate electrode or a dummy gate electrode without requiring upper level interconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Nidhi Nidhi, Chia-Hong Jan, Walid M. Hafez
  • Patent number: 9911592
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a gate structure present on at least two suspended channel structures, and a composite spacer present on sidewalls of the gate structure. The composite spacer may include a cladding spacer present along a cap portion of the gate structure, and an inner spacer along the channel portion of the gate structure between adjacent channel semiconductor layers of the suspended channel structures. The inner spacer may include a crescent shape with a substantially central seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Michael A. Guillorn, Isaac Lauer, Xin Miao
  • Patent number: 9905482
    Abstract: Improvement in yield of a semiconductor device is obtained. In addition, increase in service life of a socket terminal is obtained. A projecting portion PJ1 and a projecting portion PJ2 are provided in an end portion PU of a socket terminal STE1. Thus, it is possible to enable contact between a lead and the socket terminal STE in which a large current is caused to flow, at two points by a contact using the projecting portion PJ1 and by a contact using the projecting portion PJ2, for example. As a result, the current flowing from the socket terminal STE1 to the lead flows by being dispersed into a path flowing in the projecting portion PJ1 and a path flowing in the projecting portion PJ2. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress increase of temperature of a contact portion between the socket terminal STE1 and the lead even in a case where the large current is caused to flow between the socket terminal STE1 and the lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshitsugu Ishii, Naohiro Makihira, Hidekazu Iwasaki, Jun Matsuhashi
  • Patent number: 9905496
    Abstract: A flexure has a metal support layer, an electric insulating layer laid on a surface of the metal support layer, a wiring layer having a general part laid on a surface of the electric insulating layer and a terminal to provide a conductive connection to an external slider, and a raising structure in a thickness direction of the wiring layer provided to the terminal independently of the metal support layer so that the terminal protrudes from a surface of the general part or has a surface being flush with the surface of the general part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukie Yamada
  • Patent number: 9899265
    Abstract: Embodiments of a semiconductor device structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate and a first metal gate structure formed over the substrate. The first metal gate structure has a first width. The semiconductor device structure further includes a first contact formed adjacent to the first metal gate structure and a second metal gate structure formed over the substrate. The second metal gate structure has a second width smaller than the first width. The semiconductor device structure further includes an insulating layer formed over the second metal gate structure and a second contact self-aligned to the second metal gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Shuo Ho, Tsung-Yu Chiang, Chia-Ming Chang, Jyun-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 9899485
    Abstract: A method includes forming a tunneling dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, a first portion of the tunneling dielectric layer is directly above a channel region in the semiconductor substrate and a second portion of the tunneling dielectric layer is directly above source-drain regions located on opposing sides of the channel region, the second portion of the tunneling dielectric layer is thicker than the first portion of the tunneling dielectric layer, forming a floating gate directly above the first portion of the tunneling dielectric layer and the second portion of the tunneling dielectric layer, and forming a control dielectric layer directly above the floating gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Suyog Gupta, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari
  • Patent number: 9892952
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor packages. Implementations may include: providing a substrate with a first side, a second side, and a thickness; forming a plurality of pads on the first side of the substrate; and applying die attach material to the plurality of pads. The method may include bonding a wafer including a plurality of semiconductor die to the substrate at one or more die pads included in each die. The method may also include singulating the plurality of semiconductor die, overmolding the plurality of semiconductor die and the first side of the substrate with an overmold material, and removing the substrate to expose the plurality of pads and to form a plurality of semiconductor packages coupled together through the overmold material. The method also may include singulating the plurality of semiconductor packages to separate them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Darrell Truhitte, James P. Letterman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9881819
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer with (100) plane orientation has two orthogonal cleavage directions. A notch is provided so as to indicate one of these directions. During irradiation with a flash, the semiconductor wafer warps about one of two radii at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the cleavage directions such that the upper surface thereof becomes convex, and the opposite ends of the other radii become the lowest position. Eight support pins in total are provided in upright position on the upper surface of a holding plate of a susceptor while being spaced at intervals of 45 degrees along the same circumference. The semiconductor wafer is placed on the susceptor such that any of the support pins supports a radius at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to a cleavage direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Ito
  • Patent number: 9876055
    Abstract: A three-dimensional semiconductor device includes a multi-layered stack structure with memory layers parallel to each other and separated by interlayer insulation layers; and memory cell structures formed at each memory layer by arranging in a multi-row and multi-column array. One memory cell structure includes a memory material layer; a selector layer formed at an outer surface of the memory material layer and connected to the memory material layer; a first electrode layer formed at an outer surface of the selector layer and electrically connected to the selector layer; and a second electrode layer formed at an inner surface of the memory material layer and connected to the memory material layer, wherein the second electrode layer penetrates the multi-layered stack structure. Each memory layer includes a conductive layer electrically connecting the first electrode layer and the conductive layer electrically connects the adjacent memory cell structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shih-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 9871012
    Abstract: Various aspects of an approach for routing die signals in an interior portion of a die using external interconnects are described herein. The approach provides for contacts coupled to circuits in the interior portion of the die, where the contacts are exposed to an exterior portion of the die. The external interconnects are configured to couple these contacts so that signals from the circuits in the interior portion of the die may be routed externally to the die. In various aspects of the disclosed approach, the external interconnects are protected by a packaging for the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Vaishnav Srinivas, Bernie Jord Yang, Michael Brunolli, David Ian West, Charles David Paynter
  • Patent number: 9871032
    Abstract: A gate-grounded metal oxide semiconductor (GGMOS) device is disclosed. The GGMOS is an n-type (GGNMOS) transistor used as an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device. The GGMOS includes a base extension region under an elevated source. The elevated source and base extension regions increase Leff and reduce beta, increasing performance of the ESD protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Eng Huat Toh, Kiok Boone Elgin Quek
  • Patent number: 9871161
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes steps of forming a texture on a surface of a single-crystalline silicon substrate, cleaning the surface of the single-crystalline silicon substrate using ozone, depositing an intrinsic silicon-based layer on the texture on the single-crystalline silicon substrate, and depositing a conductive silicon-based layer on the intrinsic silicon-based layer, in this order. The single-crystalline silicon substrate before deposition of the intrinsic silicon-based layer has a texture size of less than 5 ?m. A recess portion of the texture has a curvature radius of less than 5 nm. After deposition of at least a part of the intrinsic silicon-based layer and before deposition of the conductive silicon-based layer, the intrinsic silicon-based layer is subjected to a plasma treatment in an atmosphere of a gas mainly composed of hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiko Uto, Daisuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 9859245
    Abstract: A chip package structure is provided. The chip package structure includes a redistribution substrate. The chip package structure includes a first chip structure over the redistribution substrate. The chip package structure includes a first solder bump arranged between and electrically connecting the redistribution substrate and the first chip structure. The chip package structure includes a first molding layer surrounding the first chip structure. The first molding layer and the first chip structure are both spaced apart from the redistribution substrate by the first solder bump, thereby defining a gap there-between. The chip package structure includes a second chip structure over the first chip structure. The chip package structure includes a second molding layer surrounding the second chip structure. The chip package structure includes a third molding layer surrounding the first molding layer, the second molding layer, and the first solder bump, and filled into the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Yu Chen, Li-Hsien Huang, An-Jhih Su, Hsien-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 9859220
    Abstract: A structure including a first semiconductor chip with front and rear surfaces and a cavity in the rear surface. A second semiconductor chip is mounted within the cavity. The first chip may have vias extending from the cavity to the front surface and via conductors within these vias serving to connect the additional microelectronic element to the active elements of the first chip. The structure may have a volume comparable to that of the first chip alone and yet provide the functionality of a multi-chip assembly. A composite chip incorporating a body and a layer of semiconductor material mounted on a front surface of the body similarly may have a cavity extending into the body from the rear surface and may have an additional microelectronic element mounted in such cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventors: Vage Oganesian, Ilyas Mohammed, Craig Mitchell, Belgacem Haba, Piyush Savalia
  • Patent number: 9853210
    Abstract: A method of making a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) on an electrode, the MTJ including a reference layer positioned in contact with the electrode, a free layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the reference layer and the free layer; and depositing an encapsulating layer on and along sidewalls of the MTJ by physical sputtering or ablation of a target material onto the MTJ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony J. Annunziata, Gen P. Lauer, Nathan P. Marchack, Stephen M. Rossnagel
  • Patent number: 9853186
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light-emitting semiconductor component, comprising—a first semiconductor body (1), which comprises an active zone (11) in which during the operation of the light-emitting semiconductor component electromagnetic radiation is generated, at least some of which leaves the first semiconductor body (1) through a radiation exit surface (1a), and—a second semiconductor body (2), which is suitable for converting the electromagnetic radiation into converted electromagnetic radiation having a longer wavelength, wherein—the first semiconductor body (1) and the second semiconductor body (2) are produced separately from each other,—the second semiconductor body (2) is electrically inactive, and—the second semiconductor body (2) is in direct contact with the radiation exit surface (1a) and is attached there to the first semiconductor body (1) without connecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: OSRAM OPTO SEMICONDUCTORS GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Sabathil, Andreas Plöβl, Hans-Jürgen Lugauer, Alexander Linkov, Patrick Rode
  • Patent number: 9853214
    Abstract: A resistive random access memory includes a first electrode, a separating medium, a resistance changing layer and a second electrode. The first electrode has a mounting face. The separating medium has a first face in contact with the mounting face, a second face opposite to the first face, and an inner face extending between the first and second faces. The separating medium forms a through hole extending from the first to second face. A part of the mounting face is not covered by the separating medium. The separating medium has a first dielectric. The resistance changing layer extends along the part of the mounting face as well as the inner and second faces. The resistance changing layer has a second dielectric having a dielectric constant larger than a dielectric constant of the first dielectric by 2 or less. The second electrode is arranged on the resistance changing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: National Sun Yat-Sen University
    Inventors: Ting-Chang Chang, Kuan-Chang Chang, Tsung-Ming Tsai, Tian-Jian Chu, Chih-Hung Pan
  • Patent number: 9840781
    Abstract: An etchant for simultaneously etching NiFe and AlN with approximately equal etch rates that comprises phosphoric acid, acetic acid, nitric acid and deionized water. Alternating layers of NiFe and AlN may be used to form a magnetic core of a fluxgate magnetometer in an integrated circuit. The wet etch provides a good etch rate of the alternating layers with good dimensional control and with a good resulting magnetic core profile. The alternating layers of NiFe and AlN may be encapsulated with a stress relief layer. A resist pattern may be used to define the magnetic core geometry. The overetch time of the wet etch may be controlled so that the magnetic core pattern extends at least 1.5 um beyond the base of the magnetic core post etch. The photo mask used to form the resist pattern may also be used to form a stress relief etch pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mona M. Eissa, Yousong Zhang, Mark Jenson
  • Patent number: 9825185
    Abstract: Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits with non-volatile memory structures are provided. An exemplary integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate having a central semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) region between first and second non-SOI regions. The substrate includes a semiconductor base in the SOI region and the non-SOI regions, an insulator layer overlying the semiconductor base in the SOI region, and an upper semiconductor layer overlying the insulator layer in the SOI region. The integrated circuit further includes a first conductivity type well formed in the base in the first region and in a first portion of the SOI region, and a second conductivity type well formed in the base in the second region and in a second portion of the SOI region lateral of the first conductivity type well. Also, the integrated circuit includes a non-volatile memory device structure overlying the upper semiconductor layer in the SOI region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUDNRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Pinghui Li, Ming Zhu, Xinshu Cai, Fan Zhang, Danny Pak-Chum Shum, Darin Chan
  • Patent number: 9818713
    Abstract: A method of making an assembly can include forming a first conductive element at a first surface of a substrate of a first component, forming conductive nanoparticles at a surface of the conductive element by exposure to an electroless plating bath, juxtaposing the surface of the first conductive element with a corresponding surface of a second conductive element at a major surface of a substrate of a second component, and elevating a temperature at least at interfaces of the juxtaposed first and second conductive elements to a joining temperature at which the conductive nanoparticles cause metallurgical joints to form between the juxtaposed first and second conductive elements. The conductive nanoparticles can be disposed between the surfaces of the first and second conductive elements. The conductive nanoparticles can have long dimensions smaller than 100 nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Invensas Corporation
    Inventor: Cyprian Emeka Uzoh