Abstract: A low noise, high frequency solid state diode is provided from a plurality of unit diode cells which are interconnected in parallel. Each of the unit diode cells forms an element of an array having rows and columns of unit diode cells. The diode cells include a base region of polysilicon, forming an anode, and an active cathode region which forms a diode junction with the anode. A plurality of overlapping subcollector regions interconnect the cathode regions, to provide a single, continuous collector for the diode arrays. The base region has a minimum perimeter to area ratio which reduces the resistance of each active diode region. A plurality of cathode contacts are connected to the subcollector through a respective reach region of highly doped semiconductor material. One or more metalization layers connect the cathode regions together, and the anodes of the base regions together. By controlling the size and shape of the base region of polysilicon, the series resistance of the resulting diode is minimized.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell structure comprises a floating gate, a reverse breakdown injection element at least partially formed in a polysilicon layer and operatively coupled to the floating gate, and a transistor at least partially formed in a region of a semiconductor substrate, operatively coupled to the floating gate. In a further aspect, a control gate is capacitively coupled to the floating gate and is formed in said polysilicon layer. The reverse breakdown electron injection element comprises a first, second, and third active regions, the first and second regions comprising a first p/n junction, the second and third active regions comprising a second p/n junction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed in the present invention. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, first and second gate insulating layers on the semiconductor layer, the first and second insulating layer having different dielectric constants, and a gate electrode on the first and second gate insulating layers.

Abstract: A solid picture element that transfers charges completely from a photodiode portion to an amplifying transistor portion to substantially eliminate residual images and methods of its manufacture are disclosed. The solid picture element includes a buried photodiode and a transistor in communication with a transfer gate that is a selective transfer path for charges from the photodiode to the transistor. The charge accumulation region is located so that it is not in contact with the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and so that a margin of the charge accumulation region is located 0.0 to 0.2 &mgr;m closer to the transistor than any portion of the depletion prevention region. Methods of manufacture of the picture element of the present invention include using the transfer gate as a mask and implanting ions into a semiconductor substrate at a first angle to form the charge accumulation region and at a second, steeper, angle to form the depletion prevention region.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor comprises a semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric conversion portion formed above the semiconductor substrate, and noise cancelers each formed, adjacent to the photoelectric conversion portion, on the semiconductor substrate through an insulating film, for removing noise of a signal read from the photoelectric conversion portion, wherein the semiconductor substrate has a conductive type opposite to a conductive type of a charge of the signal, and has a first region where concentration of impurities for determining the conductive type is high and a second region where concentration of the impurities on the first region is low.

Abstract: Mask ROMS with fixed code implantation and associated integrated circuits are described. An integrated circuit has a Mask ROM including: an array of memory cells including a first bank of memory cells and a second bank of memory cells, and the first bank of memory cells separated from the second bank of memory cell by a set of select lines, and the first bank of memory cells and the second bank of memory cells includes at least one fixed code implanted memory cell column. The use of fixed code implantation results in a single current path during the reading of a given memory cell and permits the size of the corresponding device to be reduced and have better topography.

Abstract: A semiconductor based image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed on a surface of the image sensor, such that each of the pixels has a photodetector configured to collect majority carriers created from incident light; a region within each of the photodetectors that is narrowed, the narrowed region of the photodetector being electrically coupled to a drain for the majority carriers; a reset means; a transistor for converting photo-charge to voltage or current. The narrowed region provides a path for excess photoelectrons in the photodetector to the drain. The narrow regions path to the drain, in the preferred embodiment, is that of the drain used for the adjacent transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a field-effect transistor for use at a high frequency, higher than the microwave frequency band, has a pair of grounding electrodes, each having a via hole with an elliptical cross-section, the major axis of which is parallel to a direction in which source electrodes are arranged. Instead of the elliptical via hole, each grounding electrode may have via holes through which the grounding electrode is grounded.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a charge coupled device (CCD) and a driving method, and the driving method of the CCD includes the steps of: providing a CCD including a semiconductor substrate, a photodiode in the semiconductor substrate, a charge transfer channel in the semiconductor substrate, and a charge transferring element including a first, a second, a third and a fourth transferring electrode with a three-level structure over the semiconductor substrate, wherein the charge transferring element transfers electric charges from the photodiode to the charge transfer channel and from the charge transfer channel to a predetermined portion of the CCD, and wherein the first transferring electrode is located at a first level of the three-level structure, the second and the fourth transferring electrodes are located at a second level of the three-level structure and remain within a vertical domain of the first transferring electrode in a wire region, and the third transferring electrode is located at a third l

Abstract: The image sensor charge detection amplifier has a charge storage well 60, a charge sensor 32 for sensing charge levels in the charge storage well 60, a charge drain 28 adjacent to the charge storage well 60, and charge transfer structures for transferring charge from the charge storage well 60 to the charge drain 28.

Abstract: An array of active pixel sensors. The array of active pixel sensors includes a substrate that includes electronic circuitry. An interconnect structure is formed adjacent to the substrate. The interconnect structure includes a plurality of conductive vias. A plurality of conductive guard rings are formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each conductive guard ring is electrically connected to the substrate through at least one of the conductive vias. A plurality of photo diode sensors are formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each photo diode sensor is surrounded by at least one of the conductive guard rings. Each photo diode sensor includes a pixel electrode. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the substrate through a corresponding conductive via. An I-layer is formed adjacent to the pixel electrode. The array of active pixel sensors further includes a transparent conductive layer formed adjacent to the photo diode sensors.

Abstract: A transistor formed in a semiconductor substrate having improved ESD protection. The transistor includes a gate structure formed atop of a semiconductor substrate. First and second sidewall spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the gate structure. A lightly doped source region is formed in said semiconductor substrate and substantially underneath only the first sidewall spacer. A source region is formed in said semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the first sidewall spacer and a drain region is formed in said semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the second sidewall spacer. A first ESD implant is provided that overlaps the source region and extending underneath the first sidewall spacer. A second ESD implant is formed to overlap the drain region and extending underneath the second sidewall spacer. Preferably, the ESD implants are formed using an angled ion implantation technique.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which is protected against deterioration in the electron injection/discharge characteristics between a floating gate of a memory cell and a channel. Three layers including a gate oxide film, a first polysilicon layer and a first nitride film are sequentially deposited on a silicon substrate surface and patterned with stripe-like columnwise lines. A second nitride film is formed on side walls of the columnwise lines, respectively. An element isolating insulation film is formed on the silicon substrate surface which is not covered with the first and second nitride films. After removal of the first and second nitride films, a first insulation film is formed on the side walls of the first polysilicon layer.

Abstract: A two-phase, single-ply-electrode type charge-coupled device is provided that has a pair of a potential barrier region and a charge storage region underlying one charge transfer electrode. The charge storage region is formed in such a manner that the potential of the charge storage region becomes gradually deep in charge transfer direction. This structure enables smooth charge transfer.

Abstract: A charge-coupled device has a first P-type well layer which forms a charge transfer section and a second P-type well layer which forms a floating diffusion layer section and within which the first P-type well layer is formed. The second P-type well layer below the floating diffusion layer section has an impurity concentration lower than that of the first P-type well layer whereby a depletion layer formed therein by a PN-junction flares in the direction to the second P-type well layer. With this arrangement, it is made possible to reduce the floating diffusion capacitance and to maintain a large output voltage with respect to a signal electron charge.

Abstract: In a CCD type solid state image pickup device including a semiconductor substrate having photo/electro conversion portions and a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of charge transfer electrodes are formed on the first insulating layer and are a double structure formed by a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer having a lower resistance value than the first conductive layer. A second insulating layer is interposed between two adjacent ones of the charge transfer electrodes.

Abstract: A spiral inductor fabricated above a semiconductor substrate provides a large inductance while occupying only a small surface area. Including a layer of magnetic material above and below the inductor increases the inductance of the inductor. The magnetic material also acts as barrier that confines electronic noise generated in the spiral inductor to the area occupied by the spiral inductor. Inductance in a pair of stacked spiral inductors is increased by including a layer of magnetic material between the stacked spiral inductors.

Abstract: In a connection part of vertical transfer registers with respect to a horizontal transfer register, transfer electrodes to which clocks &phgr;V1, &phgr;V2A, &phgr;V3A, &phgr;V2B, &phgr;V3B, and &phgr;V1A are applied are arranged in the cited order. In a horizontal transfer register 6, transfer is conducted by 3-phase clocks &phgr;H1A, ØH1B, and &phgr;H2. By activating clocks, signal charges of a channel denoted by A-A′ and channels equivalent thereto are first transferred to undersides of electrodes of &phgr;H1A of the horizontal transfer register. The signal charges are transferred in the rightward direction to underside of electrodes of &phgr;H1B. Subsequently, signal charges of a channel denoted by B-B′ and channels equivalent thereto are transferred to undersides of electrodes of &phgr;H1B of the horizontal transfer register, and mixed with the signal charges previously transferred.

Abstract: An underlying gallium nitride layer on a silicon carbide substrate is masked with a mask that includes an array of openings therein, and the underlying gallium nitride layer is etched through the array of openings to define posts in the underlying gallium nitride layer and trenches therebetween. The posts each include a sidewall and a top having the mask thereon. The sidewalls of the posts are laterally grown into the trenches to thereby form a gallium nitride semiconductor layer. During this lateral growth, the mask prevents nucleation and vertical growth from the tops of the posts. Accordingly, growth proceeds laterally into the trenches, suspended from the sidewalls of the posts. The sidewalls of the posts may be laterally grown into the trenches until the laterally grown sidewalls coalesce in the trenches to thereby form a gallium nitride semiconductor layer.

Abstract: There is provided a solid-state image sensor including (a) a photoelectric converter which converts light into electric charges, (b) a transfer section which transfers the electric charges, (c) a floating diffusion layer which converts the transferred electric charges into a voltage, and (d) a multi-staged source follower circuit which amplifies and then outputs the voltage, a distance L2 between a wiring through which drain potential is supplied and a gate electrode in a first-stage MOSFET being longer than the same in second or later MOSFETs. In accordance with the solid-state image sensor, it is possible to reduce a capacity of a gate electrode in a first-stage MOSFET, which ensures high sensitivity even in a solid-state image sensor having small-sized pixels which deal with a small quantity of electric charges.