Patents Examined by George R. Fourson
  • Patent number: 7368315
    Abstract: An X-ray detecting device and a fabricating method thereof that is capable of preventing breakage of a transparent electrode. In the device and method, a contact hole passing through a protective film is formed centering around a contact hole passing through a storage insulating film. Accordingly, step coverage of a transparent electrode provided on the protective film can stabilized to prevent breakage of the transparent electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyo Ho Moon
  • Patent number: 7368365
    Abstract: A method of forming a buried digit line is disclosed. Sacrificial spacers are formed along the sidewalls of an isolation trench, which is then filled with a sacrificial material. One spacer is masked while the other spacer is removed and an etch step into the substrate beneath the removed spacer forms an isolation window. Insulating liners are then formed along the sidewalls of the emptied trench, including into the isolation window. A digit line recess is then formed through the bottom of the trench between the insulating liners, which double as masks to self-align this etch. The digit line recess is then filled with metal and recessed back, with an optional prior insulating element deposited and recessed back in the bottom of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Inventor: David H. Wells
  • Patent number: 7368374
    Abstract: A wafer level package, and a semiconductor wafer, electronic system, and a memory module that include one or more of the wafer level packages, and methods of fabricating the die packages on a wafer level, and integrated circuit modules that include one or more packages are provided. In one embodiment, the die package comprises a redistribution layer interconnecting two or more dies disposed on a substrate, typically a semiconductor wafer, the redistribution layer including a first trace connecting a bond pad of each of two dies, and a second trace connecting one of the bond pads of the two dies to a ball pad. The die package of the invention can comprise memory devices such as static random access memories (SRAMs), and can be incorporated into a variety of electronic systems as part of a memory package such as single in line memory modules (SIMMs) or dual in line memory modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Poo Chia, Suan Jeung Boon, Siu Waf Low, Yong Loo Neo, Bok Leng Ser
  • Patent number: 7358582
    Abstract: A planar optical waveguide assembly prepared by a method comprising the steps of (i) applying a curable polymer composition to a surface of a substrate to form a polymer film; (ii) curing the polymer film to form a lower clad layer; (iii) applying a silicone composition to the lower clad layer to form a silicone film; (iv) exposing at least one selected region of the silicone film to radiation having a wavelength of from 150 to 800 nm to produce a partially exposed film having at least one exposed region and at least one non-exposed region; (v) removing the non-exposed region of the partially exposed film with a developing solvent to form a patterned film; and (vi) heating the patterned film for an amount of time sufficient to form at least one silicone core having a refractive index of from 1.3 to 1.7 at 23° C. for light having a wavelength of 589 nm; wherein the lower clad layer has a refractive index less than the refractive index of the silicone core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Dow Corning Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey Bruce Gardner, Randall Gene Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7354818
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having an active region and a termination region includes providing a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces opposite to each other. The semiconductor substrate has an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region. The first main surface is oxidized. A first plurality of trenches and a first plurality of mesas are formed in the termination region. The first plurality of trenches in the termination region are filled with a dielectric material. A second plurality of trenches are formed in the termination region. The trenches of the second plurality of trenches are filled with the dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Third Dimension (3D) Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Fwu-Iuan Hshieh, Brian D. Pratt
  • Patent number: 7354840
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method includes providing a silicon-on-insulator substrate including a buried oxide layer situated over a bulk silicon substrate and a silicon layer situated over the buried oxide layer. A trench is formed in the silicon layer and the buried oxide layer, where the trench exposes a portion of the bulk silicon substrate, and where the trench is situated adjacent to an optical region of said silicon-on-insulator substrate. According to this exemplary embodiment, an epitaxial layer is formed on the exposed portion of the bulk silicon substrate in the trench. The epitaxial layer and the bulk silicon substrate form a bulk silicon electronic region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Newport Fab, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Kempf
  • Patent number: 7351612
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for fabricating a quad flat non-leaded package. A lead frame is disposed on a lower mold equipped with a resilient film. The lead frame includes at least a package unit comprising a chip pedestal and a plurality of pins spatially disposed around the chip pedestal. An upper mold corresponding to the lower mold is provided over the lead frame for encapsulation. The upper mold is pressed to form a protrusion from a resilient film between the chip pedestal and the pins, and then the chip pedestal and the pins are encapsulated by a molding material. The resilient film is removed to form a QFN structure with the lead frame protruding from the molding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Advance Semiconductor Engineering Inc.
    Inventor: Yung-Feng Gai
  • Patent number: 7348262
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a module of a semiconductor chip is provided. The method includes the steps of: forming a bump on a substrate provided with a pad; forming a protection layer over the bump; performing a grinding process on a rear surface of the substrate to reduce a thickness of the substrate; and exposing the bump by removing the protection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Magnachip Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung-Lak Lee, Ju-Il Lee
  • Patent number: 7344974
    Abstract: A method for forming a metallization contact in a semiconductor device includes the steps of: (a) forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate including an active device region; (b) forming a contact hole to expose a portion of the active device region by etching a portion of the insulating layer; (c) forming a CVD TiN layer on the insulating layer and inside the contact hole; (d) forming a PVD TiN layer on the CVD TiN layer using ionized metal plasma sputtering; and (e) forming a metal layer on the PVD TiN layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung Joo Kim
  • Patent number: 7344941
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a metal-insulator-metal capacitor are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 7341936
    Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprises the steps of forming a metal film (24) on an organic interlayer insulating film (22) formed over a semiconductor substrate to get a metal diffusion preventing metal carbide film (23) on a boundary between the organic interlayer insulating film (22) and the metal film (24), and leaving the metal carbide film (23) on the organic interlayer insulating film (22) by removing selectively the metal film (24) from the metal carbide film (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kimura, Chihiro Uchibori
  • Patent number: 7341956
    Abstract: A method includes forming a group of disposable hard mask structures on a semiconductor device that includes a group of memory cells. The method further includes using the disposable hard mask structures to precisely control a junction profile of the memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignees: Spansion LLC, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Tokuno, Minh-Van Ngo, Angela T. Hui, Cinti Xiaohua Chen
  • Patent number: 7338848
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method includes providing a silicon-on-insulator substrate including a buried oxide layer situated over a bulk silicon substrate and a silicon layer situated over the buried oxide layer. A trench is formed in the silicon layer and the buried oxide layer, where the trench exposes a portion of the bulk silicon substrate, and where the trench is situated adjacent to an optical region of said silicon-on-insulator substrate. According to this exemplary embodiment, an epitaxial layer is formed on the exposed portion of the bulk silicon substrate in the trench. The epitaxial layer and the bulk silicon substrate form a bulk silicon electronic region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Newport Fab, LLC
    Inventor: Paul H Kempf
  • Patent number: 7338828
    Abstract: A method of growing planar non-polar m-plane III-Nitride material, such as an m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial layer, wherein the III-Nitride material is grown on a suitable substrate, such as an m-plane silicon carbide (m-SiC) substrate, using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The method includes performing a solvent clean and acid dip of the substrate to remove oxide from the surface, annealing the substrate, growing a nucleation layer such as an aluminum nitride (AlN) on the annealed substrate, and growing the non-polar m-plane III-Nitride epitaxial layer on the nucleation layer using MOCVD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Bilge M. Imer, James S. Speck, Steven P. DenBaars, Shuji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7338846
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a pixel structure is provided. First, a gate, a scan line, and a first terminal are formed on a substrate. A gate insulating layer is formed over the substrate to cover the gate, the scan line, and the first terminal. After defining the semiconductor layer, the gate insulating layer is patterned to exposure the first terminal. A transparent conductive layer is formed over the substrate and a patterned photoresist layer is formed on the transparent conductive layer. The transparent conductive layer is patterned using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask, so as to define a source, a drain, a data line, a pixel electrode, a second terminal, and a contact pad. Because only four photomasks are used to implement the above method for fabricating the pixel structure, the cost of manufacturing can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ta-Jung Su, Yea-Chung Shih, Cheng-Fang Su
  • Patent number: 7338855
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided, wherein a large MIM capacitor including an uneven surface if formed to increase capacitance. The method includes forming a polysilicon layer on a lower metal layer by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition; forming an uneven surface in the polysilicon layer by etching the polysilicon layer with an isotropic etchant; forming an upper metal layer on the polysilicon layer; sequentially etching the upper metal layer and the polysilicon layer; and performing chemical-mechanical polishing after completing a gap-fill process on the upper metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae Suk Lee
  • Patent number: 7339254
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a structure includes a silicon-on-insulator substrate including a buried oxide layer situated over a bulk silicon substrate and a silicon layer situated over the buried oxide layer. The structure further includes a trench formed in the silicon layer and the buried oxide layer, where the trench has a bottom surface and a first and a second sidewall, and where the trench is situated adjacent to an optical region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate. According to this exemplary embodiment, the structure further includes an epitaxial layer situated in the trench and situated on the bulk silicon substrate, where the epitaxial layer and the bulk silicon substrate form a bulk silicon electronic region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate. The structure further includes a base of a bipolar transistor situated on the epitaxial layer, where the base can be silicon-germanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Newport Fab, LLC
    Inventor: Paul H. Kempf
  • Patent number: 7335969
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a nitridation process, including: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a first dielectric layer on a top surface of the substrate; (c) introducing a quantity of interfacial species into the substrate; (d) removing the first dielectric layer; (e) forming a second dielectric layer on the top surface of the substrate; (f) measuring the density of interface traps between the substrate and the second dielectric layer; (g) providing a predetermined relationship between the quantity of the interfacial species and the density of the interface traps; and (h) determining the quantity of the interfacial species introduced based on the relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lance Genicola, Mark J. Hurley, Jeremy J. Kempisty, Paul D. Kirsch, Ravikumar Ramachandran, Suri Hedge
  • Patent number: 7332420
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a P-type MOSFET and an N-type MOSFET, the method comprising the steps of: forming a gate insulating film, a non-doped polysilicon film, a metal silicide film, a metal nitride film and a metal film on a semiconductor substrate; processing at least the metal film, the metal nitride film and the metal silicide film to pattern them into the shape of a gate such that the portion of the meal silicide film that forms part of a gate electrode of a P-type MOSFET and the portion of the meal silicide film that forms part of a gate electrode of an N-type MOSFET are separated from each other; introducing P-type and N-type impurities into the respective regions of the non-doped polysilicon film where the P-type and N-type MOSFETs are formed; performing thermal treatment to diffuse the impurities; and patterning the polysilicon film with the impurities introduced into the shape of the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 7327027
    Abstract: A method and device for thermal conduction is provided. A thermal interface device and method of formation is described that includes advantages such as improved interfacial strength, and improved interfacial contact. Embodiments of thermal conduction structures are shown that provide composite thermal conduction and circulated liquid cooling. Embodiments are further shown that require simple, low numbers of manufacturing steps and reduced thermal interface thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sabina J. Houle, James Christopher Matayabas, Jr.