Patents Examined by John Lin
  • Patent number: 9018699
    Abstract: A SiC semiconductor element includes: a SiC substrate which has a principal surface tilted with respect to a (0001) Si plane; a SiC layer arranged on the principal surface of the substrate; a trench arranged in the SiC layer and having a bottom, a sidewall, and an upper corner region located between the sidewall and the upper surface of the SiC layer; a gate insulating film arranged on at least a part of the sidewall and on at least a part of the upper corner region of the trench and on at least a part of the upper surface of the SiC layer; and a gate electrode arranged on the gate insulating film. The upper corner region has a different surface from the upper surface of the SiC layer and from a surface that defines the sidewall. The gate electrode contacts with both of a first portion of the gate insulating film located on the upper corner region and a second portion of the gate insulating film located on the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kiyosawa, Kazuyuki Sawada, Kunimasa Takahashi, Yuki Tomita
  • Patent number: 8987812
    Abstract: The invention provides an ultra-low-on-resistance, excellent-reliability semiconductor device that can finely be processed using SiC and a semiconductor device producing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kono, Takashi Shinohe, Makoto Mizukami
  • Patent number: 8981401
    Abstract: The present invention is a package for optical semiconductor devices, and an optical semiconductor device using the package, which can prevent discoloration of a plating layer formed on a lead frame even when a silicone resin is used as a sealing resin for an optical semiconductor device, and which enables high luminous efficiency for a long time. Specifically, in the package for semiconductor devices, a plating laminate 15, wherein a pure Ag plating layer 4, a thin reflective plating layer 6 serving as the uppermost layer for improving the light reflection ratio, and a resistant plating layer 5 serving as an intermediate layer therebetween and having chemical resistance against at least either metal chlorides or metal sulfides are laminated, is formed on at least the surface of a lead electrode. The reflective plating layer 4 is composed of a pure Ag thin film, and the resistant plating layer 5 is composed of a complete solid solution Au—Ag alloy plating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Yamada, Tomohiro Futagami
  • Patent number: 8946885
    Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement includes a ceramic mount and at least one semiconductor component fixed-to the ceramic mount. The ceramic mount includes a first section, and the first section is electrically conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Krauss
  • Patent number: 8946710
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with high function, multifunction and high added value. The semiconductor device includes a PLL circuit that is provided over a substrate and outputs a signal with a correct frequency. By providing such a PLL circuit over the substrate, a semiconductor device with high function, multifunction and high added value can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kato, Takeshi Osada
  • Patent number: 8932884
    Abstract: Structures and methods are disclosed for evaluating the effect of a process environment variation. A structure and related method are disclosed including a plurality of electrical structures arranged in a non-collinear fashion for determining a magnitude and direction of a process environment variation in the vicinity of the plurality of electrical structures. The plurality of structures may include a first polarity FET coupled to a second polarity FET, each of the first polarity FET and the second polarity FET are coupled to a first pad and a second pad such that the structure allows independent measurement of the first polarity FET and the second polarity FET using only the first and second pads. Alternatively, the electrical structures may include resistors, diodes or ring oscillators. Appropriate measurements of each electrical structure allow a gradient field including a magnitude and direction of the effect of a process environment variation to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Edward J. Nowak, Noah D. Zamdmer
  • Patent number: 8928044
    Abstract: A this film transistor is provided. The thin film transistor includes a semiconductor layer including a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, wherein the channel region is provided between the source region and the drain region; and a gate electrode overlapping with the channel region, wherein the channel region includes at least a portion of a channel width that is configured to at least one of continuously decrease and continuously increase in a lengthwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Japan Display West Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Ozeki, Yasuhito Kuwahara, Shigetaka Toriyama, Hiroyuki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8901614
    Abstract: Described is a method for adjusting an operating temperature of MOS power components composed of a plurality of identical individual cells and a component for carrying out the method. As a characteristic feature, the gate electrode network (4) of the active chip region is subdivided into several gate electrode network sectors (B1, B2, B3) which are electrically isolated from one another by means of isolating points and to each of which a different gate voltage is fed via corresponding contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: X-Fab Semiconductor Foundries AG
    Inventors: Michael Stoisiek, Michael Gross
  • Patent number: 8895984
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a capacitor having a configuration in which capacitors are coupled in series to each other. The capacitor formed on a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a polysilicon layer doped with an impurity; a first insulation layer formed on the polysilicon layer; a first metal layer formed on the first insulation layer and including first and second areas; a second insulation layer formed on the first metal layer; and a second metal layer formed on the second insulation layer and coupled to the second area of the first metal layer. The second metal layer is overlapped with at least a part of the first area of the first metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-Kyu Kwak
  • Patent number: 8847226
    Abstract: A transistor includes a substrate. A first electrically conductive material layer is positioned on the substrate. A second electrically conductive material layer is in contact with and positioned on the first electrically conductive material layer. The second electrically conductive material layer includes a reentrant profile. The second electrically conductive material layer also overhangs the first electrically conductive material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Lee W. Tutt, Shelby F. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8835926
    Abstract: An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate having transmitting and pixel regions, the pixel regions being separated by the transmitting regions, at least one thin film transistor in each of the pixel regions, a plurality of transparent first conductive lines electrically connected to the thin film transistors and extending across the transmitting regions, a plurality of second conductive lines electrically connected to the thin film transistors and extending across the transmitting regions, a passivation layer, a plurality of pixel electrodes on the passivation layer, the pixel electrodes being separated and positioned to correspond to respective pixel regions, each of the pixel electrodes being electrically connected to and overlapping a corresponding thin film transistor, an opposite electrode overlapping the pixel electrodes in the transmitting and pixel regions, and an organic emission layer between the pixel electrodes and the opposite electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok-Gyu Yoon, Jae-Heung Ha, Jong-Hyuk Lee, Young-Woo Song, Kyu-Hwan Hwang
  • Patent number: 8835928
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (100) according to the present invention includes a plurality of source lines (16), a thin film transistor (50A), and a diode element (10A) that electrically connects two source lines (16) among the plurality of source lines (16). A connection region (26) in which the source lines (16) and the diode element (10A) are connected to each other includes a first electrode (3), a second electrode (6a), a third electrode (9a), and a fourth electrode (9b). A part of each source line (16) is a source electrode of the thin film transistor (50A), and the second electrode (6a) and the source lines (16) are formed separately from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Katsui, Takeshi Yaneda, Yoshiyuki Isomura
  • Patent number: 8828790
    Abstract: A method for local contacting and local doping of a semiconductor layer including the following process steps: A) Generation of a layer structure on the semiconductor layer through i) application of at least one intermediate layer on one side of the semiconductor layer, and ii) application of at least one metal layer onto the intermediate layer last applied in step i), wherein the metal layer at least partly covers the last applied intermediate layer, B) Local heating of the layer structure in such a manner that in a local region a short-time melt-mixture of at least partial regions of at least the layers: metal layer, intermediate layer and semiconductor layer, forms. After solidification of the melt-mixture, a contacting is created between metal layer and semiconductor layer. It is essential that in step A) i) at least one intermediate layer designed as dopant layer is applied, which contains a dopant wherein the dopant has a greater solubility in the semiconductor layer than the metal of the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Ralf Preu, Andreas Grohe, Daniel Biro, Jochen Rentsch, Marc Hofmann, Jan-Frederik Nekarda, Andreas Wolf
  • Patent number: 8823113
    Abstract: A four transistor layout can include an isolation region that defines an active region, the active region extending along first and second different directions. A common source region of the four transistors extends from a center of the active region along both the first and second directions to define four quadrants of the active region that are outside the common source region. Four drain regions are provided, a respective one of which is in a respective one of the four quadrants and spaced apart from the common source region. Finally, four gate electrodes are provided, a respective one of which is in a respective one of the four quadrants between the common source region and a respective one of the four drain regions. A respective gate electrode includes a vertex and first and second extending portions, the first extending portions extending from the vertex along the first direction and the second extending portions extending from the vertex along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyo-Suk Chae, Satoru Yamada, Sang-Yeon Han, Young-Jin Choi, Wook-Je Kim
  • Patent number: 8803263
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to ensure the thermal stability of magnetization even when a magnetic memory element is miniaturized. A magnetic memory element includes a first magnetic layer (22), an insulating layer (21) that is formed on the first magnetic layer (22), and a second magnetic layer (20) that is formed on the insulating layer (21). At least one of the first magnetic layer (22) and the second magnetic layer (20) is strained and deformed so as to be elongated in an easy magnetization axis direction of the magnetic layer (22) or (20) or compressive strain (101) remains in any direction in the plane of at least one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiya Yamada, Yasushi Ogimoto
  • Patent number: 8803252
    Abstract: A drift layer forms a first main surface of a silicon carbide layer and has a first conductivity type. A source region is provided to be spaced apart from the drift layer by a body region, forms a second main surface, and has the first conductivity type. A relaxing region is provided within the drift layer and has a distance Ld from the first main surface. The relaxing region has a second conductivity type and has an impurity dose amount Drx. The drift layer has an impurity concentration Nd between the first main surface and the relaxing region. Relation of Drx>Ld·Nd is satisfied. Thus, a silicon carbide semiconductor device having a high breakdown voltage is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Wada, Takeyoshi Masuda, Toru Hiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8729663
    Abstract: On a silicon substrate 120 of a semiconductor device, a field oxide film 101 is provided. On the field oxide film 101, two fuses 104 are provided. Directly below the fuses 104 in the silicon substrate 120, an n-type well 102 is provided. Besides the n-type well 102, a p-type well 103 is provided in such a manner as to surround a region directly under the fuses 104 in the silicon substrate 120. A cover insulating film 108 is provided over the silicon substrate 120 and the field oxide film 101. A seal ring composed of a contact 106 and an interconnection 107 is embedded in the cover insulating film 108 so as to surround the fuses 104.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Miwa, Nayuta Kariya
  • Patent number: 8698234
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a connecting structure includes an edge region, a first trench and a second trench running toward the edge region, a first electrode within the first trench, and a second electrode within the second trench, the first and second electrodes being arranged in a same electrode plane with regard to a main surface of a substrate of the electronic device within the trenches, and the first electrode extending, at an edge region side end of the first trench, farther toward the edge region than the second electrode extends, at an edge region side end of the second trench, toward the edge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Markus Zundel
  • Patent number: 8652886
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array substrate includes forming a gate pattern on a substrate, forming a gate insulating film on the substrate, forming a source/drain pattern and a semiconductor pattern on the substrate, forming first, second, and third passivation films successively on the substrate. Over the above multi-layered passivation film forming a first photoresist pattern including a first portion formed on part of the drain electrode and on the pixel region, and a second portion. The second portion is thicker than the first portion. Then, patterning the third passivation film using the first photoresist pattern, forming a second photoresist pattern by removing the first portion of the first photoresist pattern, forming a transparent electrode film on the substrate, removing the second photoresist pattern and the transparent electrode film disposed on the second photoresist pattern, and forming a transparent electrode pattern on the second passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyeong-Suk Yoo, Ho-Jun Lee, Sung-Ryul Kim, O-Sung Seo, Hong-Kee Chin
  • Patent number: 8648401
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a first ferromagnetic layer magnetically pinned and positioned within a first region of a substrate; a second ferromagnetic layer approximate the first ferromagnetic layer; and a barrier layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the first portion of the second ferromagnetic layer. The second ferromagnetic layer includes a first portion being magnetically free and positioned within the first region; a second portion magnetically pinned to a first direction and positioned within a second region of the substrate, the second region contacting the first region from a first side; and a third portion magnetically pinned to a second direction and positioned within a third region of the substrate, the third region contacting the first region from a second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Huang Lai, Sheng-Huang Huang, Kuo-Feng Huang, Ming-Te Liu, Chun-Jung Lin, Ya-Chen Kao, Wen-Cheng Chen