Patents Examined by Mahshid Saadat
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Patent number: 6066896Abstract: On a semiconductor substrate, there are formed a first macro cell having wiring layers of three layers each formed of a metal wiring layer (for example, an aluminum wiring) and a second macro cell having wiring layers of three layers each formed of a metal wiring layer similar to the first macro cell. The first macro cell is formed to have a wiring structure of three wiring layers though the originally necessary number of metal wiring layers is two. The metal wiring layer of each layer on the first macro cell is formed of the same material as the metal wiring layer of the corresponding each layer on the second macro cell. Moreover, the metal wiring layer of each layer is formed to have the same film thickness. In order to connect the first and second macro cells to each other, a macro interconnection wiring is formed to be included in the third wiring layer (uppermost wiring layer).Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1997Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Osamu Wada, Ryo Haga, Tomoaki Yabe, Shinji Miyano
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Patent number: 6066875Abstract: A split-gate source side injection flash EEPROM array structure and method of fabrication that utilizes the same polysilicon layer to form the control gate and the floating gate. Furthermore, there is a tunneling oxide layer underneath the floating gate, a gate oxide layer underneath the control gate, and that the tunneling oxide layer has a thickness smaller than the gate oxide layer. Since the control gate and the floating gate are formed on a silicon layer through the same patterning process, polysilicon spacers can be used to control the gap width between the control gate and the floating gate. Therefore, a reliable and reproducible flash cell array can be produced.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Worldwide Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.Inventor: Chih-Ming Chen
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Patent number: 6066863Abstract: A lateral semiconductor device, such as an LIGBT, LMOSFET, lateral bipolar transistor, lateral thyristor, or lateral MOS control thyristor, includes a device area surrounded by an n-type region in an n-channel lateral semiconductor device or by a p-type region in a p-channel lateral semiconductor device. Connecting the n-type region in the n-channel lateral semiconductor device or the p-type region in the p-channel lateral semiconductor device at a same potential as a first main electrode suppresses operation of parasitic transistors, as well as prevents carrier accumulation in isolated regions or a substrate. As a result, a switching loss of the lateral semiconductor device is greatly reduced, a switching speed of the lateral semiconductor device is improved, and a current capacity of the lateral semiconductor device is increased.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Naoto Fujishima
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Patent number: 6066866Abstract: When constructing a number of transistors in transistor forming region (1) on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of specific functional regions and a plurality of general-purpose functional regions are formed in the transistor forming region (1) in such a way that each of the plurality of specific functional regions alternates with each of the plurality of general-purpose functional regions. Each of the plurality of general-purpose functional regions is comprised of at least one general-purpose functional bank (4) including a row of P-channel field-effect transistors and a row of N-channel field-effect transistors. Each of the plurality of specific functional regions is comprised of at least one specific functional bank (5) including a row of functional blocks (6) each of which can perform a specific function.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Naoko Omori
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Patent number: 6064085Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel multiple fin-shaped capacitor for use in semiconductor memories. The capacitor has a plurality of horizontal fins and a crown shape. The capacitor structure comprises a bottom storage electrode. The bottom storage electrode comprises of a plurality of horizontal fins and a crown shape, wherein said crown shape includes two vertical pillars, and said plurality of horizontal fins extend outside from an external surface of said crown shape. A second dielectric layer is formed on the surface of the bottom storage electrode layer. A top storage electrode layer is formed along the surface of second dielectric layer. By including horizontal fins and vertical pillars, the surface area of the capacitor is significantly increased, resulting in increased capacitance.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: Texas Instruments-Acer IncorporatedInventor: Shye-Lin Wu
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Patent number: 6064077Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit transistor begins with doping the substrate in the device active areas after field oxide regions have been formed. This dopant helps to reduce short channel transistor effects. A thin layer of epitaxial silicon is then grown over the substrate active regions. A field effect transistor is formed in the epitaxial layer and underlying substrate. The transistor channel region is in the relatively lightly doped epitaxial layer, but the underlying doped substrate layer helps minimize short channel effects.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 1994Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.Inventor: Ravishankar Sandaresan
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Patent number: 6064109Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an emitter region, a contact region, and a resistive medium. The resistive medium is connected between the contact region and the emitter region. The contact region and the emitter region each include an edge facing each other. At least a portion of the emitter region edge and at least a portion of the contact region edge are non-parallel relative to each other. This configuration enables an emitter ballast resistance to be provided with varied emitter current flow along the injecting edge of the emitter. Furthermore, by including an additional contact and an additional resistive medium between the contacts, the ballast resistance of the semiconductor device can be increased without decreasing the figure of merit of the device.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc.Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William P. Imhauser
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Patent number: 6060776Abstract: A rectifier diode has a base which is press-fittable into an intended opening of a rectifier arrangement, a pedestal disposed on the base integrally with the base, a semiconductor chip secured to the pedestal, a head wire secured to the chip, the base being formed to connect the diode thermally and electrically to the rectifier arrangement, and a unit for mechanically stabilizing the base and including a bulwark provided on a bottom of the base in a region of the pedestal and surrounding the pedestal, the bulwark being separated from the pedestal by a trench and being integral with the bottom of the base, a pressing region for absorbing forces oriented at right angles to a plane of the semiconductor chip and disposed on a side of the bulwark remote from the trench and between bulwark and a substantially cylindrical wall of the base disposed substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the base, the trench being located between the bulwark and the pedestal and having a radial extent that is approximately twiceType: GrantFiled: June 26, 1998Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Richard Spitz, Siegfried Schuler
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Patent number: 6060778Abstract: Disclosed is a packaged integrated circuit device with high heat dissipation performance and low weight. The packaged integrated circuit device includes an interconnection substrate having at least one layer of conductive trace material and at least one layer of insulating material and also having a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface and having a plurality of electrical contacts formed on the second surface. At least one metal thermal conductive layer having a first surface is attached on the first surface of the interconnection substrate and having a second surface exposed to an exterior. A through hole region is formed in the interconnection substrate and the thermal conductive layer. An integrated circuit chip having a first surface exposed to an exterior and having also a second surface with a plurality of bond pads, opposite to the first surface of the integrated circuit chip, is placed within the through hole region.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1998Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co. Ltd.Inventors: Tae Sung Jeong, Ki Tae Ryu, Tae Keun Lee, Keun Hyoung Choi, Han Shin Youn, Jum Sook Park
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Patent number: 6060771Abstract: A highly reliable connecting lead for devices that mount semiconductors. The lead is made of copper or copper alloy. The thickness of the oxide film at the interface between the copper or copper alloy lead and an aluminum bump electrode is 10 nm or less. The contents of oxygen and carbon in the aluminum bump electrode are 1 atm % or less each.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1999Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Inc.Inventors: Tadashi Tomikawa, Shogo Hashimoto
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Patent number: 6060772Abstract: On a metal base, an insulated wiring substrate is fixed, and, on a conductive layer on the insulated wiring substrate, semiconductor chips are disposed. Above the semiconductor chips, a controlling substrate is provided, and the signals produced in this controlling substrate are supplied to electrodes on the surfaces of the semiconductor chips via bonding wires passing through openings provided in the controlling substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 1998Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Hidekazu Sugawara, Tetsujiro Tsunoda, Satoshi Nakao
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Patent number: 6060753Abstract: A low-noise output stage for an electronic circuit integrated on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The low-noise output stage comprises a complementary CMOS transistor pair including a P-channel pull-up transistor and an N-channel pull-down transistor, connected across a first terminal of the electronic circuit to receive a supply voltage, and a second terminal of the electronic circuit to receive a second reference potential. The transistors are connected together to form an output terminal of the electronic circuit for connection to an external load. The pull-down transistor is formed in a three-well structure to prevent propagation of a discharge current from the external load through the semiconductor substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 1997Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Stefano Zanardi, Maurizio Branchetti
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Patent number: 6060751Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a composite substrate comprising a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer on said semiconductor substrate with a dielectric layer interposed therebetween; a plurality of element regions formed in the semiconductor layer and each having formed a field effect transistor including a source region and a drain region of a first conduction type; and an impurity-diffused region of a second conduction type which is formed directly under an element isolating film isolating respective elements. The impurity-diffused region having the opposite conduction type and formed under the element separating film restrain formation of parasitic transistors and prevent a decrease in threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 1996Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Mamoru Terauchi, Manabu Kamikokuryou
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Patent number: 6060758Abstract: A suppression method is applied to an integrated circuit formed on a substrate of p-type material having at least one region of n-type material with junction isolation, a first electrical contact on the frontal surface of the substrate, a second electrical contact on the n-type region and a third electrical contact on the back of the substrate connected to a reference (ground) terminal of the integrated circuit. To avoid current in the substrate due to the conduction of parasitic bipolar transistors in certain operating conditions of the integrated circuit, the method provides for monitoring the potential of the second contact to detect if this potential departs from the (ground) potential of the reference terminal by an amount greater than a predetermined threshold value. If this occurs the first contact is taken to the potential of the second contact, otherwise they are held at the (ground) potential of the reference terminal. A device and an integrated circuit which utilize the method are also described.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1997Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Enrico Maria Ravanelli, Massimo Pozzoni, Giorgio Pedrazzini, Giulio Ricotti
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Patent number: 6060744Abstract: In a current detecting cell of a MOS-type semiconductor device with a current detection function, the area of the contact portions of source regions which contact a current detecting electrode is greater than that of that contact portion of a base region which contacts the current detecting electrode. With this feature, a parasitic resistance does no sharply decrease even if a detected voltage increases, and therefore, current can be detected accurately.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1997Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masashi Kuwahara, Shuji Kamata
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Patent number: 6057586Abstract: A method and apparatus for employing a light shield to modulate pixel color responsivity. The improved pixel includes a substrate having a photodiode with a light receiving area. A color filter array material of a first color is disposed above the substrate. The pixel has a first relative responsivity. A light shield is disposed above the substrate to modulate the pixel color responsivity. The light shield forms an aperture whose area is substantially equal to the light receiving area adjusted by a reduction factor. The reduction factor is the result of an arithmetic operation between the first relative responsivity and a second relative responsivity, associated with a second pixel of a second color.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Edward J. Bawolek, Lawrence T. Clark, Mark A. Beiley
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Patent number: 6057582Abstract: Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same, is disclosed, in which a gate insulating film is formed thicker at portions opposite to edge portions of a gate electrode for preventing the hot carrier possible to occur due to a strong electric field of the gate electrode, that can improve a device reliability, the device including a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, the gate insulating film having both end portions formed thicker than a center portion, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, the gate electrode having a center portion formed thicker than portions thereof on both sides of the gate insulating film, and impurity regions formed in surfaces of the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate electrode, and the method including the steps of (1) forming a gate insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, and forming a gate electrode having a thicker center portion on the gate insulating film, (2) expanding thicknesses oType: GrantFiled: October 1, 1998Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ki Soo Choi
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Patent number: 6057604Abstract: A technique for forming integrated circuit device contacts includes the formation of nitride spacers along side gate electrodes for LDD definition. In addition, a nitride cap layer is formed over the gate electrodes. When a contact opening is formed through the interlevel oxide dielectric, the nitride cap and sidewall spacers protect the gate electrode from damage and shorting. A highly doped poly plug is formed in the opening to make contact to the underlying substrate. Metalization is formed over the poly plug in the usual manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.Inventor: Loi N. Nguyen
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Patent number: 6057578Abstract: An integrated structure comprises a protective Zener diode connected between a first and a second terminal of the structure, and is formed in a chip of semiconductor material within an insulating region. The structure includes first and second biasing Zener diodes connected back-to-back between the first and the second terminals of the structure. The first and the second biasing diodes are disposed respectively in the opposite direction to and in the same direction as the protective diode, and having a common terminal connected to the insulating region. The protective diode has a reverse threshold voltage lower than a reverse threshold voltage of the second biasing diode.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1998Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Natale Aiello, Atanasio La Barbera
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Patent number: 6057597Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a substrate having one or more dice mounted thereto, and a cover adapted to protect and form a sealed space for the dice. The cover can be pre-fabricated of molded plastic, or stamped metal, and attached to the substrate using a cured seal. A hole can also be provided through the substrate to permit pressure equalization during formation of the seal. The cover can be prefabricated in an enclosed configuration for attachment directly to the substrate, or in a planar configuration for attachment to a peripheral ridge on the substrate. In either embodiment, the cover is removable to permit defective dice to be replaced or repaired.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1998Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Warren M. Farnworth, David R. Hembree, Derek Gochnour, Salman Akram, John O. Jacobson, James M. Wark, Steven G. Thummel