Patents Examined by Marc Armand
  • Patent number: 9923050
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer has a silicon single crystal substrate having a top surface and a stack of layers covering the top surface, the stack of layers containing an AlN nucleation layer covering the top surface of the silicon single crystal substrate, wherein the top surface of the silicon single crystal substrate has a crystal lattice orientation which is off-oriented with respect to the {111}-plane, the normal to the top surface being inclined with respect to the <111>-direction toward the <11-2>-direction by an angle ? of not less than 0.3° and not more than 6°, the azimuthal tolerance of the inclination being ±0.1°; and an AlGaN buffer layer which covers the AlN nucleation layer and contains one or more AlxGa1-xN layers, wherein 0<×<1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: SILTRONIC AG, IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Sarad Bahadur Thapa, Ming Zhao, Peter Storck, Norbert Werner
  • Patent number: 9923042
    Abstract: An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a substrate and a plurality of pixels formed over the substrate. Each of the pixels comprises a first region configured to emit light and a second region configured to pass external light therethrough. The second regions of at least three adjacent ones of the pixels have different areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo-Sun Yoon, Ki-Wan Ahn
  • Patent number: 9922898
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a thermally enhanced semiconductor package, which includes a module substrate, a thinned flip chip die over the substrate, a first mold compound component, and a thermally enhanced mold compound component. The first mold compound component resides over the module substrate, surrounds the thinned flip chip die, and extends above an upper surface of the thinned flip chip die to form a cavity over the upper surface of the thinned flip chip die. The thermally enhanced mold compound component includes a lower portion filling a lower region of the cavity and residing over the upper surface of the thinned flip chip die, and an upper portion filling an upper region of the cavity and residing over the lower portion. A first average thermal conductivity of the lower portion is at least 1.2 times greater than a second average thermal conductivity of the upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Julio C. Costa, George Maxim, Dirk Robert Walter Leipold, Baker Scott, Merrill Albert Hatcher, Jr., Stephen Mobley
  • Patent number: 9922975
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first semiconductor fin, a first epitaxy structure, and at least two first dielectric fin sidewall structures. The first epitaxy structure is disposed on the first semiconductor fin. The first dielectric fin sidewall structures are disposed on opposite sidewalls of the first epitaxy structure. The first dielectric fin sidewall structures have different heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Jing Lee, Kun-Mu Li, Ming-Hua Yu, Tsz-Mei Kwok
  • Patent number: 9914639
    Abstract: A MEMS device is provided with: a supporting base, having a bottom surface in contact with an external environment; a sensor die, which is of semiconductor material and integrates a micromechanical detection structure; a sensor frame, which is arranged around the sensor die and is mechanically coupled to a top surface of the supporting base; and a cap, which is arranged above the sensor die and is mechanically coupled to a top surface of the sensor frame, a top surface of the cap being in contact with an external environment. The sensor die is mechanically decoupled from the sensor frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Enri Duqi, Sebastiano Conti
  • Patent number: 9917156
    Abstract: Nucleation layers for growth of III-nitride structures, and methods for growing the nucleation layers, are described herein. A semiconductor can include a silicon substrate and a nucleation layer over the silicon substrate. The nucleation layer can include silicon and deep-level dopants. The semiconductor can include a III-nitride layer formed over the nucleation layer. At least one of the silicon substrate and the nucleation layer can include ionized contaminants. In addition, a concentration of the deep-level dopants is at least as high as a concentration of the ionized contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: IQE, plc
    Inventors: Oleg Laboutin, Chen-Kai Kao, Chien-Fong Lo, Wayne Johnson, Hugues Marchand
  • Patent number: 9917118
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to photodiode arrays comprising a dielectric structure containing an array of face conductive areas (pads) and. Each photodiode is fully separated from each other. Every photodiode has a face electrode formed on sensitive side of the semiconductor substrate and an individual back electrode formed on the opposite side. The number of conductive areas on the dielectric structure is equal to number of photodiodes in the array. The photodiodes of the array are installed on the conductive areas so that their back electrodes have electrical contact with the corresponding conductive area. Each conductive area contains at least one individual conductive hole penetrating the dielectric package from the face side to the opposite side of the dielectric structure. The conductive holes going to backside of the dielectric structure are connected with the back conductive areas formed on back side of dielectric package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: ZECOTEK IMAGING SYSTEMS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Ziraddin Yagub-Ogly Sadygov, Abdelmounaime Faouzi Zerrouk, Azar Sadygov, Azman Mohd Ariffin, Serge Khorev
  • Patent number: 9917014
    Abstract: After forming source/drain contact structures within an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer to contact source/drain regions of a field effect transistor (FET), the ILD layer is recessed to expose upper portions of the source/drain contact structures. A sacrificial layer is then formed on a remaining portion of the ILD layer to laterally surround the upper portions of the source/drain contact structures. An interconnect conductor portion is subsequently formed to contact the source/drain contact structures by subtractive patterning of a metal layer that is formed on the sacrificial layer. Next, the sacrificial layer is removed, leaving a void between the interconnect conductor portion and the remaining portion of the ILD layer. An interconnect liner layer is then formed on a top surface and sidewalls of the interconnect conductor portion and on the remaining portion of the ILD layer. The interconnect liner layer encloses an air gap surrounding the upper portions of the source/drain contact structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Effendi Leobandung
  • Patent number: 9914636
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone component including at least one sound-pressure-sensitive diaphragm element is formed in the layer structure of the MEMS component, which spans an opening in the layer structure. The diaphragm element is attached via at least one column element in the central area of the opening to the layer structure of the component. The deflections of the diaphragm element are detected with the aid of at least one piezosensitive circuit element, which is implemented in the layer structure of the diaphragm element and is situated in the area of the attachment of the diaphragm element to the column element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Buck, Fabian Purkl, Michael Stumber, Rolf Scheben, Benedikt Stein, Christoph Schelling
  • Patent number: 9917020
    Abstract: An analog integrated circuit is disclosed in which short channel transistors are stacked on top of long channel transistors, vertically separated by an insulating layer. With such a design, it is possible to produce a high density, high power, and high performance analog integrated circuit chip including both short and long channel devices that are spaced far enough apart from one another to avoid crosstalk. In one embodiment, the transistors are FinFETs and the long channel devices are multi-gate FinFETs. In one embodiment, single and dual damascene devices are combined in a multi-layer integrated circuit cell. The cell may contain various combinations and configurations of the short and long-channel devices. A high density cell can be made by simply shrinking the dimensions of the cells and replicating two or more cells in the same size footprint as the original cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Qing Liu, John H. Zhang
  • Patent number: 9917038
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package with an internal routing circuit. The internal routing circuit is formed from multiple molding routing layers in a plated and etched copper terminal semiconductor package by using a laser to blast away un-designed conductive areas to create conductive paths on each molding compound layer of the semiconductor package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: UTAC HEADQUARTERS PTE LTD
    Inventors: Saravuth Sirinorakul, Suebphong Yenrudee
  • Patent number: 9911658
    Abstract: Among other things, one or semiconductor arrangements, and techniques for forming such semiconductor arrangements are provided. An etch sequence is performed to form a first etched region over a planar region of a semiconductor arrangement. The first etched region exposes a planar structure, such as an alignment mark used for alignment during semiconductor fabrication. The etch sequence forms a second etched region over a semiconductor fin region of the semiconductor arrangement. In an embodiment, the etch sequence forms a first trench, a first fin nub and a first pillar in the semiconductor fin region, where the first trench is formed in a semiconductor substrate of the semiconductor fin region. A multi-depth STI structure is formed over at least one of the first trench, the first fin nub, or the first pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Tsung-Yu Chiang, Kuang-Hsin Chen, Hsin-Lung Chao, Chen Chu-Hsuan
  • Patent number: 9912314
    Abstract: A method of wafer scale packaging acoustic resonator devices and an apparatus therefor. The method including providing a partially completed semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of single crystal acoustic resonator devices provided on a silicon and carbide bearing material, each having a first electrode member, a second electrode member, and an overlying passivation material. At least one of the devices to be configured with an external connection, a repassivation material overlying the passivation material, an under metal material overlying the repassivation material. Copper pillar interconnect structures are then configured overlying the electrode members, and solder bump structures are form overlying the copper pillar interconnect structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Akoustics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Shealy
  • Patent number: 9911806
    Abstract: A method to provide an isolation feature over a semiconductor structure is disclosed. The method includes forming a fin structure over a semiconductor substrate, forming an oxide layer over the fin structure, wherein forming the oxide layer includes performing a wet chemical oxidation process on the fin structure with a solvent mixture, forming a dielectric layer over the oxide layer, and forming at least one isolation feature over the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Andrew Joseph Kelly, Yusuke Oniki
  • Patent number: 9909058
    Abstract: Provided are a phosphor, a phosphor manufacturing method, and a white light emitting device. The phosphor is represented as a chemical formula of aMO-bAl2O3-cSi3N4, which uses light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of about 350 nm to about 480 nm as an excitation source to emit visible light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of about 480 nm to about 680 nm (where M is one kind or two kinds of elements selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba (0.2?a/(a+b)?0.9, 0.05?b/(b+c)?0.85, 0.4?c/(c+a)?0.9)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Soo Yoo, Kyung Pil Kim, Hyun Ju Lee, Chang Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 9905645
    Abstract: A vertical field effect transistor is provided as follows. A substrate has a lower drain and a lower source arranged along a first direction in parallel to an upper surface of the substrate. A fin structure is disposed on the substrate and extended vertically from the upper surface of the substrate. The fin structure includes a first end portion and a second end portion arranged along the first direction. A bottom surface of a first end portion of the fin structure and a bottom surface of a second end portion of the fin structure overlap the lower drain and the lower source, respectively. The fin structure includes a sidewall having a lower sidewall region, a center sidewall region and an upper sidewall region. A gate electrode surrounds the center side sidewall region of the fin structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myung Gil Kang, Seung Han Park, Yong Hee Park, Sang Hoon Baek, Sang Woo Lee, Keon Yong Cheon, Sung Man Whang
  • Patent number: 9899290
    Abstract: A packaged device includes an extended structure located at a major side of the packaged device. The extended structure defines an outer area that includes encapsulated material on the major side and an inner area where there is a lack of encapsulant over a portion of the device at the major side. The extended structure prevents encapsulant from getting into the inner area during the encapsulating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventor: Leo M. Higgins, III
  • Patent number: 9899380
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes fins formed thereon and a patterned hard mask layer formed on a top surface of the fins. The method further includes: forming an isolation material layer covering the semiconductor substrate, the fins, and the patterned hard mask layer; performing planarization of the isolation material layer, stopping at the patterned hard mask layer; and performing oxygen ion implantation to form an oxygen injection region within the fins and the isolation material layer; back-etching the isolation material layer, stopping above the oxygen injection region, to form a remaining portion of the isolation material layer exposing a portion of the fins; and performing thermal annealing to cause a thermal oxidation of a portion of the fins through oxygen ions in the oxygen injection region, thereby forming an oxide layer within the plurality of fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventors: Xinyun Xie, Ming Zhou
  • Patent number: 9899393
    Abstract: Integrated circuit devices are provided. An integrated circuit device includes a substrate having first and second fin-shaped Field Effect Transistor (FinFET) bodies protruding from the substrate. The first and second FinFET bodies have different respective first and second shapes in a first region and a second region, respectively, of the integrated circuit device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-yup Chung
  • Patent number: 9892987
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a thermally enhanced semiconductor package, which includes a module substrate, a thinned flip chip die over the substrate, a first mold compound component, and a thermally enhanced mold compound component. The first mold compound component resides over the module substrate, surrounds the thinned flip chip die, and extends above an upper surface of the thinned flip chip die to form a cavity over the upper surface of the thinned flip chip die. The thermally enhanced mold compound component includes a lower portion filling a lower region of the cavity and residing over the upper surface of the thinned flip chip die, and an upper portion filling an upper region of the cavity and residing over the lower portion. A first average thermal conductivity of the lower portion is at least 1.2 times greater than a second average thermal conductivity of the upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Julio C. Costa, George Maxim, Dirk Robert Walter Leipold, Baker Scott, Merrill Albert Hatcher, Jr., Stephen Mobley