Patents Examined by Marc Armand
  • Patent number: 10153201
    Abstract: A transistor device includes a substrate; a source region and a drain region formed over the substrate; and a source/drain contact formed in contact with at least one of the source region and the drain region, the source/drain contact including a conductive metal and a bilayer disposed between the conductive metal and the at least one of the source and drain region, the bilayer including a metal oxide layer in contact with the conductive metal, and a silicon dioxide layer in contact with the at least one of the source and drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC., THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SUNY POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Huiming Bu, Hui-feng Li, Vijay Narayanan, Hiroaki Niimi, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10153180
    Abstract: A system and method for applying an underfill is provided. An embodiment comprises applying an underfill to a substrate and patterning the underfill. Once patterned other semiconductor devices, such as semiconductor dies or semiconductor packages may then be attached to the substrate through the underfill, with electrical connections from the other semiconductor devices extending into the pattern of the underfill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Meng-Tse Chen, Hsiu-Jen Lin, Wei-Hung Lin, Kuei-Wei Huang, Ming-Da Cheng, Chung-Shi Liu
  • Patent number: 10153348
    Abstract: In an example, a memory may have a group of series-coupled memory cells, where a memory cell of the series-coupled memory cells has an access gate, a control gate coupled to the access gate, and a dielectric stack between the control gate and a semiconductor. The dielectric stack is to store a charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arup Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 10153381
    Abstract: In an example, a memory cell may have an access gate, a control gate coupled to the access gate, a first dielectric stack below an upper surface of a semiconductor, above the access gate, and between a first portion of the control gate and the semiconductor, and a second dielectric stack below the access gate and the first dielectric stack and between a second portion of the control gate and the semiconductor. Each of the first and second dielectric stacks may store a charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arup Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 10147686
    Abstract: A transistor includes a semiconductor substrate having an intrinsic active device, a first terminal, and a second terminal. The transistor also includes an interconnect structure formed of layers of dielectric material and electrically conductive material on the semiconductor substrate. The interconnect structure includes a pillar, a tap interconnect, and a shield structure positioned between the pillar and the tap interconnect formed from the electrically conductive material and extending through the dielectric material. The pillar contacts the first terminal and connects to a first runner. The tap interconnect contacts the second terminal and connects to a second runner. The shield structure includes a base segment, a first leg, and a second leg extending from opposing ends of the base segment, wherein the first and second legs extend from opposing ends of the base segment in a direction that is antiparallel to a length of the base segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles John Lessard, Damon G. Holmes, David Cobb Burdeaux, Hernan Rueda, Ibrahim Khalil
  • Patent number: 10147692
    Abstract: Package structures and methods of forming package structures are discussed. A package structure, in accordance with some embodiments, includes an integrated circuit die, an encapsulant at least laterally encapsulating the integrated circuit die, a redistribution structure on the integrated circuit die and the encapsulant, a connector support metallization coupled to the redistribution structure, a dummy pattern, a second dielectric layer, and an external connector on the connector support metallization. The redistribution structure comprises a first dielectric layer having a first surface disposed distally from the encapsulant and the integrated circuit die. The dummy pattern is on the first surface of the first dielectric layer and around the connector support metallization. The second dielectric layer is on the first surface of the first dielectric layer and on at least a portion of the dummy pattern. The second dielectric layer does not contact the connector support metallization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsien-Wei Chen, Li-Hsien Huang
  • Patent number: 10141233
    Abstract: An electronic package is provided, which includes: a first circuit structure; a plurality of first electronic elements disposed on a surface of the first circuit structure; at least a first conductive element formed on the surface of the first circuit structure; and a first encapsulant formed on the surface of the first circuit structure and encapsulating the first electronic elements and the first conductive element, with a portion of the first conductive element exposed from the first encapsulant. By directly disposing the electronic elements having high I/O functionality on the circuit structure, the present disclosure eliminates the need of a packaging substrate having a core layer, thereby reducing the thickness of the electronic package. The present disclosure further provides a method for fabricating the electronic package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lu-Yi Chen, Chang-Lun Lu
  • Patent number: 10141359
    Abstract: An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes an infrared receiving portion and a visible light receiving portion. The infrared receiving portion is configured to receive infrared. The visible light receiving portion is configured to receive a visible light. The visible light receiving portion includes an infrared cutoff filter grid configured to purify the visible light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Yu-Jui Hsieh, Po-Nan Chen
  • Patent number: 10141376
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to an organic photoelectronic device that includes a first electrode, a light-absorption layer on the first electrode and including a first p-type light-absorption material and a first n-type light-absorption material, a light-absorption auxiliary layer on the light-absorption layer and including a second p-type light-absorption material or a second n-type light-absorption material that have a smaller full width at half maximum (FWHM) than the FWHM of the light absorption layer, a charge auxiliary layer on the light-absorption auxiliary layer, and a second electrode on the charge auxiliary layer, and an image sensor including the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung Bae Park, Satoh Ryuichi, Gae Hwang Lee, Kwang Hee Lee, Dong-Seok Leem, Yong Wan Jin, Tadao Yagi, Chul Joon Heo
  • Patent number: 10141202
    Abstract: Some implementations provide a semiconductor device that includes a substrate, several metal and dielectric layers coupled to the substrate, and a pad coupled to one of the several metal layers. The semiconductor device also includes a first metal layer coupled to the pad and an under bump metallization layer coupled to the first metal redistribution layer. The semiconductor device further includes a mold layer covering a first surface of the semiconductor device and at least a side portion of the semiconductor device. In some implementations, the mold layer is an epoxy layer. In some implementations, the first surface of the semiconductor device is the top side of the semiconductor device. In some implementations, the mold layer covers the at least side portion of the semiconductor device such that a side portion of at least one of the several metal layers and dielectric layers is covered with the mold layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Reynante Tamunan Alvarado, Lizabeth Ann Keser, Jianwen Xu
  • Patent number: 10134733
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a control electrode provided on a first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a first area on the first surface side and two second areas on the first surface side of the first area. The two second areas are arranged along the first surface. The control electrode provided above a portion of the first area between the two second areas. The first area includes a main portion and a peripheral edge portion extending outward from the main portion along the first surface. A depth of the peripheral edge portion from the first surface is shallower than a depth of the main portion from the first surface; and the peripheral edge portion has a concentration of second conductivity type impurities lower than a concentration of the second conductivity type impurities at a surface of the main portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kutsukake
  • Patent number: 10134728
    Abstract: An integrated circuit may include a plurality of input/output (I/O) cells used for communicating signals, power, and ground to and from a core of the integrated circuit. The I/O cells may each include a bond pad formed in one or more top metal layers. One or more of the bond pads may be offset a predetermined distance from an I/O cell edge corresponding to a chip edge of the integrated circuit. A volume may be determined by the I/O cell edge and the predetermined distance and one or more rails may be disposed in the volume and in at least one metal layer common with at least one metal layer of the bond pad. The rails may be involved in the discharge of electrostatic discharge (ESD) current, and may reduce path resistance of the path used to discharge the ESD current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Shiv Harit Mathur, Anand Sharma, Lakhdar Iguelmamene, Richard J K Hong, Rajeswara Rao Bandaru
  • Patent number: 10134729
    Abstract: A stacked three dimensional semiconductor device includes multiple thin substrates stacked over one another and over a base substrate. The thin substrates may include a thickness of about 0.1 ?m. In some embodiments, a noise suppression tier is vertically interposed between active device tiers. In some embodiments, each tier includes active device portions and noise suppression portions and the tiers are arranged such that noise suppression portions are vertically interposed between active device portions. The noise suppression portions include decoupling capacitors in a power/ground mesh and alleviate vertical noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shu-Chun Yang
  • Patent number: 10134726
    Abstract: A diode string having a plurality of diodes for ESD protection of a CMOS IC device comprises a first diode and a last diode in the diode string, wherein the first diode and the last diode are both formed on a bottom layer in a silicon substrate, and remaining diodes in the diode string. The remaining diodes are formed on a top layer placed on top of the bottom layer. The diode string further comprises a plurality of conductive lines that connect the first diode and the last diode on the bottom layer sequentially with the remaining diodes on the top layer to form a three dimensional (3D) structure of the diode string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Che Tsai, Jam-Wem Lee
  • Patent number: 10134782
    Abstract: A thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate including at least one TFT, the at least one TFT including a semiconductor layer including a source region and a drain region having a first doping concentration on a substrate, a channel region between the source and drain regions and having a second doping concentration, the second doping concentration being lower than the first doping concentration, and a non-doping region extending from the source and drain regions; a gate insulating layer on the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer and at least partially overlapping the channel region; and a source electrode and a drain electrode insulated from the gate electrode and electrically connected to the source region and the drain region, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guanghai Jin, Yongjoo Kim, Minhyeng Lee
  • Patent number: 10128178
    Abstract: An electronic package is provided, which includes: a circuit structure having opposite first and second surfaces; a metal layer formed on the first surface of the circuit structure; an electronic element disposed on the metal layer; an encapsulant encapsulating the electronic element; a plurality of conductive posts disposed on the second surface of the circuit structure; and an insulating layer encapsulating the conductive posts. The conductive posts of various sizes can be fabricated according to different aspect ratio requirements so as to make end products lighter, thinner, shorter and smaller. The disclosure further provides a method for fabricating the electronic package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lu-Yi Chen, Hung-Yuan Li, Chieh-Lung Lai, Shih-Liang Peng, Chang-Lun Lu
  • Patent number: 10121670
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating a semiconductor structure comprise forming an opening through a stack of alternating tier dielectric materials and tier control gate materials, and laterally removing a portion of each of the tier control gate materials to form control gate recesses. A charge blocking material comprising a charge trapping portion is formed on exposed surfaces of the tier dielectric materials and tier control gate materials in the opening. The control gate recesses are filled with a charge storage material. The method further comprises removing the charge trapping portion of the charge blocking material disposed horizontally between the charge storage material and an adjacent tier dielectric material to produce air gaps between the charge storage material and the adjacent tier dielectric material. The air gaps may be substantially filled with dielectric material or conductive material. Also disclosed are semiconductor structures obtained from such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 10121752
    Abstract: A surface finish may be formed in a microelectronic structure, wherein the surface finish may include a multilayer interlayer structure. Thus, needed characteristics, such as compliance and electro-migration resistance, of the interlayer structure may be satisfied by different material layers, rather attempting to achieve these characteristics with a single layer. In one embodiment, the multilayer interlayer structure may comprises a two-layer structure, wherein a first layer is formed proximate a solder interconnect and comprises a material which forms a ductile joint with the solder interconnect, and a second layer comprising a material having strong electro-migration resistance formed between the first layer and an interconnection pad. In a further embodiment, third layer may be formed adjacent the interconnection pad comprising a material which forms a ductile joint with the interconnection pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Srinivas V. Pietambaram, Kyu Oh Lee
  • Patent number: 10119997
    Abstract: A method for measuring waveform capture rate (WRC) of DSO based on average dead time measurement. First generating ramp signal or symmetric triangular wave signal as base signal, a trigger signal, the frequency which is higher than the nominal maximum waveform capture rate of the DSO under measurement; secondly, setting the parameters of DSO for measuring; then obtaining a plurality of test signals by delaying base signal K times with different delay time, for each test signal, inputting it the trigger signal simultaneously to DSO, calculating dead time between two adjacent captured waveforms according to their initial voltages, finally calculating waveform capture rate based on average dead times. The waveform capture rate obtained can effectively reflect the overall capturing capacity of DSO, more tellingly, the waveform capturing capacity of acquisition system of DSO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CHINA
    Inventors: Qinchuan Zhang, Kuojun Yang, Lianping Guo, Hao Zeng, Jia Zhao, Jinpeng Song
  • Patent number: 10121786
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method of forming finFET devices is provided which includes patterning fins in a wafer; forming dummy gates over the fins; forming spacers on opposite sides of the dummy gates; depositing a gap fill oxide on the wafer, filling any gaps between the spacers; removing the dummy gates forming gate trenches; trimming the fins within the gate trenches such that a width of the fins within the gate trenches is less than the width of the fins under the spacers adjacent to the gate trenches, wherein u-shaped grooves are formed in sides of the fins within the gate trenches; and forming replacement gate stacks in the gate trenches, wherein portions of the fins adjacent to the replacement gate stacks serve as source and drain regions of the finFET devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Robert H. Dennard, Isaac Lauer, Ramachandran Muralidhar, Ghavam G. Shahidi