Patents Examined by Matthew S. Smith
  • Patent number: 7919340
    Abstract: In the present invention, a first substrate which is an evaporation donor substrate is prepared in which a material layer is formed over a patterned reflective layer. A surface of the material layer over the first substrate is irradiated with first light which satisfies one predetermined irradiation condition to pattern the material layer. A surface opposite to the surface of the first substrate is irradiated with second light which satisfies another predetermined irradiation condition to evaporate the patterned material layer onto a second substrate, which is a deposition target substrate. According to the present invention, deterioration of a material included in the material layer can be prevented and a film pattern can be formed on the second substrate with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisao Ikeda, Takahiro Ibe
  • Patent number: 7915706
    Abstract: The present invention relates to using a potentially trap-rich layer, such as a polycrystalline Silicon layer, over a passivation region of a semiconductor substrate or a Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) device layer to substantially immobilize a surface conduction layer at the surface of the semiconductor substrate or SOI device layer at radio frequency (RF) frequencies. The potentially trap-rich layer may have a high density of traps that trap carriers from the surface conduction layer. The average release time from the traps may be longer than the period of any present RF signals, thereby effectively immobilizing the surface conduction layer, which may substantially prevent capacitance and inductance changes due to the RF signals. Therefore, harmonic distortion of the RF signals may be significantly reduced or eliminated. The semiconductor substrate may be a Silicon substrate, a Gallium Arsenide substrate, or another substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Kerr, Thomas Gregory McKay, Michael Carroll, Joseph M. Gering
  • Patent number: 7915059
    Abstract: An exemplary organic light emitting diode (20) includes a substrate (21), a first electrode (22) with a plurality of fluorinions therein, an organic emission stack (29), and a second electrode (28) sequentially stacked in that order. A related method for fabricating the organic emitting diode is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Shih-Chang Wang, Jung-Lung Huang
  • Patent number: 7915714
    Abstract: There are provided a semiconductor light emitting element which allows an improvement in light extraction efficiency without increasing the number of fabrication steps, and a wafer. In a semiconductor light emitting element 1 formed by laminating a compound semiconductor layer 3 on a single crystal substrate, and dividing the single crystal substrate into pieces, the side faces 21 to 24 of each of substrate pieces 2 as the divided single crystal substrate are formed such that the side face 21 used as the reference of the substrate piece 2 forms an angle of 15° with respect to the (1-100) plane, and that the side faces 21 to 24 are formed of planes different from cleaved planes of a crystalline structure in the single crystal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Kamei, Syuuichi Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 7910423
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an SOI substrate, a first STI-type isolation region, a second STI-type isolation region, and an alignment mark region. The SOI substrate includes a support substrate, an insulating layer deposited on the support substrate, and a semiconductor layer which includes a thin film region and a thick film region. The thin film region includes a first semiconductor layer deposited on the support substrate, and the thick film region includes the first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer deposited on a part of the first semiconductor layer. The first STI-type isolation region is disposed at the thin film region. The second STI-type isolation region is disposed at the thick film region. The alignment mark region is disposed at the thick film region. An alignment mark to be used for alignment of the second STI-type isolation region is disposed at the alignment mark region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinji Ohara
  • Patent number: 7910441
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate (20), a source region (58) formed over the substrate, a drain region (62) formed over the substrate, a first gate electrode (36) over the substrate adjacent to the source region and between the source and drain regions, and a second gate electrode (38) over the substrate adjacent to the drain region and between the source and drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongning Yang, Xin Lin, Jiang-Kai Zuo
  • Patent number: 7910404
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a stacked die module includes applying a plurality of stacked die structures to a carrier. Each stacked die structure includes a first semiconductor die applied to the carrier and a second semiconductor die stacked over the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor die has a larger lateral surface area than the first semiconductor die. A dam is applied around each of the stacked die structures, thereby forming an enclosed cavity for each of the stacked die structures. The enclosed cavity for each stacked die structure surrounds the first semiconductor die of the stacked die structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Klaus Pressel, Gottfried Beer
  • Patent number: 7911055
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device, capacitance between copper interconnections is decreased and the insulation breakdown is improved simultaneously, and a countermeasure is taken for misalignment via by a manufacturing method including the steps of forming an interconnection containing copper as a main ingredient in an insulative film above a substrate, forming insulative films and a barrier insulative film for a reservoir pattern, forming an insulative film capable of suppressing or preventing copper from diffusing on the upper surface and on the lateral surface of the interconnection and above the insulative film and the insulative film, forming insulative films of low dielectric constant, in which the insulative film is formed such that the deposition rate above the opposing lateral surfaces of the interconnections is larger than the deposition rate therebelow to form an air gap between the adjacent interconnections and, finally, planarizing the insulative film by interlayer CMP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Noguchi, Takashi Matsumoto, Takayuki Oshima, Toshihiko Onozuka
  • Patent number: 7911030
    Abstract: A resistive memory device includes: a substrate, an insulation layer arranged over the substrate, a first electrode plug penetrating the insulation layer from the substrate, having a portion protruded out of an upper portion of the insulation layer, and having peaks at edges of the protruded portion, a resistive layer disposed over the insulation layer and covering the first electrode plug, and a second electrode arranged over the resistive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Su-Ock Chung
  • Patent number: 7910465
    Abstract: A surface of a single crystal semiconductor substrate is irradiated with ions to form a damaged region, an insulating layer is formed over the surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate, and a surface of a substrate having an insulating surface is made to be in contact with a surface of the insulating layer to bond the substrate having an insulating surface to the single crystal semiconductor substrate. Then, the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated at the damaged region by performing heat treatment to form a single crystal semiconductor layer over the substrate having an insulating surface, and the single crystal semiconductor layer is patterned to form a plurality of island-shaped semiconductor layers. One of the island-shaped semiconductor layers is irradiated with a laser beam which is shaped to entirely cover the island-shaped semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7910496
    Abstract: By removing excess material of an interlayer dielectric material deposited by SACVD, the gap filling capabilities of this deposition technique may be exploited, while, on the other hand, negative effects of this material may be reduced. In other aspects, a buffer material, such as silicon dioxide, may be formed prior to depositing the interlayer dielectric material on the basis of SACVD, thereby creating enhanced uniformity during the deposition process when depositing the interlayer dielectric material on dielectric layers having different high intrinsic stress levels. Consequently, the reliability of the interlayer dielectric material may be enhanced while nevertheless maintaining the advantages provided by an SACVD deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Feustel, Kai Frohberg, Carsten Peters
  • Patent number: 7906836
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a first chip including a first edge; and a second chip having a second edge facing the first edge. A scribe line is between and adjoining the first edge and the second edge. A heat spreader includes a portion in the scribe line, wherein the heat spreader includes a plurality of vias and a plurality of metal lines. The portion of the heat spreader in the scribe line has a second length at least close to, or greater than, a first length of the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsien-Wei Chen, Yu-Wen Liu, Jyh-Cherng Sheu, Hao-Yi Tsai, Shin-Puu Jeng, Chen-Hua Yu, Shang-Yun Hou
  • Patent number: 7902037
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an isolation structure in a memory device includes forming a first trench in a cell region of a semiconductor substrate and a second trench in a peripheral region of the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes oxidating the surface of the first and second trenches to form a sidewall oxide layer; depositing a tetraethylorthosilicate(TEOS) layer on the sidewall oxide layer; forming a silicon nitride layer and a silicon oxide layer on the TEOS layer; selectively removing portions of the silicon nitride and silicon oxide layers on the second trench to expose a portion of the underlying TEOS layer; coating a flowable insulation layer that fills the first and second trenches; and curing the flowable insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Byung Soo Eun
  • Patent number: 7902078
    Abstract: A processing method includes a silicon oxide etching process of performing a plasma etching on a target layer mainly made up of silicon, a silicon oxide layer formed on the target layer and a target object having a previously patterned resist layer formed on the silicon oxide layer, the plasma etching of the silicon oxide layer being performed by using the resist layer as a mask; a deposits removing process of removing deposits generated in the silicon oxide etching process and stuck to the target object; and a silicon etching process of performing a plasma etching on the target layer by a plasma generated from a processing gas containing SF6, O2 and SiF4 while using the silicon oxide layer as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Michiko Nakaya
  • Patent number: 7902580
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of forming a semiconductor construction, such as an MRAM construction. A block is formed over a semiconductor substrate. First and second layers are formed over the block, and over a region of the substrate proximate the block. The first and second layers are removed from over the block while leaving portions of the first and second layers over the region proximate the block. At least some of the first layer is removed from under the second layer to form a channel over the region proximate the block. A material, such as a soft magnetic material, is provided within the channel. The invention also includes semiconductor constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel A. Drewes
  • Patent number: 7902070
    Abstract: A method and system for producing a noble metal film includes the step of sputtering a noble metal on a substrate thus obtaining a film. The method and system further includes the step of subjecting the film to a thermal treatment, thus obtaining the noble metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Sabrina Conoci, Salvatore Petralia
  • Patent number: 7901958
    Abstract: To permit electrical testing of a semiconductor integrated circuit device having test pads disposed at narrow pitches probes in a pyramid or trapezoidal pyramid form are formed from metal films formed by stacking a rhodium film and a nickel film successively. Via through-holes are formed in a polyimide film between interconnects and the metal films, and the interconnects are electrically connected to the metal films. A plane pattern of one of the metal films equipped with one probe and through-hole is obtained by turning a plane pattern of the other metal film equipped with the other probe and through-hole through a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masayoshi Okamoto, Yoshiaki Hasegawa, Yasuhiro Motoyama, Hideyuki Matsumoto, Shingo Yorisaki, Akio Hasebe, Ryuji Shibata, Yasunori Narizuka, Akira Yabushita, Toshiyuki Majima
  • Patent number: 7901976
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a borderless contact to a local interconnect (LI) line on a substrate. Generally, the method includes steps of (i) depositing a nitride layer over a number of LI lines on the substrate, to substantially cover the LI lines; (ii) etching the nitride layer to form spacers adjacent to sidewalls of at least one of the number of LI lines and to expose at least a portion of a top surface of the LI line; (iii) depositing an inter-layer dielectric, such as an oxide, over the number of LI lines on the substrate and the spacers formed adjacent thereto; and (iv) performing a contact etch to etch contact openings through the inter-layer dielectric to expose the portion of the top surface of the underlying LI line. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Sriram Viswanathan, Vinay Krishna, Peter Keswick, Daniel Amzen
  • Patent number: 7902063
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for discretized, combinatorial processing of regions of a substrate such as for the discovery, implementation, optimization, and qualification of new materials, processes, and process sequence integration schemes used in integrated circuit fabrication. A substrate having an array of differentially processed regions thereon is processed by delivering materials to or modifying regions of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Tony P. Chiang, David E. Lazovsky, Thomas R. Boussie, Alexander Gorer
  • Patent number: 7897504
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, in which a lifting phenomenon can be prevented from occurring in forming an amorphous carbon film on an etched layer having tensile stress. According to the invention, since a compression stress on the etched layer or the amorphous carbon film can be reduced or a compression stress film is formed between the etched layer or the amorphous carbon film to prevent a lifting phenomenon from occurring and thus another pattern can be formed to fabricate a highly integrated semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Geun Kim, Cheol Mo Jeong, Whee Won Cho, Seong Hwan Myung