Patents Examined by Michael Trinh
  • Patent number: 7879696
    Abstract: Compositions, inks and methods for forming a patterned silicon-containing film and patterned structures including such a film. The composition generally includes (a) passivated semiconductor nanoparticles and (b) first and second cyclic Group IVA compounds in which the cyclic species predominantly contains Si and/or Ge atoms. The ink generally includes the composition and a solvent in which the composition is soluble. The method generally includes the steps of (1) printing the composition or ink on a substrate to form a pattern, and (2) curing the patterned composition or ink. In an alternative embodiment, the method includes the steps of (i) curing either a semiconductor nanoparticle composition or at least one cyclic Group IVA compound to form a thin film, (ii) coating the thin film with the other, and (iii) curing the coated thin film to form a semiconducting thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kovio, Inc.
    Inventors: Klaus Kunze, Scott Haubrich, Fabio Zurcher, Brent Ridley, Joerg Rockenberger
  • Patent number: 7875508
    Abstract: A silicon film is crystallized in a predetermined direction by selectively adding a metal element having a catalytic action for crystallizing an amorphous silicon and annealing. In manufacturing TFT using the crystallized silicon film, TFT provided such that the crystallization direction is roughly parallel to a current-flow between a source and a drain, and TFT provided such that the crystallization direction is roughly vertical to a current-flow between a source and a drain are manufactured. Therefore, TFT capable of conducting a high speed operation and TFT having a low leak current are formed on the same substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 7875486
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an apparatus and method for forming an improved thin film single or multi-junction solar cell in a substrate processing device. One embodiment provides a system that contains at least one processing chamber that is adapted to deposit one or more layers that form a portion of a solar cell device. In one embodiment, a method is employed to reduce the contamination of a substrate processed in the processing chamber by performing a cleaning process on the inner surfaces of the processing chamber prior to depositing the one or more layers on a substrate. The cleaning process may include depositing a layer, such as a seasoning layer or passivation layer, that tends to trap contaminants found in the processing chamber. Other embodiments of the invention may provide scheduling and/or positioning the cleaning processing steps at desirable times within a substrate processing sequence to improve the overall system substrate throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Soo Young Choi, Liwei Li
  • Patent number: 7871886
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device using a semiconductor substrate includes forming a first insulating layer having a first band energy over the semiconductor substrate. A first semiconductor layer having a second band energy is formed on the first insulating layer. The first semiconductor layer is annealed to form a plurality of first charge retainer globules from the first semiconductor layer. A first protective film is formed over each charge retainer globule of the plurality of first charge retainer globules. A second semiconductor layer is formed having a third band energy over the plurality of first charge retainer globules. The second semiconductor layer is annealed to form a plurality of storage globules from the second semiconductor layer over the plurality of first charge retainer globules. A magnitude of the second band energy is between a magnitude of the first band energy and a magnitude of the third band energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheong Min Hong, Sung-Taeg Kang
  • Patent number: 7871926
    Abstract: A method for forming a structure includes forming at least one feature across a surface of a substrate. A nitrogen-containing dielectric layer is formed over the at least one feature. A first portion of the nitrogen-containing layer on at least one sidewall of the at least one feature is removed at a first rate and a second portion of the nitrogen-containing layer over the substrate adjacent to a bottom region of the at least one feature is removed at a second rate. The first rate is greater than the second rate. A dielectric layer is formed over the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Li-Qun Xia, Mihaela Balseanu, Victor Nguyen, Derek R. Witty, Hichem M'Saad, Haichun Yang, Xinliang Lu, Chien-Teh Kao, Mei Chang
  • Patent number: 7871909
    Abstract: Methods for forming patterns having triple the line frequency of a first pattern using only a single spacer are disclosed. For example, the first pattern is formed in a first and a second material using a lithographic process. Sidewall spacers are formed from a third material adjacent to exposed sidewalls of features in the second material. The width of the features in the first pattern in the first material is reduced. For example, the width is reduced to about the target width of features in a final pattern. The width of features in the first pattern in the second material is reduced using remaining portions of the first material as a mask. A second pattern is formed based on remaining portions of the second material and the sidewall spacers. The features in the second pattern may be lines having about ? the width of lines in the first pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Chun-Ming Wang, Chen-Che Huang, Masaaki Higashitani, George Matamis
  • Patent number: 7867854
    Abstract: Wider and narrower trenches are formed in a substrate. A first gate material layer is deposited but not fully fills the wider trench. The first gate material layer in the wider trench and above the substrate original surface is removed by isotropic or anisotropic etching back. A first dopant layer is formed in the surface layer of the substrate at the original surface and the sidewall and bottom of the wider trench by tilt ion implantation. A second gate material layer is deposited to fully fill the trenches. The gate material layer above the original surface is removed by anisotropic etching back. A second dopant layer is formed in the surface layer of the substrate at the original surface by ion implantation. The dopants are driven-in to form a base in the substrate and a bottom-lightly-doped layer surrounding the bottom of the wider trench and adjacent to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Chieh Lin, Hsin-Yu Hsu, Guo-Liang Yang, Jen-Hao Yeh
  • Patent number: 7867851
    Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming field effect transistors. In one implementation, the invention encompasses a method of forming a field effect transistor on a substrate, where the field effect transistor comprises a pair of conductively doped source/drain regions, a channel region received intermediate the pair of source/drain regions, and a transistor gate received operably proximate the channel region. Such implementation includes conducting a dopant activation anneal of the pair of source/drain regions prior to depositing material from which a conductive portion of the transistor gate is made. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Hanson, Sanh D. Tang
  • Patent number: 7867890
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which comprises steps of forming a plurality of wirings on a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate so as to adjoin one another, forming a second insulating film on the first insulating film by a plasma CVD method and covering the wirings with the second insulating film in such a manner that air gaps are formed between the respective adjacent wirings, forming a third insulating film on the second insulating film by a high density plasma CVD method, and forming a fourth insulating film high in moisture resistance on the third insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaru Seto
  • Patent number: 7863181
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a device having a conductive via includes the following steps. A dielectric material layer including a through hole is formed on a substrate. A seed metallic layer is formed on the dielectric material layer and in the through hole. A metallic layer is formed on the seed metallic layer, and is filled in the through hole. The metallic layer located over the seed metallic layer and outside the through hole is etched by a spin etching process, whereby the metallic layer located in the through hole is formed to a lower portion. An upper portion is formed on the lower portion, and a metallic trace is formed on the seed metallic layer, wherein the upper and lower portions is formed to a conductive via, and the conductive via and the metallic trace expose a part of the seed metallic layer. The exposed seed metallic layer is etched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsueh An Yang, Po Jen Cheng
  • Patent number: 7863060
    Abstract: A method for forming a MTJ in a STT-MRAM is disclosed in which the easy-axis CD is determined independently of the hard-axis CD. One approach involves two photolithography steps each followed by two plasma etch steps to form a post in a hard mask which is transferred through a MTJ stack of layers. The hard mask has an upper Ta layer with a thickness of 300 to 400 Angstroms and a lower NiCr layer less than 50 Angstroms thick. The upper Ta layer is etched with a fluorocarbon etch while lower NiCr layer and underlying MTJ layers are etched with a CH3OH. Preferably, a photoresist mask layer is removed by oxygen plasma between the fluorocarbon and CH3OH plasma etches. A lower hard mask layer made of NiCr or the like is inserted to prevent formation and buildup of Ta etch residues that can cause device shunting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: MagIC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodolfo Belen, Tom Zhong, Witold Kula, Chyu-Jiuh Torng
  • Patent number: 7863065
    Abstract: A method of forming a display substrate includes forming an array layer on a substrate, forming a passivation layer on the array layer, forming a photoresist pattern on the passivation layer corresponding to a gate line, a source line and a thin-film transistor of the array layer, etching the passivation layer using the photoresist pattern as a mask Non-uniformly surface treating a surface of the photoresist pattern, forming a transparent electrode layer on the substrate having the surface-treated photoresist pattern formed thereon and forming a pixel electrode. The forming a pixel electrode includes removing the photoresist pattern and the transparent electrode layer, such as by infiltrating a strip solution into the surface-treated photoresist pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Seok Oh, Bong-Kyu Shin, Sang-Gab Kim, Eun-Guk Lee, Hong-Kee Chin, Yu-Gwang Jeong, Seung-Ha Choi
  • Patent number: 7863681
    Abstract: An insulated-gate field-effect transistor (100, 100V, 140, 150, 150V, 160, 170, 170V, 180, 180V, 190, 210, 210W, 220, 220U, 220V, 220W, 380, or 480) has a hypoabrupt vertical dopant profile below one (104 or 264) of its source/drain zones for reducing the parasitic capacitance along the pn junction between that source/drain zone and adjoining body material (108 or 268). In particular, the concentration of semiconductor dopant which defines the conductivity type of the body material increases by at least a factor of 10 in moving from that source/drain zone down to an underlying body-material location no more than 10 times deeper below the upper semiconductor surface than that source/drain zone. The body material preferably includes a more heavily doped pocket portion (120 or 280) situated along the other source/drain zone (102 or 262).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Constantin Bulucea
  • Patent number: 7858470
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device. A trench capacitor disposed at a lower portion of a trench in a substrate, in which the trench capacitor comprises a filling electrode layer and a collar dielectric layer surrounding the filling electrode layer. The top of the collar dielectric layer is lower than top surface level of the filling electrode layer. A vertical transistor is disposed at the upper portion of the trench, comprising a doped region disposed in a portion of the trench adjacent to the trench. A buried conductive layer interposed between the vertical transistor and the trench capacitor, wherein the cross section of the buried conductive layer is H shaped. The trench capacitor and the doping region of vertical transistor are electrically connected through the H shaped buried conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Cheng-Chih Huang
  • Patent number: 7858417
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser having a dielectric gain guide. The gain guide may provide current confinement, device isolation and possibly optical confinement. The first mirror and an active region may be grown. A pattern may be placed on or near the active region. A dielectric material may be deposited on the pattern and the pattern may be removed resulting in a gain guide. Then a top mirror may be grown on the gain guide. This structure with the dielectric gain guide may have specific characteristics and/or additional features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Jae-Hyun Ryou, Gyoungwon Park
  • Patent number: 7855110
    Abstract: An FET and method of fabricating an FET. The method includes forming a gate dielectric layer on a top surface of a silicon region of a substrate and forming a gate electrode on a top surface of the gate dielectric layer; forming a source and a drain in the silicon region and separated by a channel region under the gate electrode, the source having a source extension extending under the gate electrode and the drain having a drain extension extending under the gate electrode, the source, source extension, drain and drain extension doped a first type; and forming a source delta region contained entirely within the source and forming a drain delta region contained entirely within the drain, the delta source region and the delta drain region doped a second dopant type, the second dopant type opposite from the first dopant type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Viorel Ontalus, Robert Robison
  • Patent number: 7851309
    Abstract: Integrated circuit components are described that are formed using selective epitaxy such that the integrated circuit components, such as transistors, are vertically oriented. These structures have regions that are doped in situ during selective epitaxial growth of the component body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Terrence C. Leslie
  • Patent number: 7851350
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of forming a contact plug of a semiconductor device. According to the method, a first dielectric layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate in which junction regions are formed. A hard mask is formed on the first dielectric layer. The hard mask and the first dielectric layer corresponding to the junction regions are etched to form trenches. Spacers are formed on sidewalls of the trenches. Contact holes are formed in the first dielectric layer using an etch process employing the spacers and the hard mask so that the junction regions are exposed. The contact holes are gap filled with a conductive material, thus forming contact plugs. Accordingly, bit lines can be easily formed on the contact plugs formed at narrow spaces with a high density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Whee Won Cho, Jung Geun Kim, Eun Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 7846798
    Abstract: The invention includes methods in which an angled implant is utilized to self-align a source/drain region implant with the top edge of a gateline of a vertical transistor structure. The invention also includes methods in which an angled implant is utilized to implant dopant beneath the gateline of a vertical transistor structure. Vertical transistor structures formed in accordance with methodology of the present invention can be incorporated into various types of integrated circuitry, including, for example, DRAM arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: H. Montgomery Manning, Kunal R. Parekh, Cem Basceri, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7834365
    Abstract: An LED chip package structure with high-efficiency light-emitting effect includes a substrate unit, a light-emitting unit, and a package colloid unit. The substrate unit has a substrate body, and a positive electrode trace and a negative electrode trace respectively formed on the substrate body. The light-emitting unit has a plurality of LED chips arranged on the substrate body. Each LED chip has a positive electrode side and a negative electrode side respectively and electrically connected with the positive electrode trace and the negative electrode trace of the substrate unit. The package colloid unit has a plurality of package colloids respectively covered on the LED chips. Each package colloid has a colloid cambered surface and a colloid light-emitting surface respectively formed on a top surface and a front surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Harvatek Corporation
    Inventors: Bily Wang, Jonnie Chuang, Wen-Kuei Wu