Patents Examined by Michael Trinh
  • Patent number: 7514309
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is fabricated with a protective liner and/or layer. Well regions and isolation regions are formed within a semiconductor body. A gate dielectric layer is formed over the semiconductor body. A gate electrode layer, such as polysilicon, is formed on the gate dielectric layer. A protective gate liner is formed on the gate electrode layer. A resist mask is formed that defines gate structures. The gate electrode layer is patterned to form the gate structures. Offset spacers are formed on lateral edges of the gate structures and extension regions are then formed in the well regions. Sidewall spacers are then formed on the lateral edges of the gate structures. An NMOS protective region layer is formed that covers the NMOS region of the device. A recess etch is performed within the PMOS region followed by formation of strain inducing recess structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Seetharaman Sridhar, Craig Hall, Che-Jen Hu, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro
  • Patent number: 7504306
    Abstract: A monolithically integrated field effect transistor and Schottky diode includes gate trenches extending into a semiconductor region. Source regions having a substantially triangular shape flank each side of the gate trenches. A contact opening extends into the semiconductor region between adjacent gate trenches. A conductor layer fills the contact opening to electrically contact: (a) the source regions along at least a portion of a slanted sidewall of each source region, and (b) the semiconductor region along a bottom portion of the contact opening, wherein the conductor layer forms a Schottky contact with the semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Sapp, Hamza Yilmaz, Christopher Lawrence Rexer, Daniel Calafut
  • Patent number: 7494869
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor integrated circuit device is disclosed. A gate insulating film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A first film used as floating gates is formed on the gate insulating film. Trenches are formed in the substrate through the first film. Insulating materials are embedded in the trenches. The insulating materials are set back at least in a plane direction. Second films used as floating gates are formed between the side walls of the insulating materials without making directly contact with the side walls of the insulating materials. The insulating materials are set back from spaces caused between the insulating materials and the second films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7494917
    Abstract: In a fabrication method for forming an electrical interconnection of CVD tungsten film, a contact hole is formed in a dielectric layer. A lower conductive layer is formed in the contact hole and over the dielectric layer. A portion of the lower conductive layer is removed. As a result, the dielectric layer is exposed. An upper conductive layer is formed over the lower conductive layer and over the dielectric layer. The lower conductive layer has a rough surface and the upper conductive layer has a smooth surface. In this manner, following patterning of conductive stripes over the conductive layer, residue is mitigated, and thus, inadvertent interconnection of neighboring stripes is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-Bum Koo
  • Patent number: 7494868
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a flash memory device. Parallel mask patterns are formed on a substrate. The substrate is etched using the mask patterns to form trenches. An insulating layer pattern is formed in the trenches and an area between the mask patterns. The mask patterns are removed to expose an upper sidewall of the insulating layer pattern that protrudes away from a top surface of the substrate. The insulating layer pattern is isotropically etched to form sloped sidewalls that protrude away from the top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-hyuk Choi, Wang-chul Shin, Jin-hyun Shin
  • Patent number: 7491557
    Abstract: A thin film etching method includes forming a layer on a substrate, aligning a mask having a pattern defined thereon above the layer, and removing a portion of the layer by irradiating the substrate with a femtosecond laser through the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong Kweon Park
  • Patent number: 7491584
    Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device in high voltage and the relevant manufacturing method is disclosed. The mentioned ESD protection device is disposed to bridge a ground and an input connected with an inner circuit to be protected. In which, the ESD protection device for high voltage comprises at least one PNP transistor and at least one diode connected in parallel, and an ESD discharging path is formed thereby. The PNP transistor is formed with an adjacent heavily doped P-type semiconductor zone (P+), lightly doped N-type semiconductor zone (N?), and a P-type semiconductor substrate. The diode is formed with an adjacent lightly doped N-type semiconductor zone and a light doped P-type semiconductor zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Ding-Jeng Yu, Tao Cheng, Chao-Chih Chiu
  • Patent number: 7488641
    Abstract: A DRAM array having trench capacitor cells of potentially 4F2 surface area (F being the photolithographic minimum feature width), and a process for fabricating such an array. The array has a cross-point cell layout in which a memory cell is located at the intersection of each bit line and each word line. Each cell in the array has a vertical device such as a transistor, with the source, drain, and channel regions of the transistor being formed from epitaxially grown single crystal silicon. The vertical transistor is formed above the trench capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell P. Noble
  • Patent number: 7488631
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises an island shaped channel layer formed on a substrate, the channel later being composed of a semiconductor material, a gate insulation film formed on the channel layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulation film, an insulation film formed on both side faces opposite to one direction of the channel layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode made of a metal material and formed on a side face of the insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Atsushi Yagishita
  • Patent number: 7485587
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and fabrication process wherein the device includes a conductive layer with a localized thick region positioned below the contact hole. In one embodiment of the invention, the thick region to which contact is made is formed by means of an opening in an underlayer of material. This embodiment of the device includes an underlayer of material having an opening therein; a layer of thin conductive material formed on the underlayer and in the opening; an overlayer of material having a contact hole therethrough formed on the layer of thin conductive material; a conductor contacting the layer of thin conductive material through the contact hole; and wherein the opening in the underlayer is positioned below the contact hole and sized and shaped to form a localized thick region in the layer of thin conductive material within the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Howard E. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7485526
    Abstract: Floating-gate memory cells having a floating gate with a conductive portion and a dielectric portion facilitate increased levels of charge trapping sites within the floating gate. The conductive portion includes a continuous component providing bulk conductivity to the floating gate. The dielectric portion is discontinuous within the conductive portion and may include islands of dielectric material and/or one or more contiguous layers of dielectric material having discontinuities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chandra Mouli, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7485520
    Abstract: A silicon containing fin is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A silicon oxide layer is formed around the bottom of the silicon containing fin. A gate dielectric is formed on the silicon containing fin followed by formation of a gate electrode. While protecting the portion of the semiconductor fin around the channel, a bottom portion of the silicon containing semiconductor fin is etched by a isotropic etch leaving a body strap between the channel of a finFET on the silicon containing fin and an underlying semiconductor layer underneath the silicon oxide layer. The fin may comprise a stack of inhomogeneous layers in which a bottom layer is etched selectively to a top semiconductor layer. Alternatively, the fin may comprise a homogeneous semiconductor material and the silicon containing fin may be protected by dielectric films on the sidewalls and top surfaces of the silicon containing fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Huilong Zhu, Thomas W. Dyer, Jack A. Mandelman, Werner Rausch
  • Patent number: 7482221
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming a memory device comprising a memory cell array and a peripheral portion. When forming the capacitors in the memory cell array, a sacrificial layer is deposited which is usually made of silicon dioxide and which is used for defining the storage electrode above the substrate surface. The sacrificial layer is removed selectively from the array portion while being maintained in the peripheral portion. This is achieved by providing an array separation trench which acts as a lateral etch stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Klaus Muemmler, Stefan Tegen, Peter Baars, Joern Regul
  • Patent number: 7482212
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including forming a trench on a first surface of a silicon substrate, forming a thermal oxide layer and a deposited oxide layer on the trench and the silicon substrate, planarizing a second surface of the silicon substrate by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, and forming a transistor on the second surface of the silicon substrate. The semiconductor device and the method of manufacturing the same provide an SOI device that has low resistance of the source/drain regions and suppress a short channel effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-Hyo Jung
  • Patent number: 7482181
    Abstract: A light-emitting device is based on a gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor. A light-emitting layer with a first and a second main surface is formed from a compound semiconductor based on gallium nitride. A first coating layer, which is joined to the first main surface of the light-emitting layer, is formed from an n-type compound semiconductor based on gallium nitride. The composition of which differs from that of the compound semiconductor of the light-emitting layer. A second coating layer, which is joined to the second main surface of the light-emitting layer, is formed from a p-type compound semiconductor based on gallium nitride, the composition of which differs from that of the compound semiconductor of the light-emitting layer. To improve the light yield of the device, the thickness of the light-emitting layer in the vicinity of dislocations is configured to be lower than in the remaining regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Berthold Hahn, Andreas Hangleiter, Volker Härle
  • Patent number: 7476583
    Abstract: An insulating film provided below a floating gate electrode includes a first insulating film located at both end portions below the floating gate electrode, and a second insulating film sandwiched between the first insulating films and located in a middle portion below the floating gate electrode. The first insulating film and the second insulating film are formed in separate steps, and the first insulating film is thicker than the second insulating film. With this structure, when an insulating film is provided between the floating gate electrode and a silicon substrate to have a thickness more increased at its end portion than at its middle portion, the thickness can be increased more freely and a degree of the increase can be controlled more readily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Takashi Terauchi
  • Patent number: 7476923
    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 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Cheng-Chih Huang
  • Patent number: 7473590
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a lower transistor is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and an upper thin film transistor is formed on the lower transistor. A body contact plug is formed to penetrate an upper gate electrode of the upper thin film transistor and a body pattern, and to electrically connect with a lower gate electrode of the lower transistor. The body contact plug uses a contact hole to apply an electrical signal to the upper gate electrode of the upper thin film transistor, so additional volume is not necessary. Since the upper gate electrode is electrically connected to the body pattern through the body contact plug, the floating body effect of the upper thin film transistor can be improved. Therefore, a semiconductor device is provided with the high performance required to realize a highly-integrated semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hun Jeong, Hoon Lim, Hoo-Sung Cho
  • Patent number: 7473585
    Abstract: A technique for manufacturing an electronic assembly includes a number of steps. Initially, a backplate with a cavity formed into a first side of the backplate is provided. Next, a substrate with a first side of an integrated circuit (IC) die mounted to a first side of the substrate is provided. The IC die is electrically connected to one or more of a plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the first side of the substrate. The substrate includes a hole approximate an outer edge of the IC die. The first side of the substrate is then positioned in contact with at least a portion of the first side of the backplate. The IC die is positioned within the cavity with a second side of the IC die in thermal contact with the backplate. The substrate and at least a portion of the backplate are overmolded with an overmold material, which enters the cavity through the hold to substantially underfill the IC die and substantially fill an unoccupied portion of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Brandenburg, David A. Laudick
  • Patent number: 7462524
    Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating a stressed MOS device. One method comprises the steps of providing a substrate of a monocrystalline semiconductor material having a first lattice constant, and forming a conductive gate electrode overlying the substrate, the gate electrode having opposing sides and having a thickness. Sidewall spacers are formed on the opposing sides of the gate electrode and trenches are etched in the semiconductor substrate in alignment with the sidewall spacers. A portion of the thickness of the conductive gate electrode is also etched to leave a remaining portion of the conductive gate electrode. A stress inducing layer of material is grown on the remaining portion of the conductive gate electrode and filling the trenches, the stress inducing layer of material having a second lattice constant different than the first lattice constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Peidous, Martin Gerhardt, David E. Brown