Patents Examined by Michelle Estrada
  • Patent number: 8053377
    Abstract: System and method for forming a structure including a MEMS device structure. In order to prevent warpage of a substrate arising from curing process for a sacrificial material (such as a photoresist), and from subsequent high temperature process steps, an improved sacrificial material comprises (i) a polymer and (ii) a foaming agent or special function group. The structure can be formed by forming a trench in a substrate and filling the trench with a sacrificial material. The sacrificial material includes (i) a polymer and (ii) a foaming agent or special function group. After further process steps are completed, the sacrificial material is removed from the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shang-Ying Tsai, Chun-Ren Cheng, Jiou-Kang Lee, Jung-Huei Peng, Ting-Hau Wu
  • Patent number: 8052394
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor blade (60) of a wind energy plant with a top side (suction side) and a bottom side (pressure side) wherein profiles (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) with a front edge and a back edge (62) in cross-section are designed along a longitudinal axis between a rotor blade root and a rotor blade tip, one designed-based direction of air inflow (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) is predetermined for each profile (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) and the profiles (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) in the outer area facing the rotor blade tip are designed with a relative thickness of less than 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventors: Marc Petsche, Urs Bendel
  • Patent number: 8048805
    Abstract: Improved methods for depositing low resistivity tungsten films are provided. The methods involve depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on a substrate and then depositing a tungsten bulk layer over the tungsten nucleation layer to form the tungsten film. The methods provide precise control of the nucleation layer thickness and improved step coverage. According to various embodiments, the methods involve controlling thickness and/or improving step coverage by exposing the substrate to pulse nucleation layer (PNL) cycles at low temperature. Also in some embodiments, the methods may improve resistivity by using a high temperature PNL cycle of a boron-containing species and a tungsten-containing precursor to finish forming the tungsten nucleation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lana Hiului Chan, Panya Wongsenakhum, Joshua Collins
  • Patent number: 8043967
    Abstract: A semiconductor electroplating process deposits copper into the through silicon via hole to completely fill the through silicon via in a substantially void free is disclosed. The through silicon via may be more than about 3 micrometers in diameter and more that about 20 micrometers deep. High copper concentration and low acidity electroplating solution is used for deposition copper into the through silicon vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Reid, Katie Qun Wang, Mark J. Wiley
  • Patent number: 8044439
    Abstract: A light-emitting device (1) is provided having a current blocking layer (9) of buried structure, a portion of the current blocking layer (9) having an oxygen concentration higher than that of a light-emitting layer, the current blocking layer being of a thickness of not less than 5 nm and not more than 100 nm. It includes an etching stop layer (24) below the current blocking layer (9), the etching stop layer being good in oxidation resistance. The light-emitting device (1) and its manufacturing method are provided such that the device has its current confinement effect improved and its output increased at lower forward voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Dowa Electronics Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Sakamoto, Masatoshi Iwata, Susumu Tsujikawa, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8038411
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil having a profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 1. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z arc joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Harris Shafique, Marc Tardif, Dimitrios Garinis
  • Patent number: 8039402
    Abstract: There is provide a method for forming a gate, which can improve the etching uniformity of the sidewalls of the gate, including the following steps: forming a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a polysilicon layer on the dielectric layer; etching the polysilicon layer; performing an isotropic plasma etching process on the etched polysilicon layer by using a mixed gases containing a fluorine-based gas and oxygen gas; and cleaning the semiconductor substrate subjected to the isotropic plasma etching process, thereby forming a gate. there are also provided a method for forming a shallow trench isolation region, which can improve the filling quality of a subsequent spacer and the electrical properties of the resultant shallow trench isolation region by improving the etching uniformity of sidewalls and bottom surface of the shallow trench, and a method for planarizating an etched surface of silicon substrate, which can improve the etching uniformity of the surface of silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventors: Qiuhua Han, Haiyang Zhang, Qingtian Ma
  • Patent number: 8039333
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes: forming a SiGe crystal layer on a semiconductor substrate, the SiGe crystal layer having a first plane and a second plane inclined with respect to the first plane; forming an amorphous Si film on the SiGe crystal layer; crystallizing a portion located adjacent to the first and second planes of the amorphous Si film by applying heat treatment using the first and second planes of the SiGe crystal layer as a seed, thereby forming a Si crystal layer; selectively removing or thinning a portion of the amorphous Si film that is not crystallized by the heat treatment; applying oxidation treatment to a surface of the Si crystal layer, thereby forming a gate insulating film on the surface of the Si crystal layer; and forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akio Kaneko, Seiji Inumiya, Tomonori Aoyama, Takuya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8034716
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of making a vertical diode structure are provided. The vertical diode structure may have associated therewith a diode opening extending through an insulation layer and contacting an active region on a silicon wafer. A titanium silicide layer may be formed over the interior surface of the diode opening and contacting the active region. The diode opening may initially be filled with an amorphous silicon plug that is doped during deposition and subsequently recrystallized to form large grain polysilicon. The silicon plug has a top portion that may be heavily doped with a first type dopant and a bottom portion that may be lightly doped with a second type dopant. The top portion may be bounded by the bottom portion so as not to contact the titanium silicide layer. In one embodiment of the vertical diode structure, a programmable resistor contacts the top portion of the silicon plug and a metal line contacts the programmable resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Gonzalez, Tyler A. Lowrey, Trung T. Doan, Raymond A. Turi, Graham R. Wolstenholme
  • Patent number: 8034638
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of repairing damage to low-k dielectric film that is incurred by commonly used processes in IC fabrication. The methods may be integrated into an IC fabrication process flow at various stages. According to various embodiments, the methods of involve performing an IC fabrication process on a wafer on which a low-k film is deposited, and subsequently treating the film with a silylating agent to repair the damage done to the film during the process. Damage repair may be performed after one or more of the damaging process steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bart J. Schravendijk, Justin F. Gaynor
  • Patent number: 8035208
    Abstract: Package for an integrated circuit (IC), includes a housing (3) of a first material having two major surfaces (4, 5). The major surfaces are substantially parallel to each other. Furthermore, a lead frame (6) is present for carrying the IC (2), the lead frame (6) including contact terminals (7) for electrical communication with the IC (2). The package (1) has a through-hole (8) in the two major surfaces (4, 5), allowing various special applications of the package (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sencio B.V.
    Inventor: Jurgen Leonardus Theodorus Maria Raben
  • Patent number: 8034657
    Abstract: A packaging technology for silicon chips is similar to ball grid array packaging technology of the prior art without, however, the use of printed board substrate of the prior art Instead pins are used that are part of a planar frame, the pins folded to a position 90 degrees from the plane of the frame, after which the frame is disposed in contact with the chip, pads on the frame and the chip are connected, and then entire assembly is then encapsulated. The edges of the frame are then cut off, leaving the encapsulation to maintain the configuration of the package in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Urenschi Assets Limited Liability Company
    Inventor: Chris Karabatsos
  • Patent number: 8030117
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an image sensor includes forming first to third photodiodes and first to third color filters corresponding thereto; forming a photoresist film including photosensitive materials on the upper surfaces of the first to third color filters; forming a first exposed part by exposing the photoresist film with a first exposure energy using a first pattern mask with a first light transmitting part having a first width at boundaries between the individual color filters; forming a second exposed part overlapping a portion of the first exposed part by exposing the photoresist film with a second exposure energy smaller than the first exposure energy using a second pattern mask with a second light transmitting part having a second width wider than the first width; and forming microlenses by developing the photoresist film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Je Yun
  • Patent number: 8026154
    Abstract: An object to be processed is restrained from warping at the time of laser processing. A modified region M2 is formed within a wafer 11, and fractures a2, b2 extending in directions parallel to the thickness direction of the wafer 11 and tilted with respect to a plane including lines 5 are generated from the modified region M2. A modified region M3 is formed within the wafer 11, and a fracture a3 extending in a direction parallel to the thickness direction of the wafer 11 and tilted with respect to the plane including the lines 5 is generated from the modified region M3 so as to connect with the fracture b2. That is, the fractures a2, a3, b2 are generated so as to be connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventor: Takeshi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8026127
    Abstract: A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit package system including: providing a selective slot die paddle having selective slots and edge pieces around the perimeter; providing extended leads protruding into the selective slots; mounting an integrated circuit die on the selective slot die paddle; and coupling bond wires between the integrated circuit die, the edge pieces, the extended leads, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Stats Chippac Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Tai Do, Linda Pei Ee Chua
  • Patent number: 8026186
    Abstract: The present invention provides a microwave annealing method for a plastic substrate. The method comprises pulsed microwave annealing to an organic photo-voltaic device to avoid warpage and degradation of the plastic substrate. Utilizing pulsed microwave annealing method can improve the wettability of the organic layer on the plastic substrate verified by contact angle measurement, and achieving the organic solar cell fabricated with higher power conversion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Sheng-Fu Horng, Jen-Chun Wang, Tse-Pan Yang, Ming-Kun Lee, Tarng-Shiang Hu, Hsin-Fei Meng
  • Patent number: 8018078
    Abstract: A photo key has a plurality of first regions spaced apart from one another on a semiconductor substrate, and a second region surrounding the first regions, and one of the first regions and the second region constitutes a plurality of photo key regions spaced apart from one another. Each of the photo key regions includes a plurality of first conductive patterns spaced apart from one another; and a plurality of second conductive patterns interposed between the first conductive patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byoung-ho Kwon, Chang-ki Hong, Bo-un Yoon, Jae-dong Lee, Sang-jin Kim
  • Patent number: 8017446
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a rigid power module with a layer that is electrically insulating and conducts well thermally and has been deposited as a coating, the structure having sprayed-on particles that are fused to each other, of at least one material that is electrically insulating and conducts well thermally, having the following steps: manufacturing a one-piece lead frame; populating the lead frame with semiconductor devices, possible passive components, and bonding corresponding connections, inserting the thus populated lead frame into a compression mould so that accessibility of part areas of the lead frame is ensured, pressing a thermosetting compression moulding compound into the mould while enclosing the populated lead frame, coating the underside of the thus populated lead frame by thermal spraying in at least the electrically conducting areas and overlapping also the predominant areas of the spaces, filled with mold compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Danfoss Silicon Power GmbH
    Inventors: Ronald Eisele, Mathias Kock, Teoman Senyildiz
  • Patent number: 8017527
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for diverting a flow of a liquid precursor during flow stabilization and plasma stabilization stages during PECVD processes are effective at eliminating particle defects in PECVD films deposited using a liquid precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Arul N. Dhas, Ming Li, Joseph Bradley Laird
  • Patent number: 8017440
    Abstract: The reliability of a semiconductor device is enhanced. A first lead frame, a first semiconductor chip, a second lead frame, and a second semiconductor chip are stacked over an assembly jig in this order with solder in between and solder reflow processing is carried out to fabricate their assembly. Thereafter, this assembly is sandwiched between first and second molding dies to form an encapsulation resin portion. The upper surface of the second die is provided with steps. At a molding step, the second lead frame is clamped between the first and second dies at a position higher than the first lead frame; and a third lead frame is clamped between the first and second dies at a higher position. The assembly jig is provided with steps at the same positions as those of the steps in the upper surface of the second die in positions corresponding to those of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Machida