Patents Examined by Nathan W. Ha
  • Patent number: 10553610
    Abstract: Disclosed are three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices including an electrode structure including gate electrodes stacked in a first direction, a lower pattern group including lower vertical patterns that are in a lower portion of the electrode structure and are connected to the substrate, and an upper pattern group including upper vertical patterns that are in an upper portion of the electrode structure. The upper vertical patterns may be connected to the lower vertical patterns, respectively. The devices may also include two common source plugs spaced apart from each other in a second direction. The electrode structure may be between the two common source plugs. An upper portion of the lower pattern group has a first width in the second direction, an upper portion of the upper pattern group has a second width in the second direction, and the first width may be greater than the second width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taehee Lee, Hyunwook Kim, Eun-jung Yang
  • Patent number: 10553609
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first gate structure including first gate electrodes that are vertically stacked on the substrate, first channels penetrating the first gate structure to contact the substrate, a second gate structure including a channel connection layer on the first gate structure and second gate electrodes on the channel connection layer, second channels penetrating the second gate structure to contact the first channels, respectively, and separation regions penetrating the second gate structure and the first gate structure and extending in a first direction. The second gate electrodes are vertically stacked on the channel connection layer. The channel connection layer is between the separation regions and has at least one sidewall that is spaced apart from sidewalls of the separation regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woong Seop Lee, Byung Kwan You, Jae Woo Kwak
  • Patent number: 10544037
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor substrate; a cavity formed into the semiconductor substrate; a sensor portion of the semiconductor substrate deflectably suspended in the cavity at one side of the cavity via a suspension portion of the semiconductor substrate interconnecting the semiconductor substrate and the sensor portion thereof, wherein an extension of the suspension portion along the side of the cavity is smaller than an extension of said side of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbH
    Inventors: Thoralf Kautzsch, Heiko Froehlich, Alessia Scire, Maik Stegemann, Bernhard Winkler, Andre Roeth, Steffen Bieselt, Mirko Vogt
  • Patent number: 10546864
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell, which includes a read port and a write port. The write port includes a first pull-up Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) device and a second pull-up MOS device, and a first pull-down MOS device and a second pull-down MOS device forming cross-latched inverters with the first pull-up MOS device and the second pull-up MOS device. The integrated circuit structure further includes a first metal layer, with a bit-line, a CVdd line, and a first CVss line in the first metal layer, a second metal layer over the first metal layer, and a third metal layer over the second metal layer. A write word-line is in the second metal layer. A read word-line is in the third metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 10546830
    Abstract: A chip package structure is provided. The chip package structure includes a first redistribution structure including a dielectric structure and a plurality of wiring layers in the dielectric structure. The chip package structure includes a first chip over the first surface. The chip package structure includes a first conductive bump between the first chip and the first redistribution structure. The chip package structure includes a first conductive pillar over the first surface adjacent to the first chip and electrically connected to the wiring layers. The chip package structure includes a second chip over the second surface. The chip package structure includes a second conductive pillar over the second surface adjacent to the second chip and electrically connected to the wiring layers. The chip package structure includes a first molding layer over the first surface and surrounding the first chip, the first conductive bump, and the first conductive pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Shin-Puu Jeng, Shuo-Mao Chen, Feng-Cheng Hsu
  • Patent number: 10541265
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a connection pad in a substrate, the connection pad having an exposed surface made of a metallic material that diffuses less readily into a dielectric layer than does a metal of a wiring layer connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Okuyama
  • Patent number: 10541170
    Abstract: There is provided a technique, including: a process chamber in which a substrate is processed; a substrate support member configured to support the substrate; an elevator configured to elevate the substrate support member; a gas supply port configured to supply a gas to the substrate; and a controller configured to control an elevating operation of the elevator so as to differentiate an interval between the gas supply port and the substrate supported by the substrate support member, when a gas is supplied from the gas supply port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Yahata, Naofumi Ohashi, Shun Matsui
  • Patent number: 10541326
    Abstract: A semiconductor device contains a vertical MOS transistor having a trench gate in trenches extending through a vertical drift region to a drain region. The trenches have field plates under the gate; the field plates are adjacent to the drift region and have a plurality of segments. A dielectric liner in the trenches separating the field plates from the drift region has a thickness great than a gate dielectric layer between the gate and the body. The dielectric liner is thicker on a lower segment of the field plate, at a bottom of the trenches, than an upper segment, immediately under the gate. The trench gate may be electrically isolated from the field plates, or may be connected to the upper segment. The segments of the field plates may be electrically isolated from each other or may be connected to each other in the trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Seetharaman Sridhar, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, Hong Yang
  • Patent number: 10535702
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first photodiode formed in a first substrate. A first deep-trench isolation (DTI) structure is in the first substrate and surrounds the first photodiode. A first inter-dielectric layer having a first circuit structure is formed on the first substrate. A bonding layer is between the first inter-dielectric layer and a second inter-dielectric layer. The second-inter dielectric layer having a second circuit structure is on the bonding layer. A connection wall is disposed in the first inter-dielectric layer, the bonding layer, and the second inter-dielectric layer to physically connect the first circuit structure and the second circuit structure. A second substrate is disposed on the second inter-dielectric layer. A second photodiode is formed in the second substrate. A second DTI structure is in the second substrate and surrounds the second photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Cheng-Yu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10535913
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a package structure includes an RFIC chip. an insulating encapsulation, a redistribution circuit structure, an antenna and a microwave director. The insulating encapsulation encapsulates the RFIC chip. The redistribution circuit structure is disposed on the insulating encapsulation and electrically connected to the RFIC chip. The antenna is disposed on the insulating encapsulation and electrically connected to the RFIC chip through the redistribution circuit structure. The antenna is located between the microwave director and the RFIC chip. The microwave director has a microwave directivity enhancement surface located at a propagating path of a microwave received or generated by the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Chien Hsiao, Chen-Hua Yu, Chung-Shi Liu, Chao-Wen Shih, Shou-Zen Chang
  • Patent number: 10525506
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a membrane, a bottom electrode, and a plurality of cavities disposed between the membrane and the bottom electrode, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to an individual transducer cell. Portions of the bottom electrode corresponding to each individual transducer cell are electrically isolated from one another. Each portion of the bottom electrode corresponds to each individual transducer that cell further includes a first bottom electrode portion and a second bottom electrode portion, the first and second bottom electrode portions electrically isolated from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Butterfly Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky, David Grosjean
  • Patent number: 10529704
    Abstract: One illustrative embodiment disclosed herein relates to a semiconductor device that includes, among other things, a semiconductor substrate including a base semiconductor layer, an active semiconductor layer, and a buried insulating layer positioned between the base semiconductor layer and the active semiconductor layer. The device further includes a set of functional gate structures including at least one functional gate structure formed above the active semiconductor layer, a first source/drain region positioned in the active semiconductor layer adjacent a first functional gate structure in the set, a first auxiliary gate structure positioned adjacent the first source/drain region, and a discharge device coupled to the base semiconductor layer and the first auxiliary gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Salvatore Cimino, David Pritchard, Lixia Lei, Heng Yang, Manjunatha Prabhu
  • Patent number: 10522225
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, the device including: a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, where at least one of the non-volatile memory cells includes at least one channel facet, where the at least one channel facet is modified by at least two gates, where the at least one channel facet includes at least two storage locations oriented perpendicular to the at least two gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC 3D INC.
    Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Jin-Woo Han
  • Patent number: 10522451
    Abstract: A fan-out semiconductor package includes: a first connection member having a through-hole; a semiconductor chip disposed in the through-hole of the first connection member and having an active surface having connection pads disposed thereon and an inactive surface opposing the active surface; an encapsulant encapsulating at least portions of the first connection member and the inactive surface of the semiconductor chip; a second connection member disposed on the first connection member and the active surface of the semiconductor chip; and a heat dissipation layer embedded in the encapsulant so that one surface thereof is exposed. The first connection member and the second connection member include, respectively, redistribution layers electrically connected to the connection pads of the semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Da Hee Kim, Young Gwan Ko, Sung Won Jeong
  • Patent number: 10522465
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include: a semiconductor substrate; an interlayer insulating film; a contact plug penetrating the interlayer insulating film; a first metal layer covering a surface of the interlayer insulating film; a protective insulating film covering a part of of the first metal layer; and a second metal layer covering the surface of the first metal layer. A peripheral region may be a region in which the protective insulating film is located; an active region may be a region in which a plurality of first parts of the contact plug is located; and an intermediate region may be a region which is located between the peripheral region and the active region and in which a second part of the contact plug is located. The first parts may extend toward an edge portion of the protective insulating film, and the second part may extend along the edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Jun Okawara
  • Patent number: 10512936
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a membrane, a bottom electrode, and a plurality of cavities disposed between the membrane and the bottom electrode, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to an individual transducer cell. Portions of the bottom electrode corresponding to each individual transducer cell are electrically isolated from one another. Each portion of the bottom electrode corresponds to each individual transducer that cell further includes a first bottom electrode portion and a second bottom electrode portion, the first and second bottom electrode portions electrically isolated from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky, David Grosjean
  • Patent number: 10504834
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of forming the same that includes forming a dielectric layer over a substrate and patterning a contact region in the dielectric layer, the contact region having side portions and a bottom portion that exposes the substrate. The method can also include forming a dielectric barrier layer in the contact region to cover the side portions and the bottom portion, and etching the dielectric barrier layer to expose the substrate. Subsequently, a conductive layer can be formed to cover the side portions and the bottom portion of the contact region and the conductive layer can be annealed to form a silicide region in the substrate beneath the bottom portion of the contact region, and the conductive layer can then be selectively removed on the side portions of the contact region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Wen Cheng, Wei-Yip Loh, Yu-Hsiang Liao, Sheng-Hsuan Lin, Hong-Mao Lee, Chun-I Tsai, Ken-Yu Chang, Wei-Jung Lin, Chih-Wei Chang, Ming-Hsing Tsai
  • Patent number: 10504865
    Abstract: Provided is a package structure includes a die having a first connector, a RDL structure disposed on the die, and a second connector. The RDL structure includes at least one elongated via located on and connected to the first connector. The second connector is disposed on and connected to the RDL structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Kai Liu, Han-Ping Pu, Ting-Chu Ko, Yung-Ping Chiang, Chang-Wen Huang, Yu-Sheng Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10497771
    Abstract: A display device includes a cathode electrode provided on a subpixel-by-subpixel basis, an anode electrode provided commonly for a plurality of subpixels in an upper layer with respect to the cathode electrode, a light emitting layer provided between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode, a first wiring line provided in the same layer as the cathode electrode, and a second wiring line provided in an upper layer with respect to the first wiring line and superimposed on the first wiring line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori Ohara, Shinichi Kawato, Manabu Niboshi, Seiichi Mitsui
  • Patent number: 10497829
    Abstract: A solution for designing and/or fabricating a structure including a quantum well and an adjacent barrier is provided. A target band discontinuity between the quantum well and the adjacent barrier is selected to coincide with an activation energy of a dopant for the quantum well and/or barrier. For example, a target valence band discontinuity can be selected such that a dopant energy level of a dopant in the adjacent barrier coincides with a valence energy band edge for the quantum well and/or a ground state energy for free carriers in a valence energy band for the quantum well. Additionally, a target doping level for the quantum well and/or adjacent barrier can be selected to facilitate a real space transfer of holes across the barrier. The quantum well and the adjacent barrier can be formed such that the actual band discontinuity and/or actual doping level(s) correspond to the relevant target(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Maxim S. Shatalov, Remigijua Gaska, Jinwei Yang, Michael Shur, Alexander Dobrinsky