Patents Examined by Ngân V. Ngô
  • Patent number: 7196357
    Abstract: The optical semiconductor apparatus includes, on an n-GaAs substrate, a surface-emitting semiconductor laser device and a photodiode integrated on the periphery of the laser device with an isolation region interposed there between. The laser device is composed of an n-DBR mirror, an active region, and a p-DBR mirror and includes a columnar layered structure with its sidewall covered with an insulating film. The photodiode is formed on the substrate and has a circular layered structure wherein an i-GaAs layer and a p-GaAs layer surrounds the laser device with an isolating region interposed between the i-GaAs and p-GaAs layers and the laser device. The diameter of the photodiode is smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber core optically coupled with the optical semiconductor apparatus. Since the laser device and the photodiode are monolithically integrated, the devices do not require optical alignment, and thus, facilitate optical coupling with an optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Narui, Tomonori Hino, Nobukata Okano, Jugo Mitomo
  • Patent number: 7193266
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided. Conductive straps are connected to a subset of word lines of a memory device. Alternatively, first conductive straps are respectively connected only to first portions of first word lines of a memory device, and second conductive straps are respectively connected only to second portions of second word lines of the memory device, where each first word line is adjacent at least one second word line. One or more contacts can be used to connect a conductive strap to its respective word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Frankie F. Roohparvar
  • Patent number: 7193255
    Abstract: Floating conducting regions at floating potentials are placed on a substrate surface between adjacent conducting regions to which predetermined potentials are applied. This makes it possible to block the spread of a depletion layer to the substrate between the conducting impurity regions. Thus, the leakage of high-frequency signals can be suppressed. In particular, in a case where a floating conducting region is placed between a peripheral impurity region of a common input terminal pad and a resistor in a switch circuit device, it is possible to suppress the leakage of high-frequency signals from an input terminal to control terminals which become high frequency GND and to suppress an increase in insertion loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Asano
  • Patent number: 7193283
    Abstract: The flash cell includes a silicon substrate; a floating gate formed on a predetermined area of the silicon substrate; a control gate formed on the floating gate and the silicon substrate; a piezoelectric layer formed on the control gate; and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer. The flash cell brings the control gate in contact with the floating gate, instead of electrically removing electrons contained in the floating gate, resulting in a charge equilibrium state. Therefore, the flash cell completely solves the over-erasing problem. If a voltage signal is applied to the flash cell, the flash cell uses the displacement of piezoelectric/electrostrictive materials. The displacement occurs according to the received voltage, such that the flash cell implements at high speed compared to conventional electric erasing methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Magnachip Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung Kun Park
  • Patent number: 7190044
    Abstract: A fuse structure for a semiconductor device is provided. The fuse structure includes a fuse layer between the upper and bottom insulating layers. The fuse layer is connected to the other metal layers through via plugs. The fuse layer includes separate blocks and at least a connecting block and is coupled to at least a heat buffer block of a different layer. Because the heat buffer block is coupled to the blocks of the fuse layer, new fusing point and a new path for effectively dissipating the heat are provided and a longer and sinuous electric current path is obtained between the blocks through the heat buffer blocks. The heat buffer block and the blocks coupled to the heat buffer block can avoid large current flowing through the fuse structure and prevent overheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chun-Wen Cheng, Chia-Wen Liang, Ruey-Chyr Lee, Sheng-Yuan Hsueh
  • Patent number: 7190034
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided which is capable of avoiding malfunction and latchup breakdown resulting from negative variation of high-voltage-side floating offset voltage (VS). In the upper surface of an n-type impurity region (28), a p+-type impurity region (33) is formed between an NMOS (14) and a PMOS (15) and in contact with a p-type well (29). An electrode (41) resides on the p+-type impurity region (33) and the electrode (41) is connected to a high-voltage-side floating offset voltage (VS). The p+-type impurity region (33) has a higher impurity concentration than the p-type well (29) and is shallower than the p-type well (29). Between the p+-type impurity region (33) and the PMOS (15), an n+-type impurity region (32) is formed in the upper surface of the n-type impurity region (28). An electrode (40) resides on the n+-type impurity region (32) and the electrode (40) is connected to a high-voltage-side floating supply absolute voltage (VB).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunari Hatade, Hajime Akiyama, Kazuhiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7189996
    Abstract: In the present invention, an electron injection composition for a light-emitting element, comprising a pyridine derivative represented by general formula 1 and at least one of an alkali metal, an alkali earth metal, and a transition metal, is used to form an electron injection layer in a portion of a layer including luminescent material in a light-emitting element, and it is also an object of the present invention to provide, by using the composition, a light-emitting element that has more superior characteristics and a longer lifetime as compared to conventional ones. (where each of R1 to R8 represents hydrogen, halogen, a cyano group, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a haloalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsbstituted heterocyclic group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7190051
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a hermetically packaged and implantable integrated circuit for electronics that is made by producing streets in silicon-on-insulator chips that are subsequently coated with a selected electrically insulating thin film prior to completing the dicing process to yield an individual chip. A thin-layered circuit may transmit light, allowing a photodetector to respond to transmitted light to stimulate a retina, for example. Discrete electronic components may be placed in the three-dimensional street area of the integrated circuit package, yielding a completely integrated hermetic package that is implantable in living tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian V. Mech, Robert J. Greenberg, Gregory J. DelMain
  • Patent number: 7180166
    Abstract: A stacked multi-chip package comprising a substrate, a first chip, a lead frame, and a second chip is provided. The first chip is placed on and electrically connected with the substrate. The lead frame is placed on the substrate and forming a space therebeneath to accommodate the first chip. The second chip is placed to the lead frame and electrically connected with the substrate through the lead frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwun-Yao Ho, Moriss Kung
  • Patent number: 7176567
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device protective structure. The structure comprises a die with contact metal balls formed thereon electrically coupling with a print circuit board. A back surface of the die is directly adhered on a substrate and a first buffer layer is formed on the substrate. The substrate is configured over a second buffer layer such that the second buffer layer substantially encompasses the whole substrate to decrease damage to the substrate when the side of the substrate is collided with an external object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Chip Engineering Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Kun Yang, Kuang-Chi Chao, Cheng-hsien Chiu, Chihwei Lin, Jui-Hsien Chang
  • Patent number: 7170163
    Abstract: A semiconductor device mounting structure includes a bus bar of which a first end part is connected to a high-temperature power-purpose semiconductor device and a second end is connected to another device that is required to be kept at a lower temperature than the semiconductor device. The bus bar includes a ribbonlike part zigzagging between the first and second ends. The ribbonlike part of the bus bar can improve the cooling effect by increasing the length of the path through which the heat travels in the lengthwise direction of the bus bar. Thus, the heat emitted from the semiconductor device is prevented from being transferred to a peripheral circuit element through the bus bar used for supplying electric power to the circuit element from the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Murakami
  • Patent number: 7170106
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes trenches disposed in a first base layer of a first conductivity type at intervals to partition main and dummy cells, at a position remote from a collector layer of a second conductivity type. In the main cell, a second base layer of the second conductivity type, and an emitter layer of the first conductivity type are disposed. In the dummy cell, a buffer layer of the second conductivity type is disposed. A gate electrode is disposed, through a gate insulating film, in a trench adjacent to the main cell. A buffer resistor having an infinitely large resistance value is inserted between the buffer layer and emitter electrode. The dummy cell is provided with an inhibiting structure to reduce carriers of the second conductivity type to flow to and accumulate in the buffer layer from the collector layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masakazu Yamaguchi, Hideaki Ninomiya, Ichiro Omura, Tomoki Inoue
  • Patent number: 7163863
    Abstract: A vertical split gate memory cell of silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) type formed in a trench of a semiconductor substrate includes a first doping region, a second doping region, a conductive line, a conductive plug, a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer, wherein the conductive line and conductive plug serve as a select gate and a control gate of the vertical split gate memory cell, respectively. The first doping region of a first conductive type is underneath the bottom of the trench, whereas the second doping region of the first conductive type is beside the top of the trench. The conductive line serving as the select gate is formed in the bottom of the trench and in operation relation to the first doping region. The first insulating layer is between the conductive line and the first doping region for insulation. The conductive plug is formed above the conductive line, and insulated from the conductive line by the second insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Skymedi Corporation
    Inventor: Fuja Shone
  • Patent number: 7164172
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device which is formed on a semiconductor substrate and allows effective use of the feature of the semiconductor substrate, and there is also provided a method of manufacturing the same. An N-channel MOS transistor including a P-type body layer (3a), and a P-type active layer (6) for body voltage application which is in contact with the P-type body layer (3a) are formed on an SOI substrate which is formed to align a <110> crystal direction of a support substrate (1) with a <100> crystal direction of an SOI layer (3). A path connecting the P-type body layer (3a) and the P-type active layer (6) for body voltage application is aligned parallel to the <100> crystal direction of the SOI layer (3). Since hole mobility is higher in the <100> crystal direction, parasitic resistance (Ra, Rb) can be reduced in the above path. This speeds up voltage transmission to the P-type body layer (3a) and improves voltage fixing capability in the P-type body layer (3a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Maeda, Shigeto Maegawa, Takuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7148558
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and method for limiting mobile charge (314) ingress within a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate (300). A mask (308) is applied to the substrate to form an aperture (210) over a desired portion of the substrate near its outer edge. A buffer material (214), selected to impede mobile charge ingress, is implanted (310) through the aperture into the insulator layer (304) of the substrate to form a buffer structure (312).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy A. Rost, Deems Randy Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 7145221
    Abstract: A circuitized substrate comprising a first layer comprised of a dielectric material including a low moisture absorptive polymer resin in combination with a nodular fluoropolymer web encased within the resin, the resulting dielectric layer formed from this combination not including continuous or semi-continuous fibers as part thereof. The substrate further includes at least one circuitized layer positioned on the dielectric first layer. An electrical assembly and a method of making the substrate are also provided, as is an information handling system (e.g., computer) incorporating the circuitized substrate of the invention as part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Endicott Interconnect Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Irving Memis, Kostas I. Papathomas
  • Patent number: 7145170
    Abstract: A control quantum bit circuit and a target quantum bit circuit each have a quantum box electrode including a superconductor, a counter electrode coupled to the quantum box electrode through a tunnel barrier, and a gate electrode coupled to the quantum box electrode through a gate capacitor. The quantum box electrode of the control quantum bit circuit is coupled to the quantum box electrode of the target quantum bit circuit through a box-electrode coupling capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, Riken
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Yasunobu Nakamura, Jaw-Shen Tsai
  • Patent number: 7145186
    Abstract: One aspect of this disclosure relates to a memory cell. Various memory cell embodiments include an isolated semiconductor region separated from a bulk semiconductor region, an access transistor and a vertically-oriented thyristor formed in a trench extending between the isolated and bulk semiconductor regions. The access transistor includes a first diffusion region connected to a bit line, a second diffusion region to function as a storage node, a floating body region, and a gate separated from the floating body region by a transistor gate insulator. The isolated semiconductor region includes the first and second diffusion regions and the floating body region of the access transistor. The thyristor has a first end in contact with the bulk semiconductor region and a second end in contact with the storage node. The thyristor is insulated from the floating body region by a thyristor gate insulator. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arup Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 7138687
    Abstract: A memory cell comprises a chalcogenide random access memory (CRAM) cell and a CMOS circuit. The CMOS circuit accesses the CRAM cell. The CRAM cell has a cross-sectional area that is determined by a thin film process (e.g., a chalcogenide deposition thin film process) and by an iso-etching process. If desired, the chalcogenide structure may be implemented in series with a semiconductor device such as a diode or a selecting transistor. The diode drives a current through the chalcogenide structure. The selecting transistor drives a current through the chalcogenide structure when enabled by a voltage at a gate terminal of the selecting transistor. The selecting transistor has a gate terminal, a source terminal, and a drain terminal; the gate terminal may be operatively coupled to a word line of a memory array, the source terminal may be operatively coupled to a drive line of the memory array, and the drain terminal may be operatively coupled to a bit line of the memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Lan Lung, Yi-Chou Chen
  • Patent number: 7135773
    Abstract: Conductive paths in an integrated circuit are formed using multiple undifferentiated carbon nanotubes embedded in a conductive metal, which is preferably copper. Preferably, conductive paths include vias running between conductive layers. Preferably, composite vias are formed by forming a metal catalyst pad on a conductor at the via site, depositing and etching a dielectric layer to form a cavity, growing substantially parallel carbon nanotubes on the catalyst in the cavity, and filling the remaining voids in the cavity with copper. The next conductive layer is then formed over the via hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, Mark Charles Hakey, David Vaclav Horak, Charles William Koburger, III, Mark Eliot Masters, Peter H. Mitchell, Stanislav Polonsky