Patents Examined by Ngân V. Ngô
  • Patent number: 7132741
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor chip that includes a conductive pad, a conductive trace that includes a routing line, a bumped terminal and a metal filler, a connection joint that electrically connects the routing line and the pad, and an encapsulant. The routing line is contiguous with and integral with the bumped terminal and extends laterally beyond the bumped terminal and the metal filler, and the metal filler contacts the bumped terminal in a cavity that extends through the bumped terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Bridge Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Charles W. C. Lin, Cheng-Lien Chiang
  • Patent number: 7132318
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and structure for altering an integrated circuit design having silicon over insulator (SOI) transistors. The method/structure prevents damage from charging during processing to the gate of SOI transistors by tracing electrical nets in the integrated circuit design, identifying SOI transistors that may have a voltage differential between the source/drain and gate as potentially damaged SOI transistors (based on the tracing of the electrical nets), and connecting a shunt device across the source/drain and the gate of each of the potentially damaged SOI transistors. Alternatively, the method/structure provides for connecting compensating conductors through a series device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Henry A. Bonges, III, David L. Harmon, Terence B. Hook, Wing L. Lai
  • Patent number: 7132713
    Abstract: A controllable conduction device in the form of a transistor comprises source and drain regions 5, 2 between which extends a conduction path P for charge carriers, a gate 4 for controlling charge carrier flow along the conduction path and a multiple layer structure 3 providing a multiple tunnel junction configuration in the conduction path, with the result that current leakage is blocked by the multiple tunnel junction configuration when the transistor is in its off state. Vertical and lateral transistor configurations are described, together with use of the transistor in complimentary pairs and for a random access memory cell. Improved gate structures are described which are also applicable to memory devices that incorporate the tunnel barrier configuration to store charge on the memory node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakazato, Kiyoo Itoh, Hiroshi Mizuta, Toshikazu Shimada, Hideo Sunami, Tatsuya Teshima, Toshiyuki Mine, Ken Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7129575
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor chip that includes a conductive pad, a conductive trace that includes a routing line, a bumped terminal and a metal pillar, a connection joint that electrically connects the routing line and the pad, and an encapsulant. The routing line is contiguous with the bumped terminal and extends laterally beyond the bumped terminal and the metal pillar, and the metal pillar contacts and extends vertically beyond the bumped terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Bridge Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Charles W. C. Lin, Cheng-Lien Chiang
  • Patent number: 7129555
    Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic memory with write inhibit selection and the writing method for same. Each memory element of the invention comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (70) consisting of: a magnetic layer, known as the trapped layer (71), having hard magnetisation; a magnetic layer, known as the free layer (73), the magnetisation of which may be reversed; and an insulating layer (72) which is disposed between the free layer (73) and the trapped layer (71) and which is in contact with both of said layers. The free layer (73) is made from an amorphous or nanocrystalline alloy based on rare earth and a transition metal, the magnetic order of said alloy being of the ferrimagnetic type. The selected operating temperature of the inventive memory is close to the compensation temperature of the alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Nozieres, Laurent Ranno, Yann Conraux
  • Patent number: 7129098
    Abstract: Low power magnetoresistive random access memory elements and methods for fabricating the same are provided. In one embodiment, a magnetoresistive random access device has an array of memory elements. Each element comprises a fixed magnetic portion, a tunnel barrier portion, and a free SAF structure. The array has a finite magnetic field programming window Hwin represented by the equation Hwin?(Hsat?N?sat)?(Hsw+N?sw), where Hsw is a mean switching field for the array, Hsat is a mean saturation field for the array, and Hsw for each memory element is represented by the equation HSW??{square root over (HkHSAT)}, where Hk represents a total anisotropy and HSAT represents an anti-ferromagnetic coupling saturation field for the free SAF structure of each memory element. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. Hk, HSAT, and N for each memory element are selected such that the array requires current to operate that is below a predetermined current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Rizzo, Renu W. Dave, Bradley N. Engel, Jason A. Janesky, JiJun Sun
  • Patent number: 7129101
    Abstract: A test vehicle for evaluating a manufacturing process for integrated circuits that uses a more space efficient layout of library driving cells arranged to produce circuits that exercise many interconnections that may be designed at the minimum design parameters of a manufacturing process. The cells can be configured to operate as ring oscillators increasing the effective circuit frequency of the test module allowing higher frequency circuit testing, and shortening the time it takes to perform life cycle testing. Visibly marking cells, combined with electrically isolating error prone circuit segments makes, identifying defects much more efficient. The accessibility of many testing methods allows quick location of root cause failures, which allows improvements to be made to the manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Schultz, Michael Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7129767
    Abstract: A low control voltage switch utilizing a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs) having a total of six gates to allow the switch to operate at a low control voltage without the need to increase device periphery or die size. Feed-forward capacitors connected between the gate and source of an uppermost FET and the gate and drain of a lowermost FET are used to reduce signal distortion and improve the linearity and harmonic noise rejection characteristics of the FETs within the switch and thus lower the harmonics of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: M/A-Com, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher N. Brindle, Mark F. Kelcourse
  • Patent number: 7126196
    Abstract: The electrically programmable three-dimensional memory (EP-3DM) can be used to carry the test data and/or test-data seeds for the circuit-under-test (CUT). When integrated with the CUT, EP-3DM has minimum impact to the layout of the CUT. Apparently, CUT with integrated EP-3DM supports IC self-test. Moreover, with a large bandwidth with the CUT, EP-3DM-based IC self-test enables at-speed test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventor: Guobiao Zhang
  • Patent number: 7126152
    Abstract: A storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode, an inter-electrode material layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a voltage application unit applying a predetermined voltage to the first and the second electrodes. Furthermore, an oxidation-reduction active material changeable into an electrode reaction inhibition layer by applying voltages to the first and the second electrodes is contained in a region that is covered by an electric field, the electric field being generated when the voltage is applied, and the electrode reaction inhibition layer is either formed along an interface region between the second electrode and the inter-electrode material layer, or changes an area thereof, or disappears depending on an application condition of the voltage to the first and the second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Ishida, Katsuhisa Aratani, Akira Kouchiyama, Tomohito Tsushima
  • Patent number: 7122867
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a triple well structure, which includes a substrate of a first conductive type, a deep buried well of a second conductive type, a well of a first conductive type, a well ring of a second conductive type, and a well ring of a first conductive type. The deep buried well of the second conductive type is in the substrate. The well of the first conductive type is disposed over the deep buried well of the second conductive type in the substrate. The well ring of the second conductive type surrounds the well of the first conductive type. The well ring of the first conductive type is between the well of the first conductive type and the well ring of the second conductive type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Jih-Wei Liou
  • Patent number: 7122890
    Abstract: A power module for low voltage applications, which does not include an insulated metal substrate is disclosed. The module includes a power shell and a plurality of lead frames each lead frame including a conductive pad on which one or more MOSFETs may be electrically mounted. The MOSFETs are electrically connected via wire bonds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: William Grant
  • Patent number: 7122898
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical programmable metal resistor and a method of fabricating the same in which electromigration stress is used to create voids in the structure that increase the electrical resistance of the resistor. Specifically, a semiconductor structure is provided that includes an interconnect structure comprising at least one dielectric layer, wherein said at least one dielectric layer comprises at least two conductive regions and an overlying interconnect region embedded therein, said at least two conductive regions are in contact with said overlying interconnect region by at least two contacts and at least said interconnect region is separated from said at least one dielectric layer by a diffusion barrier, wherein voids are present in at least the interconnect region which increase the electrical resistance of the interconnect region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Chao Yang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, James J. Demarest, Louis C. Hsu, Carl Radens
  • Patent number: 7119019
    Abstract: Capping of copper structures in hydrophobic interlayer dielectric layer, using aqueous electro-less bath is described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin P. O'Brien, Justin K. Brask
  • Patent number: 7119354
    Abstract: Provided is a coating liquid which can easily form a porous film having desirably controlled thickness by the method used for a usual semiconductor process, and having an excellent mesopore channel structure. Specifically provided is a composition for forming porous film comprising a surfactant, an aprotic polar solvent and a solution comprising a polymer formed by hydrolysis and condensation of one or more silane compounds represented by foramula (1): RnSi(OR?)4-n. Also provided is a method for manufacturing a porous film comprising steps of applying said composition so as to form a film, drying the film and transforming the dried film to a porous film by removing said surfactant. The porous film obtained from the composition for forming porous film is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fujio Yagihashi, Yoshitaka Hamada, Hideo Nakagawa, Masaru Sasago
  • Patent number: 7119383
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit effectively makes use of wiring channels of wiring formed by a damascene method. When first cells are used, since the M1 power source lines are laid out at positions spaced away from a boundary between the cells, the power source lines are not combined in laying out a semiconductor integrated circuit. As a result, the width of the power source lines is not changed. Accordingly, an interval between the line and a line which is arranged close to the line, determined in response to a line width of the lines, can satisfy a design rule; and, hence, the reduction of the wiring channels can be obviated, whereby the supply rate of the wiring channels can be enhanced, and, further, the integrity of a semiconductor chip can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Masayuki Ohayashi, Takashi Yokoi
  • Patent number: 7118933
    Abstract: An optical bench on which an optical component is mounted comprises an Si substrate made of a silicon wafer, a groove disposed on the Si substrate and designed to mount the optical component thereon, and a metal thin-film wiring for driving the optical component or a driver component. The metal thin-film wiring is formed in an electroless plating process before a groove manufacturing process which forms the groove by micromachining by means of wet processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuzou Fukao, Tetsuhiko Sanbe
  • Patent number: 7115902
    Abstract: An electro-optical device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The device comprises a pair of substrates and an electro-optical modulating layer (e.g. a liquid crystal layer having sandwiched therebetween, said pair of substrates consisting of a first substrate having provided thereon a plurality of gate wires, a plurality of source (drain) wires, and a pixel matrix comprising thin film transistors, and a second substrate facing the first substrate, wherein, among the peripheral circuits having established on the first substrate and being connected to the matrix wirings for the X direction and the Y direction, only a part of said peripheral circuits is constructed from thin film semiconductor devices fabricated by the same process utilized for an active device, and the rest of the peripheral circuits is constructed from semiconductor chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7112855
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a transistor driver circuit with a plurality of transistors, each having source and drain regions formed in a substrate. At least first and second interconnect layers are formed on top of the substrate. A first plurality of contacts connect the source regions to one of the first or second interconnect layers. A second plurality of contacts connect the drain regions to the other of the first or second interconnect layers. The first and second interconnect layers cover a region above the substrate area in which the plurality of transistors reside so as to achieve a low ohmic result. The second interconnect layer has openings therein for one of the respective first or second plurality of contacts to pass therethrough and couple to the at least one first interconnect layer. Either the first or second interconnect layers can function as an input or output for the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Victor Fong
  • Patent number: 7112828
    Abstract: A semiconductor device that permits an increase in static destruction resistance while preventing an increase in the chip size includes a protective element formed by a polysilicon layer in which JFETs are serially connected in three stages and which is inserted between a gate electrode and source electrode of a power-MOSFET or IGBT semiconductor device. The gate insulation film of a semiconductor active element portion of the semiconductor device is protected regardless of whether the polarity of static electricity or another high voltage is positive or negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Syouji Higashida