Patents Examined by Shih Tsun A Chou
  • Patent number: 12165955
    Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement includes a first dielectric feature passing through a semiconductive layer and a first dielectric layer over a substrate. The semiconductor arrangement includes a conductive feature passing through the semiconductive layer and the first dielectric layer and electrically coupled to the substrate. The conductive feature is adjacent the first dielectric feature and electrically isolated from the semiconductive layer by the first dielectric feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Josh Lin, Chung-Jen Huang, Yun-Chi Wu, Tsung-Yu Yang
  • Patent number: 12144263
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, such as an MRAM device, includes a stepped contact within a memory region that has a greater number of different contact structures (i.e., contact structures formed in different fabrication stages) relative to a logic region contact. The stepped contact includes a lower stepped contact and an upper stepped contact. The inclusion of the lower stepped contact allows for a relatively shorter upper stepped contact compared to the logic region contact. The stepped contact may allow the use of a multi-layer encapsulation spacer upon the sidewalls of a memory cell that fill out tight spacing therebetween, which may decrease the propensity of void formation and resulting shorting between neighboring memory cell features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ashim Dutta, Lili Cheng, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 12137617
    Abstract: An integrated chip has a memory cell that includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device and an access selector apparatus. The MTJ device includes a free layer and a pinned layer. The access selector apparatus includes a first metal structure and a second metal structure separated by one or more non-metallic layers. The first metal structure includes a polarized magnetic layer. The polarized magnetic layer produces a magnetic field that extends through the free layer, tilting its magnetic field and thereby substantially reducing a switching time for the MTJ device. The access selector apparatus may be a bipolar selector. The polarized magnetic layer may be incorporated into an electrode of the bipolar selector. Both the access selector apparatus and the MTJ device may be formed by a stack of material layers. The resulting memory cell may be compact and have good write speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mauricio Manfrini
  • Patent number: 12137576
    Abstract: Provided is a light emitting apparatus including a substrate including a plurality of light emitting devices, wherein the substrate further includes a plurality of first members configured to diffuse light emitted from at least one of the light emitting devices, and a second member that is positioned between the first members, wherein the second member includes a light absorbing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kudo, Jiro Yamada, Seiichiro Jinta, Shigeyuki Matsunami
  • Patent number: 12133396
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, an integrated circuit, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a thin-film transistor (TFT) over the substrate, and a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell electrically coupled to the TFT. The TFT includes a gate electrode; an active layer disposed above the gate electrode; source/drain electrodes disposed above the gate electrode and separated by the active layer; and at least two dielectric layers disposed between the gate electrode and the source/drain electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Jung Yu, Pin-Cheng Hsu
  • Patent number: 12125740
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging device capable of preventing a decrease of sensitivity of the imaging device in a case where a capacitance element is provided in a pixel, a method of manufacturing an imaging device, and an electronic device. The imaging device includes, in a pixel, a photoelectric conversion element and a capacitance element accumulating an electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element. The capacitance element includes a first electrode including a plurality of trenches, a plurality of second electrodes each having a cross-sectional area smaller than a contact connected to a gate electrode of a transistor in the pixel, and buried in each of the trenches, and a first insulating film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode in each of the trenches. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a backside irradiation-type CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyohei Mizuta
  • Patent number: 12127414
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of first forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) on a substrate, forming a top electrode on the MTJ, forming an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer around the top electrode and the MTJ, forming a landing layer on the IMD layer and the MTJ, and then patterning the landing layer to form a landing pad. Preferably, the landing pad is disposed on the top electrode and the IMD layer adjacent to one side of the top electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Da-Jun Lin, Yi-An Shih, Bin-Siang Tsai, Fu-Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 12127487
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus, including: a substrate; a bottom electrode formed on the substrate; a first base oxide layer formed on the bottom electrode; a first geometric confining layer formed on the first base oxide layer, wherein the first geometric confining layer comprises a first plurality of pin-holes; a second base oxide layer formed on the first geometric confining layer and connected to a first top surface of the first base oxide layer via the first plurality of pin-holes; and a top electrode formed on the second base oxide layer. The first base oxide layer includes TaOx, HfOx, TiOx, ZrOx, or a combination thereof. The first geometric confining layer comprises Al2O3, SiO2, Si3N4, Y2O3, Gd2O3, Sm2O3, CeO2, Er2O3, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: TetraMem Inc.
    Inventors: Minxian Zhang, Ning Ge
  • Patent number: 12120963
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprises a bottom electrode contact, and a memory device comprising a bottom electrode disposed on the bottom electrode contact, at least one memory element layer disposed on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode disposed on the at least one memory element layer. A bit line contact is disposed on the top electrode and extends around sides of the memory device and of the bottom electrode contact. An encapsulation layer is disposed between the bit line contact and the sides of the memory device and of the bottom electrode contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lili Cheng, Ashim Dutta, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 12120886
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a memory device includes forming a dielectric layer over a wafer, wherein the wafer has a device region and a peripheral region adjacent to the device region. A bottom via opening is formed in the dielectric layer and over the device region of the wafer and a trench is formed in the dielectric layer and over the peripheral region of the wafer. A bottom electrode via is formed in the bottom via opening. A bottom electrode layer is conformally formed over the bottom electrode via and lining a sidewall and a bottom of the trench. A memory layer and a top electrode are formed over the bottom electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Pei-Sheng Tang, Wei-De Ho, Han-Wei Wu, Yuan-Hsiang Lung, Hua-Tai Lin
  • Patent number: 12120962
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a MRAM region and a logic region; forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) on the MRAM region; forming a top electrode on the MTJ; and then performing a flowable chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) process to form a first inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer around the top electrode and the MTJ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Tai-Cheng Hou, Fu-Yu Tsai, Bin-Siang Tsai, Da-Jun Lin, Chau-Chung Hou, Wei-Xin Gao
  • Patent number: 12114541
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a display panel includes providing an insulating substrate that includes a hole area, a display area that surrounds the hole area, and a peripheral area adjacent to the display area, forming a semiconductor pattern in the display area, forming an insulating layer, forming contact holes in the insulating layer that expose portions of the semiconductor pattern, and forming a module hole by etching a portion of the insulating layer and a portion of the insulating substrate that overlap the hole area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Gwang Jeong, Taewook Kang, Wooyong Sung
  • Patent number: 12114510
    Abstract: A device includes a spin orbit coupling layer and a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) stack. The MTJ stack includes a dielectric layer over the spin orbit coupling layer, a free layer over the dielectric layer, a tunnel barrier layer over the free laver, and a reference layer over the tunnel barrier layer. The spin orbit coupling layer extends beyond edges of the MTJ stack in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wilman Tsai, MingYuan Song, Shy-Jay Lin
  • Patent number: 12114581
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a synaptic device is provided. The method includes forming a channel layer between a first terminal and a second terminal. The channel layer varies in resistance based on a magnesium concentration in the channel layer. The method further includes forming an electrolyte layer. The electrolyte layer includes a magnesium ion conductive material. A third terminal is formed over the electrolyte layer and applies a signal to the electrolyte layer and the channel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas M. Bishop, Martin Michael Frank, Teodor Krassimirov Todorov
  • Patent number: 12108610
    Abstract: Disclosed are examples of multiple bit magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cells. A multiple bit MRAM cell may comprise a fixed layer, alternately stacked N tunnel barriers and N free layers, and a tunnel cap. N, which may represent number of bits of the MRAM cell, may be greater than or equal to two. Magnetic moment of the fixed layer may be fixed in one perpendicular direction. Magnetic moments of the free layers may be switchable from one to other perpendicular directions upon application of switch currents. The switch currents may be different for different layers. The magnetic moments of the free layers may be switched separately or otherwise independently of other free layers when the switch currents are applied separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Xia Li, Bin Yang
  • Patent number: 12108691
    Abstract: A memory device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The memory device includes a device substrate, a resistance variable layer and a top electrode. The bottom electrode is disposed on the device substrate. The resistance variable layer is disposed on the bottom electrode. The top electrode is disposed on the resistance variable layer. The bottom electrode is formed with a tensile stress, while the top electrode is formed with a compressive stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chich-Neng Chang, Da-Jun Lin, Shih-Wei Su, Fu-Yu Tsai, Bin-Siang Tsai
  • Patent number: 12107123
    Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region, and a gate electrode. Protons are implanted in a first region spanning a predetermined distance from a surface of the semiconductor substrate facing toward the first semiconductor layer, in a second region spanning a predetermined distance from a surface of the first semiconductor layer on the second side of the first semiconductor layer facing toward the semiconductor substrate, in a third region spanning a predetermined distance from a surface of the first semiconductor layer on the first side of the first semiconductor layer facing toward the second semiconductor layer, and in a fourth region spanning a predetermined distance from a surface of the second semiconductor layer on the second side of the second semiconductor layer facing toward the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takumi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 12096704
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate having a first interlayer dielectric layer thereon; a lower metal interconnect layer in the first interlayer dielectric layer; a conductive via disposed on the lower metal interconnect layer; a bottom electrode disposed on the conductive via; a dielectric data storage layer having variable resistance disposed on the bottom electrode; a top electrode disposed on the dielectric data storage layer; and a protective layer covering sidewalls of the top electrode, the dielectric data storage layer, and the bottom electrode. The protective layer includes an annular, upwardly protruding portion around a perimeter of the top electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yuan Zhou, Xian Feng Du, Guoan Du, Guohai Zhang
  • Patent number: 12096698
    Abstract: Advanced magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) that dramatically reduce power consumption (switching energy, ESW) while maintaining a reasonably high tunneling magnetoresistance (on/off ratio, TMR) and strong thermal stability at room temperature are described herein. The MTJs include a magnetic insulator, such as an antiferromagnetic material, as the tunnel barrier. A more energy efficient switching in the MTJs is achieved by magnon assisted switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
    Inventors: Ali Habiboglu, Yihong Cheng, Shufeng Zhang, Weigang Wang
  • Patent number: 12089507
    Abstract: A semiconductor device for internet of things (IoT) device includes a substrate having an array region defined thereon and a ring of dummy pattern surrounding the array region. Preferably, the ring of dummy pattern includes a plurality of magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) and a ring of metal interconnect pattern overlapping the MTJs and surrounding the array region. The semiconductor device further includes a gap between the array region and the ring of dummy pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Hui-Lin Wang, Chun-Hsien Lin