Patents Examined by Sue A. Purvis
  • Patent number: 7898031
    Abstract: A single crystal semiconductor layer of a first conduction type is disposed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of trenches are provided in the semiconductor layer to form a plurality of first semiconductor regions of the first conduction type at intervals in a direction parallel to the surface. An epitaxial layer is buried in the plurality of trenches to form a plurality of second semiconductor regions of a second conduction type. The plurality of second semiconductor regions each includes an outer portion with a high impurity concentration formed against an inner wall of the trench, and an inner portion with a low impurity concentration formed inner than the outer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenichi Tokano, Tetsuo Matsuda, Wataru Saito
  • Patent number: 7897999
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a power supply line connected to a power supply terminal, a ground line connected to a ground terminal and a plurality of capacitors connected in parallel between the power supply line and the ground line. The plurality of capacitors include a first capacitor arranged at a first distance from one of the terminals and a second capacitor arranged at a second distance which is larger than the first distance from the one of the terminals, and the first capacitor has a larger area than the second capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Furuta
  • Patent number: 7897953
    Abstract: A series of phase change material layers sandwiched between a bottom electrode and a top electrode may have different phase change temperatures selected to provide a memory device having three or more discrete resistance levels, and thus three or more discrete logic levels. The non-volatile memory device may be formed with diodes providing the thermal energy for the phase changes that program the device logic level. The non-volatile memory may form part of a logic device and/or a memory array device, as well as other devices and systems. The phase change material layers may be formed using physical deposition methods, chemical deposition methods, or using atomic layer deposition. Atomic layer deposition may reduce the overall device thermal exposure and provide improved layer thickness uniformity and sharp material boundaries at the interface of different phase change materials, thus providing improved resistance level accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Liu
  • Patent number: 7892903
    Abstract: A method of producing a T-gate in a single stage exposure process using electromagnetic radiation is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Rudy Jan Maria Pellens
  • Patent number: 7888780
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor mesa located upon an isolating substrate. The semiconductor mesa includes a first end that includes a first doped region separated from a second end that includes a second doped region by an isolating region interposed therebetween. The first doped region and the second doped region are of different polarity. The semiconductor structure also includes a channel stop dielectric layer located upon a horizontal surface of the semiconductor mesa over the second doped region. The semiconductor structure also includes a first device located using a sidewall and a top surface of the first end as a channel region, and a second device located using the sidewall and not the top surface of the second end as a channel. A related method derives from the foregoing semiconductor structure. Also included is a semiconductor circuit that includes the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Edward J. Nowak, Jed H. Rankin
  • Patent number: 7888717
    Abstract: A thin film transistor substrate includes a color filter layer and a gate line. The color filter layer has a reverse taper shape, which is used to pattern the gate line without a separate mask. Thus, the total number of masks used to manufacture the thin film transistor substrate can be reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and improving the productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju-Han Bae, Jang-Kyum Kim
  • Patent number: 7884485
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for forming interconnects between semiconductor devices in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. For example, a method of forming interconnects between semiconductor devices includes depositing a plurality of first contacts on a plurality of corresponding first pads of a first semiconductor device; forming a plurality of plated contacts on a plurality of corresponding second pads of a second semiconductor device; aligning the plurality of first contacts with the plurality of plated contacts; and joining the plurality of first contacts to the plurality of plated contacts to form the interconnects between the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Flir Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Barton, Diane M. Salazar, Joseph H. Durham
  • Patent number: 7884401
    Abstract: The embodiment relates to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor and more particularly, to a CMOS image sensor and a manufacturing method thereof capable of improving electron storing capacity in a floating diffusion area. The CMOS image sensor includes a first gate electrode on a semiconductor substrate; a photodiode in the semiconductor substrate on one side of the first gate electrode; a floating diffusion area in the semiconductor substrate on an opposite side of the first gate electrode; a capacitor including a lower capacitor electrode connected to the floating diffusion area, a dielectric layer on the lower capacitor electrode, and an upper capacitor electrode; a drive capacitor coupled to the lower capacitor electrode and having a second gate electrode connected to the floating diffusion area. The electron storing capacity of the floating diffusion node is increased, making it possible to improve the dynamic range of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hee Sung Shim
  • Patent number: 7884429
    Abstract: An impact sensor comprises a silicon substrate; an insulating layer formed over the silicon substrate; a plurality of beams having flexibility that are formed of conductive silicon material; a fixing portion to fix a fixed end of each of the beams, the fixing portion being formed of conductive silicon material; a fixed end line at whose one end is formed the fixing portion, the fixed end line being formed of conductive silicon material on the insulating layer; and a free end line having a pressing portion that faces a free end of each of the beams via a space, the free end line being formed of conductive silicon material on the insulating layer. Respective beam widths, each measured in a direction orthogonal to a length direction joining the fixed end and the free end, of the plurality of beams are set different from each other, thus reducing the space occupied by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuo Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7880166
    Abstract: A fast recovery rectifier structure with the combination of Schottky structure to relieve the minority carriers during the forward bias condition for the further reduction of the reverse recovery time during switching in addition to the lifetime killer such as Pt, Au, and/or irradiation. This fast recovery rectifier uses unpolished substrates and thick impurity diffusion for low cost production. A reduced p-n junction structure with a heavily doped film is provided to terminate and shorten the p-n junction space charge region. This reduced p-n junction with less total charge in the p-n junction to further improve the reverse recovery time. This reduced p-n junction can be used alone, with the traditional lifetime killer method, with the Schottky structure and/or with the epitaxial substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventor: Ho-Yuan Yu
  • Patent number: 7875877
    Abstract: An organic thin film transistor that can control the threshold voltage and reduce leakage current includes: a gate electrode; an organic semiconductor layer insulated from the gate electrode; a source electrode and a drain electrode insulated from the gate electrode and electrically connected to the organic semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer interposed between the gate electrode and the organic semiconductor layer; and a hole control layer that is interposed between the gate insulating layer and the organic semiconductor layer. The hole control layer includes a compound having a hole-donor group or a compound having a hole-acceptor group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Seong Park, Min-Chul Suh, Taek Ahn
  • Patent number: 7872324
    Abstract: Provided is a suspended nanowire sensor having good sensing characteristics and suitable for mass production, a method for fabricating the suspended nanowire sensor. The suspended nanowire sensor includes: first and second sensor electrodes formed on upper portions of a substrate and physically separated from each other; and a nanowire sensor material piece extending from the first sensor electrode to the second sensor electrode and physically suspended between the first and second sensor electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Yong-Shin Kim, Youn-Tae Kim, Duck-Gun Park
  • Patent number: 7872334
    Abstract: Diodes and method of fabricating diodes. A diode includes: an p-type single wall carbon nanotube; an n-type single wall carbon nanotube, the p-type single wall carbon nanotube in physical and electrical contact with the n-type single wall carbon nanotube; and a first metal pad in physical and electrical contact with the p-type single wall carbon nanotube and a second metal pad in physical and electrical contact with the n-type single wall carbon nanotube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jia Chen, Steven Howard Voldman
  • Patent number: 7872301
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided with first and second silicon pillars formed substantially perpendicularly to a main surface of a substrate, a gate electrode covering side surfaces of the first and second silicon pillars via a gate insulation film, first and second diffusion layers provided on a lower part and an upper part of the first silicon pillar, respectively, a cap insulation film covering an upper part of the second silicon pillar, a gate contact connected to the gate electrode, and a protection insulation film in contact with the upper surfaces of the first and second silicon pillars. The gate contact is connected to an upper region of the gate electrode provided at the periphery of the cap insulation film. An opening is formed on the protection insulation film provided at the side of the first silicon pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Takaishi
  • Patent number: 7868473
    Abstract: A method for determining the centroid of a wafer target. In one embodiment, the method comprises a series of steps in a stepper, starting with the step of receiving a wafer, having a target set formed therein. Next, a signal is passed over the target set and over a material separating target shapes in the target set. Then a return signal is reflected, and received, from the surface of the target shapes and the material separating them. A location of at least one maxima point of the return signal is identified. Finally, a centroid is determined as the median of the locations of at least one maxima point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Bryan Hubbard, Pierre Leroux
  • Patent number: 7868456
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which the resistance of a copper wiring to electromigration is increased. The copper wiring is formed so that copper grains will be comparatively large in a central portion of the copper wiring and so that copper grains will be comparatively small in an upper portion and a lower portion of the metal wiring. The copper wiring having this structure is formed by a damascene method. This structure can be formed by controlling electric current density at electroplating time. With the copper wiring having this structure, it is easier for an electric current to run through the central portion than to run through the upper portion. As a result, the diffusion of copper atoms in the upper portion is suppressed and therefore the diffusion of copper atoms from an interface between the copper wiring and a cap film is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Hideki Kitada
  • Patent number: 7868960
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of transistors. A source electrode is connected with a data signal line, and a drain electrode is connected with a pixel electrode in each transistor. The source electrode is located on a semiconductor layer, and at least a portion of the drain electrode is overlapped with the gate electrode. A gate insulating film covering the gate electrode of each transistor has a thin section having a reduced film thickness, at a portion where the gate insulating film is overlapped with each gate electrode. An overlapping area of the thin section with the source electrode is smaller than an overlapping area of the thin section with the drain electrode. Thus, the active matrix substrate can prevent the generation of short-circuits between the signal lines (between the data signal line and a scanning signal line) in a TFT forming region, while guaranteeing TFT characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihide Tsubata, Yoshihiro Okada
  • Patent number: 7868447
    Abstract: Warpage and twist of a solid-state image sensing apparatus is controlled, thereby preventing displacement occurring to the solid-state image sensing apparatus when it is mounted on a printed circuit board. The solid-state image sensing apparatus comprises a plurality of outer leads, and the outer leads each comprises a horizontal portion protruding in the horizontal direction from a side face of a package body for encasing a solid-state image sensing chip therein, an end portion extending in a direction orthogonal to the horizontal portion, and disposed directly below the horizontal portion, a mid portion positioned between the horizontal portion, and the end portion, a first bend formed between the horizontal portion, and the mid portion, and a second bend formed between the mid portion, and the end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hirochika Narita
  • Patent number: 7868423
    Abstract: A structure for a semiconductor device includes an isolated MOSFET (e.g., NFET) having triple-well technology adjacent to an isolated PFET which itself is adjacent to an isolated NFET. The structure includes a substrate in which is formed a deep n-band region underneath any n-wells, p-wells and p-band regions within the substrate. One p-band region is formed above the deep n-band region and underneath the isolated p-well for the isolated MOSFET, while another p-band region is formed above the deep n-band region and underneath all of the p-wells and n-wells, including those that are part of the isolated PFET and NFET devices within the substrate. The n-wells for the isolated MOSFET are connected to the deep n-band region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Benoit, David S. Collins, Natalie B. Feilchenfeld, Michael L. Gautsch, Xuefeng Liu, Robert M. Rassel, Stephen A. St. Onge, James A. Slinkman
  • Patent number: 7863086
    Abstract: A thin film transistor substrate includes an insulating substrate, a gate electrode formed on the insulating substrate, a first gate insulating film formed on the gate electrode and having an opening for exposing at least part of the gate electrode, a second gate insulating film covering the gate electrode exposed by the opening and having a larger dielectric constant than the first gate insulating film, a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed apart from each other in a central area of the second gate insulating film and defining a channel region there between, and an organic semiconductor layer formed in the channel region. A method for forming the TFT substrate is also provided. Thus, the present invention provides a TFT substrate in which a characteristic of a TFT is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo-sung Kim, Soo-jin Kim, Young-min Kim, Keun-kyu Song, Yong-uk Lee, Mun-pyo Hong, Tae-young Choi, Joon-hak Oh