Patents Examined by Thanhha Pham
  • Patent number: 8836006
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and the manufacture of such semiconductor devices are described. According to various aspects of the disclosure, a semiconductor device can include a memory region, a first logic region, and a second logic region. A select gate can be formed in the memory region of the device and a first logic gate formed in the logic region. A charge trapping dielectric can then be disposed and removed from a second logic region. A gate conductor layer can then be disposed on the device and etched to define a memory gate on the sidewall of the select gate and a second logic gate in the second logic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Kuo Tung Chang, Chun Chen, Shenqing Fang
  • Patent number: 8828765
    Abstract: A method (50) is provided for processing a graded-density AR silicon surface (14) to provide effective surface passivation. The method (50) includes positioning a substrate or wafer (12) with a silicon surface (14) in a reaction or processing chamber (42). The silicon surface (14) has been processed (52) to be an AR surface with a density gradient or region of black silicon. The method (50) continues with heating (54) the chamber (42) to a high temperature for both doping and surface passivation. The method (50) includes forming (58), with a dopant-containing precursor in contact with the silicon surface (14) of the substrate (12), an emitter junction (16) proximate to the silicon surface (14) by doping the substrate (12). The method (50) further includes, while the chamber is maintained at the high or raised temperature, forming (62) a passivation layer (19) on the graded-density silicon anti-reflection surface (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Hao-Chih Yuan, Howard M. Branz, Matthew R. Page
  • Patent number: 8822326
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing an Sn alloy bump, wherein composition of the Sn alloy bump can be readily controlled. The method for manufacturing an Sn alloy bump formed of an alloy composed of Sn and other one or more types of metals has a step of forming an Sn layer on an electrode pad in a resist opening formed on a substrate by electrolytic plating; a step of laminating Sn and an alloy layer on the Sn layer by electrolytic plating; and a step of forming an Sn alloy bump by melting the Sn layer and the laminated alloy layer after removal of a resist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Hatta, Akihiro Masuda
  • Patent number: 8822975
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor laser having an end face window structure, by growing over a substrate a nitride type Group III-V compound semiconductor layer including an active layer including a nitride type Group III-V compound semiconductor containing at least In and Ga, the method includes the steps of: forming a mask including an insulating film over the substrate, at least in the vicinity of the position of forming the end face window structure; and growing the nitride type Group III-V compound semiconductor layer including the active layer over a part, not covered with the mask, of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kuramoto, Eiji Nakayama, Yoshitsugu Ohizumi
  • Patent number: 8815659
    Abstract: A method of forming a FinFET device involves performing an epitaxial growth process to form a layer of semiconducting material on a semiconducting substrate, wherein a first portion of the layer of semiconducting material will become a fin structure for the FinFET device and wherein a plurality of second portions of the layer of semiconducting material will become source/drain structures of the FinFET device, forming a gate insulation layer around at least a portion of the fin structure and forming a gate electrode above the gate insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Min-hwa Chi, Nam Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 8815674
    Abstract: One method disclosed includes forming a sidewall spacer proximate a gate structure, forming a sacrificial layer of material above a protective cap layer, the sidewall spacer and a substrate, forming a sacrificial protection layer above the sacrificial layer, reducing a thickness of the sacrificial protection layer such that its upper surface is positioned at a level that is below the upper surface of the protective cap layer, performing a first etching process to remove a portion of the sacrificial layer and thereby expose the protective cap layer for further processing, performing a wet acid etching process that includes diluted HF acid in the etch chemistry to remove the protective cap layer and performing at least one process operation to remove at least one of the reduced-thickness sacrificial protection layer or the sacrificial layer from above the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Berthold Reimer, Markus Lenski, Bastian Haussdoerfer, Ardechir Pakfar
  • Patent number: 8802522
    Abstract: Methods for forming a device on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a device on a substrate may include providing a substrate having a partially fabricated first device disposed on the substrate, the first device including a first film stack comprising a first dielectric layer and a first high-k dielectric layer disposed atop the first dielectric layer; depositing a first metal layer atop the first film stack; and modifying a first upper surface of the first metal layer to adjust a first threshold voltage of the first device, wherein the modification of the first upper surface does not extend through to a first lower surface of the first metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Ward, Igor V. Peidous, Sunny Chiang, Yen B. Ta, Andrew Darlak, Peter I. Porshnev, Swaminathan Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8772115
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a selectively nitrided gate insulating layer may be fabricated by a method that includes forming a first gate insulating layer on a substrate having a first region and a second region, performing a nitridation process on the first gate insulating layer, removing the first gate insulating layer from at least a portion of the first region to expose at least a portion of the substrate, forming a second gate insulating layer on at least the exposed portion of the first region of the substrate, thermally treating the first and second gate insulating layers in an oxygen atmosphere, forming a high-k dielectric on the first and second gate insulating layers, and forming a metal gate electrode on the high-k dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: HyeokJun Son, Sangjin Hyun, Sangbom Kang, SungKee Han, Sughun Hong, Hyung-seok Hong
  • Patent number: 8765551
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes a semiconductor layer pattern on a substrate, a plurality of gate patterns and a plurality of interlayer insulating layer patterns that are alternately stacked along a side wall of the semiconductor layer pattern, and a storage structure between the plurality of gate patterns and the semiconductor layer pattern. The semiconductor layer pattern extends in a vertical direction from the substrate. The gate patterns are recessed in a direction from a side wall of the interlayer insulating layer patterns opposing the side wall of the semiconductor layer pattern. A recessed surface of the gate patterns may be formed to be vertical to a surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-youl Yang, Dae-hong Eom, Byoung-moon Yoon, Kyung-hyun Kim, Se-ho Cha
  • Patent number: 8765605
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices includes the steps of annealing an insulating layer and forming a barrier layer including a metal element over the insulating layer. The insulating layer includes a fluorocarbon (CFx) film. The barrier layer is formed by a high-temperature sputtering process after the annealing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Horigome, Takuya Kurotori, Yasuo Kobayashi, Takaaki Matsuoka, Toshihisa Nozawa
  • Patent number: 8765542
    Abstract: One method disclosed includes forming a gate structure of a transistor above a surface of a semiconducting substrate, forming a sidewall spacer proximate the gate structure, forming a sacrificial layer of material above the protective cap layer, sidewall spacer and substrate, forming an OPL layer above the sacrificial layer, reducing a thickness of the OPL layer such that, after the reduction, an upper surface of the OPL layer is positioned at a level that is below a level of an upper surface of the protective cap layer, performing a first etching process to remove the sacrificial layer from above the protective cap layer to expose the protective cap layer for further processing, performing a second etching process to remove the protective cap layer and performing at least one process operation to remove at least one of the OPL layer or the sacrificial layer from above the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Joachim Patzer, Frank Seliger, Markus Lenski, Stephan Kronholz
  • Patent number: 8753933
    Abstract: Methods of selectively forming a conductive material and methods of forming metal conductive structures are disclosed. An organic material may be patterned to expose regions of an underlying material. The underlying material may be exposed to a precursor gas, such as a platinum precursor gas, that reacts with the underlying material without reacting with the remaining portions of the organic material located over the underlying material. The precursor gas may be used in an atomic layer deposition process, during which the precursor gas may selectively react with the underlying material to form a conductive structure, but not react with the organic material. The conductive structures may be used, for example, as a mask for patterning during various stages of semiconductor device fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene P. Marsh
  • Patent number: 8748312
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a substrate for mounting an electronic device, includes forming at least one through-hole in a plate-shaped substrate body in a thickness direction thereof. An electrode substrate having at least one core on an upper surface thereof is formed such that the at least one core corresponds to the at least one through-hole. The electrode substrate is coupled to the substrate body by inserting the at least one core into the at least one through-hole. A portion of the coupled electrode substrate is removed except for the at least one core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong Wan Seo, Hyung Kun Kim
  • Patent number: 8748268
    Abstract: Method for fabricating MOSFET integrated with Schottky diode (MOSFET/SKY) is disclosed. Gate trench is formed in an epitaxial layer overlaying semiconductor substrate, gate material is deposited therein. Body, source, dielectric regions are successively formed upon epitaxial layer and the gate trench. Top contact trench (TCT) is etched with vertical side walls defining Schottky diode cross-sectional width SDCW through dielectric and source region defining source-contact depth (SCD); and partially into body region by total body-contact depth (TBCD). A heavily-doped embedded body implant region (EBIR) of body-contact depth (BCD)<TBCD is created into side walls of TCT and beneath SCD. An embedded Shannon implant region (ESIR) is created into sub-contact trench zone (SCTZ) beneath TCT floor. A metal layer is formed in contact with ESIR, body and source region. The metal layer also fills TCT and covers dielectric region thus completing the MOSFET/SKY with only one-time etching of its TCT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha to Omega Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ji Pan, Daniel Ng, Sung-Shan Tai, Anup Bhalla
  • Patent number: 8741768
    Abstract: A method is provided that includes forming conductive or semiconductive features above a first dielectric material, depositing a second dielectric material above the conductive or semiconductive features, etching a void in the second dielectric material, wherein the etch stops on the first dielectric material, and exposing a portion of the conductive or semiconductive features. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventor: Christopher J. Petti
  • Patent number: 8741709
    Abstract: A process for fabrication of a power semiconductor device is disclosed in which a single photomask is used to define each of p-conductivity well regions and n-conductivity type source regions. In the process a single photomask is deposited on a layer of polysilicon on a wafer, the polysilicon layer is removed from first regions of the power semiconductor device where the p-conductivity well regions and the n-conductivity type source regions are to be formed, and both p-conductivity type and n-conductivity type dopants are introduced into the wafer through the first regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventors: Kyoung Wook Seok, Jae Yong Choi, Vladimir Tsukanov
  • Patent number: 8742451
    Abstract: A field-effect transistor involves a drain electrode, a drift region, a body region, a source region, a gate insulator layer, and a gate electrode. The drift region is disposed above the drain electrode. The body region extends down into the drift region from a first upper semiconductor surface. The source region is ladder-shaped and extends down in the body region from a second upper semiconductor surface. The first and second upper semiconductor surfaces are substantially planar and are not coplanar. A first portion of the body region is surrounded laterally by a second portion of the body region. The second portion of the body region and the drift region meet at a body-to-drift boundary. The body-to-drift boundary has a central portion that is non-planar. A gate insulator layer is disposed over the source region and a gate electrode is disposed over the gate insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventor: Kyoung Wook Seok
  • Patent number: 8735250
    Abstract: Methods of forming gates of semiconductor devices are provided. The methods may include forming a first recess in a first substrate region having a first conductivity type and forming a second recess in a second substrate region having a second conductivity type. The methods may also include forming a high-k layer in the first and second recesses. The methods may further include providing a first metal on the high-k layer in the first and second substrate regions, the first metal being provided within the second recess. The methods may additionally include removing at least portions of the first metal from the second recess while protecting materials within the first recess from removal. The methods may also include, after removing at least portions of the first metal from the second recess, providing a second metal within the second recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Won Lee, Bo-Un Yoon, Seung-Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 8728888
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method, gate electrode materials and a hard-mask material are deposited above a substrate. First mandrels are formed on the hard-mask material in a region of cell array. A second mandrel is formed on the hard-mask material in a region of a selection gate transistor. First sidewall-masks are formed on side-surfaces of the first mandrels. A second sidewall-mask is formed on a side-surface of the second mandrel. An upper side-surface of the second sidewall-mask is exposed. A sacrificial film is embedded between the first sidewall-masks. A sacrificial spacer is formed on the upper side-surface of the second sidewall-mask. A resist film covers the second mandrel. An outer edge of the resist film is located between the first mandrel closest to the second mandrel and the sacrificial spacer. The first mandrels are removed using the resist film as a mask. And, the sacrificial film and spacer are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Naoyuki Iida, Satoshi Nagashima, Nagisa Takami, Hidefumi Mukai, Yoshihiro Yanai
  • Patent number: 8728885
    Abstract: One method herein includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart trenches that extend at least partially into a semiconducting substrate, wherein the trenches define a fin structure comprised of first and second layers of semiconducting material, wherein the first layer of semiconducting material is selectively etchable relative to the substrate and the second layer of semiconducting material, forming a sacrificial gate structure above the fin, wherein the gate structure includes a gate insulation layer and a gate electrode, forming a sidewall spacer adjacent the gate structure, performing an etching process to remove the sacrificial gate structure, thereby defining a gate cavity, performing at least one selective etching process to selectively remove the first layer of semiconducting material relative to the second layer of semiconducting material within the gate cavity, thereby defining a space between the second semiconducting material and the substrate, and forming a final gate structure in the gate cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Pham, Jody Fronheiser, William J. Taylor, Jr.