Patents Examined by Tram H. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9431418
    Abstract: A vertical memory device and a method of manufacturing a vertical memory device are disclosed. The vertical memory device includes a substrate, a plurality of channels, a charge storage structure, a plurality of gate electrodes, a first semiconductor structure, and a protection layer pattern. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. The plurality of channels is disposed in the first region. The plurality of channels extends in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate. The charge storage structure is disposed on a sidewall of each channel. The plurality of gate electrodes is arranged on a sidewall of the charge storage structure and is spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The first semiconductor structure is disposed in the second region. The protection layer pattern covers the first semiconductor structure. The protection layer pattern has a thickness substantially similar to a thickness of a lowermost gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-Seok Jung, Chang-Seok Kang, Min-Yong Lee, Sang-Woo Jin
  • Patent number: 9425206
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a structure and method for reducing CMP dishing in integrated circuits. In some embodiments, the structure has a semiconductor substrate with an embedded memory region and a periphery region. one or more dummy structures are formed between the memory region and the periphery region. Placement of the dummy structures between the embedded memory region and the periphery region causes the surface of a deposition layer therebetween to become more planar after being polished without resulting in a dishing effect. The reduced recess reduces metal residue formation and thus leakage and shorting of current due to metal residue. Further, less dishing will reduce the polysilicon loss of active devices. In some embodiments, one of the dummy structures is formed with an angled sidewall which eliminates the need for a boundary cut etch process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Wei Cheng Wu, Ya-Chen Kao, Shih-Chang Liu, Fang-Lan Chu
  • Patent number: 9425233
    Abstract: An image sensor is described. The image sensor includes a pixel array having a unit cell that includes visible light photodiodes and an infra-red photodiode. The visible light photodiodes and the infra-red photodiode are coupled to a particular column of the pixel array. The unit cell has a first capacitor coupled to the visible light photodiodes to store charge from each of the visible light photodiodes. The unit cell having a readout circuit to provide the first capacitor's voltage on the particular column. The unit cell having a second capacitor that is coupled to the infra-red photodiode through a transfer gate transistor to receive charge from the infra-red photodiode during a time-of-flight exposure. The unit cell has a back-drain transistor coupled to the infra-red photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Chung Chun Wan, Boyd Fowler
  • Patent number: 9425275
    Abstract: An integrated circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a first back-end-of-line unit circuit that includes a first group of field effect transistors, a second gate-loaded unit circuit that includes a second group of field effect transistors. The first group of field effect transistors includes a first transistor and the second group of field effect transistors includes a second transistor. A bottom surface of a gate electrode of the first transistor extends closer to a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate than does a bottom surface of a gate electrode of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark S. Rodder, Dharmendar Reddy Palle, Borna J. Obradovic
  • Patent number: 9412626
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a chip arrangement, including disposing a chip over a carrier, wherein the bottom side of the chip is electrically connected to the first carrier side via one or more contact pads on the chip bottom side, disposing a first encapsulation material over the first carrier side, wherein the first encapsulation material at least partially surrounds the chip, and disposing a second encapsulation material over a second carrier side, wherein the second encapsulation material is in direct contact with the second carrier side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Ralf Otremba, Josef Hoeglauer, Juergen Schredl, Xaver Schloegel, Klaus Schiess, Bernd Roemer, Edward Fuergut
  • Patent number: 9412662
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of manufacture are provided. Devices, such as integrated circuit dies, are mounted on a substrate, such as another die, packaging substrate, interposer, or the like, and recesses are formed in the substrate along the scribe lines. One or more molding compound layers are formed in the recesses and between adjacent dies. A backside thinning process may be performed to expose the molding compound in the recesses. A singulation process is performed in the molding compound layer in the recesses. In an embodiment, a first molding compound layer is formed in the recess, and a second molding compound is formed over the first molding compound layer and between adjacent dies. The devices may be placed on the substrate before or after forming the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih Ting Lin, Jing-Cheng Lin, Szu-Wei Lu
  • Patent number: 9405954
    Abstract: A light receiving section includes light receiving elements. A light source section includes a light emitting section that illuminates the subject and transmissive sections. The light emitting section is provided with a first translucent layer, which includes a light emitting layer, and a reflection layer and a semi-transmissive reflection layer interposing the first translucent layer, so that a resonance structure is formed. Each of the transmissive sections includes a second translucent layer, and a first semi-transmissive reflection layer and a second semi-transmissive reflection layer, which are opposed each other interposing the second translucent layer, so that a resonance structure that resonates incident light from the subject side is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideto Ishiguro, Tsukasa Eguchi, Tetsuji Fujita, Hidetoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9401309
    Abstract: Contact openings extending to sacrificial layers located at different depths can be formed by sequentially exposing a greater number of openings in a mask layer by iterative alternation of trimming of a slimming layer over the mask layer and an anisotropic etch that recesses pre-existing contact openings by one level. In one embodiment, pairs of an electrically conductive via contact and electrically conductive electrodes can be simultaneously formed as integrated line and via structures. In another embodiment, encapsulated unfilled cavities can be formed in the contact openings by non-conformal deposition of a material layer, electrically conductive electrodes can be formed by replacement of portions of the sacrificial layers, and the electrically conductive via contacts can be subsequently formed on the electrically conductive electrodes. Electrically conductive via contacts extending to electrically conductive electrodes located at different level can be provided with self-aligned insulating liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Keisuke Izumi, Naohito Yanagida, Michiaki Sano, Takehiro Yamazaki, Hiroaki Iuchi, Akio Yanai, Genta Mizuno, Minoru Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9397179
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including an active region having a field insulating layer disposed at a first side thereof; a first wire pattern formed on the active region and extended in a first direction; a normal gate formed on the active region, extended in a second direction crossing the first direction and covering the first wire pattern; and a dummy gate having a first part which overlaps a first end of the field insulating layer and a second part which overlaps the active region, and wherein the dummy gate is formed on the active region and spaced apart from the normal gate in the first direction, wherein the first wire pattern penetrates a third part of the dummy gate and the dummy gate covers a first end of the first wire pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kang-Ill Seo
  • Patent number: 9391107
    Abstract: An image sensor device includes a substrate having an active array region and a peripheral circuit region, a plurality of light-sensing elements disposed within the active array region, a first dielectric layer on the substrate, and a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer. A recess region is provided in the second dielectric layer to reveal a top surface of the first dielectric layer within the active array region. An angle between a sidewall of the second dielectric layer that defines the perimeter of the recess region and the top surface of the first dielectric layer is less than 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Powerchip Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Ching Liao, Hung-Tai Lai, Shyng-Yeuan Che, S-I Chan
  • Patent number: 9391027
    Abstract: A package structure includes a dielectric layer, at least one semiconductor device attached to the dielectric layer, one or more dielectric sheets applied to the dielectric layer and about the semiconductor device(s) to embed the semiconductor device(s) therein, and a plurality of vias formed to the semiconductor device(s) that are formed in at least one of the dielectric layer and the one or more dielectric sheets. The package structure also includes metal interconnects formed in the vias and on one or more outward facing surfaces of the package structure to form electrical interconnections to the semiconductor device(s). The dielectric layer is composed of a material that does not flow during a lamination process and each of the one or more dielectric sheets is composed of a curable material configured to melt and flow when cured during the lamination process so as to fill-in any air gaps around the semiconductor device(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shakti Singh Chauhan, Paul Alan McConnelee, Arun Virupaksha Gowda
  • Patent number: 9385272
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device comprises an optoelectronic system for emitting a light and a semiconductor layer on the optoelectronic system, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a metal element of Ag and an atomic concentration of Ag in the semiconductor layer is larger than 1*1016 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: EPISTAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shih-I Chen, Chia-Liang Hsu, Chien-Fu Huang, Tzu-Chieh Hsu
  • Patent number: 9385085
    Abstract: A metallization layer including a fully clad interconnect and a method of forming a fully clad interconnect. An opening is formed in a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer has a surface and the opening includes walls and a bottom. A diffusion barrier layer and an adhesion layer are deposited on the dielectric layer. An interconnect material is deposited on the dielectric layer and reflowed into the opening forming an interconnect. An adhesion capping layer and diffusion barrier capping layer are deposited over the interconnect. The interconnect is surrounded by the adhesion layer and the adhesion capping layer and the adhesion layer and the adhesion capping layer are surrounded by the diffusion barrier layer and the diffusion capping layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Manish Chandhok, Hui Jae Yoo, Christopher J. Jezewski, Ramanan V. Chebiam, Colin T. Carver
  • Patent number: 9379071
    Abstract: Embodiments of a packaged semiconductor device with no leads are disclosed. One embodiment includes a semiconductor chip and a no leads package structure defining a boundary and having a bottom surface and includes three or more pads exposed at the bottom surface of the package structure. Each of the pads is located in a single inline row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Tonny Kamphuis, Jan Gulpen, Jan Willem Bergman
  • Patent number: 9373656
    Abstract: Image sensor and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a pixel area, a voltage connection area, and a pad area, a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices in the pixel area, an anti-reflective layer on a back side of the semiconductor substrate and on the plurality of photoelectric conversion devices, a device isolation structure between the plurality of photoelectric conversion devices, at least one voltage connection structure in the voltage connection area, and electrically connected to the device isolation structure, at least one voltage applying device electrically connected to the at least one voltage connection structure, an internal circuit including at least one conductive inner wire and at least one conductive inner via in an insulating layer, and a through via structure in the pad area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-Ho Park
  • Patent number: 9368653
    Abstract: Approaches for silicon photonics integration are provided. A method includes: forming at least one encapsulating layer over and around a photodetector; thermally crystallizing the photodetector material after the forming the at least one encapsulating layer; and after the thermally crystallizing the photodetector material, forming a conformal sealing layer on the at least one encapsulating layer and over at least one device. The conformal sealing layer is configured to seal a crack in the at least one encapsulating layer. The photodetector and the at least one device are on a same substrate. The at least one device includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor device or a passive photonics device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Tymon Barwicz, William M. Green, Marwan H. Khater, Jessie C. Rosenberg, Steven M. Shank
  • Patent number: 9365414
    Abstract: A small area semiconductor device package containing two or more MEMS sensor device die and a controller die for the sensor devices is provided. The controller die is mounted on top of the largest MEMS sensor device die (e.g., a gyroscope) and over a second MEMS sensor device die (e.g., an accelerometer). In one embodiment, the controller die is also mounted on the top of the second MEMS sensor device die. In another embodiment, the controller die overhangs the second MEMS sensor device die, which is of a lesser thickness than the first MEMS sensor device die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Philip H. Bowles, Stephen R. Hooper
  • Patent number: 9360318
    Abstract: An integrated circuit packaging structure comprises at least one Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) gyroscope die mounted directly on a multi-layer flexible substrate having at least one metal layer and wire-bonded to the flexible substrate and a lid or die coating protecting the MEMS die and wire bonds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Compass Technology Company Limited
    Inventors: Kelvin Po Leung Pun, Chee Wah Cheung
  • Patent number: 9362128
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits and components thereof are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method for a fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device and forming silicide regions outside of the first and second gates. The partially fabricated semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first gate formed over the semiconductor substrate, and a second gate formed over the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the first gate. Silicide formation between the first gate and the second gate is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Zhu, Yiang Aun Nga
  • Patent number: 9362448
    Abstract: There is provided a nanostructure semiconductor light emitting device including a base layer formed of a first conductivity-type nitride semiconductor and a plurality of light emitting nanostructures disposed to be spaced apart from one another on the base layer. Each of the plurality of light emitting nanostructures includes a nanocore formed of the first conductivity-type nitride semiconductor, a stress control layer disposed on a surface of the nanocore and including a nitride semiconductor containing indium, an active layer disposed on the stress control layer and including a nitride semiconductor containing indium, and a second conductivity-type nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo Jeong Choi, Jung Sub Kim, Byung Kyu Chung, Yeon Woo Seo, Dong Gun Lee