Patents Examined by Vernon P Webb
  • Patent number: 9362331
    Abstract: A method for forming image sensors includes providing a substrate and forming a plurality of photo diode regions, each of the photo diode regions being spatially disposed on the substrate. The method also includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer overlying the plurality of photo diode regions, forming a shielding layer formed overlying the interlayer dielectric layer, and applying a silicon dioxide bearing material overlying the shielding layer. The method further includes etching portions of the silicon dioxide bearing material to form a plurality of first lens structures, and continuing to form each of the plurality of first lens structures to provide a plurality of finished lens structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventors: Herb He Huang, Mieno Fumitake
  • Patent number: 9356094
    Abstract: A method for making a silicon layer extending on an insulation layer, including the steps of forming a silicon-germanium layer on at least a portion of a silicon wafer; transforming portions of the silicon-germanium layer into porous silicon pads; growing a monocrystalline silicon layer on the silicon-germanium layer and on the porous silicon pads; removing the silicon-germanium layer; oxidizing the porous silicon pads; and depositing an insulation material on the silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Aomar Halimaoui, Daniel Bensahel
  • Patent number: 9356033
    Abstract: Nonvolatile memory devices include a string of nonvolatile memory cells on a substrate. This string of nonvolatile memory cells includes a first vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells on the substrate and a string selection transistor on the first vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells. A second vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells is also provided on the substrate and a ground selection transistor is provided on the second vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells. This second vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells is provided adjacent the first vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells. A conjunction doped semiconductor region is provided in the substrate. This conjunction doped region electrically connects the first vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells in series with the second vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells so that these stacks can operate as a single NAND-type string of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Hoon Son, Jung Ho Kim, Seungjae Baik, Myoungbum Lee, Kihyun Hwang
  • Patent number: 9349672
    Abstract: A microelectronic package includes a lower unit having a lower unit substrate with conductive features and a top and bottom surface. The lower unit includes one or more lower unit chips overly/ing the top surface of the lower unit substrate that are electrically connected to the conductive features of the lower unit substrate. The microelectronic package also includes an upper unit including an upper unit substrate having conductive features, top and bottom surfaces and a hole extending between such top and bottom surfaces. The upper unit further includes one or more upper unit chips overlying the top surface of the upper unit substrate and electrically connected to the conductive features of the upper unit substrate by connections extending within the hole. The upper unit may include an upper unit encapsulant that covers the connections of the upper unit and the one or more upper unit chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventors: Ilyas Mohammed, Belgacem Haba, Sean Moran, Wei-Shun Wang, Ellis Chau, Christopher Wade
  • Patent number: 9343588
    Abstract: A normally-off JFET is provided. The normally-off JFET includes a channel region of a first conductivity type, a floating semiconductor region of a second conductivity type adjoining the channel region, and a contact region of the first conductivity type adjoining the floating semiconductor region. The floating semiconductor region is arranged between the contact region and the channel region. Further, a normally-off semiconductor switch is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Werner
  • Patent number: 9343480
    Abstract: It is an object to give excellent data retention characteristics to a semiconductor device in which stored data is judged in accordance with the potential of a gate of a specified transistor, by achieving both reduction in variation of the threshold voltage of the transistor and data retention for a long time. Charge is held (data is stored) in a node electrically connected only to a source or a drain of a transistor whose channel region is formed using an oxide semiconductor. There may be a plurality of transistors whose sources or drains are electrically connected to the node. The oxide semiconductor has a wider band gap and a lower intrinsic carrier density than silicon. By using such an oxide semiconductor for the channel region of the transistor, the transistor with an extremely low off-state current (leakage current) can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 9343463
    Abstract: The structure and method of formation of an integrated CMOS level and active device level that can be a memory device level. The integration includes the formation of a “super-flat” interface between the two levels formed by the patterning of a full complement of active and dummy interconnecting vias using two separate patterning and etch processes. The active vias connect memory devices in the upper device level to connecting pads in the lower CMOS level. The dummy vias may extend up to an etch stop layer formed over the CMOS layer or may be stopped at an intermediate etch stop layer formed within the device level. The dummy vias thereby contact memory devices but do not connect them to active elements in the CMOS level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Zhong, Adam Zhong, Wai-Ming J. Kan, Chyu-Jiuh Torng
  • Patent number: 9337047
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are related to a semiconductor device, comprising: a high-K dielectric material; and a nitrogen-doped silicon material disposed over said high-k dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Danny Pak-Chum Shum, Ronald Kakoschke, John Power, Wolfram Langheinrich
  • Patent number: 9321632
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit device is disclosed. The method includes providing a first substrate; bonding a second substrate to the first substrate, the second substrate including a microeelectromechanical system (MEMS) device; and bonding a third substrate to the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ting-Hau Wu
  • Patent number: 9293461
    Abstract: A stack of a barrier metal layer and a first-type work function metal layer is deposited in replacement metal gate schemes. The barrier metal layer can be deposited directly on the gate dielectric layer. The first-type work function metal layer is patterned to be present only in regions of a first type field effect transistor. A second-type work function metal layer is deposited directly on the barrier metal layer in the regions of a second type field effect transistor. Alternately, the first-type work function layer can be deposited directly on the gate dielectric layer. The barrier metal layer is patterned to be present only in regions of a first type field effect transistor. A second-type work function metal layer is deposited directly on the gate dielectric layer in the regions of the second type field effect transistor. A conductive material fill and planarization form dual work function replacement gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Unoh Kwon, Michael P. Chudzik, Ravikumar Ramachandran
  • Patent number: 9287261
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising: forming an element isolation region in one principal face of a semiconductor substrate of one conductivity type; forming a gate electrode extending from an element region to the element isolation region at both sides of the element region in a first direction, both end portions of the gate electrode in the first direction being on the element isolation region and respectively including a concave portion and protruding portions at both sides of the concave portion; carrying out ion implantation of impurities of the one conductivity type from a direction tilted from a direction perpendicular to the one principal face toward the first direction so that first and second impurity implantation regions of the one conductivity type are formed in the one principal face in two end regions of the element region in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Eisuke Seo
  • Patent number: 9287211
    Abstract: In sophisticated semiconductor devices, electronic fuses may be provided in the metallization system, wherein a superior two-dimensional configuration of the metal line, for instance as a helix-like configuration, may provide superior thermal conditions in a central line portion, which in turn may result in a more pronounced electromigration effect for a given programming current. Consequently, the size of the electronic fuse, at least in one lateral direction, and also the width of corresponding transistors connected to the electronic fuse, may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Kurz, Jens Poppe, Matthias Kessler
  • Patent number: 9281390
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a memory device is provided that may begin with forming a layered gate stack atop a semiconductor substrate and patterning a metal electrode layer stopping on the high-k gate dielectric layer of the layered gate stack to provide a first metal gate electrode and a second metal gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate. In a next process sequence, at least one spacer is formed on the first metal gate electrode atop a portion of the high-k gate dielectric layer, wherein a remaining portion of the high-k gate dielectric is exposed. The remaining portion of the high-k gate dielectric layer is etched to provide a first high-k gate dielectric having a portion that extends beyond a sidewall of the first metal gate electrode and a second high-k gate dielectric having an edge that is aligned to a sidewall of the second metal gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Roger A. Booth, Jr., Kangguo Cheng, Chandrasekara Kothandaraman, Chengwen Pei
  • Patent number: 9263443
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor die including a normally-off transistor and a second semiconductor die including a plurality of transistor cells of a normally-on GaN HEMT. One of a source terminal and a drain terminal of the normally-off transistor is electrically coupled to a gate terminal of the normally-on GaN HEMT, and the other one of the source terminal and the drain terminal of the normally-off transistor is electrically coupled to one of a source terminal and a drain terminal of the normally-on GaN HEMT. The second semiconductor die further includes a gate resistor electrically coupled between the gate terminal of the normally-off transistor and respective gates of the plurality of transistor cells, and a voltage clamping element electrically coupled between the gate terminal and one of the source terminal and the drain terminal of the normally-on GaN HEMT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Michael Treu, Ralf Siemieniec
  • Patent number: 9250204
    Abstract: A method for forming a sensor includes forming a channel in substrate, forming a sacrificial layer in the channel, forming a sensor having a first dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, a graphene layer disposed on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer disposed on the graphene layer, a source region, a drain region, and a gate region, wherein the gate region is disposed on the sacrificial layer removing the sacrificial layer from the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dechao Guo, Shu-Jen Han, Chung-Hsun Lin, Ning Su
  • Patent number: 9245873
    Abstract: There is presented a light emitting device, having plural light emitting elements disposed on a substrate, in which a protection element, such as a zener diode, can be disposed at an appropriate position. The light emitting device includes: a substrate; a light emitting section having plural light emitting elements disposed in a mounting area on the substrate; a positive electrode and negative electrode each having a pad section and wiring section to apply voltage to the light emitting section through the wiring sections; a protection element disposed at one of the positive electrode and negative electrode and electrically connected with the other one electrode; and a light reflecting resin formed on the substrate such as to cover at least the wiring sections and the protection element, wherein the wiring sections are formed along the periphery of the mounting area such that one end portions thereof are adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Haruaki Sasano
  • Patent number: 9231058
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a single crystal gallium nitride substrate the step of cutting an ingot of single crystal gallium nitride along predetermined planes to make one or more signal crystal gallium nitride substrates. The ingot of single crystal gallium nitride is grown by vapor phase epitaxy in a direction of a predetermined axis. Each predetermined plane is inclined to the predetermined axis. Each substrate has a minor polished primary surface. The primary surface has a first area and a second area. The first area is between an edge of the substrate and a line 3 millimeter away from the edge. The first area surrounds the second area. An axis perpendicular to the primary surface forms an off-angle with c-axis of the substrate. The off-angle takes a minimum value at a first position in the first area of the primary surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masaki Ueno
  • Patent number: 9231092
    Abstract: A vertical bidirectional switch of the type having its control referenced to the rear surface, including on its rear surface a first main electrode and on its front surface a second main electrode and a gate electrode, this switch being controllable by a positive voltage between its gate and its first electrode, wherein the gate electrode is arranged on the front surface of a via crossing the chip in which the switch is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (TOURS) SAS
    Inventor: Samuel Menard
  • Patent number: 9224857
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprises a substrate having a first conductive type; a deep well having a second conductive type formed in the substrate and extending down from a surface of the substrate; a first well having the first conductive type and a second well having the second conductive type both formed in the deep well and extending down from the surface of the substrate, and the second well spaced apart from the first well; a gate electrode formed on the substrate and disposed between the first and second wells; an isolation extending down from the surface of the substrate and disposed between the gate electrode and the second well; a conductive plug penetrating into the isolation and reaching the bottom thereof; and a first doping electrode region having the second conductive type, formed within the second well and below the isolation to connect the conductive plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Wei-Lin Chen, Chih-Chien Chang, Ke-Feng Lin, Chiu-Te Lee, Chih-Chung Wang, Chiu-Ling Lee
  • Patent number: 9218964
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a III-V compound semiconductor material, and the semiconductor material thus manufactured, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate comprising a first semiconductor material having a {001} orientation and an insulating layer overlaying the first semiconductor material. The insulating layer comprises a recessed region exposing an exposed region of the first semiconductor material. The method further comprises forming a buffer layer overlaying the exposed region that comprises a group IV semiconductor material. The method further comprises thermally annealing the substrate and the buffer layer, thereby roughening the buffer layer to create a rounded, double-stepped surface having a step density and a step height. A product of the step density and the step height is greater than or equal to 0.05 on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignees: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU Leuven R&D
    Inventors: Gang Wang, Matty Caymax, Maarten Leys, Wei-e Wang, Niamh Waldron