Patents Examined by Wael Fahmy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6773964
    Abstract: There exist a need in the art for an IC package that prevents the popcorn effect through every process step in forming an electronic device, as well as during operation of the device. This need is met by an integrated circuit package and a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit package which, during dispensing of an adhesive layer includes at least one via formed by dispensing the adhesive layer in a pattern such that it enables the release of vapor trapped in the integrated circuit package after the attachment of the heat spreader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Xuejun Fan
  • Patent number: 6770926
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same for simplifying a fabrication process of the semiconductor device and enhancing the performance and yield of the device. A first metal wiring on a semiconductor substrate serves as a first electrode of a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor. A dielectric film pattern is formed on the first metal wiring. A first via-contact plug on the dielectric film pattern contacts a side of the first metal wiring. An interlayer insulation film is formed having second via-contact plugs in a parallel array structure. The second via-contact plugs contact the dielectric film pattern and serve as a second electrode of the MIM capacitor. A second metal wiring is formed on the interlayer insulation film to contact the first via-contact plug and the second via-contact plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kil Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 6764904
    Abstract: A device structure and method for a non-volatile semiconductor device comprises a trenched floating gate and a control gate and further includes a source region, a drain region, a channel region, and an inter-gate dielectric layer. The trenched floating gate is formed in a trench etched into the semiconductor substrate. The trenched floating gate has a top surface which is substantially planar with a top surface of the substrate. The source and drain region have a depth approximately equal to or greater than the depth of the trench and partially extend laterally underneath the bottom of the trench. The inter-gate dielectric layer is formed on the top surface of the trenched floating gate, and the control gate is formed on the inter-gate dielectric layer. In one embodiment, the device structure also includes sidewall dopings that are implanted regions formed in the semiconductor substrate which extend substantially vertically along the length of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Yowjuang W. Liu, Donald L. Wollesen
  • Patent number: 6762084
    Abstract: A gate insulating film in a memory cell portion is thicker than a gate insulating film in a peripheral circuitry. Source/drain of an MOS transistor in the memory cell portion have double-diffusion-layer structures, respectively, and source/drain of an MOS transistor in the peripheral circuitry have triple-diffusion-layer structures, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Masahiro Shimizu, Yoshinori Tanaka, Hideaki Arima
  • Patent number: 6756634
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a silicon nitride layer over and against a floating gate; and b) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a floating gate layer over a substrate; b) forming a silicon nitride layer over the floating gate layer, the silicon nitride layer comprising a first portion and a second portion elevationally displaced from the first portion, the first portion having a greater stoichiometric amount of silicon than the second portion; and c) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Mark Fischer, John T. Moore, Scott Jeffrey DeBoer
  • Patent number: 6730959
    Abstract: A flash memory device includes a substrate having a trench, a deep N-type well region in the substrate, a stacked gate structure on the substrate, a first and a second spacer on a sidewall of the stacked gate, wherein the first spacer is connected with the top of the trench, a source region in the substrate under the first spacer, a drain region in the substrate under the second spacer, a P-type well region between the stacked gate and the deep N-type well region, wherein the junction between the two well regions is higher than the bottom of the trench, a doped region along the bottom and the sidewall of the trench, wherein this doped region is connected with the source region and isolates the P-type well region from the contact formed in the trench, the contact being electrically connected to the source region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Wei Hung, Da Sung, Chih-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 6723634
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices comprising interconnects with improved adhesion of barrier layers to dielectric layers are formed by laser thermal annealing, in N2 and H2, exposed surfaces of a dielectric layer defining an opening, and then depositing Ta to form a composite layer lining the opening. Embodiments include forming a dual damascene opening in an interlayer dielectric comprising F-containing dielectric material, such as F-silicon oxide derived from F-TEOS, impinging a pulsed laser light beam on exposed surfaces of the F-silicon oxide defining the opening in a flow of N2 and H2, and then depositing Ta to form a composite barrier layer comprising graded tantalum nitride and &agr;-Ta lining the opening. Laser thermal annealing in N2 and H2 depletes the exposed silicon oxide surfaces of F while enriching the surfaces with N2. Deposited Ta reacts with the N2 in the N2-enriched surface region to form a composite barrier layer comprising a graded layer of tantalum nitride and a layer of &agr;-Ta thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Minh Van Ngo, Dawn Hopper
  • Patent number: 6713404
    Abstract: The invention includes a semiconductor construction comprising a semiconductor substrate, and a first layer comprising silicon and nitrogen over the substrate. A second layer comprising at least 50 weight % carbon is over and physically against the first layer, and a third layer consisting essentially of a photoresist system is over and physically against the second layer. The invention also includes methodology for forming the semiconductor construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Hishiro
  • Patent number: 6707166
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first wall and a second wall. The first wall is arranged in a pad region which surrounds a chip region, and the second wall is arranged on a semiconductor chip mounted in the chip region. Conductive are arranged between the first wall and the second wall and are encapsulated by a encapsulating material formed between the first and second walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 6690058
    Abstract: A self-aligned multi-bit flash memory cell of the present invention comprises two floating-gate structures with a spacing dielectric layer being formed therebetween; a planarized control-gate layer over an intergate-dielectric layer being formed over the two floating-gate structures and the spacing dielectric layer; and a common-source/drain conductive bit line together with a first sidewall dielectric spacer being formed over a flat bed formed by a common-source/drain diffusion region and nearby etched raised field-oxide layers. A contact less multi-bit flash memory array of the present invention comprises a plurality of common-source/drain conductive bit lines being formed transversely to a plurality of parallel STI regions and a plurality of word lines integrated with a plurality of planarized control-gate layers of the described cells being patterned and formed transversely to the plurality of common-source/drain conductive bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Inventor: Ching-Yuan Wu
  • Patent number: 6677679
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first metallization level, a first diffusion barrier layer, a first etch stop layer, a second etch top layer, a dielectric layer and an opening extending through the dielectric layer, the first and second etch stop layers, and the first diffusion barrier layer. The first diffusion barrier layer is disposed over the first metallization level. The second etch stop layer is disposed over the first diffusion barrier layer, and the first etch stop layer is disposed on the second etch stop layer with a first interface therebetween. The dielectric layer is disposed over the first etch stop layer. The opening can also have rounded corners. A sidewall diffusion barrier layer can be disposed on sidewalls of the opening, and the sidewall diffusion barrier layer is formed from the same material as the first diffusion barrier layer. The first etch stop layer and the barrier diffusion layer can be formed from silicon nitride, and the second etch stop layer can be formed from silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Lu You, Fei Wang, Dawn M. Hopper
  • Patent number: 6677667
    Abstract: A leadless leadframe semiconductor package comprising a plurality of contacts, which have contact surfaces on the bottom surface of the package. At least some of the contacts have integrally formed stems that extend outward to the peripheral surface of the package. These stems have heights and widths less than the heights and widths of their corresponding contacts. A molded cap encapsulates at least a portion of the die, the stems and the contacts. The molded cap leaves the contact surfaces of the contacts exposed on the bottom surface of the package, leaves a peripheral surface of the stems exposed on the peripheral surface of the package, and covers a bottom surface of each of the stems. Another aspect of the invention pertains to a leadless leadframe panel assembly having a conductive substrate panel that has at least one array of device areas, each array of device areas having a plurality of tie bars and a plurality of contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Harry Kam Cheng Hong, Hu Ah Lek, Santhiran Nadarajah, Sharon Ko Mei Wan, Chan Peng Yeen, Jaime Bayan, Peter Howard Spalding
  • Patent number: 6674112
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a semiconductor substrate and operates when supplied with appositive supply voltage and a circuit ground potential. The device has word lines, pairs of bit lines, data storage capacitors, and N-channel MOSFETs each having a gate connected to any one of the word lines and a source-drain path interposed between one of the paired bit lines on the one hand and a terminal of any one of the data storage capacitors on the other hand. A positive internal voltage higher than a circuit ground potential is generated and fed as a bias voltage to P-type regions wherein address selection MOSFETs of dynamic memory cells are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Tadaki, Yutaka Ito
  • Patent number: 6670632
    Abstract: A reticle comprises a first area including a desired circuit pattern and a second area including alignment marks arranged at specific positions, the first area and the second area being located in an exposure range of an optical exposure apparatus. Each of the alignment marks comprises mark elements arranged to form a first geometric shape. Each of the mark elements has main sub-elements arranged in a specific direction at first pitches to form a second geometric shape, a first auxiliary sub-element located at one end of the second geometric shape, a second auxiliary sub-element located at the other end of the second geometric shape. The first auxiliary sub-element is apart from a first one of the main sub-elements at a second pitch. The second auxiliary sub-element is apart from a second one of the main sub-elements at a third pitch. Each of the main sub-elements is resolvable in the apparatus. Each of the first and second auxiliary sub-elements is irresolvable in the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6670690
    Abstract: A method and structure for forming a modified field oxide region having increased field oxide threshold voltages (Vth) and/or reduced leakage currents between adjacent device areas is achieved. The method involves forming a field oxide using the conventional local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) using a patterned silicon nitride layer as a barrier to oxidation. After forming the LOCOS field oxide by thermal oxidation and removing the silicon nitride, a conformal insulating layer composed of silicon oxide is deposited and anisotropically etched back to form sidewall insulating portions over the bird's beak on the edge of the LOCOS field oxide, thereby forming a new modified field oxide. P-channel implants are formed in the device areas. Then a second implant is used to implant through the modified field oxide to provide channel-stop regions with modified profiles that increase the field oxide Vth and/or reduce leakage current between device areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Chue-San Yoo, Cheng-Yeh Shih
  • Patent number: 6667502
    Abstract: Structurally-stable, tall capacitors having unique three-dimensional architectures for semiconductor devices are disclosed. The capacitors include monolithically-fabricated upright microstructures, i.e., those having large height/width (H/W) ratios, which are mechanical reinforcement against shear forces and the like, by a brace layer that transversely extends between lateral sides of at least two of the free-standing microstructures. The brace layer is formed as a microbridge type structure spanning between the upper ends of the two or more microstructures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishnu K. Agarwal, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 6656810
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device capable of reducing dispersion in electrical characteristics, preventing occurrence of bridge shortcircuit in a silicide process and operating at high operating speed and method for fabricating the same. In a SOI substrate obtained by forming an insulating layer 2 and a SOI layer 3 on a silicon substrate 1, there are formed a channel region 19, an LDD region 15a and source and drain junction regions 17 and 18 in the SOI layer 3. A gate electrode 14 whose both side walls have a shape roughly perpendicular to the SOI substrate is formed via a gate insulating film on the channel region 19. An oxide film spacer 16 is formed on the LDD region 15a on both side wall sides of the gate electrode 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasumori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 6656764
    Abstract: A CMOS device structure, and a method of fabricating the CMOS device, featuring a gate insulator layer comprised of a high k metal oxide layer, has been developed. The process features formation of recessed, heavily doped source/drain regions, and of vertical, polysilicon LDD spacers, prior to deposition of the high k metal oxide layer. Removal of a silicon nitride shape, previously used as a mask for definition of the recessed regions, which in turn are used for accommodation of the heavily doped source/drain regions, provides the space to be occupied by the high k metal oxide layer. The integrity of the high k, gate insulator layer, butted by the vertical polysilicon spacers, and overlying a channel region provided by the non-recessed portion of the semiconductor substrate, is preserved via delayed deposition of the metal oxide layer, performed after high temperature anneals such as the activation anneal for heavily doped source/drain regions, as well as the anneal used for metal silicide formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ming-Fang Wang, Chien-Hao Chen, Liang-Gi Yao, Shih-Chang Chen
  • Patent number: 6657277
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming an antifuse via structure. The antifuse via structures comprising a substrate that having a first conductive wire therein. Then, a first dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, and a photoresist layer is formed on the first dielectric layer. Next, an etching process is performed to etch the first dielectric layer to form a via open in the first dielectric layer. Then, a first conductive layer is deposited to fill the via open and performing a polishing process to form a conductive plug, wherein the conductive plug is on the first conductive wire. Next, a buffer layer deposited on the partial first dielectric layer and on the surface of conductive plug. Then another polishing process is performed to the buffer layer to expose the portion of the conductive plug. Thereafter, a first electrode of capacitor is deposited on the buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tsong-Minn Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6657275
    Abstract: An integrated circuit package and land side capacitor with reduced power delivery loop inductance. The capacitor pads have vias that lie underneath the land side capacitor, and have interposed digits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Chee-Yee Chung, David G. Figueroa, Yuan-Liang Li