Patents Examined by William A. Mintel
  • Patent number: 5914509
    Abstract: A non-volatile two terminal programmable logic element and associated methods for charging and discharging are disclosed. The logic element includes one input and one output terminal, a first capacitor region, a second capacitor region, and a floating gate (transistor-type) structure. The first capacitor region does not permit tunneling. The second capacitor region permits tunneling between its respective electrodes when a predetermined voltage, substantially higher than the normal operating voltage is applied. The source is connected to the input terminal and one electrode of the first capacitor region. The drain is connected to the output terminal and one electrode of the second capacitor region. The floating gate is connected to the other electrodes of the first and second capacitor regions. A programmable logic device constructed from these elements and associated methods of programming and erasing such a device are also shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Dominik Schmidt, Raminda Madurawe
  • Patent number: 5914507
    Abstract: A micromechanical device or microactuator based upon the piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and electrostrictive properties of ferroelectric thin film ceramic materials such as PZT. The microdevice has a device substrate and a deflectable component. The deflectable component is mounted for deflection on the device substrate and has a sensor/actuator. The sensor/actuator has first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric thin film disposed between the first and second electrodes. The thin film is preferably PZT. The sensor/actuator is disposed on a sensor/actuator substrate. The sensor/actuator substrate is formed of a material selected for being resistive to attack by hydrofluoric acid vapor. The invention also relates to a method for fabricating such micromechanical devices or microactuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Dennis L. Polla, Joon Han Kim
  • Patent number: 5912479
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a junction gate type field effect transistor which are formed on a semiconductor base. A base region and graft base regions of the heterojunction bipolar transistor, and a channel region and source/drain regions of the junction gate type field effect transistor, are formed of a first semiconductor layer of a first conduction type. The first semiconductor layer is formed of mixed crystals of silicon-germanium which has a higher carrier mobility than silicon. An emitter region of the heterojunction bipolar transistor and a gate region of the junction gate type field effect transistor are formed of a second semiconductor layer of a second conduction type which makes a heterojunction with the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Mori, Takayuki Gomi
  • Patent number: 5912475
    Abstract: An optical semiconductor device includes an n-type InP substrate having top and bottom surfaces; a stripe-shaped mesa structure including an n-type cladding layer, a multi quantum well layer, and a p-type first upper cladding layer disposed on the top surface of the substrate; a first layer of a semi-insulating material, an n-type InP hole blocking layer having a carrier concentration equal to or less than 4.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 and more than 1.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3, and a second layer of the semi-insulating material disposed burying the mesa structure; a second p-type cladding layer and a p-type contact layer disposed on the mesa structure and on the second layer of the semi-insulating material, and p side electrodes spaced from each other in a stripe direction of the mesa structure, disposed on the p-type contact layer; and an n side electrode disposed on the bottom surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takushi Itagaki, Daisuke Suzuki, Tatsuya Kimura
  • Patent number: 5912495
    Abstract: The invention relates to a structure for and the method of manufacturing a driver circuit for an inductive load monolithically integrated on a semiconductor substrate doped with a first type of doping agent and on which is grown an epitaxial well having a second type of doping agent. An insulated well doped with the same type of doping agent as the substrate, which houses at least one power transistor of the driver circuit, is provided within the epitaxial well. The epitaxial well also houses a first and a second active area which house the cathode terminal and anode terminal of a protection diode, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Riccardo Depetro, Aldo Novelli
  • Patent number: 5912484
    Abstract: An intrinsic device section is provided by laminating a drain area, an intermediate area, and a source area above a GaAs substrate and by forming a channel area at one oblique surface thereof. A drain electrode ohmic connected to the drain area extends toward the output side, a source electrode ohmic connected to the source area extends above the drain electrode with a dielectric layer placed therebetween, and thereby an output micro-wave transmission line is formed. A gate electrode Schottky connected to the channel area extends toward the input side, the source electrode extends above the drain electrode with the dielectric layer placed therebetween, and thereby an input micro-wave transmission line formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Ishikawa, Koichi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5907165
    Abstract: The specification describes a metal contact material optimized for diffused contacts to the buried emitter-base junction in DHBT devices. The metal contact material is a multilayer structure of Pd-Pt-Au which gives the required critical diffusion properties for low resistance contacts to the buried base layer without shorting to the collector layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Alan Hamm, Rose Fasano Kopf, Robert William Ryan, Alaric Tate
  • Patent number: 5907173
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a high voltage field effect transistor and fabricating the same. A high voltage field effect transistor includes a semiconductor substrate, a first conductivity type well in the semiconductor substrate, first and second conductivity type drift regions in the first conductivity type well, heavily doped impurity regions having first and second conductivity types in the first conductivity type drift region, a heavily doped second conductivity type impurity region in the second conductivity type drift region, and a lightly doped second conductivity type buffer layer in the second conductivity type drift region to surround the heavily doped second conductivity type impurity region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Oh Kyong Kwon, Mueng Ryul Lee
  • Patent number: 5907176
    Abstract: The invention encompasses integrated circuits and SRAM cells. In one aspect, the invention includes an integrated circuit comprising: a) an electrically insulative pillar extending substantially vertically outward of an underlying layer, the pillar having opposing substantially vertical side surfaces and a top, the pillar being taller than it is wide; b) a resistor comprising a layer of material which extends along both pillar vertical surfaces and over the top of the pillar; c) a first node in electrical connection with the resistor on one side of the insulative pillar; and d) a second node in electrical connection with the resistor on the other side of the insulative pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Ceredig Roberts
  • Patent number: 5905277
    Abstract: A channel layer made of n-type GaAs doped with Si, a hole absorption layer made of InGaAs having a valance band higher in energy level than that of GaAs, and an undoped layer made of GaAs are formed sequentially on a semi-insulating substrate made of GaAs. A gate recess region having a pair of sidewall portions each consisting of an upper sidewall composed of the undoped layer and a lower sidewall composed of the hole absorption layer is formed on the channel region. The channel region is exposed in the gate recess region. An indent having an undercut configuration is formed in the lower sidewall of the gate recess region. A gate electrode is formed to extend over a stepped portion composed of the sidewall portion of the gate recess region closer to a drain electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yorito Ota, Hiroyuki Masato, Shigeru Morimoto, Junko Iwanaga
  • Patent number: 5905285
    Abstract: A field effect transistor comprising a semiconductor substrate having a transistor trench extending downward from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. The trench extends to a trench depth below an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. The transistor further includes a gate dielectric layer that is formed on a floor of the transistor trench over a channel region of the semiconductor substrate. A conductive gate structure is formed above and in contact with the gate dielectric layer. A source/drain impurity distribution is formed within a source/drain region of the semiconductor substrate. The source/drain region is laterally disposed on either side of the channel region of the semiconductor substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the trench depth is between 1,000-5,000 angstroms and a thickness of the conductive gate structure is less than 5,000 angstroms such that an upper surface of the conductive gate structure is level with or below an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark I. Gardner, Fred N. Hause
  • Patent number: 5900641
    Abstract: A field-effect transistor including a channel layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a high-resistance layer provided on the channel layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode and a gate electrode provided in an opening formed in the high-resistance layer, wherein the high-resistance layer is defined by a first side-wall facing the source electrode and a second side-wall facing the drain electrode, such that the first side-wall is separated from the source electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Naoki Hara, Shuichi Tanaka, Masahiko Takikawa
  • Patent number: 5900656
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity-type, a first electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate for charging/discharging charges, a second electrode formed on the first electrode for controlling charging/discharging and data reading/writing of the first electrode, and a charge input/output stage formed on the semiconductor substrate on at least one side of the second electrode for supplying charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keun Hyung Park
  • Patent number: 5900647
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention includes: an SiC substrate; an SiC growth layer for absorbing a grating defect of the SiC substrate and/or a damage at and in the vicinity of a surface of the SiC substrate; and Ga.sub.x Al.sub.y In.sub.1-x-y N (0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1) layer formed on the SiC growth layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Inoguchi
  • Patent number: 5898199
    Abstract: A high voltage semiconductor device is provided with a p layer which forms a main pn-junction, a plurality of p layers which surround the p layer in a ring form, a ring-like n+ layer which further surrounds those p layers, forward field plates extending in the peripheral direction and reverse field plates extending in the inside direction, the field plates being in contact at a low resistance with the p and n+ layers and reaching the surface of an n- layer through an insulating film, the area of the field plates being not less than one half of the n- surface. This arrangement is particularly effective in stabilizing the blocking voltage of a high voltage semiconductor device which is used in a severe environment, and is very effective in improving the reliability of a high voltage control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mutsuhiro Mori, Yasumichi Yasuda, Hiromi Hosoya
  • Patent number: 5898221
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate and a wiring layer, which is doped with an impurity, located on the substrate. The semiconductor device has upper and lower wiring layers apart from each other. An electric insulating film electrically insulates between the upper and lower wiring layers. The insulating film has a contact hole. A wiring material is packed with the contact hole to electrically connect the upper and lower wiring layers. The impurity is contained in the lower wiring layer to decrease its resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Mizuhara, Shinichi Tanimoto, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Yasunori Inoue
  • Patent number: 5898186
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer having dice that include circuitry that is placed into a mode when the circuitry receives an alternating signal having certain characteristics. The alternating signal may be supplied from a system controller through a probe, probe pad, and conductive path on the wafer. In a preferred embodiment, the conductive path simultaneously carries a VCC power signal and the alternating signal to the circuitry. However, the alternating signal may be carried on a conductive path different from the one carrying the VCC signal. A great deal of information may be conveyed through the alternating signal, making other signals unnecessary in controlling, testing, stressing, and repairing dice on the wafer. For example, clocking information may be conveyed through the alternating signal. The circuitry may be placed in different modes in response to different characteristics of the alternating signal. The alternating signal and a VCC power signal are received through a single contact on each die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Warren M. Farnworth, Leland R. Nevill, Raymond J. Beffa, Eugene H. Cloud
  • Patent number: 5895929
    Abstract: A low subthreshold leakage current, p-channel HFET including a GaAs supporting substrate with a first GaAs buffer layer and a first Al.sub.0.75 Ga.sub.0.25 As diffusion barrier layer formed thereon and a low temperature grown layer, including one of GaAs and AlGaAs, grown at 200.degree. C. on the first diffusion barrier layer. A second Al.sub.0.75 Ga.sub.0.25 As diffusion barrier layer is positioned on the low temperature grown layer and a second GaAs buffer layer is grown on the second diffusion barrier layer. A p-channel HFET is formed on the second buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Abrokwah, Rodolfo Lucero, Bruce Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 5895937
    Abstract: A method of etching openings in a dielectric layer of a semiconductor device by utilizing a novel etchant gas system of sulfur hexafluoride/chlorine such that sloped sidewalls can be formed in the openings having a desired taper of between about 20.degree. and about 85.degree. for achieving improved step coverage and profile control of the TFT fabrication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuh-Jia (Jim) Su, Yuen-Kui (Jerry) Wong, Kam S. Law, Haruhiro (Harry) Goto
  • Patent number: 5895936
    Abstract: An image capture panel particularly useful in radiographic application is disclosed, in which the active image capture area of individual sensors having top and bottom charge collecting microplates arrayed in rows and columns is extended by providing an additional charge capture conductive strip over sensor areas which are not normally covered by a charge collecting microplate. The strip may be made integral with the top microplate or may be separate and electrically connected thereto at a single point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Direct Radiography Co.
    Inventor: Denny Lap Yen Lee