Patents by Inventor Gerd Lichter

Gerd Lichter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6794259
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a self-aligning mask layer includes the steps of forming a surface to be masked in a carrier substrate, the surface having different radii of curvature, forming an undensified conformal insulation layer on the surface such that, on account of the different radii of curvature, regions with different mechanical stress are produced in the insulation layer, and carrying out an etching-back to remove partial regions of the insulation layer in a manner dependent on the different mechanical stress in the insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Gerd Lichter
  • Patent number: 6724055
    Abstract: The semiconductor structure has an interconnect that is isolated by a cavity from an underlying insulating layer on a support. The fabrication method provides for the interconnect firstly to be patterned on a double layer and to be provided with an insulating covering. Then, an opening is etched into the insulating covering, and the lower conductive layer is selectively removed. As a result, one the one hand, low-capacitance wiring can be fabricated and, on the other hand, this enables MOS transistors to be programmed in a simple manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Gerd Lichter
  • Patent number: 6524917
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fabricating an integrated circuit, comprising the following steps: preparing a substrate (1) with an electrically insulating layer (2) above it; providing an interconnect (WL) having a lower conductive layer (3) and an upper conductive layer (4) on the insulating layer (2), the lower conductive layer (3) consisting of silicon of a first conduction type (n); embedding the interconnect (WL) in an electrically insulating structure (5, 8); reversing the doping of at least one first section (A1; A2) of the lower conductive layer (3) of the interconnect (WL) to the second conduction type (p); and at least partially uncovering a second section (A3) of the lower conductive layer (3) of the interconnect (WL) of the first conduction type (n); and selectively etching the second section (A3) of the lower conductive layer (3) of the interconnect (WL) of the first conduction type (n), with the first section (A1; A2) acting as an etching stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies, AG
    Inventor: Gerd Lichter
  • Publication number: 20030017668
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a self-aligning mask layer includes the steps of forming a surface to be masked in a carrier substrate, the surface having different radii of curvature, forming an undensified conformal insulation layer on the surface such that, on account of the different radii of curvature, regions with different mechanical stress are produced in the insulation layer, and carrying out an etching-back to remove partial regions of the insulation layer in a manner dependent on the different mechanical stress in the insulation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventor: Gerd Lichter
  • Publication number: 20020182808
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fabricating an integrated circuit, comprising the following steps: preparing a substrate (1) with an electrically insulating layer (2) above it; providing an interconnect (WL) having a lower conductive layer (3) and an upper conductive layer (4) on the insulating layer (2), the lower conductive layer (3) consisting of silicon of a first conduction type (n); embedding the interconnect (WL) in an electrically insulating structure (5, 8); reversing the doping of at least one first section (A1; A2) of the lower conductive layer (3) of the interconnect (WL) to the second conduction type (p); and at least partially uncovering a second section (A3) of the lower conductive layer (3) of the interconnect (WL) of the first conduction type (n); and selectively etching the second section (A3) of the lower conductive layer (3) of the interconnect (WL) of the first conduction type (n), with the first section (A1; A2) acting as an etching stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventor: Gerd Lichter
  • Publication number: 20020066932
    Abstract: The semiconductor structure has an interconnect that is isolated by a cavity from an underlying insulating layer on a support. The fabrication method provides for the interconnect firstly to be patterned on a double layer and to be provided with an insulating covering. Then, an opening is etched into the insulating covering, and the lower conductive layer is selectively removed. As a result, one the one hand, low-capacitance wiring can be fabricated and, on the other hand, this enables MOS transistors to be programmed in a simple manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventor: Gerd Lichter
  • Patent number: 6310361
    Abstract: The test structure has a row of transistors with at least two transistors. The S/D regions of the transistors are connected in series and the first and the last S/D region in the row can be connected. Possible etching of the gate polysilicon can be ascertained by measuring the resistance between the terminals given a suitable gate potential. The invention enables, in particular, in situ monitoring of a KOH attack on the n-doped gate polysilicon in a DRAM memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Gerd Lichter