Patents by Inventor Gordon M. Grivna

Gordon M. Grivna 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).

  • Publication number: 20180261549
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate contains a plurality of openings extending partially into a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A conductive layer is formed with a first portion of the conductive layer over a remaining portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate between the openings and a second portion of the conductive layer in the openings. The remaining portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate is removed to lift-off the first portion of the conductive layer while leaving the second portion of the conductive layer in the openings. The semiconductor substrate is singulated to separate the semiconductor die leaving the second portion of the conductive layer over a surface of the semiconductor die. Alternatively, a plurality of openings is formed over each semiconductor die. A conductive layer is formed over a remaining portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate between the openings and into the openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. GRIVNA
  • Patent number: 10074611
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate contains a plurality of openings extending partially into a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A conductive layer is formed with a first portion of the conductive layer over a remaining portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate between the openings and a second portion of the conductive layer in the openings. The remaining portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate is removed to lift-off the first portion of the conductive layer while leaving the second portion of the conductive layer in the openings. The semiconductor substrate is singulated to separate the semiconductor die leaving the second portion of the conductive layer over a surface of the semiconductor die. Alternatively, a plurality of openings is formed over each semiconductor die. A conductive layer is formed over a remaining portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate between the openings and into the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna
  • Publication number: 20180254217
    Abstract: A first semiconductor substrate contains a first semiconductor material, such as silicon. A second semiconductor substrate containing a second semiconductor material, such as gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, is formed on the first semiconductor substrate. The first semiconductor substrate and second semiconductor substrate are singulated to provide a semiconductor die including a portion of the second semiconductor material supported by a portion of the first semiconductor material. The semiconductor die is disposed over a die attach area of an interconnect structure. The interconnect structure has a conductive layer and optional active region. An underfill material is deposited between the semiconductor die and die attach area of the interconnect structure. The first semiconductor material is removed from the semiconductor die and the interconnect structure is singulated to separate the semiconductor die. The first semiconductor material can be removed post interconnect structure singulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon M. GRIVNA, Stephen ST. GERMAIN
  • Publication number: 20180254259
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate contains a plurality of semiconductor die with a saw street between the semiconductor die. A plurality of bumps is formed over a first surface of the semiconductor die. An insulating layer is formed over the first surface of the semiconductor die between the bumps. A portion of a second surface of the semiconductor die is removed and a conductive layer is formed over the remaining second surface. The semiconductor substrate is disposed on a dicing tape, the semiconductor substrate is singulated through the saw street while maintaining position of the semiconductor die, and the dicing tape is expanded to impart movement of the semiconductor die and increase a space between the semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and into the space between the semiconductor die. A channel is formed through the encapsulant between the semiconductor die to separate the semiconductor die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. GRIVNA
  • Patent number: 10032937
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure includes a region of semiconductor material with a first major surface and an opposing second major surface. A contact structure is disposed in a first portion of the region of semiconductor material and includes a tub structure extending from adjacent a first portion of the first major surface. A plurality of structures comprising portions of the region of semiconductor material extend outward from a lower surface of the tub structure. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures comprises a plurality of free-standing structures. A conductive material is disposed within the tub structure and laterally surrounding the plurality of structures. In one embodiment, the contact structure facilitates the fabrication of a monolithic series switching diode structure having a low-resistance substrate contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Salih, Gordon M. Grivna, Daniel R. Heuttl, Osamu Ishimaru, Thomas Keena, Masafumi Uehara
  • Patent number: 10026605
    Abstract: In one embodiment, semiconductor die are singulated from a semiconductor wafer by placing the semiconductor wafer onto a carrier tape, forming singulation lines through the semiconductor wafer, and reducing the presence of residual contaminates on the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Michael Doub, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Publication number: 20180190542
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The method comprising providing a process chamber having a wall; providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber; providing a work piece support within the process chamber; placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece work piece; loading the work piece onto the work piece support; providing a clamping electrode for electrostatically clamping the work piece to the work piece support; providing a mechanical partition between the plasma source and the work piece; generating a plasma through the plasma source; and etching the work piece through the generated plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLC
    Inventors: Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 10014217
    Abstract: De are singulated from a wafer having a back layer by placing the wafer onto a first carrier substrate with the back layer adjacent the carrier substrate, forming singulation lines through the wafer to expose the back layer within the singulation lines, and using a plate structure to apply a pressure to the wafer to separate the back layer in the singulation lines. The pressure can be applied through the first carrier substrate proximate to the back layer, or can be applied through a second carrier substrate attached to a front side of the wafer opposite to the back layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna
  • Publication number: 20180158734
    Abstract: A method of singulating a wafer includes providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed as part of the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface. The method includes placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate. The method includes singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines after the placing the wafer on the carrier substrate, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material. The method includes applying a pressure to the entire wafer thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a fluid. The method provide a way to batch separate layers of material disposed on wafers after singulating the wafers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. GRIVNA
  • Patent number: 9991338
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a substrate and an insulating structure laterally surrounded by the substrate. In an aspect, the electronic device can include a first conductive structure or an active region that is laterally surrounded by the insulating structure and the substrate. In another aspect, the electronic device can include an inductor surrounded by the insulating structure. In a further aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench and a plurality of features, including a first feature and a second feature, within the trench; forming a first insulating layer within the trench; removing the first feature to create a first cavity; forming a second insulating layer to at least partly fill the first cavity; removing the second feature to create a second cavity; and forming a conductive or semiconductor structure within the second cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna
  • Publication number: 20180138319
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure includes a region of semiconductor material with a first major surface and an opposing second major surface. A contact structure is disposed in a first portion of the region of semiconductor material and includes a tub structure extending from adjacent a first portion of the first major surface. A plurality of structures comprising portions of the region of semiconductor material extend outward from a lower surface of the tub structure. In some embodiments, the plurality of structures comprises a plurality of free-standing structures. A conductive material is disposed within the tub structure and laterally surrounding the plurality of structures. In one embodiment, the contact structure facilitates the fabrication of a monolithic series switching diode structure having a low-resistance substrate contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ali SALIH, Gordon M. GRIVNA, Daniel R. HEUTTL, Osamu ISHIMARU, Thomas KEENA, Masafumi UEHARA
  • Patent number: 9960265
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a III-V high electron mobility semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a GaN layer, an AlGaN layer on the GaN layer wherein a 2 DEG is formed near an interface of the GaN layer and the AlGaN layer. An insulator may be on at least a first portion of the AlGaN layer and a P-type GaN gate region may be overlying a second portion of the AlGaN layer wherein the 2 DEG does not underlie the P-type GaN gate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Abhishek Banerjee, Peter Moens, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Publication number: 20180096849
    Abstract: A process of forming electronic device can include providing a substrate having a first portion and a second portion; introducing a nitrogen-containing species into the second portion of the substrate; and exposing the substrate to an oxidizing ambient, wherein a thicker oxide is grown from the first portion as compared to the second portion. In an embodiment, the process can include removing the first portion while the second portion of the substrate that includes the nitrogen-containing species remains. In another embodiment, the process can be used to form different thicknesses of an oxide layer at different portions along a sidewall of a trench. The process may be used in other applications where different thicknesses of oxide layers are to be formed during the same oxidation cycle, such as forming a tunnel dielectric layer and a gate dielectric layer for a floating gate memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Peter A. BURKE, James KIMBALL, Gordon M. GRIVNA
  • Patent number: 9917013
    Abstract: In one embodiment, die are singulated from a wafer having a back layer by placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate with the back layer adjacent the carrier substrate, forming singulation lines through the wafer to expose the back layer within the singulation lines, and applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface to batch separate the layer of material in the singulation lines. In one embodiment, a fluid filled vessel can be used to apply the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 9911654
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The method comprising providing a process chamber having a wall; providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber; providing a work piece support within the process chamber; placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece work piece; loading the work piece onto the work piece support; providing a clamping electrode for electrostatically clamping the work piece to the work piece support; providing a mechanical partition between the plasma source and the work piece; generating a plasma through the plasma source; and etching the work piece through the generated plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLC
    Inventors: Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Publication number: 20180033861
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a transistor having a drain region, a source region, a dielectric layer, and a gate electrode. The dielectric layer can have a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is relatively thicker and closer to the drain region; the second portion is relatively thinner and closer to the source region. The gate electrode of the transistor can overlie the first and second portions of the dielectric layer. In another aspect, an electronic device can be formed using two different dielectric layers having different thicknesses. A gate electrode within the electronic device can be formed over portions of the two different dielectric layers. The process can eliminate masking and doping steps that may be otherwise used to keep the drain dopant concentration closer to the concentration as originally formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gary H. Loechelt, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Publication number: 20180033669
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a semiconductor material and a semiconductor layer overlying the semiconductor material, wherein the semiconductor layer has a greater bandgap energy as compared to the semiconductor material. The electronic device can include a component having a high electrical field region and a low electrical field region. Within the high electrical field region, the semiconductor material is not present. In another embodiment, the component may not be present. In another aspect, a process can include providing a substrate and a semiconductor layer overlying the substrate; removing a first portion of the substrate to define a first trench; forming a first insulating layer within the first trench; removing a second portion of the substrate adjacent to first insulating layer to define second trench; and forming a second insulating layer within the second trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ali SALIH, Gordon M. GRIVNA
  • Publication number: 20180025982
    Abstract: A vertical OTP fuse formed in a semiconductor device has a substrate and an insulating layer formed over the substrate with an opening through the insulating layer extending to the substrate. A conductive layer, such as silicide, is formed over a sidewall of the opening. A resistive material, such as polysilicon, is deposited within the opening over the first conductive layer to form a first vertical OTP fuse. A plurality of vertical OTP fuses can be arranged in an array. A PN junction diode or transistor is formed in the substrate aligned with the first vertical OTP fuse. A second conductive layer is formed over the first vertical OTP fuse. The first vertical OTP fuse can be disposed between the second conductive layer and a third conductive layer. A second vertical OTP fuse can be formed over the first vertical OTP fuse for redundancy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jefferson W. HALL, Gordon M. GRIVNA
  • Publication number: 20180019259
    Abstract: A monolithic semiconductor device has a substrate with a power region and control region. The substrate can be a silicon-on-insulator substrate. An opening is formed in the power region and extends partially through the substrate. A semiconductor material is formed within the opening. A power semiconductor device, such as a vertical power transistor, is formed within the semiconductor material. A control logic circuit is formed in the control region. A first isolation trench is formed in the power region to isolate the power semiconductor device and control logic circuit. A second isolation trench is formed in the control region to isolate a first control logic circuit from a second control logic circuit. An interconnect structure is formed over the power region and control region to provide electrical interconnect between the control logic circuit and power semiconductor device. A termination trench is formed in the power region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jefferson W. HALL, Gordon M. GRIVNA
  • Publication number: 20180012994
    Abstract: A MOSFET having a stacked-gate super-junction design and novel termination structure. At least some illustrative embodiments of the device include a conductive (highly-doped with dopants of a first conductivity type) substrate with a lightly-doped epitaxial layer. The volume of the epitaxial layer is substantially filled with a charge compensation structure having vertical trenches forming intermediate mesas. The mesas are moderately doped via the trench sidewalls to have a second conductivity type, while the mesa tops are heavily-doped to have the first conductivity type. Sidewall layers are provided in the vertical trenches, the sidewall layers being a moderately-doped semiconductor of the first conductivity type. The shoulders of the sidewall layers are recessed below the mesa top to receive an overlying gate for controlling a channel between the mesa top and the sidewall layer. The mesa tops are coupled to a source electrode, while a drain electrode is provided on the back side of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gary H. LOECHELT, Gordon M. GRIVNA