Patents by Inventor Jörn Lützen

Jörn Lützen 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: 7208370
    Abstract: To fabricate a vertical transistor, a trench is provided, the side wall of which is formed by a semiconductor substrate in single crystal form and the base of which is formed by a polycrystalline semiconductor substrate. A transition region is arranged between the side wall and the base. A semiconductor layer is deposited so that an epitaxial semiconductor layer grows on the side wall and a semiconductor layer grows on the base, with a space remaining between these layers. The semiconductor layers are covered with a thin dielectric, which partially limits a flow of current, and the space is filled. During a subsequent heat treatment, dopants diffuse out of the conductive material into the epitaxial semiconductor layer, where they form a doping region. The thin dielectric limits the diffusion of the dopants into the semiconductor substrate and prevents the propagation of crystal lattice defects into the epitaxial semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Joern Luetzen
  • Patent number: 7087484
    Abstract: In a method for fabricating trench capacitors, in particular for memory cells having at least one selection transistor for integrated semiconductor memories, a trench for the trench capacitor is formed. The trench has a lower trench region, in which the capacitor is disposed, and an upper trench region, in which an electrically conductive connection from an electrode of the capacitor to a diffusion zone of the selection transistor is disposed. The method reduces the number of process steps for the fabrication of memory cells and enables fabrication of buried collars in the storage capacitors with an insulation quality as required for the fabrication of very large-scale integrated memory cells (<300 nm trench diameter).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Matthias Goldbach, Jörn Lützen, Andreas Orth
  • Patent number: 7084043
    Abstract: A method for producing a silicon-on-insulator layer structure on a silicon surface with any desired geometry can locally produce the silicon-on-insulator structure. The method includes formation of mesopores in the silicon surface region, oxidation of the mesopore surface to form silicon oxide and rib regions from silicon in single-crystal form; and execution of a selective epitaxy process that that silicon grows on the uncovered rib regions, selectively with respect to the silicon oxide regions. Rib regions remain in place between adjacent mesopores, this step being ended as soon as a predetermined minimum silicon wall thickness of the rib regions is reached, the uncovering of the rib regions, which are arranged at the end remote from the semiconductor substrate between adjacent mesopores. The method can be used to fabricate a vertical transistor and a memory cell having a select transistor of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Steffen Breuer, Matthias Goldbach, Joern Luetzen, Dirk Schumann
  • Patent number: 7041568
    Abstract: A structure on a layer surface of the semiconductor wafer has at least one first area region (8, 9), which is reflective for electromagnetic radiation, and at least one second, essentially nonreflecting area region (10, 11, 12). A light-transmissive insulation layer (13) and a light-sensitive layer are produced on said layer surface. The electromagnetic radiation is directed onto the light-sensitive layer with an angle ? of incidence and the structure of the layer surface is imaged with a lateral offset into the light-sensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Matthias Goldbach, Thomas Hecht, Jörn Lützen, Bernhard Sell
  • Publication number: 20060017132
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a dielectric on a semiconductor body having the following steps that are to be performed successively: provision of a semiconductor body, application of a dielectric layer on at least parts of a first surface of the semiconductor body in such a way as at least partly to form an interface between the dielectric layer and the semiconductor body, and thermal annealing of the semiconductor body and the dielectric layer. The method according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that temporally prior to the annealing, for the purpose of improving the saturation and the electrical properties, fluorine-containing particles are introduced into regions of the semiconductor body and/or of the dielectric layer which adjoin the interface. The present invention furthermore relates to a corresponding semiconductor structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Andreas Weber, Till Schloesser, Joern Luetzen
  • Patent number: 6977405
    Abstract: In order to fabricate a semiconductor memory, a trench capacitor is arranged in a first trench. Beside the first trench, a first longitudinal trench and, parallel on the other side of the first trench, a second longitudinal trench are arranged in the substrate. A first spacer word line is arranged in the first longitudinal trench and a second spacer word line is arranged in the second longitudinal trench. There are arranged in the first trench connecting webs between the first spacer word line and the second spacer word line which have a thickness which, in the direction of the first spacer word line, is less than half the width of the first trench in the direction of the first spacer word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies, AG
    Inventors: Jörn Lützen, Bernd Goebel, Dirk Schumann, Martin Gutsche, Harald Seidl, Martin Popp, Alfred Kersch, Werner Steinhögl
  • Patent number: 6939805
    Abstract: To fabricate a trench capacitor in a substrate, a trench is formed in the substrate. The trench has an upper region and a lower region. In the trench, first of all nanocrystallites and/or a seed layer for nanocrystallites are deposited in the upper region and the lower region. Then, the nanocrystallites and/or the seed layer are removed from the upper region of the trench by means of an etching process. The etching parameters of the etching process are selected in such a way that the seed layer and/or the nanocrystallites which are uncovered in the upper region and the lower region are removed only from the upper region. Consequently, an expensive mask layer can be avoided in the lower region of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jörn Lützen, Barbara Schmidt, Stefan Rongen, Martin Schrems, Daniel Köhler
  • Patent number: 6919255
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor trench structure includes forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate and filling it with a filler. A first thermal process having a first maximum temperature cures the filler. Removing the filler from an upper region of the trench as far as a boundary surface defines a collar region. In a second thermal process having a second maximum temperature that is not significantly higher than the first maximum temperature, a liner is deposited on the collar region and the boundary surface. The liner is removed from the boundary surface, thereby exposing the filler. The filler is then removed from a lower region of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Matthias Goldbach, Thomas Hecht, Lars Heineck, Stephan Kudelka, Jörn Lützen, Dirk Manger, Andreas Orth
  • Patent number: 6916721
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a trench capacitor with an insulation collar in a substrate, which is electrically connected to the substrate on one side via a buried contact, using a hard mask with a corresponding mask opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Lars Heineck, Stephan Kudelka, Jörn Lützen, Hans-Peter Moll, Martin Popp, Till Schlösser, Johann Steinmetz
  • Patent number: 6863769
    Abstract: A base body is provided, on which a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring are disposed. A substrate is disposed on the sealing rings in such a way that a cavity is formed between the first sealing ring, the second sealing ring, the base body and the substrate. An etching substance can be introduced into the cavity in order to etch clear a conductive layer that has been applied to the substrate. When a conductive layer that has been applied to the substrate back surface has been uncovered, an electrolyte can be introduced into the cavity, making contact with the conductive layer and therefore the substrate back surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Martin Franosch, Matthias Goldbach, Volker Lehmann, Jörn Lützen
  • Patent number: 6861312
    Abstract: An insulation region, for example, an oxide collar, is formed in a trench structure for a DRAM by first widening a first trench region of the trench that is to be formed, in particular, a base region thereof. At least part of the widened region is then provided with a material region for the insulation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Matthias Goldbach, Joern Luetzen
  • Patent number: 6853023
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell configuration includes dynamic memory cells respectively having a trench capacitor and a vertical selection transistor, the memory cells being disposed in matrix form, the trench capacitors and the associated vertical selection transistors following one another in each case in the form of rows and/or columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Bernd Goebel, Jörn Lützen, Martin Popp, Harald Seidl
  • Publication number: 20040256665
    Abstract: To fabricate a vertical transistor, a trench is provided, the side wall of which is formed by a semiconductor substrate in single crystal form and the base of which is formed by a polycrystalline semiconductor substrate. A transition region is arranged between the side wall and the base. A semiconductor layer is deposited so that an epitaxial semiconductor layer grows on the side wall and a semiconductor layer grows on the base, with a space remaining between these layers. The semiconductor layers are covered with a thin dielectric, which partially limits a flow of current, and the space is filled. During a subsequent heat treatment, dopants diffuse out of the conductive material into the epitaxial semiconductor layer, where they form a doping region. The thin dielectric limits the diffusion of the dopants into the semiconductor substrate and prevents the propagation of crystal lattice defects into the epitaxial semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Joern Luetzen
  • Publication number: 20040197965
    Abstract: A method for producing a silicon-on-insulator layer structure on a silicon surface with any desired geometry can locally produce the silicon-on-insulator structure. The method includes formation of mesopores in the silicon surface region, oxidation of the mesopore surface to form silicon oxide and rib regions from silicon in single-crystal form; and execution of a selective epitaxy process that that silicon grows on the uncovered rib regions, selectively with respect to the silicon oxide regions. Rib regions remain in place between adjacent mesopores, this step being ended as soon as a predetermined minimum silicon wall thickness of the rib regions is reached, the uncovering of the rib regions, which are arranged at the end remote from the semiconductor substrate between adjacent mesopores. The method can be used to fabricate a vertical transistor and a memory cell having a select transistor of this type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Steffen Breuer, Matthias Goldbach, Joern Luetzen, Dirk Schumann
  • Publication number: 20040152317
    Abstract: Method for increasing the structure density and/or the storage capacitance of structures to be introduced into a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer having a marking. prescribing a breaking direction and the structures being imaged onto the semiconductor wafer by means of an exposure device and a mask, whose mask layout prescribes the structures. The semiconductor wafer is rotated by 45 degrees in its plane with regard to the mask layout prior to the imaging of the structures and provided with a marking prescribing a new breaking direction parallel to a <100> crystal orientation. The further process steps take place unchanged with respect to nonrotated semiconductor wafers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Joern Luetzen, Albert Birner, Stephan Kudelka, Helmut Tews, Rolf Weis
  • Patent number: 6756626
    Abstract: A trench capacitor has a bottle-shaped trench in a semiconductor substrate. The bottle-shaped trench has a wider lower region and a narrower upper region. An outer electrode layer is formed in the semiconductor substrate around a lower section of the wider lower region of the trench. A dielectric intermediate layer is provided on the lower section of the trench wall in the wider lower region of the trench. A first, thick insulation layer, which adjoins the dielectric intermediate layer, is provided on an upper section of the trench wall in the wider lower region of the trench. A second, thin insulation layer, which adjoins the first thick insulation layer, is formed on the trench wall in the narrower upper region of the trench. An inner electrode layer substantially fills the trench. A method of producing a trench capacitor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Jörn Lützen
  • Patent number: 6746880
    Abstract: A method for electrically contacting a rear side of a semiconductor substrate when processing the semiconductor substrate includes the step of placing the semiconductor substrate with a substrate rear side on a substrate holder such that an electrically conductive contact layer formed of a semiconductor material is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Albert Birner, Martin Franosch, Matthias Goldbach, Volker Lehmann, Jörn Lützen
  • Patent number: 6674113
    Abstract: A trench capacitor has a first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode, and a dielectric, which is arranged between the capacitor electrodes. The first capacitor electrode has a tube-like structure, which extends into a substrate. The second capacitor electrode includes a first section which is opposite to the internal side of the tube-like structure, with the dielectric arranged therebetween, and a second section, which is opposite to the external side of the tube-like structure with the dielectric arranged therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Matthias Goldbach, Thomas Hecht, Jörn Lützen, Bernhard Sell
  • Patent number: 6633061
    Abstract: In a SOI substrate, a semiconductor circuit formed in a SOI substrate, and an associated production method, a multilayer barrier layer with a potential barrier and a diffusion barrier is used to reliably prevent diffusion of impurities between element layers. This allows semiconductor circuits to be produced with smaller structure sizes and with a higher integration density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jörn Lützen, Bernhard Sell
  • Patent number: 6541334
    Abstract: The integrated circuit configuration has at least one buried circuit element and an insulating layer. A multiplicity of insulating regions are in contact with one another to forming a locally delimited insulating layer in the substrate. In this way, trench capacitors implemented as buried circuit elements can be manufactured with a structure size of less than 100 nm in a simple and cost-effective manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jörn Luetzen, Bernhard Sell