Patents by Inventor Joel M. McGregor

Joel M. McGregor 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: 20180374949
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a LDMOS device, including: forming a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer atop the semiconductor substrate and an electric conducting layer on the dielectric layer; forming a first photoresist layer on the electric conducting layer; patterning the first photoresist layer through a first mask to form a first opening; etching the electric conducting layer through the first opening; implanting dopants of a first doping type into the semiconductor substrate through the first opening to form a first body region adjacent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second body region located beneath the first body region; removing the first photoresist layer; etching the electric conducting layer using a second photoresist layer and a second mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Deming Xiao, Zeqiang Yao, Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Jeesung Jung
  • Publication number: 20180286860
    Abstract: A split gate power transistor includes a laterally configured power PMOSFET including a doped silicon substrate, a gate oxide layer formed on a surface of the substrate, and a split polysilicon layer formed over the gate oxide layer. The polysilicon layer is cut into two electrically isolated portions, a first portion forming a switching gate positioned over a first portion of a channel region of the substrate, and a second portion forming a static gate formed over a second portion of the channel region and a transition region of the substrate. The static plate also extends over a drift region of the substrate, where the drift region is under a field oxide filled trench formed in the substrate. A switching voltage is applied to the switching gate and a constant voltage is applied to the static gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Frederick Perry Giles, Stephen McCormack, Joel M. McGregor
  • Patent number: 10090409
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a LDMOS device, including: forming a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer atop the semiconductor substrate and an electric conducting layer on the dielectric layer; forming a first photoresist layer on the electric conducting layer; patterning the first photoresist layer through a first mask to form a first opening; etching the electric conducting layer through the first opening; implanting dopants of a first doping type into the semiconductor substrate through the first opening to form a first body region adjacent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second body region located beneath the first body region; removing the first photoresist layer; etching the electric conducting layer using a second photoresist layer and a second mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Deming Xiao, Zeqiang Yao, Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Jeesung Jung
  • Patent number: 9941171
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device including: forming a block layer above a well region of a first doping type in a semiconductor substrate, wherein the block layer has an opening for defining a first region in an upper part of the well region and has sidewalls at sides of the opening; implanting dopants of a second doping type into the well region through the opening of the block layer to form the first region; implanting dopants of the first doping type into the first region in the manner of large-angle-tilt dopants implantation to form a second region for a first transistor, and to form a third region for a second transistor; and forming, for both of the first transistor and the second transistor, a fourth region between the second region and the third region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Joel M. McGregor, Eric K. Braun
  • Publication number: 20180090613
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a LDMOS device, including: forming a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer atop the semiconductor substrate and an electric conducting layer on the dielectric layer; forming a first photoresist layer on the electric conducting layer; patterning the first photoresist layer through a first mask to form a first opening; etching the electric conducting layer through the first opening; implanting dopants of a first doping type into the semiconductor substrate through the first opening to form a first body region adjacent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second body region located beneath the first body region; removing the first photoresist layer; etching the electric conducting layer using a second photoresist layer and a second mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Deming Xiao, Zeqiang Yao, Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Jeesung Jung
  • Patent number: 9893170
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a LDMOS device in a well region of a semiconductor substrate, including: forming a body region and a source layer in the well region through a window of a polysilicon layer above the well region, wherein the body region has a deeper junction depth than the source layer; forming spacers at side walls of the polysilicon layer; and etching through the source layer through a window shaped by the spacers, wherein the source layer under the spacers is protected from etching, and is defined as source regions of the LDMOS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Jeesung Jung, Joel M. McGregor
  • Patent number: 9502251
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a LDMOS device in a semiconductor substrate of a first doping type, including: implanting a series of dopants into the semiconductor substrate using a first mask, and forming a first region of a second doping type adjacent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second region of the first doping type located beneath the first region, and a third region of the second doping type located beneath the second region; implanting dopants into the semiconductor substrate using a second mask, and forming a fourth region of the second doping type adjacent to the first, second and third regions, wherein the fourth region extends from the surface of the semiconductor substrate to approximately the same depth as the third region; and implanting dopants into the first region using a third mask, and form a first well of the first doping type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Jeesung Jung, Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Eric K. Braun
  • Patent number: 9450052
    Abstract: An EEPROM memory cell with a coupler region is disclosed. The coupler region has a well and at least one feeder region formed in the well. The at least one feeder region is configured to provide majority carriers to a channel region defined in the well so that a portion of the channel region adjoining the top surface of the coupler region is inverted during an erase operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Albert Bergemont, Eric Braun, Joel M. McGregor
  • Patent number: 9087774
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an LDMOS device includes: forming a gate of the LDMOS device on a semiconductor substrate; performing tilt body implantation by implanting dopants of a first conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate using a mask, wherein the tilt body implantation is implanted at an angle from a vertical direction; performing zero tilt body implantation by implanting dopants of the first conductivity type using the same mask, wherein the zero tilt body implantation is implanted with zero tilt from the vertical direction, and wherein the tilt body implantation and the zero tilt body implantation are configured to form a body region of the LDMOS device; and forming a source region and a drain contact region of the LDMOS device, wherein the source region and the drain contact region are of a second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeesung Jung, Joel M. McGregor, Ji-Hyoung Yoo
  • Publication number: 20150162441
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a gate region having a dielectric layer and a conducting layer; an N-type drain region having a lightly doped drift region and a highly doped drain contact region formed in the drift region, wherein the drain region is at a first side of the gate region; a P-type body region adjacent to the drain region, the body region having a lightly doped first portion body region, a second portion body region, and a highly doped body contact region; and an N-type highly doped source region in the body region, wherein the source region is at a second side of the gate region; wherein the first portion body region is doped with boron, the second portion body region is doped with boron and indium in the first portion body region, and the second portion body region is located adjacent to and beneath the source region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Jeesung Jung, Eric K. Braun, Ji-Hyoung Yoo
  • Patent number: 9041102
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a lateral transistor and associated method for making the same. The lateral transistor comprises a gate formed over a first portion of a thin gate dielectric layer, and a field plate formed over a thick field dielectric layer and extending atop a second portion of the thin gate dielectric layer. The field plate is electrically isolated from the gate by a gap overlying a third portion of the thin gate dielectric layer and is electrically coupled to a source region. The lateral transistor according to an embodiment of the present invention may have reduced gate-to-drain capacitance, low specific on-resistance, and improved hot carrier lifetime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel M. McGregor
  • Publication number: 20150084126
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an LDMOS device includes: forming a gate of the LDMOS device on a semiconductor substrate; performing tilt body implantation by implanting dopants of a first conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate using a mask, wherein the tilt body implantation is implanted at an angle from a vertical direction; performing zero tilt body implantation by implanting dopants of the first conductivity type using the same mask, wherein the zero tilt body implantation is implanted with zero tilt from the vertical direction, and wherein the tilt body implantation and the zero tilt body implantation are configured to form a body region of the LDMOS device; and forming a source region and a drain contact region of the LDMOS device, wherein the source region and the drain contact region are of a second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeesung Jung, Joel M. McGregor, Ji-Hyoung Yoo
  • Publication number: 20150061008
    Abstract: A split gate power transistor includes a laterally configured power MOSFET including a doped silicon substrate, a stepped gate oxide layer formed on a surface of the substrate, and a split polysilicon layer formed over the stepped gate oxide layer. The stepped gate oxide layer includes a first gate oxide layer having a first thickness and a second gate oxide layer having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The polysilicon layer is cut into two electrically isolated portions, a first portion forming a switching gate positioned over the first gate oxide layer and a first portion of a channel region of the substrate, and a second portion forming a static gate formed over the second gate oxide layer and a second portion of the channel region. A switching voltage is applied to the switching gate and a constant voltage is applied to the static gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Frederick P. Giles
  • Publication number: 20150001620
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a gate region having a dielectric layer and a conducting layer; an N-type drain region having a lightly doped drift region and a highly doped drain contact region formed in the drift region, wherein the drain region is at a first side of the gate region; a P-type body region adjacent to the drain region, the body region having a lightly doped first portion body region, a second portion body region, and a highly doped body contact region; and an N-type highly doped source region in the body region, wherein the source region is at a second side of the gate region; wherein the first portion body region is doped with boron, the second portion body region is doped with boron and indium in the first portion body region, and the second portion body region is located adjacent to and beneath the source region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Jeesung Jung, Eric K. Braun, Ji-Hyoung Yoo
  • Publication number: 20130341715
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a lateral transistor and associated method for making the same. The lateral transistor comprises a gate formed over a first portion of a thin gate dielectric layer, and a field plate formed over a thick field dielectric layer and extending atop a second portion of the thin gate dielectric layer. The field plate is electrically isolated from the gate by a gap overlying a third portion of the thin gate dielectric layer and is electrically coupled to a source region. The lateral transistor according to an embodiment of the present invention may have reduced gate-to-drain capacitance, low specific on-resistance, and improved hot carrier lifetime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel M. McGregor
  • Publication number: 20110115019
    Abstract: A split gate power transistor includes a laterally configured power MOSFET including a doped silicon substrate, a gate oxide layer formed on a surface of the substrate, and a split polysilicon layer formed over the gate oxide layer. The polysilicon layer is cut into two electrically isolated portions, a first portion forming a switching gate positioned over a first portion of a channel region of the substrate, and a second portion forming a static gate formed over a second portion of the channel region and a transition region of the substrate. The static plate also extends over a drift region of the substrate, where the drift region is under a field oxide filled trench formed in the substrate. A switching voltage is applied to the switching gate and a constant voltage is applied to the static gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Frederick Perry Giles, Joel M. McGregor, Stephen McCormack
  • Patent number: 6362064
    Abstract: Walkout in high voltage trench isolated semiconductor devices is inhibited by applying a voltage bias signal directly to epitaxial silicon surrounding the device. Voltage applied to the surrounding epitaxial silicon elevates the initial breakdown voltage of the device and eliminates walkout. This is because voltage applied to the surrounding epitaxial silicon reduces the strength of the electric field between the silicon of the device and the surrounding silicon. Specifically, application of a positive voltage bias signal to surrounding epitaxial silicon equal to or more positive than the most positive potential occurring at the collector during normal operation of the device ensures that no walkout will occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Rashid Bashir, Wipawan Yindeepol
  • Publication number: 20010023974
    Abstract: Walkout in high voltage trench isolated semiconductor devices is inhibited by applying a voltage bias signal directly to epitaxial silicon surrounding the device. Voltage applied to the surrounding epitaxial silicon elevates the initial breakdown voltage of the device and eliminates walkout. This is because voltage applied to the surrounding epitaxial silicon reduces the strength of the electric field between the silicon of the device and the surrounding silicon. Specifically, application of a positive voltage bias signal to surrounding epitaxial silicon equal to or more positive than the most positive potential occurring at the collector during normal operation of the device ensures that no walkout will occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Publication date: September 27, 2001
    Inventors: JOEL M. MCGREGOR, RASHID BASHIR, WIPAWAN YINDEEPOL