Patents by Inventor Kay L. Houston

Kay L. Houston 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).

  • Reliability of metal leads in high speed LSI semiconductors using dummy vias
    Patent number: 5675187
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (and method of manufacturing thereof) having metal leads (114+130) with improved reliability, comprising metal leads (114+130) on a substrate 112, a low-dielectric constant material (116) at least between the metal leads (114+130), and dummy vias (122+134) in contact with the metal leads (114+130). Heat from the metal leads (114+130) is transferable to the dummy vias (122+134), and the dummy vias (122+134) are capable of conducting away the heat. The low-dielectric constant material (116) may have a dielectric constant of less than about 3.5. An advantage of the invention is to improve reliability of metal leads in circuits using low-dielectric constant materials, especially in scaled-down circuits that are compact in the horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ken Numata, Kay L. Houston
  • Reliability of metal leads in high speed LSI semiconductors using dummy vias
    Patent number: 5625232
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (and method of manufacturing thereof) having metal leads (114+130) with improved reliability, comprising metal leads (114+130) on a substrate 112, a low-dielectric constant material (116) at least between the metal leads (114+130), and dummy vias (122+134) in contact with the metal leads (114+130). Heat from the metal leads (114+130) is transferable to the dummy vias (122+134), and the dummy vias (122+134) are capable of conducting away the heat. The low-dielectric constant material (116) may have a dielectric constant of less than about 3.5. An advantage of the invention is to improve reliability of metal leads in circuits using low-dielectric constant materials, especially in scaled-down circuits that are compact in the horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ken Numata, Kay L. Houston