Abstract: A memory structure has a vertically oriented access transistor with an annular gate region. A transistor is fabricated such that the channel of the transistor extends outward with respect to the surface of the substrate. An annular gate is fabricated around the vertical channel such that it partially or completely surrounds the channel. A buried annular bitline may also be implemented. After the vertically oriented transistor is fabricated with the annular gate, a storage device may be fabricated over the transistor to provide a memory cell.

Abstract: A memory structure having a vertically oriented access transistor with an annular gate region and a method for fabricating the structure. More specifically, a transistor is fabricated such that the channel of the transistor extends outward with respect to the surface of the substrate. An annular gate is fabricated around the vertical channel such that it partially or completely surrounds the channel. A buried annular bitline may also be implemented. After the vertically oriented transistor is fabricated with the annular gate, a storage device may be fabricated over the transistor to provide a memory cell.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device connects to a bonding pad and an internal circuit for protecting the internal circuit during an ESD event. The ESD protection device includes a transistor connected between the bonding pad and a supply node. The transistor includes a first doped region having a textured surface connected to the bonding pad, and a second doped region having a textured surface connected to the supply node.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first conductive layer, an insulator layer disposed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on the insulator layer. A first fuse is disposed in the first conductive layer and provides a first signal, and a second fuse is disposed in the second conductive layer in alignment with the first fuse and provides a second signal.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first conductive layer, an insulator layer disposed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on the insulator layer. A first fuse is disposed in the first conductive layer and provides a first signal, and a second fuse is disposed in the second conductive layer in alignment with the first fuse and provides a second signal.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first conductive layer, an insulator layer disposed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on the insulator layer. A first fuse is disposed in the first conductive layer and provides a first signal, and a second fuse is disposed in the second conductive layer in alignment with the first fuse and provides a second signal.

Abstract: A packaged integrated circuit device with a multi-level leadframe has a plurality of integral capacitors formed by placing a thin dielectric layer between a lower leadframe and an upper leadframe, one of the leadframes being subdivided into a plurality of portions, each subdivided portion with an accessible tab for wire attachment. The planar capacitors are bonded to the bottom surface of the chip and act as a die support paddle. Each capacitor may be configured to provide the desired voltage decoupling and noise suppression for a particular portion of the integrated circuit to which it is connected. Capacitors useful for other purposes may be likewise provided in the package.

Abstract: A packaged integrated circuit device with a multi-level leadframe has a plurality of integral capacitors formed by placing a thin dielectric layer between a lower leadframe and an upper leadframe, one of the leadframes being subdivided into a plurality of portions, each subdivided portion with an accessible tab for wire attachment. The planar capacitors are bonded to the bottom surface of the chip and act as a die support paddle. Each capacitor may be configured to provide the desired voltage decoupling and noise suppression for a particular portion of the integrated circuit to which it is connected. Capacitors useful for other purposes may be likewise provided in the package.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first conductive layer, an insulator layer disposed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on the insulator layer. A first fuse is disposed in the first conductive layer and provides a first signal, and a second fuse is disposed in the second conductive layer in alignment with the first fuse and provides a second signal.

Abstract: A memory device has an open-array architecture that includes alternate digit lines in the end subarrays that are not normally coupled to a sense amplifier. These digit lines are not normally coupled to a sense amplifier because there is no adjacent subarray containing digit lines that could be coupled to the other input of the sense amplifier. A sense amplifier is provided for each of these normally unused digit lines, and each normally unused digit line is coupled to one of the imports of a respective sense amplifier. The other input of each sense amplifier is coupled to a dummy load that is provided to simulate the resistance and capacitance of an actual digit line. The dummy load has a capacitance that may be adjusted so that the capacitance at both inputs to each sense amplifier are substantially equal. As a result, normally unused digit lines in the end subarray of a memory array, as well as the memory cells coupled to the digit lines, may be used.

Abstract: A packaged integrated circuit device with a multi-level leadframe has a plurality of integral capacitors formed by placing a thin dielectric layer between a lower leadframe and an upper leadframe, one of the leadframes being subdivided into a plurality of portions, each subdivided portion with an accessible tab for wire attachment. The planar capacitors are bonded to the bottom surface of the chip and act as a die support paddle. Each capacitor may be configured to provide the desired voltage decoupling and noise suppression for a particular portion of the integrated circuit to which it is connected. Capacitors useful for other purposes may be likewise provided in the package.

Abstract: A packaged integrated circuit device with a multi-level leadframe has a plurality of integral capacitors formed by placing a thin dielectric layer between a lower leadframe and an upper leadframe, one of the leadframes being subdivided into a plurality of portions, each subdivided portion with an accessible tab for wire attachment. The planar capacitors are bonded to the bottom surface of the chip and act as a die support paddle. Each capacitor may be configured to provide the desired voltage decoupling and noise suppression for a particular portion of the integrated circuit to which it is connected. Capacitors useful for other purposes may be likewise provided in the package.

Abstract: Methods of processing semiconductor circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of processing a semiconductor circuit includes isolating a conductive region of the semiconductor circuit from a substrate region of the semiconductor circuit while forming the semiconductor circuit, and connecting the conductive region to the substrate region after the forming of the semiconductor circuit is completed. In alternate embodiments, the isolating and connecting of the conductive and substrate regions may include de-activating and activating a transistor, respectively.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first conductive layer, an insulator layer disposed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on the insulator layer. A first fuse is disposed in the first conductive layer and provides a first signal, and a second fuse is disposed in the second conductive layer in alignment with the first fuse and provides a second signal.

Abstract: A packaged integrated circuit device with a multi-level lead frame has a plurality of integral capacitors formed by placing a thin dielectric layer between a lower lead frame and an upper lead frame, one of the lead frames being subdivided into a plurality of portions, each subdivided portion with an accessible tab for wire attachment. The planar capacitors are bonded to the bottom surface of the chip and act as a die support paddle. Each capacitor may be configured to provide the desired voltage decoupling and noise suppression for a particular portion of the integrated circuit to which it is connected. Capacitors useful for other purposes may be likewise provided in the package.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first conductive layer, an insulator layer disposed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on the insulator layer. A first fuse is disposed in the first conductive layer and provides a first signal, and a second fuse is disposed in the second conductive layer in alignment with the first fuse and provides a second signal.

Abstract: Circuitry stress tests a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) by connecting a sense amplifier of the DRAM to at least two pairs of complementary bitlines within the same sub-array of the DRAM through two pairs of isolation transistors activated at substantially the same time. The circuitry thus provides for the stress testing of memory cells associated with sense amplifiers connected to only one sub-array within a DRAM or other semiconductor memory. The apparatus also provides an alternative to conventional methods for stress testing memory cells associated with sense amplifiers connected to more than one sub-array within a DRAM or other semiconductor memory.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an enable terminal, a semiconductor substrate, a conductive region, and a transistor. A substrate region is disposed within the substrate, and the conductive region is electrically isolated from both the substrate and the substrate region. The transistor includes a first terminal that is coupled to the substrate region, a second terminal that is coupled to the conductive region, and a control terminal that is coupled to the enable terminal.

Abstract: A packaged integrated circuit device with a multi-level lead frame has a plurality of integral capacitors formed by placing a thin dielectric layer between a lower lead frame and an upper lead frame, one of the lead frames being subdivided into a plurality of portions, each subdivided portion with an accessible tab for wire attachment. The planar capacitors are bonded to the bottom surface of the chip and act as a die support paddle. Each capacitor may be configured to provide the desired voltage decoupling and noise suppression for a particular portion of the integrated circuit to which it is connected. Capacitors useful for other purposes may be likewise provided in the package.

Abstract: Circuitry stress tests a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) by connecting a sense amplifier of the DRAM to at least two pairs of complementary bitlines within the same sub-array of the DRAM through two pairs of isolation transistors activated at substantially the same time. The circuitry thus provides for the stress testing of memory cells associated with sense amplifiers connected to only one sub-array within a DRAM or other semiconductor memory. The apparatus also provides an alternative to conventional methods for stress testing memory cells associated with sense amplifiers connected to more than one sub-array within a DRAM or other semiconductor memory.