Patents by Inventor Mercer L. Brugler

Mercer L. Brugler 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).

  • Control of Vmin transient voltage drift by maintaining a temperature less than or equal to 350° C. after the protective overcoat level
    Patent number: 6740603
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a non-FLASH integrated circuit that minimizes Vmin shift. A protective overcoat (134) is deposited to protect and encapsulate the top metal interconnect layer (118). The protective overcoat (134) is patterned and etched to form bondpad windows either before or after depositing the final metal interconnect layer (136). A sinter that is normally performed after forming the bondpad windows is either omitted or the temperature of the sinter is kept at or below 350° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven P. Zuhoski, Mercer L. Brugler, Cameron Gross, Edward L. Mickler
  • Control of Vmin transient voltage drift by maintaining a temperature less than or equal to 350C after the protective overcoat level
    Publication number: 20020123247
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a non-FLASH integrated circuit that minimizes Vmin shift. A protective overcoat (134) is deposited to protect and encapsulate the top metal interconnect layer (118). The protective overcoat (134) is patterned and etched to form bondpad windows either before or after depositing the final metal interconnect layer (136). A sinter that is normally performed after forming the bondpad windows is either omitted or the temperature of the sinter is kept at or below 350° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: Steven P. Zuhoski, Mercer L. Brugler, Cameron Gross, Edward L. Mickler
  • Control of Vmin transient voltage drift by using a PECVD silicon oxynitride film at the protective overcoat level
    Publication number: 20020123225
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a non-FLASH integrated circuit that minimizes Vmin shift. A protective overcoat (134) is deposited to protect and encapsulate the top metal interconnect layer (118). The protective overcoat (134) comprises silicon oxynitride. The protective overcoat (134) is patterned and etched to form bondpad windows either before or after depositing the final metal interconnect layer (136).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: Steven P. Zuhoski, Mercer L. Brugler, Cameron Gross, Edward L. Mickler
  • Control of Vmin transient voltage drift by using silicon formed with deuterium-based process gases
    Publication number: 20020123214
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a non-FLASH integrated circuit that minimizes Vmin shift. A protective overcoat (134) is deposited to protect and encapsulate the top metal interconnect layer (118). The protective overcoat comprises silicon nitride formed using deuterium based process gases (e.g. SiD4 and ND3) instead of hydrogen-based process gases. The protective overcoat (134) is patterned and etched to form bondpad windows either before or after depositing the final metal interconnect layer (136).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: Steven P. Zuhoski, Mercer L. Brugler, Cameron Gross, Edward L. Mickler
  • Sidewall process for forming a low resistance source line
    Patent number: 6429093
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor component having a conductive line (24) and a silicide region (140) that crosses a trench (72). The method involves forming nitride sidewalls (127) to protect the stack during the silicidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jie Xia, Freidoon Mehrad, Mercer L. Brugler