Patents by Inventor Steven M. Etter

Steven M. Etter 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: 11948933
    Abstract: In an example, a semiconductor device includes a first steering diode and a second steering diode at a top side of a region of semiconductor material, a first Zener diode buried within the region of semiconductor material, and a second Zener diode at a bottom side of the region of semiconductor material. The semiconductor device is configured as a bi-directional electrostatic discharge (ESD) structure. The first Zener diode and the first steering diodes are configured to respond to a positive ESD pulse, and the second Zener diode and the second steering diode are configured to respond to a negative ESD pulse. The steering diodes are configured to have low capacitances and the Zener diodes are configured to provide enhanced ESD protection. Other related examples and methods are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Etter, Yupeng Chen
  • Publication number: 20230253397
    Abstract: In an example, a semiconductor device includes a first steering diode and a second steering diode at a top side of a region of semiconductor material, a first Zener diode buried within the region of semiconductor material, and a second Zener diode at a bottom side of the region of semiconductor material. The semiconductor device is configured as a bi-directional electrostatic discharge (ESD) structure. The first Zener diode and the first steering diodes are configured to respond to a positive ESD pulse, and the second Zener diode and the second steering diode are configured to respond to a negative ESD pulse. The steering diodes are configured to have low capacitances and the Zener diodes are configured to provide enhanced ESD protection. Other related examples and methods are disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. ETTER, Yupeng CHEN
  • Patent number: 11056480
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a TVS semiconductor device includes a P-N diode that is connected in parallel with a bipolar transistor wherein a breakdown voltage of the bipolar transistor is less than a breakdown voltage of the P-N diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yupeng Chen, Steven M. Etter, Umesh Sharma
  • Patent number: 10833154
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a substrate and an insulating structure. In an aspect, an anchor can include a portion of the substrate that extends into the insulating structure or a portion of the insulating structure that extends into the substrate. In another aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench and a first anchor; and forming an insulating structure within the trench and adjacent to the first anchor. In a further aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench having a sidewall and a first pillar spaced apart from the sidewall; doping the first pillar to change a conductivity type of the first pillar; and forming an insulating structure that surrounds the first pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon M. Grivna, Steven M. Etter, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Miki Ichiyanagi, Toshihiro Hachiyanagi
  • Publication number: 20200111777
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a TVS semiconductor device includes a P-N diode that is connected in parallel with a bipolar transistor wherein a breakdown voltage of the bipolar transistor is less than a breakdown voltage of the P-N diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yupeng CHEN, Steven M. ETTER, Umesh SHARMA
  • Patent number: 10535648
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a TVS semiconductor device includes a P-N diode that is connected in parallel with a bipolar transistor wherein a breakdown voltage of the bipolar transistor is less than a breakdown voltage of the P-N diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yupeng Chen, Steven M. Etter, Umesh Sharma
  • Publication number: 20190067269
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a TVS semiconductor device includes a P-N diode that is connected in parallel with a bipolar transistor wherein a breakdown voltage of the bipolar transistor is less than a breakdown voltage of the P-N diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yupeng CHEN, Steven M. ETTER, Umesh SHARMA
  • Patent number: 10217733
    Abstract: An ultra-low capacitance ESD protection device with an ultra-fast response time and a low turn-on voltage, and a high holding current. The device may include: a heavily-doped p-type substrate; a lightly-doped n-type epitaxial layer with a heavily-doped n-type buried layer; and a semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR) structure within the epitaxial layer. The SCR structure includes, between a ground terminal and a pad terminal: a shallow P+ region within a moderately-doped n-type well to form an emitter-base junction of a trigger transistor; a shallow N+ region within a moderately-doped p-type well to form an emitter-base junction of a latching transistor, and a PN junction coupled to either of the shallow regions as a forward-biased series diode. To reduce capacitance, the n-type and p-type wells are separated by a lightly-doped portion of the epitaxial layer having a small lateral dimension for enhanced switching speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: David D. Marreiro, Yupeng Chen, Steven M. Etter, Umesh Sharma
  • Publication number: 20190035886
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a substrate and an insulating structure. In an aspect, an anchor can include a portion of the substrate that extends into the insulating structure or a portion of the insulating structure that extends into the substrate. In another aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench and a first anchor; and forming an insulating structure within the trench and adjacent to the first anchor. In a further aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench having a sidewall and a first pillar spaced apart from the sidewall; doping the first pillar to change a conductivity type of the first pillar; and forming an insulating structure that surrounds the first pillar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon M. GRIVNA, Steven M. ETTER, Hiroyuki SUZUKI, Miki ICHIYANAGI, Toshihiro HACHIYANAGI
  • Publication number: 20170077082
    Abstract: An ultra-low capacitance ESD protection device with an ultra-fast response time and a low turn-on voltage, and a high holding current. The device may include: a heavily-doped p-type substrate; a lightly-doped n-type epitaxial layer with a heavily-doped n-type buried layer; and a semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR) structure within the epitaxial layer. The SCR structure includes, between a ground terminal and a pad terminal: a shallow P+ region within a moderately-doped n-type well to form an emitter-base junction of a trigger transistor; a shallow N+ region within a moderately-doped p-type well to form an emitter-base junction of a latching transistor, and a PN junction coupled to either of the shallow regions as a forward-biased series diode. To reduce capacitance, the n-type and p-type wells are separated by a lightly-doped portion of the epitaxial layer having a small lateral dimension for enhanced switching speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: David D. MARREIRO, Yupeng CHEN, Steven M. ETTER, Umesh SHARMA
  • Patent number: 8723264
    Abstract: In one embodiment, electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Semicondutor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: David D. Marreiro, Steven M. Etter, Sudhama C. Shastri
  • Publication number: 20140103484
    Abstract: In one embodiment, electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: David D. Marreiro, Steven M. Etter, Sudhama C. Shastri
  • Patent number: 8188572
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a plurality of ESD devices are used to form an integrated semiconductor filter circuit. Additional diodes are formed in parallel with the ESD structures in order to increase the input capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Etter, Mingjiao Liu, Ali Salih, David D. Marreiro, Sudhama C. Shastri
  • Publication number: 20110198728
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a plurality of ESD devices are used to form an integrated semiconductor filter circuit. Additional diodes are formed in parallel with the ESD structures in order to increase the input capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Steven M. Etter, Mingjiao Liu, Ali Salih, David D. Marreiro, Sudhama C. Shastri
  • Patent number: 7955941
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a plurality of ESD devices are used to form an integrated semiconductor filter circuit. Additional diodes are formed in parallel with the ESD structures in order to increase the input capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Etter, Mingjiao Liu, Ali Salih, David D. Marreiro, Sudhama C. Shastri
  • Publication number: 20100060349
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a plurality of ESD devices are used to form an integrated semiconductor filter circuit. Additional diodes are formed in parallel with the ESD structures in order to increase the input capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Steven M. Etter, Mingjiao Liu, Ali Salih, David D. Marreiro, Sudhama C. Shastri