Patents by Inventor Ulrike Gruening
Ulrike Gruening 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).
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Patent number: 6759291Abstract: A method and structure for a dynamic random access memory device comprising a storage trench, a storage conductor within the storage trench, a lip strap connected to the storage conductor, and a control device electrically connected to the storage conductor through the lip strap. The trench contains a corner adjacent the control device and the lip strap and has a conductor surrounding the corner. The control device has a control device conductive region adjacent the trench and the lip strap and has a conductor extending along a side of the trench and along a portion of the control device conductive region. In addition, the device can have a collar insulator along a top portion of the trench, wherein the lip strap includes a conductor extending from a top of the collar to a top of the trench. The lip strap can also extend along a surface of the device adjacent the trench and perpendicular to the trench.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2002Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ramachandra Divakaruni, Jochen Beintner, Jack A. Mandelman, Ulrike Gruening, Johann Alsmeier, Gary Bronner
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Publication number: 20040115874Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fabricating a semiconductor structure having a plurality of gate stacks (GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4) on a semiconductor substrate (10), having the following steps: application of the gate stacks (GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4) to a gate dielectric (11) above the semiconductor substrate (10); formation of a sidewall oxide (17) on sidewalls of the gate stacks (GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4); application and patterning of a mask (12) on the semiconductor structure; and implantation of a contact doping (13) in a self-aligned manner with respect to the sidewall oxide (17) of the gate stacks (GS1, GS2) in regions not covered by the mask (12).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2003Publication date: June 17, 2004Inventors: Jurgen Amon, Jurgen Faul, Ulrike Gruening, Frank Jakubowski, Thomas Schuster, Rudolf Strasser
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Patent number: 6740555Abstract: A method for forming substantially uniformly thick, thermally grown, silicon dioxide material on a silicon body independent of axis. A trench is formed in a surface of the silicon body, such trench having sidewalls disposed in different crystallographic planes, one of such planes being the <100> crystallographic plane and another one of such planes being the <110> plane. A substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride is formed on the sidewalls. The trench, with the substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride, is subjected to a silicon oxidation environment with sidewalls in the <110> plane being oxidized at a higher rate than sidewalls in the <100> plane producing silicon dioxide on the silicon nitride layer having thickness over the <110> plane greater than over the <100> plane.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1999Date of Patent: May 25, 2004Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Helmut Horst Tews, Alexander Michaelis, Stephan Kudelka, Uwe Schroeder, Raj Jammy, Ulrike Gruening
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Patent number: 6727539Abstract: A structure and process for fabricating embedded vertical DRAM cells includes fabricating vertical MOSFET DRAM cells with silicided polysilicon layers in the array regions, the landing pad and/or interconnect structures, the support source and drain regions and/or the gate stack. The process eliminates the need for a M0 metallization layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2002Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ramachandra Divakaruni, Ulrike Gruening, Jack A. Mandelman, Larry Nesbit, Carl Radens
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Patent number: 6630379Abstract: A memory cell structure including a planar semiconductor substrate. A deep trench is in the semiconductor substrate. The deep trench has a plurality of side walls and a bottom. A storage capacitor is at the bottom of the deep trench. A vertical transistor extends down at least one side wall of the deep trench above the storage capacitor. The transistor has a source diffusion extending in the plane of the substrate adjacent the deep trench. An isolation extends down at least one other sidewall of the deep trench opposite the vertical transistor. Shallow trench isolation regions extend along a surface of the substrate in a direction transverse to the sidewall where the vertical transistor extends. A gate conductor extends within the deep trench. A wordline extends over the deep trench and is connected to the gate conductor. A bitline extends above the surface plane of the substrate and has a contact to the source diffusion between the shallow trench isolation regions.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2001Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Infineon Technologies, A.G.Inventors: Jack A. Mandelman, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens, Ulrike Gruening
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Patent number: 6614575Abstract: An optical structure includes a substrate having semiconductor material and a grating structure. The grating structure has the property of emitting at least one frequency band so that light having a frequency from that frequency band cannot propagate in the grating structure. The grating structure has a configuration of pores and a defective region. The pores are disposed outside the defective region in a periodic array, and the periodic array is disturbed in the defective region. A surface of the grating structure is provided with a conductive layer at least in the vicinity of the defective region. A method for producing the optical structure is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2000Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Ulrike GrĂ¼ning, Volker Lehmann, Reinhard Stengl, Hermann Wendt, Hans Reisinger
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Patent number: 6605860Abstract: A method for forming substantially uniformly thick, thermally grown, silicon dioxide material on a silicon body independent of bon axis. A trench is formed in a surface of the silicon body, such trench having sidewalls disposed in different crystallographic planes, one of such planes being the <100> crystallographic plane and another one of such planes being the <1 10> plane. A substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride is formed on the sidewalls. The trench, with the with substantially uniform layer of silicon nitride, is subjected to a silicon oxidation environment with sidewalls in the <110> plane being oxidized at a higher rate than sidewalls in the <100> plane producing silicon dioxide on the silicon nitride layer having thickness over the <110> plane greater than over the <100> plane.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2000Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Helmut Horst Tews, Alexander Michaelis, Stephan Kudelka, Uwe Schroeder, Raj Jammy, Ulrike Gruening
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Patent number: 6593613Abstract: Sensing of information from a memory cell via a plateline is disclosed. The memory cell comprises a bitline coupled to a junction of a cell transistor while the other junction is coupled to an electrode of the capacitor. The bitline is coupled to a constant voltage source. A plateline is coupled to the other capacitor electrode.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2000Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Johann Alsmeier, Ulrike Gruening, Gerhard Mueller, Young-Jin Park
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Patent number: 6593612Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell, in accordance with the present invention includes a deep trench formed in a substrate. The deep trench includes a storage node in a lower portion of the deep trench, and a gate conductor formed in an upper portion of the deep trench. The gate conductor is electrically isolated from the storage node. An active area is formed adjacent to the deep trench and is formed in the substrate to provide a channel region of an access transistor of the memory cell. A buried strap is formed to electrically connect the storage node to the active area when the gate conductor is activated. A body contact is formed opposite the deep trench in the active area and corresponding in position to the buried strap to prevent floating body effects due to outdiffusion of the buried strap. Methods for forming the body contact are also described.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2000Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Ulrike Gruening, Helmut Klose, Wolfgang Bergner
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Patent number: 6573137Abstract: A method for clearing an isolation collar from a first interior surface of a deep trench at a location above a storage capacitor while leaving the isolation collar at other surfaces of the deep trench. A barrier material is deposited above a node conductor of the storage capacitor. A layer of silicon is deposited over the barrier material. Dopant ions are implanted at an angle into the layer of deposited silicon within the deep trench, thereby leaving the deposited silicon unimplanted along one side of the deep trench. The unimplanted silicon is etched. The isolation collar is removed in locations previously covered by the unimplanted silicon, leaving the isolation collar in locations covered by the implanted silicon.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2000Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ramachandra Divakaruni, Jack A. Mandelman, Wolfgang Bergner, Gary B. Bronner, Ulrike Gruening, Stephan Kudelka, Alexander Michaelis, Larry Nesbit, Carl J. Radens, Till Schloesser, Helmut Tews
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Patent number: 6555862Abstract: A semiconductor device formed by a method for aligning a strap diffusion, in accordance with the invention, includes the steps of providing a trench in a substrate, the trench having a storage node formed therein including a buried strap on top of the storage node, and depositing a dopant rich material on the buried strap. A trench top dielectric is formed on the dopant rich material, and portions of the dopant rich material are removed above the trench top dielectric. Dopants are outdiffused from the dopant rich material into an adjacent region of the substrate to form the strap diffusion by forming a gate in an upper portion of the trench such that the strap diffusion is operatively disposed relative to the gate.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, International Business Machines Corp.Inventors: Jack A. Mandelman, Ulrike Gruening, Alexander Michaelis
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Patent number: 6544850Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) formed in a silicon chip that includes a support area in which support circuitry of the memory includes a single electrical contact through two dielectric layers to a conductive layer of a gate stack of a field effect support transistor that has a capping layer through which the electrical contact passes to the gate. The DRAM also includes a memory area containing an array of memory cells each include a field effect transistor. Drain regions of the transistors of the memory cells and drain and source regions of field effect transistors of the support transistors have first electrical contacts thereto through the first dielectric layer and have second electrical contacts which pass through the second dielectric layer and electrical contact to the first electrical contacts. Forming of the second electrical contacts concurrently with the single electrical contact to the gate of the support transistor saves a processing step over prior art processes.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2000Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Ranier Florian Schnabel, Ulrike Gruening
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Publication number: 20030003651Abstract: A structure and process for fabricating embedded vertical DRAM cells includes fabricating vertical MOSFET DRAM cells with silicided polysilicon layers in the array regions, the landing pad and/or interconnect structures, the support source and drain regions and/or the gate stack. The process eliminates the need for a M0 metallization layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2002Publication date: January 2, 2003Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Ramachandra Divakaruni, Ulrike Gruening, Jack A. Mandelman, Larry Nesbit, Carl Radens
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Patent number: 6486024Abstract: A method of using at least two insulative layers to form the isolation collar of a trench device, and the device formed therefrom. The first layer is preferably an oxide (e.g., silicon dioxide 116) formed on the trench substrate sidewalls, and is formed through a TEOS, LOCOS, or combined TEOS/LOCOS process. Preferably, both the TEOS process and the LOCOS process are used to form the first layer. The second layer is preferably a silicon nitride layer (114) formed on the oxide layer. The multiple layers function as an isolation collar stack for the trench. The dopant penetration barrier properties of the second layer permit the dielectric collar stack to be used as a self aligned mask for subsequent buried plate (120) doping.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2000Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Helmut Horst Tews, Alexander Michaelis, Stephan Kudelka, Uwe Schroeder, Ulrike Gruening
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Patent number: 6468348Abstract: An open form is produced with a plurality of in each case two-dimensionally structured layers. The form is made of silicon which is etchable in dependence on its doping. A first silicon layer is first produced, and a portion of the first layer which belongs to the form to be produced, is marked by doping at least one zone of the first layer. Subsequently, at least one further silicon layer is applied, and a portion belonging to the form is also marked therein. Finally, every unmarked portion of the layers is removed by etching depending on the respective doping of each layer. The open form is, in particular, a photonic crystal.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2000Date of Patent: October 22, 2002Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Ulrike GrĂ¼ning, Hermann Wendt, Volker Lehmann, Reinhard Stengl, Hans Reisinger
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Patent number: 6451648Abstract: A process for forming a buried strap self-aligned to a deep storage trench. Spacers are formed on walls of a recess over a filled deep trench capacitor and a substrate. A plug is formed in a region between the spacers. Photoresist is deposited over the spacers, the plug, and material surrounding the spacers of the plug. The photoresist is patterned, thereby exposing portions of the plug, the spacers, and the surrounding material. The spacers in the surrounding material not covered by the photoresist are selectively etched, leaving a remaining portion of the spacers. The substrate and the portion of the filled deep trench exposed by the spacer removal are selectively etched. An isolation region is formed in a space created by etching of the spacers, surrounding material, substrate, and filled deep trench.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1999Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Ulrike Gruening, Jack A. Mandelman, Carl J. Radens
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Patent number: 6437388Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least two active areas, each active area surrounding a corresponding trench in a substrate. The trenches each include a capacitor in a lower portion of the trench and a gate in an upper portion of the trench. A vertical transistor is formed adjacent to the trench in the upper portion for charging and discharging the capacitor. A body contact is formed between the at least two active areas. The body contact connects to the at least two active areas and to a diffusion well of the substrate for preventing floating body effects in the vertical transistor.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2001Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Carl J. Radens, Ulrike Gruening, Jack A. Mandelman
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Patent number: 6437381Abstract: A process for forming an oxide layer on a sidewall of a trench in a substrate. The process comprises the steps of forming the trench in the substrate, forming a nitride interface layer over a portion of the trench sidewall, forming an amorphous layer over the nitride interface layer, and oxidizing the amorphous layer to form the oxide layer. The process may be used, for example, to form a gate oxide for a vertical transistor, or an isolation collar. The invention also comprises a semiconductor memory device comprising a substrate, a trench in the substrate having a sidewall, an isolation collar comprising an isolation collar oxide layer on the trench sidewall in an upper region of the trench, and a vertical gate oxide comprising a gate oxide layer located on the trench sidewall above the isolation collar.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ulrike Gruening, Rajarao Jammy, Helmut H. Tews
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Patent number: 6429092Abstract: A method for forming an oxide collar in a trench, in accordance with the present invention, includes forming a trench in a silicon substrate, and depositing and recessing a nitride liner in the trench to expose a portion of the silicon substrate on sidewalls of the trench. An oxide is deposited selective to the nitride liner on the portion of the silicon substrate. Residue oxide is removed from surfaces of the nitride liner to form a collar in the trench.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Jochen Beintner, Alexander Michaelis, Ulrike Gruening, Oswald Spindler, Zvonimir Gabric
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Patent number: 6429068Abstract: A structure and process for fabricating embedded vertical DRAM cells includes fabricating vertical MOSFET DRAM cells with silicided polysilicon layers in the array regions, the landing pad and/or interconnect structures, the support source and drain regions and/or the gate stack. The process eliminates the need for a M0 metallization layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2001Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Infineon Technologies North America Corp.Inventors: Ramachandra Divakaruni, Ulrike Gruening, Jack A. Mandelman, Larry Nesbit, Carl Radens