Patents Issued in April 1, 2004
  • Publication number: 20040061140
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a shielded wire line and a shielding wire line provided for the shielded wire line and divided into a plurality of segments in a longitudinal direction of the shielded wire line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Ushiyama, Shigenori Ichinose
  • Publication number: 20040061141
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device able to increase the mobility of carriers and reduce the current in the OFF state. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, an insulating layer on the gate electrode, a first electrode on the insulating layer, a second electrode on the insulating layer at an interval with the first electrode, an organic semiconductor layer disposed in the interval between the first electrode and the second electrode and covering at least part of the first electrode and the second electrode, and a first resistance layer formed on the organic semiconductor layer and having an electrical resistance lower than that of the organic semiconductor layer. The first resistance layer is formed from conductive polymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kondoh
  • Publication number: 20040061142
    Abstract: The present invention provides piperine and analogues or derivatives thereof for the treatment of skin conditions treatable by stimulation of melanocyte proliferation, such as vitiligo, and also for treating skin cancer. The piperine and analogues or derivatives thereof may also be used to cosmetically promote or enhance the natural coloration of the skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: BTG International Limited
    Inventors: Amala Raman, Zhixiu Lin, Robert C. Hider, Radhakrishnan Venkatasamy
  • Publication number: 20040061143
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit array comprises a plurality of repetitive circuit blocks. Each of the circuit blocks comprises a plurality of functional circuit segments. Each of the functional circuit segments is physically oriented in on of a plurality of predetermined orientations independent of other functional circuit segment orientations in the circuit block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Martin Koolhaas, Matthew Dunn
  • Publication number: 20040061144
    Abstract: A twin-cell type semiconductor memory device in which the area of a chip can be reduced. In the twin-cell type semiconductor memory device for storing data in at least one pair of memory cells as complementary information, memory cells are arranged at each of a plurality of word lines at intervals at which bit lines are located. At least the one pair of memory cells, which have stored the complementary information and which indicate a plurality of areas each connected to a pair of bit lines, form a twin cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Ayako Sato, Masato Matsumiya, Satoshi Eto
  • Publication number: 20040061145
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for forming a bit line of a semiconductor device which can easily perform a contact process of the semiconductor device, by forming parallel rows of I-shaped active regions, a plug poly and a ladder-type bit line. The spacing between adjacent active regions is maintained at the minimum line width. Two word lines of minimum line width and separated by the minimum line width are formed on the active region. The word lines are perpendicular to the active regions. A plug poly is formed on the active region between the word lines. A bit line contact plug is formed over the plug poly and a device isolation region. A bit line of minimum line width contacts the bit line contact plug and aligned generally parallel to the word lines is formed in a ladder-type configuration. That is, one side the lower portion of the contact plug contacts the plug poly, and the upper portion of the other side of the contact plug contacts the bit line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Hoon Lee, Chi Sun Hwang
  • Publication number: 20040061146
    Abstract: A multi-chip semiconductor package and a fabrication method thereof are provided. A substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface is prepared. At least a first chip is mounted on the upper surface of the substrate. A non-conductive material is applied over predetermined area on the first chip and the upper surface of the substrate. At least a second chip is mounted on the non-conductive material, and formed with at least a suspending portion free of interference in position with the first chip, wherein the non-conductive material is dimensioned in surface area at least corresponding to the second chip, so as to allow the suspending portion to be supported on the non-conductive material. With the second chip being completely supported on the non-conductive material without causing a conventional chip-crack problem, structural intactness and reliability can be effectively assured for fabricated-package products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Shiann-Tsong Tsai, Yu-Ming Hsu, Wen-Lung Wu, Kuen-Huang Chen, Wen-Sheng Su, Chin-Hsing Lin
  • Publication number: 20040061147
    Abstract: An electronic circuit device has a high-density mount board (2), on which are disposed a microcomputer (3) and random access memory (7) which are connected to each other through an exclusive memory bus (12) for high-speed data transfer, a programmable device (8) which is a variable logic circuit represented by FPGA, and an electrically-rewritable nonvolatile memory (16) which can store the operation program of the microcomputer. The high-density mount board has external mounting pins on the bottom surface so that it can be mounted on a mother board in the same manner as a system on-chip multi-chip module. With an intended logic function being set on the programmable device, a hardware-based function to be realized by the electronic circuit device can be simulated. With an operation program being written to the nonvolatile memory, a software-based function to be realized can be simulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ryo Fujita, Osamu Kubo, Kouki Noguchi, Masaharu Kubo, Michihiro Mishima, Yasuhiko Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20040061148
    Abstract: A one-transistor, floating-body (1T/FB) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell is provided that includes a field-effect transistor fabricated using a process compatible with a standard CMOS process. The field-effect transistor includes a source region and a drain region of a first conductivity type and a floating body region of a second conductivity type, opposite the first conductivity type, located between the source region and the drain region. A buried region of the first conductivity type is located under the source region, drain region and floating body region. The buried region helps to form a depletion region, which is located between the buried region and the source region, the drain region and the floating body region. The floating body region is thereby isolated by the depletion region. A bias voltage can be applied to the buried region, thereby controlling leakage currents in the 1T/FB DRAM cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Monolithic System Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Fu-Chieh Hsu
  • Publication number: 20040061149
    Abstract: The semiconductor device according to the present invention has a semiconductor layer having not smaller than two types of crystal grains different in size within a semiconductor circuit on a same substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Masayuki Jyumonji, Masakiyo Matsumura, Yoshinobu Kimura, Mikihiko Nishitani, Masato Hiramatsu, Yukio Taniguchi, Fumiki Nakano, Hiroyuki Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20040061150
    Abstract: CMOS device arrangements have a surface channel, and a method for manufacturing the same by forming a multi-layer that includes a first metal layer, a polysilicon layer and a second metal layer having a work function from 4.8 through 5.0 eV on a cell region NMOS and a gate electrode of a peripheral circuit region PMOS, and by forming a multi-layer that includes a polysilicon layer and a second metal layer on a gate electrode of a peripheral circuit region NMOS. Because of the multi-layered gate electrode, a separate transient ion implantation process is not necessary, which consequently simplified the CMOS manufacturing process, while maintaining the threshold voltage of each peripheral circuit region −0.5V and below, and the threshold voltage of the peripheral circuit region NMOS +0.5V and below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Heung Jae Cho, Dae Gyn Park, Kwan Yong Lim
  • Publication number: 20040061151
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a substrate having a dopant of a first polarity, a first semiconducting structure including a dopant of a second polarity disposed over the substrate, and having substantially planar top and side surfaces. The semiconductor device includes a first junction, formed between the first semiconducting structure and the substrate, having an area wherein at least one lateral dimension is less than about 75 nanometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: James Stasiak, Jennifer Wu, David E. Hackleman
  • Publication number: 20040061152
    Abstract: A semiconductor photosensor device has a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer overlying the semiconductor substrate while being separated therefrom by a dielectric film, a first photodiode formed in the semiconductor layer to be disposed adjacent to a top surface of the semiconductor layer, a second photodiode formed in the semiconductor layer to be underlain the first photodiode, and a signal processing circuit formed on said semiconductor layer for processing output signals of said first and second photodiodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yukiko Kashiura, Hiroshi Suzunaga
  • Publication number: 20040061153
    Abstract: A vertical ferroelectric gate field-effect transistor (FeGFET) device comprises a substrate and a first drain/source electrode formed on an upper surface of the substrate. An electrically conductive channel region is formed on an upper surface of the first drain/source electrode and electrically contacting the first drain/source electrode. The FeGFET device further comprises a ferroelectric gate region formed on at least one side wall of the channel region, at least one gate electrode electrically contacting the ferroelectric gate region, and a second drain/source electrode formed on an upper surface of the channel region and electrically contacting the channel region. The ferroelectric gate region is selectively polarizable in response to a potential applied between the gate electrode and at least one of the first and second drain/source electrodes. A non-volatile memory array can be formed comprising a plurality of FeGFET devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Misewich, William Robert Reohr, Alejandro Gabriel Schrott, Li-Kong Wang
  • Publication number: 20040061154
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic element capable of being written using spin-transfer effect while being thermally stable and a magnetic memory using the magnetic element are disclosed. The magnetic element includes a first, second and third pinned layers, first and second nonmagnetic layers, a free layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layers. The first, second and third pinned layers are ferromagnetic and have first, second and third magnetizations pinned in first, second and third directions. The first and second nonmagnetic layers include first and second diffusion barriers, respectively. The first and second nonmagnetic layers are between the first and second pinned layers and the second and third pinned layers, respectively. The first and second pinned layers and the second and third pinned layers are antiferromagnetically coupled. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is conductive and resides between the free layer and the third pinned layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Yiming Huai, Paul P. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20040061155
    Abstract: A ferroelectric memory includes read-write memory cells having a comparatively weak imprint characteristic and read-only memory cells having a comparatively strong imprint characteristic. Data written in the read-only memory cells are imprinted by, for example, writing the same data repeatedly, after which the imprinted data cannot be altered at the normal read-write voltage. The memory can be fabricated by forming a first base layer and a second base layer having different chemical compositions, and forming ferroelectric capacitors on the different base layers. The first and second base layers may serve as adhesion layers promoting adhesion between lower electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitors and an underlying insulation layer. The ferroelectric capacitors may include a ferroelectric film having a constituent metallic element present in the second base film but not in the first base film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Tomomi Yamanobe
  • Publication number: 20040061156
    Abstract: A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) having a vertical structure transistor has the characteristics of faster access time than SRAM, high density as with DRAM, and non-volatility like a flash memory device. The MRAM has a vertical structure transistor, a first word line including the transistor, a contact line connected to the transistor, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) cell deposited on the contact line, a bit line deposited on the MTJ cell, and a second word line deposited on the bit line at the position of MTJ cell. With the disclosed structure, it is possible to improve the integration density of a semiconductor device, to increase the short channel effect, and to improve the control rate of the resistance, while using a simplified manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Seon Yong Cha
  • Publication number: 20040061157
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor substrate, and a capacitor provided above the semiconductor substrate and comprising a lower electrode having a metallic property, an upper electrode having a metallic property and a dielectric region provided between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, the dielectric region including a first dielectric film containing silicon, oxygen and at least one element selected from hafnium and zirconium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Masahiro Kiyotoshi, Kumi Okuwada
  • Publication number: 20040061158
    Abstract: A peripheral circuit of a semiconductor device, including a circuit further including a plurality of electronic components using same source voltage, wherein the plurality of electronic components have gate oxides of different thicknesses. The plurality of electronic components may be for a delay chain, a directional delay and a power switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Jae-Hoon Kim, Jong-Hyun Choi
  • Publication number: 20040061159
    Abstract: A gate insulating film made of silicon oxynitride is disposed on the partial surface area of a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is disposed on the gate insulating film. Source and drain regions are disposed on both sides of the gate electrode. An existence ratio of subject nitrogen atoms to a total number of nitrogen atoms in the gate insulating film is 20% or smaller, wherein three bonds of each subject nitrogen atom are all coupled to silicon atoms and remaining three bonds of each of three silicon atoms connected to the subject nitrogen atom are all coupled to other nitrogen atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Hori, Naoyoshi Tamura, Mayumi Shigeno
  • Publication number: 20040061160
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-reliability semiconductor device having a storage capacitor and wiring using copper for a main conductive film. Under the above object, the present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a storage capacitor formed on the main surface side of the semiconductor substrate and being a first electrode and a second electrode arranged so as to put a capacitor insulation film; a wiring conductor formed on the main surface side of the semiconductor substrate and including the copper (Cu) element; and a first film formed on the surface of the wiring conductor; wherein a material configuring the first film and a material configuring the first electrode and/or the second electrode include the same element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Yukihiro Kumagai, Hideo Miura, Hiroyuki Ohta, Tomio Iwasaki, Isamu Asano
  • Publication number: 20040061161
    Abstract: A memory cell structure including a semiconductor substrate, a deep (e.g., longitudinal) trench in the semiconductor substrate, the deep trench having a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom, a buried strap along a sidewall of the deep trench, a storage capacitor at the bottom of the deep trench, a vertical transistor extending down the sidewall of the deep trench above the storage capacitor, the transistor having a diffusion extending in the plane of the substrate adjacent the deep trench, a collar oxide extending down another sidewall of the deep trench opposite the capacitor, shallow trench isolation regions extending along a surface of the substrate in a direction transverse to the sidewall where the vertical transistor extends, a gate conductor extending within the deep trench, a wordline extending over the deep trench and connected to the gate conductor, and a bitline extending above the surface plane of the substrate having a contact to the diffusion between the shallow trench isolation regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carl J. Radens, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Jack A. Mandelman
  • Publication number: 20040061162
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a bit line stack and a storage node contact hole which are aligned at bit line spacers formed at both side walls of the bit line stack and exposes a pad. The semiconductor memory device includes a multi-layered storage node contact plug in which a first storage node contact plug and a second storage node contact plug are sequentially formed. The first storage node contact plug is formed of titanium nitride and the second storage node contact plug is formed of polysilicon. An ohmic layer may be formed on the pad and under the first storage node contact plug. A barrier metal layer, which acts as a third storage node contact plug, may be formed on the second storage node contact plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Beom-Jun Jin, Byeong-Yun Nam
  • Publication number: 20040061163
    Abstract: Semiconductor equipment includes a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor layer embedded therein and a vertical type transistor. The substrate has a principal side, a rear side opposite to the principal side, and a trench disposed in the rear side of the substrate. The vertical type transistor has a first electrode disposed in the principal side of the substrate, a second electrode disposed in the rear side, and a diffusion region disposed in the principal side. The first electrode connects to the diffusion region through an interlayer insulation film. The second electrode is disposed in the trench and connects to the semiconductor layer exposed in the trench. This vertical transistor has a low ON-state resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20040061164
    Abstract: A capacitor under bitline DRAM memory cell and method for its fabrication provides a high density memory cell with the capacitor formed in the PMD layer. The memory cell utilizes several variations of storage contact pillar structures as, for example, a storage plate of the memory cell capacitor formed within a trench in the PMD layer. This capacitor plate structure is overlaid with a capacitor dielectric layer which is overlaid with another conductive layer, for example, the M1 layer to form the other capacitor plate. An access transistor formed between substrate active regions and a word line, is in electrical communication with a bit line contact, the storage contact capacitor plate, and the word line respectively. The high density memory cell benefits from the simple standard processes common to logic processes, and in one embodiment requiring only one additional masking step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Publication number: 20040061165
    Abstract: A silicon nitride layer (120) is formed over a semiconductor substrate (104) and patterned to define isolation trenches (130). The trenches are filled with dielectric (210). The nitride layer is removed to expose sidewalls of the trench dielectric (210). The dielectric is etched to recess the sidewalls away from the active areas (132). Then a conductive layer (410) is deposited to form floating gates for nonvolatile memory cells. The recessed portions of the dielectric sidewalls allow the floating gates to be wider at the top. The gate coupling ratio is increased as a result. Other features are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Yi Ding
  • Publication number: 20040061166
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include magnetoresistive memory cells having magnetic focusing spacers are formed on sidewalls thereof. Therefore, magnetic fields generated by a bit line and a digit line are focused by the magnetic focusing spacers and efficiently transferred to the magnetoresistive memory cell. In addition, an interlayer dielectric layer surrounding the magnetoresistive memory cell may be formed of high permeability material, thereby efficiently transferring magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Hyeong-Jun Kim
  • Publication number: 20040061167
    Abstract: Erase efficiency in a non-volatile memory cell can be increased by lowering the work function of the material from which the electrons emanate traversing the insulating layer. In particular, the conventional polysilicon/oxide/polysilicon mechanism can be replaced by a silicide/oxide/polysilicon mechanism to either increase the current density of erasure, thereby decreasing erase time, or by lowering the applied voltage for the same erase time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Bhaskar Mantha
  • Publication number: 20040061168
    Abstract: An electrically erasable and programmable memory cell is provided. The memory cell includes a floating gate MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor for injecting an electric charge into the floating gate. The floating gate transistor has a source region and a drain region formed in a first well with a channel defined between the drain and source regions, a control gate region, and a floating gate extending over the channel and the control gate region. The bipolar transistor has an emitter region formed in the first well, a base region consisting of the first well, and a collector region consisting of the channel. The memory cell includes a second well that is insulated from the first well, and the control gate region is formed in the second well. Further embodiments of the present invention provide a memory including at least one such memory cell, an electronic device including such a memory, and methods of integrating a memory cell and erasing a memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.I
    Inventors: Paolo Cappelletti, Paolo Ghezzi, Alfonso Maurelli, Loris Vendrame, Paola Zabberoni
  • Publication number: 20040061169
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes gate stack structures formed on a semiconductor substrate to be separated by a first space in a first area and by a second wider space in a second area adjacent to the first area. First gate spacers of a low dielectric constant insulating material are formed on the sidewalls of the gate stack structures. Second gate spacers made of an insulating material having good step coverage are formed on the first gate spacers to fill the first space. This dual spacer structure comprising the first gate spacer and the second gate spacer prevents the creation of void between gates. Thus, it can prevent an active region from being opened in a subsequent etching process and preclude the formation of a silicide layer on the active region. Thus, the device characteristics can be substantially improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Heon-Heoung Leam, Yong-Woo Hyung, Young-Sub You, Woo-Sung Lee
  • Publication number: 20040061170
    Abstract: A method for forming a high voltage insulated gate bipolar transistor (“IGBT”) includes providing a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type. The semiconductor substrate includes a front-side surface, a backside surface, and a scribe region. The substrate further includes a plurality of active cells on the front-side surface. A drain region of second conductivity type is formed using a first impurity proximate the backside surface of the substrate. A continuous conductive region of second conductivity type is formed using a second impurity that has been provided into the substrate from the backside surface of the substrate. The continuous conductive region extends from the front-side surface to the backside surface. The second impurity has a higher mobility than the first impurity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: IXYS Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan Zommer
  • Publication number: 20040061171
    Abstract: The cellular structure of the power device includes a substrate that has a highly doped drain region. Over the substrate there is a more lightly doped epitaxial layer of the same doping. Above the epitaxial layer is a well region formed of an opposite type doping. Covering the wells is an upper source layer of the first conductivity type that is heavily doped. The trench structure includes a sidewall oxide or other suitable insulating material that covers the sidewalls of the trench. The bottom of the trench is filled with a doped polysilicon shield. An interlevel dielectric such as silicon nitride covers the shield. The gate region is formed by another layer of doped polysilicon. A second interlevel dielectric, typically borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) covers the gate. In operation, current flows vertically between the source and the drain through a channel in the well when a suitable voltage is applied to the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Jun Zeng
  • Publication number: 20040061172
    Abstract: A multi-mesa FET structure with doped sidewalls for source/drain regions and methods for forming the same are disclosed. The exposure of the source and drain sidewalls during the manufacture enables uniform doping of the entire sidewalls especially when geometry-independent doping methods, such as gas phase doping or plasma doping, is used. The resulting device has depth independent and precisely controlled threshold voltage and current density and can have very high current per unit area of silicon as the mesas can be very high compared with mesas that could be formed in prior arts. Methods of providing multi-mesa FET structures are provided which employ either a damascene gate process or a damascene replacement gate process instead of conventional subtractive etching methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, Jack A. Mandelman, Byeongju Park
  • Publication number: 20040061173
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a single-electron transistor (SET). A one dimensional channel is formed between source and drain on a silicon-on-insulator substrate, and the separated polysilicon sidewall spacer gates are formed by electron-beam lithographically etching process in a self-aligned manner. Operation of the single-electron transistor with self-aligned polysilicon sidewall spacer gates is achieved by applying external bias to the self-aligned polysilicon sidewall spacer gates to form two potential barriers and a quantum dot capable of storage charges between the two potential barriers. A metal upper gate is finally formed and biased to induce a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and control the energy level of the quantum well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Shu-Fen Hu, Yung-Chun Wu, Wen-Tai Lu, Shiue-Shin Liu, Tiao-Yuan Huang, Tien-Sheng Chao
  • Publication number: 20040061174
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor for solving the drawbacks of the prior art is disclosed. The method includes steps of providing an insulating substrate, sequentially forming a source/drain layer, a primary gate insulating layer, and a first conducting layer on the insulating substrate, etching the first conducting layer to form a primary gate; sequentially forming a secondary gate insulating layer and a second conducting layer on the primary gate; and etching the second conducting layer to form a first secondary gate and a second secondary gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Kow Ming Chang, Yuan Hung Chung
  • Publication number: 20040061175
    Abstract: A full depletion SOI-MOS transistor includes a substrate, a buried oxide layer, a thin silicon layer, an isolation layer, a gate insulation layer, a gate electrode and a polysilicon layer. The buried oxide layer is formed on a main surface of the substrate. The thin silicon layer is formed on the buried oxide layer and includes a channel region and a source/drain region. The isolation layer is formed on the buried oxide layer and surrounds the thin silicon layer. A gate insulation layer and gate electrode are formed on the channel region of the thin silicon layer. The polysilicon layer is formed on the source/drain region of the thin silicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Koichi Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20040061176
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention is arranged in such a manner that a MOS non-single-crystal silicon thin-film transistor including a non-single-crystal silicon thin film made of polycrystalline silicon, a MOS single-crystal silicon thin-film transistor including a single-crystal silicon thin film, and a metal wiring are provided on an insulating substrate. With this arrangement, (i) a semiconductor device in which a non-single-crystal silicon thin film and a single-crystal silicon thin-film device are formed and high-performance systems are integrated, (ii) a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, and (iii) a single-crystal silicon substrate for forming the single-crystal silicon thin-film device of the semiconductor device are obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Yutaka Takafuji, Takashi Itoga
  • Publication number: 20040061177
    Abstract: An apparatus and fabrication process for a capacitor formed in conjunction with a dual damascene process. A bottom capacitor plate is electrically connected to an overlying first conductive via formed according to the dual damascene process. A top capacitor plate is connected to an overlying second conductive via. A dielectric material is disposed between the top and the bottom plates. The capacitor is formed by successively forming the bottom plate, the dielectric layer, and the top plate, patterning these layers as required after their formation. The first conductive via is formed over and electrically connected to the bottom plate and the second conductive via is formed over and connected to the top capacitor plate thereby providing for interconnection of the capacitor to other circuit elements by way of the dual damascene conductive runners connected to the conductive vias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Sailesh M. Merchant, Yifeng W. Yan
  • Publication number: 20040061178
    Abstract: A FinFET device employs strained silicon to enhance carrier mobility. In one method, a FinFET body is patterned from a layer of silicon germanium (SiGe) that overlies a dielectric layer. An epitaxial layer of silicon is then formed on the silicon germanium FinFET body. A strain is induced in the epitaxial silicon as a result of the different dimensionalities of intrinsic silicon and of the silicon germanium crystal lattice that serves as the template on which the epitaxial silicon is grown. Strained silicon has an increased carrier mobility compared to relaxed silicon, and as a result the epitaxial strained silicon provides increased carrier mobility in the FinFET. A higher driving current can therefore be realized in a FinFET employing a strained silicon channel layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Ren Lin, Jung-Suk Goo, Haihong Wang, Qi Xiang
  • Publication number: 20040061179
    Abstract: A low-thermal budget, silicon-rich silicon nitride film may include a concentration of hydrogen in Si—H bonds being at least 1.5 times as great as a concentration of hydrogen in N—H bonds. The silicon nitride film suppresses boron diffusion in boron-doped devices when such devices are processed using high-temperature processing operations that conventionally urge boron diffusion. The low-thermal budget, silicon-rich silicon nitride film may be used to form spacers in CMOS devices, it may be used as part of a dielectric stack to prevent shorting in tightly packed SRAM arrays, and it may be used in BiCMOS processing to form a base nitride layer and/or nitride spacers isolating the base from the emitter. Furthermore the low-thermal budget, silicon-rich silicon nitride film may remain covering the CMOS structure while bipolar devices are being formed, as it suppresses the boron diffusion that results in boron penetration and boron-doped poly depletion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Michael Scott Carroll, Yi Ma, Minesh Amrat Patel, Peyman Sana
  • Publication number: 20040061180
    Abstract: A drain loaded 1T1R resistive memory device and 1T1R resistive memory array are provided. The resistive memory array comprises an array of drain loaded 1T1R resistive memory device structures. Word lines are connected across transistor gates, while a resistive elements are connected between transistor gates and bit lines. The resistive element comprises a material with a resistance that is changed electrically, for example using a sequence of electric pulses. The resistive element may comprise PCMO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng Teng Hsu, Wei-Wei Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20040061181
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is proposed which includes: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a channel region formed at a surface of the semiconductor substrate;
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Hideki Satake
  • Publication number: 20040061182
    Abstract: A high power MOSFET semiconductor having a high breakdown voltage. The new power device concept that reaches an area of a lower specific on-resistance, higher breakdown voltage and reduced device silicon area. This device architecture is built on the concepts of charge compensation in the drift region of the device. Where, the doping of the vertical drift region is increased by one order of magnitude. To counterbalance the added charges, fine-structured wells of opposite doping type to the drift region are introduced as part of the device structure. The charge compensation wells do not contribute to the on-state current conduction, therefore, this novel new generation of high voltage device architecture breaks the limit line of silicon. This architecture may extend to higher material resistivity and larger geometry to increase the voltage to 1 kv plus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Abdul M. ElHatem
  • Publication number: 20040061183
    Abstract: An integrated circuit having structure for isolating circuit sections having at least one differing characteristic. The structure includes a chip guard ring for each circuit section having the at least one differing characteristic. Providing multiple chip guard rings allows for isolation of circuit sections and prevention of ionic contamination, but without increased expense and size. In addition, it is practicable with any IC. The invention also may include an interconnect for electrical connectivity about a chip guard ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation, Innovative Systems and Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Johnson, Alvin J. Joseph, Parker A. Robinson, Raminderpal Singh, Dennis Whittaker
  • Publication number: 20040061184
    Abstract: A process for forming nickel silicide and silicon nitride structure in a semiconductor integrated circuit device is described. Good adhesion between the nickel silicide and the silicon nitride is accomplished by passivating the nickel suicide surface with nitrogen. The passivation may be performed by treating the nickel silicide surface with plasma activated nitrogen species. An alternative passivation method is to cover the nickel silicide with a film of metal nitride and heat the substrate to about 500° C. Another alternative method is to sputter deposit silicon nitride on top of nickel silicide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Jiong-Ping Lu, Glenn J. Tessmer, Melissa M. Hewson, Donald S. Miles, Ralf B. Willecke, Andrew J. McKerrow, Brian K. Kirkpatrick, Clinton L. Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20040061185
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes a gate dielectric layer, a polysilicon layer, and a gate electrode. The gate dielectric layer is on a substrate. The substrate has a gate area, a source area, and a drain area. The polysilicon layer is on the gate dielectric layer at the gate area. The gate electrode is on the polysilicon layer and has arc-shaped sidewalls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Brian Doyle, Jack Kavalieros
  • Publication number: 20040061186
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure. The integrated circuit structure is formed by a plurality of layers of material having a controlled outline. A layer of conductive material having a controlled outline is disposed among said plurality of layers to provide artifact edges of the conductive material that resemble one type of transistor (operable vs. non-operable), when in fact another type of transistor was used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Lap-Wai Chow, William M. Clark, Gavin J. Harbison, James P. Baukus
  • Publication number: 20040061187
    Abstract: A method including forming a transistor device having a channel region; implanting a first halo into the channel region; and implanting a second different halo into the channel region. An apparatus including a gate electrode formed on a substrate; a channel region formed in the substrate below the gate electrode and between contact points; a first halo implant comprising a first species in the channel region; and a second halo implant including a different second species in the channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Cory E. Weber, Gerhard Schrom, Ian R. Post, Mark A. Stettler
  • Publication number: 20040061188
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a continuous doped substrate with a surface, a sulfur-based dielectric material layer positioned on the surface of the continuous doped substrate, a dielectric material layer positioned on the sulfur-based dielectric material layer, and a gate contact region positioned on the sulfur-based dielectric material layer. The continuous doped substrate includes silicon (Si) and the sulfur-based dielectric material includes a transition metal sulfide such as strontium zirconium sulfur (SrZrS), barium zirconium sulfur (BaZrS), strontium hafnium sulfur (SrHfS), barium hafnium sulfur (BaHfS), or the like. Further, the gate contact region includes a layer of one of strontium titanium sulfur (SrTiS), barium titanium sulfur (BaTiS), or the like positioned adjacent to the dielectric material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Alexander A. Demkov, Kurt W. Eisenbeiser
  • Publication number: 20040061189
    Abstract: A semiconductor device protecting the ends of a gate line and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate line crossing over the semiconductor substrate, and a protecting pattern covering ends of the gate line. According to the method, a gate line is formed at a semiconductor substrate. A spacer is formed to cover sidewalls of the gate line. A protecting pattern is formed to cover the ends of the gate line. The protecting pattern may be formed of silicon nitride or silicon oxide. Since the protecting pattern protects ends of a gate line, it is possible to prevent gate electrodes from being damaged by a cleaning solution such as SC1 in a subsequent process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ji-Young Kim, Sang-Yong Kim