Patents Issued in January 17, 2017
  • Patent number: 9548363
    Abstract: A CMOS device includes a PMOS transistor with a first quantum well structure and an NMOS device with a second quantum well structure. The PMOS and NMOS transistors are formed on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Suman Datta, Mantu K. Hudait, Mark L. Doczy, Jack T. Kavalieros, Majumdar Amian, Justin K. Brask, Been-Yih Jin, Matthew V. Metz, Robert S. Chau
  • Patent number: 9548364
    Abstract: This application relates to graphene based heterostructures and methods of making graphene based heterostructures. The graphene heterostructures comprise: i) a first encapsulation layer; ii) a second encapsulation layer; and iii) a graphene layer. The heterostructures find application in electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: The University of Manchester
    Inventors: Andre Geim, Kostya Novoselov, Roman Gorbachev, Leonid Ponomarenko
  • Patent number: 9548365
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a buffer layer formed over a substrate; a first semiconductor layer formed over the buffer layer by using a compound semiconductor; a second semiconductor layer formed over the first semiconductor layer by using a compound semiconductor; and a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode formed over the second semiconductor layer, wherein the first semiconductor layer contains an impurity element serving as an acceptor and an impurity element serving as a donor; and in the first semiconductor layer, an acceptor concentration of the impurity element serving as the acceptor is greater than a donor concentration of the impurity element serving as the donor; and the donor concentration is greater-than over equal to 5×1016 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Junji Kotani, Norikazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9548366
    Abstract: An embodiment is a method including forming a first gate over a substrate, the first gate having first gate spacers on opposing sidewalls, forming a first hard mask layer over the first gate, forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer, the second hard mask layer having a different material composition than the first hard mask layer, forming a first dielectric layer adjacent and over the first gate, etching a first opening through the first dielectric layer to expose a portion of the substrate, at least a portion of the second hard mask layer being exposed in the first opening, filling the first opening with a conductive material, and removing the second hard mask layer and the portions of the conductive material and first dielectric layer above the first hard mask layer to form a first conductive contact in the remaining first dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsai-Jung Ho, Kuang-Yuan Hsu, Pei-Ren Jeng
  • Patent number: 9548367
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate, insulation regions extending into the semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor fin protruding above the insulation regions. The insulation regions have a first portion and a second portion, with the first portion and the second portion on opposite sides of the semiconductor fin. The semiconductor fin has a first height. The integrated circuit device further includes a gate stack over a middle portion of the semiconductor fin, and a fin spacer on a sidewall of an end portion of the semiconductor fin. The fin spacer has a second height. The first height is greater than about two times the second height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jam-Wem Lee, Tsung-Che Tsai, Yi-Feng Chang
  • Patent number: 9548368
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, a method for manufacturing the same, and an electronic device including the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first channel layer and a first ion gel. The second transistor includes a second channel layer and a second ion gel. The first channel layer and the second channel layer may include, for example, graphene. The first ion gel and the second ion gel include different ionic liquids. The first ion gel and the second ion gel include different cations and/or different anions. One of the first transistor and the second transistor is a p-type transistor, and the other one is an n-type transistor. The combination of the first transistor and the second transistor constitutes an inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Unjeong Kim, Youngseon Shim, Yeonsang Park, Changwon Lee, Sungwoo Hwang
  • Patent number: 9548369
    Abstract: Provided is a memory device including a substrate, a first stack structure, and a plurality of second stack structures. The substrate has a first region and a second region. The first stack structure is located on the substrate of the first region. The second stack structures are located on the substrate of the second region. A sidewall of the first stack structure and a sidewall of the second stack structure have a concave-and-convex surface respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zu-Sing Yang
  • Patent number: 9548370
    Abstract: A transistor device includes an individual transistor cell arranged in a transistor cell field on a semiconductor body, the individual transistor cell having a gate electrode. The transistor device further includes a gate contact, electrically coupled to the gate electrode and configured to switch on the individual transistor cell by providing a gate current in a first direction and configured to switch off the individual transistor cell by providing a gate current in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. The transistor device also includes a gate-resistor structure monolithically integrated in the transistor device. The gate-resistor structure provides a first resistance for the gate current when the gate current flows in the first direction, and provides a second resistance for the gate current, which is different from the first resistance, when the gate current flows in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stephan Voss, Peter Tuerkes, Holger Huesken
  • Patent number: 9548371
    Abstract: Integrated circuits having nickel silicide contacts and methods for fabricating integrated circuits with nickel silicide contacts are provided. An exemplary method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a nonvolatile memory structure over the semiconductor substrate. The nonvolatile memory structure includes a gate surface. The method further includes depositing a nickel-containing material over the gate surface. Also, the method includes annealing the nonvolatile memory structure and forming a nickel silicide contact on the gate surface from the nickel-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Jingyan Huang, Chuan Wang, Chim Seng Seet, Yun Ling Tan, Alex See
  • Patent number: 9548372
    Abstract: The metal-oxide semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a gate dielectric multi-layer, an etch stop layer, a work function metallic layer, a barrier layer and a silicide layer. The substrate has a trench. The gate dielectric multi-layer overlies the trench, in which the gate dielectric multi-layer includes a high-k capping layer with a fluorine concentration substantially in a range from 1 at % to 10 at %. The etch stop layer is disposed on the gate dielectric multi-layer. The work function metallic layer is disposed on the etch stop layer. The barrier layer is disposed on the work function metallic layer. The silicide layer is disposed on the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Liang Cheng, Wei-Jen Chen, Yen-Yu Chen, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 9548373
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a semiconductor layer; a control gate electrode; and an organic molecular layer, which is provided between the semiconductor layer and the control gate electrode, and has organic molecules including a molecular structure described by a molecular formula (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shigeki Hattori, Tsukasa Tada, Masaya Terai, Hideyuki Nishizawa, Koji Asakawa, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi
  • Patent number: 9548374
    Abstract: A method of forming a transistor device include forming a drift layer of a first conductivity type, forming a well of a second conductivity type in the drift layer, forming a JFET region with first conductivity type dopant ions in the drift layer, forming a channel adjustment layer of the first conductivity type on the JFET region and the well, implanting first conductivity type dopant ions to form an emitter region of the first conductivity type extending through the channel adjustment layer and into the well, wherein the emitter region is spaced apart from the JFET region by the well, implanting second conductivity type dopant ions to form a connector region of the second conductivity type adjacent the emitter region, forming a gate oxide layer on the channel region, and forming a gate on the gate oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Qingchun Zhang, Sei-Hyung Ryu, Charlotte Jonas, Anant K. Agarwal
  • Patent number: 9548375
    Abstract: A vertical diode is provided. The vertical diode includes a high-voltage N-type well region in a substrate, and two P-doped regions spaced apart from each other in the high-voltage N-type well region. The vertical diode also includes an N-type well region in the high-voltage N-type well region, and an N-type heavily doped region in the N-type well region. A plurality of isolation structures are formed on the substrate to define an anode region and a cathode region. There is a bottom N-type implanted region under the high-voltage N-type well region corresponding to the anode region. The bottom N-type implanted region directly contacts or partially overlaps the high-voltage N-type well region. A method for fabricating a vertical diode is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hsiung-Shih Chang, Manoj Kumar, Jui-Chun Chang, Chia-Hao Lee, Li-Che Chen
  • Patent number: 9548376
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a barrier structure over a substrate. The method further includes forming a channel layer over the barrier structure. The method further includes depositing an active layer over the channel layer. The method further includes forming source/drain electrodes over the channel layer. The method further includes annealing the source/drain electrodes to form ohmic contacts in the active layer under the source/drain electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Liu, Chi-Ming Chen, Chen-Hao Chiang, Chung-Yi Yu, Chia-Shiung Tsai, Xiaomeng Chen
  • Patent number: 9548377
    Abstract: Thermal treatment of a semiconductor wafer in the fabrication of integrated circuits including MOS transistors and ferroelectric capacitors, including those using lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT) ferroelectric material, to reduce variation in the electrical characteristics of the transistors. Thermal treatment of the wafer in a nitrogen-bearing atmosphere in which hydrogen is essentially absent is performed after formation of the transistors and capacitor. An optional thermal treatment of the wafer in a hydrogen-bearing atmosphere prior to deposition of the ferroelectric treatment may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kezhakkedath R. Udayakumar, Kemal Tamer San
  • Patent number: 9548378
    Abstract: A method for forming field effect transistors (FETs) in a multiple wafers per batch epi-reactor includes, providing substrates having therein at least one semiconductor (SC) region with a substantially flat outer surface, modifying such substantially flat outer surface to form a convex-outward curved surface, forming an epitaxial semiconductor layer on the curved surface, and incorporating the epitaxial layer in a field effect transistor formed on the substrate. Where the SC region is of silicon, the epitaxial layer can include silicon-germanium. In a preferred embodiment, the epi-layer forms part of the FET channel. Because of the convex-outward curved surface, the epi-layer grown thereon has much more uniform thickness even when formed in a high volume reactor holding as many as 100 or more substrates per batch. FETs with much more uniform properties are obtained, thereby greatly increasing the manufacturing yield and reducing the cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Stephan Kronholz, Nadja Zakowsky, Yew Tuck Chow
  • Patent number: 9548379
    Abstract: An asymmetrical finFET device includes at least one semiconductor fin on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The fin extends along a length of the semiconductor substrate to define a fin length. A plurality of gate structures wrap around the sidewalls and upper fin surface of the fin. The plurality of gate structures includes at least one desired gate structure surrounded by at least one sacrificial gate structure. A first source/drain region is formed adjacent a first sidewall of the at least one desired gate structure, and a second source/drain region is formed adjacent a second sidewall of the at least one desired gate structure opposite the first sidewall. The dimensions of the first and second source/drain regions are asymmetrical with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Andres Bryant, Huiming Bu, Sivananda K. Kanakasabapathy, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9548380
    Abstract: A memory cell formed by forming a trench in the surface of a substrate. First and second spaced apart regions are formed in the substrate with a channel region therebetween. The first region is formed under the trench. The channel region includes a first portion that extends along a sidewall of the trench and a second portion that extends along the surface of the substrate. A charge trapping layer in the trench is adjacent to and insulated from the first portion of the channel region for controlling the conduction of the channel region first portion. An electrically conductive gate in the trench is adjacent to and insulated from the charge trapping layer and from the first region and is capacitively coupled to the charge trapping layer. An electrically conductive control gate is disposed over and insulated from the second portion of the channel region for controlling its conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Nhan Do
  • Patent number: 9548381
    Abstract: A heterojunction tunnel field effect transistor (TFET) has a channel region that includes a first portion of a nanowire, a source region and a drain region that respectively include a second portion and a third portion of a nanowire, and a gate that surrounds the channel region, where the first portion of the nanowire comprises an intrinsic, epitaxial III-V semiconductor. The TFET can be made by selectively etching the epitaxial underlayer to define a tethered (suspended) nanowire that forms a channel region of the device. Source and drain regions can be formed from regrown p-type and n-type epitaxial layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Siddarth A. Krishnan, Unoh Kwon, Vijay Narayanan, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Patent number: 9548382
    Abstract: Provided in one embodiment is a device, comprising: a substrate; and a layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the layer comprises a monolayer of crystals comprising a Group IV element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: Northeastern University, National Sun Yat-sen University, National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Horng-Tay Jeng, Tay-Rong Chang, Arun Bansil, Hsin Lin, Wei-Feng Tsai, Cheng-Yi Huang
  • Patent number: 9548383
    Abstract: A compound semiconductor device includes a channel layer of first arsenide semiconductor, an electron supply layer of second arsenide semiconductor over the channel layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode over the channel layer, and a metal film between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, the metal film being insulated from the gate electrode and the drain electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Kozo Makiyama
  • Patent number: 9548384
    Abstract: An integrated circuit may include a metal gate which extends over an active area and onto an isolation dielectric layer. A conductive spline is formed on the metal gate, extending on the metal gate over at least a portion of the isolation dielectric layer, and extending on the metal gate for a length at least four times a width of the metal gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mahalingam Nandakumar, Steve Lytle
  • Patent number: 9548385
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices having vertical field effect transistors with self-aligned source and drain contacts are provided, as well as methods for fabricating vertical field effect transistors with self-aligned source and drain contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Wilfried Ernst-August Haensch, Ali Khakifirooz, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Patent number: 9548386
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure that includes a tensily strained silicon fin extending upwards from a first portion of a substrate and in an nFET device region, and a SiGe fin structure extending upwards from a second portion of the substrate and in a pFET device region. In accordance with the present application, the SiGe fin structure comprises, from bottom to top, a lower SiGe fin that is relaxed and an upper SiGe fin, wherein the upper SiGe fin is compressively strained and has a germanium content that is greater than a germanium content of the lower SiGe fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Darsen D. Lu, Alexander Reznicek, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: 9548387
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor device, comprising a plurality of fins located on a substrate and extending along a first direction; a plurality of gate stack structures extending along a second direction and across each of the fins; a plurality of stress layers located in the fins on both sides of the gate stack structures and having a plurality of source and drain regions therein; a plurality of channel regions located in the fins below the gate stack structures; characterized in that the stress layers have connected parts in the fins and that the channel regions enclose the connected parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Science
    Inventors: Huaxiang Yin, Changliang Qin, Xiaolong Ma, Qiuxia Xu, Dapeng Chen
  • Patent number: 9548388
    Abstract: A method for forming field effect transistors comprises forming a first dummy gate stack over a first fin, forming a second dummy gate stack over a second fin, depositing a first layer of spacer material on the first dummy gate stack, the first fin, the second dummy gate stack, and the second fin, patterning a first masking layer on the first dummy gate stack and the first fin, etching to remove portions of the first layer of spacer material and form a spacer adjacent to the second dummy gate stack, removing the first masking layer, epitaxially growing a silicon material on the second fin, depositing a layer of oxide material on the first layer of spacer material, the first epitaxial material and the second dummy gate stack, and depositing a second layer of spacer material on the layer of oxide material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Rama Kambhampati, Junli Wang, Ruilong Xie, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9548389
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the inventive concept, a gate electrode is formed on a substrate, and a first spacer, a second spacer, and a third spacer are sequentially formed on a sidewall of the gate electrode. The substrate is etched to form a recess region. A compressive stress pattern is formed in the recess region. A protective spacer is formed on a sidewall of the third spacer. When the recess region is formed, a lower portion of the second spacer is removed to form a gap region between the first and third spacers. The protective spacer fills the gap region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Donghyun Roh, Pankwi Park, Dongsuk Shin, Chulwoong Lee, Naein Lee
  • Patent number: 9548390
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a fin portion protruding from a substrate. The fin portion includes a base part, an intermediate part on the base part, and a channel part on the intermediate part. A width of the intermediate part is less than a width of the base part and greater than a width of the channel part. A gate electrode coves both sidewalls and a top surface of the channel part, and a device isolation pattern covers both sidewalls of the base part and both sidewalls of the intermediate part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jongun Kim, Dong-Hyun Kim, Hyun-Seung Song
  • Patent number: 9548391
    Abstract: A thin film transistor includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a semiconducting layer, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, an insulating layer and a gate electrode. The drain electrode is spaced apart from the source electrode. The first conductive layer is sandwiched between the source electrode and the semiconductor layer. The second conductive layer is sandwiched between the drain electrode and the semiconductor layer. The gate electrode is insulated from the source electrode, the drain electrode, the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the semiconductor layer by the insulating layer. A first work-function of a first material of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer is same as a second work-function of a second material of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qing-Kai Qian, Qun-Qing Li
  • Patent number: 9548392
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor include following steps. A substrate is provided. A gate electrode and an electrically insulating layer are formed on the substrate. An electric conducting layer is formed on the electrically insulating layer. A first photoresist pattern layer is formed on the electric conducting layer. A portion of the electric conducting layer which is not covered by the first photoresist pattern layer is etched to form an electric conduction layer. A semiconductor layer is formed on the electric conduction layer. A second photoresist pattern layer is formed. A portion of the semiconductor layer which is not covered by the second photoresist pattern layer is etched to form the channel layer covering the electric conduction layer. A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed at the two lateral portions of the channel layer respectively. The thin film transistor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Po-Li Shih, Yi-Chun Kao, Chih-Lung Lee, Kuo-Lung Fang, Hsin-Hua Lin
  • Patent number: 9548393
    Abstract: A change in electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an interlayer insulating film over a transistor including an oxide semiconductor as a semiconductor film is suppressed. The structure includes a first insulating film which includes a void portion in a step region formed by a source electrode and a drain electrode over the semiconductor film and contains silicon oxide as a component, and a second insulating film containing silicon nitride, which is provided in contact with the first insulating film to cover the void portion in the first insulating film. The structure can prevent the void portion generated in the first insulating film from expanding outward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Koezuka, Toshinari Sasaki, Katsuaki Tochibayashi, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9548394
    Abstract: A two-dimensional thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing a two-dimensional thin film transistor includes layering a semiconducting channel material on a substrate, providing a first electrode material on top of the semiconducting channel material, patterning a source metal electrode and a drain metal electrode at opposite ends of the semiconducting channel material from the first electrode material, opening a window between the source metal electrode and the drain metal electrode, removing the first electrode material from the window located above the semiconducting channel material providing a gate dielectric above the semiconducting channel material, and providing a top gate above the gate dielectric, the top gate formed from a second electrode material. The semiconducting channel material is made of tungsten diselenide, the first electrode material and the second electrode material are made of graphene, and the gate dielectric is made of hexagonal boron nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Saptarshi Das, Anirudha V. Sumant, Andreas Roelofs
  • Patent number: 9548395
    Abstract: Provided is a field-effect transistor (FET) having small off-state current, which is used in a miniaturized semiconductor integrated circuit. The field-effect transistor includes a thin oxide semiconductor which is formed substantially perpendicular to an insulating surface, a gate insulating film formed to cover the oxide semiconductor, and a gate electrode which is formed to cover the gate insulating film. The gate electrode partly overlaps a source electrode and a drain electrode. The source electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with at least a top surface of the oxide semiconductor. In this structure, three surfaces of the thin oxide semiconductor are covered with the gate electrode, so that electrons injected from the source electrode or the drain electrode can be effectively removed, and most of the space between the source electrode and the drain electrode can be a depletion region; thus, off-state current can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hiromichi Godo, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 9548396
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a first oxide film, a second oxide film, and a third oxide film are stacked over an insulating surface is provided. In the semiconductor device, each of the first oxide film, the second oxide film, and the third oxide film comprises indium, gallium, and zinc. The third oxide film is in contact with a side surface of the second oxide film. A gallium content is higher than an indium content in the third oxide film. The gallium content is higher than a zinc content in the third oxide film. An indium content in the second oxide film is higher than the indium content in the third oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9548397
    Abstract: An object is to provide a structure of a transistor which has a channel formation region formed using an oxide semiconductor and a positive threshold voltage value, which enables a so-called normally-on switching element. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor stack in which at least a first oxide semiconductor layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer with different energy gaps are stacked and a region containing oxygen in excess of its stoichiometric composition ratio is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Tatsuya Honda
  • Patent number: 9548398
    Abstract: A high density NAND-type nonvolatile resistance random access storage circuit and its operations are shown herein . A unit memory cell of the circuit includes a field effect transistor (FET) with a resistance changeable component connected to its gate electrode. The field effect transistor is an n-channel field effect transistor or a p-channel field effect transistor. By applying the voltage or current between the top electrode of the resistive random access component and the FET drain or source electrode, more than two stable states can be maintained such that these states can be drawn from the FET drain or source terminal. The NAND circuit includes the above unit cell as a center to form a multi-bit memory. The circuit consists of multi-bit memories connected in series, has a NAND logic gate function, and forms output of this NAND circuit which can be drawn in a form of series output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Steve S. Chung, E-Ray Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9548399
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a junction field effect transistor cell with a top gate region, a lateral channel region and a buried gate region. The lateral channel region is arranged between the top gate region and the buried gate region along a vertical direction with respect to a first surface of a semiconductor body. The lateral channel region comprises at least two first zones of a first conductivity type and at least one second zone of a second conductivity type, wherein the first and second zones alternate along the vertical direction. The embodiments provide well-defined channel widths and facilitate the adjustment of pinch-off voltages as well as the manufacture of normally-off junction field effect transistor cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jens Peter Konrath, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Patent number: 9548400
    Abstract: A diode includes a semiconductor body, a first emitter region of a first conductivity type, a second emitter region of a second conductivity type, a base region arranged between the first and second emitter regions and having a lower doping concentration than the first and second emitter regions, a first emitter electrode electrically coupled to the first emitter region, a second emitter electrode in electrical contact with the second emitter region, a control electrode arrangement comprising a first control electrode section and a first dielectric layer arranged between the first control electrode section and the semiconductor body, and at least one pn junction extending to the first dielectric layer, or arranged distant to the first dielectric layer by less than 250 nm. The breakdown voltage of the diode is adjusted by applying a control potential to the first control electrode section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Joachim Weyers
  • Patent number: 9548401
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a first impurity diffusion region having a first doping concentration and at least one second impurity diffusion region having a second doping concentration different from the first doping concentration, the at least one second impurity region being surrounded by the first impurity diffusion region; at least one electrode facing the first impurity diffusion region and the at least one second impurity diffusion region; and at least one insulating layer between the first impurity diffusion region and the at least one electrode, and between the at least one second impurity diffusion region and the at least one electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hyun Yoo, Jin-Hyun Noh, Su-Tae Kim, Byeong-Ryeol Lee, Seong-Hun Jang, Jong-Sung Jeon
  • Patent number: 9548402
    Abstract: A semiconductor radiation detector comprises a detector chip having a front side and a back side, and a support plate on the back side of the detector chip, having electric connections with said detector chip. A base plate has a thermoelectric cooler attached to it and contact pins protruding from the base plate towards said detector chip. A bonding plate is on an opposite side of said thermoelectric cooler than said base plate, and first wire bonded connections go between said contact pins and said bonding plate. A joint plate is between said bonding plate and said support plate, and electric connections between said support plate and said bonding plate go through said joint plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Oxford Instruments Analytical Oy
    Inventor: Veikko Kämäräinen
  • Patent number: 9548403
    Abstract: A solar cell according to an embodiment of the invention includes a substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter region of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, which is positioned at the substrate, an anti-reflection layer including a first opening exposing the emitter region and a plurality of second openings which expose the emitter region and are separated from one another, a first electrode which is positioned on a first portion of the emitter region exposed through the first opening and is connected to the first portion, a first bus bar which is positioned on a second portion of the emitter region exposed through the plurality of second openings and is connected to the second portion and the first electrode, and a second electrode which is positioned on the substrate and is connected to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Younghyun Lee, Heejin Nam, Yoonsil Jin
  • Patent number: 9548404
    Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating anti-reflection film with anti-PID effect. The method comprises: vacuuming a furnace tube, holding the temperature in the furnace at 420° C. and the pressure as 80 mTorr for 4 minutes; pretreating silicon wafers at 420° C. with a nitrous oxide flux of 3.8-4.4 slm and pressure of 1700 mTorr for 3 minutes; testing pressure to keep a inner pressure of the furnace tube as a constant value of 50 mTorr for 0.2-0.5 minute; pre-depositing at 420° C., with a ammonia gas flux of 0.1-0.5 slm, a silane flux of 180 sccm-200 sccm, a nitrous oxide flux of 3.5-4.1 slm, pressure of 1000 mTorr and radio frequency power of 4300 w for 0.3-0.5 minute; depositing a film at 450° C., with a ammonia gas flux of 2000-2200 sccm, a silane flux of 7000-7500 sccm, a nitrous oxide flux of 2-2.4 slm, pressure of 1700 mTorr and radio frequency power of 4300 w for 3 minutes; blowing and cooling the film at 420° C. with a nitrogen gas flux of 6-10 slm, pressure of 10000 mTorr for 5-8 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: DONGFANG ELECTRIC (YIXING) MAGI SOLAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Lun Huang, Chunhui Lu, Junqing Wu, Zerong Hou, Jinwei Wang
  • Patent number: 9548405
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a semiconductor layer, a collecting layer for collecting free charge carriers from the semiconductor layer and a buffer layer which is arranged between the semiconductor layer and the collecting layer. The buffer layer is designed as a tunnel contact between the semiconductor layer and the collecting layer. The buffer layer essentially includes a material with a surface charge density of at least 1012 cm?2, preferably of at least 5×1012 cm?2, and more preferably of at least 1013 cm?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Q-CELLS SE
    Inventors: Peter Engelhart, Sven Wanka, Wilhelmus Mathijs Marie Kessels, Gijs Dingemans
  • Patent number: 9548406
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes a first electrode, a ferroelectric layer provided on the first electrode, and a second electrode provided on the ferroelectric layer, the second electrode being a transparent electrode, and a pn junction being formed between the ferroelectric layer and the first electrode or the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yonemura, Yoshihiko Yokoyama, Yasuaki Hamada
  • Patent number: 9548407
    Abstract: Disclosed are a solar cell and a method for fabricating the same. The solar cell according to the embodiment includes a back electrode layer on a support substrate; a light absorbing layer including a glass frit having sodium on the back electrode layer; and a front electrode layer on the light absorbing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD
    Inventor: Gi Gon Park
  • Patent number: 9548408
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to infrared detector devices incorporating a tunneling structure. In one embodiment, an infrared detector device includes a first contact layer, an absorber layer adjacent to the first contact layer, and a tunneling structure including a barrier layer adjacent to the absorber layer and a second contact layer adjacent to the barrier layer. The barrier layer has a tailored valence band offset such that a valence band offset of the barrier layer at the interface between the absorber layer and the barrier layer is substantially aligned with the valence band offset of the absorber layer, and the valence band offset of the barrier layer at the interface between the barrier layer and the second contact layer is above a conduction band offset of the second contact layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yajun Wei
  • Patent number: 9548409
    Abstract: A silicon solar cell has doped amorphous silicon contacts formed on a tunnel silicon oxide layer on a surface of a silicon substrate. High temperature processing is unnecessary in fabricating the solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Peter John Cousins
  • Patent number: 9548410
    Abstract: An apparatus for collecting solar energy, including a first panel, wherein the first panel allows at least 50% of incident light having a wavelength in the range of 1 nm to 1,500 nm to pass through said panel and a second panel, wherein the second panel allows at least 50% of incident light having a wavelength in the range of 410 nm to 650 nm to pass through said panel. A photovoltaic cell is disposed between the first panel and second panel, which includes a first electrode disposed adjacent to the first panel, a second electrode disposed adjacent to the second panel, a photovoltaic component contacting the first and second electrodes. The photovoltaic component absorbs at least 50% of light having a wavelength in one of the following ranges: greater than 650 nm, less than 410 nm and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aleksandar Aleksov, Brian S. Doyle, Ravindranath V. Mahajan
  • Patent number: 9548411
    Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to assembling electronic devices into a microsystem. The electronic devices are disposed in a solution. Light can be applied to the electronic devices in the solution. The electronic devices can generate currents responsive to the light applied to the electronic devices in the solution, and the currents can cause electrochemical reactions that functionalize regions on surfaces of the electronic devices. Additionally or alternatively, the light applied to the electronic devices in the solution can cause the electronic devices to generate electric fields, which can orient the electronic devices and/or induce movement of the electronic devices with respect to a receiving substrate. Further, electrodes on a receiving substrate can be biased to attract and form connections with the electronic devices having the functionalized regions on the surfaces. The microsystem can include the receiving substrate and the electronic devices connected to the receiving substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory N. Nielson, Murat Okandan
  • Patent number: 9548412
    Abstract: Disclosed are a solar cell module and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell module includes a support substrate, solar cells at an upper portion of the support substrate, bus bars electrically connected to the solar cells, a junction box connected to the bus bars, and an upper substrate at an upper portion of the solar cells. The junction box is formed therein with pad electrodes connected to the bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kyung Am Kim