Patents Issued in March 7, 2017
  • Patent number: 9590023
    Abstract: An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a plurality of dummy pixels including a dummy pixel circuit; a plurality of pixels including a first pixel including: a light-emitting element configured to emit light in response to a driving current supplied from the dummy pixel circuit; and a pixel circuit separated from the light-emitting element; a plurality of voltage lines configured to apply a power voltage to a power node of a second pixel; and a plurality of repair lines including: a first repair line coupling the dummy pixel circuit and the light-emitting element and configured to transfer to the light-emitting element the driving current supplied from the dummy pixel circuit; and a second repair line coupling the dummy pixel circuit and the power node of the second pixel and configured to apply to the dummy pixel circuit the power voltage that is applied to the power node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Kim, Myeong-Bin Lim
  • Patent number: 9590024
    Abstract: A display device includes, on a substrate, light emitting elements each formed by sequentially stacking a first electrode layer, an organic layer including a light emission layer, and a second electrode layer and arranged in first and second directions which cross each other, a drive circuit including drive elements that drive light emitting elements, and a wiring extending in the first direction, and an insulating layer disposed in a gap region sandwiched by the light emitting elements neighboring in the second direction and having a recess or a projection. The wiring is disposed in an overlap region overlapping with the recess or the projection in the insulating layer in a thickness direction, in the gap region, and the second electrode layers in the light emitting elements neighboring in the second direction are separated from each other by the recess or the projection in the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Sagawa
  • Patent number: 9590025
    Abstract: The present invention is applicable to the field of display technologies and provides a tiled OLED display, and the tiled OLED display includes an OLED front panel and a single-structure TFT driving backplane, where a protection substrate is disposed on a light-emitting side of the OLED front panel; the OLED front panel includes multiple OLED front panel units that are tiled to each other; and the OLED front panel unit is joined to the TFT driving backplane by using conductive film. In the present invention, by tiling the OLED front panel on the TFT backplane, production efficiency and a yield rate of the display are improved, thereby reducing a cost. By tiling the OLED front panel, a tiling gap is narrowed, thereby implementing seamless tiling. Compared with a traditional structure that uses an optical lens to eliminate a tiling gap, the yield rate of the tiled display is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHEN ROYOLE TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaojun Yu, Peng Wei, Zihong Liu
  • Patent number: 9590026
    Abstract: An on-chip magnetic structure includes a palladium activated seed layer and a substantially amorphous magnetic material disposed onto the palladium activated seed layer. The substantially amorphous magnetic material includes nickel in a range from about 50 to about 80 atomic % (at. %) based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material, iron in a range from about 10 to about 50 at. % based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material, and phosphorous in a range from about 0.1 to about 30 at. % based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material. The magnetic material can include boron in a range from about 0.1 to about 5 at. % based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hariklia Deligianni, William J. Gallagher, Maurice Mason, Eugene J. O'Sullivan, Lubomyr T. Romankiw, Naigang Wang
  • Patent number: 9590027
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fabricating an electronic component, comprising fabricating, on a substrate (102) at least one integrated MIM capacitor (114) having a top capacitor electrode (118) and a bottom capacitor electrode (112) at a smaller distance from the substrate than the top capacitor electrode; fabricating an electrically insulating first cover layer (120) on the top capacitor electrode, which first cover layer partly or fully covers the top capacitor electrode and is made of a lead-containing dielectric material; thinning the first cover layer; fabricating an electrically insulating second cover layer (124) on the first cover layer, which second cover layer partly or fully covers the first cover layer and has a dielectric permittivity smaller than that of the first cover layer; and fabricating an electrically conductive resistor layer (126) on the second cover layer, which resistor layer has a defined ohmic resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Aarnoud Laurens Roest, Linda Van Leuken-Peters
  • Patent number: 9590028
    Abstract: A methodology for forming trench capacitors on an interposer wafer by an integrated process that provides high-capacitance, ultra-low profile capacitor structures and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include forming a polymer block on a front side of an interposer wafer, patterning and etching the polymer block to form one or more trenches, and forming a capacitor on an upper surface of the polymer block and in the one or more trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventor: Luke England
  • Patent number: 9590029
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an insulated gate bipolar transistor (100) comprises: providing a substrate (10), forming a field oxide layer (20) on a front surface of the substrate (10), and forming a terminal protection ring (23); performing photoetching and etching on the active region field oxide layer (20) by using an active region photomask, introducing N-type ions into the substrate (10) by using a photoresist as a mask film; depositing and forming a polysilicon gate (31) on the etched substrate (10) of the field oxide layer (20), and forming a protection layer on the polysilicon gate (31); performing junction pushing on an introduction region of the N-type ions, and then forming a carrier enhancement region (41); performing photoetching by using a P well photomask, introducing P-type ions into the carrier enhancement region (41), and performing junction pushing and then forming a P-body region; performing, by means of the polysilicon gate, self-alignment introduction of N-type ions into the P-body region,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: CSMC Technologies Fab1 Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shengrong Zhong, Dongfei Zhou, Xiaoshe Deng, Genyi Wang
  • Patent number: 9590030
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device has a first region formed of semiconductor and a second region formed of semiconductor which borders the first region. An electrode is formed to be in ohmic-connection with the first region. A third region is formed to sandwich the first region. A first potential difference is produced between the first and the second regions in a thermal equilibrium state, according to a second potential difference between the third region and the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mitsuhiko Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 9590031
    Abstract: A fin-type field effect transistor includes a semiconductor body formed on a substrate, the semiconductor body having a top surface and a pair of laterally opposite sidewalls, and a gate electrode formed above the sidewalls and the top surface of the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body further includes a source region formed on an end portion of the semiconductor body, a drain region formed on another end portion of the semiconductor body, and a channel region formed between the source region and the drain region and surrounded by the gate electrode, wherein a doping concentration of the channel region decreases with increasing distance from the top surface and the sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION
    Inventors: Deyuan Xiao, Hanming Wu, MengFeng Cai, Shaofeng Yu, ShiuhWuu Lee
  • Patent number: 9590032
    Abstract: A fin-like field-effect transistor (Fin-FET) device includes a substrate, a fin structure disposed on the substrate, and an isolation structure disposed adjacent to the fin structure. The fin structure includes a recessed structure, which a bottom of the recessed structure is below a top surface of the isolation structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Han Lin, Jr-Jung Lin, Ming-Ching Chang
  • Patent number: 9590033
    Abstract: A manufacturable and economically viable edge termination structure allows a semiconductor device to withstand a very high reverse blocking voltage (for example, 8500 volts) without suffering breakdown. A P type peripheral aluminum diffusion region extends around the bottom periphery of a thick die. The peripheral aluminum diffusion region extends upward from the bottom surface of the die, extending into N? type bulk silicon. A deep peripheral trench extends around the upper periphery of the die. The deep trench extends from the topside of the die down toward the peripheral aluminum diffusion region. A P type sidewall doped region extends laterally inward from the inner sidewall of the trench, and extends laterally outward from the outer sidewall of the trench. The P type sidewall doped region joins with the P type peripheral aluminum diffusion region, thereby forming a separation edge diffusion structure that surrounds the active area of the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventors: Elmar Wisotzki, Christoph Koerber
  • Patent number: 9590034
    Abstract: A method of forming fine patterns for a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate with a first region and a second region, forming a conductive layer on the substrate, the conductive layer including a plate portion covering the first region and first protruding portions extending from the plate portion in a first direction and covering a portion of the second region, forming first mask patterns on the conductive layer, the first mask patterns extending in the first direction and being spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction, forming a second mask pattern on the second region to cover the first protruding portions, and patterning the conductive layer using the first and second mask patterns as an etch mask to form conductive patterns. In plan view, each of the first protruding portions is overlapped with a corresponding one of the first mask patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok-ho Shin, Chul Lee
  • Patent number: 9590035
    Abstract: A semiconductor template having a top surface aligned along a (100) crystallographic orientation plane and an inverted pyramidal cavity defined by a plurality of walls aligned along a (111) crystallographic orientation plane. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor template by selectively removing silicon material from a silicon template to form a top surface aligned along a (100) crystallographic plane of the silicon template and a plurality of walls defining an inverted pyramidal cavity each aligned along a (111) crystallographic plane of the silicon template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Solexel, Inc.
    Inventors: David Xuan-Qi Wang, Mehrdad M. Moslehi
  • Patent number: 9590036
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a contact window structure. In the contact window structure, a first insulating layer, having a first opening, is positioned on a first metal layer, wherein the first opening exposes a part of the first metal layer. A second metal layer covers the first opening and contacts with the first metal layer via the first opening. A second insulating layer, having a second opening, is positioned on the first insulating layer, wherein the second opening exposes a part of the second layer and the first insulating layer. The projection area of the second opening on the first metal layer covers the projection area of the first opening on the first metal layer. A pixel structure containing the contact window structure and a manufacturing method thereof are also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: E Ink Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Kuan-Yi Lin, Fang-An Shu, Tzung-Wei Yu, Chi-Liang Wu
  • Patent number: 9590037
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a dummy gate above a semiconductor substrate. The dummy gate defines a source-drain region adjacent to the dummy gate and a channel region below the dummy gate. A silicon-germanium layer is epitaxially grown above the source-drain region with a target concentration of germanium atoms. The semiconductor structure is annealed to diffuse the germanium atoms from the silicon-germanium layer into the channel region to form a silicon-germanium channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Ghavam G. Shahidi
  • Patent number: 9590038
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided as follows. A fin-type pattern includes first and second oxide regions in an upper portion of the fin-type pattern. The fin-type pattern is extended in a first direction. A first nanowire is extended in the first direction and spaced apart from the fin-type pattern. A gate electrode surrounds a periphery of the first nanowire, extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The gate electrode is disposed on a region of the fin-type pattern. The region is positioned between the first and the second oxide regions. A first source/drain is disposed on the first oxide region and connected with an end portion of the first nanowire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-Kwon Kim, Kang-Ill Seo
  • Patent number: 9590039
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a bipolar transistor. The bipolar transistor includes a base doped contact, an emitter doped contact, a collector doped contact, and well regions. The base doped contact, the emitter doped contact and the collector doped contact are formed in the different well regions having different dopant conditions from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Wei-Shan Liao
  • Patent number: 9590040
    Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a sacrificial fin structure above a semiconductor substrate, forming a layer of insulating material around the sacrificial fin structure, removing the sacrificial fin structure so as to define a replacement fin cavity in the layer of insulating material that exposes an upper surface of the substrate, forming a replacement fin in the replacement fin cavity on the exposed upper surface of the substrate, recessing the layer of insulating material, and forming a gate structure around at least a portion of the replacement fin exposed above the recessed layer of insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Murat Kerem Akarvardar, Ajey Poovannummoottil Jacob
  • Patent number: 9590041
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric structure formed on the semiconductor substrate and including at least a recess formed therein, a fin formed in the recess, and a dislocation region formed in the fin. The semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor material. The fin includes the first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material. A lattice constant of the second semiconductor material is different from a lattice constant of the first semiconductor material. A topmost portion of the dislocation region is higher than an opening of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yu-Ru Yang, Huai-Tzu Chiang, Sheng-Hao Lin, Shih-Hsien Huang, Chien-Hung Chen, Chun-Yuan Wu, Cheng-Tzung Tsai
  • Patent number: 9590043
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, and a P-well and an N-type drift region disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The P-well includes a lower well region and an upper well region disposed above the lower well region. The lower well region includes a first surface that is near the N-type drift region, and the upper well region includes a second surface that is near the N-type drift region. A distance from the first surface of the lower well region to the N-type drift region is greater than a distance from the second surface of the upper well region to the N-type drift region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Lei Fang
  • Patent number: 9590044
    Abstract: In various embodiments, an electronic component is provided. The electronic component may include a dielectric structure; and a two-dimensional material containing structure over the dielectric structure. The dielectric structure is doped with dopants to change the electric characteristic of the two-dimensional material containing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Guenther Ruhl, Wolfgang Lehnert, Rudolf Berger
  • Patent number: 9590045
    Abstract: A graphene base transistor comprises on a semiconductor substrate surface an emitter pillar and an emitter-contact pillar, which extend from a pillar foundation in a vertical direction. A dielectric filling layer laterally embeds the emitter pillar and the emitter-contact pillar above the pillar foundation. The dielectric filling layer has an upper surface that is flush with a top surface of the emitter pillar and with the at least one base-contact arm of a base-contact structure. A graphene base forms a contiguous layer between a top surface of the emitter pillar and a top surface of the base-contact arm. A collector stack and the base have the same lateral extension parallel to the substrate surface and perpendicular to those edges of the top surface of the emitter pillar and the base-contact arm that face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: IHP GMBH—INNOVATIONS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE MICROELECTRONICS/LEIBNIZ—INSTITUT FUR INNOVATIVE MIKROELEKTRONIK
    Inventors: Andre Wolff, Wolfgang Mehr, Grzegorz Lupina, Jaroslaw Dabrowski, Gunther Lippert, Mindaugas Lukosius, Chafik Meliani, Christian Wenger
  • Patent number: 9590046
    Abstract: A method is used for producing an SiC volume monocrystal by sublimation growth. During growth, by sublimation of a powdery SiC source material and by transport of the sublimated gaseous components into the crystal growth region, an SiC growth gas phase is produced there. The SiC volume monocrystal grows by deposition from the SiC growth gas phase on the SiC seed crystal. The SiC seed crystal is bent during a heating phase before such that an SiC crystal structure with a non-homogeneous course of lattice planes is adjusted, the lattice planes at each point have an angle of inclination relative to the direction of the center longitudinal axis and peripheral angles of inclination at a radial edge of the SiC seed crystal differ in terms of amount by at least 0.05° and at most by 0.2° from a central angle of inclination at the site of the center longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SiCrystal Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Straubinger, Michael Vogel, Andreas Wohlfart
  • Patent number: 9590047
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a SiC BJT (100) are provided. The SiC BJT comprises an emitter region (150), a base region (140) and a collector region (120). The collector region is arranged on a substrate (110) having an off-axis orientation of about 8 degrees or lower. A defect termination layer (DTL, 130) for terminating dislocations originating from the substrate is arranged between the substrate and the collector region. The collector region includes a zone (125) in which the life time of the minority charge carriers is shorter than in the base region. The present invention is advantageous in terms of improved stability of the SiC BJTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Martin Domeij
  • Patent number: 9590048
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a semiconductor layer having a surface, a gate and a first current electrode on the surface and a dielectric layer extending between the gate and the first current electrode and including charged ions having a predetermined charge profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Prechtl, Clemens Ostermaier, Oliver Häberlen
  • Patent number: 9590049
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor composite film with a heterojunction and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor composite film includes: a semiconductor substrate; and a semiconductor epitaxial layer, which is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and it has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, wherein the heterojunction is formed between the first surface and the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the semiconductor epitaxial layer further includes at least one recess, which is formed by etching the semiconductor epitaxial layer from the second surface toward the first surface. The recess is for mitigating a strain in the semiconductor composite film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hung-Der Su, Chien-Wei Chiu, Tsung-Yi Huang
  • Patent number: 9590050
    Abstract: Provided is a crystalline multilayer structure having good semiconductor properties. In particular, the crystalline multilayer structure has good electrical properties as follows: the controllability of conductivity is good; and vertical conduction is possible. A crystalline multilayer structure includes a metal layer containing a uniaxially oriented metal as a major component and a semiconductor layer disposed directly on the metal layer or with another layer therebetween and containing a crystalline oxide semiconductor as a major component. The crystalline oxide semiconductor contains one or more metals selected from gallium, indium, and aluminum and is uniaxially oriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FLOSFIA, INC.
    Inventors: Toshimi Hitora, Masaya Oda, Akio Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 9590051
    Abstract: An embodiment includes an apparatus comprising: an N layer comprising an NMOS device having a N channel, source, and drain that are all intersected by a first horizontal axis that is parallel to a substrate; a P layer comprising a PMOS device having a P channel, source, and drain that are all intersected by a second horizontal axis that is parallel to the substrate; a first gate, corresponding to the N channel, which intersects the second horizontal axis; and a second gate, corresponding to the P channel, which intersects the first horizontal axis. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kimin Jun, Patrick Morrow
  • Patent number: 9590052
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of high-voltage insulated-gate field-effect transistors arranged in a matrix form on the main surface of a semiconductor substrate and each having a gate electrode, a gate electrode contact formed on the gate electrode, and a wiring layer which is formed on the gate electrode contacts adjacent in a gate-width direction to electrically connect the gate electrodes arranged in the gate-width direction. And the device includes shielding gates provided on portions of an element isolation region which lie between the transistors adjacent in the gate-width direction and gate-length direction and used to apply reference potential or potential of a polarity different from that of potential applied to the gate of the transistor to turn on the current path of the transistor to the element isolation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kutsukake, Kikuko Sugimae, Takeshi Kamigaichi
  • Patent number: 9590053
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a high voltage transistor device having a field plate, and a method of formation. In some embodiments, the high voltage transistor device has a gate electrode disposed over a substrate between a source region and a drain region located within the substrate. A dielectric layer laterally extends from over the gate electrode to a drift region arranged between the gate electrode and the drain region. A field plate is located within a first inter-level dielectric layer overlying the substrate. The field plate laterally extends from over the gate electrode to over the drift region and vertically extends from the dielectric layer to a top surface of the first ILD layer. A plurality of metal contacts, having a same material as the field plate, vertically extend from a bottom surface of the first ILD layer to a top surface of the first ILD layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsueh-Liang Chou, Dah-Chuen Ho, Hui-Ting Lu, Po-Chih Su, Pei-Lun Wang, Yu-Chang Jong
  • Patent number: 9590054
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor structures and methods for making the same that include a boron nitride (BN) spacer on a gate stack, such as a gate stack of a planar FET or FinFET. The boron nitride spacer is fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and/or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) techniques to produce a boron nitride spacer at relatively low temperatures that are conducive to devices made from materials such as silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), germanium (Ge), and/or III-V compounds. Furthermore, the boron nitride spacer may be fabricated to have various desirable properties, including a hexagonal textured structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Alfred Grill, Deborah A. Neumayer, Dae-Gyu Park, Norma E. Sosa, Min Yang
  • Patent number: 9590055
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thin film transistor and its manufacturing method, an array substrate, a display device. The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The source electrode and the drain electrode are formed above the active layer and located at a first end and a second end of the active layer which are opposite to each other, respectively. The drain electrode completely covers the second end of the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chunwei Wu, Woobong Lee
  • Patent number: 9590056
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicide contact region positioned at least partially in a semiconductor layer, an etch stop layer positioned above the semiconductor layer, and a dielectric layer positioned above the etch stop layer. A contact structure that includes a conductive contact material extends through at least a portion of the dielectric layer and through an entirety of the etch stop layer to the silicide contact region, and a silicide protection layer is positioned between sidewalls of the etch stop layer and sidewalls of the contact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Kai Frohberg, Marco Lepper, Katrin Reiche
  • Patent number: 9590057
    Abstract: A FET device fabricated by providing a first conductor on a substrate, the first conductor having a first top surface with a first height above the substrate. A second conductor is provided adjacent the first conductor, the second conductor having a second top surface with a second height above the substrate. A portion of the second conductor is removed to provide a slot, wherein the slot is defined by opposing interior sidewalls and a bottom portion, such that the bottom portion of the slot is below the first height of the first conductor. An insulating material is deposited in the slot, the insulating material having a third top surface with a third height above the substrate, the third height being below the second height of the second conductor to provide space within the slot for a third conductor. The space within the slot is then filled with the third conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Effendi Leobandung
  • Patent number: 9590058
    Abstract: A method of forming a split gate memory cell structure using a substrate includes forming a gate stack comprising a select gate and a dielectric portion overlying the select gate. A charge storage layer is formed over the substrate including over the gate stack. A first sidewall spacer of conductive material is formed along a first sidewall of the gate stack extending past a top of the select gate. A second sidewall spacer of dielectric material is formed along the first sidewall on the first sidewall spacer. A portion of the first sidewall spacer is silicided using the second sidewall spacer as a mask whereby silicide does not extend to the charge storage layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Cheong Min Hong, Sung-Taeg Kang
  • Patent number: 9590059
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit (IC). The IC includes a semiconductor substrate including a flash memory region and a capacitor region. A flash memory cell is arranged over the flash memory region and includes a polysilicon select gate arranged between first and second source/drain regions of the flash memory cell. The flash memory cell also includes a control gate arranged alongside the select gate and separated from the select gate by a control gate dielectric layer. A capacitor is arranged over the capacitor region and includes: a polysilicon first capacitor plate and polysilicon second capacitor plate, which are inter-digitated with one another and separated from one another by a capacitor dielectric layer. The capacitor dielectric layer and control gate dielectric layer are made of the same material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Yu-Hsiung Wang, Chen-Chin Liu
  • Patent number: 9590060
    Abstract: A III-N enhancement-mode transistor includes a III-N structure including a conductive channel, source and drain contacts, and a gate electrode between the source and drain contacts. An insulator layer is over the III-N structure, with a recess formed through the insulator layer in a gate region of the transistor, with the gate electrode at least partially in the recess. The transistor further includes a field plate having a portion between the gate electrode and the drain contact, the field plate being electrically connected to the source contact. The gate electrode includes an extending portion that is outside the recess and extends towards the drain contact. The separation between the conductive channel and the extending portion of the gate electrode is greater than the separation between the conductive channel and the portion of the field plate that is between the gate electrode and the drain contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventor: Rakesh K. Lal
  • Patent number: 9590061
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having a cell portion and an outer peripheral portion disposed around the cell portion, formed with a gate trench at a surface side of the cell portion, and a gate electrode buried in the gate trench via a gate insulating film, forming a channel at a portion lateral to the gate trench at ON-time, the outer peripheral portion has a semiconductor surface disposed at a depth position equal to or deeper than a depth of the gate trench, and the semiconductor device further includes a voltage resistant structure having a semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor surface of the outer peripheral portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Nakano, Ryota Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9590062
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is produced by: creating an opening in a mask formed on a semiconductor body; creating, underneath the opening, a trench in the semiconductor body which has a side wall and a trench bottom; creating, while the mask is on the semiconductor body, an insulating layer covering the trench bottom and the side wall; depositing a spacer layer including a first electrode material on the insulating layer; removing the spacer layer from at least a portion of the insulating layer that covers the trench bottom; filling at least a portion of the trench with an insulating material; removing the part of the insulating material laterally confined by the spacer layer so as to leave an insulating block in the trench; and filling at least a portion of the trench with a second electrode material so as to form an electrode within the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Li Juin Yip, Martin Henning Vielemeyer
  • Patent number: 9590063
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device (100) includes depositing a metal oxide (104) over the substrate (102). The depositing includes combining a first metal and oxygen to form the metal oxide having grains and further adding a catalyst during the combining. The catalyst causes the grains to be bigger than would occur in the absence of the catalyst. A conductive layer (202) is formed over the metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventor: Rama I. Hegde
  • Patent number: 9590064
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an active zone lying above a semiconductor substrate. A cavity borders the active zone and extends, in an insulating zone, as far as into the vicinity of a semiconductor region. An insulating multilayer is provided and an electrically conductive contact extends within the insulating multilayer to emerging onto the active zone and into the cavity. The insulating multilayer includes a first insulating layer covering the active zone outside the contact and lining the walls of the cavity. An additional insulating layer covers the portion of the first insulating layer lining the walls of the cavity. The contact reaches the additional insulating layer in the cavity. An insulating region lies on top of the first insulating layer and the additional insulating layer made from insulating material around the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventor: Emmanuel Petitprez
  • Patent number: 9590065
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device with a profiled work-function metal gate electrode. The semiconductor structure includes a metal gate structure formed in an opening of an insulating layer. The metal gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer, a barrier layer, a work-function meta layer between the gate dielectric layer and the barrier layer and a work-function adjustment layer over the barrier layer, wherein the work-function metal has an ordered grain orientation. The present disclosure also provides a method of making a semiconductor device with a profiled work-function metal gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Da-Yuan Lee, Kuan-Ting Liu, Hung-Chin Chung, Hsien-Ming Lee, Weng Chang, Syun-Ming Jang, Wei-Jen Lo
  • Patent number: 9590066
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a semiconductor construction having a gate extending into a semiconductor base. Conductively-doped source and drain regions are within the base adjacent the gate. A gate dielectric has a first segment between the source region and the gate, a second segment between the drain region and the gate, and a third segment between the first and second segments. At least a portion of the gate dielectric comprises ferroelectric material. In some embodiments the ferroelectric material is within each of the first, second and third segments. In some embodiments, the ferroelectric material is within the first segment or the third segment. In some embodiments, a transistor has a gate, a source region and a drain region; and has a channel region between the source and drain regions. The transistor has a gate dielectric which contains ferroelectric material between the source region and the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall, Wayne Kinney
  • Patent number: 9590067
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for implementing high power circuits and semiconductor devices. In one aspect, a method for fabricating a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes forming a thin epitaxial layer of a nitrogen doped SiC material on a SiC epitaxial layer formed on a SiC substrate, and thermally growing an oxide layer to form an insulator material on the nitrogen doped SiC epitaxial layer, in which the thermally grown oxide layer results in at least partially consuming the nitrogen doped SiC epitaxial layer in the oxide layer to produce an interface including nitrogen between the SiC epitaxial layer and the oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Global Power Technologies Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael MacMillan
  • Patent number: 9590068
    Abstract: A multi-gate transistor includes a semiconductor fin over a substrate. The semiconductor fin includes a central fin formed of a first semiconductor material; and a semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion on opposite sidewalls of the central fin. The semiconductor layer includes a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material. The multi-gate transistor further includes a gate electrode wrapping around sidewalls of the semiconductor fin; and a source region and a drain region on opposite ends of the semiconductor fin. Each of the central fin and the semiconductor layer extends from the source region to the drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsin Ko, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Patent number: 9590069
    Abstract: Embodiments include high electron mobility transistors (HEMT). In embodiments, a gate electrode is spaced apart by different distances from a source and drain semiconductor region to provide high breakdown voltage and low on-state resistance. In embodiments, self-alignment techniques are applied to form a dielectric liner in trenches and over an intervening mandrel to independently define a gate length, gate-source length, and gate-drain length with a single masking operation. In embodiments, III-N HEMTs include fluorine doped semiconductor barrier layers for threshold voltage tuning and/or enhancement mode operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sansaptak Dasgupta, Han Wui Then, Marko Radosavljevic, Niloy Mukherjee, Niti Goel, Sanaz Kabehie Gardner, Seung Hoon Sung, Ravi Pillarisetty, Robert S. Chau
  • Patent number: 9590071
    Abstract: The characteristics of a semiconductor device using a nitride semiconductor are improved. A trench which penetrates an insulating film and a barrier layer and reaches inside of a channel layer is formed by etching the channel layer, the barrier layer, and the insulating film which are formed over a substrate. Then, an epitaxial regrowth layer is formed over a bottom surface and a side surface of the trench by using an epitaxial growth method. It is possible to reduce roughness (unevenness) of a crystal surface due to etching and the like of the bottom surface and the side surface of the trench by forming the epitaxial regrowth layer in this way. A channel is formed in an interface between the epitaxial regrowth layer and a gate insulating film, so that mobility of carriers improves and on-resistance of an element decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Ichiro Masumoto
  • Patent number: 9590072
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a semiconductor device including following steps. Firstly, a fin shaped structure is formed on a substrate, and a gate structure is formed to be across the fin shaped structure. Next, a dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, covering the gate structure, and a gate electrode of the gate structure is removed, to form a first gate trench. Then, a threshold voltage implantation process and a compensated threshold voltage implantation process are sequentially performed in the first gate trench, to implant compensated two dopants respectively. Following these, a work function layer and a conductive layer are formed to fill the first gate trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Ling-Chun Chou
  • Patent number: 9590073
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices are provided. The methods may include forming an interlayer insulation layer on a substrate. The interlayer insulation layer may surround a dummy silicon gate and may expose a top surface of the dummy silicon gate. The methods may also include recessing a portion of the interlayer insulation layer such that a portion of the dummy silicon gate protrudes above a top surface of the recessed interlayer insulation layer and forming an etch stop layer on the recessed interlayer insulation layer. A top surface of the etch stop layer may be coplanarly positioned with the top surface of the dummy silicon gate. The methods may further include forming a trench exposing the substrate by removing the dummy silicon gate using the etch stop layer as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeon-Tack Ryu, Ho-Young Kim, Myoung-Hwan Oh, Bo-Un Yoon, Jun-Hwan Yim
  • Patent number: 9590074
    Abstract: The method for preventing epitaxial growth in a semiconductor device begins with patterning a photoresist layer over a semiconductor structure having a set of fin ends on a set of fins of a FinFET structure. The set of fins are isolated from one another by a first dielectric material. The photoresist is patterned over the set of fin ends so that it differs from the photoresist pattern over other areas of the FinFET structure. A set of dielectric blocks is formed on the set of fin ends using the photoresist pattern. The set of dielectric blocks prevents epitaxial growth at the set of fin ends in a subsequent epitaxial growth step. In another aspect of the invention, a semiconductor device includes a set of fin structures having a set of fin ends at a respective vertical surface of a fin structure and is separated by a set of trenches from other fin structures. Each of the fin structures has a top surface which is higher than a top surface of a dielectric material in the set of trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, GlobalFoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Hui Zang