Patents Issued in April 24, 2018
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Patent number: 9953971Abstract: An insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) includes a gate trench, an emitter trench, and an electrically insulative layer coupled to the emitter trench and the gate trench and electrically isolating the gate trench from an electrically conductive layer. A contact opening in the electrically insulative layer extends into the emitter trench and the electrically conductive layer electrically couples with the emitter trench therethrough. A P surface doped (PSD) region and an N surface doped (NSD) region are each located between the electrically conductive layer and a plurality of semiconductor layers of the IGBT and between the gate trench and the emitter trench. The electrically conductive layer electrically couples to the plurality of semiconductor layers through the PSD region and/or the NSD region.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLCInventor: Takumi Hosoya
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Patent number: 9953972Abstract: An Integrated Circuit device, including: first transistors and second transistors, where the first transistors and the second transistors each include a single crystal channel, where at least one of the second transistors overlays at least one of the first transistors with less than 1 micron distance apart, and where at least one of the second transistors is a dopant segregated schottky barrier transistor.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: MONOLITHIC 3D INC.Inventors: Deepak Sekar, Zvi Or-Bach, Brian Cronquist
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Patent number: 9953973Abstract: An electrical device including a vertical transistor device connected to a vertical diode. The vertical diode connected transistor device including a vertically orientated channel. The vertical diode connected transistor device also includes a first diode source/drain region provided by an electrically conductive surface region of a substrate at a first end of the diode vertically orientated channel, and a second diode source/drain region present at a second end of the vertically orientated channel. The vertical diode also includes a diode gate structure in electrical contact with the first diode source/drain region.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Pouya Hashemi, Alexander Reznicek
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Patent number: 9953974Abstract: An integrated circuit can include a plurality of first transistors formed in a substrate and having gate lengths of less than one micron and at least one tipless transistor formed in the substrate and having a source-drain path coupled between a circuit node and a first power supply voltage. In addition or alternatively, an integrated circuit can include minimum feature size transistors; a signal driving circuit comprising a first transistor of a first conductivity type having a source-drain path coupled between a first power supply node and an output node, and a second transistor of a second conductivity type having a source-drain path coupled between a second power supply node and the output node, and a gate coupled to a gate of the first transistor, wherein the first or second transistor is a tipless transistor.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: MIE Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventor: David A. Kidd
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Patent number: 9953975Abstract: A first Fin Field-Effect Transistor (FinFET) and a second FinFET are adjacent to each other. Each of the first FinFET and the second FinFET includes a semiconductor fin, a gate dielectric on sidewalls and a top surface of the semiconductor fin, and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric. The semiconductor fin of the first FinFET and the semiconductor fin of the second FinFET are aligned to a straight line. An isolation region is aligned to the straight line, wherein the isolation region includes a portion at a same level as the semiconductor fins of the first FinFET and the second FinFET. A continuous straight semiconductor strip is overlapped by the semiconductor fins of the first FinFET and the second FinFET. A Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) region is on a side of, and contacts, the semiconductor strip. The isolation region and the first STI region form a distinguishable interface.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2013Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Chih-Yu Hsu, Yi-Tang Lin, Clement Hsinjen Wann, Chih-Sheng Chang, Wei-Chun Tsai, Jyh-Cherng Sheu, Chi-Yuan Shih
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Patent number: 9953976Abstract: After forming a gate stack straddling a portion of each semiconductor fin of a plurality of semiconductor fins located over a substrate, a gate liner is formed on sidewalls of a lower portion of the gate stack that contacts the plurality of semiconductor fins and a gate spacer having a width greater than a width of the gate liner is formed on sidewalls of an upper portion of the gate stack that is located above the plurality of semiconductor fins. The width of the gate spacer thus is not limited by the fin pitch, and can be optimized to improve the device performance.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Injo Ok, Sanjay C. Mehta, Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Soon-Cheon Seo, Charan V. Surisetty
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Patent number: 9953977Abstract: Fabricating a semiconductor structure, including: forming a fin structure on a substrate by: forming a first fin layer on the substrate; forming a first insulator layer on the first fin layer; forming a second fin layer on the first insulator layer; forming a second insulator layer on the second fin layer; forming a third fin layer on the second insulator layer; and forming a gate structure on a plurality of opposing sides and a top surface of the fin structure.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ruilong Xie, Tenko Yamashita, Chun-Chen Yeh
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Patent number: 9953978Abstract: A transistor device includes a gate structure positioned above a semiconductor substrate, and spaced-apart sidewall spacers positioned above the substrate and adjacent sidewalls of the gate structure. An internal sidewall surface of each of the spaced-apart sidewall spacers includes an upper sidewall surface portion and a lower sidewall surface portion positioned between the upper sidewall surface portion and a surface of the substrate, wherein a first lateral width between first upper ends of the upper sidewall surface portions is greater than a second lateral width between second upper ends of the lower sidewall surface portions.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignees: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc., International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ruilong Xie, Kisik Choi, Su Chen Fan, Shom Ponoth
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Patent number: 9953979Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate stack. The semiconductor device also includes a wrap-around contact arranged around and contacting substantially all surface area of a regrown source/drain region of the semiconductor device proximate to the gate stack.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey Junhao Xu, Stanley Seungchul Song, Vladimir Machkaoutsan, Mustafa Badaroglu, Junjing Bao, John Jianhong Zhu, Da Yang, Choh Fei Yeap
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Patent number: 9953980Abstract: In an output amplifier stage of an operational amplifier circuit, the first p-well of the first nMOSFET and the second p-well of the second nMOSFET are connected to the fourth node. Further, the first n-well of the first pMOSFET and the second n-well of the second pMOSFET are connected to the fifth node. At least one of the fourth node and the fifth node is connected to an output terminal VOUT.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventor: Takayuki Nakai
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Patent number: 9953981Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming bit line structures spaced apart from each other by first groove disposed in first direction, extending in first direction, and spaced apart from each other in second direction perpendicular to first direction, on substrate in which word line is buried; forming multilayer spacer on both sidewalls of bit line structure; forming sacrificial layer to fill first groove; forming second grooves spaced apart from each other in first direction and second direction, by patterning sacrificial layer; etching outermost spacer of multilayer spacer located in second groove; forming first supplementary spacer in second groove; forming insulating layer to fill second groove; and forming third grooves spaced apart from each other in first direction and second direction, on both sides of first supplementary spacer, by removing sacrificial layer and insulating layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Dae-ik Kim, Hyoung-sub Kim, Yoo-sang Hwang, Ji-young Kim
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Patent number: 9953982Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) in a substrate; removing part of the STI to form a first trench; forming a cap layer in the first trench; forming a mask layer on the cap layer and the substrate; and removing part of the mask layer, part of the cap layer, and part of the STI to form a second trench.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignees: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP., Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd.Inventors: Pin-Hong Chen, Tsun-Min Cheng, Chih-Chieh Tsai, Tzu-Chieh Chen, Kai-Jiun Chang, Chia-Chen Wu, Yi-An Huang, Yi-Wei Chen
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Patent number: 9953983Abstract: A vertical tunneling FET (TFET) provides low-power, high-speed switching performance for transistors having critical dimensions below 7 nm. The vertical TFET uses a gate-all-around (GAA) device architecture having a cylindrical structure that extends above the surface of a doped well formed in a silicon substrate. The cylindrical structure includes a lower drain region, a channel, and an upper source region, which are grown epitaxially from the doped well. The channel is made of intrinsic silicon, while the source and drain regions are doped in-situ. An annular gate surrounds the channel, capacitively controlling current flow through the channel from all sides. The source is electrically accessible via a front side contact, while the drain is accessed via a backside contact that provides low contact resistance and also serves as a heat sink. Reliability of vertical TFET integrated circuits is enhanced by coupling the vertical TFETs to electrostatic discharge (ESD) diodes.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.Inventor: John H. Zhang
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Patent number: 9953984Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and related apparatus for formation of tungsten wordlines in memory devices. Also disclosed herein are methods and related apparatus for deposition of fluorine-free tungsten (FFW). According to various embodiments, the methods involve deposition of multi-component tungsten films using tungsten chloride (WClx) precursors and boron (B)-containing, silicon (Si)-containing or germanium (Ge)-containing reducing agents.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Michal Danek, Hanna Bamnolker, Raashina Humayun, Juwen Gao
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Patent number: 9953985Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device includes forming multilayered stack structures that extend parallel to and separated from one another on a substrate, followed by forming a buried conductive layer including a plurality of conductive line patterns that extend parallel to an extending direction of the multilayered stack structures and alternate with the multilayered stack structures; removing portions of the buried conductive layer to thereby separate the plurality of conductive line patterns of the buried conductive layer from one another as a plurality of contact plugs and, at the same time, form a plurality of insulating fence spaces that alternate with the plurality of contact plugs in the extending direction of the multilayered stack structures; and forming a plurality of insulating fences that fill the plurality of insulating fence spaces and include a plurality of insulating line patterns extending parallel to one another.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Hyun-gi Kim, Sang-moo Jeong, Seon-ju Kim, Hye-won Kim
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Patent number: 9953986Abstract: Described is a 6T SRAM cell which comprises: a first n-type transistor with a gate terminal coupled to word-line, source/drain terminal coupled to a first bit-line and drain/source terminal coupled to a first node; and a second n-type transistor with a source terminal coupled to a first supply node, a drain terminal coupled to the first node, and a gate terminal for coupling to multiple terminals, wherein the gate terminal includes a capacitor to increase coupling capacitance of the second n-type transistor. Described is a method which comprises: forming a metal gate in a first direction; forming a first spacer in the first direction on one side of the metal gate, the first spacer having a first dimension; and forming a second spacer in the first direction on another side of the metal gate, the second spacer having a second dimension which is substantially different from the first dimension.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Intel CorporationInventor: Yih Wang
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Patent number: 9953987Abstract: A semiconductor device, including: a semiconductor substrate having a first well region; an insulating layer formed on a first portion of the semiconductor substrate, and contacted with the first well region; a semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer; an element isolation region reaching to an inside of the first well region, in a cross-sectional view; a first gate electrode layer formed on a first portion of the semiconductor layer via a first gate insulating film; a second gate electrode layer formed on both a second portion of the semiconductor layer via a second gate insulating film and a first portion of the element isolation region; an interlayer insulating film covering the first gate electrode layer, the second gate electrode layer and a second portion of the element isolation region; a first plug conductor layer formed in the interlayer insulating film.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventor: Yoshiki Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9953988Abstract: A static random-access memory (SRAM) cell array forming method includes the following steps. A plurality of fin structures are formed on a substrate, wherein the fin structures include a plurality of active fins and a plurality of dummy fins, each PG (pass-gate) FinFET shares at least one of the active fins with a PD (pull-down) FinFET, and at least one dummy fin is disposed between the two active fins having two adjacent pull-up FinFETs thereover in a static random-access memory cell. At least a part of the dummy fins are removed. The present invention also provides a static random-access memory (SRAM) cell array formed by said method.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.Inventors: Chun-Hsien Huang, Yu-Tse Kuo, Shu-Ru Wang
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Patent number: 9953989Abstract: A method for forming an antifuse on a substrate is provided, which comprises: forming a first conductive material on the substrate; placing the first conductive material in an electrolytic solution; performing anodic oxidation on the first conductive material to form a nanowire made of the first conductive material and surrounded by a first dielectric material formed during the anodic oxidation and to form the antifuse on the nanowire; and forming a second conductive material on the antifuse to sandwich the antifuse between the first conductive material and the second conductive material.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited and National Taiwan UniversityInventors: Jenn-Gwo Hwu, Wei-Cheng Tian, Samuel C. Pan, Chao-Hsiung Wang, Chi-Wen Liu
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Patent number: 9953990Abstract: Embodiments relate to an anti-fuse device with a transistor. The transistor may be a FinFET. The anti-fuse device includes a first electrode, an insulating layer, and a second electrode. The gate of the transistor may be formed in a same layer as the first electrode. The gate insulating layer on the gate of the transistor may be formed in a same layer as the insulating layer. The second electrode may be formed in a same layer as a local interconnect or a via and overlap the first electrode vertically over the insulating layer.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Andrew E. Horch, Victor Moroz, Jamil Kawa
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Patent number: 9953991Abstract: An electronically programmable read-only memory (EPROM) cell includes a semiconductor substrate having source and drain regions; a floating gate, adjacent to the source and drain regions and separated from the semiconductor substrate by a first dielectric layer, the floating gate including: a polysilicon layer formed over the first dielectric layer; a first metal layer electrically connected to the polysilicon layer, where the surface area of the first metal layer is less than 1000 ?m2; and a control gate comprising a second metal layer, capacitively coupled to the first metal layer through a second dielectric material disposed therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Ning Ge, Leong Yap Chia, Jose Jehrome Rando
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Patent number: 9953992Abstract: A three-dimensional memory array device can include mid-plane terrace regions between a pair of memory array regions. The electrically conductive layers of the three-dimensional memory array device continuously extend between the pair of memory array regions through a connection region, which is provided adjacent to the mid-plane terrace regions. Contact via structures contacting the electrically conductive layers can be provided in the mid-plane terrace regions, and through-memory-level via structures that extend through the alternating stack and connected to underlying lower metal interconnect structures and semiconductor devices can be provided through the mid-plane terrace region and/or through the connection region. Upper metal interconnect structures can connect the contact via structures and the through-memory-level via structures.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLCInventors: Hiroyuki Ogawa, James Kai
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Patent number: 9953993Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of word lines stacked in a first direction; a semiconductor pillar extending through the plurality of word lines in the first direction; a source line electrically connected to the semiconductor pillar; and a transistor arranged in the first direction with the plurality of word lines. The transistor includes a gate electrode, source and drain regions positioned on both sides of the gate electrode respectively. The source line is positioned between the transistor and the plurality of word lines, and is electrically connected to one of the source and drain regions.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATIONInventors: Tetsuaki Utsumi, Katsuaki Isobe
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Patent number: 9953994Abstract: A semiconductor device, including: a plurality of non-volatile memory cells including a first memory cell and a second memory cell, where the plurality of non-volatile memory cells includes source diffusion lines and drain diffusion lines, at least one of the source diffusion lines and drain diffusion lines are shared by the first memory cell and the second memory cell, where the first memory cell includes a thin tunneling oxide of less than 1 nm thickness, and where the second memory cell includes a thick tunneling oxide of greater than 2 nm thickness.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: MONOLITHIC 3D INC.Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Jin-Woo Han
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Patent number: 9953995Abstract: A memory array provided on a semiconductor substrate includes: (a) channel structures arranged in multiple layers above the semiconductor substrate, each channel structure extending along a first direction substantially parallel a surface of the semiconductor substrate; (b) gate structures each extending along a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction and each being adjacent one of the channel structures, separated therefrom by a layer of memory material; and (c) conductors provided to connect the gate structures with circuitry fabricated in the semiconductor substrate, wherein at each location where one of the gate structure adjacent one of the channel structures, a portion of the gate structure, a portion of the channel structure and the layer of memory material constitute a memory cell of the memory array. Two or more memory cells sharing a channel structure are connected in series to form a NAND string.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SCHILTRON CORPORATIONInventor: Andrew J. Walker
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Patent number: 9953996Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stacked body, a semiconductor pillar, and a charge storage film. The stacked body is provided on the substrate. The stacked body includes a plurality of first insulating films and a plurality of electrode films alternately stacked one layer by one layer. The semiconductor pillar is provided inside the stacked body and extends in a stacking direction of the stacked body. The charge storage film is provided between the semiconductor pillar and each of the electrode films. The plurality of first insulating films include a first portion surrounding the semiconductor pillar and a second portion provided between the first portion and the semiconductor pillar, the second portion having a dielectric constant higher than a dielectric constant of the first portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATIONInventor: Naoki Yasuda
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Patent number: 9953997Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor memory device including stacks on a substrate, a vertical channel portion connected to the substrate through each of the stacks, and a separation pattern disposed between the stacks. Each of the stacks may include a plurality of gate electrodes stacked on the substrate and insulating patterns interposed between the gate electrodes. Each of the gate electrodes may include a first metal pattern, which is disposed between the insulating patterns to define a recess region recessed toward the vertical channel portion, and a second metal pattern disposed in the recess region. The first and second metal patterns may contain the same metallic material and may have mean grain sizes different from each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Joyoung Park, Hauk Han, Seok-Won Lee, Jeonggil Lee, Jinwoo Park, Kihyun Yoon, Hyunseok Lim, Jooyeon Ha
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Patent number: 9953998Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes forming a first insulating layer on a conductive layer; forming a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer including a first layer and a second layer having nitrogen and hydrogen bonds with higher density than a density thereof in the first layer; forming a third insulating layer on the second insulating layer; forming a semiconductor layer extending through the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer in a direction toward the third insulating layer from the conductive layer; selectively removing the second insulating layer to form a space, the first insulating layer being exposed in the space; forming the fourth insulating layer between the conductive layer and the first insulating layer, the fourth insulating layer being formed by thermally oxidizing the conductive layer through the first insulating layer in the space.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATIONInventors: Masahisa Sonoda, Hisataka Meguro, Hideaki Masuda
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Patent number: 9953999Abstract: In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a stack of alternating first interlayer insulating layers and gate electrode layers on a substrate. At least one of the gate electrode layers has a first portion and a second portion. The second portion forms an end portion of the at least one gate electrode layer, and a bottom surface of the second portion is at a lower level than a bottom surface of the first portion. A contact plug extends from the second portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Phil Ouk Nam, Sung Gil Kim, Seulye Kim, Hong Suk Kim, Jae Young Ahn, Ji Hoon Choi
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Patent number: 9954000Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device may include a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of ferroelectric layers, a source, a drain and a gate. The semiconductor substrate may have a recess. The ferroelectric layers may be formed in the recess. The source may be arranged at a first side of the recess. The drain may be arranged at a second side of the recess opposite to the first side. The gate may be arranged on the ferroelectric layers. The ferroelectric layers may be polarized by different electric fields.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.Inventors: Se Hun Kang, Deok Sin Kil
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Patent number: 9954001Abstract: A structure for extracting interconnect parasitic in a ring oscillator is disclosed. The ring oscillator comprises multiple logical units connected in head to tail series. The structure comprises parasitic resistance sub-structures and/or parasitic capacitance sub-structures each connected to a corresponding logical unit. The structure can be used to determine errors in extracting parasitic resistance of polysilicon interconnects and metal interconnects, and/or errors in extracting parasitic capacitance between the polysilicon interconnects and between the metal interconnects. Therefore, the parasitic extraction error can be calibrated accordingly to obtain more precise circuit simulation results and more accurate device model and BEOL model.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SHANGHAI HUALI MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATIONInventors: Xingwei Peng, Wei Wang
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Patent number: 9954002Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a multi-gate field effect transistor (FET) formed on a bulk substrate that includes an isolated fin and methods of forming the same. In one embodiment, the multi-gate FET includes: a plurality of silicon fin structures formed on the bulk substrate, each silicon fin structure including a body region, a source region, and a drain region; wherein a bottom portion the body region of each silicon fin structure includes a tipped shape to isolate the body region from the bulk substrate, and wherein the plurality of silicon fin structures are attached to the bulk substrate via at least a portion of the source region, or at least a portion of the drain region, or both.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.Inventors: Hongmei Li, Junjun Li
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Patent number: 9954003Abstract: A semiconductor device with high design flexibility is provided. A first transistor and a second transistor having electrical characteristics different from those of the first transistor are provided over the same layer without significantly increasing the number of manufacturing steps. For example, semiconductor materials with different electron affinities are used for a semiconductor layer in which a channel of the first transistor is formed and a semiconductor layer in which a channel of the second transistor is formed. This allows the threshold voltages of the first transistor and the second transistor to differ from each other. Forming a gate electrode using a damascene process enables miniaturization and high density of the transistors. Furthermore, a highly-integrated semiconductor device is provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinpei Matsuda, Masayuki Sakakura, Yuki Hata, Shuhei Nagatsuka, Yuta Endo, Shunpei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 9954004Abstract: The degree of integration of a semiconductor device is enhanced and the storage capacity per unit area is increased. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor provided in a semiconductor substrate and a second transistor provided over the first transistor. In addition, an upper portion of a semiconductor layer of the second transistor is in contact with a wiring, and a lower portion thereof is in contact with a gate electrode of the first transistor. With such a structure, the wiring and the gate electrode of the first transistor can serve as a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second transistor, respectively. Accordingly, the area occupied by the semiconductor device can be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 9954005Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a pixel portion having a first thin film transistor and a driver circuit having a second thin film transistor. Each of the first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor includes a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer. Each of the layers of the first thin film transistor has a light-transmitting property. Materials of the gate electrode layer, the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer of the first thin film transistor are different from those of the second transistor, and each of the resistances of the second thin film transistor is lower than that of the first thin film transistor.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hajime Kimura, Hiroki Ohara, Masayo Kayama
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Patent number: 9954006Abstract: A TFT array substrate includes a semiconductive oxide layer disposed on an insulating substrate and including a channel portion, a gate electrode overlapping the semiconductive oxide layer, a gate insulating layer interposed between the semiconductive oxide layer and the gate electrode, and a passivation layer disposed on the semiconductive oxide layer and the gate electrode. At least one of the gate insulating layer and the passivation layer includes an oxynitride layer, and the oxynitride layer has a higher concentration of oxygen than that of nitrogen in a location of the oxynitride layer closer to the semiconductive oxide layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.Inventors: Je-Hun Lee, Ki-Won Kim, Do-Hyun Kim, Woo-Geun Lee, Kap-Soo Yoon
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Patent number: 9954007Abstract: It is an object to manufacture a highly reliable display device using a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and high reliability as a switching element. In a bottom gate thin film transistor including an amorphous oxide semiconductor, an oxide conductive layer having a crystal region is formed between an oxide semiconductor layer which has been dehydrated or dehydrogenated by heat treatment and each of a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which are formed using a metal material. Accordingly, contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and each of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer can be reduced; thus, a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and a highly reliable display device using the thin film transistor can be provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshinari Sasaki, Junichiro Sakata, Masashi Tsubuku
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Patent number: 9954008Abstract: A liquid crystal cell panel includes a first substrate from which is formed a thin film transistor array substrate, the first substrate including a plurality of unit cells and test terminals which respectively correspond to the unit cells, and a second substrate which faces the first substrate and from which is formed a color filter substrate. The first substrate further includes a first cutting pattern at each of a plurality of corners thereof, and the second substrate includes a second cutting pattern at each of a plurality of corners thereof, the second cutting patterns corresponding one-to-one with the first cutting patterns. Corresponding first and second cutting patterns cross each other in a plan view, and the crossing first and second cutting patterns expose a test terminal adjacent to the crossing first and second cutting patterns to outside the liquid crystal cell panel.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.Inventors: Jun-hee Lee, Eoksu Kim, Wonjin Kim, Juyong Park, Jungchul Woo, Hyunwook Lee
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Patent number: 9954009Abstract: A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a first wire disposed in the inactive area of the substrate, a first pad overlapping the first wire in the depth dimension of the display device, and a first connecting layer configured to electrically connect the first wire to the first pad. The display device also includes a second wire located on a different layer from the first wire, a second pad overlapping the second wire in the depth dimension of the display device, and a second connecting layer configured to electrically connect the second wire to the second pad.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hyun Lee
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Patent number: 9954010Abstract: To provide a circuit used for a shift register or the like. The basic configuration includes first to fourth transistors and four wirings. The power supply potential VDD is supplied to the first wiring and the power supply potential VSS is supplied to the second wiring. A binary digital signal is supplied to each of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. An H level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VDD, and an L level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VSS. There are four combinations of the potentials of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. Each of the first transistor to the fourth transistor can be turned off by any combination of the potentials. That is, since there is no transistor that is constantly on, deterioration of the characteristics of the transistors can be suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Atsushi Umezaki
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Patent number: 9954011Abstract: Provided is a display device with high resolution, high display quality, or high aperture ratio. A pixel includes three subpixels and is electrically connected to two gate lines. One of the gate lines is electrically connected to a gate of a transistor included in each of the two subpixels, and the other gate line is electrically connected to a gate of a transistor included in the other subpixel. Display elements of the three subpixels are arranged in the same direction. Three pixel electrodes of the three subpixels are arranged in the same direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideaki Shishido, Hiroyuki Miyake, Kouhei Toyotaka, Makoto Kaneyasu
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Patent number: 9954012Abstract: A display device is disclosed and includes an array substrate and a color filter substrate. The color filter substrate includes a display region, a peripheral black matrix region and a process reserved blank region which are sequentially arranged from inside to outside. A bonding line is provided within the peripheral black matrix region and/or the process reserved blank region and electrically connected to a structure to be bonded on the array substrate through a connection structure.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Liping Liu, Chunlei Dong
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Patent number: 9954013Abstract: This invention aims at reducing the probability of short-circuiting between terminals in a display device in which an IC driver is connected by COG. Terminals for connection with the IC driver are formed in a terminal region of a TFT substrate (100). The terminals are each comprised of a terminal metal (60), a first through-bole formed in a first insulation film (107), a second through-hole formed in a second insulation film (109), a first ITO (20) formed in the first through-hole and being in contact with the terminal metal (60), and a second ITO (30) formed over the first ITO (20). The second ITO (30) is formed within an area where the second ITO is in contact with the first ITO but is not formed outside the second through-hole. This ensures that the distance between the ITOs of the adjacent terminals can be enlarged, whereby the probability of short-circuiting between the terminals can be lowered.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Japan Display Inc.Inventors: Tomonori Nishino, Syou Yanagisawa, Kentaro Agata, Nobuyuki Ishige
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Patent number: 9954014Abstract: A thin film transistor substrate having two different types of thin film transistors on the same substrate, and a display using the same are discussed. The thin film transistor substrate can include a substrate, a first thin film transistor (TFT), a second TFT, a first storage capacitor electrode, an oxide layer, a nitride layer, a second storage capacitor electrode, a planar layer and a pixel electrode. The first TFT is disposed in a first area, the second TFT is disposed in a second area, and the first storage capacitor electrode is disposed in a third area on the substrate respectively. The oxide layer covers the first and second TFTs, and exposes the first storage capacitor electrode. The nitride layer is disposed on the oxide layer and covers the first storage capacitor electrode. The second storage capacitor electrode overlaps with the first storage capacitor electrode on the nitride layer. The planar layer covers the first and second TFTs, and the second storage capacitor electrode.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.Inventors: Soyoung Noh, Jinchae Jeon, Seungchan Choi, Junho Lee, Youngjang Lee, Sungbin Ryu, Kitae Kim, Bokyoung Cho, Jeanhan Yoon, Uijin Chung, Jihye Lee, Eunsung Kim, Hyunsoo Shin, Kyeongju Moon, Hyojin Kim, Wonkyung Kim, Jeihyun Lee, Soyeon Je
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Patent number: 9954015Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin film transistor array substrate and a method of manufacturing the same.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seung Hyun Park, Jun Ho Song, Jean Ho Song
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Patent number: 9954016Abstract: An image sensor array including a carrier substrate; a first group of photodiodes coupled to the carrier substrate, where the first group of photodiodes include a first photodiode, and where the first photodiode includes a semiconductor layer configured to absorb photons at visible wavelengths and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; and a second group of photodiodes coupled to the carrier substrate, where the second group of photodiodes include a second photodiode, and where the second photodiode includes a germanium-silicon region fabricated on the semiconductor layer, the germanium-silicon region configured to absorb photons at infrared or near-infrared wavelengths and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Artilux CorporationInventors: Yun-Chung Na, Szu-Lin Cheng, Shu-Lu Chen, Han-Din Liu, Hui-Wen Chen, Che-Fu Liang
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Patent number: 9954017Abstract: A radiation image-pickup device includes: a plurality of pixels configured to generate signal charge based on radiation; a first substrate including a transistor configured to read out the signal charge; a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate; a conversion layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, the conversion layer being provided for each of the pixels, and being configured to convert the radiation to other wavelength or an electric signal; a partition provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, to partition the conversion layer for each of the pixels; and a radiation shielding layer provided to face the partition.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Takashi Fujimura
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Patent number: 9954018Abstract: A solid-state image pickup unit includes: a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a photoelectric conversion device provided on the substrate and including a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order from the substrate; and a plurality of field-effect transistors configured to perform signal reading from the photoelectric conversion device. The plurality of transistors include a transfer transistor and an amplification transistor, the transfer transistor includes an active layer containing a second semiconductor with a larger band gap than that of the first semiconductor, and one terminal of a source and a drain of the transfer transistor also serves the first electrode or the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device, and the other terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to a gate of the amplification transistor.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2013Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventor: Tetsuji Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 9954019Abstract: A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor is provided. The CMOS image sensor may include an epitaxial layer having a first conductivity type and having first and second surfaces, a first device isolation layer extending from the first surface to the second surface to define first and second pixel regions, a well impurity layer of a second conductivity type formed adjacent to the first surface and formed in the epitaxial layer of each of the first and second pixel regions, and a second device isolation layer formed in the well impurity layer in each of the first and second pixel regions to define first and second active portions spaced apart from each other in each of the first and second pixel regions.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Seungwook Lee, Jungchak Ahn, Youngwoo Jung
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Patent number: 9954020Abstract: A high-dynamic-range color image sensor includes (a) a silicon substrate having a photosensitive pixel array with a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels, (b) a color filter layer disposed on the silicon substrate and including at least (i) a plurality of first color filters positioned above a first subset of each of the plurality of first pixels and the plurality of second pixels and configured to selectively transmit light of a first color and (ii) a plurality of second color filters positioned above a second subset of each of the plurality of first pixels and the plurality of second pixels and configured to selectively transmit light of a second color, and (c) a dynamic-range extending layer disposed on the color filter layer and including grey filters disposed above the second plurality of pixels to attenuate light propagating toward the second plurality of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Chen-Wei Lu, Dajiang Yang, Oray Orkun Cellek, Duli Mao