Lateral Transistor Patents (Class 148/DIG96)
  • Patent number: 5716859
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a bipolar junction transistor having emitter line spacings on the order of approximately 0.25 microns or less is disclosed. Windows are opened in the silicon dioxide layer for the emitter collector and base fabrication. A layer of silicon nitride is disposed on top of the layer of silicon dioxide having been deposited over he entire surface containing approximately 0.5 width line features at he emitter, base and collector sites. Silicon nitride is deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The deposited nitride film is etched using a standard reactive ion etching technique, removing the silicon nitride from the horizontal surfaces of the oxide without removing the nitride from the sidewalls of the etched opening at the emitter, base and collector sites. The result of the RIE etching is that the thickness of the film on the horizontal surfaces is removed without removal of the nitride from the sidewalls of the etched pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: James Tajadod, Timothy Edward Boles, Paulette Rita Noonan
  • Patent number: 5679587
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing both power and small-signal NPN bipolar devices. The small-signal devices use lateral current flow, and are completely surrounded (laterally and vertically) by an N-type well region. The N-type well region itself is completely surrounded (laterally and vertically) by a P-type isolation region. This double isolation provides improved protection against turn-on of parasitic devices, which can cause leakage problems in the conventional device structures. Optionally a self-aligned process step is used to provide a graded base doping profile in the small-signal devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Consorzio per la Ricerca sulla Microelettronica nel Mezzogiorno
    Inventor: Raffaele Zambrano
  • Patent number: 5614424
    Abstract: This invention describes an accumulated base bipolar junction transistor and an application of the accumulated base transistor as an input stage to an operational amplifier. The accumulated base transistor is formed during the processing of Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Transistors. A metal gate is placed over the base region of the accumulated base transistor to form the base accumulator. The base accumulator will improve the gain of the bipolar junction transistor over a high frequency spectrum. The improved gain of the accumulated base transistor will cause an operational amplifier with accumulated-base bipolar transistors as an input stage to have improved performance characteristics over an operational amplifier using CMOS transistors as an input stage of the operational amplifier using the same integrated circuits processing techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Shyh-Chyi Wong, Mong-Song Liang
  • Patent number: 5567631
    Abstract: A process has been developed in which narrow base width, lateral bipolar junction transistors, and narrow channel length MOSFET devices, can be simultaneously fabricated, using a silicon on insulator approach. Insulator sidewall spacer and gate processing is used to produce narrow base widths for enhanced collector--base device characteristics, in terms of transistor gain, switching speeds and junction breakdowns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ching-Hsiang Hsu, Shyh-Chyi Wong, Mong-Song Liang, Steve S. Chung
  • Patent number: 5486481
    Abstract: A lateral bipolar transistor structure (10) formed in a laterally isolated semiconductor device tub (22) of a first conductivity type is provided. First and second trenches are etched in the device tub and filled with doped polysilicon of a second conductivity type to form an emitter (30) and a collector (32). The portion of the tub (22) between the emitter (30) and collector (32) regions forms a base region. This configuration provides high emitter area and minimal device surface area, as well as emitter (30) and collector (32) regions which are interchangeable, greatly easing layout of integrated circuits using the transistor structure (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Lalgudi M. G. Sundaram
  • Patent number: 5478760
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a bipolar junction transistor by forming a trench in a silicon substrate. A lightly-doped base region is formed adjacent to the sidewalls of the trench, and a heavily-doped base region is formed under the bottom of the trench. Silicon oxide layers are formed along the sidewalls and bottom of the trench with a contact window provided to expose part of the lightly-doped base region. A polysilicon layer is formed in the trench, and is heavily doped by a dopant which in turn diffuses into the lightly-doped base region through the contact window to form an emitter region. A collector region is formed in the upper surface of the lightly-doped base region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Sheng-Hsing Yang
  • Patent number: 5466616
    Abstract: A method of producing a reduced-size LDMOS transistor having reduced leakage and latch-up possibility by reducing the vertical projective area of the source electrodes of the LDMOS transistor, which is done by forming first trenches to reach a substrate of the LDMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Sheng-Hsing Yang
  • Patent number: 5444004
    Abstract: A self aligned lateral BJT is disclosed which has a lightly doped first region of a first conductivity type, e.g., P-type. A heavily doped polysilicon region, of a second conductivity type, e.g., N-type, is provided on a portion of a surface of the first region. A heavily doped second region of the second conductivity type, is disposed in the first region below the polysilicon region. An oxide region is provided on a portion of the first region surface adjacent to the polysilicon region. A third region of the first conductivity type is disposed in the first region adjacent to the second region and below the oxide region. A heavily doped fourth region of the second conductivity type is disposed in the first region adjacent to the third region. The fabrication of the lateral BJT includes the step of forming a polysilicon region on a portion of the first region. Then, the second region is formed by diffusing an impurity from the polysilicon region into the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Wen-Yueh Jang
  • Patent number: 5387553
    Abstract: A lateral PNP bipolar transistor includes concentric circular emitter and annular base and dual collector regions. The inner collector region is moderately doped to provide good punch-through and Early voltage performance. The outer collector region is highly doped to provide low collector series resistance. A composite transistor made up of any desired number of individual transistors provides a transistor having a desired current capacity. The transistor annular base cross-section permits very accurate base width control during the manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tor W. Moksvold, John Altieri, Ching-Tzuen Tarn, Colleen M. Snavely
  • Patent number: 5360750
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing lateral bipolar transistors of integrated circuits which have expanded collector regions, thereby raising the gain of the lateral bipolar transistors while reducing cycle time for manufacture. As a result, the performance of the transistors is improved and the cost of manufacture is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Sheng-Hsing Yang
  • Patent number: 5358883
    Abstract: A lateral bipolar transistor (10) includes a retrograde doping profile (21) that is formed within a substrate (11) to form the transistor's (10) collector region (14). A base region (16) that includes an inactive base area and an active base area (17) is formed in the collector region (14). An emitter (18) is formed within the active base area (17) wherein current (22) flows through the emitter (18) through the active base area (17) and through the collector region (14). The base region, the emitter, and a collector contact region are all formed by driving dopants from an overlying polysilicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne R. Burger, Yee-Chaung See
  • Patent number: 5306652
    Abstract: A transistor (10) has a thin epitaxial layer (14) of a second conductivity type on a semiconductor substrate (12) of a first conductivity type. A drift region (24) of the second conductivity type is formed extending through the thin epitaxial layer (14) to the substrate (12) . A thick insulator layer (26) is formed on the drift region (24). An IGFET body (28) of the first conductivity type is formed adjacent the drift region (24). A source region (34) of the second conductivity type is formed within the IGFET body (28) and spaced from the drift region (24) defining a channel region (40) within the IGFET body (28). A conductive gate (32) is insulatively disposed over the IGFET body (28) and extends from the source region (34) to the thick insulator layer (26). A drain region (36) is formed adjacent the drift region (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Oh-Kyong Kwon, Taylor R. Efland, Satwinder Malhi, Wai T. Ng
  • Patent number: 5298440
    Abstract: A bipolar lateral device is disclosed having a high BV.sub.ceo. The device is formed according to a single polysilicon process. In one embodiment silicide is excluded from the surface of the N+ doped polysilicon protecting the N- base width region of the device and the resulting device has a BV.sub.ceo of 8 to 10 V. In another embodiment, the silicide is excluded from the surface of the polysilicon protecting the n-base width region and the polysilicon is maintained as intrinsic polysilicon. The resulting device has a BV.sub.ceo of about 20 V. The devices are useful as voltage clamping devices in programmable logic circuits which must withstand a collector to emitter reverse bias voltage that is sufficient to program either vertical fuse or lateral fuse devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rick C. Jerome, Brian McFarlane, Frank Marazita
  • Patent number: 5198376
    Abstract: A high performance PNP lateral bipolar transistor is described, incorporating at least two trenches extending from the upper P.sup.- surface of a semiconductor substrate almost to a buried N.sup.+ layer. The floor of one trench is heavily N-doped to establish a connection between the buried N.sup.+ layer and an N.sup.- diffusion in the walls of the trench. When the trenches are backfilled with P.sup.+ polysilicon a lateral PNP is formed having a buried base contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sridhar Divakaruni, Badih El-Kareh, Eric D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5187109
    Abstract: A lateral bipolar transistor and method of making the transistor which is compatible with a method of making MOS transistors to be used in making BICMOS circuits are disclosed. The method includes the following steps: Forming on the surface of a substrate of one conductivity type at least one layer of a semiconductor material of the opposite conductivity type. Forming a first region of the opposite conductivity type into one portion of the layer in one of the portions of the layer and a highly conductive contact region to the layer in another portion, forming a layer of an insulating material over the layer and providing an aperture therethrough to the first region. Depositing a layer of polycrystalline silicon over the insulating layer and in the aperture and defining the polycrystalline silicon layer so that it is in the aperture and extends a short distance beyond the aperture but not beyond the edge of the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert K. Cook, Mario M. A. Pelella
  • Patent number: 5073506
    Abstract: A method for making a lateral bipolar transistor using SOI technology. A base mask is formed on the surface of a silicon island and its sidewalls coated with a layer of silicon dioxide. After local oxidization of the silicon island, emitter and collector regions are implanted using the base mask and the silicon dioxide deposited on the sidewalls of the base mask as a mask. The base mask is then removed and a shallow base contact region is implanted in the base region previously shielded by the base mask. The remaining silicon dioxide deposited on the sidewalls of the base mask form vertical spacers which are used as a self-aligned mask for forming silicide contacts on the emitter, collector and base contact regions. These remaining silicon dioxide vertical spacers physically separate emitter-base and base collector junctions from the highly doped base contact area and electrically isolate the silicide contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.
    Inventors: Witold P. Maszara, Anthony L. Caviglia
  • Patent number: 5036016
    Abstract: A bipolar VLSI process includes masking and patterning, implanting a P+ channel stop and locally oxidizing a lightly P-doped, monolithic silicon substrate to define a collector region. An N-type collector is implanted and the implants are diffused to form a shallow gradient P-N junction. Then, device emitter, base and collector contact features are photolithographically defined by two openings spaced along the length of the collector region. The collector region is formed in a keyhole shape with a wider end portion encompassed by the collector contact feature and adjoining opening and a narrower opposite end portion which includes the base contact and emitter features and intervening opening. Low resistivity P- and N-type regions are implanted in the substrate in the openings; the openings are covered by local oxidation; and the substrate surface region are exposed in the adjoining contact features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: Bipolar Integrated Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Drosd
  • Patent number: 4996164
    Abstract: A process of forming a lateral PNP transistor includes the steps of: providing a chip of semiconductor material including an isolated N- device region; implanting N dopant material at a relatively low power and low dosage into a selected implant region of the device region; implanting N dopant material at a relatively higher power and higher dosage into the implant region; and forming emitter and collector regions in the device region such that an intrinsic base region is defined between the collector and emitter regions in the implant region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter A. Habitz, Chang-Ming Hsieh, Yi-Shiou Huang
  • Patent number: 4981806
    Abstract: A device area (16) is defined in a semiconductor body (10) by forming at one major surface (12, 12a) of the body a step (11) having a side wall (11a) and top surface (11b) bounding the device area 16. A silicon layer (13) is deposited so as to cover the side wall (11a) and top surface (11b) of the step and an adjoining lower surface area (12c). Dopant impurities are introduced so that the side wall silicon region (13a) is shielded from the dopant impurities and the undoped side wall silicon region (13a) is later removed by selective etching. The silicon region (13c) on the lower surface area (12a) adjoining the step (11) is masked and the silicon region (13a) on the top surface (11b) at the step (11) removed to leave the doped silicon region (13c) on the one major surface (12a) for contacting a device region (29), for example the base region of a transistor, of the device area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Henricus G. R. Maas, Roland A. Van ES, Johannes W. A. Van Der Velden, Peter H. Kranen
  • Patent number: 4978630
    Abstract: Present invention relates to the fabrication method of the bipolar transistor which includes NPN transistor and field-plate lateral PNP transistor.The arsenic implanted polycrystalline silicon is used for the emitter electrode of NPN transistor to increase the current gain, and for the field-plate of the lateral PNP transistor to reduce the collector-emitter leakage current.Also, this polycrystalline silicon is used for the ion implanting mask for the extrinsic base of the NPN transistor and for the emitter, collector of the lateral PNP transistor simultaneously.Therefore, the extrinisc base of NPN transistor and the emitter, collector of the lateral PNP transistor are self-aligned by the polycrystalline silicon, and so one mask is saved by this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Samsung Semiconductor & Telecommunication Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myung S. Kim
  • Patent number: 4669177
    Abstract: A method of forming a lateral bipolar transistor in a semiconductor substrate of a second conductivity type by an MOS or CMOS process which includes growing a thin insulating layer over the substrate and diffusing a tank region of a first type of conductivity into the semiconductor substrate of a polarity opposite to that of the second conductivity type. A strip of polysilicon is deposited around a region between the emitter area and collector area on a face of the substrate over said oxide. Next an emitter region having the form of a band enclosing an undiffused central region within the polysilicon strip and a collector region located outside of the strip are diffused into the tank. The polysilicon prevents diffusion of implanted impurity into the tank region over which is superimposed the polysilicon. An electrically conducting layer is formed over the emitter and a portion of the polysilicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sebastiano D'Arrigo, Michael C. Smayling