Tunneling Pn Junction (e.g., Esaki Diode) Device Patents (Class 257/104)
  • Patent number: 8987753
    Abstract: Provided is a light emitting device, which includes a second conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, a first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a intermediate refraction layer. The active layer is disposed on the second conductive type semiconductor layer. The first conductive type semiconductor layer is disposed on the active layer. The intermediate refraction layer is disposed on the first conductive type semiconductor layer. The intermediate refraction layer has a refractivity that is smaller than that of the first conductive type semiconductor layer and is greater than that of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyo Kun Son
  • Patent number: 8975618
    Abstract: A resonant tunneling device includes a first semiconductor material with an energy difference between valence and conduction bands of Eg1, and a second semiconductor material with an energy difference between valence and conduction bands of Eg2, wherein Eg1 and Eg2 are different from one another. The device further includes an energy selectively transmissive interface connecting the first and second semiconductor materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: James Andrew Robert Dimmock, Stephen Day, Matthias Kauer, Jonathan Heffernan
  • Patent number: 8963197
    Abstract: An LED package includes a package body having a well formed in its upper surface, where the well is configured to receive a light emitting chip. An optical lens is disposed above the package body and includes a hollow dome structure located above and encompassing the lateral extent of the light emitting chip within the well of the package body. In one implementation, the package body and the optical lens collectively include at least one protrusion and concave, where the protrusion is aligned with the concave so that the optical lens mates with the package body, thereby causing the optical lens to self align with the package body. In another implementation, a protruding inner portion of the upper surface of the package body mates with the hollow dome structure, achieving a similar purpose. Consequently, generation of an eccentric fault between the optical lens and the package body is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung Soo Han, Seung Ho Jang, Won Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 8946724
    Abstract: Monolithic integration of high-frequency GaN-HEMTs and GaN-Schottky diodes. The integrated HEMTs/Schottky diodes are realized using an epitaxial structure and a fabrication process which reduces fabrication cost. Since the disclosed process preferably uses self-aligned technology, both devices show extremely high-frequency performance by minimizing device parasitic resistances and capacitances. Furthermore, since the Schottky contact of diodes is formed by making a direct contact of an anode metal to the 2DEG channel the resulting structure minimizes an intrinsic junction capacitance due to the very thin contact area size. The low resistance of high-mobility 2DEG channel and a low contact resistance realized by a n+GaN ohmic regrowth layer reduce a series resistance of diodes as well as access resistance of the HEMT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Keisuke Shinohara, Dean C. Regan
  • Publication number: 20150001577
    Abstract: A design of a non-transistor memory core with corresponding shift register control logic may be all comprised of tunnel diodes and capacitors, and a method for fabricating such memories and control logic may use a stencil and non-lithographic self-aligning semiconductor processing steps to minimize cost. Designs and fabrication processes for I/O pads connected to the memory core and control logic are also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: Laurence H. Cooke
  • Patent number: 8916872
    Abstract: A method of forming a stacked low temperature diode and related devices. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising forming a metal interconnect disposed within an inter-layer dielectric. The metal interconnect is electrically coupled to at least one underlying integrated circuit device. A barrier layer is deposited on the metal interconnect and the inter-layer dielectric. A semiconductor layer is deposited on the barrier layer. A metal layer is deposited on the semiconductor layer. The barrier layer, the semiconductor layer, and the metal layer are patterned. A low-temperature anneal is performed to induce a reaction between the patterned metal layer and the patterned semiconductor layer. The reaction forms a silicided layer within the patterned semiconductor layer. Moreover, the reaction forms a P-N junction diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Inoso, LLC
    Inventors: Ziep Tran, Kiyoshi Mori, Giang Trung Dao, Michael Edward Ramon
  • Publication number: 20140346558
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a rectifying device and a method of fabricating the same. The rectifying device includes a first electrode formed in a flat shape, an insulating layer deposited on the first electrode and a second electrode formed on a preset region of the insulating layer in a nanaopillar shape in a longitudinal direction to be asymmetrical to the first electrode, thereby increasing current flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: DAEGU GYEONGBUK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jae Eun JANG, Jeong Hee SHIN
  • Patent number: 8895156
    Abstract: An organic light emitting diode that can improve a driving voltage and emission efficiency includes a first electrode, an organic layer formed on the first electrode and including an emitting layer and an electron transport layer that is doped with an organic n-type impurity, and a second electrode formed on the organic layer. The electron transport layer is made of C60. An organic light emitting display includes the organic light emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Shick Kim, Ok-Keun Song, Hye-In Jeong, Young-Mo Koo
  • Patent number: 8878276
    Abstract: A variable-resistance material memory (VRMM) device includes a container conductor disposed over an epitaxial semiconductive prominence that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM device may also include a conductive plug in a recess that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM array may also include a conductive plug in a surrounding recess that is coupled to a VRMM. Apparatuses include the VRMM with one of the diode constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Michael P. Violette
  • Patent number: 8878234
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device may include a substrate having a main processing surface, a first source/drain region comprising a first material of a first conductivity type, a second source/drain region comprising a second material of a second conductivity type, wherein the second conductivity type is different from the first conductivity type, a body region electrically coupled between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region, wherein the body region extends deeper into the substrate than the first source/drain region in a first direction that is perpendicular to the main processing surface of the substrate, a gate dielectric disposed over the body region, and a gate region disposed over the gate dielectric, wherein the gate region overlaps with at least a part of the first source/drain region and with a part of the body region in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Harald Gossner, Ramgopal Rao, Angada Sachid, Ashish Pal, Ram Asra
  • Patent number: 8872180
    Abstract: A production method for a liquid crystal display device having a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) including reflection sections disposed to correspond to a plurality of pixels includes: a step of forming on a substrate a metal layer having apertures; a step of forming a semiconductor layer on the metal layer; a step of forming a protection layer on the semiconductor layer; a step of forming a resist layer on the protection layer; a photolithography step of irradiating the resist layer with light through the metal layer to pattern the protection layer by photolithography technique; and a step of stacking a reflective layer on the patterned protection layer. A plurality of bumps are formed from the protection layer in the photolithography step, and a plurality of bumps corresponding to the plurality of bumps of the protection layer are formed on the reflective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsunori Misaki
  • Patent number: 8847253
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device and a method to form the same are disclosed. The device has at least one porous or low density dielectric region formed in or on top of a bottom electrode, at least one top electrode on the porous or low density dielectric region, and one or more color filters placed above the top electrode, wherein the porous or low density dielectric region contains light emitting nanocrystal materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Chao Huang, Fu-Liang Yang
  • Patent number: 8816404
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a first conductive layer formed over a first substrate. A second conductive layer is formed over a second substrate. A first semiconductor die is mounted to the first substrate and electrically connected to the first conductive layer. A second semiconductor die is mounted to the second substrate and electrically connected to the second conductive layer. The first semiconductor die is mounted over the second semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the first and second semiconductor die and the first and second substrates. A conductive interconnect structure is formed through the encapsulant to electrically connect the first and second semiconductor die to the second surface of the semiconductor device. Forming the conductive interconnect structure includes forming a plurality of conductive vias through the encapsulant and the first substrate outside a footprint of the first and second semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: STATS ChipPAC, Ltd.
    Inventors: YoungJoon Kim, SangMi Park, YongHyuk Jeong
  • Patent number: 8772826
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a photoelectric conversion device with high photoelectric conversion efficiency. The photoelectric conversion device includes an electrode layer, and a light absorbing layer located on the electrode layer. The light absorbing layer is comprised of a plurality of stacked semiconductor layers containing a chalcopyrite-based compound semiconductor. The semiconductor layers contain oxygen. A molar concentration of the oxygen in surfaces and their vicinities of the semiconductor layers where the semiconductor layers are stacked on each other is higher than average molar concentrations of the oxygen in the semiconductor layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Asao, Rui Kamada, Shuichi Kasai, Seiji Oguri, Isamu Tanaka, Nobuyuki Horiuchi, Kazumasa Umesato
  • Patent number: 8759935
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes an active device region disposed in a semiconductor substrate, an edge termination region disposed in the semiconductor substrate between the active device region and a lateral edge of the semiconductor substrate and a trench disposed in the edge termination region which extends from a first surface of the semiconductor substrate toward a second opposing surface of the semiconductor substrate. The trench has an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall and a bottom. The inner sidewall is spaced further from the lateral edge of the semiconductor substrate than the outer sidewall, and an upper portion of the outer sidewall is doped opposite as the inner sidewall and bottom of the trench to increase the blocking voltage capacity. Other structures can be provided which yield a high blocking voltage capacity such as a second trench or a region of chalcogen dopant atoms disposed in the edge termination region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Gerhard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20140167098
    Abstract: Structures include a tunneling device disposed over first and second lattice-mismatched semiconductor materials. Process embodiments include forming tunneling devices over lattice-mismatched materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Zhiyuan Cheng, Calvin Sheen
  • Patent number: 8729572
    Abstract: A light emitting diode package includes an electrically insulated base, first and second electrodes, an LED chip, a voltage stabilizing module, and an encapsulative layer. The base has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The first and second electrodes are formed on the first surface of the base. The LED chip is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes. The voltage stabilizing module is formed on the first surface of the base, positioned between and electrically connected to the first and second electrodes. The voltage stabilizing module connects to the LED chip in reverse parallel and has a polarity arranged opposite to that of the LED chip. The voltage stabilizing module has an annular shape and encircles the first electrode. The encapsulative layer is formed on the base and covers the LED chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Optoelectronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hou-Te Lin, Chao-Hsiung Chang
  • Patent number: 8728862
    Abstract: A thin film transistor, a method of manufacturing the thin film transistor, and a flat panel display device including the thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes: a gate electrode formed on a substrate; a gate insulating film formed on the gate electrode; an activation layer formed on the gate insulating film; a passivation layer including a compound semiconductor oxide, formed on the activation layer; and source and drain electrodes that contact the activation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Heung Ha, Young-Woo Song, Jong-Hyuk Lee, Jong-Han Jeong, Min-Kyu Kim, Yeon-Gon Mo, Jae-Kyeong Jeong, Hyun-Joong Chung, Kwang-Suk Kim, Hui-Won Yang, Chaun-Gi Choi
  • Patent number: 8669163
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a channel region; a gate dielectric over the channel region; a gate electrode over the gate dielectric; and a first source/drain region adjacent the gate dielectric. The first source/drain region is of a first conductivity type. At least one of the channel region and the first source/drain region includes a superlattice structure. The semiconductor device further includes a second source/drain region on an opposite side of the channel region than the first source/drain region. The second source/drain region is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. At most, one of the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region comprises an additional superlattice structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Krishna Kumar Bhuwalka, Ching-Ya Wang, Ken-Ichi Goto, Wen-Chin Lee, Carlos H. Diaz
  • Patent number: 8664689
    Abstract: A memory device includes a driver comprising a pn-junction in the form of a multilayer stack including a first doped semiconductor region having a first conductivity type, and a second doped semiconductor plug having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, the first and second doped semiconductors defining a pn junction therebetween, in which the first doped semiconductor region is formed in a single-crystalline semiconductor, and the second doped semiconductor region includes a polycrystalline semiconductor. Also, a method for making a memory device includes forming a first doped semiconductor region of a first conductivity type in a single-crystal semiconductor, such as on a semiconductor wafer; and forming a second doped polycrystalline semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, defining a pn junction between the first and second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Lan Lung, Erh-Kun Lai, Yen-Hao Shih, Yi-Chou Chen, Shih-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 8624293
    Abstract: A carbon/tunneling-barrier/carbon diode and method for forming the same are disclosed. The carbon/tunneling-barrier/carbon may be used as a steering element in a memory array. Each memory cell in the memory array may include a reversible resistivity-switching element and a carbon/tunneling-barrier/carbon diode as the steering element. The tunneling-barrier may include a semiconductor or an insulator. Thus, the diode may be a carbon/semiconductor/carbon diode. The semiconductor in the diode may be intrinsic or doped. The semiconductor may be depleted when the diode is under equilibrium conditions. For example, the semiconductor may be lightly doped such that the depletion region extends from one end of the semiconductor region to the other end. The diode may be a carbon/insulator/carbon diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Abhijit Bandyopadhyay, Franz Kreupl, Andrei Mihnea, Li Xiao
  • Publication number: 20130285110
    Abstract: Select devices including an open volume that functions as a high bandgap material having a low dielectric constant are disclosed. The open volume may provide a more nonlinear, asymmetric I-V curve and enhanced rectifying behavior in the select devices. The select devices may comprise, for example, a metal-insulator-insulator-metal (MIIM) diode. Various methods may be used to form select devices and memory systems including such select devices. Memory devices and electronic systems include such select devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Bhaskar Srinivasan, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 8564067
    Abstract: Disclosed is semiconductor structure with an insulator layer on a semiconductor substrate and a device layer is on the insulator layer. The substrate is doped with a relatively low dose of a dopant having a given conductivity type such that it has a relatively high resistivity. Additionally, a portion of the semiconductor substrate immediately adjacent to the insulator layer can be doped with a slightly higher dose of the same dopant, a different dopant having the same conductivity type or a combination thereof. Optionally, micro-cavities are created within this same portion so as to balance out any increase in conductivity due to increased doping with a corresponding increase in resistivity. Increasing the dopant concentration at the semiconductor substrate-insulator layer interface raises the threshold voltage (Vt) of any resulting parasitic capacitors and, thereby reduces harmonic behavior. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for forming such a semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alan B. Botula, John J. Ellis-Monaghan, Alvin J. Joseph, Max G. Levy, Richard A. Phelps, James A. Slinkman, Randy L. Wolf
  • Patent number: 8537590
    Abstract: A resistive memory comprises a tunnel barrier. The tunnel barrier is in contact with a memory material which has a memory property that can be changed by a write signal. Because of the exponential dependence of the tunnel resistance on the parameters of the tunnel barrier, a change in the memory property has a powerful effect on the tunnel resistance, whereby the information stored in the memory material can be read. A solid electrolyte (ion conductor), for example, is suitable as a memory layer, wherein the ions thereof can be moved relative to the interface with the tunnel barrier by the write signal. The memory layer, however, can also be, for example, a further tunnel barrier, the tunnel resistance of which can be changed by the write signal, for example by displacement of a metal layer present in this tunnel barrier. The invention further provides a method for storing and reading information to and from a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Kohlstedt
  • Patent number: 8536584
    Abstract: An LED chip and method of fabricating the same is disclosed that comprises a plurality of sub-LEDs, said sub-LEDs interconnected such that the voltage necessary to drive said sub-LEDs is dependent on the number of said interconnected sub-LEDs and the junction voltage of said sub-LEDs. Each of said interconnected sub-LEDs comprising an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and an active or quantum well region interposed between the n-type and p-type layers. The monolithic LED chip further comprising a p-electrode having a lead that is accessible from a point on a surface opposite of a primary emission surface of the monolithic LED chip, the p-electrode electrically connected to the p-type layer, and an n-electrode having a lead that is accessible from a point on the surface opposite of the primary emission surface, the n-electrode electrically connected to the n-type layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Zhimin Jamie Yao
  • Patent number: 8530932
    Abstract: A semiconductor fabrication method includes depositing a dummy gate layer onto a substrate, patterning the dummy gate layer, depositing a hardmask layer over the dummy gate layer, patterning the hardmask layer, etching a recess into the substrate, adjacent the dummy gate layer, depositing a semiconductor material into the recess, removing the hardmask layer, depositing replacement spacers onto the dummy gate layer, performing an oxide deposition over the dummy gate layer and replacement spacers, removing the dummy gate and replacement spacers, thereby forming a gate recess in the oxide and depositing a gate stack into the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Josephine B. Chang, Michael A. Guillorn, Isaac Lauer, Amlan Majumdar
  • Patent number: 8530949
    Abstract: An antifuse whose internal written information cannot be analyzed even by utilizing methods to determine whether there is a charge-up in the electrodes. The antifuse includes a gate insulation film, a gate electrode, and a first diffusion layer. A second diffusion layer is isolated from the first diffusion layer by way of a device isolator film, and is the same conduction type as the first diffusion layer. The gate wiring is formed as one integrated piece with the gate electrode, and extends over the device isolator film. A common contact couples the gate wiring to the second diffusion layer. The gate electrode is comprised of semiconductor material such as polysilicon that is doped with impurities of the same conduction type as the first diffusion layer. The second diffusion layer is coupled only to the common contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takuji Onuma, Kenichi Hidaka, Hiromichi Takaoka, Yoshitaka Kubota, Hiroshi Tsuda, Kiyokazu Ishige
  • Patent number: 8526221
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a first circuit area for a low voltage operation and a second circuit area for a high voltage operation. The circuit areas comprise two vertically stacked backend patterned metal layers that are separated by an inter-metallic dielectric (IMD). The two metal layers and the IMD form a combination that is operable at the low voltage. The first circuit area uses a first portion of the combination for operating at the low voltage and the second circuit area uses a second portion of the combination for routing at the high voltage, the two metal layers in the second portion being interconnected through the IMD by via hole, for withstanding the high voltage. The first portion may comprise an array of magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices and the second circuit area may comprise a display drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: MagSil Corporation
    Inventor: Krishnakumar Mani
  • Patent number: 8482018
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light emitting device. The light emitting device comprises a light emitting semiconductor layer comprising a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer, a second electrode layer supporting the light emitting semiconductor layer while surrounding the light emitting semiconductor layer, and a first passivation layer between a side of the light emitting semiconductor layer and the second electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong Cheol Kang, Duk Kyu Bae
  • Patent number: 8476646
    Abstract: Provided is a light emitting device, which includes a second conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, a first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a intermediate refraction layer. The active layer is disposed on the second conductive type semiconductor layer. The first conductive type semiconductor layer is disposed on the active layer. The intermediate refraction layer is disposed on the first conductive type semiconductor layer. The intermediate refraction layer has a refractivity that is smaller than that of the first conductive type semiconductor layer and is greater than that of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyo Kun Son
  • Publication number: 20130162333
    Abstract: An apparatus including first and second layers of electrically conductive material separated by a layer of electrically insulating material, wherein one or both layers of electrically conductive material include graphene, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that electrons are able to tunnel from the first layer of electrically conductive material through the layer of electrically insulating material to the second layer of electrically conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Alan COLLI, Shakil A. Awan, Antonio Lombardo, Tim J. Echtermeyer, Tero S. Kulmala, Andrea C. Ferrari
  • Patent number: 8471340
    Abstract: Disclosed is semiconductor structure with an insulator layer on a semiconductor substrate and a device layer is on the insulator layer. The substrate is doped with a relatively low dose of a dopant having a given conductivity type such that it has a relatively high resistivity. Additionally, a portion of the semiconductor substrate immediately adjacent to the insulator layer can be doped with a slightly higher dose of the same dopant, a different dopant having the same conductivity type or a combination thereof. Optionally, micro-cavities are created within this same portion so as to balance out any increase in conductivity due to increased doping with a corresponding increase in resistivity. Increasing the dopant concentration at the semiconductor substrate-insulator layer interface raises the threshold voltage (Vt) of any resulting parasitic capacitors and, thereby reduces harmonic behavior. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for forming such a semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alan B. Botula, John J. Ellis-Monaghan, Alvin J. Joseph, Max G. Levy, Richard A. Phelps, James A. Slinkman, Randy L. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20130146940
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a semiconductor tunneling device including voltage controlled negative resistance. In one embodiment, the semiconductor tunneling device includes: at least one pair of spaced apart terminals; an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer between the at least one pair of spaced apart terminals; and a dielectric capping layer extending continuously over the at least one pair of spaced apart terminals and the ILD layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fen Chen, Elbert E. Huang, Michael A. Shinosky
  • Patent number: 8450835
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a semiconductor diode device including a first conductivity type region, a second conductivity type region, where the second conductivity type is different from the first conductivity type, an intrinsic region located between the first conductivity type region and the second conductivity type region; a first halo region of the first conductivity type located between the second conductivity type region and the intrinsic region, and optionally a second halo region of the second conductivity type located between the first conductivity type region and the intrinsic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Xiying Chen, Mark H. Clark, S. Brad Herner, Tanmay Kumar
  • Patent number: 8450771
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of regions of semiconductor material forming a junction at an interface there-between, the junction including a depletion region having a width which varies spatially in at least one direction along the depletion region. Without limitation, the spatial variation in depletion region width is provided by ionised dopants having a concentration which varies spatially along said at least one direction. Alternatively, or in addition, the spatial variation in depletion region width is achieved by varying the thickness of the region(s) of semiconductor spatially along said at least one direction, for example by creating a plurality of cells within said region(s) devoid of said semiconductor material. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the step of varying the width of the depletion region spatially there-within in at least one direction along the depletion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: Qinetiq Limited, The Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland
    Inventors: Timothy Ashley, Geoffrey Richard Nash
  • Patent number: 8431957
    Abstract: A method for controlling consumer exposure to audio dosage for a composite audio signal, the method comprising: sampling the composite audio signal; transforming the sampled audio signal, using a fast fourier transform algorithm, to produce a signal representative of the amplitude of component frequencies of the audio signal; comparing the transformed audio signal with a predefined impulse control threshold profile, representing the target maximum amplitude for each frequency component for the audio signal threshold profile to produce a configuring signal representative of the difference between the broadcast signal and the profile; using the configuring signal to automatically configure in real time a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter so that it attenuates the amplitude of the transformed audio signal in frequency bands centered on the frequencies at which the target threshold is exceeded; and outputting the attenuated audio signal for consumer exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Beaumont Freidman & Co.
    Inventor: Kim Lovejoy
  • Patent number: 8426243
    Abstract: There is provided an amorphous oxide semiconductor including hydrogen and at least one element of indium (In) and zinc (Zn), the amorphous oxide semiconductor containing one of hydrogen atoms and deuterium atoms of 1×1020 cm?3 or more to 1×1022 cm?3 or less, and a density of bonds between oxygen and hydrogen except bonds between excess oxygen (OEX) and hydrogen in the amorphous oxide semiconductor being 1×1018 cm?3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Hayashi, Hideyuki Omura, Hideya Kumomi, Yuzo Shigesato
  • Patent number: 8405121
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device may include a substrate having a main processing surface, a first source/drain region comprising a first material of a first conductivity type, a second source/drain region comprising a second material of a second conductivity type, wherein the second conductivity type is different from the first conductivity type, a body region electrically coupled between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region, wherein the body region extends deeper into the substrate than the first source/drain region in a first direction that is perpendicular to the main processing surface of the substrate, a gate dielectric disposed over the body region, and a gate region disposed over the gate dielectric, wherein the gate region overlaps with at least a part of the first source/drain region and with a part of the body region in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Harald Gossner, Ramgopal Rao, Angada Sachid, Ashish Pal, Ram Asra
  • Patent number: 8384122
    Abstract: Several embodiments of a tunneling transistor are disclosed. In one embodiment, a tunneling transistor includes a semiconductor substrate, a source region formed in the semiconductor substrate, a drain region formed in the semiconductor substrate, a gate stack including a metallic gate electrode and a gate dielectric, and a tunneling junction that is substantially parallel to an interface between the metallic gate electrode and the gate dielectric. As a result of the tunneling junction that is substantially parallel with the interface between the metallic gate electrode and the gate dielectric, an on-current of the tunneling transistor is substantially improved as compared to that of a conventional tunneling transistor. In another embodiment, a tunneling transistor includes a heterostructure that reduces a turn-on voltage of the tunneling transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Chenming Hu, Anupama Bowonder, Pratik Patel, Daniel Chou, Prashant Majhi
  • Patent number: 8378382
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having high-aspect-ratio PN-junctions is provided. The semiconductor device includes a conducting layer. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of first doped regions formed over the conducting layer. The sidewalls of the doped regions are doped to form PN-junctions. The semiconductor device also includes a plurality of second doped regions over the first doped regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao-I Wu, Ming Hsiu Lee
  • Patent number: 8334550
    Abstract: A unipolar diode with low turn-on voltage includes a subcathode semiconductor layer, a low-doped, wide bandgap cathode semiconductor layer, and a high-doped, narrow bandgap anode semiconductor layer. A junction between the cathode layer and the anode layer creates an electron barrier in the conduction band, with the barrier configured to produce a low turn-on voltage for the diode. A unipolar diode with low turn-on voltage includes an n+ subcathode semiconductor layer, a low-doped, wide bandgap cathode semiconductor layer, and an n+ narrow bandgap anode semiconductor layer. Again, a junction between the cathode layer and the anode layer creates an electron barrier in the conduction band, with the barrier configured to produce a low turn-on voltage for the diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Sawdai, Kwok K. Loi, Vesna Radisic
  • Patent number: 8324637
    Abstract: An LED made from a wide band gap semiconductor material and having a low resistance p-type confinement layer with a tunnel junction in a wide band gap semiconductor device is disclosed. A dissimilar material is placed at the tunnel junction where the material generates a natural dipole. This natural dipole is used to form a junction having a tunnel width that is smaller than such a width would be without the dissimilar material. A low resistance p-type confinement layer having a tunnel junction in a wide band gap semiconductor device may be fabricated by generating a polarization charge in the junction of the confinement layer, and forming a tunnel width in the junction that is smaller than the width would be without the polarization charge. Tunneling through the tunnel junction in the confinement layer may be enhanced by the addition of impurities within the junction. These impurities may form band gap states in the junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Ibbetson, Bernd P. Keller, Umesh K. Mishra
  • Patent number: 8306495
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer that are joined by sandwiching a depletion layer with a thickness that allows transmission of a plurality of electrons and holes by direct-tunneling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8304822
    Abstract: Provided is a pixel for picking up an image signal capable of suppressing an occurrence of a cross-talk. The pixel for picking up an image signal includes a substrate surrounded by a trench, a photodiode, and a pass transistor. The photodiode is formed at an upper portion of the substrate and includes a P-type diffusion area and an N-type diffusion area which are joined with each other in a longitudinal direction. The pass transistor is formed at the upper portion of the substrate and includes the one terminal that is the joined P-type diffusion area and the N-type diffusion area, the other terminal that is a floating diffusion area, and a gate terminal disposed between the two terminals. The pixel for picking up an image signal is surrounded by the trench which penetrates the substrate from the upper portion to the lower portion of the substrate, and the trench is filled with an insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Siliconfile Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Do Young Lee
  • Patent number: 8290010
    Abstract: A surface plasmon-generating apparatus includes an active layer including an n-type region formed on one side and a p-type region formed on the other side, the n-type region and the p-type region being in contact with each other to form a pn junction therebetween; a first barrier layer in contact with a first surface of the active layer; a second barrier layer in contact with a second surface of the active layer, the second surface being opposite the first surface; and a metal body disposed above the pn junction of the active layer with the second barrier layer and an insulating layer therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoki Ono
  • Patent number: 8265582
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer that are joined by sandwiching a depletion layer with a thickness that allows transmission of a plurality of electrons and holes by direct-tunneling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120199187
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tunnel diode and a method for manufacturing thereof. The tunnel diode comprises a p-doped semiconductor region and an n-doped semiconductor region forming a pn-junction at least partly within a nanowire where semiconductor materials on different sides of the pn-junction are different such that a heterojuction is formed. The materials of the nanowire may be compound semiconductor materials. The heterojunction tunnel diode can be of type-I (Straddling gap), type-II (Staggered gap) or type-III (Broken gap).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Sol Voltaics AB
    Inventors: Magnus Borgström, Magnus Heurlin, Stefan Fält
  • Patent number: 8212281
    Abstract: A variable-resistance material memory (VRMM) device includes a container conductor disposed over an epitaxial semiconductive prominence that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM device may also include a conductive plug in a recess that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM array may also include a conductive plug in a surrounding recess that is coupled to a VRMM. Apparatuses include the VRMM with one of the diode constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Michael P. Violette
  • Patent number: 8212282
    Abstract: A power supply device is disclosed that is able to satisfy the power requirements of a device in service and has high efficiency. The power supply device includes a first power supply; a voltage step-up unit that steps up an output voltage of the first power supply; a voltage step-down unit that steps down an output voltage of the voltage step-up unit; and a load that is driven to operate by an output voltage of the voltage step-down unit. The voltage step-up unit steps up the output voltage of the first power supply to a lower limit of an operating voltage of the voltage step-down unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Ohtsuka, Yoshinori Ueda
  • Patent number: 8212327
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for configuring and constructing a single photo detector or array of photo detectors with all fabrications circuitry on a single side of the device. Both the anode and the cathode contacts of the diode are placed on a single side, while a layer of laser treated semiconductor is placed on the opposite side for enhanced cost-effectiveness, photon detection, and fill factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: SiOnyx, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Kurfiss, James E. Carey, Xia Li