Tunneling Pn Junction (e.g., Esaki Diode) Device Patents (Class 257/104)
-
Patent number: 6479840Abstract: Disclosed is an inventive diode which can reduce a stray capacity to improve various characteristics thereof, in which a dielectric layer, a conductive layer and a second dielectric layer are respectively formed by deposition in this order on an upper face of a semiconductor substrate excluding a central portion of an exposed surface of a P-type region. Then, an anode side electrode is formed extending from the exposed surface of the P-type region to the upper face of the second dielectric layer, and is electrically connected with the P-type region. Herein, the conductive layer is formed such that it is isolated from the electrode by the second dielectric layer, is connected with the semiconductor substrate upper face in a location where the dielectric layer has not been formed, and partially resides in a location sandwiched between the electrode and the semiconductor substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2001Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: Toko, Inc.Inventors: Takeshi Kasahara, Shinichi Shigematsu
-
Patent number: 6469314Abstract: An LED and a method of fabricating the LED which utilize controlled oxygen (O) doping to form at least one layer of the LED having an O dopant concentration which is correlated to the dominant emission wavelength of the LED. The O dopant concentration is regulated to be higher when the LED has been configured to have a longer dominant emission wavelength. Since the dominant emission wavelength is dependent on the composition of the active layer(s) of the LED, the O dopant concentration in the layer is related to the composition of the active layer(s). The controlled O doping improves the reliability while minimizing any light output penalty due to the introduction of O dopants. In an exemplary embodiment, the LED is an AlGaInP LED that includes a substrate, an optional distributed Bragg reflector layer, an n-type confining layer, an optional n-type set-back layer, an active region, an optional p-type set-back layer, a p-type confining layer and an optional window layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1999Date of Patent: October 22, 2002Assignee: LumiLeds Lighting U.S., LLCInventors: Patrick N. Grillot, Eugene I. Chen, Jen-Wu Huang, Stephen A. Stockman
-
Patent number: 6452245Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device capable of improving a withstand voltage for a wire placed in the neighborhood of a contact. When the direction in which a wiring layer extends in the direction of a plane as viewed from the top of a substrate, is defined as a first direction, the direction orthogonal to the first direction on the plane is defined as a second direction, a radius of curvature of a conductive material layer closest to the opening is defined as R, a point where the conductive material layer and an end of the wiring layer intersect, is defined as X, a point where a straight line extending along the second direction from the point X intersects a straight line extending along the first direction through the center of the radius R of curvature of the conductive material layer, is defined as Y, and the distance between the points X and Y as viewed in the second direction is defined as A, the relations in COS−1(A/R)>46 are established.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2000Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mamoru Ishikiriyama, Katsuhito Sasaki
-
Patent number: 6441408Abstract: A power semiconductor components has stop zones. In order to optimize the static and dynamic losses of the power semiconductor components, the stop zone is provided with donors which have at least one donor level which lies within the band gap of silicon and is at least 200 meV away from the conduction band edge of silicon.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2001Date of Patent: August 27, 2002Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Alfred Porst, Helmut Strack, Anton Mauder, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Heinrich Brunner, Josef Bauer, Reiner Barthelmess
-
Patent number: 6424007Abstract: A lateral, high-voltage, FET having a low on-resistance and a buried conduction layer comprises a P-type buried layer region within an N-well formed in a P-type substrate. The P-type buried layer region is connected to a drain electrode by a first P-type drain diffusion region that is disposed in the N-well region. The P-type buried layer region is also connected to a second P-type drain diffusion region that extends down from the surface at one end of the PMOS gate region. A P-type source diffusion region, which connects to the source electrode, defines the other end of the gate region.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2001Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventor: Donald Ray Disney
-
Patent number: 6417527Abstract: The diode of the present invention includes: a cathode electrode and an anode electrode that are disposed on a semi-conductor substrate and are spaced apart from each other; and a shielding metal member placed between the cathode and anode electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2000Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Junko Iwanaga, Yorito Ota, Mitsuru Tanabe
-
Patent number: 6417526Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device having a rectifying junction (5) which is situated between two (semiconductor) regions (1, 2) of an opposite conductivity type. The second region (2), which includes silicon, is thicker and has a smaller doping concentration than the first region (1) which includes a sub-region comprising a mixed crystal of silicon and germanium. The two regions (1, 2) are each provided with a connection conductor (3, 4). Such a device can very suitably be used as a switching element, in particular as a switching element for a high voltage and/or high power. In the known device, the silicon-germanium mixed crystal is relaxed, leading to the formation of misfit dislocations. These serve to reduce the service life of the minority charge carriers, thus enabling the device to be switched very rapidly.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1999Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventors: Adam R. Brown, Godefridus A. M. Hurkx, Michael S. Peter, Hendrik G. A. Huizing, Wiebe B. De Boer
-
Publication number: 20020070380Abstract: A semiconductor device embraces an n-type first semiconductor region, defined by first and second end surfaces and a first outer surface connecting the first and second end surfaces; a p-type second semiconductor region, defined by third and fourth end surfaces and a second outer surface connecting the third and fourth end surfaces, the fourth end surface is in contact with the first end surface; an n-type third semiconductor region connected with the first semiconductor region at the second end surface; a p-type fourth semiconductor region connected with the second semiconductor region at the third end surface; and a fifth semiconductor region having inner surface in contact with the first and second outer surfaces and an impurity concentration lower than the first semiconductor region. The fifth semiconductor region surrounds the first and second semiconductor regions and is disposed between the third and fourth semiconductor regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2001Publication date: June 13, 2002Inventor: Hideyuki Andoh
-
Patent number: 6404018Abstract: A static memory cell having no more than three transistors. A static memory cell is formed by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a buried n-type layer in the substrate, the n-type layer having a first average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1×1016 ions/cm3; forming an n-channel transistor relative to the substrate over the buried n-type layer, the n-channel transistor having a source, a gate, and a drain, the source having a second average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1×1019 ions/cm3 and the drain having a third average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1×1019 ions/cm3, and the source having a depth deeper than the drain so as to be closer to the buried n-type layer than the drain; and forming a p-type region in junction with the source to define a tunnel diode between the p-type region and the source.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2000Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jeff Zhiqiang Wu, Joseph Karniewicz
-
Publication number: 20020050602Abstract: An insulator film provided on a region for arranging a Zener diode has a plurality of groove portions successively arranged in a direction D1 of extension of each semiconductor region forming the diode. Each groove potion extends in a width direction D2 of each semiconductor region, and has a depth T3. Each semiconductor region is arranged on the upper surface of the insulator film. Therefore, it follows that each semiconductor region has a plurality of irregular shapes arranged in the direction D1 of extension and the Zener diode has a peripheral length not only in the transverse direction D1 but also in a vertical direction D3, so that a p-n junction area in the Zener diode is increased. Thus, parasitic resistance of an input protection Zener diode is reduced for improving a gate insulator film protective function of the diode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2001Publication date: May 2, 2002Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Atsushi Narazaki
-
Patent number: 6365911Abstract: According to the invention, a bidirectional semiconductor light emitting element is provided, which comprises: a first semiconductor region of a first type of conductivity; a second semiconductor region of a second type of conductivity provided on the first semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region of a first conductivity type provided on the second semiconductor region; and a semiconductor light emitting layer interposed in the second semiconductor region, the light emitting layer emitting light by an injection of a tunneling current generated at a reverse-biased p-n junction between the first and second regions or between the second and third regions under an application of a voltage of a first polarity across the first and third semiconductor regions, and the light emitting layer emitting light by an injection of a tunneling current generated at another reverse-biased p-n junction between the first and second regions or between the second and third regions under an application of a voltage of a seType: GrantFiled: July 21, 2000Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Hideto Furuyama
-
Publication number: 20020008246Abstract: A soft recovery diode is made by first implanting helium into the die to a location below the P/N junction and the implant annealed. An E-beam radiation process then is applied to the entire wafer and is also annealed. The diode then has very soft recovery characteristics without requiring heavy metal doping.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2001Publication date: January 24, 2002Applicant: International Rectifier Corp.Inventors: Richard Francis, Chiu Ng
-
Publication number: 20010050374Abstract: A lightly doped n-type semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown on a heavily doped n-type semiconductor substrate, and a heavily doped n-type impurity region, a lightly doped p-type deep guard ring and a heavily doped p-type shallow impurity region are formed in said lightly doped semiconductor layer in such a manner that a diode has a major p-n junction between the heavily doped n-type impurity region and the heavily doped p-type shallow impurity region and other p-n junction between the lightly doped n-type semiconductor layer and the lightly doped p-type guard ring, wherein the other p-n junction is wider in area than the major p-n junction so that the breakdown voltage is adjustable without increase of parasitic capacitance dominated by the other p-n junction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2001Publication date: December 13, 2001Applicant: NEC CorporationInventor: Tomonobu Yoshitake
-
Publication number: 20010048112Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor light-emitting device involving the steps of: forming a first semiconductor layer; forming a light-emitting layer of superlattice structure by laminating a barrier layer being made of InY1Ga1-Y1N (Y1≧0) and a quantum well layer being made of InY2Ga1-Y2N (Y2>Y1 and Y2>0) on the first semiconductor layer; and forming a second semiconductor layer on the light-emitting layer, an uppermost barrier layer, which will become an uppermost layer of the light-emitting layer, is made thicker than the other barrier layers. Further, at the time of forming the second semiconductor layer, an upper surface of such uppermost barrier layer is caused to disappear so that the thickness of the uppermost barrier layer becomes substantially equal to those of the other barrier layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2001Publication date: December 6, 2001Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Norikatsu Koide, Shinya Asami, Junichi Umezaki, Masayoshi Koike, Shiro Yamasaki, Seiji Nagai
-
Publication number: 20010019137Abstract: A gate oxide film formed on the surface of a silicon substrate is partly reduced in thickness or “thinned” at its specified part overlying a source region. In a gate region, a multilayer structure is formed which includes a first polycrystalline silicon or “polysilicon” film of a p-type conductivity, a tunnel oxide film, and a second p-type polysilicon film in this order of lamination. The source region and the first polysilicon film make up a high-concentration impurity-doped pn junction with a thin silicon oxide film laid therebetween, providing a tunnel diode also known as Esaki diode. The diode is used for a negative differential resistance. Further, a portion between the first and second polysilicon films is a non-linear tunnel resistor, which serves as a load.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2001Publication date: September 6, 2001Inventors: Junji Koga, Ken Uchida, Ryuji Ohba, Akira Toriumi
-
Patent number: 6242762Abstract: A semiconductor device with a tunnel diode (23) is particularly suitable for various applications. Such a device comprises two mutually adjoining semiconductor regions (2, 3) of opposed conductivity types and having doping concentrations which are so high that breakdown between them leads to conduction by means of tunnelling. A disadvantage of the known device is that the current-voltage characteristic is not yet steep enough for some applications. In a device according to the invention, the portions (2A, 3A) of the semiconductor regions (2, 3) adjoining the junction (23) comprise a mixed crystal of silicon and germanium. It is surprisingly found that the doping concentration of both phosphorus and boron are substantially increased, given the same amount of dopants being offered as during the formation of the remainder of the regions (2, 3).Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1998Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Adam R. Brown, Godefridus A. M. Hurkx, Wiebe B. De Boer, Jan W. Slotboom
-
Patent number: 6194746Abstract: A vertical diode is provided having a diode opening extending through an insulation layer and contacting an active region on a silicon wafer. A titanium silicide layer covers the interior surface of the diode opening and contacts the active region. The diode opening is initially filled with an amorphous silicon plug that is doped during deposition and subsequently recrystallized to form large grain polysilicon. The silicon plug has a top portion that is heavily doped with a first type dopant and a bottom portion that is lightly doped with a second type dopant. The top portion is bounded by the bottom portion so as not to contact the titanium silicide layer. For one embodiment of the vertical diode, a programmable resistor contacts the top portion of the silicon plug and a metal line contacts the programmable resistor.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1998Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Fernando Gonzalez, Tyler A. Lowrey, Trung Tri Doan, Raymond A. Turi, Graham R. Wolstenholme
-
Patent number: 6144046Abstract: An inverter apparatus constituted by one or more series connections of plural semiconductor devices each having a pair consisting of an insulated gate bipolar transistor, and a diode, both of which are in a reverse parallel connection with each other, wherein the resistivity of the base layer of the lowest impurity concentration in the diode is lower than that of the base layer of the lowest impurity concentration in the insulated gate bipolar transistor, and wherein a breakdown voltage of said insulated gate bipolar transistor at the time of switching from a conduction state to a blocking state is lower than a breakdown voltage of said insulated gate bipolar transistor and said diode at the time of the blocking state.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1997Date of Patent: November 7, 2000Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Koumei Hanaoka, Naoki Sakurai, Mutsuhiro Mori
-
Patent number: 6140685Abstract: A static memory cell having no more than three transistors. A static memory cell is formed by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a buried n-type layer in the substrate, the n-type layer having a first average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.16 ions/cm.sup.3 ; forming an n-channel transistor relative to the substrate over the buried n-type layer, the n-channel transistor having a source, a gate, and a drain, the source having a second average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.19 ions/cm.sup.3 and the drain having a third average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.19 ions/cm.sup.3, and the source having a depth deeper than the drain so as to be closer to the buried n-type layer than the drain; and forming a p-type region in junction with the source to define a tunnel diode between the p-type region and the source.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1999Date of Patent: October 31, 2000Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jeff Zhiqiang Wu, Joseph Karniewicz
-
Patent number: 6121661Abstract: Doped polysilicon plugs are formed in contact with MOSFET device regions and passing through the buried oxide region into the opposite type silicon substrate of an SOI structure. The polysilicon plugs are in contact with the sources and drains of the MOSFET devices to provide paths for dissipating positive and negative ESD stresses. In addition, the polysilicon plugs provide a thermal dissipation pathway for directing heat away from the circuitry, and provide a diode for the structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 1997Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Fariborz Assaderaghi, Louis Lu-Chen Hsu, Jack Allan Mandelman
-
Patent number: 6049364Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a counter substrate having a counter electrode and a multi-layered dielectric film both formed thereon, and an array substrate formed with pixel electrodes and thin-film transistors serving as switching elements. A layer of polymer dispersed liquid crystal material containing a UV-curable resin component and a liquid crystal component is sandwiched and sealed between the counter and array substrates. A light shielding film is formed over each thin-film transistor. The multi-layered dielectric film is a laminated structure of alternating thin-films of SiO.sub.2 and HfO.sub.2. Since the multi-layered dielectric film is of a nature capable of transmitting UV-rays of light therethrough, the UV-curable resin component positioned underneath the multi-layered dielectric film can be cured during the manufacture.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1997Date of Patent: April 11, 2000Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Takahara, Shinya Sannohe
-
Patent number: 6049109Abstract: A power semiconductor device according to the present invention has an SOI substrate formed of a buried silicon oxide film having an uneven surface portion on the surface thereof and an n-type silicon active layer of low impurity concentration formed on the buried silicon oxide film. An n-type emitter layer and a p-type emitter layer are selectively formed in the surface area of the n-type silicon active layer. A cathode electrode and an anode electrode are respectively formed on the n-type emitter layer and p-type emitter layer. With the above structure, a power semiconductor device of high withstand voltage can be realized.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1995Date of Patent: April 11, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Ichiro Omura, Akio Nakagawa
-
Patent number: 6040617Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved deep trench structure, for use in junction devices, which addresses junction breakdown voltage instabilities of the prior art. The primary, or metallurgical, junction where avalanche breakdown occurs is moved away from the surface dielectric into the bulk silicon by adding a lightly doped layer adjacent to the deep trench. A preferred embodiment suitable for isolated structures places the doped layer adjacent to the sidewalls of the deep trench. A second preferred embodiment, suitable for non-isolated structures, places the doped layer adjacent to both the floor and the sidewalls of the trench.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1992Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.Inventor: Viren C. Patel
-
Patent number: 5994757Abstract: An electronic circuit device includes first and second conductors and a high-resistance member arranged therebetween. The high-resistance member consists of a material which changes from a high resistivity state to a low resistivity state in accordance with a voltage applied between the first and second conductors.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1995Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Ichikawa, Mamoru Miyawaki, Shunsuke Inoue
-
Patent number: 5976926Abstract: A static memory cell having no more than three transistors. A static memory cell comprises a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a buried layer in the substrate, the buried layer having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type; a transistor formed over the buried layer, the transistor having a source of the second conductivity type, a gate, and a drain of the second conductivity type, the source having a depth in the substrate greater than the depth of the drain; and alternating layers of insulative and conductive material formed proximate the source, including two conductive layers and two insulative layers, one of the insulative layers being in junction relation to the source.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 1997Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jeff Zhiqiang Wu, Joseph Karniewicz
-
Patent number: 5945691Abstract: In order to inhibit destruction during a turn-off state, a cathode electrode (6) is not connected to the overall major surface of a semiconductor substrate (10), but selectively connected to a region which is substantially opposed to an anode electrode (5). When a forward voltage is applied, therefore, an electric field which is generated in the semiconductor substrate (10) is distributed substantially only in a region immediately under a P-type diffusion layer (2), to hardly spread into a peripheral region positioned outside the region. Consequently, carriers which are injected from the P-type diffusion layer (2) and an N.sup.+ layer (4) into an N.sup.- layer (1) hardly spread to the peripheral region, but are stored substantially only in the region immediately under the P-type diffusion layer (2). Thus, concentration of a reverse current is relieved during a turn-off state in a peripheral edge portion of the P-type diffusion layer (2).Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 1995Date of Patent: August 31, 1999Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshifumi Tomomatsu, Mitsuyoshi Takeda, Noriyuki Soejima
-
Patent number: 5936265Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an element region on the main surface thereof, an element isolation region formed to surround the element region on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed over the element region with a gate insulating film disposed therebetween, a first and a second impurity diffusion region formed on a surface of the element region on both sides of at least part of the gate electrode, a first channel region formed in the surface of the element region below the gate electrode between the first and the second impurity diffusion region when a first preset voltage is applied to the gate electrode, and a first tunnel diode formed in a first interface region between the first impurity diffusion region and the first channel region when the first preset voltage is applied to the gate electrode, wherein the first interface region in which the first tunnel diode is formed is formed in position separated from the element isolation regionType: GrantFiled: March 3, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Junji Koga
-
Patent number: 5859446Abstract: In a diode, the backward length L of an anode electrode in a region, where a semiconductor layer of a p.sup.+ conductivity type and an anode electrode do not contact each other, is made longer than the diffusion length of holes in a semiconductor layer of an n.sup.- conductivity type for obtaining a large critical di/dt.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1997Date of Patent: January 12, 1999Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Nagasu, Mutsuhiro Mori, Hideo Kobayashi, Junichi Sakano
-
Patent number: 5838609Abstract: A memory cell of an SRAM includes an access transistor, and an MIS switching diode. The access transistor has a drain electrode connected to a bit line of a corresponding column, a source electrode connected to a storage node, and a gate electrode connected to a word line of a corresponding row. The threshold voltage of the access transistor is small than the threshold voltage of a bit line load transistor. The MIS switching diode is connected between the storage node and a second power supply potential node. The switching initiate voltage of the MIS switching diode is greater than the difference between the first potential and the threshold voltage of the bit line load transistor, and smaller than the difference between the first potential and the threshold voltage of the access transistor. Thus, data can be read/written and held accurately.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1997Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hirotada Kuriyama
-
Patent number: 5780906Abstract: A static memory cell having no more than three transistors. A static memory cell is formed by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a buried n-type layer in the substrate, the n-type layer having a first average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.16 ions/cm.sup.3 ; forming an n-channel transistor relative to the substrate over the buried n-type layer, the n-channel transistor having a source, a gate, and a drain, the source having a second average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.19 ions/cm.sup.3 and the drain having a third average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.19 ions/cm.sup.3, and the source having a depth deeper than the drain so as to be closer to the buried n-type layer than the drain; and forming a p-type region in junction with the source to define a tunnel diode between the p-type region and the source.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1997Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jeff Zhiqiang Wu, Joseph Karniewicz
-
Patent number: 5760482Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device of the type sealed in glass, comprising a silicon semiconductor body having a pn-junction between opposing faces which are connected to slugs of a transition metal by means of a bonding layer, the bonding layer comprising a quantity of aluminum in the range between 7 and 15 wt. % and a quantity of silver in the range between 85 and 93 wt. %.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1997Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Timotheus J.M. Van Aken
-
Patent number: 5757051Abstract: A static memory cell having no more than three transistors. A static memory cell comprises a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a buried layer in the substrate, the buried layer having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type; a transistor formed over the buried layer, the transistor having a source of the second conductivity type, a gate, and a drain of the second conductivity type, the source having a depth in the substrate greater than the depth of the drain; and alternating layers of insulative and conductive material formed proximate -the source, including two conductive layers and two insulative layers, one of the insulative layers being in junction relation to the source.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1996Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jeff Zhiqiang Wu, Joseph Karniewicz
-
Patent number: 5737259Abstract: A diode type read only memory (ROM) includes a diode as a memory cell. The diode is a logic level "on" memory cell and coupled to one of the word lines and one of the bit lines of the ROM. A relative high voltage is given to the bit line coupled to the diode and a relative low voltage is given to the corresponding word line. Therefore, the data saved in the diode can be read out.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1996Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Assignee: United Microelectronics CorporationInventor: Kuang Yeh Chang
-
Patent number: 5726465Abstract: An light emitting diode of indium gallium aluminum phosphide with a substrate, an electrical contact to the substrate, a dual hetero structure as a active zone comprising a first cladding layer, an active layer and a second cladding layer to which, a window layer is applied, and to which in turn, an electrical contact is applied. This window layer is made of gallium aluminum phosphide.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 1996Date of Patent: March 10, 1998Assignee: TEMIC TELEFUNKEN microelectronic GmbHInventors: Jochen Gerner, Klaus Gillessen, Albert Marshall
-
Patent number: 5726282Abstract: A class of rigid rod and latter polymers having light emitting capability is provided. Included in this class of polymers are those having novel repeating structural units. These rigid rod and ladder polymers are employed in light emitting diodes.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1996Date of Patent: March 10, 1998Assignee: Research Corporation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Samson A. Jenekhe, John A. Osaheni
-
Patent number: 5701018Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising, at least a pair of an insulated gate bipolar transistor, and a diode, both of which are in a reverse parallel connection with each other, wherein the resistivity of the base layer of the lowest impurity concentration in the diode is lower than that of the base layer of the lowest impurity concentration in the insulated gate bipolar transistor, and wherein a breakdown voltage of said insulated gate bipolar transistor at the time of switching from conduction state to blocking state is lower than a breakdown voltage of said insulated gate bipolar transistor and said diode at the time of blocking state.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1995Date of Patent: December 23, 1997Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Koumei Hanaoka, Naoki Sakurai, Mutsuhiro Mori
-
Patent number: 5686739Abstract: Disclosed is a three terminal tunnel device exhibiting a tunneling of carriers in a forward direction. The device comprises an intrinsic semiconductor region, an n-type degenerate semiconductor source region abutting one side of the intrinsic semiconductor region, a p-type degenerate semiconductor drain region abutting an opposite side of the intrinsic semiconductor region, an insulation region separating the three semiconductor regions from a semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode being provided over the intrinsic semiconductor region through an insulation layer, whereby voltage signals to be applied to the gate electrode permit controlling a carrier concentration at a surface of the intrinsic semiconductor region. The device permits controlling a tunneling current of a forward-biased degenerate p-n junction and a current-voltage characteristic manifesting a negative differential resistance with the gate voltage signals.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 1996Date of Patent: November 11, 1997Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Toshio Baba
-
Patent number: 5679965Abstract: An n-on-p integrated heterostructure device of Group III-V nitride compound semiconductor materials is formed on a substrate of p-type monocrystalline silicon carbide and includes a buffer layer of p-type aluminum nitride or p-type aluminum gallium nitride on the substrate. The n-on-p integrated heterostructure includes continuously graded layers of aluminum gallium nitride to reduce or eliminate conduction band or valence band offsets. A multiple quantum well may also be used instead of the continuously graded layer. The n-on-p integrated heterostructure device may include lasers, LEDs and other devices. A p-type negative electron affinity (NEA) photoelectron emitter device may also be provided, including a p-type monocrystalline silicon carbide substrate, a layer of p-type aluminum nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, a continuously graded layer of aluminum gallium nitride and a layer of p-type aluminum gallium nitride. A surface enhancement layer may be located on the layer of aluminum gallium nitride.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 1995Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Assignee: North Carolina State UniversityInventor: Jan Frederick Schetzina
-
Patent number: 5668385Abstract: A power semiconductor component is specified which provides for a significant reduction in the thickness of the semiconductor substrate (1) whilst at the same time optimizing the switching losses. A transparent emitter (6) and a stop layer (7) are arranged to provide a thin semiconductor and optimized switching losses. The means can be used both in semiconductor switches such as IGBT, MCT or GTO and in diodes.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 1995Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AGInventors: Friedhelm Bauer, Klas Lilja
-
Patent number: 5629546Abstract: A static memory cell having no more than three transistors. A static memory cell is formed by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a buried n-type layer in the substrate, the n-type layer having a first average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.16 ions/cm.sup.3 ; forming an n-channel transistor relative to the substrate over the buried n-type layer, the n-channel transistor having a source, a gate, and a drain, the source having a second average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.19 ions/cm.sup.3 and the drain having a third average n-type dopant concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.19 ions/cm.sup.3, and the source having a depth deeper than the drain so as to be closer to the buried n-type layer than the drain; and forming a p-type region in junction with the source to define a tunnel diode between the p-type region and the source.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 1995Date of Patent: May 13, 1997Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jeff Z. Wu, Joseph Karniewicz
-
Patent number: 5614752Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes at least one MOS transistor that is formed on a semiconductor substrate, in which there is a structure for protecting circuit elements such as transistors from excessive static electricity from the outside, such as surge input and static electricity generated during the production process. Transistors and diodes are formed so that contact is made between a high impurity concentration diffusion region that forms the source or drain and a low impurity concentration diffusion region that has a conductivity opposite that of the high impurity concentration diffusion region that forms an LDD structure transistor offset. By making contact between a high impurity concentration diffusion region and a low impurity concentration diffusion region, there is formed a circuit element that reduces the junction breakdown voltage. In addition, by using the offset of the CMOS structure, there is no increase in the number of production process steps.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 1994Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Kazuhiro Takenaka
-
Patent number: 5600156Abstract: A diamond semiconductor device of the present invention comprises an n-type diamond layer to which an n-type dopant is doped at high concentration so that metal conduction dominates, a p-type diamond layer to which a p-type dopant is doped at high concentration so that metal conduction dominates, and a high resistance diamond layer formed between the n-type diamond layer and the p-type diamond layer. Here, the thickness and the doping concentration of the high resistance diamond layer are values at which semiconductor conduction dominates. Then, in a case that an applied voltage is forward bias, electrons are injected from the n-type region to the p-type region through the conduction band of the high resistance region, and holes are injected from the p-type region to the n-type region through the valance band of the high resistance region, so that a current flows.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1994Date of Patent: February 4, 1997Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiki Nishibayashi, Tadashi Tomikawa, Shin-ichi Shikata
-
Patent number: 5589696Abstract: A tunnel transistor comprises a semiconductor film (27) between a gate isolating film (17) and parts of first (13) and second (15) semiconductor layers which are formed in a substrate (11) to serve as source and drain regions with a spacer region left therebetween and covered with the semiconductor film. The gate isolating film is over the part of the first semiconductor layer and is made of either an insulating material or a semiconductor material, each of which materials should have a wider forbidden bandwidth than a semiconductor material of the semiconductor film, such as silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or aluminium nitride, or gallium phosphide for silicon, or AlGaAs fox gallium arsenide. A source electrode is formed on an uncovered area of the first semiconductor layer. The semiconductor film forms a tunnel junction with the first semiconductor layer and an ohmic junction with the second semiconductor layer, which junction may be either a homojunction or a heterojunction.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1992Date of Patent: December 31, 1996Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Toshio Baba
-
Patent number: 5548152Abstract: A semiconductor device for electrostatic-charge protection is provided. The device includes first and second diodes parallel-connected and an MOS transistor connected serially to the second diode, all of which are provided on a semiconductor substrate. The breakdown voltages of the first and second diodes are higher than the threshold voltage of the MOS transistor. When a voltage lower than the threshold voltage is applied across a pair of electrodes of the device, the MOS transistor is open, so that only the first diode is effective, providing small capacitance between the pair of the electrodes. When a voltage equal to or higher than the threshold voltage is applied across the pair of the electrodes, the MOS transistor becomes short, so that both of the first and second diodes becomes effective.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 1994Date of Patent: August 20, 1996Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Takao Arai
-
Patent number: 5514882Abstract: A new static memory cell based on the bistable operation of a three-terminal four layer semiconductor device working in the forward blocking state is disclosed. The power consumption of the memory cell is low. The switching speed of the memory cell is in the nanosecond range. The memory cell may be integrated into VLSI processes and is of a size suitable for VLSI applications. The memory cell comprises a semiconductor device which comprises: an n-type semiconductor cathode region; a p-type semiconductor gate region; a third semiconductor region adjacent the gate region; a fourth region adjacent the third semiconductor region; and a hole-injecting boundary between the third semiconductor region and the fourth region. The semiconductor device is preferably a p-n-p-n device. The gate current-voltage characteristics of the device comprise a negative resistance region. The device is designed to operate in a forward blocking low current state.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 1995Date of Patent: May 7, 1996Assignee: The University of British ColumbiaInventor: David D. Shulman
-
Patent number: 5486704Abstract: A semiconductor devive comprises;a collector region of first conductivity type;a base region of second conductivity type;an emitter region of the first conductivity type;a thin film provided on the emitter region and capable of flowing therein a tunnel current; anda polycrystalline layer laminated on the thin film.An energy .DELTA..phi..sub.B of potential barrier formed at a grain boundary is not less than a heat energy kT at a temperature therein.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1993Date of Patent: January 23, 1996Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masakazu Morishita
-
Patent number: 5485017Abstract: A semiconductor device has an n.sup.+ source region, a first n.sup.- channel region, a barrier layer, a second n.sup.- channel region, a pair of n.sup.+ drain regions, an insulating film, and a pair of metal electrodes over the respective n.sup.+ drain regions, all successively disposed on an upper surface of an n.sup.+ crystal substrate. The drain regions and the metal electrodes jointly provide a storage electric capacitance. A source electrode is disposed on the lower surface of the n.sup.+ crystal substrate. Bit information can be written and read at a high speed by tunneling through the barrier layer. According to a method of manufacturing the above semiconductor device, the n.sup.+ source region, the first n.sup.- channel region, the barrier layer, the second n.sup.- channel region, the n.sup.+ drain regions, the insulating film, and the metal electrodes are successively deposited on the n.sup.+ crystal substrate in a growing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1994Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Zaidan Hojin Handotai Kenkyu ShinkokaiInventor: Jun-ichi Nishizawa
-
Patent number: 5468976Abstract: A semiconductor rectifying module has a metal base, a dielectric heat conducting spacer arranged on the metal base and rectifying elements of anode and cathode groups arranged with their cathodes and anodes on the spacer, the rectifying elements being composed of a semiconductor with at least two layers having alternating conductivity types, each of the rectifying elements being surrounded by its side surface by a side layer of a first type conductivity semiconductor material while an original material is a second type conductivity semiconductor material, and being provided with an upper closed separating groove with an external part bordering at least the side layer.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1994Date of Patent: November 21, 1995Inventors: Yury Evseev, Lubomir Rachinsky, Natalia Tetervova, Kazimir Seleninov, Evgeniy Dermenzhi, Olga Nasekan, Eva Druyanova, Roman Ribak
-
Patent number: 5432360Abstract: A semiconductor diode characterized by an anode electrode structure connected to a double diffusion of P-type impurities in a major surface of an N.sup.- semiconductor. The first diffusion forming a first plurality of P.sup.- well regions and the second diffusion selectively forming a second plurality of P.sup.+ well regions within the first well region.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1994Date of Patent: July 11, 1995Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hohyun Kim, Chanho Park
-
Patent number: 5407491Abstract: A monolithic, tandem photovoltaic device is provided having an indium gallium arsenide tunnel junction lattice-matched to adjoining subcells and having high peak current densities and low electrical resistance. A method is provided for relatively low-temperature epitaxial growth of a subcell over the tunnel junction at temperatures which leave intact the desirable characteristics of the tunnel junction.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1993Date of Patent: April 18, 1995Assignee: University of HoustonInventors: Alexandre Freundlich, Mauro F. Vilela, Abdelhak Bensaoula, Alex Ignatiev