Having Controllable Emitter Shunt Patents (Class 257/137)
-
Patent number: 11862584Abstract: A wafer-scale die packaging device is fabricated by providing a high-k glass carrier substrate having a ceramic region which includes a defined waveguide area and extends to a defined die attach area, and then forming, on a first glass carrier substrate surface, a differential waveguide launcher having a pair of signal lines connected to a radiating element that is positioned adjacent to an air cavity and surrounded by a patterned array of conductors disposed over the ceramic region in a waveguide conductor ring. After attaching a die to the glass carrier substrate to make electrical connection to the differential waveguide launcher, a molding compound is formed to cover the die, differential waveguide launcher, and air cavity, and an array of conductors is formed in the molding compound to define a first waveguide interface perimeter surrounding a first waveguide interface interior.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: NXP USA, INC.Inventor: Jinbang Tang
-
Patent number: 11450762Abstract: A semiconductor device is an IGBT of a trench-gate structure and has a storage region directly beneath a p?-type base region. The semiconductor device has gate trenches and dummy trenches as trenches configuring the trench-gate structure. An interval (mesa width) at which the trenches are disposed is in a range of 0.7 ?m to 2 ?m. In each of the gate trenches, a gate electrode of a gate potential is provided via a first gate insulating film. In each of the dummy trenches, a dummy gate electrode of an emitter potential is provided via a second gate insulating film. A total number of the gate electrode is in a range of 60% to 84% of a total number of the dummy electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Tohru Shirakawa
-
Patent number: 10600894Abstract: A Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) comprises an emitter, a collector, and a base between the emitter and the collector. The BJT also comprises an emitter contact on a first side of the BJT, a base contact on the first side of the BJT, and a collector contact on a second side of the BJT. The BJT further comprises a Deep Trench Isolation (DTI) region extending from the first side of the BJT to the second side of the BJT.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2018Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Sinan Goktepeli, Plamen Vassilev Kolev, Peter Graeme Clarke
-
Patent number: 10438947Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention achieves improved avoidance of a parasitic operation in a circuit region while achieving miniaturization of the semiconductor device and a reduction in the amount of time for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device according to the present invention includes an IGBT disposed on a first main surface of a semiconductor substrate provided with a drift layer of a first conductivity type; a thyristor disposed on the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; a circuit region; a hole-current retrieval region separating the IGBT and the circuit region in a plan view; and a diffusion layer of a second conductivity type, the diffusion layer being disposed on a second main surface of the semiconductor substrate. The IGBT has an effective area equal to or less than an effective area of the thyristor in a plan view.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2015Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Nishimura, Makoto Ueno, Masataka Mametuka
-
Patent number: 10411111Abstract: A method for fabricating a high-voltage insulated gate type bipolar semiconductor device by comparing to a reference structure of the same includes determining a width S of a mesa region in which the gate insulating film and the MOS transistor are formed, and a trench depth DT, based on a scaling ratio K, in comparison with a second width and a second trench depth of the reference structure, and setting a cell width 2W of the high-voltage insulated gate type bipolar semiconductor device to be equal in length to a second length of the reference structure, the scaling ratio K being defined as K=Y/X, where X indicates a size of a target portion to be miniaturized in the high-voltage insulated gate type bipolar semiconductor device, and Y indicates a size of a target portion to be miniaturized in the reference structure.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: KYUSHU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventors: Ichiro Omura, Masahiro Tanaka, Masanori Tsukuda, Yamato Miki
-
Patent number: 10100613Abstract: The present disclosure provides a subwater heat exchanger that includes a duct, first coils, a first impeller and a second impeller. The duct is configured to receive a first fluid. The first coils are inside of the duct and are configured to receive a second fluid that is heated or cooled by the first fluid. The first impeller is inside of the duct that is configured to initiate flow of the first fluid around the first coils. The second impeller is inside of the duct and is substantially in line with the first impeller along a duct lateral axis of the duct.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research CompanyInventors: Nicholas F. Urbanski, Robert D. Denton, Charles J. Mart, Tracy A. Fowler
-
Patent number: 10026832Abstract: A semiconductor substrate includes a drift region and a collector region. The drift region is provided across an active area, an interface area, and an edge termination area. The collector region is provided only in the active area and forms part of a second surface. An emitter electrode is provided in the active area and contacts a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. A collector electrode is provided on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and contacts the collector region.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2014Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Katsumi Nakamura
-
Patent number: 9691713Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having an element; a front surface electrode connected to the element; a rear surface electrode connected to the element; a protective film disposed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate in a separation region; and a temperature sensor disposed on a front surface side of the semiconductor substrate. The front surface electrode is divided into multiple pieces along at least two directions with the protective film. The separation region includes an opposing region located between opposing sides of divided pieces of the front surface electrode adjacent to each other, and an intersection region, at which the opposing region intersects. The temperature sensor is disposed in only the opposing region.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Shun Sugiura, Yasushi Ookura, Takeshi Fujii, Tetsutaro Imagawa
-
Patent number: 9620615Abstract: An insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) manufacturing method comprises the following steps: providing a semiconductor substrate of a first conducting type, the semiconductor substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface (100); forming a field-stop layer of a second conducting type on the first major surface of the semiconductor substrate (200); growing an oxide layer on the field-stop layer (300); removing the oxide layer from the field-stop layer (400); forming an epitaxial layer on the field-stop layer from which the oxide layer has been removed; and then manufacturing an IGBT on the epitaxial layer (600). Before regular manufacturing of an IGBT, the surface defects of a substrate material are eliminated as many as possible before epitaxy is formed, and the quality of an epitaxial layer is improved, thereby improving the quality of the whole IGBT.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2014Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: CSMC TECHNOLOGIES FAB1 CO., LTD.Inventors: Xiaoshe Deng, Qiang Rui, Shuo Zhang, Genyi Wang
-
Patent number: 9543349Abstract: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors are provided. A CMOS image sensor includes a substrate including a pixel array and a peripheral circuit region, a photodiode and a floating diffusion region in the pixel array of the substrate, a transfer gate insulating layer and a transfer gate electrode on the substrate between the photodiode and the floating diffusion region, and a peripheral gate insulating layer and a peripheral gate electrode on the peripheral circuit region. The transfer gate electrode includes a first edge that is rounded to have a first radius of curvature, and the peripheral gate electrode includes a second edge that is rounded to have a second radius of curvature smaller than the first radius of curvature.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2014Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Young-Sun Oh, Kyung-Ho Lee, Hee-Geun Jeong
-
Patent number: 9502401Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first switching device including a first semiconductor region in a first section of a semiconductor portion and a second switching device including a second semiconductor region in a second section of the semiconductor portion. The first and second sections as well as electrode structures of the first and second switching devices outside the semiconductor portion are arranged along a vertical axis perpendicular to a first surface of the semiconductor portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2013Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Sylvain LĂ©omant, Martin Vielemeyer
-
Patent number: 9461152Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first main electrode; a second main electrode; a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type; a third semiconductor region of a second conductivity type arranged between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region; and a depletion layer suppression region arranged inside of the third semiconductor region and being configured to suppress a spread of a depletion layer extending in the third semiconductor region when a reverse bias voltage is applied between the second semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region includes a shortest region where a distance between a first boundary surface and a second boundary surface is shortest, and the shortest region includes a region where the depletion layer suppression region does not exist between the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2016Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takashi Okawa
-
Patent number: 9324701Abstract: Diode circuit layout topologies and methods are disclosed that exhibit reduced lateral parasitic bipolar characteristics at lateral parasitic bipolar circuit emitter edges during ESD or other voltage events as compared to conventional circuit layout topologies. The disclosed diode circuit layout topologies may be implemented to recess parasitic emitter ends relative to surrounding well ties, for example, to reduce or substantially eliminate parasitic bipolar action at lateral emitter edges of the circuitry during ESD events so as to provide higher current threshold for device failure, allowing for smaller device area and/or improved ESD robustness for a given circuit device.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2014Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Jeremy C. Smith, Anirudh Oberoi, William Moore, Michael Khazhinsky
-
Patent number: 9325164Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed. The ESD protection device comprises a trigger circuit, a switch, and an output buffer. When an ESD event occurs, the trigger circuit turns on the switch. One part of the current of the electrostatic discharge (ESD) event may be routed to a ground through the switch from the output buffer coupled to the output pad.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.Inventors: Lu-An Chen, Tien-Hao Tang
-
Patent number: 9082814Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type that is formed near a surface of the first semiconductor layer; a first main electrode that is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type that neighbors the first semiconductor layer; a fourth semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type that is selectively disposed in an upper portion of the third semiconductor layer; a second main electrode that is electrically connected to the third semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer; a trench whose side face is in contact with the third semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer; a gate electrode that is formed along the side face of the trench by a sidewall of polysilicon; and a polysilicon electrode.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Hitachi Power Semiconductor Device, Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Shiraishi, Mutsuhiro Mori, Hiroshi Suzuki, So Watanabe
-
Patent number: 8884331Abstract: An encapsulation structure including at least one hermetically sealed cavity in which a device, an electronic component produced on a first substrate, and a getter material layer covering the electronic component in order to block the gases capable of being degassed by the electronic component, are enclosed. A top surface of the device is free of contact with the getter material layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternativesInventors: Xavier Baillin, Jean-Louis Pornin
-
Publication number: 20140054643Abstract: The invention discloses an ESD protection circuit, including a P-type substrate; an N-well formed on the P-type substrate; a P-doped region formed on the N-well, wherein the P-doped region is electrically connected to an input/output terminal of a circuit under protection; a first N-doped region formed on the P-type substrate, the first N-doped region is electrically connected to a first node, and the P-doped region, the N-well, the P-type substrate, and the first N-doped region constitute a silicon controlled rectifier; and a second N-doped region formed on the N-well and electrically connected to a second node, wherein a part of the P-doped region and the second N-doped region constitute a discharging path, and when an ESD event occurs at the input/output terminal, the silicon controlled rectifier and the discharging path bypass electrostatic charges to the first and second nodes respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2013Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: Nanya Technology Corp.Inventor: Wei-Fan Chen
-
Publication number: 20140027811Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), in which parasitic silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) equivalent circuits are formed in the MOSFET, and the MOSFET further includes a drain region. The drain region includes P-type heavily doped regions which are different from each other, in which the P-type heavily doped regions are respectively operated as anodes of the SCR equivalent circuits.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: Nuvoton Technology CorporationInventors: Po-An CHEN, MD Imran SIDDIQUI
-
Patent number: 8519432Abstract: A semiconductor switch comprises a PNPN structure arranged to provide an SCR-like functionality, and a MOS gate structure, preferably integrated on a common substrate. The switch includes ohmic contacts for the MOS gate, and for the cathode and gate regions of the PNPN structure; the anode contact is intrinsic. A fixed voltage is typically applied to an external node. The MOS gate structure allows current to be conducted between the external node and the intrinsic anode when on, and the PNPN structure conducts the current from the anode to the cathode when an appropriate voltage is applied to the gate contact. Regenerative feedback keeps the switch on once it begins to conduct. The MOS gate inhibits the flow of current between the external node and anode—and thereby turns off the switch—when off. When on, the MOS gate's channel resistance serves as a ballast resistor.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2008Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey G. Barrow, Javier A. Salcedo, A. Paul Brokaw
-
Publication number: 20130050887Abstract: Circuits, integrated circuits, apparatuses, and methods, such as those for protecting circuits against electrostatic discharge events are disclosed. In an example method, a thyristor is triggered to conduct current from a signal node to a reference voltage node using leakage currents provided by a transistor formed in a semiconductor doped well shared with the base of the thyristor. The leakage currents are responsive to a noise event (e.g., electrostatic discharge (ESD) event) at the signal node, and increase the voltage of the semiconductor doped well to forward bias the base and the collector of the thyristor. The triggered thyristor conducts the current resulting from the ESD event to the reference voltage node.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2011Publication date: February 28, 2013Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Xiaofeng Fan, Michael D. Chaine
-
Patent number: 8178409Abstract: The invention is related to a semiconductor device with alternately arranged P-type and N-type thin semiconductor layers and method for manufacturing the same. For P-type device, the method includes trench formation, thermal oxide formation on trench sidewalls, N-type silicon formation in trenches, N-type impurity diffusion through thermal oxide into P-type epitaxial layer, oxidation of N-type silicon in trenches and oxide removal. In the semiconductor device, N-type thin semiconductor layers are formed by N-type impurity diffusion through oxide to P-type epitaxial layers, and trenches are filled with oxide. With this method, relatively low concentration impurity in high voltage device can be realized by current mass production process, and the device development cost and manufacturing cost are decreased.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2010Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Shanghai Hua Hong Nec Electronics Company, LimitedInventors: Shengan Xiao, Feng Han
-
Patent number: 7968888Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a small solid-state image sensor which realizes significant improvement in sensitivity. The solid-state image sensor of the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate in which photoelectric conversion units are formed, a light-blocking film which is formed above the semiconductor substrate and has apertures formed so as to be positioned above respective photoelectric conversion units, and a high refractive index layer formed in the apertures. Here, each aperture has a smaller aperture width than a maximum wavelength in a wavelength of light in a vacuum converted from a wavelength of the light entering the photoelectric conversion unit through the apertures, and the high refractive index is made of a high refractive index material having a refractive index which allows transmission of light having the maximum wavelength through the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2006Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Takumi Yamaguchi, Takahiko Murata, Shigetaka Kasuga
-
Patent number: 7961540Abstract: A dynamically-operating restoration circuit is used to apply a voltage or current restore pulse signal to thyristor-based memory cells and therein restore data in the cell using the internal positive feedback loop of the thyristor. In one example implementation, the internal positive feedback loop in the thyristor is used to restore the conducting state of a device after the thyristor current drops below the holding current. A pulse and/or periodic waveform are defined and applied to ensure that the thyristor is not released from its conducting state. The time average of the periodic restore current in the thyristor may be lower than the holding current threshold. While not necessarily limited to memory cells that are thyristor-based, various embodiments of the invention have been found to be the particularly useful for high-speed, low-power memory cells in which a thin capacitively-coupled thyristor is used to provide a bi-stable storage element.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2008Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: T-RAM Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Farid Nemati, Hyun-Jin Cho, Robert Homan Igehy
-
Patent number: 7948005Abstract: A fourth semiconductor region of a first conduction type is provided in a partial region of a third semiconductor region of a second conduction type. This configuration enhances the blocking voltage at the time when the sheet carrier concentration of a fifth semiconductor region is enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Mutsuhiro Mori, Taiga Arai
-
Publication number: 20110079818Abstract: A semiconductor circuit includes a first pad for a first power source, a second pad for a second power source, a third pad for an input/output signal, a protection element arranged between the first pad and the third pad, and a transistor functioning as a trigger element for use in passing a trigger current through the protection element. The transistor includes source connected to the third pad, a gate and a backgate commonly connected to the second pad.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2010Publication date: April 7, 2011Applicant: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventor: Yasuyuki Morishita
-
Patent number: 7915678Abstract: In an NLDMOS, DMOS and NMOS device, the ability is provided for withstanding snapback conditions by providing one or more p+ emitter regions interdigitated between drain regions having drain contacts and electrically connecting the drain contacts to contacts of the emitter regions.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2005Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: National Semiconductor CorporationInventor: Vladislav Vashchenko
-
Patent number: 7863644Abstract: NPN and PNP bipolar junction transistors are formed on a wafer in a fabrication process that eliminates the heavily-doped buried layers and the lightly-doped epitaxial layer by forming back side collector contacts that are electrically connected to an interconnect structure on the top side of the wafer with through-the-wafer contacts.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2007Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: National Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Visvamohan Yegnashankaran, Hengyang Lin
-
Publication number: 20100301385Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection device including a substrate, a first doped region, a first gate electrode, a second doped region, a second gate electrode, and a third doped region is disclosed. The substrate has a first conductive type. The first doped region has a second conductive type and is formed in the substrate. The first gate electrode is formed on the substrate. The second doped region has the second conductive type and is formed in the substrate. A transistor is constituted by the first doped region, the first gate electrode, and the second doped region. The second gate electrode is formed on the substrate. The first and the second gate electrodes are separated. The third doped region has the first conductive type and is formed in the substrate. A discharge element is constituted by the first doped region, the second gate electrode, and the third doped region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2009Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Shang-Hui Tu, Hung-Shern Tsai
-
Publication number: 20100289058Abstract: A lateral bipolar junction transistor includes an emitter region; a base region surrounding the emitter region; a gate disposed at least over a portion of the base region; a collector region surrounding the base region with an offset between an edge of the gate and the collector region; a lightly doped drain region between the edge of the gate and the collector region; a salicide block layer disposed on or over the lightly doped drain region; and a collector salicide formed on at least a portion of the collector region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2009Publication date: November 18, 2010Inventors: Ming-Tzong Yang, Ching-Chung Ko, Tung-Hsing Lee, Zheng Zeng
-
Patent number: 7795637Abstract: The present invention relates a technique using a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) in a rail based non-breakdown (RBNB) ESD protection device that protects a micro chip from ESD stress.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2008Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: MagnaChip Semiconductor, Ltd.Inventor: Jeong Sik Hwang
-
Publication number: 20100187566Abstract: Insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices are presented. An IGBT-ESD device includes a semiconductor substrate and patterned insulation regions disposed on the semiconductor substrate defining a first active region and a second active region. A high-V N-well is formed in the first active region of the semiconductor substrate. A P-body doped region is formed in the second active region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the high-V N-well and the P-body doped region are separated with a predetermined distance exposing the semiconductor substrate. A P+ doped drain region is disposed in the high-V N-well. A P+ diffused region and an N+ doped source region are disposed in the P-body doped region. A gate structure is disposed on the semiconductor substrate with one end adjacent to the N+ doped source region and the other end extending over the insulation region.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Yeh-Ning Jou, Shang-Hui Tu, Jui-Chun Chang, Chen-Wei Wu
-
Patent number: 7714353Abstract: A trench-type insulated-gate semiconductor device is disclosed that includes unit cells having a trench gate structure that are scattered uniformly throughout the active region of the device. The impurity concentration in the portion of a p-type base region, sandwiched between an n+-type emitter region and an n-type drift layer and in contact with a gate electrode formed in the trench via a gate insulator film, is the lowest in the portion thereof sandwiched between the bottom plane of n+-type emitter regions and the bottom plane of p-type base region and parallel to the major surface of a silicon substrate. The trench-type insulate-gate semiconductor device according to the invention minimizes the variation of the gate threshold voltage.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yuichi Onozawa
-
Patent number: 7705368Abstract: An insulated gate type thyristor includes: a first current terminal semiconductor region of a first conductivity type having a high impurity concentration; a first base semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type having a low impurity concentration and formed on the first current terminal semiconductor region; a second base semiconductor region of the first conductivity type having a low impurity concentration and formed on the first base semiconductor region; a second current terminal semiconductor region of the second conductivity type having a high impurity concentration and formed on the second base semiconductor region; a trench passing through the second current terminal semiconductor region and entering the second base semiconductor region leaving some depth thereof, along a direction from a surface of the second current terminal semiconductor region toward the first base semiconductor region; and an insulated gate electrode structure formed in the trench.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2007Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventors: Vladimir Rodov, Hidenori Akiyama
-
Publication number: 20090268357Abstract: A circuit for protecting a semiconductor from electrostatic discharge events includes a Zener diode (21) in series with a resistor (22) between a power line HV VDD and a ground fine HV VSS. A gate of a DMOS device (23) is connected to a node between the diode and the resistor. The drain and source of the DMOS are connected between the power lines. During an ESD event, the gate voltage of the DMOS increases and the ESD current will be discharged through the DMOS to ground. When the current exceeds the capacity of the channel of the DMOS, a parasitic bipolar transistor or transistors associated with the DMOS device acts in a controlled snapback to discharge the current to ground. The use of a vertical DMOS (VDMOS) instead of a lateral DMOS (LDMOS), can reduce the area of the device and improve the protection.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2005Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Koen Reynders, Peter Moens
-
Publication number: 20090166671Abstract: The present invention relates a technique using a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) in a rail based non-breakdown (RBNB) ESD protection device that protects a micro chip from ESD stress.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2008Publication date: July 2, 2009Inventor: Jeong Sik Hwang
-
Publication number: 20090114946Abstract: A semiconductor has an IGBT active section and a control circuit section for detecting an IGBT abnormal state. A collector region is formed on the back surface side (i.e., on the IGBT collector side) in a selective manner, namely right under the IGBT active section.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2008Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC DEVICE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventor: Katsunori UENO
-
Publication number: 20090101937Abstract: The invention describes a structure and a process for providing ESD semiconductor protection with reduced input capacitance. The structure consists of heavily doped P+ guard rings surrounding the I/O ESD protection device and the Vcc to Bss protection device. In addition, there is a heavily doped N+ guard ring surrounding the I/O protection device its P+ guard ring. The guard rings enhance structure diode elements providing enhanced ESD energy discharge path capability enabling the elimination of a specific conventional Vss to I/O pad ESD protection device. This reduces the capacitance seen by the I/O circuit while still providing adequate ESD protection for the active circuit devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Jian-Hsing Lee, Shui-Hunyi Chen
-
Patent number: 7433229Abstract: A shunt activation signal is transmitted by an external control terminal through an external transmission interface to switch a flash memory controller in a shunt mode. The shunt activation signal of the external transmission interface can set up a switch as shunt. When the flash memory controller is defective due to errors or damage, the shunt mode enables the external control terminal to directly process data saving/retrieving to the flash memory chip or testing through the external transmission interface. Thus, the user need not purchase a new flash memory to replace the defective flash memory with the damaged flash memory controller.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2006Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: Phison Electronics Corp.Inventor: Kuo-Yi Cheng
-
Patent number: 7405963Abstract: A dynamically-operating restoration circuit is used to apply a voltage or current restore pulse signal to thyristor-based memory cells and therein restore data in the cell using the internal positive feedback loop of the thyristor. In one example implementation, the internal positive feedback loop in the thyristor is used to restore the conducting state of a device after the thyristor current drops below the holding current. A pulse and/or periodic waveform are defined and applied to ensure that the thyristor is not released from its conducting state. The time average of the periodic restore current in the thyristor may be lower than the holding current threshold. While not necessarily limited to memory cells that are thyristor-based, various embodiments of the invention have been found to be the particularly useful for high-speed, low-power memory cells in which a thin capacitively-coupled thyristor is used to provide a bi-stable storage element.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: T-RAM Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Farid Nemati, Hyun-Jin Cho, Robert Homan Igehy
-
Patent number: 7183591Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thyristor body having at least one region in a substrate. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a trench is in a substrate and adjacent to a thyristor body region in the substrate. The trench is lined with an insulative material and further includes conductive material that is insulated from the thyristor body region in the substrate by the liner material. A conductive thyristor control port is located in the trench and adapted for capacitively coupling to the thyristor body region in the substrate and to control current in the thyristor body by causing an outflow of minority carriers in the thyristor. With this approach, conductive material can be used to fill a portion of the trench while using the trench portion including the conductive material to electrically isolate a portion of the thyristor body in the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2005Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: T-RAM Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Horch, Scott Robins
-
Patent number: 7170106Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes trenches disposed in a first base layer of a first conductivity type at intervals to partition main and dummy cells, at a position remote from a collector layer of a second conductivity type. In the main cell, a second base layer of the second conductivity type, and an emitter layer of the first conductivity type are disposed. In the dummy cell, a buffer layer of the second conductivity type is disposed. A gate electrode is disposed, through a gate insulating film, in a trench adjacent to the main cell. A buffer resistor having an infinitely large resistance value is inserted between the buffer layer and emitter electrode. The dummy cell is provided with an inhibiting structure to reduce carriers of the second conductivity type to flow to and accumulate in the buffer layer from the collector layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2005Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masakazu Yamaguchi, Hideaki Ninomiya, Ichiro Omura, Tomoki Inoue
-
Patent number: 7109097Abstract: A method for void free filling with in-situ doped amorphous silicon of a deep trench structure is provided in which a first fill is carried out in at a temperature, pressure and dopant to silane ratio such that film deposition occurs from the bottom of the trench upwards. By way of this first fill, step coverages well in excess 100% are achieved. In the second fill step, deposition is carried out under changed conditions so as to reduce the impact of dopant on deposition rate, whereby trench fill is completed at a deposition rate which exceeds the deposition rate of the first fill. In an application of this method to the formation of deep trench capacitor structures, the intermediate steps further including the capping of the void free filled trench with a thick layer of amorphous silicon, planarization of the wafer thereafter, followed by a thermal anneal to re-distribute the dopant within the filled trench. Thereafter, additional steps can be performed to complete the formation of the capacitor structure.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2004Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ajit Paranjpe, Somnath Nag
-
Patent number: 7078740Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes trenches disposed in a first base layer of a first conductivity type at intervals to partition main and dummy cells, at a position remote from a collector layer of a second conductivity type. In the main cell, a second base layer of the second conductivity type, and an emitter layer of the first conductivity type are disposed. In the dummy cell, a buffer layer of the second conductivity type is disposed. A gate electrode is disposed, through a gate insulating film, in a trench adjacent to the main cell. A buffer resistor having an infinitely large resistance value is inserted between the buffer layer and emitter electrode. The dummy cell is provided with an inhibiting structure to reduce carriers of the second conductivity type to flow to and accumulate in the buffer layer from the collector layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2004Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masakazu Yamaguchi, Hideaki Ninomiya, Ichiro Omura, Tomoki Inoue
-
Patent number: 7042759Abstract: A dynamically-operating restoration circuit is used to apply a voltage or current restore pulse signal to thyristor-based memory cells and therein restore data in the cell using the internal positive feedback loop of the thyristor. In one example implementation, the internal positive feedback loop in the thyristor is used to restore the conducting state of a device after the thyristor current drops below the holding current. A pulse and/or periodic waveform are defined and applied to ensure that the thyristor is not released from its conducting state. The time average of the periodic restore current in the thyristor may be lower than the holding current threshold. While not necessarily limited to memory cells that are thyristor-based, various embodiments of the invention have been found to be the particularly useful for high-speed, low-power memory cells in which a thin capacitively-coupled thyristor is used to provide a bi-stable storage element.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2005Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: T-RAM Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Farid Nemati, Hyun-Jin Cho, Robert Homan Igehy
-
Patent number: 6998652Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thyristor body having at least one region in a substrate. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a trench is in a substrate and adjacent to a thyristor body region in the substrate. The trench is lined with an insulative material and further includes conductive material that is insulated from the thyristor body region in the substrate by the liner material. A conductive thyristor control port is located in the trench and adapted for capacitively coupling to the thyristor body region in the substrate and to control current in the thyristor body by causing an outflow of minority carriers in the thyristor. With this approach, conductive material can be used to fill a portion of the trench while using the trench portion including the conductive material to electrically isolate a portion of the thyristor body in the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2002Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: T-Ram, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Horch, Scott Robins
-
Patent number: 6980457Abstract: A thyristor-based semiconductor device is formed having a thyristor, a pass device and an emitter region buried in a substrate and below at least one other vertically-arranged contiguous region of the thyristor that is at least partially below an upper surface of the substrate. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a conductor, such as a polysilicon pillar formed in a trench, extends through the substrate and to the buried emitter region of the thyristor. In one implementation, a portion of the conductor includes a reduced-resistance material, such as a salicide, that is adapted to reduce the resistance of an electrical connection made to the buried emitter region via the conductor. This is particularly useful, for example, in connecting the buried emitter region to a power supply at a reduced resistance (e.g., as compared to the resistance that would be exhibited, were the reduced-resistance material not present).Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2002Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: T-RAM, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Horch, Scott Robins
-
Patent number: 6965131Abstract: A semiconductor switch includes a thyristor and a current shunt, preferably a transistor in parallel with and controlled by the thyristor, which shunts thyristor current at turn-off. The thyristor includes a portion of a drift layer, with a p-n junction formed below a gate adjacent to the drift layer to establish a depletion region with a high potential barrier to thyristor current flow at turn-off. The drift layer also provides the transistor base, as well as a current path allowing the transistor base current to be controlled by the thyristor. The switch is voltage controlled using an insulated gate.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2003Date of Patent: November 15, 2005Assignee: Rockwell Scientific Licensing, LLCInventor: Hsueh-Rong Chang
-
Patent number: 6911679Abstract: In an ESD protection device making use of a LVTSCR, at least one contacted drain and at least one emitter are formed, and are arranged laterally next to each other to be substantially equidistant from the gate of the LVTSCR, to improve holding voltage and decrease size. The ratio of emitter width to contacted drain width is adjusted to achieve the desired characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2003Date of Patent: June 28, 2005Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp.Inventors: Vladislav Vashchenko, Ann Concannon, Marcel ter Beek, Peter J. Hopper
-
Patent number: 6891205Abstract: A semiconductor device having a thyristor-based memory device exhibits improved stability under adverse operating conditions related to temperature, noise, electrical disturbances and light. In one particular example embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device includes a thyristor-based memory device that uses a shunt that effects a leakage current in the thyristor. The thyristor includes a capacitively-coupled control port and anode and cathode end portions. Each of the end portions has an emitter region and an adjacent base region. In one implementation, the current shunt is located between the emitter and base region of one of the end portions of the thyristor and is configured and arranged to shunt low-level current therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2003Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Assignee: T-Ram, Inc.Inventors: Hyun-Jin Cho, Farid Nemati, Scott Robins
-
Patent number: RE47198Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes trenches disposed in a first base layer of a first conductivity type at intervals to partition main and dummy cells, at a position remote from a collector layer of a second conductivity type. In the main cell, a second base layer of the second conductivity type, and an emitter layer of the first conductivity type are disposed. In the dummy cell, a buffer layer of the second conductivity type is disposed. A gate electrode is disposed, through a gate insulating film, in a trench adjacent to the main cell. A buffer resistor having an infinitely large resistance value is inserted between the buffer layer and emitter electrode. The dummy cell is provided with an inhibiting structure to reduce carriers of the second conductivity type to flow to and accumulate in the buffer layer from the collector layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Masakazu Yamaguchi, Hideaki Ninomiya, Ichiro Omura, Tomoki Inoue