Having Transistor Structure Patents (Class 257/187)
  • Patent number: 6906342
    Abstract: An optical detecting sensor includes a sensor thin film transistor generating an optical current in response to incident light reflected from an object; a storage capacitor storing charges of the optical current generated in the sensor thin film transistor; and a switch thin film transistor controlling release of the stored charges of the storage capacitor to an outer circuit for display of image of the object, having dual-layered source and drain electrodes of transparent conducting material and metal material, an active layer and a gate electrode. The switch thin film transistor further includes an ohmic contact layer on the active layer through which the dual-layered drain and source electrodes contact the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: LG. Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youn Gyoung Chang, Jeong Hyun Kim, Jae Kyun Lee
  • Patent number: 6894322
    Abstract: A highly reflecting back illuminated diode structure allows light that has not been absorbed by a semiconductor absorbing region to be back reflected for at least a second pass into the absorbing region. The diode structure in a preferred embodiment provides a highly reflecting layer of gold to be supported in part by a conducting alloyed electrode ring contact and in part by a passivation layer of SixNy. Conveniently this structure provides a window within the contact which allows light to pass between the absorbing region and the reflecting layer of gold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Kwan, Rafael Ben-Michael, Mark Itzler
  • Patent number: 6885039
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor photodetector which comprises (i) an InP substrate(1), (ii) an optical waveguide(5) having an N-type semiconductor layer(32) formed on the InP substrate(1), an optical waveguide core layer(3) formed on a partial area of the N-type semiconductor layer(32), and an upper cladding layer(4) formed on the optical waveguide core layer(3), and (iii) an avalanche photodiode(17) constructed by forming a photo absorbing layer(33), a heterobarrier relaxing layer(34), an underlying layer(14a) of a N-type field dropping layer(35), an overlying layer(14b) of the N-type field dropping layer(35), a carrier multiplying layer(36), and a P-type semiconductor layer(37) in sequence on another area of the N-type semiconductor layer(32), and coupled to the optical waveguide(5), wherein a side surface of the underlying layer(14a) of the N-type field dropping layer(35) comes into contact with a side surface of the optical waveguide core layer(3), and a part of the overlying layer(14b) of the N-type fi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Haruhiko Kuwatsuka
  • Patent number: 6881986
    Abstract: A novel structure for a photodiode is disclosed. It is comprised of a p-type region, which can be a p-substrate or p-well, extending to the surface of a semiconductor substrate. A multiplicity of parallel finger-like n-wells is formed in the p-type region. The fingers are connected to a conductive region at one end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Yu-Zung Chiou, Kuen-Hsien Lin, Chen Ying Lieh, Shou-Yi Hsu
  • Patent number: 6878977
    Abstract: In a photoelectric conversion device comprising a first-conductivity type first semiconductor region located in a pixel region, a second-conductivity type second semiconductor region provided in the first semiconductor region, and a wiring for electrically connecting the second semiconductor region to a circuit element located outside the pixel region, a shield is provided on the light-incident side of the wiring, via an insulator in such a way that it covers at least part of the wiring and also the shield comprises a conductor whose potential stands fixed. This photoelectric conversion device may hardly be affected with low-frequency radiated noises as typified by power-source noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiraku Kozuka, Takahiro Kaihotsu
  • Patent number: 6876012
    Abstract: The present invention provides a Hetero-Bipolar Transistor that suppresses a recombination current between electrons in the conduction band of an emitter and holes in the valence band of a base, which results on an enhancement of the current gain of the transistor. The HBT according to the present invention comprises a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate and a series of semiconductor layers on the substrate. The semiconductor layers are a buffer layer, a sub-collector layer a collector layer, a base layer, an emitter layer, an emitter contact layer, and an intermediate layer between the emitter layer and the emitter contact layer. The emitter layer has a carrier concentation of 1.0×1019 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 6876009
    Abstract: The luminous efficiency of a nitride semiconductor device comprising a gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer formed on a dissimilar substrate is improved. An n-type layer formed on the substrate with a buffer layer interposed between them comprises a portion of recess-and-projection shape in section as viewed in the longitudinal direction. Active layers are formed on at least two side faces of the projection with the recess located between them. A p-type layer is formed within the recess. An insulating layer is formed on the top face of the projection, and on the bottom face of the recess. The n-type layer is provided with an n-electrode while the p-type layer is provided with a p-electrode contact layer. As viewed from the p-type layer formed within the recess in the gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer, the active layer and the n-type layer are located in an opposite relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Narukawa, Isamu Niki, Axel Scherer, Koichi Okamoto, Yoichi Kawakami, Mitsuru Funato, Shigeo Fujita
  • Patent number: 6867438
    Abstract: There is a demand of a solid-state imaging device capable of being driven at a high speed and in which the shading of sensitivity and illuminance defect can be prevented from being caused. A solid-state imaging device (20) comprises a light-receiving sensor section disposed on the surface layer portion of a substrate (21) for performing a photoelectric conversion, a charge transfer section for transferring a signal charge read out from the light-receiving sensor section, a transfer electrode (27) (28) made of polysilicon formed on a substrate (21) at a position approximately above the charge transfer section through an insulating film (26), and an interconnection made of polysilicon and interconnected to the transfer electrode (27) (28). At least one of the polysilicon transfer electrode (27)(28) and the interconnection is formed on a polysilicon layer (27a) (28a) by selectively depositing a high-melting point metal having a resistance value lower than that of polysilicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Maruyama, Hideshi Abe
  • Patent number: 6858886
    Abstract: A photodiode (111) and resistors (121) are formed on a semi-insulating InP substrate (101). The photodiode (111) is formed by subjecting a layered structure formed by successively depositing an n+-type InP cladding layer (102), an n-type InGaAsP core layer (103), a nondoped InGaAs active layer (104), a p-type InGaAsP core layer (105), and a p+-type InP cladding layer 106 on the InP substrate (101) to a selective etching process. The resistors (121) have the same layered structure as the photodiode (111). Photodiode (111) is connected to n-type wiring lines (131) and a p-type wiring line (141). Resistors (121) are connected to the n-type wiring lines (131) and the p-type wiring line (141) in parallel to the photodiode (111). A side surface on the side of the photodiode (111) of the InP substrate (101) is a cleavage plane, and the cleavage plane is coated with an antireflection film (161).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kakinuma, Mikio Mohri
  • Patent number: 6855965
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor component and the component thereof includes forming a dielectric layer (620) over a portion of a passivation ledge (640) in an emitter layer (280) and overlapping a base contact (660) onto the dielectric layer (620).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Darrell G. Hill, Mariam G. Sadaka, Jonathan K. Abrokwah
  • Patent number: 6853072
    Abstract: Posts are disposed at the surroundings of an FET and a shield metal supported by the posts is placed above the FET to create a void between the FET and the shield metal. Since the separation between the FET and the shield metal is small, the resin does not enter the void. A resin layer cover the shield metal. The shield metal is connected to an electrode pad that receives a DC control signal. Although high frequency signals that are applied to the FET may leak between the source and drain electrodes of the FET through the resin layer covering the FET even when the FET is switched off, the void and the shield metal prevent such signal leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Asano, Mikito Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 6849866
    Abstract: A family of high speed transistors and optoelectronic devices are obtained on a monolithic substrate by adding two sheets of planar doping together with a wideband cladding layer to the top of a pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) structure. The two sheets are of the same polarity which is opposite to the modulation doping of the PHEMT and they are separated by a lightly doped layer of specific thickness. The combination is separated from the PHEMT modulation doping by a specific thickness of undoped material. The charge sheets are thin and highly doped. The top charge sheet achieves low gate contact resistance and the bottom charge sheet defines the capacitance of the field-effect transistor (FET) with respect to the modulation doping layer of the PHEMT. The structure produces a pnp bipolar transistor, enhancement and depletion type FETs, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, and a resonant cavity detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: The University of Connecticut
    Inventor: Geoff W. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6838301
    Abstract: Active pixel sensors for a high quality imager are fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process by integrating the photodetectors on the SOI substrate and forming pixel readout transistors on the SOI thin-film. The technique can include forming silicon islands on a buried insulator layer disposed on a silicon substrate and selectively etching away the buried insulator layer over a region of the substrate to define a photodetector area. Dopants of a first conductivity type are implanted to form a signal node in the photodetector area and to form simultaneously drain/source regions for a first transistor in at least a first one of the silicon islands. Dopants of a second conductivity type are implanted to form drain/source regions for a second transistor in at least a second one of the silicon islands. Isolation rings around the photodetector also can be formed when dopants of the second conductivity type are implanted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Xinyu Zheng, Bedabrata Pain
  • Patent number: 6838715
    Abstract: An exemplary CMOS image sensor comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in an array. The plurality of pixels includes a first pixel proximate an optical center of the array, and a second pixel proximate a peripheral edge of the array. The CMOS image sensor further comprises a first metal interconnect segment associated with the first pixel situated in a first metal layer, and a second metal interconnect segment associated with the second pixel situated in the first metal layer. The second metal interconnect segment is shifted closer to the optical center of the array than the first metal interconnect segment so that the second metal interconnect segment approximately aligns with a principle ray angle incident the second pixel, thereby reducing pixel light shadowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: ESS Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Selim Bencuya, Richard Mann, Erik Stauber
  • Patent number: 6822274
    Abstract: A heterojunction for a semiconductor device. The heterojunction has a first region formed from a first semiconductor material having a first conductivity type, a second region formed from a second semiconductor material having a second conductivity type, and an intermediate layer between the first region and the second region. The band line-up of the first region, the intermediate layer, and the second region has no bound states in its conduction band and no bound states in its valence band. The intermediate layer has a thickness small enough to allow electrons to tunnel from the first region to the second region with negligible attenuation. The semiconductor device may be a heterojunction bipolar transistor. The conduction band of the intermediate layer has a higher energy level than the conduction bands of the first and second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Soo Yi, Nicolas J. Moll, Dave Bour, Hans G. Rohdin
  • Patent number: 6818933
    Abstract: An active pixel array has the signal output of each pixel connected to a first column conductor, and a reset switch connected to a second column conductor. The first and second column conductors are connected to a read-reset amplifier. The read-reset amplifier operates in a first mode in which a reset voltage is applied to the second column line, and in a second mode in which pixel output signals are buffered from the first column line. The read-reset amplifier can also operate as a comparator forming part of an ADC circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Henderson, Purcel Matthew, Jonathan Ephriam David Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 6809357
    Abstract: A TFT array structure formed on a glass substrate employs an aluminum alloy for the wiring patterns of signal lines and scanning lines. Besides, on the glass substrate, a terminal structure is formed near the terminating end of each of the wiring patterns. The terminal structure includes a terminal pattern which is formed of the same MoW layer as that of capacitor lines of the TFT array structure. Thus, the TFT array structure holds a repair facility equal to that of the prior art while realizing the enhancement of an operating speed and the reduction of image noise owing to the lowered resistances of the scanning lines and signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akira Tsukamoto, Manabu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6787829
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel of the invention is such that, in a pixel region defined by a region of the array substrate surrounded by a pair of image signal lines and a pair of scanning signal lines, of a line-shaped pixel electrode and a common electrode, the electrode that is disposed adjacent to and parallel to a signal line is made of an opaque conductor and at least one of the other electrodes is made of a transparent conductor. Adverse effects of the electric field formed between a signal line and an adjacent electrode thereto are suppressed and a sufficient aperture ratio is ensured by using a transparent conductor for the electrode contributing good display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Fukami, Katsuhiko Kumagawa, Hiroyuki Yamakita, Masanori Kimura, Michiko Okafuji, Satoshi Asada
  • Patent number: 6781162
    Abstract: To provide a light emitting device high in reliability with a pixel portion having high definition with a large screen. According to a light emitting device of the present invention, on an insulator (24) provided between pixel electrodes, an auxiliary electrode (21) made of a metal film is formed, whereby a conductive layer (20) made of a transparent conductive film in contact with the auxiliary electrode can be made low in resistance and thin. Also, the auxiliary electrode (21) is used to achieve connection with an electrode on a lower layer, whereby the electrode can be led out with the transparent conductive film formed on an EL layer. Further, a protective film (32) made of a film containing hydrogen and a silicon nitride film which are laminated is formed, whereby high reliability can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masaaki Hiroki, Masakazu Murakami, Hideaki Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 6781163
    Abstract: A region of an Si layer (15) located between source and drain regions (19 and 20) is an Si body region (21) which contains an n-type impurity of high concentration. An Si layer (16) and an SiGe layer (17) are, in an as grown state, undoped layers into which no n-type impurity is doped. Regions of the Si layer 16 and the SiGe layer (17) located between the source and drain regions (19 and 20) are an Si buffer region (22) and an SiGe channel region (23), respectively, which contain the n-type impurity of low concentration. A region of an Si film (18) located directly under a gate insulating film (12) is an Si cap region (24) into which a p-type impurity (5×1017 atoms·cm−3) is doped. Accordingly, a semiconductor device in which an increase in threshold voltage is suppressed can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Takagi, Akira Inoue
  • Patent number: 6759694
    Abstract: A phototransistor structure is disclosed. A sidewall is grown on the collector side and under the base. The surface of the sidewall is formed with a sidewall contact. When the contact is connected to an external voltage, the holes accumulated at the junction of the base and emitter can be quickly removed. This solves the problem in the prior art that using a bias between the base and the emitter to remove holes usually results in a large dark current (bias current), power consumption, and diminishing optoelectronic conversion gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yu-Min Hsu, Jin-Wei Shi, Zing-Way Pei, Fon Yuan, Chee-Wee Liu
  • Patent number: 6756617
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide wiring pattern conditions for obtaining a high-quality analog image output signal in a contact image sensor which operates at a high speed (5 MHz or more). In order to achieve this object, a CIS substrate has the following arrangement. Signal lines &phgr;M, &phgr;RS, and &phgr;TR which transmit signals to CCD chips (2—2) are digital signal lines Dn, and signal lines from the CCD chips (2—2) to the inputs of emitter followers and output lines from the emitter followers are analog signal lines An. In FIG. 1, letting A1 be an analog signal line from the CCD, and D1 be a digital signal line, the analog signal line A1 and digital signal line D1 are formed on separate layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Koizumi
  • Patent number: 6753214
    Abstract: A PIN photodetector includes reduced parasitic capacitance and is suitable for high-speed applications. Metal interconnect leads are coupled to the photodetector and extend over electrically insulating regions which reduce or eliminate parasitic capacitance. The electrically insulating regions may be formed by a deep proton implantation process which introduces impurities into the N-type layer, P-type layer and intrinsic layer in portions of the inactive area according to one embodiment. In another embodiment, the electrically insulating regions may be formed by removing parts of the film stack that includes N-type layer, P-type layer and intrinsic layer, from portions of the inactive area, introducing impurities and optionally adding a dielectric material. The PIN photodetector may take on the shape of a mesa to provide contact to each of the upper and lower electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Optical Communication Products, Inc.
    Inventors: David Brinkmann, John Lindemann, Jeffrey Scott
  • Patent number: 6737683
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has an active region composed of a group III-V nitride semiconductor and ohmic electrodes and a gate electrode each formed on the active region. The active region has an entire surface thereof exposed to a plasma such that a surface potential for electrons therein is lower than in the case where the entire surface is not exposed to the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Inoue, Yoshito Ikeda, Yutaka Hirose, Katsunori Nishii
  • Patent number: 6727530
    Abstract: The speed at which optical networking devices operate is increased with the present invention with integrated circuits that provide both optical and electronic functions. The present invention provides highly integrated p-i-n or p-i-n-i-p photodetectors and heterojunction bipolar transistors for amplifying photodetector signals formed from a single semiconductor layer stack. The techniques are applicable for the integration of all InP-based and GaAs-based single-heterojunction bipolar transistors and double-heterojunction bipolar transistors. The photodetectors and transistors are formed from common layers, allowing them to be manufactured simultaneously during a processing of the stack. Integrating these components on a single circuit has the potential to greatly increase the speed (in excess of 40 Gb/s) and to decrease the cost of high-speed networking components through the development of compact optical circuits for optical networking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Xindium Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Milton Feng, Shyh-Chiang Shen
  • Patent number: 6692982
    Abstract: In an optical semiconductor integrated circuit device in which a vertical pnp transistor and a photodiode are formed, the preferred embodiments of the present invention eliminates difficulty in performance improvement of the two elements. In an illustrative optical semiconductor integrated circuit device, a vertical pnp transistor and a photodiode have been formed, and first and second epitaxial layers and are stacked without doping. This enables a depletion layer forming region to be remarkably increased in the photodiode, and high-speed response becomes possible. Additionally, in the vertical pnp transistor, an n+ type diffusion region surrounds the transistor forming region. This can remarkably improve voltage endurance of the vertical pnp transistor 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Takahashi, Toshiyuki Okoda
  • Patent number: 6670657
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided that includes a substrate incorporating a semiconductor photodiode device having a p-n junction. The photodiode device includes at least one capacitive trench buried in the substrate and connected in parallel with the junction. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is formed from silicon, and the capacitive trench includes an internal doped silicon region partially enveloped by an insulating wall that laterally separates the internal region from the substrate. Also provided is a method for fabricating an integrated circuit including a substrate that incorporates a semiconductor photodiode device having a p-n junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Olivier Menut, Yvon Gris
  • Patent number: 6670654
    Abstract: A silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor device having a semiconductor region, and a diffusion region in the semiconductor region, wherein the diffusion region is boron-doped, wherein the semiconductor region comprises a carbon dopant therein to minimize boron diffusion, and wherein a combination of an amount of the dopant, an amount of the boron, and a size of the semiconductor region are such that the diffusion region has a sheet resistance of less than approximately 4 Kohms/cm2. Also, the diffusion region is boron-doped at a concentration of 1×1020/cm3 to 1×1021/cm3. Additionally, the semiconductor region comprises 5-25% germanium and 0-3% carbon. By adding carbon to the semiconductor region, the device achieves an electrostatic discharge robustness, which further causes a tighter distribution of a power-to-failure of the device, and increases a critical thickness and reduces the thermal strain of the semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Louis D. Lanzerotti, Brian P. Ronan, Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 6661037
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor is provided having an improved current gain cutoff frequency. The heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a contact region formed from InGaAsSb. The contact region allows an emitter region of the heterojunction bipolar transistor to realize a lower contact resistance value to yield an improved cutoff frequency (fT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: MicroLink Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Noren Pan, Byung-Kwon Han
  • Patent number: 6657266
    Abstract: A switching circuit device has a first FET and a second FET, and operates with single control terminal. The device also has a common input terminal connected to the drain or source electrode of the two FETs, a first output terminal and a second output terminal connected to the source or the drain electrode of the respective FET, a bias element applying an bias to the first output terminal, a first connection connecting the control terminal to the second FET, a second connection connecting the gate of the second FET to the ground, and a direct current isolation element placed between the two FETs. The device is housed in a MCP6 package with six pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Hirai, Tetsuro Asano
  • Patent number: 6653667
    Abstract: A GaAs-based semiconductor field-effect transistor in which electrons flowing from a source electrode to a drain electrode are controlled by a signal supplied to a gate electrode. The transistor includes an active layer made of a GaAs-based semiconductor material. A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed on the active layer. A gate electrode is formed on the active layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode. The thickness of an oxide layer of the GaAs-based semiconductor material on the active layer is approximately equal to the lattice constant of the GaAs-based semiconductor material. The thickness of the oxide layer is preferably about 4 through 6 Å, and, more preferably, about 5 Å.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Kudo
  • Patent number: 6627914
    Abstract: An MR/FIR light detector is disclosed herein that has extraordinarily high degree of sensitivity and a high speed of response. The detector includes an MR/FIR light introducing section (1) for guiding an incident MR/FIR light (2), a semiconductor substrate (14) formed with a single-electron transistor (14) for controlling electric current passing through a semiconductor quantum dot (12) formed therein, and a BOTAI antenna (6, 6a, 6b, 6c) for concentrating the MW/FIR light (2) into a small special zone of sub-micron size occupied by the semiconductor quantum dot (12) in the single-electron transistor (14). The quantum dot (12) forming a two-dimensional electron system absorbs the electromagnetic wave concentrated efficiently, and retains an excitation state created therein for 10 nanoseconds or more, thus permitting electrons of as many as one millions in number or more to be transferred with respect to a single photon absorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Komiyama, Astafiev Oleg, Antonov Vladimir, Hiroshi Hirai, Takeshi Kutsuwa
  • Patent number: 6614086
    Abstract: There is disclosed a photodetector having two or more avalanche-gain layered structures and multi-terminals. The avalanche photodetector includes an emitter light absorption layer structure located between a collector layer and an emitter layer (top contact layer) stacked on a substrate. The photodetector further comprises multiple avalanche-gain layered structures consisting of a charge layer, a multiplication layer and a contact layer between the light absorption layer and said collector layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Gyung Ock Kim, In Kyu Kim, Kwang Eui Pyun
  • Patent number: 6555915
    Abstract: A contact between a source/drain and a gate is made by making a selected portion of the gate dielectric conductive by an implant into that selected portion of the gate dielectric. The gate material is in a layer over the entire integrated circuit. Areas where gates are to connect to source/drains are indentified and the gate dielectric at those identified locations is implanted to make it conductive. The source/drains are formed so that they extend under these areas of conductive gate dielectric so that at these locations the implanted gate dielectric shorts the gate to the source/drain. This saves area on the integrated circuit, reduces the need for interconnect layers, and avoids the problems associated with depositing and etching polysilicon on an exposed silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas M. Reber
  • Patent number: 6552373
    Abstract: A hetero-junction FET has an intermediate layer including n-type-impurity doped layer between an electron supply layer and an n-type cap layer. The intermediate layer cancels the polarized negative charge generated between the electron supply layer and the n-type cap layer by ionized positive charge, thereby reducing the barrier against the electrons and source/drain resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Ando, Hironobu Miyamoto, Naotaka Iwata, Koji Matsunaga, Masaaki Kuzuhara, Kensuke Kasahara, Kazuaki Kunihiro, Yuji Takahashi, Tatsuo Nakayama, Nobuyuki Hayama, Yasuo Ohno
  • Patent number: 6541803
    Abstract: A high electron mobility transistor photodetector includes an undoped GaAs buffer, a p-type GaAs layer positioned above the undoped GaAs buffer that is between 0.5 to 1 &mgr;m in thickness, an undoped low temperature GaAs layer positioned above the p-type GaAs layer, an undoped GaAs layer positioned above the low temperature GaAs layer, a layer of undoped InGaAs positioned above the undoped GaAs layer, a layer of undoped AlGaAs positioned above the layer of InGaAs, an n+ AlGaAs charge-suppling layer positioned above the layer of undoped AlGaAs, an n+ GaAs contact layer positioned above the n+ AlGaAs charge-supplying layer, and source and drain ohmic contacts positioned above the n+ GaAs contact layer. A negative bias voltage is applied to the p-type GaAs layer to sweep the holes from the photo-absorptive layer which greatly increases the speed and responsiveness of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Patrick A. Folkes
  • Patent number: 6541777
    Abstract: An ultra violet light sterilizing apparatus includes in one embodiment a fluid chamber, at least one ultraviolet light source configured to emit ultraviolet light into the fluid chamber, and at least one ultraviolet light sensor that includes a photodiode. The photodiode is a silicon carbide photodiode, a gallium nitride photodiode, or an aluminum gallium nitride photodiode. Each UV light sensor includes a sealed outer housing having an optically transparent window. The photodiode is located inside the housing adjacent the transparent window. Each UV light sensor also includes a signal amplification unit that includes an amplifier mounted on a printed circuit board located inside the housing. The UV sterilization apparatus also includes a controller configured to receive, as input, a signal from each ultraviolet light sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Leo R. Lombardo, Robert L. Jett
  • Patent number: 6531718
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a buffer layer including GaN formed on the substrate, wherein surfaces of the buffer layer are c facets of Ga atoms; a separating layer including (InXAl1-X)YGa1-YN (where 0≦X≦1, 0≦Y≦1) formed on the buffer layer, wherein surfaces of the separating layer are c facets of In, Al, or Ga atoms; a channel layer including GaN, InGaN, or a combination of GaN and InGaN formed on the separating layer, wherein surfaces of the channel layer are c facets of Ga or In atoms; and an electron supply layer including AlGaN formed on the channel layer, wherein surfaces of the electron supply layer are c facets of Al or Ga atoms, wherein the AlN composition ratio in the separating layer is smaller than the AlN composition ratio in the electron supply layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Inoue, Katsunori Nishii, Hiroyuki Masato
  • Patent number: 6528827
    Abstract: An MSM semiconductor circuit formed on a semi-insulating substrate that includes a set of contacts, first and second absorption layers, and a wide band gap buffer layer. The first absorption layer is formed on the semi-insulating substrate. The second absorption layer operably coupled to the set of contacts. The wide band gap buffer layer disposed between the first absorption layer and the second absorption layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: OptoLynx, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason P. Henning
  • Patent number: 6525348
    Abstract: An edge illuminated epilayer waveguide phototransistor including a subcollector layer formed from an epitaxially grown quaternary semiconductor material, such as heavily doped InGaAsP. A collector region of undoped InGaAs is epitaxially grown on the subcollector layer. A base region of moderately doped InGaAs is epitaxially grown on the collector layer. An emitter region, including a doped InGaAsP layer, a doped InP layer, and a heavily doped InGaAs emitter contact layer, is epitaxially grown on the base layer. The various layers and regions are formed so as to define an edge-illuminated facet for receiving incident light. Also, the base does not have an ohmic contact so that the base thickness can be minimized. Finally, the base doping concentration is minimized so that the gain-bandwidth product can be maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Inventors: David C. Scott, Timothy A. Vang, Srinath Kalluri
  • Patent number: 6509580
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device with one or more current confinement regions and to a method of manufacturing such a device, particularly buried heterostructure light emitting devices such as semiconductor lasers and light emitting diodes. The device comprises an active layer, a current conduction region, one or more current confinement regions adjacent the current conduction region. The current conduction region and current confinement region are arranged to channel an applied electric current to the active layer. The or each current confinement region includes both a metal-doped current blocking structure and a p-n junction current blocking structure. The p-n current blocking structure is between the current conduction region and the metal-doped current blocking structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Marshall Charles
  • Patent number: 6504195
    Abstract: A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensor (APS) having a plurality of pixels which includes at least one pixel entailing a photodetector, a transistor adjacent the photodetector having a silicide surface, and an insulator over the photodetector. The insulator has a thickness sufficient to prevent the silicide surface from forming over the photodetector and contains an insulator as a field oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Robert M. Guidash
  • Publication number: 20020175345
    Abstract: A resin material having low dielectric constant is used as an inter-layer insulating film and its bottom surface is contacted with a silicon oxide film across the whole surface thereof. Thereby, the surface may be flattened and capacity produced between a thin film transistor and an pixel electrode may be reduced. Further, it allows to avoid a problem that impurity ions and moisture infiltrate into the lower surface of the resin material, thus degrading the reliability of whole semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., a Japan corporation
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20020117660
    Abstract: By positively employing a quantum structure such as a point contact, a quantum fine line, and a quantum dot on a semiconductor material so that an electric potential barrier is generated from a quantum effect of a conductive region, that is, from the constraint energy of one or zero dimension of electrons or holes and the electric potential barrier is controlled, flow and intensity of an electric current are controlled when light or electromagnetic wave is irradiated. A conductive region is formed by a quantum structure in which a difference in the constraint energies of the holes or electrons is formed between two electrodes, and when the light or electromagnetic wave is irradiated to a partial depletion region of the holes or electrons generated in the quantum structure, pairs of the electrons and the holes are generated in the partial depletion region. Thus, the depletion is released and an electric current flows therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: Evergreen Korea Corporation
    Inventor: Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 6441391
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve, in a group III nitride semiconductor device, the productivity, heat radiation characteristic and performance in the element high speed operation; upon a sapphire substrate in which an A plane (an (11-20) plane) is set to be the basal plane, an epitaxial growth layer of a group III nitride semiconductor is formed and, thereon, a gate electrode 16, a source electrode 15 and a drain electrode 17 are formed; these electrodes are disposed in such a way that a direction along which they are laid makes an angle within 20° with respect to a C axis of sapphire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohno, Nobuyuki Hayama, Kensuke Kasahara, Tatsuo Nakayama, Hironobu Miyamoto, Yuji Takahashi, Yuji Ando, Kohji Matsunaga, Masaaki Kuzuhara
  • Publication number: 20020113248
    Abstract: A high-quality light emitting device is provided which has a long-lasting light emitting element free from the problems of conventional ones because of a structure that allows less degradation, and a method of manufacturing the light emitting device is provided. After a bank is formed, an exposed anode surface is wiped using a PVA (polyvinyl alcohol)-based porous substance or the like to level the surface and remove dusts from the surface. An insulating film is formed between an interlayer insulating film on a TFT and the anode. Alternatively, plasma treatment is performed on the surface of the interlayer insulating film on the TFT for surface modification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Yamagata, Shunpei Yamazaki, Toru Takayama
  • Patent number: 6414340
    Abstract: The field effect device consisting of a substrate, a conducting backplane formed in the substrate, a source and a drain disposed above the conductive backplane, a gate insultatively disposed above the substrate between the source and drain, and a backgate contact electrically coupled to the conducting backplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Berinder Brar
  • Patent number: 6399967
    Abstract: A light receiving device includes a semiconductor substrate, a light absorbing layer provided on the semiconductor substrate, a window layer provided on the light absorbing layer, a wavelength filter provided on the window layer, and a diffusion region provided in the wavelength filter and the window layer. A forbidden bandwidth of the wavelength filter is smaller than a forbidden bandwidth of the window layer, and a forbidden bandwidth of the light absorbing layer is smaller than the forbidden bandwidth of the wavelength filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6396865
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting semiconductor laser is formed with a multilayer structure on a semiconductor substrate that includes an active region layer, a central core, and an antiresonant reflecting waveguide ring surrounding the central core. The ring includes a region formed to have an effective higher index than the central core and sized to provide antiresonant lateral waveguiding confinement of a fundamental mode wavelength. Reflectors formed above and below the active region layer provide vertical confinement. The antiresonant reflecting ring may be formed either as a full ARROW structure including a quarter wavelength high effective index region and a quarter wavelength low effective index region or as a simplified ARROW structure having a single quarter wavelength high effective index region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Luke J. Mawst, Delai Zhou
  • Publication number: 20020056853
    Abstract: An MSM semiconductor circuit formed on a semi-insulating substrate that includes a set of contacts, first and second absorption layers, and a wide band gap buffer layer. The first absorption layer is formed on the semi-insulating substrate. The second absorption layer operably coupled to the set of contacts. The wide band gap buffer layer disposed between the first absorption layer and the second absorption layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventor: Jason P. Henning