Gate Arrays Patents (Class 257/202)
  • Patent number: 7528455
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor transistor for enhancing performance of PMOS and NMOS transistors, particularly current driving performance, while reducing a narrow width effect. A narrow width MOS transistor includes: a channel of which width is W0 and length is L0; an active area including source and drain areas formed at both sides with the channel as a center; a gate insulating layer formed on the channel; a gate conductor formed on the gate insulating layer and intersecting the active area; a first additional active area of width is larger than that W0 of the channel as an active area added to the source area; and a second additional active area of width is larger than that W0 of the channel as an active area added to the drain area. When the structure of the transistor having the additional active areas is applied to NMOS and PMOS transistors, a driving current is represented as 107.27% and 103.31%, respectively. Accordingly, the driving currents of both PMOS and NMOS transistors are enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung Ho Ahn
  • Patent number: 7521962
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus relates to a structured ASIC that wires functional cells in a common wiring layer, which is not dependent on a user circuit and common to several sorts, and a customized layer provided over the common wiring layer to form the user circuit. In the semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus, a functional cell constituting a sequential circuit such as a flip-flop and a functional cell constituting a combinational circuit are placed in matrix of column and row. Further, the functional cell constituting the sequential circuit is placed obliquely in the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichirou Kondou
  • Patent number: 7522405
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for a high current electrical switch. The switch may be suitable for switching, rectifying or blocking direct current in the range of one to a thousand amperes per module or assembly. It does so with such high efficiency that it produces relatively insignificant heat; such that it requires little or no cooling by convection or radiation. The relatively low heat that is generated in the process is conducted away quite effectively by the electric cables connected to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Perfect Switch, LLC
    Inventor: H. Frank Fogleman
  • Patent number: 7514796
    Abstract: To prevent short-circuit due to contact of bonding wires each other and to make a semiconductor device compact. A semiconductor chip with a rectangular main surface may comprise: a first side composing the main surface; a second side opposed to the first side; a main electrode pad group composed of a plurality of main electrode pads, which plurality of main electrode pads is arranged on the main surface along the first side; a first electrode pad group composed of a plurality of first electrode pads, which plurality of first electrode pads is arranged between the first side and the main electrode pad group; a second electrode pad group composed of a plurality of second electrode pads, which plurality of second electrode pads is arranged on the main surface along the second side; a first interconnection connecting the main electrode pad with the first electrode pad; and a second interconnection connecting the main electrode pad with the second electrode pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Saeki
  • Patent number: 7514728
    Abstract: In a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first well region of the first conductivity type, second well regions of a second conductivity type, and a third well region of the second conductivity type are formed. The second well regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate excluding the region where the first well region has been formed. The third well region is formed under the first and second well regions in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that a part of the third well region under the first well region is removed, thereby connecting the second well regions to one another electrically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugahara, Yasuhito Itaka
  • Publication number: 20090085067
    Abstract: A layout design method for a semiconductor device includes a step of arranging transistors, a dummy gate forming step of forming dummy gates, which has a shape identical with a shape including gate electrodes or the gate electrodes and projected parts from active regions of the gate electrodes, in positions in parallel with and a fixed distance apart from the gate electrodes arranged at both ends in a gate length direction on active regions of the transistors and, when the transistors have plural gate electrodes with different gate widths, extending the projected parts to the outside of the active regions by a necessary length, a gate connecting step of, when gate patterns and contact regions are connected to the gate electrodes of the transistors, connecting the gate electrodes and the dummy gates according to a positional relation between the gate electrodes and the dummy gates, and a wiring step of wiring a metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohtaro HAYASHI, Akinori Shibayama
  • Patent number: 7511345
    Abstract: The present invention provides a MOS transistor device for providing ESD protection including at least one interleaved finger having a source, drain and gate region formed over a channel region disposed between the source and the drain regions. The transistor device further includes at least one isolation gate formed in at least one of the interleaved fingers. The device can further include a bulk connection coupled to at least one of the source, drain and gate regions via through at least one of diode, MOS, resistor, capacitor inductor, short, etc. The bulk connection is preferably isolated through the isolation gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignees: Sarnoff Corporation, Sarnoff Europe
    Inventors: Benjamin Van Camp, Gerd Vermont
  • Publication number: 20090065764
    Abstract: Methods for forming or patterning nanostructure arrays are provided. The methods involve formation of arrays on coatings comprising nanostructure association groups, patterning using resist, and/or use of devices that facilitate array formation. Related devices for forming nanostructure arrays are also provided, as are devices including nanostructure arrays (e.g., memory devices).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: NANOSYS, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Heald, Karen Chu Cruden, Xiangfeng Duan, Chao Liu, J. Wallace Parce
  • Patent number: 7501672
    Abstract: A method used to form a semiconductor device provides a silicide layer on a plurality of transistor word lines and on a plurality of conductive plugs. In one embodiment, the word lines, one or more sacrificial dielectric layers on the word lines, conductive plugs, and a conductive enhancement layer are formed through the use of a single mask. An in-process semiconductor device which may be formed using one embodiment of the inventive method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fredrick D. Fishburn, Terrence B. McDaniel, Richard H. Lane
  • Patent number: 7501316
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a memory cell that includes a body region, a source region and a drain region. The body region is doped with charge carriers of a first type, the source region is disposed in the body region and doped with charge carriers of a second type, and the drain region is disposed in the body region and doped with charge carriers of the second type. The body region and the source region form a first junction, the body region and the drain region form a second junction, and a conductivity of the first junction from the body region to the source region in a case that the first junction is unbiased is substantially less than a conductivity of the second junction from the body region to the drain region in a case that the second junction is unbiased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Keshavarzi, Stephen H. Tang, Dinesh Somasekhar, Fabrice Paillet, Muhammad M. Khellah, Yibin Ye, Shih-Lien L. Lu, Vivek K. De
  • Patent number: 7499340
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device formed on a semiconductor chip includes first memory arrays, a plurality of second memory arrays, a first voltage generator, and first bonding pads. The semiconductor chip is divided into first, second and third rectangle regions and the third rectangle region is arranged between the first rectangle region and the second rectangle region. The first memory arrays are formed in the first rectangle region. The second memory arrays are formed in the second rectangle region. The voltage generator and first bonding pads are arranged in the third rectangle region. The first bonding pads are arranged between the first rectangle region and the voltage generator and no bonding pads are arranged between the voltage generator and the second memory arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi VLSI Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kajigaya, Kazuyuki Miyazawa, Manabu Tsunozaki, Kazuyoshi Oshima, Takashi Yamazaki, Yuji Sakai, Jiro Sawada, Yasunori Yamaguchi, Tetsurou Matsumoto, Shinji Udo, Hiroshi Yoshioka, Hirokazu Saito, Mitsuhiro Takano, Makoto Morino, Sinichi Miyatake, Eiji Miyamoto, Yasuhiro Kasama, Akira Endo, Ryoichi Hori, Jun Etoh, Masashi Horiguchi, Shinichi Ikenaga, Atsushi Kumata
  • Patent number: 7488657
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a memory device having an array of flash memory cells with source contacts that facilitate straight word lines, and a method for producing the same. The array is comprised of a plurality of non-intersecting shallow trench isolation (STI) regions that isolate a plurality of memory cell columns. A source column is implanted with n-type dopants after the formation of a tunnel oxide layer and a first polysilicon layer. The implanted source column is coupled to a plurality of common source lines that are coupled to a plurality of source regions associated with memory cells in the array. A source contact is coupled to the implanted source column for providing electrical coupling with the plurality of source regions. The source contact is collinear with a row of drain contacts that are coupled to drain regions associated with a row of memory cells. The arrangement of source contacts collinear with the row of drain contacts allows for straight word line formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Shenqing Fang, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Kuo-Tung Chang, Pavel Fastenko, Kazuhiro Mizutani, Zhigang Wang
  • Patent number: 7489537
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells disposed in rows and columns and constructed over a substrate, each memory cell comprising a first signal electrode, a second signal electrode, and a nano-layer disposed in the intersecting region between the first signal electrode and the second signal electrode; a plurality of word lines each connecting the first signal electrodes of a row of memory cells; and a plurality of bit lines each connecting the second signal electrodes of a column of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Inventor: Bao Tran
  • Patent number: 7482630
    Abstract: A NAND memory array has a substrate, a source select gate formed on the substrate, and a drain select gate formed on the substrate. A string of floating-gate memory cells is formed on the substrate and is connected in series between the source select gate and the drain select gate. A drain contact has a head connected substantially perpendicularly to a stem. The head is aligned with the drain select gate and overlies a dielectric layer formed on the drain select gate. The stem overlies a polysilicon plug formed on the substrate. A bit line contact is in direct electrical contact with the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger W Lindsay
  • Patent number: 7482644
    Abstract: Semiconductor memories (1) have segmented word lines (5a, 5b), which in each case have a main word line (10a, 10b) made of a conductive metal and a plurality of interconnect segments (15a, 15b) coupled to the main word line (10a, 10b), which are coupled to the respective main word line (10a, 10b) in each case via at least one contact hole filling (11). If one of the contact hole fillings (11) is defective or at high resistance then functional errors of the semiconductor memory occur. The interconnect segments (15a, 15b) of two respective word lines (5a, 5b) can be short-circuited in pairs with the aid of switching units (20), whereby a static current (I) that flows via the contact hole fillings (11) can be used for electrically stressing the contact hole fillings (11). Electrical stressing of contact hole fillings of segmented word lines is thus made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Georg Erhard Eggers, Stephan Schröder, Manfred Pröll, Herbert Benzinger
  • Patent number: 7482670
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having high tensile stress. The semiconductor device comprises a substrate having a source region and a drain region. Each of the source region and the drain region includes a plurality of separated source sections and drain sections, respectively. A shallow trench isolation (STI) region is formed between two separated source sections of the source region and between two separated drain sections of the drain region. A gate stack is formed on the substrate. A tensile inducing layer is formed over the substrate. The tensile inducing layer covers the STI regions, the source region, the drain region, and the gate stack. The tensile inducing layer is an insulation capable of causing tensile stress in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Giuseppe Curello, Thomas Hoffmann, Mark Armstrong
  • Patent number: 7476945
    Abstract: A memory capable of reducing the memory cell size is provided. This memory includes a first conductive type first impurity region formed on a memory cell array region of the main surface of a semiconductor substrate for functioning as a first electrode of a diode included in a memory cell and a plurality of second conductive type second impurity regions, formed on the surface of the first impurity region at a prescribed interval, each functioning as a second electrode of the diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouichi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20090008680
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor chip, a memory cell array arranged on the semiconductor chip and first and second decoder strings arranged along both ends of the memory cell array. The arrangement position of the first decoder string is deviated from the arrangement position of the second decoder string and a space caused by the deviation is arranged in the corner of the semiconductor chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventor: Takahiko HARA
  • Publication number: 20090001425
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device has forming a first conductive film over a semiconductor substrate, etching the first conductive film, forming a plurality of first conductive patterns arranged in a first direction, and forming a side surface on an outside of a conductive pattern positioned at an end among the plurality of first conductive patterns such that the side surface has a first inclination angle smaller than a second inclination angle of a side surface on an inside of the conductive pattern positioned at the end, forming a first insulation film over the plurality of first conductive patterns, and forming a second conductive pattern over the first insulation film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Junichi Ariyoshi, Toru Anezaki, Hiroshi Morioka
  • Publication number: 20080315258
    Abstract: A unit cell for an integrated circuit includes a first conductive type active region and a second conductive type active region which extend in a first direction. Each of the active regions has first and second ends. The first end of the second conductive type active region opposes the second end of the first conductive type active region. A poly-silicon pattern extends in the first direction across the first conductive type active region and second conductive type active region. A first contact region is adjacent the first end of the first conductive type active region in the first direction. A second contact region is adjacent the second end of the second conductive type active region in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Masuda, Hirokazu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7468296
    Abstract: In fabricating an electronic structure, a substrate is provided, and a first barrier layer is provided on the substrate. A germanium thin film diode is provided on the first barrier layer, and a second barrier layer is provided on the germanium thin film diode. A memory device is provided over and connected to the second barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignees: Spansion LLC, Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Ercan Adem, Matthew Buynoski, Robert Chiu, Bryan Choo, Calvin Gabriel, Joong Jeon, David Matsumoto, Jeffrey Shields, Bhanwar Singh, Winny Stockwell, Wen Yu
  • Patent number: 7468551
    Abstract: A chip package for semiconductor chips is provided by the method of forming a chip package includes the steps of forming a printed circuit board with a window therethrough; forming semiconductor chip connections of one or more primary chips which overlie the window to the printed circuit board by solder connections, locating a suspended semiconductor chip within the window, and connecting the suspended semiconductor chip to one or more primary chips overlying the window in a chip-on-chip connection. A bypass capacitor is formed on the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Megica Corporation
    Inventors: Mou-Shiung Lin, Bryan Peng
  • Publication number: 20080308783
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same are provided. In a memory device, a memory-switch structure is formed between a first and second electrode. The memory-switch structure includes a memory resistor and a switch structure. The switch structure controls current supplied to the memory resistor. A memory region of the memory resistor and a switch region of the switch structure are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Seung-eon Ahn, Myoung-jae Lee, Suk-pil Kim, Young-soo Park
  • Patent number: 7465970
    Abstract: A semiconductor layout includes a p substrate, a first semiconductor cell formed over the p substrate, and a second semiconductor cell formed over the p substrate adjacent to the first semiconductor cell. A total height of the first semiconductor cell and the second semiconductor cell is twice a height of a standard semiconductor cell, and the height of the second semiconductor cell is adjusted according to the height of the first semiconductor cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Faraday Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Jeng-Huang Wu, Chiung-Yu Feng, Chien-Chih Huang, Yu-Wen Tsai
  • Patent number: 7465971
    Abstract: A configuration memory cell (“CRAM”) for a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) integrated circuit (“IC”) device is given increased resistance to single event upset (“SEU”). A portion of the gate structure of the input node of the CRAM is increased in size relative to the nominal size of the remainder of the gate structure. Part of the enlarged gate structure is located capacitively adjacent to an N-well region of the IC, and another part is located capacitively adjacent to a P-well region of the IC. This arrangement gives the input node increased capacitance to resist SEU, regardless of the logical level of the input node. The invention is also applicable to any node of any type of memory cell for which increased resistance to SEU is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Lakhbeer S. Sidhu, Irfan Rahim, Jeffrey Watt, John Turner
  • Publication number: 20080296628
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes at least one first circuit portion and at least one second circuit portion. The first circuit portion includes a first interconnect or a diffusion layer formed by exposure using a high-precision mask. The second circuit portion includes a second interconnect or a diffusion layer formed by exposure using a first low-precision mask having a lower precision than the high-precision mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Yoshio Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20080290373
    Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device which includes a shared sense amplifier portion, a pair of memory cell portions disposed on opposite sides of the shared sense amplifier portion, a pair of transfer gates between the pair of memory cell portions and the shared sense amplifier portion, and bit lines constituting a plurality of bit line pairs and connecting the pair of memory cell portions to each other through the pair of transfer gates and the shared sense amplifier portion, the bit lines in a bit line pair of the plurality of bit line pairs are twisted at a substantial center between the pair of transfer gates on the opposite sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoko Nobutoki, Ken Ota
  • Publication number: 20080290374
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for connecting a plurality of bit lines to sense circuitry comprises providing a plurality of bit lines extending from a memory array in a first metal layer. The plurality of bit lines are separated from each other by an average spacing x in a first region of the first metal layer. The method further comprises elevating a portion of the plurality of bit lines into a second metal layer overlying the first metal layer. The elevated bit lines are separated from each other by an average spacing y in the second metal layer, with y>x. The method further comprises extending a portion of the plurality of bit lines into a second region of the first metal layer. The extended bit lines are separated from each other by an average spacing z in the second region of the first metal layer, with z>x. The method further comprises connecting a bit line in the second metal layer and a bit line in the first metal layer to the sense circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Qiang Tang, Ramin Ghodsi
  • Patent number: 7456446
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the generation with the minimum processing dimensions of 90 nm, or later, wherein variation of processing dimensions of gate electrodes in a logic block and a power source noise are suppressed; wherein a gate electrode formed to have a comb-shaped pattern is formed on a normal cell region, a dummy gate electrode formed to have a comb-shaped pattern is formed on a vacant region, a wiring for applying a predetermined voltage is connected respectively to at least a part of the dummy gate and the semiconductor substrate (source drain regions), and an electrostatic capacity between the part of the dummy gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate constitutes a decoupling capacitor of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Tahira, Hiroki Usui, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Makoto Aikawa
  • Patent number: 7456508
    Abstract: A hosting structure of nanometric components is described comprising a substrate, a first multi-spacer level comprising a first plurality of spacers including first conductive spacers parallel to each other, and at least a second multi-spacer level realized above said first multi-spacer level and comprising a second plurality of spacers arranged transversally to said first plurality of spacers and including at least a lower discontinuous insulating layer and an upper layer, including in turn second conductive spacers. In particular, each pair of spacers of the second multi-spacer level defines with a spacer of the first multi-spacer level a plurality of nanometric hosting seats having at least a first and a second conduction terminal realized by portions of the first conductive spacers and of the second conductive spacers faced in the hosting seats. A method for manufacturing such a structure is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Danilo Mascolo, Gianfranco Cerofolini, Gianguido Rizzotto
  • Publication number: 20080283871
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit having a substantially rectangular standard cell divided by first borderlines opposed to other standard cells longitudinally adjacent to the standard cell and second borderlines opposed to other standard cells laterally adjacent to the standard cell, the standard cell has: a p-type MOS transistor having first diffused regions and a first gate electrode; an n-type MOS transistor having second diffused regions and a second gate electrode with STI disposed for device isolation between the n-type MOS transistor and the p-type MOS transistor substantially in parallel with the first borderlines; dummy p-type MOS transistors having third gate electrodes disposed on the second borderlines so as to be adjacent to the first diffused regions of the p-type MOS transistor, the third gate electrodes being connected to power supply wiring so as to turn off the dummy p-type MOS transistors; and dummy n-type MOS transistors having fourth gate electrodes disposed on the second borderlines so
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Mototsugu HAMADA
  • Patent number: 7446418
    Abstract: The semiconductor device has insulating films 40, 42 formed over a substrate 10; an interconnection 58 buried in at least a surface side of the insulating films 40, 42; insulating films 60, 62 formed on the insulating film 42 and including a hole-shaped via-hole 60 and a groove-shaped via-hole 66a having a pattern bent at a right angle; and buried conductors 70, 72a buried in the hole-shaped via-hole 60 and the groove-shaped via-hole 66a. A groove-shaped via-hole 66a is formed to have a width which is smaller than a width of the hole-shaped via-hole 66. Defective filling of the buried conductor and the cracking of the inter-layer insulating film can be prevented. Steps on the conductor plug can be reduced. Accordingly, defective contact with the upper interconnection layer and the problems taking place in forming films can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kenichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080265285
    Abstract: A microelectronic programmable structure and methods of forming and programming the structure are disclosed. The programmable structure generally include an ion conductor and a plurality of electrodes. Electrical properties of the structure may be altered by applying a bias across the electrodes, and thus information may be stored using the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: AXON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael N. Kozicki
  • Publication number: 20080265284
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, formed on a semiconductor substrate, including a first memory array formed in a first region and including first word lines, first bit lines across the first word lines, and memory cells at intersections of the first word lines and the first bit lines, a second memory array which is formed in a second region and including second word lines, second bit lines across the second word lines, and memory cells at intersections of the second word lines and the second bit lines, and address pads located in a third region, in which the first region, the third region and the second region are arranged in that order in the first direction, the address input pads being arranged between a center axis of the first direction of the substrate and the first region, and no address input pads are arranged between the center axis and the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Kouichirou Noda, Shigenobu Kato, Goro Kitsukawa, Michihiro Mishima
  • Patent number: 7439894
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus for current source array and the layout method thereof are provided. The current source array includes a low bit group and a plurality of high bit groups. The low bit group has a plurality of current source units and is disposed at a central block of a layout area. In addition, each of the high bit groups has a plurality of current source units respectively disposed at a plurality of peripheral blocks of the layout area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Beyond Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Wei Peng, Shian-Sung Shiu
  • Patent number: 7436007
    Abstract: A plurality of terminals is formed in a basic cell. One terminal has first to fifth patterns. The first and second patterns are arranged to be spaced from each other. The third and fourth patterns are arranged to be spaced from each other, and are arranged so as to be adjacent to the first and second patterns. The fifth pattern is arranged between the first and second grid lines to interconnect the first to fourth patterns. A dimension of the fifth pattern in a direction of extension of a plurality of grid lines is set to be smaller than a dimension obtained by adding dimensions of the first and second patterns in the direction of extension of the grid lines to an interval of the both patterns, and a dimension obtained by adding dimensions of the third and fourth patterns to an interval of the both patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinji Fujii, Toshiki Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20080239791
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells disposed in rows and columns and constructed over a substrate, each memory cell comprising a first signal electrode, a second signal electrode, and a nano-layer disposed in the intersecting region between the first signal electrode and the second signal electrode; a plurality of word lines each connecting the first signal electrodes of a row of memory cells; and a plurality of bit lines each connecting the second signal electrodes of a column of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Bao Tran
  • Publication number: 20080237644
    Abstract: A design method for an integrated circuit adds spare cells in a System-on-Chip to allow for Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) to be performed at a later stage in the design. This method can be used to provide a second version of the chip having minimal alterations performed in a short cycle time. The spare cells can be divided into combinational and sequential cells. There is an optimum spread of combinational cells in the design for post placement repairs of the chip with just metal layer changes. The method takes into account the drive strength of the spare cells as the main factor in their placement on the chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Anshuman Tripathi
  • Publication number: 20080237567
    Abstract: A microelectronic programmable structure suitable for storing information and array including the structure and methods of forming and programming the structure are disclosed. The programmable structure generally includes an ion conductor and a plurality of electrodes. Electrical properties of the structure may be altered by applying energy to the structure, and thus information may be stored using the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: AXON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael N. Kozicki
  • Publication number: 20080224176
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided which entails no increase in the correction time of OPC and in which non-uniformity in the gate lengths due to the optical proximity effects is surely suppressed. A plurality of standard cells (C1, C2, C3, . . . ), each including gates G extended in the vertical direction, are aligned in the transverse direction to form a standard cell row. A plurality of the standard cell rows are located side by side in the vertical direction to form a standard cell group. Each of the standard cell rows has a terminal standard cell Ce at least one end of the standard cell row. The terminal standard cell Ce includes two or more supplementary gates, each of which is any of a dummy gate and a gate of an inactive transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Nakanishi, Hidetoshi Nishimura, Tomoaki Ikegami
  • Publication number: 20080217655
    Abstract: An integrated circuit with buried control line structures. In one embodiment, the control lines are subdivided into sections, wherein regions free of switching transistors are provided at intervals along the control lines. Connections for feeding the control potentials into the sections of the control lines are provided at least in a subset of the regions free of switching transistors. The isolations lines are connected to one another by an interconnect running transversely with respect to the control lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: QIMONDA AG
    Inventors: Dirk Baumann, Dominique Savignac, Till Schloesser, Helmut Schneider
  • Patent number: 7423324
    Abstract: In a double-gate MOS transistor, a substrate, an insulating layer, and a semiconductor layer are formed or laminated in that order, an opening extending to the insulating layer is formed in the semiconductor layer while leaving an island-shaped region, the island-shaped region including a semiconductor crystal layer having a predetermined length and height and a predetermined shape of horizontal section, the semiconductor crystal layer including P-type or N-type source region, channel region, and drain region, in that order, formed therein, a source electrode, gate electrodes, and a drain electrode are provided in contact with side surfaces of the respective regions, and the gate electrodes are provided in contact with the side surfaces of the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Toshihiro Sekigawa, Yongxun Liu, Meishoku Masahara, Hanpei Koike, Eiichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7422945
    Abstract: In a unit cell, a first conductive type active region and a second conductive type active region are provided. Those two active regions extend in a first direction. Each of the active regions have first and second ends thereof. The first end of the second conductive type active region opposes the second end of the first conductive type active region. A conductive pattern is provided to extend in the first direction across the first conductive type active region and the second conductive type active region. A first contact region is arranged adjacent the first end of the first conductive type active region in the first direction. A second contact region is arranged adjacent the second end of the second conductive type active region in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Masuda, Hirokazu Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20080210978
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a gate electrode formed above a semiconductor region; a drain region and a source region formed in portions of the semiconductor region located below sides of the gate electrode in a gate length direction, respectively; a plurality of drain contacts formed on the drain region to be spaced apart in a gate width direction of the gate electrode; and a plurality of source contacts formed on the source region to be spaced apart in the gate width direction of the gate electrode. The intervals between the drain contacts are greater than the intervals between the source contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yabu, Toshihiro Kogami, Katsuya Arai
  • Patent number: 7402846
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure is disclosed. The ESD protection structure includes an active device. The active device includes a plurality of drains. Each of the drains has a contact row and at least one body contact row. The at least one body contact row is located on the active device in a manner to reduce the amount of voltage required for triggering the ESD protection structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Schwantes, Michael Graf, Volker Dudek, Gayle W. Miller, Jr., Irwin Rathbun, Peter Grombach, Manfred Klaussner
  • Patent number: 7402851
    Abstract: Phase-changeable memory devices and method of fabricating phase-changeable memory devices are provided that include a phase-changeable material pattern of a phase-changeable material that may include nitrogen atoms and/or silicon atoms. First and second electrodes are electrically connected to the phase-changeable material pattern and provide an electrical signal thereto. The phase-changeable material pattern may have a polycrystalline structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Horii Hideki, Bong-Jin Kuh, Yong-Ho Ha, Jeong-hee Park, Ji-Hye Yi
  • Patent number: 7402847
    Abstract: A programmable logic circuit, including programmable memory element, suitable for microprocessor applications, and a method of using the circuit are disclosed. The programmable circuit includes at least one logic cell, columns and rows of wires coupled to the logic cell, and a programmable memory element located at the intersection of two wires. The programmable element acts as a switch and as memory for the logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Axon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael N Kozicki, Maria Mitkova, Chakravarthy Gopalan, Muralikrishnan Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7399675
    Abstract: An electronic device can include an NVM array, wherein portions of word lines are formed within trenches. Insulating features are formed over heavily doped regions within the substrate. In one embodiment, charge storage stacks and a control gate electrode layer can be formed and substantially fill the trench. The insulating features help to reduce capacitive coupling between the heavily doped regions and the control gate electrode layer. In a particular embodiment, the insulating features are recessed from a top surface of a layer outside the trenches. The control gate electrode layer can form a substantially continuous electrical path along the lengths of the word lines. This particular embodiment substantially eliminates the formation of stringers or other residual etching artifacts from the control gate electrode layer within the array. A process can be performed to form the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc
    Inventors: Gowrishankar L. Chindalore, Craig T. Swift
  • Patent number: 7394115
    Abstract: A clock signal transmission line in the semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a plurality of straight portions arranged side by side in a predetermined direction and a plurality of bent portions connecting the respective straight portions. At least two of a plurality of signal lines to which a clock signal is transmitted are connected to different straight portions. Consequently, a semiconductor integrated circuit device which can reduce a clock skew when transmitting a clock signal to a plurality of signal lines is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Niichi Itoh
  • Patent number: 7394156
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a plurality of CMOS-type base cells arranged on a semiconductor substrate and m wiring layers, and gate array type logic cells are composed of the base cells and the wiring layers. Wiring within and between the logic cells is constituted by using only upper n (n<m) wiring layers. It becomes possible to shorten a development period and reduce a development cost when a gate array type semiconductor integrated circuit device becomes large in scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Tokunaga, Shigeki Furuya, Yuuji Hinatsu