With Particular Chip Input/output Means Patents (Class 257/203)
  • Patent number: 7728361
    Abstract: In the present invention, a method of testing an unpackaged integrated circuit die is disclosed. The die has a plurality of first input/output pads. A serial electrical connection is fabricated in the die between all of the input/output pads of the die which are not of the first plurality (hereinafter: “second plurality”). The second plurality has a start input and an end output. The start input of the second plurality is connected to the output of one selected input buffer of the input pad of the first plurality and the end output of the second plurality is also connected to the input of one selected output pad of the first plurality. The second plurality of input/output pads are tested through selected input pad and selected output pad of the first plurality without electrical probes making contact during the wafer sort. The present invention also relates to an integrated circuit die so fabricated as to facilitate testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kangping Zhang, Fong-Long Lin
  • Patent number: 7725865
    Abstract: A method for a computer setting up a terminal layer of a semiconductor circuit having plural wiring layers including obtaining various kinds of information such as placement information relating to a plurality of cells or macros of the semiconductor circuit and being mounted onto a circuit board from a storage unit of the computer; comparing a driving capacity of a subject cell or macro, which is contained in the obtained information, and a resistance of wiring for connecting the subject cell or macro with the cell or macro at a connecting destination; and setting up a terminal layer based on a result of the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventor: Hisayoshi Oba
  • Patent number: 7714362
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a plurality of input/output cells and having a first bond pad and at least one second bond pad coupled to each input/output cell. The first bond pads comprise a first pattern, and the at least second bond pads comprise at least one second pattern, wherein the at least one second pattern is different from or the same as the first pattern. Either the first bond pads, the at least second bond pads, or both, may be used to electrically couple the input/output cells of the semiconductor device to leads of an integrated circuit package or other circuit component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ker-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20100109053
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes an integrated circuit and a connecting component. The integrated circuit includes a first pad; a second pad; a first current guiding circuit, coupled to the first pad and a first reference voltage, for selectively guiding a first specific electrical signal received from the first pad to the first reference voltage; and a second current guiding circuit, coupled to the second pad and a second reference voltage, for selectively guiding a second specific electrical signal received from the second pad to the second reference voltage; and the connecting component is external to the integrated circuit for coupling the first pad and the second pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Ching-Han Jan, Yu-Hsin Lin
  • Patent number: 7709861
    Abstract: Various systems and methods for implementing multi-mode semiconductor devices are discussed herein. For example, a multi-mode semiconductor device is disclosed that includes a device package with a number of package pins. In addition, the device includes a semiconductor die or substrate with at least two IO buffers. One of the IO buffers is located a distance from a package pin and another of the IO buffers is located another distance from the package pin. One of the IO buffers includes first bond pad electrically coupled to a circuit implementing a first interface type and a floating bond pad, and the other IO buffer includes a second bond pad electrically coupled to a circuit implementing a second interface type. In some cases, the floating bond pad is electrically coupled to the circuit implementing the second interface type via a conductive interconnect, and the floating bond pad is electrically coupled to the package pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Madhani, Paul F. Barnes, Donald E. Hawk, Jr., Kandaswamy Prabakaran
  • Patent number: 7704837
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Masuda, Hirokazu Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20100096670
    Abstract: Methods and devices yielding an improved semiconductor device with interface circuit are disclosed. Configuring a semiconductor with parallel device features reduces process variation (e.g., lithographically-induced process variation or other defects). Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor devices with I/O cell device features (e.g., I/O gates or core gates) laid out in parallel. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention can allow patterning devices to be made to more exacting tolerances because some patterning devices may have a higher capability along one axis than another. Embodiments of the present invention also include a semiconductor device having like-functioned I/O cells arranged such that their layouts and rotational orientations with respect to their corresponding core remain constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Eiichi Hosomi
  • Publication number: 20100090252
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device advantageous against EM and ESD. A plurality of I/O cells; a power wire formed of a plurality of interconnect layers over the above-described I/O cells; a bonding pad formed in an upper layer of the power wire and in a position corresponding to the I/O cell; and lead-out areas capable of electrically coupling the I/O cell to the bonding pad are provided. The above-described power wire includes a first power wire and a second power wire, and the above-described I/O cell includes first elements coupled to the first power wire and second elements coupled to the second power wire. The first element is placed on the first power wire side, and the second element is placed on the second power wire side. The first power wire and the second power wire can allow for a high current due to the interconnect layers over the I/O cells, thus having robustness against EM and ESD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Shunsuke TOYOSHIMA, Kazuo TANAKA, Masaru IWABUCHI
  • Patent number: 7683403
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Anshuman Tripathi
  • Patent number: 7671384
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device comprises a memory cell well formed with a flash memory device, first and second well of opposite conductivity types for formation of high voltage transistors, and third and fourth wells of opposite conductivity types for low voltage transistors, wherein at least one of the first and second wells and at least one of the third and fourth wells have an impurity distribution profile steeper than the memory cell well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Taiji Ema, Hideyuki Kojima, Toru Anezaki
  • Patent number: 7667330
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an input/output pad, an input line of an internal circuit, and a plurality of metal lines formed on a lower portion of the input/output pad to have a buffer area overlapping with a plane area of the input/output pad, wherein one of an entirety and a portion of the plurality of metal lines included in the buffer area forms protective resistance interconnecting the input/output pad to the input line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Si Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7663247
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kabuhsiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takahiko Hara
  • Patent number: 7663163
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first pad, a second pad and a third pad. The first pad and the third pad are electrically connected to each other. The first pad and the second pad are used for bonding. The second pad and the third pad are used for probing. According to this structure, Small size semiconductor device having high reliability even after a probing test can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tsukasa Ojiro
  • Publication number: 20100012979
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate for an electro-optical device including: a substrate; a plurality of data lines and a plurality of scanning lines which intersect with other on the substrate; a pixel electrode formed in each of a plurality of pixels which configure a display region on the substrate and are defined in correspondence with intersections between the plurality of data lines and the plurality of scanning lines; a transistor provided in each of non-opening regions which discriminate between opening regions of the plurality of pixels and including a semiconductor layer including a channel region having a channel length in one direction of the display region, a data line side source/drain region electrically connected to the data line, a pixel electrode side source/drain region electrically connected to the pixel electrode, a first junction region formed between the channel region and the data line side source/drain region, and a second junction region formed between the channel region and the pixel electrode
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuya ISHII
  • Patent number: 7642551
    Abstract: A wafer-level package includes a semiconductor wafer having at least one semiconductor chip circuit forming region each including a semiconductor chip circuit each provided with test chip terminals and non test chip terminals, at least one external connection terminal, at least one redistribution trace provided on the semiconductor wafer, at least one testing member, and an insulating material. A first end of the redistribution trace is connected to one of the test chip terminals and a second end of said redistribution trace is extended out to a position offset from the chip terminals. The testing member is provided in an outer region of the semiconductor chip circuit forming region, and the second end of the redistribution trace is connected to the testing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventor: Shigeyuki Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20090321721
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward field effect transistors (FETs) and thin film transistors (TFTs) comprising carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and to methods of making such devices using solution-based processing techniques, wherein the CNTs within such devices have been fractionated so as to be concentrated in semiconducting CNTs. Additionally, the relatively low-temperature solution-based processing achievable with the methods of the present invention permit the use of plastics in the fabricated devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Roland Lucien Malenfant, Ji-Ung Lee, Yun Li, Walter Vladimir Cicha
  • Publication number: 20090273007
    Abstract: In the present invention, a method of testing an unpackaged integrated circuit die is disclosed. The die has a plurality of first input/output pads. A serial electrical connection is fabricated in the die between all of the input/output pads of the die which are not of the first plurality (hereinafter: “second plurality”). The second plurality has a start input and an end output. The start input of the second plurality is connected to the output of one selected input buffer of the input pad of the first plurality and the end output of the second plurality is also connected to the input of one selected output pad of the first plurality. The second plurality of input/output pads are tested through selected input pad and selected output pad of the first plurality without electrical probes making contact during the wafer sort. The present invention also relates to an integrated circuit die so fabricated as to facilitate testing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Kangping Zhang, Fong-Long Lin
  • Patent number: 7592710
    Abstract: A bond pad structure of an integrated circuit is provided. The bond pad structure includes a conductive bond pad, a first dielectric layer underlying the bond pad, and an Mtop plate located in the first dielectric layer and underlying the bond pad. The Mtop plate is a solid conductive plate and is electrically coupled to the bond pad. The bond pad structure further includes a first passivation layer over the first dielectric layer wherein the first passivation layer has at least a portion under a middle portion of the bond pad. At least part of an active circuit is located under the bond pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin-Chiu Hsia, Chih-Hsiang Yao, Tai-Chun Huang, Chih-Tang Peng
  • Patent number: 7582921
    Abstract: In a masking pattern (a) for patterning word and data lines, length is changed between adjacent word lines so as to be shifted from each other at their tips, and furthermore, the tip of each word line is cut obliquely. It is thus possible to prevent the resist pattern from separation and contact of adjacent patterns. Consequently, it is also possible to prevent break failures of patterned lines and short failures between those patterned lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Sekiguchi, Toshihiko Tanaka, Toshiaki Yamanaka, Takeshi Sakata, Katsutaka Kimura
  • Patent number: 7576440
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip comprises a semiconductor substrate having integrated circuits formed on a cell region and a peripheral circuit region adjacent to each other. A bond pad-wiring pattern is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A pad-rearrangement pattern is electrically connected to the bond pad-wiring pattern. The pad-rearrangement pattern includes a bond pad disposed over at least a part of the cell region. The bond pad-wiring pattern is formed substantially in a center region of the semiconductor substrate. Thus, with the embodiments of the present invention, the overall chip size can thereby be substantially reduced and an MCP can be fabricated without the problems mentioned above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Hee Song, Il-Heung Choi, Jeong-Jin Kim, Hae-Jeong Sohn, Chung-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7573135
    Abstract: The present invention includes the steps of forming a first resin film uncured on a wiring substrate including a wiring pattern, burying an electronic parts having a connection terminal on an element formation surface in the first resin film uncured in a state where the connection terminal is directed upward, forming a second resin film for covering the electronic parts, obtaining an insulation film by curing the first and second resin films by heat treatment, forming a via hole in a predetermined portion of the insulation film on the wiring pattern and the connection terminal, and forming an upper wiring pattern connected to the wiring pattern and the connection terminal through the via hole, on the insulation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sunohara, Kei Murayama, Mitsutoshi Higashi, Toshinori Koyama
  • Patent number: 7573066
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate inspection method includes: generating a charged particle beam, and irradiating the charged particle beam to a semiconductor substrate in which contact wiring lines are formed on a surface thereof, the contact wiring lines of the semiconductor substrate being designed to alternately repeat in a plane view so that one of the adjacent contact wiring lines is grounded to the semiconductor substrate and the other of the adjacent contact wiring lines is insulated from the semiconductor substrate; detecting at least one of a secondary charged particle, a reflected charged particle and a back scattering charged particle generated from the surface of the semiconductor substrate to acquire a signal; generating an inspection image with the signal, the inspection image showing a state of the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and judging whether the semiconductor substrate is good or bad from a difference of brightness in the inspection image obtained from the surfaces of the adjacent cont
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hayashi, Takamitsu Nagai, Tomonobu Noda, Kenichi Kadota, Hisaki Kozaki
  • Publication number: 20090189194
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing thereof, and methods of arranging circuit components of an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an array of a plurality of devices arranged in a plurality of rows. At least one electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit or a portion thereof is disposed in at least one of the plurality of rows of the array of the plurality of devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Uwe Paul Schroeder, David Alvarez
  • Publication number: 20090189195
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing thereof, and methods of arranging circuit components of an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an array of a plurality of devices arranged in a plurality of rows. At least one radio frequency (RF) circuit or a portion thereof is disposed in at least one of the plurality of rows of the array of the plurality of devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Uwe Paul Schroeder, Chu-Hsin Liang
  • Publication number: 20090166620
    Abstract: In a semiconductor chip in which external connection pads are arranged in three or more rows in a staggered configuration at the peripheral portion thereof, a first pad which is arranged in the outermost row is used as a power supply pad or a ground pad for an internal core circuit. To the first pad, a second pad which is arranged in the second outermost row is connected with a metal in the same layer as a pad metal. The resistance of a power supply line to the internal core circuit has a value of the parallel resistance of a resistance from the first pad and a resistance from the second pad, which is by far lower than the resistance from the first pad. Therefore, it is possible to prevent circuit misoperation resulting from an IR drop in the power supply of the internal core circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventor: Masato MAEDE
  • Publication number: 20090166679
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) having a selectively-designated electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance characteristic. The IC includes an IC die having an input or output (I/O) node. A first I/O cell of a first type associated with the I/O node provides a first EMC performance characteristic, and a second I/O cell of a second type associated with the I/O node provides a second EMC performance characteristic different from the first EMC performance characteristic. A first bonding pad is electrically coupled with the first I/O cell, and a second bonding pad is electrically coupled with the second I/O cell. The IC die can be packaged into a packaged IC having an I/O pin corresponding to the I/O node. The I/O pin is wired to one of either the first bonding pad or the second bonding pad, but not to the other, such that a pinout for the I/O node is preferentially provided having one of either the first EMC performance characteristic or the second EMC performance characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Paul Paternoster, Vaibhavi Sabharanjak, Po-Shen Lai
  • Patent number: 7554133
    Abstract: An integrated circuit with a monolithic semiconducting substrate formed in a chip, where the chip has a peripheral edge, a backside, and an opposing top on which circuitry is formed. A first ring of bonding pads is formed along at least a portion of the peripheral edge. At least one of the bonding pads is configured as a power pad, and at least one of the bonding pads is configured as a ground pad. An intermediate power bus is disposed interior to the first ring of bonding pads on the chip, and forms no direct electrical connections to any core devices. An intermediate ground bus is also disposed interior to the first ring of bonding pads on the chip, and forms no direct electrical connections to any core devices. A power pad wire forms an exclusive electrical connection between the power pad and the intermediate power bus. A ground pad wire forms an exclusive electrical connection between the ground pad and the intermediate ground bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Anwar Ali, Nenad Miladinovic, Kalyan Doddapaneni
  • Patent number: 7550790
    Abstract: A D/A conversion circuit with a small area is provided. In the D/A conversion circuit, according to a digital signal transmitted from address lines of an address decoder, one of four gradation voltage lines is selected. A circuit including two N-channel TFTs is connected in series to a circuit including two P-channel TFT, and a circuit including the circuits connected in series to each other is connected in parallel to each of the gradation voltage lines. Further, an arrangement of the circuit including the two N-channel TFTs and the circuit including the two P-channel TFTs is reversed for every gradation voltage line. By this, the crossings of wiring lines in the D/A conversion circuit becomes small and the area can be made small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Koyama, Mitsuaki Osame, Yukio Tanaka, Munehiro Azami, Naoko Yano, Shou Nagao
  • Publication number: 20090152591
    Abstract: A design structure for a circuit that selectively connects an integrated circuit to elements external to the integrated circuits. The circuit includes and input/output element that selectively connects an input/output pin as a function of a power requirement or a signal bandwidth requirement of the integrated circuit. The input/output element includes one or more switching devices that connect the input/output pin to an external element, such as a power supply or external signal path. The input/output element also includes one or more switching devices that connect the input/output pin to an internal element, such as a power network or internal signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Corey K. Barrows, Kenneth J. Goodnow, Stephen G. Shuma, Peter A. Twombly, Paul S. Zuchowski
  • Publication number: 20090152592
    Abstract: A design structure including: an I/O cell and an ESD protection circuit in a region of an integrated circuit chip containing logic circuits; an electrically conductive through via extending from a bottom surface of the substrate toward a top surface of the substrate between the I/O cell and an ESD protection circuit and at least one of the logic circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Phillip Francis Chapman, David S. Collins, Steven H. Voldman
  • Publication number: 20090146189
    Abstract: A three dimensional semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate including a plurality of circuits; a plurality of pads, each pad coupled to a said circuit; and a memory array positioned above or below the substrate coupled to a said circuit to program the memory array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventor: Raminda Udaya Madurawe
  • Patent number: 7531852
    Abstract: In an electronic unit with a substrate, a control circuit is mounted on the substrate and is configured to execute an operation related to a load. A package encapsulates the control circuit and the substrate. The package has sides around a periphery of the substrate. At least one input terminal for input of a signal externally sent to the electronic unit is disposed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces. At least one output terminal for output of a control signal for controlling the load is disposed on at least another one of the plurality of surfaces. At least one check terminal for input/output of a signal for checking at least the control circuit is disposed on at least another one of the plurality of surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobumasa Ueda, Hirokazu Kasuya, Koji Numazaki, Yutaka Fukuda, Mitsuhiro Saitou
  • Patent number: 7525132
    Abstract: The facility of operation in a manufacturing process and the reliability of the finished product can be improved by making a design based on two basic wiring pattern layers in which wiring traces are formed with regularity, and a basic via array layer inserted between the two basic wiring pattern layers, in which vias are formed with regularity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinji Kitabayashi, Yukihiro Urakawa
  • 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: 7521735
    Abstract: A semiconductor on insulator substrate and a method of fabricating the substrate. The substrate including: a first crystalline semiconductor layer and a second crystalline semiconductor layer; and an insulating layer bonding a bottom surface of the first crystalline semiconductor layer to a top surface of the second crystalline semiconductor layer, a first crystal direction of the first crystalline semiconductor layer aligned relative to a second crystal direction of the second crystalline semiconductor layer, the first crystal direction different from the second crystal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, David V. Horak, Charles W. Koburger, III, Leathen Shi
  • 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
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20090078967
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a semiconductor chip, and a semiconductor device having a plurality of semiconductor chips, that enables ESD protection from another semiconductor chip without increasing the chip area in case the semiconductor chip is Multi-Chip-Packaged, without wasting chip area in case the semiconductor chip is not Multi-Chip-Packaged. The exemplary semiconductor chip of the present invention includes an internal circuit and a first electrode pad electrically connected to a ground bus line of the first semiconductor chip in a region where an electrode pad, which gives and receives electric signals required for an operation of the internal circuit, cannot be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Kato
  • Patent number: 7508238
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a main region on which a main circuit is formed and a spare cell region for logic modification of the circuit formed on the main region. The spare cell region includes a P-channel transistor region, an N-channel transistor region, a plurality of gate electrodes provided above the P-channel transistor region and the N-channel transistor region, a main wire layer that is a different layer from the gate electrodes, and a plurality of bypass wires that are formed at a different layer from the main wire layer. Each of the plurality of bypass wires has a structure that can be connected to the main wire layer at more than one point through contact holes formed in a dielectric layer intervening between the main wire layer and the bypass wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Minoru Yamagami
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20090050940
    Abstract: The present invention has for its purpose to provide a technique capable of reducing planar dimension of the semiconductor device. An input/output circuit is formed over the semiconductor substrate, a grounding wiring and a power supply wiring pass over the input/output circuit, and a conductive layer for a bonding pad is formed thereover. The input/output circuit is formed of MISFET elements in the nMISFET forming region and the pMISFET forming region, resistance elements in the resistance element forming regions and diode elements in the diode element forming regions functioning as protective elements. A wiring connected to the protective elements and positioned under the grounding wiring and the power supply wiring is pulled out in a pulling-out region between the nMISFET forming region and the pMISFET forming region and between the grounding wiring and the power supply wiring to be connected to the conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Takahiro Hayashi, Shunsuke Toyoshima, Kazuo Sakamoto, Naozumi Morino, Kazuo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7495269
    Abstract: A semiconductor device contains a semiconductor chip, and includes first and second circuits, a control signal line and a terminal. The first circuit is arranged in a center of the semiconductor chip and is configured to operate at a first voltage. The second circuit is arranged in an input/output circuit area around the first circuit on the semiconductor chip, and is configured to operate at the first voltage and a second voltage and to transfer a signal between an external unit outside the semiconductor chip and the first circuit. The control signal line is provided for the input/output circuit area on the semiconductor chip. The terminal is connected with the control signal line and supplied with a control signal. The second circuit stops a transfer of the signal between the external unit and the first circuit in response to the control signal which is transferred on the control signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Katoh
  • Patent number: 7492013
    Abstract: Systems and arrangements to interconnect cells and structures within cells of an integrated circuit to enhance cell density. Embodiments comprise an adjusted polysilicon gate pitch to metal wire pitch relationship to improve area scalars while increasing ACLV tolerance with a fixed polysilicon gate pitch. In some embodiments, the wire pitch for at least one metallization layer is adjusted to match the pitch for the polysilicon gate. In one embodiment, the next to the lowest metallization layer running in the same orientation as the polysilicon gate, utilized to access the input or output of the interconnected cell structures is relaxed to match the minimum contacted gate pitch and the metal is aligned above each polysilicon gate. In another embodiment, the polysilicon gate pitch may be relaxed to attain a smaller lowest common multiple with the wire pitch for an integrated circuit to reduce the minimum step off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony Correale, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7491986
    Abstract: A different electric power supply electric power source cell is proposed which includes paths by which electric power source voltages, the electric potentials of which are different from each other, are respectively taken in from the area pad and the probing pad and by which the voltages are supplied to the blocks requiring these electric power source voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Kumagae, Yasuyuki Okada, Masumi Nobata
  • Patent number: 7488994
    Abstract: A coiled circuit device is produced by forming a circuit layer on a substrate. Optional insulator layers may be disposed above and below the circuit layer. The circuit layer, which may be memory, control, or other circuitry, is released from the substrate such that it coils into a dense, coiled device. A stressed coiling layer may be included which effects coiling when the circuit layer is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Harvey C. Nathanson, Robert S. Howell, Garrett A. Storaska
  • Patent number: 7488995
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device in which a plurality of I/O cells having level shift circuits are placed in an I/O region, two input/output cells respectively have four level shift circuits 11, 12a to 12c. A power supply cell, originally including only wiring for supply of a power supply voltage or a ground voltage, is additionally provided with three level shift circuits, which should originally be placed in the two input/output cells. The level shift circuits in the power supply cell are circuits asked for no high-speed operation and shared by the two input/output cells. This reduces the size of the two input/output cells and reduces the pitch of the I/O cells, permitting a larger number of required pins in a smaller area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Usami, Daisuke Matsuoka
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7459779
    Abstract: Output pads on an integrated circuit (IC) chip are arranged along a first longer side and are arranged along a second longer side with input pads. The output pads are connected to respective output patterns formed on top and bottom surfaces of a base film. All the output patterns may pass over the first longer side. Alternatively, the output patterns connected to the output pads at the second longer side may pass over a shorter side. These pattern structures establish an effective pad arrangement without increasing the size of a TAB package, yet allowing reduced the chip size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ye-Chung Chung, Si-Hoon Lee
  • Publication number: 20080290375
    Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated circuit suitable for various packaging modes. This integrated circuit includes: a core circuit, a plurality of pads, and a selection circuit. The selection circuit is coupled between the core circuit and the pads for determining the connection state between the core circuit and the pads based on a control signal. When the control signal provides a first value, the core circuit and the pads will be in a first connection state, and the integrated circuit will be applied with a single-die package. However, when the control signal provides a second value, the core circuit and the pads will be in the second connection state, and the integrated circuit will be applied with a multi-die package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Hsien Chun Chang, Chia Lung Hung, Tsung Chi Lin, Tzuo Bo Lin
  • Patent number: 7453105
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including an assembly of functional blocks and an interconnection network formed of at least N levels of conductive tracks separated by conductive via levels, the interconnection network including a power supply network comprising a first assembly of substantially parallel rails placed at the N-th track level, and a second assembly of substantially parallel rails placed at the (N?1)-th track level under the first rail assembly, the rails of the first assembly being non-parallel to those of the second assembly, the power supply network further including, for each functional block, a third assembly of power supply rails placed at the (N?2)-th track level above the elements of the considered block, and in which the rails of the second assembly form an acute angle smaller than 80° with the rails of each third rail assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Schoellkopf