Insulated Gate Capacitor Or Insulated Gate Transistor Combined With Capacitor (e.g., Dynamic Memory Cell) Patents (Class 257/296)
  • Patent number: 9786766
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode formed on a sidewall of a structure extending from a semiconductor substrate. A junction region is form in the structure to a first depth from a top of the structure and formed to overlap the gate electrode. A protection layer is formed between an outer wall of the structure and the gate electrode to a second depth less than the first depth from the top of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jang Uk Lee
  • Patent number: 9786600
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a cell area and a peripheral area includes a semiconductor substrate, a cell insulating isolation region delimiting a cell active region of the semiconductor substrate in the cell area, a word line disposed within the semiconductor substrate in the cell area, a bit line contact plug disposed on the cell active region, a bit line disposed on the bit line contact plug, a peripheral insulating isolation region delimiting a peripheral active region of the semiconductor substrate in the peripheral area, and a peripheral transistor including a peripheral transistor lower electrode and a peripheral transistor upper electrode. The bit line contact plug is formed at the same level in the semiconductor device as the peripheral transistor lower electrode, and the bit line electrode is formed at the same level in the semiconductor device as the peripheral transistor upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Il Cho, Nam-Gun Kim, Jin-Young Kim, Hyun-Chul Yoon, Bong-Soo Kim, Kwan-Sik Cho
  • Patent number: 9768115
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are provided including a plurality of nonlinear bit lines formed on a substrate including a plurality of active areas; a plurality of word lines that pass through the plurality of active areas; an integral spacer that covers two sidewalls of the plurality of nonlinear bit lines and defines a plurality of spaces that expose two adjacent ones of the plurality of active areas; two conductive patterns that respectively abut on the two adjacent active areas in one of the plurality of spaces that is selected; and a contact separating insulation layer that is formed between the two conductive patterns in the one selected space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunjung Choi, Kivin Im, Dongbok Lee, Inseak Hwang
  • Patent number: 9768174
    Abstract: A semiconductor device for efficiently compressing a large volume of image data is provided. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array, an analog processing circuit, a writing circuit, and a row driver, whereby highly efficient compressing of image data can be performed. A first current corresponding to first data and a second current corresponding to one of a plurality of second data that is a target for comparison with the first data are generated in the writing circuit. A differential current between the first current and the second current is supplied to the analog processing circuit, so that the first data and the plurality of second data are compared. Accordingly, a piece of the second data that has the same content as the first data is detected, and a displacement from the first data to the second data can be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9768265
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor layer, a first electrode, first and second oxide layers, and a storage layer. The first oxide layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and the first electrode. The second oxide layer is provided between the first oxide layer and the first electrode. The storage layer is provided between the first and second oxide layers. The storage layer includes a first region including silicon nitride, a second region provided between the first region and the second oxide layer and including silicon nitride, and a third region provided between the first and second regions. The third region includes a plurality of first metal atoms. A first density of bond of the first metal atoms in the third region is lower than a second density of bond of the first metal atom and a nitrogen atom in the third region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Matsushita, Yasushi Nakasaki, Tsunehiro Ino
  • Patent number: 9761480
    Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed includes forming an isolation structure so as to define first and second active regions on the SOI substrate, forming a field effect transistor above the first active region and forming an opening in the second active region that exposes an upper surface of the bulk semiconductor layer in the second active region. In this example, the method further includes performing a common epitaxial growth process so as to form an epi semiconductor material region above each of the source/drain regions of the transistor and to form a unitary epi semiconductor structure above the second active region, wherein the unitary epi semiconductor structure is formed on and in contact with the exposed upper surface of the bulk semiconductor layer within the opening and on and in contact with an upper surface of the active layer in the second active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Xusheng Wu, Hui Zang
  • Patent number: 9755033
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a vertical structure is provided. The method includes the following operations: providing a substrate; providing the vertical structure having a source, a channel, and a drain over the substrate; shrinking the source and the channel by oxidation; forming a metal layer over the drain of the vertical structure; and annealing the metal layer to form a silicide over the drain of the vertical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Hao Wang, Wai-Yi Lien, Shi-Ning Ju, Kai-Chieh Yang, Wen-Ting Lan
  • Patent number: 9754954
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of electrodes, at least one semiconductor layer, conductive layers, and first and second insulating films. The electrodes are arranged side by side in a first direction. The semiconductor layer extends into the electrodes in the first direction. The conductive layers are provided between each electrode and the semiconductor layer and separated from each other in the first direction. The first insulating film contacts the conductive layers, and extends in the first direction along the semiconductor layer between the conductive layers and the semiconductor layer. The second insulating film is provided between the first insulating film and the semiconductor layer. The first insulating film includes a first portion located between the conductive layers and the second insulating film, and a second portion located between the interlayer insulating film and the second insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Higuchi, Katsuyuki Sekine, Fumiki Aiso, Takuo Ohashi, Tatsuya Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9755012
    Abstract: In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kawashima, Koichi Toba, Yasushi Ishii, Toshikazu Matsui, Takashi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9748470
    Abstract: A storage element includes a layer structure including a storage layer having a direction of magnetization which changes according to information, a magnetization fixed layer having a fixed direction of magnetization, and an intermediate layer disposed therebetween, which intermediate layer contains a nonmagnetic material. The magnetization fixed layer has at least two ferromagnetic layers having a direction of magnetization tilted from a direction perpendicular to a film surface, which are laminated and magnetically coupled interposing a coupling layer therebetween. This configuration may effectively prevent divergence of magnetization reversal time due to directions of magnetization of the storage layer and the magnetization fixed layer being substantially parallel or antiparallel, reduce write errors, and enable writing operation in a short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Higo, Masanori Hosomi, Hiroyuki Ohmori, Kazuhiro Bessho, Tetsuya Asayama, Kazutaka Yamane, Hiroyuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 9748109
    Abstract: An IC device manufacturing process effectuates a planar recessing of material that initially varies in height across a substrate. The method includes forming a polymer coating, CMP to form a planar surface, then plasma etching to effectuate a planar recessing of the polymer coating. The material can be recessed together with the polymer coating, or subsequently with the recessed polymer coating providing a mask. Any of the material above a certain height is removed. Structures that are substantially below that certain height can be protected from contamination and left intact. The polymer can be a photoresist. The polymer can be provided with suitable adhesion and uniformity for the CMP process through a two-step baking process and by exhausting the baking chamber from below the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Kuei Liu, Teng-Chun Tsai, Kuo-Yin Lin, Shen-Nan Lee, Yu-Wei Chou, Kuo-Cheng Lien, Chang-Sheng Lin, Chih-Chang Hung, Yung-Cheng Lu
  • Patent number: 9741723
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided, which prevents a case where the widths of word lines become uneven because of a stress developing at the border between a memory cell area and a peripheral circuit area. The semiconductor device 1 has a semiconductor substrate 2 on which a memory cell area MC defined by a peripheral isolation region 3c. The memory cell area MC has multiple cell active regions k defined by multiple cell isolation regions 3a, 3b. Guard active regions GLa, GLb made of the semiconductor substrate are disposed in the border between the memory cell area MC and the peripheral isolation region 3c to separate the memory cell isolation regions 3a, 3b from the peripheral isolation region 3c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Tomoyama
  • Patent number: 9735177
    Abstract: The present invention provides an array substrate, a method for manufacturing the same and a display device, and relates to technical field of displays. The method for manufacturing an array substrate comprises forming a metal layer on a substrate and removing superficial metallic oxide on the metal layer by a washing process. The method for manufacturing an array substrate according to the present inversion can remove the superficial metal oxide on the metal layer and improve the performance of a TFT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dengtao Li, Jaemoon Chung, Jaeyun Jung, Daeyoung Choi, Shikai Wang, Dongseob Kim, Jun Geng, Shiwei Lv
  • Patent number: 9735173
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a buried dielectric layer and a semiconductor layer provided on the buried dielectric layer. A gate structure is formed on the semiconductor layer and has portions of the semiconductor layer extending beyond the gate structure. Source and drain regions are wrapped around ends of the semiconductor layer such that a first portion of the source and drain regions is formed on a first side of the semiconductor layer adjacent to the gate structure, and a second portion of the source and drain regions is formed on a second side of the semiconductor layer opposite the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni
  • Patent number: 9725798
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a display device and a method of manufacturing a display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a guider configured to guide a substrate on which a display portion is formed, a plasma sprayer configured to be spaced apart from the display portion and configured to spray plasma onto the substrate and a mask configured to be arranged over the substrate and cover the display portion. The mask includes a body portion configured to face the display portion and a protrusion portion formed at an end of the body portion and configured to extend towards the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suhwan Lee, Eunho Kim
  • Patent number: 9728258
    Abstract: A ternary content addressable memory includes at least one first memory cell, at least one second memory cell and at least one switch set. The first memory cell receives a first search signal, determines whether to send first stored data to a common end or not according to the first search signal. The second memory cell receives a second search signal, determines whether to send second stored data to the common end or not according to the second search signal. The switch set adjusts a resistance of a path between the match line and the reference ground according to a voltage on the common end and a third search signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Meng-Fan Chang, Wei-Chang Zhao
  • Patent number: 9728533
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device. In this method, a semiconductor workpiece, which includes a metal gate electrode thereon, is provided. An opening is formed in the semiconductor workpiece to expose a surface of the metal gate. Formation of the opening leaves a polymeric residue on the workpiece. To remove the polymeric residue from the workpiece, a cleaning solution that includes an organic alkali component is used. Other embodiments related to a semiconductor device resulting from the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Li Chou, Shao-Yen Ku, Pei-Hung Chen, Jui-Ping Chuang
  • Patent number: 9728559
    Abstract: A wiring having excellent electrical characteristics is provided. A wiring having stable electrical characteristics is provided. A device is manufactured through the steps of forming a first insulating film over a substrate, forming a second insulating film over the first insulating film, removing part of the first insulating film and part of the second insulating film to form a first opening, forming a first conductor in the first opening and over a top surface of the second insulating film, and forming a second conductor by planarizing a surface of the first conductor so as to remove part of the first conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Miyairi, Tomoaki Moriwaka
  • Patent number: 9721966
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a third electrode layer, a fourth electrode layer, a first gate electrode layer, a second gate electrode layer, a gate insulating film, a first interlayer insulating film, a second interlayer insulating film. The first electrode layer is separated from the substrate in a first direction. The second electrode layer is separated from the first electrode layer in a second direction. The third electrode layer is provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The third electrode layer includes a first edge face. A second edge face of the first gate electrode layer at the second gate electrode layer side is along the first edge face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Shizuka Kutsukake
  • Patent number: 9721954
    Abstract: To reinforce power supply wirings without sacrificing the interconnectivity of semiconductor devices. When three wirings are formed in parallel in the same wiring layer and the center wiring among them is shorter than the outer wirings, a projecting portion integrated into the outer wiring is formed utilizing a free space remaining on the extension of the center wiring. For example, when the outer wirings are used as power supply wirings, the power supply wirings can be reinforced by adding the projecting portion. At this time, because the projecting portion is arranged in the free space, the interconnectivity is not sacrificed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyotada Funane
  • Patent number: 9716037
    Abstract: Gate aligned contacts and methods of forming gate aligned contacts are described. For example, a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of gate structures above an active region formed above a substrate. The gate structures each include a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, and sidewall spacers. A plurality of contact plugs is formed, each contact plug formed directly between the sidewall spacers of two adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures. A plurality of contacts is formed, each contact formed directly between the sidewall spacers of two adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures. The plurality of contacts and the plurality of gate structures are formed subsequent to forming the plurality of contact plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Oleg Golonzka, Swaminathan Sivakumar, Charles H. Wallace, Tahir Ghani
  • Patent number: 9711522
    Abstract: In a three dimensional nonvolatile memory, memory holes extend vertically through two or more physical levels in which memory cells are formed. Memory hole structures are formed in memory holes to include vertical channels. Vertical trenches are subsequently formed to divide memory hole structures into two or more vertical NAND strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Chan Park, Jong Sun Sel, Tuan Pham
  • Patent number: 9704899
    Abstract: An imaging device with excellent imaging performance is provided. In the imaging device, a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer have a region overlapping with one another, the first layer and the second layer each include transistors, and the third layer includes a photoelectric conversion element. Off-state currents of the transistors formed in the first layer are lower than those of the transistors formed in the second layer, and field-effect mobilities of the transistors formed in the second layer are higher than those of the transistors formed in the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9697881
    Abstract: Methods of operating a ferroelectric memory cell. The method comprises applying one of a positive bias voltage and a negative bias voltage to a ferroelectric memory cell comprising a capacitor including a top electrode, a bottom electrode, a ferroelectric material between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, and an interfacial material between the ferroelectric material and one of the top electrode and the bottom electrode. The method further comprises applying another of the positive bias voltage and the negative bias voltage to the ferroelectric memory cell to switch a polarization of the ferroelectric memory cell, wherein an absolute value of the negative bias voltage is different from an absolute value of the positive bias voltage. Ferroelectric memory cells are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Nicholes, Ashonita A. Chavan, Matthew N. Rocklein
  • Patent number: 9691445
    Abstract: A gain cell includes a write bit line input, a read bit line output, a write trigger input and a read trigger input. The gain cell also includes a write transistor, retention element and read transistor. Each of the transistors includes a respective first diffusion connection, gate connection and second diffusion connection. The write transistor first diffusion connection is connected to the write bit line input and the write transistor gate connection is connected to the write trigger input. The read transistor first diffusion connection being connected to the read bit line output and the second diffusion connection is connected to the read trigger input. The retention element buffers between write transistor and the read transistor during data retention. The retention element also connects or disconnects a write transistor diffusion connection to/from a constant voltage in accordance with a retained data level at the read transistor gate connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Bar-Ilan University
    Inventors: Robert Giterman, Adam Teman, Pascal Meinerzhagen, Andreas Burg, Alexander Fish
  • Patent number: 9684532
    Abstract: A host machine may host a virtual machine. Virtual machine reboot information, used to reboot the virtual machine in the event of a failure or restart of the virtual machine, may be identified (e.g., file system metadata buffers, a virtual non-volatile random access memory log, user data buffers, and/or data used to reboot the virtual machine such as to perform a reboot mounting operation and/or a reboot replay operation of a volume of data associated with the virtual machine). The virtual machine reboot information may be cached within relatively fast host memory of the host machine (e.g., instead of merely within a relatively slower hard drive or other storage device). In this way, the cached virtual machine reboot information may be quickly retrieved so that the virtual machine may be rebooted in a relatively shorter amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
    Inventors: Ameya Prakash Usgaonkar, Mangesh Chitnis, Shehbaz Jaffer
  • Patent number: 9685459
    Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible substrate, a flexible display panel and a flexible display device. The flexible substrate includes an on-off element and an insulating layer, wherein a part of the insulating layer serves as a part of the on-off element, and the part of the insulating layer serving as a part of the on-off element is separated from rest part of the insulating layer. In the flexible substrate, the part of the insulating layer serving as a part of the on-off element is separated from the rest part of the insulating layer, such that cracks generated in the reset part of the insulating layer are unlikely to extend to the region where the on-off element is located, thus the poor contact or abnormal on-off phenomenon of the on-off element can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yunfei Li, Ling Shi
  • Patent number: 9685447
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure. The semiconductor device includes a first wiring; a second wiring; a third wiring; a fourth wiring; a first transistor having a first gate electrode, a first source electrode, and a first drain electrode; and a second transistor having a second gate electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode. The first transistor is provided in a substrate including a semiconductor material. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kiyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 9685908
    Abstract: The present invention related to a varactor used in an integrated circuit of a differential structure. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a variable capacitor connected between first and second signal lines which are differential signal lines included in an integrated circuit of a differential structure, including: a plurality of N-type semiconductors separately arranged; one or more P-type semiconductors disposed between the N-type semiconductors to make first and second PN junctions with N-type semiconductors contacting upper and lower portions thereof and to receive a control voltage, wherein, among the N-type semiconductors, first N-type semiconductors corresponding to (2n?1)-th (n being a positive integer) are connected with the first signal line, and second N-type semiconductors corresponding to 2n-th are connected with the second signal line, and parasitic capacitances of the first and second PN junctions are varied by adjusting the control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM TECHNO-PARK
    Inventors: Mi Lim Lee, Ga Yeon Ko, Chang Kun Park
  • Patent number: 9681509
    Abstract: A light-emitting device package includes a substrate; a light-emitting device provided on the substrate and configured to be driven by an AC power supply; and a capacitor connected in series with the light-emitting device, where a capacitance of the capacitor varies so that a current flowing through the light-emitting device and flowing through the capacitor is maintained at a constant value according to a variation in temperatures of the light-emitting device and the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: In-soo Park
  • Patent number: 9675325
    Abstract: An imaging system comprises a catheter having a lumen, a rotatable imaging probe within the catheter lumen including a distal transducer and first and second conductors coupled to the transducer, and a coupler that couples the rotatable first and second conductors to non-rotatable third and fourth conductors, respectively. The coupler includes a rotary capacitive coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Moore, Robert Zelenka
  • Patent number: 9679945
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer separated from the first conductive layer in a first direction, a resistance change layer provided between the first and second conductive layers, a third conductive layer, a fourth conductive layer and a first intermediate layer. The third conductive layer is arranged with the first conductive layer in a second direction crossing the first direction. The fourth conductive layer is arranged with the second conductive layer in a direction crossing the first direction. The fourth conductive layer is arranged with the third conductive layer in the first direction. The fourth conductive layer is electrically connected with the third conductive layer. The first intermediate layer is provided between a portion of the third conductive layer and a portion of the fourth conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yusuke Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9679634
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells disposed in a matrix; and a peripheral circuit adjacent to the memory cell array. Each of the memory cells includes: a capacitive element including a lower electrode having a cylinder shape extending in a direction perpendicular to a principal surface of a substrate; and a switch transistor provided between the capacitive element and a bit line, turning on/off of the switch transistor being controlled based on a potential of a word line. The peripheral circuit includes a signal line that is adjacent to the lower electrode in a horizontal direction parallel to the principal surface and is supplied with a fixed potential, or a pair of signal lines respectively supplied with complementary potentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9673274
    Abstract: A NAND memory is provided that includes a memory cell region and a peripheral region. The peripheral region includes a shallow trench isolation trench disposed in a substrate. The shallow trench isolation trench has a first tab extension and a second tab extension. The first tab extension is disposed at a top portion of the shallow trench isolation trench, and extends in a first direction from the shallow trench isolation trench. The second tab extension is disposed at a top portion of the shallow trench isolation trench, and extends in a second direction from the shallow trench isolation trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Yusuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9673338
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory unit and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The non-volatile memory unit includes a substrate with a source region and a drain region. A first dielectric layer forms on the substrate. An erase gate, a floating gate and couple control gate are forms on the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer and coupled dielectric layer are formed among and above the erase gate, the floating gate and the selective gate, and formed on the couple control gate of the coupled dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: XINNOVA TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Der-Tsyr Fan, Chih-Ming Chen, Jung-Chang Lu
  • Patent number: 9673257
    Abstract: A method is provided that includes forming a transistor by forming a first a rail gate disposed in a first direction above a substrate, forming a second rail gate disposed in a second direction above the substrate, the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and forming a bridge section disposed between the first rail gate and the second rail gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Seje Takaki, Manabu Hayashi, Akira Nakada, Ryousuke Itou, Takuro Maede, Kengo Kajiwara, Tetsuya Yamada
  • Patent number: 9673269
    Abstract: An integrated capacitor comprises a layer of dielectric material known as functional dielectric material based on crystallized material of perovskite type, between at least one first electrode known as a bottom electrode at the surface of a substrate and at least one second electrode known as a top electrode, said electrodes being electrically insulated by a layer of electrically insulating material in order to allow at least one contact on the top electrode. The electrically insulating material is made of an amorphous dielectric material of perovskite type having a dielectric constant lower than that of the crystallized material of perovskite type. The contact is formed from an etched contacting layer in contact with the electrically insulating dielectric layer level with its surface parallel to the plane of the layers. A process for manufacturing such an integrated capacitor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Emmanuel Defay, Gwenaël Le Rhun, Aurélien Suhm
  • Patent number: 9666660
    Abstract: A metal insulator metal (MIM) capacitor includes a base layer and a copper bulk layer in the base layer. The MIM capacitor further includes an etch stop layer over the base layer and the copper bulk layer and an oxide-based dielectric layer over the etch stop layer. The MIM capacitor further includes a capacitor bottom layer over the oxide-based dielectric layer, an insulator layer over the capacitor bottom layer, and a capacitor top layer over the insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Fang-Ting Kuo, Ren-Wei Xiao, Sheng Yu Lin, Chia-Wei Liu, Chun Hua Chang, Chien-Ying Wu
  • Patent number: 9666262
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a power decoupling capacitor (PDC) for preventing effective capacitance reduction during a high frequency operation. The semiconductor memory device includes the PDC to which a cell capacitor type decoupling capacitor is connected in series. The PDC includes a metal conductive layer electrically connected in parallel to a conductive layer formed on the same level as a bit line of a cell array region, wherein a plurality of decoupling capacitors in a first group and a plurality of decoupling capacitors in a second group are respectively connected to each other in parallel in a peripheral circuit region, and a storage electrode of the first group and a storage electrode of the second group are electrically connected to each other in series through the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Doo-young Kim, Sung-hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9659934
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for quantum point contacts. In an arrangement, a quantum point contact device includes at least one well region in a portion of a semiconductor substrate and doped to a first conductivity type; a gate structure disposed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate; the gate structure further comprising a quantum point contact formed in a constricted area, the constricted area having a width and a length arranged so that a maximum dimension is less than a predetermined distance equal to about 35 nanometers; a drain/source region in the well region doped to a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type; a source/drain region in the well region doped to the second conductivity type; a first and second lightly doped drain region in the at least one well region. Additional methods and apparatus are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Henry Litzmann Edwards, Greg Charles Baldwin
  • Patent number: 9660026
    Abstract: There is provided an electronic device and a method for its manufacture. The device comprises an elongate silicon nanowire less than 0.5 ?m in cross-sectional dimensions and having a hexagonal cross-sectional shape due to annealing-induced energy relaxation. The method, in examples, includes thinning the nanowire through iterative oxidation and etching of the oxidized portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Murat Okandan, Bruce L. Draper, Paul J. Resnick
  • Patent number: 9659948
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate with a memory region and a logic region, a logic gate stack, and a non-volatile gate stack. The substrate has a recess disposed in the memory region. The logic gate stack is disposed in the logic region and has a first top surface. The non-volatile gate stack is disposed in the recess and has a second top surface. The second top surface is lower than the first top surface by a step height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chia-Ching Hsu, Ko-Chi Chen, Shen-De Wang
  • Patent number: 9660806
    Abstract: Techniques for use of carbon nanotubes as an anti-tampering feature and for use of randomly metallic or semiconducting carbon nanotubes in the generation of a physically unclonable cryptographic key generation are provided. In one aspect, a cryptographic key having an anti-tampering feature is provided which includes: an array of memory bits oriented along at least one bit line and at least one word line, wherein each of the memory bits comprises a memory cell, wherein the cryptographic key is stored in the memory cell, and wherein the memory cell is connected to the at least one bit line; and a metallic carbon nanotube interconnect which connects the memory cell to the at least one word line. A cryptographic key and method for processing the cryptographic key are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wilfried Haensch, Shu-Jen Han, Keith A. Jenkins, Dirk Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 9659945
    Abstract: A first transistor including a channel formation region, a first gate insulating layer, a first gate electrode, and a first source electrode and a first drain electrode; a second transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a second source electrode and a second drain electrode, a second gate insulating layer, and a second gate electrode; and a capacitor including one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode, the second gate insulating layer, and an electrode provided to overlap with one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode over the second gate insulating layer are provided. The first gate electrode and one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode are electrically connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kiyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 9653671
    Abstract: According to various examples, systems, methods, and devices for a light emitting device are described herein. As one example, a light emitting device includes a light emitting element and a capacitor. The capacitor is configured as a voltage buffer for the light emitting element and is further configured to dissipate heat from the light emitting element. According to another example, a carrier for a light emitting arrangement is described herein. According to this example, the carrier includes a capacitor configured to buffer a voltage of the light emitting arrangement. The carrier further includes a contacting structure configured for electrically contacting the light emitting arrangement and the capacitor. The capacitor and the contacting structure are arranged such that the capacitor is configured to dissipate heat from the light emitting arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Andreas Munding
  • Patent number: 9651869
    Abstract: A method for preparing a wafer includes forming a film layer on a substrate of the wafer; coating the film layer with a photoresist layer; exposing a first portion of the photoresist layer to a beam of light; and patterning a second portion of the photoresist layer after performing exposing the first portion of the photoresist layer. A cross-link reaction is caused on the first portion of the photoresist layer and the first portion of the photoresist layer is converted to a reacted first portion of the photoresist layer. The reacted first portion of the photoresist layer is near an edge of the wafer. The second portion of the photoresist layer is different from the reacted first portion of the photoresist layer. The second portion of the photoresist layer is converted to a patterned second portion of the photoresist layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Wei Chang, Wang-Pen Mo, Hung-Chang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9653342
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a semiconductor substrate having a top surface to form a trench having sidewalls and a bottom surface that extends from the top surface into the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric liner of a first dielectric material is formed on the bottom surface and sidewalls of the trench to line the trench. A second dielectric layer of a second dielectric material is deposited to at least partially fill the trench. The second dielectric layer is partially etched to selectively remove the second dielectric layer from an upper portion of the trench while preserving the second dielectric layer on a lower portion of the trench. The trench is filled with a fill material which provides an electrical conductivity that is at least that of a semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Hong Yang, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Yufei Xiong, Yunlong Liu
  • Patent number: 9644263
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for synthesizing a transition metal chalcogenide, in which a transition metal chalcogenide is synthesized on a substrate by atomic layer deposition to sequentially supply a precursor of the transition metal chalcogenide and a reactant so as to have a predetermined synthesis thickness, the transition metal chalcogenide is synthesized at a process temperature of 450° C. or higher and 1000° C. or lower, and the transition metal chalcogenide is synthesized at a process temperature corresponding to the predetermined synthesis thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hyungjun Kim, Youngjun Kim, Jeong-Gyu Song, Jusang Park
  • Patent number: 9640538
    Abstract: Methods for forming an eDRAM with replacement metal gate technology and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include forming first and second dummy electrodes on a substrate, each dummy electrode having spacers at opposite sides and being surrounded by an ILD; removing the first and second dummy electrodes, forming first and second cavities, respectively; forming a hardmask over the substrate, exposing the first cavity; forming a deep trench in the substrate through the first cavity; removing the hardmask; and forming a capacitor in the first cavity and deep trench and concurrently forming an access transistor in the second cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Yanxiang Liu, Min-hwa Chi
  • Patent number: 9634011
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate comprising a trench; a gate dielectric layer formed over a surface of the trench; a gate electrode positioned at a level lower than a top surface of the substrate, and comprising a lower buried portion embedded in a lower portion of the trench over the gate dielectric layer and an upper buried portion positioned over the lower buried portion; and a dielectric work function adjusting liner positioned between the lower buried portion and the gate dielectric layer; and a dipole formed between the dielectric work function adjusting liner and the gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Dong-Kyun Kang, Ho-Jin Cho