With Means For Preventing Charge Leakage Due To Minority Carrier Generation (e.g., Alpha Generated Soft Error Protection Or "dark Current" Leakage Protection) Patents (Class 257/297)
  • Patent number: 7119379
    Abstract: A semiconductor device disclosed herein comprises: a first base region which is of a first conductivity type; a second base region which is of a second conductivity type and which is selectively formed on a major surface of the first base region; a stopper region which is of a first conductivity type and which is formed on the major surface of the first base region, the stopper region being a predetermined distance away from the second base region and surrounding the second base region; and a ring region which is of a second conductivity type which is formed on the major surface of the first base region between the second base region and the stopper region, the ring region being spirally around the second base region and electrically connected to the second base region and the stopper region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideaki Ninomiya, Tomoki Inoue
  • Patent number: 7098100
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a trench capacitor formed in a trench in a semiconductor substrate. The trench capacitor comprises a bottom electrode positioned on a lower outer surface of the trench, a dielectric layer positioned on an inner surface of the bottom electrode, a top electrode positioned on the dielectric layer, a collar oxide layer positioned on an upper inner surface of the trench, a buried conductive strap positioned on the top electrode, and an interface layer made of silicon nitride positioned at the side of the buried conductive strap. The bottom electrode, the dielectric layer and the top electrode form a capacitive structure. The collar oxide layer includes a first block and a second block, and the height of the first block is larger than the height of the second block. The interface layer is positioned on a portion of the inner surface of the trench above the second block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Promos Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Min Li, Jung Wu Chien, Chao Hsi Chung, Ming Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 7098520
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a first transistor area doped by a first-type dopant for having a plurality of second-type transistors; a second transistor area doped by a second-type dopant for having a plurality of first-type transistors; a first guardring area doped by the first-type dopant between the first and second transistor areas; and a second guardring area doped by the second-type dopant between the first and second transistor areas, wherein the second guardring area runs parallel with the first guardring area in the direction from the first transistor area to the second transistor area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Byung-Kwon Park, Kyung-Wook Park
  • Patent number: 7091102
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device is formed by providing a substrate and forming a capacitor on the substrate. The capacitor includes a lower electrode disposed on the substrate, a dielectric layer on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode on the dielectric. A hydrogen barrier insulation layer is formed on the upper electrode and a hydrogen barrier spacer is formed on a sidewall of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Han-jin Lim, Kwang-hee Lee, Suk-jin Chung, Cha-young Yoo, Wan-don Kim, Jin-il Lee
  • Patent number: 7075122
    Abstract: In a method of fabricating a semiconductor memory device, a thyristor may be formed in a layer of semiconductor material. Carbon may be implanted and annealed in a base-emitter junction region for the thyristor to affect leakage characteristics. The density of the carbon and/or a bombardment energy and/or an anneal therefore may be selected to establish a low-voltage, leakage characteristic for the junction substantially greater than its leakage absent the carbon. In one embodiment, an anneal of the implanted carbon may be performed in common with an activation for other implant regions the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: T-Ram Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Yang, Farid Nemati, Scott Robins, James D. Plummer, Hyun-Jin Cho
  • Patent number: 7064399
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for forming super steep doping profiles in MOS transistor structures. The method comprises forming a carbon containing layer (110) beneath the gate dielectric (50) and source and drain regions (80) of a MOS transistor. The carbon containing layer (110) will prevent the diffusion of dopants into the region (40) directly beneath the gate dielectric layer (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Angelo Pinto, Scott Balster, Alfred Haeusler, Gregory E. Howard
  • Patent number: 7064370
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Won Sic Woo
  • Patent number: 7053433
    Abstract: A ferroelectric layer within an array of ferroelectric FETs is encapsulated between a bottom barrier dielectric layer and a top barrier dielectric layer extending beyond the ferroelectric layer. The ferroelectric FETs are formed on first conductivity type silicon, each having two second conductivity type silicon regions within the first conductivity type silicon separated by some distance. The two second conductivity type silicon regions forming a source and a drain with a channel region therebetween. A silicon dioxide layer is formed on the channel region, a bottom barrier dielectric layer is formed on the silicon dioxide layer, a ferroelectric layer is formed on the bottom barrier dielectric layer, a top barrier dielectric layer is formed on the ferroelectric layer, and an electrode layer is formed on the ferroelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Celis Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Gary F. Derbenwick
  • Patent number: 7045845
    Abstract: A transistor (10) is formed in a semiconductor substrate (12) whose top surface (48) is formed with a pedestal structure (24). A conductive material (40) is disposed along a side surface (28) of the pedestal structure to self-align an edge of a first conduction electrode (45) of the transistor. A dielectric spacer (55) is formed along a side surface (49) of the conductive material to self-align a contact area (56) of the first conduction electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 7045847
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a substrate, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The first transistor has a first gate dielectric portion located between a first gate electrode and the substrate. The first gate dielectric portion includes a first high-permittivity dielectric material and/or a second high-permittivity dielectric material. The first gate dielectric portion has a first equivalent silicon oxide thickness. The second transistor has a second gate dielectric portion located between a second gate electrode and the substrate. The second gate dielectric portion includes the first high-permittivity dielectric material and/or the second high-permittivity dielectric material. The second gate dielectric portion has a second equivalent silicon oxide thickness. The second equivalent silicon oxide thickness may be different than the first equivalent silicon oxide thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Chieh Lin, Wen-Chin Lee, Chenming Hu, Shang-Chih Chen, Chih-Hao Wang, Fu-Liaog Yang, Ye-Chia Yeng
  • Patent number: 7027322
    Abstract: There is provided an EPIR device which is excellent in mass productivity and high in practical utility. The EPIR device includes a lower electrode layer, a CMR thin film layer and an upper electrode layer which are laminated in this order on any of various substrates. A Pt polycrystal thin film 10 forming the lower electrode layer includes columnar Pt crystal grains 10A, 10B, 10C, . . . and over 90% of these crystal grains is oriented to a (1 1 1) face. Columnar PCMO crystal grain groups 20A, 20B, 20C, . . . are respectively locally grown epitaxially on the respective outermost surfaces of the Pt crystal grains 10A, 10B, 10C, . . . . Then, the crystal faces of the crystal grains included in the PCMO crystal grain groups 20A, 20B, 20C, . . . and vertical in the substrate surface normal direction are any one of (1 0 0)p, (1 1 0)p and (1 1 1)p planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshimasa Suzuki, Yuji Nishi, Masayuki Fujimoto, Nobuyoshi Awaya, Kohji Inoue, Keizo Sakiyama
  • Patent number: 7019347
    Abstract: A method of forming a conductive contact to a conductive structure includes forming a conductive structure received within and projecting outwardly from a first insulative material. A second different insulative material is deposited. The second insulative material is anisotropically etched effective to form a sidewall etch stop for the conductive structure. A third insulative material is deposited over the conductive structure and the sidewall etch stop. The third insulative material is different in composition from the second insulative material. A contact opening is etched through the third insulative material to the conductive structure using an etch chemistry which is substantially selective to the second insulative material of the sidewall etch stop. Integrated circuitry independent of the method of fabrication is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Drynan, Thomas A. Figura
  • Patent number: 6979851
    Abstract: A structure and method is disclosed herein for a vertical transistor DRAM cell having a low leakage buried strap outdiffusion conductively connecting a storage capacitor in a lower portion of a trench to a vertical transistor thereabove. In the disclosed structure and method, the buried strap outdiffusion (BSOD) extends along a portion of the isolation collar having reduced thickness, the reduced thickness being substantially less than the thickness of the isolation collar otherwise. In a particular embodiment, a self-aligned lightly doped drain (LDD) extension is formed, extending between the BSOD and the vertical transistor above the LDD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Jack Allan Mandelman, Carl John Radens
  • Patent number: 6979849
    Abstract: A memory cell having improved interconnect. Specifically, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) based content addressable (CAM) memory cell is provided. The lower cell plate of the storage capacitor is implemented to provide an interconnect for the access transistor and the CAM portion of the memory cell. Conductive plugs are coupled to each of the transistors and coupled directly to the lower cell plate of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Lane
  • Patent number: 6972450
    Abstract: A new method to form a SRAM memory cell in an integrated circuit device is achieved. The method comprises providing a bi-stable flip-flop cell having a data storage node and a data bar storage node. A first capacitor is formed coupled to the data bar storage node, and a second capacitor is formed coupled to the data storage node. The first and second capacitors comprise a first conductor layer overlying a second conductor layer with a dielectric layer therebetween. One of the first and second conductor layers is coupled to ground. A new SRAM device is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 6967887
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell and associated array are disclosed. The DRAM cell (300) includes a storage capacitor (304) and a pass transistor (302). The pass transistor (302) includes a source region (322), drain region (320) and channel region (324). A top gate (318) is disposed over the channel region (324) and a bottom gate (310) is disposed below the channel region (324). The top gate (318) and bottom gate (310) are commonly driven to provide greater control of the pass transistor (302) operation, including an off state with reduced source-to-drain leakage. The DRAM array (400) includes memory cells (414) having pass transistors (500) with double-gate structures. Memory cells (414) within the same row are commonly coupled to a top word line and bottom word line. The resistance of the top and bottom word lines is reduced by a word line strap layer (600). The DRAM array (400) further includes a strapping area that is void of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Inventor: Darryl G. Walker
  • Patent number: 6943398
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a lower hydrogen-barrier film; a capacitor formed on the lower hydrogen-barrier film and including a lower electrode, a capacitive insulating film, and an upper electrode; an interlayer dielectric film formed so as to cover the periphery of the capacitor; and an upper hydrogen-barrier film covering the top and lateral portions of the capacitor. An opening, which exposes the lower hydrogen-barrier film where the lower hydrogen-barrier film is located around the capacitor, and which is tapered and flares upward, is formed in the interlayer dielectric film, and the upper hydrogen-barrier film is formed along the lateral and bottom faces of the opening, and is in contact with the lower hydrogen-barrier film in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toyoji Ito, Eiji Fujii, Kazuo Umeda
  • Patent number: 6934180
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell and associated array are disclosed. The DRAM cell (300) includes a storage capacitor (304) and a pass transistor (302). The pass transistor (302) includes a source region (322), drain region (320) and channel region (324). A top gate (318) is disposed over the channel region (324) and a bottom gate (310) is disposed below the channel region (324). The top gate (318) and bottom gate (310) are commonly driven to provide greater control of the pass transistor (302) operation, including an off state with reduced source-to-drain leakage. The DRAM array (400) includes memory cells (414) having pass transistors (500) with double-gate structures. Memory cells (414) within the same row are commonly coupled to a top word line and bottom word line. The resistance of the top and bottom word lines is reduced by a word line strap layer (600). The DRAM array (400) further includes a strapping area that is void of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Inventor: Darryl G. Walker
  • Patent number: 6914283
    Abstract: A semiconductor element in which the hydrogen-induced degradation of ferroelectric characteristics can be controlled includes a hydrogen penetration prevention film 400 for preventing hydrogen from penetrating into a ferroelectric film is formed above top electrodes 28. The width of the hydrogen penetration prevention film 400 in the direction orthogonal to a specific direction in which the top electrodes 28 are arranged in a parallel manner is set to be equal to or greater than the maximum width of the top electrodes 28 in the orthogonal direction. The hydrogen penetration prevention film 400 is used as a main WL that connects sub-WL drivers 60a and a main WL driver 60b extended in the same direction as the specific direction in the which the top electrodes 28 are aligned parallel to each other in a peripheral circuit 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomomi Yamanobe
  • Patent number: 6911689
    Abstract: A versatile system providing Cr-based diffusion barriers and electrode structures utilizing such barriers is disclosed, including a semiconductor substrate (102), a dielectric layer (106) disposed upon the substrate, a Cr-based conductive layer (114) disposed upon the dielectric layer, and an electrode layer (116) disposed upon the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Wei-Yung Hsu, Scott Summerfelt, Paul McIntyre
  • Patent number: 6911688
    Abstract: A semiconductor display device with an interlayer insulating film in which surface levelness is ensured with a limited film formation time, heat treatment for removing moisture does not take long, and moisture in the interlayer insulating film is prevented from escaping into a film or electrode adjacent to the interlayer insulating film. A TFT is formed and then a nitrogen-containing inorganic insulating film that transmits less moisture compared to organic resin film is formed so as to cover the TFT. Next, organic resin including photosensitive acrylic resin is applied and an opening is formed by partially exposing the organic resin film to light. The organic resin film where the opening is formed, is then covered with a nitrogen-containing inorganic insulating film which transmits less moisture than organic resin film does.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Satoshi Murakami, Masahiko Hayakawa, Kiyoshi Kato, Mitsuaki Osame, Takashi Hirosue, Saishi Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 6909135
    Abstract: In the semiconductor storage device, a dummy P+ diffusion region which does not contribute to a storage operation is formed in the vicinity of two P+ diffusion regions constituting a storage node. Moreover, a dummy N+ diffusion region which does not contribute to the storage operation is formed in the vicinity of N+ diffusion regions FL210 and FL220 constituting a storage node. Consequently, a part of electrons generated in a P well region PW by irradiation of ? rays or neutron rays can be collected into the dummy N+ diffusion region FL250, and a part of holes generated in an N well region NW by the irradiation of the ? rays or the neutron rays can be collected into the dummy P+ diffusion region FL150.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Koji Nii, Shoji Okuda
  • Patent number: 6906398
    Abstract: Both high performance and low leakage current devices can be formed on a single wafer without significant additional processing steps by the formation of an ultra-thin gate dielectric and a high-permittivity gate dielectric, respectively, in regions wherein switching speed and low leakage current, respectively, are desired. Logic and embedded memory regions can be performance optimized on the same integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yee-Chia Yeo, Fu-Liang Yang, Chenming Hu
  • Patent number: 6900494
    Abstract: The method comprises forming a layer comprised of BPSG above a substrate and a plurality of transistors, forming a dielectric layer above the BPSG layer, the dielectric layer comprised of a material having a dielectric constant greater than approximately 6.0, forming a plurality of openings in the dielectric layer and the BPSG layer, each of the openings allowing contact to a doped region of one of the transistors, and forming a conductive local interconnect in each of the openings. In another embodiment, the method comprises forming a layer comprised of BPSG above the substrate and between the transistors, forming a local interconnect in openings formed in the BPSG layer, reducing a thickness of the BPSG layer after the local interconnects are formed, and forming a dielectric layer above the BPSG layer and between the local interconnects, wherein the dielectric layer has a dielectric constant greater than approximately 6.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd R. Abbott, Mike Violette, Zhongze Wang, Jigish D. Trevidi
  • Patent number: 6897512
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device including a first conductive layer, the first conductive layer is treated with a nitrogen/hydrogen plasma before an additional layer is deposited thereover. The treatment stuffs the surface with nitrogen, thereby preventing oxygen from being adsorbed onto the surface of the first conductive layer. In one embodiment, a second conductive layer is deposited onto the first conductive layer, and the plasma treatment lessens if not eliminates an oxide formed between the two layers as a result of subsequent thermal treatments. In another embodiment, a dielectric layer is deposited onto the first conductive layer, and the plasma treatment lessens if not eliminates the ability of the first conductive layer to incorporate oxygen from the dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Vishnu K. Agarwal
  • Patent number: 6891214
    Abstract: A semiconductor power module capable of efficiently utilizing the performance of the module and facilitating management of the module in custody. The semiconductor power module having one or more semiconductor power switching elements and a drive unit is provided with a non-volatile memory for storing use history of the module and a drive unit. The use history contains information of one of the number of switching times of the semiconductor power switching element, the number of over-current detections of the semiconductor power switching element and a temperature rise of the semiconductor power module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Mori, Takashi Ikimi, Shuji Katoh, Yutaka Sato
  • Patent number: 6888187
    Abstract: A memory cell that has first and second fully depleted transfer devices each having a body region and first and second diffused electrodes. The cell has a differential storage capacitor having at least one node abutting and in electrical contact with one of the first and second diffused electrodes of each of the transfer devices. The storage capacitor has a primary capacitance and a plurality of inherent capacitances, wherein the primary capacitance has a capaictive value that is at least approximately five times greater than that of the plurality of inherent capacitances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Brown, David M. Fried, Edward J. Nowak, Beth Ann Rainey
  • Patent number: 6888248
    Abstract: A multi-level metal interconnect structure and method for forming the same for improving a resistance of CMOS transistors to electrostatic discharge (ESD) transient events is disclosed. A semiconductor device including at least one NMOS transistor electrically connected along at least one circuit pathway to an input/output signal source and a reference voltage potential; and, electrically connecting at least the input/output signal source to the at least one NMOS transistor with a metal interconnect line extended in length by compacting at least a portion of the metal interconnect line length portion into a serpentine shape within a predetermined volume of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Shui-Hung Chen, Jian-Hsing Lee, Jiaw-Ren Shih
  • Patent number: 6884681
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a MirrorBit® Flash memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate and successively depositing a first insulating layer, a charge-trapping layer, and a second insulating layer. First and second bitlines are implanted and wordlines are formed before completing the memory. Spacers are formed between the wordlines and an inter-layer dielectric layer is formed over the wordlines. One or more of the second insulating layer, wordlines, spacers, and inter-layer dielectric layers are deuterated, replacing hydrogen bonds with deuterium, thus improving data retention and substantially reducing charge loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: FASL LLC
    Inventors: Tazrien Kamal, Arvind Halliyal, Minh Van Ngo, Mark T. Ramsbey, Jean Y. Yang, Hidehiko Shiraiwa, Rinji Sugino
  • Patent number: 6872999
    Abstract: Memory cells, word lines and bit lines are formed on the substrate. Each word line is connected to some memory cells. The bit line is disposed in a wiring layer above the word lines, the bit line being connected to some memory cells and applied with a signal read from the memory cell selected by the word lines. Signal wiring lines are disposed in a wiring layer above the bit lines and partially superposed upon the bit lines. A shield layer is disposed in a wiring layer between the bit lines and signal wiring lines. As viewed along a direction vertical to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, the shield layer includes the bit lines in an area including an area where the bit lines and signal wiring lines are superposed upon each other, openings being formed through the shield layer in areas where the bit lines are not disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Uetake
  • Patent number: 6870205
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a hierarchical I/O line structure is provided. The semiconductor memory array includes a memory cell array which is divided into a plurality of sub-arrays by sub-word line driver areas and bit line sense amplifier areas; local input/output (I/O) lines which are arranged in the bit line sense amplifier areas; and global I/O lines which are arranged in the sub-word line driver areas, wherein at least one end of each of the local I/O lines is formed in a bit line sense amplifier area. The semiconductor memory device may also have a dummy bit line sense amplifier area capable of dividing local I/O lines in a bit line sense amplifier area, and can reduce the number of sub-word line driver areas such that the chip size can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-woong Lee, Jong-hak Won
  • Patent number: 6847076
    Abstract: Increasing the retention time of an embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is disclosed. An embedded DRAM includes a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor. The capacitor has a storage node formed between a P+ doped region and a polysilicon plate within an N well. An N? doped region is situated substantially completely under the polysilicon plate and substantially under the P+ doped region. The presence of the N? doped region decreases the threshold voltage of the capacitor and reduces effectively the junction leakage current to the N well, achieving a larger retention time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: George T. C. Tsou, Kevin W. C. Chiang, Ted T. C. Kao
  • Patent number: 6838652
    Abstract: An active cell for a photosensitive sensor that includes photosensitive diode in which the transistors of the cell are implemented using CMOS technology. The cell operates with an exposure phase in which the quantity of light impinging on the cell is detected followed by a scanning phase during which the luminance information caused by the impinging light is extracted from the cell. The cell is arranged in such a way to virtually completely isolate the charge accumulation node from the remainder of the cell after the exposure phase to eliminate stray accumulation of charge carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: CSEM-Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique SA - Recherche et Development
    Inventors: Stefan Lauxtermann, Georg Paul Israel
  • Patent number: 6828610
    Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction is fabricated by forming pinned and sense layers; and re-setting a magnetization vector of at least one of the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Anthony, Lung Tran, Manish Sharma
  • Patent number: 6825522
    Abstract: An improved capacitor that is less susceptible to the depletion effect and methods for providing the same. The capacitor comprises a first and second electrode and an insulating layer interposed therebetween. The first electrode includes a bulk layer comprising n-doped polysilicon. The first electrode also includes an interface layer extending from a first surface of the bulk layer to the insulating layer. The interface layer is heavily doped with phosphorus so that the depletion region of the first electrode is confined substantially within the interface layer. The method of forming the interface layer comprises depositing a layer of hexamethldisilazane (HMDS) material over the first surface of the bulk layer so that HMDS molecules of the HMDS material chemically bond to the first surface of the bulk layer. The method further comprises annealing the layer of HMDS material in a phosphine ambient so as to replace CH3 methyl groups with PH3 molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. DeBoer, Don C. Powell
  • Patent number: 6806188
    Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of preventing a ring defect and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a junction region, a planarization layer having a first contact hole portion through which the junction region is exposed, an interlayer dielectric layer formed on the planarization layer and having a second contact hole portion extended from the first contact hole portion, and contact spacers formed at the sidewalls of the first and second contact hole portions. Here, the contact spacers are formed to cover the interface between the planarization layer and the interlayer dielectric layer and the interface between the planarization layer and the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Si Youn Kim
  • Patent number: 6800925
    Abstract: An integrated circuit configuration includes a semiconductor body having a first semiconductor zone of a first conductivity type in a region near a rear side and a second semiconductor zone of the first conductivity type adjoining the first semiconductor zone and doped more weakly than the first semiconductor zone in a region near a front side, a first component region in the body having at least one semiconductor zone of a second conductivity type, a second component region in the body having at least one semiconductor zone of the second conductivity type, and a conversion structure having a semiconductor zone of the second conductivity type and a semiconductor zone of the first conductivity type that are short-circuited and disposed at a distance from the first semiconductor zone between the first and second component regions in the second semiconductor zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ludwig Rossmeier, Norbert Krischke, Wolfgang Werner, Peter Nelle
  • Patent number: 6784477
    Abstract: A structure and a manufacture method of a DRAM device with deep trench capacitors are described. Each capacitor has a collar oxide layer with different height for electrical isolation and leakage reduction. Further, the DRAM device has strip-type active areas to improve some optical errors and thus reduce sufficiently the contact resistance of a buried strap film of a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Wen-Yueh Jang
  • Patent number: 6759701
    Abstract: MOS transistors A and B form a transistor circuit (an inverter in this case). A MOS transistor D is one for interrupting leakage current that has a channel length longer than those of the MOS transistors A and B. Under the action of an enable terminal (Enable), the MOS transistor D conducts only while the circuit is operated, and does not conduct and thereby interrupts leakage current while the circuit is in a standby state. A MOS transistor C does not produce effect while the circuit is operated, and makes the potential of an output terminal (Output) a high potential or a low potential (not intermediate potential) only while the circuit is in the standby state. Therefore, the circuit controls unnecessary through-transistor current of a standby type circuit in a succeeding stage, which current is conventionally caused at an intermediate potential during standby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Shimizume
  • Patent number: 6750497
    Abstract: A high-speed transparent refresh DRAM-based memory cell and architecture are disclosed. Each memory cell consists of 4 transistors configured to incorporate differential data storage (i.e., storing a true logic state and a complementary logic state), with each pair of transistors having a dual port configuration and forming one of a complementary pair of storage nodes for the memory cell. Each memory cell is coupled to 2 wordlines and 4 digit lines. Since the memory cell stores complementary data, and since a logic LOW state is rewritten to a given memory cell faster than a logic HIGH state is rewritten, the logic LOW state is rewritten and the complementary logic state is known to be a logic HIGH state. As a result, both the logic LOW and logic HIGH states are rewritten to the memory cell faster than independently writing a logic HIGH state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Simon J. Lovett
  • Patent number: 6747303
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charge detector semiconductor component in the form of a structure provided on a semiconductor material, which component comprises a non-volatile storage cell in the form of a MOS field effect transistor with a transistor gate and a MOS capacitor with a capacitor gate. The invention further relates to a system comprising a charge detector semiconductor component and a reference semiconductor component. The invention further relates to a wafer as well as to the use of a wafer with a plurality of charge detector semiconductor elements and/or systems. Finally, the invention relates to a method for the qualitative and quantitative measurement of the charging of a wafer during processing of the wafer. According to the invention, it is possible to measure exactly the charge that has arisen during the processing of wafers and the manufacture of semiconductor components, in particular owing to plasma and ion implantation processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Hans-Ulrich Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6730951
    Abstract: A capacitor includes: a lower electrode; a capacitor insulating film made of a metal oxide and formed on the lower electrode; an upper electrode formed on the capacitor insulating film; and a buried insulating film surrounding the lower electrode. The lower electrode includes a conductive barrier layer that prevents diffusion of oxygen, and an insulating barrier layer that prevents diffusion of hydrogen is formed so as to be in contact with at least a side surface of the conductive barrier layer in a side surface of the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Nagano, Eiji Fujii
  • Patent number: 6732059
    Abstract: A method and counter for reducing the background counting rate in gas-filled alpha particle counters wherein the counter is constructed in such a manner as to exaggerate the differences in the features in preamplifier pulses generated by collecting the charges in ionization tracks produced by alpha particles emanating from different regions within the counter and then using pulse feature analysis to recognize these differences and so discriminate between different regions of emanation. Thus alpha particles emitted from the sample can then be counted while those emitted from the counter components can be rejected, resulting in very low background counting rates even from large samples. In one embodiment, a multi-wire ionization chamber, different electric fields are created in different regions of the counter and the resultant difference in electron velocities during charge collection allow alpha particles from the sample and counter backwall to be distinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Inventors: William K. Warburton, John Wahl, Michael Momayezi
  • Patent number: 6720599
    Abstract: In case capacitor-type ferroelectric memory is formed by using SrB2Ta2O9 having superior fatigue resistance for ferroelectric layer, non-orientation layer is inferior in angularity, and SBT of orientation layer is subject to be oriented to c-axis orientation, polarization moment of a-axis direction was not effectively used, on Si single crystal substrate, a buffer layer and a bottom electrode layer composed of conductive oxide having perovskite structure are grown in epitaxially, furthermore the epitaxial growth of ferroelectric layer composed of SBT is performed with slanting c-axis to the substrate by 45 to 55 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita, Hiromu Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 6713783
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal electro-optical device capable of compensating for the operation of any malfunctioning one of TFTs (thin-film transistors) existing within the device if such a malfunction occurs. Plural complementary TFT configurations are provided per pixel electrode. Each complementary TFT configuration consists of at least one p-channel TFT and at least one n-channel TFT. The input and output terminals of the plural complementary TFT configurations are connected in series. One of the input and output terminals is connected to the pixel electrode, while the other is connected to a first signal line. All the gate electrodes of the p-channel and n-channel TFTs included in said plural complementary TFT configurations are connected to a second signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Mase, Masaaki Hiroki
  • Patent number: 6703327
    Abstract: An improved process for annealing integrated circuits to repair fabrication-induced damage. An integrated circuit is annealed in a pressurized sealed chamber in which a forming gas comprising hydrogen is present. Pressurization of the chamber reduces the contribution made by the final anneal step to total thermal exposure by increasing the diffusion rate of the hydrogen into the materials from which the integrated circuit is fabricated. Ideally, the forming gas contains, in addition to hydrogen, at least one other gas such as nitrogen or argon that will not react with hydrogen and, thus, reduces the danger of explosion. However, the integrated circuit may be annealed in an ambiance containing only hydrogen gas that is maintained at a pressure greater than ambient atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard H. Lane, Phillip G. Wald
  • Publication number: 20040041189
    Abstract: A memory structure has a vertically oriented access transistor with an annular gate region. A transistor is fabricated such that the channel of the transistor extends outward with respect to the surface of the substrate. An annular gate is fabricated around the vertical channel such that it partially or completely surrounds the channel. A buried annular bitline may also be implemented. After the vertically oriented transistor is fabricated with the annular gate, a storage device may be fabricated over the transistor to provide a memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas W. Voshell, Lucien J. Bissey, Kevin G. Duesman
  • Publication number: 20040041188
    Abstract: A memory structure having a vertically oriented access transistor with an annular gate region and a method for fabricating the structure. More specifically, a transistor is fabricated such that the channel of the transistor extends outward with respect to the surface of the substrate. An annular gate is fabricated around the vertical channel such that it partially or completely surrounds the channel. A buried annular bitline may also be implemented. After the vertically oriented transistor is fabricated with the annular gate, a storage device may be fabricated over the transistor to provide a memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Lucien J. Bissey, Kevin G. Duesman, Warren M. Farnworth
  • Publication number: 20040036099
    Abstract: A dual-sided HSG capacitor and a method of fabrication are disclosed. A thin native oxide layer is formed between a doped polycrystalline layer and a layer of hemispherical grained polysilicon (HSG) as part of a dual-sided lower capacitor electrode. Prior to the dielectric formation, the lower capacitor electrode may be optionally annealed to improve capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Er-Xuan Ping, Shenlin Chen
  • Publication number: 20040031979
    Abstract: The benefits of strained semiconductors are combined with silicon-on-insulator approaches to substrate and device fabrication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: AmberWave Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony J. Lochtefeld, Thomas A. Langdo, Richard Hammond, Matthew T. Currie, Glyn Braithwaite, Eugene A. Fitzgerald