Stacked Capacitor Patents (Class 257/303)
  • Patent number: 8067793
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with high response speed and high reliability. In the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the invention, a bonding layer is formed over a substrate, an insulating film and a storage capacitor portion lower electrode are formed over the bonding layer, a single crystal silicon layer is formed over the insulating film, a storage capacitor portion insulating film is formed over the storage capacitor portion lower electrode, a wiring is formed over the storage capacitor portion insulating film, a channel forming region and a low concentration impurity region are formed over the single crystal silicon layer, and a gate insulating film and a gate electrode are formed over the single crystal silicon layer. The storage capacitor portion insulating film is formed by depositing a YSZ film with a single crystal silicon layer used as a base film, whereby the permittivity increases and thus the leakage current from the storage capacitor portion is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8063404
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device positioned on an SOI substrate. A semiconductor memory device includes two transistors with three terminals which serve as a source, a reading drain and a writing drain, respectively. The writing drain is heavily-doped for high writing efficiency. A floating body region for storing charges is also heavily-doped to reach long data retention time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Shing-Hwa Renn
  • Patent number: 8053252
    Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device is fabricated while mitigating edge degradation. A bottom electrode is formed over one or more semiconductor layers. A ferroelectric layer is formed over the bottom electrode. A top electrode is formed over the ferroelectric layer. The top electrode, the ferroelectric layer, and the bottom electrode are patterned or etched. A dry clean is performed that mitigates edge degradation. A wet etch/clean is then performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Kezhakkedath R. Udayakumar, Lindsey H. Hall, Francis G. Celii, Scott R. Summerfelt
  • Patent number: 8053824
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for increasing well distributed, high quality-factor on-chip capacitance of integrated circuit devices are disclosed. In one aspect, an integrated circuit device structure includes a first metal line implemented on a metallization layer of a semiconductor substrate, the first metal line having a first set of metal fingers extending therefrom; and a second metal line electrically isolated from the first metal line, the second metal line having a second set of metal fingers extending therefrom, the first set of metal fingers and the second set of metal fingers capacitively coupled. The basic structure of metal lines with interlocking metal fingers may be repeated on multiple adjacent metallization layers, with the metal lines oriented either in parallel or perpendicular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Winn, Steve Howard
  • Patent number: 8039884
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a ferroelectric capacitor including a first electrode provided above a substrate, a ferroelectric film provided on the first electrode and a second electrode provided on the ferroelectric film; a hydrogen barrier film that covers a top surface and a side surface of the ferroelectric capacitor; an interlayer dielectric film that covers the ferroelectric capacitor and the substrate; a contact hole that penetrates the interlayer dielectric film and the hydrogen barrier film and exposes the second electrode; a barrier metal that covers a top surface of the second electrode exposed in the contact hole and an inner wall surface of the contact hole and is composed of a conductive material having hydrogen barrier property; and a plug conductive section that is embedded in the contact hole and conductively connects to the barrier metal, wherein the inner wall surface of the contact hole at the hydrogen barrier film includes a concave curved surface facing the interior of the contact ho
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Noda
  • Patent number: 8035141
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element is disclosed. The bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element can be integrated into any CMOS process flow. The bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element includes an implant damaged free first layer of a first epitaxy semiconductor material having a lattice constant that is different from a lattice constant of a semiconductor substrate and imparts a tensile strain in a device channel of an nFET gate stack. Typically, and when the semiconductor is composed of silicon, the first layer of the bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element is composed of Si:C. The bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element further includes a second layer of a second epitaxy semiconductor material that has a lower resistance to dopant diffusion than the first epitaxy semiconductor material. Typically, and when the semiconductor is composed of silicon, the second layer of the bi-layer nFET embedded stressor element is composed of silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Abhishek Dube, Jinghong Li, Viorel Ontalus, Zhengmao Zhu
  • Patent number: 8030697
    Abstract: A cell structure of a semiconductor device includes an active region, having a concave portion, and an inactive region that defines the active region. A gate pattern in the active region is arranged perpendicular to the active region. A landing pad on the active region and the inactive region contacts the active region. A bit line pattern on the inactive region intersects the gate pattern perpendicularly, the bit line pattern being electrically connected to the landing pad and having a first protrusion corresponding to the concave portion of the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Hee Cho, Seung-Bae Park
  • Patent number: 8022457
    Abstract: Channels of two transistors are vertically formed on portions of two opposite side surfaces of one active region, and gate electrodes are vertically formed on a device isolation layer contacting the channels of the active region. A common bit line contact plug is formed in the central portions of the active region, two storage node contact plugs are formed on both sides of the bit line contact plug, and an insulating spacer is formed on a side surface of the bit line contact plug. A word line, a bit line, and a capacitor are sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate, like a conventional semiconductor memory device. Thus, effective space arrangement of a memory cell is possible such that a 4F2 structure is constituted, and a conventional line and contact forming process can be applied such that highly integrated semiconductor memory device is readily fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyeoung-won Seo, Bong-soo Kim, Dong-gun Park, Kang-yoon Lee, Jae-man Yoon, Seong-goo Kim, Seung-bae Park
  • Patent number: 8017985
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for a container capacitor structure in which at least two container capacitors, e.g., an inner and outer container capacitor, are made concentric and nested with respect to one another. The nested capacitors are formed in one embodiment by defining a hole in a dielectric layer for the nested container capacitors in the vicinity of two capacitor contact plugs. An outer capacitor plate is formed by etching back poly 1 to leave it substantially on the vertical edges of the hole and in contact with one of the plugs. At least one sacrificial sidewall is formed on the poly 1, and poly 2 is deposited over the sidewalls to form an inner capacitor plate in contact with the other plug. The structure is planarized, the sacrificial sidewalls are removed, a capacitor dielectric is formed, and is topped with poly 3. Additional structures such as a protective layer (to prevent poly 1-to-poly 2 shorting) and a conductive layer (to strap the plugs to their respective poly layers) can also be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Werner Juengling
  • Patent number: 8018009
    Abstract: A movable substrate is placed over a bottom substrate where both substrates contain Coulomb islands. The Coulomb islands can be adjusted in charge and are used to develop a force between two opposing Coulomb islands. Information from sensors is applied to a control unit to control the movement of the movable substrate. Coulomb islands are formed in the juxtaposed edges of a first substrate and second substrate, respectively. The islands generate edge Coulomb forces. These edge Coulomb forces can be used to detach, repel, move, attract and reattach the edges of substrates into new configurations. One possibility is to combine a plurality of individual substrates into one large planar substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: MetaMEMS Corp.
    Inventor: Thaddeus John Gabara
  • Patent number: 8013377
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to an integrated circuit comprising a carrier, having a capacitor with a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode has a dielectric layer A layer sequence is arranged on the carrier, the capacitor being introduced in said layer sequence, wherein the layer sequence has a first supporting layer and a second supporting layer arranged at a distance above the first supporting layer, wherein the first and the second supporting layer adjoin the first electrode of the capacitor. Methods of manufacturing the integrated circuit are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Qimonda AG
    Inventors: Peter Baars, Stefan Tegen, Klaus Muemmler
  • Patent number: 8003462
    Abstract: A first electrode film containing TiAlN and a main dielectric film containing tantalum oxide are formed over a semiconductor substrate. Anneal is performed in the state that the first electrode film and the main dielectric film are formed, to react aluminum (Al) in the first electrode film with oxygen (O) in the main dielectric film and form a subsidiary dielectric film containing aluminum oxide at an interface between the first electrode film and the main dielectric film. A second electrode film is formed facing the first electrode film via the main dielectric film and the subsidiary dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Masaaki Nakabayashi
  • Patent number: 7999300
    Abstract: A memory cell includes a substrate, an access transistor and a storage capacitor. The access transistor comprising a gate stack disposed on the substrate, and a first and second diffusion region located on a first and second opposing sides of the gate stack. The storage capacitor comprises a first capacitor plate comprising a portion embedded within the substrate below the first diffusion region, a second capacitor plate and a capacitor dielectric sandwiched between the embedded portion of the first capacitor plate. At least a portion of the first diffusion region forms the second capacitor plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhao Lun, James Yong Meng Lee, Lee Wee Teo, Shyue Seng Tan, Chung Woh Lai, Johnny Widodo, Shailendra Mishra, Jeffrey Chee
  • Patent number: 7999298
    Abstract: An embedded memory cell includes a semiconducting substrate (110), a transistor (120) having a source/drain region (121) at least partially embedded in the semiconducting substrate, and a capacitor (130) at least partially embedded in the semiconducting substrate. The capacitor includes a first electrode (131) and a second electrode (132) that are electrically isolated from each other by a first electrically insulating material (133). The first electrode is electrically connected to the semiconducting substrate and the second electrode is electrically connected to the source/drain region of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jack T. Kavalieros, Niloy Mukherjee, Gilbert Dewey, Dinesh Somasekhar, Brian S. Doyle
  • Patent number: 7999299
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor memory device having peripheral circuit capacitors. In the semiconductor memory device, a first node is electrically connected to a plurality of lower electrodes of a plurality of capacitors in a peripheral circuit region to connect at least a portion of the capacitors in parallel. A second node is electrically connected to a plurality of upper electrodes of the capacitors in the peripheral circuit region to connect at least a portion of the capacitors in parallel. The first node is formed at substantially the same level as a bit line in a cell array region and is formed of the same material used to form the bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Hwa Lee, Si-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7999297
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having transistors formed on different layers of a stack structure includes a stacked capacitor cluster, wherein a stacked capacitor of the stacked capacitor cluster includes an insulation layer of a transistor of the semiconductor device, and at least a first conduction layer and a second conduction layer disposed above and below the insulation layer, wherein the stacked capacitor is a decoupling capacitor of the stacked capacitor cluster connected in parallel between a first line and a second line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyang-Ja Yang
  • Patent number: 7994557
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory cells employing a transition metal oxide layer as a data storage material layer are provided. The non-volatile memory cells include a lower and upper electrodes overlapped with each other. A transition metal oxide layer pattern is provided between the lower and upper electrodes. The transition metal oxide layer pattern is represented by a chemical formula MxOy. In the chemical formula, the characters “M”, “O”, “x” and “y” indicate transition metal, oxygen, a transitional metal composition and an oxygen composition, respectively. The transition metal oxide layer pattern has excessive transition metal content in comparison to a stabilized transition metal oxide layer pattern. Methods of fabricating the non-volatile memory cells are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-Gyu Baek, Moon-Sook Lee
  • Patent number: 7994560
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a substrate and at least one active region. A transistor produced in the active region separated from the substrate. This transistor includes a source or drain first region and a drain or source second region which are connected by a channel. A gate structure is position on top of said channel and operates to control the channel. The gate structure is formed in a trench whose sidewalls have a shape which converges (narrows) in the width dimension towards the substrate. A capacitor is also formed having a first electrode, a second electrode and a dielectric layer between the electrodes. This capacitor is also formed in a trench. An electrode line is connected to the first electrode of the capacitor. The second electrode of the capacitor is formed in a layer shared in common with at least part of the drain or source second region of the transistor. A bit line is located beneath the gate structure. The integrated circuit may, for example, be a DRAM memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Christian Caillat, Richard Ferrant
  • Patent number: 7989864
    Abstract: Structures and methods for making a semiconductor structure are discussed. The semiconductor structure includes a rough surface having protrusions formed from an undoped silicon film. If the semiconductor structure is a capacitor, the protrusions help to increase the capacitance of the capacitor. The semiconductor structure also includes a relatively smooth surface abutting the rough surface, wherein the relatively smooth surface is formed from a polycrystalline material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Randhir P. S. Thakur, Garry A. Mercaldi, Michael Nuttall, Shenline Chen, Er-Xuan Ping
  • Patent number: 7985998
    Abstract: A trench-type semiconductor device structure is disclosed. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric layer and a substrate channel structure. The semiconductor substrate includes a trench having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes a conductive layer formed therein. The lower portion includes a trench capacitor formed therein. The gate dielectric layer is located between the semiconductor substrate and the conductive layer. The substrate channel structure with openings, adjacent to the trench, is electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate via the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Shian-Jyh Lin, Ming-Cheng Chang, Neng Tai Shih, Hung-Chang Liao
  • Patent number: 7977724
    Abstract: A capacitor includes a cylindrical storage electrode formed on a substrate. A ring-shaped stabilizing member encloses an upper portion of the storage electrode to structurally support the storage electrode and an adjacent storage electrode. The ring-shaped stabilizing member is substantially perpendicular to the storage electrode and extends in a direction where the adjacent storage electrode is arranged. A dielectric layer is formed on the storage electrode. A plate electrode is formed on the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Je-Min Park
  • Patent number: 7977257
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a lower electrode is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A first zirconium oxide layer is formed on the lower electrode by performing a first deposition process using a first zirconium source and a first oxidizing gas. A zirconium carbo-oxynitride layer is formed on the first zirconium oxide layer by performing a second deposition process using a second zirconium source, a second oxidizing gas and a nitriding gas, and an upper electrode is formed on the zirconium carbo-oxynitride layer. A zirconium oxide-based composite layer having a high dielectric constant and a thin equivalent oxide thickness can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weon-Hong Kim, Min-Woo Song, Pan-Kwi Park, Jung-Min Park
  • Patent number: 7968929
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides on-chip decoupling capacitor structures having trench capacitors integrated with a passive capacitor formed in the back-end-of-line wiring to provide an improved overall capacitance density. In some embodiments, the structure includes at least one deep trench capacitor and a passive capacitor formed in at least two back-end-of-line wiring levels. The trench and passive capacitors are in electrical communication through one of the wiring levels. In other embodiments, the structure includes at least one deep trench capacitor, a first back-end-of-line wiring level, and a second back-end-of-line wiring level. The deep trench capacitor with a dielectric that has an upper edge that terminates at a lower surface of a shallow trench isolation region. The first wiring level is in electrical communication with the trench capacitor. The second wiring level is vertically electrically connected to the first wiring level by vertical connectors so as to form a passive capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anil K. Chinthakindi, Eric Thompson
  • Patent number: 7960227
    Abstract: After a first via hole leading to a ferroelectric capacitor structure are formed in an interlayer insulating film by dry etching, a second via hole to expose part of the ferroelectric capacitor structure is formed in a hydrogen diffusion preventing film so as to be aligned with the first via hole by wet etching, and a via hole constructed by the first via hole and the second via hole communicating with each other is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hayashi, Kazutoshi Izumi
  • Patent number: 7960772
    Abstract: An RF switch to controllably withstand an applied RF voltage Vsw, or a method of fabricating such a switch, which includes a string of series-connected constituent FETs with a node of the string between each pair of adjacent FETs. The method includes controlling capacitances between different nodes of the string to effectively tune the string capacitively, which will reduce the variance in the RF switch voltage distributed across each constituent FET, thereby enhancing switch breakdown voltage. Capacitances are controlled, for example, by disposing capacitive features between nodes of the string, and/or by varying design parameters of different constituent FETs. For each node, a sum of products of each significant capacitor by a proportion of Vsw appearing across it may be controlled to approximately zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Mark Englekirk
  • Patent number: 7956440
    Abstract: A capacitor includes a first capacitor structure on a substrate, the first capacitor structure including a first electrode, a first dielectric layer pattern, and a second electrode, a second capacitor structure on the first capacitor structure, the second capacitor structure including a third electrode, a second dielectric layer pattern, and a fourth electrode, at least one first contact pad on a side of the first electrode, and a wiring structure connecting the at least one first contact pad and the fourth electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwan-Young Yun
  • Patent number: 7956398
    Abstract: Disclosed are a capacitor of a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The capacitor includes a capacitor top electrode, a capacitor bottom electrode aligned with a bottom surface and three lateral sides of the capacitor top electrode, and a capacitor insulating layer between the capacitor top electrode and the capacitor bottom electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki Min Lee
  • Patent number: 7956399
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device (10) with a substrate (11) and a semiconductor body (12) of silicon which comprises an active region (A) with a transistor (T) and a passive region (P) surrounding the active region (A) and which is provided with a buried conducting region (1) of a metallic material that is connected to a conductive region (2) of a metallic material sunken from the surface of the semiconductor body (12), by which the buried conductive region (1) is made electrically connectable at the surface of the semiconductor body (12). According to the invention, the buried conducting region (1) is made at the location of the active region (A) of the semiconductor body (12). In this way, a very low buried resistance can be locally created in the active region (A) in the semiconductor body (12), using a metallic material that has completely different crystallographic properties from the surrounding silicon. This is made possible by using a method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Wibo Daniel Van Noort, Jan Sonsky, Philippe Meunier-Beillard, Erwin Hijzen
  • Patent number: 7951665
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate, a capacitor element having a lower electrode, a capacitor dielectric film, a TiN film, and a W film, and an interlayer insulation film covering the end and a portion of the upper surface of the lower electrode and disposed with a concave portion at a position corresponding to the lower electrode. The lower electrode is disposed selectively at the bottom of the concave portion, the upper surface of the lower electrode is exposed from the interlayer insulation film in the region for forming the concave portion, the side wall for the concave portion of the interlayer insulation film situates to the inner side of the lower electrode from the end of the lower electrode, and the capacitor dielectric film is disposed so as to cover the upper surface of the lower electrode and cover the interlayer insulation from the side wall for the concave portion to the upper surface of the interlayer insulation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Ken Inoue, Tomoko Inoue
  • Patent number: 7943474
    Abstract: A method for forming a memory device is provided by first forming at least one trench in a semiconductor substrate. Next, a lower electrode is formed in the at least one trench, and thereafter a conformal dielectric layer is formed on the lower electrode. An upper electrode is then formed on the conformal dielectric layer. The forming of the upper electrode may include a conformal deposition of metal nitride layer, and a non-conformal deposition of an electrically conductive material atop the metal nitride layer, in which the electrically conductive material encloses the at least one trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Dyer, Keith Kwong Hon Wong, Mahender Kumar
  • Patent number: 7939872
    Abstract: A multi-dielectric film including at least one first dielectric film that is a composite film made of zirconium-hafnium-oxide and at least one second dielectric film that is a metal oxide film made of amorphous metal oxide. Adjacent ones of the dielectric films are made of different materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Cheol Lee, Sang-Yeol Kang, Ki-Vin Lim, Hoon-Sang Choi, Eun-Ae Chung
  • Patent number: 7939875
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a pixel structure of a thin film transistor liquid crystal display is provided. A transparent conductive layer and a first metallic layer are sequentially formed over a substrate. The first metallic layer and the transparent conductive layer are patterned to form a gate pattern and a pixel electrode pattern. A gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer are sequentially formed over the substrate. A patterning process is performed to remove the first metallic layer in the pixel electrode pattern while remaining the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer over the gate pattern. A second metallic layer is formed over the substrate. The second metallic layer is patterned to form a source/drain pattern over the semiconductor layer. A passivation layer is formed over the substrate and then the passivation layer is patterned to expose the transparent conductive layer in the pixel electrode pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Mao-Tsun Huang, Tzufong Huang
  • Patent number: 7935998
    Abstract: A structure and method of forming a body contact for a semiconductor-on-insulator trench device. The method including: forming set of mandrels on a top surface of a substrate, each mandrel of the set of mandrels arranged on a different corner of a polygon and extending above the top surface of the substrate, a number of mandrels in the set of mandrels equal to a number of corners of the polygon; forming sidewall spacers on sidewalls of each mandrel of the set of mandrels, sidewalls spacers of each adjacent pair of mandrels merging with each other and forming a unbroken wall defining an opening in an interior region of the polygon, a region of the substrate exposed in the opening; etching a contact trench in the substrate in the opening; and filling the contact trench with an electrically conductive material to form the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni
  • Publication number: 20110095349
    Abstract: A technique for enhancing the performance of a memory- and logic-equipped semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate (1), an insulating layer (19) on the semiconductor substrate (1), a plurality of contact plugs (16, 66) in the insulating layer (19), and an insulating layer (30) where capacitors (82), a plurality of contact plugs (25, 75), barrier metal layers (27, 87) and copper interconnections (29, 88) are formed. Source/drain regions (9) in the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate (1) are electrically connected to the copper interconnections (29). One of adjacent source/drain regions (59) in the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate (1) is electrically connected to the copper interconnection (88), while the other is electrically connected to the capacitor (82).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi HACHISUKA, Atsushi AMO, Tatsuo KASAOKA, Shunji KUBO
  • Patent number: 7922113
    Abstract: In a fishing reel, the combination operable for braking the reel, comprising a reel spool having an axis, two axially spaced brake discs on the spool, a brake pad between the discs, and the discs interconnected to rotate together and move relatively toward the pad, a braking lever movable by the user to effect the disc relative movement, and pad engagement by the discs, a shaft extending axially, and bodily movable to effect the discs relative movement, the shaft being non-rotatable, and means including an actuator for displacing the shaft axially in response to lever movement, thereby to cause braking engagement of the discs, with the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Inventor: Harout Alajajyan
  • Patent number: 7919802
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an MIM capacitor is disclosed. First, a substrate is provided having a first dielectric layer thereon. Next at least one first damascene conductor is formed within the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer with a capacitor opening is formed on the first dielectric layer, in which the capacitor opening is situated directly above the first damascene conductor. Next, an MIM capacitor having a top plate and a bottom plate is created within the capacitor opening, in which the bottom plate of the MIM capacitor is electrically connected to the first damascene conductor. Next, a third dielectric layer is deposited on the second dielectric layer and the MIM capacitor, and at least one second damascene conductor is formed within part of the third dielectric layer, in which the second damascene conductor is electrically connected to the top plate of the MIM capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chun-Yi Lin, Chien-Chou Hung
  • Patent number: 7915172
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate includes a wafer including an element area and a non-element area delineating the element area, a first layered structure situated in the element area, a first insulating film covering the first layered structure, and exhibiting a first etching rate with respect to an etching recipe, a second insulating film covering the first layered structure covered by the first insulating film in the element area, and exhibiting a second etching rate with respect to the etching recipe, the second etching rate being greater than the first etching rate, and a second layered structure situated in the non-element area, wherein the second layered structure includes at least a portion of the first layered structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Tetsuo Yaegashi
  • Patent number: 7911315
    Abstract: A pressure sensor assembly configured for use with a catheter. In one illustrative embodiment, the pressure sensor assembly may include a multi-layer co-fired ceramic (MLCC) package. The MLCC package may include two or more ceramic layers that are co-fired together, with a cavity defined by at least some of the ceramic layers. At least one internal bond pad is provided within the cavity, and at least one external connection point is provided on the MLCC package exterior. A sensor, such as a pressure sensor, may be positioned and attached within the cavity. The sensor may be electrically connected to at least one of the internal bond pads. In some cases, a sealant may be used to encapsulate the sensor within the cavity. Once fabricated, the MLCC sensor assembly may be provided in a sensor lumen of a catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Alistair D. Bradley
  • Publication number: 20110057240
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of conduction plugs disposed on an active region, a bit line connected to a conduction plug of the plurality of conduction plugs which is disposed in a central portion of the active region, and storage nodes connected with conduction plugs of the plurality of conduction plugs which are disposed at both peripherals of the active region and passing over the active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Hyung Jin Park
  • Publication number: 20110049600
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, first contact holes reaching diffusion regions of a cell transistor, bit line contact holes reaching diffusion regions of the cell transistor, and interconnect grooves communicating with the bit line contact holes are buried in a first insulating film. In addition, first contact plugs and bit line contacts are respectively formed by burying conductive materials in the first contact holes, the bit line contact holes and the interconnect grooves, and the first contact plugs are electrically connected to a capacitor formed in a third insulating film through an opening formed in a second insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventor: Yasuyuki AOKI
  • Patent number: 7898014
    Abstract: Semiconductor device structures with self-aligned doped regions and methods for forming such semiconductor device structures. The semiconductor structure comprises first and second doped regions of a first conductivity type defined in the semiconductor material of a substrate bordering a sidewall of a trench. An intervening region of the semiconductor material separates the first and second doped regions. A third doped region is defined in the semiconductor material bordering the sidewall of the trench and disposed between the first and second doped regions. The third doped region is doped to have a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. Methods for forming the doped regions involve depositing either a layer of a material doped with both dopants or different layers each doped with one of the dopants in the trench and, then, diffusing the dopants from the layer or layers into the semiconductor material bordering the trench sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Louis Lu-Chen Hsu, Jack Allan Mandelman
  • Patent number: 7884409
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of fabricating the same, wherein insulation layers are interposed to sequentially dispose the semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, a third conductive plate, and a fourth conductive plate. At least two of the first second, third and fourth conductive plates are electrically connected and constitute at least two capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoon-Hae Kim, Myoung-Hwan Oh, Myung-Soo Yeo, Hea-Yean Park
  • Patent number: 7880213
    Abstract: A structure and a method of fabricating a bottom electrode of a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor are provided. First, a transition metal layer is formed on a substrate. Thereafter, a self-assembling polymer film having a nano-pattern is formed on the transition metal layer to expose a portion of the transition metal layer. Using the self-assembling polymer film as a mask, the exposed portion of the transition metal layer is treated to undergo a phase change so that the bottom electrode can achieve a nano-level of phase separation. Thereafter, the self-assembling polymer film is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wen-Miao Lo, Lurng-Sheng Lee, Pei-Ren Jeng, Cha-Hsin Lin, Ching-Chiun Wang
  • Patent number: 7866015
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a method of forming a capacitor with inter-digitated vertical plates such that the effective gap distance between plates is reduced. This gap width reduction significantly increases the capacitance density of the capacitor. Gap width reduction is accomplished during back end of the line processing by masking connecting points with nodes, by etching the dielectric material from between the vertical plates and by etching a sacrificial material from below the vertical plates. Etching of the dielectric material forms air gaps and various techniques can be used to cause the plates to collapse in on these air gaps, once the sacrificial material is removed. Any remaining air gaps can be filled by depositing a second dielectric material (e.g., a high k dielectric), which will further increase the capacitance density and will encapsulate the capacitor in order to make the reduced distance between the vertical plates permanent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Anil K. Chinthakindi
  • Patent number: 7863663
    Abstract: Techniques for manufacturing an electronic device. In certain embodiments, a substrate includes a lower patterned layer that has a target conductor. A hybrid-vertical contact may be disposed directly on the target conductor. The hybrid vertical contact may include a lower-vertical contact directly on the target conductor and an upper-vertical contact directly on the lower-vertical contact. The upper-vertical contact may have an upper width that is greater than a lower width of the lower-vertical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Doebler
  • Patent number: 7863665
    Abstract: A method and structure for reducing cracks in a dielectric in contact with a metal structure. The metal structure comprises a first metal layer; a second metal layer disposed on, and in contact with the first metal layer, the second metal layer being stiffer than the first metal layer; a third metal layer disposed on, and in contact with the second metal layer, the second metal layer being stiffer than the third metal layer. An additional metal is included wherein the dielectric layer is disposed between the metal structure and the additional metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Barry J. Liles, Colin S. Whelan
  • Patent number: 7859081
    Abstract: A capacitor includes a substrate (110, 210), a first electrically insulating layer (120, 220) over the substrate, and a fin (130, 231) including a semiconducting material (135) over the first electrically insulating layer. A first electrically conducting layer (140, 810) is located over the first electrically insulating layer and adjacent to the fin. A second electrically insulating layer (150, 910) is located adjacent to the first electrically conducting layer, and a second electrically conducting layer (160, 1010) is located adjacent to the second electrically insulating layer. The first and second electrically conducting layers together with the second electrically insulating layer form a metal-insulator-metal stack that greatly increases the capacitance area of the capacitor. In one embodiment the capacitor is formed using what may be referred to as a removable metal gate (RMG) approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Doyle, Robert S. Chau, Suman Datta, Vivek De, Ali Keshavarzi, Dinesh Somasekhar
  • Patent number: 7859825
    Abstract: A capacitance circuit assembly mounted on a semiconductor chip, and methods for forming the same, are provided. A plurality of divergent capacitors is provided in a parallel circuit connection between first and second ports, the plurality providing at least one Metal Oxide Silicon Capacitor and at least one Vertical Native Capacitor or Metal-Insulator-Metal Capacitor. An assembly has a vertical orientation, a Metal Oxide Silicon capacitor located at the bottom and defining a footprint, with a middle Vertical Native Capacitor having a plurality of horizontal metal layers, including a plurality of parallel positive plates alternating with a plurality of parallel negative plates. In another aspect, vertically asymmetric orientations provide a reduced total parasitic capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jonghae Kim, Moon J. Kim, Jean-Olivier Plouchart, Robert E. Trzcinski
  • Patent number: 7847330
    Abstract: A multi-layer non-volatile memory integrally formed on top of a substrate including active circuitry is disclosed. Each layer of memory includes memory cells (e.g., a two-terminal memory cell) having a multi-resistive state material layer that changes its resistive state between a low resistive state and a high resistive state upon application of a write voltage across the memory cell. Data stored in the memory cells can be non-destructively determined by applying a read voltage across the memory cells. Data storage capacity can be tailored to a specific application by increasing or decreasing the number of memory layers that are integrally fabricated on top of the substrate (e.g., more than four layers or less than four layers). The memory cells can include a non-ohmic device for allowing access to the memory cell only during read and write operations. Each memory layer can comprise a cross point array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Inventors: Darrell Rinerson, Christophe Chevallier, Steve Kuo-Ren Hsia
  • Patent number: 7843035
    Abstract: An embodiment of a MIM capacitor includes a first insulating layer formed over a wafer and a first capacitor plate formed over the wafer within the first insulating layer. The MIM capacitor further includes a second insulating layer formed over the first insulating layer, a capacitor dielectric formed over the first capacitor plate within the second insulating layer and a second capacitor plate formed over the capacitor dielectric within the second insulating layer. A recess is formed in the second capacitor plate below an upper surface of the second insulating layer and a catalytic activation layer is formed in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Barth, Petra Felsner, Erdem Kaltalioglu, Gerald R. Friese