Inversion Layer Capacitor Patents (Class 257/313)
  • Patent number: 7180122
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first hydrogen barrier film, a capacitor device formed on the first hydrogen barrier film, and a second hydrogen barrier film formed to cover the capacitor device. The first and second hydrogen barrier films each contain at least one common type of atoms for allowing the first and second hydrogen barrier films to adhere to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Mikawa, Yuji Judai, Toshie Kutsunai
  • Patent number: 7157766
    Abstract: A variable capacitor comprising a substrate having a first type ion-doped buried layer, a first type ion-doped well, a second type ion-doped region and a conductive layer thereon. The first type ion-doped well is formed within the substrate. The first type ion-doped well has a cavity. The first type ion-doped buried layer is in the substrate underneath the first type ion-doped well. The first type ion-doped buried layer and the first type ion-doped well are connected. The second type ion-doped region is at the bottom of the cavity of the first type ion-doped well. The conductive layer is above and in connection with the first type ion-doped buried layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jing-Horng Gau, Anchor Chen
  • Patent number: 7141844
    Abstract: Systems and methodologies of growing an active layer (e.g., a polymer layer) for a memory cell via catalyst points of a self assembled monolayer (SAM). The self assembled monolayer can act as a site that anchors a subsequent growth of polymer chain reactions, via the presence of the DPA that reacts with the active catalyst spots. The DPA can react with a surface of the self assembled monolayer to form an active layer of the polymer memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Spansion, LLC
    Inventor: Richard P. Kingsborough
  • Patent number: 7115936
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method for a piezoelectric actuator a first electrode layer is formed on substrate, a ferroelectric thin film is formed on the first electrode layer, and an inorganic protective layer 4 is formed on the ferroelectric thin film. Then, the inorganic protective layer 4 and the ferroelectric thin film are heat-treated under an oxygen containing atmosphere, and a second electrode layer is formed on an oxidation diffusion layer, wherein the oxidation diffusion layer is formed on a surface of the ferroelectric thin film as a result of component diffusion of the ferroelectric thin film and oxidation of the inorganic protective layer 4 due to the heat treatment. By using this method, it is possible to improve ferroelectricity without deterioration or cracking of a surface of the ferroelectric thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kita
  • Patent number: 7115938
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell comprising a transistor and two plane capacitors. In the memory cell, a switching device is disposed on a substrate, a first plane capacitor having a first doped region and a second plane capacitor having a second doped region. The switching device and the first and second plane capacitors share a common ploysilicon floating gate configured to retain charge as a result of programming the memory cell. The memory cell is configured to be erased by tunneling between the first doped region and the common ploysilicon floating gate without causing junction breakdown within the memory cell. The first and second doped regions are formed in the substrate before forming the common ploysilicon floating gate such that the capacitance of the first and second plane capacitors are constant when the memory cell operates within an operating voltage range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Chao-Ming Koh, Jia-Ching Doong, Gia-Hua Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7095072
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, in which four pieces of strip-shaped electrodes, whose longitudinal directions are the same, are formed in each layer of a plurality of wiring layers that are provided by a same design rule with each other, simultaneously with regular wirings. In each wiring layer, two pieces each of first electrode and second electrode are formed parallelly with each other, alternately, and remote from each other. Then, the first electrodes formed in each layer are connected to each other by a first via, the second electrodes formed in each layer are connected to each other by a second via, a first structure body formed by connecting the first electrodes and the first via to each other is connected to a ground wiring, and a second structure body formed by connecting the second electrodes and the second via to each other is connected to a power source wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Furumiya, Hiroaki Ohkubo, Yasutaka Nakashiba
  • Patent number: 7087182
    Abstract: The present invention provides a flash memory integrated circuit and a method of fabricating the same. A tunnel dielectric in an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) device is nitrided with a hydrogen-bearing compound, particularly ammonia. Hydrogen is thus incorporated into the tunnel dielectric, along with nitrogen. The gate stack is etched and completed, including protective sidewall spacers and dielectric cap, and the stack lined with a barrier to hydroxyl and hydrogen species. Though the liner advantageously reduces impurity diffusion through to the tunnel dielectric and substrate interface, it also reduces hydrogen diffusion in any subsequent hydrogen anneal. Hydrogen is provided to the tunnel dielectric, however, in the prior exposure to ammonia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald A. Weimer
  • Patent number: 7034353
    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: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Randhir P. S. Thakur, Garry A. Mercaldi, Michael Nuttall, Shenlin Chen, Er-Xuan Ping
  • Patent number: 7026212
    Abstract: An improved method for fabricating a three dimensional monolithic memory with increased density. The method includes forming conductors preferably comprising tungsten, then filling and planarizing; above the conductors forming semiconductor elements preferably comprising two diode portions and an antifuse, then filling and planarizing; and continuing to form conductors and semiconductor elements in multiple stories of memories. The arrangement of processing steps and the choice of materials decreases aspect ratio of each memory cell, improving the reliability of gap fill and preventing etch undercut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Matrix Semiconductors, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Brad Herner, Maitreyee Mahajani
  • Patent number: 7009275
    Abstract: An improved method for fabricating a three dimensional monolithic memory with increased density. The method includes forming conductors preferably comprising tungsten, then filling and planarizing; above the conductors forming semiconductor elements preferably comprising two diode portions and an antifuse, then filling and planarizing; and continuing to form conductors and semiconductor elements in multiple stories of memories. The arrangement of processing steps and the choice of materials decreases aspect ratio of each memory cell, improving the reliability of gap fill and preventing etch undercut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Matrix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Brad Herner, Maitreyee Mahajani
  • Patent number: 6958270
    Abstract: The present invention provides microelectronic electrochemical structures and related fabrication methods. A composite microelectronic structure is provided that includes first and second conductors dielectrically isolated from one another at a crossing thereof, the crossing surrounded by a dielectric material. A portion of the dielectric material around the crossing of the first and second conductors is removed to form a well that exposes respective outer surfaces of the first and second conductors and a molecule is deposited in the well such that the deposited molecule contacts the exposed outer surfaces of the first and second conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Veena Misra, John Damiano, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6952030
    Abstract: A three dimensional monolithic memory comprising a memory cell allowing for increased density is disclosed. In the memory cell of the present invention, a bottom conductor preferably comprising tungsten is formed. Above the bottom conductor a semiconductor element preferably comprises two diode portions and an antifuse. Above the semiconductor element are additional conductors and semiconductor elements in multiple stones of memories. The arrangement of processing steps and the choice of materials decreases aspect ratio of each memory cell, improving the reliability of gap fill and preventing etch undercut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Matrix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Brad Herner, Maitreyee Mahajani
  • Patent number: 6950299
    Abstract: An electronic device including first, second and third conductor layers respectively arranged as the source, drain and gate electrodes of a field effect transistor, the third conductor layer being capacitively coupled with both the first and second conductor layers but with the second conductor layer to a greater degree than with the first conductor layer, wherein the electronic device is operable as a non-linear capacitor by applying an alternating voltage across the third conductor layer and the first conductor layer whilst leaving the second conductor layer at a floating potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Plastic Logic Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Stone, Paul A. Cain, Thomas M. Brown
  • Patent number: 6943392
    Abstract: The invention comprises capacitors having a capacitor dielectric layer comprising a metal oxide having multiple different metals bonded with oxygen. In one embodiment, a capacitor includes first and second conductive electrodes having a high k capacitor dielectric region positioned therebetween. The high k capacitor dielectric region includes a layer of metal oxide having multiple different metals bonded with oxygen. The layer has varying stoichiometry across its thickness. The layer includes an inner region, a middle region, and an outer region. The middle region has a different stoichiometry than both the inner and outer regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishnu K. Agarwal, Husam N. Al-Shareef
  • Patent number: 6921936
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a pn-varactor having a small resistance and capable of coinciding with incorporation of a circuit employing LC resonance into an integrated circuit. A dummy gate pattern 4 is formed over a n-well 1 in a semiconductor wafer and then p+ diffusion regions 2, 3 are formed on both sides with the dummy gate pattern 4 as inhibition mask. For the purpose, a control voltage VT higher than potentials of the p+ diffusion regions 2, 3 is applied to the n-well 1. Consequently, both the pn-junction between the n-well 1 and the p+ diffusion region 2 and the pn-junction between the n-well 1 and the p+ diffusion region 3 act as a pn-varactor whose capacity is changed by the control voltage VT. If an end dummy pattern is provided on both sides or around the p+ diffusion regions 2, 3, imbalance in capacity due to deflection in position is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Koji Kudo
  • 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: 6903967
    Abstract: A memory having gate structures adjacent opposing sidewalls of a semiconductor structure including a channel region and a plurality of charge storage locations between the gate structures and the opposing sidewalls. The channel region is located between two current terminal regions, which in one example serve as the source/drain regions. A memory cell can be implemented in an array of memory cells wherein one gate structure is coupled to one word line and the other gate structure is coupled to another word line. In one example, each cell includes four charge storage locations, each for storing one bit of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo Mathew, Robert F. Steimle, Ramachandran Muralidhar
  • Patent number: 6891215
    Abstract: A method of forming a capacitor includes forming first and second capacitor electrodes over a substrate. A capacitor dielectric region is formed intermediate the first and second capacitor electrodes, and includes forming a silicon nitride comprising layer over the first capacitor electrode. A silicon oxide comprising layer is formed over the silicon nitride comprising layer. The silicon oxide comprising layer is exposed to an activated nitrogen species generated from a nitrogen-containing plasma effective to introduce nitrogen into at least an outermost portion of the silicon oxide comprising layer. Silicon nitride is formed therefrom effective to increase a dielectric constant of the dielectric region from what it was prior to said exposing. Capacitors and methods of forming capacitor dielectric layers are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Moore, Scott J. DeBoer
  • Patent number: 6891251
    Abstract: Varactors are provided which have a high tunability and/or a high quality factor associated therewith as well as methods for fabricating the same. One type of varactor disclosed is a quasi hyper-abrupt base-collector junction varactor which includes a substrate having a collector region of a first conductivity type atop a subcollector region, the collector region having a plurality of isolation regions present therein; reach-through implant regions located between at least a pair of the isolation regions; a SiGe layer atop a portion of the substrate not containing a reach-through implant region, the SiGe layer having an extrinsic base region of a second conductivity type which is different from the first conductivity type; and an antimony implant region located between the extrinsic base region and the subcollector region. Another type of varactor disclosed is an MOS varactor which includes at least a poly gate region and a well region wherein the poly gate region and the well region have opposite polarities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas D. Coolbaugh, James S. Dunn, Michael D. Gordon, Mohammed Y. Hammad, Jeffrey B. Johnson, David C. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 6885081
    Abstract: A semiconductor capacitor device has two pairs of first and second MIM capacitors on a semiconductor substrate. The paired first and second MIM capacitors include respective capacitor dielectric films having different compositions. Also, the paired first and second MIM capacitors are connected in inverse parallel fashion, with an upper electrode of the first MIM capacitor being connected with a lower electrode of the second MIM capacitor and with a lower electrode of the first MIM capacitor being connected with an upper electrode of the second MIM capacitor. Furthermore, the two first MIM capacitors are electrically connected in inverse parallel with each other, and the two second MIM capacitors are also electrically connected in inverse parallel with each other. This arrangement facilitates mutual counteraction of the voltage dependences of the two pairs of first and second MIM capacitors so as to make the voltage dependence of the capacitance of the capacitor device small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidenori Morimoto
  • Patent number: 6882008
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises a semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor layer insulated from the semiconductor substrate by the insulating layer; source regions of a first conduction type and drain regions of the first conduction type both formed in the semiconductor layer; body regions of a second conduction type formed in the semiconductor layer between the source regions and the drain regions to store data by accumulating or releasing an electric charge; word lines formed on the body regions in electrical isolation from the body regions to extend in a first direction; bit lines connected to the drain regions and extending in a direction different from the first direction; and buried wirings formed in the insulating layer in electrical isolation from the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor layer, said buried wirings extending in parallel with the bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Ohsawa
  • 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: 6835977
    Abstract: A variable capacitor comprising a substrate having a first type ion-doped buried layer, a first type ion-doped well, a second type ion-doped region and a conductive layer thereon. The first type ion-doped well is formed within the substrate. The first type ion-doped well has a cavity. The first type ion-doped buried layer is in the substrate underneath the first type ion-doped well. The first type ion-doped buried layer and the first type ion-doped well are connected. The second type ion-doped region is at the bottom of the cavity of the first type ion-doped well. The conductive layer is above and in connection with the first type ion-doped buried layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jing-Horng Gan, Anchor Chen
  • Patent number: 6828638
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention involves a die having a first conductor carrying a power supply voltage and a second conductor carrying a ground voltage. A semiconductor capacitor operating in depletion mode is coupled between the first and second conductors to provide decoupling capacitance between the first and second conductors, the semiconductor capacitor having a gate voltage. Various configurations may be used including: n+ gate poly and n+ source/drain regions in an n-body; p+ gate poly and n+ source/drain regions in an n-body; p+ gate poly and p+ source/drain regions in an n-body; p+ gate poly and p+ source/drain regions in a p-body; n+ gate poly and p+ source/drain regions in a p-body; n+ gate poly and n+ source/drain regions in a p-body. The power supply voltage may have a larger absolute value than does a flatband voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Keshavarzi, Vivek K. De, Tanay Karnik, Rajendran Nair
  • 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: 6818936
    Abstract: A single-poly EEPROM cell is disclosed with a vertically formed metal-insulator-metal (MIM) coupling capacitor, which serves as a control gate in place of a laterally buried control gate thereby eliminating the problem of junction breakdown, and at the same time reducing the size of the cell substantially. A method of forming the single-poly cell is also disclosed. This is accomplished by forming a floating gate over a substrate with an intervening tunnel oxide and then the MIM capacitor over the floating gate with another intervening dielectric layer between the top metal and the lower metal of the capacitor where the latter metal is connected to the polysilicon floating gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Chrong Jun Lin, Hsin-Ming Chen
  • Publication number: 20040222454
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. A scribe lane area formed in the substrate to define chip formation areas. A deep well area formed in each chip formation area. The deep well area has a second conductivity type which is opposite the first conductivity type. Also, at least one well area is formed within the deep well area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ha Zoong Kim
  • Patent number: 6787840
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip having a plurality of flash memory devices, shallow trench isolation in the periphery region, and LOCOS isolation in the core region. A hard mask is used first to create the shallow trench isolation. The LOCOS isolation is then created. Subsequent etching is used to remove stringers. The flash memory is able to use shallow trench isolation to limit encroachment. The flash memory may also have a nitridated tunnel oxide barrier layer. A hard mask is used to prevent nitride contamination of the gate oxide layer. Periphery stacks have hate oxide layers of different thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Tuan Duc Pham, Mark T. Ramsbey, Yu Sun, Chi Chang
  • Patent number: 6777304
    Abstract: A capacitor structure (10) is implemented in an integrated circuit chip (11) along with other devices at the device level in the chip structure. The method of manufacturing the capacitor includes forming an elongated device body (17) on a semiconductor substrate from a first semiconductor material. Fabrication also includes forming lateral regions (20, 22) on both lateral sides of this device body (17). These lateral regions (20, 22) are formed from a second semiconductor material. A dielectric layer (28) is formed over both lateral regions (20, 22) and the device body (17), while an anode layer (30) is formed over the dielectric layer in an area defined by the device body. Each lateral region (20, 22) is coupled to ground at a first end (25) of the elongated device body (17). The anode (30) is coupled to the chip supply voltage at a second end (33) of the device body opposite to the first end. The entire structure is designed and dimensioned to form an area-efficient and high-frequency capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fariborz Assaderaghi, Harold Wayne Chase, Stephen Larry Runyon
  • Patent number: 6774421
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a capacitor is provided which has a gap in at least one of its plates. The gap is small enough so that fringe capacitance between the sides of this gap and the opposing plate at least compensates, if not overcompensates, for the missing conductive material that would otherwise fill the gap and add to parallel capacitance. As a result, the capacitance of a storage device can be increased without taking up more die area. Alternatively, the size of a capacitor can be reduced with no decrease in capacitance. Various gap configurations and methods for providing them are also within the scope of the current invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David Y. Kao, James Peacher
  • Patent number: 6759287
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided that comprises a gate oxide film, a gate electrode, a nitride film, a low concentration impurity area, and a high concentration impurity are. The gate oxide film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode is formed on a predetermined region of the gate oxide film, and an upper portion thereof is wider than a lower portion thereof by a predetermined width. The nitride film is formed at a side of the lower portion of the gate electrode, and a width of the nitride film is equal to the predetermined width. The low concentration impurity area is formed within the semiconductor substrate except at a portion thereof under the lower portion of the gate electrode. The high concentration impurity area is formed within the semiconductor substrate except at a portion thereof under the lower portion of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Anam Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Kwan-Ju Koh
  • Patent number: 6710393
    Abstract: A failure analyzing method using a failure-analyzing semiconductor device includes a first step of manufacturing a semiconductor device adapted for product in predetermined numbers during a first interval and a second step of manufacturing a failure-analyzing semiconductor device in predetermined numbers every second interval during the first interval. The first step includes a step of forming memory cells in a first semiconductor substrate. The second step includes a step of forming memory cells in a second semiconductor substrate and a step of forming first and second digitated interconnections at the same level above the second semiconductor substrate, which are connected to the memory cells and arranged so that the fingers of each of the first and second interconnections are interleaved with those of the other with a predetermined space therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Itaru Tamura
  • Patent number: 6686620
    Abstract: A FRAM having a ferroelectric capacitor comprises a cylindrical type bottom electrode. A ferroelectric film is thinly stacked over the bottom electrode, and the first portion of the top electrode formed over and conformal to the ferroelectric film. A void that is left between sidewalls of the first portion of the electrode over the ferroelectric film is then filled with fill material for a fill layer. The fill material of the fill layer is then planarized to be level with and expose an upper surface of the first portion of the top electrode. A second portion of the top electrode is then formed over the fill layer and in contact with the exposed, e.g. peripheral regions of the first portion of the electrode. The fill material of the fill layer may be formed of polysilicon, silicon oxide or other material such as another metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyeong-Geun An, Soon-Oh Park
  • Patent number: 6667232
    Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric layer suitable for use as the gate dielectric layer in a MOSFET includes passivating the surface of a semiconductor substrate at a temperature less than approximately 80° C. and nitridizing the passivation layer. In particular embodiments, passivating a silicon wafer includes forming a hydroxy-silicate layer at approximately 24° C. In a further aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit includes a plurality of insulated gate field effect transistors, wherein various ones of the plurality of transistors have gate dielectric layers of the nitridized passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Keating, Robert S. Chau, Reza Arghavani, Jack T. Kavalieros, Douglas W. Barlage
  • Patent number: 6627933
    Abstract: A method of forming minimally spaced word lines is disclosed. A double exposure technique is employed at the gate formation level. A small trench is defined through gate stack layers by using a tapered etch or spacers to achieve the desired width of the trench. A filler material fills the trench and forms a filler plug. The gate layers adjacent to the trench are then patterned and etched and the filler plug is removed to obtain gate stacks spaced apart by a distance of less than about 400 Angstroms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Werner Juengling
  • Patent number: 6583024
    Abstract: A silicon wafer having a thick, high-resistivity epitaxially grown layer and a method of depositing a thick, high-resistivity epitaxial layer upon a silicon substrate, such method accomplished by: a) providing a silicon wafer substrate and b) depositing a substantially oxygen free, high-resistivity epitaxial layer, with a thickness of at least 50 &mgr;m, upon the surface of the silicon wafer. The silicon wafer substrate may then, optionally, be removed from the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: SEH America, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg V. Kononchuk, Sergei V. Koveshnikov, Zbigniew J. Radzimski, Neil A. Weaver
  • Patent number: 6552379
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with capacitors which have a structure wherein fluctuation in thickness does not occur, even in the case that a dielectric film of low coverage is used. The semiconductor device is provided with adjoining first and second capacitors, wherein the respective capacitor is provided with lower electrode, dielectric film which contacts the top surface of the lower electrode and which has peripheral sidewall surfaces that continue to the peripheral sidewall surfaces of the lower electrode, first upper electrode that contacts the top surface of the dielectric film and a second upper electrode that contacts the top surface of the first upper electrode and the semiconductor device is further provided with a partition insulating film which covers the sidewall surfaces of lower electrode and the dielectric layer between the capacitors so that the second upper electrode contacts the top surface of the partition insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nagai
  • Patent number: 6552380
    Abstract: A deep trench is formed in a silicon substrate. The inner surface of the trench is next coated with a thin polycrystalline silicon film (liner film) so as not to close the trench. A silicon germanium film (node electrode) is then formed on the thin polycrystalline silicon film so as not to close the trench. Next, a heat treatment is performed on the silicon germanium film thereby to flow only the silicon germanium so that the trench is filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsutomu Sato, Ichiro Mizushima, Yoshitaka Tsunashima
  • Patent number: 6548854
    Abstract: A gate or capacitor insulator structure using a first grown oxide layer, a high-k dielectric material on the grown oxide layer, and a deposited oxide layer on the high-k dielectric material. The deposited oxide layer is preferably a densified deposited oxide layer. A conducting layer, such as a gate or capacitor plate, may overlay the densified oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Isik C. Kizilyalli, Yi Ma, Pradip Kumar Roy
  • Patent number: 6541814
    Abstract: A voltage-variable capacitor is constructed from a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor. The transistor source has at least two contacts that are biased to different voltages. The source acts as a resistor with current flowing from an upper source contact to a lower source contact. The gate-to-source voltage varies as a function of the position along the source-gate edge. A critical voltage is where the gate-to-source voltage is equal to the transistor threshold. A portion of the source has source voltages above the critical voltage and no conducting channel forms under the gate. Another portion of the source has source voltages below the critical voltage, and thus a conducting channel forms under the gate for this portion of the capacitor. By varying either the gate voltage or the source voltages, the area of the gate that has a channel under it is varied, varying the capacitance. Separate source islands eliminate source current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Pericom Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Min Cao, Hide Hattori
  • Patent number: 6515310
    Abstract: A light shield film is provided adjacent to an anode of an EL element that consists of the anode, an EL layer, and a cathode. The anode and the cathode are transparent or semitransparent to visible light and hence transmit EL light. With this structure, ambient light is absorbed by the light shield film and does not reach an observer. This prevents an external view from appearing on the observation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 6400001
    Abstract: A varactor has a gate region, first and second biasing regions of N+ type embedded in a well, and first and second extraction regions of P+ type, forming a pair of PN junctions with the well. The PN junctions are inversely biased and extract charge accumulating in the well, below the gate region, when the gate region is biased to a lower voltage than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Stefano Manzini, Pietro Erratico
  • Publication number: 20020056869
    Abstract: A semiconductor capacitor device has paired first and second MIM capacitors on a semiconductor substrate. The first and second MIM capacitors include respective capacitor dielectric films having different compositions. Furthermore, upper electrodes and lower electrodes of the first and second MIM capacitors are connected in inverse parallel fashion. This arrangement facilitates mutual counteraction of the voltage dependences of the first and second MIM capacitors so as to make the voltage dependence of the capacitance of the capacitor device small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventor: Hidenori Morimoto
  • Patent number: 6389582
    Abstract: A method for thermal driven placement begins by first computing thermal response functions for individual components for several locations on a placement surface as a preprocessing step to placement. The thermal response functions can then be used to compute junction temperatures of components quickly and accurately during placement of the components in a layout. For a given component location, the component's junction temperature is computed by summing the contributions of neighboring components with the component's own contribution. The difference between predefined junction temperatures for the components and the calculated junction temperatures can then be used to assess the merits of the placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Inventors: John Valainis, Robert Mark Sumner, Jing Chen
  • Patent number: 6380008
    Abstract: The stress at the edges of a thin film conductor can be reduced by noncoincident layered structures, which takes advantage of the characteristic stress polarity changing from tensile to compressive or vice versa in the edge vicinity in order to avoid device reliability and performance problems. By using noncoincident layered structures, destructive stress interference from different layers can be achieved to reduce the stress or stress gradient at the edge. The structures and methods disclosed herein can advantageously be used in many integrated circuit and device manufacturing applications (including gates, wordlines, and bitlines).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Siang Ping Kwok, William F. Richardson, Dirk N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6373088
    Abstract: The stress at the edges of a thin film conductor can be reduced by noncoincident layered structures, which takes advantage of the characteristic stress polarity changing from tensile to compressive or vice versa in the edge vicinity in order to avoid device reliability and performance problems. By using noncoincident layered structures, destructive stress interference from different layers can be achieved to reduce the stress or stress gradient at the edge. The structures and methods disclosed herein can advantageously be used in many integrated circuit and device manufacturing applications (including gates, wordlines, and bitlines).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Siang Ping Kwok, William F. Richardson, Dirk N. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20020024087
    Abstract: An on-chip analog capacitor. Metal interconnect structures are used to form the capacitor, and the interdigitated fingers of like polarity within the interconnect structure are connected above and below to one another by metal vias to form a wall of metal which increases total capacitance by taking advantage of the via sidewall capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Inventor: Thomas J. Aton
  • Patent number: 6344672
    Abstract: An improved memory cell (600) for use in a high-intensity light environment. The memory (600) comprises a substrate (616) capable of generating photocarriers when exposed to radiant energy, at least one transistor (602), at least one capacitor (604), and address node (610) electrically connecting the transistor (602) and the capacitor (604), and an active collector region (626). The active collector region (626) is fabricated in the substrate (616) in a position to allow the active collector region (626) to recombine photocarriers traveling through the substrate (616) thus preventing the photocarriers from reaching the address node (610).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: James D. Huffman
  • Patent number: 6303957
    Abstract: A semiconductor capacitance device comprising a first semiconductor capacitive element (30) having a first voltage dependency factor K1 (<0), a second semiconductor capacitive element (32) having a second voltage dependency factor K2 (>0) with a gradient sign inverse to the first voltage dependency factor K1, and wiring layers (24, 28) connecting the first and second capacitive elements either in parallel or in series. The first capacitive element (30) has a first doped polysilicon layer (14) of N-type and a second doped polysilicon layer (18) of N-type placed across an interposed dielectric layer (16). The second capacitive element (32) has the first doped polysilicon layer (14) of N-type and a third doped polysilicon layer (20) of P-type placed across the interposed dielectric layer (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihito Ohwa
  • Patent number: 6242772
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory. The memory includes a write transistor N3 and a read transistor N2. In a preferred embodiment the write transistor has a threshold level higher than the read transistor. A sense amplifier senses and amplifies a difference in voltage between a bit line and a sense node that is developed when the read transistor permits or does not permit current to flow between ground an a bit line. Associated semiconductor device structures and fabrication techniques are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Sven E. Wahlstrom