In Complementary Field Effect Transistor Integrated Circuit Patents (Class 257/357)
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Patent number: 7074687Abstract: An ESD protection device (20) comprises an N-type epitaxial collector (21), a first, lightly doped, deep base region (221) and second, highly doped, shallow base region (222) that extends a predetermined lateral dimension. The device responds to an ESD event by effecting vertical breakdown between the base regions and the N-type epitaxial collector. The ESD response is controlled by the predetermined lateral dimension, S, which, in one embodiment, may be is determined by a single masking step. Consequently, operation of the ESD protection device is rendered relatively insensitive to the tolerances of a fabrication process, and to variations between processes.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2003Date of Patent: July 11, 2006Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventor: James D. Whitfield
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Patent number: 7067884Abstract: M pieces of n-well regions nW are provided on a main surface of a p-type silicon substrate 3, and p-well regions pW are provided among the n-well regions adjacent to one another. Moreover, each of the M pieces of n-well regions nW includes an n-type diffusion region nD and a p-type diffusion region pD1, which are formed therein. Furthermore, the p-well region pW includes a p-type diffusion region pD2 therein. The n-type diffusion region nD in a j-th of the n-well region nW is connected to the p-type diffusion region pD1 in a (j+1)-th of the n-well region 10. The p-type diffusion region pD1 in the first n-well region nW is connected to a first terminal 1. The n-type diffusion region nD in the M-th of the n-well region nW is connected to a second terminal 2.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2003Date of Patent: June 27, 2006Assignee: NEC Electronics CorporationInventor: Mototsugu Okushima
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Patent number: 7064392Abstract: In an N-channel type field effect transistor constituting an input/output protection circuit, an N-type well 1a with a lower dopant concentration than the source region 3c is formed under the source region 3c.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2000Date of Patent: June 20, 2006Assignee: NEC Electronics CorporationInventor: Yasuyuki Morishita
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Patent number: 7061052Abstract: An input protection circuit capable of precisely bypassing a surge current to a power source terminal and protecting the gate of a protective transistor from an electrostatic surge. The input protection circuit has an input terminal which receives an input signal, a first power source terminal which receives a first power source electric potential, and a first protective power source potential line connected to the first power source terminal for supplying the first power source electric potential to an input protection circuit. The input protection circuit has a first input protection transistor of a first conductive type having a drain connected to the input terminal, a gate and a source connected to the first protective power source potential line.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2002Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsuhiro Kato
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Patent number: 7049665Abstract: In order to realize a dual gate CMOS semiconductor device with little leakage of boron that makes it possible to divisionally doping a p-type impurity and an n-type impurity into a polycrystalline silicon layer with one mask, a gate electrode has a high melting point metal/metallic nitride barrier/polycrystalline silicon structure. The boron is pre-doped in the polycrystalline silicon layer. The phosphorus or arsenic is doped in an n-channel area. Then, the annealing in a hydrogen atmosphere with vapor added therein is performed. As a result, the boron is segregated on the interface of the metallic nitride film and the phosphorus is segregated on the interface of the gate oxide film, for forming an n+ gate.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventor: Naoki Yamamoto
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Patent number: 7019367Abstract: An integrated circuit is disclosed herein. One embodiment of the integrated circuit comprises a power supply conductor, a circuit, at least one bypass capacitor, and an electrostatic protection circuit. The circuit may be located on a first piece of silicon, which may be located on a first insulator. The bypass capacitor may be located on a second piece of silicon, which may be located on second insulator. The electrostatic protection circuit may be located on a third piece of silicon, which may be located on a third insulator. The electrostatic protection circuit is connected to the power supply conductor by way of a first line. The bypass capacitor and the circuit are connected to the power supply conductor by way of a second line. The resistance of the second line is greater than the resistance of the first line.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2003Date of Patent: March 28, 2006Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Carson D. Henrion, Gary L. Taylor
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Patent number: 7019368Abstract: A transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type in a well formed in the substrate and doped with the first conductivity type to an impurity level higher than that of the substrate. A drain doped to a second conductivity type opposite to said first conductivity type is disposed in the well. A pair of opposed source regions doped to the second conductivity type are disposed in the well and are electrically coupled together. They are separated from opposing outer edges of the drain region by channels. A pair of gates are electrically coupled together and disposed above and insulated from the channels. A region of the well disposed below the drain is doped so as to reduce capacitive coupling between the drain and the well.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2003Date of Patent: March 28, 2006Assignee: Actel CorporationInventors: John McCollum, Fethi Dhaoui
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Patent number: 7012304Abstract: An integrated circuit including a performance circuit occupying a first area of an integrated circuit substrate and a protection circuit coupled to the performance circuit and occupying a second area of an integrated circuit substrate separate from the first area. Also, a method of forming an integrated circuit including the steps of: Forming a performance circuit occupying a first area of an integrated circuit substrate, forming a protection circuit occupying a second area of an integrated circuit separate from the first area, and coupling the protection circuit to the performance circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2000Date of Patent: March 14, 2006Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Sanjay Dabral, Krishna Seshan
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Patent number: 7012305Abstract: An electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit for a dual polarity I/O pad is provided. The protection circuit includes a substrate of first type; a deep well region of second type disposed in the first type substrate; a well region of first type disposed in the second type deep well region; a first transistor disposed over the well region of first type, wherein the first transistor has a first source, a first gate and a first drain; a second transistor disposed over the substrate of first type, wherein the second transistor has a second source, a second gate and a second drain, and the second source is connected with the first drain, and both of them are disposed in a portion of the well region of first type, the deep well region of second type and the substrate of first type; a first doped region is disposed in the first type well region and laterally adjacent to the first source; a second doped region is disposed in the substrate of first type and laterally adjacent to the second drain.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2004Date of Patent: March 14, 2006Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shin Su, Chun-Hsiang Lai, Chia-Ling Lu, Yen-Hung Yeh, Tao-Cheng Lu
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Patent number: 7002215Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for protecting an interconnect line in a microelectromechanical system. The interconnect line is disposed over a substrate for conducting electrical signals, such as from a bonding pad to a mechanical component to effect movement as desired of the mechanical component. A first protective covering is disposed over a first portion of the interconnect line and a second protective covering is disposed over a second portion of the interconnect line. The first protective covering is provided in electrical communication with the substrate and the second protective covering is electrically isolated from the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2002Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: PTS CorporationInventor: David Miller
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Patent number: 7002219Abstract: An electrically programmable fuse includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) programmable transistor that is gate-source coupled by a resistive element. The resistive element can comprise a gate-source coupled MOS transistor. If the MOS transistor is unprogrammed, then the resistive element ensures that the programmable transistor is turned off during read operations. However, when a programming voltage is applied across the source and drain terminals of the programmable transistor, the resistive element allows the programming voltage to be capacitively coupled to the gate of the programmable transistor from its drain. This turns the programmable transistor on, thereby reducing the snapback voltage of the programmable transistor, and hence, the required programming voltage. Once the snapback mode is entered, current flow through the programmable transistor increases until thermal breakdown occurs and the programmable transistor shorts out.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Jan L. de Jong, James Karp, Leon Ly Nguyen
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Patent number: 7002220Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is provided for protecting transistors of an integrated circuit (IC) from ESD. The ESD protection circuit includes n transistors with n gates and less than n drains where n is an integer greater than 1. At least m resistors have first ends that communicate with at least one of the transistors of the IC, a blocking capacitor of the IC, an input pad of the IC, and an output pad of the IC, and second ends that connect to corresponding drain terminals of said drains where m is an integer greater than or equal to n/2.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.Inventors: Xiaodong Jin, Sehat Sutardja, Lawrence Tse, King Chun Tsai
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Patent number: 7002222Abstract: An integrated semiconductor circuit, having active components lying in mutually adjoining wells of a respective first and second conduction type, wherein the active components respectively are associated with substrate contacts lying in direct proximity to an edge bounding the mutually adjoining wells, is disclosed. Preferably, structures of the active components other than the contacts are arranged to lie further away from the edge and the circuit/layout structures are not mirror-symmetrical with respect to a center line of the circuit chip.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2004Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Michael Bernhard Sommer
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Patent number: 6998685Abstract: Off-chip driver (OCD) NMOS transistors with ESD protection are formed by interposing an P-ESD implant between the N+ drain regions of OCD NMOS transistors and the N-well such that the P-ESD surrounds a section of the N-well. The P-ESD implant is dosed less than the N+ source/drain implants but higher than the N-well dose. In another embodiment, N-well doping is used along with P-ESD doping, where the P-ESD doping is chosen such that it counterdopes the N-well underneath the N+ drains. The N-well, however, still maintains electrical connection to the N+ drains. This procedure creates a larger surface under the area where the junction breakdown occurs and an increased radius of curvature of the junction. The P-ESD implant is covered by N-type on three sides creating better parasitic bipolar transistor characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2003Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignees: Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd., Agilent Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Indrajit Manna, Keng Foo Lo, Pee Ya Tan, Michael Cheng
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Patent number: 6995431Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may be found in, for example, a system that reduces noise in a substrate of a chip and may comprise a substrate and a first well disposed on top of the substrate. The first well may be a deep well. Notwithstanding, a second well and a third are both disposed within the first well and a first transistor may be disposed in the second well. A quiet voltage source may be connected to a body of the first transistor and a second transistor may be disposed in the third well. The first transistor may be a PMOS transistor and the second transistor may be an NMOS transistor. A noisy voltage source may be coupled to a source of the first transistor and a body of the first transistor may be resistively coupled to the second well.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2004Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: Broadcom CorporationInventor: Ichiro Fujimori
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Patent number: 6995432Abstract: A MIS type semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same characterized in that impurity regions are selectively formed on a semiconductor substrate or semiconductor thin film and are activated by radiating laser beams or a strong light equivalent thereto from above so that the laser beams or the equivalent strong light are radiated onto the impurity regions and on an boundary between the impurity region and an active region adjoining the impurity region.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2002Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuhiko Takemura
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Patent number: 6992356Abstract: In an I/O circuit unit located in the periphery of a semiconductor chip, a plurality of ESD protection transistors are provided in each I/O cell. An electrode pad cell has a two-layer structure including a lower electrode pad and an upper electrode pad. The electrode pad cell is arranged so as to be present over a connection line of ESD protection transistors of an associated I/O cell. With part of the first pad portion of an adjacent electrode pad located in an end portion of the second pad portion of the electrode pad, the second pad portion can not extend further onward but the third pad portion having a smaller width than that of the second pad portion is arranged onward. Thus, destruction of the ESD protection transistors is not caused, so that an internal circuit is protected from an electrostatic discharge which comes into electrode pads.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2004Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Taniguchi, Naoki Nojiri
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Patent number: 6987303Abstract: A method to form a SCR device in the manufacture of an integrated circuit device is achieved. The method comprises providing a SOI substrate comprising a silicon layer overlying a buried oxide layer. The silicon layer further comprises a first well of a first type and a second well of a second type. A first heavily doped region of the first type is formed in the second well to form an anode terminal. A second heavily doped region of the second type is formed in the first well to form a cathode terminal and to complete the SCR device. A gate isolation method is described. A salicide method is described. LVT-SCR methods, including a floating-well, LVT-SCR method, are described.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2003Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Taiwan Semicondcutor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ta Lee Yu
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Patent number: 6982463Abstract: The integrated circuit includes a substrate SB incorporating a plurality of electronic components C1, C2 and a seal ring SR around the electronic components. It includes cold spot means VM, PG, BDG disposed between the electronic components and the seal ring. It further includes electrostatic discharge protection means including an electrostatic discharge rail VM around the electronic components and constituting said cold spot means.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2001Date of Patent: January 3, 2006Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.Inventor: Armand Castillejo
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Patent number: 6979908Abstract: A described embodiment of the present invention includes an integrated circuit having a plurality of I/O modules. The I/O modules include a bond pad formed on a substrate. The I/O modules also include an electrostatic discharge device formed in the substrate. The electrostatic discharge device is at least partially formed beneath the bond pad. The I/O module also includes an I/O buffer formed in the substrate. The I/O buffer is connected to the bond pad. The I/O buffer provides communication between the bond pad and circuitry formed in the substrate. The circuitry is positioned substantially adjacent to both the electrostatic discharge device and the I/O buffer.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2000Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventor: U-Ming Ko
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Patent number: 6972466Abstract: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits with bipolar transistors and methods for fabrication are provided. A bipolar transistor may have a lightly-doped base region. To reduce the resistance associated with making electrical contact to the lightly-doped base region, a low-resistance current path into the base region may be provided. The low-resistance current path may be provided by a base conductor formed from heavily-doped epitaxial crystalline semiconductor. Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors with narrow gates may be formed on the same substrate as bipolar transistors. The MOS gates may be formed using a self-aligned process in which a patterned gate conductor layer serves as both an implantation mask and as a gate conductor. A base masking layer that is separate from the patterned gate conductor layer may be used as an implantation mask for defining the lightly-doped base region.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2004Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Minchang Liang, Yow-Juang Liu, Fangyun Richter
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Patent number: 6967381Abstract: In order to improve the robustness against electrostatic discharge, when power source terminal and ground terminal are open, of a semiconductor device having a first, a second and a third inverter that are connected in a cascade arrangement, the semiconductor device is provided not only with a first input protection circuit for guiding positive electrostatic discharges, that are applied from outside to a signal input terminal, to a power source line, and a second input protection circuit for guiding negative electrostatic discharges, that are applied from outside to the signal input terminal, to a ground line, but also an internal protection circuit for guiding electrostatic discharges that have been guided by the first input protection circuit to the power source line and flow from a P-channel MOS transistor in the second inverter towards the third inverter, to the ground line.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2004Date of Patent: November 22, 2005Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Tatehara, Norihide Kinugasa
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Patent number: 6963112Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is disclosed for preventing a pad-to-pad ESD charge. The protection circuit for each pad of an integrated circuit comprises a current dissipation module with an N-type MOSFET connected in parallel with a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) wherein the drain of the MOSFET and the collector of the BJT are connected to a first common node and the source of the MOSFET and the emitter of the BJT are connected to a second common node connectable to a second operating voltage. A diode string is connected to a first pad at its anode end having a total forward voltage drop more than a first operating voltage and with its cathode end connected to the body of the MOSFET, the base of the BJT, and to the second common node through a resistor.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2004Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Chung-Hui Chen
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Patent number: 6963111Abstract: A pMOS transistor (601) is located in an n-well (602) and has at least one gate (603). Transistor (601) is connected between power pad Vdd or I/O pad (604) and ground potential Vss (605). Gate (603) is connected to power pad (604). The n-well (602) is capacitively (620) coupled to ground (605), decoupled from the transistor source (606) and floating under normal operating conditions. Under an ESD event, the diode formed by the source (606) and the n-well (602) is forward biased (n-well negatively biased) to turn on the lateral pnp transistor to discharge the ESD current. The well voltage keeps increasing up to the value that triggers the lateral bipolar pnp transistor. The ESD protection is scalable with the width of gate (603), improving with shrinking gate width.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2003Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Vijay K. Reddy, Gianluca Boselli, Ekanayake A. Amerasekera
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Patent number: 6963110Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programable attenuation and a programable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2002Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: Broadcom CorporationInventors: Agnes N. Woo, Kenneth R. Kindsfater, Fang Lu
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Patent number: 6960792Abstract: A bi-directional silicon controlled rectifier structure provides electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection against both positive and negative voltage spikes. The structure utilizes a pair of wells, n+ and p+ regions formed in both wells, a first ring formed around the junction between the first well and the semiconductor material, and a second ring formed around the junction between the second well and the semiconductor material.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2003Date of Patent: November 1, 2005Assignee: National Semiconductor CorporationInventor: Dinh Quoc Nguyen
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Patent number: 6953950Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device which includes a first interlayer insulating film (first insulating film) formed over a silicon (semiconductor) substrate, a capacitor formed on the first interlayer insulating film and having a lower electrode, a dielectric film, and an upper electrode, a fourth interlayer insulating film (second insulating film) formed over the capacitor and the first interlayer insulating film, and a metal pattern formed on the fourth interlayer insulating film over the capacitor and its periphery to have a stress in an opposite direction to the fourth interlayer insulating film. As a result, characteristics of the capacitor covered with the interlayer insulating film can be improved.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2003Date of Patent: October 11, 2005Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Naoya Sashida
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Patent number: 6949802Abstract: The invention describes structures and a process for providing ESD protection between multiple power supply lines or buses on an integrated circuit chip. Special diode strings are used for the protection devices whereby the diodes are constructed across the boundary of an N-well and P substrate or P-well. The unique design provides very low leakage characteristics during normal circuit operation, as well as improved trigger voltage control achieved by stacking 2 or more diodes in a series string between the power buses.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2003Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jiaw-Ren Shih, Jian-Hsing Lee
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Patent number: 6927458Abstract: An ESD protection circuit includes a field effect transistor device configured such that current flowing through a hot spot filament formed in a gate region must flow in a non-linear path from a drain contact to a source contact. Source diffusion areas are segmented and staggered relative to drain diffusion areas in order to provide the non-linear current path.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2003Date of Patent: August 9, 2005Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.Inventor: Eugene R. Worley
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Patent number: 6921950Abstract: In order to improve the robustness against electrostatic discharge, when power source terminal and ground terminal are open, of a semiconductor device having a first, a second and a third inverter that are connected in a cascade arrangement, the semiconductor device is provided not only with a first input protection circuit for guiding positive electrostatic discharges, that are applied from outside to a signal input terminal, to a power source line, and a second input protection circuit for guiding negative electrostatic discharges, that are applied from outside to the signal input terminal, to a ground line, but also an internal protection circuit for guiding electrostatic discharges that have been guided by the first input protection circuit to the power source line and flow from a P-channel MOS transistor in the second inverter towards the third inverter, to the ground line.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2002Date of Patent: July 26, 2005Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Tatehara, Norihide Kinugasa
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Patent number: 6906387Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus whereby two NMOS or PMOS devices connected in a stacked gate configuration formed on SOI exhibit improved ESD response characteristics. The shared source-drain region between the two devices is formed to have a dopant depth in the shared region that does not extend through the silicon layer to the BOX layer. This provides a common body for the two devices, and thus a single parasitic bipolar transistor is formed between the drain of one NMOS or PMOS device and the source of the second NMOS or PMOS device. Simultaneous snapback occurs for the two devices through the common body. A further embodiment includes a method of forming two or more stacked gate NMOS or PMOS devices on SOI. The method includes protecting the shared source-drain region between two NMOS or PMOS devices during a final doping step and silicide processing.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2003Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Dirk Alan Reese, Peter McElheny, Minchang Liang
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Patent number: 6888248Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 26, 2003Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., LtdInventors: Shui-Hung Chen, Jian-Hsing Lee, Jiaw-Ren Shih
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Patent number: 6885071Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit which is capable of being manufactured with a higher packing density and a small-size structure of standard cells is described. In the semiconductor integrated circuit, substrate regions and source regions are shared by adjacent standard cells as well as common contact regions which are located inward displaced respectively from the centers of the substrate regions.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2003Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Yasunobu Umemoto, Toshikazu Sei, Toshiki Morimoto, Hiroaki Suzuki
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Patent number: 6878996Abstract: An integrated MOS power transistors, in particular a lateral PMOS power transistor and a lateral n-DMOS power transistor, in which the bulk node is disposed in a manner spatially isolated from the source electrode zone. The particular integration structure of the MOS power transistor avoids a parasitic drain-bulk diode, a parasitic body diode and a substrate diode and thereby achieves an area-saving protection against over-currents in the event of reverse voltage polarity between drain and source.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2003Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Hubert Rothleitner
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Patent number: 6879003Abstract: An NMOS device having protection against electrostatic discharge. The NMOS device includes a P-substrate, a P-epitaxial layer overlying the P-substrate, a P-well in the P-epitaxial layer, an N-well in the P-epitaxial layer and encompassing the P-well, an N-Buried Layer (NBL) underneath the P-well and bordering the N-well. The P-well is fully isolated by the N-well and the NBL. The NMOS device further includes a first isolation structure consisting of a gate-insulating layer connected with a field oxide layer, which is formed on the P-epitaxial layer. A gate overlies the first isolation structure. A second isolation structure laterally spaced apart from the first isolation structure is approximately situated on the N-well. An N+ source doping region, which functions as a source of the NMOS device, is disposed in the P-well. An N+ drain doping region, which functions as a drain of the NMOS device, is disposed in the N-well.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2004Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.Inventors: Chih-Nan Cheng, Yii-Chian Lu, Fang-Mei Chao
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Patent number: 6876041Abstract: The present invention provides an ESD protection component, comprising at least two MOS field effect transistors (FETs) of a first conductivity type and a first well having a first conductivity type. The two MOS FETs have two parallel gates formed on a first semiconductive layer having a second conductivity type. The first well formed on the first semiconductive layer is comprised of a connecting area formed between the MOS FETs, two parallel extension areas formed perpendicular to the gates of the MOS FETs, and a first doping area of the second conductivity type formed in the connecting area. Two SCR are formed with drains of the MOS FETs, the first semiconductive layer, the first well and the first doping region. With the combination of the SCR and NMOS FET, ESD protection efficiency can be substantially enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2001Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jian-Hsing Lee, Kuo-Reay Peng, Shui-Hung Chen
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Patent number: 6873014Abstract: The semiconductor device has a low-resistance layer provided under the interconnection extending from the singal input to a gate of MOSFET. The low-resistance layer suppresses the influence of the substrate resistance and the noise characteristic of the semiconductor device can also be improved. The low-resistance layer can be provided on a surface of the substrate or a polysilicon interconnection.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2000Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Eiji Morifuji
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Patent number: 6870228Abstract: A system and method for reducing noise in a substrate of a chip is provided. The system may include a substrate (70) doped with a first dopant. A first well (80) may be disposed on the substrate and doped with a second dopant. A second well (120) may be disposed within the first well (80) and doped with the second kind of dopant. A first transistor (100) may include one or more first transistor components disposed in the second well (120). The first transistor (100) may be adapted to employ a first type of channel having a quiet voltage source (140) connected to a body thereof. A third well (110) may be disposed within the first well (80) and doped with the first kind of dopant. A second transistor (90) may include one or more second transistor components that may be disposed in the third well (110). The second transistor (90) may be adapted to employ a second type of channel. The first well (80) may shield the substrate (70) from noise in the second well (120) and third well (110).Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2002Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Broadcom CorporationInventor: Ichiro Fujimori
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Patent number: 6870229Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultra-low power (ULP) MOS diode. The diode has a first and a second terminal. It comprises an n-MOS transistor having a channel, a first N+ doped diffusion region at one extremity of the channel and a second N+ diffusion region at the other extremity of the channel, and a p-MOS transistor having a channel and a first P+ doped diffusion region at one extremity of the channel and a second P+ diffusion region at the other extremity of the channel. The first N+ diffusion region of the n-MOS transistor is coupled to the first P+ diffusion region of the p-MOS transistor, the gate of the n-MOS transistor is coupled to the second P+ diffusion region of the p-MOS transistor, and the gate of the p-MOS transistor is coupled to the second N+ diffusion region of the n-MOS transistor.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2003Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Universite Catholique de LouvainInventors: Vincent Dessard, Stéphane Adriaensen, Denis Flandre, David Levacq
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Patent number: 6858902Abstract: A semiconductor device for ESD protection of an input/output pad (301) of an integrated circuit built in a substrate of a first conductivity type comprising a multi-finger MOS transistor (304), its source (304b) and its gate (304c) connected to ground potential and its drain (304a) connected to the I/O pad. A well of the opposite conductivity type, partially separated from the substrate by shallow trench isolations, has a diode (302), its anode (302b) connected to the pad and also to the transistor drain, and its cathode (302a) connected to power 303). These transistor and diode connections create a parasitic silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) with the SCR-anode (310a) formed by the diode anode, the first base region formed by the well, the second base region formed by the substrate, and the SCR-cathode (311a) formed by the transistor source. The SCR structure provides a significantly lower clamping voltage and an about two times higher failure current than a substrate-pumped MOS transistor.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2003Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Craig T. Salling, Charvaka Duvvury
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Patent number: 6858900Abstract: ESD protection devices and methods of forming them are provided in this invention. By employing the thin gate oxide fabricated by a dual gate oxide process and breakdown-enhanced layers, ESD protection devices with a lower trigger voltage are provided. The NMOS structure for ESD protection according to the present invention has islands, a control gate and breakdown-enhanced layers. These islands as well as the breakdown-enhanced layers overlapping the drain region of the NMOS reduce the breakdown voltage of the PN junction in the drain region, thereby reducing the ESD trigger voltage and improving the ESD protection level of the NMOS. Furthermore, the invention is applicable to general integrated-circuit processes as well as various ESD protection devices.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2001Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Winbond Electronics CorpInventors: Wei-Fan Chen, Shi-Tron Lin, Chuan-Jane Chao
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Patent number: 6853037Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a relatively lower threshold level MOSFET and relatively higher threshold level MOSFETs of n- and p-types. The higher threshold level MOSFETs have gate oxide films which is thicker than that of the lower threshold level MOSFET and, in addition, the gate oxide film of the higher threshold level MOSFET of n-type is thicker than that of the higher threshold level MOSFET of p-type. To fabricate the semiconductor device, implantation treatments of fluorine ions are carried out before the gate oxide treatment. Specifically, as for the higher threshold level MOSFETs of n- and p-types, implantation treatments of fluorine ions are independently carried out with unique implantation conditions.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2001Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: NEC Electronics CorporationInventors: Tomohiko Kudo, Naohiko Kimizuka
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Patent number: 6853063Abstract: Wire bonding or printed wiring board leads or, alternatively, lead frames or equivalents thereof are used to electrically connect external electrodes of high withstand voltage capacitors formed on a plurality of semiconductor chips. A driver circuit for signal transmission or receiver circuit for signal receipt formed on the semiconductor chips are electrically connected with substrate-side electrodes of said high withstand voltage capacitors, causing the plurality of semiconductor chips to be received within either a single package or a single module. Using this arrangement, a semiconductor device is capable of achieving both dielectricity and size reduction.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2003Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Noboru Akiyama, Minehiro Nemoto, Seigou Yukutake, Yasuyuki Kojima, Kazuyuki Kamegaki
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Patent number: 6849902Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device with enhanced ESD robustness. The ESD protection device comprises a pad, a finger-type MOS, a well stripe and a doped segment. The pad is on a semiconductor substrate of a first-conductive type. The finger-type MOS is on the semiconductor substrate and comprises drain regions, source regions and channel regions. Each drain region is of a second-conductive type and is coupled to the pad. Each source region is of the second-conductive type and coupled to a power rail. Channel regions are formed on the semiconductor, substantially parallel to each other. Each channel region is located between one source region and one drain region. The well stripe is of the second-conductive type and formed on the semiconductor, in an angle to the channel regions. The doped segment is of the first-conductive type and in the well stripe. Furthermore, the doped segment is coupled to the pad.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2004Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.Inventor: Shi-Tron Lin
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Patent number: 6844573Abstract: In a high power input/output SOI semiconductor structure, the transistors thereof are laid out in a manner so that the high current density transistors, subject to the greatest heat buildup, are spaced apart in a manner as to avoid significant heat buildup.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2002Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, IncInventor: Richard C. Blish, II
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Patent number: 6835989Abstract: Methods for forming dual-metal gate CMOS transistors are described. An NMOS and a PMOS active area of a semiconductor substrate are separated by isolation regions. A metal layer is deposited over a gate dielectric layer in each active area. Oxygen ions are implanted into the metal layer in one active area to form an implanted metal layer which is oxidized to form a metal oxide layer. Thereafter, the metal layer and the metal oxide layer are patterned to form a metal gate in one active area and a metal oxide gate in the other active area wherein the active area having the gate with the higher work function is the PMOS active area. Alternatively, both gates may be metal oxide gates wherein the oxide concentrations of the two gates differ. Alternatively, a dummy gate may be formed in each of the active areas and covered with a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is planarized thereby exposing the dummy gates. The dummy gates are removed leaving gate openings to the semiconductor substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2003Date of Patent: December 28, 2004Assignee: Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.Inventors: Wenhe Lin, Mei-Sheng Zhou, Kin Leong Pey, Simon Chooi
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Patent number: 6833590Abstract: An NMOS transistor circuit has a surge protection circuit connected in parallel with the NMOS transistor. A resistor is connected between a back gate of the NMOS transistor and ground. As a result, an input impedance higher than the input impedance of the surge protection circuit is applied to a semiconductor terminal at the electrode pad side of the NMOS transistor.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2003Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.Inventors: Chikao Makita, Kunihiko Karasawa
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Publication number: 20040245574Abstract: An ESD protection device with thicker polysilicon film, an electronic apparatus having the same, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The ESD protection device can be a diode or a MOS transistor with a thicker polysilicon film employed in an ESD protection circuit to protect an electronic apparatus. The electronic apparatus includes a substrate having a device area and an ESD protection circuit area. A first polysilicon film of a first thickness is formed on the device area of the substrate, so as to form an electronic device. A second polysilicon film of a second thickness is formed on the ESD protection circuit area, so as to form an ESD protection device. The second thickness, which is preferably about in the range of 100 to 500 nanometers, is thicker than the first thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Inventors: Ming-Dou Ker, Chih-Kang Deng, Tang-Kui Tseng, An Shih, Sheng-Chieh Yang
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Publication number: 20040238893Abstract: A semiconductor device for use in includes a base and emitter shorted by means of a surface electrode. The surface electrode of a vertical-type bipolar transistor in which a P-type epitaxial growth layer and a P-type semiconductor substrate form the collector is electrically connected to the drain electrode of a lateral MOSFET by means of a metal electrode wiring. Upon application of a high ESD voltage and high surge voltage, the energy of the ESD and surge is absorbed by operation of the vertical-type bipolar transistor and is limited to a voltage equal to or less than the breakdown voltage of the lateral MOSFET that was to be destroyed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2004Publication date: December 2, 2004Inventors: Hiroshi Tobisaka, Tatsuhiko Fujihira, Shin Kiuchi, Yoshiaki Minoya, Takeshi Ichimura, Naoki Yaezawa, Ryu Saitou, Shouichi Furuhata, Yuichi Harada
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Patent number: 6822297Abstract: A short-channel NMOS transistor in a p-well, bordered laterally on each side by an isolation region and vertically by a channel stop region, has a n-source and a n-drain, each comprising a shallow region extending to the transistor gate and a deeper region recessed from the gate, and both having a depletion region when reverse biased. The shallow regions are surrounded in part by an enhanced p-doping implant pocket. The transistor further has in these regions of enhanced p-doping another region of a p-resistivity higher than the remainder of the semiconductor. These regions extend laterally approximately from the inner border of the respective shallow region to the inner border of the respective recessed region, and vertically from a depth just below the depletion regions of source and drain to approximately the top of the channel stop regions.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2001Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Mahalingam Nandakumar, Song Zhao, Youngmin Kim