Dielectric Isolation Means (e.g., Dielectric Layer In Vertical Grooves) Patents (Class 257/374)
  • Patent number: 7977753
    Abstract: A high voltage BICMOS device and a method for manufacturing the same, which may improve the reliability of the device by securing a distance between adjacent DUF regions, are provided. The high voltage BICMOS device includes: a reverse diffusion under field (DUF) region formed by patterning a predetermined region of a semiconductor substrate; a diffusion under field (DUF) region formed in the substrate adjacent to the reverse DUF region; a spacer formed at a sidewall of the reverse DUF region; an epitaxial layer formed on an entire surface of the substrate; and a well region formed in contact with the DUF region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang Young Ko
  • Patent number: 7977180
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating stressed MOS devices are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a silicon substrate having a P-well region and depositing a polycrystalline silicon gate electrode layer overlying the P-well region. P-type dopant ions are implanted into the polycrystalline silicon gate electrode layer to form a P-type implanted region and a first polycrystalline silicon gate electrode is formed overlying the P-well region. Recesses are etched into the P-well region using the first polycrystalline silicon gate electrode as an etch mask. The step of etching is performed by exposing the silicon substrate to tetramethylammonium hydroxide. A tensile stress-inducing material is formed within the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew M. Waite, Andy C. Wei
  • Patent number: 7968948
    Abstract: A trench isolation structure in a semiconductor device is provided. A semiconductor substrate has cell regions and peripheral circuit regions. First trenches have a predetermined depth and are formed in the semiconductor substrate at the cell regions. A first sidewall oxide film is formed overlying the first trenches. A first liner nitride film is formed overlying the first sidewall oxide film. Second trenches have a predetermined depth and are formed in the semiconductor substrate at the peripheral circuit regions. A second sidewall oxide film is formed overlying the second trenches. An oxide film fills the first overlying second trenches. A second liner nitride film formed on the filling oxide film. The second liner nitride film is separated from the sidewalls of the first and second trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Byung Soo Eun
  • Patent number: 7956420
    Abstract: In semiconductor devices in which both NMOS devices and PMOS devices are used to perform in different modes such as analog and digital modes, stress engineering is selectively applied to particular devices depending on their required operational modes. That is, the appropriate mechanical stress, i.e., tensile or compressive, can be applied to and/or removed from devices, i.e., NMOS and/or PMOS devices, based not only on their conductivity type, i.e., n-type or p-type, but also on their intended operational application, for example, analog/digital, low-voltage/high-voltage, high-speed/low-speed, noise-sensitive/noise-insensitive, etc. The result is that performance of individual devices is optimized based on the mode in which they operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Maeda, Jeong Hwan Yang
  • Patent number: 7951686
    Abstract: A trench is formed in a surface layer of a semiconductor substrate, the trench surrounding an active region. A lower insulating film made of insulating material is deposited over the semiconductor device, the lower insulating film filling a lower region of the trench and leaving an empty space in an upper region. An upper insulating film made of insulating material having therein a tensile stress is deposited on the lower insulating film, the upper insulating film filling the empty space left in the upper space. The upper insulating film and the lower insulating film deposited over the semiconductor substrate other than in the trench are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Sadahiro Kishii, Hirofumi Watatani, Masanori Terahara, Ryo Tanabe, Kaina Suzuki, Shigeo Satoh
  • Patent number: 7947551
    Abstract: An embodiment of the disclosure includes a method of forming a shallow trench isolation structure. A substrate is provided. The substrate includes a top surface. A trench is formed to extend from the top surface into the substrate. The trench has sidewalls and a bottom surface. A silicon liner layer is formed on the sidewalls and the bottom surface. A flowable dielectric material is filled in the trench. An anneal process is performed to densify the flowable dielectric material and convert the silicon liner layer into a silicon oxide layer simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Inventors: Sen-Hong Syue, Bor Chiuan Hsieh, Shiang-Bau Wang
  • Patent number: 7939858
    Abstract: A cell includes a plurality of diffusion region pairs, each of the diffusion region pairs being formed by a first impurity diffusion region which is a constituent of a transistor and a second impurity diffusion region such that the first and second impurity diffusion regions are provided side-by-side in a gate length direction with a device isolation region interposed therebetween. In each of the diffusion region pairs, the first and second impurity diffusion regions have an equal length in the gate width direction and are provided at equal positions in the gate width direction, and a first isolation region portion, which is part of the device isolation region between the first and second impurity diffusion regions, has a constant separation length. In the diffusion region pairs, the first isolation region portions have an equal separation length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7932565
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure comprises a semiconductor substrate, a device region positioned in the semiconductor substrate, an insulating region adjacent to the device region, an isolation structure positioned in the insulating region and including a bottle portion and a neck portion filled with a dielectric material, and a dielectric layer sandwiched between the device region and the insulation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Promos Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Hsiao Che Wu, Wen Li Tsai
  • Patent number: 7928476
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a first insulating film formed over a semiconductor substrate, a first opening formed in the first insulating film, a first manganese oxide film formed along an inner wall of the first opening, a first copper wiring embedded in the first opening, and a second manganese oxide film formed on the first copper wiring including carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kudo, Nobuyuki Ohtsuka, Masaki Haneda, Tamotsu Owada
  • Patent number: 7923821
    Abstract: Isolation regions for semiconductor substrates include dielectric-filled trenches and field oxide regions. Protective caps of dielectric materials dissimilar from the dielectric materials in the main portions of the trenches and field oxide regions may be used to protect the structures from erosion during later process steps. The top surfaces of the isolation structures are coplanar with the surface of the substrate. Field doping regions may be formed beneath the field oxide regions. To meet the demands of different devices, the isolation structures may have varying widths and depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard K. Williams
  • Patent number: 7923786
    Abstract: A first aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an isolation structure including: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a buried N-doped region in the substrate; (c) forming a vertical trench in the substrate, the trench extending into the N-doped region; (d) removing the N-doped region to form a lateral trench communicating with and extending perpendicular to the vertical trench; and (e) at least partially filling the lateral trench and filling the vertical trench with one or more insulating materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: An L. Steegen, Maheswaran Surendra, Hsing-Jen Wann, Ying Zhang, Franz Zach, Robert Wong
  • Patent number: 7919797
    Abstract: A trench isolation having a sidewall and bottom implanted region located within a substrate of a first conductivity type is disclosed. The sidewall and bottom implanted region is formed by an angled implant, a 90 degree implant, or a combination of an angled implant and a 90 degree implant, of dopants of the first conductivity type. The sidewall and bottom implanted region located adjacent the trench isolation reduces surface leakage and dark current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Howard Rhodes, Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 7910453
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a microelectronic device. The method includes forming recessed shallow trench isolation (STI) features in a semiconductor substrate, defining a semiconductor region between adjacent two of the recessed STI features; forming a tunnel dielectric feature within the semiconductor region; forming a nitride layer on the recessed STI features and the tunnel dielectric feature; etching the nitride layer to form nitride openings within the recessed STI features; partially removing the recessed STI features through the nitride openings, resulting in gaps between the nitride layer and the recessed STI features; and forming a first dielectric material on surfaces of the nitride layer, sealing the nitride openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeff J. Xu, Chia-Ta Hsieh, Chun-Pei Wu, Chun-Hung Lee
  • Patent number: 7911023
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus is disclosed. The semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The semiconductor apparatus further includes multiple double-sided electrode elements each having a pair of electrodes located respectively on the first and second surfaces of the semiconductor substrate. A current flows between the first and second electrode. Each double-sided electrode element has a PN column region located in the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor apparatus further includes an insulation trench that surrounds each of multiple double-sided electrode elements, and that insulates and separates the multiple double-sided electrode elements from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Nozomu Akagi, Hitoshi Yamaguchi, Tetsuo Fujii
  • Patent number: 7910423
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an SOI substrate, a first STI-type isolation region, a second STI-type isolation region, and an alignment mark region. The SOI substrate includes a support substrate, an insulating layer deposited on the support substrate, and a semiconductor layer which includes a thin film region and a thick film region. The thin film region includes a first semiconductor layer deposited on the support substrate, and the thick film region includes the first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer deposited on a part of the first semiconductor layer. The first STI-type isolation region is disposed at the thin film region. The second STI-type isolation region is disposed at the thick film region. The alignment mark region is disposed at the thick film region. An alignment mark to be used for alignment of the second STI-type isolation region is disposed at the alignment mark region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinji Ohara
  • Patent number: 7911005
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a DRAM region and a logic region embedded together therein, including a first transistor formed in a DRAM region, and having a first source/drain region containing arsenic and phosphorus as impurities; and a second transistor formed in a logic region, and having a second source/drain region containing at least arsenic as an impurity, wherein each of the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region has a silicide layer respectively formed in the surficial portion thereof, and the first source/drain region has a junction depth which is determined by phosphorus and is deeper than the junction depth of the second source/drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: RENESAS Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Shirai
  • Patent number: 7906800
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit has a first substrate of a first polarity to which a first substrate potential is given, a second substrate of the first polarity to which a second substrate potential different from the first substrate potential is given, and a third substrate of a second polarity different from the first polarity. The first substrate is insulated from a power source or ground to which a source of a MOSFET formed on the substrate is connected. The third substrate is disposed between the first and second substrates in adjacent relation to the first and second substrates. A circuit element is formed on the third substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Sumita
  • Patent number: 7902611
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with transistor body regions that may be independently biased. Some of the bodies may be forward body biased to lower threshold voltages and increase transistor switching speed. Some of the bodies may be reverse body biased to increase threshold voltages and decrease leakage current. The integrated circuit may be formed on a silicon substrate. Body bias isolation structures may be formed in the silicon substrate to isolate the bodies from each other. Body bias isolation structures may be formed from shallow trench isolation trenches. Doped regions may be formed at the bottom of the trenches using ion implantation. Oxide may be used to fill the trenches above the doped region. A deep well may be formed under the body regions. The deep well may contact the doped regions that are formed at the bottom of the trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Irfan Rahim, Bradley Jensen, Peter J. McElheny
  • Patent number: 7897479
    Abstract: Roughly described, methods and systems for improving integrated circuit layouts and fabrication processes in order to better account for stress effects. Dummy features can be added to a layout either in order to improve uniformity, or to relax known undesirable stress, or to introduce known desirable stress. The dummy features can include dummy diffusion regions added to relax stress, and dummy trenches added either to relax or enhance stress. A trench can relax stress by filling it with a stress-neutral material or a tensile strained material. A trench can increase stress by filling it with a compressive strained material. Preferably dummy diffusion regions and stress relaxation trenches are disposed longitudinally to at least the channel regions of N-channel transistors, and transversely to at least the channel regions of both N-channel and P-channel transistors. Preferably stress enhancement trenches are disposed longitudinally to at least the channel regions of P-channel transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Xi-Wei Lin, Dipankar Pramanik, Victor Moroz
  • Patent number: 7893503
    Abstract: By forming a substantially continuous and uniform semiconductor alloy in one active region while patterning the semiconductor alloy in a second active region so as to provide a base semiconductor material in a central portion thereof, different types of strain may be induced, while, after providing a corresponding cover layer of the base semiconductor material, well-established process techniques for forming the gate dielectric may be used. In some illustrative embodiments, a substantially self-aligned process is provided in which the gate electrode may be formed on the basis of layer, which has also been used for defining the central portion of the base semiconductor material of one of the active regions. Hence, by using a single semiconductor alloy, the performance of transistors of different conductivity types may be individually enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Sven Beyer, Manfred Horstmann, Patrick Press, Wolfgang Buchholtz
  • Patent number: 7888744
    Abstract: In various method embodiments, a device region is defined in a semiconductor substrate and isolation regions are defined adjacent to the device region. The device region has a channel region, and the isolation regions have volumes. The volumes of the isolation regions are adjusted to provide the channel region with a desired strain. In various embodiments, adjusting the volumes of the isolation regions includes transforming the isolation regions from a crystalline region to an amorphous region to expand the volumes of the isolation regions and provide the channel region with a desired compressive strain. In various embodiments, adjusting the volumes of the isolation regions includes transforming the isolation regions from an amorphous region to a crystalline region to contract the volumes of the isolation regions to provide the channel region with a desired tensile strain. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Forbes, Paul A. Farrar
  • Patent number: 7888745
    Abstract: An improved bipolar transistor with dual shallow trench isolation for reducing the parasitic component of the base to collector capacitance Ccb and base resistance Rb is provided. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate having at least a pair of neighboring first shallow trench isolation (STI) regions disposed therein. The pair of neighboring first STI regions defines an active area in the substrate. The structure also includes a collector disposed in the in the active area of the semiconductor substrate, a base layer disposed atop a surface of the semiconductor substrate in the active area, and a raised extrinsic base disposed on the base layer. In accordance with the present, the raised extrinsic base has an opening to a portion of the base layer. An emitter is located in the opening and extending on a portion of the patterned raised extrinsic base; the emitter is spaced apart and isolated from the raised extrinsic base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marwan H. Khater, Andreas D. Stricker, Bradley A. Orner, Mattias E. Dahlstrom
  • Patent number: 7884440
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit including digital circuits and analog circuits integrated over a single substrate includes the substrate including portions where the digital circuits and the analog circuits are to be formed, and a plurality of deep-wells formed to a certain thickness inside the substrate to surround portions where devices of the digital circuits and devices of the analog circuits are to be formed to reduce interference between the devices of the analog circuits and the digital circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: MagnaChip Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yi-Sun Chung
  • Patent number: 7872314
    Abstract: An N-type source region and an N-type drain region of N-channel type MISFETs are implanted with ions (containing at least one of F, Si, C, Ge, Ne, Ar and Kr) with P-channel type MISFETs being covered by a mask layer. Then, each gate electrode, source region and drain region of the N- and P-channel type MISFETs are subjected to silicidation (containing at least one of Ni, Ti, Co, Pd, Pt and Er). This can suppress a drain-to-body off-leakage current (substrate leakage current) in the N-channel type MISFETs without degrading the drain-to-body off-leakage current in the P-channel type MISFETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Yamaguchi, Keiichiro Kashihara, Tomonori Okudaira, Toshiaki Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 7872313
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed that stably ensures an area of a storage node contact connected to a junction region in an active region of the semiconductor device and is thus able to improve the electrical properties of the semiconductor device and enhance a yield, and a method for fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active region including a gate, a storage node contact region, and an isolation region that defines the active region. A passing gate and an isolation structure surrounding the passing gate are formed in the isolation region. A silicon epitaxial layer is selectively formed over an upper portion of the passing gate to expand the storage node contact region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Tae O Jung
  • Patent number: 7868395
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a fin-shaped semiconductor layer, a gate electrode section formed in a widthwise direction of the semiconductor layer with a gate insulation film interposed therebetween, the gate electrode section including a plurality of electrode materials having different work functions and stacked one another, and a channel section formed adjacent to the gate insulation film in the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes source and drain regions formed adjacent to the channel section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Kimitoshi Okano, Takashi Izumida
  • Patent number: 7867870
    Abstract: A device isolation film in a semiconductor device and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes etching a middle portion of a device isolation film having a deposition structure including a Spin-On-Dielectric (SOD) oxide film and a High Density Plasma (HDP) oxide film to form a hole and filling an upper portion of the hole with an oxide film having poor step coverage characteristics to form a second hole extending along the middle portion of the device isolation film. The second hole serves as a buffer for stress generated at the interface between an oxide film, which can be a device isolation film, and a silicon layer, which can be a semiconductor substrate, thereby increasing the operating current of a transistor and improving the electrical characteristics of the resulting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Won Bong Jang
  • Patent number: 7858964
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate that includes a first layer and a recrystallized layer on the first layer. The first layer has a first intrinsic stress and the recrystallized layer has a second intrinsic stress. A transistor is formed in the recrystallized layer. The transistor includes a source region, a drain region, and a charge carrier channel between the source and drain regions. The second intrinsic stress is aligned substantially parallel to the charge carrier channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roman Knoefler, Armin Tilke
  • Patent number: 7855116
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which has a nonvolatile memory cell portion, a low-voltage operating circuit portion of a peripheral circuit region and a high-voltage operating circuit portion of the peripheral circuit region formed on a substrate and in which elements of the above portions are isolated from one another by filling insulating films, the upper surface of the filling insulating films in the high-voltage operating circuit portion lies above the surface of the substrate and the upper surface of at least part of the filling insulating films in the low-voltage operating circuit portion is pulled back to a portion lower than the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiro Kiyotoshi
  • Patent number: 7847358
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure formed on a substrate and process for preventing oxidation induced stress in a determined portion of the substrate. The structure includes an n-FET device and a p-FET device, and a shallow trench isolation having at least one overhang is selectively configured to prevent oxidation induced stress in a determined portion of the substrate. The at least one overhang is selectively configured to prevent oxidation induced stress in at least one of a direction parallel to and a direction transverse to a direction of a current flow. For the n-FET device, the at least one overhang is selectively arranged in directions of and transverse to a current flow, and for the p-FET device, the at least one overhang is arranged transverse to the current flow to prevent performance degradation from compressive stresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce B Doris, Oleg G Gluschenkov
  • Patent number: 7849432
    Abstract: A dummy cell pattern for shallow trench isolation (STI). Active and shallow trench isolation areas are bounded by a circumference. An active area pattern completely overlaps the active area and a first polysilicon pattern in the shallow trench isolation area is outside the active area pattern. Layout methods using the same are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kelvin Yih-Yuh Doong, Chin-Chiu Hsia
  • Patent number: 7842582
    Abstract: A method of forming semiconductor devices includes providing a semiconductor substrate in which gate insulating patterns and first conductive patterns are formed, performing a first etch process to narrow a width of each of the first conductive patterns, forming an auxiliary layer on the first conductive patterns, the gate insulating patterns, and an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate, and forming trenches by etching the auxiliary layer and the semiconductor substrate between the first conductive patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Soo Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 7842577
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first isolation region in the semiconductor substrate; after the step of forming the first isolation region, forming a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the step of forming the MOS device comprises forming a source/drain region; and after the step of forming the MOS device, forming a second isolation region in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ka-Hing Fung
  • Patent number: 7821071
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent the deterioration of a TFT (thin film transistor). The deterioration of the TFT by a BT test is prevented by forming a silicon oxide nitride film between the semiconductor layer of the TFT and a substrate, wherein the silicon oxide nitride film ranges from 0.3 to 1.6 in a ratio of the concentration of N to the concentration of Si.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Hayakawa, Mitsunori Sakama, Satoshi Toriumi
  • Patent number: 7821044
    Abstract: Embodiments are an improved transistor structure and the method of fabricating the structure. In particular, a wet etch of an embodiment forms source and drain regions with an improved tip shape to improve the performance of the transistor by improving control of short channel effects, increasing the saturation current, improving control of the metallurgical gate length, increasing carrier mobility, and decreasing contact resistance at the interface between the source and drain and the silicide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Steven J. Keating, Thomas A. Letson, Anand S. Murthy, Donald W. O'Neill, Willy Rachmady
  • Patent number: 7821138
    Abstract: The semiconductor comprises an n-channel transistor forming region and a p-channel transistor forming region, which are disposed while being sectioned by an element isolation region. The stress caused by contact plugs in the n-channel transistor forming region and the stress caused by contact plugs in the p-channel transistor forming region are made different from each other. With this, it enables to increase the drive current of both the n-channel transistor and p-channel transistor without changing the dimensions of the active region and the element isolation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yamada, Masafumi Tsutsui, Kiyoyuki Morita
  • Patent number: 7821077
    Abstract: The active region of an NMOS transistor and the active region of a PMOS transistor are divided by an STI element isolation structure. The STI element isolation structure is made up of a first element isolation structure formed so as to include the interval between both active regions, and a second element isolation structure formed in the region other than the first element isolation structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Naoyoshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 7812403
    Abstract: An isolated CMOS pair of transistors formed in a P-type semiconductor substrate includes an N-type submerged floor isolation region and a filled trench extending downward from the surface of the substrate to the floor isolation region. Together the floor isolation region and the filled trench form an isolated pocket of the substrate which contains a P-channel MOSFET in an N-well and an N-channel MOSFET in a P-well. The substrate does not contain an epitaxial layer, thereby overcoming the many problems associated with fabricating the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Disney, Richard K. Williams
  • Patent number: 7808052
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to, first and second well regions, and a well isolation region isolating the first and second well regions. The first and second well regions each may include an active region, a device isolation groove that defines the active region, and a device isolation insulating film that fills the device isolation groove. The first and second well regions may include first and second well layers, respectively. The well isolation region may include a well isolation groove, a well isolation insulating film that fills the well isolation groove, and a diffusion stopper layer disposed under a bottom of the well isolation groove. The first and second well layers have first and second bottoms respectively, which are deeper in depth than a bottom of the device isolation groove and shallower in depth than the bottom of the well isolation groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Fujimoto, Yoshihiro Takaishi
  • Patent number: 7803689
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a device isolation film by a double Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) process, forming a first active region having a negative slope and a second active region having a positive slope. Additionally, the method includes applying a recess region and a bulb-type recess region to the above-extended active region so as to prevent generation of horns in the active regions. This structure results in improvement in effective channel length and area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Seung Joo Baek
  • Patent number: 7795107
    Abstract: A trench is formed in the surface of a provided semiconductor body. An oxide is deposited in the trench and a cap is deposited on the oxide, wherein the combination of the cap and the oxide impart a mechanical stress on the semiconductor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roland Hampp, Alois Gutmann, Jin-Ping Han, O Sung Kwon
  • Patent number: 7795109
    Abstract: Methods of forming isolation trenches, semiconductor devices, structures thereof, and methods of operating memory arrays are disclosed. In one embodiment, an isolation trench includes a recess disposed in a workpiece. A conductive material is disposed in a lower portion of the channel. An insulating material is disposed in an upper portion of the recess over the conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Qimonda AG
    Inventors: Rolf Weis, Thomas D. Happ
  • Patent number: 7791145
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods for suppressing latch-up in bulk CMOS devices. The semiconductor structure comprises a shaped-modified isolation region that is formed in a trench generally between two doped wells of the substrate in which the bulk CMOS devices are fabricated. The shaped-modified isolation region may comprise a widened dielectric-filled portion of the trench, which may optionally include a nearby damage region, or a narrowed dielectric-filled portion of the trench that partitions a damage region between the two doped wells. Latch-up may also be suppressed by providing a lattice-mismatched layer between the trench base and the dielectric filler in the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, Robert J. Gauthier, Jr., David Vaclav Horak, Charles William Koburger, III, Jack Allan Mandelman, William Robert Tonti
  • Patent number: 7777294
    Abstract: On a semiconductor substrate, a well is formed. In the well, one MOS transistor including a gate electrode, a source region, a source field limiting layer and a source/drain region, and another MOS transistor including a gate electrode, a drain electrode, a drain field limiting layer and a source/drain region are formed. The one and another MOS transistors are connected in series through the source/drain region common to the two transistors. Accordingly, a semiconductor device can be provided in which increase in pattern layout area is suppressed when elements including a high-breakdown voltage MOS transistor are to be connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Taya
  • Patent number: 7776711
    Abstract: A transistor of a semiconductor memory device including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of active regions and a device isolation region, a plurality of first and second trench device isolation layers, which are arranged alternately with each other on the device isolation region of the semiconductor substrate, the first trench device isolation layers having a first thickness corresponding to a relatively high step height, and the second trench device isolation layers having a second thickness corresponding to a relatively low step height, a recess region formed in each of the active regions by a predetermined depth to have a stepped profile at a boundary portion thereof, the recess region having a height higher than that of the second trench device isolation layers to have an upwardly protruded portion between adjacent two second trench device isolation layers, a gate insulation layer, and a plurality of gate stacks formed on the gate insulation layer to overlap with the stepped profile of the res
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Hyun Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 7772671
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate having on its surface a recess and at least one projection formed in the recess. The projection has a channel region and an element isolating insulating film is formed in the recess. A MIS type semiconductor element is formed on the semiconductor substrate and includes a gate electrode formed on the channel region of the projection via a gate insulating film. Source and drain regions are formed to pinch the channel region of the projection therebetween. A channel region of the MIS type semiconductor element is formed to reach the at least one projection located adjacent to the MIS type semiconductor element in its channel width direction via the recess. A top surface of the at least one projection is located higher than the top surface of the element isolating insulating film by 20 nm or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kyoichi Suguro, Kiyotaka Miyano, Ichiro Mizushima, Yoshitaka Tsunashima, Takayuki Hiraoka, Yasushi Akasaka, Tsunetoshi Arikado
  • Patent number: 7772670
    Abstract: A method facilitates generally simultaneously fabricating a number of shallow trench isolation structures such that some selected ones of the shallow trench isolation structures have rounded corners and other selected ones of the shallow trench isolation structures do not have rounded corners. The method includes forming patterned photoresist over a hard mask so that portions of the hard mask are exposed over a portion of a cell region and over a portion of a periphery region, and then removing the exposed hard mask layer in the periphery region while removing a portion of the exposed hard mask layer in the cell region. A trench having rounded corners is then partially formed in the periphery region and more of the hard mask layer is removed in the cell region, before the trench in the periphery region is deepened while a trench in the cell region is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsu-Sheng Yu
  • Patent number: 7768073
    Abstract: A method of forming a buried digit line is disclosed. Sacrificial spacers are formed along the sidewalls of an isolation trench, which is then filled with a sacrificial material. One spacer is masked while the other spacer is removed and an etch step into the substrate beneath the removed spacer forms an isolation window. Insulating liners are then formed along the sidewalls of the emptied trench, including into the isolation window. A digit line recess is then formed through the bottom of the trench between the insulating liners, which double as masks to self-align this etch. The digit line recess is then filled with metal and recessed back, with an optional prior insulating element deposited and recessed back in the bottom of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David H. Wells
  • Patent number: 7759739
    Abstract: A chip is provided which includes an active semiconductor region and a field effect transistor (“FET”) having a channel region, a source region and a drain region all disposed within the active semiconductor region. The FET has a longitudinal direction in a direction of a length of the channel region, and a transverse direction in a direction of a width of the channel region. A dielectric stressor element having a horizontally extending upper surface extends below a portion of the active semiconductor region. The dielectric stressor element shares an edge with the active semiconductor region, the edge extending in a direction away from the upper surface. In particular structures, two or more dielectric stressor elements are provided at locations opposite from each other in the longitudinal and/or transverse directions of the FET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Brian J. Greene, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: RE41867
    Abstract: A MOS image pick-up device including a semiconductor substrate, an imaging region formed on the semiconductor substrate by arraying plural unit pixels, and a peripheral circuit region including a driving circuit for operating the imaging region formed on the semiconductor substrate; the unit pixels include a photodiode, MOS (metal-oxide-semiconductor) transistors and a first device-isolation portion, the peripheral circuit region includes a second device-isolation portion for isolating devices in the driving circuit; wherein each of the first device-isolation portion and the second device-isolation portion is at least one portion selected from an electrically insulating film formed on the substrate in order not to erode the substrate, a electrically insulating film formed on the substrate so as to erode the substrate to a depth ranging from 1 nm to 50 nm, and an impurity diffusion region formed within the substrate. The MOS image pick-up device is incorporated in a camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Takumi Yamaguchi