With Thin Active Central Semiconductor Portion Surrounded By Thicker Inactive Shoulder (e.g., For Mechanical Support) Patents (Class 257/619)
  • Patent number: 7309623
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and stacked die assemblies, and methods of fabricating the devices and assemblies for increasing semiconductor device density are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hock Chuan Tan, Thiam Chye Lim, Victor Cher Khng Tan, Chee Peng Neo, Michael Kian Shing Tan, Beng Chye Chew, Cheng Poh Pour
  • Patent number: 7303976
    Abstract: One embodiment of a micro-electronic device includes a substrate including micro-electronic components thereon, and a cover including a ring of sealing material secured to the substrate and a raised ring of material positioned opposite the cover from the ring of sealing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Kirby Sand
  • Patent number: 7282392
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and stacked die assemblies, and methods of fabricating the devices and assemblies for increasing semiconductor device density are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hock Chuan Tan, Thiam Chye Lim, Victor Cher Khng Tan, Chee Peng Neo, Michael Kian Shing Tan, Beng Chye Chew, Cheng Poh Pour
  • Patent number: 7279774
    Abstract: A finFET device includes a semiconductor substrate having specific regions surrounded with a trench. The trench is filled with an insulating layer, and recess holes are formed within the specific regions such that channel fins are formed by raised portions of the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the recess holes. Gate lines are formed to overlie and extend across the channel fins. Source/drain regions are formed at both ends of the channel fins and connected by the channel fins. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyeoung-Won Seo, Woun-Suck Yang, Du-Heon Song, Jae-Man Youn
  • Publication number: 20070222036
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and methods of manufacturing and operating the same may be provided. The semiconductor memory device may include a substrate, at least a pair of fins protruding from the semiconductor substrate and facing each other with a gap between fins of the pair of fins, an insulating layer formed between the pair of the fins, a storage node formed on the pair of fins and/or a surface of a portion of the insulating layer, and/or a gate electrode formed on the storage node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Yoon-Dong Park, Suk-PiI Kim, Won-Joo Kim
  • Patent number: 7230274
    Abstract: Single crystal silicon carbide epitaxial layer on an off-axis substrate are manufactured by placing the substrate in an epitaxial growth reactor, growing a first layer of epitaxial silicon carbide on the substrate, interrupting the growth of the first layer of epitaxial silicon carbide, etching the first layer of epitaxial silicon carbide to reduce the thickness of the first layer, and regrowing a second layer of epitaxial silicon carbide on the first layer of epitaxial silicon carbide. Carrot defects may be terminated by the process of interrupting the epitaxial growth process, etching the grown layer and regrowing a second layer of epitaxial silicon carbide. The growth interruption/etching/regrowth may be repeated multiple times. A silicon carbide epitaxial layer has at least one carrot defect that is terminated within the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Cree, Inc
    Inventors: Michael John O'Loughlin, Joseph John Sumakeris
  • Patent number: 7227243
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device capable of adapting to an increase in the external terminals which can be arranged on the mount surface (a greater number of pins). A mesa-type semiconductor chip is mounted on a mount surface of a substrate which is a semiconductor chip carrying portion such that the side wall surface of the four side walls of the first semiconductor chip intersects the mount surface at an acute angle ? (0°<?<90°). Further, a first pad formed on a main surface of the first semiconductor chip is electrically connected to a solder ball provided on an unmounted surface, via a first wiring layer, one end of which is connected to the first pad, and which extends along the main surface, the side wall surface, and the unmounted surface of the semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Shizuno
  • Patent number: 7214995
    Abstract: According to one embodiment a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch is disclosed. The MEMS switch includes a top movable electrode, and an actutaion electrode with an undoped polysilicon stopper region to contact the top movable electrode when an actuation current is applied. The undoped polysilicon stopper region prevents actuation charging that accumulates over time in a unipolar actuation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tsung-Kuan Allen Chou, Quan A. Tran
  • Patent number: 7208794
    Abstract: Semiconductor memory having memory cells, each including first and second conductively-doped contact regions and a channel region arranged between the latter, formed in a web-like rib made of semiconductor material and arranged one behind the other in this sequence in the longitudinal direction of the rib. The rib has an essentially rectangular shape with an upper side of the rib and rib side faces lying opposite. A memory layer is configured for programming the memory cell, arranged on the upper side of the rib spaced apart by a first insulator layer, and projects in the normal direction of the one rib side face over one of the rib side faces so that the one rib side face and the upper side of the rib form an edge for injecting charge carriers from the channel region into the memory layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Hofmann, Erhard Landgraf, Richard Johannes Luyken, Wolfgang Roesner, Michael Specht
  • Patent number: 7193295
    Abstract: The present invention provides system and apparatus for use in processing wafers. The new system and apparatus allows for the production of thinner wafers that at same time remain strong. As a result, the wafers produced by the present process are less susceptible to breaking. The unique system also offers an improved structure for handling thinned wafers and reduces the number of processing steps. This results in improved yields and improved process efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Semitool, Inc.
    Inventors: Kert L. Dolechek, Raymon F. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7176555
    Abstract: A flip-chip package includes a packaging substrate; an integrated circuit die affixed to the packaging substrate, wherein the integrated circuit die includes an active integrated circuit surrounded by a peripheral die seal ring therein; and a thermal stress releasing pad disposed in a stress-releasing area that is at a corner of the integrated circuit die outside the die seal ring, wherein the thermal stress releasing pad is connected to the packaging substrate by using a solder bump, which, in turn, is connected to a dummy heat-spreading metal plate embedded in the packaging substrate so as to form a heat shunting path for reducing thermal stress during temperature cycling test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jui-Meng Jao, Chien-Li Kuo
  • Patent number: 7138672
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a tensile diaphragm with an insert region of a material dissimilar to the diaphragm, the insert region being suitable for the fabrication of a nanopore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Phillip W. Barth
  • Patent number: 7132737
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a package for accommodating a piezoelectric resonator that can include more mounting electrodes than connecting electrodes of the piezoelectric resonator element. The mounting electrodes can be electrically connected with a wiring pattern. In the lower surface of a package body, there can be formed external terminals at the four corners thereof. The external terminals are bonded to a mounting board. The external terminals are electrically connected to the mounting electrodes, respectively. The external terminal is not connected electrically to either of the mounting electrodes. Therefore, positions of the external terminals for operating the piezoelectric resonator can be changed based on whether a pair of connecting electrodes of the piezoelectric vibration element is bonded to the mounting electrodes, or it is connected to the mounting electrodes. Accordingly, it can be possible to easily change positions of external terminals for connecting to a circuit on a board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7129566
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a wafer having a substrate and an interconnect structure over the substrate. The wafer also includes a plurality of die areas and a street located between a first die area of the plurality and a second die area of the plurality. A separation structure that includes metal is located in the interconnect structure. At least a portion of the separation structure is located in a saw kerf of the street. The separation structure is arranged to provide a predefined separation path for separating the first die area during a singulation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Trent S. Uehling, Kevin J. Hess
  • Patent number: 7129565
    Abstract: A main wall part is provided so as to surround an integrated circuit part. A sub-wall part which is in “L” shape is provided between each corner of the main wall part and the integrated circuit part. Therefore, even if the stress is concentrated due to heat treatment or the like, the stress is dispersed to the main wall part and the sub-wall part, and hence peeling between layers and a crack are unlikely to occur, as compared with the conventional art. Further, even if the crack and the like occur at the corner, moisture from the outside hardly reaches the integrated circuit part when the main wall part and the sub-wall part are coupled to each other. For this reason, it is possible to ensure an extremely high moisture resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Watanabe, Michiari Kawano, Hiroshi Namba, Kazuo Sukegawa, Takumi Hasegawa, Toyoji Sawada
  • Patent number: 7129550
    Abstract: A semiconductor layer in which a primary part of a FinFET is formed, i.e., a fin has a shape which is long in a direction x and short in a direction y. A width of the fin in the direction y changes on three stages. First, in a channel area between gate electrodes each having a gate length Lg, the width of the fin in the direction y is Wch. Further, the width of the fin in the direction y in a source/drain extension area adjacent to the channel area in the direction x is Wext (>Wch). Furthermore, the width of the fin in the direction y in a source/drain area adjacent to the source/drain extension area in the direction x is Wsd (>Wext).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Makoto Fujiwara, Kazunari Ishimaru, Akira Hokazono
  • Patent number: 7126195
    Abstract: A method for forming a metallization layer (30). A first layer (14) is formed outwardly from a semiconductor substrate (10). Contact vias (16) are formed through the first layer (14) to the semiconductor substrate (10). A second layer (20) is formed outwardly from the first layer (14). Portions of the second layer (20) are selectively removed such that the remaining portion of the second layer (20) defines the layout of the metallization layer (30) and the contact vias (16). The first and second layers (14) and (20) are electroplated by applying a bi-polar modulated voltage having a positive duty cycle and a negative duty cycle to the layers in a solution containing metal ions. The voltage and surface potentials are selected such that the metal ions are deposited on the remaining portions of the second layer (20). Further, metal ions deposited on the first layer (14) during a positive duty cycle are removed from the first layer (14) during a negative duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej Singh Sandhu, Chris Chang Yu
  • Patent number: 7102181
    Abstract: A method of forming a dual gate fin-type field effect transistor (FinFET) structure patterns silicon fins over an insulator and patterns a gate conductor at an angle to the fins. The gate conductor is formed laterally adjacent to and over center portions of the fins. The gate conductor is planarized such that the gate conductor is separated into distinct gate conductor portions that are separated by the fins. These gate conductor portions include front gates and back gates. The front gates and the back gates alternate along the structure, such that each fin has a front gate on one side and a back gate on the opposite side. Then front gate wiring is formed to the front gates and back gate wiring is formed to the back gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edward J. Nowak, Richard Q. Williams
  • Patent number: 7091566
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET), integrated circuit (IC) chip including the FETs and a method of forming the FETS. Each FET includes a device gate along one side of a semiconductor (e.g., silicon) fin and a back bias gate along an opposite of the fin. Back bias gate dielectric differs from the device gate dielectric either in its material and/or thickness. Device thresholds can be adjusted by adjusting back bias gate voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Huilong Zhu, Jochen Beintner, Bruce B. Doris, Ying Zhang
  • Patent number: 7081657
    Abstract: The present invention relates to micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and production methods thereof, and more particularly to vertically integrated MEMS systems. Manufacturing of MEMS and vertically integrated MEMS is facilitated by forming, preferably on a wafer level, plural MEMS on a MEMS layer selectively bonded to a substrate, and removing the MEMS layer intact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
    Inventor: Sadeg M. Faris
  • Patent number: 7075161
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a nanopore chip exhibiting low capacitance. The apparatus provides a thin diaphragm on a rigid semiconductor frame suitable for nanopore fabrication, the diaphragm having associated thicker insulator regions to reduce capacitance. Also disclosed is a method of making the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Phillip W. Barth
  • Patent number: 7012319
    Abstract: A method for integrating a system on an isolation layer. A first isolation substrate including a first circuit deposition region and a first substrate-combining region, and a second isolation substrate including a second circuit deposition region and a second substrate-combining region are provided. Next, a first circuit and a second circuit are respectively formed on the first circuit deposition region and the second circuit deposition region. Next, substrate-connecting elements are formed to connect the first substrate-combining region to the second substrate-combining region. Finally, electrical connecting elements are formed to electrically connect the first circuit and the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Wein-Town Sun
  • Patent number: 6992388
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having polysilicon lines with micro-roughness on the surface. The micro-rough surface of the polysilicon lines help produce smaller grain size silicide film during the formation phase to reduce the sheet resistance. The micro-rough surface of the polysilicon lines also increases the effective surface area of the silicide contacting polysilicon lines thereby reduces the overall resistance of the final gate structure after metallization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Michael Li
  • Patent number: 6972461
    Abstract: A structure for use as a MOSFET employs an SOI wafer with a SiGe island resting on the SOI layer and extending between two blocks that serve as source and drain; epitaxially grown Si on the vertical surfaces of the SiGe forms the transistor channel. The lattice structure of the SiGe is arranged such that the epitaxial Si has little or no strain in the direction between the S and D and a significant strain perpendicular to that direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xiangdong Chen, Dureseti Chidambarrao, Geng Wang, Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 6972477
    Abstract: To make thin a circuit device 10 in which are incorporated a plurality of types of circuit elements 12 that differ in thickness, first conductive patterns, onto which comparatively thin circuit elements 12A are mounted, are formed thickly, and second conductive patterns 11B, onto which comparatively thick second circuit elements 12B are mounted, are formed thinly. Also, fine wiring parts may be formed using the thinly formed second conductive patterns 12B. Thus even in the case where thick circuit elements are incorporated, by affixing such circuit elements onto the thinly formed second conductive patterns 11B, the total thickness can be made thin. Thinning of circuit device 10 as a whole can thus be accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Kanto Sanyo Semiconductors Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Igarashi, Nobuhisa Takakusaki, Jun Sakano, Noriaki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6967351
    Abstract: The present invention provides a device design and method for forming the same that results in Fin Field Effect Transistors having different gains without negatively impacting device density. The present invention forms relatively low gain FinFET transistors in a low carrier mobility plane and relatively high gain FinFET transistors in a high carrier mobility plane. Thus formed, the FinFETs formed in the high mobility plane have a relatively higher gain than the FinFETs formed in the low mobility plane. The embodiments are of particular application to the design and fabrication of a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell. In this application, the bodies of the n-type FinFETs used as transfer devices are formed along the {110} plane. The bodies of the n-type FinFETs and p-type FinFETs used as the storage latch are formed along the {100}. Thus formed, the transfer devices will have a gain approximately half that of the n-type storage latch devices, facilitating proper SRAM operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Fried, Randy W. Mann, K. Paul Muller, Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 6963123
    Abstract: There is provided an IC package provided with one or more bare chips mounted on a chip carrier, a plurality of first bumps each for connecting a chip electrode to a conductive pad disposed on an upper surface of the chip carrier, a plurality of second bumps each connected to a conductive pad disposed on a bottom surface of the chip carrier, and a plurality of vias for connecting between conductive pads disposed on the upper and bottom surfaces of the chip carrier. A differential pair of lines are exposed on the upper surface of the chip carrier. High-frequency signals to be processed by the one or more bare chips are transmitted by way of the differential pair of lines, and other signals are transmitted by way of the plurality of second bumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Nagase, Minoru Tajima, Nobuhiro Tokumori
  • Patent number: 6919261
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer composite is used as a basis for fabricating semiconductor chips, especially compound semiconductor devices. The semiconductor wafer composite advantageously comprises a metallic substrate 210 and multiple semiconductor tiles 220 bonded to the surface of the metallic substrate 210. The semiconductor wafer composite is effectively used as a single large semiconductor wafer for volume fabrication, and can be used to fabricate semiconductor devices in a similar manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Epitactix PTY LTD
    Inventor: Shaun Joseph Cunningham
  • Patent number: 6908829
    Abstract: A method of forming an air gap intermetal layer dielectric (ILD) to reduce capacitive coupling between electrical conductors in proximity. The method entails forming first and second electrical conductors over a substrate, wherein the electrical conductors are laterally spaced apart by a gap. Then, forming a gap bridging dielectric layer that extends over the first electrical conductor, the gap, and the second electrical conductor. In order to form a bridge from one electrical conductor to the other electrical conductor, the gap bridging dielectric materials should have poor gap filling characteristics. This can be attained by selecting and/or modifying a dielectric material to have a sufficiently high molecular weight and/or surface tension characteristic such that the material does not substantially sink into the gap. An example of such a material is a spin-on-polymer with a surfactant and/or other additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Makarem A. Hussein, Peter Moon, Jim Powers, Kevin P. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 6906394
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The device is manufactured with use of an SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate having a first silicon layer, an oxide layer, and a second silicon layer laminated in this order. After forming a trench reaching the oxide layer from the second silicon layer, dry etching is performed, thus allowing the oxide layer located at the trench bottom to be charged at first. This charging forces etching ions to impinge upon part of the second silicon layer located laterally to the trench bottom. Such part is removed, forming a movable section. For example, ions to neutralize the electric charges are administered into the trench, so that the electric charges are removed from charged movable electrodes and their charged surrounding regions. Removing the electric charges prevents the movable section to stick to its surrounding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Muto, Tsuyoshi Fukada, Kenichi Ao, Minekazu Sakai, Yukihiro Takeuchi, Kazuhiko Kano, Junji Oohara
  • Patent number: 6891991
    Abstract: A mesoscale micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) structure comprises an optical interface member (18) that moves with a pivoting member (15). Such movement serves to occlude and/or to complete an optical signal pathway (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomasz Klosowiak, Robert Lempkowski, Keryn K. Lian
  • Patent number: 6888222
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device capable of adapting to an increase in the external terminals which can be arranged on the mount surface (a greater number of pins). A mesa-type semiconductor chip is mounted on a mount surface of a substrate which is a semiconductor chip carrying portion such that the side wall surface of the four side walls of the first semiconductor chip intersects the mount surface at an acute angle ? (0°<?<90°). Further, a first pad formed on a main surface of the first semiconductor chip is electrically connected to a solder ball provided on an unmounted surface, via a first wiring layer, one end of which is connected to the first pad, and which extends along the main surface, the side wall surface, and the unmounted surface of the semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Shizuno
  • Patent number: 6885055
    Abstract: The present invention relates to double-gate FinFET devices and fabricating methods thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to an electrically stable double-gate FinFET device and the method of fabrication in which the Fin active region on a bulk silicon substrate where device channel and the body are to be formed has a nano-size width and is connected to the substrate and is formed with the shape of a wall along the channel length direction. The conventional double-gate MOS devices are fabricated using SOI wafers which are more expensive than bulk silicon wafers. It also has problems including the floating body effects, larger source/drain parasitic resistance, off-current increase, and deterioration in heat transfer to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Inventor: Jong-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 6855990
    Abstract: A multiple-gate semiconductor structure is disclosed which includes a substrate, a fin formed of a semi-conducting material that has a top surface and two sidewall surfaces. The fin is subjected to a strain of at least 0.01% and is positioned vertically on the substrate; source and drain regions formed in the semi-conducting material of the fin; a gate dielectric layer overlying the fin; and a gate electrode wrapping around the fin on the top surface and the two sidewall surfaces of the fin overlying the gate dielectric layer. A method for forming the multiple-gate semiconductor structure is further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yee-Chia Yeo, Fu-Liang Yang, Chenming Hu
  • Publication number: 20040262716
    Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor structure having a plurality of electrodes for external connection which are provided on a semiconductor substrate, an insulation layer provided on the semiconductor structure, an upper wiring having connection pad portions and provided on the insulation layer such that at least parts of the upper wiring are connected to the electrodes for external connection of the semiconductor structure, a micro electric mechanical system electrically connected to parts of the connection pad portions of the upper wiring, pole electrodes provided so as to be electrically connected to other connection pad portions of the upper wiring, and an upper insulation film covering the vicinities of the pole electrodes and at least the vicinity of the micro electric mechanical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Aoki
  • Publication number: 20040256686
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micro-electro-mechanical device, which has supporting parts and operative parts, includes providing a first semiconductor wafer, having a first layer of semiconductor material and a second layer of semiconductor material arranged on top of the first layer, forming first supporting parts and first operative parts of the device in the second layer, forming temporary anchors in the first layer, and bonding the first wafer to a second wafer, with the second layer facing the second wafer. After bonding the first wafer and the second wafer together, second supporting parts and second operative parts of said device are formed in the first layer. The temporary anchors are removed from the first layer to free the operative parts formed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Simone Sassolini, Mauro Marchi, Marco Del Sarto, Lorenzo Baldo
  • Publication number: 20040253794
    Abstract: The present invention relates to micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) and production methods thereof, and more particularly to vertically integrated MEMS systems. Manufacturing of MEMS and vertically integrated MEMS is facilitated by forming, preferably on a wafer level, plural MEMS on a MEMS layer selectively bonded to a substrate, and removing the MEMS layer intact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Sadeg M. Faris
  • Patent number: 6828657
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate comprises a substrate, a position control member provided on the substrate and surrounding a specific space by a sidewall thereof to expose a surface of the substrate and whose inner side face inclines at a specific angle with respect to the substrate, an active element provided so as to engage with the inner side face of the position control member and whose outer side face has at least a part that inclines at substantially the same angle as the specific angle of the inner side face of the position control member with respect to the substrate, and an adhesion section which bonds the active element to the substrate or the position control member and whose wettability with the position control member is lower than that of the adhesive with the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yujiro Hara, Masahiko Akiyama, Yutaka Onozuka, Tsuyoshi Hioki, Mitsuo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6815825
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for forming semiconductor devices and semiconductor device precursors having gradual slope contacts. The method for forming a semiconductor precursor includes the steps of: forming a layer of conductive material in a first layer; forming a layer of a hard mask material onto at least a portion of the first layer; etching the layer of hard mask material to expose a portion of the first layer; forming facets on the layer of hard mask material; and forming a via in the first layer such that the via extends through the first layer to expose at least a portion of the layer of conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Sanh Dang Tang
  • Patent number: 6803637
    Abstract: A micromechanical component having a substrate made from a substrate material having a first doping type, a micromechanical functional structure provided in the substrate and a cover layer to at least partially cover the micromechanical functional structure. The micromechanical functional structure has zones made from the substrate material having a second doping type, the zones being at least partially surrounded by a cavity, and the cover layer has a porous layer made from the substrate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hubert Benzel, Heribert Weber, Hans Artmann, Frank Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20040188782
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first substrate including first, second and third layers; and a second substrate including fourth, fifth and sixth layers. The first substrate provides an electric device. The second substrate provides a physical quantity sensor. The first layer of the first substrate and the fourth layer of the second substrate are shields for protecting the electric device and the physical quantity sensor. The device is protected from outside disturbance without adding an additional shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuo Fujii
  • Publication number: 20040188786
    Abstract: Briefly, a reduced substrate Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device, for example, a low-loss Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators (FBAR) filter or a low-loss FBAR Radio Frequency filter, and a process and a system to produce the same. A reduced substrate MEMS device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may include a membrane bonded between packaging parts. A process in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may include bonding a first packaging part to a MEMS device including a support substrate, removing the support substrate, and bonding a second packaging part to the MEMS device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Eyal Bar-Sadeh, Alexander Talalyevsky, Eyal Ginsburg
  • Patent number: 6787929
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor wafer having sensing portions exposed on a surface thereof and an adhesive sheet attached to the semiconductor wafer as a protective cap to cover the sensing portions. The adhesive sheet is composed of a flat adhesive sheet and adhesive disposed generally on an entire surface of the adhesive sheet. Adhesion of the adhesive is selectively reduced by UV irradiation to have adhesion reduced regions, and the adhesion reduced regions face the sensing portions. The protective cap can be produced with high productivity, and securely protect the sensing portions when the semiconductor wafer is diced and is transported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yoshihara, Yasuo Souki, Kinya Atsumi, Hiroshi Muto
  • Patent number: 6774491
    Abstract: Conductive lines, such as co-axial lines, integrated circuitry incorporating such conductive lines, and methods of forming the same are described. In one aspect, a substrate having an outer surface is provided. A masking material is formed over the outer surface and subsequently patterned to form a conductive line pattern. An inner conductive layer is formed within the conductive line pattern, followed by formation of a dielectric layer thereover and an outer conductive layer over the dielectric layer. Preferred implementations include forming the inner conductive layer through electroplating, or alternatively, electroless plating techniques. Other preferred implementations include forming the dielectric layer from suitable polymer materials having desired dielectric properties. A vapor-deposited dielectric layer of Parylene is one such preferred dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kie Y. Ahn
  • Patent number: 6765279
    Abstract: General purpose methods for the fabrication of integrated circuits from flexible membranes formed of very thin low stress dielectric materials, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, and semiconductor layers. Semiconductor devices are formed in a semiconductor layer of the membrane. The semiconductor membrane layer is initially formed from a substrate of standard thickness, and all but a thin surface layer of the substrate is then etched or polished away. In another version, the flexible membrane is used as a support and electrical interconnect for conventional die bonded thereto. Multiple die can be connected to the membrane, which is then packaged as a multi-chip module. Other applications are based on membrane processing for bipolar and MOSFET transistor fabrication, low impedance conductor interconnecting fabrication, flat panel displays, maskless (direct write) lithography, and 3D IC fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Elm Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Glenn Joseph Leedy
  • Publication number: 20040124483
    Abstract: A method for adjusting with high precision the width of gaps between micromachined structures or devices in an epitaxial reactor environment. Providing a partially formed micromechanical device, comprising a substrate layer, a sacrificial layer including silicon dioxide deposited or grown on the substrate and etched to create desired holes and/or trenches through to the substrate layer, and a function layer deposited on the sacrificial layer and the exposed portions of the substrate layer and then etched to define micromechanical structures or devices therein. The etching process exposes the sacrificial layer underlying the removed function layer material. Cleaning residues from the surface of the device, then epitaxially depositing a layer of gap narrowing material selectively on the surfaces of the device. The selection of deposition surfaces determined by choice of materials and the temperature and pressure of the epitaxy carrier gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Aaron Partridge, Markus Lutz
  • Patent number: 6753238
    Abstract: A bump is formed at a predetermined position on a surface of a semiconductor wafer and a sealing resin is formed so as to cover the surface and to make a surface of the bump exposed. Then, a reinforcing plate is bonded to the sealing resin and the exposed surface of the bump through an adhesive, and a rear portion of the semiconductor wafer is ground using a grind stone or removed by wet etching. Then, the rear surface of the thinned semiconductor wafer is covered with another sealing resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Kurita
  • Publication number: 20040104453
    Abstract: A method of forming a surface micromachined MEMS device applies an insulator to a substrate, and then deposits a conductive path on the insulator. The conductive path is capable of transmitting an electronic signal between two points on the MEMS device. The insulator electrically isolates the conductive path from the substrate. The MEMS device illustratively is free of semiconductor junctions formed by the substrate and the conductive path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventor: Bruce K. Wachtmann
  • Patent number: 6737729
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided that simplifies wiring pattern and is capable of being etched through an etching hole as a concavity is produced over a short time period. A dielectric film 12 is formed so as to shield the concavity formed upon the upper surface of a silicon substrate 10. A circuit pattern that has a thermoelectric conversion element 18 is formed upon the dielectric film. The upper surface of the silicon wafer becomes a (100) surface, and a first etching hole 16 extending in the <110> direction of the silicon substrate and a second etching hole 17 extending in the <−110> direction are formed. These holes intersect in a cross shape. Shapes of the first and second etching holes become parallelograms which have oblique sides tilted with respect to <110> and <−110>. Imaginary rectangles passing though the vertices of the first and second etching holes are continuous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Shiinoki, Kenji Sakurai, Mitsuru Fujii
  • Publication number: 20040070053
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device capable of corresponding to an applied bending stress by flexibly changing its shape, and to provide a semiconductor device module, a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device, and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device module. In a silicon substrate whose front surface is provided with an element forming layer having an element forming region where a semiconductor element is formed, a groove is formed in a portion of the rear surface of the silicon substrate corresponding to a region of the element forming layer where a semiconductor element is not formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Ohara