Fet Configuration Adapted For Use As Static Memory Cell Patents (Class 257/903)
  • Patent number: 7738282
    Abstract: An integrated circuit and methods for laying out the integrated circuit are provided. The integrated circuit includes a first and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first active region comprising a first source and a first drain; and a first gate electrode over the first active region. The second transistor includes a second active region comprising a second source and a second drain; and a second gate electrode over the second active region and connected to the first gate electrode, wherein the first source and the second source are electrically connected, and the first drain and the second drain are electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 7737499
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a SRAM, in which a well isolation method may be applied so that an N-well and a P-well are separated from each other and that well walls of opposite conductive types are formed on facing sides. Also, the active regions of NMOS and PMOS may be connected to each other and the contacts of a PMOS drain and an NMOS source may be united to one so that the contacts are moved to the active regions of wide parts. A size of the common contact may be one to two times the size of a contact defined by a design rule. The active region may have a round bent part. The common contacts are arranged to be asymmetrical with each other. Therefore, it may be possible to secure the process margins of the active regions and the contacts, to improve a leakage current characteristic, and to improve yield. Also, it may be possible to prevent the dislocation of the active region and to omit a conventional thermal treatment process so that it may be possible to simplify processes and to reduce manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae Kyeun Kim
  • Patent number: 7723795
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a first active region formed having a first portion extending laterally and second portion extendedly vertically upward from a central portion of the first portion; a second active region formed spaced from the first active region, the second active region having a third portion extending laterally, fourth and fifth portions extending vertically downwardly at distal end portions of the third portion, and a sixth portion extending vertically downwardly at a central portion of the third portion; a first gate formed extending vertically and overlapping the first portion of the first active region and the third portion of the second active regions; a second gate formed extending vertically and overlapping the first portion of the first active region and the third portion of the second active regions; a third gate formed extending in a direction perpendicular to the first and second gates and overlapping of the fourth and fifth portions of the second active region; and a plur
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji-Ho Hong
  • Patent number: 7692251
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a transistor for a semiconductor device and a method of forming the same. According to the present invention, a novel transistor structure combining a plane channel transistor and a fin-type channel transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate is provided to secure a sufficient channel width as compared to that of the plane channel transistor, thereby satisfying drive current regulated for the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Woong Chung, Sang Don Lee
  • Patent number: 7675124
    Abstract: A memory array with a row of strapping cells is provided. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, strapping cells are positioned between two rows of a memory array. The strapping cells provide a P+ strap between N+ active areas of two memory cells in a column and provide an N+ strap between P+ active areas of two memory cells in a column of the memory array. The strapping cells provide an insulating structure between the two rows of the memory array and create a more uniform operation of the memory cells regardless of the positions of the memory cells within the memory array. In an embodiment, a dummy N-well may be formed along the outer edge of the memory array in a direction perpendicular to the row of strapping cells. Furthermore, transistors may be formed in the strapping cells to provide additional insulation between the strapped memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 7675122
    Abstract: A contact connected to a word line is formed on a gate electrode of an access transistor of an SRAM cell. The contact passes through an element isolation insulating film to reach an SOI layer. A body region of a driver transistor and that of the access transistor are electrically connected with each other through the SOI layer located under the element isolation insulating film. Therefore, the access transistor is in a DTMOS structure having the gate electrode connected with the body region through the contact, which in turn is also electrically connected to the body region of the driver transistor. Thus, operations can be stabilized while suppressing increase of an area for forming the SRAM cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hirano, Takashi Ipposhi, Shigeto Maegawa, Koji Nii
  • Patent number: 7671422
    Abstract: A pseudo 6T SRAM cell design comprising eight transistors is provided. An embodiment comprises a pair of cross-coupled inverters and a pair of pass-gate transistors electrically coupled to each inverter through the substrate. Each pass-gate transistor has a different beta ratio from the other transistor in its pair, and the smaller beta ratio in the pair acts as a “read” port while the larger beta ratio in the pair acts as a “write” port. Two pairs of bit lines are connected to the pass-gate transistors. A variety of word lines are connected to the pass-gate transistors. In one embodiment, a single word line is connected to all of the pass-gate transistors. In another embodiment, a pair of word lines is connected to the pass-gate transistors. In yet another embodiment, a different word line is connected to each pass-gate transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 7667276
    Abstract: There is provided a small-type semiconductor integrated circuit whose circuit area is small and whose wiring length is short. The semiconductor integrated circuit is constructed in a multi-layer structure and is provided with a first semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor layer transistor formed in the first semiconductor layer, a wiring layer which is deposited on the first semiconductor layer and in which metal wires are formed, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the wiring layer and a second semiconductor layer transistor formed in the second semiconductor layer. It is noted that insulation of a gate insulating film of the first semiconductor layer transistor is almost equal with that of a gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor and the gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor is formed by means of radical oxidation or radical nitridation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignees: Advantest Corporation, National University Corporation Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Koji Kotani, Kazuyuki Maruo, Takahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7651905
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the reduction of gate leakage in deep sub-micron metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors, especially useful for those used in a cross coupled static random access memory (SRAM) cell, is disclosed. In accordance with the invention, the active element of the SRAM cell is used to reduce the voltage on the gate of its transistor without impacting the switching speed of the circuit. Because the load on the output of the inverter is fixed, a reduction in the gate current is optimized to minimize the impact on the switching waveform of the memory cell. An active element formed by two materials with different Fermi potentials is used as a rectifying junction or diode. The rectifying junction also has a large parallel leakage path, which allows a finite current flow when a signal of opposite polarity is applied across this device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Semi Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Ashok Kumar Kapoor
  • Patent number: 7646052
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a DRAM and a SRAM are mixedly mounted is provided. The DRAM and the SRAM have a stack-type structure in which a bitline is formed below a capacitive element. A cross couple connection of the SRAM is formed in a layer or below the layer in which a capacitive lower electrode of the DRAM is formed and in a layer or above the layer in which the bitline is formed. For example, the cross couple connection of the SRAM is formed in a same layer as a capacitive contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takami Nagata, Masaru Ushiroda
  • Patent number: 7646069
    Abstract: An integrated circuit memory of the read-only memory type includes at least one memory cell. Each memory cell includes a storage transistor realized in a semiconductor substrate and presenting a source connected to a reference potential, a gate connected to an electrically conductive word line, and a drain connected to an electrically conductive bit line by an optional connection depending on whether the memory cell is assigned the value 0 or 1. The storage transistor of each memory cell includes a gate formed on the substrate, in the form of a window whose inner contour delimits a central drain region in the substrate, and whose outer contour delimits at least one source region in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Jean Pierre Schoellkopf, Bertrand Borot
  • Patent number: 7638822
    Abstract: A memory cell having a plurality of transistors connected so as to restore a data value to a node of the memory cell to an initial value following an event upsetting the initial value has an aspect ratio of at least 5:1. The high aspect ratio provides adequate spacing between nodes of the memory cell for SEU tolerance at small design technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: XILINX, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan L. de Jong, Susan Xuan Nguyen, Raymond C. Pang
  • Patent number: 7638390
    Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) cell structure at least comprising a substrate, a transistor, an upper electrode and a capacitor dielectric layer. A device isolation structure is set up in the substrate to define an active region. The active region has an opening. The transistor is set up over the active region of the substrate. The source region of the transistor is next to the opening. The upper electrode is set up over the opening such that the opening is completely filled. The capacitor dielectric layer is set up between the upper electrode and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: United Microelectric Corp.
    Inventors: Tzung-Han Lee, Kuang-Pi Lee, Wen-Jeng Lin, Rern-Hurng Larn
  • Patent number: 7605447
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device structure that includes at least one SRAM cell formed in a substrate. Such SRAM cell comprises two pull-up transistors, two pull-down transistors, and two pass-gate transistors. The pull-down transistors and the pass-gate transistors are substantially similar in channel widths and have substantially similar source-drain doping concentrations, while the SRAM cell has a beta ratio of at least 1.5. The substrate preferably comprises a hybrid substrate with at two isolated sets of regions, while carrier mobility in these two sets of regions differentiates by a factor of at least about 1.5. More preferably, the pull-down transistors of the SRAM cell are formed in one set of regions, and the pass-gate transistors are formed in the other set of regions, so that current flow in the pull-down transistors is larger than that in the pass-gate transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Gregory Costrini, Oleg Gluschenkov, Meikei Ieong, Nakgeuon Seong
  • Patent number: 7598544
    Abstract: Hybrid carbon nanotube FET (CNFET), static ram (SRAM) and method of making same. A static ram memory cell has two cross-coupled semiconductor-type field effect transistors (FETs) and two nanotube FETs (NTFETs), each having a channel region made of at least one semiconductive nanotube, a first NTFET connected to the drain or source of the first semiconductor-type FET and the second NTFET connected to the drain or source of the second semiconductor-type FET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Nanotero, Inc.
    Inventors: Claude L. Bertin, Mitchell Meinhold, Steven L. Konsek, Thomas Rueckes, Frank Guo
  • Patent number: 7598574
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a SRAM section and a logic circuit section includes: a first n-type MIS transistor including a first n-type gate electrode formed with a first gate insulating film interposed on a first element formation region of a semiconductor substrate in the SRAM section; and a second n-type MIS transistor including a second n-type gate electrode formed with a second gate insulating film interposed on a second element formation region of the semiconductor substrate in the logic circuit section. A first impurity concentration of a first n-type impurity in the first n-type gate electrode is lower than a second impurity concentration of a second n-type impurity in the second n-type gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuhiko Tamaki, Naoki Kotani, Shinji Takeoka
  • Patent number: 7598542
    Abstract: SRAM devices and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed, by which a process margin and a degree of device integration are enhanced by reducing the number of contact holes of an SRAM device unit cell using local interconnections. A disclosed example device includes first and second load elements; first and second drive transistors; a common gate electrode connected in one body to a gate electrode of the first load element and a gate electrode of the first drive transistor to apply a sync signal to the gate electrodes; the common gate electrode overlapping with a junction layer of the second load element and a junction layer region of the second drive transistor; the common gate electrode being electrically connected to an upper line via a plug in one contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ahn Heui Gyun
  • Patent number: 7592625
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The device may include a semiconductor substrate including a peripheral region and a cell array region, wherein the substrate in the cell array region may be recessed lower than the peripheral region, a plurality of cell transistor layers stacked in the cell array region, and a plurality of peripheral circuit transistors formed in the peripheral region. The cell transistor layers may be formed in the cell array region at a lower level than the peripheral region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Han-Byung Park, Hoon Lim, Soon-Moon Jung
  • Patent number: 7589993
    Abstract: A memory using an SRAM memory cell intended for low-voltage operation is designed to decrease the threshold value of MOS transistors constituting the memory cell without substantial decrease in the static noise margin, which is the operational margin of the memory cell. To this end, a voltage Vdd? higher than a power supply voltage Vdd of a power supply line for peripheral circuits is supplied from a power supply line for memory cells as a power supply voltage for memory cells. Since the conductance of driver MOS transistors is in-creased, the threshold voltage of the MOS transistors within the memory cells can be reduced without reducing the static noise margin. Further the ratio of width between the driver MOS transistor and a transfer MOS transistor can be set to 1, thereby allowing a reduction in the memory cell area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Masanao Yamaoka, Kenichi Osada, Koichiro Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 7572684
    Abstract: Nonvolatile memory devices, and methods of forming the same are disclosed. A memory device includes a substrate having a cell region, a low voltage region and a high voltage region. A ground selection transistor, a string selection transistor and a cell transistor are in the cell region, a low voltage transistor is in the low voltage region, and a high voltage transistor is in the high voltage region. A common source contact is on the ground selection transistor and a low voltage contact is on the low voltage transistor. A bit line contact is on the string selection transistor, a high voltage contact is on the high voltage transistor, and a bit line is on the bit line contact. A first insulating layer is on the substrate, and a second insulating layer is on the first insulating layer. The common source contact and the first low voltage contact extend to a height of the first insulating layer, and the bit line contact and the first high voltage contact extend to a height of the second insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Dal Chol, Jong-Sun Sel, Chang-Seok Kang
  • Patent number: 7564134
    Abstract: An improved circuit wiring layout provides smooth circuit wiring in a peripheral circuit region adjacent to a memory cell region of a semiconductor memory device, and eliminates a write-speed limiting factor. Forming a metal (instead of a metal silicided polysilicon) wiring layer to be connected to a gate layer, to transmit an electrical signal to the gates of FET (e.g., MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) transistors formed in the peripheral circuit region; the metal wiring layer is formed (e.g., using one metal damascene process), on a layer different from a word line layer formed on the gate layer (e.g., using another metal damascene process), thereby obtaining a layout of a peripheral circuit region having a reduced area and without using a silicide process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyang-Ja Yang, Song-Ja Lee
  • Patent number: 7554163
    Abstract: A first semiconductor region has a smaller width along a gate length direction than a second semiconductor region. In this case, the first semiconductor region has a larger width along a gate width direction than the second semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamada, Atsuhiro Kajiya, Satoshi Ishikura
  • Patent number: 7547947
    Abstract: Disclosed is an SRAM cell on an SOI, bulk or HOT wafer with two pass-gate n-FETs, two pull-up p-FETs and two pull-down n-FETs and the associated methods of making the SRAM cell. The pass-gate FETs and pull-down FETs are non-planar fully depleted finFETs or trigate FETs. The pull-down FETs comprise non-planar partially depleted three-gated FETs having a greater channel width and a greater gate length and, thus, a greater drive current relative to the pass-gate and pull-up FETs. Additionally, for optimal electron mobility and hole mobility, respectively, the channels of the n-FETs and p-FETs can comprise semiconductors with different crystalline orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7541655
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first circuit in which a diffusion area A1, a first gate G1, a diffusion area A2, a second gate G2 and a diffusion area A3 constitute two transistors; and a second circuit in which a diffusion area B1, the first gate G1, a diffusion area B2, the second gate G2 and a diffusion area B3 constitute two transistors. The diffusion areas A1 and B3, the diffusion areas A2 and B2 and the diffusion areas A3 and B1 are connected. Alternatively, the diffusion areas A1, A3 and B2 and the diffusion areas A2, B1 and B3 are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Akio Iwata, Gaku Itoh
  • Patent number: 7525163
    Abstract: A semiconductor device can include at least a first diffusion region formed by doping a semiconductor substrate and at least a second diffusion region formed by doping the semiconductor substrate that is separated from the first diffusion region by an isolation region. At least a first conductive line can comprise a semiconductor material formed over and in contact with the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. A portion of the first conductive line in contact with the first diffusion region is doped to an opposite conductivity type as the first diffusion region. At least a second conductive line comprising a semiconductor material is formed in parallel with the first conductive line and over and in contact with the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. A portion of the second conductive line can be in contact with the first diffusion region and doped to a same conductivity type as the first diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: DSM Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Madhukar B. Vora
  • Patent number: 7521715
    Abstract: A static random-access memory (SRAM) device may include a bulk MOS transistor on a semiconductor substrate having a source/drain region therein, an insulating layer on the bulk MOS transistor, and a thin-film transistor having a source/drain region therein on the insulating layer above the bulk MOS transistor. The device may further include a multi-layer plug between the bulk MOS transistor and the thin-film transistor. The multi-layer plug may include a semiconductor plug directly on the source/drain region of the bulk MOS transistor and extending through at least a portion of the insulating layer, and a metal plug directly on the source/drain region of the thin-film transistor and the semiconductor plug and extending through at least a portion of the insulating layer. Related methods are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hoon Jang, Soon-Moon Jung, Kun-Ho Kwak, Byung-Jun Hwang
  • Patent number: 7521764
    Abstract: A one-time programmable, dual-bit memory device comprises one MOS storage transistor having a semiconductor substrate, first and second active regions formed under the surface of the substrate being separated by a part of the substrate forming a channel region, a gate formed on the surface of the said substrate in line with the channel region and whose respective distal ends are aligned with a part of the first active region and with a part of the second active region, respectively, which gate is permanently held at ground potential, and a gate oxide layer running between the gate and the surface of the substrate. The intact or broken down state between the gate and the first active region determines a stored value of a first bit, and the intact or broken down state between the gate and the second active region determines a stored value of a second bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Schoellkopf, Richard Fournel
  • Patent number: 7508692
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first CMOS inverter, a second CMOS inverter, a first transfer transistor and a second transfer transistor wherein the first and second transfer transistors are formed respectively in first and second device regions defined on a semiconductor device by a device isolation region so as to extend in parallel with each other, the first transfer transistor contacting with a first bit line at a first bit contact region on the first device region, the second transfer transistor contacting with a second bit line at a second bit contact region on the second device region, wherein the first bit contact region is formed in the first device region such that a center of said the bit contact region is offset toward the second device region, and wherein the second bit contact region is formed in the second device region such that a center of the second bit contact region is offset toward the first device region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Toru Anezaki, Tomohiko Tsutsumi, Tatsuji Araya, Hideyuki Kojima, Taiji Ema
  • Publication number: 20090065874
    Abstract: A metal supplying an N well voltage is provided in a first metal interconnection layer. The metal is electrically coupled to an active layer provided in an N well region by shared contacts so that the N well voltage is supplied to the N well region. A metal supplying a P well voltage is provided in a third metal interconnection layer. The metal supplying the N well voltage is formed using a metal in the first metal interconnection layer and thus does not require a piling region to the underlayer, and only a piling region to the underlayer of the metal for the P well voltage needs to be secured. Therefore, the length in the Y direction of a power feed cell can be reduced thereby reducing the layout area of the power feed cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: RENESAS TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Ishii
  • Patent number: 7498637
    Abstract: A SRAM memory is composed of FD-SOI transistors, and performance of the memory cell is improved by controlling an electric potential of a layer under a buried oxide film of a SOI transistor constituting a driver transistor. Performance of the SRAM circuit in the low power voltage state is improved. In the SRAM memory cell composed of the FD-SOI transistor, an electric potential of a well under a BOX layer is controlled to control a threshold voltage Vth, thereby increasing a current. Thus, the operations of the memory cell can be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Masanao Yamaoka, Kenichi Osada, Kiyoo Itoh, Takayuki Kawahara
  • Patent number: 7486543
    Abstract: In an asymmetrical SRAM device, and a method of manufacturing the same, the asymmetrical SRAM device includes a semiconductor substrate on which a plurality of unit cell regions are defined, and a plurality of active regions formed in each of the unit cell regions of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the active regions of each unit cell region are a mirror image of active regions of an adjacent one of the plurality of unit cell regions with respect to a boundary line between the adjacent unit cell regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-woong Kang, Jong-hyon Ahn
  • Patent number: 7485934
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a first device area and a second device area. A gate layer is formed across the first device area and the second device area on the semiconductor substrate, wherein a first portion of the gate layer running across the first device area is doped with impurities of a type different from that of a second portion of the gate layer running across the second device area. A cap layer is formed on the gate layer for protecting the same covered thereunder from forming a silicide structure, having at least one opening at a junction of the first and second portions of the gate layer. A silicide layer is formed on the gate layer that is exposed by the opening for reducing resistance at the junction between the first and second portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 7482657
    Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) is laid out to be balanced so that, when power is applied to the SRAM, the cells of the SRAM have no preferred logic state. In addition, the SRAM is fabricated in a process the emphasizes mismatches so that each individual cell assumes a non-random logic state when power is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Elroy Lucero
  • Patent number: 7476944
    Abstract: Static random access memories (SRAMs) include a semiconductor substrate having a buried insulator in a predetermined portion of the semiconductor substrate and a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) region including a semiconductor layer on the buried insulator. A flip-flop circuit is in the SOI region and a pass transistor connected to the flip-flop circuit is on a bulk region of the semiconductor substrate. The bulk region of the semiconductor substrate is a separate region from the SOI region. The flip-flop circuit may include at least two CMOS inverters and the pass transistor may be a plurality of pass transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-wook Lee
  • Patent number: 7471548
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) is provided that includes at least one static random access memory (SRAM) cell wherein performance of the SRAM cell is enhanced, yet with good stability and writability. In particular, the present invention provides an IC including at least one SRAM cell wherein the gamma ratio is about 1 or greater. The gamma ratio is increased with degraded pFET device performance. Morever, in the inventive IC there is no stress liner boundary present in the SRAM region and ion variation for all devices is reduced as compared to that of a conventional SRAM structure. The present invention provides an integrated circuit (IC) that comprises at least one SRAM cell including at least one nFET and at least one pFET; and a continuous relaxed stressed liner located above and adjoining the nFET and the pFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher V. Baiocco, Xiangdong Chen, Young G. Ko, Melanie J. Sherony
  • Patent number: 7453126
    Abstract: A metal supplying an N well voltage is provided in a first metal interconnection layer. The metal is electrically coupled to an active layer provided in an N well region by shared contacts so that the N well voltage is supplied to the N well region. A metal supplying a P well voltage is provided in a third metal interconnection layer. The metal supplying the N well voltage is formed using a metal in the first metal interconnection layer and thus does not require a piling region to the underlayer, and only a piling region to the underlayer of the metal for the P well voltage needs to be secured. Therefore, the length in the Y direction of a power feed cell can be reduced thereby reducing the layout area of the power feed cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Ishii
  • Patent number: 7436078
    Abstract: An apparatus including a trolling motor having at least one operational subsystem and the trolling motor also having an integral electronic controller for controlling the operational subsystem wherein the improvement comprises an integral electronic diagnostic system which will receive diagnostic information from the operational subsystem and will transmit the diagnostic information for reception externally of the trolling motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hyang-Ja Yang, Kang-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 7432562
    Abstract: The invention includes SRAM constructions comprising at least one transistor device having an active region extending into a crystalline layer comprising Si/Ge. A majority of the active region within the crystalline layer is within a single crystal of the crystalline layer, and in particular aspects an entirety of the active region within the crystalline layer is within a single crystal of the crystalline layer. The SRAM constructions can be formed in semiconductor on insulator assemblies, and such assemblies can be supported by a diverse range of substrates, including, for example, glass, semiconductor substrates, metal, insulative materials, and plastics. The invention also includes electronic systems comprising SRAM constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arup Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 7425744
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to different methods and systems relating to design and implementation of memory cells such as, for example, static random access memory (SRAM) cells. In one embodiment, a memory cell may include a first layer of conductive material and a second layer of conductive material. The first layer may include a first gate region and a first interconnect region, and the second layer of conductive material may include a second gate region and a second interconnect region. It will be appreciated that the various techniques described herein for using multiple layers of conductive material to form interconnect regions and/or gate regions of memory cells provides extra degrees of freedom in fine tuning memory cell parameters such as, for example, oxide thickness, threshold voltage, maximum allowed gate voltage, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Nima Mokhlesi, Jeffrey Lutze
  • Patent number: 7411256
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided, which involves inhibiting a pattern change in the node interconnect and an increase of number of manufacturing process, when the capacitor is additionally installed in the SRAM, while providing higher reliability in the node interconnect. There is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising: a node interconnect (lower capacitance electrode), being embedded in a trench formed in an interlayer insulating film provided on a semiconductor substrate, a surface of said lower capacitance electrode being formed to be substantially coplanar to a surface of the interlayer insulating film; and a capacitor, including: a capacitance insulating film, being flatly formed on a surface of the interlayer insulating film; and an upper capacitance electrode, being flatly formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7405447
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and memory cells are formed using silicon rich barrier layers to prevent diffusion of dopants from differently doped polysilicon films to overlying conductive layers or to substrates. A polycilicide gate electrode structure may be formed using the silicon rich barrier layers. Methods of forming the semiconductor devices and memory cells are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh Dang Tang, Chris Braun, Farrell M. Good
  • Patent number: 7397691
    Abstract: A memory cell comprises a wordline, a first digital inverter with a first input and a first output, and a second digital inverter with a second input and a second output. Moreover, the memory cell further comprises a first feedback connection connecting the first output to the second input, and a second feedback connection connecting the second output to the first input. The first feedback connection comprises a first resistive element and the second feedback connection comprises a second resistive element. What is more, each digital inverter has an associated capacitance. The memory cell is configured such that reading the memory cell includes applying a read voltage pulse to the wordline. In addition, the first and second resistive elements are configured such that the first and second feedback connections have resistance-capacitance induced delays longer than the applied read voltage pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Azeez Bhavnagarwala, Stephen V. Kosonocky, Sampath Purushothaman, Kenneth P. Rodbell
  • Patent number: 7397693
    Abstract: A memory using an SRAM memory cell intended for low-voltage operation is designed to decrease the threshold value of MOS transistors constituting the memory cell without substantial decrease in the static noise margin, which is the operational margin of the memory cell. To this end, a voltage Vdd? higher than a power supply voltage Vdd of a power supply line for peripheral circuits is supplied from a power supply line for memory cells as a power supply voltage for memory cells. Since the conductance of driver MOS transistors is in-creased, the threshold voltage of the MOS transistors within the memory cells can be reduced without reducing the static noise margin. Further the ratio of width between the driver MOS transistor and a transfer MOS transistor can be set to 1, thereby allowing a reduction in the memory cell area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Masanao Yamaoka, Kenichi Osada, Koichiro Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 7388267
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure including a SRAM cell is provided in which the performance of the pass-gate transistors is degraded in order to increase the beta ratio of the transistors within the SRAM cell. In particular, the increased beta ratio is obtained in the present invention by intentionally improving only the performance of the pull-down transistors, while degrading the performance of the pass-gate transistors. This result is achieved in the present invention by implementing stress memorization technique on logic complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) nFETs and SRAM pull-down transistors to improve the nFET performance. The stress memorization technique is not performed at the pFET region to avoid performance degradation as well as at the SRAM pass-gate transistors to avoid the improvement. With performance improvement at the pull-down transistors and no performance improvement at the pass-gate transistors, the beta ratio of the SRAM transistors is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiangdong Chen, Young G. Ko, Haining Yang
  • Patent number: 7382026
    Abstract: A contact connected to a word line is formed on a gate electrode of an access transistor of an SRAM cell. The contact passes through an element isolation insulating film to reach an SOI layer. A body region of a driver transistor and that of the access transistor are electrically connected with each other through the SOI layer located under the element isolation insulating film. Therefore, the access transistor is in a DTMOS structure having the gate electrode connected with the body region through the contact, which in turn is also electrically connected to the body region of the driver transistor. Thus, operations can be stabilized while suppressing increase of an area for forming the SRAM cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hirano, Takashi Ipposhi, Shigeto Maegawa, Koji Nii
  • Patent number: 7361961
    Abstract: An integrated circuit having an enhanced on-off swing for pass gate transistors is provided. The integrated circuit includes a core region that includes core transistors and pass gate transistors. The core transistors have a gate oxide associated with a first thickness, the pass transistors having a gate oxide associated with a thickness that is less than the first thickness. In one embodiment, the material used for the gate oxide of the pass gate transistors has a dielectric constant that is greater than four, while the material used for the gate oxide of the core transistors has a dielectric constant that is less than or equal to four. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Irfan Rahim, Yow-Juang Bill Liu, Jeffrey Watt
  • Patent number: 7361960
    Abstract: A first insulator film and a first polysilicon film are formed on first and second element regions of a semiconductor substrate. The first insulator film and first polysilicon film are removed from the second element region. A second insulator film is formed on the second element region from which the first insulator film and first polysilicon film are removed, and a second polysilicon film is formed on the second insulator film. The first polysilicon film is processed, forming a first gate electrode at the first element region. The second polysilicon film is processed, forming a second gate electrode at the second element region. A silicon nitride film is removed from an element-isolation region. A metal film is formed on the region from which the silicon nitride film has been removed, and connects the first and second gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Tsunashima, Kiyotaka Miyano, Yukihiro Ushiku
  • Patent number: 7358556
    Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) cell structure at least comprising a substrate, a transistor, an upper electrode and a capacitor dielectric layer. A device isolation structure is set up in the substrate to define an active region. The active region has an opening. The transistor is set up over the active region of the substrate. The source region of the transistor is next to the opening. The upper electrode is set up over the opening such that the opening is completely filled. The capacitor dielectric layer is set up between the upper electrode and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Tzung-Han Lee, Kuang-Pi Lee, Wen-Jeng Lin, Rern-Hurng Larn
  • Patent number: 7358575
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an SRAM device is provided, by which a junction node area is stably secured in a 1T type SRAM device. The method includes forming first and second conductor patterns on a cell area of a semiconductor substrate and a third conductor pattern on a periphery area of the semiconductor substrate, stacking first to third insulating layers over the substrate, forming a spacer on a sidewall of the third conductor pattern in the exposed periphery area, removing the third insulating layer, and forming first and second spacers on sidewalls of the first and second conductor patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Woo Kim
  • Patent number: RE40579
    Abstract: An SRAM memory cell having first and second transfer gate transistors. The first transfer gate transistor includes a first source/drain connected to a bit line and the second transfer gate transistor has a first source/drain connected to a complement bit line. Each transfer gate transistor has a gate connected to a word line. The SRAM memory cell also includes first and second pull-down transistors configured as a storage latch. The first pull-down transistor has a first source/drain connected to a second source/drain of said first transfer gate transistor; the second pull-down transistor has a first source/drain connected to a second source/drain of said second transfer gate transistor. Both first and second pull-down transistors have a second source/drain connected to a power supply voltage node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Randolph Bryant, Tsiu Chiu Chan