Plural Dram Cells Share Common Contact Or Common Trench Patents (Class 257/905)
  • Patent number: 9484438
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a replacement gate stack for a semiconductor device includes the following steps after removal of a dummy gate: growing a high-k dielectric layer over the area vacated by the dummy gate; depositing a thin metal layer over the high-k dielectric layer; depositing a sacrificial layer over the thin metal layer; performing a first rapid thermal anneal; removing the sacrificial layer; and depositing a metal layer of low resistivity metal for gap fill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Eduard A. Cartier, Kisik Choi, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 9472643
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a replacement gate stack for a semiconductor device includes the following steps after removal of a dummy gate: growing a high-k dielectric layer over the area vacated by the dummy gate; depositing a thin metal layer over the high-k dielectric layer; depositing a sacrificial layer over the thin metal layer; performing a first rapid thermal anneal; removing the sacrificial layer; and depositing a metal layer of low resistivity metal for gap fill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Eduard A. Cartier, Kisik Choi, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 9466692
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a replacement gate stack for a semiconductor device includes the following steps after removal of a dummy gate: growing a high-k dielectric layer over the area vacated by the dummy gate; depositing a thin metal layer over the high-k dielectric layer; depositing a sacrificial layer over the thin metal layer; performing a first rapid thermal anneal; removing the sacrificial layer; and depositing a metal layer of low resistivity metal for gap fill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Eduard A. Cartier, Kisik Choi, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 9391164
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a replacement gate stack for a semiconductor device includes the following steps after removal of a dummy gate: growing a high-k dielectric layer over the area vacated by the dummy gate; depositing a thin metal layer over the high-k dielectric layer; depositing a sacrificial layer over the thin metal layer; performing a first rapid thermal anneal; removing the sacrificial layer; and depositing a metal layer of low resistivity metal for gap fill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Eduard A. Cartier, Kisik Choi, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 8878274
    Abstract: A capacitor for use in integrated circuits comprises a layer of conductive material. The layer of conductive material including at least a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged in a predetermined pattern relative to one another to provide a maximum amount of capacitance per semiconductor die area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Jacob Baker, Kurt D. Beigel
  • Patent number: 8643110
    Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator device has a localized biasing structure formed in the insulator layer of the SOI. The localized biasing structure includes a patterned conductor that provides a biasing signal to distinct regions of the silicon layer of the SOI. The conductor is recessed into the insulator layer to provide a substantially planar interface with the silicon layer. The conductor is connected to a bias voltage source. In an embodiment, a plurality of conductor is provided that respectively connected to a plurality of voltage sources. Thus, different regions of the silicon layer are biased by different bias signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Gonzalez, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 8541284
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of strings spaced a first distance from each other, each string including first preliminary gate structures spaced a second distance, smaller than the first distance, between second preliminary gate structures, forming a first insulation layer to cover the first and second preliminary gate structures, forming an insulation layer structure to fill a space between the strings, forming a sacrificial layer pattern to partially fill spaces between first and second preliminary gate structures, removing a portion of the first insulation layer not covered by the sacrificial layer pattern to form a first insulation layer pattern, reacting portions of the first and second preliminary gate structures not covered by the first insulation layer pattern with a conductive layer to form gate structures, and forming a capping layer on the gate structures to form air gaps between the gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-Hwang Sim
  • Patent number: 8482045
    Abstract: Channels of two transistors are vertically formed on portions of two opposite side surfaces of one active region, and gate electrodes are vertically formed on a device isolation layer contacting the channels of the active region. A common bit line contact plug is formed in the central portions of the active region, two storage node contact plugs are formed on both sides of the bit line contact plug, and an insulating spacer is formed on a side surface of the bit line contact plug. A word line, a bit line, and a capacitor are sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate, like a conventional semiconductor memory device. Thus, effective space arrangement of a memory cell is possible such that a 4F2 structure is constituted, and a conventional line and contact forming process can be applied such that highly integrated semiconductor memory device is readily fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyeoung-won Seo, Bong-soo Kim, Dong-gun Park, Kang-yoon Lee, Jae-man Yoon, Seong-goo Kim, Seung-bae Park
  • Patent number: 8471320
    Abstract: A memory array layout includes an active region array having a plurality of active regions, wherein the active regions are arranged alternatively along a second direction and parts of the side of the adjacent active regions are overlapped along a second direction; a plurality of first doped region, wherein each first doped region is disposed in a middle region; a plurality of second doped region, wherein each second doped region is disposed in a distal end region respectively; a plurality of recessed gate structures; a plurality of word lines electrically connected to each recessed gate structure respectively; a plurality of digit lines electrically connected to the first doped region respectively; and a plurality of capacitors electrically connected to each second doped region respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Inotera Memories, Inc.
    Inventors: Tzung-Han Lee, Chung-Lin Huang, Ron Fu Chu
  • Patent number: 8445343
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device include alternatingly and repeatedly stacking sacrificial layers and first insulating layers on a substrate, forming an opening penetrating the sacrificial layers and the first insulating layers, and forming a spacer on a sidewall of the opening, wherein a bottom surface of the opening is free of the spacer. A semiconductor layer is formed in the opening. Related devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Ho Kim, Kihyun Hwang, Sangryol Yang, Yong-Hoon Sang, Ju-Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 8405129
    Abstract: A design structure tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integrated circuit includes a plurality of bit line structures, a plurality of word line structures intersecting said plurality of bit line structures to form a plurality of cell locations, and a plurality of cells located at said plurality of cell locations, each of said cells being selectively coupled to a corresponding bit line structure under control of a corresponding word line structure, each of said cells comprising a logical storage element having at least a first n-type field effect transistor and at least a first p-type field effect transistor, wherein said at least first n-type field effect transistor is formed with a relatively thick buried oxide layer sized to reduce capacitance of said bit line structures, and said at least first p-type field effect transistor is formed with a relatively thin buried oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ching-Te K. Chuang, Fadi H. Gebara, Keunwoo Kim, Jente Benedict Kuang, Hung C. Ngo
  • Patent number: 8309412
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes: etching a hard mask layer and a conductive layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a lower structure being formed on the semiconductor substrate; forming a sacrificial insulating layer at upper parts of the etched hard mask layer and the etched conductive layer of a peripheral circuit region; forming an isolation insulating layer at an upper part of an isolation insulating layer of a cell region; forming spacers at sidewalls of the etched hard mask layer, the etched conductive layer, and the isolation insulating layer of the cell region, respectively; forming storage electrode contact plugs at both sides of each of the spacers, respectively; and removing the sacrificial insulating layer to expose the semiconductor substrate of the peripheral circuit region, and etching the lower structure to expose the semiconductor substrate of the peripheral circuit region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Young Man Cho
  • Patent number: 8294219
    Abstract: Nonvolatile memory elements that are based on resistive switching memory element layers are provided. A nonvolatile memory element may have a resistive switching metal oxide layer. The resistive switching metal oxide layer may have one or more layers of oxide. A resistive switching metal oxide may be doped with a dopant that increases its melting temperature and enhances its thermal stability. Layers may be formed to enhance the thermal stability of the nonvolatile memory element. An electrode for a nonvolatile memory element may contain a conductive layer and a buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandra G. Malhotra, Pragati Kumar, Sean Barstow, Tony Chiang, Prashant B. Phatak, Wen Wu, Sunil Shanker
  • Patent number: 8217427
    Abstract: A memory circuit includes a plurality of bit line structures, a plurality of word line structures intersecting the plurality of bit line structures to form a plurality of cell locations; and a plurality of cells located at the plurality of cell locations. Each of the cells is selectively coupled to a corresponding one of the bit line structures under control of a corresponding one of the word line structures, and each of the cells in turn includes a logical storage element having at least a first n-type field effect transistor and at least a first p-type field effect transistor. The at least first n-type field effect transistor is formed with a relatively thick buried oxide layer sized to reduce capacitance of the bit line structures, and the at least first p-type field effect transistor is formed with a relatively thin buried oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ching-Te K. Chuang, Fadi H. Gebara, Keunwoo Kim, Jente Benedict Kuang, Hung C. Ngo
  • Patent number: 8143723
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and its manufacture method wherein the semiconductor substrate has first and second insulating films, the first insulating film being an insulating film other than a silicon nitride film formed at least on a side wall of a conductive pattern including at least one layer of metal or metal silicide, and the second insulating film being a silicon nitride film formed to cover the first insulating film and the upper surface and side wall of the conductive pattern. The first insulating film may be formed to cover the upper surface and side wall of the conductive pattern. A semiconductor device and its manufacture method are provided which can realize high integrated DRAMs of 256 M or larger without degrading reliability and stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Shinichiroh Ikemasu, Narumi Okawa
  • Patent number: 8138605
    Abstract: A semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate may include a component formed in a contact trench located in an active cell region. The component may comprise a barrier metal deposited on a bottom and portions of sidewalls of the contact trench and a tungsten plug deposited in a remaining portion of the contact trench. The barrier metal may comprise first and second metal layers. The first metal layer may be proximate to the sidewall and the bottom of the contact trench. The first metal layer may include a nitride. The second metal layer may be between the first metal layer and the tungsten plug and between the tungsten plug and the sidewall. The second metal layer covers portions of the sidewalls of not covered by the first metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Chang, John Chen, Limin Weng, Wenjun Li
  • Patent number: 8053831
    Abstract: A memory cell of memory device, comprises an active region of a memory cell defined in a semiconductor substrate, and a conductive gate electrode in a trench of the active region. The gate electrode is isolated from the semiconductor substrate. An insulation layer is on the active region and on the conductive gate electrode. A conductive contact is in the insulation layer on the active region at a side of the gate electrode and isolated from the gate electrode. The contact has a first width at a top portion thereof and a second width at a bottom portion thereof, the first width being greater than the second width. The contact is formed of a single-crystal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Man-Jong Yu
  • Patent number: 8030697
    Abstract: A cell structure of a semiconductor device includes an active region, having a concave portion, and an inactive region that defines the active region. A gate pattern in the active region is arranged perpendicular to the active region. A landing pad on the active region and the inactive region contacts the active region. A bit line pattern on the inactive region intersects the gate pattern perpendicularly, the bit line pattern being electrically connected to the landing pad and having a first protrusion corresponding to the concave portion of the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Hee Cho, Seung-Bae Park
  • Patent number: 7876610
    Abstract: A plurality of first transistors formed on a substrate share a gate electrode. Isolation regions isolate the plurality of first transistors from one another. In the region where the plurality of first transistors, an impurity region is formed in such a manner that it includes the source and drain regions of the plurality of first transistors and that the depth of the impurity region is greater than the depth of the source and drain regions. The impurity region sets the threshold voltage of the first transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenji Gomikawa, Mitsuhiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7816717
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a memory cell section comprising a memory transistor provided on the semiconductor substrate, the memory transistor including a first gate electrode provided on the semiconductor substrate with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween, and a source and drain provided at both sides of the first gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate, and a ferroelectric capacitor provided above the memory transistor, the ferroelectric capacitor including a first electrode film connected to any one of a source and drain of the memory transistor, a second electrode film connected to the other one of the drain and source of the memory transistor, and a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode film and the second electrode film, the memory cell section having the memory transistor and the ferroelectric capacitor connected in parallel to each other; and a select transistor section, comprising a select transistor provided at an end of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Tohru Ozaki
  • Patent number: 7777265
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a contact barrier for insulating contacts with a large aspect ratio and having a fine pitch between adjacent conductive lines and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a buried contact formed in a region between two adjacent first conductive lines and two adjacent second conductive lines. Insulating lines define a width of the buried contact. To form the contact barrier, an interlayer dielectric layer formed on the second conductive lines is patterned to form a space and an insulating line having an etching ratio different from the interlayer dielectric layer is formed in the space. The interlayer dielectric layer is selectively wet etched relative to an insulating layer covering the second conductive line and the first insulating line to form buried contact hole. The buried contact hole is filled with conductive material to form a buried contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyeong-Sun Hong, Jae-Goo Lee, Dong-Hyun Kim, Sung-Un Kwon, Sang-Joon Park, Nam-Jung Kang
  • Patent number: 7732816
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as a memory device or radiation detector, is disclosed, in which data storage cells are formed on a substrate. Each of the data storage cells includes a field effect transistor having a source, drain, and gate, and a body arranged between the source and drain for storing electrical charge generated in the body. The magnitude of the net electrical charge in the body can be adjusted by input signals applied to the transistor, and the adjustment of the net electrical charge by the input signals can be at least partially cancelled by applying electrical voltage signals between the gate and the drain and between the source and the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Innovative Silicon ISi SA
    Inventors: Pierre Fazan, Serguei Okhonin
  • Patent number: 7723776
    Abstract: Flash memory devices include a pair of elongated, closely spaced-apart main active regions in a substrate. A sub active region is also provided in the substrate, extending between the pair of elongated, closely spaced-apart main active regions. A bit line contact plug is provided on, and electrically contacting, the sub active region and being at least as wide as the sub active region. An elongated bit line is provided on, and electrically contacting, the bit line contact plug remote from the sub active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Sun Sel, Jung-Dal Choi
  • Patent number: 7667234
    Abstract: A memory array having decreased cell sizes and having transistors with increased channel widths. More specifically, pillars are formed in a substrate such that sidewalls are exposed. The sidewalls of the pillars and the top surface of the pillars are covered with a gate oxide and a polysilicon layer to form a channel through the pillars. The current path through the channel is approximately equal to twice the height of the pillar plus the width of the pillar. The pillars are patterned to form non-linear active area lines having angled segments. The polysilicon layer is patterned to form word lines that intersect the active area lines at the angled segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc
    Inventors: Hongmei Wang, Chandra Mouli, Luan Tran
  • 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: 7649259
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first wiring line group made of a metal, wiring lines of the first wiring line group being arranged in parallel with each other, a second wiring line group which is made of a semiconductor and crosses the first wiring line group, wiring lines of the second wiring line group being arranged in parallel with each other and being movable in the vicinity of each intersection with the wiring lines of the first wiring line group, and a plurality of metal regions which are formed to be joined with the wiring lines constituting the second wiring line group, and have a work function different from that of the metal forming the first wiring line group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mizuki Ono, Yuichi Motoi
  • Patent number: 7595524
    Abstract: A field effect transistor includes a plurality of trenches extending into a silicon layer. Each trench has upper sidewalls that fan out. Contact openings extend into the silicon layer between adjacent trenches such that each trench and an adjacent contact opening form a common upper sidewall portion. Body regions extend between adjacent trenches, and source regions extend in the body regions adjacent opposing sidewalls of each trench. The source regions have a conductivity type opposite that of the body regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Herrick, Becky Losee, Dean Probst
  • Patent number: 7541616
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as a memory device or radiation detector, is disclosed, in which data storage cells are formed on a substrate. Each of the data storage cells includes a field effect transistor having a source, drain, and gate, and a body arranged between the source and drain for storing electrical charge generated in the body. The magnitude of the net electrical charge in the body can be adjusted by input signals applied to the transistor, and the adjustment of the net electrical charge by the input signals can be at least partially cancelled by applying electrical voltage signals between the gate and the drain and between the source and the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Innovative Silicon ISi SA
    Inventors: Pierre Fazan, Serguei Okhonin
  • Patent number: 7535045
    Abstract: A checkerboard deep trench dynamic random access memory cell array layout is disclosed, which includes a substrate, a plurality of gate conductor lines disposed on the substrate, a plurality of checkerboard-arranged and staggered deep trench capacitor structures embedded in the substrate under the gate conductor lines, and a plurality of active areas formed in the substrate under the gate conductor lines, alternatively arranged with the deep trench capacitor structures, and electrically connected with an adjacent deep trench capacitor structure. The width of the parts of the gate conductor lines above the deep trench capacitor structures is narrower than that of the parts of the gate conductor lines above the active areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chien-Li Cheng, Chin-Tien Yang, Tzung-Han Lee, Shian-Hau Liao, Chung-Yuan Lee
  • Patent number: 7473953
    Abstract: A memory cell and method of forming the same is provided. To make contact between a bit line and a select transistor of a dynamic memory unit on a semiconductor wafer, a contact hole is filled with a metal or a metal alloy. A liner layer may be introduced between the semiconductor substrate and the metal filling. The semiconductor substrate has a doped region in the contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Staub, Jürgen Amon, Norbert Urbansky
  • Patent number: 7462902
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory is provided. The memory includes a select transistor and a trench transistor. The select transistor is formed on the substrate. The select transistor includes a first gate formed on the substrate and first and second source/drain regions formed in the substrate next to the first gate. The trench transistor is formed in the substrate. The trench transistor includes a second gate formed in the trench of substrate, an electron trapping layer formed between the second gate and the trench and second and third source/drain regions formed in the substrate next to the second gate. The select transistor and the trench transistor share the second source/drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Ching-Sung Yang, Wei-Zhe Wong, Chih-Chen Cho
  • Patent number: 7449763
    Abstract: This disclosure provides cells of nonvolatile memory devices with floating gates and methods for fabricating the same. The cell of the nonvolatile memory device includes device isolation layers in parallel with each other on a predetermined region of a semiconductor substrate that define a plurality of active regions. Each device isolation layer has sidewalls that project over the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of word lines crosses over the device isolation layers. A tunnel oxide layer, a floating gate, a gate interlayer dielectric layer, and a control gate electrode are sequentially stacked between each active region and each word line. The floating gate and the control gate electrode have sidewalls that are self-aligned to the adjacent device isolation layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Hyun Lee, Kyu-Charn Park, Jeong-Hyuk Choi, Sung-Hoi Hur
  • Patent number: 7394156
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a plurality of CMOS-type base cells arranged on a semiconductor substrate and m wiring layers, and gate array type logic cells are composed of the base cells and the wiring layers. Wiring within and between the logic cells is constituted by using only upper n (n<m) wiring layers. It becomes possible to shorten a development period and reduce a development cost when a gate array type semiconductor integrated circuit device becomes large in scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Tokunaga, Shigeki Furuya, Yuuji Hinatsu
  • Patent number: 7355230
    Abstract: A transistor array for semiconductor memory devices is provided. A plurality of semiconductor pillars extending outwardly from a bulk section of a semiconductor substrate is arranged in rows and columns. Each pillar forms an active area of a vertical channel access transistor. Insulating trenches are formed between the rows of pillars. Buried word lines extend within the insulating trenches along the rows of pillars. Bit line trenches are formed between columns of pillars. Bit lines extend perpendicular to the word lines in lower portions of the bit line trenches. A first and a second column of pillars face adjacent each bit line. Each bit line is coupled to the active areas in the pillars of the first column of pillars via a single sided bit line contact formed from polycrystalline silicon and is insulated from the active areas of the pillars of the second column of pillars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Thies, Klaus Muemmler
  • Patent number: 7348640
    Abstract: A memory capable of reducing the memory cell size is provided. In this memory, a first gate electrode of a first selection transistor and a second gate electrode of a second selection transistor are provided integrally with a word line, and arranged to obliquely extend with respect to the longitudinal direction of a first impurity region on a region formed with memory cells and to intersect with the first impurity region on regions formed with the first selection transistor and the second selection transistor in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7339222
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for fabricating a memory array includes forming a number of trenches in a substrate, where the trenches determine a number of wordline regions in the substrate, where each of the wordline regions is situated between two adjacent trenches, and where each of the wordline regions have a wordline region width. The memory array can be a flash memory array. The method further includes forming a number of bitlines in the substrate, where the bitlines are situated perpendicular to the trenches. The method further includes forming a dielectric region in each of the trenches. The method further includes forming a dielectric stack over the bitlines, wordline regions, and trenches. The method further includes forming a number of wordlines, where each wordline is situated over one of the wordline regions. The wordline region width determines an active wordline width of each of the wordlines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Meng Ding, Hidehiko Shiraiwa, Mark Randolph
  • Patent number: 7326985
    Abstract: A memory cell and method of forming the same is provided. To make contact between a bit line and a select transistor of a dynamic memory unit on a semiconductor wafer, a contact hole is filled with a metal or a metal alloy. A liner layer may be introduced between the semiconductor substrate and the metal filling. The semiconductor substrate has a doped region in the contact hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Staub, Jürgen Amon, Norbert Urbansky
  • Patent number: 7298002
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes cylindrical capacitors each including corresponding cylindrical electrodes. Each cylindrical electrode includes hemispherical silicon grains. The hemispherical silicon grains protruding from an upper region of the cylindrical electrode have a large size, and the hemispherical silicon grains protruding from a lower region of the cylindrical electrode have a small size or the lower region of the cylindrical electrode has no hemispherical silicon grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Elpida Memory Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kitamura, Yuki Togashi, Hiroyasu Kitajima, Noriaki Ikeda, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Eiichiro Kakehashi
  • Patent number: 7268384
    Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming memory circuitry. In one implementation, a semiconductor substrate includes a pair of word lines having a bit node received therebetween. A bit node contact opening is formed within insulative material over the bit node. Sacrificial plugging material is formed within the bit node contact opening between the pair of word lines. Sacrificial plugging material is removed from the bit node contact opening between the pair of word lines, and it is replaced with conductive material that is in electrical connection with the bit node. Thereafter, the conductive material is formed into a bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunal R. Parekh, Byron N. Burgess
  • Patent number: 7247902
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first metal layer, which comprises a buried metal layer connected to a diffusion layer within a substrate or to a lower-layer wiring. A first metal wiring layer, a second metal layer having a buried metal layer, and a second metal wiring layer are sequentially connected. Within a groove passing through insulating layers sandwiching the metal wiring layer from above and below the same as well as on one of the insulating layers there is formed a capacitive element C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Ohno
  • Patent number: 7223992
    Abstract: The invention relates to a trench filled with a thermally conducting material in a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device has a trench defining a cell region, wherein a portion of the trench includes a thermally conducting material, and a contact to the thermally conducting material. The invention further relates to a semiconductor device and a method of forming a semiconductor device with an interlayer dielectric that is a thermally conducting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Chunlin Liang, Brian S. Doyle
  • 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: 7199409
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for adding or subtracting an amount charge to or from a charge packet in a CCD as the packet traverses the CCD. The apparatus uses a “wire transfer” device structure to perform the addition or subtraction of charge during the charge packets traversal across the device. A pair of electrically interconnected diffusions are incorporated within the charge couple path to provide an amount of charge which can be added or subtracted from packets as the packets traverse the CCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Michael P. Anthony
  • Patent number: 7189586
    Abstract: A test key for monitoring GC-DT misalignment is provided. Deep trench capacitors are embedded in an interlacing matrix manner. GC lines are defined on a substrate and passing over the deep trench capacitors. A first bit line contact pattern surrounded by first assistant bit line contact patterns is disposed on the right side of a first deep trench capacitor. A second bit line contact pattern surrounded by second assistant bit line contact patterns is disposed on the left side of a second deep trench capacitor. The test key has a mirror symmetric line. The first assistant bit line contact patterns and second assistant bit line contact patterns are symmetric with respect to the mirror symmetric line. An active area connects the first bit line contact pattern and the second bit line contact pattern. A signal-in bit line is connected to the first bit line contact and a signal-out bit line is connected to the second bit line contact. The rest rows of the bit lines are dummy bit lines and floating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Yu-Chang Lin
  • Patent number: 7180121
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a semiconductor and a trench, and an electrically rewritable semiconductor memory cell on the substrate, the semiconductor memory cell comprising a charge storage layer including an upper surface and a lower surface, an area of the lower surface being smaller than an area of the upper surface, and at least a part of the charge storage layer being provided in the trench, first insulating layer between the lower surface of the charge storage layer and a bottom surface of the trench, second insulating layer between a side surface of the trench and a side surface of the charge storage layer and between the side surface of the trench and a side surface of the first insulating layer, third insulating layer on the charge storage layer, and a control gate electrode on the third insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Hieda
  • Patent number: 7135731
    Abstract: A vertical DRAM and fabrication method thereof. The vertical DRAM has a plurality of memory cells on a substrate, and each of the memory cells has a trench capacitor, a vertical transistor, and a source-isolation oxide layer in a deep trench. The main advantage of the present invention is to form an annular source diffusion and an annular drain diffusion of the vertical transistor around the sidewall of the deep trench. As a result, when a gate of the transistor is turned on, an annular gate channel is provided. The width of the gate channel of the present invention is therefore increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Ching-Nan Hsiao, Ying-Cheng Chuang, Chi-Hui Lin
  • Patent number: 7126154
    Abstract: A test structure for determining the electrical properties of a memory cell in a matrix-like cell array constructed on the basis of the single-sided buried strap concept has a connection between internal electrodes in the storage capacitors in two adjacent memory cells in the direction of the row of active regions in order to produce a series circuit. A first selection transistor and a first storage capacitor in a first memory cell and a second selection transistor and a second storage capacitor in a second memory cell, the active regions of the first and second selection transistors not being connected between the first and second selection transistors via a contact-making bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Valentine Rosskopf, Susanne Lachenmann, Sibina Sukman-Prähofer, Andreas Felber
  • Patent number: 7105881
    Abstract: The invention includes a DRAM device. The device has an access transistor construction, and the access transistor construction has a pair of source/drain regions. A halo region is associated with one of the source/drain regions of the access transistor construction and no comparable halo region is associated with the other of the source/drain regions of the access transistor construction. The invention also encompasses methods of forming DRAM devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Ceredig Roberts
  • Patent number: 7102184
    Abstract: The invention provides a photodiode with an increased charge collection area, laterally spaced from an adjacent isolation region. Dopant ions of a first conductivity type with a first impurity concentration form a region surrounding at least part of the isolation region. These dopant ions are further surrounded by dopant ions of the first conductivity type with a second impurity concentration. The resulting isolation region structure increases the capacitance of the photodiode by allowing the photodiode to possess a greater charge collection region while suppressing the generation of dark current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Howard E. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7091544
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory structure is provided, each active area of a memory unit cell is distributed individually in a substrate, and deep trench patterns are designed to have a checkerboard-like arrangement in the substrate. Also, there is a constant space between each deep trench pattern in a row. Further, long bit line contact plugs are located to electrically connect active areas of two diagonally neighbor memory unit cells, and a contact hole is formed on each long bit line contact plug to enable bit lines contact the long bit line contact plugs so two diagonally neighbor memory unit cells are controlled by the same bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Promos Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Rui-Yuan Hon, Tony Chien