Dram Configuration With Transistors And Capacitors Of Pairs Of Cells Along A Straight Line Between Adjacent Bit Lines Patents (Class 257/908)
  • Patent number: 6410955
    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: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Jacob Baker, Kurt D. Beigel
  • Patent number: 6407464
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a structure in which the potential of a gate interconnection is not affected by that of a bit line when a dummy pad contact is formed at an end portion of a memory cell, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which no steps are formed in the vicinity of a memory cell end are obtained. The semiconductor device includes dummy pad contacts arranged in a dotted line, which are smaller than a first pad contact in the memory cell body and are opened using a self-alignment method, and a conduction is cut-off in a path leading from the dummy pad contact to the bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Terauchi
  • Publication number: 20020063273
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating a semiconductor device improved to increase a transfer margin of a hole. A first insulating interlayer is formed on a semiconductor substrate so as to cover a memory cell region and a peripheral circuit region. The surface of the first insulating interlayer is polished. A second insulating interlayer is formed on the first insulating interlayer. A hole penetrating the first and second insulating interlayers is opened, and a cylindrical capacitor is formed in the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Ooto, Yoshinori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6396096
    Abstract: A design layout for a memory cell structure is provided that achieves maximized channel length on the active areas, while not constricting the contact area of the capacitor contacts is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Infineon Technologies North America Corp.
    Inventors: Young-Jin Park, Carl J. Radens
  • Patent number: 6380576
    Abstract: A memory cell is defined along first, second, and third orthogonal dimensions and comprises an electrically conductive word line, an electrically conductive bit line, an electrical charge storage structure, a transistor structure, and a bit line contact. The charge storage structure is conductively coupled to the bit line via the transistor structure and the bit line contact. The transistor structure is conductively coupled to the word line. The first dimension is characterized by one-half of a bit line contact feature, one word line feature, one word line space feature, and one-half of a field poly line feature. The second dimension is characterized by two one-half field oxide features and one active area feature. The first and second dimensions define a 6F2 memory cell. The bit line contact feature is characterized by a contact hole bounded by insulating side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Luan Tran
  • Patent number: 6380575
    Abstract: A method and structure for an integrated circuit chip includes storage devices, isolation regions adjacent the storage devices and surface straps connected to the storage devices, wherein the isolation regions have a border coincident with the surface straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Carl J. Radens
  • Patent number: 6372639
    Abstract: A workpiece and method are provided for forming N polysilicon interconnects coupled to N contact openings in a semiconductor device. The workpiece includes an active area and N potential contact openings covered with a dielectric layer, a first through hole etched in the dielectric layer to expose substantially all of the workpiece corresponding to the active area to thereby expose the N contact openings, a monolithic polysilicon plug deposited in the first through hole, and N−1 second through holes etched in the polysilicon plug and disposed between the N contact openings to thereby divide the polysilicon plug into the N polysilicon interconnects, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2. According to one aspect of the invention, the workpiece includes N−1 conductors traversing the active area, the N contact openings are disposed adjacent to the N−1 conductors, and each of the N contact openings is separated from the other contact openings by one of the N−1 conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: William Stanton
  • Publication number: 20020017668
    Abstract: DRAM memory cell for a DRAM memory having:
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: Franz Hofmann, Till Schlosser
  • Publication number: 20020014645
    Abstract: A method of operating a semiconductor memory device capable of writing or reading in parallel a plurality of memory transistors connected to a word line in a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells each having, alternately provided in a word line direction, an active region (channel forming region) comprised of a first conductivity type semiconductor and impurity regions comprised of a second conductivity type semiconductor shared by adjacent memory cells, for example, a VG type memory cell array, comprising driving the control gates capacitively coupled with the borders of the active regions with impurity regions and electrically isolated from the word lines to electrically divide the physical memory cell array into n number of memory cell arrays and driving the impurity regions and word lines in the same memory cell array to operate in parallel the plurality of memory cells connected to the same word line out of the cell columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Inventor: Toshio Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6344671
    Abstract: A method of forming a silicon on insulator (SOI) body contact at a pair of field effect transistors (FETs), a sense amplifier including a balanced pair of such FETs and a RAM including the sense amplifiers. A pair of gates are formed on a SOI silicon surface layer. A dielectric bridge is formed between a pair of gates when sidewall spacers are formed along the gates. Source/drain (S/D) conduction regions are formed in the SOI surface layer adjacent the sidewalls at the pair of gates. The dielectric bridge blocks selectively formation of S/D conduction regions. A passivating layer is formed over the pair of gates and the dielectric bridge. Contacts are opened partially through the passivation layer. Then, a body contact is opened through the bridge to SOI surface layer and a body contact diffusion is formed. Contact openings are completed through the passivation layer at the S/D diffusions. Tungsten studs are formed in the contact openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jack A. Mandelman, Fariborz Assaderaghi, Michael J. Hargrove, Peter Smeys, Norman J. Rohrer
  • Patent number: 6339240
    Abstract: In DRAM comprising a read pass transistor, a write pass transistor and a storage transistor, a depletion transistor is connected to a source of the storage transistor. On a part of the source and drain of the depletion transistor, by forming an impurity region of same conductivity as that of the substrate on which the transistors are formed, a substrate voltage applied to the substrate is supplied to the storage transistor through the depletion transistor. An additional metal wire for connecting the source of the storage transistor to Vss voltage (ground voltage or substrate voltage) terminal and a contact hole area for such metal wire are not required. Accordingly, a high integration of the semiconductor can be accomplished and a reduction of reliability thereof can be decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae Kap Kim
  • Patent number: 6333530
    Abstract: The semiconductor memory device includes normal word lines, spare word lines and bit lines. Space between the spare word lines is made wider than the space between the normal word lines. Further, the space between the normal word line and the spare word line is also made wider. Thus possibility of contact defect caused by a foreign matter in the steps of manufacturing can be reduced. Further, the size of the storage node of a spare memory cell is made larger than that of the storage node of a normal memory cell. Thus capacitance of the spare memory cell can be increased. Thus possibility of defects in spare memory cells is reduced ensuring repairment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Itou
  • Patent number: 6329681
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device and a method of manufacturing such a device provides the advantages that undulations are prevented from being produced in the polycrystal silicon plugs in the bit line contact holes and that the undesired phenomenon of transversally etching the silicide film at the contacts of the bit lines and the polycrystal silicon plugs is avoided. The bit lines BL formed at the time of forming a first wiring layer 18 is made of a laminate film having a titanium film 18a, a titanium nitride film 18b and a tungsten film 18c and a titanium silicide film 20 containing nitrogen or oxygen is formed in the contact areas of the bit lines BL and the plugs 19. A titanium silicide film 20 containing nitrogen or oxygen is also formed in the contact areas of the first wiring layer 18 and the semiconductor substrate 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nakamura, Hideo Aoki, Yoshikazu Ohira, Tadashi Umezawa, Satoru Yamada, Keizou Kawakita, Isamu Asano, Naoki Fukuda, Tsuyoshi Tamaru, Hidekazu Goto, Nobuyoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6326657
    Abstract: A gate insulating film is formed on the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate. A silicon film is formed on the gate insulating film. Impurities are doped in the silicon film. In this case, impurities are doped into the silicon film to make a region of the silicon film in the memory cell area have a first impurity concentration and to make a region of the silicon film in the logic circuit area have a second impurity concentration lower than the first impurity concentration. The doped silicon film is patterned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Narumi Ohkawa
  • Publication number: 20010045589
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a plurality of basic units formed on a semiconductor substrate, each including a memory element and a logic element and having the same or bilateral symmetry structure. Each basic unit has a DRAM cell formed in a first active region, serially connected transistors of a logic element formed in a second active region and having second and third gate electrodes and source/drain regions with silicide layers, first and second signal lines connected to the source/drain regions of the transistor pair, a third signal line connected to the second gate electrode, and a conductive connection terminal formed under the storage electrode of a DRAM capacitor for connecting the storage electrode and third gate electrode. A semiconductor device is provided which has a plurality of basic units each including a memory cell and a logic cell formed on the same semiconductor substrate, the device being easy to manufacture and capable of high integration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Takeda, Taiji Ema
  • Publication number: 20010046737
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and a fabricating method thereof are provided. In the course of forming a buried contact hole after forming a bit line pattern, the buried contact hole is formed by a self aligned contact process using capping layers included in the bit line pattern, thereby securing an overlap margin. Formation of a deep inner cylinder type capacitor unit prevents a bridge defect between lower electrodes of the capacitor and suppresses the occurrence of particles while simplifying the fabrication process. Furthermore, a mechanism for forming a second metal contact hole can simplifies the problems related to etching and filling of the second metal contact hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Tae-Hyuk Ahn, Sang-Sup Jeong
  • Publication number: 20010032991
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory such as, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) includes a memory cell array and an addressing periphery. A first memory cell having a first selection transistor and a first storage capacitor, and a second memory cell having a second selection transistor and a second storage capacitor are configured in the memory cell array. The first selection transistor is designed as an n-channel transistor and the second selection transistor is designed as a p-channel transistor. This makes it possible to realize a folded bit line concept for memory cells which are smaller than 8F2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventor: Franz Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6294805
    Abstract: Integrated circuit ferroelectric memory devices include a pair of spaced apart word lines which cross an elongated active region, a drain region in the active region between the pair of word lines, and a pair of source regions in the active region outside the pair of spaced apart word lines on opposite sides of the drain region. A pair of ferroelectric capacitors outside the elongated active region is also included, a respective one of which is adjacent a respective one of the pair of source regions. Each of the ferroelectric capacitors includes spaced apart first and second electrodes and a ferroelectric layer between them. A respective one of the first electrodes is electrically connected to a respective one of the pair of source regions. A pair of plate lines is electrically connected to a respective one of the second electrodes and a bit line is electrically connected to the drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-jin Jung
  • Patent number: 6278149
    Abstract: In a DRAM-logic embedded integrated circuit in which a DRAM including trench capacitors of the deep trench structure and a logic circuit are mixedly formed in a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of capacitors of the deep trench structure are provided in the logic circuit portion. The plurality of capacitors are connected in parallel by wiring portions, whereby a plurality of capacitor blocks are formed. Between the respective capacitor blocks, there are provided fuse elements which selectively connect the respective wiring portions to each other or selectively separate them from each other to thereby vary the capacitance value of the capacitance blocks. These fuse elements are selectively cut off depending on the capacitance value of the capacitors required in view of the circuit design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Wataru Sato, Yoshiaki Asao
  • Publication number: 20010011735
    Abstract: The semiconductor memory device of the present invention comprises: memory cells arranged in a matrix; word lines extending in a row direction; bit line pairs extending in a column direction; exchange blocks for exchanging the bit lines of the different neighboring bit line pairs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 6265739
    Abstract: In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a method for manufacturing the device, each memory cell and its select Tr have the same gate insulating film as a Vcc Tr. Further, the gate electrodes of a Vpp Tr and Vcc Tr are realized by the use of a first polysilicon layer. A material such as salicide or a metal, which differs from second polysilicon (which forms a control gate layer), may be provided on the first polysilicon layer. With the above features, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device can be manufactured by reduced steps and be operated at high speed in a reliable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshitake Yaegashi, Kazuhiro Shimizu, Seiichi Aritome
  • Patent number: 6249018
    Abstract: A conducting structure of a COB cell of DRAM includes an piecewise straight active area and substantially straight bitline formed over a semiconductor substrate upon which a first dielectric layer existed. Contact holes are formed over the piecewise straight active area for electrically exposing both nodes (source and drain), of the active area of the access device. An offset landing plug pattern is defined by a photoresist-clear pattern beside, say, the source node of the primary contact pattern and recess-etched into the first dielectric layer and electrically connected to the source node of the primary contact structure finally. The contact structure is then formed by a deposition-etched process, which performs as a landing plug for contact of the upper contact structures. The top area of the landing plug is defined through the additive pattern of the primary contact as well as the offset landing plug pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Ing-Ruey Liaw, Wen-Jya Liang
  • Patent number: 6239493
    Abstract: A semiconductor device adopting an interlayer contact structure between upper and lower conductive layers and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device adopting the structure are provided. The lower conductive layer includes a first conductive layer and a first silicide layer stacked together. The upper conductive layer includes a second conductive layer doped with impurities and a second silicide layer stacked together. In the interlayer contact structure, the first and second conductive layers are in direct contact with each other. This decreases the contact resistance between the two conductive layers and improves the electrical properties of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-young Yoo, Dae-hong Ko, Nae-in Lee, Young-wook Park
  • Publication number: 20010000625
    Abstract: In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a method for manufacturing the device, each memory cell and its select Tr have the same gate insulating film as a Vcc Tr. Further, the gate electrodes of a Vpp Tr and Vcc Tr are realized by the use of a first polysilicon layer. A material such as salicide or a metal, which differs from second polysilicon (which forms a control gate layer), may be provided on the first polysilicon layer. With the above features, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device can be manufactured by reduced steps and be operated at high speed in a reliable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Publication date: May 3, 2001
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshitake Yaegashi, Kazuhiro Shimizu, Seiichi Aritome
  • Patent number: 6218697
    Abstract: A contact in a semiconductor memory device is formed on an active region of a cell array region, rather than on a sloped area between the cell array region and a core region. Preferably, an insulating layer on the active region is etched to form a hole therein and the contact formed through the hole. Preferably, the etching is performed using an etch solution having a high etch selectivity between the insulating layer and a top layer of the active region. Thus, the contact is evenly formed and the area of the cell array region is reduced, thereby enabling cells to be packed on a chip with high density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eun-Young Minn
  • Patent number: 6211544
    Abstract: A memory cell, in accordance with the invention, includes a trench formed in a substrate, and an active area formed in the substrate below a gate and extending to the trench. The active area includes diffusion regions for forming a transistor for accessing a storage node in the trench, the transistor being activated by the gate. The gate defines a first axis wherein a portion of the active area extends transversely therefrom, the portion of the active area extending to the trench. The trench has a side closest to the portion of the active area, the side of the trench being angularly disposed relative to the gate such that a distance between the gate and the side of the trench is greater than a minimum feature size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies North America Corp., International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Young-Jin Park, Carl J. Radens, Gerhard Kunkel
  • Patent number: 6181014
    Abstract: Integrated circuit memory devices having highly integrated SOI memory cells therein include an SOI substrate having a semiconductor active layer therein. A first trench isolation region is also provided. The first trench isolation region extends into and partitions the semiconductor active layer into first and second active regions. These first and second active regions are preferably electrically isolated from each other by the first trench isolation region. First and second access transistors are provided in the first and second active regions, respectively, and a first electrically insulating layer is provided on the SOI substrate. A first bit line is also provided at a first level. The first bit line is electrically connected to a first source/drain region of the first access transistor by a first bit line contact. This first bit line contact extends through the first electrically insulating layer and contacts the first source/drain region of the first access transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyu-Charn Park, Duck-Hyung Lee
  • Patent number: 6177693
    Abstract: In a memory cell section of a memory cell array in a semiconductor memory, N+ diffused layers and gate electrode conductors are located with the same line width and with an equal spacing. In a selector section, the N+ diffused layers and the gate electrode conductors are not located with an equal spacing. However, a dummy N+ diffused layer is added to an end of the N+ diffused layer in the selector section. In addition, a dummy N+ diffused layer is additionally located in a region which had existed as an empty region corresponding to the N+ diffused layer in the memory cell section. Thus, a resist pattern for the N+ diffused layers is formed as a designed pattern, and the characteristics of memory cell transistors or selector transistors is homogenized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutaka Otsuki
  • Patent number: 6166406
    Abstract: In the present invention, a precharge circuit includes a precharge supply for setting equal potentials at pairs of spaced signal lines extending in parallel with respect to each other, a pair of switching elements for connecting and disconnecting respective signal lines to the supply, and a short circuit switching element for connecting and disconnecting short circuiting of the signal lines. The short circuit switching element consists of a transistor comprising a source and drain constituted by a pair of impurity regions formed underneath the pair of signal lines so as to correspond to the pair of signal lines and a gate. The gate of the transistor is formed in such a manner that gate length coincides with the widthwise direction of the pair of signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamada, Sanpei Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6130481
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; an electronic element disposed in the substrate; a first electrically insulating layer disposed on the substrate and the electronic element; a first electrically conducting interconnection layer electrically connected to the electronic element and disposed at least partly on the first electrically insulating layer; a second electrically insulating layer disposed on the first electrically conducting interconnection layer; a second electrically conducting interconnection layer disposed on the second electrically insulating layer; and a through-hole penetrating the second electrically insulating layer to the first electrically conducting interconnection layer, part of the second interconnection layer being disposed within the through-hole and contacting the first electrically conducting interconnection layer wherein the first electrically conducting interconnection layer includes a current barrier including at least one opening in t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Harada, Kenji Kishibe, Akira Ihisa, Hiroshi Mochizuki, Eisuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6121128
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method of making the same are disclosed which includes a DRAM cell which has a transistor which includes a gate. The gate includes an individual segment of gate conductor such as polysilicon on a thin dielectric material. The transistor further has a single crystal semiconductor substrate having a source/drain region. An active conducting wordline is deposited on top of and electrically contacting a segment gate conductor, the wordline being a conductive material having a top and sidewalls. Electrically insulating material completely surrounds the active wordline except where the active wordline contacts the segment gate conductor. The insulating material surrounding the active wordline includes silicon nitride overlying the top and surrounding a portion of the sidewalls thereof, and silicon dioxide surrounds the remainder of the side walls of the active wordline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark C. Hakey, Steven J. Holmes, David V. Horak, Wendell P. Noble, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6087727
    Abstract: An object is to provide a structure of a semiconductor device which allows higher degree of integration both in vertical and horizontal directions, and to provide manufacturing method therefor. The semiconductor device includes source.drain electrodes connected to n.sup.- and n.sup.+ source.drain regions of an MISFET and has a function as a part of a bit line, and a gate electrode connected to a first interconnection as a word line. Electrodes are insulated from each other by a sidewall insulating film, silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film provided inbetween. Since the word line and the bit line do not cross in the same plane, the difference in level in the vertical direction can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 6084307
    Abstract: There is a bi-level bit line architecture. Specifically, there is a DRAM memory cell and cell array that allows for six square feature area (6F.sup.2) cell sizes and avoids the signal to noise problems. Uniquely, the digit lines are designed to lie on top of each other like a double decker overpass road. Additionally, this design allows each digit line to be routed on both conductor layers, for equal lengths of the array, to provide balanced impedance. Now noise will appear as a common mode noise on both lines, and not as differential mode noise that would degrade the sensing operation. Furthermore, digit to digit coupling is nearly eliminated because of the twist design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 6064589
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell and associated array are disclosed. The DRAM cell (300) includes a storage capacitor (304) and a pass transistor (302). The pass transistor (302) includes a source region (322), drain region (320) and channel region (324). A top gate (318) is disposed over the channel region (324) and a bottom gate (310) is disposed below the channel region (324). The top gate (318) and bottom gate (310) are commonly driven to provide greater control of the pass transistor (302) operation, including an off state with reduced source-to-drain leakage. The DRAM array (400) includes memory cells (414) having pass transistors (500) with double-gate structures. Memory cells (414) within the same row are commonly coupled to a top word line and bottom word line. The resistance of the top and bottom word lines is reduced by a word line strap layer (600). The DRAM array (400) further includes a strapping area that is void of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Inventor: Darryl G. Walker
  • Patent number: 6043540
    Abstract: An SRAM of the present invention has a first load resistor connected between a first power source terminal and a first node, a second load resistor connected between the first power source terminal and a second node, a first drive transistor having a source-drain path connected between the first node and a second power source terminal, and a gate connected to the second node, a second drive transistor having a source-drain path connected between the second node and the second power source terminal, and a gate connected to the first node, a first switching transistor having a source-drain path connected between the first node and a first bit line, and a gate connected to a word line, and a second switching transistor having a source-drain path connected between the first node and a second bit line, and a gate connected to the word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuji Matsui, Juniji Monden
  • Patent number: 6043528
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device comprises a MOS-type transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate, a capacitor formed in the interior of an opening portion formed in the semiconductor substrate to be adjacent to the MOS-type transistor, the capacitor having a capacitor insulating film formed of a high dielectric film, and a line layer for connecting respective gate electrodes of the MOS-type transistor separated to be island-shaped to prevent from being presented on a region where the opening portion is formed, the line layer formed of a conductive layer different from the gate electrodes in its level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masami Aoki, Takeshi Hamamoto
  • Patent number: 6034389
    Abstract: A densely packed array of vertical semiconductor devices, having pillars and deep trench capacitors, and methods of making thereof are disclosed. The pillars act as transistor channels, and are formed between upper and lower doped regions. The lower doped regions are self-aligned and are located below the pillars. The array has columns of bitlines and rows of wordlines. The lower doped regions of all the cells are isolated from each other without increasing the cell size and allowing a minimum area of approximately 4F.sup.2 to be maintained. The array is suitable for Gbit DRAM applications because the deep trench capacitors do not increase array area. The array may have an open bitline, a folded, or an open/folded architecture with dual wordlines, where two transistors are formed on top of each other in each trench. The lower regions may be initially implanted. Alternatively, the lower regions may be diffused below the pillars after forming thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart Mcallister Burns, Jr., Hussein Ibrahim Hanafi, Howard Leo Kalter, Jeffrey J. Welser, Waldemar Walter Kocon
  • Patent number: 5942778
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes (a) a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate having a plurality of trenches formed therein, the trenches defining a plurality of device regions between adjacent trenches, (b) a second conductivity type diffusion layer formed at least around an outer surface of each of the device regions, (c) an insulating film formed on the inner surface of each of the trenches to cover a part of the second conductivity type diffusion layer therewith, (d) a plate electrode formed within each of the trenches, (e) a gate electrode formed above the second conductivity type diffusion layer and (f) a gate insulating film interposed between the gate electrode and the second conductivity type diffusion layer to isolate the gate electrode from the second conductivity type diffusion layer. This semiconductor device eliminates the need for the second conductivity type diffusion layer to serve as a capacitor electrode in contact with a switching transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuichi Oikawa
  • Patent number: 5900659
    Abstract: A buried bit line DRAM cell includes an active region having a protruding tap, formed in a semiconductor substrate. A device isolation region is formed in the substrate, outside the active region. A bit line laterally contacts the tap and is buried in the device isolation region. Accordingly, photolithography steps for forming a device isolation film twice and for forming a bit line contact can be omitted, thereby obtaining process simplicity and wider process margins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kang-yoon Lee
  • Patent number: 5870329
    Abstract: A DRAM bit storage cell comprising a pair of capacitors each having one plate connected to a source or drain of a pass FET, another plate of a first of the pair of capacitors connected to a first voltage rail or a source of voltage boosted from the voltage of the first voltage rail, and another plate of a second of the pair of capacitors connected to a voltage rail opposite in polarity to the first voltage rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard C. Foss
  • Patent number: 5864181
    Abstract: There is a bi-level bit line architecture. Specifically, there is a DRAM memory cell and cell array that allows for 6F**2 cell sizes and avoids the signal to noise problems. Uniquely, the digit lines are designed to lie on top of each other like a double decker overpass road. Additionally, this design allows each digit line to be routed on both conductor layers, for equal lengths of the array, to provide balanced impedance. Now noise will appear as a common mode noise on both lines, and not as differential mode noise that would degrade the sensing operation. Furthermore, digit to digit coupling is nearly eliminated because of the twist design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 5861652
    Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated circuit chip having one or more circuit elements that perform a desired circuit function with the circuit elements being encompassed by a molding compound that forms a package for the chip. The molding compound has a capacitance associated with it. The integrated circuit chip includes a second integrated circuit element within the molding compound in which the second integrated circuit element monitors the molding compound to detect a change in capacitance in the molding compound resulting from a removal of a portion or all of the molding compound. In response to a detection of a change in capacitance, the second integrated circuit element alters the desired circuit function provided by the other integrated circuit elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Symbios, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard K. Cole, James P. Yakura
  • Patent number: 5854503
    Abstract: A structure and method of maximizing the volume of low dielectric constant material between adjacent traces of a conductive interconnect structure. A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating layer located over the semiconductor substrate, a conductive interconnect layer having a plurality of conductive traces located over the first insulating layer, and a patterned insulating layer located over the patterned interconnect layer. One or more trenches are formed in the upper surface of the first insulating layer. These trenches, which do not extend completely through the first insulating layer, are located between adjacent traces of the interconnect layer. A dielectric material having a low dielectric constant is located in these trenches, and between adjacent traces of the patterned interconnect layer. The trenches advantageously maximize the volume of low dielectric constant material which is located between the traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng-Chen Hsueh, Shih-Ked Lee, Chuen-Der Lien
  • Patent number: 5854508
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor memory device, in which peripheral circuits are arranged in a cross area of a semiconductor chip composed of the longitudinal center portions and the transverse center portions, and in which memory arrays are arranged in the four regions which are divided by the cross area. Thanks to this structure in which the peripheral circuits are arranged at the center portion of the chip, the longest signal transmission paths can be shortened to about one half of the chip size to speed up the DRAM which is intended to have a large storage capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi VLSI Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kajigaya, Kazuyuki Miyazawa, Manabu Tsunozaki, Kazuyoshi Oshima, Takashi Yamazaki, Yuji Sakai, Jiro Sawada, Yasunori Yamaguchi, Tetsurou Matsumoto, Shinji Udo, Hiroshi Yoshioka, Hirokazu Saito, Mitsuhiro Takano, Makoto Morino, Sinichi Miyatake, Eiji Miyamoto, Yasuhiro Kasama, Akira Endo, Ryoichi Hori, Jun Etoh, Masashi Horiguchi, Shinichi Ikenaga, Atsushi Kumata
  • Patent number: 5811849
    Abstract: A silicon oxide film is formed on a wire array by CVD employing a gas mixture composed of a gas containing silicon atoms and hydrogen peroxide, and the thickness of the silicon oxide film in the region apart from the wire array is formed to be at least 50% of the wire thickness. Planarization of the silicon oxide film over the wire array region is attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masazumi Matsuura
  • Patent number: 5763911
    Abstract: A capacitor optimized for use in an implantable medical device such as an implantable defibrillator is disclosed. In its simplest form, the capacitor comprises a thin planar dielectric sheet that has an array of cells open to one or both sides. Metallization is applied to the surface of the cells such that the walls of adjacent cells form a capacitor with the wall that separates the cells serving as the dielectric. The metallization pattern that forms the electrical connection to the cells may be patterned to limit the allowable current flow to each individual cell, thereby providing a fuse in the case of local dielectric failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Dean Matthews, Benjamin D. Pless
  • Patent number: 5742078
    Abstract: Integrated circuit SRAM cells include a semiconductor substrate having a field region and first, second, third and fourth active regions therein. The first and second active regions each include a horizontal leg and a vertical leg and are mirror images of each other about a vertical axis. The third and fourth active regions each also include a horizontal leg and a vertical leg and are mirror images of each other about a vertical axis. The integrated circuit SRAM cells also include first and second vertically extending gate conductive layers on the semiconductor substrate. The first vertically extending conductive layer extends vertically over the first active region horizontal leg and extends vertically over the third active region horizontal leg. The second vertically extending conductive layer extends vertically over the second active region horizontal leg and extends vertically over the fourth active region horizontal leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo-cheol Lee, Jun-eui Song, Heon-jong Shin
  • Patent number: 5698878
    Abstract: A DRAM cell includes first and second trenches formed in a P-type silicon substrate, a first N-type diffusion layer formed around the first trench, and a second N-type diffusion layer formed around the second trench, contacting the first N-type diffusion layer, and reaching the surface of the substrate. In the first trench, a storage node electrode whose capacitance is coupled to the first N-type diffusion layer and a conductive polysilicon film for leading the storage node electrode to the surface of the substrate are provided. One of source and drain regions of each cell transistor is connected to the conductive polysilicon film. The first N-type diffusion layer is connected to the second N-type diffusion layer, and the second diffusion layer is connected to a plate potential supply-line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Atsuko Miyashita, Yusuke Kohyama
  • Patent number: 5671175
    Abstract: A DRAM array (100) having reduced bitline capacitance. The DRAM cell includes a pass transistor and a storage capacitor (150). An isolation structure (108) surrounds the DRAM cell. The bitline (140) is connected to a source/drain region (120b) of the pass transistor using a first polysilicon plug (112). A second polysilicon plug (110) connects the storage capacitor (150) to the other source/drain region (120a&c) of the pass transistor. Both polysilicon plugs (110, 112) extend through an interlevel dielectric layer (116) to one of the source/drain region (120a-c) of the pass transistor, but neither extends over the isolation structure (108). If desired, either the storage capacitor (150) or the bitline (140) may be offset from the source/drain regions (120a-c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jiann Liu, Clarence W. Teng
  • Patent number: RE36440
    Abstract: Integrated circuit SRAM cells include a semiconductor substrate having a field region and first, second, third and fourth active regions therein. The first and second active regions each include a horizontal leg and a vertical leg and are mirror images of each other about a vertical axis. The third and fourth active regions each also include a horizontal leg and a vertical leg and are mirror images of each other about a vertical axis. The integrated circuit SRAM cells also include first and second vertically extending gate conductive layers on the semiconductor substrate. The first vertically extending conductive layer extends vertically over the first active region horizontal leg and extends vertically over the third active region horizontal leg. The second vertically extending conductive layer extends vertically over the second active region horizontal leg and extends vertically over the fourth active region horizontal leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo-cheol Lee, Jun-eui Song, Heon-jong Shin