Testing Or Measuring During Manufacture Or Treatment Or Reliability Measurement, I.e., Testing Of Parts Followed By No Processing Which Modifies Parts As Such (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.521)

  • Publication number: 20130052760
    Abstract: In an exemplary method of inspecting a stack chip package, a first chip is prepared. The first chip includes a through-silicon via, first pad electrodes connected to the through-silicon via and probe pad electrodes connected to the through-silicon via. A testing chip is prepared. The testing chip includes second pad electrodes that are arranged to correspond with the first pad electrodes. The testing chip is temporarily adhered to the first chip such that the second pad electrodes are electrically connected to the first pad electrode respectively, to form a stack structure wherein the probe pad electrodes are exposed to for testing. An electrical signal is applied to the exposed probe pad electrodes to test the through-silicon via included in the first chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-Dong CHO, Yeong-Lyeol PARK, Min-Seung YOON
  • Patent number: 8378498
    Abstract: A patterned adhesive layer including holes is employed to attach a coreless substrate layer to a stiffner. The patterned adhesive layer is confined to kerf regions, which are subsequently removed during singulation. Each hole in the patterned adhesive layer has an area that is greater than the area of a bottomside interconnect footprint of the coreless substrate. The patterned adhesive layer may include a permanent adhesive that is thermally curable or ultraviolet-curable. The composition of the stiffner can be tailored so that the thermal coefficient of expansion of the stiffner provides tensile stress to the coreless substrate layer at room temperature and at the bonding temperature. The tensile stress applied to the coreless substrate layer prevents or reduces warpage of the coreless substrate layer during bonding. Upon dicing, bonded stacks of a semiconductor chip and a coreless substrate can be provided without adhesive thereupon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edmund Blackshear
  • Patent number: 8375558
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor chip through-line for transmitting signals commonly to a plurality of stacked semiconductor chips. The apparatus includes a first test pulse signal transmission unit configured to transmit a first test pulse signal to a first end of the semiconductor chip through-line when a power-up operation is performed; a second test pulse signal transmission unit configured to transmit a second test pulse signal to a second end of the semiconductor chip through-line after the first test pulse signal is transmitted; a first signal reception unit coupled to the first end of the semiconductor chip through-line, and configured to receive signals transmitted from the first and second test pulse signal transmission units; and a second signal reception unit coupled to the second end of the semiconductor chip through-line, and configured to receive the signals transmitted by the first and second test pulse signal transmission units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Sik Yun, Won Woong Seok
  • Publication number: 20130037802
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating multi-die assemblies including a base semiconductor die bearing a peripherally encapsulated stack of semiconductor dice of lesser lateral dimensions, the dice vertically connected by conductive elements between the dice, resulting assemblies, and semiconductor devices comprising such assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Luke G. England, Paul A. Silvestri, Michel Koopmans
  • Publication number: 20130026643
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating multi-die assemblies including a wafer segment having no integrated circuitry thereon and having a plurality of vertically stacked dice thereon electrically interconnected by conductive through vias, resulting multi-die assemblies, and semiconductor devices comprising such multi-die assemblies. The wafer segment may function as a heat sink to enhance heat transfer from the stacked dice in the resulting multi-die assembly. The die stacks are fabricated at the wafer level on a base wafer, from which the wafer segment and die stacks are singulated after at least peripheral encapsulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Luke G. England, Paul A. Silvestri, Michel Koopmans
  • Publication number: 20130026499
    Abstract: Wafer-level packaging of solid-state transducers (“SSTs”) is disclosed herein. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes forming a transducer structure having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and forming a plurality of separators that extend from at least the first surface of the transducer structure to beyond the second surface. The separators can demarcate lateral dimensions of individual SSTs. The method can further include forming a support substrate on the first surface of the transducer structure, and forming a plurality of discrete optical elements on the second surface of the transducer structure. The separators can form barriers between the discrete optical elements. The method can still further include dicing the SSTs along the separators. Associated SST devices and systems are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Vladimir Odnoblyudov
  • Patent number: 8362480
    Abstract: A Characterization Vehicle (CV) and a method for forming it which yields a gain in efficiency for IC yield ramp improvements by enabling faster learning cycles and diagnosis while reducing costs. A plurality of SF experiments are combined into a single full flow mask set with many inline testing points. Smaller pads are arranged in a way supporting testing of interleaved pad frames, parallel testing, and the usage of stacked test structures, or Devices Under Test (DUT's).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: PDF Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Hess, John Kibarian, Amit Joag, Abdul Mobeen Mohammed, Ben Shieh, David Stashower
  • Patent number: 8357935
    Abstract: In order to solve the above problem, provided is an electronic component having an authentication pattern formed on an exposed surface, in which the authentication pattern includes a base section including a resin and colored particles having a hue that can be identified in the base section, and the colored particles are dispersed so as to form dotted pattern in the base section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Matsumaru, Kenta Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8357549
    Abstract: An incorrect position of a semiconductor wafer during thermal treatment in a process chamber heated by means of infrared emitters and transmissive to infrared radiation is identified, wherein the semiconductor wafer lies in a circular pocket of a rotating susceptor and is held at a predetermined temperature with the aid of the infrared emitters and a control system, and wherein thermal radiation is measured by a pyrometer, an amplitude of the fluctuations of the measurement signal is determined and an incorrect position of the semiconductor wafer is assumed if the amplitude exceeds a predetermined maximum value. The pyrometer is oriented such that the measurement spot detected by the pyrometer lies partly on the semiconductor wafer and partly outside the semiconductor wafer on the susceptor so that it is possible to identify an eccentric position of the semiconductor wafer within the pocket of the susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Georg Brenninger, Konrad Gruendl
  • Publication number: 20130009251
    Abstract: A process of integrated circuit manufacturing includes providing (32, 33) a spacer on a gate stack to provide a horizontal offset over the channel region for otherwise-direct application (34) of a PLDD implant dose in semiconductor, additionally depositing (35) a seal substance to provide a screen thickness vertically while thereby augmenting the spacer on the gate stack to provide an increased offset horizontally from the gate stack and form a horizontal screen free of etch, and subsequently providing (36) an NLDD implant dose for NLDD formation. Various integrated circuit structures, devices, and other processes of manufacture, and processes of testing are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Amitabh Jain
  • Publication number: 20130011940
    Abstract: Methods for reducing electron beam induced damage on semiconductor substrates employ compositions such as small chain organic solvents and non-neutral pH solutions to reduce or eliminate charge imbalances on semiconductor substrates caused by electron beam inspection of the semiconductor substrates. Damage to semiconductor substrates by electron beam inspection processes may also be reduced by generating or otherwise forming passivation films on a semiconductor substrate following electron beam inspection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: David A. Daycock, Paul A. Morgan, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Curtis R. Olson
  • Publication number: 20130011937
    Abstract: A method of reducing manufacturing defects of semiconductor wafers during a back-grinding process. The method includes receiving a semiconductor wafer on a chuck table, wherein said chuck table has a surface upon which a front side of the wafer is placed, and wherein said chuck table has one or more holes in surface and one or more sensors placed in said one or more holes. The method further includes grinding at least a portion of a back side of the semiconductor wafer. The method further includes monitoring a parameter, while grinding, measured by the one or more sensors and adjusting the grinding based at least on the monitored parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chen-Fa LU, Chiang-Hao LEE, Wei-Yu CHEN, Chung-Shi LIU
  • Patent number: 8350263
    Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a wiring board, a semiconductor device mounted on the wiring board, an electrically-conductive thermal interface material provided on the semiconductor device, a test electrode in contact with a first surface of the thermal interface material to be electrically connected to the thermal interface material, and an electrically-conductive heat spreader in contact with a second surface of the thermal interface material opposite to its first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuya Oda
  • Patent number: 8350393
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to assembly techniques. According to the present invention, the alignment and probing techniques to improve the accuracy of component placement in assembly are described. More particularly, the invention includes methods and structures to detect and improve the component placement accuracy on a target platform by incorporating alignment marks on component and reference marks on target platform under various probing techniques. A set of sensors grouped in any array to form a multiple-sensor probe can detect the deviation of displaced components in assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Wintec Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kong-Chen Chen
  • Publication number: 20130001550
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a MEMS device with integrated electronics are disclosed. The MEMS device comprises an integrated circuit substrate and a MEMS subassembly coupled to the integrated circuit substrate. The integrated circuit substrate includes at least one circuit coupled to at least one fixed electrode. The MEMS subassembly includes at least one standoff formed by a lithographic process, a flexible plate with a top surface and a bottom surface, and a MEMS electrode coupled to the flexible plate and electrically coupled to the at least one standoff. A force acting on the flexible plate causes a change in a gap between the MEMS electrode and the at least one fixed electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph SEEGER, Igor TCHERTKOV, Hasan AKYOL, Goksen G. YARALIOGLU, Steven S. NASIRI, Ilya GURIN
  • Patent number: 8343386
    Abstract: An electrostatically dissipative adhesive in one embodiment includes a mixture comprising: an adhesive material; and electrically conductive particles intermixed with the adhesive material, the electrically conductive particles being present in an amount between 0 and about 10% by weight of a total weight of the mixture. An electrostatically dissipative adhesive in another embodiment includes a mixture comprising: an adhesive material; and electrically conductive particles intermixed with the adhesive material, the electrically conductive particles being present in an amount between 0 and about 10% by weight of a total weight of the mixture, wherein the mixture has at least 50% of a lap shear strength as measured in accordance with ISO 4587 after curing for 72 hours at 22° C. as the raw adhesive material has as measured in accordance with ISO 4587 after curing for 72 hours at 22° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Thomas Bandy, IV, Icko E. Tim Iben, Wayne Alan McKinley
  • Publication number: 20120326147
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor chip in which a first rewiring connection part located in the peripheral electrode pad or relatively close to the peripheral electrode pad in the V/G line and a second rewiring connection part located relatively distant from the peripheral electrode pad in the V/G line and having a lower potential than the first rewiring connection part before formation of a rewiring line are connected by the rewiring line. The semiconductor chip includes an inspection part for wafer test in the second rewiring connection part, a part on the V/G line close to the second rewiring connection part and having a lower potential than the first rewiring connection part before the rewiring line formation, or a conductive part extended from the V/G line to a proximity of the second rewiring connection part and having a lower potential than the first rewiring connection part before the rewiring line formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto AKIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120326176
    Abstract: A capacitor unit in a display device includes: a capacitor element having a first capacitor electrode connected to a power line and provided in a GM electrode layer and a second capacitor electrode connected to a line and provided in an SD electrode layer; a backup capacitor element having a first backup capacitor electrode provided in the GM electrode layer and a second backup capacitor electrode connected to the power line and provided in the SD electrode layer; a disconnect-able portion at which a connection between the second capacitor electrode and the line can be disconnected; and a connectable portion at which the first backup capacitor electrode and the line can be connected, and the disconnect-able portion and the connectable portion are arranged at a position in which the disconnect-able portion and the connectable portion overlap in a stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi SHIROUZU, Kenichi TAJIKA
  • Publication number: 20120326177
    Abstract: A display device capable of suppressing decrease in capacitance and capable of reducing area even when a capacitor unit is repaired is provided. A capacitor unit in a display device includes: a capacitor element having a first capacitor electrode connected to a power line and provided in an SD electrode layer and a second capacitor electrode provided in a GM electrode layer; a backup capacitor electrode provided in the TM electrode layer; a disconnect-able portion at which a connection between the first capacitor electrode and the power line can be disconnected; and a connectable portion at which the backup capacitor electrode and the power line can be connected, and the disconnect-able portion and the connectable portion overlap in a stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi SHIROUZU, Kenichi TAJIKA
  • Publication number: 20120326148
    Abstract: A thin film transistor array panel and a manufacturing method therefor. A shorting bar for connecting a thin film transistor with data lines is formed separate from the data lines, and then the data lines and the shorting bar are connected through a connecting member. As a result, all the data lines are floated during manufacture, so that variation in etching speed between data lines does not occur. Since variation in etching speed between the data lines can be prevented, performance deterioration of the transistor caused by a thickness difference in the lower layer of the data line can be prevented, as can resulting deterioration in display quality. Also, the influence of static electricity can be reduced or eliminated. Furthermore, since the data lines and the shorting bar are connected to each other, the generation of static electricity can be prevented or reduced, and quality testing is more readily performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Gwang-Bum KO, Sang Jin Jeon
  • Patent number: 8338192
    Abstract: An embodiment for manufacturing an electronic circuit forms at least one first structure on a semiconductor substrate, determines at least one electrically defined characteristic of the at least one first structure, selects a reticle corresponding to the measured characteristic, and forms at least one additional structure on the semiconductor substrate with the selected reticle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Olivier Le Neel, Feng Zhou
  • Patent number: 8338829
    Abstract: Electrode pads respectively have a probe region permitting probe contact and a non-probe region. In each of the electrode pads arranged zigzag in two or more rows, a lead interconnect for connecting another electrode pad with an internal circuit is not placed directly under the probe region but placed directly under the non-probe region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Takahashi, Koji Takemura, Toshihiko Sakashita, Tadaaki Mimura
  • Publication number: 20120322168
    Abstract: System and method for forming one or more materials. The system includes a susceptor component configured to rotate around a central axis, and a showerhead component that is located above the susceptor component and not in direct contact with the susceptor component. Additionally, the system includes one or more substrate holders located on the susceptor component and configured to rotate around the central axis and also rotate around corresponding holder axes respectively, and a central component. Moreover, the system includes one or more first inlets formed within the central component, one or more second inlets, and one or more third inlets formed within the showerhead component and located farther away from the central component than the one or more second inlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Heng Liu, Evgeny Vladimirovich Yakovlev
  • Publication number: 20120322171
    Abstract: An apparatus for making an absorbing layer of a compound solar cell includes a transportation unit, a coating unit, a heat treatment unit, a measurement unit and a control unit. The transportation unit transports a substrate-based laminate. The coating unit provides coating liquid on the substrate-based laminate. The heat treatment unit treats the coated substrate-based laminate with heat to form a film. The measurement unit measures the film and provides correction parameters to the coating unit. The control unit controls the transportation unit, the coating unit, the heat treatment unit and the measurement unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments, Bureau, Ministry of National Defense
    Inventors: Wen-Chueh Pan, Feng-Yu Tsai, Hung-Chuan Hsu, Hsiu-Jung Yeh, Zan-Yu Chen
  • Publication number: 20120322175
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling silicon rod temperature. In one example, a method of controlling a surface temperature of at least one silicon rod in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor during a CVD process is presented. The method includes determining an electrical resistance of the at least one silicon rod, comparing the resistance to a set point to determine a difference, and controlling a power supply to control a power output coupled to the at least one silicon rod to minimize an absolute value of the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials SpA
    Inventors: Gianluca Pazzaglia, Matteo Fumagalli, Manuel Poniz
  • Patent number: 8330160
    Abstract: The objective is to provide a random number generating device having a smaller circuit size and a smaller value of output bias. The random number generating device includes a pair of first and second current paths arranged in parallel with each other, and a pair of first and second fine particles, which can mutually exchange charges, and are located in the vicinity of the first and second current paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tetsufumi Tanamoto, Shinobu Fujita
  • Patent number: 8331135
    Abstract: A chain of field coupled nanomagnets includes at least one elements having substantially different anisotropy energy from that of the other nanomagnets. A signal can propagate from a first input nanomagnet having a relatively high anisotropy energy through the chain to an output nanomagnet. The output nanomagnet may have a relatively lower anisotropy energy than the other nanomagnets. Signal flow direction thus can be controlled. The higher anisotropy energy nanomagnet may be attained by use of a ferromagnet material having a higher anisotropy constant and/or configured with a larger volume than the other elements. The lower anisotropy energy magnet may be attained by use of a ferromagnet material having a lower anisotropy constant and/or configured with a smaller volume than the other elements. Logic signal flow control can also be attained making use of three dimensional geometries of nanomagnets with two different orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Globalfoundries Inc.
    Inventors: An Chen, Zoran Krivokapic
  • Publication number: 20120307581
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a clock generation circuit that generates an internal clock signal during a normal operation and stops generation of the internal clock signal during a wafer-level burn-in test, a clock tree line that transmits the internal clock signal, and a selector that supplies a dummy clock signal, which is different from the internal clock signal, to the clock tree line during the wafer-level burn-in test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Takuyo KODAMA
  • Patent number: 8323991
    Abstract: A device and method are provided for detecting stress migration properties of a semiconductor module mounted in a housing. A stress migration test (SMT) structure is formed in the semiconductor module. An integrated heating (IH) device is formed within or in direct proximity to the SMT structure. The SMT structure includes a first interconnect region in a first interconnect layer, a second interconnect region in a second interconnect layer, and a connecting region electrically connecting the interconnect regions through a first insulating layer. The IH device includes a heating interconnect region through which a heating current flows. The heating interconnect region is within or outside the first or second interconnect region or connecting region. When the heating current is applied, a measurement voltage is applied to the SMT structure, and a current through the SMT structure is measured to detect stress migration properties of the semiconductor module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Armin Fischer, Alexander Von Glasow, Jochen Von Hagen
  • Patent number: 8324742
    Abstract: An IC alignment mark in a contact metal layer for use under an opaque layer, and a process for forming the alignment mark, are disclosed. The alignment mark includes contact metal fields, each several microns wide, with an array of PMD pillars in the interior, formed during contact etch, contact metal deposition and selective contact metal removal processes. The pillars are arrayed such that all exposed surfaces of the contact metal are planar. One configuration is a rectangular array in which every other row is laterally offset by one-half of the column spacing. Horizontal dimensions of the pillars are selected to maximize the contact metal fill factor, while providing sufficient adhesion to the underlying substrate during processing. The contact metal is at least 15 nanometers lower than the PMD layer surrounding the alignment mark, as a result of the contact metal removal process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott R. Summerfelt, Stephen A. Meisner, John B. Robbins
  • Patent number: 8323989
    Abstract: During the formation of a complex metallization system, the influence of a manufacturing environment on sensitive barrier/seed material systems may be monitored or controlled by using an appropriate test pattern and applying an appropriate test strategy. For example, actual probe and reference substrates may be prepared and may be processed with and without exposure to the manufacturing environment of interest, thereby enabling an efficient evaluation of one or more parameters of the environment. Furthermore, an “optimized” manufacturing environment may be obtained on the basis of the test strategy disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Feustel, Tobias Letz, Frank Koschinsky
  • Publication number: 20120298993
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including: a base material portion that includes a semiconductor substrate and an insulating film that is formed on one face of the semiconductor substrate and on which a vertical hole is formed along the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate; a vertical hole wiring portion that includes a vertical hole electrode formed on a side wall of the base material portion that forms the vertical hole; a metallic film that is formed within the insulating film and that is electrically connected to the vertical hole wiring portion; and a conductive protective film that is formed to be in contact with the metallic film within the insulating film and that is formed in a region that includes a contact region of a probe during a probe test that is performed in the middle of manufacture on a film face of the metallic film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaya Nagata
  • Publication number: 20120292589
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory element according to the present disclosure includes: a variable resistance element including a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a variable resistance layer which is located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and has a resistance value that reversibly changes based on an electrical signal applied between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and a fixed resistance layer having a predetermined resistance value and stacked together with the variable resistance element. The variable resistance layer includes (i) a first transition metal oxide layer which is oxygen deficient and (ii) a second transition metal oxide layer which has a higher oxygen content atomic percentage than the first transition metal oxide layer. The predetermined resistance value ranges from 70? to 1000? inclusive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Shinichi Yoneda, Takumi Mikawa
  • Publication number: 20120288970
    Abstract: After flash irradiation on a semiconductor wafer is started and then the temperatures of front and back surfaces of the semiconductor wafer become equal to each other, the temperature of the back surface of the semiconductor wafer, which has a known emissivity, is measured with a radiation thermometer. The emissivity of the front surface of the semiconductor wafer is calculated based on the intensity of radiated light from a black body having an equal temperature to the temperature of the back surface thereof, and the intensity of radiated light actually radiated from the front surface of the semiconductor wafer. Then, the temperature of the front surface of the semiconductor wafer heated by the flash irradiation is calculated based on the calculated emissivity and the intensity of the radiated light from the front surface of the semiconductor wafer that has been measured after the flash irradiation is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Kazuyuki HASHIMOTO, Tatsufumi KUSUDA
  • Patent number: 8298837
    Abstract: A system and method of increasing productivity of OLED material screening includes providing a substrate that includes an organic semiconductor, processing regions on the substrate by combinatorially varying parameters associated with the OLED device production on the substrate, performing a first characterization test on the processed regions on the substrate to generate first results, processing regions on the substrate in a combinatorial manner by varying parameters associated with the OLED device production on the substrate based on the first results of the first characterization test, performing a second characterization test on the processed regions on the substrate to generate second results, and determining whether the substrate meets a predetermined quality threshold based on the second results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Yun Wang, Tony P. Chiang, Chi-I Lang
  • Publication number: 20120262198
    Abstract: A method of testing a semiconductor device includes providing a first wafer that includes a first surface, a second surface that is allocated at an opposite side of the first surface, a first electrode penetrating the first wafer from the first surface to the second surface, and a pad formed on the first surface and coupled electrically with the first electrode, providing a second wafer that includes a second electrode penetrating the second wafer, stacking the first wafer onto the second wafer to connect the first electrode with the second electrode such that the second surface of the first wafer faces the second wafer, probing a needle to the pad, and supplying, in such a state that the first wafer is stacked on the second wafer, a test signal to the first electrode to input the test signal into the second wafer via the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshiro RIHO
  • Patent number: 8288174
    Abstract: An Electrostatic Post Exposure Bake (EPEB) subsystem comprising an Electrostatic Bake Plate (EBP) configured in a processing chamber in an EPEB subsystem, wherein the EPEB wafer comprises an exposed masking layer having unexposed regions and exposed regions therein and the EPEB wafer is developed using the EBP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Benjamen M. Rathsack, Brian Head, Steven Scheer
  • Publication number: 20120250007
    Abstract: An efficient grating coupler for a semiconductor optical mode includes a tapered edge to couple light between waveguide modes constrained by differing waveguide thicknesses. An optical circuit or laser has a waveguide in a rib or strip waveguide section that is of different height (e.g., having different vertical constraints) than a waveguide section that has a grating coupler through which light passes off-circuit. The tapered edge can couple light between the two waveguide sections with very low loss and back-reflection. The low loss and minimal back-reflection enables testing of the photonics circuit on a wafer level, and improved performance through the grating coupler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Yun-Chung N. Na, Haisheng Rong
  • Publication number: 20120252142
    Abstract: Strip testing is applied to a plurality of integrated circuit dies that are each encapsulated in an encapsulant, that each have a set of externally accessible leads connected thereto, and that are electrically isolated from one another. Provision is made for the strip testing to be performed without mounting the encapsulated integrated circuit dies on a support tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Donald C. Abbott
  • Publication number: 20120250429
    Abstract: A process is provided for fabricating a wafer including a plurality of chips separated by scribe lines. The method includes locking at least one chip on the wafer using a secret key, and writing the secret key into at least one memory present on the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: FRANCOIS TAILLIET, Marc Battista, Luc Wuidart
  • Patent number: 8278765
    Abstract: A test key for checking an interconnect structure is described, including a contiguous metal line and multiple conductive plugs on the contiguous metal line, wherein one end of each plug contacts with the contiguous metal line. The other end of at least one plug is not connected to any conductor. In addition, the two ends of the contiguous metal line are connected to different voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Yeh-Sheng Cheng, Hsueh-Wen Wang, Shu-Yun Liao, Chih-Ying Chien, Hsin-Yu Lu, Rui-Huang Cheng
  • Publication number: 20120241977
    Abstract: A modularized interposer includes a plurality of interposer units that are assembled to provide a complete set of electrical connections between two semiconductor chips. At least some of the plurality of interposer units can be replaced with other interposer units having an alternate configuration to enable selection of different functional parts of semiconductor chips to be connected through the modularized interposer. Bonding structures, connected to conductive metal pads located at peripheries of neighboring interposer units and an overlying or underlying portion of a semiconductor chip, can provide electrical connections between the neighboring interposer units. The interposer units can be provided by forming through-substrate vias (TSV's) in a substrate, forming patterned conductive structures on the substrate, and cutting the substrate into interposers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Oleg Gluschenkov, Yunsheng Song, Tso-Hui Ting, Ping-Chuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20120235142
    Abstract: There are provided a semiconductor light emitting diode chip, a method of manufacturing thereof, and a method for quality control using the same. The semiconductor light emitting diode chip includes a substrate; a light emitting diode in one area of the substrate and at least one fuse signature circuit formed in the other area of substrate so as to be electrically insulated from the light emitting diode. The fuse signature circuit includes a circuit unit having unique electrical characteristic value corresponding to wafer based process information and a plurality of electrode pads connected to the circuit unit. The semiconductor light emitting diode chip may include chip information marking representing information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Young Hee SONG, Seong Jae HONG, Seong Deok HWANG
  • Publication number: 20120231563
    Abstract: An operating method of a hardwired switch is provided. First, a first die is provided. The first die is configured as the first die in the hardwired switch. Next, a function of the first die is inspected to obtain an inspected result. Upon the inspected result, whether a second TSV is selectively disposed between the first landing pad and the fifth landing pad, between the second landing pad and the sixth landing pad, between the third landing pad and the seventh landing pad, or between the fourth landing pad and the eighth landing pad or not is determined. The first die is stacked above a second die, so that the second surface is located between the first die and the second die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Ting-Sheng Chen, Yung-Fa Chou, Ding-Ming Kwai
  • Publication number: 20120223417
    Abstract: A group III nitride crystal substrate is provided wherein, a uniform distortion at a surface layer of the crystal substrate is equal to or lower than 1.9×10?3, and wherein the main surface has a plane orientation inclined in a <11-20> direction at an angle equal to or greater than 10° and equal to or smaller than 81° with respect to one of (0001) and (000-1) planes of the crystal substrate. A group III nitride crystal substrate suitable for manufacturing a light emitting device with a blue shift of an emission suppressed, an epilayer-containing group III nitride crystal substrate, a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same can thereby be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Keiji Ishibashi, Yusuke Yoshizumi
  • Publication number: 20120224433
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a differential circuit and a power supply circuit that provides a power supply to the differential circuit. Current to be supplied to the differential circuit by the power supply circuit is controlled, based on logics of a burn-in mode signal and an activation control signal for the differential circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoko MOCHIDA
  • Publication number: 20120225502
    Abstract: A plasma etching method includes a preparation process for performing a plasma etching process using a processing gas including a first processing gas containing carbon (C) and fluorine (F), a ratio (C/F) of the first processing gas having a first value, and obtaining a residual amount of the mask layer corresponding to a variation point where a variation amount of the bowing CD is increased; a first plasma etching process using the processing gas including the first processing gas until a residual amount of the mask layer reaches the variation point; and a second plasma etching process performed after the first plasma etching process. The second plasma etching process is performed by using a processing gas including at least a second processing gas containing carbon (C) and fluorine (F), and a ratio (C/F) of the second processing gas is smaller than the first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Akira Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8252608
    Abstract: A sample with at least a first structure and a second structure is measured and a first model and a second model of the sample are generated. The first model models the first structure as an independent variable and models the second structure. The second model of the sample models the second structure as an independent variable. The measurement, the first model and the second model together to determine at least one desired parameter of the sample. For example, the first structure may be on a first layer and the second structure may be on a second layer that is under the first layer, and the processing of the sample may at least partially remove the first layer, wherein the second model models the first layer as having a thickness of zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nanometrics Incorporated
    Inventors: Ye Feng, Zhuan Liu
  • Publication number: 20120214260
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices associated with surface modifying a semiconductor material are taught. One such method includes providing a semiconductor material having a target region and providing a dopant fluid layer that is adjacent to the target region of the semiconductor material, where the dopant fluid layer includes at least one dopant. The target region of the semiconductor material is lased so as to incorporate the dopant or to surface modify the semiconductor material. During the surface modification, the dopant in the dopant fluid layer is actively replenished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Jason Sickler, Keith Donaldson
  • Patent number: RE43980
    Abstract: A decapsulation apparatus 100 has a laser 8 that removes plastic encapsulant from a device 24. Chamber 20 is sealed. Exhaust port 9 removes debris and fumes. The device 24 is positioned and scanned using an X, Y table 2. A hinged end 4 rotates the device to an acute angle of incidence with respect to a laser 8. Endpoint detector 10 senses the exposed integrated circuit and moves or shuts down the laser 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Intersil Corporation
    Inventor: Robert K. Lowry