Abstract: An adaptive MEMS device includes a MEMS microphone and integrated circuitry, wherein the integrated circuitry is electrically connected to the MEMS microphone. The integrated circuitry reads out an output signal from the MEMS microphone and provides the output signal or a rendered output signal, via a first integrated interface, to an external processing device. Additionally, the integrated circuitry determines, at run-time, diagnostic data on the current condition of the MEMS device and provides, at run-time, the diagnostic data, via a second integrated interface, to the external processing device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a mixed height cell on a substrate, and a first power line and a second power line that run across the mixed height cell. First to third line tracks are defined between the first power line and the second power line. A fourth line track is defined adjacent to the second power line. The second power line is between the third line track and the fourth line track. The mixed height cell includes a plurality of lower lines aligned with the first to fourth line tracks. A cell height of the mixed height cell is about 1.25 times to about 1.5 times a distance between a first point of the first power line and a corresponding second point of the second power line.

Abstract: The semiconductor structure manufacturing method includes the steps of: providing a substrate with bit line contact regions and isolation regions located between adjacent bit line contact regions; forming a groove in the substrate, the bottom of the groove exposes the bit line contact region and the isolation region adjacent to the bit line contact region; forming a contact region isolation layer covering at least sidewalls of the groove; and forming a contact region to cover the contact region isolating the surface of the layer and filling the bit line contact layer of the groove, the bit line contact layer being in contact with the bit line contact region at the bottom of the groove; forming a bit line layer on the bit line contact layer. The invention avoids damage to the sidewalls of the active region in the substrate.

Abstract: An IC includes: a plurality of first cells placed in a series of first rows extending in a first horizontal direction and each having a first height; and a plurality of second cells placed in a series of second rows extending in the first horizontal direction and each having a second height different from the first height, wherein a total height of the series of first rows corresponds to a multiple of a height of a first multi-height cell with a maximum height among the plurality of first cells, and a total height of the series of second rows corresponds to a multiple of a height of a second multi-height cell with a maximum height among the plurality of second cells.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a substrate having a channel layer, a first tunneling layer disposed on the channel layer, a second tunneling layer disposed on the first tunneling layer, a third tunneling layer disposed on the second tunneling layer, a charge trap layer disposed on the third tunneling layer, a charge barrier layer disposed on the charge trap layer, and a gate electrode layer disposed on the charge barrier layer. The first tunneling layer includes a first insulative material. The second tunneling layer includes a second insulative material. The third tunneling layer includes a second insulative material. The resistance switching material is a material whose electric resistance varies reversibly between a high resistance state and a low resistance state depending on a magnitude of an applied electric field.

Abstract: An IC includes: a plurality of first cells placed in a series of first rows extending in a first horizontal direction and each having a first height; and a plurality of second cells placed in a series of second rows extending in the first horizontal direction and each having a second height different from the first height, wherein a total height of the series of first rows corresponds to a multiple of a height of a first multi-height cell with a maximum height among the plurality of first cells, and a total height of the series of second rows corresponds to a multiple of a height of a second multi-height cell with a maximum height among the plurality of second cells.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of first regions formed in a line-type and extending in a first direction, and a plurality of second regions and a plurality of third regions arranged between adjacent first regions in a zigzag manner.

Abstract: A die includes a first plurality of edges, and a semiconductor substrate in the die. The semiconductor substrate includes a first portion including a second plurality of edges misaligned with respective ones of the first plurality of edges. The semiconductor substrate further includes a second portion extending from one of the second plurality of edges to one of the first plurality of edges of the die. The second portion includes a first end connected to the one of the second plurality of edges, and a second end having an edge aligned to the one of the first plurality of edges of the die.

Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device having a novel structure which includes a combination of semiconductor elements with different characteristics and is capable of realizing higher integration. A semiconductor device includes a first transistor, which includes a first channel formation region including a first semiconductor material, and a first gate electrode, and a second transistor, which includes one of a second source electrode and a second drain electrode combined with the first gate electrode, and a second channel formation region including a second semiconductor material and electrically connected to the second source electrode and the second drain electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a signal pad; a power supply line; a ground line; an inductor section whose one end is connected to the signal pad; a terminating resistor connected between the other end of the inductor section and the power supply line or the ground line. The semiconductor device further has: a first ESD protection element connected to a first node in the inductor section; and a second ESD protection element connected to a second node whose position is different from that of the first node in the inductor section.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer including an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective device, and methods for fabricating the same. In one aspect, the method includes forming a first semiconductor device in a first semiconductor die region on the semiconductor wafer; forming a second semiconductor device in a second semiconductor die region on the semiconductor wafer; and forming a protective device in a scribe line region between (i) the first semiconductor die region and (ii) the second semiconductor die region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor substrate; first and second element isolating trenches that are formed in one main surface of the semiconductor substrate separately from each other; a first insulating material that is formed within the first element isolating trench; a plurality of first element formation regions that are surrounded by the first element isolating trench; first semiconductor elements that are respectively formed in the first element formation regions; a second insulating material that is formed within the second element isolating trench; a second element formation region that is surrounded by the second element isolating trench; a second semiconductor element that is formed in the second element formation region; and a stress relaxation structure that is formed between the first element isolating trench and the second element isolating trench.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a back side, forming a first circuit and a second circuit at the front side of the semiconductor substrate, bonding the front side of the semiconductor substrate to a carrier substrate, thinning the semiconductor substrate from the back side, and forming an trench from the back side to the front side of the semiconductor substrate to isolate the first circuit from the second circuit.

Abstract: A metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) with integrated passive structures and methods of manufacturing the same is disclosed. The method includes forming a stacked structure in an active region and at least one shallow trench isolation (STI) structure adjacent to the stacked structure. The method further includes forming a semiconductor layer directly in contact with the at least one STI structure and the stacked structure. The method further includes patterning the semiconductor layer and the stacked structure to form an active device in the active region and a passive structure of the semiconductor layer directly on the at least one STI structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate layer and a conductive layer connected with the substrate layer. An active circuit is connected with the conductive layer. A seal ring is connected with the conductive layer and separated from the active circuit by an assembly isolation region. An electrical isolation region is positioned in the conductive layer and adjacent to the assembly isolation region, where the electrical isolation region extends to the substrate layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having, on a silicon substrate, a gate insulating film and a gate electrode in this order; wherein the gate insulating film comprises a nitrogen containing high-dielectric-constant insulating film which has a structure in which nitrogen is introduced into metal oxide or metal silicate; and the nitrogen concentration in the nitrogen containing high-dielectric-constant insulating film has a distribution in the direction of the film thickness; and a position at which the nitrogen concentration in the nitrogen containing high-dielectric-constant insulating film reaches the maximum in the direction of the film thickness is present in a region at a distance from the silicon substrate. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including introducing nitrogen by irradiating the high-dielectric-constant insulating film which is made of metal oxide or metal silicate, with a nitrogen containing plasma, is also provided.

Abstract: There is provided a small-type semiconductor integrated circuit whose circuit area is small and whose wiring length is short. The semiconductor integrated circuit is constructed in a multi-layer structure and is provided with a first semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor layer transistor formed in the first semiconductor layer, a wiring layer which is deposited on the first semiconductor layer and in which metal wires are formed, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the wiring layer and a second semiconductor layer transistor formed in the second semiconductor layer. It is noted that insulation of a gate insulating film of the first semiconductor layer transistor is almost equal with that of a gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor and the gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor is formed by means of radical oxidation or radical nitridation.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a semiconductor chip with a semiconductor body. The semiconductor body has an inner region and a ring-shaped outer region. An electronic structure is monolithically integrated in the inner region and has a controllable first semiconductor component with a first load path and a first control input for controlling the first load path. Further, a ring-shaped second electronic component is monolithically integrated in the outer region and surrounds the inner region. Moreover, the second electronic component has a second load path that is electrically not connected in parallel to the first load path.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a substrate provided with a memory cell part and sense amplifiers on a surface of the substrate, first isolation regions and first device regions disposed in the substrate under the memory cell part, and second isolation regions and second device regions disposed in the substrate under the sense amplifiers. The device further includes a plurality of interconnects disposed on the substrate in the sense amplifiers, extending in a first direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, being adjacent to one another in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the same interconnect layer. At least one of the second device regions includes first and second stripe portions extending in the first direction, being adjacent in the second direction, and having stripe shapes, and a connecting portion disposed to connect the first stripe portion and the second stripe portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device arrangement includes a first semiconductor device having a load path and a plurality of second semiconductor devices, each having a load path between a first and a second load terminal and a control terminal. The second semiconductor devices have their load paths connected in series and connected in series to the load path of the first semiconductor device. Each of the second semiconductor devices has its control terminal connected to the load terminal of one of the other second semiconductor devices, and one of the second semiconductor devices has its control terminal connected to one of the load terminals of the first semiconductor device. Each of the second semiconductor devices has at least one device characteristic. At least one device characteristic of at least one of the second semiconductor devices is different from the corresponding device characteristic of others of the second semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A method includes bonding a first and a second package component on a top surface of a third package component, and dispensing a polymer. The polymer includes a first portion in a space between the first and the third package components, a second portion in a space between the second and the third package components, and a third portion in a gap between the first and the second package components. A curing step is then performed on the polymer. After the curing step, the third portion of the polymer is sawed to form a trench between the first and the second package components.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure which includes a plurality of stacked semiconductor chips in a three dimensional configuration. There is a first semiconductor chip in contact with a second semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes a through silicon via (TSV) extending through the first semiconductor chip; an electrically conducting pad at a surface of the first semiconductor chip, the TSV terminating in contact at a first side of the electrically conducting pad; a passivation layer covering the electrically conducting pad, the passivation layer having a plurality of openings; and a plurality of electrically conducting structures formed in the plurality of openings and in contact with a second side of the electrically conducting pad, the contact of the plurality of electrically conducting structures with the electrically conducting pad being offset with respect to the contact of the TSV with the electrically conducting pad.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a signal pad; a power supply line; a ground line; an inductor section whose one end is connected to the signal pad; a terminating resistor connected between the other end of the inductor section and the power supply line or the ground line. The semiconductor device further has: a first ESD protection element connected to a first node in the inductor section; and a second ESD protection element connected to a second node whose position is different from that of the first node in the inductor section.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an integrated inductor with a high Quality factor (Q) is provided. An embodiment comprises a magnetic core that is in a center of a conductive spiral. The magnetic core increases the inductance of the integrated inductor to allow the inductor to be used in applications such as a RF choke. The magnetic core may be formed in the same manner and time as an underbump metallization.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of first cells having a first cell height, and a plurality of second cells having a second cell height. Each of the first cells has a first MIS transistor of a first conductivity type, and a substrate contact region of a second conductivity type. Each of the second cells has a second MIS transistor of the first conductivity type, a power supply region of the first conductivity type, and a first extended region of the first conductivity type that is silicidated at a surface thereof. The first cell height is greater than the second cell height.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a configurable process variation monitoring circuit of a die and monitoring method thereof. The monitoring method includes a ring oscillator, a frequency divider and a frequency detector. The ring oscillator includes a plurality of first standard cells, a plurality of second standard cells and a plurality of multiplexers. The ring oscillator generates an oscillation signal in a first mode or a second mode according to a selection signal. The frequency divider is coupled to the ring oscillator and divides the oscillation signal by a value to generate a divided signal. The frequency divider is coupled to the frequency divider and counts periods of the divided signal by a base clock to generate an output value where the output value is related to the process variation.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a back side, forming a first circuit and a second circuit at the front side of the semiconductor substrate, bonding the front side of the semiconductor substrate to a carrier substrate, thinning the semiconductor substrate from the back side, and forming an trench from the back side to the front side of the semiconductor substrate to isolate the first circuit from the second circuit.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a word line, a bit line, a power supply node, a memory element, and a capacitor. The memory element includes at least first and second regions that form a PN junction between the bit line and the power supply node, and a third region that forms a PN junction with the second region. The capacitor includes a first electrode provided independently from the second region of the memory element and electrically connected to the second region of the memory element, and a second electrode connected to the word line.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate, an integrated circuit region having an integrated circuit, and conductive lines extending above the integrated circuit region. To protect the semiconductor chip against a physical attack, the semiconductor chip includes an array of protection capacitors extending above the conductive lines, at least first and second interconnection conductive lines, arranged to interconnect the protection capacitors in parallel, and a cprotection circuit configured to prevent at least some data from circulating on at least some conductive lines, when a short occurs in at least one protection capacitor.

Abstract: A microelectronic assembly includes a substrate and an electrically conductive element. The substrate can have a CTE less than 10 ppm/° C., a major surface having a recess not extending through the substrate, and a material having a modulus of elasticity less than 10 GPa disposed within the recess. The electrically conductive element can include a joining portion overlying the recess and extending from an anchor portion supported by the substrate. The joining portion can be at least partially exposed at the major surface for connection to a component external to the microelectronic unit.

Abstract: A technique permitting reduction in size of a standard cell is provided. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising a first tap formed in a first direction to supply a power-supply potential, a second tap formed in the first direction to supply a power-supply potential and positioned so as to confront the first tap in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a standard cell formed between the first and second taps, a cell height (distance) between the center of the first tap and that of the second tap both in the second direction is set to ((an integer+0.5)×a wiring pitch of the second-layer wiring lines) or [(an integer+0.25)×a wiring pitch of the second-layer wiring lines].

Abstract: A semiconductor chip includes a through-silicon via (TSV), a device region, and a cross-talk prevention ring encircling one of the device region and the TSV. The TSV is isolated from substantially all device regions comprising active devices by the cross-talk prevention ring.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. A high-resistance silicon wafer is manufactured in such a manner that a large-sized silicon wafer manufactured by the Czochralski method is irradiated with neutrons, and high-resistance and low-resistance elements are simultaneously formed on the high-resistance silicon wafer. Thus, the manufacturing cost can be remarkably saved, and the reliability of products can be enhanced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device, wherein a storage node contact hole is made large to solve any problem caused during etching a storage node contact hole with a small CD, a landing plug is formed to lower plug resistance. A semiconductor device according to the invention comprises: first and second active regions formed in a substrate, the first and second active being adjacent to each other, each of the first and second active regions including a bit-line contact region and a storage node contact region and a device isolation structure; a word line provided within a trench formed in the substrate; first and second storage node contact plugs assigned to the first and second active regions, respectively, the first and second storage node contact plugs being separated from each other by a bit line groove; and a bit line formed within the bit-line groove.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. A substrate comprising a P-well is provided. A low voltage device area and a high voltage device area are defined in the P-well. A photoresist layer is formed on the substrate. A photomask comprising a shielding region is provided. The shielding region is corresponded to the high voltage device area. A pattern of the photomask is transferred to the photoresist layer on the substrate by a photolithography process using the photomask. A P-type ion field is formed outside of the high-voltage device area by selectively doping P-type ions into the substrate using the photoresist layer as a mask.

Abstract: A compound semiconductor device includes a substrate; a compound semiconductor layer formed over the substrate; and a gate electrode formed over the compound semiconductor layer with a gate insulating film arranged therebetween. The gate insulating film includes a first layer having reverse spontaneous polarization, the direction of which is opposite to spontaneous polarization of the compound semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit including one or more transistors in which source and drain regions are formed as embedded silicon-germanium (eSiGe). Guard ring structures in the integrated circuit are formed in single-crystal silicon, rather than in eSiGe. In one example, p-channel MOS transistors have source/drain regions formed in eSiGe, while the locations at which p-type guard rings are formed are masked from the recess etch and the eSiGe selective epitaxy. Defects caused by concentrated crystal strain at the corners of guard rings and similar structures are eliminated.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises patterning a layer of photoresist material to form a plurality of mandrels. The method further comprises depositing an oxide material over the plurality of mandrels by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method further comprises anisotropically etching the oxide material from exposed horizontal surfaces. The method further comprises selectively etching photoresist material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a substrate and RF FEM formed over the substrate. The RF FEM includes an LC low-pass filter having an input coupled for receiving a transmit signal. A Tx/Rx switch has a first terminal coupled to an output of the LC filter. A diplexer has a first terminal coupled to a second terminal of the Tx/Rx switch and a second terminal for providing an RF signal. An IPD band-pass filter has an input coupled to a third terminal of the Tx/Rx switch and an output providing a receive signal. The LC filter includes conductive traces wound to exhibit inductive and mutual inductive properties and capacitors coupled to the conductive traces. The IPD filter includes conductive traces wound to exhibit inductive and mutual inductive properties and capacitors coupled to the conductive traces. The RF FEM substrate can be stacked over a semiconductor package containing an RF transceiver.

Abstract: An energy storage device (300), the device (300) comprising a substrate (102), a steric structure (104) formed on and/or in a main surface (106) of the substrate (102), a current collector stack (202) formed on the steric structure (104), and an electric storage stack (302) formed on the current collector stack (202), wherein side walls (108) of the steric structure (104) and the main surface (106) of the substrate (102) enclose an acute angle of more than 80 degrees.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer with an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective device is disclosed. The semiconductor wafer includes first and second adjacent semiconductor die regions, a protective device in a scribe line region between the first and second die regions, and at least one metal line on a surface of the first die region, wherein the metal line(s) is/are in electrical communication with the protective device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first area and a second area, a first transistor in the first area, a second transistor in the second area, an isolation layer between the first area and the second area, and at least one buried shield structure on the isolation layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device according to an embodiment includes forming first and second holes in a semiconductor substrate, forming insulating films on surfaces of the first and second holes, forming a contact and an alignment mark by embedding a conducting material in the first and second holes, forming a photodiode in the semiconductor substrate, forming a wiring layer including a connecting part for connecting to the contact and a wiring for connecting to the connecting part, bonding a supporting substrate on the wiring layer, exposing the contact and the alignment mark on the surface of the semiconductor substrate by reducing the semiconductor substrate in thickness, and forming a filter and a lens on the photodiode based on the alignment mark.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a capacitor and a proximate high-voltage gate having a boron-barrier layer that ideally serves as part of both the capacitor dielectric and the (high voltage) HV gate oxide. The boron-barrier layer is preferably formed over a poly oxide layer that is in turn deposited on a substrate infused to create a neighboring wells, and N-well over which the capacitor will be formed, and P-well to be overlaid by the HV gate. The boron-barrier helps to reduce or eliminate the harmful effects of boron diffusion from the P-well during TEOS deposition of the gate oxide material.

Abstract: A layout of a semiconductor device is capable of reliably reducing a variation in gate length due to the optical proximity effect, and enables flexible layout design to be implemented. Gate patterns (G1, G2, G3) of a cell (C1) are arranged at the same pitch, and terminal ends (e1, e2, e3) of the gate patterns are located at the same position in the Y direction, and have the same width in the X direction. A gate pattern (G4) of a cell (C2) has protruding portions (4b) protruding toward the cell (C1) in the Y direction, and the protruding portions (4b) form opposing terminal ends (eo1, eo2, eo3). The opposing terminal ends (eo1, eo2, eo3) are arranged at the same pitch as the gate patterns (G1, G2, G3), are located at the same position in the Y direction, and have the same width in the X direction.

Abstract: In some embodiments, integrated circuit packages including high density bump-less build up layers and a lesser density core or coreless substrate are presented.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a graded n-doped region surrounding a well, and a spiral resistor connected to the well and to a p-doped region surrounding the graded n-doped region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein a desired circuit is formed by combining and laying out a plurality of standard cells and connecting the cells together, of which the cell length, i.e., the gap between a pair of opposed sides, is standardized, the plurality of standard cells forming the desired circuit include complementary in-phase driven standard cells, each of which includes a plurality of complementary transistor pairs that are complementary in conductivity type to each other and have their gate electrodes connected together, and N (?2) pairs of all the complementary transistor pairs are driven in phase, and the size of the standardized cell length of the complementary in-phase driven standard cell is defined as an M-fold cell length which is M (N?M?2) times the basic cell length which is appropriate to the single complementary transistor pair.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a signal pad; a power supply line; a ground line; an inductor section whose one end is connected to the signal pad; a terminating resistor connected between the other end of the inductor section and the power supply line or the ground line. The semiconductor device further has: a first ESD protection element connected to a first node in the inductor section; and a second ESD protection element connected to a second node whose position is different from that of the first node in the inductor section.

Abstract: Provided are semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. In the semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same, different insulating patterns are disposed around a cell gate pattern and a peripheral gate pattern to impose different heat budgets around the cell gate pattern and the peripheral gate pattern. For this purpose, a semiconductor substrate having a cell array region and a peripheral circuit region is prepared. First and second cell gate patterns are disposed in the cell array region. A peripheral gate pattern is disposed in the peripheral circuit region to be adjacent to the second cell gate pattern. Buried insulating patterns are disposed around the first and second cell gate patterns. Planarization insulating patterns are disposed around the peripheral gate pattern.