Integrated Circuit Having A Three-dimensional Layout (epo) Patents (Class 257/E27.026)
  • Patent number: 11832445
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a stacked structure including a plurality of conductive patterns and a plurality of insulating patterns alternately stacked on each other, a cell plug passing through the stacked structure, a select plug coupled to the cell plug, and a select pattern surrounding the select plug, wherein the select pattern includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion covering a sidewall and a top surface of the first conductive portion, and wherein the conductive patterns, the first conductive portion, and the second conductive portion include different materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Nam Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 11805643
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices. One of the methods forms a string of transistors in a semiconductor device over a substrate of the semiconductor device. The method includes forming a first substring of transistors having a first channel structure that includes a first channel layer and a first gate dielectric structure that extend along a vertical direction over the substrate. The method includes forming a channel connector over the first substring and forming the second substring above the channel connector. The second substring has a second channel structure. The second channel structure includes the second channel layer and a second gate dielectric structure that extend along the vertical direction. The second gate dielectric structure is formed above the channel connector. The channel connector electrically couples the first channel layer and the second channel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruo Fang Zhang, Enbo Wang, Haohao Yang, Qianbing Xu, Yushi Hu, Qian Tao
  • Patent number: 11737263
    Abstract: In a three-dimensional memory device, an interconnect structure is formed over a substrate and a first deck is formed over the interconnect structure. The first deck includes alternating first insulating layers and first word line layers, and a first channel structure extending through the first stack. The first channel structure has a first channel dielectric region and a first channel layer. The first channel dielectric region is formed along sidewalls of the first channel structure, positioned over a top surface of the interconnect structure, and in contact with the first insulating layers and the first word line layers. The first channel layer is formed along the first channel dielectric region, and includes a rounded projection that extends away from the top surface of the interconnect structure, extends outwards into the first stack at an interface of the interconnect structure, the first channel structure and the first stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruo Fang Zhang, Enbo Wang, Haohao Yang, Qianbing Xu, Yushi Hu, Fushan Zhang
  • Patent number: 11728239
    Abstract: An insulating substrate provided between the semiconductor chip and a cooler in the dual-side cooled power module includes: an inner metal layer configured to face the semiconductor chip; an outer metal layer configured to face the cooler; and an insulating layer interposed between the inner metal layer and the outer metal layer, wherein at least one inner thermal diffusion inductor of a plurality of inner thermal diffusion inductors is inserted into the inner metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Hyeon Uk Kim, Jun Hee Park, Sung Won Park
  • Patent number: 11705499
    Abstract: The present application discloses a semiconductor device with an inverter and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; a gate structure positioned on the substrate; a first impurity region and a second impurity region respectively positioned on two sides of the gate structure and positioned in the substrate; a first contact positioned on the first impurity region and including a first resistance; a second contact positioned on the first impurity region and including a second resistance less than the first resistance of the first contact. The first contact is configured to electrically couple to a power supply and the second contact is configured to electrically couple to a signal output. The gate structure, the first impurity region, the second impurity region, the first contact, and the second contact together configure an inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chun-Chi Lai
  • Patent number: 11626397
    Abstract: At least one of a capacitor or a resistor structure can be formed concurrently with formation of a field effect transistor by patterning a gate dielectric layer into gate dielectric and into a first node dielectric or a first resistor isolation dielectric, and by patterning a semiconductor layer into a gate electrode and into a second electrode of a capacitor or a resistor strip. Contacts are then formed to the capacitor or resistor structure. Sidewall spacers may be formed on the gate electrode prior to patterning the capacitor or resistor contacts to reduce damage to the underlying capacitor or resistor layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Hokuto Kodate, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Dai Iwata, Mitsuhiro Togo
  • Patent number: 11282958
    Abstract: An SGT is formed that includes Si pillars. The SGT includes WSi2 layers serving as wiring alloy layers and constituted by first alloy regions that are connected to the entire peripheries of impurity regions serving as sources or drains located in lower portions of the Si pillars, are formed in a self-aligned manner with the impurity regions in a tubular shape, and contain the same impurity atom as the impurity regions and a second alloy region that is partly connected to the peripheries of the first alloy regions and contains the same impurity atom as the impurity regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Unisantis Electronics Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Fujio Masuoka, Nozomu Harada
  • Patent number: 10734445
    Abstract: A storage device including a transistor portion including a transistor, a plurality of interlayer insulating films provided above the transistor portion, a plurality of first conductive layers provided respectively between the plurality of interlayer insulating films, and a second conductive layer extending through the plurality of interlayer insulating films and the plurality of first conductive layers, the second conductive layer having one end electrically connected to the transistor portion, and a part that extends beyond a portion of the transistor portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minoru Oda, Akira Yotsumoto, Kotaro Noda
  • Patent number: 10672769
    Abstract: A method includes forming a transistor over a substrate, wherein the transistor includes a source, a drain over the source, a semiconductor channel between the source and the drain, and a gate surrounding the semiconductor channel. A silicide layer is formed over the drain of the transistor. A capping layer is formed over the silicide layer. Portions of the capping layer and the silicide layer are removed to define a drain pad over the drain of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Hao Chang, Ming-Shan Shieh, Cheng-Long Chen, Wai-Yi Lien, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 10554174
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel and inventive compound device structure, enabling a charge-based approach that takes advantage of sub-threshold operation, for designing analog CMOS circuits. In particular, the present invention relates to a solid state device based on a complementary pair of n-type and p-type current field-effect transistors, each of which has two control ports, namely a low impedance port and gate control port, while a conventional solid state device has one control port, namely gate control port. This novel solid state device provides various improvement over the conventional devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Circuit Seed LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Schober, Susan Marya Schober
  • Patent number: 10529625
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming bottom side metallization structures having at least one connection to a bottom side of a vertical transistor disposed on a substrate, the bottom side metallization structures including a power rail and a ground rail. After forming the bottom side metallization structures, the substrate is removed and the vertical transistor is flipped. Top side metallization structures are formed. The top side metallization structures having at least one connection to the vertical transistor on a top side of the vertical transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Albert M. Chu
  • Patent number: 10319424
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for performing operations on memory devices. In one aspect, a memory device includes: (1) a magnetic memory component; and (2) a current selector component coupled to the magnetic memory component, the current selector component including: (a) a first transistor having a first gate with a corresponding first threshold voltage; and (b) a second transistor having a second gate with a corresponding second threshold voltage, distinct from the first threshold voltage; where the second transistor is coupled in parallel with the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi
  • Patent number: 10074570
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical transistor having a gate structure disposed about a channel region thereof. The vertical transistor has a top side above the gate structure and a bottom side below the gate structure. The top side includes metallization structures having a connection to the vertical transistor on the top side. The bottom side includes metallization structures having a connection to the vertical transistor on the bottom side, and the bottom side includes a power rail and a ground rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Albert M. Chu
  • Patent number: 9627211
    Abstract: Methods for processing a substrate are described herein. A method for removing a layer from a substrate, can include positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, wherein the substrate can include an upper surface, and one or more metal features with a separation energy formed on the upper surface; forming a layer over the one or more metal features and the exposed portion of the upper surface; focusing a source of transmissive radiant energy at the layer; pulsing transmissive radiant energy at the upper surface of the substrate creating a separated portion and an attached portion of the layer; and removing the separated portion of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Fatih Mert Ozkeskin, Jose Manuel Dieguez-Campo
  • Patent number: 9601707
    Abstract: Various examples are provided for ambipolar vertical field effect transistors (VFETs). In one example, among others, an ambipolar VFET includes a gate layer; a source layer that is electrically percolating and perforated; a dielectric layer; a drain layer; and a semiconducting channel layer. The semiconducting channel layer is in contact with at least a portion of the source layer and at least a portion of the dielectric layer and the source layer and the semiconducting channel layer form a gate voltage tunable charge injection barrier. Another example includes an ambipolar vertical field effect transistor including a dielectric surface treatment layer. The semiconducting channel layer is in contact with at least a portion of the source layer and at least a portion of the dielectric surface treatment layer and where the source layer and the semiconducting channel layer form a gate voltage tunable charge injection barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Gabriel Rinzler, Bo Liu, Mitchell Austin McCarthy
  • Patent number: 9582208
    Abstract: A method of executing a write operation in a nonvolatile memory system includes receiving a write command indicating the write operation and write data associated with the write operation, and determining a selected merge size for use by a merge operation responsive to the write command by determining a number of free blocks and then determining a selected free block level (FBL) from among a plurality of FBLs in accordance with the number of free blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seunghyun Han, Mi-Hyang Lee, Jong Youl Lee
  • Patent number: 9041085
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to, a semiconductor substrate having a first gate groove; a first fin structure underneath the first gate groove; a first diffusion region in the semiconductor substrate, the first diffusion region covering an upper portion of a first side of the first gate groove; and a second diffusion region in the semiconductor substrate. The second diffusion region covers a second side of the first gate groove. The second diffusion region has a bottom which is deeper than a top of the first fin structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: PS4 LUXCO S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Kiyonori Oyu, Koji Taniguchi, Koji Hamada, Hiroaki Taketani
  • Patent number: 8941214
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices having necked semiconductor bodies and methods of forming semiconductor bodies of varying width are described. For example, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body disposed above a substrate. A gate electrode stack is disposed over a portion of the semiconductor body to define a channel region in the semiconductor body under the gate electrode stack. Source and drain regions are defined in the semiconductor body on either side of the gate electrode stack. Sidewall spacers are disposed adjacent to the gate electrode stack and over only a portion of the source and drain regions. The portion of the source and drain regions under the sidewall spacers has a height and a width greater than a height and a width of the channel region of the semiconductor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Bernhard Sell
  • Patent number: 8933502
    Abstract: A stacked non-volatile memory cell array include cell areas with rows of vertical columns of NAND cells, and an interconnect area, e.g., midway in the array and extending a length of the array. The interconnect area includes at least one metal silicide interconnect extending between insulation-filled slits, and does not include vertical columns of NAND cells. The metal silicide interconnect can route power and control signals from below the stack to above the stack. The metal silicide interconnect can also be formed in a peripheral region of the substrate. Contact structures can extend from a terraced portion of the interconnect to at least one upper metal layer, above the stack, to complete a conductive path from circuitry below the stack to the upper metal layer. Subarrays can be provided in a plane of the array without word line hook-up and transfer areas between the subarrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Masaaki Higashitani, Peter Rabkin
  • Patent number: 8933516
    Abstract: A three-dimensional nonvolatile memory array includes a select layer that selectively connects vertical bit lines to horizontal bit lines. Individual select switches of the select layer include two separately controllable transistors that are connected in series between a horizontal bit line and a vertical bit line. Each transistor in a select switch is connected to a different control circuit by a different select line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Ming-Che Wu, Wei-Te Wu, Yung-Tin Chen
  • Patent number: 8901705
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic component, that comprises, on a substrate, at least one integrated MIM capacitor, (114) an electrically insulating first cover layer (120) which partly or fully covers the top capacitor electrode (118) and is made of a lead-containing dielectric material, and a top barrier layer (122) on the first cover layer. The top barrier layer serves for avoiding a reduction of lead atoms comprised by the first cover layer under exposure of the first cover layer to a reducing substance. An electrically insulating second cover layer (124) on the top barrier layer has a dielectric permittivity smaller than that of the first cover layer establishes a low parasitic capacitance of the cover-layer structure. The described cover-layer structure with the intermediate top barrier layer allows to fabricate a high-accuracy resistor layer (126.1) on top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: NXP, B.V.
    Inventors: Aarnoud Laurens Roest, Mareike Klee, Rudiger Gunter Mauczok, Linda Van Leuken-Peters, Robertus Adrianus Maria Wolters
  • Patent number: 8901635
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body, a semiconductor pillar, an insulating film, and a charge storage film. The stacked body includes a plurality of electrode films stacked with an inter-layer insulating film provided between the electrode films. The semiconductor pillar pierces the stacked body. The insulating film is provided between the semiconductor pillar and the electrode films on an outer side of the semiconductor pillar with a gap interposed. The charge storage film is provided between the insulating film and the electrode films. The semiconductor pillar includes germanium. An upper end portion of the semiconductor pillar is supported by an interconnect provided above the stacked body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Jun Fujiki, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi, Tomoko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8890235
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a stacked structure, a select gate electrode, a semiconductor pillar, a memory layer, and a select gate insulating film. The stacked structure includes a plurality of electrode films stacked in a first direction and an interelectrode insulating film provided between the electrode films. The select gate electrode is stacked with the stacked structure along the first direction and includes a plurality of select gate conductive films stacked in the first direction and an inter-select gate conductive film insulating film provided between the select gate conductive films. The semiconductor pillar pierces the stacked structure and the select gate electrode in the first direction. The memory layer is provided between the electrode films and the semiconductor pillar. The select gate insulating film is provided between the select gate conductive films and the semiconductor pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaru Kidoh, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi
  • Patent number: 8853786
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor switching element and a rectifier element. The semiconductor switching element includes a plurality of switching cells connected in parallel between a first and a second load terminal and is formed in a cell area of a first semiconductor layer. The rectifier element includes a plurality of rectifier cells connected in parallel between the first load terminal and an auxiliary terminal. The rectifier cells are formed in a second semiconductor layer parallel to the first semiconductor layer in a vertical projection of the cell area. The semiconductor device may integrate free-wheeling diodes for inductive loads and semiconductor switching elements for switching the inductive loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Christoph Kadow
  • Patent number: 8853767
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first source layer; at least one of a second source layer, the second source layer formed substantially in the first source layer; a plurality of conductive layers stacked substantially over the first source layer; channel layers that pass through the plurality of conductive layers and couple to the second source layer; and at least one of a third source layer, the third source layer formed substantially in the second source layer, wherein the third source layer passes through the second source layer and is coupled to the first source layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Ki Hong Lee, Seung Ho Pyi, Seok Min Jeon
  • Patent number: 8823133
    Abstract: An embodiment of a multichip module is disclosed. For this embodiment of a multichip module, a semiconductor die and an interposer are included. The interposer has conductive layers, dielectric layers, and a substrate. Internal interconnect structures couple the semiconductor die to the interposer. External interconnect structures are for coupling the interposer to an external device. A first inductor includes at least a portion of one or more of the conductive layers of the interposer. A first end of the first inductor is coupled to an internal interconnect structure of the internal interconnect structures. A second end of the first inductor is coupled to an external interconnect structure of the external interconnect structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael O. Jenkins, James Karp, Vassili Kireev, Ephrem C. Wu
  • Patent number: 8791464
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a stacked structure, a semiconductor pillar, a memory layer and an outer insulating film. The stacked structure includes a plurality of electrode films and a plurality of interelectrode insulating films alternately stacked in a first direction. The semiconductor pillar pierces the stacked structure in the first direction. The memory layer is provided between the electrode films and the semiconductor pillar. The outer insulating film is provided between the electrode films and the memory layer. The device includes a first region and a second region. An outer diameter of the outer insulating film along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in the first region is larger than that in the second region. A thickness of the outer insulating film along the second direction in the first region is thicker than that in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomoko Fujiwara, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Yosuke Komori, Megumi Ishiduki, Hideaki Aochi, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Yoshimasa Mikajiri, Shigeto Oota
  • Patent number: 8742508
    Abstract: A three dimensional FET device structure which includes a plurality of three dimensional FET devices. Each of the three dimensional FET devices include an insulating base, a three dimensional fin oriented perpendicular to the insulating base, a gate dielectric wrapped around the three dimensional fin and a gate wrapped around the gate dielectric and extending perpendicularly to the three dimensional fin, the three dimensional fin having a device width being defined as the circumference of the three dimensional fin in contact with the gate dielectric. At least a first of the three dimensional FET devices has a first device width while at least a second of the three dimensional FET devices has a second device width. The first device width is different than the second device width. Also included is a method of making the three dimensional FET device structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Pranita Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 8742476
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including: a first single crystal layer including first transistors, first alignment mark, and at least one metal layer, the at least one metal layer overlying the first single crystal layer and includes copper or aluminum; and a second layer overlying the metal layer; the second layer includes second transistors which include mono-crystal and are aligned to the first alignment mark with less than 40 nm alignment error, the mono-crystal includes a first region and second region which are horizontally oriented with respect to each other, the first region has substantially different dopant concentration than the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Monolithic 3D Inc.
    Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Deepak Sekar, Brian Cronquist
  • Patent number: 8716780
    Abstract: A memory device includes a planar substrate, a plurality of horizontal conductive planes above the planar substrate, and a plurality of horizontal insulating layers interleaved with the plurality of horizontal conductive planes. An array of vertical conductive columns, perpendicular to the pluralities of conductive planes and insulating layers, passes through apertures in the pluralities of conductive planes and insulating layers. The memory device includes a plurality of programmable memory elements, each of which couples one of the horizontal conductive planes to a respective vertical conductive column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Kellam, Gary B. Bronner
  • Patent number: 8659028
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) high density memory array includes multiple layers of segmented bit lines (i.e., sense lines) with segment switch devices within the memory array that connect the segments to global bit lines. The segment switch devices reside on one or more layers of the integrated circuit, preferably residing on each bit line layer. The global bit lines reside preferably on one layer below the memory array, but may reside on more than one layer. The bit line segments preferably share vertical connections to an associated global bit line. In certain EEPROM embodiments, the array includes multiple layers of segmented bit lines with segment connection switches on multiple layers and shared vertical connections to a global bit line layer. Such memory arrays may be realized with much less write-disturb effects for half selected memory cells, and may be realized with a much smaller block of cells to be erased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Roy E. Scheuerlein, Alper Ilkbahar, Luca G. Fasoli
  • Patent number: 8648392
    Abstract: A plurality of PMOS transistors are provided on a substrate along an X-axis direction such that a gate length direction of each of the PMOS transistors is parallel to the X-axis direction. A plurality of NMOS transistors are provided on the substrate along the X-axis direction such that a gate length direction of each of the NMOS transistors is parallel to the X-axis direction, and each of the plurality of NMOS transistors is opposed to a corresponding one of the PMOS transistors in the Y-axis direction. Gate lines respectively correspond to the PMOS transistors and the NMOS transistors, and are arranged parallel to each other and extend linearly along the Y-axis direction such that each of the gate lines passes through gate areas of the PMOS transistors and NMOS transistors which correspond to each of the gate lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Nishimura, Masaki Tamaru
  • Patent number: 8637870
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) high density memory array includes multiple layers of segmented bit lines (i.e., sense lines) with segment switch devices within the memory array that connect the segments to global bit lines. The segment switch devices reside on one or more layers of the integrated circuit, preferably residing on each bit line layer. The global bit lines reside preferably on one layer below the memory array, but may reside on more than one layer. The bit line segments preferably share vertical connections to an associated global bit line. In certain EEPROM embodiments, the array includes multiple layers of segmented bit lines with segment connection switches on multiple layers and shared vertical connections to a global bit line layer. Such memory arrays may be realized with much less write-disturb effects for half selected memory cells, and may be realized with a much smaller block of cells to be erased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Roy E. Scheuerlein, Alper Ilkbahar, Luca G. Fasoli
  • Patent number: 8629542
    Abstract: A Three-Dimensional Structure (3DS) Memory allows for physical separation of the memory circuits and the control logic circuit onto different layers such that each layer may be separately optimized. One control logic circuit suffices for several memory circuits, reducing cost. Fabrication of 3DS memory involves thinning of the memory circuit to less than 50 ?m in thickness and bonding the circuit to a circuit stack while still in wafer substrate form. Fine-grain high density inter-layer vertical bus connections are used. The 3DS memory manufacturing method enables several performance and physical size efficiencies, and is implemented with established semiconductor processing techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Inventor: Glenn J. Leedy
  • Patent number: 8624320
    Abstract: An integrated fin-based field effect transistor (FinFET) and method of fabricating such devices on a bulk wafer with EPI-defined fin heights over shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. The FinFET channels overlie the STI regions within the semiconductor bulk, while the fins extend beyond the STI regions into the source and drain regions which are implanted within the semiconductor bulk. With bulk source and drain regions, reduced external FinFET resistance is provided, and with the fins extending into the bulk source and drain regions, improved thermal properties is provided over conventional silicon on insulator (SOI) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard T. Schultz
  • Patent number: 8574982
    Abstract: A method and circuit for implementing an embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM), and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. The embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM) circuit includes a stacked field effect transistor (FET) and capacitor. The capacitor is fabricated directly on top of the FET to build the eDRAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karl Robert Erickson, David Paul Paulsen, John Edward Sheets, II, Kelly L. Williams
  • Patent number: 8569826
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a stacked structure, a select gate electrode, a semiconductor pillar, a memory layer, and a select gate insulating film. The stacked structure includes a plurality of electrode films stacked in a first direction and an interelectrode insulating film provided between the electrode films. The select gate electrode is stacked with the stacked structure along the first direction and includes a plurality of select gate conductive films stacked in the first direction and an inter-select gate conductive film insulating film provided between the select gate conductive films. The semiconductor pillar pierces the stacked structure and the select gate electrode in the first direction. The memory layer is provided between the electrode films and the semiconductor pillar. The select gate insulating film is provided between the select gate conductive films and the semiconductor pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaru Kidoh, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi
  • Patent number: 8563979
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a first substrate includes electrical wirings and a semiconductor integrated circuit which has TFTs and is connected electrically to the electrical wirings, and a second substrate includes a transparent conductive film on a surface thereof. A surface of the first substrate that the electrical wirings are formed is opposite to the transparent conductive film on the second substrate. Also, in a liquid crystal display device, a first substrate includes a matrix circuit and a peripheral driver circuit, and a second substrate is opposite to the first substrate. Spacers are provided between the first and second substrates. A seal material is formed outside the matrix circuits and the peripheral driver circuits in the first and second substrates. A protective film is formed on the peripheral driver circuit has substantially a thickness equivalent to an interval between the substrates which is formed by the spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Setsuo Nakajima, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8558287
    Abstract: An apparatus including a first electrode portion configured to inject charge carriers; a second electrode portion configured to collect charge carriers and provide an output signal; a third electrode portion configured to collect charge carriers and provide an output signal; a monolithic semiconductor, providing a first channel for the transport of injected charge carriers between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion and providing a second channel for the transport of injected charge carriers between the first electrode portion and the third electrode portion, wherein the first channel is configured such that a charge carrier injected at the first electrode portion will reach the second electrode portion via the first channel after a first transport time and the second channel is configured such that a charge carrier injected at the first electrode portion will reach the third electrode portion via the second channel after a second transport time greater than the first transport time;
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir Alexsandrovich Ermolov, Meri Sari Helle, Pirjo Marjaana Pasanen, Markku Anttoni Oksanen, Eira Tuulia Seppala
  • Patent number: 8557680
    Abstract: A process for wafer-to-wafer bonding of a first wafer having a first set of dies of a first die size to a reconstituted wafer of a second set of dies having a second die size different than the first die size. The process includes aligning the second set of dies such that a second set of interconnects on the second set of dies aligns with a first set of interconnects on the first set of dies. The second set of dies includes a spacing between the second set of dies based on parameters of the first set of dies. The process also includes coupling the reconstituted wafer with the first wafer to create a wafer stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Arvind Chandrasekaran, Brian M. Henderson
  • Publication number: 20130264654
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor body with a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer arranged adjacent the first semiconductor layer in a vertical direction of the semiconductor body. The integrated circuit further includes a switching device with a control terminal and a load path between a first load terminal and a second load terminal, and a rectifier element connected in parallel with at least one section of the load path. The switching device is integrated in the first semiconductor layer and the rectifier element is integrated in the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES DRESDEN GMBH
    Inventors: Rolf Weis, Andreas Spitzer
  • Patent number: 8551830
    Abstract: There is provided a small-type semiconductor integrated circuit whose circuit area is small and whose wiring length is short. The semiconductor integrated circuit is constructed in a multi-layer structure and is provided with a first semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor layer transistor formed in the first semiconductor layer, a wiring layer which is deposited on the first semiconductor layer and in which metal wires are formed, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the wiring layer and a second semiconductor layer transistor formed in the second semiconductor layer. It is noted that insulation of a gate insulating film of the first semiconductor layer transistor is almost equal with that of a gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor and the gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor is formed by means of radical oxidation or radical nitridation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Advantest Corporation, National University Corporation Tohoku University
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Koji Kotani, Kazuyuki Maruo, Takahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8546865
    Abstract: Provided is a nonvolatile memory device having a three dimensional structure. The nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of stacked semiconductor layers and a plurality of memory cell transistors which is formed on each of a plurality of semiconductor layers and serially connected. Memory cell transistors disposed on different semiconductor layers are serially connected to include one cell string forming a current path in a plurality of semiconductor layers, a first selection transistor serially connected to one edge portion of the cell string and a second selection transistor serially connected to the other edge portion of the cell string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Ho Lim, Choong-Ho Lee, Hye-Jin Cho
  • Patent number: 8536634
    Abstract: Method and device embodiments are described for fabricating MOSFET transistors in a semiconductor also containing non-volatile floating gate transistors. MOSFET transistor gate dielectric smiling, or bird's beaks, are adjustable by re-oxidation processing. An additional re-oxidation process is performed by opening a poly-silicon layer prior to forming an inter-poly oxide dielectric provided for the floating gate transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Seiichi Aritome
  • Patent number: 8476708
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, memory cell array portion, single-crystal semiconductor layer, and circuit portion. The memory cell array portion is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and includes memory cells. The semiconductor layer is formed on the memory cell array portion, and connected to the semiconductor substrate by being formed in a hole extending through the memory cell array portion. The circuit portion is formed on the semiconductor layer. The Ge concentration in the lower portion of the semiconductor layer is higher than that in the upper portion of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi, Masaru Kito, Kiyotaka Miyano, Shinji Mori, Ichiro Mizushima
  • Patent number: 8471306
    Abstract: A double-sided integrated circuit chips, methods of fabricating the double-sided integrated circuit chips and design structures for double-sided integrated circuit chips. The method includes removing the backside silicon from two silicon-on-insulator wafers having devices fabricated therein and bonding them back to back utilizing the buried oxide layers. Contacts are then formed in the upper wafer to devices in the lower wafer and wiring levels are formed on the upper wafer. The lower wafer may include wiring levels. The lower wafer may include landing pads for the contacts. Contacts to the silicon layer of the lower wafer may be silicided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry Bernstein, Timothy Dalton, Jeffrey Peter Gambino, Mark David Jaffe, Paul David Kartschoke, Stephen Ellinwood Luce, Anthony Kendall Stamper
  • Patent number: 8471263
    Abstract: An information storage system includes a bonded semiconductor structure having a memory circuit region carried by an interconnect region. The memory circuit region includes a memory control device region having a vertically oriented memory control device. The memory circuit region includes a memory device region in communication with the memory control device region. The memory device region includes a memory device whose operation is controlled by the vertically oriented memory control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Inventor: Sang-Yun Lee
  • Patent number: 8440542
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising: providing a base wafer comprising a semiconductor substrate; preparing a first monocrystalline layer comprising semiconductor regions; preparing a second monocrystalline layer comprising semiconductor regions overlying the first monocrystalline layer; and etching portions of said first monocrystalline layer and portions of said second monocrystalline layer as part of forming at least one transistor on said first monocrystalline layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Monolithic 3D Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak C. Sekar, Zvi Or-Bach
  • Patent number: 8427865
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor storage device which is capable of further reducing a size of a memory cell, and increasing a storage capacity. Plural memory cells each including a transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a variable resistive device having a resistance value changed by voltage supply and connected between source and drain terminals of the transistor are arranged longitudinally and in an array to configure a three-dimensional memory cell array. A memory cell structure has a double channel structure in which an inside of a switching transistor is filled with a variable resistance element, particularly, a phase change material. The switching transistor is turned off by application of a voltage to increase a channel resistance so that a current flows in the internal phase change material to operate the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Shima, Yoshitaka Sasago, Masaharu Kinoshita, Toshiyuki Mine, Norikatsu Takaura, Takahiro Morikawa, Kenzo Kurotsuchi, Satoru Hanzawa
  • Patent number: 8415218
    Abstract: A method of growing an epitaxial silicon layer is provided. The method comprising providing a substrate including an oxygen-terminated silicon surface and forming a first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the oxygen-terminated silicon surface. Additionally, the method includes forming a second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface through atomic-layer deposition (ALD) epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. The second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface is capable of being added one or more layer of silicon through ALD epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. In one embodiment, the method is applied for making devices with thin-film transistor (TFT) floating gate memory cell structures which is capable for three-dimensional integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventor: Fumitake Mieno