Including Only Semiconductor Components Of A Single Kind, E.g., All Bipolar Transistors, All Diodes, Or All Cmos (epo) Patents (Class 257/E27.046)

  • Publication number: 20100059851
    Abstract: A CMOS circuit comprises at least one high voltage transistor (having gate and drain operating voltages of greater than 8V) and at least one high frequency capable transistor (having a maximum switching frequency of between 100 MHz and 1000 GHz) wherein said transistors are integrated on the same semiconductor substrate so as to allow the simple integration of high voltage circuits and RF (radio frequency) CMOS circuits on the same integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: X-FAB SEMICONDUCTOR FOUNDRIES AG
    Inventors: John Nigel Ellis, Paul Ronald Stribley, Jun Fu
  • Patent number: 7675122
    Abstract: A contact connected to a word line is formed on a gate electrode of an access transistor of an SRAM cell. The contact passes through an element isolation insulating film to reach an SOI layer. A body region of a driver transistor and that of the access transistor are electrically connected with each other through the SOI layer located under the element isolation insulating film. Therefore, the access transistor is in a DTMOS structure having the gate electrode connected with the body region through the contact, which in turn is also electrically connected to the body region of the driver transistor. Thus, operations can be stabilized while suppressing increase of an area for forming the SRAM cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hirano, Takashi Ipposhi, Shigeto Maegawa, Koji Nii
  • Publication number: 20100044835
    Abstract: In an output stage of an operational amplifier, first and second transistors each provide a collector current under quiescent conditions to first and second current sources. A resistor receives a portion of one the collector currents and produces a resistor voltage in response. An output transistor provides a quiescent current having a value calculated as a function of the resistor voltage and a base-emitter voltage of the second transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Eric Modica, Derek Bowers
  • Publication number: 20100044756
    Abstract: A method of forming a memory cell is provided, the method including forming a first pillar-shaped element comprising a first semiconductor material, forming a first mold comprising an opening self-aligned with the first pillar-shaped element, and depositing a second semiconductor material in the opening to form a second pillar-shaped element above the first pillar-shaped element. Other aspects are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Kang-Jay Hsia, Calvin Li, Christopher Petti
  • Publication number: 20100032764
    Abstract: A through silicon via structure and a method of fabricating the through silicon via. The method includes: (a) forming a trench in a silicon substrate, the trench open to a top surface of the substrate; (b) forming a silicon dioxide layer on sidewalls of the trench, the silicon dioxide layer not filling the trench; (c) filling remaining space in the trench with polysilicon; after (c), (d) fabricating at least a portion of a CMOS device in the substrate; (e) removing the polysilicon from the trench, the dielectric layer remaining on the sidewalls of the trench; (f) re-filling the trench with an electrically conductive core; and after (f), (g) forming one or more wiring layers over the top surface of the substrate, a wire of a wiring level of the one or more wiring levels closet to the substrate contacting a top surface of the conductive core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Paul Stephen Andry, Edmund Juris Sprogis, Cornelia Kang-I Tsang
  • Patent number: 7646063
    Abstract: Transistor structures for relatively even current balancing within a device and methods for fabricating the same are disclosed. These devices can be used in relatively compact MOSFET Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection structures, such as in snapback devices. One embodiment utilizes a salisided exclusion layer for segmentation of the source and/or drain diffusion areas, while the others utilize poly for segmentation of the source and/or drain area. Also, diffusion is used generically herein and, for example, includes implants. These techniques provide relatively good ESD tolerance while consuming a relatively small amount of area, and provide significant area and parasitic capacitance reduction over the state of the art without sacrificing ESD performance. These techniques are also applicable to current balancing within relatively high current devices, such as drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: PMC-Sierra, Inc.
    Inventors: Graeme B. Boyd, William M. Lye, Xun Cheng
  • Patent number: 7638433
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a preliminary gate pattern on a semiconductor substrate. The preliminary gate pattern includes a gate oxide pattern, a conductive pattern, and a sacrificial insulating pattern. The method further includes forming spacers on opposite sidewalls of the preliminary gate pattern, forming an interlayer dielectric pattern to expose the sacrificial insulating pattern, removing the sacrificial insulating pattern to form an opening to expose the conductive pattern, transforming the conductive pattern into a metal silicide layer and forming a metal barrier pattern along an inner profile of the opening and a metal conductive pattern to fill the opening including the metal barrier pattern. The metal silicide layer and the metal conductive pattern constitute a gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Ho Yun, Gil-Heyun Choi, Byung-Hee Kim, Hyun-Su Kim, Eun-Ok Lee
  • Publication number: 20090315118
    Abstract: A transmission gate circuit includes a first PMOS device, a first NMOS device, a second PMOS device, a second NMOS device, and a third transistor. A gate electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode of the first PMOS device are coupled to a first control signal, an input end, and an output end, respectively. A gate electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode of the first NMOS device are coupled to a second control signal, the input end, and the output end, respectively. A gate electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode of the second PMOS device are coupled to the first control signal, an input end, and a body electrode of the first PMOS device, respectively. A gate electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode of the second NMOS device are coupled to the second control signal, a body electrode of the first PMOS device, and the output end, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: GENESYS LOGIC, INC.
    Inventor: Ching-jung Yu
  • Publication number: 20090302392
    Abstract: Integrated circuits including a buried wiring lien. One embodiment provides a field effect transistor including a first active area and a gate electrode buried below a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. A gate wiring line may be buried below the main surface and a section of the gate wiring line may form the gate electrode. Above the gate wiring line, a buried contact structure is formed that is adjacent to and in direct contact with the first or a second active area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: QIMONDA AG
    Inventor: Stafan Slesazeck
  • Patent number: 7622788
    Abstract: A gallium nitride heterojunction bipolar transistor with a p-type strained InGaN base layer is provided. The gallium nitride heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a substrate, a highly doped collector contact layer located over the substrate, a low doped collector layer located over the collector contact layer, a p-type base layer located over the collector layer, a highly doped strained InGaN base layer located over the p-type base layer, a emitter layer located over the p-type strained InGaN base layer, a highly doped emitter contact layer located over the emitter layer, and an emitter metal electrode, a base metal electrode, and a collector metal electrode respectively located on the emitter contact layer, the p-type strained InGaN base layer, and the collector contact layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: National Central University
    Inventors: Yue-Ming Hsin, Jinn-Kong Sheu, Kuang-Po Hsueh
  • Patent number: 7622341
    Abstract: A method for growing an epitaxial layer patterns a mask over a substrate. The mask protects first areas (N-type areas) of the substrate where N-type field effect transistors (NFETs) are to be formed and exposes second areas (P-type areas) of the substrate where P-type field effect transistors (PFETs) are to be formed. Using the mask, the method can then epitaxially grow the Silicon Germanium layer only on the P-type areas. The mask is then removed and shallow trench isolation (STI) trenches are patterned (using a different mask) in the N-type areas and in the P-type areas. This STI patterning process positions the STI trenches so as to remove edges of the epitaxial layer. The trenches are then filled with an isolation material. Finally, the NFETs are formed to have first metal gates and the PFETs are formed to have second metal gates that are different than the first metal gates. The first metal gates have a different work function than the second metal gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Advanced Micro Device, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Chudzik, Dominic J. Schepis, Linda Black
  • Publication number: 20090283803
    Abstract: Electromechanical circuits, such as memory cells, and methods for making same are disclosed. The circuits include a structure having electrically conductive traces and supports extending from a surface of the substrate, and nanotube ribbons suspended by the supports that cross the electrically conductive traces, wherein each ribbon comprises one or more nanotubes. The electro-mechanical circuit elements are made by providing a structure having electrically conductive traces and supports, in which the supports extend from a surface of the substrate. A layer of nanotubes is provided over the supports, and portions of the layer of nanotubes are selectively removed to form ribbons of nanotubes that cross the electrically conductive traces. Each ribbon includes one or more nanotubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Brent M. Segal, Darren K. Brock, Thomas Rueckes
  • Patent number: 7598545
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to CMOS structures that include at least one nMOS device located on one region of a semiconductor substrate; and at least one pMOS device located on another region of the semiconductor substrate. In accordance with the present invention, the at least one nMOS device includes a gate stack comprising a gate dielectric, a low workfunction elemental metal having a workfunction of less than 4.2 eV, an in-situ metallic capping layer, and a polysilicon encapsulation layer and the at least one pMOS includes a gate stack comprising a gate dielectric, a high workfunction elemental metal having a workfunction of greater than 4.9 eV, a metallic capping layer, and a polysilicon encapsulation layer. The present invention also provides methods of fabricating such a CMOS structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eduard A. Cartier, Matthew W. Copel, Bruce B. Doris, Rajarao Jammy, Young-Hee Kim, Barry P. Linder, Vijay Narayanan, Vamsi K. Paruchuri, Keith Kwong Hon Wong
  • Patent number: 7589422
    Abstract: A micro-element package which can reduce manufacturing costs and can be advantageous for mass production due to simplifying its structure and manufacturing process, and also can facilitate miniaturization and promote thinness, and a method of manufacturing the micro-element package. The micro-element package includes: a substrate having a micro-element on its top surface and a comparatively thin surrounding portion provided around the micro-element; and a circuit board that is electrically connected to the micro-element by utilizing the surrounding portion as a medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Wan Lee, Min Seog Choi, Kyu Dong Jung, Woon Bae Kim
  • Patent number: 7586159
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second transistor devices. The first device includes a first substrate region, a first gate electrode, and a first gate dielectric. The first gate dielectric is located between the first substrate region and the first gate electrode. The second device includes a second substrate region, a second gate electrode, and a second gate dielectric. The second gate dielectric is located between the second substrate region and the second gate electrode. The first gate dielectric includes a first high-k layer having a dielectric constant of 8 or more. Likewise, the second gate dielectric includes a second high-k layer having a dielectric constant of 8 or more. The second high-k layer has a different material composition than the first high-k layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Ho Lee, Ho-Kyu Kang, Yun-Seok Kim, Seok-Joo Doh, Hyung-Suk Jung
  • Publication number: 20090218632
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for fabricating the semiconductor structure include a hybrid orientation substrate having a first active region having a first crystallographic orientation that is vertically separated from a second active region having a second crystallographic orientation different than the first crystallographic orientation. A first field effect device having a first gate electrode is located and formed within and upon the first active region and a second field effect device having a second gate electrode is located and formed within and upon the second active region. Upper surfaces of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode are coplanar. The structure and method allow for avoidance of epitaxial defects generally encountered when using hybrid orientation technology substrates that include coplanar active regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kangguo Cheng
  • Patent number: 7582893
    Abstract: The subject invention provides systems and methods that facilitate formation of semiconductor memory devices comprising memory cells with one or more injecting bilayer electrodes. Memory arrays generally comprise bit cells that have two discrete components; a memory element and a selection element, such as, for example, a diode. The invention increases the efficiency of a memory device by forming memory cells with selection diodes comprising a bilayer electrode. Memory cells are provided comprising bilayer cathodes and/or bilayer anodes that facilitate a significant improvement in charge injection into the diode layers of memory cells. The increased charge (e.g. electrons or holes) density in the diode layers of the selected memory cells results in improved memory cell switching times and lowers the voltage required for the memory cell to operate, thereby, creating a more efficient memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Igor Sokolik, Richard P. Kingsborough, Aaron Mandell
  • Publication number: 20090212373
    Abstract: A semiconductor device facilitates securing a high breakdown voltage and reducing a chip area thereof includes a low-potential gate driver circuit disposed on a semiconductor substrate, a high-breakdown-voltage junction edge-termination structure disposed in a peripheral portion of a high-potential gate driver circuit, disposed on the semiconductor substrate, for separating the low-potential gate driver circuit and the high-potential gate driver circuit from each other. A trench is disposed in the edge termination structure and between an n+-type source layer and an n+-type drain layer in a level shift circuit in the high-potential gate driver circuit, and an oxide film fills the trench to form a dielectric region in trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC DEVICE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taichi KARINO, Akio KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20090194820
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure fabrication method. The method includes providing a structure which includes (a) first and second semiconductor regions, (b) first and second gate dielectric regions on the first and second semiconductor regions, respectively, (c) a high-K dielectric region on the first gate dielectric region, K being greater than 4, (d) an electrically conductive layer on the high-K dielectric region, (e) a poly-silicon layer on the electrically conductive layer and the second gate dielectric region, and (f) a hard mask layer on the poly-silicon layer. The hard mask layer is patterned resulting in first and second hard mask regions. The poly-silicon layer is etched with the first and second hard mask regions as blocking masks resulting in first and second poly-silicon regions. The first and second poly-silicon regions are exposed to a surrounding ambient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Doris, William K. Henson, Richard Stephen Wise, Hongwen Yan
  • Publication number: 20090179276
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip comprises low voltage complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sectors and high voltage lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) sectors and at least one transistor within at least one of the low voltage CMOS sectors. The transistor has a semiconducting channel region within a substrate. A gate conductor is above the top layer of substrate, and the gate conductor is positioned above the channel region. A source/drain region is included in the substrate on a first side of the gate conductor and a lateral source/drain region is included in the substrate on a second side of the gate conductor opposite the first side. The lateral source/drain region is positioned a greater distance from the gate conductor than the source/drain region is positioned from the gate conductor. The embodiments herein also include a source/drain ballast resistor in the substrate between the lateral source/drain region and the gate conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventor: Steven H. Voldman
  • Publication number: 20090166800
    Abstract: By forming a buffer material above differently stressed contact etch stop layers followed by the deposition of a further stress-inducing material, enhanced overall device performance may be accomplished, wherein an undesired influence of the additional stress-inducing layer may be reduced in device regions, for instance, by removing the additional material or by performing a relaxation implantation process. Furthermore, process uniformity during a patterning sequence for forming contact openings may be enhanced by partially removing the additional stress-inducing layer at an area at which a contact opening is to be formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Ralf Richter, Michael Finken, Joerg Hohage, Heike Salz
  • Publication number: 20090152637
    Abstract: A PFET having tailored dielectric constituted in part by an NFET threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layer in a gate stack thereof, related methods and integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, the PFET includes an n-type doped silicon well (N-well), a gate stack including: a doped band engineered PFET threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layer over the N-well; a tailored dielectric layer over the doped band engineered PFET Vt work function tuning layer, the tailored dielectric layer constituted by a high dielectric constant layer over the doped band engineered PFET Vt work function tuning layer and an n-type field effect transistor (NFET) threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layer over the high dielectric constant layer; and a metal over the NFET Vt work function tuning layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicants: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. (AMD)
    Inventors: Rick Carter, Michael P. Chudzik, Rashmi Jha, Naim Moumen
  • Publication number: 20090140384
    Abstract: A thin soft magnetic film combines a high magnetization with an insulating character. The film is formed by nitriding Fe-rich ferromagnetic nanograins immersed in an amorphous substrate. A selective oxidation of the amorphous substrate is then performed. The result is a thin, insulating, soft magnetic film of high magnetization. Many types of integrated circuits can be made which include a component using a membrane incorporating the above-mentioned thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.A., Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique Batiment LE PONAND D
    Inventors: Guillaume Bouche, Pascal Ancey, Bernard Viala, Sandrine Couderc
  • Publication number: 20090127627
    Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of improving the driving power and a manufacturing method therefor are provided. In a semiconductor device, a gate structure formed by successively stacking a gate oxide film and a silicon layer is arranged over a semiconductor substrate. An oxide film is arranged long the lateral side of the gate structure and another oxide film is arranged along the lateral side of the oxide film and the upper surface of the substrate. In the side wall oxide film comprising these oxide films, the minimum value of the thickness of the first layer along the lateral side of the gate structure is less than the thickness of the second layer along the upper surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Toshifumi IWASAKI, Yoshihiko Kusakabe
  • Publication number: 20090114995
    Abstract: A complementary semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first semiconductor region formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor region formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate apart from the first semiconductor region, an n-MIS transistor having a first gate insulating film including La and Al, formed on the first semiconductor region, and a first gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, and a p-MIS transistor having a second gate insulating film including La and Al, formed on the second semiconductor region, and a second gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, an atomic density ratio Al/La in the second gate insulating film being larger than an atomic density ratio Al/La in the first gate insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Masamichi Suzuki, Masato Koyama, Yoshinori Tsuchiya, Hirotaka Nishino, Reika Ichihara, Akira Takashima
  • Patent number: 7514755
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure. The integrated circuit structure is formed having a well of a first conductivity type under the gate region being disposed adjacent to active regions of a first conductivity type. The well forming an electrical path between the active regions regardless of any reasonable voltage applied to the integrated circuit structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC
    Inventors: Lap-Wai Chow, William M. Clark, Jr., James P. Baukus, Gavin J. Harbison
  • Patent number: 7514752
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described that reduce the possibility that unintended subway short-circuits will occur between contacts of different potentials along the boundary between tensile and compressive liners (the T-C boundary). This may be done without unduly increasing the size of the semiconductor device, or even increasing the size at all over previous designs. For example, simply by adjusting the layout of the device, the contacts of two different common gates may be offset in opposing directions relative to the T-C boundary. Or, by forming a T-C boundary having a zigzag or other similar pattern, the contacts may be arranged even closer together while still reducing the likelihood of short-circuiting subways forming. Such layout adjustments do not otherwise require any additional steps or cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.
    Inventor: Yusuke Kohyama
  • Publication number: 20090079000
    Abstract: An object is to realize high performance and low power consumption in a semiconductor device having an SOI structure. In addition, another object is to provide a semiconductor device having a high performance semiconductor element which is more highly integrated. A semiconductor device is such that a plurality of n-channel field-effect transistors and p-channel field-effect transistors are stacked with an interlayer insulating layer interposed therebetween over a substrate having an insulating surface. By controlling a distortion caused to a semiconductor layer due to an insulating film having a stress, a plane orientation of the semiconductor layer, and a crystal axis in a channel length direction, difference in mobility between the n-channel field-effect transistor and the p-channel field-effect transistor can be reduced, whereby current driving capabilities and response speeds of the n-channel field-effect transistor and the p-channel field-effect can be comparable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Atsuo ISOBE, Hiromichi GODO, Yutaka OKAZAKI
  • Patent number: 7491596
    Abstract: A CMOS image sensor integrated with 1T-SRAM is provided on a substrate having a pixel array part, a logic circuit part, and a memory part by adding only one photoresist process. There are a plurality of CMOS image sensor devices in the pixel array part, a logic circuit in the logic circuit part, and a plurality of 1T-SRAMs in the memory part, and each part is isolated by a plurality of STI regions. The 1T-SRAM includes a capacitor structure and a transistor. The capacitor structure includes a well region as a bottom capacitor plate, a capacitor dielectric layer, and a top capacitor plate formed on the substrate respectively. The transistor includes a gate dielectric layer, a gate, a drain, and a source continuous with and electrically connected to the well region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: United Microeletronics Corp.
    Inventor: Jinsheng Yang
  • Publication number: 20090039439
    Abstract: A method for making PMOS and NMOS transistors 60, 70 on a semiconductor substrate includes having a gate hardmask over the gate electrode layer during the formation of transistor source/drain regions. The method includes an independent work function adjustment process that implants Group IIIa series dopants into a gate polysilicon layer of a PMOS transistor and implants Lanthanide series dopants into a gate polysilicon layer of NMOS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Manfred Ramin, Michael Pas
  • Publication number: 20090039441
    Abstract: Devices comprising, and method for fabricating, a MOSFET with a metal gate electrode are disclosed. In one embodiment, the MOSFET includes a first doped region configured to receive current from a current source, a second doped region configured to drain current from the first doped region when an electric field is modified between the first doped region and the second doped region, and a gate electrode configured to modify the electric field. The gate electrode may include a high-k layer, a hafnium-based metal layer formed above the high-k layer, and a polysilicon layer formed above the hafnium-based metal layer. In a further embodiment, the gate electrode further comprises a titanium-based metal layer formed between the hafnium-based metal layer and the polysilicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Hongfa Luna, Kisik Choi, Prashant Majhi, Husam Alshareef, Huang-Chun Wen, Rusty Harris, Byoung Hun Lee
  • Publication number: 20090014799
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. A semiconductor device comprises a first single-crystal semiconductor layer including a first channel formation region and a first impurity region over a substrate having an insulating surface, a first gate insulating layer over the first single-crystal semiconductor layer, a gate electrode over the first gate insulating layer, a first interlayer insulating layer over the first gate insulating layer, a second gate insulating layer over the gate electrode and the first interlayer insulating layer, and a second single-crystal semiconductor layer including a second channel formation region and a second impurity region over the second gate insulating layer. The first channel formation region, the gate electrode, and the second channel formation region are overlapped with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuo Isobe
  • Publication number: 20090008721
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes first and second common source semiconductor layers respectively extending in a first direction, first and second logic gate circuits respectively composed of at least one three-dimensional P-type FET and a three-dimensional N-type FET. The sources of the three-dimensional P-type FETs in the first and second logic gate circuits are joined to the first common source semiconductor layer. The sources of the three-dimensional N-type FETs in the first and second logic gate circuits are joined to the second common source semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layers of the three-dimensional P-type and N-type FETs in the first logic gate circuit are joined in their drain side, and The semiconductor layers of the three-dimensional P-type and N-type FETs in the second logic gate circuit are joined in their drain side. The dissipation of the FinFET can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventor: Hiroshi Furuta
  • Publication number: 20090001476
    Abstract: A stress enhanced MOS circuit is provided. The stress enhanced MOS circuit comprises a semiconductor substrate and a gate insulator overlying the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode overlies the gate insulator; the gate electrode has side walls and comprising a layer of polycrystalline silicon having a first thickness in contact with the gate insulator and a layer of electrically conductive stressed material having a second thickness greater than the first thickness overlying the layer of polycrystalline silicon. A stress liner overlies the side walls of the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Gen PEI
  • Publication number: 20080308877
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first gate insulation film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a second gate insulation film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a first gate electrode formed on the first gate insulation film and fully silicided; and a second gate electrode formed on the second gate insulation film and fully silicided, a gate length or a gate width of the second gate electrode being larger than that of the first gate electrode, and a thickness of the second gate electrode being smaller than that of the first gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Kinoshita, Yoshinori Tsuchiya, Junji Koga
  • Patent number: 7465972
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate, which comprises a gate electrode and a gate dielectric underlying the gate electrode, a spacer formed on a sidewall of the gate electrode and the gate dielectric, a buffer layer having a first portion underlying the gate dielectric and the spacer and a second portion adjacent the spacer wherein the top surface of the second portion of the buffer layer is recessed below the top surface of the first portion of the buffer layer, and a source/drain region substantially aligned with the spacer. The buffer layer preferably has a greater lattice constant than an underlying semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device may further include a semiconductor-capping layer between the buffer layer and the gate dielectric, wherein the semiconductor-capping layer has a smaller lattice constant then the buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hao Wang, Shang-Chih Chen, Ching-Wei Tsai, Ta-Wei Wang, Pang-Yen Tsai
  • Patent number: 7449357
    Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating an image sensor using a wafer back grinding process. The method includes: forming a microlens protection layer over a substrate structure including a light sensing device and other associated devices; opening a pad open unit of the substrate structure using a mask; removing the mask; forming a photoresist layer over the substrate structure with the microlens protection layer; gluing a tape on the photoresist layer; performing a wafer back grinding process; and removing the tape and the photoresist layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: MagnaChip Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun-Ji Kim, Kyoung-Kuk Kwon
  • Patent number: 7445978
    Abstract: An example process to remove spacers from the gate of a NMOS transistor. A stress creating layer is formed over the NMOS and PMOS transistors and the substrate. In an embodiment, the spacers on gate are removed so that stress layer is closer to the channel of the device. The stress creating layer is preferably a tensile nitride layer. The stress creating layer is preferably a contact etch stop liner layer. In an embodiment, the gates, source and drain region have an silicide layer thereover before the stress creating layer is formed. The embodiment improves the performance of the NMOS transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Ltd
    Inventors: Young Way Teh, Yong Meng Lee, Chung Woh Lai, Wenhe Lin, Khee Yong Lim, Wee Leng Tan, John Sudijono, Hui Peng Koh, Liang Choo Hsia
  • Publication number: 20080265300
    Abstract: A memory cell capacitor (C3) of a DRAM is formed by use of a MIM capacitor which uses as its electrode a metal wiring line of the same layer (M3) as metal wiring lines within a logic circuit (LOGIC), thereby enabling reduction of process costs. Higher integration is achievable by forming the capacitor using a high dielectric constant material and disposing it above a wiring layer in which bit lines (BL) are formed. In addition, using 2T cells makes it possible to provide a sufficient signal amount even when letting them operate with a low voltage. By commonizing the processes for fabricating capacitors in analog (ANALOG) and memory (MEM), it is possible to realize a semiconductor integrated circuit with the logic, analog and memory mounted together on one chip at low costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Satoru Akiyama, Takao Watanabe, Yuichi Matsui, Masahiko Hiratani
  • Patent number: 7439590
    Abstract: A semiconductor device features connecting gate patterns of all transistors to a N+ or +P junction by the first connected wiring layer to prevent degradation of characteristics of the semiconductor device which results from plasma damages during a process. In order to connect a junction to a gate layer weak to plasma damages, the gate layer is connected to the N+ or P+ junction when a first wiring layer after a transistor is formed. As a result, when the gate layer is charged up by plasma damages, the gate layer is discharged by the junction or provided to receive (?) ions or electrons so that a gate oxide is not affected by plasma damages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Hoon Kim
  • Publication number: 20080246091
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device capable of suppressing variations in transistor characteristics due to the well proximity effect is provided. Standard cell rows are arranged in a vertical direction, each standard cell row including standard cells arranged in a horizontal direction. In the standard cell rows, positions of the N well and the P region in the vertical direction are switched every other row. Adjacent standard cell rows share the P region or the N well. A distance from a PMOS transistor located at an end of a standard cell row to an end of an N well is greater than or equal to a width of an N well shared by standard cell rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Hideaki Kondo, Toshiyuki Moriwaki, Masaki Tamaru, Takashi Andoh
  • Patent number: 7432554
    Abstract: A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) thin film transistor including a common gate, a logic device including the CMOS thin film transistor, and a method of manufacturing the CMOS thin film transistor are provided. In one embodiment, the CMOS thin film transistor includes a base substrate and a semiconductor layer formed on the base substrate. A PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor are formed on a single semiconductor layer to intersect each other, and a common gate is formed on the intersection area. In addition, a Schottky barrier inducing material layer is formed on a source and a drain of the PMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moon-Kyung Kim, Jo-Won Lee, Yoon-Dong Park, Chung-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 7417269
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate and a magnetic impedance device for detecting a magnetic field. The magnetic impedance device is disposed on the substrate. The magnetic sensor apparatus has minimum size and is made with low manufacturing cost. Here, the magnetic impedance device detects a magnetic field in such a manner that impedance of the device is changed in accordance with the magnetic filed when an alternating current is applied to the device and the impedance is measured by an external electric circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Ao, Yasutoshi Suzuki, Hideya Yamadera, Norikazu Ohta, Hirofumi Funahashi
  • Patent number: 7413944
    Abstract: In a CMOS image sensor manufacturing process, heavily doped p type impurity ions (for example, B) are implanted in a dummy moat region when the heavily doped p type impurity ions is implanted in a PMOS transistor region, so that metal ion contamination is removed. Accordingly, a CMOS image sensor capable of reducing a leakage current by gettering metal ion contamination is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Gi Lee
  • Publication number: 20080185658
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) comprises a substrate; a buried oxide (BOX) layer over the substrate; a current channel region over the BOX layer; source/drain regions adjacent to the current channel region; a buried high-stress film in the BOX layer and regions of the substrate, wherein the high-stress film comprises any of a compressive film and a tensile film; an insulating layer covering the buried high-stress film; and a gate electrode over the current channel region, wherein the high-stress film is adapted to create mechanical stress in the current channel region, wherein the high-stress film is adapted to stretch the current channel region in order to create the mechanical stress in the current channel region; wherein the mechanical stress comprises any of compressive stress and tensile stress, and wherein the mechanical stress caused by the high-stress film causes an increased charge carrier mobility in the current channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: MeiKei Ieong, Zhibin Ren, Haizhou Yin
  • Patent number: 7407828
    Abstract: A gate insulation layer with a high dielectric constant for a CMOS image sensor formed by a damascene process. A silicide layer on a gate electrode layer is formed in both a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region, and a silicide layer on a source/drain region is formed only in a peripheral circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-Gi Lee
  • Publication number: 20080179684
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of fabricating strained silicon channel complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistor by using an etching process and a planarization process such as a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, and a structure thereof. The present invention is able to resolve the problem of overlap region between the stressed layers. The present invention is also able to improve the process yield and reduce the fabrication cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Chia-Wen Liang, Wen-Han Hung, Cheng-Tung Huang, Kun-Hsien Lee, Shyh-Fann Ting, Li-Shian Jeng, Tzyy-Ming Cheng
  • Publication number: 20080164532
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconducting device including a gate region positioned on a mesa portion of a substrate; and a nitride liner positioned on the gate region and recessed surfaces of the substrate adjacent to the gate region, the nitride liner providing a stress to a device channel underlying the gate region. The stress produced on the device channel is a longitudinal stress on the order of about 275 MPa to about 450 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Omer H. Dokumaci
  • Publication number: 20080116524
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided which includes a first field effect transistor (“FET”) having a first channel region, a first source region, a first drain region and a first gate conductor overlying the first channel region. A second FET is included which has a second channel region, a second source region, a second drain region and a second gate conductor overlying the second channel region. The first and second gate conductors are portions of a single elongated conductive member extending over both the first and second channel regions. A first stressed film overlies the first FET, the first stressed film applying a stress having a first value to the first channel region. A second stressed film overlies the second FET, the second stressed film applying a stress having a second value to the second channel region. The second value is substantially different from the first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiangdong Chen, Haining Yang
  • Publication number: 20080116523
    Abstract: A CMOS device with transistors having different gate dielectric materials and a method of manufacture thereof. An aluminum-based material is used as a gate dielectric material of a PMOS device, and a hafnium-based material is used as a gate dielectric material of an NMOS device. A thin layer of silicon a few monolayers or a sub-monolayer thick is formed over the gate dielectric materials, before forming the gates. The thin layer of silicon bonds with the gate dielectric material and pins the work function of the transistors. A gate material that may comprise a metal in one embodiment is deposited over the thin layer of silicon. A CMOS device having a symmetric Vt for the PMOS and NMOS FETs is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventor: Hong-Jyh Li