Abstract: Ultrasound imaging and therapy with the same array of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers is provided. The electronics includes a per-pixel switch for each transducer element. The switches provide an imaging mode driven completely by on-chip electronics and a therapy mode where off-chip pulsers provide relatively high voltages to the transducer elements.

Abstract: A fin structure disposed over a substrate and a method of forming a fin structure are disclosed. The fin structure includes a mesa, a channel disposed over the mesa, and a convex-shaped feature disposed between the channel and the mesa. The mesa has a first semiconductor material, and the channel has a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material. The convex-shaped feature is stepped-shaped, stair-shaped, or ladder-shaped. The convex-shaped feature includes a first isolation feature disposed between the channel and the mesa, and a second isolation feature disposed between the channel and the first isolation feature. The first isolation feature is U-shaped, and the second isolation feature is rectangular-shaped. A portion of the second isolation feature is surrounded by the channel and another portion of the second isolation feature is surrounded by the first isolation feature.

Abstract: An over-voltage protection circuit suitable for use at a front-end of an on-chip analog module such as an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes an input potential divider that can be disconnected from the module when the module is idle (or working on any other input such as the ADC sampling another channel causing the current channel to be idle) while still providing protection for front-end devices. A first NMOS transistor pair connects or disconnects the potential divider to or from ground in response to a control signal, and a second transistor pair including a NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor ensures that the output does not rise above the supply voltage.

Abstract: A region for substrate potential is formed of an n-type well at a position in the direction of a channel length relative to the gate electrode and the position is between drain regions in the direction of a channel width. An n-type of a contact region with a higher concentration of n-type impurity than that of the region is provided in the region. The contact region is arranged away from the drain regions with a distance to obtain a desired breakdown voltage of PN-junction between the region and the drain region.

Abstract: A FinFET structure which includes a bulk semiconductor substrate; semiconductor fins extending from the bulk semiconductor substrate, each of the semiconductor fins having a top portion and a bottom portion such that the bottom portion of the semiconductor fins is doped and the top portion of the semiconductor fins is undoped; a portion of the bulk semiconductor substrate directly underneath the plurality of semiconductor fins being doped to form an n+ or p+ well; and an oxide formed between the bottom portions of the fins. Also disclosed is a method for forming a FinFET device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a field effect transistor with a vertical channel and a fabrication method thereof. A channel region of the field effect transistor is a circular ring-shaped Si platform, which is formed over a substrate and perpendicular to the substrate; a source, which is made of polysilicon, is located at an upper end of the Si platform; a drain is disposed at an outside of a lower end of the circular ring-shaped Si platform; a gate is placed on an outer side surface of the circular ring-shaped Si platform; and an inside of the circular ring-shaped Si platform is filled with a dielectric material. In comparison with the conventional vertical structure MOSFET with a Si platform, the circular ring-shaped structure field effect transistor according to the invention can effectively suppress the short channel effect and improve the device performance.

Abstract: A distance “a” from a first gate electrode of a first transistor of a high-frequency circuit to a first contact is greater than a distance “b” from a second electrode of a second transistor of a digital circuit to a second contact. The first contact is connected to a drain or source of the first transistor, and the second contact is connected to a drain or source of the second transistor.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a power amplifier is provided with at least one first growth ring gate structure and multiple second growth ring gate structures. The first growth ring gate structure is bounded by a semiconductor layer and performs a power amplification operation. The multiple second growth ring gate structures are bounded by the semiconductor layer and are arranged adjacently around the first growth ring gate structure in a surrounding manner. When the first growth ring gate structure performs a power amplification operation, the multiple second growth ring gate structures are depleted by applying a reverse bias to the multiple second growth ring gate structures whereby the depleted multiple second growth ring gate structures isolate the first growth ring gate structure from a surrounding portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for trimming a high-resolution digital-to-analog converter (DAC) utilizes floating-gate synapse transistors to trim the current sources in the DAC by providing a trimmable current source. Fowler-Nordheim electron tunneling and hot electron injection are the mechanisms used to vary the amount of charge on the floating gate. Since floating gate devices store charge essentially indefinitely, no continuous trimming mechanism is required, although one could be implemented if desired. By trimming the current sources with high accuracy, a DAC can be built with a much higher resolution and with smaller size than that provided by intrinsic device matching.

Abstract: A high-voltage transistor and a peripheral circuit including a second conductivity type MOSFET are provided together on a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate. The high-voltage transistor includes: a low concentration drain region of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate; a low concentration source region of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the low concentration drain region; and a high concentration source region of a second conductivity type having a diffusion depth deeper than that of the low concentration source region. A diffusion depth of the low concentration source region is equal to that of source/drain regions of the MOSFET.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided with a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate (10); a voltage supplying terminal (26) arranged on the semiconductors substrate (10); one or more elements (6) which include a second conductivity type well section (22) and are arranged on the semiconductor substrate (10); a second conductivity type first conductive layer (21), which is a lower layer of the one or more elements (6), is in contact with the second conductivity type well section (22), and connects the second conductivity type well section (22) of the one or more elements (6) with the voltage supplying terminal (26); and a first conductivity type second conductive layer (11) formed in contact with a lower side of the first conductive layer (21).

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a substrate having a well region, at least one well pickup region formed on the substrate to surround the well pickup region, a first drain region formed on the substrate to be positioned on one side of the source region, and a first gate electrode formed on the substrate to be positioned between the source region and the first drain region.

Abstract: A method and structure for providing a high energy implant in only the red pixel location of a CMOS image sensor. The implant increases the photon collection depth for the red pixels, which in turn increases the quantum efficiency for the red pixels. In one embodiment, a CMOS image sensor is formed on an p-type substrate and the high energy implant is a p-type implant that creates a p-type ground contact under the red pixel, thus reducing dark non-uniformity effects. In another embodiment, a CMOS image sensor is formed on an n-type substrate and a high energy p-type implant creates a p-type region under only the red pixel to increase photon collection depth, which in turn increases the quantum efficiency for the red pixels.

Abstract: The source area (3) is highly doped, like the channel area, for the same conductance type. The drain area (4) is doped for the opposite conductance type. This results in a saving of area since the source connection (S) can at the same time be used as the well connection or substrate connection.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a triple well structure, which includes a substrate of a first conductive type, a deep buried well of a second conductive type, a well of a first conductive type, a well ring of a second conductive type, and a well ring of a first conductive type. The deep buried well of the second conductive type is in the substrate. The well of the first conductive type is disposed over the deep buried well of the second conductive type in the substrate. The well ring of the second conductive type surrounds the well of the first conductive type. The well ring of the first conductive type is between the well of the first conductive type and the well ring of the second conductive type.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a triple well structure, which includes a substrate of a first conductive type, a deep buried well of a second conductive type, a well of a first conductive type, a well ring of a second conductive type, and a well ring of a first conductive type. The deep buried well of the second conductive type is in the substrate. The well of the first conductive type is disposed over the deep buried well of the second conductive type in the substrate. The well ring of the second conductive type surrounds the well of the first conductive type. The well ring of the first conductive type is between the well of the first conductive type and the well ring of the second conductive type.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor device fabrication method comprising: forming a gate insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; forming a film containing a predetermined semiconductor material and germanium on the gate insulating film; oxidizing the film to form a first film having a germanium concentration higher than that of the film and a film thickness smaller than that of the film on the gate insulating film, and form an oxide film on the first film; removing the oxide film; forming, on the first film, a second film containing the semiconductor material and having a germanium concentration lower than that of the first film; forming a gate electrode by etching the second and first films; and forming a source region and drain region by ion-implanting a predetermined impurity by using the gate electrode as a mask.