And Additional Electrical Device Patents (Class 438/200)
  • Publication number: 20040209416
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps: providing a plurality of semiconductor layers; providing means for coupling signals to and/or from layers of the device; providing a layer of quantum dots disposed between adjacent layers of the device; and providing an auxiliary layer disposed in one of the adjacent layers, and spaced from the layer of quantum dots, the auxiliary layer being operative to communicate carriers with the layer of quantum dots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicants: The Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois, The Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Nick Holonyak, Russell Dupuis
  • Publication number: 20040209417
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for drying the backside of semiconductor wafers in a spin-coating environment. Solvent is evaporatively dried from a semiconductor wafer held in a spin mechanism. The undried wafer is sprayed with one or more jets of pressurized gas from gas ports disposed about the spin mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventor: David C. Hall
  • Publication number: 20040209414
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an annealing apparatus and method for a semiconductor processing platform. The annealing apparatus includes a plurality of isolated annealing chambers, wherein each of the annealing chambers has a heating plate positioned in a sealed processing volume, a cooling plate positioned in the processing volume, and a substrate transfer mechanism positioned in the processing volume and configured to transfer substrates between the heating plate and the cooling plate. The annealing system further includes a gas supply source selectively in communication with each of the individual annealing chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yeuk-Fai Edwin Mok, Son T. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20040203199
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device (e.g., an SRAM) having memory cells each of a flip-flop circuit constituted by and a pair of load MISFETs, the MISFETs being cross-connected by a pair of local wiring lines, and having transfer MISFETs, wherein gate electrodes of all of the MISFETs are provided in a first level conductive layer, and the pair of local wiring lines are provided respectively in second and third level conductive layers. The local wiring lines can overlap and have a dielectric therebetween so as to form a capacitance element, to increase alpha particle soft error resistance. Moreover, by providing the pair of local wiring lines respectively in different levels, integration of the device can be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Kenichi Kikushima, Fumio Ootsuka, Kazushige Sato
  • Publication number: 20040203198
    Abstract: Provided are an SOI MOSFET device with a nanoscale channel that has a source/drain region including a shallow extension region and a deep junction region formed by solid-phase diffusion and a method of manufacturing the SOI MOSFET device. In the method of manufacturing the MOSFET device, the shallow extension region and the deep junction region that form the source/drain region are formed at the same time using first and second silicon oxide films doped with different impurities. The effective channel length of the device can be scaled down by adjusting the thickness and etching rate of the second silicon oxide film doped with the second impurity. The source/drain region is formed on the substrate before the formation of a gate electrode, thereby easily controlling impurity distribution in the channel. An impurity activation process of the source/drain region can be omitted, thereby preventing a change in a threshold voltage of the device. A solid-phase impurity is diffused.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Wonju Cho, Seong Jae Lee, Jong Heon Yang, Jihun Oh, Kiju Im
  • Publication number: 20040197976
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing sidewall contacts for a chalcogenide memory device is disclosed. A first conductive layer is initially deposited on top of a first oxide layer. The first conductive layer is then patterned and etched using well-known processes. Next, a second oxide layer is deposited on top of the first conductive layer and the first oxide layer. An opening is then etched into at least the first oxide layer such that a portion of the first conductive layer is exposed within the opening. The exposed portion of the first conductive layer is then removed from the opening such that the first conductive layer is flush with an inner surface or sidewall of the opening. After depositing a chalcogenide layer on top of the second oxide layer, filling the opening with chalcogenide, a second conductive layer is deposited on top of the chalcogenide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: John C. Rodgers, Jon D. Maimon
  • Publication number: 20040197975
    Abstract: A narrow channel FinFET is described herein with a narrow channel width. A protective layer may be formed over the narrow channel, the protective layer being wider than the narrow channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Zoran Krivokapic, Judy Xilin An, Srikanteswara Dakshina-Murthy, Haihong Wang, Bin Yu
  • Publication number: 20040197974
    Abstract: A process for hydrogen annealing silicon wafers that have been cut from an ingot and polished on both sides, thereby removing crystal originated pits (COPs) in their surface. The wafers are then stacked in a tower having at least support surfaces made from virgin polysilicon, that is, polysilicon form by chemical vapor deposition, preferably from monosilane. The tower may include four virgin polysilicon legs have support teeth slotted at inclined angles along the legs and fixed at their opposed ends to bases. The wafers so supported on the virgin polysilicon towers are annealed in a hydrogen ambient at 1250° C. for 12 hours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Raanan Y. Zehavi, James E. Boyle, Laurence D. Delaney
  • Publication number: 20040197973
    Abstract: Improved terminations, interconnection techniques, and inductive element features for multilayer electronic components are formed in accordance with disclosed plating techniques. Monolithic components are provided with plated terminations whereby the need for typical thick-film termination stripes is eliminated or greatly simplified. Such plated termination technology eliminates many typical termination problems and enables a higher number of terminations with finer pitch, which may be especially beneficial on smaller electronic components. The subject plated terminations are guided and anchored by exposed varying width internal electrode tabs and additional anchor tab portions. Such anchor tabs may be positioned internally or externally relative to a chip structure to nucleate additional metallized plating material. The combination of electrode tabs and anchor tabs may be exposed in respective arrangements to form generally discoidal portions of plated material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Andrew P. Ritter, John L. Galvagni, Jason MacNeal, Robert Heistand, Sriram Dattaguru
  • Patent number: 6800517
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of forming a conductive interconnect. An electrical node location is defined to be supported by a silicon-containing substrate. A silicide is formed in contact with the electrical node location. The silicide is formed by exposing the substrate to hydrogen, TiCl4 and plasma conditions to cause Ti from the TiCl4 to combine with silicon of the substrate to form TiSix. Conductively doped silicon material is formed over the silicide. The conductively doped silicon material is exposed to one or more temperatures of at least about 800° C. The silicide is also exposed to the temperatures of at least about 800° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Trung Tri Doan, Howard E. Rhodes, Sujit Sharan, Philip J. Ireland, Martin Ceredig Roberts
  • Patent number: 6800908
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an integrated circuit has a voltage generator that selectively increases the voltage potential on the channel region of a transistor relative to the source region of the transistor. The voltage potential may be provided to a diffusion region in the well regions with transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Mark E. Schuelein
  • Publication number: 20040191977
    Abstract: A new method of forming a composite etching stop layer is described. An etching stop layer is deposited on a substrate wherein the etching stop layer is selected from the group consisting of: silicon carbide, silicon nitride, SiCN, SiOC, and SiOCN. A TEOS oxide layer is deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition overlying the etching stop layer. The composite etching stop layer has improved moisture resistance, better etching selectivity, and lower dielectric constant than other etching stop layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Lain-Jong Li, Tien-I Bao, Shwang-Ming Jeng, Syun-Ming Jang, Jun-Lung Huang, Jeng-Cheng Liu
  • Publication number: 20040191976
    Abstract: The rate at which the output of an output buffer changes is determined, and the strength of the output buffer is modified until the rate of change reaches a desired rate. The desired rate may be selected such that strength of the output buffer matches the then existing load. In other words, the strength may be only as much as needed to drive the then existing load. As a result, effects such as switching noise may be considerably reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Anand Hariraj Udupa, Visvesvaraya Pentakota Appala
  • Publication number: 20040191978
    Abstract: Methods of producing an electromechanical circuit element are described. A lower structure having lower support structures and a lower electrically conductive element is provided. A nanotube ribbon (or other electromechanically responsive element) is formed on an upper surface of the lower structure so as to contact the lower support structures. An upper structure is provided over the nanotube ribbon. The upper structure includes upper support structures and an upper electrically conductive element. In some arrangements, the upper and lower electrically conductive elements are in vertical alignment, but in some arrangements they are not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Nantero, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Rueckes, Brent M. Segal, Darren K. Brock
  • Publication number: 20040185595
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The method includes the step of: (a) forming a substrate of a first conductive type defined with a photodiode region and a native second conductive channel transistor region; and (b) forming a first conductive type impurity region by performing an ion-implantation process for forming a second conductive type channel stop region with a first conductive impurity ion, wherein the first conductive type impurity region is extended to the native second conductive type channel transistor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventor: Won-Ho Lee
  • Publication number: 20040185610
    Abstract: A transformer-coupled plasma source using toroidal cores forms a plasma with a high-density of ions along the center axis of the torus. In one embodiment, cores of a plasma generator are stacked in a vertical alignment to enhance the directionality of the plasma and generation efficiency. In another embodiment, cores are arranged in a lateral array into a plasma generating plate that can be scaled to accommodate substrates of various sizes, including very large substrates. The symmetry of the plasma attained allows simultaneous processing of two substrates, one on either side of the plasma generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Canfeng Lai, Michael S. Cox, Peter K. Loewenhardt, Tsutomu Tanaka, Shamouil Shamouilian
  • Publication number: 20040185611
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for parallel production of an MOS transistor in an MOS area of a substrate and a bipolar transistor in a bipolar area of the substrate. The method comprises generating an MOS preparation structure in the MOS area, wherein the MOS preparation structure comprises an area provided for a channel, a gate dielectric, a gate electrode layer and a mask layer on the gate electrode layer. Further, a bipolar preparation structure is generated in the bipolar area, which comprises a conductive layer and a mask layer on the conductive layer. The mask layer is thinned in the area of the gate electrode. For determining a gate electrode and a base terminal area, common structuring of the gate electrode layer and the conductive layer is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Adrian Berthold, Josef Bock, Jurgen Holz, Wolfgang Klein
  • Publication number: 20040180491
    Abstract: A memory function body has a medium interposed between a first conductor (e.g., a conductive substrate) and a second conductor (e.g., an electrode) and consisting of a first material (e.g., silicon oxide or silicon nitride). The medium contains particles. Each particle is covered with a second material (e.g., silver oxide) and formed of a third material (e.g., silver). The second material functions as a barrier against passage of electric charges, and the third material has a function of retaining electric charges. The third material is introduced into the medium by, for example, a negative ion implantation method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Nobutoshi Arai, Hiroshi Iwata, Seizo Kakimoto
  • Publication number: 20040180492
    Abstract: Methods of preparing dual workfunction high-performance support metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFETs)/embedded dynamic random access (EDRAM) arrays are provided. The methods describe herein reduce the number of deep-UV masks used in forming the memory structure, decouple the support and arraying processing steps, provide salicided gates, source/drain regions and bitlines, and provide, in some instances, local interconnects at no additional processing costs. Dual workfunction high-performance support MOSFETs/EDRAM, arrays having a gate conductor guard ring and/or local interconnections are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jack A. Mandelman, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens
  • Publication number: 20040180490
    Abstract: In order to realize a dual gate CMOS semiconductor device with little leakage of boron that makes it possible to divisionally doping a p-type impurity and an n-type impurity into a polycrystalline silicon layer with one mask, a gate electrode has a high melting point metal/metallic nitride barrier/polycrystalline silicon structure. The boron is pre-doped in the polycrystalline silicon layer. The phosphorus or arsenic is doped in an n-channel area. Then, the annealing in a hydrogen atmosphere with vapor added therein is performed. As a result, the boron is segregated on the interface of the metallic nitride film and the phosphorus is segregated on the interface of the gate oxide film, for forming an n+ gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Naoki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20040175877
    Abstract: A method of forming a bottle-shaped trench. A trench is formed in a substrate, wherein the trench has a surface with an upper portion and a lower portion beneath the upper portion. A dielectric layer is formed on the trench surface at the lower portion. Using the dielectric layer as a mask, a nitridation procedure is performed to form a nitride film on the trench surface at the upper portion. The dielectric layer is removed. Using the nitride film as a mask, an isotropic etching procedure is performed to form a space in the trench at the lower portion. Thus, a bottle-shaped trench is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Shian-Jyh Lin, Chen-Chou Huang, Ming-Cheng Chang, Hsien-Hao Liao, Meng-Hung Chen
  • Publication number: 20040175878
    Abstract: An assembly of heating furnace and semiconductor wafer-holding jig. This assembly includes a furnace body made of refractory or heat insulting material; a heater disposed around the inner side surface of the furnace body; a reaction chamber which forms a uniform heating zone; and a wafer-holding jig. The wafer-holding jig is capable of holding the wafer and advancing and retracting the wafer in the uniform heating region along the longitudinal direction of the furnace body. The front surface of the semiconductor wafer to be heat-treated is substantially in parallel with the surface of the heater. The assembly of the invention can be used in rapid thermal processing and the footprint of the heating furnace can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventor: Mikio Takagi
  • Publication number: 20040175879
    Abstract: An improved bump fabrication process is described that produces a larger diameter/taller solder ball than with a standard mushroom by forming an elongated mushroom having a short axis in the direction of adjacent connection mushrooms and an elongated axis orthogonal to the short axis. The increased larger volume solder when reflowed produces the larger diameter/taller bolder ball bump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Gonzalo Amador, Diane Louise Arbuthnot
  • Publication number: 20040175876
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. First, a well region is formed in a substrate and then a mask layer is formed over the substrate. The mask layer and the substrate are patterned to form a first opening in the substrate. Thereafter, a threshold voltage adjustment process is performed. A gate dielectric layer, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer are sequentially formed inside the first opening. The second conductive layer completely fills the first opening. A portion of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are removed so that the upper surface of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer is slightly below the upper surface of the substrate and hence forms a second opening. A cap layer is formed in second opening and then the mask layer is removed. A source/drain region is formed in the substrate on each side of the first conductive layer. An inter-layer dielectric layer is formed over the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Fang-Yu Yeh, Chi Lin, Chuang-Hsiang Chen
  • Publication number: 20040171203
    Abstract: Structures and methods of fabricating portions of integrated circuit devices to reduce agglomeration tendencies of high surface-energy metals used in interconnects and contacts. Early transition metals having relatively low surface energies are chosen to form stable crystalline compounds rich in the high surface-energy metal. Agglomeration control layers containing such alloy compounds facilitate adhesion between the high surface-energy metal and an underlying layer of the integrated circuit device, such as a diffusion barrier layer. These agglomeration control layers may be nitrided to improve robustness at higher temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yonjun Jeff Hu
  • Publication number: 20040171204
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface and a first conductivity type and at least one epitaxial layer on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The epitaxial layer is formed of a material with a dissociation temperature below that of the semiconductor substrate. A zone of increased carrier concentration is in the semiconductor substrate and extends from the second surface of the semiconductor material toward the first surface. A layer of metal is deposited on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and forms an ohmic contact at the interface of the metal and the zone of increased carrier concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: David B. Slater, Alexander Suvorov
  • Publication number: 20040164359
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor storage device having: a first conductivity type region formed in a semiconductor layer; a second conductivity type region formed in the semiconductor layer in contact with the first conductivity type region; a memory functional element disposed on the semiconductor layer across the boundary of the first and second conductivity type regions; and an electrode provided in contact with the memory functional element and on the first conductivity type region via an insulation film, and a portable electronic apparatus comprising the semiconductor storage device. The present invention can fully cope with scale-down and high-integration by constituting a selectable memory cell substantially of one device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwata, Akihide Shibata
  • Publication number: 20040166622
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of forming a conductive interconnect. An electrical node location is defined to be supported by a silicon-containing substrate. A silicide is formed in contact with the electrical node location. The silicide is formed by exposing the substrate to hydrogen, TiCl4 and plasma conditions to cause Ti from the TiCl4 to combine with silicon of the substrate to form TiSix. Conductively doped silicon material is formed over the silicide. The conductively doped silicon material is exposed to one or more temperatures of at least about 800° C. The silicide is also exposed to the temperatures of at least about 800° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Trung Tri Doan, Howard E. Rhodes, Sujit Sharan, Philip J. Ireland, Martin Cereding Roberts
  • Publication number: 20040166621
    Abstract: Structures and methods involving non volatile depletion mode p-channel memory cells with an ultrathin tunnel oxide thicknesses, e.g. less than 50 Angstrom (Å), have been provided. Write and erase operations are performed by tunneling. The floating gate of the depletion mode p-channel memory cell is adapted to hold a fixed charge over a limited range of floating gate potentials or electron energies. There is a range potentials applied to the floating gate for which there are no final nor initial states in the silicon substrate or p+ source region. In this range of potentials there can be no charge leakage from the floating gate by tunneling or thermally assisted tunneling. The charge state of the floating gate will modulate the conductivity of the underlying transistor channel, with different stable and non-volatile charge states resulting in different conductivity states. Other aspects are also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 6780717
    Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method of a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a plurality of first MISFETs in a first region and a plurality of second MISFETs in a second region, which comprises forming a first insulating film between two adjacent regions of the first MISFET forming regions in the first region and the second MISFET forming regions in the second region; forming a second insulating film over the surface of the semiconductor substrate between the first insulating films in each of the first and second regions; depositing a third insulating film over the second insulating film; forming a first conductive film over the third insulating film in the second region; forming, after removal of the third and second insulating films from the first region, a fourth insulating film over the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the first region; and forming a second conductive film over the fourth insulating film; wherein the third insulating film remains over the first insulating film in the se
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Hitachi Device Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Yasuoka, Masami Kouketsu, Susumu Ishida, Kazunari Saitou
  • Patent number: 6780699
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which the insulation characteristics of an insulating film of multilayer structure including a lower-layer insulating film and a high-dielectric-constant film formed on the lower-layer insulating film are ensured, and a method for fabricating such a semiconductor device. A silicon oxide film or a silicon oxynitride film is formed on a semiconductor substrate as a lower-layer insulating film and part of the lower-layer insulating film is removed. Then a high-dielectric-constant film the dielectric constant of which is higher than that of the lower-layer insulating film is formed on the exposed semiconductor substrate and the lower-layer insulating film. If the lower-layer insulating film is a silicon oxide film, then a metallic compound not including chlorine is used for forming this high-dielectric-constant film. If the lower-layer insulating film is a silicon oxynitride film, then a metallic chloride can be used for forming this high-dielectric-constant film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Tamura, Yusuke Morisaki, Yoshihiro Sugita, Kiyoshi Irino, Takayuki Aoyama, Chikako Yoshida, Yoshihiro Sugiyama, Hitoshi Tanaka, Kanetake Takasaki
  • Publication number: 20040161887
    Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device of the present invention includes a memory cell array in which memory cells are arranged in a matrix having first signal electrodes, second signal electrodes arranged in a direction intersecting the first signal electrodes, and a ferroelectric layer disposed at least in intersection regions between the first signal electrodes and the second signal electrodes, and a peripheral circuit section for selectively writing information into or reading information from the memory cell. The memory cell array and the peripheral circuit section are formed in different layers. The peripheral circuit section is formed in a region outside the memory cell array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Hasegawa, Eiji Natori, Takao Nishikawa, Koichi Oguchi, Tatsuya Shimoda
  • Publication number: 20040159895
    Abstract: The method comprises forming a layer comprised of BPSG above a substrate and a plurality of transistors, forming a dielectric layer above the BPSG layer, the dielectric layer comprised of a material having a dielectric constant greater than approximately 6.0, forming a plurality of openings in the dielectric layer and the BPSG layer, each of the openings allowing contact to a doped region of one of the transistors, and forming a conductive local interconnect in each of the openings. In another embodiment, the method comprises forming a layer comprised of BPSG above the substrate and between the transistors, forming a local interconnect in openings formed in the BPSG layer, reducing a thickness of the BPSG layer after the local interconnects are formed, and forming a dielectric layer above the BPSG layer and between the local interconnects, wherein the dielectric layer has a dielectric constant greater than approximately 6.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd R. Abbott, Mike Violette, Zhongze Wang, Jigish D. Trevidi
  • Publication number: 20040159894
    Abstract: An integrated circuit with a D.C./D.C. voltage regulator and its manufacturing process, including at least one power stage provided with at least two transistors and with at least one capacitor connecting a control electrode of the transistor to a reference voltage, a same control stage of the regulator providing a control signal of said transistors, the power stage being formed under a rail that provides supply signals of the integrated circuit, the rail providing at least two limiting supply voltages coming from the outside of the integrated circuit and at least one voltage regulated by the voltage regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Fabrice Blisson, Gilles Debeurme
  • Patent number: 6777744
    Abstract: A method and structure for an improved, vertically configured inverter array is provided. The inverter includes a buried gate contact coupling the body regions of a complementary pair of transistors. An electrical contact couples the second source/drain regions of the complementary pair of transistors. The transistors are formed in vertical pillars of single crystalline semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell P. Noble
  • Patent number: 6777336
    Abstract: A method for reducing preferential chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a silicon oxide filled shallow trench isolation (STI) feature during an STI formation process including providing a semiconductor wafer having a process surface including active areas for forming semiconductor devices thereon; forming a silicon oxynitride layer over the process surface for photolithographically patterning STI trenches around the active areas; photolithographically patterning STI trenches around the active areas for anisotropic etching; anisotropically etching the STI trenches extending through the silicon oxynitride layer into the semiconductor wafer; depositing a silicon oxide layer over the silicon oxynitride layer to include filling the STI trenches; and, performing a CMP process to remove the silicon oxide layer overlying the silicon oxynitride layer to reveal an upper surface of the silicon oxynitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keng-Chu Lin, Chih-Ta Wu
  • Publication number: 20040157379
    Abstract: An anti-fuse device includes a substrate and laterally spaced source and drain regions formed in the substrate. A channel is formed between the source and drain regions. A gate and gate oxide are formed on the channel and lightly doped source and drain extension regions are formed in the channel. The lightly doped source and drain regions extend across the channel from the source and the drain regions, respectively, occupying a substantial portion of the channel. Programming of the anti-fuse is performed by application of power to the gate and at least one of the source region and the drain region to break-down the gate oxide, which minimizes resistance between the gate and the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Ito, Douglas D. Smith, Myron J. Buer
  • Publication number: 20040152250
    Abstract: A method and system for identifying a defect or contamination on a surface of a material. The method and system involves providing a material, such as a semiconductor wafer, using a non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor to scan the wafer, generate contact potential difference data and processing that data to identify a pattern characteristic of the defect or contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: QCEPT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: M. Brandon Steele, Jeffrey Alan Hawthorne
  • Patent number: 6770520
    Abstract: A floating gate and fabrication method thereof. A semiconductor substrate is provided, on which a gate dielectric layer, a conducting layer, and a patterned hard mask layer are sequentially formed. The surface of the conducting layer is covered by the patterned hard mask layer to form a gate. The conducting layer is etched to a predetermined depth to form an indentation using the patterned hard mask layer as a mask. The conducting layer is oxidized to form an oxide layer on the surface of the conducting layer. The oxide layer and the conducting layer are etched to form multiple tips using the patterned hard mask layer as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Ying-Cheng Chuang, Chung-Lin Huang, Chi-Hui Lin
  • Publication number: 20040147072
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a storage layer over a semiconductor body. The storage layer includes a first boundary layer, an intermediate storage layer and a second boundary layer. The storage layer is patterned so that at least some of the storage layer is removed from over a first portion of the semiconductor body and some of the storage layer is removed from over a second portion of the semiconductor body. The first portion of the semiconductor body is doped and the second portion of the semiconductor body is etched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Christoph Kleint, Christoph Ludwig, Joachim Deppe, Jens-Uwe Sachse
  • Patent number: 6767772
    Abstract: The invention provides an active matrix substrate which allows the film quality of a MIS transistor to be evaluated easily and accurately, an electrooptical device using such an active matrix substrate, and a method of producing such an active matrix substrate. On an active matrix substrate, a film quality evaluation region with a size of 1 mm square is formed at a location where neither an image display area, a scanning line driving circuit, a data line driving circuit, nor a signal line is formed. A semiconductor film (silicon film) for film quality evaluation is formed in the film quality evaluation region using the same layer as a heavily doped source/drain region of a TFT and doped with the same impurity at the same concentration as the source/drain region. The semiconductor film for film quality evaluation is exposed through an opening formed through interlayer insulating films, so that it is possible to immediately start evaluation of the film equality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Takenaka
  • Patent number: 6767784
    Abstract: An SRAM memory cell is provided having a pair of cross-coupled CMOS inverters. The sources of the pull-up transistors forming each of the CMOS inverters are coupled to VCC through parasitic resistance of the substrate in which each is formed. The source of the p-type pull-up transistor is therefore always at a potential less than or equal to the potential of the N-well such that the emitter-base junction of the parasitic PNP transistor cannot become forward biased and latch-up cannot occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Porter, William N. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20040140508
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a first insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; removing part of the first insulating film; forming a second insulating film having a leakage current density higher than that of the first insulating film on a region where the part of the first insulating film has been removed on the semiconductor substrate; forming an undoped semiconductor film on the first and second insulating films; implanting an impurity into part of the undoped semiconductor film, thereby defining semiconductor regions of a first conductivity type dotted as discrete islands; forming a third insulating film on the semiconductor regions of the first conductivity type and the undoped semiconductor film; and removing part of the third insulating film by wet etching. At least the second insulating film is formed under the semiconductor regions of the first conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohisa Sengoku, Michikazu Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20040142526
    Abstract: Integrated circuit devices and fuse boxes have a fuse line at a fuse portion of the integrated circuit device and a first insulating layer on the fuse line. A first guard ring pattern is provided that encloses the fuse line on the first insulating layer and a second insulating layer is provided on the first guard ring pattern and the first insulating layer. A second guard ring pattern that encloses the fuse line is provided on the second insulating layer and a passivation layer is provided on the second insulating layer and the second guard ring pattern. The passivation layer defines at least a portion of a fuse opening having a sidewall in the first and second insulating layers and extends on the sidewall of the fuse opening to at least the first insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventor: Myoung-Kwang Bae
  • Patent number: 6764891
    Abstract: A differential varactor is physically defined in a CMOS process using a using the diffusion mask of a polycide gate rather than a P (+) mask, as is commonly used. The differential CMOS varactor may be used in a a phase locked loop (PLL) of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to enable a transceiver to communicate at OC-3/STM-1 data rates using SONET/SDH signaling formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Michael W. Altmann
  • Publication number: 20040135213
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a die having a device layer. An insulating layer is disposed over the device layer. A die street defines the outermost bounds of the die. A voltage divider network including a plurality of resistive elements derives a plurality of predetermined bias voltages. A field plate termination includes a plurality of field plates disposed on the oxide layer and are laterally spaced apart relative to each other and relative to the die street. Each of the plurality of field plates is electrically connected to a corresponding bias voltage. The bias voltage applied to a given field plate is determined by and increases with the proximity of that field plate relative to the die street.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Dwayne S. Reichl, Bernard J. Czeck, Douglas J. Lange
  • Publication number: 20040137676
    Abstract: A simultaneous bi-directional signal transmission system includes a first semiconductor device, a second semiconductor device, and one or more transmission lines. The first semiconductor device includes a first output MUX which receives first binary data and converts the first binary data into a first signal having one of at least four levels; a first transmitter which is connected to the first output MUX and outputs the first signal via the transmission line to the second semiconductor device; a first receiver which compares one or more reference voltages selected by the first signal with a third signal input via the transmission line and outputs the comparison result; and a first input encoder which detects the second binary data based on the comparison result output from the first receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-hyun Kim, Jung-hwan Choi
  • Publication number: 20040132243
    Abstract: A method of forming a cavity between metallic wirings using a polymer capable of revealing a specific heat resistant temperature and a specific heat decomposition temperature by having a specific repeating unit structure and a specific molecular weight range and of readily forming a cavity structure between metallic wirings in, for example, semiconductors. The method comprises a step of coating the surface of a first dielectric film formed on a semiconductor substrate with a cyclic olefin based addition polymer, a step of patterning the cyclic olefin based addition polymer as a void-forming polymer, a step of forming a metallic wiring in the pattern formed on the void-forming polymer, a step of forming a second dielectric film on the void-forming polymer containing a metallic wiring, and a step of removing the void-forming polymer between the multilayered wirings by heating to form a cavity between the metallic wirings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Kurosawa, Kaori Shirato, Youichirou Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20040129990
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor including a low voltage buried photodiode and a transfer transistor, includes the steps of: forming a field oxide for defining active area and field area on certain area of an epitaxial layer formed on a substrate, and forming a gate of transfer transistor on the epitaxial layer of the active area; forming the low voltage buried photodiode doping region in alignment with one side of the gate of transfer transistor and field oxide; forming a spacer insulation layer by stacking layers of oxide and nitride over the whole structure; forming a spacer block mask to open areas excluding doping region for the low voltage buried photodiode; and removing the spacer block mask, and forming a floating diffusion region on other side of the transfer transistor. Alternatively, the sacrificial nitride may be allowed to remain on the surface of the photodiode to improve optical properties for short wavelength lights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventor: Ju-Il Lee
  • Publication number: 20040132242
    Abstract: According to the invention, parallel atomic lines (4) are formed on the surface of a substrate (2) in silicon carbide, and a material is deposited on this surface, able to be adsorbed selective fashion between the atomic lines and not on these atomic lines, the depositing of this material thereby generating strips (6,8) of this material between the atomic lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Marie D'Angelo, Victor Aristov, Vincent Derycke, Fabrice Semond, Patrick Soukiassian