Thinning Of Semiconductor Substrate Patents (Class 438/459)
  • Patent number: 8592286
    Abstract: An ultra-thin wafer system providing thinning a wafer on a protective tape to an ultra-thin thickness and forming electrical interconnects on the thinned wafer on a support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Stats Chippac Ltd.
    Inventors: Heap Hoe Kuan, Byung Tai Do
  • Publication number: 20130306977
    Abstract: A compound semiconductor substrate includes a first substrate and a second substrate made of single crystal silicon carbide. In each of the first substrate and the second substrate, one surface is a (000-1) C-face and an opposite surface is a (0001) Si-face. The first substrate and the second substrate are bonded to each other in a state where the (0001) Si-face of the first substrate and the (0001) Si-face of the second substrate face each other, and the (000-1) C-face of the first substrate and the (000-1) C-face of the second substrate are exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki FUJIBAYASHI, Masami NAITO, Nobuyuki OOYA
  • Patent number: 8586451
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may have a thickness, such that the semiconductor devices are not flexible, and may be bonded and electrically coupled on a flexible substrate. After this bonding, the semiconductor device may be thinned so as to be rendered flexible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Vincenzo Vinciguerra, LuigiGiuseppe Occhipinti
  • Patent number: 8586450
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first wafer having at least one first integrated-circuit chip and a first support layer surrounding the first integrated circuit chip. A first electrical-connection layer is placed on a frontside of the first wafer and includes a first electrical-connection network. A second wafer is placed on a frontside of the first electrical-connection layer. The second wafer includes at least one second integrated-circuit chip and a second support layer surrounding the second integrate circuit chip. The second integrated circuit chip has an active side facing the first electrical-connection layer, and one or more through-holes filled with a conductor forming electrical-connection vias. A second electrical-connection layer is placed on the backside of the second wafer and includes a second electrical-connection network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventor: Eric Saugier
  • Publication number: 20130299950
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of fabrication are provided. One semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a semiconductor device layer supported by the substrate, and one or more buried through substrate vias (TSVs) disposed at least partially within the substrate. The buried through substrate via(s) is buried within the semiconductor substrate, and terminates below the semiconductor device layer of the semiconductor structure, and the semiconductor device layer extends over the buried through substrate via(s), thereby providing the buried through substrate via(s) without consuming space within the semiconductor device layer. A dielectric layer may be disposed between the substrate and the semiconductor device layer, with the TSV(s) terminating at a first end within the dielectric layer. Alternatively, the semiconductor device layer may be an epitaxially-grown layer extending over the TSV(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: SEMATECH, INC.
    Inventor: Klaus HUMMLER
  • Patent number: 8580593
    Abstract: Epitaxial formation structures and associated methods of manufacturing solid state lighting (“SSL”) devices with target thermal expansion characteristics are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an SSL device includes a composite structure having a composite CTE temperature dependency, a formation structure on the composite structure, and an SSL structure on the formation structure. The SSL structure has an SSL temperature dependency, and a difference between the composite CTE and SSL temperature dependencies is below 3 ppm/° C. over the temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Pinnington
  • Patent number: 8580655
    Abstract: A processing method for a bump-included device wafer which includes an adhesive providing step of providing an adhesive in an annular groove of a carrier wafer so that the adhesive projects from the upper surface of an annular projection of the carrier wafer; a wafer attaching step of attaching and fixing the front side of the device wafer through the adhesive to the front side of the carrier wafer so as to accommodate bumps in a recess of the carrier wafer after performing the adhesive providing step; and a thickness reducing step of grinding or polishing the back side of the device wafer to reduce the thickness of the device wafer to a predetermined thickness after performing the wafer attaching step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Devin Martin, Mark Brown
  • Patent number: 8575688
    Abstract: A vertical-current-flow device includes a trench which includes an insulated gate and which extends down into first-conductivity-type semiconductor material. A phosphosilicate glass layer is positioned above the insulated gate and a polysilicon layer is positioned above the polysilicate glass layer. Source and body diffusions of opposite conductivity types are positioned adjacent to a sidewall of the trench. A drift region is positioned to receive majority carriers which have been injected by the source, and which have passed through the body diffusion. A drain region is positioned to receive majority carriers which have passed through the drift region. The gate is capacitively coupled to control inversion of a portion of the body region. As an alternative, a dielectric layer may be used in place of the doped glass where permanent charge is positioned in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: MaxPower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, Jun Zeng
  • Patent number: 8575722
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor wafer having a multilayer film, in production of a semiconductor device by the steps of forming a porous layer on a surface of a semiconductor wafer by changing a surface portion into the porous layer, forming a semiconductor film on a surface of the porous layer to produce a semiconductor wafer having a multilayer film, fabricating a device on the semiconductor film, and producing the semiconductor device by delaminating the semiconductor film along the porous layer, the semiconductor film having the device formed thereon, including flattening the semiconductor wafer after delaminating and reusing the flattened semiconductor wafer, the method further including a thickness adjusting step of adjusting a whole thickness of the semiconductor wafer having a multilayer film to be produced by reusing the semiconductor wafer so as to satisfy a predetermined standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Mitani, Tsuyoshi Ohtsuki, Toru Takahashi, Wei Feig Qu
  • Publication number: 20130288453
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a laminated wafer is provided by forming a silicon film layer on a surface of an insulating substrate comprising the steps in the following order of: applying a surface activation treatment to both a surface of a silicon wafer or a silicon wafer to which an oxide film is layered and a surface of the insulating substrate followed by laminating in an atmosphere of temperature exceeding 50° C. and lower than 300° C., applying a heat treatment to a laminated wafer at a temperature of 200° C. to 350° C., and thinning the silicon wafer by a combination of grinding, etching and polishing to form a silicon film layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Shoji Akiyama, Yoshihiro Kubota, Atsuo Ito, Makoto Kawai, Kouichi Tanaka, Yuji Tobisaka, Yoshihiro Nojima
  • Patent number: 8569148
    Abstract: The present invention provides a final polishing method for a silicon single crystal wafer that performs final polishing with a polishing rate being set to 10 nm/min or below at a final polishing step as a final step among a plurality of polishing steps for polishing the silicon single crystal wafer with a polishing slurry being interposed between the silicon single crystal wafer and a polishing pad, and a silicon single crystal wafer subjected to final polishing by this method. Hereby, there can be provided the final polishing method that can obtain a silicon single crystal wafer with less PIDs (Polishing Induced Defects) and the silicon single crystal wafer subjected to final polishing by this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Iizuka, Hirotaka Kurimoto, Koichi Kosaka, Fumiaki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 8569147
    Abstract: A plurality of light-shielding films etc. are formed on a surface of a first insulating film. Then, a dummy pattern is formed on a surface of a second insulating film between adjoining ones of the light-shielding films etc., so that a height of the dummy pattern is equal to that of the second insulating film on the light-shielding films etc., as measured from the surface of the first insulating film. Thereafter, a third insulating film covering the dummy pattern and having a flat surface is formed over the surface of the second insulating film. Subsequently, a base layer is bonded to a support substrate so that the flat surface of the third insulating film faces the support substrate. A semiconductor device is manufactured in this manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenshi Tada
  • Patent number: 8567041
    Abstract: A heated resonator includes a base substrate, a piezoelectric piece having a thickness and a top side and a bottom side, a first electrode on the top side, a second electrode opposite the first electrode on the bottom side, an anchor connected between the piezoelectric piece and the base substrate, and a heater on the piezoelectric material. A thermal resistor region in the piezoelectric piece is between the heater and the anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher S. Roper
  • Publication number: 20130277675
    Abstract: In order to obtain a SOI wafer having an excellent ability of gettering metal impurities, an efficient method of manufacturing a SOI wafer, and a highly reliable MEMS device using such a SOI wafer, provided is a SOI wafer including: a support wafer (1) and an active layer wafer (6) which are bonded together with an oxide film (3) therebetween, each of the support wafer (1) and the active layer wafer (6) being a silicon wafer; a cavity (1b) formed in a bonding surface of at least one of the silicon wafers; and a gettering material (2) formed on a surface on a side opposite to the bonding surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Eiji YOSHIKAWA, Jyunichi ICHIKAWA, Yukihisa YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20130280886
    Abstract: A wafer processing laminate is provided comprising a support (3), a temporary adhesive layer (2), and a wafer (1). The temporary adhesive layer (2) has a trilayer structure consisting of a first temporary bond layer (A) of thermoplastic siloxane bond-free polymer, a second temporary bond layer (B) of thermoplastic siloxane polymer, and a third temporary bond layer (C) of thermosetting modified siloxane polymer. In a peripheral region, the second layer (B) is removed so that the first layer (A) is in close contact with the third layer (C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideto Kato, Michihiro Sugo, Shohei Tagami, Hiroyuki Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8564087
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate 2 is dry etched before an insulating layer 4 is exposed, whereby a hole H1 penetrating through the semiconductor substrate 2 and reaching the insulating layer 4 is formed at a position corresponding to a photosensitive region S1. Next, an irregular asperity 22 is formed in a surface 7 of an n+ type embedded layer 6 exposed in the hole H1. The surface of the n+ type embedded layer 6 exposed in the hole H1 through the insulating layer 4 is irradiated with a picosecond to femtosecond pulsed laser beam, whereby the insulating layer 4 is removed and the surface 7 of the n+ type embedded layer 6 exposed in the hole H1 is roughened by the picosecond to femtosecond pulsed laser beam, to form the irregular asperity 22 in the entire area of the surface 7. Then the substrate with the irregular asperity 22 therein is subjected to a thermal treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Yamamura, Akira Sakamoto, Terumasa Nagano
  • Patent number: 8563404
    Abstract: A process to divide a wafer into individual chips is disclosed. The process (1) etches semiconductor layers for an active device to form two grooves putting the virtual cut line therebetween, where the semiconductor wafer is to be divided along the virtual cut line; (2) etches the substrate in a region including the virtual cut line but offset from the groove from the back surface thereof so as to expose the semiconductor layers in the primary surface; and (3) etches the semiconductor layer exposed in step (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kosaka
  • Patent number: 8564078
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micromechanical component is proposed. In this context, at least one trench structure having a depth less than the substrate thickness is to be produced in a substrate. In addition, an insulating layer and a filler layer are produced or applied on a first side of the substrate. The filler layer comprises a filler material that substantially fills up the trench structure. A planar first side of the substrate is produced by way of a subsequent planarization within a plane of the filler layer or of the insulating layer or of the substrate. A further planarization of the second side of the substrate is then accomplished. A micromechanical component that is manufactured in accordance with the method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Scheuerer, Heribert Weber, Eckhard Graf
  • Patent number: 8563403
    Abstract: A method includes forming a first integrated circuit (IC) device having a first substrate, an alignment via defined in the first substrate, a first wiring layer over the alignment via, and a first bonding layer over the first wiring layer; forming a second IC device having a second substrate, a second wiring layer over the second substrate, and a second bonding layer over the second wiring layer; bonding the first bonding layer of first IC device to the second bonding layer of second IC device; thinning a backside of the first IC device so as to expose the alignment via; and using the exposed alignment via to form a deep, through substrate via (TSV) that passes through the first IC device, through a bonding interface between the first IC device and second IC device, and landing on the second wiring layer of the second IC device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mukta G. Farooq, Spyridon Skordas, Richard P. Volant, Kevin R. Winstel
  • Patent number: 8563402
    Abstract: A method includes providing a donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and having a surface region, a cleave region, and a thickness of material to be removed between the surface region and the cleave region. The method also includes introducing through the surface region a plurality of hydrogen particles within a vicinity of the cleave region using a high energy implantation process. The method further includes applying compressional energy to cleave the semiconductor substrate and remove the thickness of material from the donor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 8563427
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip includes a substrate with a barrier region and a conductive diffusion region formed in the substrate and is surrounded by the barrier region. The conductive diffusion region may provide a conductive oath from top of the substrate to bottom of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Min Kim
  • Publication number: 20130273715
    Abstract: A method of forming a SOI substrate, diodes in the SOI substrate and electronic devices in the SOI substrate and an electronic device formed using the SOI substrate. The method of forming the SOI substrate includes forming an oxide layer on a silicon first substrate; ion-implanting hydrogen through the oxide layer into the first substrate, to form a fracture zone in the substrate; forming a doped dielectric bonding layer on a silicon second substrate; bonding a top surface of the bonding layer to a top surface of the oxide layer; thinning the first substrate by thermal cleaving of the first substrate along the fracture zone to form a silicon layer on the oxide layer to formed a bonded substrate; and heating the bonded substrate to drive dopant from the bonding layer into the second substrate to form a doped layer in the second substrate adjacent to the bonding layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas W. Dyer, Junedong Lee, Dominic J. Schepis
  • Patent number: 8557679
    Abstract: A process for preparing a surface of a material that is not bondable to make it bondable to the surface of another material. A non-bondable surface of a semiconductor wafer is treated with oxygen plasma to oxidize the surface of the wafer and make the surface smoother, hydrophilic and bondable to the surface of another substrate, such as a glass substrate. The semiconductor wafer may have a barrier layer thereon formed of a material, such as SixNy or SiNxOy that is not bondable to another substrate, such as a glass substrate. In which case, the oxygen plasma treatment converts the surface of the barrier layer to oxide, such as SiO2, smoothing the surface and making the surface hydrophilic and bondable to the surface of another substrate, such as a glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Ta Ko Chuang, Alex Usenko
  • Patent number: 8557637
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for fabricating the flexible electronic devices, including: providing a first rigid carrier substrate and a second rigid carrier substrate, wherein at least one flexible electronic device is formed between the first rigid carrier substrate and the second rigid carrier substrate, and a plurality of first de-bonding areas, a first flexible substrate, the flexible electronic device, a second flexible substrate, a plurality of second de-bonding areas and the second rigid carrier substrate are formed on the first rigid carrier substrate; performing a first cutting step to cut through the first de-bonding areas; separating the first rigid carrier substrate from the first de-bonding areas; removing the first rigid carrier substrate from the first de-bonding areas; and performing a second cutting step to cut through the second de-bonding areas; separating and removing the second rigid carrier substrate from the second de-bonding areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuang-Jung Chen, Isaac Wing-Tak Chan
  • Patent number: 8557699
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device where, even in a case of stacking a plurality of semiconductor elements provided over a substrate, the stacked semiconductor elements can be electrically connected through the substrate, and a manufacturing method thereof. According to one feature of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of selectively forming a depression in an upper surface of a substrate or forming an opening which penetrates the upper surface through a back surface; forming an element group having a transistor so as to cover the upper surface of the substrate and the depression, or the opening; and exposing the element group formed in the depression or the opening by thinning the substrate from the back surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Tsurume, Yoshitaka Dozen
  • Patent number: 8551881
    Abstract: A method of bevel trimming a three dimensional (3D) semiconductor device is disclosed, comprising providing a substrate with stack layers thereon and through substrate vias (TSV) therein, wherein an edge of the substrate is curved, performing a bevel trimming step to the curved edge of the substrate for obtaining a planar edge, and thinning the substrate to expose the through substrate vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shing-Yih Shih, Yi-Nan Chen, Hsien-Wen Liu
  • Patent number: 8551862
    Abstract: To provide a method of manufacturing a laminated wafer by which a strong coupling is achieved between wafers made of different materials having a large difference in thermal expansion coefficient without lowering a maximum heat treatment temperature as well as in which cracks or chips of the wafer does not occur. A method of manufacturing a laminated wafer 7 by forming a silicon film layer on a surface 4 of an insulating substrate 3 comprising the steps in the following order of: applying a surface activation treatment to both a surface 2 of a silicon wafer 1 or a silicon wafer 1 to which an oxide film is layered and a surface 4 of the insulating substrate 3 followed by laminating in an atmosphere of temperature exceeding 50° C. and lower than 300° C., applying a heat treatment to a laminated wafer 5 at a temperature of 200° C. to 350° C., and thinning the silicon wafer 1 by a combination of grinding, etching and polishing to form a silicon film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Akiyama, Yoshihiro Kubota, Atsuo Ito, Makoto Kawai, Kouichi Tanaka, Yuji Tobisaka, Yoshihiro Nojima
  • Publication number: 20130256909
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of fabricating microelectronic devices, wherein a microelectronic device substrate, such as a microelectronic wafer, may be thinned by a backgrinding process using a patterned adhesive tape that reduces slurry seepage and adhesive contamination. The patterned adhesive tape may comprise a base film and adhesive material patterned on the base film such that an edge or periphery portion of the microelectronic device substrate may contact the adhesive material, but substantially no adhesive material contacts interconnectors formed on the microelectronic device substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Dingying Xu, Xavier F. Brun
  • Patent number: 8546961
    Abstract: Disclosed are a structure including alignment marks and a method of forming alignment marks in three dimensional (3D) structures. The method includes forming apertures in a first surface of a first semiconductor substrate; joining the first surface of the first semiconductor substrate to a first surface of a second semiconductor substrate; thinning the first semiconductor on a second surface of the first semiconductor substrate to provide optical contrast between the apertures and the first semiconductor substrate; and aligning a feature on the second surface of the first semiconductor substrate using the apertures as at least one alignment mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mukta G. Farooq, Troy L. Graves-Abe, Robert Hannon, Emily R. Kinser, William F. Landers, Kevin S. Petrarca, Richard P. Volant, Kevin R. Winstel
  • Patent number: 8546245
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a low-cost bonded wafer (8) which allows bulk crystals of a wide bandgap semiconductor (1) to be transferred onto a handle substrate (3) as thinly as possible without breaking the substrate. More specifically, provided is a method for manufacturing a bonded wafer (8) by forming a wide bandgap semiconductor film (4) on a surface of a handle substrate (3), the method comprising a step of implanting ions from a surface (5) of a wide bandgap semiconductor substrate (1) having a bandgap of 2.8 eV or more to form an ion-implanted layer (2), a step of applying a surface activation treatment to at least one of the surface of the handle substrate (3) and the ion-implanted surface (5) of the wide bandgap semiconductor substrate (1), a step of bonding the surface (5) of the wide bandgap semiconductor substrate (1) and the surface of the handle substrate (3) to obtain bonded substrates (6), a step of applying a heat treatment to the bonded substrates (6) at a temperature of 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shoji Akiyama
  • Patent number: 8546952
    Abstract: A 3D integrated circuit including a first wafer and a second wafer is provided. The first wafer includes a first conduction pattern. The second wafer includes a second conduction pattern which is electrically connected to the first conduction pattern. A displacement between the first wafer and the second wafer is determined by a resistance of the first conduction pattern and the second conduction pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Kuan-Neng Chen, Shih-Wei Li
  • Patent number: 8546919
    Abstract: A die stack including a die having an annular via with a recessed conductive socket and methods of forming the die stack provide a structure for use in a variety of electronic systems. In an embodiment, a die stack includes a conductive pillar on the top of a die inserted into the recessed conductive socket of another die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Micro Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dave Pratt
  • Patent number: 8546244
    Abstract: A method includes the steps of: (a) fixing a front surface of a wafer (semiconductor wafer) having the front surface, a plurality of chip regions formed on the front surface, a dicing region formed between the chip regions, and a rear surface opposite to the front surface to the supporting member; (b) in a state of having the wafer fixed to the supporting member, grinding the rear surface of the wafer to expose the rear surface; (c) in a state of having the wafer fixed to the supporting member, dividing the wafer into the chip regions; (d) etching side surfaces of the chip regions to remove crushed layers formed in the step (c) on the side surfaces and obtain a plurality of semiconductor chips. After the steps (e) and (d), the plurality of divided chip regions are peeled off from the supporting member to obtain a plurality of semiconductor chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Abe, Chuichi Miyazaki, Toshihide Uematsu, Haruo Shimamoto
  • Patent number: 8541865
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor substrate (102) with a thickness of less than 100 micrometer and with a first substrate side and an opposite second substrate side. A plurality of at least four monolithically integrated Zener or avalanche diodes (164,166,168,170) with a reverse breakdown voltage of less than 20 V are defined in the semiconductor substrate and connected with each other in a series connection. The diodes are defined in a plurality of mutually isolated substrate islands (120,122,124,126) in the semiconductor substrate, at least one diode per substrate island. The substrate islands are laterally surrounded by through-substrate isolations extending from the first to the second substrate side and comprising a filling (128) that electrically isolates a respective substrate island from a respective laterally surrounding area of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Yannou, Johannes Van Zwol, Emmanuel Savin
  • Patent number: 8541290
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a device by providing an auxiliary substrate having a metal nitride layer disposed thereon where the nitride layer has a nitrogen face and an opposite face and a dislocation density that is less than about 106, with the nitrogen face of the nitride layer facing the auxiliary substrate; depositing at least one epitaxial nitride layer on the exposed opposite face of the nitride layer of the structure; depositing a further metal layer over at least a portion of the epitaxial nitride layer(s); bonding a final substrate on the deposited metal layer; and removing the auxiliary substrate to form the device from the final substrate and deposited layers. Preferably, the device that is formed includes a LED or laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Fabrice Letertre, Bruce Faure
  • Patent number: 8543324
    Abstract: Watercraft automation and aquatic data utilization for aquatic efforts are utilized for fishing and network communication. In one aspect, an anchor point is obtained and a water craft position maintenance routine is actuated to control the watercraft to maintain association with the anchor point. In another aspect, prior aquatic effort data is obtained in association with an anchor point. In yet another, aspect, current aquatic effort data is generated in association with an anchor point. In still another aspect, current aquatic effort data and prior aquatic effort data are utilized for prediction generation. In yet another aspect, current aquatic effort data and prior aquatic effort data are utilized to obtain another anchor point for a watercraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Inventors: Ted V. Grace, Ryan T. Grace
  • Patent number: 8535976
    Abstract: An integrated chip package structure and method of manufacturing the same is by adhering dies on a ceramic substrate and forming a thin-film circuit layer on top of the dies and the ceramic substrate. Wherein the thin-film circuit layer has an external circuitry, which is electrically connected to the metal pads of the dies, that extends to a region outside the active surface of the dies for fanning out the metal pads of the dies. Furthermore, a plurality of active devices and an internal circuitry is located on the active surface of the dies. Signal for the active devices are transmitted through the internal circuitry to the external circuitry and from the external circuitry through the internal circuitry back to other active devices. Moreover, the chip package structure allows multiple dies with different functions to be packaged into an integrated package and electrically connecting the dies by the external circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Megica Corporation
    Inventors: Jin-Yuan Lee, Mou-Shiung Lin, Ching-Cheng Huang
  • Patent number: 8536020
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a combination of a substrate and a wafer, wherein the substrate and the wafer are arranged parallel to one another and bonded together with the aid of an adhesive layer situated between the substrate and the wafer, and wherein the adhesive is chosen such that its adhesive properties are neutralized or at least diminished when a predetermined temperature is exceeded. According to the invention, the adhesive layer is only applied annularly between the substrate and the wafer in the edge region of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventor: Erich Thallner
  • Patent number: 8536022
    Abstract: A method according to embodiments of the invention includes providing an epitaxial structure comprising a donor layer and a strained layer. The epitaxial structure is treated to cause the strained layer to relax. Relaxation of the strained layer causes an in-plane lattice constant of the donor layer to change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Andrew Y. Kim
  • Publication number: 20130237032
    Abstract: A method is provided for preparing multilayer semiconductor structures, such as silicon-on-insulator wafers, having reduced warp and bow. Reduced warp multilayer semiconductor structures are prepared by forming a dielectric structure on the exterior surfaces of a bonded pair of a semiconductor device substrate and a semiconductor handle substrate having an intervening dielectric layer therein. Forming a dielectric layer on the exterior surfaces of the bonded pair offsets stresses that may occur within the bulk of the semiconductor handle substrate due to thermal mismatch between the semiconductor material and the intervening dielectric layer as the structure cools from process temperatures to room temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Guoqiang Zhang, Jeffrey L. Libbert
  • Publication number: 20130237033
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device makes it possible to efficiently polish with a polishing tape a peripheral portion of a silicon substrate under polishing conditions particularly suited for a deposited film and for silicon underlying the deposited film. The method includes pressing a first polishing tape against a peripheral portion of a device substrate having a deposited film on a silicon surface while rotating the device substrate at a first rotational speed, thereby removing the deposited film lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate and exposing the underlying silicon. A second polishing tape is pressed against the exposed silicon lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate while rotating the device substrate at a second rotational speed, thereby polishing the silicon to a predetermined depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki NAKANISHI, Tetsuji TOGAWA, Kenya ITO, Masaya SEKI, Kenji IWADE, Takeo KUBOTA
  • Patent number: 8530336
    Abstract: Defects in a semiconductor substrate are reduced. A semiconductor substrate with fewer defects is manufactured with high yield. Further, a semiconductor device is manufactured with high yield. A semiconductor layer is formed over a supporting substrate with an oxide insulating layer interposed therebetween, adhesiveness between the supporting substrate and the oxide insulating layer in an edge portion of the semiconductor layer is increased, an insulating layer over a surface of the semiconductor layer is removed, and the semiconductor layer is irradiated with laser light, so that a planarized semiconductor layer is obtained. For increasing the adhesiveness between the supporting substrate and the oxide insulating layer in the edge portion of the semiconductor layer, laser light irradiation is performed from the surface of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosei Nei, Akihisa Shimomura
  • Patent number: 8530337
    Abstract: Methods for detecting the physical layout of an integrated circuit are provided. The methods of the present disclosure allow large area imaging of the circuit layout without requiring tedious sample preparation techniques. The imaging can be performed utilizing low-energy beam techniques such as scanning electron microscopy; however, more sophisticated imaging techniques can also be employed. In the methods of the present disclosure, spalling is used to remove a portion of a semiconductor layer including at least one semiconductor device formed thereon or therein from a base substrate. In some cases, a buried insulator layer that is located beneath a semiconductor layer including the at least one semiconductor device can be completely or partially removed. In some cases, the semiconductor layer including the at least one semiconductor device can be thinned. The methods improve the detection quality that the buried insulator layer and a thick semiconductor layer can reduce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Ali Khakifirooz, John A. Ott, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Patent number: 8530332
    Abstract: An object is to provide an SOI substrate with excellent characteristics even in the case where a single crystal semiconductor substrate having crystal defects is used. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device using such an SOI substrate. A single crystal semiconductor layer is formed by an epitaxial growth method over a surface of a single crystal semiconductor substrate. The single crystal semiconductor layer is subjected to first thermal oxidation treatment to form a first oxide film. A surface of the first oxide film is irradiated with ions, whereby the ions are introduced to the single crystal semiconductor layer. The single crystal semiconductor layer and a base substrate are bonded with the first oxide film interposed therebetween. The single crystal semiconductor layer is divided at a region where the ions are introduced by performing thermal treatment, so that the single crystal semiconductor layer is partly left over the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Eriko Nishida, Takashi Shimazu
  • Patent number: 8524522
    Abstract: A process for producing a microelectronic device includes producing a first semiconductor substrate which includes a first layer and a second layer present between a first side and a second side of the substrate. First electronic components and an interconnecting part are produced on and above the second side. The substrate is then thinned by a first selective etch applied from the first side and stopping on the first layer followed by a second selective etch stopping on the second layer. A second substrate is attached over the interconnecting part. The electronic components may comprise optoelectronic devices which are illuminated through the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.A., STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Michel Marty, Didier Dutartre, Francois Roy, Pascal Besson, Jens Prima
  • Patent number: 8524574
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image device which includes the steps of: forming a silicon epitaxial growth layer on a silicon substrate; forming photoelectric conversion portions, transfer gates, and a peripheral circuit portion in and/or on the silicon epitaxial growth layer and further forming a wiring layer on the silicon epitaxial growth layer; forming a split layer in the silicon substrate at a side of the silicon epitaxial growth layer; forming a support substrate on the wiring layer; peeling the silicon substrate from the split layer so as to leave a silicon layer formed of a part of the silicon substrate at a side of the support substrate; and planarizing the surface of the silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Chiaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 8524537
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a build-up interconnect structure formed over an active surface of a semiconductor wafer containing a plurality of semiconductor die separated by a saw street. An insulating layer is formed over the interconnect structure. Bumps are formed over the interconnect structure. A protective coating material is deposited over the insulating layer and saw street. A lamination tape is applied over the coating material. A portion of a back surface of the semiconductor wafer is removed. A mounting tape is applied over the back surface. The lamination tape is removed while leaving the coating material over the insulating layer and saw street. A first channel is formed through the saw street extending partially through the semiconductor wafer. The coating material is removed after forming the first channel. A second channel is formed through the saw street and the mounting tape is removed to singulate the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: STATS ChipPAC, Ltd.
    Inventors: JaEun Yun, HunTeak Lee, SeungYong Chai, WonJun Ko
  • Patent number: 8524510
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic memory chip device comprises the steps of: writing information in each of a plurality of magnetic memory chips formed on a silicon wafer; adhering a high magnetic permeability plate on a back face of the silicon wafer after writing information, the high magnetic permeability plate having a higher magnetic permeability than silicon and having a thickness of 50 um or more; dicing the silicon wafer into respective magnetic memory chips after adhering the high magnetic permeability plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Misumi, Masahiro Shimizu, Tsuyoshi Koga, Tatsuhiko Akiyama, Tomohiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 8524572
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of processing a unit containing crystalline material. A damage region may be formed within the crystalline material, and a portion of the unit may be above the damage region. A chuck may be used to bend the unit and thereby induce cleavage along the damage region to form a structure from the portion of the unit above the damage region. Some embodiments include methods of forming semiconductor-on-insulator constructions. A unit may be formed to have dielectric material over monocrystalline semiconductor material. A damage region may be formed within the monocrystalline semiconductor material, and a portion of the monocrystalline semiconductor material may be between the damage region and the dielectric material. The unit may be incorporated into an assembly with a handle component, and a chuck may be used to contort the assembly and thereby induce cleavage along the damage region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shu Qin, Ming Zhang
  • Patent number: 8518758
    Abstract: A semiconductor is formed on an SOI substrate, such as an extremely thin SOI (ETSOI) substrate, with increased extension thickness. Embodiments include semiconductor devices having an epitaxially formed silicon-containing layer, such as embedded silicon germanium (eSiGe), on the SOI substrate. An embodiment includes forming an SOI substrate, epitaxially forming a silicon-containing layer on the SOI substrate, and forming a gate electrode on the epitaxially formed silicon-containing layer. After gate spacers and source/drain regions are formed, the gate electrode and underlying silicon-containing layer are removed and replaced with a high-k metal gate. The use of an epitaxially formed silicon-containing layer reduces SOI thickness loss due to fabrication process erosion, thereby increasing extension thickness and lowering extension resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Yang, Man Fai Ng