Amorphous Semiconductor Patents (Class 438/482)
  • Publication number: 20130323914
    Abstract: Methods for depositing an amorphous silicon layer on wafers are disclosed. A process wafer, a control wafer, and a dummy wafer may be loaded into a chamber where an amorphous silicon layer may be deposited on the process wafer. Afterwards, the process wafer and the control wafer may be removed from the chamber. The chamber and the dummy wafers are dry cleaned together. The dry cleaned dummy wafers are used in the next run for depositing amorphous silicon layer. The process may be controlled by a computer system issuing a control job comprising a first process job and a second process job, wherein the first process job is to deposit an amorphous silicon layer on the process wafer, and the second process job is to dry clean the chamber and the dummy wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Chi-Min Liao
  • Publication number: 20130313551
    Abstract: Heterojunction bipolar transistors are provided that include at least one contact (e.g., collector, emitter, and/or base) formed by a heterojunction between a crystalline semiconductor material and a doped non-crystalline semiconductor material layer. An interfacial intrinsic non-crystalline semiconductor material layer is present at the heterojunction between the crystalline semiconductor material and the doped non-crystalline semiconductor material layer. The presence of the interfacial intrinsic non-crystalline semiconductor material layer improves the surface passivation of the crystalline semiconductor material by reducing the interface defect density at the heterojunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bahman Hekmatshoar-Tabari, Tak H. Ning, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Publication number: 20130313552
    Abstract: Heterojunction bipolar transistors are provided that include at least one contact (e.g., collector, and/or emitter, and/or base) formed by a heterojunction between a crystalline semiconductor material and a doped non-crystalline semiconductor material layer. A highly doped epitaxial semiconductor layer comprising a highly doped hydrogenated crystalline semiconductor material layer portion is present at the heterojunction between the crystalline semiconductor material and the doped non-crystalline semiconductor material layer. Minority carriers within the highly doped epitaxial semiconductor layer have a diffusion length that is larger than a thickness of the highly doped epitaxial semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130299910
    Abstract: A method for controlling IC device strain and the devices thereby formed are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment includes receiving an IC device substrate having a device region corresponding to an IC device. An implantation process is performed on the device region forming an amorphous region within the device region. The IC device substrate is recessed to define a source/drain recess in the device region having a profile determined by the amorphous structure of the amorphous region. A source/drain epitaxy is then performed to form a source/drain structure within the source/drain recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Fai Cheng, Bwo-Ning Chen, Chin-Te Su, Huang-Sheng Ho
  • Publication number: 20130298989
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. Also provided are: a semiconductor device which can be obtained by the method; and a dispersion that can be used in the method. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device (500a) of the present invention comprises the steps (a)-(c) described below. (a) A dispersion which contains doped particles is applied to a specific part of a layer or a base. (b) An unsintered dopant implanted layer is obtained by drying the applied dispersion. (c) The specific part of the layer or the base is doped with a p-type or n-type dopant by irradiating the unsintered dopant implanted layer with light, and the unsintered dopant implanted layer is sintered, thereby obtaining a dopant implanted layer that is integrated with the layer or the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: TEIJIN LIMITED
    Inventor: TEIJIN LIMITED
  • Patent number: 8563977
    Abstract: A transistor is constituted of a gate electrode 2, a gate insulation layer 3, a semiconductor layer 4 formed of an amorphous oxide, a source electrode 5, a drain electrode 6 and a protective layer 7. The protective layer 7 is provided on the semiconductor layer 4 in contact with the semiconductor layer 4, and the semiconductor layer 4 includes a first layer at least functioning as a channel layer and a second layer having higher resistance than the first layer. The first layer is provided on the gate electrode 2 side of the semiconductor layer 4 and the second layer is provided on the protective layer 7 side of the semiconductor layer 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikio Shimada, Ryo Hayashi, Hideya Kumomi
  • Patent number: 8558294
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate formed with an active element, an oxidation resistant film formed over the semiconductor substrate so as to cover the active element, a ferroelectric capacitor formed over the oxidation resistance film, the ferroelectric capacitor having a construction of consecutively stacking a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode, and an interlayer insulation film formed over the oxidation resistance film so as to cover the ferroelectric capacitor, wherein there are formed, in the interlayer insulation film, a first via-plug in a first contact hole exposing the first electrode and a second via-plug in a second contact hole exposing the lower electrode, and wherein there is formed another conductive plug in the interlayer insulation film in an opening exposing the oxidation resistant film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Naoya Sashida
  • Patent number: 8551866
    Abstract: A method for the fabrication of a three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate with selective through-holes is provided. A porous semiconductor layer is conformally formed on a semiconductor template comprising a plurality of three-dimensional inverted pyramidal surface features defined by top surface areas aligned along a (100) crystallographic orientation plane of the semiconductor template and a plurality of inverted pyramidal cavities defined by sidewalls aligned along the (111) crystallographic orientation plane of the semiconductor template. An epitaxial semiconductor layer is conformally formed on the porous semiconductor layer. The epitaxial semiconductor layer is released from the semiconductor template. Through-holes are selectively formed in the epitaxial semiconductor layer with openings between the front and back lateral surface planes of the epitaxial semiconductor layer to form a partially transparent three-dimensional thin-film semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Solexel, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, David Xuan-Qi Wang
  • Patent number: 8551871
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes: exposing a surface of a semiconductor substrate to a halogen-containing gas that contains at least one of Si and Ge, the semiconductor substrate being provided with a member comprising an oxide and consisting mainly of Si; and exposing the surface of the semiconductor substrate to an atmosphere containing at least one of a Si-containing gas not containing halogen and a Ge-containing gas not containing halogen after starting exposure of the surface of the semiconductor substrate to the halogen-containing gas, thereby epitaxially growing a crystal film containing at least one of Si and Ge on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ichiro Mizushima, Shinji Mori, Masahiko Murano, Tsutomu Sato, Takashi Nakao, Hiroshi Itokawa
  • Publication number: 20130256620
    Abstract: An improved semiconductor device results from the use of an amorphous silicon layer in a gate structure disposed between a dielectric layer and an upper conductive layer such as a control gate. Both a semiconductor device and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using an amorphous silicon layer are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yude Huang, Junmin Zheng
  • Patent number: 8546247
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which an amorphous silicon layer is formed into a shape of a gate electrode of a MOS transistor, and then impurity is implanted to a surface of a silicon substrate from a diagonal direction using the amorphous silicon layer as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Hidenobu Fukutome, Youichi Momiyama
  • Publication number: 20130244394
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a capacitor includes: forming a first silicon layer over a semiconductor substrate, where the first silicon layer is doped with a dopant; forming an undoped second silicon layer over the first silicon layer; forming an opening by etching the second silicon layer and the first silicon layer; forming a storage node in the opening; and removing the first silicon layer and the second silicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Beom-Yong KIM, Kee-Jeung LEE, Yun-Hyuck JI, Seung-Mi LEE, Jae-Hyoung KOO, Kwan-Woo DO, Kyung-Woong PARK, Ji-Hoon AHN, Woo-Young PARK
  • Patent number: 8530589
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to printing features from an ink containing a material precursor. In some embodiments, the material includes an electrically active material, such as a semiconductor, a metal, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the material includes a dielectric. The embodiments provide improved printing process conditions that allow for more precise control of the shape, profile and dimensions of a printed line or other feature. The composition(s) and/or method(s) improve control of pinning by increasing the viscosity and mass loading of components in the ink. An exemplary method thus includes printing an ink comprising a material precursor and a solvent in a pattern on the substrate; precipitating the precursor in the pattern to form a pinning line; substantially evaporating the solvent to form a feature of the material precursor defined by the pinning line; and converting the material precursor to the patterned material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Kovio, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Scher, Steven Molesa, Joerg Rockenberger, Arvind Kamath, Ikuo Mori
  • Publication number: 20130228830
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of fabricating thereof is described that includes a substrate having a fin with a top surface and a first and second lateral sidewall. A hard mask layer may be formed on the top surface of the fin (e.g., providing a dual-gate device). A gate dielectric layer and work function metal layer are formed on the first and second lateral sidewalls of the fin. A silicide layer is formed on the work function metal layer on the first and the second lateral sidewalls of the fin. The silicide layer may be a fully-silicided layer and may provide a stress to the channel region of the device disposed in the fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. ("TSMC")
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Feng Yuan, Chih Chieh Yeh, Wei-Jen Lai
  • Publication number: 20130221440
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a semiconductor layer is formed on an insulating substrate with a front-end insulating layer interposed between the semiconductor layer and the insulating substrate is provided which is capable of preventing action of an impurity contained in the insulating substrate on the semiconductor layer and of improving reliability of the semiconductor device. In a TFT (Thin Film Transistor), boron is made to be contained in a region located about 100 nm or less apart from a surface of the insulating substrate so that boron concentration decreases at an average rate being about 1/1000-fold per 1 nm from the surface of the insulating substrate toward the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicants: NLT Technologies, Ltd., NEC Corporation
    Inventors: NEC Corporation, NLT Technologies, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8516693
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is made by the method of providing a substrate; forming a first circuit on the substrate; depositing a thin film on the substrate; building an electronic component on the substrate by the thin film and allowing the electronic component to electrically connect the first circuit; forming a blanket dielectric layer enclosing the electronic component; and removing the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Mutual-Tek Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-Chien Chang
  • Publication number: 20130217204
    Abstract: Methods are provided for forming semiconductor devices. One method includes forming a first layer overlying a bulk semiconductor substrate. A second layer is formed overlying the first layer. A first plurality of trenches is etched into the first and second layers. The first plurality of trenches is filled to form a plurality of support structures. A second plurality of trenches is etched into the first and second layers. Portions of the second layer disposed between adjacent trenches of the first and second pluralities of trenches define a plurality of fins. The first layer is etched to form gap spaces between the bulk semiconductor substrate and the plurality of fins. The plurality of fins is supported in position adjacent to the gap spaces by the plurality of support structures. The gap spaces are filled with an insulating material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventor: Chang Seo Park
  • Publication number: 20130200496
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of forming an electronic device from a lamina that has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is matched or nearly matched to a constructed metal support. In some embodiments the method comprises implanting the top surface of a donor body with an ion dosage to form a cleave plane followed by exfoliating a lamina from the donor body. After exfoliating the lamina, a flexible metal support that has a coefficient of thermal expansion with a value that is within 10% of the value of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the lamina is constructed on the lamina. In some embodiments the coefficients of thermal expansion of the metal support and the lamina are within 10% or within 5% of each other between the temperatures of 100 and 600 ° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: TWIN CREEKS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Venkatesan Murali, Thomas Edward Dinan, JR., Steve Bababyan, Gopal Prabhu
  • Patent number: 8492770
    Abstract: A thin film transistor includes a gate electrode formed on a substrate, a semiconductor pattern overlapped with the gate electrode, a source electrode overlapped with a first end of the semiconductor pattern and a drain electrode overlapped with a second end of the semiconductor pattern and spaced apart from the source electrode. The semiconductor pattern includes an amorphous multi-elements compound including a II B element and a VI A element or including a III A element and a V A element and having an electron mobility no less than 1.0 cm2/Vs and an amorphous phase, wherein the VI A element excludes oxygen. Thus, a driving characteristic of the thin film transistor may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Woo Park, Je-Hun Lee, Seong-Jin Lee, Yeon-Hong Kim
  • Patent number: 8476626
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure. The semiconductor device includes memory cells connected to each other in series and a capacitor. One of the memory cells includes a first transistor connected to a bit line and a source line, a second transistor connected to a signal line and a word line, and a capacitor connected to the word line. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer. A gate electrode of the first transistor, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second transistor, and one electrode of the capacitor are connected to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kiyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 8470695
    Abstract: A semiconductor element of the electric circuit includes a semiconductor layer over a gate electrode. The semiconductor layer of the semiconductor element is formed of a layer including polycrystalline silicon which is obtained by crystallizing amorphous silicon by heat treatment or laser irradiation, over a substrate. The obtained layer including polycrystalline silicon is also used for a structure layer such as a movable electrode of a structure body. Therefore, the structure body and the electric circuit for controlling the structure body can be formed over one substrate. As a result, a micromachine can be miniaturized. Further, assembly and packaging are unnecessary, so that manufacturing cost can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayumi Yamaguchi, Konami Izumi
  • Patent number: 8471257
    Abstract: The present invention provides a motherboard having panel substrates efficiently arranged thereon and a reduced wasted substrate region, a method for producing the motherboard, and a device substrate comprising the panel substrates formed on the motherboard. The motherboard of the present invention comprises a plurality of panel substrates, wherein the motherboard has a silicon thin film formed on a principal surface thereof, each of the panel substrates has a transistor forming region and a marginal region, the transistor forming region is formed by polycrystallizing the silicon thin film, the marginal region is provided on an outer edge of each of the panel substrates, and at least one of the panel substrates has the marginal region including a region with a silicon thin film which has a crystal profile different from a crystal profile of a silicon thin film in the transistor forming region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohsuke Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20130146875
    Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes a first electrode, an organic layer disposed over the first electrode and a second electrode disposed over the organic layer. The second electrode further includes a first conductive layer having an extinction coefficient and an index of refraction, a first separation layer disposed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed over the first separation layer. The first separation layer has an extinction coefficient that is at least 10% different from the extinction coefficient of the first conductive layer at 500 nm, or an index of refraction that is at least 10% different from the index of refraction of the first conductive layer at 500 nm. The device also includes a barrier layer disposed over the second conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Universal Display Corporation
    Inventors: Prashant Mandlik, Ruiqing Ma
  • Publication number: 20130143395
    Abstract: A thin film semiconductor device has a semiconductor layer including a mixture of an amorphous semiconductor ionic metal oxide and an amorphous insulating covalent metal oxide. A pair of terminals is positioned in communication with the semiconductor layer and define a conductive channel, and a gate terminal is positioned in communication with the conductive channel and further positioned to control conduction of the channel. The invention further includes a method of depositing the mixture including using nitrogen during the deposition process to control the carrier concentration in the resulting semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Chan-Long Shieh, Gang Yu
  • Patent number: 8450140
    Abstract: So as to improve large-scale industrial manufacturing of photovoltaic cells and of the respective converter panels at a photovoltaic cell with a microcrystalline layer of intrinsic silicon compound at least one of the adjacent layers of doped silicon material is conceived as a an amorphous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: TEL Solar AG
    Inventors: Daniel Lepori, Tobias Roschek, Ulrich Kroll
  • Patent number: 8450158
    Abstract: A seed crystal which includes mixed phase grains including an amorphous silicon region and a crystallite which is a microcrystal that can be regarded as a single crystal is formed on an insulating film by a plasma CVD method under a first condition that enables mixed phase grains having high crystallinity and high uniformity of grain sizes to be formed at a low density, and then a microcrystalline semiconductor film is formed to be stacked on the seed crystal by a plasma CVD method under a second condition that enables the mixed phase grains to grow to fill a space between the mixed phase grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryu Komatsu, Yasuhiro Jinbo, Hidekazu Miyairi
  • Patent number: 8450772
    Abstract: A phase change RAM device includes a semiconductor substrate having a phase change cell area and a voltage application area; a first oxide layer, a nitride layer and a second oxide layer sequentially formed on the semiconductor substrate; a first plug formed in the first oxide layer, the nitride layer and the second oxide layer of the phase change cell area; a second plug formed in the first oxide layer and the nitride layer of the voltage application area; a conductive line formed in the second oxide layer; a third oxide layer formed on the second oxide layer; a lower electrode shaped like a plug, the lower electrode being formed so as to directly make contact with the first plug; and a phase change layer and an upper electrode sequentially formed on the lower electrode in a pattern form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Heon Yong Chang, Suk Kyoung Hong, Hae Chan Park
  • Patent number: 8445332
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a single crystal silicon rod may include forming an insulation layer on a substrate, forming a hole in the insulation layer, selectively growing silicon in the hole, forming a silicon layer on the hole and on the insulation layer, forming a rod pattern on the silicon layer in a direction that is non-radial with respect to the hole, and melting the silicon layer and crystallizing the silicon layer by illuminating a laser beam on the silicon layer where the rod pattern is formed to generate a nucleation site at a position corresponding to the hole. According to the method, a single crystal silicon rod having no defects may be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wenxu Xianyu, Young-soo Park, Hans S. Cho, Huaxiang Yin, Hyuck Lim
  • Publication number: 20130105796
    Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming an epitaxial layer on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and having a predetermined thickness, and forming a plurality of trenches in the epitaxial layer. The trenches are formed in the epitaxial layer and have a predetermined depth, top width, and bottom width. Further, the method includes performing a first trench filling process to form a semiconductor layer inside of the trenches using a mixture gas containing at least silicon source gas and halogenoid gas, stopping the first trench filling process when at least one trench is not completely filled, and performing a second trench filling process, different from the first trench filling process, to fill the plurality of trenches completely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: JIQUAN LIU, SHENGAN XIAO, WEI JI
  • Publication number: 20130099314
    Abstract: A method of fabricating and a semiconductor device with multiple dislocation structures is disclosed. The exemplary semiconductor device includes gate structure overlying a top surface of a semiconductor substrate and a first gate spacer disposed on a sidewall of the gate structure and overlying the top surface of the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a crystallized semiconductor material overlying the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to a sidewall of the first gate spacer. The semiconductor device further includes a second gate spacer disposed on the sidewall of the first gate spacer and overlying the crystallized semiconductor material. The semiconductor device further includes a first stressor region disposed in the semiconductor substrate and a second stressor region disposed in the semiconductor substrate and in the crystallized semiconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Yuan Lu, Li-Ping Huang, Han-Ting Tsai, Wei-Ching Wang, Ming-Shuan Li, Hsueh-Jen Yang, Kuan-Chung Chen
  • Publication number: 20130099236
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing an oxygen-containing surface or interface of a silicon layer, which is arranged on a substrate, especially in the production of photovoltaic units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Evonik Degussa GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Stuetzel, Wolfgang Fahrner
  • Publication number: 20130092944
    Abstract: To suppress a decrease in on-state current in a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. Provided is a semiconductor device including the following: an oxide semiconductor film which serves as a semiconductor layer; a gate insulating film including an oxide containing silicon, over the oxide semiconductor film; a gate electrode which overlaps with at least the oxide semiconductor film, over the gate insulating film; and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film. In the semiconductor device, the oxide semiconductor film overlapping with at least the gate electrode includes a region in which a concentration of silicon distributed from the interface with the gate insulating film toward the inside of the oxide semiconductor film is lower than or equal to 1.1 at. %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8421006
    Abstract: A device for generating sprays of charged droplets, and resulting nanoparticles, the device comprising a first needle connected to an electrical potential line to generate a first spray of charged particles from the first needle, and a second needle spaced apart from and facing the first needle, and connected to an electrical line configured to ground the second needle or to apply a voltage to the second needle that is the same polarity as the voltage applied to the first needle. The device also comprising an electric field modifier connected to the first needle, and configured to modify an electrical field to generate a second spray of charged particles from the second needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: MSP Corporation
    Inventors: Amir A. Naqwi, Christopher W. Fandrey, Zeeshan H. Syedain
  • Patent number: 8421070
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a composite represented by Formula 1 below as an active layer. x(Ga2O3).y(In2O3).z(ZnO)??Formula 1 wherein, about 0.75?x/z?about 3.15, and about 0.55?y/z?about 1.70. Switching characteristics of displays and driving characteristics of driving transistors may be improved by adjusting the amounts of a gallium (Ga) oxide and an indium (In) oxide mixed with a zinc (Zn) oxide and improving optical sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-jung Kim, I-hun Song, Dong-hun Kang, Young-soo Park
  • Patent number: 8420513
    Abstract: A thin film transistor (TFT), including a crystalline semiconductor pattern on a substrate, a gate insulating layer on the crystalline semiconductor pattern, the gate insulating layer having two first source/drain contact holes and a semiconductor pattern access hole therein, a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer, the gate electrode being between the two first source/drain contact holes, an interlayer insulating layer covering the gate electrode, the interlayer insulating layer having two second source/drain contact holes therein, and source and drain electrodes on the interlayer insulating layer, each of the source and drain electrodes being insulated from the gate electrode, and having a portion connected to the crystalline semiconductor pattern through the first and second source/drain contact holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-Su Ahn, Eui-Hoon Hwang, Cheol-Ho Yu, Kwang-Nam Kim, Sung-Chul Kim
  • Publication number: 20130084693
    Abstract: A thin film forming method which forms a seed film and an impurity-containing silicon film on a surface of an object to be processed in a processing container configured to be vacuum exhaustible includes: performing a first step which forms the seed film by supplying a seed film raw material gas including at least any one of an aminosilane-based gas and a higher silane into the processing container; and performing a second step which forms the impurity-containing silicon film in an amorphous state by supplying a silane-based gas and an impurity-containing gas into the processing container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akinobu KAKIMOTO, Atsushi ENDO, Takahiro MIYAHARA, Shigeru NAKAJIMA, Satoshi TAKAGI, Kazumasa IGARASHI
  • Patent number: 8404514
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, methods of fabricating current-confining stack structures in a phase-change memory switch (PCMS) cell are provided. One embodiment shows a method of fabricating a PCMS cell with current in an upper chalcogenide confined in the row and column directions. In one embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension memory chalcogenide are shown. In another embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension middle electrode heaters are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jong-Won Sean Lee, DerChang Kau, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Patent number: 8389996
    Abstract: A method for forming a SnO-containing semiconductor film includes a first step of forming a SnO-containing film; a second step of forming an insulator film composed of an oxide or a nitride on the SnO-containing film to provide a laminated film including the SnO-containing film and the insulator film; and a third step of subjecting the laminated film to a heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisato Yabuta, Nobuyuki Kaji, Ryo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8389343
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided, which comprises at least a steps of forming a gate insulating film over a substrate, a step of forming a microcrystalline semiconductor film over the gate insulating film, and a step of forming an amorphous semiconductor film over the microcrystalline semiconductor film. The microcrystalline semiconductor film is formed by introducing a silicon hydride gas or a silicon halide gas when a surface of the gate insulating film is subjected to hydrogen plasma to generate a crystalline nucleus over the surface of the gate insulating film, and by increasing a flow rate of the silicon hydride gas or the silicon halide gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20130048987
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide p-i-n structures and methods for forming p-i-n structures useful, for example, in photovoltaic cells. In some embodiments, a method for forming a p-i-n structure on a substrate may include forming a bi-layer p-type layer on the substrate by: depositing a microcrystalline p-type layer atop the protective layer; and depositing an amorphous p-type layer atop the microcrystalline p-type layer; depositing an amorphous i-type layer via hot wire chemical vapor deposition atop the amorphous p-type layer; and depositing an amorphous n-type layer atop the amorphous i-type layer. A p-i-n structure may include a bi-layer p-type layer disposed above a substrate, the bi-layer p-type layer having a microcrystalline p-type layer and an amorphous p-type layer disposed atop the microcrystalline p-type layer; an amorphous i-type layer disposed atop the bi-layer p-type layer; and an n-type layer disposed atop the i-type layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: SUKTI CHATTERJEE
  • Patent number: 8373165
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit includes forming a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, patterning the first dielectric layer to form a first patterned dielectric layer, forming a non-single crystal seed layer on the first patterned dielectric layer, removing a portion of the seed layer to form a patterned seed layer, forming a second dielectric layer on the first patterned dielectric layer and the patterned seed layer, removing portions of the second dielectric layer to form a second patterned dielectric layer, irradiating the patterned seed layer to single-crystallize the patterned seed layer, removing portions of the first patterned dielectric layer and the second patterned dielectric layer such that the single-crystallized seed layer protrudes in the vertical direction with respect to the first and/or the second patterned dielectric layer, and forming a gate electrode in contact with the single-crystal active pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-hoon Son, Si-young Choi, Jong-wook Lee
  • Publication number: 20130032777
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof. The method comprises the steps of providing a substrate on which a graphene layer or carbon nanotube layer is formed; exposing part of the graphene layer or carbon nanotube layer after forming a gate structure on the graphene layer or carbon nanotube layer, wherein the gate structure comprises a gate stack, a spacer and a cap layer, the cap layer is located on the gate stack, and the spacer surrounds the gate stack and the cap layer; epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer on the exposed graphene layer or carbon nanotube layer; and forming a metal contact layer on the semiconductor layer. In the present invention, the semiconductor layer is formed on the graphene layer or carbon nanotube layer, and then the metal contact layer is formed on the semiconductor layer, instead of forming the metal contact layer directly from the graphene layer or carbon nanotube layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Haizhou Yin, Zhijiong Luo, Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 8368075
    Abstract: As an electrode area of a plasma CVD apparatus is enlarged, influence of the surface standing wave remarkably appears, and there is a problem in that in-plane uniformity of quality and a thickness of a thin film formed over a glass substrate is degraded. Two or more high-frequency electric powers with different frequencies are supplied to an electrode for producing glow discharge plasma in a reaction chamber. With glow discharge plasma produced by supplying the high-frequency electric powers with different frequencies, a semiconductor thin film or an insulating thin film is formed. High-frequency electric powers with different frequencies (different wavelengths), which are superimposed on each other, are applied to an electrode in a plasma CVD apparatus, so that increase in plasma density and uniformity for preventing effect of surface standing wave of plasma are attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20130029480
    Abstract: A method of making a three-dimensional structure in semiconductor material includes providing a substrate (20) is provided having at least a surface including semiconductor material. Selected areas of the surface of the substrate are exposed to a focussed ion beam whereby the ions are implanted in the semiconductor material in the selected areas. Several layers of a material selected from the group consisting of mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline or amorphous semiconductor material, are deposited on the substrate surface and between depositions focussed ion beam is used to expose the surface so as to define a three-dimensional structure. Material not part of the final structure (30) defined by the focussed ion beam is etched away so as to provide a three-dimensional structure on the substrate (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Frank Niklaus, Andreas Fischer
  • Publication number: 20130023110
    Abstract: A method of forming an amorphous silicon film includes: forming a seed layer on a surface of a base by heating the base and supplying an amino silane-based gas to the heated base, forming the amorphous silicon film with thickness for layer growth on the seed layer by heating the base and supplying a silane-based gas containing no amino group to the seed layer on the surface of the heated base, and decreasing a film thickness of the amorphous silicon film by etching the amorphous silicon film formed with thickness for layer growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akinobu KAKIMOTO, Satoshi TAKAGI, Kazumasa IGARASHI
  • Patent number: 8344382
    Abstract: Provided is a method of promoting a deposition of semiconductor crystal nuclei on an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film even at a low temperature of 450° C. or lower in a reactive thermal CVD method. As one means thereof, a first semiconductor film is formed on an insulating substrate, and then semiconductor crystal nuclei are formed on parts of the first semiconductor film and simultaneously the first semiconductor film other than that in forming regions of the semiconductor crystal nuclei and their peripheries is removed by etching. Thereafter, a second semiconductor film is formed with using the semiconductor crystal nuclei as seeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Junichi Hanna, Isao Suzumura, Mieko Matsumura, Mutsuko Hatano, Kenichi Onisawa, Masatoshi Wakagi, Etsuko Nishimura, Akiko Kagatsume
  • Publication number: 20120315744
    Abstract: A device includes a crystalline material within an area confined by an insulator. In one embodiment, the area confined by the insulator is an opening in the insulator having an aspect ratio sufficient to trap defects using an ART technique. Method and apparatus embodiments of the invention can reduce edge effects in semiconductor devices. Embodiments of the invention can provide a planar surface over a buffer layer between a plurality of uncoalesced ART structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Zhiyuan Cheng
  • Publication number: 20120302047
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a structure having first surfaces at a height above a second surface, which is provided between the first surfaces, forming a first silicon layer on the structure, performing a tilt ion implantation process on the first silicon layer to form a crystalline region and an amorphous region, forming a second silicon layer on the amorphous region, removing the second silicon layer and the first silicon layer until a part of the second surface is exposed, thereby forming an etch barrier, and etching using the etch barrier to form an open part that exposes a part of a sidewall of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Mi-Ri LEE, Jae-Geun Oh, Seung-Joon Jeon, Jin-Ku Lee, Bong-Seok Jeon
  • Patent number: 8318575
    Abstract: In one embodiment a method of forming a compressive polycrystalline semiconductive material layer is disclosed. The method comprises forming a polycrystalline semiconductive seed layer over a substrate and forming a silicon layer by depositing silicon directly on the polycrystalline silicon seed layer under amorphous process conditions at a temperature below 600 C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Lehnert, Stefan Pompl, Markus Meyer
  • Patent number: 8309442
    Abstract: A fabricating method of a semiconductor stacking layer includes following steps. First, an amorphous silicon (?-Si) layer is formed on a substrate. Surface treatment is then performed on a surface of the ?-Si layer. After that, a doped microcrystalline silicon (?c-Si) layer is formed on the treated surface of the ?-Si layer, wherein interface defects existing between the ?-Si layer and the doped ?c-Si layer occupy an area in a cross-sectional region having a width of 1.5 micrometers and a thickness of 40 nanometers, and a ratio of the occupied area in the cross-sectional region is equal to or less than 10%. The method of fabricating the semiconductor stacking layer can be applied to a fabrication process of a semiconductor device to effectively reduce the interface defects of the semiconductor stacking layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Yuan Hou