| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080272399 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL FOR COLLECTING ELECTRONS AND HOLES - The present invention is a pixel sensor cell and method of making the same. The pixel sensor cell approximately doubles the available signal for a given quanta of light. The device of the present invention utilizes the holes produced by impinging photons in a pixel sensor cell circuit. A pixel sensor cell having reduced complexity includes an n-type collection well region formed beneath a surface of a substrate for collecting electrons generated by electromagnetic radiation impinging on the pixel sensor cell and a p-type collection well region formed beneath the surface of the substrate for collecting holes generated by the impinging photons. A circuit structure having a first input is coupled to the n-type collection well region and a second input is coupled to the p-type collection well region, wherein an output signal of the pixel sensor cell is the magnitude of the difference of a signal of the first input and a signal of the second input. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080272400 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL FOR COLLECTING ELECTRONS AND HOLES - The present invention is a pixel sensor cell and method of making the same. The pixel sensor cell approximately doubles the available signal for a given quanta of light. The device of the present invention utilizes the holes produced by impinging photons in a pixel sensor cell circuit. A pixel sensor cell having reduced complexity includes an n-type collection well region formed beneath a surface of a substrate for collecting electrons generated by electromagnetic radiation impinging on the pixel sensor cell and a p-type collection well region formed beneath the surface of the substrate for collecting holes generated by the impinging photons. A circuit structure having a first input is coupled to the n-type collection well region and a second input is coupled to the p-type collection well region, wherein an output signal of the pixel sensor cell is the magnitude of the difference of a signal of the first input and a signal of the second input. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080274578 | METHOD OF FORMING A PIXEL SENSOR CELL FOR COLLECTING ELECTRONS AND HOLES - The present invention is a pixel sensor cell and method of making the same. The pixel sensor cell approximately doubles the available signal for a given quanta of light. The device of the present invention utilizes the holes produced by impinging photons in a pixel sensor cell circuit. A pixel sensor cell having reduced complexity includes an n-type collection well region formed beneath a surface of a substrate for collecting electrons generated by electromagnetic radiation impinging on the pixel sensor cell and a p-type collection well region formed beneath the surface of the substrate for collecting holes generated by the impinging photons. A circuit structure having a first input is coupled to the n-type collection well region and a second input is coupled to the p-type collection well region, wherein an output signal of the pixel sensor cell is the magnitude of the difference of a signal of the first input and a signal of the second input. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080296476 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL FOR COLLECTING ELECTIONS AND HOLES - The present invention is a pixel sensor cell and method of making the same. The pixel sensor cell approximately doubles the available signal for a given quanta of light. The device of the present invention utilizes the holes produced by impinging photons in a pixel sensor cell circuit. A pixel sensor cell having reduced complexity includes an n-type collection well region formed beneath a surface of a substrate for collecting electrons generated by electromagnetic radiation impinging on the pixel sensor cell and a p-type collection well region formed beneath the surface of the substrate for collecting holes generated by the impinging photons. A circuit structure having a first input is coupled to the n-type collection well region and a second input is coupled to the p-type collection well region, wherein an output signal of the pixel sensor cell is the magnitude of the difference of a signal of the first input and a signal of the second input. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20090001427 | CHARGE CARRIER BARRIER FOR IMAGE SENSOR - A pixel sensor structure, method of manufacture and method of operating. Disclosed is a buffer pixel cell comprising a barrier region for preventing stray charge carriers from arriving at a dark current correction pixel cell. The buffer pixel cell is located in the vicinity of the dark current correction pixel cell and the buffer pixel cell resembles an active pixel cell. Thus, an environment surrounding the dark current correction pixel cell is similar to the environment surrounding an active pixel cell. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090045502 | CHIP SCALE PACKAGE WITH THROUGH-VIAS THAT ARE SELECTIVELY ISOLATED OR CONNECTED TO THE SUBSTRATE - A semiconductor chip scale package formed with through-vias, which can be either isolated or electrically connected to a substrate, and a method of producing the semiconductor chip scale package with through-vias, which can be isolated or electrically connected to the substrate. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090090983 | DUAL WORK FUNCTION HIGH VOLTAGE DEVICES - A transistor has a substrate having a channel region and source and drain regions within the substrate on opposite sides of the channel region. The structure includes a gate oxide above the channel region of the substrate and a gate conductor above the gate oxide. The polysilicon gate conductor comprises a source side positioned toward the source and a drain side positioned toward the drain. The source side comprises a first concentration of conductive doping and the drain side comprises a second concentration of the conductive doping that is less than the first concentration. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090108347 | LATERAL DIFFUSION FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR WITH ASYMMETRIC GATE DIELECTRIC PROFILE - A gate stack comprising a uniform thickness gate dielectric, a gate electrode, and an oxygen-diffusion-resistant gate cap is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Thermal oxidation is performed only on the drain side of the gate electrode, while the source side is protected from thermal oxidation. A thermal oxide on the drain side sidewall of the gate electrode is integrally formed with a graded thickness silicon oxide containing gate dielectric, of which the thickness monotonically increases from the source side to the drain side. The thickness profile may be self-aligned to the drain side edge of the gate electrode, or may have a portion with a self-limiting thickness. The graded thickness profile may be advantageously used to form a lateral diffusion metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor providing an enhanced performance. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090124047 | STACKED IMAGE METHOD - An imaging system for use in a digital camera or cell phone utilizes one chip for logic and one chip for image processing. The chips are interconnected using around-the-edge or through via conductors extending from bond pads on the active surface of the imaging chip to backside metallurgy on the imaging chip. The backside metallurgy of the imaging chip is connected to metallurgy on the active surface of the logic chip using an array of solder bumps in BGA fashion. The interconnection arrangement provides a CSP which matches the space constraints of a cell phone, for example. The arrangement also utilizes minimal wire lengths for reduced noise. Connection of the CSP to a carrier package may be either by conductive through vias or wire bonding. The CSP is such that the imaging chip may readily be mounted across an aperture in the wall of a cell phone, for example, so as to expose the light sensitive pixels on the active surface of said imaging chip to light. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090193378 | MODIFYING LAYOUT OF IC BASED ON FUNCTION OF INTERCONNECT AND RELATED CIRCUIT AND DESIGN STRUCTURE - Modifying a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) based on a function of an interconnect therein and a related circuit and design structure are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a function of an interconnect in the layout from data of the layout embodied in a computer readable medium; and modifying the layout to form another layout that accommodates the function of the interconnect. A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process, according to one embodiment, may include a circuit including a high voltage interconnect positioned in a dielectric layer, the high voltage interconnect positioned such that no fill is above or below the high voltage interconnect. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090236644 | HIGH EFFICIENCY CMOS IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL EMPLOYING DYNAMIC VOLTAGE SUPPLY - A global shutter compatible pixel circuit comprising a reset gate (RG) transistor is provided in which a dynamic voltage is applied to the drain of the reset gate transistor in order to reduce a floating diffusion (FD) leakage therethrough during signal hold time. The drain voltage of the reset gate transistor is held at a lower voltage than a circuit supply voltage to minimize the off-state leakage through the RG transistor, thus reducing the change in the voltage at the floating diffusion during the signal hold time. In addition, a design structure for such a circuit providing a dynamic voltage to the drain of a reset gate of a pixel circuit is also provided. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090242949 | CMOS IMAGE SENSOR WITH REDUCED DARK CURRENT - A carbon-containing semiconductor layer is formed on exposed surfaces of a p-doped semiconductor layer abutting sidewalls of a shallow trench. Following formation of a dielectric layer on the carbon-containing semiconductor layer, a surface pinning layer having a p-type doping is formed underneath the carbon-containing semiconductor layer. A shallow trench isolation structure and a photodiode are subsequently formed. Diffusion of defects directly beneath the shallow trench isolation structure, now contained in the carbon-containing semiconductor layer, is suppressed. Further, boron diffusion into the shallow trench isolation structure and into the photodiode is also suppressed by the carbon-containing semiconductor layer, providing reduction in dark current and enhancement of performance of the photodiode. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090250733 | PIXEL SENSOR WITH REDUCED IMAGE LAG - A tensile-stress-generating structure is formed above a gate electrode in a CMOS image sensor to apply a normal tensile stress between a charge collection well of a photodiode, which is also a source region of a transfer transistor, and a floating drain in the direction connecting the source region and the floating drain. The tensile stress lowers the potential barrier between the source region and the body of the transfer transistor to effect a faster and more through transfer of the electrical charges in the source region to the floating drain. Image lag is thus reduced in the CMOS image sensor. Further, charge capacity of the source region is also enhanced due to the normal tensile stress applied to the source region. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090261415 | FULLY-DEPLETED LOW-BODY DOPING FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR (FET) WITH REVERSE SHORT CHANNEL EFFECTS (SCE) INDUCED BY SELF-ALIGNED EDGE BACK-GATE(S) - Disclosed are embodiments of a field effect transistor (FET) and, more particularly, a fully-depleted, thin-body (FDTB) FET that allows for scaling with minimal short channel effects, such as drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) and saturation threshold voltage (Vtsat) roll-off, at shorter channel lengths. The FDTB FET embodiments are configured with either an edge back-gate or split back-gate that can be biased in order to selectively adjust the potential barrier between the source/drain regions and the channel region for minimizing off-state leakage current between the drain region and the source region and/or for varying threshold voltage. These unique back-gate structures avoid the need for halo doping to ensure linear threshold voltage (Vtlin) roll-up at smaller channel lengths and, thus, avoid across-chip threshold voltage variations due to random doping fluctuations. Also disclosed are method embodiments for forming such FETs. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090283807 | Anti-Reflection Structures For CMOS Image Sensors - Optical structures having an array of protuberances between two layers having different refractive indices are provided. The array of protuberances has vertical and lateral dimensions less than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode of a CMOS image sensor. The array of protuberances provides high transmission of light with little reflection. The array of protuberances may be provided over a photodiode, in a back-end-of-line interconnect structure, over a lens for a photodiode, on a backside of a photodiode, or on a window of a chip package. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090286346 | Methods For Forming Anti-Reflection Structures For CMOS Image Sensors - Protuberances, having vertical and lateral dimensions less than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode, are formed at an optical interface between two layers having different refractive indices. The protuberances may be formed by employing self-assembling block copolymers that form an array of sublithographic features of a first polymeric block component within a matrix of a second polymeric block component. The pattern of the polymeric block component is transferred into a first optical layer to form an array of nanoscale protuberances. Alternately, conventional lithography may be employed to form protuberances having dimensions less than the wavelength of light. A second optical layer is formed directly on the protuberances of the first optical layer. The interface between the first and second optical layers has a graded refractive index, and provides high transmission of light with little reflection. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20100013972 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL WITH FRAME STORAGE CAPABILITY - A set of frame transfer transistors are provided between a hold gate transistor and a transfer gate transistor of a CMOS image sensor to enable storage of charge generate in the photosensitive diode after exposure. The readout of the charges from the set of frame transfer transistors may be performed after a plurality of exposures of the CMOS image sensor, between each of which charges are shifted toward the transfer gate transistor within the set of frame transfer transistors. Useful operation modes are enabled including a burst mode operation for rapid capture of successive images and high dynamic range operations in which multiple images are taken with different exposure times or a large capacitance is provided by ganging the diffusions of the set of frame transfer transistors. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100013973 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL WITH FRAME STORAGE CAPABILITY - A set of frame transfer transistors are provided between a hold gate transistor and a transfer gate transistor of a CMOS image sensor to enable storage of charge generate in the photosensitive diode after exposure. The readout of the charges from the set of frame transfer transistors may be performed after a plurality of exposures of the CMOS image sensor, between each of which charges are shifted toward the transfer gate transistor within the set of frame transfer transistors. Useful operation modes are enabled including a burst mode operation for rapid capture of successive images and high dynamic range operations in which multiple images are taken with different exposure times or a large capacitance is provided by ganging the diffusions of the set of frame transfer transistors. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100038773 | BOND PAD FOR WAFER AND PACKAGE FOR CMOS IMAGER - An electronic packaging having at least one bond pad positioned on a chip for effectuating through-wafer connections to an integrated circuit. The electronic package is equipped with an edge seat between the bond pad region and an active circuit region, and includes a crack stop, which is adapted to protect the arrangement from the entry of deleterious moisture and combination into the active regions of the chip containing the bond pads. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100084690 | CMOS IMAGER PHOTODIODE WITH ENHANCED CAPACITANCE - A pixel sensor cell having a semiconductor substrate having a surface; a photosensitive element formed in a substrate having a non-laterally disposed charge collection region entirely isolated from a physical boundary including the substrate surface. The photosensitive element comprises a trench having sidewalls formed in the substrate of a first conductivity type material; a first doped layer of a second conductivity type material formed adjacent to at least one of the sidewalls; and a second doped layer of the first conductivity type material formed between the first doped layer and the at least one trench sidewall and formed at a surface of the substrate, the second doped layer isolating the first doped layer from the at least one trench sidewall and the substrate surface. In a further embodiment, an additional photosensitive element is provided that includes a laterally disposed charge collection region that contacts the non-laterally disposed charge collection region of the photosensitive element and underlies the doped layer formed at the substrate surface. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100096536 | ON DEMAND CIRCUIT FUNCTION EXECUTION EMPLOYING OPTICAL SENSING - Disclosed is a method of executing an electrical function, such as a fusing operation, by activation through a chip embedded photodiode through spectrally selected external light activation, and corresponding structure and circuit. The present invention is based on having incident light with specific intensity/wave length characteristics, in conjunction with additional circuit elements to an integrated circuit, perform the implementation of repairs, i.e., replacing failing circuit elements with redundant ones for yield and/or reliability. Also to perform disconnection of ESD protection device from input pad one the packaged chip is placed in system. No additional pins on the package are necessary. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100097511 | HIGH EFFICIENCY CMOS IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL EMPLOYING DYNAMIC VOLTAGE SUPPLY - A global shutter compatible pixel circuit comprising a reset gate (RG) transistor is provided in which a dynamic voltage is applied to the drain of the reset gate transistor in order to reduce a floating diffusion (FD) leakage therethrough during signal hold time. The drain voltage of the reset gate transistor is held at a lower voltage than a circuit supply voltage to minimize the off-state leakage through the RG transistor, thus reducing the change in the voltage at the floating diffusion during the signal hold time. In addition, a design structure for such a circuit providing a dynamic voltage to the drain of a reset gate of a pixel circuit is also provided. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100136733 | SILICIDE STRAPPING IN IMAGER TRANSFER GATE DEVICE - A CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) cell structure having dual workfunction transfer gate device and method of fabrication. The transfer gate device comprises a dielectric layer formed on a substrate and a dual workfunction gate conductor layer formed on the dielectric layer comprising a first conductivity type doped region and an abutting second conductivity type doped region. The transfer gate device defines a channel region where charge accumulated by a photosensing device is transferred to a diffusion region. A silicide structure is formed atop the dual workfunction gate conductor layer for electrically coupling the first and second conductivity type doped regions. In one embodiment, the silicide contact is smaller in area dimension than an area dimension of said dual workfunction gate conductor layer. Presence of the silicide strap prevents the diodic behavior from allowing one or the other side of the gate to float to an indeterminate voltage. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100264473 | ANTI-REFLECTION STRUCTURES FOR CMOS IMAGE SENSORS - Optical structures having an array of protuberances between two layers having different refractive indices are provided. The array of protuberances has vertical and lateral dimensions less than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode of a CMOS image sensor. The array of protuberances provides high transmission of light with little reflection. The array of protuberances may be provided over a photodiode, in a back-end-of-line interconnect structure, over a lens for a photodiode, on a backside of a photodiode, or on a window of a chip package. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100289082 | ISOLATION WITH OFFSET DEEP WELL IMPLANTS - A method implants impurities into well regions of transistors. The method prepares a first mask over a substrate and performs a first shallow well implant through the first mask to implant first-type impurities to a first depth of the substrate. The first mask is removed and a second mask is prepared over the substrate. The method performs a second shallow well implant through the second mask to implant second-type impurities to the first depth of the substrate and then removes the second mask. A third mask is prepared over the substrate. The third mask has openings smaller than openings in the first mask and the second mask. A first deep well implant is performed through the third mask to implant the first-type impurities to a second depth of the substrate, the second depth of the substrate being greater than the first depth of the substrate. The third mask is removed and a fourth mask is prepared over the substrate, the fourth mask has openings smaller than the openings in the first mask and the second mask. Then, a second deep well implant is performed through the fourth mask to implant the second-type impurities to the second depth of the substrate. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20110008925 | CMOS IMAGE SENSOR WITH REDUCED DARK CURRENT - A carbon-containing semiconductor layer is formed on exposed surfaces of a p− doped semiconductor layer abutting sidewalls of a shallow trench. Following formation of a dielectric layer on the carbon-containing semiconductor layer, a surface pinning layer having a p-type doping is formed underneath the carbon-containing semiconductor layer. A shallow trench isolation structure and a photodiode are subsequently formed. Diffusion of defects directly beneath the shallow trench isolation structure, now contained in the carbon-containing semiconductor layer, is suppressed. Further, boron diffusion into the shallow trench isolation structure and into the photodiode is also suppressed by the carbon-containing semiconductor layer, providing reduction in dark current and enhancement of performance of the photodiode. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110193146 | Charge Carrier Barrier for Image Sensor - A pixel sensor structure, method of manufacture and method of operating. Disclosed is a buffer pixel cell comprising a barrier region for preventing stray charge carriers from arriving at a dark current correction pixel cell. The buffer pixel cell is located in the vicinity of the dark current correction pixel cell and the buffer pixel cell resembles an active pixel cell. Thus, an environment surrounding the dark current correction pixel cell is similar to the environment surrounding an active pixel cell. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110250715 | METHODS FOR FORMING ANTI-REFLECTION STRUCTURES FOR CMOS IMAGE SENSORS - Protuberances, having vertical and lateral dimensions less than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode, are formed at an optical interface between two layers having different refractive indices. The protuberances may be formed by employing self-assembling block copolymers that form an array of sublithographic features of a first polymeric block component within a matrix of a second polymeric block component. The pattern of the polymeric block component is transferred into a first optical layer to form an array of nanoscale protuberances. Alternately, conventional lithography may be employed to form protuberances having dimensions less than the wavelength of light. A second optical layer is formed directly on the protuberances of the first optical layer. The interface between the first and second optical layers has a graded refractive index, and provides high transmission of light with little reflection. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20120001268 | ISOLATION WITH OFFSET DEEP WELL IMPLANTS - A method implants impurities into well regions of transistors. The method prepares a first mask over a substrate and performs a first shallow well implant through the first mask to implant first-type impurities to a first depth of the substrate. The first mask is removed and a second mask is prepared over the substrate. The method performs a second shallow well implant through the second mask to implant second-type impurities to the first depth of the substrate and then removes the second mask. A third mask is prepared over the substrate. The third mask has openings smaller than openings in the first mask and the second mask. A first deep well implant is performed through the third mask to implant the first-type impurities to a second depth of the substrate, the second depth of the substrate being greater than the first depth of the substrate. The third mask is removed and a fourth mask is prepared over the substrate, the fourth mask has openings smaller than the openings in the first mask and the second mask. Then, a second deep well implant is performed through the fourth mask to implant the second-type impurities to the second depth of the substrate. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120037967 | CMOS PIXEL SENSOR CELLS WITH POLY SPACER TRANSFER GATES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - CMOS pixel sensor cells with spacer transfer gates and methods of manufacture are provided herein. The method includes forming a middle gate structure on a gate dielectric. The method further includes forming insulation sidewalls on the middle gate structure. The method further includes forming spacer transfer gates on the gate dielectric on opposing sides of the middle gate, adjacent to the insulation sidewalls which isolate the middle gate structure from the spacer transfer gates. The method further includes forming a photo-diode region in electrical contact with one of the spacer transfer gates and a floating diffusion in electrical contact with another of the spacer transfer gates. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120081588 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL WITH HOLD NODE FOR LEAKAGE CANCELLATION AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN STRUCTURE - A reference pixel sensor cell (e.g., global shutter) with hold node for leakage cancellation, methods of manufacture and design structure is provided. A pixel array includes one or more reference pixel sensor cells dispersed locally throughout active light sensing regions. The one or more reference pixel sensor cells provides a reference signal used to correct for photon generated leakage signals which vary by locality within the active light sensing regions. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120098105 | BOND PAD FOR WAFER AND PACKAGE FOR CMOS IMAGER - An electronic packaging having at least one bond pad positioned on a chip for effectuating through-wafer connections to an integrated circuit. The electronic package is equipped with an edge seal between the bond pad region and an active circuit region, and includes a crack stop, which is adapted to protect the arrangement from the entry of deleterious moisture and combination into the active regions of the chip containing the bond pads. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120122261 | CMOS IMAGER PHOTODIODE WITH ENHANCED CAPACITANCE - A method for manufacturing a pixel sensor cell that includes a photosensitive element having a non-laterally disposed charge collection region. The method includes forming a trench recess in a substrate of a first conductivity type material, and filling the trench recess with a material having second conductivity type material. The second conductivity type material is then diffused out of the filled trench material to the substrate region surrounding the trench to form the non-laterally disposed charge collection region. The filled trench material is removed to provide a trench recess, and the trench recess is filled with a material having a first conductivity type material. A surface implant layer is formed at either side of the trench having a first conductivity type material. A collection region of a trench-type photosensitive element is formed of the outdiffused second conductivity type material and is isolated from the substrate surface. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120168835 | ANTI-REFLECTION STRUCTURES FOR CMOS IMAGE SENSORS - Optical structures having an array of protuberances between two layers having different refractive indices are provided. The array of protuberances has vertical and lateral dimensions less than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode of a CMOS image sensor. The array of protuberances provides high transmission of light with little reflection. The array of protuberances may be provided over a photodiode, in a back-end-of-line interconnect structure, over a lens for a photodiode, on a backside of a photodiode, or on a window of a chip package. | 07-05-2012 |
| 20130026646 | PASSIVATED THROUGH WAFER VIAS IN LOW-DOPED SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATES - A method for forming passivated through wafer vias, passivated through wafer via structures, and passivated through wafer via design structures. The method includes: forming a through wafer via in a semiconductor substrate, the through wafer via comprising an electrical conductor extending from a top of the semiconductor substrate to a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate; and forming a doped layer abutting all sidewalls of the electrical conductor, the doped layer of a same dopant type as the semiconductor substrate, the concentration of dopant in the doped layer greater than the concentration of dopant in the semiconductor substrate, the doped layer intervening between the electrical conductor and the semiconductor substrate. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130069199 | METAL INSULATOR METAL (MIM) CAPACITOR STRUCTURE - A MIM capacitor includes a dielectric cap that enhances performance and reduces damage to MIM insulators during manufacture. A cavity is formed in an insulative substrate, such as a back end of line dielectric layer, and a first metal layer and an insulator layer are conformally deposited. A second metal layer may be deposited conformally and/or to fill a remaining portion of the cavity. The dielectric cap may be an extra layer of insulative material deposited at ends of the insulator at an opening of the cavity and may also be formed as part of the insulator layer. | 03-21-2013 |
| 20130113050 | BLANKET SHORT CHANNEL ROLL-UP IMPLANT WITH NON-ANGLED LONG CHANNEL COMPENSATING IMPLANT THROUGH PATTERNED OPENING - A method that forms a structure implants a well implant into a substrate, patterns a mask on the substrate (to have at least one opening that exposes a channel region of the substrate) and forms a conformal dielectric layer on the mask and to line the opening. The conformal dielectric layer covers the channel region of the substrate. The method also forms a conformal gate metal layer on the conformal dielectric layer, implants a compensating implant through the conformal gate metal layer and the conformal dielectric layer into the channel region of the substrate, and forms a gate conductor on the conformal gate metal layer. Additionally, the method removes the mask to leave a gate stack on the substrate, forms sidewall spacers on the gate stack, and then forms source/drain regions in the substrate partially below the sidewall spacers. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130113577 | TUNABLE FILTER STRUCTURES AND DESIGN STRUCTURES - Tunable filter structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method of forming a filter structure includes forming a piezoelectric resonance filter over a cavity structure. The forming of the piezoelectric resonance filter includes: forming an upper electrode on one side of a piezoelectric material; and forming a lower electrode on an opposing side of the piezoelectric material. The method further includes forming a micro-electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) cantilever beam at a location in which, upon actuation, makes contact with the piezoelectric resonance filter. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130119434 | BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR WITH A COLLECTOR HAVING A PROTECTED OUTER EDGE PORTION FOR REDUCED BASED-COLLECTOR JUNCTION CAPACITANCE AND A METHOD OF FORMING THE TRANSISTOR - Disclosed are embodiments of a transistor (e.g., bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT)) and a method of forming the transistor with a collector region having a protected upper edge portion for reduced base-collector junction capacitance C | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130134483 | BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR WITH A RAISED COLLECTOR PEDASTAL FOR REDUCED CAPACITANCE AND A METHOD OF FORMING THE TRANSISTOR - Disclosed are a transistor and a method of forming the transistor with a raised collector pedestal in reduced dimension for reduced base-collector junction capacitance. The raised collector pedestal is on the top surface of a substrate, extends vertically through dielectric layer(s), is un-doped or low-doped, is aligned above a sub-collector region contained within the substrate and is narrower than that sub-collector region. An intrinsic base layer is above the raised collector pedestal and the dielectric layer(s). An extrinsic base layer is above the intrinsic base layer. Thus, the space between the extrinsic base layer and the sub-collector region is increased. This increased space is filled by dielectric material and the electrical connection between the intrinsic base layer and the sub-collector region is provided by the relatively narrow, un-doped or low-doped, raised collector pedestal. Consequently, base-collector junction capacitance is reduced and, consequently, the maximum oscillation frequency is increased. | 05-30-2013 |
| 20130146846 | GRAPHENE FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR - Manufacturing a semiconductor structure including: forming a seed material on a sidewall of a mandrel; forming a graphene field effect transistor (FET) on the seed material; and removing the seed material. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130146847 | GRAPHENE FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR - Manufacturing a semiconductor structure including: forming a seed material on an insulator layer; forming a graphene field effect transistor (FET) on the seed material; and forming an air gap under the graphene FET by removing the seed material. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130147319 | LOADING ELEMENT OF A FILM BULK ACOUSTIC RESONATOR - Manufacturing a semiconductor structure including modifying a frequency of a Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR) device though a vent hole of a sealing layer surrounding the FBAR device. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130154003 | ASYMMETRIC ANTI-HALO FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR - A method of forming an integrated circuit structure implants a first compensating implant into a substrate. The method patterns a mask on the first compensating implant in the substrate. The mask includes an opening exposing a channel location of the substrate. The method implants a second compensating implant into the channel location of the substrate. The second compensating implant is made through the opening in the mask and at an angle that is offset from perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate. The second compensating implant is positioned closer to a first side of the channel location relative to an opposite second side of the channel location and the second compensating implant comprises a material having the same doping polarity as the semiconductor channel implant. Then, the method forms a gate conductor above the channel location of the substrate in the opening of the mask. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130161283 | SAW FILTER HAVING PLANAR BARRIER LAYER AND METHOD OF MAKING - Disclosed herein is a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter and method of making the same. The SAW filter includes a piezoelectric substrate; a planar barrier layer disposed above the piezoelectric substrate, and at least one conductor buried in the piezoelectric substrate and the planar barrier layer. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130161777 | ANTI-REFLECTION STRUCTURES FOR CMOS IMAGE SENSORS - Optical structures having an array of protuberances between two layers having different refractive indices are provided. The array of protuberances has vertical and lateral dimensions less than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode of a CMOS image sensor. The array of protuberances provides high transmission of light with little reflection. The array of protuberances may be provided over a photodiode, in a back-end-of-line interconnect structure, over a lens for a photodiode, on a backside of a photodiode, or on a window of a chip package. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130169383 | SWITCHABLE FILTERS AND DESIGN STRUCTURES - Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed on a piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a micro-electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) comprising a MEMS beam formed above the piezoelectric substrate and at a location in which, upon actuation, the MEMS beam shorts the piezoelectric filter structure by contacting at least one of the plurality of electrodes. | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130187246 | BACKSIDE INTEGRATION OF RF FILTERS FOR RF FRONT END MODULES AND DESIGN STRUCTURE - A design structure for an integrated radio frequency (RF) filter on a backside of a semiconductor substrate includes: a device on a first side of a substrate; a radio frequency (RF) filter on a backside of the substrate; and at least one substrate conductor extending from the front side of the substrate to the backside of the substrate and electrically coupling the RF filter to the device. | 07-25-2013 |
| 20130187729 | SWITCHABLE FILTERS AND DESIGN STRUCTURES - Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed on a piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a fixed electrode with a plurality of fingers on the piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a moveable electrode with a plurality of fingers over the piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming actuators aligned with one or more of the plurality of fingers of the moveable electrode. | 07-25-2013 |
| 20130214275 | TRANSISTOR HAVING A NARROW IN-SUBSTRATE COLLECTOR REGION FOR REDUCED BASE-COLLECTOR JUNCTION CAPACITANCE AND A METHOD OF FORMING THE TRANSISTOR - Disclosed are a transistor (e.g., bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT)) and a method of forming the transistor with a narrow in-substrate collector region for reduced base-collector junction capacitance. The transistor has, within a substrate, a collector region positioned laterally adjacent to a trench isolation region. A relatively thin seed layer covers the trench isolation region and collector region. This seed layer has a monocrystalline center, which is aligned above and wider than the collector region (e.g., due to a solid phase epitaxy regrowth process), and a polycrystalline outer section. An intrinsic base layer is epitaxially deposited on the seed layer such that it similarly has a monocrystalline center section that is aligned above and wider than the collector region. An extrinsic base layer is the intrinsic base layer and has a monocrystalline extrinsic base-to-intrinsic base link-up region that is offset vertically from the collector region. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130214877 | SWITCHABLE FILTERS AND DESIGN STRUCTURES - Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed to be in contact with at least one piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a micro-electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) comprising a MEMS beam in which, upon actuation, the MEMS beam will turn on the at least one piezoelectric filter structure by interleaving electrodes in contact with the piezoelectric substrate or sandwiching the at least one piezoelectric substrate between the electrodes. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20140084420 | METHOD TO BRIDGE EXTRINSIC AND INTRINSIC BASE BY SELECTIVE EPITAXY IN BICMOS TECHNOLOGY - A method of forming a heterojunction bipolar transistor. The method includes providing a structure comprising at least an intrinsic base region and an emitter pedestal region. A stack is formed on the intrinsic base region. The stack comprises a polysilicon layer and a top sacrificial oxide layer. A trench is formed in the structure. The trench circumscribes the intrinsic base region and the stack. An extrinsic base is formed at two regions around the stack. The extrinsic base is formed by a selective epitaxial growth process to create a bridge over the trench. The bridge connects the two regions. An opening is provided in the stack. The opening exposes a portion of the intrinsic base region. An emitter is formed in the opening. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140131661 | GRAPHENE FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR - Manufacturing a semiconductor structure including: forming a seed material on a sidewall of a mandrel; forming a graphene field effect transistor (FET) on the seed material; and removing the seed material. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140151852 | BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS WITH REDUCED BASE-COLLECTOR JUNCTION CAPACITANCE - Fabrication methods, device structures, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. The device structure includes a collector region, an intrinsic base formed on the collector region, an emitter coupled with the intrinsic base and separated from the collector by the intrinsic base, and an isolation region extending through the intrinsic base to the collector region. The isolation region is formed with a first section having first sidewalls that extend through the intrinsic base and a second section with second sidewalls that extend into the collector region. The second sidewalls are inclined relative to the first sidewalls. The isolation region is positioned in a trench that is formed with first and second etching process in which the latter etches different crystallographic directions of a single-crystal semiconductor material at different etch rates. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140231877 | COLLECTOR-UP BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS IN BICMOS TECHNOLOGY - Fabrication methods, device structures, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. An emitter is formed in a device region defined in a substrate. An intrinsic base is formed on the emitter. A collector is formed that is separated from the emitter by the intrinsic base. The collector includes a semiconductor material having an electronic bandgap greater than an electronic bandgap of a semiconductor material of the device region. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140231878 | COLLECTOR-UP BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS IN BICMOS TECHNOLOGY - Fabrication methods, device structures, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. An emitter is formed in a device region defined in a substrate. An intrinsic base is formed on the emitter. A collector is formed that is separated from the emitter by the intrinsic base. The collector includes a semiconductor material having an electronic bandgap greater than an electronic bandgap of a semiconductor material of the device region. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140340548 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL WITH HOLD NODE FOR LEAKAGE CANCELLATION AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN STRUCTURE - A reference pixel sensor cell (e.g., global shutter) with hold node for leakage cancellation, methods of manufacture and design structure is provided. A pixel array includes one or more reference pixel sensor cells dispersed locally throughout active light sensing regions. The one or more reference pixel sensor cells provides a reference signal used to correct for photon generated leakage signals which vary by locality within the active light sensing regions. | 11-20-2014 |
| 20140353725 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE DEVICE BY FORMING MONOCRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR LAYERS ON A DIELECTRIC LAYER OVER ISOLATION REGIONS - Disclosed are devices and methods of forming the devices wherein pair(s) of first openings are formed through a dielectric layer and a first semiconductor layer into a substrate and, within the substrate, the first openings of each pair are expanded laterally and merged to form a corresponding trench. Dielectric material is deposited, filling the upper portions of the first openings and creating trench isolation region(s). A second semiconductor layer is deposited and second opening(s) are formed through the second semiconductor and dielectric layers, exposing monocrystalline portion(s) of the first semiconductor layer between the each pair of first openings. A third semiconductor layer is epitaxially deposited with a polycrystalline section on the second semiconductor layer and monocrystalline section(s) on the exposed monocrystalline portion(s) of the first semiconductor layer. A crystallization anneal is performed and a device (e.g., a bipolar device) is formed incorporating the resulting monocrystalline second and third semiconductor layers. | 12-04-2014 |
| 20150014747 | METHOD TO BRIDGE EXTRINSIC AND INTRINSIC BASE BY SELECTIVE EPITAXY IN BICMOS TECHNOLOGY - A method of forming a heterojunction bipolar transistor. The method includes providing a structure comprising at least an intrinsic base region and an emitter pedestal region. A stack is formed on the intrinsic base region. The stack comprises a polysilicon layer and a top sacrificial oxide layer. A trench is formed in the structure. The trench circumscribes the intrinsic base region and the stack. An extrinsic base is formed at two regions around the stack. The extrinsic base is formed by a selective epitaxial growth process to create a bridge over the trench. The bridge connects the two regions. An opening is provided in the stack. The opening exposes a portion of the intrinsic base region. An emitter is formed in the opening. | 01-15-2015 |
| 20150028449 | NANOPARTICLES FOR MAKING SUPERCAPACITOR AND DIODE STRUCTURES - Structures and methods of making a supercapacitor may include a first electrode comprising a first conductive plate and a 3-dimensional (3D) aggregate of sintered nanoparticles electrically connected one to another and to the first conductive plate. The supercapacitor may also include a dielectric formed on surfaces of the 3D aggregate of sintered nanoparticles. The supercapacitor may further include a second electrode comprising a solid second conductor that fills interstices between surfaces of the dielectric and electrically connects to a second conductive plate of a solid second conductor, disposed above an outermost portion of the dielectric. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150041904 | BLANKET SHORT CHANNEL ROLL-UP IMPLANT WITH NON-ANGLED LONG CHANNEL COMPENSATING IMPLANT THROUGH PATTERNED OPENING - A method that forms a structure implants a well implant into a substrate, patterns a mask on the substrate (to have at least one opening that exposes a channel region of the substrate) and forms a conformal dielectric layer on the mask and to line the opening. The conformal dielectric layer covers the channel region of the substrate. The method also forms a conformal gate metal layer on the conformal dielectric layer, implants a compensating implant through the conformal gate metal layer and the conformal dielectric layer into the channel region of the substrate, and forms a gate conductor on the conformal gate metal layer. Additionally, the method removes the mask to leave a gate stack on the substrate, forms sidewall spacers on the gate stack, and then forms source/drain regions in the substrate partially below the sidewall spacers. | 02-12-2015 |
| 20150042418 | SWITCHABLE FILTERS AND DESIGN STRUCTURES - Switchable and/or tunable filters, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed herein. The method of forming the filters includes forming at least one piezoelectric filter structure comprising a plurality of electrodes formed on a piezoelectric substrate. The method further includes forming a micro-electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) comprising a MEMS beam formed above the piezoelectric substrate and at a location in which, upon actuation, the MEMS beam shorts the piezoelectric filter structure by contacting at least one of the plurality of electrodes. | 02-12-2015 |
