Abstract:
On a semiconductor substrate, a transistor and a capacitor electrically connected to the transistor are formed, the capacitor having two electrodes made of metal and a capacitor dielectric layer between the two electrodes made of oxide dielectric material. A temporary protective film is formed over the capacitor, the temporary protective film covering the capacitor. The semiconductor substrate with the temporary protective film is subjected to a heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere. The temporary protective film is removed. The semiconductor substrate with the temporary protective film removed is subjected to a heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum state. A protective film is formed over the capacitor, the protective film covering the capacitor. With these processes, leak current of the capacitor can be reduced.
Abstract:
A new design for a high voltage bipolar transistor is disclosed. Instead of a buried subcollector (which would be N+ in an NPN device), a buried P+ layer is used. The presence of this P+ layer results in pinch-off between itself and the bipolar base. This allows much higher breakdown voltages to be achieved. In particular, the device will not break down at the bottom of the base-collector junction which is the weak spot for conventional devices. A process for manufacturing this device is described. A particular feature of this new process is that the N type epitaxial layer that is grown over the P+ layer is only about half the thickness of its counterpart in the conventional device. The process is fully compatible with conventional BiCMOS processes and has lower cost.
Abstract:
A tool holder of the hollow taper shank in a tool machine is disclosed. A resisting block supported by a spring is received within a tool holder. As the short knife is disposed within the tool holder, the elastic force of the spring can be overcome. At first, a plurality of steel balls and a resisting block are pushed inversely until the front edge of an wider portion of the short knife passes through the steel ball. Now, the spring will release the energy from elastic deformation so as to enforce the resisting block to move forwards and outwards so as to return to the original position. Thereby, the knife can be firmly secured.
Abstract:
A stable, high-value polysilicon resistor is achieved by using a silicide layer that prevents diffusion of hydrogen into the resistor. The resistor can also be integrated into a salicide process for making FETs without increasing process complexity. A polysilicon layer with a cap oxide is patterned to form FET gate electrodes and the polysilicon resistor. The lightly doped source/drains, insulating sidewall spacers, and source/drain contacts are formed for the FETs. The cap oxide is patterned to expose one end of the resistor, and the cap oxide is removed from the gate electrodes. A refractory metal is deposited and annealed to form the salicide FETs and concurrently to form a silicide on the end of the resistor. The unreacted metal is etched. An interlevel dielectric layer is deposited and contact holes with metal plugs are formed to both ends of the resistor. A metal is deposited to form the first level of metal interconnections, which also provides contacts to both ends of the resistor. The metal is also patterned to form a metal shield over the resistor to prevent hydrogen diffusion into the resistor. In this invention the spacing between the metal portions contacting the ends of the resistor is aligned over the silicide on the resistor to provide 100% shielding from hydrogen diffusion into the resistor.
Abstract:
A voltage sensing circuit consists of a sensing node, a transistor of a first conductivity type, a diode-like device, a first reference voltage source, a transistor of a second conductivity type, and a second reference voltage source. The transistor of a first conductivity type is configured with one source/drain receiving an input voltage signal and another source/drain connected to the sensing node. The diode-like device receives the input voltage signal and, accordingly, generates a voltage-dropped signal. The first reference voltage source is connected to a gate of the transistor of the first conductivity type. The transistor of a second conductivity type is configured with one source/drain connected to the sensing node and a gate receiving the voltage-dropped signal. The second reference voltage source is connected to another source/drain of the transistor of the second conductivity type.
Abstract:
A method for forming a Schottky diode. There is first provided a silicon layer. There is then formed upon the silicon layer an anisotropically patterned first dielectric layer which defines a Schottky diode contact region of the silicon layer. There is then formed and aligned upon the anisotropically patterned first dielectric layer a patterned second dielectric layer which is formed of a thermally reflowable material. There is then reflowed thermally the patterned second dielectric layer to form a thermally reflowed patterned second dielectric layer having a uniform sidewall profile with respect to the anisotropically patterned first dielectric layer while simultaneously forming a thermal silicon oxide layer upon the Schottky diode contact region of the silicon layer. There is then etched while employing a first etch method the thermal silicon oxide layer from the Schottky diode contact region of the silicon layer while preserving the uniform sidewall profile of the thermally reflowed patterned second dielectric layer with respect to the anisotropically patterned first dielectric layer. There is then formed and thermally annealed upon the thermally reflowed patterned second dielectric layer and the Schottky diode contact region of the silicon layer a metal silicide forming metal layer to form in a self aligned fashion a metal silicide layer upon the Schottky diode contact region of the silicon layer, a protective oxide surface layer upon the metal silicide layer and a metal silicide forming metal layer residue upon the thermally reflowed patterned second dielectric layer. There is then stripped from the thermally reflowed patterned second dielectric layer the metal silicide forming metal layer residue. Finally, there is then etched while employing a second etch method the protective oxide surface layer from the metal silicide layer, where the second etch method also preserves the uniform sidewall profile of the thermally reflowed patterned second dielectric layer with respect to the anisotropically patterned first dielectric layer.
Abstract:
A semiconductor memory array and method for use in a memory device in which the location of a memory cell in the array is specified by row address and column address decoders. The memory cells may be floating gate memory cells in which data is programmed by hot carrier injection and erased by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. The array includes bit lines connected to the column address decoder, and word lines and N+ diffusion source lines connected to the row address decoder. Each memory cell has a gate connected to a word line, a drain connected to a bit line and a source connected to the N+ diffusion source line. A low resistance source line formed of metal II or other conductive material is arranged adjacent to each N+ source line and is electrically connected thereto at one or more locations via interconnecting straps. The low resistance source lines serve to reduce the voltage drop across the N+ diffusion source lines during program operations and provide an improved ground connection during read operations. The word lines are grouped into pairs of even and odd word lines and each pair makes up the minimum program unit or page. The page is also the minimum erase unit, such that adjacent even and odd word lines are erased simultaneously. The voltage applied to a given word line during a read operation may be supplied by a word line clamping circuit which limits gate disturbances resulting from fluctuations in supply voltage.
Abstract:
A case for an eyewear device includes a body defining an opening leading to a storage chamber that is sized for retaining the eyewear device. A cover depends from the body and is movable between an open position, in which the opening is exposed, and a closed position, in which the opening is covered by the cover. A battery is mounted to the body for charging the eyewear device. A detector is positioned on either the body or the cover for detecting when the cover is in the open position or the closed position. A display displays a charge state of the battery when the cover is in the open position.
Abstract:
A case for an electronics-enabled eyewear device includes a body defining an opening leading to a storage chamber that is sized for retaining the eyewear device. A cover depends from the body and is movable between an open position, in which the opening is exposed, and a closed position, in which the opening is covered by the cover. A battery is mounted to the body for charging the electronics-enabled eyewear device. A detector is positioned on either the body or the cover for detecting when the cover is in the open position or the closed position. A display displays a charge state of the battery when the cover is in the open position.
Abstract:
A polymer matrix composite containing graphene sheets homogeneously dispersed in a polymer matrix wherein the polymer matrix composite exhibits a percolation threshold from 0.0001% to 0.1% by volume of graphene sheets to form a 3D network of interconnected graphene sheets or network of electron-conducting pathways.