Sgs Semiconductor Corporation

Thomson Components-mostek Corporation

Horst Leuschner

The invention comprises a system of alignment key patterns, within the scribe lines of a semiconductor chip, which allow more accurate placement of wafer probes, and more accurate location of fuses for the purposes of blowing selected ones of those fuses by means of laser energy.

Wafer keys for wafer probe alignment

An improved input network for MOS semiconductor devices intended to increase the device resistance to electrostatic discharge in the input circuit. A series of features comprising round and concentric round contacts and buried contacts, a layer of polycrystalline silicon disposed between the metal input contact and the N+ diffusion layer and enlarged metal contact areas are employed to reduce the tendency toward breakdown by reducing hot spots in the device.

Electrostatic discharge input protection network

An improved nonvolatile memory has an adaptive system to regulate the charging current supplied to store data on nonvolatile storage nodes in order to provide acceptability low strain on the tunnel oxide and to compensate for process variations and change in the Fowler-Nordheim tunnel oxide transport characteristics caused by electron trapping over time.

Improved nonvolatile memory circuit using a dual node floating gate

The invention comprises an improved back bias generator for an integrated circuit wherein a transistor circuit first acts as an isolation device during the charging phase of a charge pump capacitor and acts as a coupling device during a discharge phase of the capacitor, thus providing a higher back bias voltage than is available from prior art circuits and wherein the charge pump capacitor is oriented in the circuit so that its source/drain terminal cannot conduct to the substrate by way of the parasitic diode therebetween.

Growing community of inventors

Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Horst Leuschner