Winbond Electronics Corporation

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Shih-Hsien Yang

Chung-Hsing Wang

King-Ho Tam

Ho Che Yu

Li-Chung Hsu

Meng-Xiang Lee

Bor-Ru Sheu

Yueh-Cheng Chuang

Lee-Chung Lu

Chih-Ping Chao

Hua-Chou Tseng

Kuan-Chi Tsai

James Juen Hsu

Cliff Hou

Chien-Min Wu

Chuan-Jane Chao

Chun-Hui Tai

Ming-Ray Mao

Meng-Wei Hsieh

Chi-Moon Huang

Shu-Jenn Yu

Wen-Chao Chen

A structure comprises a p-type substrate, a deep n-type well and a deep p-type well. The deep n-type well is adjacent to the p-type substrate and has a first conductive path to a first terminal. The deep p-type well is in the deep n-type well, is separated from the p-type substrate by the deep n-type well, and has a second conductive path to a second terminal. A first n-type well is over the deep p-type well. A first p-type well is over the deep p-type well.

Isolation structure

A method comprises providing a non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium storing a partial netlist of at least a portion of a previously taped-out integrated circuit (IC) layout, representing a set of photomasks for fabricating an IC having the IC layout such that the IC meets a first specification value. A computer identities a proper subset of a plurality of first devices in the IC layout, such that replacement of the proper subset of the first devices by second devices in a revised IC layout satisfies a second specification value different from the first specification value. At least one layout mask is generated and stored in at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium, accessible by a tool for forming at least one additional photomask, such that the set of photomasks and the at least one additional photomask are usable to fabricate an IC according to the revised IC layout.

Layout modification method and system

A method includes forming a plurality of dielectric layers over a semiconductor substrate; and forming integrated passive devices in the plurality of dielectric layers. The semiconductor substrate is then removed from the plurality of dielectric layers. A dielectric substrate is bonded onto the plurality of dielectric layers.

Methods for fabricating integrated passive devices on glass substrates

A method comprises providing a non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium storing a partial netlist of at least a portion of a previously taped-out integrated circuit (IC) layout, representing a set of photomasks for fabricating an IC having the IC layout such that the IC meets a first specification value. A computer identifies a proper subset of a plurality of first devices in the IC layout, such that replacement of the proper subset of the first devices by second devices in a revised IC layout satisfies a second specification value different from the first specification value. At least one layout mask is generated and stored in at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium, accessible by a tool for forming at least one additional photomask, such that the set of photomasks and the at least one additional photomask are usable to fabricate an IC according to the revised IC layout.

System and method for providing power to integrated circuitry with good power-on responsive time and reduced power-on transient glitches. A preferred embodiment comprises a daughter switch coupled to a circuit block, a first control circuit coupled to the daughter circuit, a second control circuit coupled to the first control circuit, and a mother circuit coupled to the circuit block and to the second control circuit. After the daughter switch is turned on by a control signal, the mother switch is not turned on until the daughter switch has discharged (charged) the voltage potential across power rails of the mother circuit to a point where glitches are minimized. The second control circuit turns on the mother circuit when the reduced voltage potential is reached, with a signal produced by the first control circuit reflects the voltage potential. Furthermore, a bypass circuit can be used to reduce leakage current.

Mother/daughter switch design with self power-up control

A weak programming method of a non-volatile memory. A first voltage is applied to a substrate during a first duration, while a control-gate voltage, such as zero volt, is applied to the gate, such that the leakage of the bit line is reduced and electron-hole pairs are generated. In the second duration, a second voltage is applied to the substrate, and a third voltage is applied to the gate to enhance the capability of injecting electrons into the floating gate of the non-volatile memory. Therefore, the distribution of the threshold voltage is more concentrated. The second voltage has a polarity the same as that of the first voltage, while the polarity of the third voltage is opposite to that of the second voltage.

Weak programming method of non-volatile memory

A method of erasing non-volatile memory data. The erasing method includes applying a first voltage to a substrate, applying a second voltage to a control gate and setting both source terminal and drain terminal to a floating state during a first time interval so that F-N tunneling can be utilized to carry out an erasing operation. In a second time interval, the control gate voltage is changed from the first voltage applied to a third voltage. In a third time interval, the substrate voltage is changed from the second voltage to 0 volt to prevent over-erasure of the non-volatile memory. The second voltage and the first voltage are in reverse bias. Similarly, the third voltage and the first voltage are also in reverse bias.

Method of erasing non-volatile memory data

A stacked spacer structure and process adapted for a stacked layer on a semiconductor substrate is described. The stacked spacer structure is formed on the sidewalls of the stacked layer which comprise a conductive layer and a cap layer thereon. A dielectric layer made of a material with low dielectric constant lower than that of silicon nitride is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A first silicon nitride layer is then formed over the substrate. The first silicon nitride layer and dielectric layer are etched sequentially to form an inner spacer on the sidewalls of the stacked layer. A second silicon nitride layer is formed over the substrate and is etched to form an outer spacer on the sidewalls of the inner spacer. By forming the stacked spacer structure of the present invention embedded in low dielectric material, the coupling capacitance produced therein will be greatly reduced.

Stacked spacer structure and process

A conductive contact structure to electrically connect to a source/drain region in a semiconductor substrate and a process of making the same. An inlay opening including a pad opening and a bottom opening is formed in the dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate. The pad opening is larger than and located upon the bottom opening that exposes the source/drain region. The bottom opening and pad opening are sequentially filled with a polysilicon layer and a tungsten layer to form a bottom plug and a metal pad layer, respectively.

Conductive contact structure and process for producing the same

A method for measuring both buried strap and deep trench leakage currents in DRAM cell capacitors. By keeping the voltages on both plates of the capacitor equal, the buried strap leakage current (IBS) may be isolated and measured. A range of voltages is applied to a terminal of an associated transistor to obtain a corresponding range of buried strap leakage currents. An unequal voltage is next applied across the capacitor, and a total leakage current is measured. By applying a known potential to a substrate of the transistor during this total leakage current measurement, the associated IBS may be determined. Next, the IBS is subtracted from the measured total leakage current to obtain the deep trench leakage current (IDT).

Testing method for buried strap and deep trench leakage current

The invention provides a circuit for precisely measuring a retention time of a memory cell of a DRAM. The circuit includes at least includes a DRAM memory cell and a periphery MOS device. The DRAM memory cell includes, for example, an N-type MOS (NMOS) transistor with a capacitor. The NMOS transistor has a source region coupled to a lower electrode of the capacitor, a drain region coupled to a first voltage, and a gate electrode coupled to a second voltage. The capacitor is also coupled to a third voltage at its upper electrode. The periphery MOS device includes a gate electrode coupled to the NMOS transistor at a node between the NMOS transistor and the capacitor. A drain region of the periphery MOS device is coupled to a fourth voltage, and a source region of the periphery MOS device is coupled to a fifth voltage. Moreover, the circuit includes another periphery MOS device, which is coupled to the previous periphery MOS device in parallel, but the gate electrode of the periphery MOS device is coupled to a sixth voltage.

Circuit for measuring the data retention time of a dynamic random-access memory cell

A delay circuit is provided to dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for use to assist the measurement of the DRAM charge/discharge period, which allows the DRAM charge/discharge period to be more precisely measured. In measurement, a plurality of such delay circuits are chained together to allow the charge/discharge period measurement to be performed in a collective manner on all the DRAM cells in the delay chain circuit, which can be then used to determine the charge/discharge period of each DRAM cell. When the charge or discharge process on the DRAM cell in the current stage is completed, the DRAM-cell delay circuit of the current stage will likewise generate an output voltage of a certain logic state to trigger the next stage to undergo a charge/discharge process. Furthermore, a large-current output driving circuit is coupled to the last stage in the delay chain circuit to allow an increased output driving capability.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Shih-Hsien Yang