The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 07, 2015
Filed:
Jun. 27, 2013
Bradley P. Smith, Austin, TX (US);
Mehul D. Shroff, Austin, TX (US);
Bradley P. Smith, Austin, TX (US);
Mehul D. Shroff, Austin, TX (US);
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A mechanism is provided for extending useable lifetimes of semiconductor devices that are subject to trapped charge carriers in a gate dielectric. Embodiments of the present invention provide heat to the gate dielectric region from one or more sources, where the heat sources are included in a package along with the semiconductor device. It has been determined that heat, when applied during a period when the channel region of a transistor is in accumulation mode or is not providing a current across the channel, can at least partially recover the device from trapped charge carrier effects. Embodiments of the present invention supply heat to the affected gate dielectric region using mechanisms available where the semiconductor device is used (e.g., in the field).