Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130049101 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES UTILIZING PARTIALLY DOPED STRESSOR FILM PORTIONS AND METHODS FOR FORMING THE SAME - A semiconductor structure and method for forming the same provide a high mobility stressor material suitable for use as source/drain regions or other active devices. The structure is formed in a substrate opening and is doped with an impurity such as boron in upper portions but is void of the impurity in regions that contact the surfaces of the opening. The structure is therefore resistant to out-diffusion of the dopant impurity during high temperature operations and may be formed through selective deposition using reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition or reduced pressure epitaxial deposition. | 02-28-2013 |
20130102152 | SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes at least one inner retaining ring, and an outer retaining ring. The at least one inner retaining ring applies a first pressure to the polishing pad, and retains a substrate on the polishing pad. The outer retaining ring applies a second pressure to the polishing pad, and retains the at least one inner retaining ring on the polishing pad. Control of the first pressure is independent with respect to control of the second pressure. | 04-25-2013 |
20130134541 | Metal Shielding Layer in Backside Illumination Image Sensor Chips and Methods for Forming the Same - A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside. A photo-sensitive device is disposed at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the photo-sensitive device is configured to receive a light signal from the backside of the semiconductor substrate, and convert the light signal to an electrical signal. An amorphous-like adhesion layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The amorphous-like adhesion layer includes a compound of nitrogen and a metal. A metal shielding layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate and contacting the amorphous-like adhesion layer. | 05-30-2013 |
20130153901 | BSI Image Sensor Chips and Methods for Forming the Same - A device includes semiconductor substrate having a front side and a backside. A polysilicon layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate. The polysilicon layer includes a portion doped with a p-type impurity. A dielectric layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the polysilicon layer is between the semiconductor substrate and the polysilicon layer. | 06-20-2013 |
20130175653 | SENSING PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MAKING - This description relates to a sensing product formed using a substrate with a plurality of epi-layers. At least a first epi-layer has a different composition than the composition of a second epi-layer. The sensing product optionally includes at least one radiation sensing element in the second epi-layer and optionally an interconnect structure over the second epi-layer. The sensing product is formed by removing the substrate and all epi-layers other than the second epi-layer. A light incident surface of the second epi-layer has a total thickness variation of less than about 0.15 μm. | 07-11-2013 |
20130181258 | IMAGE SENSOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING - An image sensor includes a substrate having opposite first and second sides, a multilayer structure on the first side of the substrate, and a photo-sensitive element on the second side of the substrate. The photo-sensitive element is configured to receive light that is incident upon the first side and transmitted through the multilayer structure and the substrate. The multilayer structure includes first and second light transmitting layers. The first light transmitting layer is sandwiched between the substrate and the second light transmitting layer. The first light transmitting layer has a refractive index that is from 60% to 90% of a refractive index of the substrate. The second light transmitting layer has a refractive index that is lower than the refractive index of the first light transmitting layer and is from 40% to 70% of the refractive index of the substrate. | 07-18-2013 |
20130193538 | Methods and Apparatus for an Improved Reflectivity Optical Grid for Image Sensors - An improved reflectivity optical grid for image sensors. In an embodiment, a backside illuminated CIS device includes a semiconductor substrate having a pixel array area comprising a plurality of photosensors formed on a front side surface of the semiconductor substrate, each of the photosensors forming a pixel in the pixel array area; an optical grid material disposed over a backside surface of the semiconductor substrate, the optical grid material patterned to form an optical grid that bounds each of the pixels in the pixel array area and extending above the semiconductor substrate, the optical grid having sidewalls and a top portion; and a highly reflective coating formed over the optical grid, comprising a pure metal coating of a metal that is at least 99% pure, and a high-k dielectric coating over the pure metal coating that has a refractive index of greater than about 2.0. Methods are also disclosed. | 08-01-2013 |
20130193540 | Apparatus and Method for Reducing Dark Current in Image Sensors - A method for reducing dark current in image sensors comprises providing a backside illuminated image sensor wafer, depositing a first passivation layer on a backside of the backside illuminated image sensor wafer, depositing a plasma enhanced passivation layer on the first passivation layer and depositing a second passivation layer on the plasma enhanced passivation layer. | 08-01-2013 |
20130210172 | WAFER THINNING APPARATUS HAVING FEEDBACK CONTROL AND METHOD OF USING - A wafer thinning apparatus includes a first metrology tool configured to measure an initial thickness of the wafer. The wafer thinning apparatus further includes a controller connected to the first metrology tool, and configured to determine a polishing time based on the initial thickness, a predetermined thickness and a material removal rate. The wafer thinning apparatus further includes a polishing tool connected to the controller configured to polish the wafer for a period of time equal to the polishing time. The wafer thinning apparatus includes a second metrology tool connected to the controller and the polishing tool, and configured to measure a polished thickness. The controller is configured to update the material removal rate based on the polished thickness, the predetermined thickness and the polishing time. | 08-15-2013 |
20130210321 | MODULAR GRINDING APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR WAFER THINNING - Methods of thinning a plurality of semiconductor wafers and apparatuses for carrying out the same are disclosed. A grinding module within a set of grinding modules receives and grinds a semiconductor wafer. A polishing module receives the semiconductor wafer from the grinding module and polishes the wafer. The polishing module is configured to polish the semiconductor wafer in less time than the grinding module is configured to grind the corresponding wafer. | 08-15-2013 |
20130220090 | WAFER EDGE TRIM BLADE WITH SLOTS - A wafer edge trim blade includes a round blade body and at least one slot formed inward from an outside edge of the round blade body. The at least one slot is configured to remove debris generated during wafer edge trimming using the wafer edge trim blade. | 08-29-2013 |
20130228886 | Method and Apparatus for Backside Illumination Sensor - Methods and apparatus for a backside illuminated (BSI) image sensor device are disclosed. A BSI sensor device is formed on a substrate comprising a photosensitive diode. The substrate may be thinned at the backside, then a B doped Epi-Si(Ge) layer may be formed on the backside surface of the substrate. Additional layers may be formed on the B doped Epi-Si(Ge) layer, such as a metal shield layer, a dielectric layer, a micro-lens, and a color filter. | 09-05-2013 |
20130234094 | Methods and Apparatus for Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) - Methods and apparatuses for a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device are disclosed. The RRAM device comprises a bottom electrode, a resistive switching layer disposed on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode disposed on the resistive switching layer. The resistive switching layer is made of a composite of a metal, Si, and O. There may be an additional tunnel barrier layer between the top electrode and the bottom electrode. The top electrode and the bottom electrode may comprise multiple sub-layers. | 09-12-2013 |
20130264615 | Semiconductor Device and Method of Formation - A system and method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. An embodiment comprises forming a silicide region on a substrate along with a transition region between the silicide region and the substrate. The thickness of the silicide precursor material layer along with the annealing conditions are controlled such that there is a larger ratio of one atomic species within the transition region than another atomic species, thereby increasing the hole mobility within the transition region. | 10-10-2013 |
20130273686 | Image Sensor Manufacturing Methods - Semiconductor devices and back side illumination (BSI) sensor manufacturing methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece and forming an integrated circuit on a front side of the workpiece. A grid of a conductive material is formed on a back side of the workpiece using a damascene process. | 10-17-2013 |
20130273735 | Oxidation-Free Copper Metallization Process Using In-situ Baking - A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a substrate; forming a metal feature over the substrate; forming a dielectric layer over the metal feature; and forming an opening in the dielectric layer. At least a portion of the metal feature is exposed through the opening. An oxide layer is accordingly formed on an exposed portion of the metal feature. The method further includes, in a production tool having a vacuum environment, performing a plasma process to remove the oxide layer. Between the step of forming the opening and the oxide-removal process, no additional oxide-removal process is performed to the metal feature outside the production tool. The method further includes, in the production tool, forming a diffusion barrier layer in the opening, and forming a seed layer on the diffusion barrier layer | 10-17-2013 |
20130295739 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a source/drain feature is formed over a substrate. A Si-containing layer is formed over the source/drain feature. A metal layer is formed over the Si-containing layer. A metal silicide layer is formed from the metal layer and Si in the Si-containing layer. | 11-07-2013 |
20140024170 | Methods for Minimizing Edge Peeling in the Manufacturing of BSI Chips - A method includes forming top metal lines over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate is a portion of a wafer having a bevel. When the top metal lines are exposed, an etchant is supplied on the bevel, wherein regions of the wafer sprayed with the etchant has an inner defining line forming a first ring having a first diameter. A trimming step is performed to trim an edge portion of the wafer, wherein an edge of a remaining portion of the wafer has a second diameter substantially equal to or smaller than the first diameter. | 01-23-2014 |
20140043899 | MOSFET HAVING MEMORY CHARACTERISTICS - A method for performing a programming operation to a first memory bit and a second memory bit of a device is described. The method includes applying a pulse train voltage to a metal gate of the device and grounding a substrate of the device. By floating/grounding a drain of the device and/or by floating/grounding the source of the device, the first memory and the second memory bit are programmed. The pulse train voltage includes 10 to 1000 pulses. One pulse includes a peak voltage and a base voltage. The peak voltage ranges from 0.5 V to 10 V. A duration of the peak voltage ranges from 1 nanosecond to 1 millisecond. The base voltage is 0 V. A duration of the base voltage ranges from 1 nanosecond to 1 millisecond. | 02-13-2014 |
20140167197 | Metal Shield Structure and Methods for BSI Image Sensors - A backside illumination image sensor structure comprises an image sensor formed adjacent to a first side of a semiconductor substrate, wherein an interconnect layer is formed over the first side of the semiconductor substrate, a backside illumination film formed over a second side of the semiconductor substrate, a metal shielding layer formed over the backside illumination film and a via embedded in the backside illumination film and coupled between the metal shielding layer and the semiconductor substrate. | 06-19-2014 |
20140213152 | Wafer Edge Trimming Tool Using Abrasive Tape - A wafer edge trimming tool includes an abrasive tape and a holding module configured to hold the abrasive tape against portions of an edge of a rotating wafer during a wafer edge trimming process. | 07-31-2014 |
20140213153 | Wafer Polishing Tool Using Abrasive Tape - An embodiment wafer polishing tool includes an abrasive tape, a polish head holding the abrasive tape, and a rotation module. The rotation module is configured to rotate a wafer during a wafer polishing process, and the polish head is configured to apply pressure to the abrasive tape toward a first surface of the wafer during the wafer polishing process. | 07-31-2014 |
20140239416 | Semiconductor device - A semiconductor device includes a source/drain feature in a substrate. The source/drain feature has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a lower concentration of Ge than the lower portion. A Si-containing layer over the source/drain feature includes a metal silicide layer. | 08-28-2014 |