153results about How to "Improve device yield" patented technology

A method of forming a crack prevention ring at the exterior edge of an integrated circuit to prevent delamination and cracking during the separation of the integrated circuits into individual die. The crack prevention ring extends vertically into a semiconductor workpiece to at least a metallization layer of the integrated circuit. The crack prevention ring may be formed simultaneously with the formation of test pads of the integrated circuits. The crack prevention ring may be partially or completely filled with conductive material. An air pocket may be formed within the crack prevention ring beneath a passivation layer of the integrated circuit. The crack prevention ring may be removed during the singulation process. An optional seal ring may be formed between the crack prevention ring and the integrated circuit.

The invention facilitates manufacture of semiconductor memory components by reducing the number of layers required to implement a semiconductor memory device. The invention provides for a selection element to be formed in the same layer as one of the control lines (e.g. one of the wordline and bitline). In one embodiment of the invention, a diode is implemented as the selection element within the same layer as one of the control lines. Production of the selection element within the same layer as one of the wordline and bitline reduces problems associated with vertical stacking, increases device yield and reduces related production costs. The invention also provides an efficient method of producing memory devices with the selection element in the same layer as one of the control lines.

A method of forming a memory device. The method provides a semiconductor substrate having a surface region. A first dielectric layer is formed overlying the surface region of the semiconductor substrate. A bottom wiring structure is formed overlying the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric material is formed overlying the top wiring structure. A bottom metal barrier material is formed to provide a metal-to-metal contact with the bottom wiring structure. The method forms a pillar structure by patterning and etching a material stack including the bottom metal barrier material, a contact material, a switching material, a conductive material, and a top barrier material. The pillar structure maintains a metal-to-metal contact with the bottom wiring structure regardless of the alignment of the pillar structure with the bottom wiring structure during etching. A top wiring structure is formed overlying the pillar structure at an angle to the bottom wiring structure.

Methods of manufacturing MTJ memory cells and structures thereof. A diffusion barrier is disposed between an anti-ferromagnetic layer and a pinned layer of an MTJ memory cell to improve thermal stability of the MTJ memory cell. The diffusion barrier may comprise an amorphous material or a NiFe alloy. An amorphous material may be disposed adjacent a bottom surface of a tunnel junction, within a free layer, or both. An MTJ memory cell with improved thermal stability and decreased Neel coupling is achieved.

In a stacked chip configuration, and manufacturing methods thereof, the gap between a lower and an upper chip is filled completely using a relatively simple process that eliminates voids between the lower and upper chips and the cracking and delamination problems associated with such voids. The present invention is applicable to both chip-level bonding and wafer-level bonding approaches. A photosensitive polymer layer is applied to a first chip, or wafer, prior to stacking the chips or stacking the wafers. The photosensitive polymer layer is partially cured, so that the photosensitive polymer layer is made to be structurally stable, while retaining its adhesive properties. The second chip, or wafer, is stacked, aligned, and bonded to the first chip, or wafer, and the photosensitive polymer layer is then cured to fully bond the first and second chips, or wafers. In this manner, adhesion between chips/wafers is greatly improved, while providing complete gap fill. In addition, mechanical reliability is improved, alleviating the problems associated with cracking and delamination, and leading to an improvement in device yield and device reliability.

A method and structure for a bipolar transistor comprising a patterned isolation region formed below an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate and a single crystal extrinsic base formed on an upper surface of the isolation region. The single crystal extrinsic base comprises a portion of the semiconductor substrate located between the upper surface of the isolation region and the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. The bipolar transistor further comprises a single crystal intrinsic base, wherein a portion of the single crystal extrinsic base merges with a portion of the single crystal intrinsic base. The isolation region electrically isolates the extrinsic base from a collector. The intrinsic and extrinsic bases separate the collector from an emitter. The extrinsic base comprises epitaxially-grown silicon. The isolation region comprises an insulator, which comprises oxide, and the isolation region comprises any of a shallow trench isolation region and a deep trench isolation region.

A resistance based memory circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a first transistor load of a data cell and a bit line adapted to detect a first logic state. The bit line is coupled to the first transistor load and coupled to a data cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure. The bit line is adapted to detect data having a logic one value when the bit line has a first voltage value, and to detect data having a logic zero value when the bit line has a second voltage value. The circuit further includes a second transistor load of a reference cell. The second transistor load is coupled to the first transistor load, and the second transistor load has an associated reference voltage value. A characteristic of the first transistor load, such as transistor width, is adjustable to modify the first voltage value and the second voltage value without substantially changing the reference voltage value.

Both an electric energy applying mechanism and an optical waveguide mechanism can be provided to an ITO layer (transparent electrode) by constituting an optical waveguide so as that the guided mode profile spread into the ITO layer. Also a bonding pad is provided to supply a power and apply an electric field onto the ITO layer. Accordingly, a device structure can be simplified and thus improvement in yield of the optoelectronic device having an optical waveguide and improvement in parameters of the optoelectronic device can be achieved.

Backthinning in an area selective manner is applied to imaging sensors 12 for use in electron bombarded devices. A further arrangement results in an array of collimators 51 aligned with pixels 42 or groups of pixels providing improved image contrast of such image sensor. Provision of a thin P-doped layer 52 on the illuminated rear surface provides both a diffusion barrier resulting in improved resolution and a functional shield for reference pixels. A gradient in concentration of P-doped layer 52 optimizes electron collection at the pixel array.

A semiconductor device has an IC chip with a thickness of equal to or less than 100 μm and includes a semiconductor substrate. A device forming region is within the depth of approximately equal to or less than 5 μm from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a total thickness of the semiconductor substrate is from 5 μm to 100 μm. A BMD layer for carrying out gettering of metal impurities is provided immediately under the device forming region. Since a gettering site is provided immediately under the device forming region, in a device or the like of which extreme thinness is required, degradation of device characteristics and reliability due to contamination of metal impurities can be prevented, and stabilize and improve the device yield. The present invention inhibits degradation of device characteristics and reliability caused by contamination of metal impurities, in a device of which lamination of device chips is required or in a device of which extreme chip thinness for an IC card and the like is required, in an attempt to cope with an enlarged capacity of the device.

A technique for improving ion implantation throughput and dose uniformity is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for improving ion implantation throughput and dose uniformity may comprise measuring an ion beam density distribution in an ion beam. The method may also comprise calculating an ion dose distribution across a predetermined region of a workpiece that results from a scan velocity profile, wherein the scan velocity profile comprises a first component and a second component that control a relative movement between the ion beam and the workpiece in a first direction and a second direction respectively, and wherein the ion dose distribution is based at least in part on the ion beam density distribution. The method may further comprise adjusting at least one of the first component and the second component of the scan velocity profile to achieve a desired ion dose distribution in the predetermined region of the workpiece.