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US5079609A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Semiconductor device having dielectric breakdown protection element and method of fabricating same

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1989-12-19
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Granted: 1992-01-07
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Expires: 2009-12-19
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Abstract

Abstract A semiconductor device exposed to irradiation (21, 22) of charged particles in a fabrication process thereof includes: at least a first conductive region (3, 1) and a second conductive region (4a, 4b) formed at different positions, electrically insulated from each other; a third coductive region (8 , 9) provided at least over the first conductive region (3, 1) and the second conductive region (4a, 4b); a first insulator layer region (5, 7) sandwiched between the first conductive region (3, 1) and the third conductive region (8, 9) to insulate the first and third conductive regions from each other; and a second insulator layer region (6a, 6b) sandwiched between the second conductive region (4a, 4b) and the third conductive region (8, 9) to insulate the second and third conductive regions from each other, and the second conductive region (4a, 4b) has a portion shaped to cause dielectric breakdown to be more liable to occur in the second insulator layer region (6a, 6b) than in the first insulator layer region (5, 7).

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Takagi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 18:41
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D89/00; H10D89/60; H10D89/601; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/069; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/91

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 154 words
A semiconductor device exposed to irradiation of charged particles in a fabrication process thereof, comprising: at least a first conductive region and a second conductive region formed at different positions and electrically insulated from each other, a third conductive region provided at least on said first conductive region and said second conductive region, a first insulator region sandwiched between said first conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said first and third conductive regions from each other, and a second insulator layer region sandwiched between said second conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said second and third conductive region from each other, said second conductive region having a portion shaped to cause dielectric breakdown to be more liable to occur in said second insulator layer region than in said first insulator layer region when said third conductive region is charged by being exposed to said irradiation of charged particles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 154 words
A semiconductor device exposed to irradiation of charged particles in a fabrication process thereof, comprising: at least a first conductive region and a second conductive region formed at different positions and electrically insulated from each other, a third conductive region provided at least on said first conductive region and said second conductive region, a first insulator region sandwiched between said first conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said first and third conductive regions from each other, and a second insulator layer region sandwiched between said second conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said second and third conductive region from each other, said second conductive region having a portion shaped to cause dielectric breakdown to be more liable to occur in said second insulator layer region than in said first insulator layer region when said third conductive region is charged by being exposed to said irradiation of charged particles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second conductive region is approximately a triangle in section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said second conductive region is approximately an isosceles triangle in section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said second conductive region has an apex of an acute angle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 68 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first conductive region is a semiconductor substrate, said third conductive region is a gate electrode of a field effect transistor formed on said semiconductor substrate, said first insulator layer region is a gate dielectric layer of said field effect transistor, and said irradiation of charged particles includes ion irradiation for forming source/drain regions of said field effect transistor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said second conductive region is provided on an oxide film for isolation formed on said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said irradiation of charged particles includes plasma etching for anisotropically etching an oxide layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 59 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first conductive region is a first capacitor electrode of a capacitor provided on an oxide film for isolation formed on a semiconductor substrate, said first insulator layer region is a capacitor dielectric layer of said capacitor, and said third conductive region is a second capacitor electrode of said capacitor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said second conductive region is also formed on said oxide film for isolation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said irradiation of charged particles includes ion irradiation for forming source/drain regions of a field effect transistor formed on said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said irradiation of charged particles includes plasma etching for anisotropically etching an oxide layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second conductive region is formed of polysilicon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said semiconductor device is found on a substrate and second conductive region is formed on a major surface of said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 129 words
A semiconductor device formed on a substrate, comprising: first and second conductive regions formed spaced apart on a major surface of said substrate and electrically insulated from each other, a third conductive region provided on said first conductive region and said second conductive region, a first insulator region sandwiched between said first conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said first and third conductive regions from each other, and a second insulator layer region sandwiched between said second conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said second and third conductive regions from each other, said second conductive region having a portion shaped to cause dielectric breakdown to be more liable to occur in said second insulator layer region than in said first insulator layer region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 129 words
A semiconductor device formed on a substrate, comprising: first and second conductive regions formed spaced apart on a major surface of said substrate and electrically insulated from each other, a third conductive region provided on said first conductive region and said second conductive region, a first insulator region sandwiched between said first conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said first and third conductive regions from each other, and a second insulator layer region sandwiched between said second conductive region and said third conductive region to insulate said second and third conductive regions from each other, said second conductive region having a portion shaped to cause dielectric breakdown to be more liable to occur in said second insulator layer region than in said first insulator layer region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 17 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said second conductive region is formed of polysilicon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the entire second conductive region is approximately a triangle in section.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 21 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the entire second conductive region is approximately an isosceles triangle in section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 21 words
A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the entire second conductive region has an apex of an acute angle.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-01-06 1995-07-08 1996-01-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-01-06 1999-07-08 2000-01-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-01-06 2003-07-08 2004-01-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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