Danielle D Thomas

US Patent:

6423995, Jul 23, 2002

Filed:

Jul 26, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/360839

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

H01L 27108

US Classification:

257296, 257355, 257414, 257758

Abstract:

In capacitive sensor circuits where physical contact is required and excess pressure may be inadvertently applied to the sensor surface, aluminum is not sufficiently hard to provide âscratchâ protection and may delaminate, causing circuit failure, even if passivation integrity remains intact. Because hard passivation layers alone provide insufficient scratch resistance, at least the capacitive electrodes and preferably all metallization levels within the sensor circuit in the region of the capacitive electrodes between the surface and the active regions of the substrate are formed of a conductive material having a hardness greater than that of aluminum. The selected conductive material preferably has a hardness which is at least as great as the lowest hardness for any interlevel dielectric or passivation material employed. The selected conductive material is employed for each metallization level between the surface and the active regions, including contacts and vias, landing pads, interconnects, capacitive electrodes, and electrostatic discharge protection lines. Tungsten is a suitable conductive material, for which existing processes may be substituted in place of aluminum metallization processes.

US Patent:

6448103, Sep 10, 2002

Filed:

May 30, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/870259

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

H01L 2100

US Classification:

438 52, 438 50, 438 51, 438 53, 438 54

Abstract:

A cantilevered beam is formed over a cavity to an accurate length by isotropically etching a fast-etching material, such as hydrogen silisquioxane, out of the cavity. The cavity is initially defined within a slow-etching material. The selectivity of the etch rates of the material within the cavity relative to the material defining the walls of the cavity permits accurate control of the length of the free end of the cantilevered beam. The resonant frequency of the cantilevered beam can be tuned to a narrow predetermined range by laser trimming.

US Patent:

6472246, Oct 29, 2002

Filed:

Dec 28, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/473365

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX
Frank Randolph Bryant - Denton TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

H01L 2100

US Classification:

438 64, 438953, 438958, 257659, 257660

Abstract:

A structure and method for creating an integrated circuit passivation ( ) comprising, a circuit ( ), a dielectric ( ), and metal plates ( ) over which an insulating layer ( ) is disposed that electrically and hermetically isolates the circuit ( ), and a discharge layer ( ) that is deposited to form a passivation ( ) that protects the circuit ( ) from electrostatic discharges caused by, e. g. , a finger, is disclosed.

US Patent:

6501142, Dec 31, 2002

Filed:

Apr 25, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/843260

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX
Ming Fang - Plano TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

H01L 2714

US Classification:

257414, 257415, 257532, 382124

Abstract:

A structure and method for dissipating charges comprising an underlying dielectric layer disposed over capacitor plates of sensor circuitry a gap being formed conformally between adjacent plates and a topographic discharge grid over the underlying dielectric layer and wherein the topographic discharge grid fills at least a portion of the gap between the plates over the dielectric layer and diffuses electrostatic charges at the surface of the integrated circuit.

US Patent:

6515488, Feb 4, 2003

Filed:

May 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/850244

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

G01R 2726

US Classification:

324662

Abstract:

A fingerprint detector having a smooth sensor surface for contact with a fingerprint includes capacitive sensor plates defining an array of sensor cells below the sensor surface and tungsten ESD protection grid lines surrounding each sensor cell. The sensor surface is defined by silicon carbide and includes silicon oxide filling cavities in the silicon carbide. The cavities inherently result from processing steps, including removal of the tungsten atop the silicon carbide that is used to define the grid lines. Filling the cavities with oxide and smoothing the surface using chemical mechanical polishing provides a scratch-resistant surface and improves the sensitivity of the capacitive sensor cells.

US Patent:

6559488, May 6, 2003

Filed:

Apr 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/838909

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX
Gilles E. Thomas - Dallas TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

H01L 2980

US Classification:

257257, 257461

Abstract:

A photodetector is integrated on a single semiconductor chip with bipolar transistors including a high speed poly-emitter vertical NPN transistor. The photodetector includes a silicon nitride layer serving as an anti-reflective film. The silicon nitride layer and oxide layers on opposite sides thereof insulate edges of a polysilicon emitter from the underlying transistor regions, minimizing the parasitic capacitance between the NPN transistors emitter and achieving a high frequency response.

US Patent:

6580109, Jun 17, 2003

Filed:

Feb 1, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/061920

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX
Giles E. Thomas - Dallas TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

H01L 31062

US Classification:

257292, 257448, 257458, 438 48

Abstract:

Fast and efficient photodiodes with different structures are fabricated using CMOS process technology by adapting transistor structures to form the diode structures. The anode regions of the photodiodes correspond to either PLDD regions of PMOS transistors or P-wells of NMOS transistors to provide two different photodiode structures with different anode region depths and thus different drift region thicknesses. An antireflective film used on the silicon surface of the photodiodes is employed as a silicide-blocking mask at other locations of the device.

US Patent:

6603192, Aug 5, 2003

Filed:

Jul 30, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/364307

Inventors:

Danielle A. Thomas - Dallas TX
Harry Michael Siegel - Hurst TX

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

H01L 2358

US Classification:

257635, 257641, 438763

Abstract:

Passivation for capacitive sensor circuits, which overlies the capacitive sensor electrodes and is normally conformal to the electrodes and the underlying interlevel dielectric, is planarized by forming a layer of flowable oxide over the electrodes before forming the passivation. The flowable oxide, which is preferably very thin over the electrodes to minimize loss of sensitivity, provides a substantially planar upper surface, so that passivation formed on the flowable oxide is also substantially planar. Alternatively, a deposited oxide planarized by chemical mechanical polishing may be employed to planarize the surface on which a passivation stack is formed. The planarized passivation provides markedly improved scratch resistance.