Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for an array of vertically stacked memory cells having horizontally oriented access devices having a first source/drain region and a second source drain region separated by a channel region, and gates opposing the channel region, vertically oriented access lines coupled to the gates and separated from a channel region by a gate dielectric. The memory cells have horizontally oriented storage nodes coupled to the second source/drain region and horizontally oriented digit lines coupled to the first source/drain regions. A vertical body contact is formed in direct electrical contact with a body region of one or more of the horizontally oriented access devices and separate from the first source/drain region and the horizontally oriented digit lines by a dielectric.

Various embodiments provide a thin film transistor (TFT) device, a manufacturing method of the TFT device, and a display apparatus including the TFT device. An etch stop layer (ESL) material is formed on an active layer on a substrate. An electrical conductive layer material is formed on the ESL material for forming a source electrode and a drain electrode. The electrical conductive layer material is patterned to form a first portion of the source electrode containing a first via-hole through the source electrode, and to form a first portion of the drain electrode containing a second via-hole through the drain electrode. The ESL material is patterned to form an etch stop layer (ESL) pattern including a first ESL via-hole connecting to the first via-hole through the source electrode and including a second ESL via-hole connecting to the second via-hole through the drain electrode.

A chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a well region in the semiconductor substrate, and a Dynamic Threshold Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (DTMOS) transistor formed at a front side of the semiconductor substrate. The DTMOS transistor includes a gate electrode, and a source/drain region adjacent to the gate electrode. The source/drain region is disposed in the well region. A well pickup region is in the well region, and the well pickup region is at a back side of the semiconductor substrate. The well pickup region is electrically connected to the gate electrode.

Integrated circuits (ICs) that avoid or mitigate creation of changes in accumulated charge in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, particularly an SOI substrate having a trap rich layer. In one embodiment, a FET is configured such that, in a standby mode, the FET is turned OFF while maintaining essentially the same V.sub.DS as during an active mode. In another embodiment, a FET is configured such that, in a standby mode, current flow through the FET is interrupted while maintaining essentially the same V.sub.GS as during the active mode. In another embodiment, a FET is configured such that, in a standby mode, the FET is switched into a very low current state (a “trickle current” state) that keeps both V.sub.GS and V.sub.DS close to their respective active mode operational voltages. Optionally, S-contacts may be formed in an IC substrate to create protected areas that encompass FETs that are sensitive to accumulated charge effects.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in improving the gate oxide reliability of semiconductor-on-insulator (SOD metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices using accumulated charge control (ACC) techniques. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one embodiment, a circuit comprises a MOSFET, operating in an accumulated charge regime, and means for controlling the accumulated charge, operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. A first determination is made of the effects of an uncontrolled accumulated charge on time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. A second determination is made of the effects of a controlled accumulated charge on TDDB of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. The SOI MOSFET is adapted to have a selected average time-to-breakdown, responsive to the first and second determinations, and the circuit is operated using techniques for accumulated charge control operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. In one embodiment, the accumulated charge control techniques include using an accumulated charge sink operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET body.

Test structures for a body-contacted field effect transistor (BCFET) include: a single-pad structure with body contact and probe pad regions connected to a channel region at first and second connection points with a known separation distance between the connection points; and a multi-pad structure with a body contact region connected to a channel region at a first connection point and multiple probe pad regions connected to the channel region at second connection points that are separated from the first connection point by different separation distances. A method includes: determining separation distance-dependent internal body potentials at the second connection points in response to different bias conditions by using either multiple single-pad structures, each having a different separation distance between the connection points, or by using a multi-pad structure; and based on the separation distance-dependent internal body potentials, generating a model representing the BCFET with body-contacted and floating body devices.

A method and apparatus for use in improving the linearity characteristics of MOSFET devices using an accumulated charge sink (ACS) are disclosed. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one exemplary embodiment, a circuit having at least one SOI MOSFET is configured to operate in an accumulated charge regime. An accumulated charge sink, operatively coupled to the body of the SOI MOSFET, eliminates, removes or otherwise controls accumulated charge when the FET is operated in the accumulated charge regime, thereby reducing the nonlinearity of the parasitic off-state source-to-drain capacitance of the SOI MOSFET. In RF switch circuits implemented with the improved SOI MOSFET devices, harmonic and intermodulation distortion is reduced by removing or otherwise controlling the accumulated charge when the SOI MOSFET operates in an accumulated charge regime.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in improving gate oxide reliability of semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices using accumulated charge control (ACC) techniques. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one embodiment, a circuit includes a MOSFET, operating in an accumulated charge regime, and means for controlling the accumulated charge, operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. A first determination is made of the effects of an uncontrolled accumulated charge on time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. A second determination is made of the effects of a controlled accumulated charge on TDDB of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. The SOI MOSFET is adapted to have a selected average time-to-breakdown, responsive to the first and second determinations, and the circuit is operated using techniques for accumulated charge control operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. In one embodiment, the accumulated charge control techniques include using an accumulated charge sink operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET body.

Devices and methods for switch body connections to achieve soft breakdown. In some embodiments, a method of implementing a radio-frequency switching device can include providing an assembly of source, gate, and drain implemented on an active region; providing a first body contact implemented at a first end of the assembly; and providing a second body contact implemented at a second end of the assembly, the second end distal from the first end along a width of the radio-frequency switching device.

A semiconductor package includes a leadframe having an electrically conductive paddle, electrically conductive perimeter package leads, a first electrically conductive clip electrically connected to a first set of the package leads, and a second electrically conductive clip electrically connected to a second set of the package leads. The semiconductor package includes a single semiconductor die. The die includes a front-side active layer having an integrated power structure of two or more transistors. The die includes a backside portion having a backside contact electrically coupled to at least one of the two or more transistors and to the paddle. One or more first front-side contacts of the die are electrically coupled to at least one of the transistors and to the first clip, and one or more second front-side contacts of the die are electrically coupled to at least one of the transistors and to the second clip.