Patents by Inventor Fabrizio Roccaforte

Fabrizio Roccaforte has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240079455
    Abstract: Electronic device comprising: a semiconductor body, in particular of Silicon Carbide, SiC, having a first and a second face, opposite to each other along a first direction; and an electrical terminal at the first face, insulated from the semiconductor body by an electrical insulation region. The electrical insulation region is a multilayer comprising: a first insulating layer, of a Silicon Oxide, in contact with the semiconductor body; a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer, of a Hafnium Oxide; and a third insulating layer on the second insulating layer, of an Aluminum Oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Patrick FIORENZA, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Edoardo ZANETTI, Mario Giuseppe SAGGIO
  • Publication number: 20230299173
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing an electronic device, comprising the steps of: forming, at a front side of a solid body of 4H-SiC having a first electrical conductivity, at least one implanted region having a second electrical conductivity opposite to the first electrical conductivity; forming, on the front side, a 3C-SiC layer; and forming, in the 3C-SiC layer, an ohmic contact region which extends through the entire thickness of the 3C-SiC layer, up to reaching the implanted region. A silicon layer may be present on the 3C-SiC layer; in this case, the ohmic contact also extends through the silicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Simone RASCUNA', Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Gabriele BELLOCCHI, Marilena VIVONA
  • Publication number: 20230299148
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electronic device includes forming, at a front side of a solid body of 4H-SiC having a first electrical conductivity, at least one implanted region having a second electrical conductivity opposite to the first electrical conductivity; forming, on the front side, a 3C-SiC layer; and forming, in the 3C-SiC layer, an ohmic contact region which extends through the entire thickness of the 3C-SiC layer, up to reaching the implanted region. A silicon layer may be present on the 3C-SiC layer; in this case, the ohmic contact also extends through the silicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Simone RASCUNA', Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Gabriele BELLOCCHI, Marilena VIVONA
  • Publication number: 20230261100
    Abstract: A manufacturing process forms an HEMT device. For the manufacturing process includes forming, from a wafer of silicon carbide having a surface, an epitaxial layer of silicon carbide on the surface of the wafer A semiconductive heterostructure is formed on the epitaxial layer, and the wafer of silicon carbide is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Andrea SEVERINO, Giuseppe GRECO, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE
  • Publication number: 20230246100
    Abstract: An enhancement mode high electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) device includes a semiconductor body having a top surface and including a heterostructure configured to generate a two-dimensional electron gas, 2DEG. The HEMT device includes a gate structure which extends on the top surface of the semiconductor body, is biasable to electrically control the 2DEG and includes a functional layer and a gate contact in direct physical and electrical contact with each other. The gate contact is of conductive material and the functional layer is of two-dimensional semiconductor material and includes a first doped portion with P-type electrical conductivity, which extends on the top surface of the semiconductor body and is interposed between the semiconductor body and the gate contact along a first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Filippo GIANNAZZO, Giuseppe Greco, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE
  • Publication number: 20230246086
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a wide band gap transistor that includes a semiconductor structure, having at least one wide band gap semiconductor layer of gallium nitride or silicon carbide, an insulating gate structure and a gate electrode, separated from the semiconductor structure by the insulating gate structure. The insulating gate structure contains a mixture of aluminum, hafnium and oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Raffaella LO NIGRO, Emanuela SCHILIRÒ, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE
  • Publication number: 20230246088
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a HEMT device includes forming a conductive region on a work body having a semiconductive heterostructure. To obtain the conductive region, a first reaction region having carbon is formed on the heterostructure and a metal stack is formed having a second reaction region in contact with the first reaction region. The work body is annealed, so that the first reaction region reacts with the second reaction region, thus forming an interface portion of the conductive region. The interface portion is of a compound having carbon and is in ohmic contact with the semiconductive hetero structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Giuseppe Greco, Paolo BADALA', Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Monia SPERA
  • Patent number: 11699748
    Abstract: A normally-off HEMT transistor includes a heterostructure including a channel layer and a barrier layer on the channel layer; a 2DEG layer in the heterostructure; an insulation layer in contact with a first region of the barrier layer; and a gate electrode through the whole thickness of the insulation layer, terminating in contact with a second region of the barrier layer. The barrier layer and the insulation layer have a mismatch of the lattice constant (“lattice mismatch”), which generates a mechanical stress solely in the first region of the barrier layer, giving rise to a first concentration of electrons in a first portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the first region of the barrier layer which is greater than a second concentration of electrons in a second portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the second region of the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Iucolano, Giuseppe Greco, Fabrizio Roccaforte
  • Publication number: 20230087112
    Abstract: Merged-PiN-Schottky, MPS, device comprising: a solid body having a first electrical conductivity; an implanted region extending into the solid body facing a front side of the solid body, having a second electrical conductivity opposite to the first electrical conductivity; and a semiconductor layer extending on the front side, of a material which is a transition metal dichalcogenide, TMD. A first region of the semiconductor layer has the second electrical conductivity and extends in electrical contact with the implanted region, and a second region of the semiconductor layer has the first electrical conductivity and extends adjacent to the first region and in electrical contact with a respective surface portion of the front side having the first electrical conductivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Filippo GIANNAZZO, Giuseppe Greco, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Simone RASCUNA'
  • Publication number: 20220208977
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising: a semiconductor body of silicon carbide, SiC, having a first and a second face, opposite to one another along a first direction, which presents positive-charge carriers at said first face that form a positive interface charge; a first conduction terminal, which extends at the first face of the semiconductor body; a second conduction terminal, which extends on the second face of the semiconductor body; a channel region in the semiconductor body, configured to house, in use, a flow of electrons between the first conduction terminal and the second conduction terminal; and a trapping layer, of insulating material, which extends in electrical contact with the semiconductor body at said channel region and is designed so as to present electron-trapping states that generate a negative charge such as to balance, at least in part, said positive interface charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Patrick FIORENZA, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Mario Giuseppe SAGGIO
  • Publication number: 20220208961
    Abstract: A MOSFET transistor device includes a functional layer of silicon carbide, having a first conductivity type. Gate structures are formed on a top surface of the functional layer and each includes a dielectric region and an electrode region. Body wells having a second conductivity type are formed within the functional layer, and the body wells are separated from one another by surface-separation regions. Source regions having the first conductivity type are formed within the body wells, laterally and partially underneath respective gate structures. Modified-doping regions are arranged in the surface-separation regions centrally thereto, underneath respective gate structures, in particular underneath the corresponding dielectric regions, and have a modified concentration of dopant as compared to the concentration of the functional layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Patrick FIORENZA, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Edoardo ZANETTI, Mario Giuseppe SAGGIO
  • Patent number: 11316025
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising: a semiconductor body of silicon carbide, SiC, having a first and a second face, opposite to one another along a first direction, which presents positive-charge carriers at said first face that form a positive interface charge; a first conduction terminal, which extends at the first face of the semiconductor body; a second conduction terminal, which extends on the second face of the semiconductor body; a channel region in the semiconductor body, configured to house, in use, a flow of electrons between the first conduction terminal and the second conduction terminal; and a trapping layer, of insulating material, which extends in electrical contact with the semiconductor body at said channel region and is designed so as to present electron-trapping states that generate a negative charge such as to balance, at least in part, said positive interface charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Patrick Fiorenza, Fabrizio Roccaforte, Mario Giuseppe Saggio
  • Publication number: 20210273087
    Abstract: A normally-off HEMT transistor includes a heterostructure including a channel layer and a barrier layer on the channel layer; a 2DEG layer in the heterostructure; an insulation layer in contact with a first region of the barrier layer; and a gate electrode through the whole thickness of the insulation layer, terminating in contact with a second region of the barrier layer. The barrier layer and the insulation layer have a mismatch of the lattice constant (“lattice mismatch”), which generates a mechanical stress solely in the first region of the barrier layer, giving rise to a first concentration of electrons in a first portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the first region of the barrier layer which is greater than a second concentration of electrons in a second portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the second region of the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Giuseppe GRECO, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE
  • Patent number: 11038047
    Abstract: A normally-off HEMT transistor includes a heterostructure including a channel layer and a barrier layer on the channel layer; a 2DEG layer in the heterostructure; an insulation layer in contact with a first region of the barrier layer; and a gate electrode through the whole thickness of the insulation layer, terminating in contact with a second region of the barrier layer. The barrier layer and the insulation layer have a mismatch of the lattice constant (“lattice mismatch”), which generates a mechanical stress solely in the first region of the barrier layer, giving rise to a first concentration of electrons in a first portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the first region of the barrier layer which is greater than a second concentration of electrons in a second portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the second region of the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Iucolano, Giuseppe Greco, Fabrizio Roccaforte
  • Publication number: 20200373398
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising: a semiconductor body of silicon carbide, SiC, having a first and a second face, opposite to one another along a first direction, which presents positive-charge carriers at said first face that form a positive interface charge; a first conduction terminal, which extends at the first face of the semiconductor body; a second conduction terminal, which extends on the second face of the semiconductor body; a channel region in the semiconductor body, configured to house, in use, a flow of electrons between the first conduction terminal and the second conduction terminal; and a trapping layer, of insulating material, which extends in electrical contact with the semiconductor body at said channel region and is designed so as to present electron-trapping states that generate a negative charge such as to balance, at least in part, said positive interface charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick FIORENZA, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE, Mario Giuseppe SAGGIO
  • Publication number: 20200152779
    Abstract: A normally-off HEMT transistor includes a heterostructure including a channel layer and a barrier layer on the channel layer; a 2DEG layer in the heterostructure; an insulation layer in contact with a first region of the barrier layer; and a gate electrode through the whole thickness of the insulation layer, terminating in contact with a second region of the barrier layer. The barrier layer and the insulation layer have a mismatch of the lattice constant (“lattice mismatch”), which generates a mechanical stress solely in the first region of the barrier layer, giving rise to a first concentration of electrons in a first portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the first region of the barrier layer which is greater than a second concentration of electrons in a second portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the second region of the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Giuseppe GRECO, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE
  • Patent number: 10566450
    Abstract: A normally-off HEMT transistor includes a heterostructure including a channel layer and a barrier layer on the channel layer; a 2DEG layer in the heterostructure; an insulation layer in contact with a first region of the barrier layer; and a gate electrode through the whole thickness of the insulation layer, terminating in contact with a second region of the barrier layer. The barrier layer and the insulation layer have a mismatch of the lattice constant (“lattice mismatch”), which generates a mechanical stress solely in the first region of the barrier layer, giving rise to a first concentration of electrons in a first portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the first region of the barrier layer which is greater than a second concentration of electrons in a second portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the second region of the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Iucolano, Giuseppe Greco, Fabrizio Roccaforte
  • Publication number: 20180358458
    Abstract: A normally-off HEMT transistor includes a heterostructure including a channel layer and a barrier layer on the channel layer; a 2DEG layer in the heterostructure; an insulation layer in contact with a first region of the barrier layer; and a gate electrode through the whole thickness of the insulation layer, terminating in contact with a second region of the barrier layer. The barrier layer and the insulation layer have a mismatch of the lattice constant (“lattice mismatch”), which generates a mechanical stress solely in the first region of the barrier layer, giving rise to a first concentration of electrons in a first portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the first region of the barrier layer which is greater than a second concentration of electrons in a second portion of the two-dimensional conduction channel which is under the second region of the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Giuseppe GRECO, Fabrizio ROCCAFORTE
  • Patent number: 9711599
    Abstract: A switching device, such as a barrier junction Schottky diode, has a body of silicon carbide of a first conductivity type housing switching regions of a second conductivity type. The switching regions extend from a top surface of the body and delimit body surface portions between them. A contact metal layer having homogeneous chemical-physical characteristics extends on and in direct contact with the top surface of the body and forms Schottky contact metal portions with the surface portions of the body and ohmic contact metal portions with the switching regions. The contact metal layer is formed by depositing a nickel or cobalt layer on the body and carrying out a thermal treatment so that the metal reacts with the semiconductor material of the body and forms a silicide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Mario Giuseppe Saggio, Simone Rascuna, Fabrizio Roccaforte
  • Publication number: 20150372093
    Abstract: A switching device, such as a barrier junction Schottky diode, has a body of silicon carbide of a first conductivity type housing switching regions of a second conductivity type. The switching regions extend from a top surface of the body and delimit body surface portions between them. A contact metal layer having homogeneous chemical-physical characteristics extends on and in direct contact with the top surface of the body and forms Schottky contact metal portions with the surface portions of the body and ohmic contact metal portions with the switching regions. The contact metal layer is formed by depositing a nickel or cobalt layer on the body and carrying out a thermal treatment so that the metal reacts with the semiconductor material of the body and forms a silicide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Mario Giuseppe Saggio, Simone Rascuna, Fabrizio Roccaforte