Patents by Inventor Kelin J. Kuhn

Kelin J. Kuhn 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).

  • Patent number: 9673302
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for converting a strain-inducing semiconductor buffer layer into an electrical insulator at one or more locations of the buffer layer, thereby allowing an above device layer to have a number of benefits, which in some embodiments include those that arise from being grown on a strain-inducing buffer and having a buried electrical insulator layer. For instance, having a buried electrical insulator layer (initially used as a strain-inducing buffer during fabrication of the above active device layer) between the Fin and substrate of a non-planar integrated transistor circuit may simultaneously enable a low-doped Fin with high mobility, desirable device electrostatics and elimination or otherwise reduction of substrate junction leakage. Also, the presence of such an electrical insulator under the source and drain regions may further significantly reduce junction leakage. In some embodiments, substantially the entire buffer layer is converted to an electrical insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Annalisa Cappellani, Van H. Le, Glenn A. Glass, Kelin J. Kuhn, Stephen M. Cea
  • Publication number: 20170141239
    Abstract: Nanowire structures having non-discrete source and drain regions are described. For example, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of vertically stacked nanowires disposed above a substrate. Each of the nanowires includes a discrete channel region disposed in the nanowire. A gate electrode stack surrounds the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires. A pair of non-discrete source and drain regions is disposed on either side of, and adjoining, the discrete channel regions of the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen M. CEA, Annalisa CAPPELLANI, Martin D. GILES, Rafael RIOS, Seiyon KIM, Kelin J. KUHN
  • Publication number: 20170133493
    Abstract: Tunneling field effect transistors (TFETs) for CMOS architectures and approaches to fabricating N-type and P-type TFETs are described. For example, a tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) includes a homojunction active region disposed above a substrate. The homojunction active region includes a relaxed Ge or GeSn body having an undoped channel region therein. The homojunction active region also includes doped source and drain regions disposed in the relaxed Ge or GeSn body, on either side of the channel region. The TFET also includes a gate stack disposed on the channel region, between the source and drain regions. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric portion and gate electrode portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Roza Kotlyar, Stephen M. Cea, Gilbert Dewey, Benjamin Chu-Kung, Uygar E. Avci, Rafael Rios, Anurag Chaudhry, Thomas D. Linton, JR., Ian A. Young, Kelin J. Kuhn
  • Publication number: 20170133462
    Abstract: Methods of forming microelectronic structures are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a nanowire device comprising a substrate comprising source/drain structures adjacent to spacers, and nanowire channel structures disposed between the spacers, wherein the nanowire channel structures are vertically stacked above each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Kelin J. KUHN, Seiyon KIM, Rafael RIOS, Stephen M. CEA, Martin D. GILES, Annalisa CAPPELLANI, Titash RAKSHIT, Peter CHANG, Willy RACHMADY
  • Publication number: 20170133277
    Abstract: Complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor nanowire structures are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first nanowire disposed above a substrate. The first nanowire has a mid-point a first distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. A first gate electrode stack completely surrounds the discrete channel region of the first nanowire. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a second nanowire disposed above the substrate. The second nanowire has a mid-point a second distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. The first distance is different from the second distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Seiyon KIM, Kelin J. KUHN, Tahir GHANI, Anand S. MURTHY, Annalisa CAPPELLANI, Stephen M. CEA, Rafael RIOS, Glenn A. GLASS
  • Patent number: 9608059
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices with isolated body portions are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor body disposed above a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor body includes a channel region and a pair of source and drain regions on either side of the channel region. An isolation pedestal is disposed between the semiconductor body and the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode stack at least partially surrounds a portion of the channel region of the semiconductor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Annalisa Cappellani, Stephen M. Cea, Tahir Ghani, Harry Gomez, Jack T. Kavalieros, Patrick H. Keys, Seiyon Kim, Kelin J. Kuhn, Aaron D. Lilak, Rafael Rios, Mayank Sahni
  • Patent number: 9595581
    Abstract: Methods of forming microelectronic structures are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a nanowire device comprising a substrate comprising source/drain structures adjacent to spacers, and nanowire channel structures disposed between the spacers, wherein the nanowire channel structures are vertically stacked above each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kelin J. Kuhn, Seiyon Kim, Rafael Rios, Stephen M. Cea, Martin D. Giles, Annalisa Cappellani, Titash Rakshit, Peter Chang, Willy Rachmady
  • Patent number: 9583602
    Abstract: Tunneling field effect transistors (TFETs) for CMOS architectures and approaches to fabricating N-type and P-type TFETs are described. For example, a tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) includes a homojunction active region disposed above a substrate. The homojunction active region includes a relaxed Ge or GeSn body having an undoped channel region therein. The homojunction active region also includes doped source and drain regions disposed in the relaxed Ge or GeSn body, on either side of the channel region. The TFET also includes a gate stack disposed on the channel region, between the source and drain regions. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric portion and gate electrode portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Roza Kotlyar, Stephen M. Cea, Gilbert Dewey, Benjamin Chu-Kung, Uygar E. Avci, Rafael Rios, Anurag Chaudhry, Thomas D. Linton, Jr., Ian A. Young, Kelin J. Kuhn
  • Patent number: 9583491
    Abstract: Complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor nanowire structures are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first nanowire disposed above a substrate. The first nanowire has a mid-point a first distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. A first gate electrode stack completely surrounds the discrete channel region of the first nanowire. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a second nanowire disposed above the substrate. The second nanowire has a mid-point a second distance above the substrate and includes a discrete channel region and source and drain regions on either side of the discrete channel region. The first distance is different from the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Seiyon Kim, Kelin J. Kuhn, Tahir Ghani, Anand S. Murthy, Annalisa Cappellani, Stephen M. Cea, Rafael Rios, Glenn A. Glass
  • Publication number: 20170053998
    Abstract: A nanowire device having a plurality of internal spacers and a method for forming said internal spacers are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a nanowire stack disposed above a substrate, the nanowire stack having a plurality of vertically-stacked nanowires, a gate structure wrapped around each of the plurality of nanowires, defining a channel region of the device, the gate structure having gate sidewalls, a pair of source/drain regions on opposite sides of the channel region; and an internal spacer on a portion of the gate sidewall between two adjacent nanowires, internal to the nanowire stack. In an embodiment, the internal spacers are formed by depositing photo-definable spacer material in dimples etched adjacent to the channel region. Photo-definable material remains in the dimples by altering the etch characteristics of material outside of the dimples and selectively removing altered photo-definable material outside of the dimples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Seiyon KIM, Daniel A. SIMON, Kelin J. KUHN, Curtis W. WARD
  • Publication number: 20170047452
    Abstract: A nanowire transistor of the present description may be produced with internal spacers formed by using sacrificial spacers during the fabrication thereof. Once the nanowire transistor is formed, the sacrificial spacers, which are position between the transistor gate and the source and drains (respectively), may be removed. The sacrificial material between channel nanowires of the nanowire transistor may then be removed and a dielectric material may be deposited to fill the spaces between the channel nanowires. The dielectric material not between the channel nanowires may be removed to form the internal spacers. External spacers, which are position between the transistor gate and the source and drains (respectively), may then be formed adjacent the internal spacers and transistor channel nanowires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiyon Kim, Daniel A. Simon, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Chul-Hyun Lim, Kelin J. Kuhn
  • Publication number: 20170047400
    Abstract: A nanowire device having a plurality of internal spacers and a method for forming said internal spacers are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a nanowire stack disposed above a substrate, the nanowire stack having a plurality of vertically-stacked nanowires, a gate structure wrapped around each of the plurality of nanowires, defining a channel region of the device, the gate structure having gate sidewalls, a pair of source/drain regions on opposite sides of the channel region; and an internal spacer on a portion of the gate sidewall between two adjacent nanowires, internal to the nanowire stack. In an embodiment, the internal spacers are formed by depositing spacer material in dimples etched adjacent to the channel region. In an embodiment, the dimples are etched through the channel region. In another embodiment, the dimples are etched through the source/drain region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Seiyon Kim, Kelin J. KUHN, Tahir GHAN!, Anand S. MURTHY, Mark ARMSTRONG, Rafael RIOS, Abhijit Jayant PETHE, Willy RACHMADY
  • Publication number: 20170040438
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for converting a strain-inducing semiconductor buffer layer into an electrical insulator at one or more locations of the buffer layer, thereby allowing an above device layer to have a number of benefits, which in some embodiments include those that arise from being grown on a strain-inducing buffer and having a buried electrical insulator layer. For instance, having a buried electrical insulator layer (initially used as a strain-inducing buffer during fabrication of the above active device layer) between the Fin and substrate of a non-planar integrated transistor circuit may simultaneously enable a low-doped Fin with high mobility, desirable device electrostatics and elimination or otherwise reduction of substrate junction leakage. Also, the presence of such an electrical insulator under the source and drain regions may further significantly reduce junction leakage. In some embodiments, substantially the entire buffer layer is converted to an electrical insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ANNALISA CAPPELLANI, VAN H. LE, GLENN A. GLASS, KELIN J. KUHN, STEPHEN M. CEA
  • Patent number: 9564522
    Abstract: Nanowire structures having non-discrete source and drain regions are described. For example, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of vertically stacked nanowires disposed above a substrate. Each of the nanowires includes a discrete channel region disposed in the nanowire. A gate electrode stack surrounds the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires. A pair of non-discrete source and drain regions is disposed on either side of, and adjoining, the discrete channel regions of the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Cea, Annalisa Cappellani, Martin D. Giles, Rafael Rios, Seiyon Kim, Kelin J. Kuhn
  • Patent number: 9559160
    Abstract: Common-substrate semiconductor devices having nanowires or semiconductor bodies with differing material orientation or composition and methods to form such common-substrate devices are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device having a first nanowire or semiconductor body disposed above a crystalline substrate. The first nanowire or semiconductor body is composed of a semiconductor material having a first global crystal orientation. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device having a second nanowire or semiconductor body disposed above the crystalline substrate. The second nanowire or semiconductor body is composed of a semiconductor material having a second global crystal orientation different from the first global orientation. The second nanowire or semiconductor body is isolated from the crystalline substrate by an isolation pedestal disposed between the second nanowire or semiconductor body and the crystalline substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Annalisa Cappellani, Peter G. Tolchinsky, Kelin J. Kuhn, Glenn A. Glass, Van H. Le
  • Publication number: 20170005176
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of etching sacrificial material. The method includes supplying a semiconductor substrate in a reaction chamber, wherein the substrate includes a channel disposed on the substrate and a sacrificial layer disposed on at least a portion of the channel. The method further includes supplying an interhalogen vapor to the reaction chamber, etching at least a portion of the sacrificial layer with the interhalogen vapor and exposing at least a portion of said channel from under the sacrificial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: SEUNG HOON SUNG, ROBERT B. TURKOT, JR., ANAND S. MURTHY, SEIYON KIM, KELIN J. KUHN
  • Patent number: 9508796
    Abstract: A nanowire transistor of the present description may be produced with internal spacers formed by using sacrificial spacers during the fabrication thereof. Once the nanowire transistor is formed, the sacrificial spacers, which are position between the transistor gate and the source and drains (respectively), may be removed. The sacrificial material between channel nanowires of the nanowire transistor may then be removed and a dielectric material may be deposited to fill the spaces between the channel nanowires. The dielectric material not between the channel nanowires may be removed to form the internal spacers. External spacers, which are position between the transistor gate and the source and drains (respectively), may then be formed adjacent the internal spacers and transistor channel nanowires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Seiyon Kim, Daniel A. Simon, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Chul-Hyun Lim, Kelin J. Kuhn
  • Publication number: 20160336219
    Abstract: Isolated and bulk semiconductor devices formed on a same bulk substrate and methods to form such devices are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device having a first semiconductor body disposed on a bulk substrate. The first semiconductor body has an uppermost surface with a first horizontal plane. The semiconductor structure also includes a second semiconductor device having a second semiconductor body disposed on an isolation pedestal. The isolation pedestal is disposed on the bulk substrate. The second semiconductor body has an uppermost surface with a second horizontal plane. The first and second horizontal planes are co-planar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Annalisa Cappellani, Kelin J. Kuhn, Rafael Rios, Harry Gomez
  • Publication number: 20160322480
    Abstract: Tunneling field effect transistors (TFETs) for CMOS architectures and approaches to fabricating N-type and P-type TFETs are described. For example, a tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) includes a homojunction active region disposed above a substrate. The homojunction active region includes a relaxed Ge or GeSn body having an undoped channel region therein. The homojunction active region also includes doped source and drain regions disposed in the relaxed Ge or GeSn body, on either side of the channel region. The TFET also includes a gate stack disposed on the channel region, between the source and drain regions. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric portion and gate electrode portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Roza Kotlyar, Stephen M. Cea, Gilbert Dewey, Benjamin Chu-Kung, Uygar E. Avci, Rafael Rios, Anurag Chaudhry, Thomas D. Linton, JR., Ian A. Young, Kelin J. Kuhn
  • Patent number: 9484447
    Abstract: A nanowire device having a plurality of internal spacers and a method for forming said internal spacers are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a nanowire stack disposed above a substrate, the nanowire stack having a plurality of vertically-stacked nanowires, a gate structure wrapped around each of the plurality of nanowires, defining a channel region of the device, the gate structure having gate sidewalls, a pair of source/drain regions on opposite sides of the channel region; and an internal spacer on a portion of the gate sidewall between two adjacent nanowires, internal to the nanowire stack. In an embodiment, the internal spacers are formed by depositing spacer material in dimples etched adjacent to the channel region. In an embodiment, the dimples are etched through the channel region. In another embodiment, the dimples are etched through the source/drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Seiyon Kim, Kelin J. Kuhn, Tahir Ghani, Anand S. Murthy, Mark Armstrong, Rafael Rios, Abhijit Jayant Pethe, Willy Rachmady