Patents by Inventor Nicolas Loubet

Nicolas Loubet 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: 11515392
    Abstract: An electronic device including at least first and second superimposed transistors comprises at least a substrate; a first transistor including a portion of a first nanowire forming a first channel, and first source and drain regions in contact with ends of the first nanowire portion; and a second transistor including a portion of a second nanowire forming a second channel and having a greater length than that of the first channel, and second source and drain regions in contact with ends of the second nanowire portion such that the second transistor is arranged between the substrate and the first transistor. A dielectric encapsulation layer covers at least the second source and drain regions and such that the first source and drain regions are arranged at least partly on the dielectric encapsulation layer, and forms vertical insulating portions extending between the first and second source and drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shay Reboh, Remi Coquand, Nicolas Loubet, Tenko Yamashita, Jingyun Zhang
  • Patent number: 11450755
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided, including a transistor and a substrate surmounted by first through third elements, the second element being arranged between the first and the third elements and including a nano-object, a transistor channel area being formed by part of the nano-object, a first end of the nano-object being connected to the first element by a first electrode including a first part forming a first continuity of matter and a second part formed on the first part, a second end of the nano-object being connected to the third element by a second electrode including a first part forming a second continuity of matter and a second part formed on the first part, such that a lattice parameter of the second part is suited to a lattice parameter of the first part to induce a stress in the nano-object along a reference axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shay Reboh, Emmanuel Augendre, Remi Coquand, Nicolas Loubet
  • Patent number: 11322408
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a semiconductor layer stack including a substrate and a nanosheet channel stack including alternating layers of a sacrificial material and a semiconducting material providing nanosheet channels for nanosheet field-effect transistors. The method also includes forming vertical fins in the semiconductor layer stack, forming a liner on sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a sacrificial epitaxial layer over the substrate surrounding the vertical fins. The method further includes replacing the sacrificial epitaxial layer with a first dielectric layer, removing the liner to form air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a second dielectric layer in the air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins. The first and second dielectric layers provide shallow trench isolation regions surrounding sidewalls of the vertical fins below the nanosheet channel stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicolas Loubet, Richard A. Conti, ChoongHyun Lee
  • Patent number: 11302812
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a substrate, a fin above the substrate and having a channel region therein, and source and drain regions adjacent the channel region to generate shear and normal strain on the channel region. A semiconductor device may include a substrate, a fin above the substrate and having a channel region therein, source and drain regions adjacent the channel region, and a gate over the channel region. The fin may be canted with respect to the source and drain regions to generate shear and normal strain on the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Pierre Morin, Nicolas Loubet
  • Patent number: 11264286
    Abstract: Integrated circuits are disclosed in which the strain properties of adjacent pFETs and nFETs are independently adjustable. The pFETs include compressive-strained SiGe on a silicon substrate, while the nFETs include tensile-strained silicon on a strain-relaxed SiGe substrate. Adjacent n-type and p-type FinFETs are separated by electrically insulating regions formed by a damascene process. During formation of the insulating regions, the SiGe substrate supporting the n-type devices is permitted to relax elastically, thereby limiting defect formation in the crystal lattice of the SiGe substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas Loubet, Pierre Morin, Yann Mignot
  • Publication number: 20210399114
    Abstract: Fabricating a nanosheet transistor includes receiving a substrate structure having a set of nanosheet layers stacked upon a substrate, the set of nanosheet layers including at least one silicon (Si) layer, at least one silicon-germanium (SiGe) layer, a fin formed in the nanosheet layers, a gate region formed within the fin, and a trench region adjacent to the fin. A top sacrificial spacer is formed upon the fin and the trench region and etched to form a trench in the trench region. An indentation is formed within the SiGe layer in the trench region, and a sacrificial inner spacer is formed within the indentation. A source/drain (S/D) region is formed within the trench. The sacrificial top spacer and sacrificial inner spacer are etched to form an inner spacer cavity between the S/D region and the SiGe layer. An inner spacer is formed within the inner spacer cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Julien Frougier, Nicolas Loubet
  • Publication number: 20210388794
    Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine controlled as a function of an operating-point setpoint, the method includes: determining whether a new operating-point setpoint is received, and if so determining the maximum capacity of the pump based on determined values of rotational speed of the engine, quantity of fuel injected, and fuel pressure in the common injection rail; determining fuel consumption flow rate; subtracting fuel consumption flow rate of the vehicle from the maximum capacity of the pump to obtain the remaining capacity of the fuel pump; determining the difference in fuel flow rate between the current operating point and the operating point of the new operating-point setpoint; and if the remaining capacity of the fuel pump is less than the difference in fuel flow rate, a reduced fuel flow rate gradient setpoint is emitted with the new operating-point setpoint or the quantity of fuel injected is limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Yves AGNUS, Henri MOUISSE, Nicolas LOUBET
  • Patent number: 11164782
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of semiconductor fins upon a substrate, forming a plurality of epitaxially grown source-drain regions upon the fins, forming a plurality of device gates upon the fins, the device gates disposed between the epitaxially grown source-drain regions, forming a trench exposing at least one epitaxially grown source-drain region, masking at least a portion of the exposed epitaxially grown source-drain region, forming a gate trench exposing at least a portion of a device gate and gate spacer, forming a metallization layer between the epitaxially grown source-drain region and the device gate, selectively recessing the metallization layer, forming a conductive layer upon the metallization layer, and forming a dielectric cap above the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ruilong Xie, Balasubramanian S Pranatharthi Haran, Dechao Guo, Nicolas Loubet, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 11164958
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments of a method for forming a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a nanosheet stack on a substrate, wherein the nanosheet stack comprises channel layers and nanosheet layers, forming a sacrificial gate over the nanosheet stack, and forming trenches to expose sidewalls of the nanosheet stack. The method also includes forming source/drain (S/D) regions, where forming the S/D regions including forming first portions of the S/D regions on portions of the nano sheet stack, forming second portions of the S/D regions, wherein the first portions are different than the second portions, and replacing the sacrificial gate with a conductive gate material. Also provided are embodiments of a semiconductor device formed by the method described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Mochizuki, Nicolas Loubet, Zhenxing Bi, Richard A. Conti
  • Publication number: 20210328014
    Abstract: An electronic device including at least first and second superimposed transistors comprises at least a substrate; a first transistor including a portion of a first nanowire forming a first channel, and first source and drain regions in contact with ends of the first nanowire portion; and a second transistor including a portion of a second nanowire forming a second channel and having a greater length than that of the first channel, and second source and drain regions in contact with ends of the second nanowire portion such that the second transistor is arranged between the substrate and the first transistor. A dielectric encapsulation layer covers at least the second source and drain regions and such that the first source and drain regions are arranged at least partly on the dielectric encapsulation layer, and forms vertical insulating portions extending between the first and second source and drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicants: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shay REBOH, Remi COQUAND, Nicolas LOUBET, Tenko YAMASHITA, Jingyun ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20210327874
    Abstract: A multi-fin FINFET device may include a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor fins extending upwardly from the substrate and being spaced apart along the substrate. Each semiconductor fin may have opposing first and second ends and a medial portion therebetween, and outermost fins of the plurality of semiconductor fins may comprise an epitaxial growth barrier on outside surfaces thereof. The FINFET may further include at least one gate overlying the medial portions of the semiconductor fins, a plurality of raised epitaxial semiconductor source regions between the semiconductor fins adjacent the first ends thereof, and a plurality of raised epitaxial semiconductor drain regions between the semiconductor fins adjacent the second ends thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Qing LIU, Prasanna KHARE, Nicolas LOUBET
  • Publication number: 20210328045
    Abstract: Techniques for forming gate last VFET devices are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a VFET device includes: forming a stack on a wafer including: i) a doped bottom source/drain, ii) sacrificial layers having layers of a first sacrificial material with a layer of a second sacrificial material therebetween, and iii) a doped top source/drain; patterning trenches in the stack to form individual gate regions; filling the trenches with a channel material to form vertical fin channels; selectively removing the layers of the first sacrificial material forming first cavities in the gate regions; forming gate spacers in the first cavities; selectively removing the layer of the second sacrificial material forming second cavities in the gate regions; and forming replacement metal gates in the second cavities. A VFET device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventor: Nicolas Loubet
  • Patent number: 11121233
    Abstract: Fabricating a nanosheet transistor includes receiving a substrate structure having a set of nanosheet layers stacked upon a substrate, the set of nanosheet layers including at least one silicon (Si) layer, at least one silicon-germanium (SiGe) layer, a fin formed in the nanosheet layers, a gate region formed within the fin, and a trench region adjacent to the fin. A top sacrificial spacer is formed upon the fin and the trench region and etched to form a trench in the trench region. An indentation is formed within the SiGe layer in the trench region, and a sacrificial inner spacer is formed within the indentation. A source/drain (S/D) region is formed within the trench. The sacrificial top spacer and sacrificial inner spacer are etched to form an inner spacer cavity between the S/D region and the SiGe layer. An inner spacer is formed within the inner spacer cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Julien Frougier, Nicolas Loubet
  • Publication number: 20210257450
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments for a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a nanosheet stack comprising one or more layers, wherein the one or more layers are induced with strain from a modified sacrificial gate. The semiconductor device also includes one or more merged S/D regions formed on exposed portions of the nanosheet stack, wherein the one or more merged S/D regions fix the strain of the one or more layers, and a conductive gate formed over the nanosheet stack, wherein the conductive gate replaces a modified sacrificial gate without impacting the strain induced in the one or more layers. Also provided are embodiments for a method for creating stress in the channel of a nanosheet transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Nicolas Loubet, Tenko Yamashita, Guillaume Audoit, Nicolas Bernier, Remi Coquand, Shay Reboh
  • Patent number: 11088247
    Abstract: A method of fabrication of a semiconductor device including implementation of fabrication of at least one stack made on a substrate, including at least one first portion of a first semiconductor and at least one second portion of a second semiconductor which is different from the first semiconductor, so the thickness of at least the first portion is substantially equal to the thickness of at least one nanostructure, and wherein the first or second semiconductor is capable of being selectively etched relative to the second or first semiconductor, respectively, fabrication, on a part of the stack, of external spacers and at least one dummy gate, etching of the stack such that the remaining parts of the first and second portions are arranged beneath the dummy gate and beneath the external spacers and form a stack of nanowires, after the etching of the stack, thermal treatment of the stack of nanowires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignees: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shay Reboh, Kangguo Cheng, Remi Coquand, Nicolas Loubet
  • Patent number: 11081547
    Abstract: A method for making first and second superimposed transistors, including: making, on a substrate, a stack of several semiconducting nanowires; etching a first nanowire so that a remaining portion of the first nanowire forms a channel of the first transistor; etching a second nanowire arranged between the substrate and the first nanowire, so that a remaining portion of the second nanowire forms a channel of the second transistor and has a greater length than that of the remaining portion of the first nanowire; making second source and drain regions in contact with ends of the remaining portion of the second nanowire; depositing a first dielectric encapsulation layer covering the second source and drain regions and forming vertical insulating portions; making first source and drain regions in contact with ends of the remaining portion of the first nanowire and insulated from the second source and drain regions by the vertical insulating portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shay Reboh, Remi Coquand, Nicolas Loubet, Tenko Yamashita, Jingyun Zhang
  • Publication number: 20210234020
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments of a method for forming a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a nanosheet stack on a substrate, wherein the nanosheet stack comprises channel layers and nanosheet layers, forming a sacrificial gate over the nanosheet stack, and forming trenches to expose sidewalls of the nanosheet stack. The method also includes forming source/drain (S/D) regions, where forming the S/D regions including forming first portions of the S/D regions on portions of the nano sheet stack, forming second portions of the S/D regions, wherein the first portions are different than the second portions, and replacing the sacrificial gate with a conductive gate material. Also provided are embodiments of a semiconductor device formed by the method described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Shogo Mochizuki, Nicolas Loubet, Zhenxing Bi, Richard A. Conti
  • Patent number: 11069682
    Abstract: A multi-fin FINFET device may include a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor fins extending upwardly from the substrate and being spaced apart along the substrate. Each semiconductor fin may have opposing first and second ends and a medial portion therebetween, and outermost fins of the plurality of semiconductor fins may comprise an epitaxial growth barrier on outside surfaces thereof. The FINFET may further include at least one gate overlying the medial portions of the semiconductor fins, a plurality of raised epitaxial semiconductor source regions between the semiconductor fins adjacent the first ends thereof, and a plurality of raised epitaxial semiconductor drain regions between the semiconductor fins adjacent the second ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Qing Liu, Prasanna Khare, Nicolas Loubet
  • Publication number: 20210210384
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of semiconductor fins upon a substrate, forming a plurality of epitaxially grown source-drain regions upon the fins, forming a plurality of device gates upon the fins, the device gates disposed between the epitaxially grown source-drain regions, forming a trench exposing at least one epitaxially grown source-drain region, masking at least a portion of the exposed epitaxially grown source-drain region, forming a gate trench exposing at least a portion of a device gate and gate spacer, forming a metallization layer between the epitaxially grown source-drain region and the device gate, selectively recessing the metallization layer, forming a conductive layer upon the metallization layer, and forming a dielectric cap above the conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Ruilong Xie, Balasubramanian S Pranatharthi Haran, Dechao Guo, Nicolas Loubet, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 11049933
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments for a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a nanosheet stack comprising one or more layers, wherein the one or more layers are induced with strain from a modified sacrificial gate. The semiconductor device also includes one or more merged S/D regions formed on exposed portions of the nanosheet stack, wherein the one or more merged S/D regions fix the strain of the one or more layers, and a conductive gate formed over the nanosheet stack, wherein the conductive gate replaces a modified sacrificial gate without impacting the strain induced in the one or more layers. Also provided are embodiments for a method for creating stress in the channel of a nanosheet transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Nicolas Loubet, Tenko Yamashita, Guillaume Audoit, Nicolas Bernier, Remi Coquand, Shay Reboh