Patents by Inventor Scott E. Thompson
Scott E. Thompson 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).
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Patent number: 9741428Abstract: An integrated circuit can include multiple SRAM cells, each including at least two pull-up transistors, at least two pull-down transistors, and at least two pass-gate transistors, each of the transistors having a gate; at least one of the pull-up transistors, the pull-down transistors, or the pass-gate transistors having a screening region a distance below the gate and separated from the gate by a semiconductor layer, the screening region having a concentration of screening region dopants, the concentration of screening region dopants being higher than a concentration of dopants in the semiconductor layer, the screening region providing an enhanced body coefficient for the pull-down transistors and the pass-gate transistors to increase the read static noise margin for the SRAM cell when a bias voltage is applied to the screening region; and a bias voltage network operable to apply one or more bias voltages to the multiple SRAM cells.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2016Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lawrence T. Clark, Scott E. Thompson, Richard S. Roy, Robert Rogenmoser, Damodar R. Thummalapally
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Publication number: 20170214404Abstract: Digital circuits are disclosed that may include multiple transistors having controllable current paths coupled between first and second logic nodes. One or more of the transistors may have a deeply depleted channel formed below its gate that includes a substantially undoped channel region formed over a relatively highly doped screen layer formed over a doped body region. Resulting reductions in threshold voltage variation may improve digital circuit performance. Logic circuit, static random access memory (SRAM) cell, and passgate embodiments are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2017Publication date: July 27, 2017Applicant: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lawrence T. Clark
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Patent number: 9680470Abstract: Digital circuits are disclosed that may include multiple transistors having controllable current paths coupled between first and second logic nodes. One or more of the transistors may have a deeply depleted channel formed below its gate that includes a substantially undoped channel region formed over a relatively highly doped screen layer formed over a doped body region. Resulting reductions in threshold voltage variation may improve digital circuit performance. Logic circuit, static random access memory (SRAM) cell, and passgate embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lawrence T. Clark
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Publication number: 20170117366Abstract: Some structures and methods to reduce power consumption in devices can be implemented largely by reusing existing bulk CMOS process flows and manufacturing technology, allowing the semiconductor industry as well as the broader electronics industry to avoid a costly and risky switch to alternative technologies. Some of the structures and methods relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. Additional structures, configurations, and methods presented herein can be used alone or in conjunction with the DDC to yield additional and different benefits.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Damodar R. Thummalapally
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Publication number: 20170040419Abstract: An advanced transistor with punch through suppression includes a gate with length Lg, a well doped to have a first concentration of a dopant, and a screening region positioned under the gate and having a second concentration of dopant. The second concentration of dopant may be greater than 5×1018 dopant atoms per cm3. At least one punch through suppression region is disposed under the gate between the screening region and the well. The punch through suppression region has a third concentration of a dopant intermediate between the first concentration and the second concentration of dopant. A bias voltage may be applied to the well region to adjust a threshold voltage of the transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Paul E. Gregory, Sachin R. Sonkusale, Weimin Zhang, Scott E. Thompson
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Publication number: 20170025457Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating such devices are provided. The devices include source and drain regions on one conductivity type separated by a channel length and a gate structure. The devices also include a channel region of the one conductivity type formed in the device region between the source and drain regions and a screening region of another conductivity type formed below the channel region and between the source and drain regions. In operation, the channel region forms, in response to a bias voltage at the gate structure, a surface depletion region below the gate structure, a buried depletion region at an interface of the channel region and the screening region, and a buried channel region between the surface depletion region and the buried depletion region, where the buried depletion region is substantially located in channel region.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2016Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Teymur Bakhishev, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson
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Publication number: 20170012044Abstract: A structure and method of fabrication thereof relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. The semiconductor structure includes an anaolog device and a digital device each having an epitaxial channel layer where a single gate oxidation layer is on the epitaxial channel layer of NMOS and PMOS transistor elements of the digital device and one of a double and triple gate oxidation layer is on the epitaxial channel layer of NMOS and PMOS transistor elements of the analog device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2016Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson, Sachin R. Sonkusale, Weimin Zhang
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Publication number: 20160358918Abstract: Some structures and methods to reduce power consumption in devices can be implemented largely by reusing existing bulk CMOS process flows and manufacturing technology, allowing the semiconductor industry as well as the broader electronics industry to avoid a costly and risky switch to alternative technologies. Some of the structures and methods relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. Additional structures, configurations, and methods presented herein can be used alone or in conjunction with the DDC to yield additional and different benefits.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2016Publication date: December 8, 2016Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Damodar R. Thummalapally
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Patent number: 9508728Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a semiconducting surface having formed therein a first active region and a second active region, where the first active region consists of a substantially undoped layer at the surface and a highly doped screening layer of a first conductivity type beneath the first substantially undoped layer, and the second active region consists of a second substantially undoped layer at the surface and a second highly doped screening layer of a second conductivity type beneath the second substantially undoped layer. The semiconductor device also includes a gate stack formed in each of the first active region and the second active region consists of at least one gate dielectric layer and a layer of a metal, where the metal has a workfunction that is substantially midgap with respect to the semiconducting surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Thomas Hoffmann, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 9508800Abstract: An advanced transistor with punch through suppression includes a gate with length Lg, a well doped to have a first concentration of a dopant, and a screening region positioned under the gate and having a second concentration of dopant. The second concentration of dopant may be greater than 5×1018 dopant atoms per cm3. At least one punch through suppression region is disposed under the gate between the screening region and the well. The punch through suppression region has a third concentration of a dopant intermediate between the first concentration and the second concentration of dopant. A bias voltage may be applied to the well region to adjust a threshold voltage of the transistor.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2015Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Paul E. Gregory, Sachin R. Sonkusale, Weimin Zhang, Scott E. Thompson
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Publication number: 20160336318Abstract: A structure and method of fabrication thereof relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. A novel dopant profile indicative of a distinctive notch enables tuning of the VT setting within a precise range. This VT set range may be extended by appropriate selection of metals so that a very wide range of VT settings is accommodated on the die. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. The result is the ability to independently control VT (with a low ?VT) and VDD, so that the body bias can be tuned separately from VT for a given device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Reza Arghavani, Pushkar Ranade, Lucian Shifren, Scott E. Thompson, Catherine de Villeneuve
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Patent number: 9496261Abstract: A structure and method of fabrication thereof relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. The semiconductor structure includes an analog device and a digital device each having an epitaxial channel layer where a single gate oxidation layer is on the epitaxial channel layer of NMOS and PMOS transistor elements of the digital device and one of a double and triple gate oxidation layer is on the epitaxial channel layer of NMOS and PMOS transistor elements of the analog device.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2013Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson, Sachrin R. Sonkusale, Weimin Zhang
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Patent number: 9478571Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating such devices are provided. The devices include source and drain regions on one conductivity type separated by a channel length and a gate structure. The devices also include a channel region of the one conductivity type formed in the device region between the source and drain regions and a screening region of another conductivity type formed below the channel region and between the source and drain regions. In operation, the channel region forms, in response to a bias voltage at the gate structure, a surface depletion region below the gate structure, a buried depletion region at an interface of the channel region and the screening region, and a buried channel region between the surface depletion region and the buried depletion region, where the buried depletion region is substantially located in channel region.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Teymur Bakhishev, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson
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Publication number: 20160307907Abstract: Methods for fabricating semiconductor devices and devices therefrom are provided. A method includes providing a substrate having a semiconducting surface with first and second layers, where the semiconducting surface has a plurality of active regions comprising first and second active regions. In the first active region, the first layer is an undoped layer and the second layer is a highly doped screening layer. The method also includes removing a part of the first layer to reduce a thickness of the substantially undoped layer for at least a portion of the first active region without a corresponding thickness reduction of the first layer in the second active region. The method additionally includes forming semiconductor devices in the plurality of active regions. In the method, the part of the first layer removed is selected based on a threshold voltage adjustment required for the substrate in the portion of the first active region.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2016Publication date: October 20, 2016Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Thomas Hoffmann, Lance Scudder, Urupattur C. Sridharan, Dalong Zhao, Pushkar Ranade, Michael Duane, Paul Gregory
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Patent number: 9418987Abstract: A structure and method of fabrication thereof relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. A novel dopant profile indicative of a distinctive notch enables tuning of the VT setting within a precise range. This VT set range may be extended by appropriate selection of metals so that a very wide range of VT settings is accommodated on the die. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. The result is the ability to independently control VT (with a low ?VT) and VDD, so that the body bias can be tuned separately from VT for a given device.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Reza Arghavani, Pushkar Ranade, Lucian Shifren, Scott E. Thompson, Catherine de Villeneuve
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Publication number: 20160232964Abstract: An integrated circuit can include multiple SRAM cells, each including at least two pull-up transistors, at least two pull-down transistors, and at least two pass-gate transistors, each of the transistors having a gate; at least one of the pull-up transistors, the pull-down transistors, or the pass-gate transistors having a screening region a distance below the gate and separated from the gate by a semiconductor layer, the screening region having a concentration of screening region dopants, the concentration of screening region dopants being higher than a concentration of dopants in the semiconductor layer, the screening region providing an enhanced body coefficient for the pull-down transistors and the pass-gate transistors to increase the read static noise margin for the SRAM cell when a bias voltage is applied to the screening region; and a bias voltage network operable to apply one or more bias voltages to the multiple SRAM cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2016Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: Lawrence T. Clark, Scott E. Thompson, Richard S. Roy, Robert Rogenmoser, Damodar R. Thummalapally
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Patent number: 9406567Abstract: Fabrication of a first device on a substrate is performed by exposing a first device region, removing a portion of the substrate to create a trench in the first device region, forming a screen layer with a first dopant concentration in the trench on the substrate, and forming an epitaxial channel on the screen layer having a first thickness. On or more other devices are similarly formed on the substrate independent of each other with epitaxial channels of different thicknesses than the first thickness. Devices with screen layers having the same dopant concentration but with different epitaxial channel thicknesses have different threshold voltages. Thus, a wide variety of threshold voltage devices can be formed on the same substrate. Further threshold voltage setting can be achieved through variations in the dopant concentration of the screen layers.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2012Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Thomas Hoffmann, Scott E. Thompson
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Publication number: 20160211346Abstract: Semiconductor structures can be fabricated by implanting a screen layer into a substrate, with the screen layer formed at least in part from a low diffusion dopant species. An epitaxial channel of silicon or silicon germanium is formed above the screen layer, and the same or different dopant species is diffused from the screen layer into the epitaxial channel layer to form a slightly depleted channel (SDC) transistor. Such transistors have inferior threshold voltage matching characteristics compared to deeply depleted channel (DDC) transistors, but can be more easily matched to legacy doped channel transistors in system on a chip (SoC) or multiple transistor semiconductor die.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2016Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 9391076Abstract: Methods for fabricating semiconductor devices and devices therefrom are provided. A method includes providing a substrate having a semiconducting surface with first and second layers, where the semiconducting surface has a plurality of active regions comprising first and second active regions. In the first active region, the first layer is an undoped layer and the second layer is a highly doped screening layer. The method also includes removing a part of the first layer to reduce a thickness of the substantially undoped layer for at least a portion of the first active region without a corresponding thickness reduction of the first layer in the second active region. The method additionally includes forming semiconductor devices in the plurality of active regions. In the method, the part of the first layer removed is selected based on a threshold voltage adjustment required for the substrate in the portion of the first active region.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Scott E. Thompson, Thomas Hoffmann, Lance Scudder, Urupattur C. Sridharan, Dalong Zhao, Pushkar Ranade, Michael Duane, Paul Gregory
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Publication number: 20160181370Abstract: An advanced transistor with punch through suppression includes a gate with length Lg, a well doped to have a first concentration of a dopant, and a screening region positioned under the gate and having a second concentration of dopant. The second concentration of dopant may be greater than 5×1018 dopant atoms per cm3. At least one punch through suppression region is disposed under the gate between the screening region and the well. The punch through suppression region has a third concentration of a dopant intermediate between the first concentration and the second concentration of dopant. A bias voltage may be applied to the well region to adjust a threshold voltage of the transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2015Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventors: Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Paul E. Gregory, Sachin R. Sonkusale, Weimin Zhang, Scott E. Thompson