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: 9368624Abstract: A transistor and method of fabrication thereof includes a screening layer formed at least in part in the semiconductor substrate beneath a channel layer and a gate stack, the gate stack including spacer structures on either side of the gate stack. The transistor includes a shallow lightly doped drain region in the channel layer and a deeply lightly doped drain region at the depth relative to the bottom of the screening layer for reducing junction leakage current. A compensation layer may also be included to prevent loss of back gate control.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2015Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Yujie Liu, Sung Hwan Kim, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Teymur Bakhishev, Thomas Hoffmann, Sameer Pradhan, Michael Duane
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Patent number: 9362291Abstract: 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: August 9, 2014Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lawrence T. Clark, Scott E. Thompson, Richard S. Roy, Robert Rogenmoser, Damodar R. Thummalapally
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Publication number: 20160141292Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2016Publication date: May 19, 2016Inventors: Thomas Hoffmann, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 9281248Abstract: 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: April 30, 2014Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Thomas Hoffmann, Pushkar Ranade, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 9263523Abstract: 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: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 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: 20160020768Abstract: 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: September 28, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lawrence T. Clark
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Patent number: 9231541Abstract: Circuits are disclosed that may include a plurality of transistors having controllable current paths coupled between at least a first and second node, the transistors configured to generate an analog electrical output signal in response to an analog input value; wherein at least one of the transistors has 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2014Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lawerence T. Clark, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 9196727Abstract: A transistor and method of fabrication thereof includes a screening layer formed at least in part in the semiconductor substrate beneath a channel layer and a gate stack, the gate stack including spacer structures on either side of the gate stack. The transistor includes a shallow lightly doped drain region in the channel layer and a deeply lightly doped drain region at the depth relative to the bottom of the screening layer for reducing junction leakage current. A compensation layer may also be included to prevent loss of back gate control.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Yujie Liu, Sung Hwan Kim, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Teymur Bakhishev, Thomas Hoffmann, Sameer Pradhan, Michael Duane
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Publication number: 20150333144Abstract: A transistor and method of fabrication thereof includes a screening layer formed at least in part in the semiconductor substrate beneath a channel layer and a gate stack, the gate stack including spacer structures on either side of the gate stack. The transistor includes a shallow lightly doped drain region in the channel layer and a deeply lightly doped drain region at the depth relative to the bottom of the screening layer for reducing junction leakage current. A compensation layer may also be included to prevent loss of back gate control.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2015Publication date: November 19, 2015Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Yujie Liu, Sung Hwan Kim, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Teymur Bakhishev, Thomas Hoffmann, Sameer Pradhan, Michael Duane
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Patent number: 9184750Abstract: 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: May 10, 2013Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lawrence T. Clark
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Publication number: 20150255350Abstract: 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 sigma 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: March 9, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Damodar R. Thummalapally
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Patent number: 9117746Abstract: Porting a first integrated circuit design targeted for implementation in a first semiconductor manufacturing process, and implementing a second circuit design in a second semiconductor manufacturing process wherein the electrical performance of the second integrated circuit meets or exceeds the requirements of the first integrated circuit design even if the threshold voltage targets of the second integrated circuit design are different from those of the first integrated circuit design; and wherein physical layouts, and in particular the gate-widths and gate-lengths of the transistors, of the first and second integrated circuit designs are the same or substantially the same. The second integrated circuit design, when fabricated in the second semiconductor manufacturing process and then operated, experiences less off-state transistor leakage current than does the first integrated circuit design, when fabricated in the first semiconductor manufacturing process, and then operated.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2014Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lawrence T. Clark, Scott E. Thompson, Richard S. Roy, Samuel Leshner
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Patent number: 9093469Abstract: An analog transistor useful for low noise applications or for electrical circuits benefiting from tight control of threshold voltages and electrical characteristics is described. The analog transistor includes a substantially undoped channel positioned under a gate dielectric between a source and a drain with the undoped channel not being subjected to contaminating threshold voltage implants or halo implants. The channel is supported on a screen layer doped to have an average dopant density at least five times as great as the average dopant density of the substantially undoped channel which, in turn, is supported by a doped well having an average dopant density at least twice the average dopant density of the substantially undoped channel.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2014Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Lucian Shifren, Scott E. Thompson, Paul E. Gregory
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Patent number: 9054219Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor devices includes providing a semiconducting substrate. The method also includes defining a heavily doped region at a surface of the semiconducting substrate in at least one area of the semiconducting substrate, where the heavily doped region includes a heavily doped layer having a doping concentration greater than a doping concentration of the semiconducting substrate. The method also includes forming an additional layer of semiconductor material on the semiconducting substrate, the additional layer comprising a substantially undoped layer. The method further includes applying a first removal process to the semiconducting substrate to define an unetched portion and an etched portion, where the unetched portion defines a fin structure, and the etched portion extends through the additional layer, and then isolating the fin structure from other structures.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2014Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Thomas Hoffmann, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 9041126Abstract: A semiconductor transistor structure fabricated on a silicon substrate effective to set a threshold voltage, control short channel effects, and control against excessive junction leakage may include a transistor gate having a source and drain structure. A highly doped screening region lies is embedded a vertical distance down from the surface of the substrate. The highly doped screening region is separated from the surface of the substrate by way of a substantially undoped channel layer which may be epitaxially formed. The source/drain structure may include a source/drain extension region which may be raised above the surface of the substrate. The screening region is preferably positioned to be located at or just below the interface between the source/drain region and source/drain extension portion. The transistor gate may be formed below a surface level of the silicon substrate and either above or below the heavily doped portion of the source/drain structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Thomas Hoffmann, Lucian Shifren, Scott E. Thompson, Pushkar Ranade, Jing Wang, Paul E. Gregory, Sachin R. Sonkusale, Lance Scudder, Dalong Zhao, Teymur Bakhishev, Yujie Liu, Lingquan Wang, Weimin Zhang, Sameer Pradhan, Michael Duane, Sung Hwan Kim
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Patent number: 8975128Abstract: 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 sVT 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: GrantFiled: November 18, 2013Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: SuVolta, Inc.Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Damodar R. Thummalapally
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Publication number: 20150061012Abstract: A transistor and method of fabrication thereof includes a screening layer formed at least in part in the semiconductor substrate beneath a channel layer and a gate stack, the gate stack including spacer structures on either side of the gate stack. The transistor includes a shallow lightly doped drain region in the channel layer and a deeply lightly doped drain region at the depth relative to the bottom of the screening layer for reducing junction leakage current. A compensation layer may also be included to prevent loss of back gate control.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2014Publication date: March 5, 2015Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Yujie Liu, Sung Hwan Kim, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Teymur Bakhishev, Thomas Hoffmann, Sameer Pradhan, Michael Duane
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Publication number: 20150015334Abstract: Circuits are disclosed that may include a plurality of transistors having controllable current paths coupled between at least a first and second node, the transistors configured to generate an analog electrical output signal in response to an analog input value; wherein at least one of the transistors has 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Inventors: Lawrence T. Clark, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 8916937Abstract: Multiple transistor types are formed in a common epitaxial layer by differential out-diffusion from a doped underlayer. Differential out-diffusion affects the thickness of a FET channel, the doping concentration in the FET channel, and distance between the gate dielectric layer and the doped underlayer. Differential out-diffusion may be achieved by differentially applying a dopant migration suppressor such as carbon; differentially doping the underlayer with two or more dopants having the same conductivity type but different diffusivities; and/or differentially applying thermal energy.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: SuVOLTA, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Hoffmann, Pushkar Ranade, Lucian Shifren, Scott E. Thompson
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Patent number: 8883600Abstract: A transistor and method of fabrication thereof includes a screening layer formed at least in part in the semiconductor substrate beneath a channel layer and a gate stack, the gate stack including spacer structures on either side of the gate stack. The transistor includes a shallow lightly doped drain region in the channel layer and a deeply lightly doped drain region at the depth relative to the bottom of the screening layer for reducing junction leakage current. A compensation layer may also be included to prevent loss of back gate control.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: SuVolta, Inc.Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Yujie Liu, Sung Hwan Kim, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Teymur Bakhishev, Thomas Hoffmann, Sameer Pradhan, Michael Duane