Patents by Inventor STEPHEN A. FANELLI

STEPHEN A. FANELLI 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: 9865747
    Abstract: Bonded semiconductor device structures and device structure fabrication processes to obviate the need for SOI wafers in many device fabrication applications are disclosed. In some examples, an etch stop layer is formed in situ during fabrication of an active device structure on a bulk semiconductor wafer. The etch stop layer enables the active device structure to be separated from the bulk semiconductor wafer in a layer transfer process in which the active device structure is bonded to a handle wafer. These examples enable the production of high-performance and low-power semiconductor devices (e.g., fully or partially depleted channel transistors) while avoiding the high costs of SOI wafers. In some examples, the gate masks the etch stop layer implant in a self-aligned process to create a fully depleted channel under the gate and deeper implants in the source and drain regions without requiring a separate masking layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Publication number: 20170047346
    Abstract: Various methods and devices that involve self-aligned features on a semiconductor on insulator process are provided. An exemplary method comprises forming a gate on a semiconductor on insulator wafer. The semiconductor on insulator wafer comprises a device region, a buried insulator, and a substrate. The exemplary method further comprises applying a treatment to the semiconductor on insulator wafer using the gate as a mask. The treatment creates a treated insulator region in the buried insulator. The exemplary method also comprises removing at least a portion of the substrate. The exemplary method also comprises, selectively removing the treated insulator region from the buried insulator to form a remaining insulator region after removing that portion of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Patent number: 9515181
    Abstract: Various methods and devices that involve self-aligned features on a semiconductor on insulator process are provided. An exemplary method comprises forming a gate on a semiconductor on insulator wafer. The semiconductor on insulator wafer comprises a device region, a buried insulator, and a substrate. The exemplary method further comprises applying a treatment to the semiconductor on insulator wafer using the gate as a mask. The treatment creates a treated insulator region in the buried insulator. The exemplary method also comprises removing at least a portion of the substrate. The exemplary method also comprises, selectively removing the treated insulator region from the buried insulator to form a remaining insulator region after removing that portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Publication number: 20160329435
    Abstract: Bonded semiconductor device structures and device structure fabrication processes to obviate the need for SOI wafers in many device fabrication applications are disclosed. In some examples, an etch stop layer is formed in situ during fabrication of an active device structure on a bulk semiconductor wafer. The etch stop layer enables the active device structure to be separated from the bulk semiconductor wafer in a layer transfer process in which the active device structure is bonded to a handle wafer. These examples enable the production of high-performance and low-power semiconductor devices (e.g., fully or partially depleted channel transistors) while avoiding the high costs of SOI wafers. In some examples, the gate masks the etch stop layer implant in a self-aligned process to create a fully depleted channel under the gate and deeper implants in the source and drain regions without requiring a separate masking layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Patent number: 9466729
    Abstract: Bonded semiconductor device structures and device structure fabrication processes to obviate the need for SOI wafers in many device fabrication applications are disclosed. In some examples, an etch stop layer is formed in situ during fabrication of an active device structure on a bulk semiconductor wafer. The etch stop layer enables the active device structure to be separated from the bulk semiconductor wafer in a layer transfer process in which the active device structure is bonded to a handle wafer. These examples enable the production of high-performance and low-power semiconductor devices (e.g., fully or partially depleted channel transistors) while avoiding the high costs of SOI wafers. In some examples, the gate masks the etch stop layer implant in a self-aligned process to create a fully depleted channel under the gate and deeper implants in the source and drain regions without requiring a separate masking layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Patent number: 9269608
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is formed with a first wafer (e.g. a handle wafer) and a second wafer (e.g. a bulk silicon wafer) bonded together. The second wafer includes an active layer, which in some embodiments is formed before the two wafers are bonded together. A substrate is removed from the second wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the first wafer using a SiGeC or SiGeBC layer as an etch stop. In some embodiments, the SiGeC or SiGeBC layer is formed by epitaxial growth, ion implantation or a combination of epitaxial growth and ion implantation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM SWITCH CORP.
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Publication number: 20160043108
    Abstract: An semiconductor on insulator wafer has an insulator layer between a substrate layer and a semiconductor layer. A first active layer is formed in and on the semiconductor layer. A second active layer is formed in and on the substrate layer. In some embodiments, a handle wafer is bonded to the semiconductor on insulator wafer, and the substrate layer is thinned before forming the second active layer. In some embodiments, a third active layer may be formed in the substrate of the handle wafer. In some embodiments, the first and second active layers include a MEMS device in one of these layers and a CMOS device in the other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Publication number: 20160042967
    Abstract: Various methods and devices that involve self-aligned features on a semiconductor on insulator process are provided. An exemplary method comprises forming a gate on a semiconductor on insulator wafer. The semiconductor on insulator wafer comprises a device region, a buried insulator, and a substrate. The exemplary method further comprises applying a treatment to the semiconductor on insulator wafer using the gate as a mask. The treatment creates a treated insulator region in the buried insulator. The exemplary method also comprises removing at least a portion of the substrate. The exemplary method also comprises, selectively removing the treated insulator region from the buried insulator to form a remaining insulator region after removing that portion of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Publication number: 20150270161
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is formed with a first wafer (e.g. a handle wafer) and a second wafer (e.g. a bulk silicon wafer) bonded together. The second wafer includes an active layer, which in some embodiments is formed before the two wafers are bonded together. A substrate is removed from the second wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the first wafer using a SiGeC or SiGeBC layer as an etch stop. In some embodiments, the SiGeC or SiGeBC layer is formed by epitaxial growth, ion implantation or a combination of epitaxial growth and ion implantation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Patent number: 9105689
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is formed with a first wafer (e.g. a handle wafer) and a second wafer (e.g. a bulk silicon wafer) bonded together. The second wafer includes an active layer, which in some embodiments is formed before the two wafers are bonded together. A substrate is removed from the second wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the first wafer using a SiGeC layer as an etch stop. In some embodiments, the SiGeC layer is then removed; but in some other embodiments, it remains as a strain-inducing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Silanna Semiconductor U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen A. Fanelli
  • Publication number: 20120227309
    Abstract: The fishing rod and reel carrying case is designed to house a fully assembled rod and reel for transport and temporary storage thereof. The case is of an elongate configuration and incorporates a zipper or the like for closing and opening the case. The case incorporates handles to enhance transport thereof. The case is fabricated from a composite material that provides protection from damage for the encased rod and reel, and also provides for buoyancy should the case fall into the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventor: STEPHEN A. FANELLI