With Epitaxial Semiconductor Formation Patents (Class 438/413)
  • Patent number: 7947569
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor including a material layer. In one embodiment a trench is produced having two opposite sidewalls and a bottom, in a semiconductor body. A foreign material layer is produced on a first one of the two sidewalls of the trench. The trench is filled by epitaxially depositing a semiconductor material onto the second one of the two sidewalls and the bottom of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Anton Mauder, Frank Pfirsch, Rudolf Berger, Stefan Sedlmaier, Wolfgang Lehnert, Raimund Foerg
  • Patent number: 7939422
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of features across a surface of a substrate, with at least one space being between two adjacent features. A first dielectric layer is formed on the features and within the at least one space. A portion of the first dielectric layer interacts with a reactant derived from a first precursor and a second precursor to form a first solid product. The first solid product is decomposed to substantially remove the portion of the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed to substantially fill the at least one space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nitin K. Ingle, Jing Tang, Yi Zheng, Zheng Yuan, Zhenbin Ge, Xinliang Lu, Chien-Teh Kao, Vikash Banthia, William H. McClintock, Mei Chang
  • Patent number: 7927962
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device manufactured by the method, the method comprising: (a) forming a buffer layer on a semiconductor substrate; (b) patterning the buffer layer in a first direction to form buffer layer patterns having lateral surfaces and being spaced from each other at predetermined intervals; (c) forming a semiconductor epitaxial layer on and between the buffer layer patterns; (d) forming a first trench in the semiconductor epitaxial layer in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to expose lateral surfaces of the buffer layer patterns; (e) selectively removing the buffer layer patterns exposed by the first trench to form spaces; (f) forming buried insulation films in the spaces formed by removal of the buffer layer patterns, a portion of semiconductor epitaxial layer being disposed between the buried insulation films; (g) removing a portion of the semiconductor epitaxial layer disposed between the buried insulation films to form a sec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Min Soo Yoo
  • Publication number: 20110081764
    Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating a semiconductor device. A method comprises forming a layer of a first semiconductor material overlying the bulk substrate and forming a layer of a second semiconductor material overlying the layer of the first semiconductor material. The method further comprises creating a fin pattern mask on the layer of the second semiconductor material and anisotropically etching the layer of the second semiconductor material and the layer of the first semiconductor material using the fin pattern mask as an etch mask. The anisotropic etching results in a fin formed from the second semiconductor material and an exposed region of first semiconductor material underlying the fin. The method further comprises forming an isolation layer in the exposed region of first semiconductor material underlying the fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Witold MASZARA, Hemant ADHIKARI
  • Patent number: 7919381
    Abstract: Germanium circuit-type structures are facilitated. In one example embodiment, a multi-step growth and anneal process is implemented to grow Germanium (Ge) containing material, such as heteroepitaxial-Germanium, on a substrate including Silicon (Si) or Silicon-containing material. In certain applications, defects are generally confined near a Silicon/Germanium interface, with defect threading to an upper surface of the Germanium containing material generally being inhibited. These approaches are applicable to a variety of devices including Germanium MOS capacitors, pMOSFETs and optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Ammar Munir Nayfeh, Chi On Chui, Krishna C. Saraswat, Takao Yonehara
  • Patent number: 7906406
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer including SOI-insulation wells includes forming, in a die region of a semiconductor body, buried cavities and semiconductor structural elements, which traverse the buried cavities and are distributed in the die region. The process moreover includes the step of oxidizing selectively first adjacent semiconductor structural elements, arranged inside a closed region, and preventing oxidation of second semiconductor structural elements outside the closed region, so as to form a die buried dielectric layer selectively inside the closed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gabriele Barlocchi, Pietro Corona, Flavio Francesco Villa
  • Patent number: 7901968
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention are related to manufacturing semiconductors. Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that provide thin and fully relaxed SiGe layers. In some embodiments, the presence of oxygen between a single crystal structure and a SiGe heteroepitaxial layer, and/or within the SiGe heteroepitaxial layer, allow the SiGe layer to be thin and fully relaxed. In some embodiments, a strained layer of Si can be deposited over the fully relaxed SiGe layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Doran Weeks, Paul D. Brabant
  • Patent number: 7892939
    Abstract: The prevention of active area loss in the STI model is disclosed which results in an improved device performance in devices manufactured according to the process flow. The process generally shared among the multiple various embodiments inverts the current conventional STI structure towards a process flow where an insulator is patterned with tapered trenches. A segregation layer is formed beneath the surface of the insulator in the tapered trenches. The tapered trenches are then filled with a semiconductor material which is further processed to create a number of active devices. Therefore, the active devices are created in patterned dielectric instead of the STI being created in the semiconductor substrate of the active devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roland Hampp, Manfred Eller, Jin-Ping Han, Matthias Lipinski
  • Patent number: 7875511
    Abstract: A CMOS structure includes an n-FET device comprising an n-FET channel region and a p-FET device comprising a p-FET channel region. The n-FET channel region includes a first silicon material layer located upon a silicon-germanium alloy material layer. The p-FET channel includes a second silicon material layer located upon a silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material layer. The silicon-germanium alloy material layer induces a desirable tensile strain within the n-FET channel. The silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material layer suppresses an undesirable tensile strain within the p-FET channel region. A silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material from which is comprised the silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material layer may be formed by selectively incorporating carbon into a silicon-germanium alloy material from which is formed the silicon-germanium alloy material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Liu Yaocheng, Ricardo A. Donaton, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: 7867841
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device can include forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate to define an active region. The trench is filled with a first device isolation layer. A portion of the first device isolation layer is etched to recess a top surface of the first device isolation layer below an adjacent top surface of the active region of the semiconductor substrate and to partially expose a sidewall of the active region. The exposed sidewall of the active region is epitaxially grown to form an extension portion of the active region that extends partially across the top surface of the first device isolation layer in the trench. A second device isolation layer is formed on the recessed first device isolation layer in the trench. The second device isolation layer is etched to expose a top surface of the extension portion of the active region and leave a portion of the second device isolation layer between extension portions of active regions on opposite sides of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Chan Lim, Byeong-Yun Nam, Soo-Ik Jang, In-Soo Jung
  • Patent number: 7838388
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an SOI substrate having a thick-film SOI layer, in which an ion-implanted layer is formed by implanting at least one kind of ion of hydrogen ion and a rare gas ion into a surface of a bond wafer, an SOI substrate having an SOI layer is produced by, after the ion-implanted surface of the bond wafer and a surface of a base wafer are bonded together via an oxide film, delaminating the bond wafer along the ion-implanted layer, heat treatment is performed on the SOI substrate having the SOI layer in a reducing atmosphere containing hydrogen or an atmosphere containing hydrogen chloride gas, and, after the surface of the SOI layer is polished by CMP, a silicon epitaxial layer is grown on the SOI layer of the SOI substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Oka, Nobuhiko Noto
  • Publication number: 20100276735
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure having a transistor region and an optical device region includes forming a transistor in and on a first semiconductor layer of the semiconductor structure, wherein the first semiconductor layer is over a first insulating layer, the first insulating layer is over a second semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer is over a second insulating layer, wherein a gate dielectric of the transistor is in physical contact with a top surface of the first semiconductor layer, and wherein the transistor is formed in the transistor region of the semiconductor structure. The method also includes forming a waveguide device in the optical device region, wherein forming the waveguide device includes exposing a portion of the second semiconductor layer in the optical device region; and epitaxially growing a third semiconductor layer over the exposed portion of the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Gregory S. Spencer, Jill C. Hildreth, Robert E. Jones
  • Patent number: 7812339
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having a surface, a shallow trench isolation (STI) region in the semiconductor substrate and extending above the surface thereof, and a superlattice layer adjacent the surface of the semiconductor substrate and comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers. More particularly, each group of layers of the superlattice layer may include a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. Moreover, at least some atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions may be chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one intervening non-semiconductor monolayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Mears Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Kalipatnam Vivek Rao
  • Patent number: 7803690
    Abstract: Methods and structures for semiconductor devices with STI regions in SOI substrates is provided. A semiconductor structure comprises an SOI epitaxy island formed over a substrate. The structure further comprises an STI structure surrounding the SOI island. The STI structure comprises a second epitaxial layer on the substrate, and a second dielectric layer on the second epitaxial layer. A semiconductor fabrication method comprises forming a dielectric layer over a substrate and surrounding a device fabrication region in the substrate with an isolation trench extending through the dielectric layer. The method also includes filling the isolation trench with a first epitaxial layer and forming a second epitaxial layer over the device fabrication region and over the first epitaxial layer. Then a portion of the first epitaxial layer is replaced with an isolation dielectric, and then a device such as a transistor is formed second epitaxial layer within the device fabrication region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Hua Yu, Tze-Liang Lee, Pang-Yen Tsai
  • Patent number: 7790567
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor and a method for forming the same. The method includes forming a buried insulating layer locally in a substrate. The substrate is etched to form an opening exposing the buried insulating layer, and a silicon pattern spaced in at least one direction from the substrate is formed on the buried insulating layer. A first insulating layer is formed to enclose the silicon pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: O-Kyun Kwon, Dong-Woo Suh, Jung-Hyung Pyo, Gyung-Ock Kim
  • Patent number: 7790566
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for preparing a surface of a Group III-Group V compound semiconductor for epitaxial deposition. The III-V semiconductor surface is treated with boron (B) at a temperature of between about 250° C. and about 350° C. A suitable form for supplying B for the surface treatment is diborane. The B treatment can be followed by epitaxial growth, for instance by a Group IV semiconductor, at temperatures similar to those of the B treatment. The method yields high quality heterojunction, suitable for fabricating a large variety of device structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jack Oon Chu, Deborah Ann Neumayer
  • Patent number: 7772078
    Abstract: Germanium circuit-type structures are facilitated. In one example embodiment, a multi-step growth and anneal process is implemented to grow Germanium (Ge) containing material, such as heteroepitaxial-Germanium, on a substrate including Silicon (Si) or Silicon-containing material. In certain applications, defects are generally confined near a Silicon/Germanium interface, with defect threading to an upper surface of the Germanium containing material generally being inhibited. These approaches are applicable to a variety of devices including Germanium MOS capacitors, pMOSFETs and optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ammar Munir Nayfeh, Chi On Chui, Krishna C. Saraswat, Takao Yonehara
  • Publication number: 20100190316
    Abstract: A method of fabricating integrated circuit structures utilizes selective oxygen implantation to dielectrically isolate semiconductor structures using no extra masks. Existing masks are utilized to introduce oxygen into bulk silicon with subsequent thermal oxide growth. Since the method uses bulk silicon, it is cheaper than silicon-on-insulator (SOI) techniques. It also results in bulk silicon that is latch-up immune.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Denis Finbarr O'Connell, Ann Margaret Concannon
  • Patent number: 7759213
    Abstract: Trenches are formed in a silicon substrate by etching exposed portions of the silicon substrate. After covering areas on which deposition of Si:C containing material is to be prevented, selective epitaxy is performed in a single wafer chamber at a temperature from about 550° C. to about 600° C. employing a limited carrier gas flow, i.e., at a flow rate less than 12 standard liters per minute to deposit Si:C containing regions at a pattern-independent uniform deposition rate. The inventive selective epitaxy process for Si:C deposition provides a relatively high net deposition rate a high quality Si:C crystal in which the carbon atoms are incorporated into substitutional sites as verified by X-ray diffraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek Dube, Ashima B. Chakravarti, Dominic J. Schepis
  • Patent number: 7691720
    Abstract: Vertical device structures incorporating at least one nanotube and methods for fabricating such device structures by chemical vapor deposition. Each nanotube is grown by chemical vapor deposition catalyzed by a catalyst pad and encased in a coating of a dielectric material. Vertical field effect transistors may be fashioned by forming a gate electrode about the encased nanotubes such that the encased nanotubes extend vertically through the thickness of the gate electrode. Capacitors may be fashioned in which the encased nanotubes and the corresponding catalyst pad bearing the encased nanotubes forms one capacitor plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, Mark Charles Hakey, Steven John Holmes, David Vaclav Horak, Charles William Koburger, III, Peter H. Mitchell, Larry Alan Nesbit
  • Patent number: 7670923
    Abstract: Recesses are formed in the drain and source regions of an MOS transistor. The recesses are formed using two anisotropic etch processes and first and second sidewall spacers. The recesses are made up of first and second recesses, and the depths of the first and second recesses are independently controllable. The recesses are filled with a stressed material to induce strain in the channel, thereby improving carrier mobility. The widths and depths of the first and second recesses are selectable to optimize strain in the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: XILINX, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Kumar Nayak, Yuhao Luo
  • Patent number: 7615390
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of depositing epitaxial layers based on Group IV elements on a silicon substrate by Chemical Vapor Deposition, wherein nitrogen or one of the noble gases is used as a carrier gas, and the invention further provides a Chemical Vapor Deposition apparatus (10) comprising a chamber (12) having a gas input port (14) and a gas output port (16), and means (18) for mounting a silicon substrate within the chamber (12), said apparatus further including a gas source connected to the input port and arranged to provide nitrogen or a noble gas as a carrier gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Philippe Meunier-Beillard, Mathieu Rosa Jozef Caymax
  • Patent number: 7605025
    Abstract: A Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect-Transistor (MOSFET) can be formed by growing an epitaxial semiconductor layer on an upper surface of a sacrificial crystalline structure and on a substrate to form a buried sacrificial structure. The buried sacrificial structure can be removed to form a void in place of the buried sacrificial structure and a device isolation layer can be formed in the void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-sang Kim, Chang-woo Oh, Dong-won Kim, Kyoung-hwan Yeo, Sung-min Kim
  • Patent number: 7579262
    Abstract: By omitting a growth mask or by omitting lithographical patterning processes for forming growth masks, a significant reduction in process complexity may be obtained for the formation of different strained semiconductor materials in different transistor types. Moreover, the formation of individually positioned semiconductor materials in different transistors may be accomplished on the basis of a differential disposable spacer approach, thereby combining high efficiency with low process complexity even for highly advanced SOI transistor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan Hoentschel, Andy Wei, Manfred Horstmann, Thorsten Kammler
  • Patent number: 7569438
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that includes the steps of forming an oxide film on a surface layer section, forming a window section by selectively removing the oxide film, forming a first semiconductor layer, forming a second semiconductor layer, forming a pair of support member holes for exposing the substrate semiconductor layer, forming a support member on the active surface side of the semiconductor substrate, forming an end-exposed surface exposing at least a part of an end of the first semiconductor layer, forming a substrate semiconductor layer exposed surface, removing the first semiconductor layer below the support member by wet etching, filling a hollow section obtained by the wet etching with an oxide film using thermal oxidation, exposing the second semiconductor layer and providing a semiconductor device to the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Kanemoto
  • Publication number: 20090181515
    Abstract: A method of making a pillar device includes providing an insulating layer having an opening, and selectively depositing germanium or germanium rich silicon germanium semiconductor material into the opening to form the pillar device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: S. Brad Herner, Christopher J. Petti
  • Patent number: 7521302
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device providing insulation between a plurality of MOS transistors without device isolation regions. The method includes forming a first insulation layer on a substrate, exposing a portion of the substrate by etching the first insulation layer using a resist, growing an epitaxial layer on the exposed portion of the substrate, removing the patterned first insulation layer, and forming transistors on the substrate and epitaxial layer, respectively. The epitaxial layer is grown to a degree that an upper surface of the epitaxial layer is higher than that of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joon-Jin Park
  • Patent number: 7510945
    Abstract: A support-side substrate having a thermal oxide film on the major surface is bonded to an active-layer-side substrate having a thermal oxide film on the major surface while making the major surfaces oppose each other. The active-layer-side substrate and part of the oxide film are selectively etched from a surface opposite to the major surface of the active-layer-side substrate to a halfway depth of the buried oxide film formed from the thermal oxide films at the bonding portion. A sidewall insulating film is formed on the etching side surface portion of the active-layer-side substrate. Then, the remaining buried oxide film except that immediately under the active-layer-side substrate is selectively etched. A single-crystal semiconductor layer is formed on the support-side substrate exposed by removing the buried oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hajime Nagano, Shinichi Nitta, Takashi Yamada, Tsutomu Sato, Katsujiro Tanzawa, Ichiro Mizushima
  • Publication number: 20090067463
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate containing a single crystalline group IV semiconductor is provided. A single crystalline lattice mismatched group IV semiconductor alloy layer is epitaxially grown on a portion of the semiconductor layer, while another portion of the semiconductor layer is masked. The composition of the lattice mismatched group IV semiconductor alloy layer is tuned to substantially match the lattice constant of a single crystalline compound semiconductor layer, which is subsequently epitaxially grown on the single crystalline lattice mismatched group IV semiconductor alloy layer. Thus, a structure having both the group IV semiconductor layer and the single crystalline compound semiconductor layer is provided on the same semiconductor substrate. Group IV semiconductor devices, such as silicon devices, and compound semiconductor devices, such as GaAs devices having a laser emitting capability, may be formed on the on the same lithographic level of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tymon Barwicz, Devendra K. Sadana
  • Patent number: 7498216
    Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit structure that has a substrate having at least two types of crystalline orientations. The first-type transistors are on first portions of the substrate that have a first type of crystalline orientation and second-type transistors are on second portions of the substrate that have a second type of crystalline orientation. The straining layer is above the first-type transistors and the second-type transistors. Further, the straining layer can be strained above the first-type transistors and relaxed above the second-type transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7495313
    Abstract: Germanium circuit-type structures are facilitated. In one example embodiment, a multi-step growth and anneal process is implemented to grow Germanium (Ge) containing material, such as heteroepitaxial-Germanium, on a substrate including Silicon (Si) or Silicon-containing material. In certain applications, defects are generally confined near a Silicon/Germanium interface, with defect threading to an upper surface of the Germanium containing material generally being inhibited. These approaches are applicable to a variety of devices including Germanium MOS capacitors, pMOSFETs and optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignees: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ammar Munir Nayfeh, Chi On Chui, Krishna C. Saraswat, Takao Yonehara
  • Patent number: 7492017
    Abstract: A process is described for manufacturing an improved PMOS semiconductor transistor. Recesses are etched into a layer of epitaxial silicon. Source and drain films are deposited in the recesses. The source and drain films are made of an alloy of silicon and germanium. The alloy is epitaxially deposited on the layer of silicon. The alloy thus has a lattice having the same structure as the structure of the lattice of the layer of silicon. However, due to the inclusion of the germanium, the lattice of the alloy has a larger spacing than the spacing of the lattice of the layer of silicon. The larger spacing creates a stress in a channel of the transistor between the source and drain films. The stress increases IDSAT and IDLIN of the transistor. An NMOS transistor can be manufactured in a similar manner by including carbon instead of germanium, thereby creating a tensile stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anand Murthy, Robert S. Chau, Tahir Ghani
  • Publication number: 20090035914
    Abstract: A semiconductor fabrication process includes forming a hard mask, e.g., silicon nitride, over an active layer of a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer, removing a portion of the hard mask and the active layer to form a trench, and forming an isolation dielectric in the trench where the dielectric exerts compressive strain on a channel region of the active layer. Forming the dielectric may include performing a thermal oxidation. Before performing the thermal oxidation, semiconductor structures may be formed, e.g., by epitaxy, on sidewalls of the trench. The structures may be silicon or a silicon compound, e.g., silicon germanium. During the thermal oxidation, the semiconductor structures are consumed. In the case of a silicon germanium, the germanium may diffuse during the thermal oxidation to produce a silicon germanium channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Mariam G. Sadaka, Michael A. Mendicino
  • Patent number: 7485539
    Abstract: A strained (tensile or compressive) semiconductor-on-insulator material is provided in which a single semiconductor wafer and a separation by ion implantation of oxygen process are used. The separation by ion implantation of oxygen process, which includes oxygen ion implantation and annealing creates, a buried oxide layer within the material that is located beneath the strained semiconductor layer. In some embodiments, a graded semiconductor buffer layer is located beneath the buried oxide layer, while in other a doped semiconductor layer including Si doped with at least one of B or C is located beneath the buried oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Stephen W. Bedell, Joel P. de Souza, Keith E. Fogel, Alexander Reznicek, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam Shahidi
  • Publication number: 20080308785
    Abstract: Provided are a phase change memory device and a method for forming the phase change memory device. The method includes forming a phase change material layer by providing reactive radicals to a substrate. The reactive radicals may comprise precursors for a phase change material and nitrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Young-Lim Park, Sung-Lae Cho, Byoung-Jae Bae, Jin-Il Lee, Hye-Young Park
  • Publication number: 20080227264
    Abstract: Vertical device structures incorporating at least one nanotube and methods for fabricating such device structures by chemical vapor deposition. Each nanotube is grown by chemical vapor deposition catalyzed by a catalyst pad and encased in a coating of a dielectric material. Vertical field effect transistors may be fashioned by forming a gate electrode about the encased nanotubes such that the encased nanotubes extend vertically through the thickness of the gate electrode. Capacitors may be fashioned in which the encased nanotubes and the corresponding catalyst pad bearing the encased nanotubes forms one capacitor plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, Mark Charles Hakey, Steven John Holmes, David Vaclav Horak, Charles William Koburger, Peter H. Mitchell, Larry Alan Nesbit
  • Publication number: 20080206953
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a silicon-on-insulator region and a bulk region in a same semiconductor substrate, the method including: (a) forming a protection film on the semiconductor substrate in the bulk region; (b) exposing a surface of the semiconductor substrate in the silicon-on-insulator region from under the protection film; (c) forming a first semiconductor layer and subsequently a second semiconductor layer on the semiconductor substrate in the silicon-on-insulator region and in the bulk region, using an epitaxy method after the step (a); (d) etching the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer partially, so as to form a first trench which exposes a side surface of the first semiconductor layer in the silicon-on-insulator region; (e) etching the first semiconductor layer through the first trench with an etching condition in which the first semiconductor layer is easier to be etched than the second semiconductor layer, so as to form a cavity between th
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kei KANEMOTO
  • Patent number: 7405098
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) germanium (Ge)-on-insulator (GOI) thin-film with a smooth surface. The method provides a silicon (Si) wafer, forms a silicon nitride insulator layer overlying the Si wafer, and selectively etches the silicon nitride insulator layer, forming a Si seed access region. Then, the method conformally deposits Ge overlying the silicon nitride insulator layer and Si seed access region, forming a Ge layer with a first surface roughness, and smoothes the Ge layer using a chemical-mechanical polish (CMP) process. Typically, the method encapsulates the Ge layer and anneals the Ge layer to form a LPE Ge layer. A Ge layer is formed with a second surface roughness, less than the first surface roughness. In some aspects, the method forms an active device in the LPE Ge layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Jer-Shen Maa, Douglas J. Tweet, David R. Evans, Allen Burmaster
  • Publication number: 20080150075
    Abstract: A method for making floating body memory cells from a bulk substrate. A thin silicon germanium and overlying silicon layers are formed on the bulk substrate. Anchors and a bridge are formed to support the silicon layer when the silicon germanium layer is etched so that it can be replaced with an oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: Peter L.D. Chang
  • Patent number: 7390710
    Abstract: Layers of epitaxial silicon are used to protect the tunnel dielectric layer of a floating-gate memory cell from excessive oxidation or removal during the formation of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. Following trench formation, the layers of epitaxial silicon are grown from silicon-containing layers on opposing sides of the tunnel dielectric layer, thereby permitting their thickness to be limited to approximately one-half of the thickness of the tunnel dielectric layer. The epitaxial silicon may be oxidized prior to filling the trench with a dielectric material or a dielectric fill may occur prior to oxidizing at least the epitaxial silicon covering the ends of the tunnel dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Garo Derderian, Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20080122013
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a semiconductor structure with fins that are positioned on the same planar surface of a wafer and that have channel regions with different heights. In one embodiment the different channel region heights are accomplished by varying the overall heights of the different fins. In another embodiment the different channel region heights are accomplished by varying, not the overall heights of the different fins, but rather by varying the heights of a semiconductor layer within each of the fins. The disclosed semiconductor structure embodiments allow different multi-gate non-planar FETs (i.e., tri-gate or dual-gate FETs) with different effective channel widths to be formed of the same wafer and, thus, allows the beta ratio in devices that incorporate multiple FETs (e.g., static random access memory (SRAM) cells) to be selectively adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dominic J. Schepis, Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 7303963
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a cell transistor which can achieve an improvement in a short-channel effect of a cell transistor as well as an improvement in a refresh characteristic of the transistor, and can also prevent a reduction in the threshold voltage of the transistor, in relation to DRAM memory cells with high integration. The method comprises the steps of forming a device isolation region, which defines a device separating region, on a silicon substrate, forming a barrier layer on the substrate formed with device isolation region, forming a hard mask, which defines a gate forming region, on the substrate formed with the barrier layer, forming a silicon epitaxial layer on a surface of the substrate through selective epitaxial growth of silicon constituting the surface of the substrate, formed with the hard mask and the barrier layer, and removing the hard mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Te O Jung
  • Patent number: 7271023
    Abstract: A floating body germanium (Ge) phototransistor and associated fabrication process are presented. The method includes: providing a silicon (Si) substrate; selectively forming an insulator layer overlying the Si substrate; forming an epitaxial Ge layer overlying the insulator layer using a liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) process; forming a channel region in the Ge layer; forming a gate dielectric, gate electrode, and gate spacers overlying the channel region; and, forming source/drain regions in the Ge layer. The LPE process involves encapsulating the Ge with materials having a melting temperature greater than a first temperature, and melting the Ge using a temperature lower than the first temperature. The LPE process includes: forming a dielectric layer overlying deposited Ge; melting the Ge; and, in response to cooling the Ge, laterally propagating an epitaxial growth front into the Ge from an underlying Si substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Sheng Teng Hsu, Jer-Shen Maa, Douglas J. Tweet
  • Patent number: 7199031
    Abstract: A semiconductor system having a pn transition and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor system are disclosed. The semiconductor system is designed in the form of a chip having an edge region, the semiconductor system includes a first layer of a first conductivity type and a second layer of a second conductivity type, which is of opposite polarity to the first conductivity type. The first layer has an edge region and a center region, the pn transition being provided between the first layer and the second layer. The second layer is more weakly doped in its edge region than in its center region, and the boundary surface of the pn transition at the edge region is non-parallel to the main chip plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Maria Del Rocio Martin Lopez, Richard Spitz, Alfred Goerlach, Barbara Will
  • Patent number: 7195985
    Abstract: This invention adds to the art of replacement source-drain cMOS transistors. Processes may involve etching a recess in the substrate material using one equipment set, then performing deposition in another. Disclosed is a method to perform the etch and subsequent deposition in the same reactor without atmospheric exposure. In-situ etching of the source-drain recess for replacement source-drain applications provides several advantages over state of the art ex-situ etching. Transistor drive current is improved by: (1) Eliminating contamination of the silicon-epilayer interface when the as-etched surface is exposed to atmosphere and (2) Precise control over the shape of the etch recess. Deposition may be done by a variety of techniques including selective and non-selective methods. In the case of blanket deposition, a measure to avoid amorphous deposition in performance critical regions is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anand Murthy, Glenn A. Glass, Andrew N. Westmeyer, Michael L. Hattendorf, Jeffrey R. Wank
  • Patent number: 7176101
    Abstract: A method is provided in which a first oxide layer is deposited on a silicon substrate and etched to form openings. A first silicon epitaxial layer is grown on the substrate in the openings, forming first active regions, a second oxide layer is deposited thereon, and the first and second oxide layers are etched such that the first oxide layer is wholly removed and the second oxide layer remains only on the first silicon epitaxial layer. A third oxide layer is thermally grown on entire resultant surfaces and then blanket-etched to remain only on sidewalls of the first silicon epitaxial layer. A second silicon epitaxial layer is grown on the exposed substrate between the first active regions, thus forming second active regions. The second oxide layer remaining on the first silicon epitaxial layer is removed. The first and second active regions are separated and electrically isolated by the third oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics
    Inventor: Hyuk Woo
  • Patent number: 7172930
    Abstract: A cost efficient and manufacturable method of fabricating strained semiconductor-on-insulator (SSOI) substrates is provided that avoids wafer bonding. The method includes growing various epitaxial semiconductor layers on a substrate, wherein at least one of the semiconductor layers is a doped and relaxed semiconductor layer underneath a strained semiconductor layer; converting the doped and relaxed semiconductor layer into a porous semiconductor via an electrolytic anodization process, and oxidizing to convert the porous semiconductor layer into a buried oxide layer. The method provides a SSOI substrate that includes a relaxed semiconductor layer on a substrate; a high-quality buried oxide layer on the relaxed semiconductor layer; and a strained semiconductor layer on the high-quality buried oxide layer. In accordance with the present invention, the relaxed semiconductor layer and the strained semiconductor layer have identical crystallographic orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Stephen W. Bedell, Joel P. de Souza, Keith E. Fogel, Alexander Reznicek, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam Shahidi
  • Patent number: 7132347
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a common diffusion structure formed in each region of a substrate in which semiconductor components are formed. The diffusion structures are separated into sections by trenches to form semiconductor components. The trenches define sizes of the semiconductor components and isolate the semiconductor components from the surrounding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Himi, Takashi Nakano, Shoji Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7118976
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating MOSFETs in semiconductor/r devices are disclosed. One example method may include forming an isolation layer on a semiconductor substrate and forming a capping layer thereon, forming an epitaxial active region which is not covered with the isolation layer on said semiconductor substrate by using selectively epitaxial growth, and forming a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode on said epitaxial active region, sequentially. The example method may also include forming a source/drain plug spaced apart from the both sides of said gate electrode in said epitaxial active region, forming a source/drain into said epitaxial active region on which said source/drain plug is formed, forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the entire surface of the resultant structure after the source/drain is formed; and forming contacts in said interlayer dielectric layer, wherein said contacts are connected to said gate electrode and said source/drain plug, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheolsoo Park
  • Patent number: 7105895
    Abstract: A method for producing an insulating or barrier layer (FIG. 1B), useful for semiconductor devices, comprises depositing a layer of silicon and at least one additional element on a silicon substrate whereby said deposited layer is substantially free of defects such that epitaxial silicon substantially free of defects can be deposited on said deposited layer. Alternatively, a monolayer of one or more elements, preferably comprising oxygen, is absorbed on a silicon substrate. A plurality of insulating layers sandwiched between epitaxial silicon forms a barrier composite. Semiconductor devices are disclosed which comprise said barrier composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Nanodynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Gee Wang, Raphael Tsu, John Clay Lofgren