Patents Assigned to Soitec
  • Patent number: 9246057
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures include an active region between a plurality of layers of InGaN. The active region may be at least substantially comprised by InGaN. The plurality of layers of InGaN include at least one well layer comprising InwGa1-wN, and at least one barrier layer comprising InbGa1-bN proximate the at least one well layer. In some embodiments, the value of w in the InwGa1-wN of the well layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.10 and less than or equal to about 0.40 in some embodiments, and the value of b in the InbGa1-bN of the at least one barrier layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.10. Methods of forming semiconductor structures include growing such layers of InGaN to form an active region of a light emitting device, such as an LED. Luminary devices include such LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Debray, Chantal Arena, Heather McFavilen, Ding Ding, Li Huang
  • Patent number: 9245836
    Abstract: Interposers for use in the fabrication of electronic devices include semiconductor-on-insulator structures having fluidic microchannels therein. The interposers may include a multi-layer body in which a semiconductor material is bonded to a substrate with a layer of dielectric material between the semiconductor material and the substrate. At least one fluidic microchannel may extend in a lateral direction through at least one of the layer of dielectric material and the semiconductor material. The interposers may include redistribution layers and electrical contacts on opposing sides thereof. Semiconductor structures include one or more semiconductor devices coupled with such interposers. Such interposers and semiconductor structures may be formed by fabricating a semiconductor-on-insulator type structure using a direct bonding method and defining one or more fluidic microchannels at a bonding interface during the direct bonding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Mariam Sadaka
  • Patent number: 9242444
    Abstract: A method of preventing microcavity formation in a bonding layer of a composite structure resulting from creep and thermal expansion due to high temperature exposure of the composite structure. The method includes the steps of providing a thin film with a thickness of 5 micrometers or less; providing a bonding layer of oxide with a thickness that is equal to or greater than the thickness of the thin film with the bonding layer formed by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The thin film or support substrate have a mean thermal expansion coefficient of 7×10?6 K?1 or more. The thin film, bonding layer and support substrate combine to reduce stress in and plastic deformation of the bonding layer during exposure to high temperatures of more than approximately 900° C. to thus prevent microcavities from appearing in the bonding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Bruce Faure, Alexandra Marcovecchio
  • Patent number: 9244019
    Abstract: A method for measuring defects in a silicon substrate obtained by silicon ingot pulling, wherein the defects have a size of less than 20 nm. The method includes applying a first defect consolidation heat treatment to the substrate at a temperature of between 750° C. and 850° C. for a time period of between 30 minutes and 1 hour to consolidate the defects; applying a second defect enlargement heat treatment to the substrate at a temperature of between 900° C. and 1000° C. for a time period of between 1 hour and 10 hour hours to enlarge the defects to a size of greater than or equal to 20 nm, with the enlarged defects containing oxygen precipitates; measuring size and density of the enlarged defects in a surface layer of the substrate; and calculating the initial size of the defects on the basis of the measurements of the enlarged defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Patrick Reynaud, Christophe Gourdel
  • Patent number: 9240343
    Abstract: This process comprises steps of: a) providing a first substrate comprising the active layer made of a first material of Young's modulus E1 and of thickness h1; b) providing a second substrate made of a second material of Young's modulus E2 and of thickness h2; c) bending the first substrate and the second substrate such that they each have a curved shape of a radius of curvature R; d) joining the second substrate to the active layer such that the second substrate closely follows the shape of the first substrate; and e) re-establishing the initial at-rest shape of the second substrate, the process being noteworthy in that the second material of the second substrate is a flexible material respecting the relationship E2/E1<10?2, in that the thickness of the second substrate respects the relationship h2/h1?104, and in that the radius of curvature respects the relationship R = h 2 2 ? ? ? .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Yves-Matthieu Le Vaillant, Etienne Navarro
  • Patent number: 9230662
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a register cell comprising one output node, at least two power supply nodes, and a first flash transistor and a second flash transistor, wherein the register cell is configured so that the output node can be driven by at least one of the power supply nodes as a function of the value stored in at least one of the flash transistors. The invention further relates to an FPGA comprising the register cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventor: Richard Ferrant
  • Patent number: 9230848
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a process for fabricating a silicon-on-insulator structure comprising the following steps: providing a donor substrate and a support substrate, only one of the substrates being covered with an oxide layer; forming, in the donor substrate, a weak zone; plasma activating the oxide layer; bonding the donor substrate to the support substrate in a partial vacuum; implementing a bond-strengthening anneal at a temperature of 350° C. or less causing the donor substrate to cleave along the weak zone; and carrying out a heat treatment at a temperature above 900° C. A transition from the temperature of the bond-strengthening anneal to the temperature of the heat treatment may be achieved at a ramp rate above 10° C./s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Carole David, Sébastien Kerdiles
  • Patent number: 9225237
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charge pump circuit comprising an input node for inputting a voltage to be boosted; an output node for outputting a boosted voltage; a plurality of pumping stages connected in series between the input node and the output node, each pump stage comprising at least one charge transfer transistor, wherein the at least one charge transfer transistor is a double-gate transistor comprising a first gate for turning the transistor on or off according to a first control signal applied to the first gate and a second gate for modifying the threshold voltage of the transistor according to a second control signal applied to the second gate, wherein the first and second control signals have the same phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventor: Richard Ferrant
  • Patent number: 9224704
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for realizing a connecting structure in a semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor substrate realized accordingly. The semiconductor substrate has at least a first surface, and is foreseen for a 3D integration with a second substrate along the first surface, wherein the 3D integration is subject to a lateral misalignment in at least one dimension having a misalignment value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventor: Didier Landru
  • Patent number: 9224921
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating a structure including a semiconductor material comprising: a) implanting one or more ion species to form a weakened region delimiting at least one seed layer in a substrate of semiconductor material, b) forming, before or after step a), at least one metallic layer on the substrate in semiconductor material, c) assembling the at least one metallic layer with a transfer substrate, then fracturing the implanted substrate at the weakened region, and d) forming at least one layer in semiconductor material on the at least one seed layer, for example, by epitaxy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Bethoux, Pascal Guenard
  • Patent number: 9219150
    Abstract: Methods of forming a semiconductor structure include providing a multi-layer substrate having an epitaxial base layer overlying a strained primary semiconductor layer above a buried oxide layer. Elements within the epitaxial base layer are used to alter a strain state in the primary semiconductor layer within a first region of the multi-layer substrate without altering a strain state in the primary semiconductor layer within a second region of the multi-layer substrate. A first plurality of transistor channel structures are formed that each comprise a portion of the primary semiconductor layer within the first region of the multi-layer substrate, and a second plurality of transistor channel structures are formed that each comprise a portion of the primary semiconductor layer within the second region of the multi-layer substrate. Semiconductor structures fabricated by such methods may include transistor channel structures having differing strain states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Bich-Yen Nguyen, Mariam Sadaka, Christophe Maleville
  • Patent number: 9209301
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating a semiconductor structure include providing a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate including a base substrate, a strained stressor layer above the base substrate, a surface semiconductor layer, and a dielectric layer between the stressor layer and the surface semiconductor layer. Ions are implanted into or through a first region of the stressor layer, and additional semiconductor material is formed on the surface semiconductor layer above the first region of the stressor layer. The strain state in the first region of the surface semiconductor layer above the first region of the stressor layer is altered, and a trench structure is formed at least partially into the base substrate. The strain state is altered in a second region of the surface semiconductor layer above the second region of the stressor layer. Semiconductor structures are fabricated using such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Bich-Yen Nguyen, Walter Schwarzenbach, Christophe Maleville
  • Patent number: 9202741
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to semiconductor structures and methods of forming them. In some embodiments, the methods may be used to fabricate a semiconductor substrate by forming a weakened zone in a donor structure at a predetermined depth to define a transfer layer between an attachment surface and the weakened zone and a residual donor structure between the weakened zone and a surface opposite the attachment surface. A metallic layer is formed on the attachment surface and provides an ohmic contact between the metallic layer and the transfer layer, a matched Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) for the metallic layer that closely matches a CTE of the transfer layer, and sufficient stiffness to provide structural support to the transfer layer. The transfer layer is separated from the donor structure at the weakened zone to form a composite substrate comprising the transfer layer and the metallic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Christiaan J. Werkhoven, Chantal Arena
  • Publication number: 20150338131
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a tracker control unit and, therefore, the tracker device of a solar module of a solar power plant, wherein the tracker device comprises a control unit, an actuator element and a support means for supporting the solar module, comprising the steps of detecting a particular event, interrupting power supply to the control unit of the tracker device for a predetermined time period in reaction to the detection of the particular event, resuming power supply after the predetermined time period and in reaction to the resumed power supply actuating the support means by the actuator element to move the support means into a predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: Soitec Solar GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Ziegler, Unver Senol, Johannes Wullner
  • Patent number: 9198294
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic device for radiofrequency or power applications, comprising a semiconductor layer supporting electronic components on a support substrate, wherein the support substrate comprises a base layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 30 W/mK and a superficial layer having a thickness of at least 5 ?m, the superficial layer having an electrical resistivity of at least 3000 Ohm·cm and a thermal conductivity of at least 30 W/mK. The invention also relates to two processes for manufacturing such a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Didier Landru, Luciana Capello, Eric Desbonnet, Christophe Figuet, Oleg Kononchuk
  • Patent number: 9190314
    Abstract: A substrate is treated by means of at least one pulse of a luminous flux of determined wavelength. The substrate comprises an embedded layer that absorbs the luminous flux independently of the temperature. The embedded layer is interleaved between a first treatment layer and a second treatment layer. The first treatment layer has a coefficient of absorption of luminous flux that is low at ambient temperature and rises as the temperature rises. The luminous flux may be applied in several places of a surface of the first layer to heat regions of the embedded layer and generate a propagating thermal front in the first layer opposite the heated regions of the embedded layer, which generate constraints within the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventor: Michel Bruel
  • Patent number: 9190284
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for treating a structure of semiconductor-on-insulator type successively comprising a support substrate, a dielectric layer and a semiconductor layer having a thickness of less than or equal to 100 nm, the semiconductor layer being covered with a sacrificial oxide layer, comprising measuring, at a plurality of points distributed over the surface of the structure, the thickness of the sacrificial oxide layer and of the semiconductor layer, so as to produce a mapping of the thickness of the semiconductor layer and to determine, from the measurements, the average thickness of the semiconductor layer, selective etching of the sacrificial oxide layer so as to expose the semiconductor layer, and carrying out a chemical etching of the semiconductor layer, the application, temperature and/or duration conditions of which are adjusted as a function of the mapping and/or of the mean thickness of the semiconductor layer, so as to thin, at least locally, the semiconductor layer by a thic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Walter Schwarzenbach, Carine Duret, Francois Boedt
  • Publication number: 20150325686
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating semiconductor structures involve the formation of fins for finFET transistors having different stress/strain states. Fins of one stress/strain state may be employed to form n-type finFETS, while fins of another stress/strain state may be employed to form p-type finFETs. The fins having different stress/strain states may be fabricated from a common layer of semiconductor material. Semiconductor structures and devices are fabricated using such methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., SOITEC
    Inventors: Frédéric Allibert, Pierre Morin
  • Patent number: 9177961
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for the manufacture of a wafer by providing a doped layer on a semiconductor substrate; providing a first semiconductor layer on the doped layer; providing a buried oxide layer on the first semiconductor layer; and providing a second semiconductor layer on the buried oxide layer to form a wafer having a buried oxide layer and a doped layer beneath the buried oxide layer. The disclosure also relates to the wafer that is produced by the new method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Nicolas Daval, Cécile Aulnette, Bich-Yen Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9178091
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating photovoltaic devices include forming a plurality of subcells in a vertically stacked arrangement on a semiconductor material, each of the subcells being formed at a different temperature than an adjacent subcell such that the adjacent subcells have differing effective band-gaps. The methods of fabricating also include inverting the structure, attaching another substrate to a second semiconductor material, and removing the substrate. For example, each of the subcells may comprise a III-nitride material, and each subsequent subcell may include an indium content different than the adjacent subcell. Novel structures may be formed using such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Chantal Arena, Heather McFelea