Patents Assigned to Soitec
  • Patent number: 8841742
    Abstract: Methods of transferring a layer of semiconductor material from a first donor structure to a second structure include forming recesses in the donor structure, implanting ions into the donor structure to form a generally planar, inhomogeneous weakened zone therein, and providing material within the recesses. The first donor structure may be bonded to a second structure, and the first donor structure may be fractured along the generally planar weakened zone, leaving the layer of semiconductor material bonded to the second structure. Semiconductor devices may be fabricated by forming active device structures on the transferred layer of semiconductor material. Semiconductor structures are fabricated using the described methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Mariam Sadaka, Ionut Radu
  • Publication number: 20140264371
    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: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Soitec
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Debray, Chantal Arena, Heather McFavilen
  • Publication number: 20140264265
    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 fainting 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: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Soitec
    Inventors: Chantal Arena, Jean-Philippe Debray, Richard Scott Kern
  • Publication number: 20140264408
    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: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Soitec
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Debray, Chantal Arena, Heather McFavilen, Ding Ding, Li Huang
  • Patent number: 8835747
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for a two axis tracking mechanism for a concentrated photovoltaic system. Two or more paddle structures containing multiple CPV modules are installed onto each tilt axle on the common roll axle as part of the two-axis tracking mechanism's solar array. The two or more paddle structures couple across the common roll axle on that tilt axle. The common roll axle and each paddle assembly are manufactured in simple modular sections that assemble easily in the field while maintaining the alignment of the tracker assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec Solar GmbH
    Inventors: Wayne Miller, Jerry Dejong, Victor Ocegueda, Vayardo Lalo Ruiz, Anthony Wlodarczyk
  • Patent number: 8836081
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices or structures include forming structures of a semiconductor material overlying a layer of a compliant material, subsequently changing the viscosity of the compliant material to relax the semiconductor material structures, and utilizing the relaxed semiconductor material structures as a seed layer in forming a continuous layer of relaxed semiconductor material. In some embodiments, the layer of semiconductor material may comprise a III-V type semiconductor material, such as, for example, indium gallium nitride. Novel intermediate structures are formed during such methods. Engineered substrates include a continuous layer of semiconductor material having a relaxed lattice structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Chantal Arena
  • Patent number: 8815641
    Abstract: A method and structure for a semiconductor device including a thin nitride layer formed between a diamond SOI layer and device silicon layer to block diffusion of ions and improve lifetime of the device silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Rick C. Jerome, Francois Hebert, Craig McLachlan, Kevin Hoopingarner
  • Publication number: 20140225182
    Abstract: A substrate comprises a base wafer, an insulating layer over the base wafer, and a top semiconductor layer over the insulating layer on a side thereof opposite the base wafer. The insulating layer comprises a charge-confining layer confined on one or both sides with diffusion barrier layers, wherein the charge-confining layer has a density of charges in absolute value higher than 1010 charges/cm2. Alternatively, the insulating layer comprises charge-trapping islands embedded therein, wherein the charge-trapping islands have a total density of charges in absolute value higher than 1010 charges/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Soitec
    Inventors: Mohamad A. Shaheen, Frederic Allibert, Gweltaz Gaudin, Fabrice Lallement, Didier Landru, Karine Landry, Carlos Mazure
  • Publication number: 20140225648
    Abstract: The invention relates to a a circuit including a transistor of a first type of channel in series with a transistor of a second type of channel between first and second terminals for applying a power supply potential, each of the transistors being a multiple gate transistor having at least a first (G1P, G1N) and a second (G2P, G2N) independent control gates, characterized in that at least one of the transistors is configured for operating in a depletion mode under the action of a second gate signal applied to its second control gate (G2p, G2N).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: SOITEC
    Inventors: Carlos Mazure, Richard Ferrant, Bich-Yen Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8802539
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing semiconductor-on-insulator type structures that include a semiconductor layer of a donor substrate, an insulator layer and a receiver substrate. The process includes bonding of the donor substrate onto the receiver substrate, with at least one of the substrates being coated with an insulator layer, and forming at the bonding interface a so-called trapping interface of electrically active traps suitable for retaining charge carriers. The invention also relates to a semiconductor-on-insulator type structure that includes such a trapping interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Frédéric Allibert, Sébastien Kerdiles
  • Publication number: 20140217553
    Abstract: Methods of depositing III-nitride semiconductor materials on substrates include depositing a layer of III-nitride semiconductor material on a surface of a substrate in a nucleation HVPE process stage to form a nucleation layer having a microstructure comprising at least some amorphous III-nitride semiconductor material. The nucleation layer may be annealed to form crystalline islands of epitaxial nucleation material on the surface of the substrate. The islands of epitaxial nucleation material may be grown and coalesced in a coalescence HVPE process stage to form a nucleation template layer of the epitaxial nucleation material. The nucleation template layer may at least substantially cover the surface of the substrate. Additional III-nitride semiconductor material may be deposited over the nucleation template layer of the epitaxial nucleation material in an additional HVPE process stage. Final and intermediate structures comprising III-nitride semiconductor material are formed by such methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicants: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS FOR AND ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, Soitec
    Inventors: Chantal Arena, Ronald Thomas Bertram, JR., Ed Lindow, Subhash Mahajan, Ilsu Han
  • Publication number: 20140217419
    Abstract: Methods of forming ternary III-nitride materials include epitaxially growing ternary III-nitride material on a substrate in a chamber. The epitaxial growth includes providing a precursor gas mixture within the chamber that includes a relatively high ratio of a partial pressure of a nitrogen precursor to a partial pressure of one or more Group III precursors in the chamber. Due at least in part to the relatively high ratio, a layer of ternary III-nitride material may be grown to a high final thickness with small V-pit defects therein. Semiconductor structures including such ternary III-nitride material layers are fabricated using such methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Soitec
    Inventors: Christophe Figuet, Pierre Tomasini
  • Patent number: 8790992
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for assembling a first element that includes at least one first wafer, substrate or at least one chip, and a second element of at least one second wafer or substrate, involving the formation of a surface layer, known as the bonding layer, on each substrate, at least one of these bonding layers being formed at a temperature less than or equal to 300° C.; conducting a first annealing, known as degassing annealing, of the bonding layers, before assembly, at least partly at a temperature at least equal to the subsequent bonding interface strengthening temperature but below 450° C.; forming an assembling of the substrates by bringing into contact the exposed surfaces of the bonding layers, and conducting an annealing of the assembled structure at a bonding interface strengthening temperature below 450° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Gweltaz Gaudin
  • Patent number: 8790993
    Abstract: A method for bonding a first substrate having a first surface to a second substrate having a second surface. This method includes the steps of holding the first substrate by at least two support points, positioning the first substrate and the second substrate so that the first surface and the second surface face each other, deforming the first substrate by applying between at least one pressure point and the two support points a strain toward the second substrate, bringing the deformed first surface and the second surface into contact, and progressively releasing the strain to facilitate bonding of the substrates while minimizing or avoiding the trapping of air bubbles between the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Sebastien Kerdiles, Daniel Delprat
  • Patent number: 8785293
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adapting the lattice parameter of a seed layer of a strained material, comprising the following successive steps: a) a structure is provided that has a seed layer of strained material, of lattice parameter A1, of nominal lattice parameter An and of thermal expansion coefficient CTE3, a low-viscosity layer and an intermediate substrate of thermal expansion coefficient CTE1; b) a heat treatment is applied so as to relax the seed layer of strained material; and c) the seed layer is transferred onto a support substrate of thermal expansion coefficient CTE5, the intermediate substrate and the support substrate being chosen so that A1<An and CTE1?CTE3 and CTE5>CTE1 or A1>An and CTE1?CTE3 and CTE5<CTE1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: SOITEC
    Inventors: Pascal Guenard, Frederic Dupont
  • Patent number: 8785316
    Abstract: Methods of depositing a III-V semiconductor material on a substrate include sequentially introducing a gaseous precursor of a group III element and a gaseous precursor of a group V element to the substrate by altering spatial positioning of the substrate with respect to a plurality of gas columns. For example, the substrate may be moved relative to a plurality of substantially aligned gas columns, each disposing a different precursor. Thermalizing gas injectors for generating the precursors may include an inlet, a thermalizing conduit, a liquid container configured to hold a liquid reagent therein, and an outlet. Deposition systems for forming one or more III-V semiconductor materials on a surface of the substrate may include one or more such thermalizing gas injectors configured to direct the precursor to the substrate via the plurality of gas columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Christiaan J. Werkhoven
  • Patent number: 8778773
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include methods of directly bonding together semiconductor structures. In some embodiments, a cap layer may be provided at an interface between directly bonded metal features of the semiconductor structures. In some embodiments, impurities are provided within the directly bonded metal features of the semiconductor structures. Bonded semiconductor structures are formed using such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Mariam Sadaka
  • Patent number: 8778777
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a heterostructure for applications in the fields of electronics, photovoltaics, optics or optoelectronics, by implanting atomic species in a donor substrate so as to form an embrittlement area therein, assembling a receiver substrate on the donor substrate, wherein the receiver substrate has a larger thermal expansion coefficient than that of the donor substrate, detaching a rear portion of the donor substrate along the embrittlement area so as to transfer a thin layer of interest of the donor substrate onto the receiver substrate, and applying a detachment annealing after assembling and but before detaching, in order to facilitate the detaching. The detachment annealing includes the simultaneous application of a first temperature to the donor substrate and a second temperature different from the first to the receiver substrate; with the first and second temperatures being selected to reduce the tensile stress condition of the donor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Mark Kennard
  • Patent number: 8772875
    Abstract: A semiconductor-on-glass substrate having a relatively stiff (e.g. relatively high Young's modulus of 125 or higher) stiffening layer or layers placed between the silicon film and the glass in order to eliminate the canyons and pin holes that otherwise form in the surface of the transferred silicon film during the ion implantation thin film transfer process. The new stiffening layer may be formed of a material, such as silicon nitride, that also serves as an efficient barrier against penetration of sodium and other harmful impurities from the glass substrate into the silicon film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Corning Incorporated, SOITEC
    Inventors: Nadia Ben Mohamed, Ta-ko Chuang, Jeffrey Scott Cites, Daniel Delprat, Alexander Usenko
  • Publication number: 20140183601
    Abstract: A method for transferring a layer of semiconductor by providing a donor substrate that includes a useful layer of a semiconductor material, a confinement structure that includes a confinement layer of a semiconductor material having a chemical composition that is different than that of the useful layer, and two protective layers of semiconductor material that is distinct from the confinement layer with the protective layers being arranged on both sides of the confinement layer; introducing ions into the donor substrate, bonding the donor substrate to a receiver substrate, subjecting the donor and receiver substrates to a heat treatment that provides an increase in temperature during which the confinement layer attracts the ions in order to concentrate them in the confinement layer, and detaching the donor substrate from the receiver substrate by breaking the confinement layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: SOITEC
    Inventors: Fabrice Lallement, Christophe Figuet, Daniel Delprat