Abstract: Some structures and methods to reduce power consumption in devices can be implemented largely by reusing existing bulk CMOS process flows and manufacturing technology, allowing the semiconductor industry as well as the broader electronics industry to avoid a costly and risky switch to alternative technologies. Some of the structures and methods relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. Additional structures, configurations, and methods presented herein can be used alone or in conjunction with the DDC to yield additional and different benefits.

Abstract: Circuits, integrated circuits devices, and methods are disclosed that may include biasable transistors with screening regions positioned below a gate and separated from the gate by a semiconductor layer. Bias voltages can be applied to such screening regions to optimize multiple performance features, such as speed and current leakage. Particular embodiments can include biased sections coupled between a high power supply voltage and a low power supply voltage, each having biasable transistors. One or more generation circuits can generate multiple bias voltages. A bias control section can couple one of the different bias voltages to screening regions of biasable transistors to provide a minimum speed and lowest current leakage for such a minimum speed.

Abstract: Some structures and methods to reduce power consumption in devices can be implemented largely by reusing existing bulk CMOS process flows and manufacturing technology, allowing the semiconductor industry as well as the broader electronics industry to avoid a costly and risky switch to alternative technologies. Some of the structures and methods relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. Additional structures, configurations, and methods presented herein can be used alone or in conjunction with the DDC to yield additional and different benefits.

Abstract: A suite of novel structures and methods is provided to reduce power consumption in a wide array of electronic devices and systems. Some of these structures and methods can be implemented largely by reusing existing bulk CMOS process flows and manufacturing technology, allowing the semiconductor industry as well as the broader electronics industry to avoid a costly and risky switch to alternative technologies. As will be discussed, some of the structures and methods relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced ?VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors.

Abstract: A junction field effect transistor includes a channel region, a gate region coupled to the channel region, a well tap region coupled to the gate region and the channel region, and a well region coupled to the well tap region and the channel region. A double gate operation is achieved by this structure as a voltage applied to the gate region is also applied to the well region through the well tap region in order to open the channel from both the gate region and the well region.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure with a channel stack includes forming a screening layer under a gate of a PMOS transistor element and a NMOS transistor element, forming a threshold voltage control layer on the screening layer, and forming an epitaxial channel layer on the threshold control layer. At least a portion of the epitaxial channel layers for the PMOS transistor element and the NMOS transistor element are formed as a common blanket layer. The screening layer for the PMOS transistor element may include antimony as a dopant material that may be inserted into the structure prior to or after formation of the epitaxial channel layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) can include depositing a semiconductor electrode layer in contact with a surface of a semiconductor substrate; patterning the electrode layer to form a plurality of access junction field effect transistor (JFET) gate electrodes and a plurality of sense amplifier bipolar junction transistor (BJT) electrodes; and forming a charge storage structure coupled to a source of each access JFET.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first PMOS transistor element having a gate region with a first gate metal associated with a PMOS work function and a first NMOS transistor element having a gate region with a second metal associated with a NMOS work function. The first PMOS transistor element and the first NMOS transistor element form a first CMOS device. The semiconductor structure also includes a second PMOS transistor that is formed in part by concurrent deposition with the first NMOS transistor element of the second metal associated with a NMOS work function to form a second CMOS device with different operating characteristics than the first CMOS device.

Abstract: A junction field effect transistor includes a channel region, a gate region coupled to the channel region, a well tap region coupled to the gate region and the channel region, and a well region coupled to the well tap region and the channel region. A double gate operation is achieved by this structure as a voltage applied to the gate region is also applied to the well region through the well tap region in order to open the channel from both the gate region and the well region.

Abstract: A method for modeling a circuit includes generating a circuit model based on a netlist that defines a plurality of connections between a plurality of circuit elements. The circuit model includes a model of one or more of the circuit elements. The method further includes determining a wire width associated with at least a selected connection based, at least in part, on design rules associated with the netlist. Additionally, the method includes determining a wire thickness associated with the selected connection based, at least in part, on a signal delay associated with the wire thickness. Furthermore, the method also includes routing the selected connection in the circuit model using a wire having a width substantially equal to the wire width calculated for the connection and a thickness equal to the wire thickness calculated for the connection and storing the circuit model in an electronic storage media.

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device can include a plurality of memory cells. Each memory cell can include a charge storing structure and an access device comprising an enhancement mode junction field effect transistor (JFET). The DRAM device can further include a plurality of sense amplifiers that each generates an output value in response to a signal received at respective sense amplifier inputs, and a plurality of bit lines, each bit line coupling a plurality of memory cells to at least one input of at least one of the sense amplifiers. A method can fabricate such DRAM devices.

Abstract: A junction field effect transistor includes a channel region, a gate region coupled to the channel region, a well tap region coupled to the gate region and the channel region, and a well region coupled to the well tap region and the channel region. A double gate operation is achieved by this structure as a voltage applied to the gate region is also applied to the well region through the well tap region in order to open the channel from both the gate region and the well region.

Abstract: A method for annealing a semiconductor device having at least one polysilicon region formed on a substrate, comprises growing dielectric material on the substrate adjacent to the polysilicon region. The method continues by polishing a surface of the dielectric material and by depositing a layer of a semi-transparent material on both the surface of the dielectric material and the surface of the polysilicon region. The method concludes by annealing the semiconductor device.

Abstract: Circuits using four terminal transistors are disclosed. Such circuits can include various static and dynamic logic circuits, flip-flops, multiplexer, tri-state driver, phase detector, logic having variable speeds of operation, and/or analog circuit with such four terminal transistors operating in a linear or nonlinear mode.

Abstract: Double gate JFET with reduced area consumption and fabrication method therefore. Double-gate semiconductor device including a substrate having a shallow trench isolator region comprising a first STI and a second STI, a channel region having a first and second channel edges, the channel region formed in the substrate and disposed between and in contact with the first STI and the second STI at the first and second channel edge. The first STI has a first cavity at the first channel edge, and the second STI has a second cavity at the second channel edge. The device further includes a gate electrode region comprising conductive material filling at least one of the first and second cavities. At least one of the first and second cavities is physically configured to provide electrical coupling of the gate electrode region to a back-gate P-N junction.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a first access transistor, first and second pull-up transistors, a depletion transistor, and first and second pull-down transistors. The first access transistor is connected to a word line and connected between a first bit line and a first data node. The first pull-up transistor is connected to a first power supply point and the second pull-up transistor is connected to the first power supply point and the second data node. The first pull-down transistor is connected to a second power supply point and to the first data node and the second pull-down transistor is connected to the depletion transistor and to the second data node. The depletion transistor is connected to the word line and to the second power supply point.

Abstract: A semiconductor device can include at least a first diffusion region formed by doping a semiconductor substrate and at least a second diffusion region formed by doping the semiconductor substrate that is separated from the first diffusion region by an isolation region. At least a first conductive line can comprise a semiconductor material formed over and in contact with the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. A portion of the first conductive line in contact with the first diffusion region is doped to an opposite conductivity type as the first diffusion region. At least a second conductive line comprising a semiconductor material is formed in parallel with the first conductive line and over and in contact with the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. A portion of the second conductive line can be in contact with the first diffusion region and doped to a same conductivity type as the first diffusion region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device can include at least a first diffusion region formed by doping a semiconductor substrate and at least a second diffusion region formed by doping the semiconductor substrate that is separated from the first diffusion region by an isolation region. At least a first conductive line can comprise a semiconductor material formed over and in contact with the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. A portion of the first conductive line in contact with the first diffusion region is doped to an opposite conductivity type as the first diffusion region. At least a second conductive line comprising a semiconductor material is formed in parallel with the first conductive line and over and in contact with the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. A portion of the second conductive line can be in contact with the first diffusion region and doped to a same conductivity type as the first diffusion region.

Abstract: A junction field effect transistor (JFET) can include a top gate structure and an active semiconductor region. The active semiconductor region can include a side surface and a top surface formed below the top gate structure. The active semiconductor region can also include a channel region formed below the top gate structure, a bottom gate region formed below the channel region, and a gate tie region formed on the side surface that makes an electrical connection between the top gate structure and the bottom gate region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes transmitter circuits and receiver circuits that share a common data line and method is disclosed. Each transmitter circuit may include a frequency modulator that receives a stream of data and provides a frequency modulated data output at a predetermined carrier frequency. Each receiver may include a band pass filter that allows a corresponding frequency modulated data output from a corresponding transmitter circuit to pass through to a demodulator while essentially excluding the other frequency modulated data. In this way, a plurality of transmitter circuits can simultaneously transmit data with each one of the plurality of transmitter circuits transmitting data to a predetermined receiver circuit.