Abstract: Field-effect transistors (FETs) employing edge transistor current leakage suppression to reduce FET current leakage, and related methods, are disclosed. The FET includes a gate that includes extended-length edge gate regions overlapping semiconductor layer edges to form extended length edge conduction channels in edge transistors. In this manner, the threshold voltage of the edges transistors is increased, thus reducing current leakage of the edges transistors and overall current leakage of the FET. In another aspect, a body connection implant that is formed to short a source or drain region to a body of the FET is extended in length to form body connection implant regions underneath at least a portion of the edge gate regions. In this manner, the work functions of the edge gate regions are increased in voltage thus increasing the threshold voltage of the edge transistors and reducing current leakage of the edges transistors and the FET.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) device is described. The RF device includes a switch field effect transistor (FET), having a source region, a drain region, a body region, and a gate region. The RF device also includes a dynamic bias control circuit. The dynamic bias control circuit includes a first transistor coupled to the gate region of the switch FET by a gate resistor. The dynamic bias control circuit also includes a second transistor coupled to the first transistor and coupled to the body region of the switch FET by a body resistor. The dynamic bias control circuit further includes a capacitor coupled to the body region of the switch FET by the body resistor, and the gate region of the switch FET, by the gate resistor.

Abstract: A radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) is described. The RFIC includes a switch field effect transistor (FET). The switch FET includes a source region, a drain region, a body region, and a gate region. The RFIC also includes a dynamic bias control circuit. The dynamic bias control circuit includes at least one transistor coupled between the body region and the gate region of the switch FET.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for amplifying a signal are disclosed. For instance, an amplifier includes an input node and an output node; a first gain segment including: a first transistor, where a gate of the first transistor is coupled to the input node, a first terminal of the first transistor is coupled to a ground, and a second terminal of the first transistor is coupled to the output node; a second gain segment including: a second transistor, where a gate of the second transistor is coupled to the input node, a first terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the ground, and a second terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the output node, where the first gain segment and the second gain segment are arranged in parallel with respect to the output node; and a bias circuit.

Abstract: FET IC structures that enable formation of integrated capacitors in a “flipped” SOI IC structure made using a back-side access process, such as a “single layer transfer” (SLT) process, and which eliminate or mitigate unwanted parasitic couplings to a handle wafer. In some embodiments, a conductive interconnect layer may be patterned, pre-SLT, to form an isolated first capacitor plate. In other embodiments, pre-SLT, a conductive region of the active layer of an IC may be patterned to form an isolated first capacitor plate, with one or more interconnect layers being fabricated in position to form an electrical contact to the first capacitor plate. In either case, a post-SLT top-side layer of conductive material may be patterned to form a second capacitor plate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transistor of a device that has an asymmetric resistance or an asymmetric capacitive coupling or both. When used in a cascode configuration in an amplifier, low current performance of the amplifier is improved. Asymmetric resistance may be enabled through differentially doping source and drain structures of the transistor and/or through differentially manipulating geometries the source and drain structures. Asymmetric capacitive coupling may be enabled through providing dielectrics and differentially locating the dielectrics above a gate of the transistor. Further, a body of the transistor may be biased.

Abstract: An integrated device that includes a substrate, a circuit region located over the substrate, a design keep out region located over the substrate, and a periphery structure located over the substrate. The design keep out region laterally surrounds the circuit region. The periphery structure includes a first plurality of interconnects that laterally surrounds the design keep out region. The periphery structure is configured to operate as an electrical seal ring and a mechanical crack stop.

Abstract: FET IC structures that enable formation of integrated capacitors in a “flipped” SOI IC structure made using a back-side access process, such as a “single layer transfer” (SLT) process, and which eliminate or mitigate unwanted parasitic couplings to a handle wafer. In some embodiments, a conductive interconnect layer may be patterned, pre-SLT, to form an isolated first capacitor plate. In other embodiments, pre-SLT, a conductive region of the active layer of an IC may be patterned to form an isolated first capacitor plate, with one or more interconnect layers being fabricated in position to form an electrical contact to the first capacitor plate. In either case, a post-SLT top-side layer of conductive material may be patterned to form a second capacitor plate. Couplings to the resulting capacitor structures include only external connections, only internal connections, or both internal and external connections.

Abstract: FET designs that exhibit low leakage in the presence of the edge transistor phenomenon. Embodiments includes nFET designs in which the work function ?MF of the gate structure overlying the edge transistors of the nFET is increased by forming extra P+ implant regions within at least a portion of the gate structure, thereby increasing the Vt of the edge transistors to a level that may exceed the Vt of the central conduction channel of the nFET. In some embodiments, the gate structure of the nFET is modified to increase or “flare” the effective channel length of the edge transistors relative to the length of the central conduction channel of the FET. Other methods of changing the work function ?MF of the gate structure overlying the edge transistors are also disclosed. The methods may be adapted to fabricating pFETs by reversing or substituting material types.

Abstract: A FET IC structure made using a back-side access process that mitigates or eliminates thermal conductivity problems. In some embodiments, electrically-isolated thermal paths are formed adjacent the FET and configured to conduct heat laterally away from the FET to generally orthogonal thermal pathways, and thence to thermal pads externally accessible at the “top” of the completed IC. In some embodiments having a thermally-conductive handle wafer, electrically-isolated thermal paths are formed adjacent a FET and configured to conduct heat laterally away from the FET. Thermal vias are formed sufficiently so as to be in thermal contact with the handle wafer and with the conventional metallization layers of the device superstructure, at least one of which is in thermal contact with the lateral thermal paths. In some embodiments, the lateral thermal paths may use dummy gates configured to conduct heat laterally away from a FET to generally orthogonal thermal pathways.

Abstract: FET designs that exhibit low leakage in the presence of the edge transistor phenomenon. Embodiments includes nFET designs in which the work function ?MF of the gate structure overlying the edge transistors of the nFET is increased by forming extra P+ implant regions within at least a portion of the gate structure, thereby increasing the Vt of the edge transistors to a level that may exceed the Vt of the central conduction channel of the nFET. In some embodiments, the gate structure of the nFET is modified to increase or “flare” the effective channel length of the edge transistors relative to the length of the central conduction channel of the FET. Other methods of changing the work function ?MF of the gate structure overlying the edge transistors are also disclosed. The methods may be adapted to fabricating pFETs by reversing or substituting material types.

Abstract: A FET IC structure made using a back-side access process that mitigates or eliminates thermal conductivity problems. In some embodiments, electrically-isolated thermal paths are formed adjacent the FET and configured to conduct heat laterally away from the FET to generally orthogonal thermal pathways, and thence to thermal pads externally accessible at the “top” of the completed IC. In some embodiments having a thermally-conductive handle wafer, electrically-isolated thermal paths are formed adjacent a FET and configured to conduct heat laterally away from the FET. Thermal vias are formed sufficiently so as to be in thermal contact with the handle wafer and with the conventional metallization layers of the device superstructure, at least one of which is in thermal contact with the lateral thermal paths. In some embodiments, the lateral thermal paths may use dummy gates configured to conduct heat laterally away from a FET to generally orthogonal thermal pathways.

Abstract: Structures and fabrication methods for transistors having low parasitic capacitance, the transistors including an insulating low dielectric constant first or second handle wafer. In one embodiment, a Single Layer Transfer technique is used to position an insulating LDC handle wafer proximate the metal interconnect layers of an SOI transistor/metal layer stack in lieu of the silicon substrate of conventional designs. In another embodiment, a Double Layer Transfer technique is used to replace the silicon substrate of prior art structures with an insulating LDC substrate. In some embodiments, the insulating LDC handle wafer includes at least one air cavity, which reduces the effective dielectric constant of material surrounding an RF FET. An insulating LDC handle wafer reduces insertion loss and non-linearity, increases isolation, provides for more ideal voltage division of stacked transistors, enables a higher Q factor due to lower coupling losses, and otherwise mitigates various parasitic effects.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses and related methods for fabrication. The apparatus includes a field-effect transistor (FET). The FET has a source contact coupled to a source implant in a body layer, a drain contact coupled to a drain implant in the body layer, and a first gate coupled to a transistor channel in the body layer between the source contact and the drain contact. The FET further includes a second gate coupled to the body layer between the source contact and the drain contact, a drift region in the body layer, where the second gate at least partially overlaps the drift region, and a resurf portion disposed partially over the first gate and over the second gate.

Abstract: FET IC structures that enable formation of integrated capacitors in a “flipped” SOI IC structure made using a back-side access process, such as a “single layer transfer” (SLT) process, and which eliminate or mitigate unwanted parasitic couplings to a handle wafer. In some embodiments, a conductive interconnect layer may be patterned, pre-SLT, to form an isolated first capacitor plate. In other embodiments, pre-SLT, a conductive region of the active layer of an IC may be patterned to form an isolated first capacitor plate, with one or more interconnect layers being fabricated in position to form an electrical contact to the first capacitor plate. In either case, a post-SLT top-side layer of conductive material may be patterned to form a second capacitor plate.

Abstract: High density integrated circuit (IC) capacitor structures and fabrication methods that increase the capacitive density of integrated capacitors with little or no reduction in Q-factor by using a stacked high-density integrated capacitor structure that includes substrate-contact (“S-contact”) capacitor plates. Embodiments include a plurality of S-contact plates fabricated in electrical connection with a capacitor formed in a metal interconnect layer. Some embodiments include interstitial S-contact plates to provide additional capacitive density. Embodiments may also utilize single-layer transfer (SLT) and double-layer transfer (DLT) techniques to create ICs with high density, high Q-factor capacitors. Such capacitors can be beneficially combined with other structures made possible in SLT and DLT IC structures, such as metal interconnect layer capacitors and inductors, and one or more FETs having a conductive aligned supplemental gate.

Abstract: Field-effect transistors (FETs) employing edge transistor current leakage suppression to reduce FET current leakage, and related methods, are disclosed. The FET includes a gate that includes extended-length edge gate regions overlapping semiconductor layer edges to form extended length edge conduction channels in edge transistors. In this manner, the threshold voltage of the edges transistors is increased, thus reducing current leakage of the edges transistors and overall current leakage of the FET. In another aspect, a body connection implant that is formed to short a source or drain region to a body of the FET is extended in length to form body connection implant regions underneath at least a portion of the edge gate regions. In this manner, the work functions of the edge gate regions are increased in voltage thus increasing the threshold voltage of the edge transistors and reducing current leakage of the edges transistors and the FET.

Abstract: An integrated device that includes a substrate, a circuit region located over the substrate, a design keep out region located over the substrate, and a periphery structure located over the substrate. The design keep out region laterally surrounds the circuit region. The periphery structure includes a first plurality of interconnects that laterally surrounds the design keep out region. The periphery structure is configured to operate as an electrical seal ring and a mechanical crack stop.

Abstract: FET IC structures that enable formation of integrated capacitors in a “flipped” SOI IC structure made using a back-side access process, such as a “single layer transfer” (SLT) process, and which eliminate or mitigate unwanted parasitic couplings to a handle wafer. In some embodiments, a conductive interconnect layer may be patterned, pre-SLT, to form an isolated first capacitor plate. In other embodiments, pre-SLT, a conductive region of the active layer of an IC may be patterned to form an isolated first capacitor plate, with one or more interconnect layers being fabricated in position to form an electrical contact to the first capacitor plate. In either case, a post-SLT top-side layer of conductive material may be patterned to form a second capacitor plate. Couplings to the resulting capacitor structures include only external connections, only internal connections, or both internal and external connections.

Abstract: A high-voltage switching device that can be fabricated in a standard low-voltage process, such as CMOS, and more specifically SOI CMOS. Embodiments include integrated circuits that combine, in a unitary structure, a FET device and an integrated, co-fabricated modulated resistance region (MRR) controlled by one or more Voltage-Drop Modulation Gates (VDMGs). The VDMGs are generally biased independently of the gate of the FET device, and in such a way as to protect each VDMG from excessive and potentially destructive voltages. In a first embodiment, an integrated circuit high voltage switching device includes a transistor structure including a source, a gate, and an internal drain; an MRR connected to the internal drain of the transistor structure; at least one VDMG that controls the resistance of the MRR; and a drain electrically connected to the MRR. Each VDMG at least partially depletes the MRR upon application of a bias voltage.