Patents by Inventor Carol Reinholm

Carol Reinholm has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • CMOS protection during germanium photodetector processing
    Patent number: 9590001
    Abstract: A method of protecting a CMOS device within an integrated photonic semiconductor structure is provided. The method may include depositing a conformal layer of germanium over the CMOS device and an adjacent area to the CMOS device, depositing a conformal layer of dielectric hardmask over the germanium, and forming, using a mask level, a patterned layer of photoresist for covering the CMOS device and a photonic device formation region within the adjacent area. Openings are etched into areas of the deposited layer of silicon nitride not covered by the patterned photoresist, such that the areas are adjacent to the photonic device formation region. The germanium material is then etched from the conformal layer of germanium at a location underlying the etched openings for forming the photonic device at the photonic device formation region. The conformal layer of germanium deposited over the CMOS device protects the CMOS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Marwan H. Khater, Edward W. Kiewra, Carol Reinholm, Steven M. Shank
  • CMOS PROTECTION DURING GERMANIUM PHOTODETECTOR PROCESSING
    Publication number: 20150303229
    Abstract: A method of protecting a CMOS device within an integrated photonic semiconductor structure is provided. The method may include depositing a conformal layer of germanium over the CMOS device and an adjacent area to the CMOS device, depositing a conformal layer of dielectric hardmask over the germanium, and forming, using a mask level, a patterned layer of photoresist for covering the CMOS device and a photonic device formation region within the adjacent area. Openings are etched into areas of the deposited layer of silicon nitride not covered by the patterned photoresist, such that the areas are adjacent to the photonic device formation region. The germanium material is then etched from the conformal layer of germanium at a location underlying the etched openings for forming the photonic device at the photonic device formation region. The conformal layer of germanium deposited over the CMOS device protects the CMOS device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Marwan H. Khater, Edward W. Kiewra, Carol Reinholm, Steven M. Shank
  • CMOS protection during germanium photodetector processing
    Patent number: 9136303
    Abstract: A method of protecting a CMOS device within an integrated photonic semiconductor structure is provided. The method may include depositing a conformal layer of germanium over the CMOS device and an adjacent area to the CMOS device, depositing a conformal layer of dielectric hardmask over the germanium, and forming, using a mask level, a patterned layer of photoresist for covering the CMOS device and a photonic device formation region within the adjacent area. Openings are etched into areas of the deposited layer of silicon nitride not covered by the patterned photoresist, such that the areas are adjacent to the photonic device formation region. The germanium material is then etched from the conformal layer of germanium at a location underlying the etched openings for forming the photonic device at the photonic device formation region. The conformal layer of germanium deposited over the CMOS device protects the CMOS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Marwan H. Khater, Edward W. Kiewra, Carol Reinholm, Steven M. Shank
  • CMOS PROTECTION DURING GERMANIUM PHOTODETECTOR PROCESSING
    Publication number: 20150054041
    Abstract: A method of protecting a CMOS device within an integrated photonic semiconductor structure is provided. The method may include depositing a conformal layer of germanium over the CMOS device and an adjacent area to the CMOS device, depositing a conformal layer of dielectric hardmask over the germanium, and forming, using a mask level, a patterned layer of photoresist for covering the CMOS device and a photonic device formation region within the adjacent area. Openings are etched into areas of the deposited layer of silicon nitride not covered by the patterned photoresist, such that the areas are adjacent to the photonic device formation region. The germanium material is then etched from the conformal layer of germanium at a location underlying the etched openings for forming the photonic device at the photonic device formation region. The conformal layer of germanium deposited over the CMOS device protects the CMOS device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Marwan H. Khater, Edward W. Kiewra, Carol Reinholm, Steven M. Shank