Patents by Inventor Christopher L. Hinkle

Christopher L. Hinkle 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).

  • Patent number: 9780001
    Abstract: A method of fabricating Schottky barrier contacts for an integrated circuit (IC). A substrate including a silicon including surface is provided. A plurality of transistors are formed on the silicon including surface in at least one PMOS region and at least one NMOS region, where the plurality of transistors include at least one exposed p-type surface region and at least one exposed n-type surface region. Pre-silicide cleaning removes oxide from the exposed p-type surface regions and exposed n-type surface regions. A plurality of metals are deposited including Yb and Pt to form at least one metal layer on the substrate. The metal layer is heated to induce formation of an inhomogeneous silicide layer including both Ptsilicide and Ybsilicide on the exposed p-type and exposed n-type surface regions. Unreacted metal of the metal layer is stripped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deborah Jean Riley, Judy Browder Shaw, Christopher L. Hinkle, Creighton T. Buie
  • Patent number: 9741416
    Abstract: Memory devices based on gate controlled ferromagnetism and spin-polarized current injection are provided. The device structure can include a two dimensional (2D) topological insulator (TI) having an active area body. One or a pair of ferromagnetic storage units are provided on top of the 2D TI with a dielectric and a gate thereon. A first contact can be at one end of the 2D TI and a second contact can be at the other end of the 2D TI, with the one or pair of ferromagnetic storage units on the 2D TI between the two contacts to facilitate 2D TI transport along a one-dimensional edge of the first and/or second lateral side. Application of biases via the gate and the first and second contacts enable read and write operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Board of Regents, the University of Texas System
    Inventors: William G. Vandenberghe, Christopher L. Hinkle, Massimo V. Fischetti
  • Patent number: 9263444
    Abstract: A method of fabricating Schottky barrier contacts for an integrated circuit (IC). A substrate including a silicon including surface is provided having a plurality of transistors formed thereon, where the plurality of transistors include at least one exposed p-type surface region and at least one exposed n-type surface region on the silicon including surface. A plurality of metals are deposited including Yb and Pt to form at least one metal layer on the substrate. The metal layer is heated to induce formation of an inhomogeneous silicide layer including both Ptsilicide and Ybsilicide on the exposed p-type and n-type surface regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deborah Jean Riley, Judy Browder Shaw, Christopher L. Hinkle, Creighton T. Buie
  • Patent number: 7507629
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including silicon and an oxide layer on the substrate. The oxide layer includes silicon. An interfacial dielectric layer is disposed on the oxide layer opposite the substrate. The interfacial dielectric layer includes HfO2, ZrO2, a zirconium silicate alloy, and/or a hafnium silicate alloy having a thickness between about 0.5 nm and 1.0 nm. A primary dielectric layer is disposed on the interfacial dielectric layer opposite the substrate. The primary dielectric layer includes AlO3; TiO2; a group IIIB or VB transition metal oxide; a trivalent lanthanide series rare earth oxide; a silicate alloy; an aluminate alloy; a complex binary oxide having two transition metal oxides and/or a complex binary oxide having a transition metal oxide and a lanthanide rare earth oxide. A thickness of the primary dielectric layer is at least about five times greater than the thickness of the interfacial dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Inventors: Gerald Lucovsky, Christopher L. Hinkle