Patents by Inventor Donald Paul Monroe

Donald Paul Monroe 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: 6903411
    Abstract: An architecture for connection between regions in or adjacent a semiconductor layer. According to one embodiment a semiconductor device includes a first layer of semiconductor material and a first field effect transistor having a first source/drain region formed in the first layer. A channel region of the transistor is formed over the first layer and an associated second source/drain region is formed over the channel region. The device includes a second field effect transistor also having a first source/drain region formed in the first layer. A channel region of the second transistor is formed over the first layer and an associated second source/drain region is formed over the channel region. A conductive layer comprising a metal is positioned between the first source/drain region of each transistor to conduct current from one first source/drain region to the other first source/drain region. In another embodiment a first device region, is formed on a semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yih-Feng Chyan, John Michael Hergenrother, Donald Paul Monroe
  • Patent number: 6653181
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit with vertical MOSFET devices is disclosed. In the process, at least three layers of material are formed sequentially on a semiconductor substrate. The three layers are arranged such that the second layer is interposed between the first and third layers. The second layer is sacrificial, that is, the layer is completely removed during subsequent processing. The thickness of the second layer defines the physical gate length of the vertical MOSFET devices. After the at least three layers of material are formed on the substrate, the resulting structure is selectively doped to form an n-type region and a p-type region in the structure. Windows or trenches are formed in the layers in both the n-type region and the p-type region. The windows terminate at the surface of the silicon substrate in which one of either a source or drain region is formed. The windows or trenches are then filled with a semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Hergenrother, Donald Paul Monroe
  • Publication number: 20030057477
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit with vertical MOSFET devices is disclosed. In the process, at least three layers of material are formed sequentially on a semiconductor substrate. The three layers are arranged such that the second layer is interposed between the first and third layers. The second layer is sacrificial, that is, the layer is completely removed during subsequent processing. The thickness of the second layer defines the physical gate length of the vertical MOSFET devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: John Michael Hergenrother, Donald Paul Monroe
  • Patent number: 6197641
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a vertical MOSFET device for use in integrated circuits is disclosed. In the process, at least three layers of material are formed sequentially on a semiconductor substrate. The three layers are arranged such that the second layer is interposed between the first and third layers. The second layer is sacrificial, that is, the layer is completely removed during subsequent processing. The thickness of the second layer defines the physical gate length of the vertical MOSFET. In the process the first and third layers have etch rates that are significantly lower than the etch rate of the second layer in an etchant selected to remove the second layer. The top layer, which is either the third or subsequent layer, is a stop layer for a subsequently performed mechanical polishing step that is used to remove materials formed over the at least three layers. After the at least three layers of material are formed on the substrate, a window or trench is formed in the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Hergenrother, Donald Paul Monroe, Gary Robert Weber
  • Patent number: 6027975
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a vertical MOSFET device for use in integrated circuits is disclosed. In the process, at least three layers of material are formed sequentially on a semiconductor substrate. The three layers are arranged such that the second layer is interposed between the first and third layers. The second layer is sacrificial, that is, the layer is completely removed during subsequent processing. The thickness of the second layer defines the physical gate length of the vertical MOSFET. In the process the first and third layers have etch rates that are significantly lower than the etch rate of the second layer in an etchant selected to remove the second layer.After the at least three layers of material are formed on the substrate, a window or trench is formed in the layers. The window terminates at the surface of the silicon substrate in which one of either a source or drain region is formed in the silicon substrate. The window or trench is then filled with a semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hergenrother, Donald Paul Monroe