Patents by Inventor Geert Eneman

Geert Eneman 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: 11387350
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes cutting a semiconductor fin extending along a substrate. Cutting the semiconductor fin can comprise forming a fin cut mask. The fin cut mask can define a number of masked regions and a number of cut regions. The method can include cutting the fin into a number of fin parts by etching the fin in the cut regions. The method can further comprise forming an epitaxial semiconductor capping layer on the fin prior to forming the fin cut mask or on the fin parts subsequent to cutting the fin. A capping layer material and a fin material can be lattice mismatched. According to another aspect, a corresponding semiconductor structure comprises fin parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Geert Eneman, Bartlomiej Pawlak, Liesbeth Witters, Geoffrey Pourtois
  • Publication number: 20210336002
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate having a top surface, one or more group IV semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructures, each having a first and a second extremity defining an axis parallel to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and separated therefrom by a non-zero distance, each nanostructure having a source structure epitaxially grown on the first extremity and a drain structure epitaxially grown on the second extremity. The epitaxial source and drain structures are made of a group IV semiconductor doped with one or more of Sb and Bi, and optionally one or more of As and P, thereby creating tensile strain in the group IV semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Roger Loo, Geert Eneman, Clement Porret
  • Publication number: 20210336057
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor substrate having a top layer and one or more semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructures. Each nanostructure has a first and a second extremity defining an axis parallel to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and separated therefrom by a distance, and a source structure epitaxially grown on the first extremity and a drain structure epitaxially grown on the second extremity. The source and drain structures are made of a p-doped (or alternatively n-doped) semiconductor monocrystalline material having a smaller (or alternatively larger) unstrained lattice constant than the unstrained lattice constant of the semiconductor monocrystalline material making the semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructure on which they are grown, thereby creating compressive (or alternatively tensile) strain in that semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Geert Eneman, Basoene Briggs, An De Keersgieter, Anabela Veloso, Paola Favia
  • Patent number: 11088263
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to semiconductor processing and more particularly to a method of forming a vertical field-effect transistor device. According to an aspect, a method of forming a vertical field-effect transistor device comprises forming on a substrate a vertical semiconductor structure protruding above the substrate and comprising a lower source/drain portion, an upper source/drain portion and a channel portion arranged between the lower source/drain portion and the upper source/drain portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Anabela Veloso, Geert Eneman
  • Publication number: 20200388698
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to semiconductor processing and more particularly to a method of forming a vertical field-effect transistor device. According to an aspect, a method of forming a vertical field-effect transistor device comprises forming on a substrate a vertical semiconductor structure protruding above the substrate and comprising a lower source/drain portion, an upper source/drain portion and a channel portion arranged between the lower source/drain portion and the upper source/drain portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Anabela Veloso, Geert Eneman
  • Publication number: 20200212205
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes cutting a semiconductor fin extending along a substrate. Cutting the semiconductor fin can comprise forming a fin cut mask. The fin cut mask can define a number of masked regions and a number of cut regions. The method can include cutting the fin into a number of fin parts by etching the fin in the cut regions. The method can further comprise forming an epitaxial semiconductor capping layer on the fin prior to forming the fin cut mask or on the fin parts subsequent to cutting the fin. A capping layer material and a fin material can be lattice mismatched. According to another aspect, a corresponding semiconductor structure comprises fin parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Geert Eneman, Bartlomiej PAWLAK, Liesbeth WITTERS, Geoffrey POURTOIS
  • Patent number: 10636882
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes: providing a monocrystalline substrate having an upper surface covered with a masking layer comprising at least one opening exposing the upper surface; filling the opening by epitaxially growing therein a first layer comprising a first Group III-nitride compound; and growing the first layer further above the opening and on the masking layer by epitaxial lateral overgrowth, wherein the at least one opening has a top surface defined by three or more straight edges forming a polygon parallel to the upper surface and oriented in such a way with respect to the crystal lattice of the monocrystalline substrate so as to permit the epitaxial lateral overgrowth of the first layer in a direction perpendicular to at least one of the edges, thereby forming the semiconductor structure as an elongated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Imec vzw
    Inventors: Hu Liang, Xiuju Zhou, Geert Eneman
  • Publication number: 20200083116
    Abstract: A method of forming gate contacts and/or contact lines on a plurality of fins. The method comprises providing a wafer comprising a semiconductor structure which comprises a plurality of fins. The method further comprises patterning at least one continuous trench over the fins, and filling at least one of the trenches with metal to obtain at least one continuous gate in contact with the fins and/or filling at least one of the trenches with metal to obtain at least one continuous contact line in contact with the fins. The method further comprises cutting the metal of the at least one gate and/or cutting the metal of the at least one contact line in between some of the fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Steven Demuynck, Geert Eneman, Vladimir Machkaoutsan
  • Publication number: 20190172913
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes: providing a monocrystalline substrate having an upper surface covered with a masking layer comprising at least one opening exposing the upper surface; filling the opening by epitaxially growing therein a first layer comprising a first Group III-nitride compound; and growing the first layer further above the opening and on the masking layer by epitaxial lateral overgrowth, wherein the at least one opening has a top surface defined by three or more straight edges forming a polygon parallel to the upper surface and oriented in such a way with respect to the crystal lattice of the monocrystalline substrate so as to permit the epitaxial lateral overgrowth of the first layer in a direction perpendicular to at least one of the edges, thereby forming the semiconductor structure as an elongated structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Hu Liang, Xiuju Zhou, Geert Eneman
  • Publication number: 20190081156
    Abstract: A device and method for forming a vertical channel device is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Anabela Veloso, Geert Eneman, Nadine Collaert, Erik Rosseel
  • Patent number: 9876080
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor structure including: (i) a monocrystalline substrate having a top surface, (ii) a non-crystalline structure overlying the monocrystalline substrate and including an opening having a width smaller than 10 microns and exposing part of the top surface of the monocrystalline substrate. The semiconductor structure also includes (iii) a buffer structure having a bottom surface abutting the part and a top surface having less than 108 threading dislocations per cm2, the buffer structure being made of a material having a first lattice constant. The semiconductor structure also includes (iv) one or more group IV monocrystalline structures abutting the buffer structure and that are made of a material having a second lattice constant, different from the first lattice constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Bernardette Kunert, Robert Langer, Geert Eneman
  • Patent number: 9698262
    Abstract: A vertical FinFET semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the semiconductor device includes a current-blocking structure formed over a semiconductor structure and a semiconductor fin formed on the current-blocking structure. The current blocking structure includes a first layer of a first conductive type, a layer of a second conductive type over the first layer, and a second layer of the first conductive type over the layer of the second conductive type. The semiconductor fin has a doped bottom portion contacting the current-blocking structure, a doped top portion formed vertically opposite to the doped bottom portion and a channel portion vertically interposed between the doped bottom portion and the doped top portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Globalfoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Bartlomiej Pawlak, Geert Eneman
  • Patent number: 9633891
    Abstract: An example method includes providing a layer stack in a trench defined by adjacent STI structures and recessing the STI structures adjacent to the layer stack to thereby expose an upper portion of the layer stack, the upper portion comprising at least a channel portion. The method further includes providing one or more protection layers on the upper portion of the layer stack and then further recessing the STI structures selectively to the protection layers and the layer stack, to thereby expose a central portion of the layer stack. And the method includes removing the central portion of the layer stack, resulting in a freestanding upper part and a lower part of the layer stack being physically separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Nadine Collaert, Geert Eneman, Naoto Horiguchi, Min-Soo Kim, Rita Rooyackers, Anabela Veloso, Liesbeth Witters
  • Publication number: 20170033183
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor structure including: (i) a monocrystalline substrate having a top surface, (ii) a non-crystalline structure overlying the monocrystalline substrate and including an opening having a width smaller than 10 microns and exposing part of the top surface of the monocrystalline substrate. The semiconductor structure also includes (iii) a buffer structure having a bottom surface abutting the part and a top surface having less than 108 threading dislocations per cm2, the buffer structure being made of a material having a first lattice constant. The semiconductor structure also includes (iv) one or more group IV monocrystalline structures abutting the buffer structure and that are made of a material having a second lattice constant, different from the first lattice constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Bernardette Kunert, Robert Langer, Geert Eneman
  • Publication number: 20160276478
    Abstract: A vertical FinFET semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the semiconductor device includes a current-blocking structure formed over a semiconductor structure and a semiconductor fin formed on the current-blocking structure. The current blocking structure includes a first layer of a first conductive type, a layer of a second conductive type over the first layer, and a second layer of the first conductive type over the layer of the second conductive type. The semiconductor fin has a doped bottom portion contacting the current-blocking structure, a doped top portion formed vertically opposite to the doped bottom portion and a channel portion vertically interposed between the doped bottom portion and the doped top portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Bartlomiej PAWLAK, Geert ENEMAN
  • Patent number: 9437681
    Abstract: A CMOS semiconductor FinFET device and a method for manufacturing a CMOS semiconductor FinFET device are disclosed. The device may comprise an nFinFET and a pFinFET having a channel region comprising Ge on a common strain-relaxed buffer layer comprising SiGe. The concentration of Ge in the channel regions is higher than the concentration of Ge in the strain-relaxed buffer layer. The device further comprises a source/drain region for the nFinFET, the source/drain region comprising SiGe; and a source/drain region for the pFinFET, the second source/drain region comprising Ge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Hun Lee, Geert Eneman
  • Patent number: 9406777
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a transistor device comprising a channel layer is disclosed. In one example, the method includes providing a substrate, epitaxially growing a strained layer on the substrate (defect free), epitaxially growing the channel layer on the epitaxially grown strained layer, and providing a gate structure on the channel layer. In this example, the method also includes selectively etching into the channel layer and at least partially in the epitaxially grown strained layer, thereby using the gate structure as a mask, and thereby creating a protrusion extending from the substrate. The protrusion may comprise a portion of the channel layer and at least an upper portion of the epitaxially grown strained layer, and may allow for elastic relaxation in the portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Hun Lee, Geert Eneman
  • Patent number: 9368498
    Abstract: A FinFET device and a method for manufacturing a FinFET device is provided. An example device may comprise a substrate including at least two fin structures. Each of the at least two fin structures may be in contact with a source and drain region and each of the at least two fin structures may include a strain relaxed buffer (SRB) overlying and in contact with the substrate and an upper layer overlying and in contact with the SRB. The composition of the upper layer and the SRB may be selected such that the upper layer of a first fin structure is subjected to a first mobility enhancing strain in the as-grown state, the first mobility enhancing strain being applied in a longitudinal direction from the source region to the drain region and where at least an upper part of the upper layer of a second fin structure is strain-relaxed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Geert Eneman, Benjamin Vincent, Voon Yew Thean
  • Publication number: 20160126131
    Abstract: An example method includes providing a layer stack in a trench defined by adjacent STI structures and recessing the STI structures adjacent to the layer stack to thereby expose an upper portion of the layer stack, the upper portion comprising at least a channel portion. The method further includes providing one or more protection layers on the upper portion of the layer stack and then further recessing the STI structures selectively to the protection layers and the layer stack, to thereby expose a central portion of the layer stack. And the method includes removing the central portion of the layer stack, resulting in a freestanding upper part and a lower part of the layer stack being physically separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Nadine Collaert, Geert Eneman, Naoto Horiguchi, Min-Soo Kim, Rita Rooyackers, Anabela Veloso, Liesbeth Witters
  • Patent number: 9257539
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a transistor device is provided, comprising providing a plurality of parallel nanowires on a substrate; providing a dummy gate structure over a central portion of the parallel nanowires; epitaxially growing extension portions of a second material, selectively on the parallel nanowires, outside a central portion; providing a filler layer around and on top of the dummy gate structure and the extension portions; removing the dummy gate structure to create a gate trench, exposing the central portion of the parallel nanowires; providing spacer structures on the sidewalls of the gate trench, to define a final gate trench; thinning the parallel nanowires, thereby creating free space in between the nanowires and spacer structures; and selectively growing a quantum well layer on or around the parallel nanowires, at least partially filling the free space, to thereby provide a connection between the quantum well layer and extension portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Rita Rooyackers, Nadine Collaert, Geert Eneman