Patents by Inventor Geert Hellings
Geert Hellings 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).
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Publication number: 20260013203Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a gate all around (GAA) device made based on a GAA transistor structure that comprises a stack of multiple semiconductor channel layers and one or more first gate layers alternatingly arranged along a first direction. Each channel layer is encapsulated by a gate dielectric layer, and each first gate layer is arranged between two channel layers following another. The GAA transistor structure further comprises two second gate layers sandwiching the stack in a second direction and connected to the first gate layers. Each first gate layer is made of a first work function metal structure and each second gate layer is made of a second work function metal structure that is different from the first work function metal structure. Each first gate layer has a first thickness and each second gate layer has a second thickness larger than the first thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2022Publication date: January 8, 2026Inventors: Philippe Matagne, Geert Hellings, Krishna Kumar Bhuwalka, Gautam Gaddemane
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Publication number: 20260006913Abstract: The disclosure relates to a complementary field effect transistor (CFET) structure. The CFET structure comprises: a vertical wall structure; a first transistor structure comprising one or more first channel layers; and a second transistor structure comprising one or more second channel layers, wherein the second transistor structure is stacked on the first transistor structure; wherein the first and the second transistor structure are arranged on one side of the vertical wall structure, and wherein the first and the second channel layers are in contact with a side surface of the vertical wall structure. The vertical wall structure comprises: a conductive core layer and a spacer layer which partially covers the conductive core layer on the side surface of the vertical wall structure, wherein the spacer layer has at least one opening to electrically connect the second transistor structure with the conductive core layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2025Publication date: January 1, 2026Inventors: Juergen Boemmels, Geert Hellings, Gioele Mirabelli
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Publication number: 20250386482Abstract: A SRAM device includes a plurality of rows of transistor structures. Each row has top and bottom transistor structures. The device includes bit cells. Each bit cell includes first and second half cells. The half cells are arranged in a plurality of cell rows having transistor structures. Each half cell comprises an inverter and a pass gate. A plurality of power rail structures are interleaved with the rows of transistor structures such that a respective pair of neighboring first and second cell rows including a respective pair of neighboring first and second rows of transistor structures is arranged between a pair of consecutive power rail structures. Each power rail structure comprises a bottom power rail and a top power rail stacked over the bottom power rail, and bottom and top transistor structures of each inverter are coupled to the bottom and top power rails of the neighboring power rail structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2025Publication date: December 18, 2025Inventors: Geert Hellings, Dawit Burusie Abdi, Julien Ryckaert, Pieter Weckx
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Publication number: 20250386486Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices. The disclosed technology provides an integrated DRAM device including a DRAM and a logic circuit configured to control the DRAM. In one aspect, a DRAM device includes a plurality of stacked transistors arranged in a first region of the DRAM device, the stacked transistors being disposed one over another along a stacking direction, and a storage capacitor arranged in a second region of the DRAM device. The first region is positioned above the second region along the stacking direction. One of the plurality of stacked transistors is connected to the storage capacitor to form a DRAM cell of the DRAM, and remaining one or ones of the plurality of stacked transistors forms at least a portion of the logic circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2025Publication date: December 18, 2025Inventors: Sylvain Baudot, Geert Hellings
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Publication number: 20250331298Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit device, the method comprising: forming a stack of field effect transistors, FETs, comprising a bottom FET and a top FET; forming a first trench underneath the bottom FET; forming a first hole, between the first trench and a first source/drain region of the bottom FET; forming a second hole, between the first hole and a contact of a contact layer arranged above the top FET; performing a first metal deposition to fill the first hole; the second hole; and part of the first trench, with metal; recessing the metal deposited in the first metal deposition; forming an isolation layer below the recessed metal; performing a second metal deposition to fill the first trench with metal, thereby forming a first backside wiring line in the first trench.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2025Publication date: October 23, 2025Inventors: Anshul Gupta, Hans Mertens, Naoto Horiguchi, Victor Hugo Vega Gonzalez, Geert Hellings
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Publication number: 20250308571Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a ferroelectric memory device configured for non-destructive readout. The non-destructive readout is carried out by applying a voltage to the ferroelectric capacitor's plates via voltage lines and sensing the charge output through one of the voltage lines over four sensing phases. The voltage value changes symmetrically across these phases. A charge sensor detects the resulting charge, summing it with opposite signs for the first and third phases versus the second and fourth phases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2025Publication date: October 2, 2025Inventors: Geert Hellings, Yang Xiang, Jan Van Houdt
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Publication number: 20250311444Abstract: In an aspect there is provided a semiconductor device including: first and second parallel multilayered active regions, each including at least one lower semiconductor layer and at least one upper semiconductor layer stacked over the at least one lower semiconductor layer; and a PIN diode structure including: an epitaxial first lower semiconductor body arranged along a first portion of the first active region, at a level of the at least one lower semiconductor layer of the first active region, and an epitaxial second lower semiconductor body arranged along a second portion of the second active region directly opposite to the first portion, at a level of the at least one lower semiconductor layer of the second active region; an epitaxial first upper semiconductor body arranged along the first portion, at a level of the at least one upper semiconductor layer of the first active region and spaced apart from the first lower semiconductor body, and an epitaxial second upper semiconductor body arranged along the seType: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2025Publication date: October 2, 2025Inventors: Shih-Hung Chen, Boon Teik Chan, Geert Hellings, Naoto Horiguchi
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Publication number: 20250280606Abstract: A method and a semiconductor device are provided. An example method may include forming a stack of field effect transistors, FETs, on top of a substrate. The method may also include forming a first insulating layer laterally surrounding the stack of FETs and etching a hole into the first insulating layer, the hole extending between a top endpoint and a bottom endpoint. The method may further include filling the hole with electrically conductive material such that the electrically conductive material of the filled hole forms a via. Moreover, the method may include etching, from a bottom side of the substrate towards the first insulating layer, a trench, a top part of the trench comprising both a bottom side of the first source/drain region and the bottom endpoint. The method may also include filling the top part of the trench with electrically conductive material.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2025Publication date: September 4, 2025Inventors: Hans Mertens, Geert Hellings, Juergen Boemmels, Anshul Gupta
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Publication number: 20250212504Abstract: A fin-shaped structure formed on a base substrate that could comprise a stack of alternating sacrificial layers and semiconductor layers. The stack materials could be removed relative to the dummy gates and relative to a mask formed before or after the dummy gates, creating lateral recesses with U-shaped sidewalls formed of stacked U-shaped portions of the sacrificial and semiconductor layers. Semiconductor material could be grown in the recesses by epitaxial growth, starting from the U-shaped semiconductor portions. The grown material could be lattice mismatched relative to the material of the U-shaped portions. No dislocations could be created due to oppositely interfering growth fronts, and a desired stress can thereby be created in at least one or more channel sheets of the eventual transistors. These transistors can be arranged in a forksheet configuration, after producing a trench to remove the mask, and filling the trench by a dielectric material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2024Publication date: June 26, 2025Inventors: Geert Hellings, Juergen Boemmels, Julien Ryckaert
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Publication number: 20250204018Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a complementary field effect transistor (CFET) structure. In one aspect, the CFET structure includes at least one CFET element having a first transistor structure, and a second transistor structure which is arranged above the first transistor structure and which includes a source and/or drain structure. The CFET structure further includes a power rail arranged below the first transistor structure of the at least one CFET element, and a power routing line arranged above the second transistor structure of the at least one CFET element. The power routing line is electrically connected to the source and/or drain structure of the second transistor structure from the top. The at least one CFET element further has a tap connection structure which is arranged to electrically connect the power rail with the source and/or drain structure of the second transistor structure. The tap connection structure is arranged to bypass the first transistor structure on one side.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2024Publication date: June 19, 2025Inventors: Gioele Mirabelli, Maarten Van de Put, Geert Hellings
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Publication number: 20250157914Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a clock distribution network that includes a clock mesh formed by first clock lines and second clock lines. The first clock lines and the second clock lines are arranged at the same level in a backside interconnect structure of the integrated circuit device and are interconnected by crossing each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2024Publication date: May 15, 2025Inventors: James Edward Myers, Geert Hellings
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Publication number: 20240429274Abstract: Provided herein is a nanosheet device that includes a first and a second transistor structure, each comprising a respective source region, drain region, and channel region extending between the respective source and drain regions, a dielectric wall, a gate structure, and a gate spacer, wherein the channel region of the first transistor structure includes a first set of vertically stacked channel layers, wherein each channel layer of the first set of vertically stacked channel layers has an inward facing surface contacting a first side surface of the dielectric wall, and wherein the channel region of the second transistor structure includes a second set of vertically stacked channel layers, and wherein each channel layer of the second set of vertically stacked channel layers has an inward facing surface contacting a second side surface, opposite to the first side surface, of the dielectric wallType: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2024Publication date: December 26, 2024Inventors: Geert Hellings, Pieter Schuddinck
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Publication number: 20240371874Abstract: A nanostructure according to the present disclosure comprises a pair of nanosheet or nanowire transistors configured to conduct charge by carriers of opposite polarity (such as n and p type carriers), wherein one of the pair of transistors is provided with inner spacers and the other is not provided with inner spacers. Depending on the type of charge carrier, the omission of the inner spacers may improve the admittance of the device. This is demonstrated in an example embodiment comprising a Si-channel PMOS nanosheet transistor. Conversely, in a Si-channel NMOS nanosheet transistor, the omission of the inner spacers has a negative effect on the parasitic capacitance that outweighs some of the benefits of the inner spacer omission. An example embodiment of the present disclosure includes complementary NMOS and PMOS silicon transistors, wherein the NMOS is provided with inner spacers and the PMOS is not provided with inner spacers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2021Publication date: November 7, 2024Inventors: Amita Rawat, Hao Wu, Geert Hellings, Krishna Kumar Bhuwalka
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Patent number: 11735645Abstract: A method for forming a sensor is provided. The method includes: providing an active region comprising a channel having: a length, and a periphery consisting of one or more surfaces having said length, said periphery comprising a first part and a second part, each part having said length, the first part representing from 10 to 75% of the area of the periphery and the second part representing from 25 to 90% of the area of the periphery; providing a first dielectric structure on the entire first part, the first dielectric structure having a maximal equivalent oxide thickness; and providing a second dielectric structure on the entire second part, the second dielectric structure having a minimal equivalent oxide thickness larger than the maximal equivalent oxide thickness of the first dielectric structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignees: Imec VZW, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU LEUVEN R&DInventors: Koen Martens, Sybren Santermans, Geert Hellings, David Barge
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Publication number: 20230178629Abstract: A method is provided for forming a FET device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2022Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Boon Teik Chan, Geert Hellings, Bilal Chehab, Julien Ryckaert, Naoto Horiguchi
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Publication number: 20230025767Abstract: An example includes a semiconductor structure including a semiconductor layer, front-side logic devices arranged in a front-side of the semiconductor layer, four epitaxial layers on a back-side of the semiconductor layer, where the four epitaxial layers include a first epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type, a second epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type, a third epitaxial layer of the second conductivity type, and a fourth epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type, a plurality of back-side contacts exposed at a back-side surface of the fourth epitaxial layer, where the plurality of back-side contacts include a set of first terminal contacts extending into and contacting the fourth epitaxial layer, a set of second terminal contacts extending into and contacting the second epitaxial layer, a set of first gate contacts extending into the third epitaxial layer, and a set of second gate contacts extending into the first epitaxial layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Gaspard Hiblot, Geert Hellings, Geert Van der Plas
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Patent number: 11391692Abstract: A sensor is provided, the sensor including a field effect transistor comprising: (a) an active region comprising: (i) a source region and a drain region defining a source-drain axis and (ii) a channel region between the source region and the drain region; (b) a dielectric region on the channel region, comprising at least a first zone on a first portion of the channel region and a second zone on a second portion of the channel region, the first zone measuring from 1 to 100 nm in the direction of the source-drain axis and being adapted to create a different threshold voltage for the first portion of the channel region than for the second portion of the channel region, and (c) a fluidic gate region to which a top surface of the dielectric region is exposed. A biosensing device comprising such a sensor, a method for using such a sensor, and a process for making such a sensor are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: IMEC VZWInventors: Geert Hellings, Koen Martens
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Patent number: 11114435Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly to FinFET transistors. In one aspect, at least three fins are arranged to extend in parallel in a first direction and are laterally separated from each other in a second direction by shallow trench isolation structures having a first fin spacing, where at least a portion of each fin protrudes out from a substrate. At least a portion of each of a first fin and a second fin of the at least three fins vertically protrude to a level higher than an upper surface of the shallow trench isolation structures. A third fin is formed laterally between the first fin and the second fin in the second direction, where the third fin has a non-protruding region which extends vertically to a level below or equal to the upper surface of the shallow trench isolation structures.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2016Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignees: IMEC vzw, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenInventors: Geert Hellings, Roman Boschke, Dimitri Linten, Naoto Horiguchi
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Publication number: 20210159321Abstract: A method for forming a sensor is provided. The method includes: providing an active region comprising a channel having: a length, and a periphery consisting of one or more surfaces having said length, said periphery comprising a first part and a second part, each part having said length, the first part representing from 10 to 75% of the area of the periphery and the second part representing from 25 to 90% of the area of the periphery; providing a first dielectric structure on the entire first part, the first dielectric structure having a maximal equivalent oxide thickness; and providing a second dielectric structure on the entire second part, the second dielectric structure having a minimal equivalent oxide thickness larger than the maximal equivalent oxide thickness of the first dielectric structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2020Publication date: May 27, 2021Inventors: Koen Martens, Sybren Santermans, Geert Hellings, David Barge
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Patent number: 10680098Abstract: An LDMOS device in FinFET technology is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a first region substantially surrounded by a second region of different polarity. The device further includes a first fin in the first region, extending into the second region, the first fin including a doped source region connected with a first local interconnect. The device further includes a second fin in the second region, including a doped drain region connected with a second local interconnect. The device further includes a third fin parallel with the first and second fins including a doped drain region connected with the second local interconnect. The device further includes a gate over the first fin at the border between the first and second regions. A first current path runs over the first and second fins. A second current path runs over and perpendicular to the first fin towards the third fin.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2016Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: IMEC vzwInventors: Shih-Hung Chen, Dimitri Linten, Geert Hellings