Patents by Inventor Nicolas J. Loubet

Nicolas J. Loubet 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: 9865587
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided that includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device integrated on the same semiconductor substrate as semiconductor fin field effect transistors (FinFETs). The ESD device includes a three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode connected to the semiconductor substrate. The three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode has an increased junction area and, in some applications, improved heat dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Nicolas J. Loubet, Xin Miao, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20180006154
    Abstract: According to yet another non-limiting embodiment, a fin-type field effect transistor (finFET) including a strained channel region includes a semiconductor substrate extending along a first axis to define a length, a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to width, and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second axes to define a height. At least one semiconductor fin on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate includes a semiconductor substrate portion on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, a strain-inducing portion on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate portion, and an active semiconductor portion defining a strained channel region on an upper surface of the strain-inducing portion. A first height of the semiconductor substrate portion is greater than a second height of the strain-inducing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Nicolas J. Loubet, Yann A. Mignot, Pierre Morin
  • Patent number: 9859426
    Abstract: According to yet another non-limiting embodiment, a fin-type field effect transistor (finFET) including a strained channel region includes a semiconductor substrate extending along a first axis to define a length, a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to width, and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second axes to define a height. At least one semiconductor fin on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate includes a semiconductor substrate portion on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, a strain-inducing portion on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate portion, and an active semiconductor portion defining a strained channel region on an upper surface of the strain-inducing portion. A first height of the semiconductor substrate portion is greater than a second height of the strain-inducing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicolas J. Loubet, Yann A. Mignot, Pierre Morin
  • Publication number: 20170365685
    Abstract: A method of forming a finFET transistor device includes forming a crystalline, compressive strained silicon germanium (cSiGe) layer over a substrate; masking a first region of the cSiGe layer so as to expose a second region of the cSiGe layer; subjecting the exposed second region of the cSiGe layer to an implant process so as to amorphize a bottom portion thereof and transform the cSiGe layer in the second region to a relaxed SiGe (rSiGe) layer; performing an annealing process so as to recrystallize the rSiGe layer; epitaxially growing a tensile strained silicon layer on the rSiGe layer; and patterning fin structures in the tensile strained silicon layer and in the first region of the cSiGe layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Hong He, Nicolas J. Loubet, Junli Wang
  • Publication number: 20170365596
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided that includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device integrated on the same semiconductor substrate as semiconductor fin field effect transistors (FinFETs). The ESD device includes a three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode connected to the semiconductor substrate. The three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode has an increased junction area and, in some applications, improved heat dissipation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Nicolas J. Loubet, Xin Miao, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20170358677
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a strain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer atop a supporting substrate, and epitaxially forming a tensile semiconductor material atop a first portion of the strain relaxed buffer layer (SRB) layer. A second portion of the SRB layer is then removed, and a semiconductor material including a base material of silicon and phosphorus is formed atop a surface of the supporting substrate exposed by removing the second portion of the SRB layer. A compressive semiconductor material is epitaxially forming atop the semiconductor material including the base material of silicon and phosphorus. Compressive FinFET structures can then be formed from the compressive semiconductor material and tensile FinFET structures can then be formed from the tensile semiconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Nicolas J. Loubet, Xin Miao, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9842929
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a strain relaxed buffer (SRB) layer atop a supporting substrate, and epitaxially forming a tensile semiconductor material atop a first portion of the strain relaxed buffer layer (SRB) layer. A second portion of the SRB layer is then removed, and a semiconductor material including a base material of silicon and phosphorus is formed atop a surface of the supporting substrate exposed by removing the second portion of the SRB layer. A compressive semiconductor material is epitaxially forming atop the semiconductor material including the base material of silicon and phosphorus. Compressive FinFET structures can then be formed from the compressive semiconductor material and tensile FinFET structures can then be formed from the tensile semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Nicolas J. Loubet, Xin Miao, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20170323949
    Abstract: A starting structure for forming a gate-all-around field effect transistor (FET) and a method of fabricating the gate-all-around FET. The method includes forming a stack of silicon nanosheets above a substrateforming an interfacial layer over the nanosheets depositing a high-k dielectric layer conformally on the interfacial layer. The method also includes depositing a layer of silicon nitride (SiN) above the high-k dielectric layer and performing reliability anneal after depositing the layer of SiN to crystallize the high-k dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Nicolas J. Loubet, Sanjay C. Mehta, Vijay Narayanan, Muthumanickam Sankarapandian
  • Publication number: 20170294357
    Abstract: Nanosheet semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same include forming a first stack in a first device region, the first stack including layers of a first channel material and layers of a sacrificial material. A second stack is formed in a second device region, the second stack including layers of a second channel material, layers of the sacrificial material, and a liner formed around the layers of the second channel material. The sacrificial material is etched away using a wet etch that is selective to the sacrificial material and the second channel material and does not affect the first channel material or the liner. The liner protects the second channel material from the wet etch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Michael A. Guillorn, Isaac Lauer, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Patent number: 9761699
    Abstract: A method of forming a finFET transistor device includes forming a crystalline, compressive strained silicon germanium (cSiGe) layer over a substrate; masking a first region of the cSiGe layer so as to expose a second region of the cSiGe layer; subjecting the exposed second region of the cSiGe layer to an implant process so as to amorphize a bottom portion thereof and transform the cSiGe layer in the second region to a relaxed SiGe (rSiGe) layer; performing an annealing process so as to recrystallize the rSiGe layer; epitaxially growing a tensile strained silicon layer on the rSiGe layer; and patterning fin structures in the tensile strained silicon layer and in the first region of the cSiGe layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Hong He, Junli Wang, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Patent number: 9761722
    Abstract: A field-effect transistor device and a method of isolating a field-effect transistor device. The method includes forming a layer of silicon germanium (SiGe) over a substrate, and fabricating a dummy gate stack above a silicon layer formed on the layer of SiGe. Etching the silicon layer defines a channel region below the dummy gate stack. The channel is isolated from the substrate by forming a cavity between the channel region and the substrate below the channel region, the cavity extending over a length of the channel region, wherein the length of the channel region extends from a source region to a drain region below the dummy gate stack. The cavity is filled with an oxide and a low K spacer material to isolate the channel region from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hemanth Jagannathan, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Publication number: 20170256610
    Abstract: Nanosheet semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same include forming a first nanosheet stack in a first device region with layers of a first channel material and layers of a sacrificial material. A second nanosheet stack is formed in a second device region with layers of a second channel material, layers of the sacrificial material, and a liner formed around the layers of the second channel material. The sacrificial material is etched away, but the liner protects the second channel material from the etch. Gate stacks are formed over and around the layers of first and second channel material to form respective first and second semiconductor devices in the first and second device regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michael A. Guillorn, Isaac Lauer, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Publication number: 20170256612
    Abstract: Nanosheet semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same include forming a first nanosheet stack in a first device region with layers of a first channel material and layers of a sacrificial material. A second nanosheet stack is formed in a second device region with layers of a second channel material, layers of the sacrificial material, and a liner formed around the layers of the second channel material. The sacrificial material is etched away, but the liner protects the second channel material from the etch. Gate stacks are formed over and around the layers of first and second channel material to form respective first and second semiconductor devices in the first and second device regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michael A. Guillorn, Isaac Lauer, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Patent number: 9755017
    Abstract: Nanosheet semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same include forming a first nanosheet stack in a first device region with layers of a first channel material and layers of a sacrificial material. A second nanosheet stack is formed in a second device region with layers of a second channel material, layers of the sacrificial material, and a liner formed around the layers of the second channel material. The sacrificial material is etched away, but the liner protects the second channel material from the etch. Gate stacks are formed over and around the layers of first and second channel material to form respective first and second semiconductor devices in the first and second device regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Guillorn, Isaac Lauer, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Patent number: 9741626
    Abstract: A method of forming a vertical transistor includes forming at least one fin on stacked layers. The stacked layers include a substrate, a doped silicon layer, and an intrinsic layer interposed between the pair of fins and the substrate. The method further includes forming a spacer hardmask over the pair of fins, and forming a bottom spacer. Forming the bottom spacer includes selective oxidation of the SiGe layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Nicolas J. Loubet, Xin Miao, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9735062
    Abstract: After forming a blanket silicon germanium (SiGe) layer over a thinned silicon (Si) layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, a portion of the SiGe layer located in an n-type FET (nFET) region of the SOI substrate is recessed, while masking another portion of the SiGe layer located in a p-type FET (pFET) region of the SOI substrate. The recessed portion of the SiGe layer in the nFET region is subsequently removed with an in-situ pre-clean etch. An epitaxial Si layer is re-grown in the nFET region over a portion of the thinned Si layer that is exposed by the removal of the recessed portion of the SiGe layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Nicolas J. Loubet, Alexander Reznicek, Joshua M. Rubin
  • Patent number: 9716173
    Abstract: A method for forming a compressively strained semiconductor substrate includes forming a lattice adjustment layer on a semiconductor substrate by forming compound clusters within an epitaxially grown semiconductor matrix. The lattice adjustment layer includes a different lattice constant than the semiconductor substrate. A rare earth oxide is grown and lattice matched to the lattice adjustment layer. A semiconductor layer is grown and lattice matched to the rare earth oxide and includes a same material as the semiconductor substrate such that the semiconductor layer is compressively strained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Pouya Hashemi, Nicolas J. Loubet, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9716086
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided that includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device integrated on the same semiconductor substrate as semiconductor fin field effect transistors (FinFETs). The ESD device includes a three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode connected to the semiconductor substrate. The three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode has an increased junction area and, in some applications, improved heat dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Nicolas J. Loubet, Xin Miao, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9679780
    Abstract: A method is presented for forming a semiconductor device. The method includes depositing a sacrificial layer on a fin structure formed on a substrate and then filled with polysilicon, etching a portion of the polysilicon material via a first etching process, and pre-cleaning the surface native oxide layer. The method further includes etching the remaining polysilicon material via a second etching process, and removing polysilicon etch residue formed adjacent the fin structure by a cleaning process. The pre-cleaning is performed by applying NH3 (ammonia) and NF3 (nitrogen trifluoride) or by applying BHF (buffered hydrofluoric acid). The first etching process is RIE (reactive ion etching) and the second etching process involves applying NF3 and H2 (hydrogen gas).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenxing Bi, Donald F. Canaperi, Thamarai S. Devarajan, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Publication number: 20160218215
    Abstract: A method of forming a finFET transistor device includes forming a crystalline, compressive strained silicon germanium (cSiGe) layer over a substrate; masking a first region of the cSiGe layer so as to expose a second region of the cSiGe layer; subjecting the exposed second region of the cSiGe layer to an implant process so as to amorphize a bottom portion thereof and transform the cSiGe layer in the second region to a relaxed SiGe (rSiGe) layer; performing an annealing process so as to recrystallize the rSiGe layer; epitaxially growing a tensile strained silicon layer on the rSiGe layer; and patterning fin structures in the tensile strained silicon layer and in the first region of the cSiGe layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Hong He, Junli Wang, Nicolas J. Loubet