Patents by Inventor Robert EHLERT

Robert EHLERT 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).

  • Publication number: 20260181978
    Abstract: Technologies for a high gradient of dopant concentration in gate-all-around transistors are disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment, a source/drain region of a gate-all-around transistor may have a relatively high dopant concentration, such as a dopant concentration of over 1020 cm?3, and an adjacent channel region may have a relatively low dopant concentration, such as a dopant concentration of less than 1018 cm?3. At an interface between the source/drain region and the channel region, the logarithmic slope of the dopant concentration may be high, such as two orders of magnitude in less than a nanometer. In order to maintain such a high dopant concentration, the source/drain region with a high dopant concentration is deposited using a low-temperature deposition technique after high-temperature processing steps are completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2024
    Publication date: June 25, 2026
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick M. Wallace, Robert Ehlert, Sandrine Charue-Bakker, Md Rezaul Karim, Yulia Tolstova, Ethan James Nagasing, Anushka Bansal, James Kally, Shishir Pandya, Alexander Badmaev, Zhiyi Chen, Glenn Glass, Jonathan Ludwig, Sanjay Rangan
  • Patent number: 12635180
    Abstract: In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical stack of horizontal nanowires laterally spaced apart from a second vertical stack of horizontal nanowires. An epitaxial source or drain structure is between the first and second vertical stacks of horizontal nanowires. The epitaxial source or drain structure includes a nucleation layer having a first portion in contact with the first vertical stack of horizontal nanowires and a second portion in contact with the second vertical stack of horizontal nanowires. The nucleation layer includes silicon with arsenic dopants. The epitaxial source or drain structure also includes an epitaxial fill layer laterally between the first and second portions of the nucleation layer. The epitaxial fill layer includes silicon with phosphorous dopants. The epitaxial fill layer has a total atomic concentration of arsenic less than half of a total atomic concentration of arsenic of the nucleation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Wallace, Robert Ehlert, Subrina Rafique, Peter Wells, Anand S. Murthy, Shishir Pandya, Xiaochen Ren, Yulia Tolstova
  • Publication number: 20260096162
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and systems with arsenic-doped sources and drains that include phosphorus-doped contact regions, and methods of forming the same, are disclosed herein. In one example, a semiconductor device includes an epitaxial structure and a conductive contact. The epitaxial structure includes silicon, arsenic, and phosphorus, where phosphorus is concentrated in a contact region of the epitaxial structure. The conductive contact is coupled to the contact region of the epitaxial structure, and the conductive contact includes metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2024
    Publication date: April 2, 2026
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick M. Wallace, Robert Ehlert, William Hsu, Ethan James Nagasing, Sandrine Charue-Bakker, Amritesh Rai, Chang Wan Han, Yulia Tolstova, Chi-Hing Choi, Swapnadip Ghosh
  • Patent number: 12439627
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a transistor includes a substrate, a buffer layer on the substrate a channel layer on the buffer layer, and one or more polarization layers on the channel layer. The one or more polarization layers include a group III-N material comprising a first group III constituent and a second group III constituent. The transistor further includes a plurality of p-type doped layers on the one or more polarization layers. Each of the plurality of p-type doped layers includes a first p-type dopant and the III-N material, wherein each successive layer of the first p-type doped layers has a lower proportion of the first group III constituent to the second group III constituent relative to a layer below it. The transistor also includes a p-type doped layer on the plurality of p-type doped layers comprising a second p-type dopant and a group III-N material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sanyam Bajaj, Michael S. Beumer, Robert Ehlert, Gregory P. McNerney, Nicholas Minutillo, Xiaoye Qin, Johann C. Rode, Atsunori Tanaka, Suresh Vishwanath, Patrick M. Wallace
  • Publication number: 20250311337
    Abstract: Methods, transistors, and systems are discussed related to forming epitaxial n-type source and drain materials on one or more semiconductor structures. The n-type source and drain materials include an n-type dopant in a bulk material. A first region of each of the n-type source and drain materials laterally adjacent to the one or more semiconductor structures has a lower n-type dopant concentration than a second region over the first region. The second region is formed by implanting the n-type dopant and subsequent anneal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shishir Pandya, Kiran Chikkadi, Anushka Bansal, Robert Ehlert, Rohan Bambery, Anant Jahagirdar, Sandrine Charue-Bakker, Anand Murthy
  • Publication number: 20250311298
    Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form an integrated circuit having a semiconductor layer separating gate structures from source or drain regions instead of dielectric spacers. A FET (field effect transistor) includes a gate structure having a gate electrode on a gate dielectric. The gate structure extends around any number of nanoribbons of semiconductor material. The nanoribbons may extend in a first direction between source and drain regions while the gate structure extends over the nanoribbons in a second direction. A semiconductor layer separates the gate structure from contacting the source or drain region between adjacent nanoribbons. The semiconductor layer extends in a third direction between the gate structure and the source or drain regions and also between the nanoribbons and the source or drain regions. The source or drain regions may be epitaxially grown on the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2024
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hwichan Jun, Guillaume Bouche, Tuhin Guha Neogi, Sandrine Charue-Bakker, Robert Ehlert
  • Patent number: 12432964
    Abstract: Co-integrated gallium nitride (GaN) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit technology is described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes a silicon (111) substrate having a first region and a second region. A structure including gallium and nitrogen is on the first region of the silicon (111) substrate, the structure including gallium and nitrogen having a top surface. A structure including germanium is on the second region of the silicon (111) substrate, the structure including germanium having a top surface co-planar with the top surface of the structure including gallium and nitrogen. A dielectric spacer is laterally between and in contact with the structure including gallium and nitrogen and the structure including germanium, the dielectric spacer on the silicon (111) substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn A. Glass, Anand S. Murthy, Robert Ehlert, Han Wui Then, Marko Radosavljevic, Nicole K. Thomas, Sandrine Charue-Bakker
  • Publication number: 20250220870
    Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having varied epitaxial source or drain structures and device types are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires laterally spaced apart from a second plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires, each of the second plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires having a lateral width less than a lateral width of each of the first plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires. First epitaxial source or drain structures are at ends of the first plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires, each of the first epitaxial source or drain structures having a maximum lateral width. Second epitaxial source or drain structure are at ends of the second plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires, each of the second epitaxial source or drain structures having a maximum lateral width greater than the maximum lateral width of each of the first epitaxial source or drain structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventors: Chang Wan HAN, Robert EHLERT, Alexander BADMAEV, Rushabh SHAH, Anand S. MURTHY, Sandrine CHARUE-BAKKER, Oleg GOLONZKA, Anupama BOWONDER, Kevin FISCHER, William HSU, William KOEHLER, Ashish SHARMA, Steven SHEN
  • Patent number: 12224337
    Abstract: III-N e-mode high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) including a dopant diffusion spacer between an impurity-doped III-N material layer and a III-N polarization layer of the HEMT material stack. The spacer may be a substantially undoped III-N material, such as GaN. With the diffusion spacer, P-type impurities within the pGaN are setback from the polarization layer sufficiently to avoid significant levels of P-type impurities from entering the III-N material interface where the 2DEG resides. With the diffusion spacer, clustering of impurities near the 2DEG may be avoided and a III-N e-mode HEMT may achieve higher drive currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Beumer, Robert Ehlert, Nicholas Minutillo, Michael Robinson, Patrick Wallace, Peter Wells
  • Publication number: 20250006790
    Abstract: In some implementations, a device may include a channel material. In addition, the device may include a contact metal. The device may include a first layer between the channel material and the contact metal, the first layer having antimony and silicon. Moreover, the device may include a second layer between the contact metal and the first layer, the second layer having phosphorus and silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anand Murthy, Shishir Pandya, James Kally, Robert Ehlert, Tahir Ghani
  • Patent number: 11955482
    Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having high phosphorous dopant concentrations are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin having a lower fin portion and an upper fin portion. A gate stack is over the upper fin portion of the fin, the gate stack having a first side opposite a second side. A first source or drain structure includes an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the first side of the gate stack. A second source or drain structure includes an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the second side of the gate stack. Each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures includes silicon and phosphorous, the phosphorous having an atomic concentration in a core region of the silicon greater than an atomic concentration in a peripheral region of the silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Ehlert, Timothy Jen, Alexander Badmaev, Shridhar Hegde, Sandrine Charue-Bakker
  • Publication number: 20240063274
    Abstract: In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical stack of horizontal nanowires laterally spaced apart from a second vertical stack of horizontal nanowires. An epitaxial source or drain structure is between the first and second vertical stacks of horizontal nanowires. The epitaxial source or drain structure includes a nucleation layer having a first portion in contact with the first vertical stack of horizontal nanowires and a second portion in contact with the second vertical stack of horizontal nanowires. The nucleation layer includes silicon with arsenic dopants. The epitaxial source or drain structure also includes an epitaxial fill layer laterally between the first and second portions of the nucleation layer. The epitaxial fill layer includes silicon with phosphorous dopants. The epitaxial fill layer has a total atomic concentration of arsenic less than half of a total atomic concentration of arsenic of the nucleation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Patrick WALLACE, Robert EHLERT, Subrina RAFIQUE, Peter WELLS, Anand S. MURTHY, Shishir PANDYA, Xiaochen REN, Yulia TOLSTOVA
  • Publication number: 20230197840
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a transistor includes a substrate, a buffer layer on the substrate a channel layer on the buffer layer, and one or more polarization layers on the channel layer. The one or more polarization layers include a group III-N material comprising a first group III constituent and a second group III constituent. The transistor further includes a plurality of p-type doped layers on the one or more polarization layers. Each of the plurality of p-type doped layers includes a first p-type dopant and the III-N material, wherein each successive layer of the first p-type doped layers has a lower proportion of the first group III constituent to the second group III constituent relative to a layer below it. The transistor also includes a p-type doped layer on the plurality of p-type doped layers comprising a second p-type dopant and a group III-N material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sanyam Bajaj, Michael S. Beumer, Robert Ehlert, Gregory P. McNerney, Nicholas Minutillo, Xiaoye Qin, Johann C. Rode, Atsunori Tanaka, Suresh Vishwanath, Patrick M. Wallace
  • Publication number: 20230132548
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a transistor is formed by a process comprising forming a buffer layer on a substrate, the buffer layer comprising a first group III-nitride (III-N) material (e.g., AlGaN), forming a channel layer on the buffer layer, the channel layer comprising a second III-N material (e.g., GaN), forming a polarization layer on the channel layer, the polarization layer comprising a third III-N material (e.g., AlGaN), flowing a p-type dopant precursor compound (e.g., Cp2Mg) after forming the polarization layer, forming a p-type doped layer (e.g., p-GaN) on the polarization layer, the p-type doped layer comprising a p-type dopant (e.g., Mg) and a fourth III-N material (e.g., GaN), forming a source region adjacent one end of the channel layer, and forming a drain region adjacent another end of the channel layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Atsunori Tanaka, Sanyam Bajaj, Michael S. Beumer, Robert Ehlert, Gregory P. McNerney, Nicholas Minutillo, Johann C. Rode, Suresh Vishwanath, Patrick M. Wallace
  • Publication number: 20220199816
    Abstract: III-N e-mode high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) including a dopant diffusion spacer between an impurity-doped III-N material layer and a III-N polarization layer of the HEMT material stack. The spacer may be a substantially undoped III-N material, such as GaN. With the diffusion spacer, P-type impurities within the pGaN are setback from the polarization layer sufficiently to avoid significant levels of P-type impurities from entering the III-N material interface where the 2DEG resides. With the diffusion spacer, clustering of impurities near the 2DEG may be avoided and a III-N e-mode HEMT may achieve higher drive currents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Beumer, Robert Ehlert, Nicholas Minutillo, Michael Robinson, Patrick Wallace, Peter Wells
  • Publication number: 20220093790
    Abstract: Co-integrated gallium nitride (GaN) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit technology is described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes a silicon (111) substrate having a first region and a second region. A structure including gallium and nitrogen is on the first region of the silicon (111) substrate, the structure including gallium and nitrogen having a top surface. A structure including germanium is on the second region of the silicon (111) substrate, the structure including germanium having a top surface co-planar with the top surface of the structure including gallium and nitrogen. A dielectric spacer is laterally between and in contact with the structure including gallium and nitrogen and the structure including germanium, the dielectric spacer on the silicon (111) substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Glenn A. GLASS, Anand S. MURTHY, Robert EHLERT, Han Wui THEN, Marko RADOSAVLJEVIC, Nicole K. THOMAS, Sandrine CHARUE-BAKKER
  • Publication number: 20210399119
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein comprise a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). In an embodiment, the HEMT comprises a heterojunction channel that includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer. In an embodiment a first interface layer is between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, and a second interface layer is over the first interface layer. In an embodiment, the HEMT further comprises a source contact, a drain contact, and a gate contact between the source contact and the drain contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Suresh VISHWANATH, Roza KOTLYAR, Han Wui THEN, Robert EHLERT, Glenn A. GLASS, Anand S. MURTHY, Sandrine CHARUE-BAKKER
  • Publication number: 20210358908
    Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having high phosphorous dopant concentrations are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin having a lower fin portion and an upper fin portion. A gate stack is over the upper fin portion of the fin, the gate stack having a first side opposite a second side. A first source or drain structure includes an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the first side of the gate stack. A second source or drain structure includes an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the second side of the gate stack. Each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures includes silicon and phosphorous, the phosphorous having an atomic concentration in a core region of the silicon greater than an atomic concentration in a peripheral region of the silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Robert EHLERT, Timothy JEN, Alexander BADMAEV, Shridhar HEGDE, Sandrine CHARUE-BAKKER