Patents by Inventor Robert J. Mears

Robert J. Mears 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: 20180040725
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming at least one double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD) by forming a first doped semiconductor layer, and forming a first barrier layer on the first doped semiconductor layer and including a superlattice. The superlattice may include stacked groups of layers, each group of layers including stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming an intrinsic semiconductor layer on the first barrier layer, forming a second barrier layer on the intrinsic semiconductor layer, and forming a second doped semiconductor layer on the second superlattice layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: ROBERT J. MEARS, HIDEKI TAKEUCHI, MAREK HYTHA
  • Publication number: 20180040724
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include at least one double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD). The at least one DBRTD may include a first doped semiconductor layer and a first barrier layer on the first doped semiconductor layer and including a superlattice. The superlattice may include stacked groups of layers, each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The at least one DBRTD may further include an intrinsic semiconductor layer on the first barrier layer, a second barrier layer on the intrinsic semiconductor layer, and a second doped semiconductor layer on the second superlattice layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: ROBERT J. MEARS, HIDEKI TAKEUCHI, MAREK HYTHA
  • Publication number: 20180040743
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including at least one double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD) is provided. The at least one DBRTD may include a first doped semiconductor layer, and a first barrier layer on the first doped semiconductor layer and including a superlattice. The DBRTD may further include a first intrinsic semiconductor layer on the first barrier layer, a second barrier layer on the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and also including the superlattice, a second intrinsic semiconductor layer on the second barrier layer, a third barrier layer on the second intrinsic semiconductor layer and also including the superlattice. A third intrinsic semiconductor layer may be on the third barrier layer, a fourth barrier layer may be on the third intrinsic semiconductor layer and also including the superlattice, a second doped semiconductor layer on the fourth barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: ROBERT J. MEARS, Hideki Takeuchi, Marek Hytha
  • Publication number: 20170301757
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a substrate having a channel recess therein, a plurality of spaced apart shallow trench isolation (STI) regions in the substrate, and source and drain regions spaced apart in the substrate and between a pair of the STI regions. A superlattice channel may be in the channel recess of the substrate and extend between the source and drain regions, with the superlattice channel including a plurality of stacked group of layers, and each group of layers of the superlattice channel including stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. A replacement gate may be over the superlattice channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: ROBERT J. MEARS, TSU-JAE KING LIU, HIDEKI TAKEUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170294514
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a plurality of stacked groups of layers on a semiconductor substrate, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include implanting a dopant in the semiconductor substrate beneath the plurality of stacked groups of layers in at least one localized region, and performing an anneal of the plurality of stacked groups of layers and semiconductor substrate and with the plurality of stacked groups of layers vertically and horizontally constraining the dopant in the at least one localized region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventor: ROBERT J. MEARS
  • Patent number: 9721790
    Abstract: A method for processing a semiconductor wafer in a single wafer processing chamber may include heating the single wafer processing chamber to a temperature in a range of 650-700° C., and forming at least one superlattice on the semiconductor wafer within the heated single wafer processing chamber by depositing silicon and oxygen to form a plurality of stacked groups of layers. Each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base silicon portion and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions. Depositing the oxygen may include depositing the oxygen using an N2O gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Nyles Cody, Robert John Stephenson
  • Patent number: 9722046
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a substrate having a channel recess therein, a plurality of spaced apart shallow trench isolation (STI) regions in the substrate, and source and drain regions spaced apart in the substrate and between a pair of the STI regions. A superlattice channel may be in the channel recess of the substrate and extend between the source and drain regions, with the superlattice channel including a plurality of stacked group of layers, and each group of layers of the superlattice channel including stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. A replacement gate may be over the superlattice channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Tsu-Jae King Liu, Hideki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9716147
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a plurality of stacked groups of layers on a semiconductor substrate, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include implanting a dopant in the semiconductor substrate beneath the plurality of stacked groups of layers in at least one localized region, and performing an anneal of the plurality of stacked groups of layers and semiconductor substrate and with the plurality of stacked groups of layers vertically and horizontally constraining the dopant in the at least one localized region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Robert J. Mears
  • Publication number: 20160358773
    Abstract: A method for processing a semiconductor wafer in a single wafer processing chamber may include heating the single wafer processing chamber to a temperature in a range of 650-700° C., and forming at least one superlattice on the semiconductor wafer within the heated single wafer processing chamber by depositing silicon and oxygen to form a plurality of stacked groups of layers. Each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base silicon portion and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions. Depositing the oxygen may include depositing the oxygen using an N2O gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Nyles Cody, Robert John Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20160336407
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs) on the semiconductor substrate. Each FET may include a gate, spaced apart source and drain regions on opposite sides of the gate, upper and lower vertically stacked superlattice layers and a bulk semiconductor layer therebetween between the source and drain regions, and a halo implant having a peak concentration vertically confined in the bulk semiconductor layer between the upper and lower superlattices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Hideki Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20160336406
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate and first transistors having a first operating voltage. Each first transistor may include a first channel and a first punch-through stop (PTS) layer in the semiconductor substrate, and the first PTS layer may be at a first depth below the first channel. The semiconductor device may further include second transistors having a second operating voltage higher than the first operating voltage. Each second transistor may include a second channel and a second PTS layer in the semiconductor substrate, and the second PTS layer may be at a second depth below the second channel that is greater than the first depth. Furthermore, the first channel may include a first superlattice, and the second channel may include a second superlattice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Hideki Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20160149023
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a substrate having a channel recess therein, a plurality of spaced apart shallow trench isolation (STI) regions in the substrate, and source and drain regions spaced apart in the substrate and between a pair of the STI regions. A superlattice channel may be in the channel recess of the substrate and extend between the source and drain regions, with the superlattice channel including a plurality of stacked group of layers, and each group of layers of the superlattice channel including stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. A replacement gate may be over the superlattice channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Tsu-Jae King LIU, Hideki Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20150357414
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a plurality of stacked groups of layers on a semiconductor substrate, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include implanting a dopant in the semiconductor substrate beneath the plurality of stacked groups of layers in at least one localized region, and performing an anneal of the plurality of stacked groups of layers and semiconductor substrate and with the plurality of stacked groups of layers vertically and horizontally constraining the dopant in the at least one localized region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventor: Robert J. MEARS
  • Patent number: 8389974
    Abstract: A multiple-wavelength opto-electronic device may include a substrate and a plurality of active optical devices carried by the substrate and operating at different respective wavelengths. Each optical device may include a superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, and each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Mears Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Robert John Stephenson, Marek Hytha, Ilija Dukovski, Jean Augustin Chan Sow Fook Yiptong, Samed Halilov, Xiangyang Huang
  • Publication number: 20110193063
    Abstract: A multiple-wavelength opto-electronic device may include a substrate and a plurality of active optical devices carried by the substrate and operating at different respective wavelengths. Each optical device may include a superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, and each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: MEARS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Robert John Stephenson, Marek Hytha, Ilija Dukovski, Jean Augustin Chan Sow Fook Yiptong, Samed Halilov, Xiangyang Huang
  • Patent number: 7880161
    Abstract: A multiple-wavelength opto-electronic device may include a substrate and a plurality of active optical devices carried by the substrate and operating at different respective wavelengths. Each optical device may include a superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, and each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Mears Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Robert John Stephenson, Marek Hytha, Ilija Dukovski, Jean Augustin Chan Sow Fook Yiptong, Samed Halilov, Xiangyang Huang
  • Patent number: 7863066
    Abstract: A method for making a multiple-wavelength opto-electronic device which may include providing a substrates and forming a plurality of active optical devices to be carried by the substrate and operating at different respective wavelengths. Moreover, each optical device may include a superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, and each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mears Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Robert John Stephenson, Marek Hytha, Ilija Dukovski, Jean Augustin Chan Sow Fook Yiptong, Samed Halilov, Xiangyang Huang
  • Publication number: 20100270535
    Abstract: A method for making an electronic device may include forming a selectively polable superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers. Each group of layers of the selectively polable superlattice may include a plurality of stacked semiconductor monolayers defining a semiconductor base portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon. The at least one non-semiconductor monolayer may be constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent silicon portions, and at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions may be chemically bound together through the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween. The method may further include coupling at least one electrode to the selectively polable superlattice for selective poling thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Mears Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Samed Halilov, Xiangyang Huang, Ilija Dukovski, Jean Augustin Chan Sow Fook Yiptong, Robert J. Mears, Marek Hytha, Robert John Stephenson
  • Patent number: 7812339
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having a surface, a shallow trench isolation (STI) region in the semiconductor substrate and extending above the surface thereof, and a superlattice layer adjacent the surface of the semiconductor substrate and comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers. More particularly, each group of layers of the superlattice layer may include a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. Moreover, at least some atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions may be chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one intervening non-semiconductor monolayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Mears Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Mears, Kalipatnam Vivek Rao
  • Patent number: 7718996
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first monocrystalline layer comprising a first material having a first lattice constant. A second monocrystalline layer may include a second material having a second lattice constant different than the first lattice constant. The device may also include a lattice matching layer between the first and second monocrystalline layers and comprising a superlattice. The superlattice may include a plurality of groups of layers, and each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked semiconductor monolayers defining a semiconductor base portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon. The at least one non-semiconductor monolayer may be constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions, and at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions may be chemically bound together through the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Mears Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ilija Dukovski, Robert John Stephenson, Jean Augustin Chan Sow Fook Yiptong, Samed Halilov, Robert J. Mears, Xiangyang Huang, Marek Hytha