Patents by Inventor Thomas Merelle

Thomas Merelle 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: 20160260607
    Abstract: A method includes providing a semiconductor structure and forming a plurality of gate structures over the semiconductor structure. The formation of the plurality of gate structures includes a first patterning process. The first patterning process includes a first photoresist exposure process and a second photoresist exposure process. In the first photoresist exposure process, a first photomask and a first illumination source pattern are used. The first photomask is adapted for providing a first gate cut photoresist pattern over a first area of the semiconductor structure. In the second photoresist exposure process, a second photomask and a second illumination source pattern that is different from the first illumination source pattern are used. The second photomask is adapted for providing a second gate cut photoresist pattern over a second area of the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Remi Riviere, Thomas Merelle
  • Publication number: 20150270272
    Abstract: A method and circuit in which the drive strength of a FinFET transistor can be selectively modified, and in particular can be selectively reduced, by omitting the LDD extension formation in the source and/or in the drain of the FinFET. One application of this approach is to enable differentiation of the drive strengths of transistors in an integrated circuit by applying the technique to some, but not all, of the transistors in the integrated circuit. In particular in a SRAM cell formed from FinFET transistors the application of the technique to the pass-gate transistors, which leads to a reduction of the drive strength of the pass-gate transistors relative to the drive strength of the pull-up and pull-down transistors, results in improved SRAM cell performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Merelle, Gerben Doornbos, Robert James Lander, Yi-Tzi Liu
  • Patent number: 9048122
    Abstract: A device and method of fabricating the same are disclosed. In an example, a device includes a first fin Field Effect Transistors (finFET) formed on a substrate. The first finFET including a fin formed on the substrate. The device further includes a second finFET formed on the substrate. The first finFET and the second finFET share the fin and wherein the first finFET is without any low density doped (LDD) extension region in the substrate and wherein the second FinFET is associated with a first LDD extension region formed in the substrate such that a drive strength of the second finFET is greater relative to a drive strength of the first finFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Merelle, Gerben Doornbos, Robert James Lander
  • Patent number: 8994194
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a biosensor semiconductor device in which copper electrodes at a major surface of the device are modified to form Au—Cu alloy electrodes. Such modification is effected by depositing a gold layer over the device, and then thermally treating the device to promote interdiffusion between the gold and the electrode copper. Alloyed gold-copper is removed from the surface of the device, leaving the exposed electrodes. The electrodes are better compatible with further processing into a biosensor device than is the case with conventional copper electrodes, and the process windows are wider than for gold capped copper electrodes. A biosensor semiconductor device having Au—Cu alloy electrodes is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: NXP, B.V.
    Inventors: David van Steenwinckel, Thomas Merelle, Franciscus Petrus Widdershoven, Viet Hoang Nguyen, Dimitri Soccol, Jan Leo Dominique Fransaer
  • Publication number: 20140319609
    Abstract: A method and circuit in which the drive strength of a FinFET transistor can be selectively modified, and in particular can be selectively reduced, by omitting the LDD extension formation in the source and/or in the drain of the FinFET. One application of this approach is to enable differentiation of the drive strengths of transistors in an integrated circuit by applying the technique to some, but not all, of the transistors in the integrated circuit. In particular in a SRAM cell formed from FinFET transistors the application of the technique to the pass-gate transistors, which leads to a reduction of the drive strength of the pass-gate transistors relative to the drive strength of the pull-up and pull-down transistors, results in improved SRAM cell performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Merelle, Gerben Doornbos, Robert James Lander
  • Patent number: 8779527
    Abstract: A method and circuit in which the drive strength of a FinFET transistor can be selectively modified, and in particular can be selectively reduced, by omitting the LDD extension formation in the source and/or in the drain of the FinFET. One application of this approach is to enable differentiation of the drive strengths of transistors in an integrated circuit by applying the technique to some, but not all, of the transistors in the integrated circuit. In particular in a SRAM cell formed from FinFET transistors the application of the technique to the pass-gate transistors, which leads to a reduction of the drive strength of the pass-gate transistors relative to the drive strength of the pull-up and pull-down transistors, results in improved SRAM cell performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Merelle, Gerben Doornbos, Robert James Pascoe Lander
  • Publication number: 20140159173
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a biosensor semiconductor device in which copper electrodes at a major surface of the device are modified to form Au—Cu alloy electrodes. Such modification is effected by depositing a gold layer over the device, and then thermally treating the device to promote interdiffusion between the gold and the electrode copper. Alloyed gold-copper is removed from the surface of the device, leaving the exposed electrodes. The electrodes are better compatible with further processing into a biosensor device than is the case with conventional copper electrodes, and the process windows are wider than for gold capped copper electrodes. A biosensor semiconductor device having Au—Cu alloy electrodes is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: David van Steenwinckel, Thomas Merelle, Franciscus Petrus Widdershoven, Viet Hoang Nguyen, Dimitri Soccoi, Jan Leo Dominique Fransaer
  • Patent number: 8679966
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a biosensor semiconductor device in which copper electrodes at a major surface of the device are modified to form Au—Cu alloy electrodes. Such modification is effected by depositing a gold layer over the device, and then thermally treating the device to promote interdiffusion between the gold and the electrode copper. Alloyed gold-copper is removed from the surface of the device, leaving the exposed electrodes. The electrodes are better compatible with further processing into a biosensor device than is the case with conventional copper electrodes, and the process windows are wider than for gold capped copper electrodes. A biosensor semiconductor device having Au—Cu alloy electrodes is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: NXP, B.V.
    Inventors: David Van Steenwinckel, Thomas Merelle, Franciscus Petrus Widdershoven, Viet Hoang Nguyen, Dimitri Soccoi, Jan Leo Dominique Fransaer
  • Publication number: 20130207206
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a biosensor semiconductor device in which copper electrodes at a major surface of the device are modified to form Au—Cu alloy electrodes. Such modification is effected by depositing a gold layer over the device, and then thermally treating the device to promote interdiffusion between the gold and the electrode copper. Alloyed gold-copper is removed from the surface of the device, leaving the exposed electrodes. The electrodes are better compatible with further processing into a biosensor device than is the case with conventional copper electrodes, and the process windows are wider than for gold capped copper electrodes. A biosensor semiconductor device having Au—Cu alloy electrodes is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: David VAN STEENWINCKEL, Thomas MERELLE, Franciscus Petrus WIDDERSHOVEN, Viet Hoang NGUYEN, Dimitri SOCCOl, Jan Leo Dominique FRANSAER
  • Patent number: 8283231
    Abstract: A method and circuit in which the drive strength of a FinFET transistor can be selectively modified, and in particular can be selectively reduced, by omitting the LDD extension formation in the source and/or in the drain of the FinFET. One application of this approach is to enable differentiation of the drive strengths of transistors in an integrated circuit by applying the technique to some, but not all, of the transistors in the integrated circuit. In particular in a SRAM cell formed from FinFET transistors the application of the technique to the pass-gate transistors, which leads to a reduction of the drive strength of the pass-gate transistors relative to the drive strength of the pull-up and pull-down transistors, results in improved SRAM cell performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Merelle, Gerben Doornbos, Robert James Pascoe Lander
  • Publication number: 20120088315
    Abstract: A device for bio-sensing applications is disclosed, comprising a substrate such as a semiconductor chip having Cu electrodes thereon, and a self assembled monolayer bonded to at least one of the Cu electrodes, wherein molecules of the self-assembled monolayer comprise a head group which bonds to Cu, a carbon-comprising chain comprising a chain of at least 12 C atoms, and a terminal group which is hydrophilic and for binding a bio-receptor. The terminal group is hydrophilic to allow binding to the bio-receptor, and inclusion of the carbon-comprising chain, limits or avoids corrosion of the copper. Also disclosed is a method of providing such a device, activating the terminal group and coupling a bio-receptor to the activated terminal group. Disclosure further extends to use of such a device for bio-sensing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Merelle, Magali Huguette Alice Lambert, Filip Frederix
  • Publication number: 20100006945
    Abstract: A method and circuit in which the drive strength of a FinFET transistor can be selectively modified, and in particular can be selectively reduced, by omitting the LDD extension formation in the source and/or in the drain of the FinFET. One application of this approach is to enable differentiation of the drive strengths of transistors in an integrated circuit by applying the technique to some, but not all, of the transistors in the integrated circuit. In particular in a SRAM cell formed from FinFET transistors the application of the technique to the pass-gate transistors, which leads to a reduction of the drive strength of the pass-gate transistors relative to the drive strength of the pull-up and pull-down transistors, results in improved SRAM cell performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Thomas MERELLE, Gerben DOORNBOS, Robert James Pascoe LANDER