Field Effect Transistor Patents (Class 257/192)
  • Patent number: 10340194
    Abstract: A method includes forming a gate stack over a semiconductor fin, wherein the semiconductor fin forms a ring, and etching a portion of the semiconductor fin not covered by the gate stack to form a recess. The method further includes performing an epitaxy to grow an epitaxy semiconductor region from the recess, forming a first contact plug overlying and electrically coupled to the epitaxy semiconductor region, and forming a second contact plug, wherein the second contact plug is overlying and electrically coupled to the gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Hsin Hu, Min-Chang Liang
  • Patent number: 10340190
    Abstract: Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a first fin structure and a second fin structure over a substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a gate structure over the first and second fin structure. The semiconductor device structure further includes a source/drain structure over the first and second fin structure. The source/drain structure includes a first semiconductor layer over the first fin structure and a second semiconductor layer over the second fin structure. The source/drain structure also includes a third semiconductor layer covering the first and second semiconductor layers. The third semiconductor layer has a surface with [110] plane orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Hao Lu, Yi-Fang Pai, Tuoh-Bin Ng, Li-Li Su, Chii-Horng Li
  • Patent number: 10340333
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes a III-nitride heterojunction body including a first III-nitride body and a second III-nitride body having a different band gap than that of the first III-nitride body, a first power electrode coupled to the second III-nitride body, a second power electrode coupled to the second III-nitride body, a gate arrangement disposed between the first and second power electrodes, and a conductive channel that includes a two-dimensional electron gas that in a conductive state includes a reduced charge region under the gate arrangement that is less conductive than its adjacent regions. The reduced charge region extends beyond an edge of the gate arrangement toward one of the power electrodes only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Tecimologies Americas Corp.
    Inventor: Thomas Herman
  • Patent number: 10325914
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor, and a dielectric layer. The MOS transistor includes a gate structure formed over the substrate. The dielectric layer is formed aside the gate structure, and the dielectric layer is doped with a strain modulator. An effective lattice constant of the dielectric layer doped with the strain modulator is different from an original lattice constant of the dielectric layer prior to be doped with the strain modulator, wherein the strain modulator at least comprises silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shang-Chi Tsai, Kang-Min Kuo
  • Patent number: 10326002
    Abstract: Methods of forming self-aligned gate contacts and cross-coupling contacts for field-effect transistors and structures for field effect-transistors that include self-aligned gate contacts and cross-coupling contacts. A sidewall spacer is formed at a sidewall of a gate structure and an epitaxial semiconductor layer is formed adjacent to the sidewall spacer. After forming the epitaxial semiconductor layer, the sidewall spacer is recessed with a first etching process. After recessing the spacer, the gate structure is recessed with a second etching process. After recessing the gate structure, a cross-coupling contact is formed that connects the gate structure with the epitaxial semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Zang, Ruilong Xie, Scott Beasor, Zhenyu Hu
  • Patent number: 10325816
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a fin-like field-effect transistor (FinFET) device. The device includes a substrate having a first gate region, a first fin structure over the substrate in the first gate region. The first fin structure includes an upper semiconductor material member, a lower semiconductor material member, surrounded by an oxide feature and a liner wrapping around the oxide feature of the lower semiconductor material member, and extending upwards to wrap around a lower portion of the upper semiconductor material member. The device also includes a dielectric layer laterally proximate to an upper portion of the upper semiconductor material member. Therefore the upper semiconductor material member includes a middle portion that is neither laterally proximate to the dielectric layer nor wrapped by the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ka-Hing Fung, Chih-Sheng Chang, Zhiqiang Wu
  • Patent number: 10325910
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure with a MISFET and a HEMT region includes a first III-V compound layer. A second III-V compound layer is disposed on the first III-V compound layer and is different from the first III-V compound layer in composition. A third III-V compound layer is disposed on the second III-V compound layer is different from the second III-V compound layer in composition. A source feature and a drain feature are disposed in each of the MISFET and HEMT regions on the third III-V compound layer. A gate electrode is disposed over the second III-V compound layer between the source feature and the drain feature. A gate dielectric layer is disposed under the gate electrode in the MISFET region but above the top surface of the third III-V compound layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Yen Chou, Sheng-De Liu, Fu-Chih Yang, Shih-Chang Liu, Chia-Shiung Tsai
  • Patent number: 10319828
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor region, a gate electrode, and a first gate insulating film provided between the semiconductor region and the gate electrode and containing a material having a chemical composition expressed by (SiO2)n(Si3N4)m (where n and m are positive integers), in the material, at least one silicon atom being bonded with at least one oxygen atom and at least one nitrogen atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tatsuo Shimizu, Hisashi Saito
  • Patent number: 10319832
    Abstract: A method includes forming a fin extending above an isolation region. A sacrificial gate stack having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall is formed over the fin. A first spacer is formed on the first sidewall of the sacrificial gate stack. A second spacer is formed on the second sidewall of the sacrificial gate stack. A patterned mask having an opening therein is formed over the sacrificial gate stack, the first spacer and the second spacer. The patterned mask extends along a top surface and a sidewall of the first spacer. The second spacer is exposed through the opening in the patterned mask. The fin is patterned using the patterned mask, the sacrificial gate stack, the first spacer and the second spacer as a combined mask to form a recess in the fin. A source/drain region is epitaxially grown in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Ting Li, Bi-Fen Wu, Jen-Hsiang Lu, Chih-Hao Chang
  • Patent number: 10319863
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a drain, a source, a gate electrode, and a nanowire between the source and drain. The nanowire has a first section with a first thickness and a second section with a second thickness greater than the first thickness. The second section is between the first section and at least one of the source or drain. The first nanowire includes a channel when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung Hun Lee, Dong Woo Kim, Dong Chan Suh, Sun Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 10312094
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer formed, on a substrate, of a nitride semiconductor; a second semiconductor layer formed, on the first semiconductor layer, of a nitride semiconductor; a source electrode formed on the second semiconductor layer; a drain electrode formed on the second semiconductor layer; a metal oxide film formed, between the source electrode and the drain electrode, on the second semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode formed on the metal oxide film. The metal oxide film includes AlOx and InOx. AlOx/InOx in the metal oxide film is greater than or equal to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Shirou Ozaki, Kozo Makiyama, Naoya Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10312155
    Abstract: A FinFET device and fabrication method thereof is provided. The fabrication method include: providing a semiconductor substrate with a fin protruding from the semiconductor substrate, and a gate structure across a length portion of the fin and covering a portion of the fin; etching a partial thickness of the fin on both sides of the gate structure to form grooves; forming a doped layer in a bottom and sidewalls of the grooves; annealing the doped layer to allow the doping ions to diffuse into the fin and to form a lightly doped source/drain region; removing the doped layer after the annealing; and forming epitaxial layers to fill up the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION, SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (BEIJING) CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yong Li
  • Patent number: 10312146
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of mandrels over a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate as a base. Then, a first dielectric layer is formed to cover on a predetermined mandrel of the mandrels. A second dielectric layer is formed over the substrate to cover the mandrels. The mandrels are removed, wherein a remaining portion of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer at a sidewall of the mandrels remains on the substrate. An anisotropic etching process is performed over the substrate until a top portion of the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a plurality of fins corresponding to the remaining portion of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ching-Ling Lin, Wen-An Liang, Chen-Ming Huang
  • Patent number: 10312382
    Abstract: Disclosed is a quenching circuit including an avalanche photodiode and a quenching diode applying a bias voltage to the avalanche photodiode. Since the quenching circuit includes the quenching diode instead of a quenching resistor, the avalanche photodiode can quickly recover to linear mode from Geiger mode, and the bias voltage applied to the avalanche photodiode is stably maintained even though a current level of the avalanche photodiode fluctuates according to the intensity of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Hongik University Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Ho Young Cha, Jongik Kang
  • Patent number: 10297456
    Abstract: A dielectric structure for a nitride semiconductor device and a method of forming the same. A semiconductor device includes at least one semiconductor layer. The at least one semiconductor layer includes a gallium nitride semiconductor material. The semiconductor device also includes an oxidized layer disposed over the at least one semiconductor layer. The oxidized layer includes an oxidized form of the gallium nitride semiconductor of the at least one semiconductor layer. A silicon oxide layer is disposed over the oxidized layer. A gate is disposed over the silicon oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Bernard A. Alamariu, Omair I. Saadat, Tomas Apostol Palacios
  • Patent number: 10297448
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure formed based on selectively forming a silicon-germanium (SiGe) layer on a substrate; forming at least one fin with a first width from the SiGe layer; forming at least one other fin with a second width from the substrate by etching the substrate to form the at least one other fin with the second width; and condensing the at least one fin with the first width and the at least one other fin with the second width by oxidizing the at least one fin with the first width and the at least one other fin with the second width by removing a portion of silicon (Si) from the at least one fin with the first width and the at least one other fin with the second width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Kangguo Cheng, Theodorus E. Standaert, Junli Wang
  • Patent number: 10290713
    Abstract: A field-effect transistor having a transconductance (gm) that remains within 65% of a maximum gm value over at least 85% of a gate voltage range that transitions the field-effect transistor between an on-state that allows substantial current flow through the channel layer and an off-state that prevents substantial current flow through the channel layer is disclosed. The field-effect transistor includes a substrate and a channel layer having a proximal boundary relative to the substrate and a distal boundary relative to the substrate. The channel layer is disposed over the substrate and comprises a compound semiconductor material that includes at least one element having a concentration that is graded between the proximal boundary and the distal boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinqiao Xie, Edward A. Beam, III
  • Patent number: 10283632
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor device includes: an electron transit layer formed of GaN; an electron supply layer formed on the electron transit layer and to which tensile strain is applied by the electron transit layer, the electron supply layer being formed as an AlxInyGa1-x-yN layer where 0.8?x?1.0 and 0?x+y?1; a passivation film formed on the electron supply layer and formed of SiN, the passivation film having an opening part extending to the electron supply layer; a gate electrode formed on the electron supply layer through a gate insulating film formed within the opening part; and a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed away from the gate electrode to have the gate electrode interposed therebetween, the source electrode and the drain electrode being electrically connected to the electron supply layer. A film thickness of the passivation film is 10 nm or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taketoshi Tanaka, Norikazu Ito
  • Patent number: 10283626
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a nitride semiconductor layer, an insulation gate section, and a heterojunction region, wherein the nitride semiconductor layer may include an n-type vertical drift region, a p-type channel region adjoining the vertical drift region, and an n-type source region separated from the vertical drift region by the channel region, wherein the insulation gate section is opposed to a portion of the channel region that separates the vertical drift region and the source region, the heterojunction region is in contact with at least a part of a portion of the vertical drift region that is disposed at the one of main surfaces, and the heterojunction region is an n-type nitride semiconductor or an i-type nitride semiconductor having a bandgap wider than a bandgap of the vertical drift region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidemoto Tomita, Masakazu Kanechika, Hiroyuki Ueda, Tomohiko Mori
  • Patent number: 10283631
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present disclosure, a semiconductor device includes a channel layer, an AlxIn1-xN layer on the channel layer with a thickness of t1, and a reverse polarization layer on the AlxIn1-xN layer with a thickness of t2. The thickness is 0.5×t1?t2?3×t1. In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method including: forming a channel layer on a substrate; forming an AlxIn1-xN layer on the channel layer with a thickness of t1; and forming a reverse polarization layer on the AlxIn1-xN layer with a thickness of t2. The thickness is 0.5×t1?t2?3×t1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignees: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC., NATIONAL CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chun-Chieh Yang, Jen-Inn Chyi, Geng-Yen Lee
  • Patent number: 10276714
    Abstract: A semiconductor diode including a first conductivity type region on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, a fin structure atop the first conductivity type region providing a vertically orientated semiconductor base region, and a second conductivity type region at a second end of the fin structure opposite a first end of the fin structure that is in contact with the first conductivity type region. The semiconductor diode may also include a vertically orientated dual gate that is present around the fin structure. The vertically orientated dual gate including a first gate structure that is present abutting the semiconductor substrate and a second gate structure that is in closer proximity to the second conductivity type region than the first conductivity type region. The first gate structure separated from the second gate structure by a dielectric inter-gate spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Pouya Hashemi, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 10276566
    Abstract: A method and structure for suppressing band-to-band tunneling current in a semiconductor device having a high-mobility channel material includes forming a channel region adjacent to and in contact with one of a source region and a drain region. A tunnel barrier layer may be formed such that the tunnel barrier layer is interposed between, and in contact with, the channel region and one of the source region and the drain region. In some embodiments, a gate stack is then formed over at least the channel region. In various examples, the tunnel barrier layer includes a first material, and the channel region includes a second material different than the first material. In some embodiments, the semiconductor device may be oriented in one of a horizontal or vertical direction, and the semiconductor device may include one of a single-gate or multi-gate device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Aryan Afzalian
  • Patent number: 10269966
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a Fin FET device includes a fin structure extending in a first direction and protruding from a substrate layer. The fin structure includes a bulk stressor layer formed on the substrate layer and a channel layer disposed over the bulk stressor layer. An oxide layer is formed on the substrate layer extending away from the channel layer. A source-drain (SD) stressor structure is disposed on sidewalls of the channel layer over the oxide layer. A gate stack including a gate electrode layer and a gate dielectric layer covers a portion of the channel layer and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chao-Hsin Chien, Chi-Wen Liu, Chen-Han Chou
  • Patent number: 10269868
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure includes a fin transistor (fin filed effect transistor, finFET) located on a substrate, the fin transistor includes a gate structure crossing over a fin structure, and at least one source/drain region. And a resistive random access memory (RRAM) includes a lower electrode, a resistance switching layer and a top electrode being sequentially located on the source/drain region and electrically connected to the fin transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yu-Ru Yang, Chih-Chien Liu, Chao-Ching Hsieh, Hsiao-Pang Chou
  • Patent number: 10269942
    Abstract: Described is an apparatus forming complementary tunneling field effect transistors (TFETs) using oxide and/or organic semiconductor material. One type of TFET comprises: a substrate; a doped first region, formed above the substrate, having p-type material selected from a group consisting of Group III-V, IV-IV, and IV of a periodic table; a doped second region, formed above the substrate, having transparent oxide n-type semiconductor material; and a gate stack coupled to the doped first and second regions. Another type of TFET comprises: a substrate; a doped first region, formed above the substrate, having p-type organic semiconductor material; a doped second region, formed above the substrate, having n-type oxide semiconductor material; and a gate stack coupled to the doped source and drain regions. In another example, TFET is made using organic only semiconductor materials for active regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Aleksandar Aleksov
  • Patent number: 10269983
    Abstract: Structures for a nanosheet field-effect transistor and methods for forming a structure for a nanosheet field-effect transistor. A fin is formed that includes a first nanosheet channel layer and a second nanosheet channel layer arranged in a vertical stack. A cavity is formed between a portion of the first nanosheet channel layer and a portion of the second nanosheet channel layer. An epitaxially-grown source/drain region is connected with the portion of the first nanosheet channel layer and the portion of the second nanosheet channel layer. A gate structure is formed that includes a section located in a space between the first nanosheet channel layer and the second nanosheet channel layer. The cavity is surrounded by the first nanosheet channel layer, the second nanosheet channel layer, the section of the gate structure, and the source/drain region to define an air gap spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Julien Frougier, Ruilong Xie, Hui Zang, Kangguo Cheng, Tenko Yamashita, Chun-chen Yeh
  • Patent number: 10269949
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes: a channel layer; an active layer over the channel layer, wherein the active layer is configured to form a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) to be formed in the channel layer along an interface between the channel layer and the active layer; a gate electrode over a top surface of the active layer; and a source/drain electrode over the top surface of the active layer; wherein the active layer includes a first layer and a second layer sequentially disposed therein from the top surface to a bottom surface of the active layer, and the first layer possesses a higher aluminum (Al) atom concentration compared to the second layer. An HEMT structure and an associated method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Yao-Chung Chang, Po-Chih Chen, Jiun-Lei Jerry Yu, Chun Lin Tsai
  • Patent number: 10269948
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductive substrate having a top surface, a III-V compound layer covering the top surface, and a passivation layer having a lower portion and an upper portion, both comprising at least one of oxide and nitride over the III-V compound layer. The semiconductor structure also includes an etch stop layer between the lower portion and the upper portion of the passivation layer, and a gate stack penetrating through the etch stop layer and landing on the lower portion of the passivation layer. The gate stack is surrounded by the etch stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Han-Chin Chiu, Sheng-De Liu, Yu-Syuan Lin, Yao-Chung Chang, Cheng-Yuan Tsai
  • Patent number: 10263079
    Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for providing three-dimensional complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices comprising modulation doped transistors are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed, which may include forming a modulation doped heterostructure, comprising forming an active portion having a first bandgap and forming a delta doped portion having a second bandgap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi Pillarisetty, Mantu Hudait, Marko Radosavljevic, Willy Rachmady, Gilbert Dewey, Jack Kavalieros
  • Patent number: 10256426
    Abstract: A thin-film transistor array panel and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The thin-film transistor array panel has a polysilicon layer including a first region, a second region and a third region. The second region includes a fourth region, a fifth region and a sixth region. The third region includes a seventh region, an eighth region and ninth region. The sixth, the fourth, the ninth and the seventh regions are doped with first, second, third and fourth ions, respectively. In a thin-film transistor of the thin-film transistor array panel, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode thereof correspond to the first, the sixth and the ninth regions, respectively. The device is able to reduce leakage current in the thin-film transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONOCS TECHNOLO9GY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaowen Lv
  • Patent number: 10256329
    Abstract: A HBT on a GaAs substrate is presented, wherein its base comprises a first base layer comprising IniGa1-iAs with an Indium content i with a slope s1 and a second base layer on the emitter side comprising InjGa1-jAs with an Indium content j with a slope s2, and an average of s1 is half of the average of s2 or smaller; or the base comprises a first base layer comprising InmGa1-mAs with an Indium content m and a second base layer on the emitter side comprising InnGa1-nAs with an Indium content n, and an average of n is larger than the m at a second base layer side; or the base comprises a first base layer pseudomorphic to GaAs with a bulk lattice constant larger than GaAs, and the emitter comprises a first emitter layer pseudomorphic to GaAs with a bulk lattice constant smaller than GaAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Win Semiconductors Corp.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Takatani, Jui-Pin Chiu, Chia-Ta Chang
  • Patent number: 10256347
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer including a plurality of channel formation regions arranged in the channel width direction and parallel to each other and a gate electrode layer covering a side surface and a top surface of each channel formation region with a gate insulating layer placed between the gate electrode layer and the channel formation regions. With this structure, an electric field is applied to each channel formation region from the side surface direction and the top surface direction. This makes it possible to favorably control the threshold voltage of the transistor and improve the S value thereof. Moreover, with the plurality of channel formation regions, the transistor can have increased effective channel width; thus, a decrease in on-state current can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10256314
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer, a first electrode above and electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer, a second electrode above the first semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer, a first insulating layer above the first semiconductor layer between the first and second electrodes, and a third electrode. The second electrode is spaced from the first electrode along the first semiconductor layer. The third electrode includes a first portion above the first insulating layer between the first and second electrodes, and a second portion between the first portion and the second electrode and extending from the first portion in the direction of, and spaced from, the second electrode. The distance between the first semiconductor layer and an adjacent curved surface of the second portion gradually increases from the first portion to the end of the second portion distal the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masako Kodera, Tomoko Matsudai
  • Patent number: 10256333
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention disclose a high electron mobility transistor, comprising: a substrate; a channel layer located on the substrate; a barrier layer located on the channel layer; a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a schottky gate electrode located between the source electrode and the drain electrode, all located on the barrier layer; and at least one semiconductor field ring located on the barrier layer and between the schottky gate electrode and the drain electrode. In the embodiments of the present invention, a concentration of two-dimensional electron gas at an interface between a barrier layer and a channel layer can be adjusted. Therefore, the concentration effect of the electric field at an edge of a gate is effectively improved, and the breakdown voltage of high electron mobility transistors is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Yi Pei
  • Patent number: 10256334
    Abstract: A switch includes an input contact and an output contact to a conducting channel. At least one of the input and output contacts is capacitively coupled to the conducting channel. A control contact is located outside of a region between the input and output contacts, and can be used to adjust the switch between on and off operating states. The switch can be implemented as a radio frequency switch in a circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Grigory Simin, Michael Shur, Remigijus Gaska
  • Patent number: 10256292
    Abstract: In order to improve the dynamic characteristics of a vertical MOSFET using GaN, it is an objective of the present invention to reduce the resistance of a current path with a long hole movement distance in a p-type well. Provided is a vertical MOSFET including a gallium nitride layer having a main surface that is a non-polar surface; a p-type well region that is provided with a stripe shape in the main surface of the gallium nitride layer; and a stripe-shaped electrode provided above the p-type well region. Hole mobility is higher in a direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the stripe-shaped electrode than in the extension direction, among directions in a plane parallel to the main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Takashima, Katsunori Ueno, Masaharu Edo
  • Patent number: 10249748
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor device includes: a substrate of a first conductivity type having a first surface and a second surface on a side of the substrate opposite the first surface; a first nitride semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type which is disposed on the first surface of the substrate and includes an acceptor impurity; a second nitride semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type disposed on the first nitride semiconductor layer, the second conductivity type being opposite to the first conductivity type; a first electrode disposed on the second surface of the substrate; a second electrode disposed on the first nitride semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode disposed on the second nitride semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Kajitani, Daisuke Shibata, Kenichiro Tanaka, Masahiro Ishida, Tetsuzo Ueda
  • Patent number: 10249743
    Abstract: The invention includes a semiconductor device comprising an interlevel dielectric layer over a buried insulator layer over a semiconductor substrate; a source and drain in the interlevel layer; a channel between the source and drain, the channel including a first region having a first bandgap adjacent to a second region having a second bandgap, wherein the first band gap is larger than the second bandgap; and a gate over the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicolas Degors, Terence B. Hook
  • Patent number: 10249501
    Abstract: After forming a contact opening in a dielectric material layer located over a substrate, a metal liner layer comprising a nitride of an alloy and a metal contact layer comprising the alloy that provides the metal liner layer are deposited in-situ in the contact opening by sputter deposition in a single process and without an air break. Compositions of the metal liner layer and the metal contact layer can be changed by varying gas compositions employed in the sputtering process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Praneet Adusumilli, Alexander Reznicek, Oscar van der Straten, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 10242995
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a string of charge storage devices formed along a vertical channel of semiconductor material; a gate region of a drain select gate (SGD) transistor, the gate region at least partially surrounding the vertical channel; a dielectric barrier formed in the gate region; a first isolation layer formed above the gate region and the dielectric barrier; a drain region of the SGD transistor formed above the vertical channel; and a second isolation layer formed above the first isolation layer and the drain region, wherein the second isolation layer includes a conductive contact in electrical contact with the drain region of the SGD transistor. Additional apparatus and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongbin Zhu, Lijing Gou, Gordon Haller, Luan C. Tran
  • Patent number: 10243049
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer including a nitride semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer contacting the first semiconductor layer and including a nitride semiconductor, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a first gate electrode, a second gate electrode provided on an opposite side, a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer. The gate electrode has a protrusion portion inside the semiconductor layer. A distance between the first gate electrode and the protrusion portion of the second gate electrode is shorter than a distance between the source electrode and the second insulating layer, and shorter than a distance between the drain electrode and the second insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Aya Shindome, Hisashi Saito, Tatsuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10236236
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode, a first insulating layer, a first source pad, and a first drain pad. The source electrode, the drain electrode, and the gate electrode are disposed, on an active region of the active layer. The first insulating layer is disposed on the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the gate electrode. The first source pad and the first drain pad are disposed on the first insulating layer and the active region. The first source pad includes a first source body and a first source branch. The first source branch is electrically connected to the first source body and disposed on the source electrode. The first drain pad includes a first drain body and a first drain branch. The first drain branch is electrically connected to the first drain body and disposed on the drain electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Li-Fan Lin, Chun-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 10229992
    Abstract: Characteristics of a semiconductor device are improved. A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a buffer layer composed of a first nitride semiconductor layer, a channel layer composed of a second nitride semiconductor layer, and a barrier layer composed of a third nitride semiconductor layer, which are sequentially laminated, and a cap layer composed of a fourth nitride semiconductor layer of mesa type, which is formed over the barrier layer. The semiconductor device also includes a source electrode formed on one side of the cap layer, a drain electrode formed on the other side of the cap layer, and a first gate electrode formed over the cap layer. The first gate electrode and the cap layer are Schottky-joined. A Schottky gate electrode (the first gate electrode) is provided over the cap layer in this way, so that when a gate voltage is applied, an electric field is applied to the entire cap layer and a depletion layer spreads. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a gate leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinao Miura, Hironobu Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 10224427
    Abstract: AlGaN/GaN HEMTs are disclosed having a thin AlGaN layer to reduce trapping and also having additional layers to reduce gate leakage and increase the maximum drive current. One HEMT according to the present invention comprises a high resistivity semiconductor layer with a barrier semiconductor layer on it. The barrier layer has a wider bandgap than the high resistivity layer and a 2DEG forms between the layers. Source and drain contacts contact the barrier layer, with part of the surface of the barrier layer uncovered by the contacts. An insulating layer is included on the uncovered surface of the barrier layer and a gate contact is included on the insulating layer. The insulating layer forms a barrier to gate leakage current and also helps to increase the HEMT's maximum current drive. The invention also includes methods for fabricating HEMTs according to the present invention. In one method, the HEMT and its insulating layer are fabricated using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: Primit Parikh, Umesh Mishra, Yifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 10224249
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a semiconductor structure that includes a first fin structure having a first sidewall, a first gate structure adjacent a lower portion of the first sidewall, and a first spacer structure over the first gate structure and adjacent an upper portion of first the sidewall. The first spacer structure includes a first spacer structure thickness dimension that extends in a first direction away from the first sidewall. The first gate structure includes a first gate structure thickness dimension that extends in the first direction away from the first sidewall. The first gate structure dimension is about equal to the first spacer structure thickness dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Fee Li Lie, Edward J. Nowak, Junli Wang
  • Patent number: 10224415
    Abstract: A nanowire structure includes successive crystalline nanowire segments formed over a semiconductor substrate. A first crystalline segment formed directly on the semiconductor substrate provides electrical isolation between the substrate and the second crystalline segment. Second and fourth crystalline segments are each formed from a p-type or an n-type semiconductor material, while the third crystalline segment is formed from a semiconductor material that is oppositely doped with respect to the second and fourth crystalline segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Effendi Leobandung
  • Patent number: 10205020
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active pattern having sidewalls defined by a device isolation pattern disposed on a substrate and an upper portion protruding from a top surface of the device isolation pattern, a liner insulating layer on the sidewalls of the active pattern, a gate structure on the active pattern, and source/drain regions at both sides of the gate structure. The liner insulating layer includes a first liner insulating layer and a second liner insulating layer having a top surface higher than a top surface of the first liner insulating layer. Each of the source/drain regions includes a first portion defined by the second liner insulating layer, and a second portion protruding upward from the second liner insulating layer and covering the top surface of the first liner insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongseok Lee, Jeongyun Lee, Gigwan Park, Keo Myoung Shin, Hyunji Kim, Sangduk Park
  • Patent number: 10199474
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) for an nFET and/or a pFET device including a substrate and a fin including at least one channel region decoupled from the substrate. The FET also includes a source electrode and a drain electrode on opposite sides of the fin, and a gate stack extending along a pair of sidewalls of the channel region of the fin. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer and a metal layer on the gate dielectric layer. The FET also includes an oxide separation region separating the channel region of the fin from the substrate. The oxide separation region includes a dielectric material that includes a portion of the gate dielectric layer of the gate stack. The oxide separation region extends completely from a surface of the channel region facing the substrate to a surface of the substrate facing the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark S. Rodder, Borna J. Obradovic
  • Patent number: 10199477
    Abstract: An embodiment of a complementary GaN integrated circuit includes a GaN layer with a first bandgap. A second layer with a second bandgap is formed on the GaN layer, resulting in a 2DEG in a contact region between the GaN layer and the second layer. The second layer has a relatively thin portion and a relatively thick portion. A third layer is formed over the relatively thick portion of the second layer. The third layer has a third bandgap that is different from the second bandgap, resulting in a 2DHG in a contact region between the second layer and the third layer. A transistor of a first conductivity type includes the 2DHG, the relatively thick portion of the second layer, and the third layer, and a transistor of a second conductivity type includes the 2DEG and the relatively thin portion of the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventor: Philippe Renaud
  • Patent number: 10192980
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a high-electron mobility transistor that includes a SiC substrate layer, a GaN buffer layer arranged on the SiC substrate layer, and a p-type material layer having a length parallel to a surface of the SiC substrate layer over which the GaN buffer layer is provided. The p-type material layer is provided in one of the following: the SiC substrate layer and a first layer arranged on the SiC substrate layer. A method of making the high-electron mobility transistor is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Saptharishi Sriram, Alexander Suvorov, Christer Hallin