With Current Flow Along Specified Crystal Axis (e.g., Axis Of Maximum Carrier Mobility) Patents (Class 257/255)
  • Publication number: 20110121369
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) radio frequency (RF) switch; and a planar complementary metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The planar MOSFET has a channel on a <100> wafer plane and the FinFET RF switch has a channel on a <100> fin plane. The FinFET RF switch and the planar MOSFET can be oriented at approximately 45° with respect to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Alvin J. Joseph, Edward J. Nowak
  • Publication number: 20110114998
    Abstract: Manufacturing a semiconductor device with higher operating characteristics and achieve low power consumption of a semiconductor integrated circuit. A single crystal semiconductor layer is formed so that crystal plane directions of single crystal semiconductor layers which are used for channel regions of an n-channel and a p-channel TFT and which are formed over the same plane of the substrate are the most appropriate crystal plane directions for each TFT. In accordance with such a structure, mobility of carrier flowing through a channel is increased and the semiconductor device with higher operating characteristics can be provided. Low voltage driving can be performed, and low power consumption can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoaki MORIWAKA
  • Publication number: 20110108893
    Abstract: Optimizing carrier mobilities in MOS transistors in CMOS ICs requires forming (100)-oriented silicon regions for NMOS and (110) regions for PMOS. Methods such as amorphization and templated recrystallization (ATR) have disadvantages for fabrication of deep submicron CMOS. This invention is a method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) which has (100) and (110)-oriented regions. The method forms a directly bonded silicon (DSB) layer of (110)-oriented silicon on a (100)-oriented substrate. The DSB layer is removed in the NMOS regions and a (100)-oriented silicon layer is formed by selective epitaxial growth (SEG), using the substrate as the seed layer. NMOS transistors are formed on the SEG layer, while PMOS transistors are formed on the DSB layer. An integrated circuit formed with the inventive method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Angelo Pinto, Frank S. Johnson, Benjamin P. McKee, Shaofeng Yu
  • Patent number: 7939852
    Abstract: Semiconductor transistor devices and related fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary transistor device includes a layer of semiconductor material having a channel region defined therein and a gate structure overlying the channel region. Recesses are formed in the layer of semiconductor material adjacent to the channel region, such that the recesses extend asymmetrically toward the channel region. The transistor device also includes stress-inducing semiconductor material formed in the recesses. The asymmetric profile of the stress-inducing semiconductor material enhances carrier mobility in a manner that does not exacerbate the short channel effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Pal, Frank Bin Yang, Michael J. Hargrove
  • Patent number: 7939862
    Abstract: Different approaches for FinFET performance enhancement based on surface/channel direction and type of strained capping layer are provided. In one relatively simple and inexpensive approach providing a performance boost, a single surface/channel direction orientation and a single strained capping layer can be used for both n-channel FinFETs (nFinFETs) and p-channel FinFETs (pFinFETs). In another approach including more process steps (thereby increasing manufacturing cost) but providing a significantly higher performance boost, different surface/channel direction orientations and different strained capping layers can be used for nFinFETs and pFinFETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Moroz, Tsu-Jae King Liu
  • Publication number: 20110101421
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a trench in the substrate, where a bottom surface of the trench has a first crystal plane orientation and a side surface of the trench has a second crystal plane orientation, and epitaxially (epi) growing a semiconductor material in the trench. The epi process utilizes an etch component. A first growth rate on the first crystal plane orientation is different from a second growth rate on the second crystal plane orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Jeff J. Xu
  • Publication number: 20110101422
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first-type internal stress film formed of a silicon oxide film over source/drain regions of an nMISFET and a second-type internal stress film formed of a TEOS film over source/drain regions of a pMISFET. In a channel region of the nMISFET, a tensile stress is generated in the direction of movement of electrons due to the first-type internal stress film, so that the mobility of electrons is increased. In a channel region of the pMISFET, a compressive stress is generated in the direction of movement of holes due to the second-type internal stress film, so that the mobility of holes is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kaori AKAMATSU
  • Publication number: 20110089473
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a first substrate and a second substrate located over a first portion of the first substrate and separated from the first substrate by a buried layer. The semiconductor apparatus also includes an epitaxial layer located over a second portion of the first substrate and isolated from the second substrate. The semiconductor apparatus further includes a first transistor formed at least partially in the second substrate and a second transistor formed at least partially in or over the epitaxial layer. The second substrate and the epitaxial layer have bulk properties with different electron and hole mobilities. At least one of the transistors is configured to receive one or more signals of at least about 5V. The first substrate could have a first crystalline orientation, and the second substrate could have a second crystalline orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander H. Owens
  • Publication number: 20110073918
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thin-film transistor 126 and a thin-film diode 127. The respective semiconductor layers 109t and 109d of the thin-film transistor 126 and the thin-film diode 127 are portions of a single crystalline semiconductor layer obtained by crystallizing the same amorphous semiconductor film. The semiconductor layer 109t of the thin-film transistor 126 does include a catalyst element that promotes crystallization of the amorphous semiconductor film. But the semiconductor layer 109d of the thin-film diode 127 includes substantially no catalyst elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventor: Naoki MAKITA
  • Patent number: 7915684
    Abstract: To provide a structure and a manufacturing method for efficiently forming a transistor to which tensile strain is preferably applied and a transistor to which compressive strain is preferably applied over the same substrate when stress is applied to a semiconductor layer in order to improve mobility of the transistors in a semiconductor device. Plural kinds of transistors which are separated from a single-crystal semiconductor substrate and include single-crystal semiconductor layers bonded to a substrate having an insulating surface with a bonding layer interposed therebetween are provided over the same substrate. One of the transistors uses a single-crystal semiconductor layer as an active layer, to which tensile strain is applied. The other transistors use single-crystal semiconductor layers as active layers, to which compressive strain using part of heat shrink generated by heat treatment of the base substrate after bonding is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Tanada
  • Publication number: 20110068375
    Abstract: A multi-gate device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a substrate having a first semiconductor layer of a first carrier mobility enhancing parameter, a buried insulating layer, and a second semiconductor layer with a second carrier mobility enhancing parameter. The device also includes a first active region electrically isolated from a second active region in the substrate. The first active region has a first fin grown on the first semiconductor layer and having the first mobility enhancing parameter. The second active region has a second fin grown on the second semiconductor layer and having the second mobility enhancing parameter. The device also includes a dielectric layer over the second semiconductor layer which is located between the first fin and the second fin. The first and second fins protrude through and above the dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Stefan Jakschik, Nadine Collaert
  • Patent number: 7906802
    Abstract: Some embodiments comprise a plurality of fins, wherein at least a first fin of the plurality of fins comprises a different fin width compared to a fin width of another fin of the plurality of fins. At least a second fin of the plurality of fins comprises a different crystal surface orientation compared to another fin of the plurality of fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Peter Baumgartner, Domagoj Siprak
  • Publication number: 20110042725
    Abstract: With inversion-mode transistors, intrinsic-mode transistors, or semiconductor-layer accumulation-layer current controlled accumulation-mode transistors, variation in threshold voltages becomes large in miniaturized generations due to statistical variation in impurity atom concentrations and thus it is difficult to maintain the reliability of an LSI. Provided is a bulk current controlled accumulation-mode transistor which is formed by controlling the thickness and the impurity atom concentration of a semiconductor layer so that the thickness of a depletion layer becomes greater than that of the semiconductor layer. For example, by setting the thickness of the semiconductor layer to 100 nm and setting the impurity concentration thereof to be higher than 2×1017 [cm?3], the standard deviation of variation in threshold values can be made smaller than a power supply voltage-based allowable variation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Akinobu Teramoto, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20110042724
    Abstract: This invention discloses an improved MOSFET devices manufactured with a trenched gate by forming the sidewalls of the trench on a (110) crystal orientation of a semiconductor substrate. The trench is covering with a dielectric oxide layer along the sidewalls and the bottom surface or the termination of the trench formed along different crystal orientations of the semiconductor substrate. Special manufacturing processes such as oxide annealing process, special mask or SOG processes are implemented to overcome the limitations of the non-uniform dielectric layer growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Anup Bhalla, Sik K. Lui, Sung-Shan Tai
  • Publication number: 20110037103
    Abstract: To improve performance of a semiconductor device. Over a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of p-channel type MISFETs for logic, a plurality of n-channel type MISFETs for logic, a plurality of p-channel type MISFETs for memory, and a plurality of n-channel type MISFETs for memory are mixedly mounted. At least a part of the p-channel type MISFETs for logic have each a source/drain region constituted by silicon-germanium, and all the n-channel type MISFETs for logic have each a source/drain region constituted by silicon. All the p-channel type MISFETs for memory have each a source/drain region constituted by silicon, and all the n-channel type MISFETs for memory have each a source/drain region constituted by silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Tadashi YAMAGUCHI, Keiichiro KASHIHARA, Toshiaki TSUTSUMI, Tomonori OKUDAIRA, Kotaro KIHARA
  • Patent number: 7888710
    Abstract: Complementary metal oxide semiconductor transistors are formed on a silicon substrate. The substrate has a {100} crystallographic orientation. The transistors are formed on the substrate so that current flows in the channels of the transistors are parallel to the <100> direction. Additionally, longitudinal tensile stress is applied to the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Armstrong, Gerhard Schrom, Sunit Tyagi, Paul A. Packan, Kelin J. Kuhn, Scott Thompson
  • Patent number: 7888780
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor mesa located upon an isolating substrate. The semiconductor mesa includes a first end that includes a first doped region separated from a second end that includes a second doped region by an isolating region interposed therebetween. The first doped region and the second doped region are of different polarity. The semiconductor structure also includes a channel stop dielectric layer located upon a horizontal surface of the semiconductor mesa over the second doped region. The semiconductor structure also includes a first device located using a sidewall and a top surface of the first end as a channel region, and a second device located using the sidewall and not the top surface of the second end as a channel. A related method derives from the foregoing semiconductor structure. Also included is a semiconductor circuit that includes the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Edward J. Nowak, Jed H. Rankin
  • Publication number: 20110024801
    Abstract: A transistor includes a gate electrode disposed over a substrate. At least one composite strain structure is disposed adjacent to a channel below the gate electrode. The at least one composite strain structure includes a first strain region within the substrate. A second strain region is disposed over the first strain region. At least a portion of the second strain region is disposed within the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Fai CHENG, Hsueh-Chang SUNG, Kuan-Yu CHEN, Hsien-Hsin LIN, Fung Ka HING
  • Patent number: 7879689
    Abstract: Manufacturing a semiconductor device with higher operating characteristics and achieve low power consumption of a semiconductor integrated circuit. A single crystal semiconductor layer is formed so that crystal plane directions of single crystal semiconductor layers which are used for channel regions of an n-channel TFT and a p-channel TFT and which are formed over the same plane of the substrate are the most appropriate crystal plane directions for each TFT. In accordance with such a structure, mobility of carrier flowing through a channel is increased and the semiconductor device with higher operating characteristics can be provided. Low voltage driving can be performed, and low power consumption can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoaki Moriwaka
  • Publication number: 20110018039
    Abstract: An anisotropic wet etch of a semiconductor layer generates facets joined by a ridge running along the center of a pattern in a dielectric hardmask layer on the semiconductor layer. The dielectric hardmask layer is removed and a conformal masking material layer is deposited. Angled ion implantation of Ge, B, Ga, In, As, P, Sb, or inert atoms is performed parallel to each of the two facets joined by the ridge causing damage to implanted portions of the masking material layer, which are removed selective to undamaged portions of the masking material layer along the ridge and having a constant width. The semiconductor layer and a dielectric oxide layer underneath are etched selective to the remaining portions of the dielectric nitride. Employing remaining portions of the dielectric oxide layer as an etch mask, the gate conductor layer is patterned to form gate conductor lines having a constant width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Huilong Zhu
  • Publication number: 20110012176
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a conductive channel defining a crystal structure and having a length and a thickness tC; and a dielectric film of thickness tg in contact with a surface of the channel. Further, the film comprises a material that exerts one of a compressive or a tensile force on the contacted surface of the channel such that electrical mobility of the charge carriers (electrons or holes) along the channel length is increased due to the compressive or tensile force in dependence on alignment of the channel length relative to the crystal structure. Embodiments are given for chips with both hole and electron mobility increased in different transistors, and a method for making such a transistor or chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Dureseti CHIDAMBARRAO, Xiao Hu LIU, Lidija SEKARIC
  • Patent number: 7868317
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a first lattice constant; a gate dielectric on the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate; and a stressor having at least a portion in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent the gate electrode. The stressor has a tilted sidewall on a side adjacent the gate electrode. The stressor includes a first stressor layer having a second lattice constant substantially different from the first lattice constant; and a second stressor layer on the first stressor layer, wherein the second stressor has a third lattice constant substantially different from the first and the second lattice constants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Hua Yu, Mong-Song Liang, Tze-Liang Lee, Jr-Hung Li
  • Publication number: 20110001170
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the embodiment includes an element region provided with a transistor, a plurality of mixed crystal layers, a drain electrode and a source electrode, an element isolation layer and a dummy pattern. The mixed crystal layers are the layers made of a first atom composing the semiconductor substrate and a second atom having a lattice constant different from the lattice constant of the first atom and formed on both ends of a region, which becomes a channel of the transistor. The dummy pattern is a layer made of the same material as the mixed crystal layers and formed to extend on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and outside of the element region such that a major direction thereof is different from a <110> direction of the semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Takayuki Ito, Kunihiro Miyazaki, Kiyotaka Miyano
  • Patent number: 7861406
    Abstract: Methods and associated structures of forming a microelectronic device are described. Those methods may include amorphizing at least one contact area of a source/drain region of a transistor structure by implanting through at least one contact opening, forming a first layer of metal on the at least one contact area, forming a second layer of metal on the first layer of metal, selectively etching a portion of the second metal layer, annealing the at least one contact area to form at least one silicide, and removing the unreacted first metal layer and second metal layer from the transistor structure and forming a conductive material in the at least one contact opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Saurabh Lodha, Pushkar Ranade, Christopher Auth
  • Publication number: 20100327329
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a transistor, an element isolation insulating film, and a metal silicide layer. The transistor contains a gate electrode and an epitaxial crystal layer. The epitaxial crystal layer is formed on at least one side of the gate electrode in the semiconductor substrate and includes a facet having a different plane direction from a principal plane of the semiconductor substrate. The element isolation insulating film contains a lower layer and an upper layer. A horizontal distance between the upper layer and the gate electrode is smaller than a horizontal distance between the lower layer and the gate electrode. A part of the upper layer contacts with the facet. The metal silicide layer is formed on an upper surface of the epitaxial crystal layer and on a region of the facet above a contact portion of the facet with the upper layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventor: Hiroshi ITOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20100314670
    Abstract: An integrated circuit on a (100) substrate containing an n-channel extended drain MOS transistor with drift region current flow oriented in the <100> direction with stressor RESURF trenches in the drift region. The stressor RESURF trenches have stressor elements with more than 100 MPa compressive stress. An integrated circuit on a (100) substrate containing an n-channel extended drain MOS transistor with drift region current flow oriented in the <110> direction with stressor RESURF trenches in the drift region. The stressor RESURF trenches have stressor elements with more than 100 MPa compressive stress. An integrated circuit on a (100) substrate containing a p-channel extended drain MOS transistor with drift region current flow oriented in a <110> direction with stressor RESURF trenches in the drift region. The stressor RESURF trenches have stressor elements with more than 100 MPa tensile stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Marie Denison, Seetharaman Sridhar, Sameer Pendharkar, Umamaheswari Aghoram
  • Publication number: 20100314671
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, and an extending semiconductor portion that extends vertically from the semiconductor substrate. The extending semiconductor portion has a side surface which comprises four main surfaces of {100} face and four sub-surfaces of {110} face. The four sub-surfaces are smaller in area than the four main surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kiyonori Oyu, Kazuhiro Nojima
  • Patent number: 7842982
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having, on a surface thereof, a (110) surface of Si1-xGex (0.25?x?0.90), and n-channel and p-channel MISFETs formed on the (110) surface, each MISFET having a source region, a channel region and a drain region. Each MISFET has a linear active region which is longer in a [?110] direction than in a [001] direction and which has a facet of a (311) or (111) surface, the source region, the channel region and the drain region are formed in this order or in reverse order in the [?110] direction of the linear active region, the channel region of the n-channel MISFET is formed of Si and having uniaxial tensile strain in the [?110] direction, and the channel region of the p-channel MISFET being formed of Si1-yGey (x<y?1) and having uniaxial compressive strain in the [?110] direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Moriyama, Naoharu Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20100283089
    Abstract: Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for reducing stacking faults in an epitaxial semiconductor layer. In accordance with such method, a substrate is provided which includes a first single-crystal semiconductor region including a first semiconductor material, the first semiconductor region having a <110> crystal orientation. An epitaxial layer including the first semiconductor material is grown on the first semiconductor region, the epitaxial layer having the <110> crystal orientation. The substrate is then annealed with the epitaxial layer at a temperature greater than 1100 degrees Celsius in an ambient including hydrogen, whereby the step of annealing reduces stacking faults in the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation, GLOBAL FOUNDRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yun-Yu Wang, Christopher D. Sheraw, Anthony G. Domenicucci, Linda Black, Judson R. Holt, David M. Fried
  • Publication number: 20100270597
    Abstract: Roughly described, the invention involves ways to characterize, take account of, or take advantage of stresses introduced by TSV's near transistors. The physical relationship between the TSV and nearby transistors can be taken into account when characterizing a circuit. A layout derived without knowledge of the physical relationships between TSV and nearby transistors, can be modified to do so. A macrocell can include both a TSV and nearby transistors, and a simulation model for the macrocell which takes into account physical relationships between the transistors and the TSV. A macrocell can include both a TSV and nearby transistors, one of the transistors being rotated relative to others. An IC can also include a transistor in such proximity to a TSV as to change the carrier mobility in the channel by more than the limit previously thought to define an exclusion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: SYNOPSYS, INC.
    Inventors: JAMES DAVID SPROCH, Victor Moroz, Xiaopeng Xu, Aditya Pradeep Karmarkar
  • Patent number: 7821109
    Abstract: A structure and a method of making the structure. The structure includes a field effect transistor including: a first and a second source/drain formed in a silicon substrate, the first and second source/drains spaced apart and separated by a channel region in the substrate; a gate dielectric on a top surface of the substrate over the channel region; and an electrically conductive gate on a top surface of the gate dielectric; and a dielectric pillar of a first dielectric material over the gate; and a dielectric layer of a second dielectric material over the first and second source/drains, sidewalls of the dielectric pillar in direct physical contact with the dielectric layer, the dielectric pillar having no internal stress or an internal stress different from an internal stress of the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Alan Anderson, Edward Joseph Nowak
  • Patent number: 7821044
    Abstract: Embodiments are an improved transistor structure and the method of fabricating the structure. In particular, a wet etch of an embodiment forms source and drain regions with an improved tip shape to improve the performance of the transistor by improving control of short channel effects, increasing the saturation current, improving control of the metallurgical gate length, increasing carrier mobility, and decreasing contact resistance at the interface between the source and drain and the silicide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Steven J. Keating, Thomas A. Letson, Anand S. Murthy, Donald W. O'Neill, Willy Rachmady
  • Publication number: 20100264465
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the logic transistors are formed in semiconductor material with one crystal orientation and the SRAM cells are formed in a second semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the logic transistors are formed in a top semiconductor layer with one crystal orientation and the SRAM cells are formed in an epitaxial semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the SRAM cells are formed in a top semiconductor layer with one crystal orientation and the logic transistors are formed in an epitaxial semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Patent number: 7812370
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and the methods of forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a low energy band-gap layer comprising a semiconductor material; a gate dielectric on the low energy band-gap layer; a gate electrode over the gate dielectric; a first source/drain region adjacent the gate dielectric, wherein the first source/drain region is of a first conductivity type; and a second source/drain region adjacent the gate dielectric. The second source/drain region is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. The low energy band-gap layer is located between the first and the second source/drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Krishna Kumar Bhuwalka, Ken-Ichi Goto
  • Publication number: 20100252866
    Abstract: By appropriately orienting the channel length direction with respect to the crystallographic characteristics of the silicon layer, the stress-inducing effects of strained silicon/carbon material may be significantly enhanced compared to conventional techniques. In one illustrative embodiment, the channel may be oriented along the <100> direction for a (100) surface orientation, thereby providing an electron mobility increase of approximately a factor of four.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Igor Peidous, Thorsten Kammler, Andy Wei
  • Publication number: 20100224914
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including: a first n-channel fin-type field effect transistor formed on a first crystal plane; and a second n-channel fin-type field effect transistor formed on the first crystal plane and having a gate length longer than that of the first n-channel fin-type field effect transistor. A side surface of a fin of the first n-channel fin-type field effect transistor and a side surface of a fin of the second n-channel fin-type field effect transistor are both formed on a second crystal plane having a carrier mobility lower than that of the first crystal plane. The width of the fin of the second n-channel fin-type field effect transistor is greater than the width of the fin of the first n-channel fin-type field effect transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki IWAMOTO, Gen TSUTSUI, Kiyotaka IMAI
  • Publication number: 20100213516
    Abstract: On a surface of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of terraces formed stepwise by an atomic step are formed in the substantially same direction. Using the semiconductor substrate, a MOS transistor is formed so that no step exists in a carrier traveling direction (source-drain direction).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Akinobu Teramoto, Tomoyuki Suwa, Rihito Kuroda, Hideo Kudo, Yoshinori Hayamizu
  • Patent number: 7781278
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a field effect transistor (FET) containing a channel extending perpendicularly across at least one V-shaped trench and along the interior surfaces thereof. In one aspect, a semiconductor device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second device regions that are isolated from each other by an isolation region. The first device region has a planar surface with a first crystalline orientation, and the second device region has at least one V-shaped trench which has interior surfaces with a second, different crystalline orientation. A first FET is located at the first device region and contains a channel extending along the planar surface of the first device region. A second, complementary FET is located at the second device region and contains a channel extending perpendicularly across the at least one V-shaped trench and along the interior surfaces thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Huilong Zhu
  • Publication number: 20100207172
    Abstract: In contrast to a conventional planar CMOS technique in design and fabrication for a field-effect transistor (FET), the present invention provides an SGT CMOS device formed on a conventional substrate using various crystal planes in association with a channel type and a pillar shape of an FET, without a need for a complicated device fabrication process. Further, differently from a design technique of changing a surface orientation in each planar FET, the present invention is designed to change a surface orientation in each SGT to achieve improvement in carrier mobility. Thus, a plurality of SGTs having various crystal planes can be formed on a common substrate to achieve a plurality of different carrier mobilities so as to obtain desired performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Fujio Masuoka, Keon Jae Lee
  • Publication number: 20100200896
    Abstract: A method for growing an epitaxial layer on a substrate wherein the substrate includes a surface having a Miller index of (110) for the beneficial properties. The method comprises using a direct silicon bonded wafer with a substrate having a first Miller index and a surface having a second Miller index. An element such as a gate for a PFET may be deposited onto the surface. The area not under the gate may then be etched away to expose the substrate. An epitaxial layer may then be grown on the surface providing optimal growth patterns. The Miller index of the substrate may be (100). In an alternative embodiment the surface may have a Miller index of (100) and the surface is etched where an element such as a gate for a PFET may be placed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Jinghong Li, Thomas A. Wallner, Haizhou Yin
  • Patent number: 7772618
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell block. The memory cell block includes a plurality of n-type first MIS transistors with current passages connected in series. Each of the first MIS transistors includes a source, a drain, and a charge storage layer formed on a (001)-plane of a semiconductor substrate with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween and is configured to store data. A direction from the source to the drain in each of the first MIS transistors is set parallel to a [001]-direction or [010]-direction of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenji Gomikawa, Mitsuhiro Noguchi, Takashi Aoi
  • Publication number: 20100193846
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a p-MOS region; an element isolation region formed in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate and defining p-MOS active regions in the p-MOS region; a p-MOS gate electrode structure formed above the semiconductor substrate, traversing the p-MOS active region and defining a p-MOS channel region under the p-MOS gate electrode structure; a compressive stress film selectively formed above the p-MOS active region and covering the p-MOS gate electrode structure; and a stress released region selectively formed above the element isolation region in the p-MOS region and releasing stress in the compressive stress film, wherein a compressive stress along the gate length direction and a tensile stress along the gate width direction are exerted on the p-MOS channel region. The performance of the semiconductor device can be improved by controlling the stress separately for the active region and element isolation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
    Inventor: Shigeo Satoh
  • Publication number: 20100187575
    Abstract: Some embodiments comprise a plurality of fins, wherein at least a first fin of the plurality of fins comprises a different fin width compared to a fin width of another fin of the plurality of fins. At least a second fin of the plurality of fins comprises a different crystal surface orientation compared to another fin of the plurality of fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Peter Baumgartner, Domagoj Siprak
  • Publication number: 20100176424
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes of a plurality of semiconductor fins overlying an insulator layer, a gate dielectric overlying a portion of said semiconductor fin, and a gate electrode overlying the gate dielectric. Each of the semiconductor fins has a top surface, a first sidewall surface, and a second sidewall surface. Dopant ions are implanted at a first angle (e.g., greater than about 7°) with respect to the normal of the top surface of the semiconductor fin to dope the first sidewall surface and the top surface. Further dopant ions are implanted with respect to the normal of the top surface of the semiconductor fin to dope the second sidewall surface and the top surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yee-Chia Yeo, Ping-Wei Wang, Hao-Yu Chen, Fu-Liang Yang, Chenming Hu
  • Patent number: 7755113
    Abstract: To achieve high performance of a semiconductor integrated circuit depending on not only a microfabrication technique but also another way. In addition, to achieve low power consumption of a semiconductor integrated circuit. A semiconductor device is provided in which crystal faces and/or crystal axes of single-crystalline semiconductor layers of a first conductive MISFET and a second conductive MISFET are different. The crystal faces and/or crystal axes are arranged so that mobility of carriers flowing in channel length directions in the respective MISFETs is increased. Such a structure can increase mobility of carriers flowing through channels of the MISFETs and high speed operation of a semiconductor integrated circuit can be achieved. Further, low voltage driving becomes possible, and low power consumption can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hidekazu Miyairi
  • Patent number: 7755104
    Abstract: A semiconductor device that has a pMOS double-gate structure, has a substrate, the crystal orientation of the top surface of which is (100), a semiconductor layer that is made of silicon or germanium, formed on the substrate such that currents flow in a direction of a first <110> crystal orientation, and channels are located at sidewall of the semiconductor layer, a source layer that is formed on the substrate adjacent to one end of the semiconductor layer in the direction of first <110> crystal orientation and is made of a metal or metal silicide to form a Schottky junction with the semiconductor layer; a drain layer that is formed on the substrate adjacent to the other end of the semiconductor layer in the direction of first <110> crystal orientation and is made of a metal or metal silicide to form a Schottky junction with the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode that is formed on the semiconductor layer in a direction of a second <110> crystal orientation perpendicular to the curre
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Atsushi Yagishita
  • Publication number: 20100155788
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a substrate with a first layer having a first crystal orientation on a second layer having a second crystal orientation different than the first crystal orientation. The first layer may have a uniform thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Mohamad A. Shaheen, Jack T. Kavlieros, Been-Yih Jin, Brian S. Doyle
  • Publication number: 20100148223
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an insulated-gate field-effect transistor which is disposed on a semiconductor substrate having an element formation plane in a (110) plane direction, and which has a channel length direction in a <?110> direction, and a first element isolation insulation film which is buried in a trench in an element isolation region of the semiconductor substrate and has a positive expansion coefficient, the first element isolation insulation film applying a compressive stress by operation heat to the insulated-gate field-effect transistor in the channel length direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Zhengwu Jin
  • Patent number: 7736966
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor substrate that includes forming at least first and second device regions, wherein the first device region includes a first recess having interior surfaces oriented along a first set of equivalent crystal planes, and wherein the second device region includes a second recess having interior surfaces oriented along a second, different set of equivalent crystal planes. The semiconductor device structure formed using such a semiconductor substrate includes at least one n-channel field effect transistor (n-FET) formed at the first device region having a channel that extends along the interior surfaces of the first recess, and at least one p-channel field effect transistor (p-FET) formed at the second device region having a channel that extends along the interior surfaces of the second recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Dyer, Xiangdong Chen, James J. Toomey, Haining S. Yang
  • Publication number: 20100140671
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming silicon pillar 11 on substrate 10, forming a protective film which covers an upper end portion and a lower end portion of a side surface of silicon pillar 11, forming a constricted portion by anisotropic etching in a portion of the side surface of silicon pillar 11 which is not covered with the protective film after forming the protective film, removing the protective film after forming the constricted portion, forming gate oxide film 12 which covers the side surface of silicon pillar 11 in which the constricted portion is formed, and forming gate electrode 13 which covers gate oxide film 12.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro NOJIMA