Having Heterojunction Patents (Class 438/312)
  • Publication number: 20080124881
    Abstract: A SiGe bipolar transistor containing substantially no dislocation defects present between the emitter and collector region and a method of forming the same are provided. The SiGe bipolar transistor includes a collector region of a first conductivity type; a SiGe base region formed on a portion of said collector region; and an emitter region of said first conductivity type formed over a portion of said base region, wherein said collector region and said base region include carbon continuously therein. The SiGe base region is further doped with boron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jack Ooh Chu, Douglas Duane Coolbaugh, James Stuart Dunn, David R. Greenberg, David L. Harame, Basanth Jagannathan, Robb Allen Johnson, Louis D. Lanzerotti, Kathryn Turner Schonenberg, Ryan Wayne Wuthrich
  • Patent number: 7371671
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate and patterning the photoresist layer to form photoresist portions. A second layer is formed over the substrate in areas not covered by the photoresist portions and the photoresist portions are removed. After removing the photoresist portions, the second layer is used to modify the substrate to create at least a portion of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ching-Yu Chang, Chin-Hsiang Lin, Burn Jeng Lin
  • Patent number: 7368764
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor and a method of making a heterojunction bipolar transistor. The heterojunction bipolar transistor includes: a regrown emitter region; an intrinsic base region forming a junction with the regrown emitter region; and an extrinsic base region separated from the regrown emitter region. The thickness of the extrinsic base region is greater than the thickness of the intrinsic base region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Thomas, III, Kenneth Robert Elliott, David Chow
  • Publication number: 20080099788
    Abstract: The external base electrode has a two-layered structure where a p-type polysilicon film doped with a medium concentration of boron is laminated on a p-type polysilicon film doped with a high concentration of boron. Therefore, since the p-type polysilicon film doped with a high concentration of boron is in contact with an intrinsic base layer at a junction portion between the external base electrode and the intrinsic base layer, the resistance of the junction portion can be reduced. In addition, since the resistance of the external base electrode becomes a parallel resistance of the two layers of the p-type polysilicon films, the resistance of the p-type polysilicon film whose boron concentration is relatively lower is dominant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshinori Yoshida, Tatsuya Tominari, Toshio Ando
  • Patent number: 7364977
    Abstract: Disclosed are a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a method of fabricating the same. A first dielectric layer easily etched is deposited on the overall surface of a substrate before an isolation region is defined. The first dielectric layer and a sub-collector layer are selectively etched, and then a second dielectric layer etched at a low etch rate is deposited on the overall surface of the substrate. Via holes are formed in the first and second dielectric layers, and then the first dielectric layer is removed using a difference between etch characteristics of the first and second dielectric layers. Accordingly, a reduction in power gain, generated at the interface of a compound semiconductor and a dielectric insulating layer (the second dielectric layer), can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Byoung-Gue Min, Kyung-Ho Lee, Seong-Il Kim, Jong-Min Lee, Chul-Won Ju
  • Patent number: 7354815
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit on semiconductor substrates. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate characterized by a first lattice with a first structure and a first spacing. The semiconductor substrate has an overlying film of material with a second lattice with a second structure and a second spacing. Preferably, the second spacing placing the film of material in either a tensile or compressive mode across the entirety of the film of material relative to the semiconductor substrate with the first structure and the first spacing. The method includes processing the film of material to form a first region and a second region within the film of material. The first region and the second region are characterized by either the tensile or compressive mode. Preferably, both the first and second regions in their entirety are characterized by either the tensile or compressive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20080050883
    Abstract: A method and resulting electronic device utilizing a periodic multi-layer (ML) and/or superlattice (SL) structures in the base of a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is disclosed. The SL is a special case of an ML, in which layers that are chemically different from adjacent neighbors are successively repeated. The use of the ML in electronic and photonic devices is enables strategic engineering of the energy band gap and carrier mobilities. Principles disclosed herein relate to npn- and pnp-type SiGe HBTs as well as HBTs made with other compound semiconductor materials (e.g., other Group III-V or II-VI materials). Additionally, technology and methods disclosed herein benefit other devices types such as, for example, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), high hole mobility transistors (HHMTs), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), and FINFETs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Darwin G. Enicks
  • Patent number: 7323725
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a multi-layered structure comprising an emitter layer, a base layer, and a collector layer, each composed of a group III-V n-type compound semiconductor in this order; a quantum dot barrier layer disposed between the emitter layer and the base layer; a collector electrode, a base electrode and the emitter layer all connected to an emitter electrode; the quantum dot barrier layer having a plurality of quantum dots being sandwiched between first and second barrier layers from the emitter layer side and the base layer side, respectively and each having a portion that is convex to the base layer; a base layer side interface in the second barrier layer, and collector layer side and emitter layer side interfaces in the base layer having curvatures that are convex to the collector layer corresponding to the convex portions of the quantum dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Yoshii, Nobuyuki Otsuka, Koichi Mizuno, Asamira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7317215
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor is formed in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type including a collector region. A base region is formed on the substrate and an emitter region is formed over the base region. At least one of the collector, base and emitter regions includes a first region doped with an impurity having a first concentration and a second region doped with the impurity having a second concentration. Noise performance and reliability of the heterojunction bipolar transistor is improved without degrading ac performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Geiss, Alvin J. Joseph, Rajendran Krishnasamy, Xuefeng Liu
  • Patent number: 7303968
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device having multiple subcollectors which are formed in a common wafer, in order to provide multiple structures having different characteristic and frequency response are provided. The subcollectors may be provided using different doses or different material implants resulting in devices having different optimum unity current gain cutoff frequency (fT) and breakdown voltage (BVCEO and BVCBO) on a common wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James S. Dunn, Louis D. Lanzerotti, Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 7300849
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is provided. The method includes providing a substrate including a collector region; forming a compound base region over the collector region; forming a cap layer overlying the compound base region including doping the cap layer with a pre-determined percentage of at least one element associated with the compound base region; and forming an emitter region over the cap layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Darwin Gene Enicks, Damian Carver
  • Patent number: 7297589
    Abstract: A method for making a heterojunction bipolar transistor includes the following steps: forming a heterojunction bipolar transistor by depositing, on a substrate, subcollector, collector, base, and emitter regions of semiconductor material; the step of depositing the subcollector region including depositing a material composition transition from a relatively larger bandgap material nearer the substrate to a relatively smaller bandgap material adjacent the collector; and the step of depositing the collector region including depositing a material composition transition from a relatively smaller bandgap material adjacent the subcollector to a relatively larger bandgap material adjacent the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
    Inventor: Milton Feng
  • Patent number: 7297993
    Abstract: A bipolar transistor having a base electrode of an air bridge structure is simplified in structure and enhanced in the degree of freedom of a contact position of a base wiring line with the base electrode. The bipolar transistor has a semiconductor mesa portion having a base layer formed on an upper face thereof, and a base electrode contacts with the base layer and has a floating extension which extends from the semiconductor mesa portion to a space on the outer side with respect to the semiconductor mesa portion. The floating extension is used as a contact portion for a base wiring line to the base electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Junichiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7297992
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a base situated on a substrate. The heterojunction bipolar transistor can be an NPN silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor, for example. The heterojunction bipolar transistor further includes a cap layer situated on the base, where the cap layer includes a barrier region. The barrier region can comprises carbon and has a thickness, where the thickness of the barrier region determines a depth of an emitter-junction of the heterojunction bipolar transistor. An increase in the thickness of the barrier region can cause a decrease in the depth of the emitter-base junction. According to this exemplary embodiment, the heterojunction bipolar transistor further includes an emitter situated over the cap layer, where the emitter comprises an emitter dopant, which can be phosphorus. A diffusion retardant in the barrier region of the cap layer impedes diffusion of the emitter dopant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Newport Fab, LLC
    Inventor: Greg D. U'Ren
  • Patent number: 7294869
    Abstract: Disclosed are an improved hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT) structure and a method of forming the structure that incorporates a silicon-germanium emitter layer with a graded germanium profile. The graded germanium concentration creates a quasi-drift field in the neutral region of the emitter layer. This quasi-drift field induces valence bandgap grading within the emitter layer so as to accelerate movement of holes from the base layer through the emitter layer. Accelerated movement of the holes from the base layer through the emitter layer reduces emitter delay time and thereby, increases the cut-off frequency (fT) and the maximum oscillation frequency (fMAX) of the resultant HBT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Francois Pagette
  • Patent number: 7285457
    Abstract: In the method for manufacturing a heterojunction bipolar transistor, a collector contact layer, a collector layer, a base layer, a base protection layer, an emitter layer, an emitter contact layer, and a WSi layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. A resist pattern is then formed on the WSi layer, and the WSi layer is patterned by using the resist pattern as a mask. Thereafter, the emitter contact layer and the emitter layer are sequentially removed by ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) dry etching by using the resist pattern as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenori Takeda, Toshiharu Tambo
  • Patent number: 7273789
    Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). The method includes: sequentially depositing a sub-collector layer, a collector layer, a base layer, an emitter layer, and an emitter capping layer on a substrate; forming an emitter electrode on the emitter capping layer; forming a mesa type emitter to expose the base layer by sequentially etching the emitter capping layer and the emitter layer using the emitter electrode as an etch mask in vertical and negative-sloped directions to the substrate, respectively; and forming a base electrode on the exposed base layer using the emitter electrode as a mask in self-alignment with the emitter electrode. In this method, a distance between the mesa type emitter and the base electrode can be minimized and reproducibly controlled. Also, a self-aligned device with an excellent high-frequency characteristic can be embodied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Byoung Gue Min, Jong Min Lee, Seong Il Kim, Chul Won Ju, Kyung Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7265018
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a self-aligned heterobipolar transistor (HBT) device in a BiCMOS technology. The method includes forming a raised extrinsic base structure by using an epitaxial growth process in which the growth rate between single crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon is different and by using a low temperature oxidation process such as a high-pressure oxidation (HIPOX) process to form a self-aligned emitter/extrinsic base HBT structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James S. Dunn, Alvin J. Joseph, Qizhi Liu
  • Patent number: 7253070
    Abstract: A transistor having minimized parasitics is provided including an emitter having a recessed extrinsic emitter portion atop an intrinsic emitter portion; a base including an intrinsic base portion in electrical contact with the intrinsic emitter portion and an extrinsic base portion in electrical contact with the intrinsic base portion and electrically isolated from the recessed extrinsic emitter portion by a set of emitter/base spacers; and a collector in electrical contact with the intrinsic base portion. The transistor may further include extrinsic base having top surfaces entirely silicided to the emitter/base spacer. Additionally, the transistor may include a base window opening within the transistor's active area. Methods of forming the above-described transistor are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Greenberg, Shwu-Jen Jeng
  • Publication number: 20070178655
    Abstract: Thin films, which are deposited on a sacrificial film on a substrate, are released and bonded back on a substrate surface. This technology provides open and closed 2D confined micro-/nano-channels and channel networks on a substrate surface. The geometry, size and complexity of the channels and channel networks can be modified by the film and substrate properties as well as the treatment techniques of the sacrificial layer etching. A method to fabricate such structures with position- and pattern-controllability is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Inventors: Oliver G. Schmidt, Yongfeng Mei, Dominic Thurmer, Francesca Cavallo
  • Patent number: 7247892
    Abstract: An improved imaging array (and corresponding method of operation) includes a plurality of heterojunction thyristor-based pixel elements disposed within resonant cavities formed on a substrate. Each thyristor-based pixel element includes complementary n-type and p-type modulation doped quantum well interfaces that are spaced apart from one another. Incident radiation within a predetermined wavelength resonates within the cavity of a given pixel element for absorption therein that causes charge accumulation. The accumulated charge is related to the intensity of the incident radiation. The heterojunction-thyristor-based pixel element is suitable for many imaging applications, including CCD-based imaging arrays and active-pixel imaging arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Inventor: Geoff W. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20070148890
    Abstract: A method for pseudomorphic growth and integration of a strain-compensated metastable and/or unstable compound base having incorporated oxygen and an electronic device incorporating the base is described. The strain-compensated base is doped by substitutional and/or interstitial placement of a strain-compensating atomic species. The electronic device may be, for example, a SiGe NPN HBT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Darwin G. Enicks, John T. Chaffee, Damian A. Carver
  • Patent number: 7229874
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing self-aligned base contacts where over-etching the emitter sidewall to undercut the emitter contact is not needed. A semiconductor structure has a T-shaped emitter contact that comprises a T-top and T-foot. The T-top acts as a mask for depositing the base contacts. In forming the T-top, its dimensions may be varied, thereby allowing the spacing between the base contacts and emitter to be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Tahir Hussain, Rajesh D. Rajavel, Mary C. Montes
  • Patent number: 7224005
    Abstract: A material made by arranging layers of gallium-arsenide-antimonide (GaAsxSb1-x, 0.0?x?1.0) and/or indium-gallium-arsenic-nitride (InyGa1-yAszN1-z, 0.0?y, z?1.0) in a specific order is used to form the transistor base of a heterojunction bipolar transistor. By controlling the compositions of the materials indium-gallium-arsenic-nitride and gallium-arsenide-antimonide, and by changing the thickness and order of the layers, the new material would possess a specific energy gap, which in turn determines the base-emitter turn-on voltage of the heterojunction bipolar transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Visual Photonics Epitaxy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao-Hsing Huang, Yu-Chung Chin, Min-Nan Tseng, Huai-Tung Yang, Kun-Chuan Lin, Shih-Jane Tsai
  • Patent number: 7208387
    Abstract: A method for producing a compound semiconductor wafer used for production of HBT by vapor growth of a sub-collector layer, a collector layer, a base layer and an emitter layer in this turn on a compound semiconductor substrate using MOCVD method wherein the base layer is grown as a p-type compound semiconductor thin film layer containing at least one of Ga, Al and In as a Group III element and As as a Group V element under such growth conditions that the growth rate gives a growth determined by a Group V gas flow rate-feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignees: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited, Sumika Epi Solution Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Yamada, Noboru Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 7202136
    Abstract: A silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor device and method comprises a semiconductor region, and a diffusion region in the semiconductor region, wherein the diffusion region is boron-doped, wherein the semiconductor region comprises a carbon dopant therein to minimize boron diffusion, and wherein a combination of an amount of the dopant, an amount of the boron, and a size of the semiconductor region are such that the diffusion region has a sheet resistance of less than approximately 4 Kohms/cm2. Also, the diffusion region is boron-doped at a concentration of 1×1020/cm3 to 1×1021/cm3. Additionally, the semiconductor region comprises 5–25% germanium and 0–3% carbon. By adding carbon to the semiconductor region, the device achieves an electrostatic discharge robustness, which further causes a tighter distribution of a power-to-failure of the device, and increases a critical thickness and reduces the thermal strain of the semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Louis D. Lanzerotti, Brian P. Ronan, Steven H. Voldman
  • Patent number: 7190047
    Abstract: Apparatus comprising: a first compound semiconductor composition layer doped to have a first charge carrier polarity; a second compound semiconductor composition layer doped to have a second charge carrier polarity and located on the first layer; a third compound semiconductor composition layer doped to have the first charge carrier polarity and located on the second layer; a base electrode on the second layer; and a spacer ring interposed between and defining a charge carrier access path distance between the base electrode and the third layer, the path distance being within a range of between about 200 ? and about 1000 ?. Techniques for making apparatus. Apparatus is useful as a heterobipolar transistor, particularly for high frequency applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Young-Kai Chen, Vincent Etienne Houtsma, Nils Guenter Weimann
  • Patent number: 7186624
    Abstract: A semiconductor material which has a high carbon dopant concentration and is composed of gallium, indium, arsenic and nitrogen is disclosed. The material is useful in forming the base layer of gallium arsenide based heterojunction bipolar transistors because it can be lattice matched to gallium arsenide by controlling the concentration of indium and nitrogen. The disclosed semiconductor materials have a low sheet resistivity because of the high carbon dopant concentration obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Kopin Corporation
    Inventors: Roger E. Welser, Paul M. Deluca, Noren Pan
  • Patent number: 7186582
    Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition processes utilize higher order silanes and germanium precursors as chemical precursors. The processes have high deposition rates yet produce more uniform films, both compositionally and in thickness, than films prepared using conventional chemical precursors. In preferred embodiments, trisilane is employed to deposit SiGe-containing films that are useful in the semiconductor industry in various applications such as transistor gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Todd
  • Patent number: 7176098
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor comprises a collector layer, a base layer formed on the collector layer and an emitter layer formed on the base layer. The emitter layer includes a first semiconductor layer covering the entire top surface of the base layer and a second semiconductor layer formed on a predetermined part of the first semiconductor layer. An inactivated region is formed, by ion implantation, in a region of the collector layer located below the base layer except for a part thereof corresponding to the second semiconductor layer. The edge of the inactivated region is located away from the edge of the second semiconductor layer, and a region of the first semiconductor layer between the edge of the inactivated region and the edge of the second semiconductor layer is depleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Kojima, Toshiharu Tanbo, Keiichi Murayama
  • Patent number: 7176099
    Abstract: A hetero-junction bipolar transistor that satisfies high resistance required to avoid a potential breakdown includes: an n-type sub-collector layer 110 that is made of GaAs; an n-type first collector 121 that is made of a semiconductor material with a smaller avalanche coefficient than that of the sub-collector 110 and is formed on the sub-collector layer 110; a second collector layer 132 that is made of n-type or i-type GaAs with lower dopant concentration than that of the sub-collector layer 110 and is formed on the first collector layer 121; a p-type base layer 133 that is made of GaAs and is formed on the second collector layer 132; and emitter layer 134 that is made of a semiconductor material with a larger band gap than that of the base layer 133 and is formed on the base layer 133.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Murayama, Akiyoshi Tamura, Masanobu Nogome
  • Patent number: 7157344
    Abstract: In a vapor-phase growth method in which a silicon-germanium mixed crystal layer is deposited on a semiconductor substrate, the vapor-phase growth method comprises a first step of introducing silicon raw material gas into a reaction furnace in such a manner that a silicon raw material gas partial pressure increases in proportion to a time to thereby deposit a first semiconductor layer of a silicon layer on the semiconductor substrate under reduced pressure, a second step of introducing silicon raw material gas and germanium raw material gas into the reaction furnace in such a manner that a desired germanium concentration may be obtained to thereby deposit a second semiconductor layer of a silicon-germanium mixed crystal layer on the first semiconductor layer under reduced pressure and a third step of introducing silicon raw material gas into the reaction furnace under reduced pressure to thereby deposit a third semiconductor layer of a silicon layer on the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Yamagata, Takeyoshi Koumoto, Kenji Atsuumi, Yoichi Negoro, Tatsushiro Hirata, Takashi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7151035
    Abstract: A sidewall-insulation film 9 is provided on a side surface of a first opening portion 8a formed in a base extraction electrode 5B of a hetero-junction bipolar transistor, and a portion of the sidewall-insulation film 9 extends so as to protrude from a surface opposite to a semiconductor substrate 1 toward a main surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 in the base extraction electrode 5B, and protruded length thereof is set to be equal to or smaller than one half of thickness of the insulation film 4 interposed between the main surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 and a lower surface of the base extraction electrode 5B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Makoto Koshimizu, Yasuaki Kagotoshi, Nobuo Machida
  • Patent number: 7144787
    Abstract: Methods of boosting the performance of bipolar transistor, especially SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors, is provided together with the structure that is formed by the inventive methods. The methods include providing a species-rich dopant region comprising C, a noble gas, or mixtures thereof into at least a collector. The species-rich dopant region forms a perimeter or donut-shaped dopant region around a center portion of the collector. A first conductivity type dopant is then implanted into the center portion of the collector to form a first conductivity type dopant region that is laterally constrained, i.e., confined, by the outer species-rich dopant region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Omer H. Dokumaci, Gregory G. Freeman, Marwan H. Khater, Rajendran Krishnasamy, Kathryn T. Schonenberg
  • Patent number: 7118981
    Abstract: In a method of fabricating an integrated silicon-germanium heterobipolar transistor a silicon dioxide layer arranged between a silicon-germanium base layer and a silicon emitter layer is formed by means of Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) to ensure enhanced component properties of the integrated silicon-germanium heterobipolar transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Alfred Haeusler, Philipp Steinmann, Scott Balster, Badih El-Kareh
  • Patent number: 7109095
    Abstract: Immediately after a Si/SiGe film containing a contaminant is formed over all surfaces of a substrate by epitaxial growth, a portion of the Si/SiGe film formed to the back surface side of the substrate is removed by wet etching. In addition, the Si/SiGe film is subjected to processing with heating in a container, after which a dummy run is carried out in the container. These processings prevent secondary wafer contamination through a stage, a robot arm or a vacuum wand for handling a wafer and the contamination of the container also used in the fabrication process of a semiconductor device free from any group IV element but Si.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenori Notake, Teruhito Ohnishi, Akira Asai, Shigetaka Aoki
  • Patent number: 7091099
    Abstract: A bipolar transistor includes a Si single crystalline layer serving as a collector, a single crystalline Si/SiGeC layer and a polycrystalline Si/SiGeC layer which are formed on the Si single crystalline layer, an oxide film having an emitter opening portion, an emitter electrode, and an emitter layer. An intrinsic base layer is formed on the single crystalline Si/SiGeC layer, part of the single crystalline Si/SiGeC layer, the polycrystalline Si/SiGeC layer and the Co silicide layer together form an external base layer. The thickness of the emitter electrode is set so that boron ions implanted into the emitter electrode and diffused therein do not reach an emitter-base junction portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruhito Ohnishi, Koichiro Yuki, Tsuneichiro Sano, Tohru Saitoh, Ken Idota, Takahiro Kawashima, Shigeki Sawada
  • Patent number: 7084040
    Abstract: Formation of a regrowth layer of a Group III–V semiconductor material is facilitated by prior formation of an intermediate layer, selected primarily for its smooth morphology properties. The intermediate layer is formed over an underlying substrate and over a dielectric layer formed over portions of the substrate. The intermediate layer maintains the monocrystalline properties of the underlying substrate in regions other than those covered by the dielectric layer, and improves the electrical and morphology properties of the regrowth layer formed over the intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corp.
    Inventors: Vincent Gambin, Donald J. Sawdai
  • Patent number: 7074685
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes a SiGe(C) heterojunction bipolar transistor using a non-selective epitaxial growth where an insulating layer is formed on a substrate and a layer structure including a conductive layer is provided on the insulating layer. A transistor area opening is etched through the conductive layer, and an SiGe base layer is deposited inside the transistor area opening. An insulator is formed on an upper surface so as to fill the transistor area opening, wherein prior to filling the opening, a nitride layer is formed as an inner layer of the transistor area opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Petrus Hubertus Cornelis Magnee, Johannes Josephus Theodorus Marinus Donkers
  • Patent number: 7074686
    Abstract: A method of forming a thin, high-quality relaxed SiGe-on-insulator substrate material is provided which first includes forming a SiGe or pure Ge layer on a surface of a first single crystal Si layer which is present atop a barrier layer that is resistant to the diffusion of Ge. Optionally forming a Si cap layer over the SiGe or pure Ge layer, and thereafter heating the various layers at a temperature which permits interdiffusion of Ge throughout the first single crystal Si layer, the optional Si cap and the SiGe or pure Ge layer thereby forming a substantially relaxed, single crystal SiGe layer atop the barrier layer. Additional SiGe regrowth and/or formation of a strained epi-Si layer may follow the above steps. SiGe-on-insulator substrate materials as well as structures including at least the SiGe-on-insulator substrate materials are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Jack O. Chu, Keith E. Fogel, Steven J. Koester, Devendra K. Sadana
  • Patent number: 7064360
    Abstract: A method is provided to fabricate a bipolar transistor with a low base connection resistance, low defect density and improved scalability. Scalability is to be understood in this case as both the lateral scaling of the emitter window and the vertical scaling of the base width (low temperature budget). The temperature budget can be kept low in the base region since no implantations are required in order to reduce the base connection resistance. Furthermore, the difficulties associated with the point defects are largely avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Martin Franosch, Thomas Meister, Herbert Schaefer, Reinhard Stengl
  • Patent number: 7060582
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor layer applicable to a hetero-junction bipolar transistor, a forming method thereof, and a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof, for example. The semiconductor layer and the forming method thereof according to the present invention includes a first SiGe film or SiGeC film containing Ge of which the concentration become equal to a thermal expansion coefficient of silicon oxide and a second SiGe film or SiGeC film formed on the first film. In a semiconductor device according to the present invention and a manufacturing method thereof, first and second layers are laminated on an oxide film having an opening, and the first layer has the substantially same thermal expansion coefficient as that of the oxide film and has a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Koumoto, Hideo Yamagata
  • Patent number: 7049201
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), and manufacturing method therefor, comprising a semiconductor substrate having a collector region, a number of insulating layers over the semiconductor substrate, at least one of the number of insulating layers having a base cavity over the collector region, a base structure of a compound semiconductive material in the base cavity, a window in the insulating layer over the base cavity, an emitter structure in the window, an interlevel dielectric layer, and connections through the interlevel dielectric layer to the base structure, the emitter structure, and the collector region. The base structure and the emitter structure preferably are formed in the same processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Chartered Semionductor Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventors: Purakh Raj Verma, Shao-Fu Sanford Chu, Lap Chan, Jian Xun Li, Jia Zhen Zheng
  • Patent number: 7037799
    Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed related to a bipolar transistor device and methods of fabrication. A top region is formed at a surface of and within a base region. The top region is formed by implanting a dopant of an opposite conductivity to that of the base region. However, the top region remains of the same conductivity type as the base region (e.g., n-type or p-type). This implanting, also referred to as counterdoping, increases resistivity of the top region and thus improves an emitter-base breakdown voltage. Additionally, this implanting does not have a substantial detrimental affect on a beta value, also referred to as an amplification property, or a collector emitter breakdown voltage, also referred to as BVceo, for the transistor. The beta value and the collector emitter breakdown voltage are mainly a function of a bottom portion of the base region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Billy Bradford Hutcheson
  • Patent number: 7037798
    Abstract: The invention includes methods of fabricating a bipolar transistor that adds a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer or a third insulator layer of, e.g., high pressure oxide (HIPOX), atop an emitter cap adjacent the intrinsic base prior to forming a link-up layer. This addition allows for removal of the link-up layer using wet etch chemistries to remove the excess SiGe or third insulator layer formed atop the emitter cap without using oxidation. In this case, an oxide section (formed by deposition of an oxide or segregation of the above-mentioned HIPOX layer) and nitride spacer can be used to form the emitter-base isolation. The invention results in lower thermal cycle, lower stress levels, and more control over the emitter cap layer thickness, which are drawbacks of the first embodiment. The invention also includes the resulting bipolar transistor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kevin K. Chan, Alvin J. Joseph, Marwan H. Khater, Qizhi Liu, Beth Ann Rainey, Kathryn T. Schonenberg
  • Patent number: 7030462
    Abstract: A Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor, HBT, (100) containing a collector layer (104), a base layer (105) and an emitter layer (106) is constructed such that the collector layer (104), the base layer (105) and the emitter layer (106) have different lattice constants of ac, ab and ae respectively, and a value of ab between values of ac and ae (in other words, the values of ac, ab and ae satisfy a relationship of ac>ab>ae or ac<ab<ae). According to the present invention, the HBT having a high reliability can be realized without altering the existing apparatus and steps for producing the HBT extensively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motoji Yagura
  • Patent number: 7022578
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), and manufacturing method therefor, comprising a semiconductor substrate having a collector region, an intrinsic base region of a compound semiconductive material over the collector region, an extrinsic base region, an emitter structure, an interlevel dielectric layer over the collector region, extrinsic base region and emitter structure, and connections through the interlevel dielectric layer to the base region, the emitter structure, and the collector region. The emitter structure is formed by forming a reverse emitter window over the intrinsic base region, which subsequently is etched to form an emitter window having a multi-layer reverse insulating spacer therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventors: Purakh Raj Verma, Shao-fu Sanford Chu, Lap Chan, Jian Xun Li, Zhen Jia Zheng
  • Patent number: 7019383
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a gallium arsenide heterojunction bipolar transistor comprises a collector layer and a first spacer layer situated over the collector layer, where the first spacer layer is a high-doped P+ layer. For example, the first spacer layer may comprise GaAs doped with carbon. The gallium arsenide heterojunction bipolar transistor further comprises a base layer situated over the first spacer layer. The base layer may comprise, for example, a concentration of indium, where the concentration of indium is linearly graded in the base layer. The base layer may comprise InGaAsN, for example. The gallium arsenide heterojunction bipolar transistor further comprises an emitter layer situated over the base layer. The emitter layer may comprise, for example, InGaP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Zampardi, Kevin Choi, Lance G. Rushing
  • Patent number: 7012009
    Abstract: A method for making an improved silicon-germanium layer on a substrate for the base of a heterojunction bipolar transistor is achieved using a two-temperature process. The method involves growing a seed layer at a higher temperature to reduce the grain size with shorter reaction times, and then growing an epitaxial Si—Ge layer with a Si cap layer at a lower temperature to form the intrinsic base with low boron out-diffusion. This results in an HBT having the desired narrow base profile while minimizing the discontinuities (voids) in the Si—Ge layer over the insulator to provide good electrical contacts and uniformity to the intrinsic base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuen-Chyr Lee, Liang-Gi Yao, Tien-Chih Chang, Chia-Lin Chen, Shih-Chang Chen, Mong-Song Liang
  • Patent number: 7008852
    Abstract: A process for forming at least one interface region between two regions of semiconductor material. At least one region of dielectric material comprising nitrogen is formed in the vicinity of at least a portion of a boundary between the two regions of semiconductor material, thereby controlling electrical resistance at the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arne W. Ballantine, Douglas D. Coolbaugh, Jeffrey Gilbert, Joseph R. Greco, Glenn R. Miller