IP Library Granted Patent US 7,531,828
Granted Patent B2
US 7,531,828 · App. 11/457,269 · Granted May 12, 2009

Semiconductor device including a strained superlattice between at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,531,828
App. No.
11/457,269
Granted
May 12, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device may include at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions, and a strained superlattice layer between the at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions and including a plurality of stacked groups of layers. Each group of layers of the strained superlattice layer may include a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.

Claims (37)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions; and

a strained superlattice layer between said at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions and comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers;

each group of layers of said strained superlattice layer comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions, and at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions being chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween;

wherein the non-semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, and carbon.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions comprises at least one pair of source and drain regions.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said stress regions has a canted surface adjacent opposing portions of said strained superlattice.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said stress regions comprises silicon and germanium.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 further comprising a semiconductor substrate below said at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions and said strained superlattice layer.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said strained superlattice layer has a compressive strain.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said strained superlattice layer has a tensile strain.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said strained superlattice layer has a common energy band structure therein.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein each base semiconductor portion comprises silicon.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein each base semiconductor portion comprises a base semiconductor selected from the group consisting of Group IV semiconductors, Group III-V semiconductors, and Group II-VI semiconductors.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein each non-semiconductor monolayer comprises oxygen.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein each non-semiconductor monolayer is a single monolayer thick.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein each base semiconductor portion is less than eight monolayers thick.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said strained superlattice layer further has a substantially direct energy bandgap.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said strained superlattice layer further comprises a base semiconductor cap layer on an uppermost group of layers.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein all of said base semiconductor portions are a same number of monolayers thick.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein at least some of said base semiconductor portions are a different number of monolayers thick.

18. A semiconductor device comprising:

at least one pair of source and drain stress regions; and

a strained superlattice layer between said at least one pair of spaced apart source and drain stress regions and comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers;

each group of layers of said strained superlattice layer comprising a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base silicon portion and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions, and at least some silicon atoms from opposing base silicon portions being chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one oxygen monolayer therebetween.

19. The semiconductor device of claim 18 wherein at least one of said source and drain stress regions has a canted surface adjacent opposing portions of said strained superlattice.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 18 wherein at least one of said source and drain stress regions comprises silicon and germanium.

21. The semiconductor device of claim 18 further comprising a semiconductor substrate below said at least one pair of spaced apart source and drain stress regions and said strained superlattice layer.

22. The semiconductor device of claim 18 wherein said strained superlattice layer has a common energy band structure therein.

23. A semiconductor device comprising:

at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions; and

a strained layer between said at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions and comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor portions and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions, and at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions being chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween;

wherein the non-semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, and carbon.

24. The semiconductor device of claim 23 wherein said at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions comprises at least one pair of source and drain regions.

25. The semiconductor device of claim 23 wherein at least one of said stress regions has a canted surface adjacent opposing portions of said strained layer.

26. The semiconductor device of claim 23 wherein at least one of said stress regions comprises silicon and germanium.

27. The semiconductor device of claim 23 further comprising a semiconductor substrate below said at least one pair of spaced apart stress regions and said strained layer.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 3, 2020
From: CLIFFORD, ROBERT
To: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 053681/0942 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 11, 2016
From: MEARS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 038400/0349 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2015
From: MEARS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: LIQUID VENTURE PARTNERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 035216/0473 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 12, 2007
From: RJ MEARS, LLC
To: MEARS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 019817/0236 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2006
From: MEARS, ROBERT J.; KREPS, SCOTT A.
To: RJ MEARS, LLC
Reel/Frame 018332/0550 →