IP Library Granted Patent US 7,535,041
Granted Patent B2
US 7,535,041 · App. 11/534,343 · Granted May 19, 2009

Method for making a semiconductor device including regions of band-engineered semiconductor superlattice to reduce device-on resistance

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,535,041
App. No.
11/534,343
Granted
May 19, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for making a semiconductor device which may include providing a substrate having a plurality of spaced apart superlattices therein, and forming source and drain regions in the substrate defining a channel region therebetween and with the plurality of spaced apart superlattices in the channel and/or drain regions. Each superlattice may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon. Moreover, the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer may be constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.

Claims (33)

1. A method for making a semiconductor device comprising:

providing a substrate having a plurality of spaced apart superlattices therein; and

forming source and drain regions in the substrate defining a channel region therebetween and with the plurality of spaced apart superlattices in the drain region;

each superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers with each group comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon, and with the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer being constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions;

wherein at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions are chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming comprises forming the source and drain regions so that the plurality of spaced apart superlattices also extend into the channel region.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the source and drain regions are laterally spaced apart.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the source and drain regions are vertically spaced apart.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein forming comprises forming the source and drain regions so that the spaced apart superlattices extend laterally between the source and drain regions.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein forming comprises forming the source and drain regions so that the spaced apart superlattices extend vertically between the source and drain regions.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the spaced apart superlattices are substantially parallel to one another.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a gate dielectric layer adjacent the channel region, and forming a gate electrode layer adjacent the gate dielectric layer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the base semiconductor portions comprise silicon, and wherein the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer comprises oxygen.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each non-semiconductor layer is a single monolayer thick.

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

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each superlattice further comprises a base semiconductor cap layer on an uppermost group of layers.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein all of the base semiconductor portions are the same number of monolayers thick.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the base semiconductor portions are a different number of monolayers thick.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein all of the base semiconductor portions are a different number of monolayers thick.

16. The method 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.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein each non-semiconductor monolayer comprises a non-semiconductor selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, and carbon-oxygen.

18. A method for making a semiconductor device comprising:

providing a substrate having a plurality of spaced apart superlattices therein; and

forming source and drain regions in the substrate defining a channel region therebetween and with the plurality of spaced apart superlattices in the channel region;

each superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers with each group comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer thereon, and with the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer being constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions;

wherein at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions are chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the source and drain regions are laterally spaced apart.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the source and drain regions are vertically spaced apart.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein forming comprises forming the source and drain regions so that the spaced apart superlattices extend laterally between the source and drain regions.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein forming comprises forming the source and drain regions so that the spaced apart superlattices extend vertically between the source and drain regions.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the spaced apart superlattices are substantially parallel to one another.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising forming a gate dielectric layer adjacent the channel region, and forming a gate electrode layer adjacent the gate dielectric layer.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the base semiconductor portions comprise silicon, and wherein the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer comprises oxygen.

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 22, 2006
From: BLANCHARD, RICHARD A.
To: RJ MEARS, LLC
Reel/Frame 018292/0456 →