IP Library Granted Patent US 11,043,571
Granted Patent B2
US 11,043,571 · App. 15/418,360 · Granted Jun 22, 2021

Insulated gate field effect transistor having passivated schottky barriers to the channel

Inventors: Daniel E. Grupp (San Francisco, CA); Daniel J. Connelly (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: ACORN SEMI, LLC
H01L29/47H01L21/28537H01L23/535H01L29/0649H01L29/0895H01L29/456H01L29/4908H01L29/66143H01L29/66636H01L29/66643H01L29/66666H01L29/66772H01L29/66795H01L29/66848H01L29/785H01L29/7827H01L29/7839H01L29/812H01L29/8126H01L29/78H01L29/78696Y10S438/958
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,043,571
App. No.
15/418,360
Granted
Jun 22, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transistor having at least one passivated Schottky barrier to a channel includes an insulated gate structure on a p-type substrate in which the channel is located beneath the insulated gate structure. The channel and the insulated gate structure define a first and second undercut void regions that extend underneath the insulated gate structure toward the channel from a first and a second side of the insulated gate structure, respectively. A passivation layer is included on at least one exposed sidewall surface of the channel and metal source and drain terminals are located on respective first and second sides of the channel, including on the passivation layer and within the undercut void regions beneath the insulated gate structure. At least one of the metal source and drain terminals comprises a metal that has a work function near a valence band of the p-type substrate.

Claims (41)

1. A transistor, comprising at least one electrical junction having a semiconductor channel region comprising an undoped semiconductor material, a metal source/drain contact to the channel region, and an interface layer disposed between the semiconductor channel region and the metal source/drain contact, the interface layer comprising a material that passivates the semiconductor channel region.

2. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises one of: Si, Ge, SiGe or SiC.

3. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the interface layer comprises a passivation material selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide, and a fluoride of the undoped semiconductor material comprising the semiconductor channel region.

4. The transistor of claim 3 , wherein the interface layer has a thickness of a monolayer.

5. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the interface layer comprises a passivation layer and a separation layer, the passivation layer comprising a passivation material selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide, and a fluoride of the undoped semiconductor material comprising the semiconductor channel region.

6. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises a layer of silicon disposed on an insulator.

7. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein said transistor comprises a FinFET.

8. The transistor of claim 7 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises one of: Si, Ge, SiGe or SiC.

9. The transistor of claim 7 , wherein the interface layer comprises a passivation material selected from the group consisting of a hydride, a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide, and a fluoride of the undoped semiconductor material comprising the semiconductor channel region.

10. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the interface layer has a thickness of a monolayer.

11. The transistor of claim 7 , wherein the interface layer comprises a passivation layer and a separation layer, the passivation layer comprising a passivation material selected from the group consisting of a hydride, a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide and a fluoride of the undoped semiconductor material comprising the semiconductor channel region.

12. A method of fabricating an electrical junction in a transistor, comprising forming a portion of a metal source adjacent a semiconductor channel and subsequently forming an interface layer between the semiconductor channel and the portion of the metal source, the interface layer comprising a passivation layer and a separation layer, the passivation layer comprising a passivation material selected from the group consisting of a hydride, a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide and a fluoride of a material comprising the semiconductor channel.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the passivation layer comprises only a monolayer of the passivation material.

14. An electrical junction in a transistor, comprising a metal source or drain, a semiconductor channel, and an interface layer between the semiconductor channel and the metal source or drain, the interface layer being disposed at least partially subjacent a gate of the transistor and comprising a passivation layer formed of a passivation material and a separation layer formed of a nitride.

15. The electrical junction of claim 14 , wherein the passivation material is an oxide of a semiconductor that makes up the semiconductor channel.

16. The electrical junction of claim 15 , wherein the passivation layer comprises a monolayer of the passivation material.

17. A transistor, comprising at least one electrical junction having a semiconductor channel region, a metal source/drain contact to the channel region, and an interface layer disposed between the semiconductor channel region and the metal source/drain contact, the interface layer comprising a passivation layer and a separation layer, the passivation layer comprising a material that passivates the semiconductor channel region selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide, and a fluoride of a material comprising the semiconductor channel region.

18. The transistor of claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises one of: Si, Ge, SiGe or SiC.

19. The transistor of claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises a doped semiconductor material.

20. The transistor of claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises an undoped semiconductor material.

21. The transistor of claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises a layer of silicon disposed on an insulator.

22. The transistor of claim 17 , wherein the interface layer has a thickness of a monolayer.

23. The transistor of claim 17 , wherein said transistor comprises a FinFET.

24. The transistor of claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises one of: Si, Ge, SiGe or SiC.

25. The transistor of claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises a doped semiconductor material.

26. The transistor of claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises undoped semiconductor material.

27. The transistor of claim 23 , wherein the interface layer has a thickness of a monolayer.

28. A transistor, comprising at least one electrical junction having a semiconductor channel region, a metal source/drain contact to the channel region, and an interface layer disposed between the semiconductor channel region and the metal source/drain contact, the interface layer comprising a material that passivates the semiconductor channel region selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide, and a fluoride of a material comprising the semiconductor channel region and having a thickness of a monolayer.

29. The transistor of claim 28 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises one of: Si, Ge, SiGe or SiC.

30. The transistor of claim 28 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises a doped semiconductor material.

31. The transistor of claim 28 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises undoped semiconductor material.

32. The transistor of claim 28 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises a layer of silicon disposed on an insulator.

33. The transistor of claim 28 , wherein said transistor comprises a FinFET.

34. The transistor of claim 33 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises one of: Si, Ge, SiGe or SiC.

35. The transistor of claim 33 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises a doped semiconductor material.

36. The transistor of claim 33 , wherein the semiconductor channel region comprises undoped semiconductor material.

37. A method of fabricating an electrical junction in a transistor, comprising forming a portion of a metal source adjacent a semiconductor channel and subsequently forming an interface layer between the semiconductor channel and the portion of the metal source, the interface layer comprising a monolayer passivation layer of a passivation material selected from the group consisting of a hydride, a nitride, an arsenide, an oxide and a fluoride of a material comprising the semiconductor channel.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the interface layer additionally comprises a separation layer.

39. The method of claim 37 , wherein the semiconductor channel contact comprises one of: Si, Ge, SiGe or SiC.

40. The method of claim 37 , wherein the semiconductor channel comprises undoped semiconductor material.

41. The method of claim 37 , wherein the semiconductor channel comprises a layer of silicon disposed on an insulator.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 26, 2024
From: ACORN SEMI, LLC
To: OAK IP, LLC
Reel/Frame 069681/0837 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 26, 2024
From: THE PETER NORTON LIVING TRUST
To: ACORN SEMI, LLC
Reel/Frame 069792/0173 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 26, 2024
From: THE PETER NORTON LIVING TRUST
To: ACORN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069792/0208 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2019
From: ACORN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: ACORN SEMI, LLC
Reel/Frame 049602/0324 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2019
From: ACORN SEMI LLC
To: THE PETER NORTON LIVING TRUST DATED APRIL 28, 1989,
Reel/Frame 049320/0634 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2017
From: GRUPP, DANIEL E.; CONNELLY, DANIEL J.
To: ACORN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 041111/0926 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 14298810 · Jun 6, 2014
Continuation 13757597 · Feb 1, 2013
Continuation 13022559 · Feb 7, 2011
Continuation 11403185 · Apr 11, 2006
Continuation 10754966 · Jan 9, 2004
Division 10342576 · Jan 14, 2003
Continuation In Part 10217758 · Aug 12, 2002
Related Publication 20170133476A1 · May 11, 2017