IP Library Granted Patent US 11,978,771
Granted Patent B2
US 11,978,771 · App. 18/069,278 · Granted May 7, 2024

Gate-all-around (GAA) device including a superlattice

Inventors: Keith Doran Weeks (Chandler, AZ); Nyles Wynn Cody (Tempe, AZ); Marek Hytha (Brookline, MA); Robert J. Mears (Wellesley, MA); Robert John Stephenson (Duxford, GB); Hideki Takeuchi (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
H01L29/152H01L29/66477H01L29/7849
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,978,771
App. No.
18/069,278
Granted
May 7, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor gate-all-around (GAA) device may include a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions on the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of semiconductor nanostructures extending between the source and drain regions, and a gate surrounding the plurality of semiconductor nanostructures in a gate-all-around arrangement. Furthermore, at least one superlattice may be within at least one of the nanostructures. The at least one superlattice may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers including 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 (38)

1. A semiconductor gate-all-around (GAA) device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

source and drain regions on the semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of semiconductor nanostructures extending between the source and drain regions;

a gate surrounding the plurality of semiconductor nanostructures in a gate-all-around arrangement; and

at least one superlattice within at least one of the nanostructures, the at least one superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers 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.

2. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer in a first group of layers of the superlattice comprises oxygen and is devoid of carbon, and the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer in a second group of layers of the superlattice comprises carbon.

3. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 2 wherein the second group of layers is above the first group of layers in the superlattice.

4. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 2 wherein the second group of layers of the superlattice comprises carbon and is devoid of oxygen.

5. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 2 wherein the second group of layers of the superlattice comprises carbon and oxygen.

6. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 1 wherein the at least one superlattice comprises first and second vertically spaced-apart superlattices within the at least one semiconductor nanostructure.

7. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 1 wherein the at least one superlattice is vertically centered within the at least one semiconductor nanostructure.

8. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 1 further comprising spaced shallow trench isolation (STI) regions in the semiconductor substrate.

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

10. A semiconductor gate-all-around (GAA) device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

source and drain regions on the semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of semiconductor nanostructures extending between the source and drain regions;

a gate surrounding the plurality of semiconductor nanostructures in a gate-all-around arrangement; and

a superlattice vertically centered within at least one of the nanostructures, the superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers 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;

the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer in a first group of layers of the superlattice comprising oxygen and devoid of carbon, and the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer in a second group of layers of the superlattice comprising carbon.

11. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 10 wherein the second group of layers is above the first group of layers in the superlattice.

12. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 10 wherein the second group of layers of the superlattice comprises carbon and is devoid of oxygen.

13. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 10 wherein the second group of layers of the superlattice comprises carbon and oxygen.

14. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 10 further comprising spaced shallow trench isolation (STI) regions in the semiconductor substrate.

15. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 10 wherein the base semiconductor portion comprises silicon.

16. A semiconductor gate-all-around (GAA) device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

source and drain regions on the semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of semiconductor nanostructures extending between the source and drain regions;

a gate surrounding the plurality of semiconductor nanostructures in a gate-all-around arrangement; and

first and second vertically spaced-apart superlattices within the at least one semiconductor nanostructure, each of the first and second superlattices comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers 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;

the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer in a first group of layers of the superlattice comprising oxygen and devoid of carbon, and the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer in a second group of layers of the superlattice comprising carbon.

17. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 16 wherein the second group of layers is above the first group of layers in the superlattice.

18. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 16 wherein the second group of layers of the superlattice comprises carbon and is devoid of oxygen.

19. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 16 wherein the second group of layers of the superlattice comprises carbon and oxygen.

20. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 16 further comprising spaced shallow trench isolation (STI) regions in the semiconductor substrate.

21. The semiconductor GAA device of claim 16 wherein the base semiconductor portion comprises silicon.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2022
From: WEEKS, KEITH DORAN; CODY, NYLES WYNN; HYTHA, MAREK; MEARS, ROBERT J.; STEPHENSON, ROBERT JOHN; TAKEUCHI, HIDEKI
To: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 062248/0548 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17305098 · Jun 30, 2021
Provisional Application 63047356 · Jul 2, 2020
Related Publication 20230121774A1 · Apr 20, 2023
Cited By (5)
US 12,230,694 US 12,308,229 US 12,382,689 US 12,439,658 US 12,707,690