Semiconductor device including a resonant tunneling diode structure with electron mean free path control layers

• US 10,170,603 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atomera Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Atomera Incorporated
• Inventors: Mears, Robert J., Takeuchi, Hideki, Hytha, Marek
• Primary Examiner(s): Galvin, III, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/670,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20180040743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/092 complementary MIS field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1054 with a variation of the composition, e.g. channel with strained layer for increasing the mobility
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/152 with quantum effects only in vertical direction, i.e. layered structures with quantum effects solely resulting from vertical potential variation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/155 Comprising only semiconductor materials H01L29/154 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/157 Doping structures, e.g. doping superlattices, nipi superlattices delta doping in general H01L29/365
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/161 including two or more of the elements provided for in group H01L29/16 , e.g. alloys H01L29/1604 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/36 characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities in the bulk material within semiconductor regions H01L29/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66007 Multistep manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/6603 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66121 Multilayer diodes, e.g. PNPN diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66151 Tunnel diodes group 13/15 resonant tunneling diodes H01L29/66219
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66477 with an insulated gate, i.e. MISFET
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66545 using a dummy, i.e. replacement gate in a process wherein at least a part of the final gate is self aligned to the dummy gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66651 with a single crystalline channel formed on the silicon substrate after insulating device isolation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7376 Resonant tunnelling transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7842 means for exerting mechanical stress on the crystal lattice of the channel region, e.g. using a flexible substrate variation of the composition of the channel H01L29/1054
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/8618 Diodes with bulk potential barrier, e.g. Camel diodes, Planar Doped Barrier diodes, Graded bandgap diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/882 Resonant tunneling diodes, i.e. RTD, RTBD

Abstract

A semiconductor device including at least one double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD) is provided. The at least one DBRTD may include a first doped semiconductor layer, and a first barrier layer on the first doped semiconductor layer and including a superlattice. The DBRTD may further include a first intrinsic semiconductor layer on the first barrier layer, a second barrier layer on the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and also including the superlattice, a second intrinsic semiconductor layer on the second barrier layer, a third barrier layer on the second intrinsic semiconductor layer and also including the superlattice. A third intrinsic semiconductor layer may be on the third barrier layer, a fourth barrier layer may be on the third intrinsic semiconductor layer and also including the superlattice, a second doped semiconductor layer on the fourth barrier layer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

at least one double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD) comprising

a first doped semiconductor layer,

a first barrier layer on the first doped semiconductor layer and comprising a first superlattice, the first 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,

a first intrinsic semiconductor layer on the first barrier layer,

a second barrier layer on the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and comprising a second superlattice, the second 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,

a second intrinsic semiconductor layer on the second barrier layer,

a third barrier layer on the second intrinsic semiconductor layer and comprising a third superlattice, the third 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,

a third intrinsic semiconductor layer on the third barrier layer,

a fourth barrier layer on the third intrinsic semiconductor layer, and

a second doped semiconductor layer on the fourth barrier layer.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the first and second doped semiconductor layers each comprises silicon, and wherein the second intrinsic layer comprises at least one of silicon and germanium.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the fourth barrier layer comprises a fourth superlattice, the fourth 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.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 3 wherein the second doped semiconductor layer comprises a single crystal semiconductor layer.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the first and second doped semiconductor layers have a same dopant conductivity type.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the first and second doped semiconductor layers have opposite dopant conductivity types.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the first barrier layer and the first intrinsic semiconductor layer define an electron mean free path control layer.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the third intrinsic semiconductor layer and the fourth barrier layer define an electron mean free path control layer.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the respective at least one non-semiconductor monolayer in each of the first, second and third superlattices comprises oxygen.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the respective semiconductor monolayers in each of the first, second and third superlattices comprise silicon.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

at least one double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD) comprising

a first doped semiconductor layer,

a first barrier layer on the first doped semiconductor layer and comprising a first superlattice, the first superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions,

a first intrinsic semiconductor layer on the first barrier layer,

a second barrier layer on the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and comprising a second superlattice, the second 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,

a second intrinsic semiconductor layer on the second barrier layer,

a third barrier layer on the second intrinsic semiconductor layer and comprising a third superlattice, the third 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,

a third intrinsic semiconductor layer on the third barrier layer,

a fourth barrier layer on the third intrinsic semiconductor layer, and

a second doped semiconductor layer on the fourth layer, the first and second doped semiconductor layers having a same dopant conductivity type.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 11 wherein the first and second doped semiconductor layers each comprises silicon, and wherein the second intrinsic layer comprises at least one of silicon and germanium.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 11 wherein the fourth barrier layer comprises a fourth superlattice, the fourth 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.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 13 wherein the second doped semiconductor layer comprises a single crystal semiconductor layer.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 11 wherein the first barrier layer and the first intrinsic semiconductor layer define a first electron mean free path control layer;

and wherein the third intrinsic semiconductor layer and the fourth barrier layer define a second electron mean free path control layer.

16. A semiconductor device comprising:

at least one double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD) comprising

a first doped semiconductor layer,

a first barrier layer on the first doped semiconductor layer and comprising a first superlattice, the first superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions,

a first intrinsic semiconductor layer on the first barrier layer,

a second barrier layer on the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and comprising a second superlattice, the second superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions,

a second intrinsic semiconductor layer on the second barrier layer,

a third barrier layer on the second intrinsic semiconductor layer and comprising a third superlattice, the third superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions,

a third intrinsic semiconductor layer on the third barrier layer,

a fourth barrier layer on the third intrinsic semiconductor layer, and

a second doped semiconductor layer on the fourth barrier layer, the first and second doped semiconductor layers having opposite dopant conductivity types.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 16 wherein the first and second doped semiconductor layers each comprises silicon, and wherein the second intrinsic layer comprises at least one of silicon and germanium.

18. The semiconductor device of claim 16 wherein the fourth barrier layer comprises a fourth superlattice, the fourth superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked groups of layers, each group of layers comprising a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions.

19. The semiconductor device of claim 18 wherein the second doped semiconductor layer comprises a single crystal semiconductor layer.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 16 wherein the first barrier layer and the first intrinsic semiconductor layer define a first electron mean free path control layer;

and wherein the third intrinsic semiconductor layer and the fourth barrier layer define a second electron mean free path control layer.