Patent US5397904A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5397904A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Transistor microstructure
Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Inc
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Filing: 1992-07-02
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Granted: 1995-03-14
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Expires: 2012-07-02
Abstract
Abstract A method for isolating transistors and a microstructure for providing isolation for transistors includes a beam located on a substrate. The beam is formed from the same material as the substrate, preferably single crystal silicon, and is released so as to be suspended in the cavity and spaced apart from the substrate. The beam is supported in the cavity by a cantilever structure or by spaced pedestals, or both. One or more transistors are fabricated in the beam, and are thus isolated from the substrate and may be isolated from each other if desired. Contact beams may also be provided to contact the transistor electrodes for interconnection of adjacent transistors or connection of the transistors to electrical circuitry on the substrate. The contact beams also provide mechanical support for the beams. Multiple beams in side-by-side arrays or stacked arrays may be provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Susanne C. Arney
- 👤 Noel C. MacDonald
- 👤 Jun J. Yao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:51
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/10; H10D62/117; H10D62/118; H10D10/00; H10D10/311; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/6729; H10D30/673; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D30/6743; H10D30/6744; H10D30/6757; H10D62/119; H10D62/121
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
A transistor microstructure, comprising: a substrate; a beam electrically isolated from said substrate; means supporting said beam on said substrate; and a transistor including a gate carried by said beam and a source and a drain in said beam, adjacent said gate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
A transistor microstructure, comprising: a substrate; a beam electrically isolated from said substrate; means supporting said beam on said substrate; and a transistor including a gate carried by said beam and a source and a drain in said beam, adjacent said gate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said beam is fabricated from the material of said substrate and is released from said substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said means supporting said beam comprises pedestal means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said means supporting said beam comprises at least a first end of said beam being integral with said substrate, whereby the beam forms a cantilever over a portion of said substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said beam includes at least one tip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 5, wherein said at least one tip is located on a surface of said beam and extends toward an adjacent surface of said substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The structure of claim 5, wherein said at least one tip is located on a surface of said beam, said structure further including a second tip opposed to and aligned with said first tip.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 7, wherein said second tip is located on a second beam electrically isolated from said substrate said first and second tips being opposed and aligned.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The structure of claim 1, further including electrically insulating means securing said electrically isolated beam on said substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The structure of claim 1, further including at least one connector beam intersecting said electrically isolated beam, said electrically isolated beam and said connector beam being fabricated from the material of said substrate and being released from said substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The structure of claim 10, wherein said transistor includes an electrode electrically connected to a corresponding connector beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
The structure of claim 10, wherein said transistor includes a first electrode carried on a first region of said electrically isolated beam and second and third electrodes on corresponding second and third regions of said electrically isolated beam, said second and third electrodes each being connected to a corresponding connector beam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 12, further including a cavity formed in said substrate, and wherein said means supporting said electrically isolated beam supports the beam in said cavity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The structure of claim 12, wherein said supporting means includes means integral with one end of said electrically isolated beam to support said isolated beam and said intersecting connector beam as a cantilever.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The structure of claim 12, wherein said supporting means includes pedestal means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 12, wherein said substrate and said beams are single crystal silicon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said electrically isolated beam is at least partially released from and is relatively movable with respect to said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
A transistor microstructure comprising: a substrate; a beam fabricated from the material of said substrate, said beam being released from said substrate to be substantially completely physically and electrically isolated from said substrate; filament means interconnecting said beam and said substrate, said filament having a in the range dimension of about 20 nm; and transistor means in said filament.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
A transistor microstructure comprising: a substrate; a beam fabricated from the material of said substrate, said beam being released from said substrate to be substantially completely physically and electrically isolated from said substrate; filament means interconnecting said beam and said substrate, said filament having a in the range dimension of about 20 nm; and transistor means in said filament.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The structure of claim 18, wherein a first portion of said filament forms a gate electrode for said transistor means, and wherein said transistor means includes source and drain means formed on said substrate in contact with a second portion of said filament.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
A transistor microstructure, comprising a substrate; a plurality of isolated beams released from, electrically isolated from, and supported on said substrate; a transistor on at least a selected isolated beam; and connector beams intersecting selected isolated beams to form an array of beams.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
A transistor microstructure, comprising a substrate; a plurality of isolated beams released from, electrically isolated from, and supported on said substrate; a transistor on at least a selected isolated beam; and connector beams intersecting selected isolated beams to form an array of beams.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The structure of claim 20, wherein said plurality of isolated beams comprises a plurality of parallel beams supported as cantilevers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The structure of claim 20, wherein each said transistor includes electrodes on said isolated beams in contact with corresponding connector beam means, and further including interconnect lines electrically connected to selected connector beam means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The structure of claim 20, wherein said plurality of beams are coplanar and interconnected to form a transistor array.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The structure of claim 23, further including support means supporting said array in spaced relationship with respect to said substrate to electrically and mechanically isolate said beams from the substrate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The structure of claim 24, further including plural transistors on each said isolated beam, each transistor having corresponding connector beam means; and said structure further including interconnect means electrically coupled to selected connector beams.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The structure of claim 20, wherein said plurality of beams comprises at least a pair of isolated beams vertically spaced to form a stack, and further including connector beams for each said isolated beam.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The structure of claim 26, wherein each said isolated beam includes tip means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The structure of claim 27, further including means electrically interconnecting at least one corresponding connector beam to each of said isolated beams.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
62 words
The structure of claim 26, wherein said transistor has at least an electrode on one of said isolated beams, one of said connector beams being connected to said electrode, and means electrically interconnecting said one of said connector beams with a corresponding connector beam on a second of said isolated beams, whereby said second isolated beam forms a bus for said transistor.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The structure of claim 29, further including spring means mounting said isolated and connector beams for relative motion with respect to said substrate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The structure of claim 29, further including driver means for controlling the location of said beams.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
47 words
The structure of claim 20, wherein each said transistor includes a gate formed on its corresponding selected isolated beam, said corresponding isolated beam having source and drain regions adjacent to said gate, and further including connector means for providing electrical connections to said source, gate and drain.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
The structure of claim 32, wherein said connector means comprises at least one connector beam integral with said corresponding selected isolated beam.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
The structure of claim 32, wherein said connector means comprises at least one connector strip engaging said corresponding selected isolated beam.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
38 words
The structure of claim 32, wherein said corresponding selected isolated beam has a longitudinal axis, and wherein said transistor includes a gate extending longitudinally along said corresponding isolated beam and implanted source and drain regions adjacent said gate.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
41 words
The structure of claim 35, wherein said connector means includes first and second connector beams integral with said corresponding selected isolated beam and extending generally laterally therefrom, said first and second connector beams electrically contacting said source and drain regions, respectively.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
36 words
The structure of claim 32, wherein said corresponding selected isolated beam has a longitudinal axis, and wherein said transistor includes a gate extending laterally across said corresponding beam and source and drain regions adjacent said gate.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 32, further including means mounting said plurality of electrically isolated, released beams on said substrate, and further connector means for electrically interconnecting said transistors.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 38, wherein said mounting means includes walls formed on said substrate, said beams being secured as cantilevers to said walls.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
31 words
The structure of claim 38, wherein said mounting means includes walls formed on said substrate, said beams being resiliently secured to said walls for relative motion with respect to said substrate.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 38, wherein said mounting means comprises pedestal means on said substrate.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
43 words
A transistor microstructure, comprising: a semiconductive substrate; an electrically isolated beam fabricated from said semiconductive substrate and located within a cavity in said substrate; a dielectric support mounting said beam within said cavity; and a transistor fabricated within and carried by said beam.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
43 words
A transistor microstructure, comprising: a semiconductive substrate; an electrically isolated beam fabricated from said semiconductive substrate and located within a cavity in said substrate; a dielectric support mounting said beam within said cavity; and a transistor fabricated within and carried by said beam.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
13 words
The microstructure of claim 42, wherein said beam is released from said substrate.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
17 words
The microstructure of claim 43, wherein said dielectric support comprises an electrically insulating segment of said beam.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microstructure of claim 43, wherein said beam includes at least one current-carrying tip aligned with a corresponding tip on said substrate.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microstructure of claim 43, further including at least one released connector beam for connecting said isolated beam to an adjacent beam.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-03-13 | 1998-09-12 | 1999-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-03-13 | 2002-09-12 | 2003-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-03-13 | 2006-09-12 | 2007-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |