US5886368A — Transistor with silicon oxycarbide gate and metho…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 51 words

A transistor comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; and a gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 51 words

A transistor comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; and a gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

The transistor of claim 1, wherein w is a value that is selected to establish a desired barrier energy between the gate and the insulator.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 16 words

The transistor of claim 1, wherein the value of w is approximately between 0 and 0.4.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 16 words

The transistor of claim 1, wherein the value of w is approximately between 0.5 and 1.0.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The transistor of claim 1, wherein the value of the barrier energy is approximately between 0 eV and 2.8 eV.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The transistor of claim 5, wherein the value of the barrier energy is approximately between 0 eV and 2.0 eV.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 13 words

The transistor of claim 1, wherein the insulator is formed of silicon dioxide.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

The transistor of claim 1, wherein the transistor is formed in a substrate selected from the group consisting essentially of a bulk semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The transistor of claim 1, wherein the gate is formed of a material selected from the group consisting essentially of a polycrystalline silicon oxycarbide compound and a microcrystalline silicon oxycarbide compound.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 67 words

A transistor comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; an electrically isolated floating gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0; and a control gate, separated from the floating gate by an intergate dielectric.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 67 words

A transistor comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; an electrically isolated floating gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0; and a control gate, separated from the floating gate by an intergate dielectric.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The transistor of claim 10, wherein w is a value that is selected to establish a desired barrier energy between the floating gate and the insulator.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 14 words

The transistor of claim 10, wherein the intergate dielectric is formed of silicon dioxide.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

The transistor of claim 10, wherein w is selected to provide a desired charge retention time of the floating gate.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 19 words

The transistor of claim 10, wherein the transistor operates as an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) cell.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 13 words

The transistor of claim 10, wherein the transistor operates as an imaging device.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 28 words

The transistor of claim 10, wherein w is selected such that the floating gate absorbs incident photons and emits stored electrons in response to the absorbed incident photons.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 25 words

The transistor of claim 16, wherein the floating gate is sensitive to incident photons of a wavelength that is established by the predetermined value w.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 29 words

The transistor of claim 16, wherein the emission of electrons from the floating gate in response to incident photons changes a current conductance between the source and drain regions.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 84 words

An imaging device comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; and a floating gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0 that is selected to establish a desired barrier energy between the floating gate and the insulator for emission of charge from the floating gate in response to absorbed incident photons.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 84 words

An imaging device comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; and a floating gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0 that is selected to establish a desired barrier energy between the floating gate and the insulator for emission of charge from the floating gate in response to absorbed incident photons.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

The device of claim 19, further comprising a control gate located adjacent to the floating gate and separated therefrom by an interlayer dielectric.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 16 words

The device of claim 19, wherein the value of w is approximately between 0 and 0.4.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 19, wherein the value of the barrier energy is approximately between 0 eV and 2.8 eV.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 23 words

The device of claim 19, wherein the w is selected to establish an incident photon wavelength to which the floating gate is sensitive.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 29 words

The device of claim 19, wherein the emission of electrons from the floating gate in response to incident photons changes a current conductance between the source and drain regions.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 99 words

A memory device comprising: a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell includes a transistor comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; a floating gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0 that is selected to establish a desired barrier energy between the floating gate and the insulator; and a control gate located adjacent to the floating gate and separated therefrom by an interlayer dielectric.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 99 words

A memory device comprising: a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell includes a transistor comprising: a source region; a drain region; a channel region between the source and drain regions; a floating gate separated from the channel region by an insulator, the floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , wherein w is a value approximately between 0 and 1.0 that is selected to establish a desired barrier energy between the floating gate and the insulator; and a control gate located adjacent to the floating gate and separated therefrom by an interlayer dielectric.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 24 words

The memory device of claim 25, further comprising: a row decoder; a column decoder; a voltage control circuit; and a command and control circuit.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 25 words

The memory device of claim 26, further comprising a processor for providing address and control signals for selectively accessing particular ones of the memory cells.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 16 words

The device of claim 27, wherein the value of w is approximately between 0.5 and 1.0.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 27, wherein the value of the barrier energy is approximately between 0 eV and 2.8 eV.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 21 words

The device of claim 27, wherein a charge retention time of the floating gate is established by the predetermined value w.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 22 words

The device according to claim 27, wherein the memory device is a flash electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM) device.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 97 words

A method using a transistor having a floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , the method comprising the steps of: selecting w at a predetermined value approximately between 0 and 1.0 to establish a value of a barrier energy between the floating gate and an insulator; storing data as charge on the floating gate; reading data by detecting a conductance between source and drain regions of the transistor, wherein the conductance varies based on the stored data charge on the floating gate; and erasing data by removing charge from the floating gate.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 97 words

A method using a transistor having a floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w , the method comprising the steps of: selecting w at a predetermined value approximately between 0 and 1.0 to establish a value of a barrier energy between the floating gate and an insulator; storing data as charge on the floating gate; reading data by detecting a conductance between source and drain regions of the transistor, wherein the conductance varies based on the stored data charge on the floating gate; and erasing data by removing charge from the floating gate.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 32, wherein w is selected to provide a value of the barrier energy that is approximately between 0 eV and 2.8 eV.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 32, wherein w is selected at a value that is approximately between 0.5 and 1.0.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 32, wherein the gate is a floating gate and w is selected to provide a desired charge retention time of the floating gate.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 35, wherein the charge retention time is approximately between 1 second and 10 6 years, as determined by the selected value of w.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 92 words

A method using a transistor having a floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w3 the method comprising the steps of: selecting w at a value approximately between 0 and 1.0 to establish a wavelength of incident light absorption to which the floating gate is sensitive; storing charge on the floating gate; receiving incident light at the floating gate, thereby removing at least a portion of the stored charge from the floating gate by the photoelectric effect; and detecting a charge in conductance between the transistor source and drain.

Claim 43

Independent Claim 92 words

A method using a transistor having a floating gate formed of a silicon oxycarbide compound SiO.sub.(2-2w) C w3 the method comprising the steps of: selecting w at a value approximately between 0 and 1.0 to establish a wavelength of incident light absorption to which the floating gate is sensitive; storing charge on the floating gate; receiving incident light at the floating gate, thereby removing at least a portion of the stored charge from the floating gate by the photoelectric effect; and detecting a charge in conductance between the transistor source and drain.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 37, wherein w is selected to provide sensitivity to infrared light.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 37, wherein w is selected to provide sensitivity to visible light.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 37, wherein w is selected to provide sensitivity to ultraviolet light.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-03-22	2002-09-21	2003-03-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-03-22	2006-09-21	2007-03-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-03-22	2010-09-21	2011-03-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Transistor with silicon oxycarbide gate and methods of fabrication and use

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