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IBM Assigned Patent for Ultra-Thin SOI Vertical Bipolar Transistors

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

International Business Machines has been assigned a patent for ultra-thin SOI vertical bipolar transistors with an inversion collector on thin-buried oxide (BOX) for low substrate-bias operation and methods. Developed by six co-inventors, the patent (7,911,024) aims to simplify the integration scheme and reduce manufacturing costs. The invention provides a "collector-less" silicon-on-insulator (SOI) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) that uses a back gate-induced, minority carrier inversion layer as the intrinsic collector. This design allows for a CMOS-like process, reducing substrate bias and enabling the use of a conventional SOI starting wafer with a thick BOX.

Key Takeaways:

  • The patent, developed by six co-inventors, aims to simplify the integration scheme and reduce manufacturing costs for ultra-thin SOI vertical bipolar transistors.
  • The invention provides a "collector-less" silicon-on-insulator (SOI) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) with a back gate-induced, minority carrier inversion layer as the intrinsic collector.
  • The design allows for a CMOS-like process, reducing substrate bias and enabling the use of a conventional SOI starting wafer with a thick BOX.
  • The reduced BOX thickness underneath the bipolar devices allows for a significantly reduced substrate bias compatible with the CMOS to be applied.
  • The patent application was filed on Feb. 17, 2010, with the full-text of the patent available at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,911,024.PN. &OS=PN/7,911,024&RS=PN/7,911,024
  • The co-inventors include Herbert L. Ho, Mahender Kumar, Qiqing Ouyang, Paul A. Papworth, Christopher D. Sheraw, and Michael D. Steigerwalt.

Statistics:

  • Patent number: 7,911,024
  • File date: Feb. 17, 2010 (12/707,305)
  • Full-text patent: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,911,024.PN. &OS=PN/7,911,024&RS=PN/7,911,024

Sources:

  • US Patent and Trademark Office
  • Patent application 12/707,305 (filed Feb. 17, 2010)
  • Full-text patent: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,911,024.PN. &OS=PN/7,911,024&RS=PN/7,911,024

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