52 results about "Biaxial strain" patented technology

A device is provided. The device includes a substrate, an inorganic layer disposed over the substrate, and an organic layer disposed on the inorganic conductive or semiconductive layer, such that the organic layer is in direct physical contact with the inorganic conductive or semiconductive layer. The substrate is deformed such that there is a nominal radial or biaxial strain of at least 0.05% relative to a flat substrate at an interface between the inorganic layer and the organic layer. The nominal radial or biaxial strain may be higher, for example 1.5%. A method of making the device is also provided, such that the substrate is deformed after the inorganic layer and the organic layer are deposited onto the substrate.

The present invention provides a semiconductor device and a method of forming thereof, in which a uniaxial strain is produced in the device channel of the semiconductor device. The uniaxial strain may be in tension or in compression and is in a direction parallel to the device channel. The uniaxial strain can be produced in a biaxially strained substrate surface by strain inducing liners, strain inducing wells or a combination thereof. The uniaxial strain may be produced in a relaxed substrate by the combination of strain inducing wells and a strain inducing liner. The present invention also provides a means for increasing biaxial strain with strain inducing isolation regions. The present invention further provides CMOS devices in which the device regions of the CMOS substrate may be independently processed to provide uniaxially strained semiconducting surfaces in compression or tension.

The present invention provides a semiconductor device and a method of forming thereof, in which a uniaxial strain is produced in the device channel of the semiconductor device. The uniaxial strain may be in tension or in compression and is in a direction parallel to the device channel. The uniaxial strain can be produced in a biaxially strained substrate surface by strain inducing liners, strain inducing wells or a combination thereof. The uniaxial strain may be produced in a relaxed substrate by the combination of strain inducing wells and a strain inducing liner. The present invention also provides a means for increasing biaxial strain with strain inducing isolation regions. The present invention further provides CMOS devices in which the device regions of the CMOS substrate may be independently processed to provide uniaxially strained semiconducting surfaces in compression or tension.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for forming a strained semiconductor structure. In various embodiments, at least two strong bonding regions are defined for a desired bond between a crystalline semiconductor membrane and a crystalline semiconductor substrate. The two strong bonding regions are separated by a weak bonding region. The membrane is bonded to the substrate at a predetermined misorientation. The membrane is pinned to the substrate in the strong bonding regions. The predetermined misorientation provides the membrane in the weak bonding region with a desired strain. In various embodiments, the membrane is bonded to the substrate at a predetermined twist angle to biaxially strain the membrane in the weak bonding region. In various embodiments, the membrane is bonded to the substrate at a predetermined tilt angle to uniaxially strain the membrane in the weak bonding region. Other aspects are provided herein.

Exemplary embodiments provide for fabricating a biaxially strained nanosheet. Aspects of the exemplary embodiments include: growing an epitaxial crystalline initial superlattice having one or more periods, each of the periods comprising at least three layers, an active material layer, a first sacrificial material layer and a second sacrificial material layer, the first and second sacrificial material layers having different material properties; in each of the one or more periods, placing each of the active material layers between the first and second sacrificial material layers, wherein lattice constants of the first and second sacrificial material layers are different than the active material layer and impose biaxial stress in the active material layer; selectively etching away all of the first sacrificial material layers thereby exposing one surface of the active material for additional processing, while the biaxial strain in the active material layers is maintained by the second sacrificial material layers; and selectively etching away all of the second sacrificial material layers thereby exposing a second surface of the active material layers for additional processing.

A device is provided. The device includes a substrate, an inorganic layer disposed over the substrate, and an organic layer disposed on the inorganic conductive or semiconductive layer, such that the organic layer is in direct physical contact with the inorganic conductive or semiconductive layer. The substrate is deformed such that there is a nominal radial or biaxial strain of at least 0.05% relative to a flat substrate at an interface between the inorganic layer and the organic layer. The nominal radial or biaxial strain may be higher, for example 1.5%. A method of making the device is also provided, such that the substrate is deformed after the inorganic layer and the organic layer are deposited onto the substrate.

A method of fabricating a microelectronic die is provided. Transistors are formed in and on a semiconductor substrate. A channel of each transistor is stressed after the transistors are manufactured by first forming a diamond intermediate substrate at an elevated temperature on a handle substrate, allowing the intermediate substrate and the handle substrate to cool, and then removing the handle substrate. The intermediate substrate has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the handle substrate, so that the intermediate substrate tends to bow when the handle substrate is removed. Such bowing creates a tensile stress, which translates into a biaxial strain in channels of the transistors. Excessive bowing is counteracted with a compensating polysilicon layer formed at an elevated temperature and having a higher CTE on a side of the diamond intermediate substrate.

A process for forming contacts to a field effect transistor provides edge relaxation of a buried stressor layer, inducing strain in an initially relaxed surface semiconductor layer above the buried stressor layer. A process can start with a silicon or silicon-on-insulator substrate with a buried silicon germanium layer having an appropriate thickness and germanium concentration. Other stressor materials can be used. Trenches are etched through a pre-metal dielectric to the contacts of the FET. Etching extends further into the substrate, through the surface silicon layer, through the silicon germanium layer and into the substrate below the silicon germanium layer. The further etch is performed to a depth to allow for sufficient edge relaxation to induce a desired level of longitudinal strain to the surface layer of the FET. Subsequent processing forms contacts extending through the pre-metal dielectric and at least partially into the trenches within the substrate.

By combining a respectively adapted lattice mismatch between a first semiconductor material in a channel region and an embedded second semiconductor material in an source / drain region of a transistor, the strain transfer into the channel region is increased. According to one embodiment of the invention, the lattice mismatch may be adapted by a biaxial strain in the first semiconductor material. According to one embodiment, the lattice mismatch may be adjusted by a biaxial strain in the first semiconductor material. In particular, the strain transfer of strain sources including the embedded second semiconductor material as well as a strained overlayer is increased. According to one illustrative embodiment, regions of different biaxial strain may be provided for different transistor types.

By forming a stressed semiconductor material in a gate electrode, a biaxial tensile strain may be induced in the channel region, thereby significantly increasing the charge carrier mobility. This concept may be advantageously combined with additional strain-inducing sources, such as embedded strained semiconductor materials in the drain and source regions, thereby providing the potential for enhancing transistor performance without contributing to process complexity.

Wrinkling of thin films is a strain-driven process that enables scalable and low-cost fabrication of periodic micro and nano scale patterns. However, real-world application is limited by the inability of current tools to provide the means for applying large, accurate, and non-equal biaxial strains via a device that can fit within the vacuum chambers that are required for thin film deposition / growth during wrinkling. The present biaxial tensile stage is a compact system that enables one to apply large and accurate non-equal biaxial strains to elastomeric films. It consists of (i) fixtures to clamp and hold films onto the stage, (ii) linear bearings for motion guidance, (iii) integrated actuators for real-time stretch control, (iv) base with kinematic coupling for registration to a metrology system, and (v) the structural frame.

A method of forming a field effect transistor comprises providing a substrate comprising a biaxially strained layer of a semiconductor material. A gate electrode is formed on the biaxially strained layer of semiconductor material. A raised source region and a raised drain region are formed adjacent the gate electrode. Ions of a dopant material are implanted into the raised source region and the raised drain region to form an extended source region and an extended drain region. Moreover, in methods of forming a field effect transistor according to embodiments of the present invention, a gate electrode can be formed in a recess of a layer of semiconductor material. Thus, a field effect transistor wherein a source side channel contact region and a drain side channel contact region located adjacent a channel region are subject to biaxial strain can be obtained.

A method for achieving uniaxial strain on originally biaxial-strained thin films after uniaxial strain relaxation induced by ion implantation is provided. The biaxial-strained thin film receives ion implantation after being covered by a patterned implant block structure. The strain in the uncovered region is relaxed by ion implantation, which induces the lateral strain relaxation in the covered region. When the implant block structure is narrow (dimension is comparable to the film thickness), the original biaxial strain will relax uniaxially in the lateral direction.

The present invention provides a semiconductor device and a method of forming thereof, in which a uniaxial strain is produced in the device channel of the semiconductor device. The uniaxial strain may be in tension or in compression and is in a direction parallel to the device channel. The uniaxial strain can be produced in a biaxially strained substrate surface by strain inducing liners, strain inducing wells or a combination thereof. The uniaxial strain may be produced in a relaxed substrate by the combination of strain inducing wells and a strain inducing liner. The present invention also provides a means for increasing biaxial strain with strain inducing isolation regions. The present invention further provides CMOS devices in which the device regions of the CMOS substrate may be independently processed to provide uniaxially strained semiconducting surfaces in compression or tension.

Devices and methods for controlling magnetic anisotropy and orientation of magnetic single domain structures between stable states are provided based on piezoelectric thin films and patterned electrodes. By using patterned electrodes, piezoelectric strain is manipulated to achieve a highly localized biaxial strain in a piezoelectric substrate and rotate the magnetic anisotropy of magnetic materials. Reorientation of a magnetic single domain between different stable states is accomplished by pulsing voltage across pairs of electrodes. Since only a small region surrounding the electrodes is strained, the methods can be applied to arrays of indexed magnetic elements and to piezoelectric thin films clamped to silicon base substrates.

The torque detection device for a wave gearing comprises a strain gauge unit having a strain gauge pattern. The strain gauge pattern includes circular-arc shaped detection segments A and B, and three terminal portions for external wiring with one being formed between the detection segments and the others at opposite ends thereof. The strain gauge unit having the strain gauge pattern can be mounted on the diaphragm of a flexible external gear by a simple operation of positioning the strain gauge unit on the diaphragm and connecting the three terminal portions to the external wirings. Compared to the case where a large number of perpendicular biaxial strain gauges are positioned and wired to form a bridge circuit, the wiring operation can be simplified, the mounting space can be reduced, and errors in detected signals due to the positioning errors of the strain gauges can also be reduced.

By forming a stressed semiconductor material in a gate electrode, a biaxial tensile strain may be induced in the channel region, thereby significantly increasing the charge carrier mobility. This concept may be advantageously combined with additional strain-inducing sources, such as embedded strained semiconductor materials in the drain and source regions, thereby providing the potential for enhancing transistor performance without contributing to process complexity.

A method for achieving uniaxial strain on originally biaxial-strained thin films after uniaxial strain relaxation induced by ion implantation is provided. The biaxial-strained thin film receives ion implantation after being covered by a patterned implant block structure. The strain in the uncovered region is relaxed by ion implantation, which induces the lateral strain relaxation in the covered region. When the implant block structure is narrow (dimension is comparable to the film thickness), the original biaxial strain will relax uniaxially in the lateral direction.

An apparatus comprising a shape memory alloy is configured as a ring shaped sample holder for a transmission electron microscope and imparts uniform biaxial strain on a thin film mounted within. The sample holder responds to a change in temperature by changing the inner diameter, which imparts biaxial strain. In other embodiments, the sample holder is configured to change the inner diameter and change the strain on a thin film reversibly and repeatedly. In further embodiments, the sample holder is non circular. In still further embodiments, the apparatus is configured as a prime mover of a reversible radial actuator. Methods for making and using the apparatus are included in other embodiments.

A method for producing a bonded substrate having a Si1-xGex (0<x≦1) film in which a larger than ever biaxial strain has been introduced. Specifically, the method involves at least the steps of: providing a donor wafer and a handle wafer having a thermal expansion coefficient lower than the donor wafer, implanting ions of any one or both of hydrogen and a noble gas into the donor wafer to form an ion-implanted layer, performing a plasma activation treatment on at least one of bonding surfaces of the donor wafer and the handle wafer, bonding the donor wafer to the handle wafer, splitting the donor wafer through application of a mechanical impact to the ion-implanted layer, performing a surface treatment on a split surface of the donor wafer, and epitaxially growing a Si1-xGex (0<x≦1) film on the split surface to thus form a strained Si1-xGex (0<x≦1) film on the bonded wafers.

Wrinkling of thin films is a strain-driven process that enables scalable and low-cost fabrication of periodic micro and nano scale patterns. However, real-world application is limited by the inability of current tools to provide the means for applying large, accurate, and non-equal biaxial strains via a device that can fit within the vacuum chambers that are required for thin film deposition / growth during wrinkling. The present biaxial tensile stage is a compact system that enables one to apply large and accurate non-equal biaxial strains to elastomeric films. It consists of (i) fixtures to clamp and hold films onto the stage, (ii) linear bearings for motion guidance, (iii) integrated actuators for real-time stretch control, (iv) base with kinematic coupling for registration to a metrology system, and (v) the structural frame.

The invention discloses an experimental device for measuring pipe wall stress and frictional resistance coefficients. The experimental device comprises an air compressor, a first air bottle, a pressurizing pump, a plurality of pressure transmitters, a plurality of air storage branches, a plurality of high pressure horizontal pipelines, a plurality of biaxial strain rosettes, a plurality of differential pressure transducers, a plurality of pressure guide pipelines, a strain gauge, a data acquisition module, a computer, a plurality of elbows, a plurality of high pressure vertical pipelines, a second air bottle and a plurality of pressure returners. The invention further discloses an experimental method for measuring the pipe wall stress and frictional resistance coefficients by using the experimental device for measuring the pipe wall stress and frictional resistance coefficients. According to the method, the pipe wall stress and frictional resistance coefficients are measured according to data detected by the pressure transmitters, the differential pressure transducers and the strain gauge, and a guarantee is supplied to safe transportation of the petroleum industry.

The present disclosure provides a processing method for a polymer material to create a medical device with improved mechanical properties. This method allows better tailoring of the material's mechanical properties, hence a device to withstand greater structural loads in vivo. The method comprises providing an extruded polymer tube having an initial diameter and an initial length along a longitudinal direction, and longitudinally, bi-directionally straining the extruded polymer tube in a mold from the initial length to an expanded or extended length. The mold comprises a plurality of stationary heating elements. After longitudinally straining the tube, it is radially expanding in the mold from the initial diameter to an expanded diameter.

The invention discloses a method for realizing metasurface biaxial strain sensing by utilizing a polarization-phase-deformation relationship. According to the method, the strain condition of a to-be-detected structure is detected and evaluated by analyzing reflection data of multiple polarizations of a metasurface sensor. Compared with a traditional physical sensing method, the method can realizewireless and biaxial work, and is convenient to apply to a non-contact and complex environment; compared with a direct sensing method of a traditional metasurface type sensor based on frequency shiftor amplitude change, the strain sensing sensitivity of the sensing method is remarkably improved. The lantern-shaped metasurface unit structure designed by the invention has a high-sensitivity response relationship between an anisotropic phase and deformation, strain sensing of the metasurface is further obtained by means of derivation of the phase and polarization relationship, and stress can beaccurately detected and pre-judged.

Semiconductor material having a <110> crystal orientation silicon-containing layer and method of forming the same, the semiconductor material having enhanced electron and hole mobility, the material comprising a <110> crystal orientation silicon-containing layer under biaxial compressive strain . The term "biaxial compressive strain" is used herein to describe the net stress resulting from the longitudinal compressive stress and the lateral stress introduced on the silicon-containing layer during the fabrication of the semiconductor material. Other aspects of the invention relate to methods of forming the semiconductor materials of the invention. The method of the present invention includes providing a silicon <110> layer; and creating a biaxial strain in the silicon <110> layer.

A method for producing a bonded substrate having a Si1-xGex (0<x≦̸1) film in which a larger than ever biaxial strain has been introduced. Specifically, the method involves at least the steps of: providing a donor wafer and a handle wafer having a thermal expansion coefficient lower than the donor wafer, implanting ions of any one or both of hydrogen and a noble gas into the donor wafer to form an ion-implanted layer, performing a plasma activation treatment on at least one of bonding surfaces of the donor wafer and the handle wafer, bonding the donor wafer to the handle wafer, splitting the donor wafer through application of a mechanical impact to the ion-implanted layer, performing a surface treatment on a split surface of the donor wafer, and epitaxially growing a Si1-xGex (0<x≦̸1) film on the split surface to thus form a strained Si1-xGex (0<x≦̸1) film on the bonded wafers.