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US4673957A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Integrated circuit compatible thin film field effect transistor and method of making same

Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1984-08-03
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Granted: 1987-06-16
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Expires: 2004-08-03
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Abstract

Abstract There is disclosed integrated circuit compatible thin film field effect transistors which can be fabricated at low temperatures and operated at fast switching rates for use, for example, in video rate applications. The transistors include a silicon-germanium alloy body having a structure more ordered than amorphous material and less ordered than single crystalline material. The source and drain of the transistors are rectifying contacts formed on or in the body. Also disclosed are a method of making the transistors and an electronically addressable array system utilizing the transistors to advantage.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stanford R. Ovshinsky
  • 👤 Stephen J. Hudgens

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 10:42
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D86/00; H10D86/40; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/6704; H10D30/6713; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D62/00; H10D62/40; H10D62/80; H10D62/83; H10D62/832; H10D64/00; H10D64/60; H10D64/64; H10D64/647; H10D86/60; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P95/90

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim 59 words
An integrated circuit compatible thin film field effect transistor comprising: a silicon-germanium alloy body, said body having a structure more ordered than amorphous silicon-germanium semiconductor material and less ordered than single crystalline semiconductor material; source and drain electrodes of amorphous semiconductor material forming rectifying contacts with said body; and a gate electrode adjacent to and insulated from said body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 59 words
An integrated circuit compatible thin film field effect transistor comprising: a silicon-germanium alloy body, said body having a structure more ordered than amorphous silicon-germanium semiconductor material and less ordered than single crystalline semiconductor material; source and drain electrodes of amorphous semiconductor material forming rectifying contacts with said body; and a gate electrode adjacent to and insulated from said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 1 wherein said source and drain electrodes are formed on said body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 2 wherein said source and drain electrodes are deposits of a doped semiconductor on said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 3 wherein said amorphous semiconductor alloy includes silicon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 4 wherein said amorphous silicon alloy includes hydrogen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 4 wherein said amorphous silicon alloy includes fluorine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 3 wherein said body is p-type and said doped semiconductor is n-type.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 7 wherein said doped semiconductor includes phosphorus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 3 wherein said body is n-type and said doped semiconductor is p-type.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 1 wherein said body further includes hydrogen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 1 wherein said body further includes fluorine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 1 further including an insulative layer disposed between said gate electrode and said body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 12 wherein said insulative layer is formed from silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 20 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 1 wherein said gate electrode is formed from a metal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 18 words
The thin film field effect transistor as defined in claim 14 wherein said metal is chromium or aluminum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 175 words
An improved system for selectively addressing each element of an array of elements, said system including: a first set of address lines; a second set of address lines spaced from and crossing at an angle to said first set of address lines to form a plurality of crossover points therewith; each said crossover point being associated with a given one of said elements to be addressed; an isolation device associated with each said element to be addressed; and addressing circuitry coupled to said first and second sets of address lines for selectively applying addressing potentials to respective pairs of said first and second sets of address lines, said addressing circuitry including at least one integrated circuit compatible thin film field effect transistor, said transistor comprising a silicon-germanium alloy body, said body having a structure more ordered than amorphous silicon-germanium semiconductor material and less ordered than single crystalline semiconductor material, source and drain electrodes formed by amorphous semiconductor material providing rectifying contacts with said body, and a gate electrode adjacent to and insulated from said body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 175 words
An improved system for selectively addressing each element of an array of elements, said system including: a first set of address lines; a second set of address lines spaced from and crossing at an angle to said first set of address lines to form a plurality of crossover points therewith; each said crossover point being associated with a given one of said elements to be addressed; an isolation device associated with each said element to be addressed; and addressing circuitry coupled to said first and second sets of address lines for selectively applying addressing potentials to respective pairs of said first and second sets of address lines, said addressing circuitry including at least one integrated circuit compatible thin film field effect transistor, said transistor comprising a silicon-germanium alloy body, said body having a structure more ordered than amorphous silicon-germanium semiconductor material and less ordered than single crystalline semiconductor material, source and drain electrodes formed by amorphous semiconductor material providing rectifying contacts with said body, and a gate electrode adjacent to and insulated from said body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 25 words
The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said source and drain electrodes of said thin film field effect transistor are formed on said body.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system as defined in claim 17 wherein said source and drain electrodes are deposits of a doped semiconductor on said body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 14 words
The system as defined in claim 18 wherein said amorphous semiconductor alloy includes silicon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 14 words
The system as defined in claim 19 wherein said amorphous silicon alloy includes hydrogen.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 14 words
The system as defined in claim 19 wherein said amorphous silicon alloy includes fluorine.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system as defined in claim 18 wherein said body is p-type and said doped semiconductor is n-type.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 13 words
The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said doped semiconductor includes phosphorus.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system as defined in claim 18 wherein said body is n-type and said doped semiconductor is p-type.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said body of said thin film field effect transistor further includes hydrogen.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said body of said thin film field effect transistor further includes fluorine.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 27 words
The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said thin film field effect transistor further includes an insulative layer disposed between said gate electrode and said body.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system as defined in claim 27 wherein said insulative layer is formed from silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 23 words
The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said gate electrode of said thin film field effect transistor is formed from a metal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 14 words
The system as defined in claim 29 wherein said metal is chromium or aluminum.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said isolation devices are thin film field effect transistors including amorphous semiconductor alloy materials.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said isolation devices and said addressing circuitry including said thin film field effect transistor are formed on a common substrate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3304469A Cited
US3924320A Cited
US4226898A Cited
GB2067353A Cited
US4581620A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-06-15 1990-12-15 1991-06-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-06-15 1994-12-15 1995-06-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-06-15 1998-12-15 1999-06-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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