Abstract:
Exemplary embodiments provide for fabricating a nanosheet stack structure having one or more sub-stacks. Aspects of the exemplary embodiments include: growing an epitaxial crystalline initial stack of one or more sub-stacks, each of the sub-stacks having at least three layers, a sacrificial layer A, and at least two different non-sacrificial layers B and C having different material properties, wherein the non-sacrificial layers B and C layers are kept below a thermodynamic or kinetic critical thickness corresponding to metastability during all processing, and wherein the sacrificial layer An is placed only at a top or a bottom of each of the sub-stacks, and each of the sub-stacks is connected to an adjacent sub-stack at the top or the bottom using one of the sacrificial layers A; proceeding with fabrication flow of nanosheet devices, such that pillar structures are formed at each end of the epitaxial crystalline stack that to hold the nanosheets in place after selective etch of the sacrificial layers; and selectively removing sacrificial layers A to all non-sacrificial layers B and C, while the remaining layers in the stack are held in place by the pillar structures so that after removal of the sacrificial layers An, each of the sub-stacks contains the non-sacrificial layers B and C.
Abstract:
A field effect transistor includes a body layer comprising a crystalline semiconductor channel region therein, and a gate stack on the channel region. The gate stack includes a crystalline semiconductor gate layer, and a crystalline semiconductor gate dielectric layer between the gate layer and the channel region. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.
Abstract:
Methods of forming a semiconductor layer including germanium with low defectivity are provided. The methods may include sequentially forming a silicate glass layer, a diffusion barrier layer including nitride and an interfacial layer including oxide on a substrate. The methods may also include forming a first semiconductor layer on the interfacial layer and converting a portion of the first semiconductor layer into a second semiconductor layer having a germanium concentration therein that is higher than a germanium concentration of the first semiconductor layer.
Abstract:
A neuromorphic weight cell (NWC) including a resistor ladder including a plurality of resistors connected in series, and a plurality of shunting nonvolatile memory (NVM) elements, each of the shunting NVM elements being coupled in parallel to a corresponding one of the resistors.
Abstract:
A method of storing a sparse weight matrix for a trained artificial neural network in a circuit including a series of clusters. The method includes partitioning the sparse weight matrix into at least one first sub-block and at least one second sub-block. The first sub-block includes only zero-value weights and the second sub-block includes non-zero value weights. The method also includes assigning the non-zero value weights in the at least one second sub-block to at least one cluster of the series of clusters of the circuit. The circuit is configured to perform matrix-vector-multiplication (MVM) between the non-zero value weights of the at least one second sub-block and an input vector during an inference process utilizing the artificial neural network. The sub-blocks containing all zero elements are power gated, thereby reducing overall energy consumption for inference.
Abstract:
A non-volatile data retention circuit includes a complementary latch configured to generate and store complementary non-volatile spin states corresponding to an input signal when in a write mode, and to concurrently generate a first charge current signal and a second charge current corresponding to the complementary non-volatile spin states when in read mode, and a differential amplifier coupled to the complementary latch and configured to generate an output signal based on the first and second charge current signals.
Abstract:
A non-volatile data retention circuit includes a complementary latch configured to generate and store complementary non-volatile spin states corresponding to an input signal when in a write mode, and to concurrently generate a first charge current signal and a second charge current corresponding to the complementary non-volatile spin states when in read mode, and a differential amplifier coupled to the complementary latch and configured to generate an output signal based on the first and second charge current signals.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing metallic interconnects for an integrated circuit includes forming an interconnect layout including at least one line including a non-diffusing material, forming a diffusing barrier layer on the line, forming an opening extending completely through the diffusing barrier layer and exposing a portion of the line, depositing a diffusing layer on the diffusing barrier layer such that a portion of the diffusing layer contacts the portion of the line, and thermally reacting the diffusing layer to form the metallic interconnects. Thermally reacting the diffusing layer chemically diffuses a material of the diffusing layer into the at least one line and causes at least one crystalline grain to grow along a length of the at least one line from at least one nucleation site defined at an interface between the portions of the diffusing layer and the line.
Abstract:
A non-volatile data retention circuit includes a complementary latch configured to generate and store complementary non-volatile spin states corresponding to an input signal when in a write mode, and to concurrently generate a first charge current signal and a second charge current corresponding to the complementary non-volatile spin states when in read mode, and a differential amplifier coupled to the complementary latch and configured to generate an output signal based on the first and second charge current signals.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing metallic interconnects for an integrated circuit includes forming an interconnect layout including at least one line including a non-diffusing material, forming a diffusing barrier layer on the line, forming an opening extending completely through the diffusing barrier layer and exposing a portion of the line, depositing a diffusing layer on the diffusing barrier layer such that a portion of the diffusing layer contacts the portion of the line, and thermally reacting the diffusing layer to form the metallic interconnects. Thermally reacting the diffusing layer chemically diffuses a material of the diffusing layer into the at least one line and causes at least one crystalline grain to grow along a length of the at least one line from at least one nucleation site defined at an interface between the portions of the diffusing layer and the line.