Michael A Mian

US Patent:

6956269, Oct 18, 2005

Filed:

Dec 22, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/744252

Inventors:

Vladislav Vashchenko - Palo Alto CA, US
Michael Mian - Livermore CA, US
Peter J. Hopper - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L029/82

US Classification:

257421, 257252, 257427

Abstract:

Spin-based microelectronic devices can be realized by utilizing spin-polarized ferromagnetic materials positioned near, or embedded in, a semiconductor channel of a microelectronic device. Applying an electric field across the channel can cause carriers flowing through the channel to deviate toward one of the ferromagnetic materials, such that the spin of the carriers tends to align with the spin polarization of the respective material. Such a process allows for the controlled spin-polarization of carriers in a semiconductor channel, and hence the development of spin-based microelectronics, without having to inject spin-polarized carriers from a ferromagnet into a semiconductor channel. Such a process avoids the Schottky barrier problem plaguing existing approaches to spin-based microelectronics, while allowing the devices to be based on silicon substrates that are well-known and used in the industry.

US Patent:

6963091, Nov 8, 2005

Filed:

Dec 22, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/743845

Inventors:

Vladislav Vashchenko - Palo Alto CA, US
Michael Mian - Livermore CA, US
Peter J. Hopper - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L029/66

US Classification:

257213, 257295

Abstract:

Spin-based microelectronic devices can be realized by utilizing ferromagnetic structures that make good ohmic contact with silicon, in order to avoid the Schottky barrier problem plaguing existing approaches to spin-based microelectronics, while allowing the devices to be based on silicon substrates, which are well-known and used in the industry. Thin layers of metal silicide, such as CoSiand NiSi, are used as an intermediate layer between ferromagnetic contacts, such as cobalt and nickel contacts, and the silicon substrate. The thin silicide layers provide good ohmic contact between the ferromagnetic contacts and silicon, such that spin-polarized carriers can be injected into the silicon, and detected out of the silicon, without loss of spin polarization.

US Patent:

7022532, Apr 4, 2006

Filed:

Aug 31, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/216980

Inventors:

Vladislav Vashchenko - Palo Alto CA, US
Michael Mian - Livermore CA, US
Peter J. Hopper - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/00

US Classification:

438 3, 438308

Abstract:

Spin-based microelectronic devices can be realized by utilizing ferromagnetic structures that make good ohmic contact with silicon, in order to avoid the Schottky barrier problem plaguing existing approaches to spin-based microelectronics, while allowing the devices to be based on silicon substrates, which are well-known and used in the industry. Thin layers of metal silicide, such as CoSiand NiSi, are used as an intermediate layer between ferromagnetic contacts, such as cobalt and nickel contacts, and the silicon substrate. The thin silicide layers provide good ohmic contact between the ferromagnetic contacts and silicon, such that spin-polarized carriers can be injected into the silicon, and detected out of the silicon, without loss of spin polarization.

US Patent:

7301212, Nov 27, 2007

Filed:

Jul 30, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/909190

Inventors:

Michael Mian - Livermore CA, US
Robert Drury - Santa Clara CA, US
Peter J. Hopper - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 29/84

US Classification:

257415, 257416, 257419

Abstract:

The sensitivity of a MEMS microphone is substantially increased by using a portion of the package that holds the MEMS microphone as the diaphragm or a part of the diaphragm. As a result, the diaphragm of the present invention is substantially larger, and thus more sensitive, than the diaphragm in a comparably-sized MEMS microphone die.