MonolithIC 3D Inc., a Silicon Valley startup, announced today that the USPTO has issued MonolithIC 3D three additional patents on monolithic 3D IC, 3D logic and integration with image sensor or micro display, and 3D Memories. This milestone increases the company’s portfolio of issued patents from 7 to 10 over the previous ten months. These issued patents are joined by over 50 pending applications. This makes the company one of the key players in the 3D-IC field. On the company’s webpage you can find the complete list of issued patents and details about the innovative technology it provides.
The first issued patent this month, US #8,148,728, describes monolithic 3D devices utilizing junction-less transistors. Junction-less transistors were proposed in the very early days of the semiconductor industry. This type of transistor has become very attractive at feature sizes of 20 nm and below. Monolithic 3D provides a very attractive alternative to dimensional scaling especially in view of the uncertainty and costs associated with next generation lithography. Zvi Or-Bach, President and CEO of MonolithIC 3D Inc., said, “We are very pleased for being granted these fundamental patents recognizing the company’s monolithic 3D IC enabling breakthrough. MonolithIC 3D Inc. is committed to the promotion of the 3D IC as the preferred path to continue device integration per Moores’ Law. We believe these issued patents will help us motivate early adopters to bring monolithic 3D IC to the market”.
The second patent issued, US #8,153,499, provides very broad coverage for the company’s monolithic 3D IC technology, and US #8,163,581 extends the company’s patent coverage to Electro-Optic devices such as the multi-Spectrum image sensor and the micro-display. “The USPTO has continued to recognize the innovative methods, devices, and systems that MonolithIC 3D Inc. is bringing to the semiconductor industry. We will continue to expand our IP portfolio with practical monolithic 3D IC solutions”, said Brian Cronquist, VP of Technology & IP at MonolithIC 3D Inc.
Further details of MonolithIC 3D Inc.’s technologies are available on its website. The company’s business model involves Intellectual Property (IP) Licensing to partners who then take the technology to manufacturing.
