Patents Examined by Cheung Lee
  • Patent number: 11973126
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods for the fabrication of gate-all-around (GAA) field effect transistors (FETs) with low power consumption. The method includes depositing a first and a second epitaxial layer on a substrate and etching trench openings in the first and second epitaxial layers and the substrate. The method further includes removing, through the trench openings, portions of the first epitaxial layer to form a gap between the second epitaxial layer and the substrate and depositing, through the trench openings, a first dielectric to fill the gap and form an isolation structure. In addition, the method includes depositing a second dielectric in the trench openings to form trench isolation structures and forming a transistor structure on the second epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shahaji B. More, Chun Hsiung Tsai
  • Patent number: 11972945
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having favorable electrical characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device is manufactured by a first step of forming a semiconductor layer containing a metal oxide, a second step of forming a first insulating layer, a third step of forming a first conductive film over the first insulating layer, a fourth step of etching part of the first conductive film to form a first conductive layer, thereby forming a first region over the semiconductor layer that overlaps with the first conductive layer and a second region over the semiconductor layer that does not overlap with the first conductive layer, and a fifth step of performing first treatment on the conductive layer. The first treatment is plasma treatment in an atmosphere including a mixed gas of a first gas containing an oxygen element but not containing a hydrogen element, and a second gas containing a hydrogen element but not containing an oxygen element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Okazaki, Yukinori Shima
  • Patent number: 11973145
    Abstract: A device comprises vertically oriented transistors. The device comprises a pillar comprising at least one oxide semiconductor material, the pillar wider in a first lateral direction at an upper portion thereof than at a lower portion thereof, a gate dielectric material over sidewalls of the pillar and extending in the first lateral direction, and at least one gate electrode adjacent to at least a portion of the gate dielectric material. Related devices, electronic systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Scott E. Sills
  • Patent number: 11967648
    Abstract: The impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor film is reduced, and a highly reliability can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masahiro Watanabe, Mitsuo Mashiyama, Kenichi Okazaki, Motoki Nakashima, Hideyuki Kishida
  • Patent number: 11961766
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with different gate structure configurations and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The method includes forming first and second nanostructured channel regions on first and second fin structures, forming first and second oxide layers with first and second thicknesses, forming a dielectric layer with first and second layer portions on the first and second oxide layers, forming first and second capping layers with first and second oxygen diffusivities on the first and second layer portions, growing the first and second oxide layers to have third and fourth thicknesses, and forming a gate metal fill layer over the dielectric layer. The first and second thicknesses are substantially equal to each other and the first and second oxide layers surround the first and second nanostructured channel regions. The second oxygen diffusivity is higher than the first oxygen diffusivity. The fourth thickness is greater than the third thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Chung-Liang Cheng
  • Patent number: 11956940
    Abstract: A memory cell comprises a nanowire structure comprising a channel region and source/drain regions of a transistor. The nanowire structure also comprises as first conductor of a capacitive device as a vertical extension of the nanowire structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Gerben Doornbos, Marcus Johannes Henricus Van Dal
  • Patent number: 11956948
    Abstract: A memory device includes a substrate, a first transistor and a second transistor, a first word line, a second word line, and a bit line. The first transistor and the second transistor are over the substrate and are electrically connected to each other, in which each of the first and second transistors includes first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers, a gate structure, and source/drain structures, in which the first semiconductor layers are in contact with the second semiconductor layers, and a width of the first semiconductor layers is narrower than a width of the second semiconductor layers. The first word line is electrically connected to the gate structure of the first transistor. The second word line is electrically connected to the gate structure of the second transistor. The bit line is electrically connected to a first one of the source/drain structures of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsin-Wen Su, Yu-Kuan Lin, Shih-Hao Lin, Lien-Jung Hung, Ping-Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 11955525
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate trench in the substrate, a gate insulating film in the gate trench, a titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film on the gate insulating film, the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film including a top surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a polysilicon-upper gate electrode film on the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film, and a gate capping film on the polysilicon-upper gate electrode film. A center portion of the top surface of the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film overlaps a center portion of the polysilicon-upper gate electrode film in a direction that is perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, and each of the first side surface and the second side surface of the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film is connected to the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junghwan Huh, Dongchan Kim, Dae Hyun Kim, Euiju Kim, Jisoo Lee
  • Patent number: 11948936
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a fin disposed in a first region of the semiconductor device, channel members disposed in a second region of the semiconductor device and stacked in a vertical direction, first and second metal gates disposed on a top surface of the fin, a third metal gate wrapping around each of the channel members, a first implant region in the fin with a first conductivity type, and a second implant region in the fin with a second conductivity opposite the first conductivity type. The fin includes first and second type epitaxial layers alternatingly disposed in the vertical direction. The first and second type epitaxial layers have different material compositions. The first type epitaxial layers and the channel members have the same material composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Hung Wang, Chih Chieh Yeh, Zi-Ang Su, Chia-Ju Chou, Ming-Shuan Li
  • Patent number: 11942370
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes the forming a first oxide over a substrate; depositing a first insulator over the first oxide; forming an opening reaching the first oxide in the first insulator; depositing a first oxide film in contact with the first oxide and the first insulator in the opening; depositing a first insulating film over the first oxide film by a PEALD method; depositing a first conductive film over the first insulating film; and removing part of the first oxide film, part of the first insulating film, and part of the first conductive film until a top surface of the first insulator is exposed to form a second oxide, a second insulator, and a first conductor. The deposition of the first insulating film is performed while the substrate is heated to higher than or equal to 300°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Naoki Okuno, Tetsuya Kakehata, Hiroki Komagata, Yuji Egi
  • Patent number: 11942497
    Abstract: An imaging device having a three-dimensional integration structure is provided. A first structure including a transistor including silicon in an active layer or an active region and a second structure including an oxide semiconductor in an active layer are fabricated. After that, the first and second structures are bonded to each other so that metal layers included in the first and second structures are bonded to each other; thus, an imaging device having a three-dimensional integration structure is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ikeda, Naoto Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 11943919
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a 2D material structure and a gate structure. The 2D material structure conformally extends on and between surfaces of dielectric fin structures extending in parallel in a first horizontal direction, and comprises a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned between the source region and the drain region in the first horizontal direction. The gate structure overlies the channel region of the 2D material structure and extends in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction. The gate structure is within horizontal boundaries of the channel region of the 2D material structure in the first horizontal direction. Microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Akira Goda, Sanh D. Tang, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Litao Yang, Haitao Liu
  • Patent number: 11935957
    Abstract: Semiconductor device structures having gate structures with tunable threshold voltages are provided. Various geometries of device structure can be varied to tune the threshold voltages. In some examples, distances from tops of fins to tops of gate structures can be varied to tune threshold voltages. In some examples, distances from outermost sidewalls of gate structures to respective nearest sidewalls of nearest fins to the respective outermost sidewalls (which respective gate structure overlies the nearest fin) can be varied to tune threshold voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Chiang Wu, Wei-Chin Lee, Shih-Hang Chiu, Chia-Ching Lee, Hsueh Wen Tsau, Cheng-Yen Tsai, Cheng-Lung Hung, Da-Yuan Lee, Ching-Hwanq Su
  • Patent number: 11935790
    Abstract: Disclosed are a field effect transistor and a method of manufacturing the same. The field effect transistor includes a source electrode on a substrate, a drain electrode separated from the source electrode, and channels connected between the source electrode and the drain electrode, gate insulating layers, and a gate electrode. The channels may have a hollow closed cross-sectional structure when viewed in a first cross-section formed by a plane across the source electrode and the drain electrode in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. The gate insulating layers may be in the channels. The gate electrode may be insulated from the source electrode and the drain electrode by the gate insulating layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minsu Seol, Minhyun Lee, Junyoung Kwon, Hyeonjin Shin, Minseok Yoo
  • Patent number: 11929286
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes fins that have a 2D material, such as Graphene, upon at least the fin sidewalls. The thickness of the 2D material sidewall may be tuned to achieve desired finFET band gap control. Neighboring fins of the semiconductor structure form fin wells. The semiconductor structure may include a fin cap upon each fin and the 2D material is formed upon the sidewalls of the fin and the bottom surface of the fin wells. The semiconductor structure may include a well-plug at the bottom of the fin wells and the 2D material is formed upon the sidewalls and upper surface of the fins. The semiconductor structure may include both fin caps and well-plugs such that the 2D material is formed upon the sidewalls of the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Tessera LLC
    Inventors: Sami Rosenblatt, Rasit O. Topaloglu
  • Patent number: 11929372
    Abstract: An integrated device, the device including: a first level including a first mono-crystal layer, the first mono-crystal layer including a plurality of single crystal transistors; an overlying oxide disposed on top of the first level; a second level including a second mono-crystal layer, the second level overlaying the oxide, where the second mono-crystal layer includes a plurality of image sensors, where the second level is bonded to the first level with an oxide to oxide bond; a plurality of pixel control circuits; a plurality of memory circuits; and a third level disposed underneath the first level, where the third level includes a plurality of third transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Monolithic 3D Inc.
    Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Deepak C. Sekar, Brian Cronquist
  • Patent number: 11923432
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a multi-layer stack of alternating first layers of a first semiconductor material and second layers of a second semiconductor material on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first recess through the multi-layer stack, and laterally recessing sidewalls of the second layers of the multi-layer stack. The sidewalls are adjacent to the first recess. The method further includes forming inner spacers with respective seams adjacent to the recessed second layers of the multi-layer stack and performing an anneal treatment on the inner spacers to close the respective seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoh-Rong Liu, Wen-Kai Lin, Che-Hao Chang, Chi On Chui, Yung-Cheng Lu, Li-Chi Yu, Sen-Hong Syue
  • Patent number: 11923196
    Abstract: A first capping layer is deposited over a substrate. A network of nanowires is grown over the first capping layer. A second capping layer is deposited over the network of nanowires. The substrate is etched to form a frame of a pellicle. The first capping layer and the second capping layer are patterned to form a membrane of the pellicle, wherein the patterning reduces a material of the first capping layer and the second capping layer to form a coating on the nanowires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Yun-Yue Lin, Chen-Chieh Yu
  • Patent number: 11923249
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which fluctuation in electric characteristics due to miniaturization is less likely to be caused is provided. The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor film including a first region, a pair of second regions in contact with side surfaces of the first region, and a pair of third regions in contact with side surfaces of the pair of second regions; a gate insulating film provided over the oxide semiconductor film; and a first electrode that is over the gate insulating film and overlaps with the first region. The first region is a CAAC oxide semiconductor region. The pair of second regions and the pair of third regions are each an amorphous oxide semiconductor region containing a dopant. The dopant concentration of the pair of third regions is higher than the dopant concentration of the pair of second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11915998
    Abstract: In one example, a semiconductor device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, an electronic device on the bottom surface of the substrate, a leadframe on the bottom surface of the substrate, the leadframe comprising a paddle, wherein the paddle is coupled to the electronic device, and a lead electrically coupled to the electronic device. The semiconductor device further comprises a first protective material contacting the bottom surface of the substrate and a side surface of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Amkor Technology Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyung Jun Cho, Kyoung Yeon Lee, Tae Yong Lee, Jae Min Bae