Patents by Inventor Chen-Ping Chen

Chen-Ping Chen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240170543
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes selective use of a cladding layer during the fabrication process to provide critical dimension uniformity. The cladding layer can be formed before forming a recess in an active channel structure or can be formed after filling a recess in an active channel structure with dielectric material. These techniques can be used in semiconductor structures such as gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures implemented in an integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuei-Yu KAO, Shih-Yao LIN, Chen-Ping CHEN, Chih-Han LIN, Ming-Ching CHANG, Chao-Cheng CHEN
  • Patent number: 11955385
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first stack structure, a second stack structure, and a third stack structure. Each of the stack structure includes semiconductor layers vertically spaced from one another. The first, second, and third stack structures all extend along a first lateral direction. The second stack structure is disposed between the first and third stack structures. The semiconductor device includes a first gate structure that extends along a second lateral direction and wraps around each of the semiconductor layers. The semiconductor layers of the first stack structure are coupled with respective source/drain structures. The semiconductor layers of the second stack structure are coupled with respective source/drain structures. The semiconductor layers of the third stack structure are coupled with a dielectric passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chih-Han Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Hsiao Wen Lee
  • Patent number: 11942363
    Abstract: A method includes etching a semiconductor substrate to form a trench, with the semiconductor substrate having a sidewall facing the trench, and depositing a first semiconductor layer extending into the trench. The first semiconductor layer includes a first bottom portion at a bottom of the trench, and a first sidewall portion on the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate. The first sidewall portion is removed to reveal the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate. The method further includes depositing a second semiconductor layer extending into the trench, with the second semiconductor layer having a second bottom portion over the first bottom portion, and a second sidewall portion contacting the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate. The second sidewall portion is removed to reveal the sidewall of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Kuei-Yu Kao, Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Han Lin
  • Patent number: 11923440
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming semiconductor fins on a substrate. A first dummy gate is formed over the semiconductor fins. A recess is formed in the first dummy gate, and the recess is disposed between the semiconductor fins. A dummy fin material is formed in the recess. A portion of the dummy fin material is removed to expose an upper surface of the first dummy gate and to form a dummy fin. A second dummy gate is formed on the exposed upper surface of the first dummy gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Kuei-Yu Kao, Hsiao Wen Lee, Chih-Han Lin
  • Patent number: 11908903
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes selective use of a cladding layer during the fabrication process to provide critical dimension uniformity. The cladding layer can be formed before forming a recess in an active channel structure or can be formed after filling a recess in an active channel structure with dielectric material. These techniques can be used in semiconductor structures such as gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures implemented in an integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kuei-Yu Kao, Shih-Yao Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Ming-Ching Chang, Chao-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11908746
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor layers vertically separated from one another. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure that comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion wraps around each of the plurality of semiconductor layers. The semiconductor device includes a gate spacer that extends along a sidewall of the upper portion of the gate structure and has a bottom surface. A portion of the bottom surface of the gate spacer and a top surface of a topmost one of the plurality of semiconductor layers form an angle that is less than 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuei-Yu Kao, Chao-Cheng Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Ming-Ching Chang, Shih-Yao Lin, Chih-Chung Chiu
  • Publication number: 20240014293
    Abstract: Provided are devices with replacement structures and methods for fabricating such structures. A method includes forming a layer over a semiconductor material having a top surface in a horizontal plane; forming a dummy structure over the layer, wherein the dummy structure has sidewall, wherein the dummy structure lies directly over a first region of the layer and over a first region of the semiconductor material under the first region of the layer, and wherein the dummy structure does not lie directly over a second region of the layer or over a second region of the semiconductor material under the second region of the layer, and removing the second region of the layer and forming a side edge of the first region of the layer, wherein the side edge forms an angle of from 90 to 100 degrees with the horizontal plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuei-Yu Kao, Shih-Yao Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Chung Chiu, Chih-Han Li, Ming-Ching Chang, Chao-Cheng Chen
  • Publication number: 20240014073
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A plurality of fins is formed over a substrate. Dummy gates are formed patterned over the fins, each dummy gate having a spacer on sidewalls of the patterned dummy gates. Recesses are formed in the fins using the patterned dummy gates as a mask. A passivation layer is formed over the fins and in the recesses in the fins. The passivation layer is patterned to leave a remaining passivation layer only in some of the recesses in the fins. Source and drain regions are epitaxially formed only in the recesses in the fins without the remaining passivation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chao-Cheng Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Ming-Ching Chang, Chia-Hao Yu, Hsiao Wen Lee
  • Patent number: 11854899
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A plurality of fins is formed over a substrate. Dummy gates are formed patterned over the fins, each dummy gate having a spacer on sidewalls of the patterned dummy gates. Recesses are formed in the fins using the patterned dummy gates as a mask. A passivation layer is formed over the fins and in the recesses in the fins. The passivation layer is patterned to leave a remaining passivation layer only in some of the recesses in the fins. Source and drain regions are epitaxially formed only in the recesses in the fins without the remaining passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chao-Cheng Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Ming-Ching Chang, Chia-Hao Yu, Hsiao Wen Lee
  • Publication number: 20230411483
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: an isolation region; nanostructures protruding above a top surface of the isolation region; a gate structure wrapped around the nanostructures, the gate structure having a bottom surface contacting the isolation region, the bottom surface of the gate structure extending away from the nanostructures a first distance, the gate structure having a sidewall disposed a second distance from the nanostructures, the first distance less than or equal to the second distance; and a hybrid fin on the sidewall of the gate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Hsiaowen Lee, Chih-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20230411478
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure in which first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers are alternately stacked over a bottom fin structure protruding from a substrate, is formed. A sacrificial gate structure is formed over the fin structure. A source/drain region of the fin structure is etched, thereby forming a source/drain space. The first semiconductor layers are laterally etched through the source/drain space. An inner spacer is formed on an end of each of the etched first semiconductor layers. One or more epitaxial layers are formed in the source/drain space, and the sacrificial gate structure is replaced with a metal gate structure. A width of the source/drain space at a bottommost one of the first semiconductor layers is greater than a width of the source/drain space at one of the first semiconductor layers above the bottommost one of the first semiconductor layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kuei-Yu KAO, Shih-Yao LIN, Chen-Ping CHEN, Chih-Han LIN, Ming-Ching CHANG, Chao-Cheng CHEN
  • Patent number: 11842929
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of channel layers vertically separated from one another. The semiconductor device also includes an active gate structure comprising a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion wraps around each of the plurality of channel layers. The semiconductor device further includes a gate spacer extending along a sidewall of the upper portion of the active gate structure. The gate spacer has a bottom surface. Moreover, a dummy gate dielectric layer is disposed between the gate spacer and a topmost channel layer of plurality of channel layers. The dummy gate dielectric layer is in contact with a top surface of the topmost channel layer, the bottom surface of the gate spacer, and the sidewall of the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuei-Yu Kao, Shih-Yao Lin, Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Chung Chiu, Chen-Yui Yang, Ke-Chia Tseng, Hsien-Chung Huang, Chih-Han Lin, Ming-Ching Chang, Chao-Cheng Chen
  • Publication number: 20230395677
    Abstract: A cyclic process including an etching process, a passivation process, and a pumping out process is provided to prevent over etching of the sacrificial gate electrode, particularly when near a high-k dielectric feature. The cyclic process solves the problems of failed gate electrode layer at an end of channel region and enlarges filling windows for replacement gate structures, thus improving channel control. Compared to state-of-art solutions, embodiments of the present disclosure also enlarge volume of source/drain regions, thus improving device performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Kuei-Yu KAO, Shih-Yao LIN, Chen-Ping CHEN, Chih-Chung CHIU, Ke-Chia TSENG, Chih-Han LIN, Ming-Ching CHANG, Chao-Cheng CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230387272
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming semiconductor fins on a substrate. A first dummy gate is formed over the semiconductor fins. A recess is formed in the first dummy gate, and the recess is disposed between the semiconductor fins. A dummy fin material is formed in the recess. A portion of the dummy fin material is removed to expose an upper surface of the first dummy gate and to form a dummy fin. A second dummy gate is formed on the exposed upper surface of the first dummy gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao LIN, Chen-Ping Chen, Kuei-Yu Kao, Hsiao Wen Lee, Chih-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20230343849
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate including a semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a conduction channel of a transistor disposed above the substrate. The conduction channel and the substrate include a similar semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a source/drain region extending from an end of the conduction channel. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric structure. The source/drain region is electrically coupled to the conduction channel and electrically isolated from the substrate by the dielectric structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Ming-Ching Chang, Chao-Cheng Chen
  • Publication number: 20230326990
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed towards semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor devices. The methods include forming fins in a device region and forming other fins in a multilayer stack of semiconductor materials in a multi-channel device region. A topmost nanostructure may be exposed in the multi-channel device region by removing a sacrificial layer from the top of the multilayer stack. Once removed, a stack of nanostructures are formed from the multilayer stack. A native oxide layer is formed to a first thickness over the topmost nanostructure and to a second thickness over the remaining nanostructures of the stack, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness. A gate dielectric is formed over the fins in the device region. A gate electrode is formed over the gate dielectric in the device region and surrounding the native oxide layer in the multi-channel device region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chih-Chung Chiu, Kuei-Yu Kao, Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Han Lin
  • Patent number: 11769821
    Abstract: A device includes a fin protruding from a semiconductor substrate; a gate stack over and along a sidewall of the fin; a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate stack and along the sidewall of the fin; an epitaxial source/drain region in the fin and adjacent the gate spacer; and a corner spacer between the gate stack and the gate spacer, wherein the corner spacer extends along the sidewall of the fin, wherein a first region between the gate stack and the sidewall of the fin is free of the corner spacer, wherein a second region between the gate stack and the gate spacer is free of the corner spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chen-Ping Chen, Kuei-Yu Kao, Shih-Yao Lin, Chih-Han Lin, Ming-Ching Chang, Chao-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11721741
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate including a semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a conduction channel of a transistor disposed above the substrate. The conduction channel and the substrate include a similar semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a source/drain region extending from an end of the conduction channel. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric structure. The source/drain region is electrically coupled to the conduction channel and electrically isolated from the substrate by the dielectric structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Ming-Ching Chang, Chao-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11715779
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed towards semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor devices. The methods include forming fins in a device region and forming other fins in a multilayer stack of semiconductor materials in a multi-channel device region. A topmost nanostructure may be exposed in the multi-channel device region by removing a sacrificial layer from the top of the multilayer stack. Once removed, a stack of nanostructures are formed from the multilayer stack. A native oxide layer is formed to a first thickness over the topmost nanostructure and to a second thickness over the remaining nanostructures of the stack, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness. A gate dielectric is formed over the fins in the device region. A gate electrode is formed over the gate dielectric in the device region and surrounding the native oxide layer in the multi-channel device region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chih-Chung Chiu, Kuei-Yu Kao, Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20230215933
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure including a stacked layer of first and second semiconductor layers and a hard mask layer over the stacked layer is formed. A sacrificial cladding layer is formed over at least sidewalls of the exposed hard mask layer and stacked layer. An etching is performed to remove lateral portions of the sacrificial cladding layer, thereby leaving the sacrificial cladding layer on sidewalls of the exposed hard mask layer and stacked layer. A first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer made of a different material than the first dielectric layer are formed. The second dielectric layer is recessed, and a third dielectric layer made of a different material than the second dielectric layer is formed on the recessed second dielectric layer. During the etching operation, a protection layer is formed over the sacrificial cladding layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Shu-Wen SHEN, Chen-Ping CHEN