Patents by Inventor Chi-chun Liu

Chi-chun Liu 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).

  • Patent number: 10475660
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes disposing a first hard mask (HM), amorphous silicon, and second HM on a substrate; disposing oxide and neutral layers on the second HM; removing a portion of the oxide and neutral layers to expose a portion of the second HM; forming a guiding pattern by selectively backfilling with a polymer; forming a self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) on the guiding pattern; removing a portion of the BCP to form an etch template; transferring the pattern from said template into the substrate and forming uniform silicon fin arrays with two types of HM stacks with different materials and heights; gap-filling with oxide followed by planarization; selectively removing and replacing the taller HM stack with a third HM material; planarizing the surface and exposing both HM stacks; and selectively removing the shorter HM stack and the silicon fins underneath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng Chi, Fee Li Lie, Chi-Chun Liu, Ruilong Xie
  • Patent number: 10475905
    Abstract: Techniques for VFET gate length control are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a VFET device includes: patterning fins in a substrate; forming first polymer spacers alongside opposite sidewalls of the fins; forming second polymer spacers offset from the fins by the first polymer spacers; removing the first polymer spacers selective to the second polymer spacers; reflowing the second polymer spacers to close a gap to the fins; forming a cladding layer above the second polymer spacers; removing the second polymer spacers; forming gates along opposite sidewalls of the fins exposed in between the bottom spacers and the cladding layer, wherein the gates have a gate length Lg set by removal of the second polymer spacers; forming top spacers above the cladding layer; and forming top source and drains above the top spacers. A VFET device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Chun Liu, Chun Wing Yeung, Robin Hsin Kuo Chao, Zhenxing Bi, Kristin Schmidt, Yann Mignot
  • Publication number: 20190341444
    Abstract: Techniques for generating enhanced inductors and other electronic devices are presented. A device generator component (DGC) performs directed-self assembly (DSA) co-polymer deposition on a circular guide pattern formed in low-k dielectric film, and DSA annealing to form two polymers in the form of alternating concentric rings; performs a loop cut in the concentric rings to form concentric segments; fills the cut portion with insulator material; selectively removes first polymer, fills the space with low-k dielectric, and planarizes the surface; selectively removes the second polymer, fills the space with conductive material, and planarizes the surface; deposits low-k film on top of the concentric segments and insulator material that filled the loop cut portion; forms vias in the low-k film, wherein each via spans from an end of one segment to an end of another segment; and fills vias with conductive material to form conductive connectors to form substantially spiral conductive structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Peng Xu, Kangguo Cheng, Xuefeng Liu, Chi-Chun Liu, Yongan Xu
  • Publication number: 20190333774
    Abstract: A method for forming fins includes forming a three-color hardmask fin pattern on a fin base layer. The three-color hardmask fin pattern includes hardmask fins of three mutually selectively etchable compositions. Some of the fins of the first color are etched away with a selective etch that does not remove fins of a second color or a third color and that leaves at least one fin of the first color behind. The fins of the second color are etched away. Fins are etched into the fin base layer by anisotropically etching around remaining fins of the first color and fins of the third color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Nelson M. Felix, Chi-Chun Liu, Yann A.M. Mignot, Stuart A. Sieg
  • Patent number: 10461154
    Abstract: A method of forming nanosheets that includes providing a stack of semiconductor material layers on a supporting bulk substrate. A first undercut region filled with a first dielectric material is formed extending from the opening into the bulk semiconductor substrate underlying the semiconductor material layers of the at least two stacks of semiconductor material layers. A second undercut region into the bulk semiconductor substrate filled with a second dielectric material from a side of the at least two stacks of semiconductor material layers that is opposite a side of the at least two stacks of semiconductor material layer at which the first undercut region is positioned. The first and second dielectric material merged that provide a full isolation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yi Song, Chi-Chun Liu, Zhenxing Bi, Shogo Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20190311949
    Abstract: A method of forming source/drain contacts with reduced capacitance and resistance, including, forming a source/drain and a channel region on an active region of a substrate, forming a dielectric fill on the source/drain, forming a trench in the dielectric fill, forming a source/drain contact in the trench, forming an inner contact mask section on a portion of an exposed top surface of the source/drain contact, removing a portion of the source/drain contact to form a channel between a sidewall of the dielectric fill and a remaining portion of the source/drain contact, where a surface area of the remaining portion of the source/drain contact is greater than the surface area of the exposed top surface of the source/drain contact, and forming a source/drain electrode fill on the remaining portion of the source/drain contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Chi-Chun Liu, Peng Xu
  • Patent number: 10431646
    Abstract: Techniques for generating enhanced inductors and other electronic devices are presented. A device generator component (DGC) performs directed-self assembly (DSA) co-polymer deposition on a circular guide pattern formed in low-k dielectric film, and DSA annealing to form two polymers in the form of alternating concentric rings; performs a loop cut in the concentric rings to form concentric segments; fills the cut portion with insulator material; selectively removes first polymer, fills the space with low-k dielectric, and planarizes the surface; selectively removes the second polymer, fills the space with conductive material, and planarizes the surface; deposits low-k film on top of the concentric segments and insulator material that filled the loop cut portion; forms vias in the low-k film, wherein each via spans from an end of one segment to an end of another segment; and fills vias with conductive material to form conductive connectors to form substantially spiral conductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peng Xu, Kangguo Cheng, Xuefeng Liu, Chi-Chun Liu, Yongan Xu
  • Publication number: 20190287850
    Abstract: A method of forming source/drain contacts with reduced capacitance and resistance, including, forming a source/drain and a channel region on an active region of a substrate, forming a dielectric fill on the source/drain, forming a trench in the dielectric fill, forming a source/drain contact in the trench, forming an inner contact mask section on a portion of an exposed top surface of the source/drain contact, removing a portion of the source/drain contact to form a channel between a sidewall of the dielectric fill and a remaining portion of the source/drain contact, where a surface area of the remaining portion of the source/drain contact is greater than the surface area of the exposed top surface of the source/drain contact, and forming a source/drain electrode fill on the remaining portion of the source/drain contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Chi-Chun Liu, Peng Xu
  • Patent number: 10411120
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a stacked configuration of first and second semiconductor layers on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the stacked configuration comprises a repeating arrangement of a second semiconductor layer stacked on a first semiconductor layer, forming a plurality of dummy gates spaced apart from each other on the stacked configuration, wherein the plurality of dummy gates cover a portion of the stacked configuration in a channel region, performing an implantation of a semiconductor material on exposed portions of the stacked configuration in a source/drain region, wherein the implantation increases a concentration of the semiconductor material in the exposed portions of the stacked configuration, and selectively removing first semiconductor layers having an increased concentration of the semiconductor material from the source/drain region, wherein the removed first semiconductor layers correspond in position to the first semiconductor layers in the cha
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Hsin-Kuo Chao, Michael A. Guillorn, Chi-Chun Liu, Shogo Mochizuki, Chun W. Yeung
  • Patent number: 10410875
    Abstract: A method for forming fins includes forming a three-color hardmask fin pattern on a fin base layer. The three-color hardmask fin pattern has hardmask fins of three mutually selectively etchable compositions. A region on the three-color hardmask fin pattern is masked, leaving one or more fins of a first color exposed. All exposed fins of the first color are etched away with a selective etch that does not remove fins of a second color or a third color. The mask and all fins of a second color are etched away. Fins are etched into the fin base layer by anisotropically etching around remaining fins of the first color and fins of the third color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Nelson M. Felix, Chi-Chun Liu, Yann A. M. Mignot, Stuart A. Sieg
  • Publication number: 20190273127
    Abstract: Techniques for generating enhanced inductors and other electronic devices are presented. A device generator component (DGC) performs directed-self assembly (DSA) co-polymer deposition on a circular guide pattern formed in low-k dielectric film, and DSA annealing to form two polymers in the form of alternating concentric rings; performs a loop cut in the concentric rings to form concentric segments; fills the cut portion with insulator material; selectively removes first polymer, fills the space with low-k dielectric, and planarizes the surface; selectively removes the second polymer, fills the space with conductive material, and planarizes the surface; deposits low-k film on top of the concentric segments and insulator material that filled the loop cut portion; forms vias in the low-k film, wherein each via spans from an end of one segment to an end of another segment; and fills vias with conductive material to form conductive connectors to form substantially spiral conductive structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Peng Xu, Kangguo Cheng, Xuefeng Liu, Chi-Chun Liu, Yongan Xu
  • Patent number: 10395939
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes disposing a first hard mask (HM), amorphous silicon, and second HM on a substrate; disposing oxide and neutral layers on the second HM; removing a portion of the oxide and neutral layers to expose a portion of the second HM; forming a guiding pattern by selectively backfilling with a polymer; forming a self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) on the guiding pattern; removing a portion of the BCP to form an etch template; transferring the pattern from said template into the substrate and forming uniform silicon fin arrays with two types of HM stacks with different materials and heights; gap-filling with oxide followed by planarization; selectively removing and replacing the taller HM stack with a third HM material; planarizing the surface and exposing both HM stacks; and selectively removing the shorter HM stack and the silicon fins underneath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng Chi, Fee Li Lie, Chi-Chun Liu, Ruilong Xie
  • Patent number: 10381267
    Abstract: A method of forming source/drain contacts with reduced capacitance and resistance, including, forming a source/drain and a channel region on an active region of a substrate, forming a dielectric fill on the source/drain, forming a trench in the dielectric fill, forming a source/drain contact in the trench, forming an inner contact mask section on a portion of an exposed top surface of the source/drain contact, removing a portion of the source/drain contact to form a channel between a sidewall of the dielectric fill and a remaining portion of the source/drain contact, where a surface area of the remaining portion of the source/drain contact is greater than the surface area of the exposed top surface of the source/drain contact, and forming a source/drain electrode fill on the remaining portion of the source/drain contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Chi-Chun Liu, Peng Xu
  • Patent number: 10374034
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first nanosheet device and forming a second nanosheet device spaced apart from the first nanosheet device in respective first and second regions corresponding to first and second types. The first and second nanosheet devices respectively include a first and a second plurality of work function metal layers, and a work function metal layer extends from the first and second plurality of work function metal layers in the space between the nanosheet devices. In the method, part of the work function metal layer is removed from the space between the nanosheet devices, and the removed part of the work function metal layer is replaced with a polymer brush layer. The first plurality of work function metal layers is selectively removed from the first region with respect to the polymer brush layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Chun Liu, Muthumanickam Sankarapandian, Kristin Schmidt, Ekmini Anuja De Silva, Noel Arellano, Robin Hsin Kuo Chao, Chun Wing Yeung, Zhenxing Bi
  • Publication number: 20190237562
    Abstract: Techniques for VFET gate length control are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a VFET device includes: patterning fins in a substrate; forming first polymer spacers alongside opposite sidewalls of the fins; forming second polymer spacers offset from the fins by the first polymer spacers; removing the first polymer spacers selective to the second polymer spacers; reflowing the second polymer spacers to close a gap to the fins; forming a cladding layer above the second polymer spacers; removing the second polymer spacers; forming gates along opposite sidewalls of the fins exposed in between the bottom spacers and the cladding layer, wherein the gates have a gate length Lg set by removal of the second polymer spacers; forming top spacers above the cladding layer; and forming top source and drains above the top spacers. A VFET device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Chi-Chun Liu, Chun Wing Yeung, Robin Hsin Kuo Chao, Zhenxing Bi, Kristin Schmidt, Yann Mignot
  • Patent number: 10361116
    Abstract: A method for local pattern density control of a device layout used by graphoepitaxy directed self-assembly (DSA) processes includes importing a multi-layer semiconductor device design into an assist feature system and determining overlapping regions between two or more layers in the multi-layer semiconductor device design using at least one Boolean operation. A fill for assist features is generated to provide dimensional consistency of device features by employing the overlapping regions to provide placement of the assist features. An updated device layout is stored in a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hsueh-Chung Chen, Cheng Chi, Lin Hu, Kafai Lai, Chi-Chun Liu, Jed W. Pitera
  • Publication number: 20190221428
    Abstract: Lithographic patterning methods are provided which implement directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers to enable self-aligned cutting of features. A first layer and second layer of material are formed on a substrate. The second layer of material is lithographically patterning to form a guiding pattern. A DSA process is performed to form a block copolymer pattern around the guiding pattern, which comprises a repeating block chain that includes at least a first block material and a second block material, which have etch selectivity with respect to each other. A selective etch process is performed to selectively etching one of the first block material and the second block material to form self-aligned openings in the block copolymer pattern which expose portions of the first layer of material. The first layer of material is patterned by etching the exposed portions of the first layer of material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Sivananda K. Kanakasabapathy, Kafai Lai, Chi-Chun Liu, Kristin Schmidt, Ankit Vora
  • Patent number: 10340179
    Abstract: A method of forming an interconnect element includes forming a trench in a dielectric material. The trench has a width equal to twice a natural pitch of a block copolymer. The block copolymer includes a first polymer and a second polymer. The method includes filling the trench with the block copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng Chi, Kafai Lai, Chi-Chun Liu, Yongan Xu
  • Publication number: 20190189775
    Abstract: A vertical field-effect transistor and a method for fabricating the same. The vertical field-effect transistor includes a substrate and a bottom source/drain region. The vertical field-effect transistor also includes at least one fin structure, and further includes a bottom spacer layer. The bottom spacer layer has a substantially uniform thickness with a thickness variation of less than 3 nm. A gate structure contacts the bottom spacer layer and at least one fin structure. The method includes forming a structure including a substrate, a source/drain region, and one or more fins. A polymer brush spacer is formed in contact with at least sidewalls of the one or more fins. A polymer brush layer is formed in contact with at least the source/drain region and the polymer brush spacer. The polymer brush spacer is removed. Then, the polymer brush layer is reflowed to the sidewalls of the at least one fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Chun LIU, Sanjay MEHTA, Luciana MELI, Muthumanickam SANKARAPANDIAN, Kristin SCHMIDT, Ankit VORA
  • Patent number: 10312103
    Abstract: A method for forming fins includes forming a three-color hardmask fin pattern on a fin base layer. The three-color hardmask fin pattern has hardmask fins of three mutually selectively etchable compositions. A region on the three-color hardmask fin pattern is masked, leaving one or more fins of a first color exposed. All exposed fins of the first color are etched away with a selective etch that does not remove fins of a second color or a third color. The mask and all fins of a second color are etched away. Fins are etched into the fin base layer by anisotropically etching around remaining fins of the first color and fins of the third color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Nelson M. Felix, Chi-Chun Liu, Yann A. M. Mignot, Stuart A. Sieg