Patents by Inventor ERICA J. THOMPSON

ERICA J. THOMPSON 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: 20240096896
    Abstract: Non-planar integrated circuit structures having mitigated source or drain etch from replacement gate process are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin or nanowire. A gate stack is over the fin or nanowire. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. A first dielectric spacer is along a first side of the gate stack, and a second dielectric spacer is along a second side of the gate stack. The first and second dielectric spacers are over at least a portion of the fin or nanowire. An insulating material is vertically between and in contact with the portion of the fin or nanowire and the first and second dielectric spacers. A first epitaxial source or drain structure is at the first side of the gate stack, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure is at the second side of the gate stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Jun Sung KANG, Kai Loon CHEONG, Erica J. THOMPSON, Biswajeet GUHA, William HSU, Dax M. CRUM, Tahir GHANI, Bruce BEATTIE
  • Publication number: 20240088296
    Abstract: A nanowire device includes one or more nanowire having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. A first conductive structure is in contact with the first end portion and a second conductive structure is in contact with the second end portion. The body portion of the nanowire has a first cross-sectional shape and the first end portion has a second cross-sectional shape different from the first cross-sectional shape. Integrated circuits including the nanowire device and a method of cleaning a semiconductor structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Erica J. THOMPSON, Aditya Kasukurti, Jun Sung Kang, Kai Loon Cheong, Biswajeet Guha, William Hsu, Bruce Beattie
  • Patent number: 11869891
    Abstract: Non-planar integrated circuit structures having mitigated source or drain etch from replacement gate process are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin or nanowire. A gate stack is over the fin or nanowire. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. A first dielectric spacer is along a first side of the gate stack, and a second dielectric spacer is along a second side of the gate stack. The first and second dielectric spacers are over at least a portion of the fin or nanowire. An insulating material is vertically between and in contact with the portion of the fin or nanowire and the first and second dielectric spacers. A first epitaxial source or drain structure is at the first side of the gate stack, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure is at the second side of the gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Sung Kang, Kai Loon Cheong, Erica J. Thompson, Biswajeet Guha, William Hsu, Dax M. Crum, Tahir Ghani, Bruce Beattie
  • Patent number: 11869973
    Abstract: A nanowire device includes one or more nanowire having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. A first conductive structure is in contact with the first end portion and a second conductive structure is in contact with the second end portion. The body portion of the nanowire has a first cross-sectional shape and the first end portion has a second cross-sectional shape different from the first cross-sectional shape. Integrated circuits including the nanowire device and a method of cleaning a semiconductor structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Erica J. Thompson, Aditya Kasukurti, Jun Sung Kang, Kai Loon Cheong, Biswajeet Guha, William Hsu, Bruce Beattie
  • Patent number: 11563119
    Abstract: Disclosed are etchstop regions in fins of semiconductor devices, and related methods. A semiconductor device includes a buried region, a fin on the buried region, and a gate formed at least partially around the fin. At least a portion of the fin that borders the buried region includes an etchstop material. The etchstop material includes a doped semiconductor material that has a slower etch rate than that of an intrinsic form of the semiconductor material. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a gate on a fin, implanting part of the fin with dopants configured to decrease an etch rate of the part of the fin, removing at least part of the fin, and forming an epitaxial semiconductor material on a remaining proximal portion of the fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Ying Huang, Willy Rachmady, Gilbert Dewey, Erica J. Thompson, Aaron D. Lilak, Jack T. Kavalieros
  • Patent number: 11443983
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure comprises a dielectric layer on a substrate. An open structure is in the dielectric layer, and a void-free metal-alloy interconnect is formed in the open structure, wherein the void-free metal-alloy interconnect comprise a metal-alloy comprising a combination of two or more metallic elements excluding any mixing effects of a seed layer or liner deposited in the open structure prior to a metal fill material, and excluding effects of any doping material on the metal fill material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shaestagir Chowdhury, Sirikarn Surawanvijit, Biswadeep Saha, Erica J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10964800
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices having fin-end stress-inducing features, and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices having fin-end stress-inducing features, are described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor fin protruding through a trench isolation region above a substrate. The semiconductor fin has a top surface, a first end, a second end, and a pair of sidewalls between the first end and the second end. A gate electrode is over a region of the top surface and laterally adjacent to a region of the pair of sidewalls of the semiconductor fin. The gate electrode is between the first end and the second end of the semiconductor fin. A first dielectric plug is at the first end of the semiconductor fin. A second dielectric plug is at the second end of the semiconductor fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Byron Ho, Michael L. Hattendorf, Jeanne L. Luce, Ebony L. Mays, Erica J. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20200279941
    Abstract: Disclosed are etchstop regions in fins of semiconductor devices, and related methods. A semiconductor device includes a buried region, a fin on the buried region, and a gate formed at least partially around the fin. At least a portion of the fin that borders the buried region includes an etchstop material. The etchstop material includes a doped semiconductor material that has a slower etch rate than that of an intrinsic form of the semiconductor material. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a gate on a fin, implanting part of the fin with dopants configured to decrease an etch rate of the part of the fin, removing at least part of the fin, and forming an epitaxial semiconductor material on a remaining proximal portion of the fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Cheng-Ying HUANG, Willy RACHMADY, Gilbert DEWEY, Erica J. THOMPSON, Aaron D. LILAK, Jack T. KAVALIEROS
  • Publication number: 20200105757
    Abstract: Non-planar integrated circuit structures having mitigated source or drain etch from replacement gate process are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin or nanowire. A gate stack is over the fin or nanowire. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. A first dielectric spacer is along a first side of the gate stack, and a second dielectric spacer is along a second side of the gate stack. The first and second dielectric spacers are over at least a portion of the fin or nanowire. An insulating material is vertically between and in contact with the portion of the fin or nanowire and the first and second dielectric spacers. A first epitaxial source or drain structure is at the first side of the gate stack, and a second epitaxial source or drain structure is at the second side of the gate stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Jun Sung KANG, Kai Loon CHEONG, Erica J. THOMPSON, Biswajeet GUHA, William HSU, Dax M. CRUM, Tahir GHANI, Bruce BEATTIE
  • Publication number: 20200098626
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure comprises a dielectric layer on a substrate. An open structure is in the dielectric layer, and a void-free metal-alloy interconnect is formed in the open structure, wherein the void-free metal-alloy interconnect comprise a metal-alloy comprising a combination of two or more metallic elements excluding any mixing effects of a seed layer or liner deposited in the open structure prior to a metal fill material, and excluding effects of any doping material on the metal fill material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Shaestagir CHOWDHURY, Sirikarn SURAWANVIJIT, Biswadeep SAHA, Erica J. THOMPSON
  • Publication number: 20200058761
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices having fin-end stress-inducing features, and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices having fin-end stress-inducing features, are described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor fin protruding through a trench isolation region above a substrate. The semiconductor fin has a top surface, a first end, a second end, and a pair of sidewalls between the first end and the second end. A gate electrode is over a region of the top surface and laterally adjacent to a region of the pair of sidewalls of the semiconductor fin. The gate electrode is between the first end and the second end of the semiconductor fin. A first dielectric plug is at the first end of the semiconductor fin. A second dielectric plug is at the second end of the semiconductor fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Byron HO, Michael L. HATTENDORF, Jeanne L. LUCE, Ebony L. MAYS, Erica J. THOMPSON
  • Publication number: 20190393350
    Abstract: A nanowire device includes one or more nanowire having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. A first conductive structure is in contact with the first end portion and a second conductive structure is in contact with the second end portion. The body portion of the nanowire has a first cross-sectional shape and the first end portion has a second cross-sectional shape different from the first cross-sectional shape. Integrated circuits including the nanowire device and a method of cleaning a semiconductor structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Erica J. Thompson, Aditya Kasukurti, Jun Sung Kang, Kai Loon Cheong, Biswajeet Guha, William Hsu, Bruce Beattie
  • Patent number: 9472456
    Abstract: Methods for selectively etching titanium and titanium nitride are disclosed. In some embodiments the method involve exposing a workpiece to a first solution to remove titanium nitride, exposing the workpiece to a second solution to remove titanium, and exposing the workpiece to a third solution to remove residual titanium nitride, if any. The solutions are formulated such that they may selectively remove titanium and/or titanium nitride, while not etching or not substantially etching certain other materials such as dielectric materials, oxides, and metals other than titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Erica J. Thompson, Nabil G. Mistkawi, Rohit Grover
  • Publication number: 20150179510
    Abstract: Methods for selectively etching titanium and titanium nitride are disclosed. In some embodiments the method involve exposing a workpiece to a first solution to remove titanium nitride, exposing the workpiece to a second solution to remove titanium, and exposing the workpiece to a third solution to remove residual titanium nitride, if any. The solutions are formulated such that they may selectively remove titanium and/or titanium nitride, while not etching or not substantially etching certain other materials such as dielectric materials, oxides, and metals other than titanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: ERICA J. THOMPSON, NABIL G. MISTKAWI, ROHIT GROVER