Patents by Inventor Francis Roger White

Francis Roger White 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: 8298906
    Abstract: A trench decoupling capacitor is formed using RIE lag of a through silicon via (TSV) etch. A method includes etching a via trench and a capacitor trench in a wafer in a single RIE process. The via trench has a first depth and the capacitor trench has a second depth less than the first depth due to RIE lag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry Bernstein, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 7989865
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes an active semiconductor layer, a semiconductor device having a gate disposed on top of the active semiconductor layer, and source and drain regions and a body/channel region disposed within the active semiconductor layer, an insulator layer having a first and second side, the first side being adjacent to the active semiconductor layer, a substrate disposed adjacent to the second side of the insulator layer, a deep trench capacitor disposed under the body/channel region of the semiconductor device. The deep trench capacitor electrically connects with and contacts the body/channel region of the semiconductor device, and is located adjacent to the gate of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor structure increases a critical charge Qcrit, thereby reducing a soft error rate (SER) of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Edward Barth, Jr., Kerry Bernstein, Ethan Harrison Cannon, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 7812388
    Abstract: A trench capacitor and method of forming a trench capacitor. The trench capacitor including: a trench in a single-crystal silicon substrate, a conformal dielectric liner on the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; an electrically conductive polysilicon inner plate filling regions of the trench not filled by the liner; an electrically conductive doped outer plate in the substrate surrounding the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; a doped silicon region in the substrate; a first electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the doped silicon region exposed at the top surface of the substrate; a second electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the inner plate exposed at the top surface of the substrate; and an insulating ring on the top surface of the substrate between the first and second metal silicide layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Wayne Kemerer, Robert Mark Rassel, Steven M Shank, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 7694262
    Abstract: A trench capacitor, method of forming a trench capacitor and a design structure for a trench capacitor. The trench capacitor including: a trench in a single-crystal silicon substrate, a conformal dielectric liner on the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; an electrically conductive polysilicon inner plate filling regions of the trench not filled by the liner; an electrically conductive doped outer plate in the substrate surrounding the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; a doped silicon region in the substrate; a first electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the doped silicon region exposed at the top surface of the substrate; a second electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the inner plate exposed at the top surface of the substrate; and an insulating ring on the top surface of the substrate between the first and second metal silicide layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Wayne Kemerer, Robert Mark Rassel, Steven M. Shank, Francis Roger White
  • Publication number: 20100052026
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes an active semiconductor layer, a semiconductor device having a gate disposed on top of the active semiconductor layer, and source and drain regions and a body/channel region disposed within the active semiconductor layer, an insulator layer having a first and second side, the first side being adjacent to the active semiconductor layer, a substrate disposed adjacent to the second side of the insulator layer, a deep trench capacitor disposed under the body/channel region of the semiconductor device. The deep trench capacitor electrically connects with and contacts the body/channel region of the semiconductor device, and is located adjacent to the gate of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor structure increases a critical charge Qcrit, thereby reducing a soft error rate (SER) of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Edward Barth, JR., Kerry Bernstein, Ethan Harrison Cannon, Francis Roger White
  • Publication number: 20090100388
    Abstract: A trench capacitor, method of forming a trench capacitor and a design structure for a trench capacitor. The trench capacitor including: a trench in a single-crystal silicon substrate, a conformal dielectric liner on the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; an electrically conductive polysilicon inner plate filling regions of the trench not filled by the liner; an electrically conductive doped outer plate in the substrate surrounding the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; a doped silicon region in the substrate; a first electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the doped silicon region exposed at the top surface of the substrate; a second electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the inner plate exposed at the top surface of the substrate; and an insulating ring on the top surface of the substrate between the first and second metal silicide layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Timothy Wayne Kemerer, Robert Mark Rassel, Steven M. Shank, Francis Roger White
  • Publication number: 20080315274
    Abstract: A trench capacitor and method of forming a trench capacitor. The trench capacitor including: a trench in a single-crystal silicon substrate, a conformal dielectric liner on the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; an electrically conductive polysilicon inner plate filling regions of the trench not filled by the liner; an electrically conductive doped outer plate in the substrate surrounding the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench; a doped silicon region in the substrate; a first electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the doped silicon region exposed at the top surface of the substrate; a second electrically conductive metal silicide layer on a surface region of the inner plate exposed at the top surface of the substrate; and an insulating ring on the top surface of the substrate between the first and second metal silicide layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Timothy Wayne Kemerer, Robert Mark Rassel, Steven M. Shank, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 6680259
    Abstract: A method for reactive ion etching of SiO2 and an etch stop barrier for use in such an etching is provided. A silicon nitride (SixNy) barrier having a Six to Ny ratio (x:y) of less than about 0.8 and preferably the stoichiometric amount of 0.75 provides excellent resilience to positive mobile ion contamination, but poor etch selectivity. However, a silicon nitride barrier having a ratio of Six to Nx (x:y) of 1.0 or greater has excellent etch selectivity with respect to SiO2 but a poor barrier to positive mobile ion contamination. A barrier of silicon nitride is formed on a doped silicon substrate which barrier has two sections. One section has a greater etch selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide than the second section and the second section has a greater resistance to transmission of positive mobile ions than the first section. One section adjacent the silicon substrate has a silicon to nitrogen ratio of less than about 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Hon Lam, Eric Seung Lee, Francis Roger White
  • Publication number: 20030207586
    Abstract: A method for reactive ion etching of Si02 and an etch stop barrier for use in such an etching is provided. A silicon nitride (SixNy) barrier having a Six to Ny ratio (x:y) of less than about 0.8 and preferably the stoichiometric amount of 0.75 provides excellent resilience to positive mobile ion contamination, but poor etch selectivity. However, a silicon nitride barrier having a ratio of Six to Nx (x:y) of 1.0 or greater has excellent etch selectivity with respect to SiO2 but a poor barrier to positive mobile ion contamination. A barrier of silicon nitride is formed on a doped silicon substrate which barrier has two sections. One section has a greater etch selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide than the second section and the second section has a greater resistance to transmission of positive mobile ions than the first section. One section adjacent the silicon substrate has a silicon to nitrogen ratio of less than about 0.8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Hon Lam, Eric Seung Lee, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 6548418
    Abstract: A method for reactive ion etching of SiO2 and an etch stop barrier for use in such an etching is provided. A silicon nitride (SixNy) barrier having a Six to Ny ratio (x:y) of less than about 0.8 and preferably the stoichiometric amount of 0.75 provides excellent resilience to positive mobile ion contamination, but poor etch selectivity. However, a silicon nitride barrier having a ratio of Six to Nx (x:y) of 1.0 or greater has excellent etch selectivity with respect to SiO2 but a poor barrier to positive mobile ion contamination. A barrier of silicon nitride is formed on a doped silicon substrate which barrier has two sections. One section has a greater etch selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide than the second section and the second section has a greater resistance to transmission of positive mobile ions than the first section. One section adjacent the silicon substrate has a silicon to nitrogen ratio of less than about 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Hon Lam, Eric Seung Lee, Francis Roger White
  • Publication number: 20030058675
    Abstract: An SRAM memory cell made with increased stability using SOI technology is provided. Increased stability occurs because of raising the threshold voltage of the transfer nfets connected to the word line. Preferably the increase of threshold voltage is achieved using boron ion implantation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony Gus Aipperspach, Andres Bryant, Todd Alan Christensen, Dennis T. Cox, Jerome Brett Lasky, John Edward Sheets, Francis Roger White
  • Publication number: 20020145179
    Abstract: 59 A method for reactive ion etching of SiO2 and an etch stop barrier for use in such an etching is provided. A silicon nitride (SixNy) barrier having a Six to Ny ratio (x:y) of less than about 0.8 and preferably the stoichiometric amount of 0.75 provides excellent resilience to positive mobile ion contamination, but poor etch selectivity. However, a silicon nitride barrier having a ratio of Six to Nx (x:y) of 1.0 or greater has excellent etch selectivity with respect to SiO2 but a poor barrier to positive mobile ion contamination. A barrier of silicon nitride is formed on a doped silicon substrate which barrier has two sections. One section has a greater etch selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide than the second section and the second section has a greater resistance to transmission of positive mobile ions than the first section. One section adjacent the silicon substrate has a silicon to nitrogen ratio of less than about 0.8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Hon Lam, Eric Seung Lee, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 6420777
    Abstract: A method for reactive ion etching of SiO2 and an etch stop barrier for use in such an etching is provided. A silicon nitride (SixNy) barrier having a Six to Ny ratio (x:y) of less than about 0.8 and preferably the stoichiometric amount of 0.75 provides excellent resilience to positive mobile ion contamination, but poor etch selectivity. However, a silicon nitride barrier having a ratio of Six to Nx (x:y) of 1.0 or greater has excellent etch selectivity with respect to SiO2 but a poor barrier to positive mobile ion contamination. A barrier of silicon nitride is formed on a doped silicon substrate which barrier has two sections. One section has a greater etch selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide than the second section and the second section has a greater resistance to transmission of positive mobile ions than the first section. One section adjacent the silicon substrate has a silicon to nitrogen ratio of less than about 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Hon Lam, Eric Seung Lee, Francis Roger White
  • Publication number: 20010013638
    Abstract: A method for reactive ion etching of SiO2 and an etch stop barrier for use in such an etching is provided. A silicon nitride (SixNy) barrier having a Six to Ny ratio (x:y) of less than about 0.8 and preferably the stoichiometric amount of 0.75 provides excellent resilience to positive mobile ion contamination, but poor etch selectivity. However, a silicon nitride barrier having a ratio of Six to Nx (x:y) of 1.0 or greater has excellent etch selectivity with respect to SiO2 but a poor barrier to positive mobile ion contamination. A barrier of silicon nitride is formed on a doped silicon substrate which barrier has two sections. One section has a greater etch selectivity with respect to silicon dioxide than the second section and the second section has a greater resistance to transmission of positive mobile ions than the first section. One section adjacent the silicon substrate has a silicon to nitrogen ratio of less than about 0.8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Publication date: August 16, 2001
    Inventors: CHUNG HON LAM, ERIC SEUNG LEE, FRANCIS ROGER WHITE
  • Patent number: 6174763
    Abstract: A three-dimensional five transistor SRAM trench structure and fabrication method therefor are set forth. The SRAM trench structure includes four field-effect transistors (“FETs”) buried within a single trench. Specifically, two FETs are located at each of two sidewalls of the trench with one FET being disposed above the other FET at each sidewall. Coaxial wiring electrically cross-couples the FETs within the trench such that a pair of cross-coupled inverters comprising the storage flip-flop for the SRAM cell is formed, A fifth, I/O transistor is disposed at the top of the trench structure, and facilitates access to the flip-flop. Specific details of the SRAM trench structure, and fabrication methods therefor are also set forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Edward Beilstein, Jr., Claude Louis Bertin, John Edward Cronin, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 6140171
    Abstract: A FET device comprising a semiconductor substrate; diffusion regions in the substrate separated by a channel region; a gate overlapping the channel region and a portion of the diffusion regions and separated from the substrate by a gate dielectric; and a sidewall dielectric on a sidewall of the gate; and a sidewall spacer conductor on the sidewall dielectric contacting one of the diffusion regions but not both of the diffusion regions of one device is provided along with a method for its fabrication. The conductive spacer connects diffusions of adjacent devices that share a common gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Archibald John Allen, Jerome Brett Lasky, Randy William Mann, John Joseph Pekarik, Jed Hickory Rankin, Edward William Sengle, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 6022766
    Abstract: An improved field effect transistor (FET) structure is disclosed. It comprises a first insulator layer containing at least one primary level stud extending through the layer; an undoped cap oxide layer disposed over the insulator layer and abutting the upper region of each stud; a primary level thin film transistor (TFT) disposed over the undoped cap oxide layer; and a planarized oxide layer disposed over the TFT. Multiple TFT's can be stacked vertically, and connected to other levels of studs and metal interconnection layers. Another embodiment of the invention includes the use of a protective interfacial cap over the surface of tungsten-type studs. The FET structure can serve as a component of a static random access memory (SRAM) cell. Related processes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Bomy Able Chen, Subhash Balakrishna Kulkarni, Jerome Brett Lasky, Randy William Mann, Edward Joseph Nowak, Werner Alois Rausch, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 5675185
    Abstract: An improved field effect transistor (FET) structure is disclosed. It comprises a first insulator layer containing at least one primary level stud extending through the layer; an undoped cap oxide layer disposed over the insulator layer and abutting the upper region of each stud; a primary level thin film transistor (TFT) disposed over the undoped cap oxide layer; and a planarized oxide layer disposed over the TFT. Multiple TFT's can be stacked vertically, and connected to other levels of studs and metal interconnection layers. Another embodiment of the invention includes the use of a protective interfacial cap over the surface of tungsten-type studs. The FET structure can serve as a component of a static random access memory (SRAM) cell. Related processes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bomy Able Chen, Subhash Balakrishna Kulkarni, Jerome Bret Lasky, Randy William Mann, Edward Joseph Nowak, Werner Alois Rausch, Francis Roger White
  • Patent number: 5670803
    Abstract: A three-dimensional five transistor SRAM trench structure and fabrication method therefor are set forth. The SRAM trench structure includes four field-effect transistors ("FETs") buried within a single trench. Specifically, two FETs are located at each of two sidewalls of the trench with one FET being disposed above the other FET at each sidewall. Coaxial wiring electrically cross-couples the FETs within the trench such that a pair of cross-coupled inverters comprising the storage flip-flop for the SRAM cell is formed. A fifth, I/O transistor is disposed at the top of the trench structure, and facilitates access to the flip-flop. Specific details of the SRAM trench structure, and fabrication methods therefor are also set forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Edward Beilstein, Jr., Claude Louis Bertin, John Edward Cronin, Francis Roger White