Patents by Inventor Jhon-Jhy Liaw

Jhon-Jhy Liaw 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: 11856746
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes: a well region having a first conductivity type; a semiconductor structure extending away from the well region from a major surface of the well region, the semiconductor structure having the first conductivity type; a source/drain feature disposed on the semiconductor structure, the source/drain feature having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; an isolation layer laterally surrounding at least a portion of the semiconductor structure; a dielectric layer disposed on the isolation layer, where at least a portion of the source/drain feature is disposed in the dielectric layer; and a conductive plug continuously extending through the dielectric layer and the isolation layer to physically contact the major surface of the well region, wherein the conductive plug is coupled to a power supply line to bias the well region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230411291
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a dielectric fin, a gate, and a high-k dielectric layer. The dielectric fin is above the substrate and extending along a first direction. The gate is above the substrate and extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction. The high-k dielectric layer is vertically above the dielectric fin. The gate is over a sidewall and a bottom surface of the high-k dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230411468
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a circuit cell having transistors. Each of the transistors includes nanostructures vertically stacked from each other, and a gate structure wrapped around the nanostructures and extending in a first direction. The semiconductor structure further includes a dielectric gate structure extending in the first direction and adjacent to the circuit cell in a second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The semiconductor structure further includes a first source/drain feature between adjacent two of the gate structures, a second source/drain feature between one of the gate structures and the dielectric gate structure, a first source/drain contact over the first source/drain feature and having a first width in the second direction, and a second source/drain contact over the second source/drain feature and having a second width in the second direction. The second width is greater than the first width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230395601
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit device that comprises a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; a first and a second source/drain features over the semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor layer extending in parallel with the top surface and connecting the first and the second source/drain features, the first semiconductor layer having a center portion and two end portions, each of the two end portions connecting the center portion and one of the first and second source/drain features; a first spacer over the two end portions of the first semiconductor layer; a second spacer vertically between the two end portions of the first semiconductor layer and the top surface; and a gate electrode wrapping around and engaging the center portion of the first semiconductor layer. The center portion has a thickness smaller than the two end portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230386935
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having a base, a first fin, and a second fin over the base. The method includes forming a gate stack over the first fin and the second fin. The method includes forming a first spacer over gate sidewalls of the gate stack and a second spacer adjacent to the second fin. The method includes partially removing the first fin and the second fin. The method includes forming a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure in the first trench and the second trench respectively. A first ratio of a first height of the first merged portion to a second height of a first top surface of the first source/drain structure is greater than or equal to about 0.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ta-Chun LIN, Hou-Ju LI, Chun-Jun LIN, Yi-Fang PAI, Kuo-Hua PAN, Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230389260
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are provided. A write port circuit is configured to perform a write function according to the write word line and the first and second write bit lines. The first read port circuit is configured to perform first read function according to the first read bit line and the first read word line. The second read port circuit is configured to perform second read function according to the second read bit line and the second read word line. The transistors of the first and second read port circuits share a first active structure extending in the first direction. The first read bit line and the second read bit line extend in the first direction in a first metallization layer, and the first write bit line and the second write bit line extend in the first direction in a second metallization layer over the first metallization layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230387114
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first region and a second region. Multiple nanostructures are vertically stacked above the first region of the substrate. A first gate dielectric layer wraps each of the nanostructures. A first gate electrode layer is disposed on the first gate dielectric layer. A fin protruding from the second region of the substrate. The fin includes alternating first and second semiconductor layers with different material compositions. A second gate dielectric layer is disposed on top and sidewall surfaces of the fin. A second gate electrode layer is disposed on the second gate dielectric layer. A thickness of the first gate dielectric layer is smaller than a thickness of the second gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Ta-Chun Lin, Kuo-Hua Pan, Jhon Jhy Liaw, Shien-Yang Wu
  • Publication number: 20230389253
    Abstract: An integrated circuits (IC) includes a standard cell array and a SRAM cell array. The standard cell array includes standard cells having first P-type transistors arranged in a first column of the standard cell array and a first fin structure shared by the first P-type transistors. The SRAM cell array includes SRAM cells having second P-type transistors arranged in a second column of the SRAM cell array and second fin structures arranged in the second column. Each of the second fin structures is shared by two adjacent second P-type transistors respectively disposed in two adjacent SRAM cells. A material of the first fin structure is different from a material of the second fin structures. A dimension of the first fin structure along the first column is greater than a dimension of each of the second fin structures along the second column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230387212
    Abstract: A metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) includes a substrate and a well over the substrate, the well including dopants of a first conductivity-type. The well includes an anti-punch-through (APT) layer at an upper section of the well, the APT layer including the dopants of the first conductivity-type and further including carbon. The MOSFET further includes a source feature and a drain feature adjacent the APT layer, being of a second conductivity-type opposite to the first conductivity-type. The MOSFET further includes multiple channel layers over the APT layer and connecting the source feature to the drain feature, wherein the multiple channel layers are vertically stacked one over another. The MOSFET further includes a gate wrapping around each of the channel layers, such as in a gate-all-around device, wherein a first portion of the gate is disposed between a bottommost one of the channel layers and the APT layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230387122
    Abstract: Integrated circuit having an integration layout and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed herein. An exemplary integrated circuit (IC) comprises a first cell including one or more first type gate-all-around (GAA) transistors located in a first region of the integrated circuit; a second cell including one or more second type GAA transistors located in the first region of the integrated circuit, wherein the second cell is disposed adjacently to the first cell, wherein the first type GAA transistors are one of nanosheet transistors or nanowire transistors and the second type GAA transistors are the other one of nanosheet transistors or nanowire transistors; and a third cell including one or more fin-like field effect transistors (FinFETs) located in a second region of the integrated circuit, wherein the second region is disposed a distance from the first region of the integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230387113
    Abstract: A method includes forming a fin protruding from a substrate, forming first and second gate structures across the fin, the first gate structure having a first gate sidewall facing the second gate structure, the second gate structure having a second gate sidewall facing the first gate structure, recessing a segment of the fin between the first and second gate sidewalls to form a trench, depositing a dielectric layer over the first and second gate sidewalls and within the trench, and depositing an inter-layer dielectric layer over the first and second gate structures and over the dielectric layer. A portion of the inter-layer dielectric layer is within the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: JHON JHY Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230389252
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method for forming the semiconductor structure includes forming a first trench and a second trench in a first semiconductor material. The first trench is deeper than the second trench. The method also includes forming a second semiconductor material in the first trench and the second trench, patterning a first portion of the second semiconductor material in the first trench and a first portion of the first semiconductor material below the first portion of the second semiconductor material into a first fin structure, and patterning a second portion of the second semiconductor material in the second trench and a second portion of the first semiconductor material below the second portion of the second semiconductor material into a second fin structure, and forming an isolation structure surrounding the first fin structure and the second fin structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Chun-Hung CHEN, Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Patent number: 11830878
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit device that comprises a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; a first and a second source/drain features over the semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor layer extending in parallel with the top surface and connecting the first and the second source/drain features, the first semiconductor layer having a center portion and two end portions, each of the two end portions connecting the center portion and one of the first and second source/drain features; a first spacer over the two end portions of the first semiconductor layer; a second spacer vertically between the two end portions of the first semiconductor layer and the top surface; and a gate electrode wrapping around and engaging the center portion of the first semiconductor layer. The center portion has a thickness smaller than the two end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 11832431
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an SRAM device, an insulating layer is formed over a substrate. First dummy patterns are formed over the insulating layer. Sidewall spacer layers, as second dummy patterns, are formed on sidewalls of the first dummy patterns. The first dummy patterns are removed, thereby leaving the second dummy patterns over the insulating layer. After removing the first dummy patterns, the second dummy patterns are divided. A mask layer is formed over the insulating layer and between the divided second dummy patterns. After forming the mask layer, the divided second dummy patterns are removed, thereby forming a hard mask layer having openings that correspond to the patterned second dummy patterns. The insulating layer is formed by using the hard mask layer as an etching mask, thereby forming via openings in the insulating layer. A conductive material is filled in the via openings, thereby forming contact bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230378190
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are provided. A logic cell includes P-type GAA nanosheet transistor and N-type GAA nanosheet transistor. Each of the P-type and N-type GAA nanosheet transistors has two channel members vertically stacked. A back-side interconnect structure includes first and second back-side contacts, a VDD line formed in a back-side metal layer and coupled to a source feature of the P-type GAA nanosheet transistor through the first back-side contact, and a VSS line formed in the back-side metal layer and coupled to a source feature of the N-type GAA nanosheet transistor through the second back-side contact. A front-side interconnect structure includes first and second front-side contacts, and a metal line coupled to a drain feature of the P-type GAA nanosheet transistor through the first front-side contact or coupled to a drain feature of the N-type GAA nanosheet transistor through the second front-side contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230378301
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit (IC) device, including: a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature disposed on the semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of semiconductor layers including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer. Each of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer extends longitudinally in a first direction and connects the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature. The first semiconductor layer is stacked over the second semiconductor layer in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A length of the first semiconductor layer along the first direction is less than a length of the second semiconductor layer along the first direction. The IC device further includes a gate structure engaging center portions of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230378177
    Abstract: An IC structure includes first, second, and third circuits. The first circuit includes a first semiconductor fin, a first gate electrode extending across the first semiconductor fin, and a first gate dielectric layer spacing the first gate electrode apart from the first semiconductor fin. The second circuit includes a second semiconductor fin, a second gate electrode extending across the second semiconductor fin, and a second gate dielectric layer spacing the second gate electrode apart from the second semiconductor fin. The third circuit includes a third semiconductor fin, a third gate electrode extending across the third semiconductor fin, and a third gate dielectric layer spacing the third gate electrode apart from the third semiconductor fin. The first gate dielectric layer has a greater thickness than the second gate dielectric layer. The third semiconductor fin has a smaller width than the second semiconductor fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230380149
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes first and second transistors each having a source terminal, a drain terminal, and a gate terminal. The semiconductor structure further includes a program line; a first metal plate over the first and the second transistors; a first insulator over the first metal plate; a second metal plate over the first insulator; a second insulator over the second metal plate; and a third metal plate over the second insulator. The first metal plate, the first insulator, and the second metal plate form a first anti-fuse element. The second metal plate, the second insulator, and the third metal plate form a second anti-fuse element. The source terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first metal plate. The source terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the third metal plate. The program line is electrically connected to the second metal plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230369122
    Abstract: Fin patterning methods disclosed herein achieve advantages of fin cut first techniques and fin cut last techniques while providing different numbers of fins in different IC regions. An exemplary method implements a spacer lithography technique that forms a fin pattern that includes a first fin line and a second fin line in a substrate. The first fin line and the second fin line have a first spacing in a first region corresponding with a single-fin FinFET and a second spacing in a second region corresponding with a multi-fin FinFET. The first spacing is greater than the second spacing, relaxing process margins during a fin cut last process, which partially removes a portion of the second line in the second region to form a dummy fin tip in the second region. Spacing between the dummy fin tip and the first fin in the second region is greater than the second spacing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230369434
    Abstract: An exemplary semiconductor memory chip includes a first static random access memory (SRAM) cell and a second SRAM cell. The first SRAM cell has a first GAA transistor, and the second SRAM cell has a second GAA transistor. The first and the second SRAM cells have a same cell size, and the first and the second GAA transistors are of a same transistor type. Moreover, the first GAA transistor has a first threshold voltage and the second GAA transistor has a second threshold voltage. The second threshold voltage is different than the first threshold voltage. Furthermore, the first GAA transistor has a first gate stack and the second GAA transistor has a second gate stack. The first gate stack has a first work function value, and the second gate stack has a second work function value. The second work function value is different than the first work function value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw