Patents by Inventor Steven Arthur Vitale

Steven Arthur Vitale 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: 7910289
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there are methods of making an integrated circuit, an integrated circuit device, and a computer readable medium. A method can comprise forming a first layer over a semiconductor substrate, forming a first mask layer over the semiconductor substrate, and using the first mask layer to pattern first features. The method can also include forming a second mask layer over the first features, using the second mask layer to pattern portions of the first features, removing the second mask layer, and removing the first mask layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Benjamen Michael Rathsack, James Walter Blatchford, Steven Arthur Vitale
  • Patent number: 7892957
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is fabricated with a selected critical dimension. A gate dielectric layer is formed over a semiconductor body. A gate layer comprised of a conductive material, such as polysilicon, is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The gate layer is patterned to form a gate electrode having a first horizontal dimension. One or more growth-stripping operations are performed to reduce a critical dimension of the gate electrode to a second horizontal dimension, where the second horizontal dimension is less than the first horizontal dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven Arthur Vitale
  • Patent number: 7687396
    Abstract: A method comprises forming a gate stack comprising a polysilicon layer, a metal layer and a polysilicon layer over a gate dielectric and substrate. The metal layer is buried inside the gate stack to alloy the silicon and metal at the bottom of the gate. The gate stack is then etched to form a gate. A silicidation is then performed to form a silicide at the bottom of the gate. Optionally, a second metal layer may be formed on top of the gate stack. As such, during silicidation, a silicide may be formed at the top of the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven Arthur Vitale, Shaofeng Yu
  • Patent number: 7494882
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductive device comprising forming a mask for a semiconductive device structure over a layer of a semiconductor substrate and partially etching the layer to form lateral and vertical surfaces. Thicknesses of one to several atomic diameters of atoms that comprise said layer are removed from the lateral surfaces and the vertical surfaces that are located under the mask to form a target dimension of a semiconductive device structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven Arthur Vitale
  • Publication number: 20090017607
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is fabricated with a selected critical dimension. A gate dielectric layer is formed over a semiconductor body. A gate layer comprised of a conductive material, such as polysilicon, is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The gate layer is patterned to form a gate electrode having a first horizontal dimension. One or more growth-stripping operations are performed to reduce a critical dimension of the gate electrode to a second horizontal dimension, where the second horizontal dimension is less than the first horizontal dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: STEVEN ARTHUR VITALE
  • Patent number: 7439106
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is fabricated with a selected critical dimension. A gate dielectric layer is formed over a semiconductor body. A gate layer comprised of a conductive material, such as polysilicon, is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The gate layer is patterned to form a gate electrode having a first horizontal dimension. One or more growth-stripping operations are performed to reduce a critical dimension of the gate electrode to a second horizontal dimension, where the second horizontal dimension is less than the first horizontal dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven Arthur Vitale
  • Publication number: 20080157258
    Abstract: A method comprises forming a gate stack comprising a polysilicon layer, a metal layer and a polysilicon layer over a gate dielectric and substrate. The metal layer is buried inside the gate stack to alloy the silicon and metal at the bottom of the gate. The gate stack is then etched to form a gate. A silicidation is then performed to form a silicide at the bottom of the gate. Optionally, a second metal layer may be formed on top of the gate stack. As such, during silicidation, a silicide may be formed at the top of the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Steven Arthur Vitale, Shaofeng Yu