With Lightly Doped Drain Or Source Extension (epo) Patents (Class 257/E29.266)
  • Patent number: 10840351
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided in which an L-shaped airgap spacer is located between a functional gate structure and a source/drain contact structure. The L-shaped airgap spacer is sandwiched between a lower dielectric material spacer that is L-shaped and an upper dielectric material spacer that is also L-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kangguo Cheng
  • Patent number: 10566441
    Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuits are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method of forming an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of gate structures that have sidewalls spacers disposed adjacent to the gate structures. A gap is defined between sidewall spacers of adjacent gate structures. The method proceeds with decreasing an aspect ratio between a width of the gap at an opening thereto and a depth of the gap, wherein an aspect ratio between a width of the gap at a base of the sidewall spacers and the depth of the gap remains substantially unchanged after decreasing the aspect ratio between the width of the gap at the opening thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Hao Nong, Liang Li, Chiew Wah Yap, Ting Huo, Yung Fu Chong, Yun Ling Tan
  • Patent number: 9979396
    Abstract: An analog multiplexer includes inputs and one output. A switching circuit is coupled between each input and the output. Each switching circuit includes an NMOS switching module, having an on state and an off state, and a control module supplied by a first supply voltage and operating to reduce leakage currents of the NMOS switching module when in the off state. The control module further operates to make the first NMOS switching module bidirectional irrespective of voltages present at the input and at the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: Thierry Masson, Pawel Fiedorow
  • Patent number: 9390982
    Abstract: A device includes a first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer comprise different materials. A semiconductor region is overlying and contacting the second semiconductor layer, wherein a bottom surface of the semiconductor region contacts a first top surface of the second semiconductor layer. The semiconductor region and the second semiconductor layer comprise different material. The bottom surface of the semiconductor region has a slanted portion contacting a (551) surface plane of the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsin Ko, Cheng-Hsien Wu, Clement Hsingjen Wann, Yi-Jing Lee
  • Patent number: 9257519
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; and a gate structure disposed directly on the substrate, the gate structure including: a graded region with a varied material concentration profile; and a metal layer disposed on the graded region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Chudzik, Min Dai, Jinping Liu, Joseph F. Shepard, Jr., Keith K. H. Wong
  • Patent number: 9013008
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure has embedded stressor material for enhanced transistor performance. The method of forming the semiconductor structure includes etching an undercut in a substrate material under one or more gate structures while protecting an implant with a liner material. The method further includes removing the liner material on a side of the implant and depositing stressor material in the undercut under the one or more gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xi Li, Viorel C. Ontalus
  • Patent number: 8994107
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming semiconductor devices are provided herein. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate. A source region and a drain region are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. A channel region is defined in the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region. A gate dielectric layer overlies the channel region of the semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode overlies the gate dielectric layer. The channel region includes a first carbon-containing layer, a doped layer overlying the first carbon-containing layer, a second carbon-containing layer overlying the doped layer, and an intrinsic semiconductor layer overlying the second carbon-containing layer. The doped layer includes a dopant that is different than carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Inc.
    Inventors: El Mehdi Bazizi, Francis Benistant
  • Patent number: 8994034
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device including: a first electrode formed of a conductive material; a p-type first silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor section and an n-type second SiC semiconductor section 230, connected to the first electrode, containing carbon (C) such that a surface density distribution has a peak at a first interface with the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tatsuo Shimizu, Yoshinori Tsuchiya, Takashi Shinohe
  • Patent number: 8981490
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit (IC) includes implanting a first n-type dopant at a first masking level that exposes a p-region of a substrate surface having a first gate stack thereon to form NLDD regions for forming n-source/drain extension regions for at least a portion of a plurality of n-channel MOS (NMOS) transistors on the IC. A p-type dopant is implanted at a second masking level that exposes an n-region in the substrate surface having a second gate stack thereon to form PLDD regions for at least a portion of a plurality of p-channel MOS (PMOS) transistors on the IC. A second n-type dopant is retrograde implanted including through the first gate stack to form a deep nwell (DNwell) for the portion of NMOS transistors. A depth of the DNwell is shallower below the first gate stack as compared to under the NLDD regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Mahalingam Nandakumar
  • Patent number: 8962406
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes MOS and DEMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the DEMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel. An integrated circuit includes MOS and LDMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the LDMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel. A method of forming an integrated circuit with MOS and DEMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the DEMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel. A method of forming an integrated circuit with MOS and LDMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the LDMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Mahalingam Nandakumar
  • Patent number: 8912567
    Abstract: The present invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuits. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to strained channel complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistor structures and fabrication methods thereof. A strained channel CMOS transistor structure comprises a source stressor region comprising a source extension stressor region; and a drain stressor region comprising a drain extension stressor region; wherein a strained channel region is formed between the source extension stressor region and the drain extension stressor region, a width of said channel region being defined by adjacent ends of said extension stressor regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yung Fu Chong, Zhijiong Luo, Judson Holt
  • Patent number: 8883600
    Abstract: A transistor and method of fabrication thereof includes a screening layer formed at least in part in the semiconductor substrate beneath a channel layer and a gate stack, the gate stack including spacer structures on either side of the gate stack. The transistor includes a shallow lightly doped drain region in the channel layer and a deeply lightly doped drain region at the depth relative to the bottom of the screening layer for reducing junction leakage current. A compensation layer may also be included to prevent loss of back gate control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: SuVolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Thompson, Lucian Shifren, Pushkar Ranade, Yujie Liu, Sung Hwan Kim, Lingquan Wang, Dalong Zhao, Teymur Bakhishev, Thomas Hoffmann, Sameer Pradhan, Michael Duane
  • Patent number: 8877596
    Abstract: a method comprises forming a hardmask over one or more gate structures. The method further comprises forming a photoresist over the hardmask. The method further comprises forming an opening in the photoresist over at least one of the gate structures. The method further comprises stripping the hardmask that is exposed in the opening and which is over the at least one of the gate structures. The method further comprises removing the photoresist. The method further comprises providing a halo implant on a side of the at least one of the gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Darshana N. Bhagat, Thomas J. Dunbar, Yen Li Lim, Jed H. Rankin, Eva A. Shah
  • Patent number: 8878310
    Abstract: An integrated circuit with MOS and DEMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the DEMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel. An integrated circuit with MOS and LDMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the LDMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel. A method of forming an integrated circuit with MOS and DEMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the DEMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel. A method of forming an integrated circuit with MOS and LDMOS transistors with at least one of indium, carbon, nitrogen, and a halogen dopant raising the threshold voltage of a portion of the LDMOS transistor gate overlying the DEMOS transistor channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Mahalingam Nandakumar
  • Patent number: 8829615
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of forming the semiconductor device are disclosed, where the semiconductor device includes additional implant regions in the source and drain areas of the device for improving Ron-sp and BVD characteristics of the device. The device includes a gate electrode formed over a channel region that separates first and second implant regions in the device substrate. The first implant region has a first conductivity type, and the second implant region has a second conductivity type. A source diffusion region is formed in the first implant region, and a drain diffusion region is formed in the second implant region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Chung Chen, Ming-Tung Lee, Shih-Chin Lien, Shyi-Yuan Wu
  • Patent number: 8815667
    Abstract: Methods of forming transistors and transistors are disclosed, such as a transistor having a gate dielectric over a semiconductor having a first conductivity type, a control gate over the gate dielectric, source and drain regions having a second conductivity type in the semiconductor having the first conductivity type, and strips having the second conductivity type within the semiconductor having the first conductivity type and interposed between the control gate and at least one of the source and drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Smith, Vladimir Mikhalev, Puneet Sharma, Zia Alan Shafi, Henry Jim Fulford
  • Patent number: 8796097
    Abstract: Methods for forming a HEMT device are provided. The method includes forming an ultra-thin barrier layer on the plurality of thin film layers. A dielectric thin film layer is formed over a portion of the ultra-thin barrier layer to leave exposed areas of the ultra-thin barrier layer. A SAG S-D thin film layer is formed over the exposed areas of the ultra-thin barrier layer while leaving the dielectric thin film layer exposed. The dielectric thin film layer is then removed to expose the underlying ultra-thin barrier layer. The underlying ultra-thin barrier layer is treating with fluorine to form a treated area. A source and drain is added on the SAG S-D thin film layer, and a dielectric coating is deposited over the ultra-thin barrier layer treated with fluorine such that the dielectric coating is positioned between the source and the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: Asif Khan, Qhalid Fareed, Vinod Adivarahan
  • Patent number: 8716750
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having epitaxial structures includes a gate structure positioned on a substrate, epitaxial structures formed in the substrate at two sides of the gate structure, and an undoped cap layer formed on the epitaxial structures. The epitaxial structures include a dopant, a first semiconductor material having a first lattice constant, and a second semiconductor material having a second lattice constant, and the second lattice constant is larger than the first lattice constant. The undoped cap layer also includes the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material in the epitaxial structures includes a first concentration, the second semiconductor material in the undoped cap layer includes at least a first concentration, and the second concentration is lower than the first concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-I Liao, Teng-Chun Hsuan, I-Ming Lai, Chin-Cheng Chien
  • Patent number: 8710538
    Abstract: A light-emitting device having at least one spacer located at a bottom surface is disclosed. In two other embodiments, an electronic display system and an electronic system having such light-emitting device are disclosed. The light-emitting device comprises a plurality of leads, a light source die, and a body. The body encapsulates a portion of the plurality of leads and the light source die. The body has a least one side surface and a bottom surface. The at least one spacer is located at the bottom surface. In use, the light-emitting device is attached to a top surface of a substrate. The spacer is configured to create an air vent between the bottom surface and the top surface of the substrate when the light-emitting device is attached to, and the spacer is in contact with the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi Feng Hwang, Yin Har Cheow
  • Publication number: 20140103968
    Abstract: Embodiments of a semiconductor device, a circuit including a semiconductor device and a driver circuit, and a method for operating a semiconductor device are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a source region, a drain region, and a drain extension region formed in the substrate, and an insulation layer adjacent to the drain extension region. A gate layer and a field plate are formed one of within and on the insulation layer. The field plate is located adjacent to the drain extension region and is electrically insulated from the gate layer and the source region such that a voltage can be applied to the field plate independent from voltages applied to the gate layer and the source region. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: ANCO HERINGA, GERHARD KOOPS, BONI KOFI BOKSTEEN, ALESSANDRO FERRARA
  • Patent number: 8664060
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of fabricating the same comprising the steps of providing a substrate, forming at least one fin structure on said substrate, forming a gate covering said fin structure, forming a plurality of epitaxial structures covering said fin structures, performing a gate pullback process to reduce the critical dimension (CD) of said gate and separate said gate and said epitaxial structures, forming lightly doped drains (LDD) in said fin structures, and forming a spacer on said gate and said fin structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: An-Chi Liu, Chun-Hsien Lin, Yu-Cheng Tung, Chien-Ting Lin, Wen-Tai Chiang, Shih-Hung Tsai, Ssu-I Fu, Ying-Tsung Chen, Chih-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8658491
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The disclosed semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a device isolation structure for delimiting an active region, the active region being recessed and grooves being defined in channel forming areas of the active region; gates formed in and over the grooves; gate spacers formed on both sidewalls of the gates over portions of the recessed active region which are positioned on both sides of the gates; an LDD region formed in the active region under the gate spacers; junction areas formed in the active region on both sides of the gates including the gate spacers; and landing plugs formed on the junction areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Gyu Seog Cho
  • Patent number: 8648394
    Abstract: A method for forming a conformal buffer layer of uniform thickness and a resulting semiconductor structure are disclosed. The conformal buffer layer is used to protect highly-doped extension regions during formation of an epitaxial layer that is used for inducing mechanical stress on the channel region of transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek Dube, Jophy Stephen Koshy
  • Patent number: 8643137
    Abstract: A short channel Lateral MOSFET (LMOS) and method are disclosed with interpenetrating drain-body protrusions (IDBP) for reducing channel-on resistance while maintaining high punch-through voltage. The LMOS includes lower device bulk layer; upper source and upper drain region both located atop lower device bulk layer; both upper source and upper drain region are in contact with an intervening upper body region atop lower device bulk layer; both upper drain and upper body region are shaped to form a drain-body interface; the drain-body interface has an IDBP structure with a surface drain protrusion lying atop a buried body protrusion while revealing a top body surface area of the upper body region; gate oxide-gate electrode bi-layer disposed atop the upper body region forming an LMOS with a short channel length defined by the horizontal length of the top body surface area delineated between the upper source region and the upper drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Shekar Mallikarjunaswamy, Amit Paul
  • Patent number: 8638594
    Abstract: Integrated circuits with memory elements are provided. A memory element may include a storage circuit coupled to data lines through access transistors. Access transistors may be used to read data from and write data into the storage circuit. An access transistor may have asymmetric source-drain resistances. The access transistor may have a first source-drain that is coupled to a data line and a second source-drain that is coupled to the storage circuit. The second source-drain may have a contact resistance that is greater than the contact resistance associated with the first source-drain. Access transistors with asymmetric source-drain resistances may have a first drive strength when passing a low signal and a second drive strength when passing a high signal to the storage circuit. The second drive strength may be less than the first drive strength. Access transistors with asymmetric drive strengths may be used to improve memory read/write performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Shankar Sinha, Shih-Lin S. Lee, Peter J. McElheny
  • Patent number: 8604564
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure has embedded stressor material for enhanced transistor performance. The method of forming the semiconductor structure includes etching an undercut in a substrate material under one or more gate structures while protecting an implant with a liner material. The method further includes removing the liner material on a side of the implant and depositing stressor material in the undercut under the one or more gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machine Corporation
    Inventors: Xi Li, Viorel C. Ontalus
  • Patent number: 8592264
    Abstract: A method includes forming on a surface of a semiconductor a dummy gate structure comprised of a plug; forming a first spacer surrounding the plug, the first spacer being a sacrificial spacer; and performing an angled ion implant so as to implant a dopant species into the surface of the semiconductor adjacent to an outer sidewall of the first spacer to form a source extension region and a drain extension region, where the implanted dopant species extends under the outer sidewall of the first spacer by an amount that is a function of the angle of the ion implant. The method further includes performing a laser anneal to activate the source extension and the drain extension implant. The method further includes forming a second spacer surrounding the first spacer, removing the first spacer and the plug to form an opening, and depositing a gate stack in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Huiming Bu, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Bruce B. Doris, Chung-Hsun Lin, Huiling Shang, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8587056
    Abstract: A high-voltage MOS transistor includes a gate overlying an active area of a semiconductor substrate; a drain doping region pulled back away from an edge of the gate by a distance L; a first lightly doped region between the gate and the drain doping region; a source doping region in a first ion well; and a second lightly doped region between the gate and the source doping region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Cheng Lee, Tao Cheng, Ming-Tzong Yang
  • Publication number: 20130299919
    Abstract: A device includes a substrate, a gate dielectric over the substrate, and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric. A drain region and a source region are disposed on opposite sides of the gate electrode. Insulation regions are disposed in the substrate, wherein edges of the insulation regions are in contact with edges of the drain region and the source region. A dielectric mask includes a portion overlapping a first interface between the drain region and an adjoining portion of the insulation regions. A drain silicide region is disposed over the drain region, wherein an edge of the silicide region is substantially aligned to an edge of the first portion of the dielectric mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chu-Fu Chen, Chia-Chung Chen, Chi-Feng Huang, Victor Chiang Liang
  • Patent number: 8574991
    Abstract: An asymmetric transistor configuration is disclosed in which asymmetric extension regions and/or halo regions may be combined with an asymmetric spacer structure which may be used to further adjust the overall dopant profile of the asymmetric transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Jan Hoentschel, Uwe Griebenow, Maciej Wiatr
  • Patent number: 8569847
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device in one embodiment includes a select gate switch transistor having a gate insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, and first and second source/drain regions provided in the semiconductor substrate so as to face each other across the gate electrode. The first source/drain region includes a first n-type impurity layer and a second n-type impurity layer which has a higher impurity concentration and has a shallower depth than the first n-type impurity layer. The second source/drain region has a third n-type impurity layer which has a lower impurity concentration and has a shallower depth than the first n-type impurity layer and a fourth n-type impurity layer which has a higher impurity concentration and has a deeper depth than the third n-type impurity layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masato Endo
  • Patent number: 8569845
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microelectronic device includes forming a p-channel transistor on a silicon substrate by forming a poly gate structure over the substrate and forming a lightly doped source/drain region in the substrate. An oxide liner and nitride spacer are formed adjacent to opposing side walls of the poly gate structure and a recess is etched in the semiconductor substrate on opposing sides of the oxide liner. Raised SiGe source/drain regions are formed on either side of the oxide liner and slim spacers are formed over the oxide liner. A hard mask over the poly gate structure is used to protect the poly gate structure during the formation of the raised SiGe source/drain regions. A source/drain dopant is then implanted into the substrate including the SiGe regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Chao Huang, Cheng-Chuan Huang, Fu-Liang Yang
  • Patent number: 8564073
    Abstract: A technique for and structures for camouflaging an integrated circuit structure and strengthen its resistance to reverse engineering. A plurality of transistors are formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least some of the transistors being of the type having sidewall spacers with LDD regions formed under the sidewall spacers. Transistors are programmably interconnected with ambiguous interconnection features, the ambiguous interconnection features each comprising a channel formed in the semiconductor substrate with preferably the same dopant density as the LDD regions, with selected ones of the channels being formed of a conductivity type supporting electrical communication between interconnected active regions and with other selected ones of the channels being formed of a conductivity type inhibiting electrical communication but ambiguously appearing to a reverse engineer as supporting electrical communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Clark, Jr., Lap Wai Chow, Gavin Harbison, Paul Ouyang
  • Patent number: 8546891
    Abstract: A FinFET device may include a first semiconductor fin laterally adjacent a second semiconductor fin. The first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin may have profiles to minimize defects and deformation. The first semiconductor fin comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the first semiconductor fin may have a flared profile that is wider at the bottom than the upper portion of the first semiconductor fin. The second semiconductor fin comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the second semiconductor fin may have a flared profile that is wider than the upper portion of the second semiconductor fin, but less than the lower portion of the first semiconductor fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Wei Chang, Chih-Fang Liu, Chih-Tang Peng, Tai-Chun Huang, Ryan Chia-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 8546204
    Abstract: A method for forming a conformal buffer layer of uniform thickness and a resulting semiconductor structure are disclosed. The conformal buffer layer is used to protect highly-doped extension regions during formation of an epitaxial layer that is used for inducing mechanical stress on the channel region of transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek Dube, Jophy Stephen Koshy
  • Patent number: 8541823
    Abstract: A transistor. The transistor including: a well region in a substrate; a gate dielectric layer on a top surface of the well region; a polysilicon gate electrode on a top surface of the gate dielectric layer; spacers formed on opposite sidewalls of the polysilicon gate electrode; source/drain regions formed on opposite sides of the polysilicon gate electrode in the well region; a first doped region in the polysilicon gate electrode, the first doped region extending into the polysilicon gate electrode from a top surface of the polysilicon gate electrode; and a buried second doped region in the polysilicon gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Furukawa, Mark C. Hakey, Steven J. Holmes, David V. Horak, Charles W. Koburger, III
  • Patent number: 8536041
    Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a transistor. The transistor includes a silicon layer including a source region and a drain region, a gate stack disposed on the silicon layer between the source region and the drain region, and a sidewall spacer disposed on sidewalls of the gate stack. The gate stack includes a first layer of high dielectric constant material, a second layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, and a third layer comprising silicon or polysilicon. The sidewall spacer includes a high dielectric constant material and covers the sidewalls of at least the second and third layers of the gate stack. Also provided is a method for fabricating such a transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leland Chang, Isaac Lauer, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Publication number: 20130234261
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a gate structure disposed on a substrate and having an outer spacer, a recess disposed in the substrate and adjacent to the gate structure, a doped epitaxial material filling up the recess, a cap layer including an undoped epitaxial material and disposed on the doped epitaxial material, a lightly doped drain disposed below the cap layer and sandwiched between the doped epitaxial material and the cap layer, and a silicide disposed on the cap layer and covering the doped epitaxial material to cover the cap layer together with the outer spacer without directly contacting the lightly doped drain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Ming-Te Wei, Shin-Chuan Huang, Yu-Hsiang Hung, Po-Chao Tsao, Chia-Jui Liang, Ming-Tsung Chen, Chia-Wen Liang
  • Publication number: 20130214353
    Abstract: A FET includes a gate dielectric structure associated with a single gate electrode, the gate dielectric structure having at least two regions, each of those regions having a different effective oxide thickness, the FET further having a channel region with at least two portions each having a different doping profile. A semiconductor manufacturing process produces a FET including a gate dielectric structure associated with a single gate electrode, the gate dielectric structure having at least two regions, each of those regions having a different effective oxide thickness, the FET further having a channel region with at least two portions each having a different doping profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Akira ITO
  • Patent number: 8508000
    Abstract: A FinFET device may include a first semiconductor fin laterally adjacent a second semiconductor fin. The first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin may have profiles to minimize defects and deformation. The first semiconductor fin comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the first semiconductor fin may have a flared profile that is wider at the bottom than the upper portion of the first semiconductor fin. The second semiconductor fin comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the second semiconductor fin may have a flared profile that is wider than the upper portion of the second semiconductor fin, but less than the lower portion of the first semiconductor fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Wei Chang, Chih-Fang Liu, Chih-Tang Peng, Tai-Chun Huang, Ryan Chia-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 8507987
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) device that can achieve high frequency response while maintaining high output impedance and high breakdown voltage includes a substrate, a gate, at least a dummy gate, at least a doped region, a source region and a drain region. The substrate includes a well of first type and a well of second type. The well of second type is adjacent to the well of first type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Sheng-Yi Huang, Cheng-Chou Hung, Tzung-Lin Li, Chin-Lan Tseng, Victor-Chiang Liang, Chih-Yu Tseng
  • Publication number: 20130200470
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of fabricating the same comprising the steps of providing a substrate, forming at least one fin structure on said substrate, forming a gate covering said fin structure, forming a plurality of epitaxial structures covering said fin structures, performing a gate pullback process to reduce the critical dimension (CD) of said gate and separate said gate and said epitaxial structures, forming lightly doped drains (LDD) in said fin structures, and forming a spacer on said gate and said fin structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: An-Chi Liu, Chun-Hsien Lin, Yu-Cheng Tung, Chien-Ting Lin, Wen-Tai Chiang, Shih-Hung Tsai, Ssu-I Fu, Ying-Tsung Chen, Chih-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8482058
    Abstract: In a high frequency amplifying MOSFET having a drain offset region, the size is reduced and the on-resistance is decreased by providing conductor plugs 13 (P1) for leading out electrodes on a source region 10, a drain region 9 and leach-through layers 3 (4), to which a first layer wirings 11a, 11d (M1) are connected and, further, backing second layer wirings 12a to 12d are connected on the conductor plugs 13 (P1) to the first layer wirings 11s, 11d (M1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Hoshino, Shuji Ikeda, Isao Yoshida, Shiro Kamohara, Megumi Kawakami, Tomoyuki Miyake, Masatoshi Morikawa
  • Patent number: 8476139
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure which exhibits high device performance and improved short channel effects is provided. In particular, a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOFET) is provided that includes a low dopant concentration within an inversion layer of the structure; the inversion layer is an epitaxial semiconductor layer that is formed atop a portion of the semiconductor substrate. The structure also includes a well region of a first conductivity type beneath the inversion layer, wherein the well region has a central portion and two horizontally abutting end portions. The central portion has a higher concentration of a first conductivity type dopant than the two horizontally abutting end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Huilong Zhu, Jing Wang
  • Publication number: 20130161739
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first doped region and a second, oppositely doped, region both formed in a substrate, a first gate formed overlying a portion of the first doped region and a portion of the second doped region, two or more second gates formed over the substrate overlying a different portion of the second doped region, one or more third doped regions in the second doped region disposed only between the two or more second gates such that the third doped region and the second doped region having opposite conductivity types, a source region in the first doped region, and a drain region in the second doped region disposed across the second gates from the first gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hua-Chou TSENG, Meng-Wei HSIEH
  • Publication number: 20130161763
    Abstract: A method includes forming on a surface of a semiconductor a dummy gate structure comprised of a plug; forming a first spacer surrounding the plug, the first spacer being a sacrificial spacer; and performing an angled ion implant so as to implant a dopant species into the surface of the semiconductor adjacent to an outer sidewall of the first spacer to form a source extension region and a drain extension region, where the implanted dopant species extends under the outer sidewall of the first spacer by an amount that is a function of the angle of the ion implant. The method further includes performing a laser anneal to activate the source extension and the drain extension implant. The method further includes forming a second spacer surrounding the first spacer, removing the first spacer and the plug to form an opening, and depositing a gate stack in the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Huiming Bu, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Bruce B. Doris, Chung-Hsun Lin, Huiling Shang, Tenko Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20130126983
    Abstract: An insulated-gate field-effect transistor (220U) utilizes an empty-well region for achieving high performance. The concentration of the body dopant reaches a maximum at a subsurface location no more than 10 times deeper below the upper semiconductor surface than the depth of one of a pair of source/drain zones (262 and 264), decreases by at least a factor of 10 in moving from the subsurface location along a selected vertical line (136U) through that source/drain zone to the upper semiconductor surface, and has a logarithm that decreases substantially monotonically and substantially inflectionlessly in moving from the subsurface location along the vertical line to that source/drain zone. Each source/drain zone has a main portion (262M or 264M) and a more lightly doped lateral extension (262E or 264E). Alternatively or additionally, a more heavily doped pocket portion (280) of the body material extends along one of the source/drain zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventor: Constantin Bulucea
  • Patent number: 8415752
    Abstract: An asymmetric insulated-gate field effect transistor (100U or 102U) provided along an upper surface of a semiconductor body contains first and second source/drain zones (240 and 242 or 280 and 282) laterally separated by a channel zone (244 or 284) of the transistor's body material. A gate electrode (262 or 302) overlies a gate dielectric layer (260 or 300) above the channel zone. A pocket portion (250 or 290) of the body material more heavily doped than laterally adjacent material of the body material extends along largely only the first of the S/D zones and into the channel zone. The vertical dopant profile of the pocket portion is tailored to reach a plurality of local maxima (316-1-316-3) at respective locations (PH-1-PH-3) spaced apart from one another. The tailoring is typically implemented so that the vertical dopant profile of the pocket portion is relatively flat near the upper semiconductor surface. As a result, the transistor has reduced leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Jeng-Jiun Yang, Constantin Bulucea, Sandeep R. Bahl
  • Publication number: 20130082327
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a first conductive epitaxial layer, a second conductive type first well provided in the first conductive epitaxial layer, a first conductive body provided in the first conductive epitaxial layer, a second conductive type drain extension region provided in the first conductive epitaxial layer and interposed between the first conductive body and the second conductive type first well, a second conductive type second well provided in the second conductive type first well, and a gate provided in the first conductive epitaxial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Cheol Ho CHO, Choul Joo Ko
  • Publication number: 20130075830
    Abstract: In a method, a gate dielectric film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed on the gate dielectric film. Impurities of a first conduction-type are introduced into a drain-layer formation region. The impurities of the first conduction-type in the drain-layer formation region are activated by performing heat treatment. Single crystals of the semiconductor substrate in a source-layer formation region are amorphized by introducing inert impurities into the source-layer formation region. Impurities of a second conduction-type is introduced into the source-layer formation region. At least an amorphous semiconductor in the source-layer formation region is brought into a single crystal semiconductor and the impurities of the second conduction-type in the source-layer formation region is activated by irradiating the semiconductor substrate with microwaves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: Kiyotaka MIYANO, Toshitaka MIYATA