Patents Assigned to Semiconductor Manufacturing
  • Patent number: 11901242
    Abstract: The structure of a semiconductor device with different gate structures configured to provide ultra-low threshold voltages and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes first and second nanostructured channel regions in first and second nanostructured layers, respectively, and first and second gate-all-around (GAA) structures surrounding the first and second nanostructured channel regions, respectively. The first GAA structure includes an Al-based gate stack with a first gate dielectric layer, an Al-based n-type work function metal layer, a first metal capping layer, and a first gate metal fill layer. The second GAA structure includes an Al-free gate stack with a second gate dielectric layer, an Al-free p-type work function metal layer, a metal growth inhibition layer, a second metal capping layer, and a second gate metal fill layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Liang Cheng, Ziwei Fang
  • Patent number: 11901365
    Abstract: A finFET device that includes a substrate and at least one semiconductor fin extending from the substrate. The fin may include a plurality of wide portions comprising a first semiconductor material and one or more narrow portions. The one or more narrow portions have a second width less than the first width of the wide portions. Each of the one or more narrow portions separates two of the plurality of wide portions from one another such that the plurality of wide portions and the one or more narrow portions are arranged alternatingly in a substantially vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular with a surface of the substrate. The fin may also include a channel layer covering sidewalls of the plurality of wide portions and a sidewall of the one or more narrow portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wang-Chun Huang, Kai-Chieh Yang, Ching-Wei Tsai, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 11901176
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor arrangement is provided. The method includes forming a first dielectric layer and forming a first semiconductive layer over the first dielectric layer. The first semiconductive layer is patterned to form a patterned first semiconductive layer. The first dielectric layer is patterned using the patterned first semiconductive layer to form a patterned first dielectric layer. A second semiconductive layer is formed over the patterned first dielectric layer and the patterned first semiconductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Yi-Shan Chen, Hao-Heng Liu
  • Patent number: 11903221
    Abstract: A device includes a first transistor over a substrate, a second transistor disposed over the first transistor, and a memory element disposed over the second transistor. The second transistor includes a channel layer, a gate dielectric layer surrounding a sidewall of the channel layer, and a gate electrode surrounding a sidewall of the gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chenchen Wang, Chun-Chieh Lu, Chi On Chui, Yu-Ming Lin, Sai-Hooi Yeong
  • Patent number: 11901207
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system includes a stocker having an interior surface, a wafer carrier disposed within the stocker, a wafer shelf disposed within the wafer carrier for storing a semiconductor wafer, and a discharge circuit including a first conductor electrically coupled to the wafer shelf and a first current controller electrically coupled to the first conductor and to the interior surface of the stocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kai-Hung Hsiao, Chi-Chung Jen, Yu-Chun Shen, Jhang-Jie Jian, Wen-Chih Chiang
  • Patent number: 11901353
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a T-coil circuit, a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), and a signal-loss prevention circuit. The T-coil circuit is coupled to an input/output (I/O) pad and an internal circuit. The SCR is coupled to the T-coil circuit and the internal circuit. The signal-loss prevention circuit is coupled to the T-coil circuit and the SCR. The signal-loss prevention circuit includes a resistor coupled to the T-coil circuit and the SCR. An electrostatic current flows through the resistor and turns on the SCR. The signal-loss prevention circuit may also include a diode circuit coupled to the T-coil circuit and the SCR. The diode circuit is configured to prevent signal loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Min Wu, Ming-Dou Ker, Chun-Yu Lin, Li-Wei Chu
  • Patent number: 11901237
    Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor fin, a gate structure, gate spacers, and a dielectric feature. The semiconductor fin is over a substrate. The gate structure is over the semiconductor fin and includes a gate dielectric layer over the semiconductor fin and a gate metal covering the gate dielectric layer. The gate spacers are on opposite sides of the gate structure. The dielectric feature is over the substrate. The dielectric feature is in contact with the gate metal, the gate dielectric layer, and the gate spacers, and an interface between the gate metal and the dielectric feature is substantially aligned with an interface between the dielectric feature and one of the gate spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yun Chang, Bone-Fong Wu, Ming-Chang Wen, Ya-Hsiu Lin
  • Patent number: 11901303
    Abstract: An integrated fan-out package including an integrated circuit, an insulating encapsulation, and a redistribution circuit structure is provided. The integrated circuit includes an antenna region. The insulating encapsulation encapsulates the integrated circuit. The redistribution circuit structure is disposed on the integrated circuit and the insulating encapsulation. The redistribution circuit structure is electrically connected to the integrated circuit, and the redistribution circuit structure includes a redistribution region and a dummy region including a plurality of dummy patterns embedded therein, wherein the antenna region includes an inductor and a wiring-free dielectric portion, and the wiring-free dielectric portion of the antenna region is between the inductor and the dummy region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Yen Chiu, Ching-Fu Chang, Hsin-Chieh Huang
  • Patent number: 11901266
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes providing a chip structure including a substrate and a wiring structure over a first surface of the substrate. The method includes removing a first portion of the wiring structure adjacent to the hole to widen a second portion of the hole in the wiring structure. The second portion has a first width increasing in a first direction away from the substrate. The method includes forming a first seed layer over the wiring structure and in the hole. The method includes thinning the substrate from a second surface of the substrate until the first seed layer in the hole is exposed. The method includes forming a second seed layer over the second surface of the substrate and the first seed layer in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ting-Li Yang, Wen-Hsiung Lu, Lung-Kai Mao, Fu-Wei Liu, Mirng-Ji Lii
  • Patent number: 11903189
    Abstract: Three-dimensional memories are provided. A three-dimensional memory includes a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of source lines. The memory cells are divided into a plurality of groups, and the groups of memory cells are formed in respective levels stacked along a first direction. The word lines extend along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the bit lines includes a plurality of sub-bit lines formed in the respective levels. Each of the source lines includes a plurality of sub-source lines formed in respective levels. In each of the levels, the memory cells of the corresponding group are arranged in a plurality of columns, and the sub-bit lines and the sub-source lines are alternately arranged between two adjacent columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo-Feng Young, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Chih-Yu Chang, Han-Jong Chia, Chenchen Jacob Wang, Yu-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 11901435
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming an integrated circuit (IC). The method includes forming a gate electrode and a gate dielectric stacked over a substrate. A sidewall liner is formed along sidewalls of the gate electrode and along an upper surface of the substrate. A sidewall spacer is formed on sidewalls and an upper surface of the sidewall liner. The sidewall spacer consists essentially of silicon oxycarbonitride and has a dielectric constant great than that of the sidewall liner and less than that of the gate dielectric. A pair of source/drain regions is formed respectively on opposite sides of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng-Ta Wu
  • Patent number: 11897759
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first device and a second device disposed adjacent to the first device; a conductive pillar disposed adjacent to the first device or the second device; a molding surrounding the first device, the second device and the conductive pillar; and a redistribution layer (RDL) over the first device, the second device, the molding and the conductive pillar, wherein the RDL electrically connects the first device to the second device and includes an opening penetrating the RDL and exposing a sensing area over the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Po Chen Yeh, Yi-Hsien Chang, Fu-Chun Huang, Ching-Hui Lin, Chiahung Liu, Shih-Fen Huang, Chun-Ren Cheng
  • Patent number: 11901219
    Abstract: Methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are described. In some embodiments, the method includes forming an interconnect structure over a substrate. The forming the interconnect structure over the semiconductor device structure includes forming a dielectric layer, then performing an annealing process, then forming one or more openings in the dielectric layer, then performing a first ultraviolet (UV) curing process, and then forming conductive features in the one or more openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Wen Pan, You-Lan Li, Chung-Chi Ko
  • Patent number: 11901277
    Abstract: A semiconductor package and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die, an encapsulant and a redistribution structure. The encapsulant laterally encapsulates the semiconductor die. The redistribution structure is disposed on the encapsulant and electrically connected with the semiconductor die, wherein the redistribution structure comprises a first conductive via, a first conductive wiring layer and a second conductive via stacked along a stacking direction, the first conductive via has a first terminal surface contacting the first conductive wiring layer, the second conductive via has a second terminal surface contacting the first conductive wiring layer, an area of a first cross section of the first conductive via is greater than an area of the first terminal surface of the first conductive via, and an area of a second cross section of the second conductive via is greater than an area of the second terminal surface of the second conductive via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Ting Hung, Meng-Liang Lin, Shin-Puu Jeng, Yi-Wen Wu, Po-Yao Chuang
  • Patent number: 11900586
    Abstract: A hot spot defect detecting method and a hot spot defect detecting system are provided. In the method, hot spots are extracted from a design of a semiconductor product to define a hot spot map comprising hot spot groups, wherein local patterns in a same context of the design yielding a same image content are defined as a same hot spot group. During runtime, defect images obtained by an inspection tool performing hot scans on a wafer manufactured with the design are acquired and the hot spot map is aligned to each defect image to locate the hot spot groups. The hot spot defects in each defect image are detected by dynamically mapping the hot spot groups located in each defect image to a plurality of threshold regions and respectively performing automatic thresholding on pixel values of the hot spots of each hot spot group in the corresponding threshold region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Huei Chen, Pei-Chao Su, Xiaomeng Chen, Chan-Ming Chang, Shih-Yung Chen, Hung-Yi Chung, Kuang-Shing Chen, Li-Jou Lee, Yung-Cheng Lin, Wei-Chen Wu, Shih-Chang Wang, Chien-An Lin
  • Patent number: 11902455
    Abstract: Disclosed is a physical unclonable function generator circuit and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Lien Linus Lu, Cheng-En Lee
  • Patent number: 11901387
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a semiconductor layer, a plurality of metal isolation features disposed in the semiconductor layer, a metal grid disposed directly over the plurality of metal isolation features, and a plurality of microlens features disposed over the metal grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Min-Feng Kao, Dun-Nian Yaung, Jen-Cheng Liu, Wen-Chang Kuo, Sheng-Chau Chen, Feng-Chi Hung, Sheng-Chan Li
  • Patent number: 11901362
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a channel region; a gate dielectric layer on the channel region; a first work function tuning layer on the gate dielectric layer, the first work function tuning layer including a n-type work function metal; a barrier layer on the first work function tuning layer; a second work function tuning layer on the barrier layer, the second work function tuning layer including a p-type work function metal, the p-type work function metal different from the n-type work function metal; and a fill layer on the second work function tuning layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsin-Yi Lee, Weng Chang, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 11901226
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of forming an interconnect structure. The method can include providing a semiconductor substrate; depositing a photoresist and a BARC layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the photoresist and the BARC layer and a portion of the semiconductor substrate; depositing a conductive material to fill the opening; and planarizing the conductive material and the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Kuei Liu
  • Patent number: 11901411
    Abstract: An embodiment is a semiconductor device including a first channel region over a semiconductor substrate, a second channel region over the first channel region, a first gate stack over the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the first channel region and the second channel region, a first inner spacer extending from the first channel region to the second channel region and along a sidewall of the first gate stack, a second inner spacer extending from the first channel region to the second channel region and along a sidewall of the first inner spacer, the second inner spacer having a different material composition than the first inner spacer, and a first source/drain region adjacent the first channel region, the second channel region, and the second inner spacer, the first and second inner spacers being between the first gate stack and the first source/drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Bo-Feng Young, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Chi On Chui