Patents Examined by Brian Turner
  • Patent number: 11967614
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device comprising an active region on a substrate and including first and second sidewalls extending in a first direction and an epitaxial pattern on the active region, wherein the epitaxial pattern includes first and second epitaxial sidewalls extending from the first and second sidewalls, respectively, the first epitaxial sidewall includes a first epitaxial lower sidewall, a first epitaxial upper sidewall, and a first epitaxial connecting sidewall connecting the first epitaxial lower sidewall and the first epitaxial upper sidewall, the second epitaxial sidewall includes a second epitaxial lower sidewall, a second epitaxial upper sidewall, and a second epitaxial connecting sidewall connecting the second epitaxial lower sidewall and the second epitaxial upper sidewall, a distance between the first and second epitaxial upper sidewalls decreases away from the active region, and the first and second epitaxial lower sidewalls extend in parallel to a top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Gil Yang, Seung Min Song, Soo Jin Jeong, Dong Il Bae, Bong Seok Suh
  • Patent number: 11961919
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes: forming a fin protruding above a substrate, where a top portion of the fin comprises a layer stack that includes alternating layers of a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material; forming a dummy gate structure over the fin; forming openings in the fin on opposing sides of the dummy gate structure; forming source/drain regions in the openings; removing the dummy gate structure to expose the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material under the dummy gate structure; performing a first etching process to selectively remove the exposed first semiconductor material, where after the first etching process, the exposed second semiconductor material form nanostructures, where each of the nanostructures has a first shape; and after the first etching process, performing a second etching process to reshape each of the nanostructures into a second shape different from the first shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Chung Chang, Hsiu-Hao Tsao, Ming-Jhe Sie, Shun-Hui Yang, Chen-Huang Huang, An Chyi Wei, Ryan Chia-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 11963368
    Abstract: A memory includes: a dielectric fin formed over a substrate; and a pair of memory cells disposed along respective sidewalls of the dielectric fin, each of the pair of memory cells comprising: a first conductor layer; a selector layer; a resistive material layer; and a second conductor layer, wherein the first conductor layer, selector layer, resistive material layer, and second conductor layer each includes upper and lower boundaries, and at least one of the upper and lower boundaries is tilted away from one of the sidewalls of the dielectric fin by an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Chieh Mo, Shih-Chi Kuo, Tsai-Hao Hung
  • Patent number: 11955330
    Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming openings in an interdeck region and a first deck structure, the first deck structure comprising alternating levels of a first insulative material and a second insulative material, forming a first sacrificial material in the openings, removing a portion of the first sacrificial material from the interdeck region to expose sidewalls of the first insulative material and the second insulative material in the interdeck region, removing a portion of the first insulative material and the second insulative material in the interdeck region to form tapered sidewalls in the interdeck region, removing remaining portions of the first sacrificial material from the openings, and forming at least a second sacrificial material in the openings. Related methods of forming a microelectronic devices and related microelectronic devices are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Damir Fazil
  • Patent number: 11948987
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a source feature and a drain feature, a plurality of semiconductor nanostructures extending between the source feature and the drain feature, a gate structure wrapping around each of the plurality of semiconductor nanostructures, a bottom dielectric layer over the gate structure and the drain feature, a backside power rail disposed over the bottom dielectric layer, and a backside source contact disposed between the source feature and the backside power rail. The backside source contact extends through the bottom dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lung-Kun Chu, Mao-Lin Huang, Chung-Wei Hsu, Jia-Ni Yu, Kuo-Cheng Chiang, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 11942375
    Abstract: A structure and a formation method of a semiconductor device are provided. The method includes forming a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin over a semiconductor substrate. The second semiconductor fin is wider than the first semiconductor fin. The method also includes forming a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate, and the gate stack extends across the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. The method further includes forming a first source/drain structure on the first semiconductor fin, and the first source/drain structure is p-type doped. In addition, the method includes forming a second source/drain structure on the second semiconductor fin, and the second source/drain structure is n-type doped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsing-Hui Hsu, Po-Nien Chen, Yi-Hsuan Chung, Bo-Shiuan Shie, Chih-Yung Lin
  • Patent number: 11942550
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a nanosheet semiconductor device includes forming a poly gate on a nanosheet stack which includes at least one first nanosheet and at least one second nanosheet alternating with the at least one first nanosheet; recessing the nanosheet stack to form a source/drain recess proximate to the poly gate; forming an inner spacer laterally covering the at least one first nanosheet; and selectively etching the at least one second nanosheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chien-Chang Su, Yan-Ting Lin, Chien-Wei Lee, Bang-Ting Yan, Chih Teng Hsu, Chih-Chiang Chang, Chien-I Kuo, Chii-Horng Li, Yee-Chia Yeo
  • Patent number: 11935924
    Abstract: Disclosed are semiconductor devices and/or method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor device comprises a substrate including first and second regions, a first active pattern on the first region and including a pair of first source/drain patterns and a first channel pattern including first semiconductor patterns, a second active pattern on the second region and including a pair of second source/drain patterns and a second channel pattern including second semiconductor patterns, a support pattern between two vertically adjacent first semiconductor patterns, and a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode on the first channel pattern and the second channel pattern. A channel length of the first channel pattern is greater than that of the second channel pattern. A ratio of a width of the support pattern to the channel length of the first channel pattern is in a range of 0.05 to 0.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noh Yeong Park, Dong Il Bae, Beomjin Park
  • Patent number: 11929292
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory according to an embodiment includes first and second areas, an active region, a non-active region, a first stacked body, a plurality of first pillars, a first contact, a second stacked body, and a second contact. The active region includes part of each of the first and second areas. The non-active region includes part of each of the first and second areas. The second stacked body is in the non-active region. The second stacked body includes second insulators and second conductors which are alternately stacked. A second contact is in contact with a second conductor in a first interconnect layer and a second conductor in a second interconnect layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Yamamoto, Yu Hirotsu
  • Patent number: 11908913
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a transistor including a source contact, a drain contact, and a channel region including an oxide semiconductor material as the channel material. At least one of the drain contact or the source contact includes a conductive material, such as ruthenium, to reduce the Schottky effects at the interface with the channel material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Ramanathan Gandhi, Scott E. Sills
  • Patent number: 11884852
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide multilayered multiple quantum dot-doped nanoparticles, each of the multiple quantum dot-doped nanoparticles has a structure consisting of an inorganic core particle, a quantum dot-embedded layer, and a silica/quantum dot composite shell. The multiple quantum dot-doped nanoparticles can be used to detect biomolecules with improved quantum yield (QY) and brightness while maintaining a large area covered by the quantum dots and stable bonds of the quantum dots. Therefore, the multiple quantum dot-doped nanoparticles are suitable for bioapplications, including bioplatforms and highly sensitive methods for detecting biomolecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignees: BIOSQUARE INC., KONKUK UNIVERSITY INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION CORP
    Inventors: Bong Hyun Jun, Sung Wook Yoon, Yoon Sik Lee, Dong Ok Choi, Xuan Hung Pham, Tae Han Kim, Jung Won Kim
  • Patent number: 11889704
    Abstract: A device includes gate-all-around transistors and method for manufacturing such a device. A method for manufacturing a microelectronic device includes at least two transistors each comprising a channel in the shape of a wire extending in a first direction x, a gate surrounding said channel, a source and a drain, said transistors being stacked in a third direction z and each occupying a level nz (z=1 . . . 4) of given altitude in the third direction z.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Sylvain Barraud, François Andrieu
  • Patent number: 11862622
    Abstract: An integrated circuit layout includes a first standard cell and a second standard cell. The first standard cell includes first gate lines arranged along a first direction and extending along a second direction. The second standard cell abuts to one side of the first standard cell along the second direction and includes second gate lines arranged along the first direction and extending along the second direction. A first gate line width of the first gate lines and a second gate line width of the second gate lines are different. A first cell width of the first standard cell and a second cell width of the second standard cell are integral multiples of a default gate line pitch of the first gate lines and the second gate lines. At least some of the second gate lines and at least some of the first gate lines are aligned along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Kun-Yuan Wu, Wei-Jen Wang, Chien-Fu Chen, Chen-Hsien Hsu, Chien-Hung Chen, Chun-Hsien Lin
  • Patent number: 11862561
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of forming a structure includes forming a first transistor and a second transistor over a first substrate; forming a front-side interconnect structure over the first transistor and the second transistor; etching at least a backside of the first substrate to expose the first transistor and the second transistor; forming a first backside via electrically connected to the first transistor; forming a second backside via electrically connected to the second transistor; depositing a dielectric layer over the first backside via and the second backside via; forming a first conductive line in the dielectric layer, the first conductive line being a power rail electrically connected to the first transistor through the first backside via; and forming a second conductive line in the dielectric layer, the second conductive line being a signal line electrically connected to the second transistor through the second backside via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shang-Wen Chang, Yi-Hsun Chiu, Cheng-Chi Chuang, Ching-Wei Tsai, Wei-Cheng Lin, Shih-Wei Peng, Jiann-Tyng Tzeng
  • Patent number: 11862700
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The semiconductor device structure includes a first dielectric feature extending along a first direction, the first dielectric feature comprising a first dielectric layer having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposing the first sidewall, a first semiconductor layer disposed adjacent the first sidewall, the first semiconductor layer extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a second dielectric feature extending along the first direction, the second dielectric feature disposed adjacent the first semiconductor layer, and a first gate electrode layer surrounding at least three surfaces of the first semiconductor layer, and a portion of the first gate electrode layer is exposed to a first air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Ni Yu, Kuo-Cheng Chiang, Mao-Lin Huang, Lung-Kun Chu, Chung-Wei Hsu, Chun-Fu Lu, Chih-Hao Wang, Kuan-Lun Cheng
  • Patent number: 11862465
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including operations of forming a first hard mask over an underlying layer on a substrate by a photolithographic and etching method, forming a sidewall spacer pattern having a first sidewall portion and a second sidewall portion on opposing sides of the first hard mask, etching the first sidewall portion, etching the first hard mask and leaving the second sidewall portion bridging a gap of the etched first hard mask, and processing the underlying layer using the second hard mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shih-Chun Huang, Chiu-Hsiang Chen, Ya-Wen Yeh, Yu-Tien Shen, Po-Chin Chang, Chien-Wen Lai, Wei-Liang Lin, Ya Hui Chang, Yung-Sung Yen, Li-Te Lin, Pinyen Lin, Ru-Gun Liu, Chin-Hsiang Lin
  • Patent number: 11854791
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a vertical stack of channel members, a gate structure over and around the vertical stack of channel members, and a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature. Each of the vertical stack of channel members extends along a first direction between the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature. Each of the vertical stack of channel members is spaced apart from the first source/drain feature by a silicide feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Pei-Yu Wang
  • Patent number: 11855225
    Abstract: Semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor device comprises semiconductor layers over a substrate, wherein the semiconductor layers are stacked up and separated from each other, each semiconductor layer includes a first portion in a first channel region of the substrate and a second portion in a second channel region of the substrate, epitaxial layers formed in a source/drain region between the first channel region and the second channel region, wherein the epitaxial layers are separated from each other and each epitaxial layer is formed between the first portion and the second portion of each semiconductor layer, and a conductive feature wrapping each of the epitaxial layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ting-Yeh Chen, Wei-Yang Lee, Chia-Pin Lin
  • Patent number: 11854892
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of inventive concepts, a substrate dicing method may include forming reformed patterns in a substrate using a laser beam, grinding a bottom surface of the substrate to thin the substrate, and expanding the substrate to divide the substrate into a plurality of semiconductor chips. The forming of the reformed patterns may include forming a first reformed pattern in the substrate and providing an edge focused beam to a region crossing the first reformed pattern to form a second reformed pattern in contact with the first reformed pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junho Yoon, Jungchul Lee, Byungmoon Bae, Junggeun Shin, Hyunsu Sim
  • Patent number: 11855143
    Abstract: In one example aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a device. The device includes an active region on a semiconductor substrate. The active region extends along a first direction. The device also includes a gate structure on the active region. The gate structure extends along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. Moreover, the gate structure engages with a channel on the active region. The device further includes a source/drain feature on the active region and connected to the channel. A projection of the source/drain feature onto the semiconductor substrate resembles a hexagon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Ju Lee, Chun-Fu Cheng, Chung-Wei Wu, Zhiqiang Wu