Patents Examined by David C Spalla
  • Patent number: 11901428
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes nanostructures vertically arranged and spaced apart from one another along a first direction. The semiconductor device also includes a dielectric fin structure of a dielectric material of uniform composition and an isolation structure on opposite sides of the nanostructures. Moreover, the semiconductor device also includes a gate structure wrapping around the nanostructures. The gate structure extends between the nanostructure and the dielectric fin structure, and extends between the nanostructures and the isolation structure. Furthermore, the nanostructures are spaced apart from the dielectric fin structure along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction by a first distance, and from the isolation structure along the second direction by a second distance, where the first distance is greater than the second distance. Additionally, the gate structure interfaces with the dielectric fin structure on a surface extending perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Huan-Chieh Su, Chun-Yuan Chen, Li-Zhen Yu, Lo-Heng Chang, Cheng-Chi Chuang, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 11901457
    Abstract: Fin shaping, and integrated circuit structures resulting therefrom, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor fin having a protruding fin portion above an isolation structure above a substrate. The protruding fin portion has substantially vertical upper sidewalls and outwardly tapered lower sidewalls. A gate stack is over and conformal with the protruding fin portion of the semiconductor fin. A first source or drain region is at a first side of the gate stack, and a second source or drain region is at a second side of the gate stack opposite the first side of the gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Szuya S. Liao, Rahul Pandey, Rishabh Mehandru, Anupama Bowonder, Pratik Patel
  • Patent number: 11901410
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabrication are described herein. The method includes steps for patterning fins in a multilayer stack and forming an opening in a fin and into a substrate as an initial step in forming a source/drain region. A first semiconductor material is epitaxially grown from channels exposed along sidewalls of the opening to form first source/drain structures. A second semiconductor material is epitaxially grown from the first semiconductor material to form a second source/drain structure over and to fill a space between the first source/drain structures. A bottom of the second source/drain structure is located below a bottommost surface of the first source/drain structures. The second semiconductor material has a greater concentration percentage by volume of germanium than the first semiconductor material. A stack of nanostructures is formed by removing sacrificial layers of the multilayer stack, the second semiconductor material being electrically coupled to the nanostructures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yen-Ting Chen, Po-Shao Lin, Wei-Yang Lee
  • Patent number: 11895821
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The manufacturing method of the semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate; forming on an upper surface of the substrate first patterns each including a first main body and a first flank wall covering a sidewall of the first main body; forming a filling layer which covers the first flank wall and fills a gap between adjacent first patterns; and etching a top of each of the first patterns to obtain second main bodies, second flank walls and protrusions located on upper surfaces of the second flank walls, the second flank wall covering a sidewall of the second main body, and a top of the protrusion being at least higher than a top of the second main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jingwen Lu, Haihan Hung, Bingyu Zhu
  • Patent number: 11888063
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an active pattern, a gate electrode crossing the active pattern in a plan view, and a ferroelectric pattern interposed between the active pattern and the gate electrode. The gate electrode includes a work function metal pattern disposed on the ferroelectric pattern, and an electrode pattern filling a recess formed in an upper portion of the work function metal pattern. A top surface of a topmost portion of the ferroelectric pattern is lower than a bottom surface of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weonhong Kim, Wandon Kim, Hyeonjun Baek, Sangjin Hyun
  • Patent number: 11887839
    Abstract: An imaging unit comprising an imaging chip and a mounting substrate that has the imaging chip mounted thereon and includes a first metal layer for outputting a signal generated by the imaging chip to the outside. An imaging apparatus comprises an imaging unit that includes an imaging chip and a mounting substrate that has the imaging chip mounted thereon and includes a first metal layer for outputting a signal generated by the imaging chip to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi Arima, Ryoichi Suganuma, Takuya Sato, Satoru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11888026
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a fin-type active region on a substrate; at least one nanosheet having a bottom surface facing the fin top; a gate line on the fin-type active region; and a source/drain region on the fin-type active region, adjacent to the gate line, and in contact with the at least one nanosheet, wherein the source/drain region includes a lower main body layer and an upper main body layer, a top surface of the lower main body layer includes a lower facet declining toward the substrate as it extends in a direction from the at least one nanosheet to a center of the source/drain region, and the upper main body layer includes a bottom surface contacting the lower facet and a top surface having an upper facet. With respect to a vertical cross section, the lower facet extends along a corresponding first line and the upper facet extends along a second line that intersects the first line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minhee Choi, Seojin Jeong, Seokhoon Kim, Jungtaek Kim, Pankwi Park, Moonseung Yang, Ryong Ha
  • Patent number: 11881530
    Abstract: The structure of a semiconductor device with inner spacer structures between source/drain (S/D) regions and gate-all-around structures and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stack of nanostructured layers with first and second nanostructured regions disposed on the substrate and first and second source/drain (S/D) regions disposed on the substrate. Each of the first and second S/D regions includes an epitaxial region wrapped around each of the first nanostructured regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Yi Peng, Song-Bor Lee
  • Patent number: 11869938
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first active pattern that includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall in a second horizontal direction, a first insulating structure in a first trench extending in the first horizontal direction on the first side wall of the first active pattern, a second insulating structure in a second trench extending in the first horizontal direction on the second side of the first active pattern, and includes a first insulating layer on side walls and a bottom surface of the second trench, and a second insulating layer in the second trench on the first insulating layer, a gate-cut extending in the first horizontal direction on the first insulating structure, and a gate electrode extending in the second horizontal direction on the first active pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Hae Geon Jung, Dong Kwon Kim, Cheol Kim
  • Patent number: 11871553
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a logic cell region and a connection region, a dummy transistor on the connection region, an intermediate connection layer on the dummy transistor, the intermediate connection layer including a connection pattern electrically connected to the dummy transistor, a first metal layer on the intermediate connection layer, an etch stop layer between the intermediate connection layer and the first metal layer, the etch stop layer covering a top surface of the connection pattern, and a penetration contact extended from the first metal layer toward a bottom surface of the substrate penetrating the connection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shaofeng Ding, Jeong Hoon Ahn, Yun Ki Choi
  • Patent number: 11871681
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element has a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, and the tunnel barrier layer has a spinel structure represented by a composition formula of AIn2Ox (0<x?4), and an A-site is a non-magnetic divalent cation which is one or more selected from a group consisting of magnesium, zinc and cadmium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Sasaki, Katsuyuki Nakada, Tatsuo Shibata
  • Patent number: 11871595
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an organic electroluminescent structure, a fabrication method thereof, and a display device. The organic electroluminescent structure includes a base substrate; a passivation protective layer formed at a side of the base substrate, in which the passivation protective layer is formed with a plurality of inner cutting portions arranged at intervals at a side facing away from the base substrate; an anode layer including a plurality of anodes arranged at intervals, and each of the anodes is correspondingly formed on the second surface; an organic light-emitting functional layer having a hole injection layer, in which the hole injection layer includes a plurality of hole injection blocks arranged at intervals, and each of the hole injection blocks is correspondingly formed on one anode; and a cathode layer formed at a side of the organic light-emitting functional layer facing away from the anode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Li Liu, Pengcheng Lu, Shengji Yang, Kui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11862703
    Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having dual nanowire/nanoribbon channel structures, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having dual nanowire/nanoribbon channel structures, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical arrangement of nanowires above a substrate. A dielectric cap is over the first vertical arrangement of nanowires. A second vertical arrangement of nanowires is above the substrate. Individual ones of the second vertical arrangement of nanowires are laterally staggered with individual ones of the first vertical arrangement of nanowires and the dielectric cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tanuj Trivedi, Rahul Ramaswamy, Jeong Dong Kim, Babak Fallahazad, Hsu-Yu Chang, Ting Chang, Nidhi Nidhi, Walid M. Hafez
  • Patent number: 11855170
    Abstract: A transistor device and method of making the same are disclosed. The transistor device includes one or more air gaps in one or more sidewall spacers. The one or more air gaps may be located adjacent the gate and/or above the source or drain regions of the device. Various embodiments may include different combinations of air gaps formed in one or both sidewall spacers. Various embodiments may include air gaps formed in one or both sidewall spacers adjacent to the gate and/or above the source or drain regions of the device. The formation of the air gaps may reduce unwanted parasitic and/or fringing capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Gulbagh Singh, Po-Jen Wang, Kun-Tsang Chuang
  • Patent number: 11855096
    Abstract: According to one example, a semiconductor device includes a substrate and a fin stack that includes a plurality of nanostructures, a gate device surrounding each of the nanostructures, and inner spacers along the gate device and between the nanostructures. A width of the inner spacers differs between different layers of the fin stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jui-Chien Huang, Shih-Cheng Chen, Chih-Hao Wang, Kuo-Cheng Chiang, Zhi-Chang Lin, Jung-Hung Chang, Lo-Heng Chang, Shi Ning Ju, Guan-Lin Chen
  • Patent number: 11855211
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an upper fin structure in which first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers are alternately stacked is formed over a lower fin structure, a sacrificial gate structure is formed over the upper fin structure, a source/drain region of the upper fin structure, which is not covered by the sacrificial gate structure, is etched thereby forming a source/drain space, the first semiconductor layers are laterally etched through the source/drain space, an inner spacer made of a dielectric material is formed on an end of each of the etched first semiconductor layers, and a source/drain epitaxial layer is formed in the source/drain space to cover the inner spacer. In etching the source/drain region, a part of the lower fin structure is also etched to form a recess, in which a (111) surface is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shahaji B. More, Chun Hsiung Tsai
  • Patent number: 11843031
    Abstract: A method is presented for forming a nanosheet device. The method includes forming nanosheets stacks over a substrate, the nanosheet stacks separated by shallow trench isolation (STI) regions, forming a first hardmask material over the nanosheet stacks, depositing a sacrificial gate, recessing the sacrificial gate such that recesses are defined adjacent the first hardmask material, wherein a top surface of the sacrificial gate is below a top surface of the first hardmask material, forming a second hardmask material in the recesses, defining a uniform gate length in both the first and second hardmask materials, and selectively trimming the first hardmask material such that a gate length over the nanosheet stacks is less than a gate length over the STI regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chen Zhang, Kangguo Cheng, Wenyu Xu, Ruilong Xie
  • Patent number: 11843032
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a first nanostructure over the substrate. The first nanostructure has a first channel direction, and the first channel direction is [1 0 0], [?1 0 0], [0 1 0], or [0 ?1 0]. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate stack over the substrate and surrounding the first nanostructure. The semiconductor device structure includes a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure over the substrate and over opposite sides of the gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Huang-Siang Lan, Sathaiya Mahaveer Dhanyakumar, Tzer-Min Shen, Zhiqiang Wu
  • Patent number: 11842757
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The MTJ device comprises a stack of layers, comprising a bottom electrode disposed over a substrate. A seed layer disposed over the bottom electrode. A buffer layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and the seed layer. The buffer layer prevents diffusion of a diffusive species from the bottom electrode to the seed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsann Lin, Ji-Feng Ying, Chih-Chung Lai
  • Patent number: 11824102
    Abstract: Source and drain formation techniques disclosed herein provide FinFETs with reduced channel resistance and reduced drain-induced barrier lowering. An exemplary three-step etch method for forming a source/drain recess in a source/drain region of a fin includes a first anisotropic etch, an isotropic etch, and a second anisotropic etch. The first anisotropic etch and the isotropic etch are tuned to define a location of a source/drain tip. A depth of the source/drain recess after the first anisotropic etch and the isotropic etch is less than a target depth. The second anisotropic etch is tuned to extend the depth of the source/drain recess to the target depth. The source/drain tip is near a top of the fin to reduce channel resistance while a bottom portion of the source/drain recess is spaced a distance from a gate footing that can minimize DIBL. The source/drain recess is filled with an epitaxial semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Chun-An Lin, Kuo-Pi Tseng, Tzu-Chieh Su