Patents Examined by David C Spalla
  • Patent number: 11469311
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming a semiconductor device with an air gap for reducing the parasitic capacitance between two conductive features. The method includes forming a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region in a semiconductor substrate, and forming a first conductive feature over and electrically connected to the first source/drain region. The method also includes forming a first spacer structure on a sidewall of the first conductive feature, and forming a second conductive feature over and electrically connected to the second source/drain region. The second conductive feature is adjacent to the first spacer structure, and the first spacer structure is etched during the forming the second conductive feature. The method further includes forming a second spacer structure over the etched first spacer structure, and performing a heat treatment process to transform a portion of the first spacer structure into an air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sheng-Hui Yang
  • Patent number: 11469228
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a substrate including PMOSFET and NMOSFET regions, first active fins at the PMOSFET region, second active fins at the NMOSFET region, a gate electrode extending in a first direction and running across the first and second active fins, a first source/drain pattern on the first active fins and connecting the first active fins to each other, a second source/drain pattern on the second active fins and connecting the second active fins to each other, a first active contact electrically connected to the first source/drain pattern, and a second active contact electrically connected to the second source/drain pattern. A maximum width of the first active contact in the first direction is less than a maximum width of the second active in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chanwook Lee, Seungkwon Kim, Jaechul Kim, Younggun Ko, Yuri Masuoka
  • Patent number: 11462613
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first to sixth active patterns extending in a first direction and spaced apart in the first direction and a second direction; a field insulating layer between the first and second active patterns, an upper surface thereof being lower than upper surfaces of the first and second active patterns; a first gate structure on the field insulating layer and the first active pattern and extending in the second direction; a second gate structure on the field insulating layer and the second active pattern and extending in the second direction; a first separation trench extending between the second and third active patterns and the fifth and sixth active patterns, and a second separation trench extending between the first and second gate structures, wherein a lowest surface of the first separation trench is higher than a lowest surface of the second separation trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ju Youn Kim, Sang Jung Kang, Ji Su Kang, Yun Sang Shin
  • Patent number: 11462549
    Abstract: Provided is a SRAM device including a pull-up device and a pull-down device. The pull-up device includes a plurality of first epitaxial source and drain (S/D) features on a first fin, and a plurality of first residues between the plurality of first epitaxial source and drain (S/D) features and the first fin. The pull-down device includes a plurality of second epitaxial S/D features on a second fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chong-De Lien, Shih-Hao Lin
  • Patent number: 11462641
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming a first transistor including: forming a plurality of lightly doped regions in a substrate; forming a first gate structure on the substrate, the first gate structure covering portions of the plurality of lightly doped regions and a portion of the substrate; forming first spacers on sidewalls of the first gate structure; forming doped region in the lightly doped regions; forming an etching stop layer on the substrate; patterning the etching stop layer and the first gate structure to form a second gate structure, and to form a plurality of trenches between the second gate structure and the first spacers; and forming a first dielectric layer on the substrate to cover the etching stop layer and fill the plurality of trenches. The first dielectric layer filled in the trenches is used as virtual spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Ching-Chung Yang
  • Patent number: 11450676
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a fin protruding over the substrate, a gate structure over the fin, a bottom electrode over and electrically coupled to the gate structure, a ferroelectric layer around the bottom electrode, and a top electrode around the ferroelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Bo-Feng Young, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Han-Jong Chia, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 11444241
    Abstract: A method for etching a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) structure is described. A MTJ stack is deposited on a bottom electrode wherein the MTJ stack comprises at least a pinned layer, a barrier layer on the pinned layer, and a free layer on the barrier layer, A top electrode layer is deposited on the MTJ stack. A hard mask is deposited on the top electrode layer. The top electrode layer and hard mask are etched. Thereafter, the MTJ stack not covered by the hard mask is etched, stopping at or within the pinned layer. Thereafter, an encapsulation layer is deposited over the partially etched MTJ stack and etched away on horizontal surfaces leaving a self-aligned hard mask on sidewalls of the partially etched MTJ stack. Finally, the remaining MTJ stack not covered by hard mask and self-aligned hard mask is etched to complete the MTJ structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi Yang, Dongna Shen, Vignesh Sundar, Yu-Jen Wang
  • Patent number: 11444079
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a VNW transistor being a functional element provided with a first projection formed on the semiconductor substrate, having a semiconductor material, and having a lower end and an upper end; a dummy functional element provided with a second projection formed on the semiconductor substrate, having a semiconductor material, having a lower end and an upper end, and arranged side by side with the first projection; and a first wiring formed above the first projection and above the second projection, electrically connected to the upper end of the first projection, and electrically isolated from the upper end of the second projection. Consequently, the semiconductor device capable of suppressing variation in characteristics of the VNW transistors is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11438065
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monolithic integration of photonics and electronics in CMOS processes are disclosed and may include fabricating photonic and electronic devices on two CMOS wafers with different silicon layer thicknesses. The devices may be fabricated on semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafers utilizing a bulk CMOS process and/or on a SOI wafer utilizing a SOI CMOS process. The different thicknesses may be fabricated utilizing a double SOI process and/or a selective area growth process. Cladding layers may be fabricated utilizing one or more oxygen implants and/or utilizing CMOS trench oxide on the CMOS wafer. Silicon may be deposited on the CMOS trench oxide utilizing epitaxial lateral overgrowth. Cladding layers may be fabricated utilizing selective backside etching. Reflective surfaces may be fabricated by depositing metal on the selectively etched regions. Silicon dioxide or silicon germanium integrated in the CMOS wafer may be utilized as an etch stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Luxtera, Inc.
    Inventors: Attila Mekis, Peter DeDobbelaere, Kosei Yokoyama, Sherif Abdalla, Steffen Gloeckner, John Guckenberger, Thierry Pinguet, Gianlorenzo Masini, Daniel Kucharski
  • Patent number: 11437488
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for forming split-gate MOSFETs including a gate shield. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a device structure including a well formed in an epitaxial layer, forming a set of trenches through the well and the epitaxial layer, implanting the device structure to form a gate shield layer at a bottom of each of the set of trenches, and forming a gate spacer layer over the device structure including within the set of trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Qintao Zhang, Samphy Hong, David J. Lee, Jason Appell
  • Patent number: 11437483
    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: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    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: 11424323
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a C-shaped active area and an electronic apparatus including the same is disclosed. The semiconductor device may include a first device and a second device opposite to each other on a substrate, each of which includes: a channel portion extending vertically on the substrate; source/drain portions located at the upper and lower ends of the channel portion and along the channel portion, the source/drain portions and the channel portion constitute a C-shaped structure; and a gate stack overlapping the channel portion on an inner sidewall of C-shaped structure, the gate stack has a portion surrounded by the C-shaped structure. The openings of the C-shaped structures of the two devices are opposite to each other. At least a portion of the gate stack of the first device close to the channel portion and that of the second device close to the channel portion are substantially coplanar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventor: Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 11424367
    Abstract: A conformally deposited metal liner used for forming discrete, wrap-around contact structures is localized between pairs of gate structures and below the tops of the gate structures. Block mask patterning is employed to protect transistors over active regions of a substrate while portions of the metal liner between active regions are removed. A chamfering technique is employed to selectively remove further portions of the metal liner within the active regions. Metal silicide liners formed on the source/drain regions using the conformally deposited metal liner are electrically connected to source/drain contact metal following the deposition and patterning of a dielectric layer and subsequent metallization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Miller, Julien Frougier, Yann Mignot, Andrew M. Greene
  • Patent number: 11417750
    Abstract: Fin-like field effect transistors (FinFETs) and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed herein. The FinFETs disclosed herein have gate air spacers integrated into their gate structures. An exemplary transistor includes a fin and a gate structure disposed over the fin between a first epitaxial source/drain feature and a second epitaxial source/drain feature. The gate structure includes a gate electrode, a gate dielectric, and gate air spacers disposed between the gate dielectric and sidewalls of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chien Ning Yao, Bo-Feng Young, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 11411106
    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: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weonhong Kim, Wandon Kim, Hyeonjun Baek, Sangjin Hyun
  • Patent number: 11410888
    Abstract: Techniques herein include methods for fabricating high density logic and memory for advanced circuit architecture. The methods can enable higher density circuits to be produced at reduced cost. The methods can include growth of channel regions and S/D regions for NMOS devices using a first same nano-sheet in a nano-sheet stack. Similarly, the methods can include growth of channel regions and S/D regions for PMOS devices using a second same nano-sheet in the nano-sheet stack. The resulting 3D CMOS stack can include integrated channel and S/D regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mark I. Gardner, H. Jim Fulford
  • Patent number: 11404581
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure may include a bottom source drain, a top source drain, a gate stack. The top source drain is above the gate stack and the bottom source drain is below the gate stack. The semiconductor structure may also include a bottom spacer and a top spacer. The gate stack is between the bottom spacer and the top spacer. The bottom spacer and the top spacer each comprise a dipole liner. The dipole liner includes a first layer and a second layer. The second layer may be in direct contact with the first layer. The second layer may be made of different material than the first layer. The first layer may be made of silicon oxide. The second layer may be made of silicon nitride or aluminum oxide. The first layer may be in direct contact with the gate stack, the top source drain, and the bottom source drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Xin Miao, Choonghyun Lee, Jingyun Zhang
  • Patent number: 11398611
    Abstract: A display device includes a substrate that includes a bending area, a display active layer disposed on the substrate and that displays an image, a polarization layer disposed on the display active layer, a protective layer that contacts an end of the polarization layer and covers the bending area of the substrate; and an adhesive layer disposed on a boundary between the polarization layer and the protective layer, the adhesive layer extends from the end of the polarization layer toward the bending area by an extension area to overlap a portion of the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myoung-Ha Jeon, Ki Chang Lee
  • Patent number: 11398480
    Abstract: A fork-sheet semiconductor device includes a first-type source/drain region on a substrate and a second-type source/drain region on the substrate and separated from the first-type source/drain region by an insulator pillar. The fork-sheet semiconductor device further includes a first metal portion and a second metal portion. The first metal portion completely covers a first upper surface and a first exposed sidewall the first-type source/drain region and the second metal portion completely covers a second upper surface and a second exposed sidewall the second-type source/drain region. The first and second metal portions are separated from one another by the insulator pillar. A first-type contact portion extends vertically from the first metal portion and an opposing second-type contact portion extends vertically from the second metal portion. A first upper interconnect structure contacts the first-type contact portion and a second upper interconnect structure contacts the second-type contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jingyun Zhang, Ruilong Xie, Alexander Reznicek, Xin Miao
  • Patent number: 11393915
    Abstract: A transistor device formed on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate including a bulk semiconductor layer, a buried insulation (BOX) layer positioned on the bulk semiconductor layer, and an active semiconductor layer positioned on the BOX layer. The transistor device includes: a gate structure, a sidewall spacer, and a source/drain region; a plurality of distinct openings extending through the active semiconductor layer of the SOI substrate in the source/drain region adjacent the sidewall spacer, each opening of the plurality of openings extending to a respective recess formed in the BOX layer of the SOI substrate in the source/drain region adjacent the sidewall space, wherein each recess extends under a portion of the active semiconductor layer; and an epitaxial (epi) semiconductor material disposed in the recesses in the BOX layer, in the plurality of openings through the active semiconductor layer, and over a surface of the active semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
    Inventors: Shesh Mani Pandey, Judson Robert Holt