Patents Examined by Hsien Ming Lee
  • Patent number: 12356608
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure is provided, and the manufacturing method includes the following operations. A first trench is formed on the semiconductor substrate, in which the first trench penetrates at least two of the conductive channels of a transistor, at least part of each of the conductive channels is located at the bottom of the first trench, an oxide layer is provided between two adjacent ones of the conductive channels, and each of the conductive channels has a bump structure in the first trench relative to the oxide layer. The shape of the bump structure of each of the conductive channels at the bottom of the first trench is adjusted by etching at the bottom of the first trench, so that the bump structure has at least two protrusions. A gate structure is formed in the first trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Jingwen Lu
  • Patent number: 12349408
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a first insulating fin; a second insulating fin; a nanostructure between the first insulating fin and the second insulating fin; and a gate structure wrapping around the nanostructure, a top surface of the gate structure disposed above a top surface of the first insulating fin, the top surface of the gate structure disposed below a top surface of the second insulating fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Shahaji B. More, Yi-Ying Liu, Shuen-Shin Liang, Sung-Li Wang
  • Patent number: 12341001
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: providing a substrate including a low-k layer containing silicon to a substrate support; etching the low-k layer by a plasma generated from a first gas; separating the etched substrate from the substrate support; and removing a reaction product attached to the substrate in the etching by a plasma generated from a second gas. The second gas includes a first carbon-containing gas represented by CxHyFz (y?0, x/z>ΒΌ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Wakako Ishida, Yasunori Hatamura, Eundo Bae, Kazuya Kato, Inho Jang, Eisuke Numazawa
  • Patent number: 12342531
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a substrate including an active region defined by a device isolation layer, the substrate defining a gate trench extending across the active region, a gate dielectric layer conformally covering an inner surface of the gate trench, and a gate electrode filling the gate trench on the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode is composed of crystal grains of a single metal, and a diagonal length of at least one of the crystal grains is greater than a height of the active region that is in contact with the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suncheul Kim, Youngsang Lee, Yunchul Shin, Donghoon Han
  • Patent number: 12341004
    Abstract: A film formation method includes (A) to (C) below. (A) Providing a substrate including, on a surface of the substrate, a first region in which a first material is exposed and a second region in which a second material different from the first material is exposed. (B) Supplying, to the surface of the substrate, vapor of a solution that contains a raw material of a self-assembled monolayer and a solvent by which the raw material is dissolved, and selectively forming a self-assembled monolayer in the first region. (C) Forming a desired target film in the second region by using the self-assembled monolayer formed in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yumiko Kawano, Shuji Azumo, Shinichi Ike
  • Patent number: 12336248
    Abstract: A method includes forming a dummy gate oxide on a wafer, and the dummy gate oxide is formed on a sidewall and a top surface of a protruding semiconductor fin in the wafer. The formation of the dummy gate oxide may include a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) process in a deposition chamber, and the PECVD process includes applying a Radio Frequency (RF) power to a conductive plate below the wafer. The method further includes forming a dummy gate electrode over the dummy gate oxide, removing the dummy gate electrode and the dummy gate oxide to form a trench between opposing gate spacers, and forming a replacement gate in the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Ju Chen, Shu-Han Chen, Chun-Heng Chen, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 12325913
    Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor devices includes: loading one or more semiconductor wafers into a plurality of stations provided within a process chamber; applying a process to the semiconductor wafers which deposits a material on the one or more semiconductor wafers within the process chamber; and cleaning the process chamber. Suitably, cleaning the process chamber includes flowing a cleaning gas into the process chamber toward a deflector arranged in the process chamber, the deflector having a first surface upon which the flowed cleaning gas impinges, the first surface directing a first portion of the flowed cleaning gas impinging thereon in a first trajectory toward a first end of the process chamber and directing a second portion of the flowed cleaning gas impinging thereon in a second trajectory toward a second end of the process chamber, the second end being opposite the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuang-Wei Cheng, Sung-Ju Huang, Yung-Tsun Liu, Chih-Tsung Lee, Chyi-Tsong Ni
  • Patent number: 12324139
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a first and second regions; forming a first dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a temporary layer on the first dielectric layer; performing a first heat treatment process on the first dielectric layer and the temporary layer; removing the temporary layer to expose the first dielectric layer; and performing a second heat treatment process on the first dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Xiaojie Li
  • Patent number: 12324190
    Abstract: The present disclosure provide a method that includes receiving a substrate having a semiconductor surface of a first semiconductor material; forming an APT feature in the substrate; performing a prebaking process to the substrate with a first temperature T1; epitaxially growing an undoped semiconductor layer of the first semiconductor layer and a first thickness t1 on the substrate at a second temperature T2; epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer stack over the undoped semiconductor layer at a third temperature T3 less than T2, wherein the semiconductor layer stack includes first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers stacked vertically in an alternating configuration; patterning the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor layer stack to form a trench, thereby defining an active region being adjacent the trench; forming an isolation feature in the trench; selectively removing the second semiconductor layers; and forming a gate structure wrapping around each of the first semiconductor
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Min Jiao, Ji-Yin Tsai, Da-Wen Lin, Hung-Ju Chou
  • Patent number: 12322618
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling device performance variability during manufacturing of a device on wafers are disclosed. The system includes a process platform, on-board metrology (OBM) tools, and a first server that stores a machine-learning based process control model. The first server combines virtual metrology (VM) data and OBM data to predict a spatial distribution of one or more dimensions of interest on a wafer. The system further comprises an in-line metrology tool, such as SEM, to measure the one or more dimensions of interest on a subset of wafers sampled from each lot. A second server having a machine-learning engine receives from the first server the predicted spatial distribution of the one or more dimensions of interest based on VM and OBM, and also receives SEM metrology data, and updates the process control model periodically (e.g., wafer-to-wafer, lot-to-lot, chamber-to-chamber etc.) using machine learning techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Samer Banna, Lior Engel, Dermot Cantwell
  • Patent number: 12302545
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for thin film transistor random access memory are described. A memory device may include memory cells each having one or more transistors formed above a substrate. For example, a memory cell may include a transistor having a channel portion formed by one or more pillars or other structures formed above a substrate, and a gate portion including a conductor formed above the substrate and configured to activate the channel portion based at least in part on a voltage of the gate portion. A memory cell may include a set of two or more such transistors to support latching circuitry of the memory cell, or other circuitry configured to store a logic state, which may or may not be used in combination with one or more transistors formed at least in part from one or more portions of a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 12295245
    Abstract: A vapor deposition mask made of metal includes: a front surface configured to oppose a vapor deposition source; and mask holes each including a hole portion having a shape of an inverted frustum. The hole portion of each of the mask holes includes: a small opening including a polygonal edge as seen from a view opposing the front surface of the vapor deposition mask, the edge including corners and linear portions each located between adjacent ones of the corners; and a large opening located on the front surface, the large opening including an edge as seen from the view opposing the front surface of the vapor deposition mask, the edge being shaped such that the corners of the edge of the small opening project outward from the edge of the small opening. The large opening surrounds the small opening as seen from the view opposing the front surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: TOPPAN INC.
    Inventor: Takayuki Morita
  • Patent number: 12295163
    Abstract: Threshold voltage (Vt) tuning layers may be sensitive to etching by reactants used to deposit overlying gate material, such as metal nitride. Methods for depositing Vt tuning layers are provided. In some embodiments Vt tuning layers may comprise a Vt tuning material in a neutral matrix. In some embodiments, processes for reducing or eliminating the etching of Vt tuning layers by halide reactants are described. In some embodiments a Vt tuning layer, such as a metal oxide layer, is treated by a nitridation process following deposition and prior to subsequent deposition of a metal nitride capping layer. In some embodiments an etch-protective layer, such as a NbO layer, is deposited over a Vt tuning layer prior to deposition of an overlying metal nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Fu Tang, Eric James Shero, Gejian Zhao, Eric Jen Cheng Liu
  • Patent number: 12290778
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a wafer inside a process chamber, performing an ALD (atomic layer deposition) process inside the process chamber to deposit titanium nitride on the wafer, providing a process gas used for the ALD process to a scrubber, filtering a first powder contained in the process gas, using a filter unit disposed in the scrubber and including a plurality of filters, adsorbing a second powder remaining in the process gas after passing through the filter unit, using a fin structure extending in a vertical direction inside the filter unit, and exhausting the process gas, from which the first and second powders are removed, from the scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Inventors: Seo Young Maeng, Il Jun Jeon, Su Ji Gim, Jin Hong Kim, Young Seok Roh, Jong Yong Bae, Jung Joon Pyeon
  • Patent number: 12293932
    Abstract: A technique for improving uniformity of film thickness on substrates, includes a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate retainer including substrate and partition plate supports; a reaction tube; a first driver vertically moving the substrate retainer into or out of the reaction tube; a second driver vertically moved by the first driver and rotating the substrate retainer to change a distance between a substrate and a partition plate by moving at least one of the substrate or the partition plate support; a heater; a gas supplier comprising a nozzle; a gas exhauster; and a controller controlling the first driver, the second driver and the gas supplier such that a gas is supplied to the substrate while changing at least one of a relative position of the substrate and a relative position of the partition plate with respect to a hole of the nozzle by driving the second driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Takebayashi, Makoto Hirano, Koji Shibata, Yusaku Okajima
  • Patent number: 12288725
    Abstract: The present invention disclosures a critical dimension error analysis method, comprising: S01: performing lithography processes on a wafer, measuring the critical dimension (CD) values of the test points in each of the fields respectively; M and N are integers greater than 1; S02: removing extreme outliers from the critical dimension (CD) values; S03: rebuilding remaining CD values by a reconstruction model fitting method, and obtaining rebuilt critical dimension (CD?) values, according to relative error between CD? and CD, dividing the rebuilt critical dimension (CD?) values into scenes and the number of the scenes is A; S04: calculating components and corresponding residuals of the test points in each of the scenes under a reference system corresponding to a correction model by parameter estimation; S05: modifying machine parameters and masks by the correction model according to above calculation results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: SHANGHAI IC R&D CENTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xueru Yu, Hongxia Sun, Chen Li, Pengfei Wang, Jiebin Duan, Xiucui Wang, Hao Fu, Tao Zhou, Yan Yan, Bowen Xu, Lingyi Guo, Liren Li
  • Patent number: 12279456
    Abstract: The present disclosure provide a semiconductor device and a method for preparing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first buried gate structure and a second buried gate structure disposed in a semiconductor substrate. The first buried gate structure includes a first gate dielectric layer, and a first lower semiconductor layer disposed over the first gate dielectric layer. The first lower semiconductor layer has a T-shaped profile in a cross-sectional view. The first buried gate structure also includes a first upper semiconductor layer disposed over the first lower semiconductor layer. The second buried gate structure includes a second gate dielectric layer, and a second lower semiconductor layer disposed over the second gate dielectric layer. The second lower semiconductor layer has a U-shaped profile in the cross-sectional view. The second buried gate structure also includes a second upper semiconductor layer disposed over the second lower semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tse-Yao Huang
  • Patent number: 12274050
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a passing gate is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first trench and a first gate structure in the first trench. The first gate structure includes a first gate electrode having a first doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jhen-Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 12274047
    Abstract: A method for reducing bending of word lines in a memory cell includes a) providing a substrate including a plurality of word lines arranged adjacent to one another and above a plurality of transistors; b) depositing a layer of film on the plurality of word lines using a deposition process; c) after depositing the layer of film, measuring word line bending; d) comparing the word line bending to a predetermined range; e) based on the word line bending, adjusting at least one of nucleation delay and grain size of the deposition process; and f) repeating b) to e) one or more times using one or more substrates, respectively, until the word line bending is within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Gorun Butail, Shruti Thombare, Ishtak Karim, Patrick Van Cleemput
  • Patent number: 12274101
    Abstract: A method of deposition on a substrate used for the manufacture of a solar cell is provided. The method includes depositing a first conductive pattern on a first side of the substrate. The first conductive pattern is one of a plurality of busbars and a plurality of fingers. The method includes providing a screen over the substrate. The screen includes a set of openings. The screen has a bottom side having a varying vertical profile including low portions and high portions. The method includes transferring a printing material from the screen to the substrate through the set of openings to print a second conductive pattern on the first side of the substrate. The second conductive pattern is the other one of the plurality of busbars and the plurality of fingers. During the printing of the second conductive pattern, the first conductive pattern is substantially wet and the screen is disposed over the substrate in a manner such that the high portions are elevated above the first conductive pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventor: Davide Colla