Patents Examined by Quovaunda Jefferson
  • Patent number: 12080599
    Abstract: Methods and improved process flows are provided herein for forming self-aligned contacts using spin-on silicon carbide (SiC). More specifically, the disclosed methods and process flows form self-aligned contacts by using spin-on SiC as a cap layer for at least one other structure, instead of depositing a SiC layer via plasma vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. The other structure may be a source and drain contact made through the use of a trench conductor. By utilizing spin-on SiC as a cap layer material, the disclosed methods and process flows avoid problems that typically occur when SiC is deposited, for example by CVD, and subsequently planarized. As such, the disclosed methods and process flows improve upon conventional methods and process flows for forming self-aligned contacts by reducing defectivity and improving yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Junling Sun, Lior Huli, Andrew Metz, Angelique Raley
  • Patent number: 12077852
    Abstract: Exemplary deposition methods may include delivering a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include delivering a dopant-containing precursor with the boron-containing precursor. The dopant-containing precursor may include a metal. The methods may include forming a plasma of all precursors within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a doped-boron material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The doped-boron material may include greater than or about 80 at. % of boron in the doped-boron material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Aykut Aydin, Rui Cheng, Karthik Janakiraman
  • Patent number: 12068371
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate; an isolation structure over the substrate; a fin over the substrate and the isolation structure; a gate structure engaging a first portion of the fin; first sidewall spacers over sidewalls of the gate structure and over a second portion of the fin; source/drain (S/D) features adjacent to the first sidewall spacers; and second sidewall spacers over the isolation structure and over sidewalls of a portion of the S/D features. The second sidewall spacers include silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride. The second sidewall spacers and the second portion of the fin include a same dopant, wherein the dopant includes phosphorus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Ya-Yun Cheng, Shahaji B. More, Cheng-Yi Peng, Wei-Yang Lee, Kuo-Feng Yu, Yen-Ming Chen, Jian-Hao Chen
  • Patent number: 12068158
    Abstract: Embodiment relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor structure. The method includes: forming a first pattern on the first region and forming a second pattern on the second region, wherein the first pattern includes a plurality of first sub-patterns, a first gap is provided between adjacent two of the plurality of first sub-patterns, a width of the first gap is a first pitch, and wherein the second pattern includes a plurality of second sub-patterns, a second gap is provided between adjacent two of the plurality of second sub-patterns, a width of the second gap is a second pitch, and the second pitch is greater than the first pitch; forming a first mask layer on a sidewall of the first pattern, and forming a second mask layer on a sidewall of the second pattern; and removing the first pattern and the second pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kangshu Zhan, Qiang Wan, Penghui Xu, Tao Liu, Sen Li, Jun Xia
  • Patent number: 12068160
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising: forming a first mask layer, a first buffer layer, a second mask layer and a second buffer layer sequentially stacked from bottom to top; patterning the second buffer layer and the second mask layer; forming a first mask pattern on a side wall of a first pattern, the first mask pattern extending in a first direction; removing the second buffer layer and the second mask layer; forming a third mask layer, a third buffer layer, a fourth mask layer and a fourth buffer layer sequentially stacked form bottom to top; patterning the fourth buffer layer and the fourth mask layer; forming a second mask pattern on a side wall of a second pattern, the second mask pattern extending in a second direction; removing the fourth buffer layer and the fourth mask layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Xinman Cao, Zhongming Liu, Shijie Bai
  • Patent number: 12062581
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes disposing two or more fins each having an initial fin profile on a substrate. A sacrificial oxide layer is grown on a first fin and a second fin of the two or more fins. The sacrificial oxide layer of the first and second fins is etched to trim the fin and to generate a next fin profile for the first and second fins. The growing and etching is repeated to trim the first and second fins such that the number of repetitions for the first fin and the second fin are different. Gate structures are formed over the two or more fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hsiao-Chun Chang, Guan-Jie Shen
  • Patent number: 12060641
    Abstract: A film forming method includes: placing a substrate on which a pattern, which includes a plurality of convex and concave portions, is formed on a stage disposed inside a chamber; and selectively forming a silicon-containing film on the plurality of convex portions of the pattern by applying a bias power to the stage and introducing microwaves into the chamber while supplying a processing gas containing a silicon-containing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas into the chamber to generate plasma, wherein the selectively forming the silicon-containing film includes a first film formation of forming a silicon-containing film around upper sides of the plurality of convex portions and a second film formation of forming a silicon-containing film on upper portions of the plurality of convex portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ueda, Hideki Yuasa, Yutaka Fujino, Yoshiyuki Kondo, Hiroyuki Ikuta
  • Patent number: 12057311
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus may include forming a patterned mask over a substrate, so that a first region of a first main surface of the substrate is covered by a plurality of spaced-apart sub-structural elements of a dielectric material, and second regions of the first main surface are not covered. Each of the plurality of sub-structural elements is arranged between adjacent second regions. The method also comprises carrying out a selective growth process of semiconductor material, so that the semiconductor material is grown over the second regions of the first main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: OSRAM OPTO SEMICONDUCTORS GMBH
    Inventors: Jens Mueller, Adrian Stefan Avramescu
  • Patent number: 12051691
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device having a source region coupled to a first electrical node, a first drain region coupled to a second electrical node different from the first electrical node, and an extended drain region between the source region and the first drain region. The extended drain region includes a number N of electrically floating doped regions and a number M of gate regions coupled to the second electrical node, where N and M are integers greater than 1 and N is equal to M. Each electrically floating doped region of the N number of floating doped regions alternates with each gate region of the M number of gate regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Lin Peng, Han-Jen Yang, Jam-Wem Lee, Li-Wei Chu
  • Patent number: 12040185
    Abstract: A device for coating semiconductor/semiconductor precursor particles on a flexible substrate and a preparation method of a semiconducting thin film, wherein the device includes: a container for a first and second solvent substantially immiscible; injection means for injecting a predetermined dispersion volume of at least one layered semiconductor particle material or its precursor(s), occurring at a liquid-liquid interface formed within the container and between the first and second solvent, and creating a particle film at the liquid-liquid interface; a first support means; substrate extracting means; substrate supply means; compression means, reducing a distance between particles and push the film onto the substrate, wherein the compression means includes several pushing means mounted on a drive device, wherein at least two of the several pushing means are at least partially submerged in the second solvent during drive device rotation, and moved through the second solvent toward the first support means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE
    Inventors: Hannah Johnson, Sachin Kinge, Kevin Sivula, Rebekah Anne Wells
  • Patent number: 12040224
    Abstract: A transistor structure with an air gap includes a substrate. A transistor is disposed on the substrate. An etching stop layer covers and contacts the transistor and the substrate. A first dielectric layer covers and contacts the etching stop layer. A second dielectric layer covers the first dielectric layer. A trench is disposed on the gate structure and within the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. A width of the trench within the second dielectric layer is smaller than a width of the trench within the first dielectric layer. A filling layer is disposed within the trench and covers the top surface of the second dielectric layer. An air gap is formed within the filling layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yunfei Li, Ji Feng, Guohai Zhang, Ching Hwa Tey
  • Patent number: 12033868
    Abstract: An electronic package and a method for fabrication the same are provided. The method includes: disposing an electronic component on a substrate; forming an encapsulant layer on the substrate to encapsulate the electronic component; and forming a shielding layer made of metal on the encapsulant layer. The shielding layer has an extending portion extending to a lateral side of the substrate along a corner of the encapsulant layer, without extending to a lower side of the substrate. Therefore, the present disclosure prevents the shielding layer from coming into contact with conductive pads disposed on the lower side of the substrate and thereby avoids a short circuit from occurrence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shu-Chi Chang, Wei-Ping Wang, Hsien-Lung Hsiao, Kaun-I Cheng
  • Patent number: 12010861
    Abstract: Provided is a light-emitting element which has an anode, a light-emitting layer over the anode, an electron-transport layer over and in contact with the light-emitting layer, an electron-injection layer over and in contact with the electron-transport layer, and a cathode over and in contact with the electron-injection layer. The light-emitting layer has an electron-transport property, and the electron-transport layer includes an anthracene derivative. The light-emitting layer further includes a phosphorescent substance. This device structure allows the formation of a highly efficient blue-emissive light-emitting element even though the phosphorescent substance has higher triplet energy than the anthracene derivative which directly contacts with the light-emitting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoko Shitagaki, Takahiro Ishisone, Satoshi Seo, Takeyoshi Watabe
  • Patent number: 12009433
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include thin film transistors and methods of forming such thin film transistors. In an embodiment, the thin film transistor may comprise a substrate, a gate electrode over the substrate, and a gate dielectric stack over the gate electrode. In an embodiment, the gate dielectric stack may comprise a plurality of layers. In an embodiment, the plurality of layers may comprise an amorphous layer. In an embodiment, the thin film transistor may also comprise a semiconductor layer over the gate dielectric. In an embodiment, the semiconductor layer is a crystalline semiconductor layer. In an embodiment, the thin film transistor may also comprise a source electrode and a drain electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Van H. Le, Inanc Meric, Gilbert Dewey, Sean Ma, Abhishek A. Sharma, Miriam Reshotko, Shriram Shivaraman, Kent Millard, Matthew V. Metz, Wilhelm Melitz, Benjamin Chu-Kung, Jack Kavalieros
  • Patent number: 11996285
    Abstract: Silicon carbide on insulator is provided by bonding bulk silicon carbide to a substrate with an oxide-oxide fusion bond, followed by thinning the bulk silicon carbide as needed. A doping-selective etch for silicon carbide is used to improve thickness uniformity of the silicon carbide layer(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Daniil M. Lukin, Jelena Vuckovic
  • Patent number: 11990340
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes: providing a layer to be etched; forming a patterned first mask layer on the layer to be etched; and forming a patterned second mask layer formed on the layer to be etched, where the second mask layer and the first mask layer jointly define an opening, which exposes the layer to be etched; and etching the layer to be etched using the first mask layer and the second mask layer as masks, thus forming a pattern to be etched. The above-described method of manufacturing the semiconductor device allows the feature size of the first mask layer and the second mask layer to be relatively larger while keeping the device feature size the same, makes it possible to further reduce the feature size of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: ChihCheng Liu
  • Patent number: 11988929
    Abstract: There is provided a repair technique capable of repairing interconnect lines and the like in an electronic device with ease and with reliability and capable of suppressing the increase in the number of manufacturing steps associated with the repair to suppress the increase in manufacturing costs. The electronic device having a multi-layer interconnection structure includes: a foundation layer; a patterned interconnect line provided on the foundation layer; and an insulation film formed on the foundation layer and the interconnect line. The insulation film includes at least one thin film part in which at least part of the insulation film which lies on the interconnect line has a thickness less than that of its surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Trivale Technologies
    Inventors: Masaru Aoki, Shigeaki Noumi, Katsuaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 11990365
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a metal layer in a substrate and sequentially forming a barrier layer and an insulating layer on the substrate. The method includes performing a first etching step to form an opening in the insulating layer, and the opening does not expose the barrier layer. After the first etching step, a gap-filling layer is formed on the insulating layer and fills the opening. The method includes performing a second etching step to form a first via communicating with the opening in the gap-filling layer, and an upper portion of the opening is widened to form a trench. The method includes performing a third etching step to remove the gap-filling layer in a bottom of the opening and to deepen both the trench and the opening. The method includes forming a second via communicating with the opening to expose the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chang-Ju Ho, Kao-Tsair Tsai, Ying-Hao Chen
  • Patent number: 11984319
    Abstract: There is provided a method of processing a substrate, the method including: providing the substrate on which a natural oxide film is formed; performing a pre-processing on the substrate such that the natural oxide film formed on the substrate is removed; and directly forming a tungsten film on the substrate by heating a stage on which the substrate is mounted to a predetermined temperature and supplying a tungsten chloride gas and a reduction gas to the substrate which has been subjected to the pre-processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kensaku Narushima, Nagayasu Hiramatsu, Takanobu Hotta, Atsushi Matsumoto, Masato Araki, Hideaki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11961898
    Abstract: A method of patterning a 2D material layer is includes selectively forming a first material layer on a surface of a substrate to form a first region in which the first material layer covers the surface of the substrate and to further form a second region in which the surface of the substrate is exposed from the first material layer, the first material layer having a strong adhesive force with a 2D material. The method further includes forming a 2D material layer is formed in both the first region and the second region. The method further includes selectively removing the 2D material layer from the second region based on using a physical removal method, such that the 2D material layer remains in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Van Luan Nguyen, Minsu Seol, Junyoung Kwon, Hyeonjin Shin, Minseok Yoo, Yeonchoo Cho