Patents Examined by Theresa T. Doan
  • Patent number: 11282787
    Abstract: The semiconductor device provided comprises a substrate that includes active regions that extends in a first direction and a device isolation layer that defines the active regions, word lines that run across the active regions in a second direction that intersects the first direction, bit-line structures that intersect the active regions and the word lines and that extend in a third direction that is perpendicular to the second direction, first contacts between the bit-line structures and the active regions, spacer structures on sidewalls of the bit-line structures, and second contacts that are between adjacent bit-line structures and are connected to the active regions. Each of the spacer structures extends from the sidewalls of the bit-line structures onto a sidewall of the device isolation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Inventors: Taejin Park, Keunnam Kim, Sohyun Park, Jin-Hwan Chun, Wooyoung Choi, Sunghee Han, Inkyoung Heo, Yoosang Hwang
  • Patent number: 11282836
    Abstract: Provided is an integrated circuit including at least one cell, the at least one cell includes first and second active regions spaced apart from each other, a dummy region disposed between the first and second active regions, at least one first active fin disposed in the first active region and extending in a first direction, at least one second active fin extending along the first direction over the entire length of the second active region, and an active gate line extending in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the active gate line vertically overlaps the first active region and the dummy region and does not vertically overlap the second active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Deepak Sharma, Hyun-jong Lee, Raheel Azmat, Chul-hong Park, Sang-jun Park
  • Patent number: 11276763
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, first and second source/drain (S/D) regions, a channel between the first and second S/D regions, a gate engaging the channel, and a contact feature connecting to the first S/D region. The contact feature includes first and second contact layers. The first contact layer has a conformal cross-sectional profile and is in contact with the first S/D region on at least two sides thereof. In embodiments, the first contact layer is in direct contact with three or four sides of the first S/D region so as to increase the contact area. The first contact layer includes one of a semiconductor-metal alloy, an III-V semiconductor, and germanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Carlos H. Diaz, Chung-Cheng Wu, Chia-Hao Chang, Chih-Hao Wang, Jean-Pierre Colinge, Chun-Hsiung Lin, Wai-Yi Lien, Ying-Keung Leung
  • Patent number: 11270980
    Abstract: A memory device includes a first memory cell array, a second memory cell array disposed in a first direction with respect to the first memory cell array, a first contact plug extending in the first direction through the first memory cell array, and a second contact plug extending in the first direction through the second memory cell array. The first memory cell array includes first electrode layers stacked in a first direction, and a first semiconductor pillar extending through the first electrode layers in the first direction. The second memory cell array including second electrode layers stacked in the first direction, and a second semiconductor pillar extending in the first direction through the second electrode layers. The first contact plug is electrically connected to the first semiconductor pillar, and the second contact plug is electrically connected to the second semiconductor pillar and the first contact plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayoshi Tagami, Ryota Katsumata, Jun Iijima, Tetsuya Shimizu, Takamasa Usui, Genki Fujita
  • Patent number: 11270923
    Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip which are disposed side-by-side on a surface of a package substrate. A heat insulation wall is disposed between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip. The heat insulation wall thermally isolates the first semiconductor chip from the second semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Min Kyu Kang, Jae Hyun Son, Ji Hyeok Shin
  • Patent number: 11264295
    Abstract: Integrated circuit substrates having features for containing liquid adhesive, and methods for fabricating such substrates, are provided. A device can include a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer adhered to the first substrate layer such that a portion of the top surface of the first substrate layer is exposed to define a bottom of a cavity, and an edge of the second substrate layer adjacent to the exposed top surface of the first substrate layer defines an edge of the cavity. The device can include an integrated circuit die adhered to the exposed top surface of first substrate layer with a liquid adhesive. The first substrate layer can define a trench in the bottom of the cavity between a region of the integrated circuit die and the edge of the cavity such that the trench can receive bleed-out of the liquid adhesive from between the integrated circuit die and the top surface of the first substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Woon Seong Kwon, Ryohei Urata, Teckgyu Kang
  • Patent number: 11254561
    Abstract: A packaged pressure sensor, comprising: a MEMS pressure-sensor chip; and an encapsulating layer of elastomeric material, in particular PDMS, which extends over the MEMS pressure-sensor chip and forms a means for transferring a force, applied on a surface thereof, towards the MEMS pressure-sensor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Enri Duqi, Bruno Murari, Sebastiano Conti
  • Patent number: 11257787
    Abstract: A package structure includes at least one semiconductor die, an insulating encapsulant, an isolation layer and a redistribution layer. The at least one first semiconductor die has a semiconductor substrate and a conductive post disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The insulating encapsulant is partially encapsulating the first semiconductor die, wherein the conductive post has a first portion surrounded by the insulating encapsulant and a second portion that protrudes out from the insulating encapsulant. The isolation layer is disposed on the insulating encapsulant and surrounding the second portion of the conductive post. The redistribution layer is disposed on the first semiconductor die and the isolation layer, wherein the redistribution layer is electrically connected to the conductive post of the first semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsien-Wei Chen, Ming-Fa Chen, Sung-Feng Yeh
  • Patent number: 11251304
    Abstract: A method of forming a vertical transport fin field effect transistor device is provided. The method includes replacing a portion of a sacrificial exclusion layer between one or more vertical fins and a substrate with a temporary inner spacer. The method further includes removing a portion of a fin layer and the sacrificial exclusion layer between the one or more vertical fins and the substrate, and forming a bottom source/drain on the temporary inner spacer and between the one or more vertical fins and the substrate. The method further includes replacing a portion of the bottom source/drain with a temporary gap filler, and replacing the temporary gap filler and temporary inner spacer with a wrap-around source/drain contact having an L-shaped cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junli Wang, Alexander Reznicek, Ruilong Xie, Bruce B. Doris
  • Patent number: 11245005
    Abstract: Methods for forming semiconductor structures are provided. The method includes alternately stacking first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers over a substrate and patterning the first semiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layers to form a first fin structure. The method further includes forming a first trench in the first fin structure and forming a first source/drain structure in the first trench. The method further includes partially removing the first source/drain structure to form a second trench in the first source/drain structure and forming a first contact in the second trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ta-Chun Lin, Kuo-Hua Pan, Jhon-Jhy Liaw, Chao-Ching Cheng, Hung-Li Chiang, Shih-Syuan Huang, Tzu-Chiang Chen, I-Sheng Chen, Sai-Hooi Yeong
  • Patent number: 11244946
    Abstract: Semiconductor device may include a landing pad and a lower electrode that is on and is connected to the landing pad and includes an outer portion and an inner portion inside the outer portion. The outer portion includes first and second regions. The semiconductor devices may also include a dielectric film on the first region of the outer portion on the lower electrode and an upper electrode on the dielectric film. The first region of the outer portion of the lower electrode may include a silicon (Si) dopant, the dielectric film does not extend along the second region of the outer portion. A concentration of the silicon dopant in the first region of the outer portion is different from a concentration of the silicon dopant in the second region of the outer portion and is higher than a concentration of the silicon dopant in the inner portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventors: Chang Mu An, Sang Yeol Kang, Young-Lim Park, Jong-Bom Seo, Se Hyoung Ahn
  • Patent number: 11239075
    Abstract: A structure includes a substrate having a first semiconductor material. The substrate has a recess. A bottom portion of the recess has a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The first sidewall intersects the second sidewall. The structure further includes an isolation feature surrounding the recess and a second semiconductor material disposed in the recess and in contact with the first semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material has lattice mismatch to the first semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsien Wu, I-Sheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11233151
    Abstract: An active pattern structure includes a lower active pattern protruding from an upper surface of a substrate in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate, a buffer structure on the lower active pattern, at least a portion of which may include aluminum silicon oxide, and an upper active pattern on the buffer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventors: Sangmoon Lee, Kyungin Choi, Seunghun Lee
  • Patent number: 11233139
    Abstract: A method includes forming a first fin and a second fin over a substrate. The method includes forming a first dummy gate structure that straddles the first fin and the second fin. The first dummy gate structure includes a first dummy gate dielectric and a first dummy gate disposed over the first dummy gate dielectric. The method includes replacing a portion of the first dummy gate with a gate isolation structure. The portion of the first dummy gate is disposed over the second fin. The method includes removing the first dummy gate. The method includes removing a first portion of the first dummy gate dielectric around the first fin, while leaving a second portion of the first dummy gate dielectric around the second fin intact. The method includes forming a gate feature straddling the first fin and the second fin, wherein the gate isolation structure intersects the gate feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Shih-Yao Lin, Chih-Han Lin, Shu-Yuan Ku, Tzu-Chung Wang, Shu-Uei Jang, Ya-Yi Tsai, Chi-Hsiang Chang
  • Patent number: 11227935
    Abstract: A method and structure providing a high-voltage transistor (HVT) including a gate dielectric, where at least part of the gate dielectric is provided within a trench disposed within a substrate. In some aspects, a gate oxide thickness may be controlled by way of a trench depth. By providing the HVT with a gate dielectric formed within a trench, embodiments of the present disclosure provide for the top gate stack surface of the HVT and the top gate stack surface of a low-voltage transistor (LVT), formed on the same substrate, to be substantially co-planar with each other, while providing a thick gate oxide for the HVTs. Further, because the top gate stack surface of HVT and the top gate stack surface of the LVT are substantially co-planar with each other, over polishing of the HVT gate stack can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Anhao Cheng, Fang-Ting Kuo
  • Patent number: 11222981
    Abstract: A method of forming stacked fin field effect devices is provided. The method includes forming a layer stack on a substrate, wherein the layer stack includes a first semiconductor layer on a surface of the substrate, a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer on the second semiconductor layer, a separation layer on the third semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer on the separation layer, a fifth semiconductor layer on the fourth semiconductor layer, and a sixth semiconductor layer on the fifth semiconductor layer. The method further includes forming a plurality of channels through the layer stack to the surface of the substrate, and removing portions of the second semiconductor layer and fifth semiconductor layer to form lateral grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Huimei Zhou, Su Chen Fan, Shogo Mochizuki, Peng Xu, Nicolas J. Loubet
  • Patent number: 11217699
    Abstract: A transistor that is to be provided has such a structure that a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer between which a channel formation region is sandwiched has regions projecting in a channel length direction at lower end portions, and an insulating layer is provided, in addition to a gate insulating layer, between the source and drain electrode layers and a gate electrode layer. In the transistor, the width of the source and drain electrode layers is smaller than that of an oxide semiconductor layer in the channel width direction, so that an area where the gate electrode layer overlaps with the source and drain electrode layers can be made small. Further, the source and drain electrode layers have regions projecting in the channel length direction at lower end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hideomi Suzawa
  • Patent number: 11205697
    Abstract: Provided is a shallow trench isolating structure and a semiconductor device. The trench isolating structure is formed in a substrate and includes a first and a second part. The first part has a first side wall extending from a surface of the substrate to a location, the first side wall has a first slope, and a surface of it has a first roughness. The second part has a second side wall extending from the first side wall to a location, the second side wall has a second slope, and a surface of it has a second roughness, the second slope is greater than the first slope, and the second roughness is greater than the first roughness. The disclosure solves the problem that it is difficult to fill the shallow trench isolating structure, and an undersized available space of the surface of the substrate may not be caused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsienshih Chu, Dehao Huang, Yunfan Chou, Yaoguang Xu, Yucheng Tung
  • Patent number: 11201150
    Abstract: A system on chip includes first to third nanowires extending in a second direction, first to third gate lines respectively surrounding the first to third nanowires, each of the first to third gate lines extending in a first direction across the second direction, a gate isolation region cutting the first to third gate lines and extending in the second direction, a first gate contact formed on the second gate line arranged between the first gate line and the third gate line, and electrically connecting the cut second gate line, a second gate contact formed on the first gate line, a third gate contact formed on the third gate line, a first metal line electrically connecting the second gate contact and the third gate contact; and a second metal line electrically connected to the first gate contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-Hoon Baek, Sun-Young Park, Sang-Kyu Oh, Ha-young Kim, Jung-Ho Do, Moo-Gyu Bae, Seung-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11195773
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a quantum device includes an interposer layer comprising a set of vias. In an embodiment, the quantum device includes a dielectric layer formed on a first side of the interposer, the dielectric layer including a set of transmission lines communicatively coupled to the set of vias. In an embodiment, the quantum device includes a plurality of qubit chips coupled to an opposite side of the interposer layer, each qubit chip of the plurality of qubit chips including: a plurality of qubits on a first side of the qubit chip and a plurality of protrusions on a second side of the qubit chip. In an embodiment, the quantum device includes a heat sink thermally coupled with the plurality of qubit chips, the heat sink comprising a plurality of recesses aligned with the plurality of protrusions of the plurality of qubit chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae-Woong Nah, Hanhee Paik, Jerry M. Chow