Patents by Inventor Benjamin D. Briggs

Benjamin D. Briggs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240096693
    Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 11908678
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form a filled contact hole in a mirror layer of a semiconductor substrate. The method may include forming a contact hole through a mirror layer of the semiconductor substrate by an etch process. The method may include filling the contact hole with a fill material. A portion of the fill material may overlie the mirror layer. The method may also include removing a portion of the fill material external to the contact hole by chemical mechanical polishing landing on the mirror layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lan Yu, Benjamin D. Briggs, Tyler Sherwood, Raghav Sreenivasan, Joseph Salfelder
  • Patent number: 11881539
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form a pixel material in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a lithographic mask overlying the semiconductor substrate. The lithographic mask may include a window. The method may include forming a via in the semiconductor substrate by a dry etch process through the window. The method may also include forming the pixel material by depositing a fill material in the via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lan Yu, Benjamin D. Briggs, Tyler Sherwood, Raghav Sreenivasan
  • Patent number: 11880052
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form a grounded mirror structure on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include revealing a metal layer. The metal layer may underlie a spacer layer. The metal layer may be revealed by a dry etch process. The method may include forming a mirror layer overlying the spacer layer and the metal layer. The mirror layer may contact the metal layer. The method may also include forming an oxide inclusion overlying a portion of the mirror layer. The portion of the mirror layer may be external to the spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lan Yu, Benjamin D. Briggs, Tyler Sherwood, Raghav Sreenivasan
  • Publication number: 20240014133
    Abstract: An electrical device includes a plurality of metal lines in a region of a substrate positioned in an array of metal lines all having parallel lengths, and a plurality of air gaps between the metal lines in a same level as the metal lines, wherein an air gap is present between each set of adjacent metal lines. A plurality of interconnects may be present in electrical communication with said plurality of metal lines, wherein an exclusion zone for said plurality of interconnects is not present in said array of metal lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11869783
    Abstract: One or more processors determine a predicted sorting bin of a semiconductor device, based on measurement and test data performed on the semiconductor device subsequent to a current metallization layer. A current predicted sorting bin and a target sorting bin are determined by a machine learning model for the semiconductor device; the target bin include higher performance semiconductor devices than the predicted sorting bin. The model determines a performance level improvement attainable by adjustments made to process parameters of subsequent metallization layers of the semiconductor device. Adjustments to process parameters are generated, based on measurement and test data of the current metallization layer of semiconductor device, and the adjustment outputs for the process parameters of the subsequent metallization layers of the semiconductor device are made available to the one or more subsequent metallization layer processes by a feed-forward mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Nicholas A. Lanzillo, Michael Rizzolo, Theodorus E. Standaert, James Stathis
  • Publication number: 20230409692
    Abstract: A system for a touch screen interface that includes a coating including a plurality of a touch activated microchips; and a projector for projecting a light image onto the coating that is applied to a touch screen substrate. The system also includes an image calibrator that calibrates touch activated microchips in the coating to features of the light image projected onto the coating. The system further includes a receiver for receiving signal from the touch activated microchips when said feature of the light image is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Maryam Ashoori, Benjamin D. Briggs, Justin A. Canaperi, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Leigh Anne H. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Spyridon Skordas
  • Patent number: 11837501
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device having a vertical metal line interconnect (via) fully aligned to a first direction of a first interconnect layer and a second direction of a second interconnect layer in a selective recess region by forming a plurality of metal lines in a first dielectric layer; and recessing in a recess region first portions of the plurality of metal lines such that top surfaces of the first portions of the plurality of metal lines are below a top surface of the first dielectric layer; wherein a non-recess region includes second portions of the plurality of metal lines that are outside the recess region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TESSERA LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Jessica Dechene, Elbert Huang, Joe Lee, Theodorus E. Standaert
  • Publication number: 20230335438
    Abstract: An etch back air gap (EBAG) process is provided. The EBAG process includes forming an initial structure that includes a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate and a liner disposed to line a trench defined in the dielectric layer. The process further includes impregnating a metallic interconnect material with dopant materials, filling a remainder of the trench with the impregnated metallic interconnect materials to form an intermediate structure and drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure. The drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure serves to drive the dopant materials out of the impregnated metallic interconnect materials and thereby forms a chemical- and plasma-attack immune material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Elbert Huang, Takeshi Nogami, Christopher J. Penny
  • Patent number: 11790072
    Abstract: A system for a touch screen interface that includes a coating including a plurality of a touch activated microchips; and a projector for projecting a light image onto the coating that is applied to a touch screen substrate. The system also includes an image calibrator that calibrates touch activated microchips in the coating to features of the light image projected onto the coating. The system further includes a receiver for receiving signal from the touch activated microchips when said feature of the light image is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maryam Ashoori, Benjamin D. Briggs, Justin A. Canaperi, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Leigh Anne H. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Spyridon Skordas
  • Patent number: 11756786
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a dielectric film includes depositing a first precursor on a substrate. The first precursor includes a cyclic carbosiloxane group comprising a six-membered ring. The method also includes depositing a second precursor on the substrate. The first precursor and the second precursor form a preliminary film on the substrate, and the second precursor includes silicon, carbon, and hydrogen. The method further includes exposing the preliminary film to energy from an energy source to form a porous dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Donald F. Canaperi, Huy Cao, Thomas J. Haigh, Jr., Son Nguyen, Hosadurga Shobha, Devika Sil, Han You
  • Patent number: 11735524
    Abstract: An electrical device includes a plurality of metal lines in a region of a substrate positioned in an array of metal lines all having parallel lengths, and a plurality of air gaps between the metal lines in a same level as the metal lines, wherein an air gap is present between each set of adjacent metal lines. A plurality of interconnects may be present in electrical communication with said plurality of metal lines, wherein an exclusion zone for said plurality of interconnects is not present in said array of metal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Publication number: 20230223447
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating a semiconductor device are provided. The method can include forming a conductive material layer on a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device including at least two gate structures and at least two source/drain surfaces of at least two source/drain regions, wherein an interlevel dielectric layer separates each of the at least two gate structures from each of the at least two source/drain surfaces, wherein the conductive material layer extends through openings of the interlevel dielectric layer, contacting the at least two source/drain surfaces and forming at least two conductive material interconnects, and wherein the conductive material layer extends over the interlevel dielectric layer, forming an interconnect mask over portions of the conductive material layer, wherein the conductive material layer includes an up-via and forming an interconnect by subtractively etching a portion of the conductive material layer, exposed through the interconnect mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Nicholas Anthony Lanzillo, Benjamin D. Briggs, Kisik Choi, Brent A. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11676854
    Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Tessera LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 11636353
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a cognitive system using an autonomous vehicle includes a plurality of sensors configured to obtain the weather forecast for a pollution detectable area; a cognitive input to determine the pollution detectable area having highest sensitivity of pollution; a light detecting and ranging system configured to spatially probe pollution levels distributed in the pollution detectable area; an evaluation system to evaluate the probed pollution levels in the pollution detectable area; and a recommendation system for recommending an action to be taken based on evaluation system results of the probed pollution levels in the pollution detectable area, wherein the pollution levels are detected based light emitted by the light detecting and ranging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Leigh Anne H. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11586067
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form a pixel material in a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a lithographic mask overlying the semiconductor substrate. The lithographic mask may include a window. The method may include forming a via in the semiconductor substrate by a dry etch process through the window. The method may also include forming the pixel material by depositing a fill material in the via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lan Yu, Benjamin D. Briggs, Tyler Sherwood, Raghav Sreenivasan
  • Patent number: 11587830
    Abstract: An etch back air gap (EBAG) process is provided. The EBAG process includes forming an initial structure that includes a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate and a liner disposed to line a trench defined in the dielectric layer. The process further includes impregnating a metallic interconnect material with dopant materials, filling a remainder of the trench with the impregnated metallic interconnect materials to form an intermediate structure and drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure. The drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure serves to drive the dopant materials out of the impregnated metallic interconnect materials and thereby forms a chemical- and plasma-attack immune material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TESSERA LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Elbert Huang, Takeshi Nogami, Christopher J. Penny
  • Patent number: 11574864
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a porous dielectric layer including a recessed portion, a conductive layer formed in the recessed portion, and a cap layer formed on the porous dielectric layer and on the conductive layer in the recessed portion, an upper surface of the porous dielectric layer being exposed through a gap in the cap layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Tessera LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Bartlet H. Deprospo, Huai Huang, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11573452
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to forming a pixel material in a semiconductor structure. The methods may include forming a sacrificial hardmask overlying an uppermost layer of an optical stack of the semiconductor structure, the uppermost layer having a thickness. The methods may include forming a via through the sacrificial hardmask in the optical stack by a first etch process unselective to a metal layer of the semiconductor structure. The methods may include filling the via with a fill material, wherein a portion of the fill material extends over the sacrificial hardmask and contacts the metal layer. The methods may include removing a portion of the fill material external to the via by a removal process selective to the fill material. The methods may also include removing the sacrificial hardmask by a second etch process selective to the sacrificial hardmask while maintaining the thickness of the uppermost layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lan Yu, Benjamin D. Briggs, Tyler Sherwood, Raghav Sreenivasan
  • Patent number: 11488863
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of memory elements on a first interconnect level, and forming an etch stop layer on the plurality of memory elements. A dielectric layer is formed on the etch stop layer, and a portion of the dielectric over the plurality of memory elements is removed to expose a portion of the etch stop layer. The method further includes removing the exposed portion of the etch stop layer. The removing of the portion of the dielectric layer and of the exposed portion of the etch stop layer forms a trench. A metallization layer is formed in the trench on the plurality of memory elements, wherein the metallization layer is part of a second interconnect level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Nicholas Anthony Lanzillo, Michael Rizzolo