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).

  • Patent number: 10424456
    Abstract: A field emission transistor includes a gate, a fold over emitter, and fold over collector. The emitter and the collector are separated from the gate by a void and are separated from a gate contact by gate contact dielectric. The void may be a vacuum, ambient air, or a gas. Respective ends of the emitter and the collector are separated by a gap. Electrons are drawn across gap from the emitter to the collector by an electrostatic field created when a voltage is applied to the gate. The emitter and collector include a first conductive portion substantially parallel with gate and a second conductive portion substantially perpendicular with gate. The second conductive portion may be formed by bending a segment of the first conductive portion. The second conductive portion is folded inward from the first conductive portion towards the gate. Respective second conductive portions are generally aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 10404306
    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: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    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
  • Publication number: 20190267278
    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: May 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 10395977
    Abstract: A method of forming via openings that includes forming sidewall spacers on a plurality of mandrels that are overlying a hardmask layer that is present on an interlevel dielectric layer. Etching the hardmask layer using a portion of the sidewall spacers and the plurality of mandrels to form a first pillar of hardmask material. The interlevel dielectric layer is etched using the first pillar of hardmask material as a mask to define a first via opening. The plurality of mandrels are removed. The hardmask layer is etched using the spacers to define a second pillar of hardmask material. The interlevel dielectric layer is etched using the second pillar of hardmask material to provide a second via opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Terry A. Spooner, Theodorus E. Standaert
  • Patent number: 10395986
    Abstract: A method is presented for creating a fully-aligned via (FAV) by employing selective metal deposition. The method includes forming metal lines within a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer, forming a second ILD layer over the first ILD layer, forming a lithographic stack over the second ILD layer to define areas where via growth is prevented, recessing the lithographic stack to expose a top surface of the metal lines where via growth is permitted by the lithographic stack, and performing metal growth over the exposed top surface of the metal lines where via growth is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, James J. Kelly, Donald F. Canaperi, Michael Rizzolo, Lawrence A. Clevenger
  • Publication number: 20190259943
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for fabricating a resistive random-access array having dedicated electroforming contacts. A lower conductive line is formed on an interlayer dielectric layer. A lower electrode is formed on the lower conductive line. An isolation layer is formed having an upper surface which is coplanar with an upper surface of the lower electrode. A stack structure including a metal-oxide layer and upper electrode is formed on the lower electrode. Insulating spacers are formed on sidewalls of the stack structure. The lower electrode, and stack structure form a resistive memory cell, wherein a footprint of the lower electrode is greater than that of the upper electrode. An upper conductive line contacts the upper electrode, and is arranged orthogonal to the lower conductive line. A dedicated electroforming contact contacts an extended portion of the lower electrode which extends past a cross-point of the upper and lower conductive lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Chih-Chao Yang, Benjamin D. Briggs
  • Patent number: 10381561
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for fabricating a resistive random-access array having dedicated electroforming contacts. A lower conductive line is formed on an interlayer dielectric layer. A lower electrode is formed on the lower conductive line. An isolation layer is formed having an upper surface which is coplanar with an upper surface of the lower electrode. A stack structure including a metal-oxide layer and upper electrode is formed on the lower electrode. Insulating spacers are formed on sidewalls of the stack structure. The lower electrode, and stack structure form a resistive memory cell, wherein a footprint of the lower electrode is greater than that of the upper electrode. An upper conductive line contacts the upper electrode, and is arranged orthogonal to the lower conductive line. A dedicated electroforming contact contacts an extended portion of the lower electrode which extends past a cross-point of the upper and lower conductive lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Internatoinal Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Chih-Chao Yang, Benjamin D. Briggs
  • Publication number: 20190237402
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of trenches in a dielectric layer, wherein the plurality of trenches each comprise a rounded surface, depositing a liner layer on the rounded surface of each of plurality of trenches, and depositing a conductive layer on the liner layer in each of the plurality of trenches, wherein the conductive layer and the liner layer form a plurality of interconnects, and each of the plurality of interconnects has a cylindrical shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Michael Rizzolo, Christopher J. Penny, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 10361117
    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: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 10361157
    Abstract: A method of forming an interconnect to an electrical device is provided. The structure produced by the method may include 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: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Publication number: 20190215282
    Abstract: Context appropriate errors are injected into conversational text generated by conversational agents. The conversational agent creates an imperfect conversational text containing at least one text entry error added to the original conversational text. A confidence level that at least one of context and meaning of the imperfect conversational text is consistent with the context and meaning of the original conversational text is determined, and the imperfect conversational text is communicated to a human recipient if the confidence level is above a pre-defined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin D. BRIGGS, Lawrence A. CLEVENGER, Leigh Anne H. CLEVENGER, Christoper J. PENNY, Michael RIZZOLO, Aldis SIPOLINS
  • Publication number: 20190214558
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for fabricating a resistive random-access array having dedicated electroforming contacts. A lower conductive line is formed on an interlayer dielectric layer. A lower electrode is formed on the lower conductive line. An isolation layer is formed having an upper surface which is coplanar with an upper surface of the lower electrode. A stack structure including a metal-oxide layer and upper electrode is formed on the lower electrode. Insulating spacers are formed on sidewalls of the stack structure. The lower electrode, and stack structure form a resistive memory cell, wherein a footprint of the lower electrode is greater than that of the upper electrode. An upper conductive line contacts the upper electrode, and is arranged orthogonal to the lower conductive line. A dedicated electroforming contact contacts an extended portion of the lower electrode which extends past a cross-point of the upper and lower conductive lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Chih-Chao Yang, Benjamin D. Briggs
  • Patent number: 10347825
    Abstract: A method is presented for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes depositing an insulating layer over a semiconductor substrate, etching the insulating layer to form trenches for receiving a metal, depositing one or more sacrificial layers, and etching portions of the one or more sacrificial layers to expose a top surface of the metal of one or more of the trenches. The method further includes selectively depositing an electrode over the top surface of the exposed metal and nitridizing the electrode to form a diffusion barrier between chip components and the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Joe Lee, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Publication number: 20190198325
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithographic patterning methods are provided which implement a surface-hardened EUV resist mask to pattern features in multiple layers. A layer of EUV resist material is formed on a substrate. An EUV resist mask is formed by exposing and developing the layer of EUV resist material. A surface-hardened EUV resist mask is formed by applying a surface treatment to an upper surface of the EUV resist mask to form an etch-resistant layer that is embedded in the upper surface of the EUV resist mask. At least one layer of the substrate is patterned using the surface-hardened EUV resist mask. The surface treatment can be implemented using a neutral atom beam (NAB) process which is configured to implant a chemical or metallic species into the upper surface of the EUV resist mask to form the etch-resistant layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Michael Rizzolo, Ekmini Anuja De Silva, Chih-Chao Yang, Lawrence A. Clevenger
  • Publication number: 20190181033
    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: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Publication number: 20190181091
    Abstract: Techniques facilitating back end of line electrical fuse structure and method of fabrication are provided. A device can comprise a first metal interconnect formed in a dielectric layer of a semiconductor chip. The device can also comprise a second metal interconnect formed in the dielectric layer and adjacent to the first metal interconnect. Further, the device can comprise a vertical electrical fuse element comprising a first portion of a conductive material deposited on a first surface of the first metal interconnect and a second portion of the conductive material deposited on a second surface of the second metal interconnect. The vertical electrical fuse element can comprise a first region comprising a first thickness and a second region comprising a second thickness different than the first thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 10319783
    Abstract: A method is presented for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes depositing a barrier layer, such as a tantalum nitride (TaN) layer, over a dielectric incorporating magnetic random access memory (MRAM) regions, forming magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stacks over portions of the TaN layer, patterning and encapsulating the MTJ stacks, forming spacers adjacent the MTJ stacks, and laterally etching sections of the TaN layer, after spacer formation, to form an electrode under the MTJ stacks. The electrode protects the MRAM regions. The electrode can be recessed from the spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Michael Rizzolo, Theodorus E. Standaert
  • Publication number: 20190172783
    Abstract: A semiconductor interconnect structure and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor interconnect structure includes a sea of interconnect lines including metal lines and neighboring dummy lines. The semiconductor interconnect structure further includes a dielectric layer arranged between the sea of lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Huai Huang, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 10312434
    Abstract: A method is presented for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes depositing an insulating layer over a semiconductor substrate, etching the insulating layer to form trenches for receiving a metal, depositing one or more sacrificial layers, and etching portions of the one or more sacrificial layers to expose a top surface of the metal of one or more of the trenches. The method further includes selectively depositing an electrode over the top surface of the exposed metal and nitridizing the electrode to form a diffusion barrier between chip components and the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Joe Lee, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Publication number: 20190164441
    Abstract: The present invention may receive a plurality of unlock instructions based on determining a location is secured from access by the drone. The present invention may use the plurality of received unlock instructions to access the location with an access device while determining the drone is present at the drop off location. The present invention may use the plurality of received unlock instructions to re-secure the location with the access device when determining successful delivery of a package by the drone, and may monitor a security of the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Leigh Anne H. Clevenger, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo, Aldis Sipolins