Patents by Inventor CHANG-YIN CHEN

CHANG-YIN CHEN 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: 20220085203
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an isolation insulating layer disposed over a substrate, a semiconductor fin disposed over the substrate, an upper portion of the semiconductor fin protruding from the isolation insulating layer and a lower portion of the semiconductor fin being embedded in the isolation insulating layer, a gate structure disposed over the upper portion of the semiconductor fin and including a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer, gate sidewall spacers disposed over opposing side faces of the gate structure, and a source/drain epitaxial layer. The upper portion of the semiconductor fin includes a first epitaxial growth enhancement layer made of a semiconductor material different from a remaining part of the semiconductor fin. The first epitaxial growth enhancement layer is in contact with the source/drain epitaxial layer. The gate dielectric layer covers the upper portion of the semiconductor fin including the first epitaxial growth enhancement layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Chang-Yin CHEN, Che-Cheng CHANG, Chih-Han LIN
  • Patent number: 11276578
    Abstract: A first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin are disposed over a substrate. The second semiconductor fin and the first semiconductor fin are aligned substantially along a same line and spaced apart from each other. The first semiconductor fin has a first end portion, the second semiconductor fin has a second end portion, and an end sidewall of the first end portion and is spaced apart from an end sidewall of the second end portion. The gate structure extends substantially perpendicularly to the first semiconductor fin. When viewed from above, the gate structure overlaps with the first end portion of the first semiconductor fin. When viewed from above, the end sidewall of the first end portion of the first semiconductor fin facing the end sidewall of the second end portion of the second semiconductor fin has a re-entrant profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Che-Cheng Chang, Chih-Han Lin
  • Patent number: 11257931
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a field effect transistor structure includes a first semiconductor structure and a gate structure. The first semiconductor structure includes a channel region, and a source region and a drain region. The source region and the drain region are formed on opposite ends of the channel region, respectively. The gate structure includes a central region and footing regions. The central region is formed over the first semiconductor structure. The footing regions are formed on opposite sides of the central region and along where the central region is adjacent to the first semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Che-Cheng Chang, Chang-Yin Chen, Jr-Jung Lin, Chih-Han Lin, Yung Jung Chang
  • Publication number: 20220028997
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a fin structure with a fin top surface disposed on the substrate, a source/drain (S/D) region disposed on the fin structure, a gate structure disposed on the fin top surface, and a gate spacer with first and second spacer portions disposed between the gate structure and the S/D region. The first spacer portion extends above the fin top surface and is disposed along a sidewall of the gate structure. The second spacer portion extends below the fin top surface and is disposed along a sidewall of the S/D region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Liang Lu, Chang-Yin Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Chia-Yang Liao
  • Patent number: 11189728
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an isolation insulating layer disposed over a substrate, a semiconductor fin disposed over the substrate, an upper portion of the semiconductor fin protruding from the isolation insulating layer and a lower portion of the semiconductor fin being embedded in the isolation insulating layer, a gate structure disposed over the upper portion of the semiconductor fin and including a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer, gate sidewall spacers disposed over opposing side faces of the gate structure, and a source/drain epitaxial layer. The upper portion of the semiconductor fin includes a first epitaxial growth enhancement layer made of a semiconductor material different from a remaining part of the semiconductor fin. The first epitaxial growth enhancement layer is in contact with the source/drain epitaxial layer. The gate dielectric layer covers the upper portion of the semiconductor fin including the first epitaxial growth enhancement layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Che-Cheng Chang, Chih-Han Lin
  • Patent number: 11158545
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a structure having two fins over a substrate, lower portions of the fins being separated by an isolation structure, a dummy gate structure over the fins, and source/drain features over the fins on both sides of the dummy gate structure; forming a trench in the dummy gate structure between the two fins, where forming the trench removes a portion of the isolation structure; forming a dielectric layer in the trench, where a bottom surface of the dielectric layer extends below a top surface of the isolation structure; and replacing the dummy gate structure with one high-k metal gate structure formed over one of the fins and another high-k metal gate structure formed over the other of the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Che-Cheng Chang, Chih-Han Lin
  • Patent number: 11158744
    Abstract: A fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device structure and method for forming FinFET device structure are provided. The FinFET structure includes a substrate and a fin structure extending above the substrate. The FinFET structure includes an epitaxial structure formed on the fin structure, and the epitaxial structure has a first height. The FinFET structure also includes fin sidewall spacers formed adjacent to the epitaxial structure. The sidewall spacers have a second height and the first height is greater than the second height, and the fin sidewall spacers are configured to control a volume and the first height of the epitaxial structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhe-Hao Zhang, Tung-Wen Cheng, Chang-Yin Chen, Che-Cheng Chang, Yung-Jung Chang
  • Patent number: 11120974
    Abstract: A dry etching apparatus includes a process chamber, a stage, a gas supply device and a plasma generating device. The stage is in the process chamber and is configured to support a wafer, wherein the wafer has a center region and a periphery region surrounding the center region. The gas supply device is configured to supply a first flow of an etching gas to the center region and supply a second flow of the etching gas to the periphery region. The plasma generating device is configured to generate plasma from the etching gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Tung-Wen Cheng, Che-Cheng Chang, Jr-Jung Lin, Chih-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20210111266
    Abstract: A device includes a semiconductive fin having source and drain regions and a channel region between the source and drain regions, a gate feature over the channel region of the semiconductive fin, a first spacer around the gate feature, source and drain features respectively in the source and drain regions of the semiconductive fin, an interlayer dielectric layer around the first spacer, and a void between the first spacer and the interlayer dielectric layer and spaced apart from the gate feature and the source and drain features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin CHEN, Che-Cheng CHANG, Chih-Han LIN
  • Publication number: 20210074591
    Abstract: A method includes providing a structure having a substrate and a fin protruding from the substrate, forming a gate stack layer over the fin, and patterning the gate stack layer in forming a gate stack. The patterning of the gate stack layer simultaneously forms a passivation layer on sidewall surfaces of the gate stack. The method also includes removing a bottom portion of the passivation layer, thereby exposing a bottom portion of the gate stack, while a top portion of the passivation layer remains. The method further includes laterally etching the bottom portion of the gate stack, thereby shrinking a width of the bottom portion of the gate stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Che-Cheng Chang, Chih-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20210074840
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an isolation insulating layer disposed over a substrate, a semiconductor fin disposed over the substrate, an upper portion of the semiconductor fin protruding from the isolation insulating layer and a lower portion of the semiconductor fin being embedded in the isolation insulating layer, a gate structure disposed over the upper portion of the semiconductor fin and including a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer, gate sidewall spacers disposed over opposing side faces of the gate structure, and a source/drain epitaxial layer. The upper portion of the semiconductor fin includes a first epitaxial growth enhancement layer made of a semiconductor material different from a remaining part of the semiconductor fin. The first epitaxial growth enhancement layer is in contact with the source/drain epitaxial layer. The gate dielectric layer covers the upper portion of the semiconductor fin including the first epitaxial growth enhancement layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Chang-Yin CHEN, Che-Cheng CHANG, Chih-Han LIN
  • Publication number: 20210074859
    Abstract: A fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device structure and method for forming FinFET device structure are provided. The FinFET structure includes a substrate and an isolation structure formed on the substrate. The FinFET structure also includes a fin structure extending above the substrate, and the fin structure is embedded in the isolation structure. The FinFET structure further includes an epitaxial structure formed on the fin structure, the epitaxial structure has a pentagon-like shape, and an interface between the epitaxial structure and the fin structure is lower than a top surface of the isolation structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Zhe-Hao Zhang, Tung-Wen Cheng, Che-Cheng Chang, Yung-Jung Chang, Chang-Yin Chen
  • Patent number: 10923353
    Abstract: A method for forming a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device structure is provided. The FinFET device structure includes a substrate and a first fin structure and a second fin structure extending above the substrate. The FinFET device structure also includes a first transistor formed on the first fin structure and a second transistor formed on the second fin structure. The FinFET device structure further includes an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) structure formed in an end-to-end gap between the first transistor and the second transistor, and the end-to-end gap has a width in a range from about 20 nm to about 40 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Tung-Wen Cheng, Che-Cheng Chang, Chun-Lung Ni, Jr-Jung Lin, Chih-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20210043773
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of fabricating the semiconductor structure are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; a metal gate structure on the substrate; and a spacer next to the metal gate structure having a skirting part extending into the metal gate structure and contacting the substrate. The metal gate structure includes a high-k dielectric layer and a metal gate electrode on the high-k dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Che-Cheng Chang, Tung-Wen Cheng, Chang-Yin Chen, Mu-Tsang Lin
  • Publication number: 20210036148
    Abstract: A FinFET structure with a gate structure having two notch features therein and a method of forming the same is disclosed. The FinFET notch features ensure that sufficient spacing is provided between the gate structure and source/drain regions of the FinFET to avoid inadvertent shorting of the gate structure to the source/drain regions. Gate structures of different sizes (e.g., different gate widths) and of different pattern densities can be provided on a same substrate and avoid inadvertent of shorting the gate to the source/drain regions through application of the notched features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Che-Cheng Chang, Chih-Han Lin, Horng-Huei Tseng
  • Publication number: 20210013045
    Abstract: A first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin are disposed over a substrate. The second semiconductor fin and the first semiconductor fin are aligned substantially along a same line and spaced apart from each other. The first semiconductor fin has a first end portion, the second semiconductor fin has a second end portion, and an end sidewall of the first end portion and is spaced apart from an end sidewall of the second end portion. The gate structure extends substantially perpendicularly to the first semiconductor fin. When viewed from above, the gate structure overlaps with the first end portion of the first semiconductor fin. When viewed from above, the end sidewall of the first end portion of the first semiconductor fin facing the end sidewall of the second end portion of the second semiconductor fin has a re-entrant profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin CHEN, Che-Cheng CHANG, Chih-Han LIN
  • Patent number: 10879372
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a metal gate stack. The metal gate stack includes a high-k gate dielectric and a metal gate electrode over the high-k gate dielectric. The metal gate electrode includes a first top surface and a second bottom surface substantially diametrically opposite the first top surface. The first top surface includes a first surface length and the second bottom surface includes a second surface length. The first surface length is larger than the second surface length. A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Che-Cheng Chang, Yi-Jen Chen, Chang-Yin Chen, Yung Jung Chang
  • Patent number: 10872965
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a dummy gate feature over a semiconductive fin; forming a first spacer around the dummy gate feature and a second spacer around the first spacer; replacing the dummy gate feature with a metal gate feature; after replacing the dummy gate feature with the metal gate feature, partially removing the second spacer such that a top of the second spacer is lower than a top of the first spacer; and depositing a capping layer over and in contact with the metal gate feature and the first spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Yin Chen, Che-Cheng Chang, Chih-Han Lin
  • Publication number: 20200395464
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first fin structure over a substrate. The method includes forming a dielectric layer over the substrate and the first fin structure. The dielectric layer has a first trench exposing a first portion of the first fin structure. The method includes forming a first work function layer in the first trench. The method includes forming a first mask layer over the first work function layer in the first trench, wherein an upper portion of the first work function layer in the first trench is exposed by the first mask layer. The method includes removing the first work function layer exposed by the first mask layer. The method includes removing the first mask layer. The method includes forming a first gate electrode in the first trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Han FANG, Chang-Yin CHEN, Ming-Chia TAI, Po-Chi WU
  • Patent number: 10868187
    Abstract: In some embodiments, in a method, a body structure with a gate structure configured thereon is provided. The gate structure comprises a gate side wall traversing the body structure. A spacer is formed over the gate side wall. A first recess is formed in the body structure. The first recess is formed beside the spacer and extending laterally under the spacer. A recess extension is formed under the first recess to extend a vertical depth of the first recess. Stressor material with a lattice constant different from that of the body structure is grown such that the extended first recess is filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventors: Che-Cheng Chang, Chang-Yin Chen, Yung Jung Chang