Patents by Inventor Chao Zhao

Chao Zhao 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: 20130241004
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor device, comprising substrates, a plurality of gate stack structures on the substrate, a plurality of gate spacer structures on both sides of each gate stack structure, a plurality of source and drain regions in the substrate on both sides of each gate spacer structure, the plurality of gate spacer structures comprising a plurality of first gate stack structures and a plurality of second gate stack structures, wherein each of the first gate stack structures comprises a first gate insulating layer, a first work function metal layer, a second work function metal diffusion blocking layer, and a gate filling layer; Each of the second gate stack structures comprises a second gate insulating layer, a first work function metal layer, a second work function metal layer, and a gate filling layer, characterized in that the first work function metal layer has a first stress, and the gate filling layer has a second stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Huaxiang Yin, Zuozhen Fu, Qiuxia Xu, Chao Zhao, Dapeng Chen
  • Patent number: 8536053
    Abstract: A method for restricting lateral encroachment of the metal silicide into the channel region, comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate, a gate stack being formed on the semiconductor substrate, a source region being formed in the semiconductor on one side of the gate stack, and a drain region being formed in the semiconductor substrate on the other side of the gate stack; forming a sacrificial spacer around the gate stack and on the semiconductor substrate; depositing a metal layer for covering the semiconductor substrate, the gate stack and the sacrificial spacer; performing a thermal treatment on the semiconductor substrate, thereby causing the metal layer to react with the sacrificial spacer and the semiconductor substrate in the source region and the drain region; removing the sacrificial spacer, reaction products of the sacrificial spacer and the metal layer, and a part of the metal layer which does not react with the sacrificial spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Jun Luo, Chao Zhao, Huicai Zhong
  • Publication number: 20130228893
    Abstract: A trench isolation structure and a method of forming the same are provided. The trench isolation structure includes: a semiconductor substrate, and trenches formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and filled with a dielectric layer, wherein the material of the dielectric layer is a crystalline material. By using the present invention, the size of the divot can be reduced, and device performances can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Huicai Zhong, Chao Zhao, Qingqing Liang
  • Publication number: 20130221414
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor FET and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor FET may comprise: a gate wall; a fin outside the gate wall, both ends of the fin being connected with the source/drain regions on both ends of the fin; and a contact wall on both sides of the gate wall, the contact wall being connected with the source/drain regions via the underlying silicide layer, wherein an airgap is provided around the gate wall. Since an airgap is formed around the gate wall, and particularly the airgap is formed between the gate wall and the contact wall, it is possible to decrease the parasitic capacitance between the gate wall and the contact wall. As a result, the problem of excessive parasitic capacitance resulting from use of the contact wall can be effectively alleviated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Chao Zhao, Jun Luo, Huicai Zhong
  • Publication number: 20130213434
    Abstract: A method for eliminating contact bridge in a contact hole process is disclosed, wherein a cleaning menu comprising a multi-step adaptive protective thin film deposition process is provided, so that a stack adaptive protective thin film is formed on the sidewall of the chamber of the HDP CVD equipment. The stack adaptive protective thin film has good adhesivity, compactness and uniformity to protect the sidewall of the chamber of the HDP CVD equipment from being damaged by the plasma, and avoid the generation of defect particles, thereby improving the HDP CVD technical yield and eliminating the contact bridge phenomenon in the contact hole process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Guilei Wang, Junfeng Li, Chao Zhao
  • Patent number: 8501500
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for monitoring the removal of a polycrystalline silicon dummy gate, comprising the steps of: forming a polycrystalline silicon dummy gate structure on a surface of a wafer; determining a measurement target and an error range of mass of the wafer; and measuring the mass of the wafer by a mass measurement tool after polycrystalline silicon dummy gate removal to determine whether the polycrystalline silicon dummy gate has been completely removed. According to the measurement method of the present invention, the full wafer may be quickly and accurately measured without requiring a specific test structure, to effectively monitor and determine whether the polysilicon dummy gate is thoroughly removed, meanwhile said measurement method gives feedback directly, quickly and accurately without causing any damage to the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Science
    Inventors: Tao Yang, Chao Zhao, Junfeng Li, Jiang Yan, Dapeng Chen
  • Patent number: 8496240
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes an upper cover, a document pick-up module, and a conveying channel. The upper cover has a first hooking element. The document pick-up module is arranged between the upper cover and the conveying channel. In addition, the document pick-up module has a second hooking element. When the automatic document feeder is operated in a standby mode, the document pick-up module is swung to a position near the upper cover and the second hooking element is engaged with the first hooking element, so that the document pick-up module is fixed on the upper cover. Since the document pick-up module is not contacted with the document when the automatic document feeder is operated in the standby mode, the possibility of causing an erroneous action of the document pick-up module will be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tung-Wen Tu, Long-Chao Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130187326
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes an upper cover, a document pick-up module, and a conveying channel. The upper cover has a first hooking element. The document pick-up module is arranged between the upper cover and the conveying channel. In addition, the document pick-up module has a second hooking element. When the automatic document feeder is operated in a standby mode, the document pick-up module is swung to a position near the upper cover and the second hooking element is engaged with the first hooking element, so that the document pick-up module is fixed on the upper cover. Since the document pick-up module is not contacted with the document when the automatic document feeder is operated in the standby mode, the possibility of causing an erroneous action of the document pick-up module will be eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventors: Tung-Wen Tu, Long-Chao Zhao
  • Patent number: 8486805
    Abstract: A through-silicon via and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes: providing a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate including an upper surface and an opposite lower surface; etching the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to form an opening; filling the opening with a conductive material to form a first nail; etching the lower surface of the semiconductor substrate to form a recess, such that the first nail is exposed at a bottom of the recess; filling the recess with a conductive material that can be etched, and etching the conductive material that can be etched to form a second nail, such that the second nail is vertically connected with the first nail; and filling a gap between the second nail and the semiconductor substrate and a gap between the second nail and an adjacent second nail with a dielectric layer. Then invention can improve the reliability of through-silicon vias and avoid voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Chao Zhao, Dapeng Chen, Wen Ou
  • Patent number: 8455323
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, comprising: performing heating so that metals dissolve into semiconductors of the wafer to form a semiconductor-metal compound; and performing cooling so that the formed semiconductor-metal compound retrogradely melt to form a mixture of the metals and the semiconductors. According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to achieve wafers of a high purity applicable to the semiconductor manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Huicai Zhong, Qingqing Liang, Chao Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130105859
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate, an insulating isolation layer formed on the substrate, a first active region layer and a second active region layer formed in the insulating isolation layer, characterized in that the carrier mobility of the first active region layer and/or second active region layer is higher than that of the substrate. In accordance with the semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof in the present invention, an active region formed of a material different from that of the substrate is used, the carrier mobility in the channel region is enhanced, thereby the device response speed is substantially improved and the device performance is enhanced greatly. Furthermore, unlike the existing STI manufacturing process, for the present invention, an STI is formed first, and then filling is performed to form an active region, thus avoiding the problem of generation of holes in STI, and improving the device reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Guilei Wang, Chunlong Li, Chao Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130105763
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, which comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a channel region on the semiconductor substrate, said channel region including a quantum well structure; a source region and a drain region on the sides of the channel region; a gate structure on the channel region; wherein the materials for the channel region, the source region and the drain region have different energy bands, and a tunneling barrier structure exists between the source region and the channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Huaxiang Yin, Jun Luo, Chao Zhao, Honggang Liu, Dapeng Chen
  • Publication number: 20130092986
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a dummy gate area on the substrate, forming spacers on sidewalls of the gate area, and forming source and drain areas in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the dummy gate area, the dummy gate area comprising an interface layer and a dummy gate electrode; forming a dielectric cap layer on the dummy gate area and source and drain areas; planarizing the device with the dielectric cap layer on the source and drain areas as a stop layer; further removing the dummy gate electrode to expose the interface layer; and forming replacement gate area on the interface layer. The thickness of the gate groove may be controlled by the thickness of the dielectric cap layer, and the replacement gates of desired thickness and width may be further formed upon requirements. Thus, the aspect ratio of the gate groove is reduced and a sufficient low gate resistance is ensured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Wenwu Wang, Chao Zhao, Kai Han, Dapeng Chen
  • Patent number: 8420492
    Abstract: The invention provides a MOS transistor and a method for forming the MOS transistor. The MOS transistor includes a semiconductor substrate; a gate stack on the semiconductor substrate, and including a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate in sequence; a source region and a drain region, respectively at sidewalls of the gate stack sidewalls of the gate stack and in the semiconductor; sacrificial metal spacers on sidewalls of the gate stack sidewalls of the gate stack, and having tensile stress or compressive stress. This invention scales down the equivalent oxide thickness, improves uniformity of device performance, raises carrier mobility and promotes device performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Huicai Zhong, Qingqing Liang, Da Yang, Chao Zhao
  • Patent number: 8409986
    Abstract: A method for improving the within die uniformity of the metal plug CMP process in the gate last route is provided. Before performing the CMP process for forming the metal plug, a metal etching process is applied, so that the step height between the metal layers in the contact hole area and the non-contact hole area is greatly reduced. Therefore, the relatively small step height will exert a significantly less effect on the following CMP process, so that the step height will be limitedly transferred to the top of metal plug after finishing CMP process. In this way, the recess on top of the metal plug is largely reduced, so that a flat top of the metal plug is obtained, and within die uniformity and electrical properties the device are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Tao Yang, Chao Zhao, Junfong Li
  • Publication number: 20130062708
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor fin are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method for manufacturing the semiconductor device structure comprises: forming a fin in a first direction on a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate line in a second direction, the second direction crossing the first direction on the semiconductor substrate, and the gate line intersecting the fin with a gate dielectric layer sandwiched between the gate line and the fin; forming a dielectric spacer surrounding the gate line; and performing inter-device electrical isolation at a predetermined position, wherein isolated portions of the gate line form independent gate electrodes of respective devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Huicai Zhong, Qingqing Liang, Jun Luo, Chao Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130061884
    Abstract: A method for cleaning wafer after chemical mechanical planarization that includes placing the wafer in the wafer holder and rotating the wafer holder and the wafer simultaneously, cleaning with chemicals by providing the wafer surface with chemical detergent through the detergent supply cantilever that keeps a certain distance away from the wafer surface, cleaning with deionized water by providing the wafer surface with deionized water through the detergent supply cantilever to remove the chemical detergent and cleaning products. The method also includes the second clean for better cleaning effect and drying the wafer out. According to the wafer cleaning method, the non-contact detergent and deionized water supply cantilever used for wafer cleaning reduces or eliminates the possible problems in making macro scratches on wafer surface in the scrubbing process and increases the yield for wafer devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Tao Yang, Chao Zhao, Junfeng Li
  • Publication number: 20130059434
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a gate electrode and a contact wire simultaneously in a gate last process, comprising the steps of: forming a gate trench in an inter layer dielectric layer on a substrate; forming a filling layer in the gate trench and on the inter layer dielectric layer; etching the filling layer and the inter layer dielectric layer to expose the substrate, to thereby form a source/drain contact hole; removing the filling layer to expose the gate trench and the source/drain contact hole; forming metal silicide in the source/drain contact hole; depositing a gate dielectric layer and a metal gate in the gate trench; filling metal in the gate trench and the source/drain contact hole; and planarizing the filled metal. In accordance with the manufacturing method of the present invention, the gate electrode wire will be made of the same metal material as the contact hole such that the two can be manufactured by one CMP process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Tao Yang, Chao Zhao, Junfeng Li, Jiang Yan, Xiaobin He, Yihong Lu
  • Publication number: 20130059435
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a dummy gate in a gate last process, which comprises the steps of forming a dummy gate material layer and a hard mask material layer sequentially on a substrate; etching the hard mask material layer to form a top-wide-bottom-narrow hard mask pattern; dry etching the dummy gate material layer using the hard mask pattern as a mask to form a top-wide-bottom-narrow dummy gate. According to the dummy gate manufacturing method of the present invention, instead of vertical dummy gates used conventionally, top-wide-bottom-narrow trapezoidal dummy gates are formed, and after removing the dummy gates, trapezoidal trenches can be formed. It facilitates the subsequent filling of the high-k or metal gate material and enlarges the window for the filling process; as a result, the device reliability will be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Tao Yang, Chao Zhao, Jiang Yan, Junfeng Li, Yihong Lu, Dapeng Chen
  • Publication number: 20130045588
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed, comprising: providing a substrate, a gate region on the substrate and a semiconductor region at both sides of the gate region; forming sacrificial spacers, which cover a portion of the semiconductor region, on sidewalls of the gate region; forming a metal layer on a portion of the semiconductor region outside the sacrificial spacers and on the gate region; removing the sacrificial spacers; performing annealing so that the metal layer reacts with the semiconductor region to form a metal-semiconductor compound layer on the semiconductor region; and removing unreacted metal layer. By separating the metal layer from the channel and the gate region of the device with the thickness of the sacrificial spacers, the effect of metal layer diffusion on the channel and the gate region is reduced and performance of the device is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Huicai Zhong, Jun Luo, Chao Zhao, Qingqing Liang