Patents by Inventor Cheng-Wei Chang

Cheng-Wei Chang 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: 20240055769
    Abstract: A slot antenna structure includes an antenna unit and a metal unit. The metal unit is electrically connected to the antenna unit and includes a first slot, a second slot, and a third slot. The first slot has a first length along a direction. The second slot is spaced a first distance apart from the first slot and has a second length along the direction. The third slot is spaced a second distance apart from the second slot and has a third length along the direction. The first slot, the second slot, and the third slot are arranged in sequence along the direction. The first length is greater than the second length, and the third length is greater than the first length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Kuan-Yi LI, Cheng-Wei CHANG
  • Patent number: 11894437
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for forming metallization layers that include a ruthenium metal liner and a cobalt metal fill. The method includes depositing a first dielectric on a substrate having a gate structure and source/drain (S/D) structures, forming an opening in the first dielectric to expose the S/D structures, and depositing a ruthenium metal on bottom and sidewall surfaces of the opening. The method further includes depositing a cobalt metal on the ruthenium metal to fill the opening, reflowing the cobalt metal, and planarizing the cobalt and ruthenium metals to form S/D conductive structures with a top surface coplanar with a top surface of the first dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuen-Shin Liang, Chih-Chien Chi, Chien-Shun Liao, Keng-Chu Lin, Kai-Ting Huang, Sung-Li Wang, Yi-Ying Liu, Chia-Hung Chu, Hsu-Kai Chang, Cheng-Wei Chang
  • Publication number: 20240038858
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The semiconductor device structure includes a first source/drain epitaxial feature disposed in a first region, and the first source/drain epitaxial feature is asymmetric with respect to a fin. The structure further includes a second source/drain epitaxial feature disposed in the first region, a first dielectric feature disposed between the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the second source/drain epitaxial feature, and a conductive feature disposed over the first and second source/drain epitaxial features and the first dielectric feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Shahaji B. MORE, Cheng-Wei CHANG
  • Publication number: 20240030318
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a first plurality of vertically aligned semiconductor layers disposed over a substrate and a first gate electrode layer surrounding each of the first plurality of vertically aligned semiconductor layers. The first gate electrode layer includes first one or more work function metal layers disposed between adjacent semiconductor layers of the first plurality of vertically aligned semiconductor layers and two first conductive layers disposed on opposite sides of the first one or more work function metal layers. The first conductive layers include a material different from the first one or more work function metal layers. The first gate electrode layer further includes a second conductive layer disposed on the first conductive layers, and the second conductive layer and the first conductive layers include a same material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei CHANG, Shahaji B. MORE, Chi-Yu CHOU, Yueh-Ching PAI
  • Publication number: 20240030136
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, a source/drain epitaxial feature disposed adjacent the first side of the substrate, wherein the source/drain epitaxial feature comprises a first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer in contact with the first epitaxial layer, and a third epitaxial layer having sidewalls surrounded by and in contact with the second epitaxial layer. The device structure also includes a first silicide layer in contact with the substrate, the first, second, and third epitaxial layers, a first source/drain contact extending through the substrate from the first side to the second side, and a first metal capping layer disposed between the first silicide layer and the first source/drain contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei CHANG, Shahaji B. MORE, Yi-Ying LIU, Yueh-Ching PAI
  • Publication number: 20240021687
    Abstract: A source/drain component is disposed over an active region and surrounded by a dielectric material. A source/drain contact is disposed over the source/drain component. The source/drain contact includes a conductive capping layer and a conductive material having a different material composition than the conductive capping layer. The conductive material has a recessed bottom surface that is in direct contact with the conductive capping layer. A source/drain via is disposed over the source/drain contact. The source/drain via and the conductive material have different material compositions. The conductive capping layer contains tungsten, the conductive material contains molybdenum, and the source/drain via contains tungsten.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Chien Chang, Kan-Ju Lin, Harry Chien, Shuen-Shin Liang, Chia-Hung Chu, Sung-Li Wang, Shahaji B. More, Yueh-Ching Pai
  • Publication number: 20240021686
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of forming the same are provided. In an embodiment, an exemplary method includes receiving a workpiece comprising a channel region over a substrate, a source/drain feature adjacent the channel region, a gate structure over the channel region, and a dielectric structure over the source/drain feature. The method also includes forming a contact opening penetrating through the dielectric structure to expose the source/drain feature, forming a silicide layer in the contact opening and on the source/drain feature, forming a tungsten-containing layer in the contact opening and on the silicide layer, and forming a conductive layer in the contact opening and on the tungsten-containing layer, where a composition of the conductive layer is different from a composition of the tungsten-containing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Shahaji B. More, Cheng-Wei Chang
  • Publication number: 20230411453
    Abstract: Some implementations described herein provide a semiconductor device having an oxide-filled barrier structure between structures of gate-all-around transistors included in the semiconductor device. The use of the oxide-filled barrier structure may reduce a distance separating nanosheet structures of a p-type metal-oxide semiconductor fin structure and an n-type metal-oxide semiconductor fin structure, broaden an availability of work-function metals for gate structures formed around nanochannels of the p-type metal-oxide semiconductor fin structure and n-type metal-oxide semiconductor structure, and improve a performance of the gate-all-around transistors by reducing miller capacitances of the gate-all-around transistors. Furthermore, the oxide-filled barrier structure may enable the combining of the p-type metal-oxide semiconductor fin structure and the n-type metal-oxide semiconductor fin structure to form a type of integrated circuitry, such as an inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei CHANG, Shahaji B. MORE, Chi-Yu CHOU, Yueh-Ching PAI
  • Publication number: 20230402508
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a fin base disposed on the substrate, a stack of nanostructured channel regions disposed on a first portion of the fin base, a gate structure surrounding the nanostructured channel regions, a source/drain (S/D) region disposed on a second portion of the fin base, an air spacer disposed between the S/D region and the fin base, and a dielectric layer disposed between the air spacer and the fin base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei CHANG, Shahaji B. MORE, Lun-Kuang TAN, Chi-Yu CHOU, Yueh-Ching PAI
  • Publication number: 20230386913
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, two semiconductor fins protruding from the substrate, an epitaxial feature over the two semiconductor fins and connected to the two semiconductor fins, a silicide layer over the epitaxial feature, a barrier layer over the silicide layer, and a metal layer over the barrier layer. The barrier layer includes a metal nitride. Along a boundary between the barrier layer and the metal layer, an atomic ratio of oxygen to metal nitride is about 0.15 to about 1.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Yu-Ming Huang, Ethan Tseng, Ken-Yu Chang, Yi-Ying Liu
  • Publication number: 20230378316
    Abstract: In method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a source/drain epitaxial layer is formed, one or more dielectric layers are formed over the source/drain epitaxial layer, an opening is formed in the one or more dielectric layers to expose the source/drain epitaxial layer, a first silicide layer is formed on the exposed source/drain epitaxial layer, a second silicide layer different from the first silicide layer is formed on the first silicide layer, and a source/drain contact is formed over the second silicide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei CHANG, Shahaji B. MORE, Yi-Ying LIU, Yueh-Ching PAI
  • Publication number: 20230369395
    Abstract: Nanostructure transistors are formed in a manner that may reduce the likelihood of source/drain region merging in the nanostructure transistors. In a top-down view of a nanostructure transistor described herein, source/drain regions on opposing sides of a nanostructure channel of the nanostructure transistor are staggered such that the distance between the source/drain regions is increased. This reduces the likelihood of the source/drain regions merging, which reduces the likelihood of failures and/or other defects forming in the nanostructure transistor. Accordingly, staggering the source/drain regions, as described herein, may facilitate the miniaturization of semiconductor devices that include nanostructure transistors while maintaining and/or increasing the semiconductor device yield of the semiconductor devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei CHANG, Shahaji B. MORE, Lun-Kuang TAN, Chi-Yu CHOU, Yueh-Ching PAI
  • Publication number: 20230352564
    Abstract: Some implementations described herein provide a nanostructure transistor including inner spacers between a gate structure and a source/drain region. The inner spacers, formed in cavities at end regions of sacrificial nanosheets during fabrication of the nanostructure transistor, include concave-regions that face the source/drain region. Formation techniques include forming the sacrificial nanosheets and inner spacers to include certain geometric and/or dimensional properties, such that a likelihood of defects and/or voids within the inner spacers and/or the gate structure are reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei CHANG, Shahaji B. MORE, Chi-Yu CHOU, Chun Chieh WANG, Yueh-Ching PAI
  • Publication number: 20230352546
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes one or more semiconductor layers, an interfacial layer surrounding at least one semiconductor layer of the one or more semiconductor layers, a work function metal disposed over the interfacial layer, and a high-K (HK) dielectric layer disposed between the interfacial layer and the work function metal. The HK dielectric layer includes a first dopant region adjacent to a first interface of the HK dielectric layer and the interfacial layer, wherein the first dopant region comprises first dopants having a first polarity. The HK dielectric layer also includes a second dopant region adjacent to a second interface of the HK dielectric layer and the work function metal, wherein the second dopant region comprises second dopants having a second polarity opposite the first polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Shahaji B. More, Chi-Yu Chou, Yueh-Ching Pai
  • Publication number: 20230326799
    Abstract: Wavy-shaped epitaxial source/drain structures for multigate devices and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed herein. An exemplary device includes a first fin and a second fin extending lengthwise along a first direction. The first fin and the second fin each have a non-recessed portion and a recessed portion. A gate extends lengthwise along a second direction that is different than the first direction. The gate wraps the non-recessed portion of the first fin and the non-recessed portion of the second fin. A merged epitaxial source/drain is on the recessed portion of the first fin and the recessed portion of the second fin. A source/drain contact is on the merged epitaxial source/drain. The source/drain contact and the merged epitaxial source/drain have a V-shaped interface therebetween. The source/drain contact extends below tops of the non-recessed portions of the first fin and the second fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Shahaji B. More, Cheng-Wei Chang
  • Publication number: 20230290842
    Abstract: A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece including a gate structure, a first source/drain (S/D) feature, a second S/D feature, a first dielectric layer over the gate structure, the first S/D feature, the second S/D feature, a first S/D contact over the first S/D feature, a second S/D contact over the second S/D feature, a first etch stop layer (ESL) over the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer over the first ESL, forming a S/D contact via through the second dielectric layer and the first ESL to couple to the first S/D contact, forming a gate contact opening through the second dielectric layer, the first ESL, and the first dielectric layer to expose the gate structure, and forming a common rail opening adjoining the gate contact opening to expose the second S/D contact, and forming a common rail contact in the common rail opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Hong-Ming Wu, Chen-Yuan Kao, Li-Hsiang Chao, Yi-Ying Liu
  • Patent number: 11742240
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, two semiconductor fins protruding from the substrate, an epitaxial feature over the two semiconductor fins and connected to the two semiconductor fins, a silicide layer over the epitaxial feature, a barrier layer over the silicide layer, and a metal layer over the barrier layer. The barrier layer includes a metal nitride. Along a boundary between the barrier layer and the metal layer, an atomic ratio of oxygen to metal nitride is about 0.15 to about 1.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Yu-Ming Huang, Ethan Tseng, Ken-Yu Chang, Yi-Ying Liu
  • Publication number: 20230268173
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first conductive feature on a bottom surface of an opening through a dielectric layer. The forming the first conductive feature leaves seeds on sidewalls of the opening. A treatment process is performed on the seeds to form treated seeds. The treated seeds are removed with a cleaning process. The cleaning process may include a rinse with deionized water. A second conductive feature is formed to fill the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Min-Hsiu Hung, Chun-I Tsai, Ken-Yu Chang, Yi-Ying Liu
  • Publication number: 20230231025
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a first insulating fin; a second insulating fin; a nanostructure between the first insulating fin and the second insulating fin; and a gate structure wrapping around the nanostructure, a top surface of the gate structure disposed above a top surface of the first insulating fin, the top surface of the gate structure disposed below a top surface of the second insulating fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Shahaji B. More, Yi-Ying Liu, Shuen-Shin Liang, Sung-Li Wang
  • Patent number: 11670499
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first conductive feature on a bottom surface of an opening through a dielectric layer. The forming the first conductive feature leaves seeds on sidewalls of the opening. A treatment process is performed on the seeds to form treated seeds. The treated seeds are removed with a cleaning process. The cleaning process may include a rinse with deionized water. A second conductive feature is formed to fill the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Chang, Min-Hsiu Hung, Chun-I Tsai, Ken-Yu Chang, Yi-Ying Liu