Patents by Inventor Chih-Chieh Yeh

Chih-Chieh Yeh 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: 8673709
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, and a FinFET over the semiconductor substrate. The FinFET includes a semiconductor fin; a gate dielectric on a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin; a gate electrode on the gate dielectric; and a source/drain region at an end of the semiconductor fin. A first pair of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions includes portions directly underlying portions of the source/drain regions, wherein the first pair of STI regions is separated by, and adjoining a semiconductor strip. The first pair of STI regions further has first top surfaces. A second pair of STI regions comprises portions directly underlying the gate electrode, wherein the second pair of STI regions is separated from each other by, and adjoining, the semiconductor strip. The second pair of STI regions has second top surfaces higher than the first top surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Chih Chieh Yeh, Chang-Yun Chang, Feng Yuan
  • Patent number: 8653608
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a substrate and a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET). The FinFET includes a fin over the substrate and having a first fin portion and a second fin portion. A gate stack is formed on a top surface and sidewalls of the first fin portion. An epitaxial semiconductor layer has a first portion formed directly over the second fin portion, and a second portion formed on sidewalls of the second fin portion. A silicide layer is formed on the epitaxial semiconductor layer. A peripheral ratio of a total length of an effective silicide peripheral of the FinFET to a total length of a fin peripheral of the FinFET is greater than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Patent number: 8653609
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes an integrated circuit structure includes a substrate, insulation regions over the substrate, and a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET). The FinFET includes a plurality of fins over the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of fins comprises a first fin portion and a second fin portion, a gate stack on a top surface and sidewalls of the first fin portion of each of the plurality of fins, an epitaxial semiconductor layer comprising a portion directly over the second fin portion of each of the plurality of fins, and sidewall portions directly over the insulation regions, and a silicide layer on, and having an interface with, the epitaxial layer, wherein a peripheral ratio of a total length of an effective silicide peripheral of the FinFET to a total length of peripherals of the plurality of fins is greater than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Publication number: 20140035043
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, and a FinFET over the semiconductor substrate. The FinFET includes a semiconductor fin; a gate dielectric on a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin; a gate electrode on the gate dielectric; and a source/drain region at an end of the semiconductor fin. A first pair of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions includes portions directly underlying portions of the source/drain regions, wherein the first pair of STI regions is separated by, and adjoining a semiconductor strip. The first pair of STI regions further has first top surfaces. A second pair of STI regions comprises portions directly underlying the gate electrode, wherein the second pair of STI regions is separated from each other by, and adjoining, the semiconductor strip. The second pair of STI regions has second top surfaces higher than the first top surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Chih Chieh Yeh, Chang-Yun Chang, Feng Yuan
  • Patent number: 8623728
    Abstract: A method for producing a SiGe stressor with high Ge concentration is provided. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate with a source area, a drain area, and a channel in between; depositing the first SiGe film layer on the source area and/or the drain area; performing a low temperature thermal oxidation, e.g., a high water vapor pressure wet oxidation, to form an oxide layer at the top of the first SiGe layer and to form the second SiGe film layer with high Ge percentage at the bottom of the first SiGe film layer without Ge diffusion into the semiconductor substrate; performing a thermal diffusion to form the SiGe stressor from the second SiGe film layer, wherein the SiGe stressor provides uniaxial compressive strain on the channel; and removing the oxide layer. A Si cap layer can be deposited on the first SiGe film layer prior to performing oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hao Chang, Jeff J. Xu, Chien-Hsun Wang, Chih Chieh Yeh, Chih-Hsiang Chang
  • Publication number: 20130307088
    Abstract: A method and device including a substrate having a fin. A metal gate structure is formed on the fin. The metal gate structure includes a stress metal layer formed on the fin such that the stress metal layer extends to a first height from an STI feature, the first height being greater than the fin height. A conduction metal layer is formed on the stress metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., ("TSMC")
    Inventors: Yu-Lin Yang, Tsu-Hsiu Perng, Chih Chieh Yeh, Li-Shyue Lai
  • Publication number: 20130285153
    Abstract: An exemplary structure for a field effect transistor (FET) comprises a silicon substrate comprising a first surface; a channel portion over the first surface, wherein the channel portion has a second surface at a first height above the first surface, and a length parallel to first surface; and two source/drain (S/D) regions on the first surface and surrounding the channel portion along the length of the channel portion, wherein the two S/D regions comprise SiGe, Ge, Si, SiC, GeSn, SiGeSn, SiSn, or III-V material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin LEE, Chih Chieh YEH, Feng YUAN, Cheng-Yi PENG, Clement Hsingjen WANN
  • Publication number: 20130270639
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes an integrated circuit structure includes a substrate, insulation regions over the substrate, and a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET). The FinFET includes a plurality of fins over the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of fins comprises a first fin portion and a second fin portion, a gate stack on a top surface and sidewalls of the first fin portion of each of the plurality of fins, an epitaxial semiconductor layer comprising a portion directly over the second fin portion of each of the plurality of fins, and sidewall portions directly over the insulation regions, and a silicide layer on, and having an interface with, the epitaxial layer, wherein a peripheral ratio of a total length of an effective silicide peripheral of the FinFET to a total length of peripherals of the plurality of fins is greater than 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Publication number: 20130237026
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a fin disposed thereon. A gate structure is formed on the fin. The gate structure interfaces at least two sides of the fin. A stress film is formed on the substrate including on the fin. The substrate including the stress film is annealed. The annealing provides a tensile strain in a channel region of the fin. For example, a compressive strain in the stress film may be transferred to form a tensile stress in the channel region of the fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., ("TSMC")
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Feng Yuan, Hung-Li Chiang, Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Publication number: 20130228862
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides devices and methods which provide for strained epitaxial regions. A method of semiconductor fabrication is provided that includes forming a gate structure over a fin of a semiconductor substrate and forming a recess in the fin adjacent the gate structure. A sidewall of the recess is then altered. Exemplary alterations include having an altered profile, treating the sidewall, and forming a layer on the sidewall. An epitaxial region is then grown in the recess. The epitaxial region interfaces the altered sidewall of the recess and is a strained epitaxial region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., ("TSMC")
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Feng Yuan, Hung-Li Chiang, Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Publication number: 20130228830
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of fabricating thereof is described that includes a substrate having a fin with a top surface and a first and second lateral sidewall. A hard mask layer may be formed on the top surface of the fin (e.g., providing a dual-gate device). A gate dielectric layer and work function metal layer are formed on the first and second lateral sidewalls of the fin. A silicide layer is formed on the work function metal layer on the first and the second lateral sidewalls of the fin. The silicide layer may be a fully-silicided layer and may provide a stress to the channel region of the device disposed in the fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. ("TSMC")
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Feng Yuan, Chih Chieh Yeh, Wei-Jen Lai
  • Patent number: 8501591
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrically programmable non-volatile memory cell comprises forming a first electrode on a substrate, forming an inter-electrode layer of material on the first electrode having a property which is characterized by progressive change in response to stress, and forming a second electrode over the inter-electrode layer of material. The inter-electrode layer comprises a dielectric layer, such as ultra-thin oxide, between the first and second electrodes. A programmable resistance, or other property, is established by stressing the dielectric layer, representing stored data. Embodiments of the memory cell are adapted to store multiple bits of data per cell and/or adapted for programming more than one time without an erase process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih Chieh Yeh, Han Chao Lai, Wen Jer Tsai, Tao Cheng Lu, Chih Yuan Lu
  • Patent number: 8482057
    Abstract: An architecture, circuit and method for providing a very dense, producible, non volatile FLASH memory with SONOS cells. SONOS memory cells are formed using a uniformly doped channel region. A FinFET embodiment cell is disclosed. Because the novel SONOS cells do not rely on diffused regions, the cells may be formed into a three dimensional array of cells without diffusion problems. FLASH memory arrays are formed by forming layers of NAND Flash cells in the local interconnect layers of an integrated circuit, with the metal layers forming the global bit line conductors. The three dimensional non-volatile arrays formed of the SONOS cells rely on conventional semiconductor processing. P-channel and n-channel devices may be used to form the SONOS non-volatile cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Publication number: 20130126981
    Abstract: A multi-gate semiconductor device is formed including a semiconductor substrate. The multi-gate semiconductor device also includes a first transistor including a first fin portion extending above the semiconductor substrate. The first transistor has a first channel region formed therein. The first channel region includes a first channel region portion doped at a first concentration of a first dopant type and a second channel region portion doped at a second concentration of the first dopant type. The second concentration is higher than the first concentration. The first transistor further includes a first gate electrode layer formed over the first channel region. The first gate electrode layer may be of a second dopant type. The first dopant type may be N-type and the second dopant type may be P-type. The second channel region portion may be formed over the first channel region portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jon-Hsu HO, Chih-Ching WANG, Ching-Fang HUANG, Wen-Hsing HSIEH, Tsung-Hsing YU, Yi-Ming SHEU, Chih-Chieh YEH, Ken-Ichi GOTO, Zhiqiang WU
  • Patent number: 8445340
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the method includes providing a substrate; forming a fin structure over the substrate; forming a gate structure, wherein the gate structure overlies a portion of the fin structure; forming a sacrificial-offset-protection layer over another portion of the fin structure; and thereafter performing an implantation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Feng Yuan, Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Publication number: 20130075818
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and method for fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor device includes a substrate and a 3D structure disposed over the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a dielectric layer disposed over the 3D structure, a WFMG layer disposed over the dielectric layer, and a gate structure disposed over the WFMG layer. The gate structure traverses the 3D structure and separates a source region and a drain region of the 3D structure. The source and drain region define a channel region therebetween. The gate structure induces a stress in the channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Feng Yuan, Chih Chieh Yeh, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Patent number: 8373238
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, and a FinFET over the semiconductor substrate. The FinFET includes a semiconductor fin; a gate dielectric on a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin; a gate electrode on the gate dielectric; and a source/drain region at an end of the semiconductor fin. A first pair of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions includes portions directly underlying portions of the source/drain regions, wherein the first pair of STI regions is separated by, and adjoining a semiconductor strip. The first pair of STI regions further has first top surfaces. A second pair of STI regions comprises portions directly underlying the gate electrode, wherein the second pair of STI regions is separated from each other by, and adjoining, the semiconductor strip. The second pair of STI regions has second top surfaces higher than the first top surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lin Lee, Chih Chieh Yeh, Chang-Yun Chang, Feng Yuan
  • Patent number: 8369140
    Abstract: A multi-Level Cell (MLC) can be used to store, for example, 4 bits per cell by storing two bits on each of two sides. Each side can store, e.g., four different current level states that can be determined by the number of holes injected into, e.g., nitride layer, during programming. As more holes are injected the current decreases for a given voltage. The current can be low, therefore, it can be advantageous in one embodiment to use a current amplifier. The current amplifier can be a BJT, MOS or other type of device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Chieh Yeh, Wen-Jer Tsai, Yi-Ying Liao
  • Publication number: 20120306002
    Abstract: This description relates to a fin field-effect-transistor (FinFET) including a substrate and a fin structure on the substrate. The fin structure includes a channel between a source and a drain, wherein the source, the drain, and the channel have a first type dopant, and the channel comprises at least one of a Ge, SiGe, or III-V semiconductor. The FinFET further includes a gate dielectric layer over the channel and a gate over the gate dielectric layer. The FinFET further includes a nitride spacer on the substrate adjacent the gate and an oxide layer between the nitride spacer and the gate and between the nitride spacer and the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chih Chieh YEH, Chih-Sheng CHANG, Clement Hsingjen WANN
  • Publication number: 20120235224
    Abstract: An architecture, circuit and method for providing a very dense, producible, non volatile FLASH memory with SONOS cells. SONOS memory cells are formed using a uniformly doped channel region. A FinFET embodiment cell is disclosed. Because the novel SONOS cells do not rely on diffused regions, the cells may be formed into a three dimensional array of cells without diffusion problems. FLASH memory arrays are formed by forming layers of NAND Flash cells in the local interconnect layers of an integrated circuit, with the metal layers forming the global bit line conductors. The three dimensional non-volatile arrays formed of the SONOS cells rely on conventional semiconductor processing. P-channel and n-channel devices may be used to form the SONOS non-volatile cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Chih Chieh Yeh