Patents by Inventor Chii-Horng Li

Chii-Horng Li 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: 20250254946
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a semiconductor device with lowered source/drain regions to reduce channel resistance (Rch) and source/drain contact resistance loading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2024
    Publication date: August 7, 2025
    Inventors: Tien-Yu YI, Chien-I KUO, Ming-Hua YU, Chii-Horng LI
  • Publication number: 20250234610
    Abstract: Methods of forming a low-resistance source/drain feature for a multi-gate device are provided. A example method includes forming a fin-shaped structure that includes a plurality of channel layers interleaved by a plurality of sacrificial layers, recessing a source/drain region of the fin-shaped structure to form a source/drain recess, selectively and partially recessing sidewalls of the plurality of sacrificial layers to form inner spacer recesses, forming inner spacers in the inner spacer recesses, forming a bottom dielectric layer over the substrate, depositing a first epitaxial layer over the inner spacers and the sidewalls of the plurality of the channel layers, performing a thermal treatment to reshape the first epitaxial layer, after the performing of the thermal treatment, depositing a second epitaxial layer over the first epitaxial layer. The first epitaxial layer includes germanium and the second epitaxial layer is free of germanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2024
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Inventors: Wei-Min Liu, Cheng-Yen Wen, Ming-Hua Yu, Chii-Horng Li
  • Publication number: 20250234611
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device having a source/drain (S/D) structure with a void. The semiconductor device includes a stack of semiconductor layers on a substrate, a gate structure surrounding the stack of semiconductor layers, and a S/D structure on the substrate and in contact with the stack of semiconductor layers. The S/D structure includes a void below a top surface of the S/D structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2024
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsz-Mei KWOK, Wei Hao LU, Cheng-Yen WEN, Ming-Hua YU, Chii-Horng LI
  • Publication number: 20250212455
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate. Semiconductor layers are stacked one above another over the substrate. A gate structure wraps around each of the semiconductor layers. Epitaxial layers are over the substrate and in contact with opposite ends of a bottommost one of the semiconductor layers. Source/drain epitaxial structures are over and in contact with the epitaxial layers, respectively. Dielectric structures vertically between the epitaxial layers and the respective source/drain epitaxial structures, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei LIU, Ji-Yin TSAI, Ming-Hua YU, Chii-Horng LI
  • Publication number: 20250212493
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the semiconductor devices are described herein. The method includes steps for patterning fins in a multilayer stack and forming an opening in a fin as an initial step in forming a multilayer source/drain region. The opening is formed into a parasitic channel region of the fin. Once the opening has been formed, a source/drain barrier material is deposited using a bottom-up deposition process at the bottom of the opening to a level below the multilayer stack. A multilayer source/drain region is formed over the source/drain barrier material. A stack of nanostructures is formed by removing sacrificial layers of the multilayer stack, the multilayer source/drain region being electrically coupled to the stack of nanostructures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2025
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Inventors: Chien-Wei Lee, Chii-Horng Li, Bang-Ting Yan, Bo-Yu Lai, Wei-Yang Lee, Chia-Pin Lin
  • Publication number: 20250201568
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes etching a source/drain recess in a semiconductor substrate and performing an epitaxy process to form a source/drain epitaxial structure in the source/drain recess. The epitaxy process comprises a plurality of cycles, each of the cycles comprises depositing a semiconductor material by introducing a plasma-phase precursor and a gas-phase precursor to the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2024
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tsz-Mei KWOK, Ming-Hua YU, Chii-Horng LI
  • Publication number: 20250203904
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a structure of a gate-all-around field effect transistors (GAAFET) and a method of forming the structure. The structure includes a diffusion barrier structure in an S/D epitaxial structure of the GAAFET. The diffusion barrier structure is in contact with an NS layer of the GAAFET and extends over side surfaces of inner spacer structures adjacent to the NS layer. The diffusion barrier structure separates a high doping region of the S/D epitaxial structure from the NS layer and regions of the inner spacer structures close to the NS layer. The diffusion barrier structure prevents (or mitigates) dopants in the high doping region from diffusing into the NS layer and the inner spacer structures, preserving the integrity of the NS layer as a semiconducting channel of the GAAFET and avoiding a current crowding effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Hao LU, Cheng-Yen WEN, Chii-Horng LI
  • Patent number: 12336237
    Abstract: A device includes a first nanostructure over a semiconductor substrate; a second nanostructure over the first nanostructure; a gate structure surrounding the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure; a first epitaxial region in the semiconductor substrate adjacent the gate structure, wherein the first epitaxial region is a first doped semiconductor material; and a second epitaxial region over the first epitaxial region, wherein the second epitaxial region is adjacent the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure, wherein the second epitaxial region is a second doped semiconductor material that is different from the first doped semiconductor material. In an embodiment, the first doped semiconductor material has a smaller doping concentration than the second doped semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Min Liu, Li-Li Su, Chii-Horng Li, Yee-Chia Yeo
  • Patent number: 12336210
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same. The semiconductor structure can include a substrate, a fin structure over the substrate, a gate structure over the fin structure, an epitaxial region formed in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure. The epitaxial region can embed a plurality of clusters of dopants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Wei Lee, Chii-Horng Li, Heng-Wen Ting, Yee-Chia Yeo, Yen-Ru Lee, Chih-Yun Chin, Chih-Hung Nien, Jing-Yi Yan
  • Publication number: 20250151358
    Abstract: Method for forming semiconductor device structure includes forming a sacrificial layer between first and second stacks of layers, the first stack of layers comprises first and second semiconductor layers alternatingly stacked, and the second stack of layers comprises third and fourth semiconductor layers alternatingly stacked, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises a semiconductor metal oxide, forming a sacrificial gate structure over portion of the second stack of layers, removing portions of the first and second stack of layers not covered by the sacrificial gate structure, removing the sacrificial layer to form cavity, filling the cavity with a dielectric to form an isolation layer, and forming first and second source/drain features on opposing sides of sacrificial gate structure, wherein the first source/drain feature is disposed below the second source/drain feature, and the first and second source/drain features are in contact with the isolation layer, first semiconductor layers, and third semiconducto
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2024
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: Zheng Hui LIM, Ji-Yin TSAI, Ming-Hua YU, Chii-Horng LI
  • Publication number: 20250126836
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device having a source/drain structure with a dopant cluster. The semiconductor device includes a channel structure on a substrate and a source/drain structure on the substrate and adjacent to the channel structure. The source/drain structure includes a first epitaxial layer on the substrate, a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer and sidewalls of the channel structure, and a third epitaxial layer on the second epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer includes a cluster of a dopant extending along a direction of the channel structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yan-Ting LIN, Chien-I Kuo, Ming-Hua Yu, Chii-Horng Li
  • Patent number: 12278145
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the semiconductor devices are described herein. The method includes steps for patterning fins in a multilayer stack and forming an opening in a fin as an initial step in forming a multilayer source/drain region. The opening is formed into a parasitic channel region of the fin. Once the opening has been formed, a source/drain barrier material is deposited using a bottom-up deposition process at the bottom of the opening to a level below the multilayer stack. A multilayer source/drain region is formed over the source/drain barrier material. A stack of nanostructures is formed by removing sacrificial layers of the multilayer stack, the multilayer source/drain region being electrically coupled to the stack of nanostructures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Wei Lee, Chii-Horng Li, Bang-Ting Yan, Bo-Yu Lai, Wei-Yang Lee, Chia-Pin Lin
  • Publication number: 20250089295
    Abstract: A nano-FET and a method of forming is provided. In some embodiments, a nano-FET includes an epitaxial source/drain region contacting ends of a first nanostructure and a second nanostructure. The epitaxial source/drain region may include a first semiconductor material layer of a first semiconductor material, such that the first semiconductor material layer includes a first segment contacting the first nanostructure and a second segment contacting the second nanostructure, wherein the first segment is separated from the second segment. A second semiconductor material layer is formed over the first segment and the second segment. The second semiconductor material layer may include a second semiconductor material having a higher concentration of dopants of a first conductivity type than the first semiconductor material layer. The second semiconductor material layer may have a lower concentration percentage of silicon than the first semiconductor material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Yan-Ting Lin, Yen-Ru Lee, Chien-Chang Su, Chih-Yun Chin, Chien-Wei Lee, Pang-Yen Tsai, Chii-Horng Li, Yee-Chia Yeo
  • Publication number: 20250081520
    Abstract: Embodiments with present disclosure provides a gate-all-around FET device including a patterned or lowered bottom dielectric layer. The bottom dielectric layer prevents the subsequently formed epitaxial source/drain region from volume loss and induces compressive strain in the channel region to prevent strain loss and channel resistance degradation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Chien-Chia Cheng, Che-Yu Lin, Chih-Chiang Chang, Ming-Hua Yu, Chii-Horng Li
  • Publication number: 20250081529
    Abstract: Embodiments with present disclosure provides a gate-all-around FET device including extended bottom inner spacers. The extended bottom inner prevents the subsequently formed epitaxial source/drain region from volume loss and induces compressive strain in the channel region to prevent strain loss and channel resistance degradation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Chien-Chia CHENG, Chih-Chiang CHANG, Ming-Hua YU, Chii-Horng LI, Chung-Ting KO, Sung-En LIN, Chih-Shan CHEN, De-Fang CHEN
  • Patent number: 12243783
    Abstract: A method includes etching a first recess adjacent a first dummy gate stack and a first fin; etching a second recess adjacent a second dummy gate stack and a second fin; and epitaxially growing a first epitaxy region in the first recess. The method further includes depositing a first metal-comprising mask over the first dummy gate stack, over the second dummy gate stack, over the first epitaxy region in the first recess, and in the second recess; patterning the first metal-comprising mask to expose the first dummy gate stack and the first epitaxy region; epitaxially growing a second epitaxy region in the first recess over the first epitaxy region; and after epitaxially growing the second epitaxy region, removing remaining portions of the first metal-comprising mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hui-Lin Huang, Li-Li Su, Yee-Chia Yeo, Chii-Horng Li
  • Publication number: 20250062139
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a furnace for semiconductor processing that includes an inner tube defining a reaction chamber and including a sidewall defined along a longitudinal axis of the inner tube and including one or more slits defined through the sidewall in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis. The one or more slits include at least one of a first slit with a width in a range between 10 mm and 100 mm, or a plurality of separate slits with a total number in a range between 2 and 15. The inner tube includes a closed end substantially enclosing the reaction chamber and an open end opposite the closed end with respect to the longitudinal axis. The reaction chamber is configured to be loaded with one or more semiconductor wafers via the open end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: De-Wei YU, Chien-Chia CHENG, Ming-Hua YU, Hsueh-Chang SUNG, Chii-Horng LI
  • Publication number: 20250048689
    Abstract: Methods of forming a stacked transistor are provided. One representative method may include patterning a first dummy nanostructure, a second dummy nanostructure, and a semiconductor nanostructure. The semiconductor nanostructure may be disposed between the first dummy nanostructure and the second dummy nanostructure. The first dummy nanostructure may comprise a first semiconductor material and the second dummy nanostructure may comprise a superlattice structure. The representative method may also include performing an etching process that simultaneously recesses the first dummy nanostructure to form a sidewall recess and removes the second dummy nanostructure to form an opening. The etching process selectively etches the superlattice structure at a faster rate than the first semiconductor material. The representative method may further include forming an inner spacer and an isolation structure in, respectively, the sidewall recess and the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventors: Ji-Yin Tsai, Zheng Hui Lim, Yen Chuang, Jet-Rung Chang, Ta-Chun Ma, Chii-Horng Li
  • Publication number: 20250048666
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming an epitaxial stack over a substrate, the epitaxial stack comprising alternating sacrificial layers and channel layers; patterning the epitaxial stack into a first fin and a second fin; forming a dielectric wall between the first and second fins; forming a dielectric structure surrounding the first and second fins; depositing a protection layer over the first and second fins; after depositing the protection layer, etching back the dielectric structure to exposes sidewalls of the sacrificial layers; and replacing the sacrificial layers with a gate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Pin-Chu LIANG, Hsueh-Chang SUNG, Chii-Horng LI
  • Publication number: 20250022957
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method of forming the same. A method according one embodiment of the present disclosure include forming a stack over a substrate, forming a fin-shape structure from patterning the stack and the substrate, recessing the fin-shape structure to form a source/drain trench, depositing a dielectric film in the source/drain trench with a top surface below a top surface of the substrate in the fin-shape structure, and forming an epitaxial feature over the dielectric film. A bottom surface of the epitaxial feature is below the top surface of the substrate in the fin-shape structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Che-Yu Lin, Chien-Chia Cheng, Chih-Chiang Chang, Chien-I Kuo, Ming-Hua Yu, Chii-Horng Li, Syun-Ming Jang, Wei-Jen Lo