Patents by Inventor Chun-Hsiung Tsai

Chun-Hsiung Tsai 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: 11211295
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a substantially undoped channel region includes providing a substrate having a fin extending from the substrate. An in-situ doped layer is formed on the fin. By way of example, the in-situ doped layer may include an in-situ doped well region formed by an epitaxial growth process. In some examples, the in-situ doped well region includes an N-well or a P-well region. After formation of the in-situ doped layer on the fin, an undoped layer is formed on the in-situ doped layer, and a gate stack is formed over the undoped layer. The undoped layer may include an undoped channel region formed by an epitaxial growth process. In various examples, a source region and a drain region are formed adjacent to and on either side of the undoped channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Wei-Yuan Lu
  • Patent number: 11211455
    Abstract: Embodiments of mechanisms for forming dislocations in source and drain regions of finFET devices are provided. The mechanisms involve recessing fins and removing the dielectric material in the isolation structures neighboring fins to increase epitaxial regions for dislocation formation. The mechanisms also involve performing a pre-amorphous implantation (PAI) process either before or after the epitaxial growth in the recessed source and drain regions. An anneal process after the PAI process enables consistent growth of the dislocations in the source and drain regions. The dislocations in the source and drain regions (or stressor regions) can form consistently to produce targeted strain in the source and drain regions to improve carrier mobility and device performance for NMOS devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Wei-Yuan Lu, Chien-Tai Chan, Wei-Yang Lee, Da-Wen Lin
  • Patent number: 11201205
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a deep trench capacitor (DTC) within the substrate, and an interconnect structure over the DTC and the substrate. The interconnect structure includes a seal ring structure in electrical contact with the substrate, a first conductive via in electrical contact with the DTC, and a first conductive line electrically coupling the seal ring structure to the first conductive via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Hsiung Tsai, Shahaji B. More, Yu-Ming Lin, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Patent number: 11195931
    Abstract: A gate structure, a semiconductor device, and the method of forming a semiconductor device are provided. In various embodiments, the gate structure includes a gate stack and a doped spacer overlying a sidewall of the gate stack. The gate stack contains a doped work function metal (WFM) stack and a metal gate electrode overlying the doped WFM stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Hsiung Tsai, Kuo-Feng Yu, Chien-Tai Chan, Ziwei Fang, Kei-Wei Chen, Huai-Tei Yang
  • Publication number: 20210375694
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor structure are provided. One of the methods includes the following operations. A substrate is received, and the substrate includes a first conductive region and a second conductive region. A first laser anneal is performed on the first conductive region to repair lattice damage. An amorphization is performed on the first conductive region and the second conductive region to enhance silicide formation to a desired phase transformation in the subsequent operations. A pre-silicide layer is formed on the substrate. A thermal anneal is performed to the substrate to form a silicide layer from the pre-silicide layer. A second laser anneal is performed on the first conductive region and the second conductive region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: CHUN HSIUNG TSAI, CHENG-YI PENG, CHING-HUA LEE, CLEMENT HSINGJEN WANN, YU-MING LIN
  • Publication number: 20210358799
    Abstract: The embodiments of mechanisms for doping wells of finFET devices described in this disclosure utilize depositing doped films to dope well regions. The mechanisms enable maintaining low dopant concentration in the channel regions next to the doped well regions. As a result, transistor performance can be greatly improved. The mechanisms involve depositing doped films prior to forming isolation structures for transistors. The dopants in the doped films are used to dope the well regions near fins. The isolation structures are filled with a flowable dielectric material, which is converted to silicon oxide with the usage of microwave anneal. The microwave anneal enables conversion of the flowable dielectric material to silicon oxide without causing dopant diffusion. Additional well implants may be performed to form deep wells. Microwave anneal(s) may be used to anneal defects in the substrate and fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Yan-Ting Lin, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Publication number: 20210351080
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure is formed by patterning a semiconductor layer, and an annealing operation is performed on the fin structure. In the patterning of the semiconductor layer, a damaged area is formed on a sidewall of the fin structure, and the annealing operation eliminates the damaged area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung TSAI, Yu-Ming LIN, Kuo-Feng YU, Ming-Hsi YEH, Shahaji B. MORE, Chandrashekhar Prakash SAVANT, Chih-Hsin KO, Clement Hsingjen WANN
  • Publication number: 20210328016
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an LDD-free semiconductor structure including a semiconductor layer, a gate over the semiconductor layer and a regrowth region made of semiconductor material positioned in the semiconductor layer. The regrowth region forms a source region or a drain region of the LDD-free semiconductor structure. The gate includes a gate electrode layer laterally covered by a gate spacer. The regrowth region extends towards a region beneath the gate spacer and close to a plane extending along a junction of the gate spacer and the gate electrode layer. The present disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing an LDD-free semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a gate over a semiconductor layer, removing a portion of the semiconductor layer and obtaining a recess, and forming a regrowth region over the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventor: CHUN HSIUNG TSAI
  • Patent number: 11133222
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor structure are provided. One of the methods includes the following operations. A substrate is received, and the substrate includes a first transistor with a first conductive region and a second transistor with a second conductive region, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have different conductive types. A first laser anneal is performed on the first conductive region to repair lattice damage. An amorphization is performed on the first conductive region and the second conductive region to enhance silicide formation to a desired phase transformation in the subsequent operations. A pre-silicide layer is formed on the substrate after the amorphization. A thermal anneal is performed to the substrate to form a silicide layer from the pre-silicide layer. A second laser anneal is performed on the first conductive region and the second conductive region after the formation of the pre-silicide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Cheng-Yi Peng, Ching-Hua Lee, Clement Hsingjen Wann, Yu-Ming Lin
  • Publication number: 20210288146
    Abstract: Present disclosure provides a FinFET structure, including a substrate, a fin protruding from the substrate, including a first portion and a second portion below the first portion, wherein the first portion includes a first dopant concentration of a dopant, and the second portion includes a second dopant concentration of the dopant, the second dopant concentration is greater than the first dopant concentration, a gate over the fin, wherein the second portion of the fin is below a bottom surface of the gate, and an insulating layer over the substrate and proximal to the second portion of the fin, wherein at least a first portion of the insulating layer includes a third dopant concentration of the dopant, the third dopant concentration is greater than the first dopant concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: CHUN HSIUNG TSAI, LAI-WAN CHONG, CHIEN-WEI LEE, KEI-WEI CHEN
  • Publication number: 20210273099
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an upper fin structure in which first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers are alternately stacked is formed over a lower fin structure, a sacrificial gate structure is formed over the upper fin structure, a source/drain region of the upper fin structure, which is not covered by the sacrificial gate structure, is etched thereby forming a source/drain space, the first semiconductor layers are laterally etched through the source/drain space, an inner spacer made of a dielectric material is formed on an end of each of the etched first semiconductor layers, and a source/drain epitaxial layer is formed in the source/drain space to cover the inner spacer. In etching the source/drain region, a part of the lower fin structure is also etched to form a recess, in which a (111) surface is exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Shahaji B. MORE, Chun Hsiung TSAI
  • Publication number: 20210257493
    Abstract: A semiconductor Fin FET device includes a fin structure disposed over a substrate. The fin structure includes a channel layer. The Fin FET device also includes a gate structure including a gate electrode layer and a gate dielectric layer, covering a portion of the fin structure. Side-wall insulating layers are disposed over both main sides of the gate electrode layer. The Fin FET device includes a source and a drain, each including a stressor layer disposed in a recess formed by removing the fin structure not covered by the gate structure. The stressor layer includes a first to a third stressor layer formed in this order. In the source, an interface between the first stressor layer and the channel layer is located under one of the side-wall insulating layers closer to the source or the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung TSAI, Kei-Wei CHEN
  • Patent number: 11094797
    Abstract: A structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a source epitaxial structure, a drain epitaxial structure, and a gate stack. The source epitaxial structure is in the semiconductor substrate. The source epitaxial structure has a top surface, and the top surface of the source epitaxial structure comprises hydrogen. The drain epitaxial structure is in the semiconductor substrate. The gate stack is over the semiconductor substrate and between the source epitaxial structure and the drain epitaxial structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Hsiung Tsai, Kei-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 11088248
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an LDD-free semiconductor structure including a semiconductor layer, a gate over the semiconductor layer and a regrowth region made of semiconductor material positioned in the semiconductor layer. The regrowth region forms a source region or a drain region of the LDD-free semiconductor structure. The gate includes a gate electrode layer laterally covered by a gate spacer. The regrowth region extends towards a region beneath the gate spacer and close to a plane extending along a junction of the gate spacer and the gate electrode layer. The present disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing an LDD-free semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a gate over a semiconductor layer, removing a portion of the semiconductor layer and obtaining a recess, and forming a regrowth region over the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventor: Chun Hsiung Tsai
  • Publication number: 20210242310
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate; an isolation structure over the substrate; a fin over the substrate and the isolation structure; a gate structure engaging a first portion of the fin; first sidewall spacers over sidewalls of the gate structure and over a second portion of the fin; source/drain (S/D) features adjacent to the first sidewall spacers; and second sidewall spacers over the isolation structure and over sidewalls of a portion of the S/D features. The second sidewall spacers include silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride. The second sidewall spacers and the second portion of the fin include a same dopant, wherein the dopant includes phosphorus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Ya-Yun Cheng, Shahaji B. More, Cheng-Yi Peng, Wei-Yang Lee, Kuo-Feng Yu, Yen-Ming Chen, Jian-Hao Chen
  • Patent number: 11075108
    Abstract: The embodiments of mechanisms for doping wells of finFET devices described in this disclosure utilize depositing doped films to dope well regions. The mechanisms enable maintaining low dopant concentration in the channel regions next to the doped well regions. As a result, transistor performance can be greatly improved. The mechanisms involve depositing doped films prior to forming isolation structures for transistors. The dopants in the doped films are used to dope the well regions near fins. The isolation structures are filled with a flowable dielectric material, which is converted to silicon oxide with the usage of microwave anneal. The microwave anneal enables conversion of the flowable dielectric material to silicon oxide without causing dopant diffusion. Additional well implants may be performed to form deep wells. Microwave anneal(s) may be used to anneal defects in the substrate and fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Yan-Ting Lin, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Publication number: 20210202718
    Abstract: A fin-type field effect transistor including a substrate, insulators, a gate stack, a first spacer, a second spacer, and a third spacer is described. The substrate has fins thereon. The insulators are located over the substrate and between the fins. The gate stack is located over the fins and over the insulators. The first spacer is located over the sidewall of the gate stack. The second spacer is located over the first spacer. The first spacer and the second spacer includes carbon. The third spacer is located between the first spacer and the second spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Kei-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 10991800
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an isolation structure over the substrate, a fin over the substrate and the isolation structure, a gate structure engaging a first portion of the fin, first sidewall spacers over sidewalls of the gate structure and over a second portion of the fin, source/drain (S/D) features adjacent to the first sidewall spacers, and second sidewall spacers over the isolation structure and over sidewalls of a portion of the S/D features. The second sidewall spacers and the second portion of the fin include a same dopant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Ya-Yun Cheng, Shahaji B. More, Cheng-Yi Peng, Wei-Yang Lee, Kuo-Feng Yu, Yen-Ming Chen, Jian-Hao Chen
  • Publication number: 20210104619
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes the following operations. A substrate is received. A fin structure is formed on the substrate, and a dielectric layer is formed over the fin structure. A sacrificial gate is formed over the substrate. A portion of the dielectric layer is exposed through the sacrificial gate. Recesses are formed in the fin structure at two sides of the sacrificial gate. A cleaning operation is performed with an HF-containing plasma. The HF-containing plasma includes HF and NH3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: CHUN HSIUNG TSAI, RU-SHANG HSIAO, CLEMENT HSINGJEN WANN
  • Publication number: 20210082706
    Abstract: A method includes forming a first gate dielectric and a second gate dielectric over a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region, respectively, depositing a lanthanum-containing layer including a first portion and a second portion overlapping the first gate dielectric and the second gate dielectric, respectively, and depositing a hard mask including a first portion and a second portion overlapping the first portion and the second portion of the lanthanum-containing layer, respectively. The hard mask is free from both of titanium and tantalum. The method further includes forming a patterned etching mask to cover the first portion of the hard mask, with the second portion of the hard mask being exposed, removing the second portion of the hard mask and the second portion of the lanthanum-containing layer, and performing an anneal to drive lanthanum in the first portion of the lanthanum-containing layer into the first gate dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Kuo-Feng Yu, Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-Hao Chen, Hoong Shing Wong, Chih-Yu Hsu