Patents by Inventor En-Chiuan Liou

En-Chiuan Liou 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: 20170025512
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having metal gate includes a substrate, a metal gate formed on the substrate, a pair of spacers formed on sidewalls of the metal gate, a contact etch stop layer (CESL) covering the spacers, an insulating cap layer formed on the metal gate, the spacers and the CESL, and an ILD layer surrounding the metal gate, the spacers, the CESL and the insulating cap layer. The metal gate, the spacers and the CESL include a first width, and the insulating cap layer includes a second width. The second width is larger than the first width. And a bottom of the insulating cap layer concurrently contacts the metal gate, the spacers, the CESL, and the ILD layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Chih-Wei Yang, Yu-Cheng Tung
  • Patent number: 9548216
    Abstract: A method of adjusting channel widths of semiconductive devices includes providing a substrate divided into a first region and a second region, wherein the substrate comprises numerous fins. A first implantation process is performed on the fins within the first region. Then, a second implantation process is performed on the fins within the second region, wherein the first implantation process and the second implantation process are different from each other in at least one of the conditions comprising dopant species, dopant dosage or implantation energy. After that, part of the fins within the first region and the second region are removed simultaneously to form a plurality of first recesses within the first region and a plurality of second recesses within the second region. Finally, a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer are formed to fill up each first recess and each second recess, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yu-Te Chen, Chia-Hsun Tseng, En-Chiuan Liou, Chiung-Lin Hsu, Meng-Lin Tsai, Jan-Fu Yang, Yu-Ting Hung, Shin-Feng Su
  • Patent number: 9543211
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. Gate structures are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A source/drain contact is formed between two adjacent gate structures. The source/drain contact is recessed by a recessing process. A top surface of the source/drain contact is lower than a top surface of the gate structure after the recessing process. A stop layer is formed on the gate structures and the source/drain contact after the recessing process. A top surface of the stop layer on the source/drain contact is lower than the top surface of the gate structure. A semiconductor structure includes the semiconductor substrate, the gate structures, a gate contact structure, and the source/drain contact. The source/drain contact is disposed between two adjacent gate structures, and the top surface of the source/drain contact is lower than the top surface of the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chia-Lin Lu, Chun-Lung Chen, Yu-Cheng Tung, Kun-Yuan Liao, Feng-Yi Chang, En-Chiuan Liou, Wei-Hao Huang, Chih-Sen Huang, Ching-Wen Hung
  • Patent number: 9543203
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes the following steps: forming a first interlayer dielectric on a substrate; forming a gate electrode on the substrate so that the periphery of the gate electrode is surrounded by the first interlayer dielectric; forming a patterned mask layer comprising at least a layer of organic material on the gate electrode; forming a conformal dielectric layer to conformally cover the layer of organic material; and forming a second interlayer dielectric to cover the conformal dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chia-Lin Lu, Chun-Lung Chen, Kun-Yuan Liao, Feng-Yi Chang, En-Chiuan Liou, Chia-Hsun Tseng, Wei-Hao Huang, Yu-Ting Hung
  • Publication number: 20170004997
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes the following steps: forming a first interlayer dielectric on a substrate; forming a gate electrode on the substrate so that the periphery of the gate electrode is surrounded by the first interlayer dielectric; forming a patterned mask layer comprising at least a layer of organic material on the gate electrode; forming a conformal dielectric layer to conformally cover the layer of organic material; and forming a second interlayer dielectric to cover the conformal dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Chia-Lin Lu, Chun-Lung Chen, Kun-Yuan Liao, Feng-Yi Chang, En-Chiuan Liou, Chia-Hsun Tseng, Wei-Hao Huang, Yu-Ting Hung
  • Publication number: 20170005008
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a gate structure includes forming a substrate including at least two fin structures protruding from a top surface of the substrate, the substrate including a first recess and a second recess disposed under the first recess, and the first recess and the second recess being disposed between the fin structures, wherein a width of the first recess is larger than a width of the second recess, and the first recess and the second recess form a step structure; forming an insulating structure in the second recess; and forming the gate structure on the insulating structure, wherein the first recess and the second recess are filled up with the gate structure and the insulating structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Chao-Hung Lin, Yu-Cheng Tung
  • Publication number: 20170005181
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first fin-shaped structures and second fin-shaped structures, which are separately disposed on a semiconductor substrate. Each of the first and second fin-shaped structures includes a base portion and a top portion protruding from the top portion. The base portions of the second fin-shaped structures are wider than the top portions of the second fin-shaped structures, and the top portions of the second fin-shaped structures are as wide as the top portions of the first fin-shaped structures. Each second fin-shaped structure further includes a recessed region on its sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Yu-Cheng Tung
  • Patent number: 9530851
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device, including at least two gate structures, and each gate structure includes a gate, a spacer and a source/drain region, the source/drain region disposed on two sides of the gate. A first dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate and between two gate structures, where the first dielectric layer has a concave surface, and the first dielectric layer directly contacts the spacer. A floating spacer is disposed on the first dielectric layer and on a sidewall of the gate, and at least one contact plug is disposed on the source/drain region, where the contact plug directly contacts the floating spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chia-Lin Lu, Chun-Lung Chen, En-Chiuan Liou, Chih-Wei Yang, Yu-Cheng Tung, Kun-Yuan Liao, Feng-Yi Chang
  • Patent number: 9530646
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes following steps. First of all, a patterned hard mask layer having a plurality of mandrel patterns is provided. Next, a plurality of first mandrels is formed on a substrate through the patterned hard mask. Following these, at least one sidewall image transferring (SIT) process is performed. Finally, a plurality of fins is formed in the substrate, wherein each of the fins has a predetermined critical dimension (CD), and each of the mandrel patterns has a CD being 5-8 times greater than the predetermined CD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Li-Wei Feng, Shih-Hung Tsai, Chao-Hung Lin, Hon-Huei Liu, An-Chi Liu, Chih-Wei Wu, Jyh-Shyang Jenq, Shih-Fang Hong, En-Chiuan Liou, Ssu-I Fu, Yu-Hsiang Hung, Chih-Kai Hsu, Mei-Chen Chen, Chia-Hsun Tseng
  • Patent number: 9525041
    Abstract: A semiconductor process for forming gates with different pitches includes the following steps. A gate layer is formed on a substrate. A first mandrel and a second mandrel are respectively formed on the gate layer. A first spacer material is formed to conformally cover the first mandrel but exposing the second mandrel. A second spacer material is formed to conformally cover the first spacer material and the second mandrel. The first spacer material and the second spacer material are etched to form a first spacer beside the first mandrel and a second spacer beside the second mandrel simultaneously. The first mandrel and the second mandrel are removed. Layouts of the first spacer and the second spacer are transferred to the gate layer, thereby a first gate and a second gate being formed. Moreover, a semiconductor process, which forms the first spacer and the second spacer separately, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Yu-Cheng Tung
  • Publication number: 20160365452
    Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having at least a fin-shaped structure thereon and the fin-shaped structure includes a top portion and a bottom portion; forming a gate structure on the fin-shaped structure; forming a cap layer on the top portion of the fin-shaped structure not covered by the gate structure; performing an annealing process to drive germanium from the cap layer to the top portion of the fin-shaped structure; removing the cap layer; and forming an epitaxial layer around the top portion of the fin-shaped structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Yu-Cheng Tung, En-Chiuan Liou
  • Publication number: 20160343567
    Abstract: A method of forming a non-continuous line pattern includes forming a DSA material layer on a substrate, performing a phase separation of the DSA material layer to form an ordered periodic pattern including a plurality of first polymer structures and the second polymer structures arranged alternately, forming a first mask to cover a first portion of the ordered periodic pattern, performing a first etching process to remove a portion of the first polymer structures exposed by the first mask, removing the first mask, forming a second mask to cover a second portion of the ordered periodic pattern, with an interval to the first portion of the ordered periodic pattern, performing a second etching process to remove a portion of the second polymer structures exposed by the second mask, and removing the second mask. The remaining first polymer structures and the remaining second polymer structures are not connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Yu-Te Chen, En-Chiuan Liou, Chia-Hsun Tseng, Shin-Feng Su, Yu-Ting Hung, Meng-Lin Tsai
  • Publication number: 20160336187
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes following steps. First of all, a plurality of mandrels is formed on a target layer. Next, a plurality of first liner is formed adjacent to two sides of the mandrels. Then, a plurality of second liners is formed adjacent to two sides of the first liners. After these, a plurality of third liners is formed adjacent to two sides of the second liners. Finally, the mandrels and the second liners are simultaneously removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Yu-Cheng Tung
  • Publication number: 20160334208
    Abstract: The present invention provides an overlay mark information, including at least a pair of first overlay mark patterns disposed in a first layer, each first overlay mark pattern consisting of a plurality of first mark units arranged along a first direction, where each first mark unit includes at least one first pattern and at least one second pattern, and the dimension of the first pattern is different from the dimension of the second pattern. The overlay mark information also includes at least a pair of second overlay patterns disposed in the first layer, each second overlay mark pattern consisting of a plurality of second mark units arranged along the first direction, where the pattern of each first mark unit is the same as the pattern of each second mark unit after 180 degrees rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Yu-Cheng Tung, Yi-Jing Wang
  • Patent number: 9494873
    Abstract: An asymmetry compensation method used in a lithography overlay process and including steps of: providing a first substrate, wherein a circuit layout is disposed on the first substrate, a first mask layer and a second mask layer together having an x-axis allowable deviation range and an y-axis allowable deviation range relative to the circuit layout are stacked sequentially on the circuit layout, wherein the x-axis allowable deviation range is unequal to the y-axis allowable deviation range; and calculating an x-axis final compensation parameter and an y-axis final compensation parameter base on the unequal x-axis allowable deviation range and the y-axis allowable deviation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Teng-Chin Kuo, Yuan-Chi Pai, Chun-Chi Yu
  • Patent number: 9496176
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor structure, a plurality of gate structures, at least one source/drain structure, at least one trench, a dielectric pattern, and a conductive structure. The gate structures are disposed on the semiconductor structure. The source/drain structure is disposed between two adjacent gate structures. The trench is disposed between the two adjacent gate structures and corresponding to the source/drain structure. The dielectric pattern is disposed on sidewalls of the trench. The conductive structure is disposed in the trench and electrically connected to the source/drain structure. The conductive structure includes a first portion surrounded by the dielectric pattern and a second portion connected to the source/drain structure, and the first portion is disposed on the second portion. A width of the first portion is smaller than a width of the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yu-Cheng Tung, En-Chiuan Liou
  • Patent number: 9496361
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. Gate trenches are formed in a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate. A sidewall spacer layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and on at least two sides of each gate trench. A plurality of first metal gates is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Each of the first metal gates includes an upper part and a lower part connected to the upper part, the lower part is formed in one of the gate trenches, and the upper part covers at least a part of the sidewall spacer layer in a vertical direction. The upper part and the lower part of the first metal gate are formed by an identical process together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yu-Cheng Tung, En-Chiuan Liou
  • Publication number: 20160329248
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same, the semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of fin shaped structures and an insulating layer. The substrate has a fin field-effect transistor (finFET) region, a first region, a second region and a third region. The first region, the second region and the third region have a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface, respectively, where the first surface is relatively higher than the second surface and the second surface is relatively higher than the third surface. The fin shaped structures are disposed on a surface of the fin field-effect transistor region. The insulating layer covers the first surface, the second surface and the third surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Yu-Cheng Tung
  • Patent number: 9490341
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having metal gate includes following steps. A substrate is provided. At least a transistor including a dummy gate is formed on the substrate and the transistor is embedded in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer. A first removal process is performed to remove a portion of the dummy gate to form a first recess in the transistor. An etching process is subsequently performed to remove a portion of the ILD layer to widen the first recess and to form a widened first recess. A second removal process is subsequently performed to remove the dummy gate entirely and to form a second recess in the transistor. A metal gate is formed in the second recess and followed by forming an insulating cap layer on the metal gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: En-Chiuan Liou, Chih-Wei Yang, Yu-Cheng Tung
  • Patent number: 9490217
    Abstract: An overlay mark for determining the alignment between two separately generated patterns formed along with two successive layers above a substrate is provided in the present invention, wherein both the substrate and the overlay mark include at least two pattern zones having periodic structures with different orientations, and the periodic structures of the overlay mark are orthogonally overlapped with the periodic structures of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chia-Ching Lin, En-Chiuan Liou, Chia-Hung Wang, Sho-Shen Lee