Patents by Inventor Fu-Yao Nien

Fu-Yao Nien 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).

  • Radical etching in gate formation
    Patent number: 12382694
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an isolation structure on the substrate, a fin protruding from the substrate and through the isolation structure, a gate stack engaging the fin, and a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate stack. The gate spacer includes an inner sidewall facing the gate stack and an outer sidewall opposing the inner sidewall. The inner sidewall has a first height measured from a top surface of the fin and a bowed structure in a top portion of the inner sidewall. The bowed structure extends towards the gate stack for a first lateral distance measured from a middle point of the inner sidewall. The first lateral distance is less than about 8% of the first height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Yu Tsai, Fu-Yao Nien, Hong-Wei Huang, Chang-Sheng Lee
  • Radical Etching in Gate Formation
    Publication number: 20210376124
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an isolation structure on the substrate, a fin protruding from the substrate and through the isolation structure, a gate stack engaging the fin, and a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate stack. The gate spacer includes an inner sidewall facing the gate stack and an outer sidewall opposing the inner sidewall. The inner sidewall has a first height measured from a top surface of the fin and a bowed structure in a top portion of the inner sidewall. The bowed structure extends towards the gate stack for a first lateral distance measured from a middle point of the inner sidewall. The first lateral distance is less than about 8% of the first height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Wei-Yu Tsai, Fu-Yao Nien, Hong-Wei Huang, Chang-Sheng Lee
  • Radical etching in gate formation
    Patent number: 11088262
    Abstract: A method includes providing a structure having a substrate and a fin protruding from the substrate; forming a dummy gate stack over the fin; forming a gate spacer on sidewalls of the dummy gate stack; removing the dummy gate stack using a radical etch process, resulting in a gate trench; and forming a metal gate stack in the gate trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Yu Tsai, Fu-Yao Nien, Hong-Wei Huang, Chang-Sheng Lee
  • Radical Etching in Gate Formation
    Publication number: 20200105908
    Abstract: A method includes providing a structure having a substrate and a fin protruding from the substrate; forming a dummy gate stack over the fin; forming a gate spacer on sidewalls of the dummy gate stack; removing the dummy gate stack using a radical etch process, resulting in a gate trench; and forming a metal gate stack in the gate trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Wei-Yu Tsai, Fu-Yao Nien, Tony Huang, Chang-Sheng Lee