Patents by Inventor Hak-Lay Chuang

Hak-Lay Chuang 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: 20240147716
    Abstract: An embedded flash memory device includes a gate stack, which includes a bottom dielectric layer extending into a recess in a semiconductor substrate, and a charge storage layer over the bottom dielectric layer. The charge storage layer includes a portion in the recess. The gate stack further includes a top dielectric layer over the charge storage layer, and a metal gate over the top dielectric layer. Source and drain regions are in the semiconductor substrate, and are on opposite sides of the gate stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Wei Cheng Wu, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang
  • Publication number: 20240147734
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip including a memory cell overlying a substrate and comprising a top electrode. A sidewall spacer structure is disposed along sidewalls of the memory cell. The sidewall spacer structure comprises a first spacer layer on the memory cell, a second spacer layer around the first spacer layer, and a third spacer layer around the second spacer layer. The second spacer layer comprises a lateral segment adjacent to a vertical segment. The lateral segment abuts the top electrode and has a top surface aligned with or disposed below a top surface of the top electrode. A first conductive structure overlies the memory cell and contacts the lateral segment and the top electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Hung Cho Wang, Sheng-Chang Chen, Sheng-Huang Huang
  • Patent number: 11961826
    Abstract: Bonded wafer device structures, such as a wafer-on-wafer (WoW) structures, and methods of fabricating bonded wafer device structures, including an array of contact pads formed in an interconnect level of at least one wafer of the bonded wafer device structure. The array of contact pads formed in an interconnect level of at least one wafer may have an array pattern that corresponds to an array pattern of contact pads that is subsequently formed over a surface of the bonded wafer structure. The array of contact pads formed in an interconnect level of at least one wafer of the bonded wafer device structure may enable improved testing of individual wafers, including circuit probe testing, prior to the wafer being stacked and bonded to one or more additional wafers to form a bonded wafer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Wei-Cheng Wu, Wen-Tuo Huang
  • Publication number: 20240113043
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of fabrication thereof including a substrate, a doped well formed in the substrate, a transistor formed on the substrate, a dielectric material located over the doped well and the transistor and including interconnect structures extending through the dielectric material, the interconnect structures including a first set of interconnect structures electrically coupled to an active region of the transistor and a second set of interconnect structures electrically coupled to the doped well, an active memory cell electrically coupled to the active region of the transistor via the first set of interconnect structures; and a dummy memory cell electrically coupled to the doped well via the second set of conductive interconnect structures. The dummy memory cell and the second set of conductive interconnect structures may provide a low resistance pathway for plasma charge to flow to the doped well, thereby minimizing plasma induced damage to the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Hung Cho Wang, Wen-Chun You
  • Publication number: 20240096643
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first well, a second well, a metal gate, a poly gate, a source region, and a drain region. The first well and the second well are within the substrate. The metal gate is partially over the first well. The poly gate is over the second well. The poly gate is separated from the metal gate, and a width ratio of the poly gate to the metal gate is in a range from about 0.1 to about 0.2. The source region and the drain region are respectively within the first well and the second well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Alexander KALNITSKY, Wei-Cheng WU, Harry-Hak-Lay CHUANG
  • Publication number: 20240096818
    Abstract: Devices and method for forming a shielding assembly including a first chip package structure sensitive to magnetic interference (MI), a second chip package structure sensitive to electromagnetic interference (EMI), and a shield surrounding sidewalls and top surfaces of the first chip package structure and the second chip package structure, in which the shield is a magnetic shielding material. In some embodiments, the shield may include silicon steel, in some embodiments, the shield may include Mu-metal. The silicon-steel-based or Mu-metal-based shield may provide both EMI and MI protection to multiple chip package structures with various susceptibilities to EMI and MI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Yuan-Jen Lee, Kuo-An Liu, Ching-Huang Wang, C.T. Kuo, Tien-Wei Chiang
  • Patent number: 11935918
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device comprises a high voltage semiconductor device (HVSD) on a frontside of a semiconductor body and further comprises an electrode on a backside of the semiconductor body opposite the frontside. The HVSD may, for example, be a transistor or some other suitable type of semiconductor device. The electrode has one or more gaps directly beneath the HVSD. The one or more gaps enhance the effectiveness of the electrode for improving the breakdown voltage of the HVSD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Hsin Fu Lin, Tsung-Hao Yeh
  • Publication number: 20240090340
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a memory device surrounded by a dielectric structure disposed over a substrate. The memory device includes a data storage structure disposed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A bottom electrode via couples the bottom electrode to a lower interconnect. A top electrode via couples the top electrode to an upper interconnect. A bottommost surface of the top electrode via is directly over the top electrode and has a first width that is smaller than a second width of a bottommost surface of the bottom electrode via.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Ming-Che Ku, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Hung Cho Wang, Tsun Chung Tu, Jiunyu Tsai, Sheng-Huang Huang
  • Patent number: 11930645
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a transistor region, a first and a second contact plug, a first metal via, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) structure, and a metal interconnect. The transistor region includes a gate over the substrate, and a first and a second doped regions at least partially in the substrate. The first and the second contact plug are over the transistor region. The first and the second contact plug include a coplanar upper surface. The first metal via and the MTJ structure are over the first and the second contact plug, respectively. The first metal via is leveled with the MTJ structure. The metal interconnect is over the first metal via and the MTJ structure, and the metal interconnect includes at least two second metal vias in contact with the first metal via and the MTJ structure, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Alexander Kalnitsky, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Sheng-Haung Huang, Tien-Wei Chiang
  • Patent number: 11910619
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming a memory device. The method includes forming a first memory cell and a second memory cell over a substrate. A first dielectric layer is formed over and around the first and second memory cells. The first dielectric layer comprises sidewalls defining an opening spaced laterally between the first and second memory cells. A second dielectric layer is formed over the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is disposed in the opening. A planarization process is performed on the first and second dielectric layers. At least a portion of the second dielectric layer is in the opening after the planarization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Hung Cho Wang, Sheng-Chang Chen, Sheng-Huang Huang
  • Publication number: 20240057344
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a bottom electrode via, a top electrode via over the bottom electrode via, a memory cell between the bottom electrode via and the top electrode via, a first dielectric layer over the memory cell, and a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, and a via structure separated from the memory cell. A height of the via structure is substantially equal to a sum of a height of the bottom electrode via, a height of the memory cell, and a height of the top electrode via. The first dielectric layer partially surrounds a first portion of the via structure, and the second dielectric layer partially surrounds a second portion of the via structure. A height of the second portion of the via structure is greater than a height of the first portion of the via structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: HARRY-HAK-LAY CHUANG, WU-CHANG TSAI, TIEN-WEI CHIANG
  • Patent number: 11903191
    Abstract: An embedded flash memory device includes a gate stack, which includes a bottom dielectric layer extending into a recess in a semiconductor substrate, and a charge storage layer over the bottom dielectric layer. The charge storage layer includes a portion in the recess. The gate stack further includes a top dielectric layer over the charge storage layer, and a metal gate over the top dielectric layer. Source and drain regions are in the semiconductor substrate, and are on opposite sides of the gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Cheng Wu, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang
  • Publication number: 20240047508
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an inductive metal line located in a dielectric material layer that overlies a semiconductor substrate and laterally encloses a first area; and an array of first ferromagnetic plates including a first ferromagnetic material and overlying or underlying the inductive metal line. For any first point that is selected within volumes of the first ferromagnetic plates, a respective second point exists within a horizontal surface of the inductive metal line such that a line connecting the first point and the second point is vertical or has a respective first taper angle that is less than 20 degrees with respective to a vertical direction. The magnetic field passing through the first ferromagnetic plates is applied generally along a hard direction of magnetization and the hysteresis effect is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Yu-Sheng Chen, Hsien Jung Chen, Kuen-Yi Chen, Chien Hung Liu, Yi Ching Ong, Yu-Jen Wang, Kuo-Ching Huang, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang
  • Patent number: 11894448
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; a first semiconductor mesa formed on the semiconductor substrate within the first region; a second semiconductor mesa formed on the semiconductor substrate within the second region; and a field effect transistor (FET) formed on the semiconductor substrate. The FET includes a first doped feature of a first conductivity type formed in a top portion of the first semiconductor mesa; a second doped feature of a second conductivity type formed in a bottom portion of the first semiconductor mesa, the second semiconductor mesa, and a portion of the semiconductor substrate between the first and second semiconductor mesas; a channel in a middle portion of the first semiconductor mesa and interposed between the source and drain; and a gate formed on sidewall of the first semiconductor mesa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Yi-Ren Chen, Chi-Wen Liu, Chao-Hsiung Wang, Ming Zhu
  • Patent number: 11894443
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes depositing a TiN layer over a substrate. The method further includes doping a first portion of the TiN layer using an oxygen-containing plasma treatment. The method further includes doping a second portion of the TiN layer using a nitrogen-containing plasma treatment, wherein the second portion of the TiN layer directly contacts the first portion of the TiN layer. The method further includes forming a first metal gate electrode over the first portion of the TiN layer. The method further includes forming a second metal gate electrode over the second portion of the TiN layer, wherein the first metal gate electrode has a different work function from the second metal gate electrode, and the second metal gate electrode directly contacts the first metal gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Zhu, Hui-Wen Lin, Harry Hak-Lay Chuang, Bao-Ru Young, Yuan-Sheng Huang, Ryan Chia-Jen Chen, Chao-Cheng Chen, Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ting-Hua Hsieh, Carlos H. Diaz
  • Patent number: 11889769
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a magnetic tunnel junction arranged between a bottom electrode and a top electrode and surrounded by a dielectric structure disposed over a substrate. The top electrode has a width that decreases as a height of the top electrode increases. A bottom electrode via couples the bottom electrode to a lower interconnect. An upper interconnect structure is coupled to the top electrode. The upper interconnect structure has a vertically extending surface that is disposed laterally between first and second outermost sidewalls of the upper interconnect structure and along a sidewall of the top electrode. The vertically extending surface and the first outermost sidewall are connected to a bottom surface of the upper interconnect structure that is vertically below a top of the top electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Che Ku, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Hung Cho Wang, Tsun Chung Tu, Jiunyu Tsai, Sheng-Huang Huang
  • Publication number: 20240021614
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method to embed planar field-effect transistor (FETs) with fin field-effect transistors (finFETs). A semiconductor substrate is patterned to define a mesa and a fin. A trench isolation structure is formed overlying the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the mesa and the fin. A first gate dielectric layer is formed on the mesa, but not the fin. The trench isolation structure recessed around the fin, but not the mesa, after the forming the first gate dielectric layer. A second gate dielectric layer is deposited overlying the first gate dielectric layer at the mesa and further overlying the fin. A first gate electrode is formed overlying the first and second gate dielectric layers at the mesa and partially defining a planar FET. A second gate electrode is formed overlying the second gate dielectric layer at the fin and partially defining a finFET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Wei Cheng Wu, Li-Feng Teng, Li-Jung Liu
  • Publication number: 20240021515
    Abstract: The semiconductor structure includes a first die structure including a first substrate, a first bonding dielectric disposed over the first substrate, and a first bonding pad surrounded by the first bonding dielectric; a second die structure including a second substrate, an isolation member extending into the second substrate, a second bonding dielectric bonded with the first bonding dielectric, and a second bonding pad surrounded by the second bonding dielectric and bonded with the first bonding pad; a dielectric member disposed over the second die structure; a conductive via extending through the dielectric member, the second substrate and the isolation member; and a conductive member disposed over the dielectric member and at least partially in contact with the conductive via, wherein a first interface between the conductive via and the conductive member is substantially coplanar with a second interface between the conductive member and the dielectric member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: HARRY-HAK-LAY CHUANG, WEI-CHENG WU, WEN-TUO HUANG, YU-LING HSU, PAI CHI CHOU, YU-CHUN CHANG, CHUNG-JEN HUANG
  • Patent number: 11869800
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes receiving a silicon substrate having an isolation feature disposed on the substrate and a well adjacent the isolation feature, wherein the well includes a first dopant. The method also includes etching a recess to remove a portion of the well and epitaxially growing a silicon layer (EPI layer) in the recess to form a channel, wherein the channel includes a second dopant. The method also includes forming a barrier layer between the well and the EPI layer, the barrier layer including at least one of either silicon carbon or silicon oxide. The barrier layer can be formed either before or after the channel. The method further includes forming a gate electrode disposed over the channel and forming a source and drain in the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang, Bao-Ru Young, Wei Cheng Wu, Meng-Fang Hsu, Kong-Pin Chang, Chia Ming Liang
  • Publication number: 20230422642
    Abstract: A phase-change material (PCM) switching device includes: a base dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate; a first heater element disposed on the base dielectric layer, the first heater element comprising a first metal element characterized by a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); a second heater element disposed on the first heater element, the second heater element comprising a second metal element characterized by a second CTE larger than the first CTE; a first metal pad and a second metal pad; and a PCM region comprising a PCM operable to switch between an amorphous state and a crystalline state in response to heat generated by the first heater element and the second heater element, wherein the PCM region is disposed above a top surface of the second heater element, and an air gap surrounds the first heater element and the second heater element from three sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Kuo-Pin Chang, Yu-Wei Ting, Yi Ching Ong, Kuo-Ching Huang, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang