Patents by Inventor Hung-Ju Chou

Hung-Ju Chou 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: 20220375756
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of forming semiconductor devices. A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece that includes a stack of semiconductor layers, depositing a first pad oxide layer on a germanium-containing top layer of the stack, depositing a second pad oxide layer on the first pad oxide layer, depositing a pad nitride layer on the second pad oxide layer, and patterning the stack using the first pad oxide layer, the second pad oxide layer, and the pad nitride layer as a hard mask layer. The depositing of the first pad oxide layer includes a first oxygen plasma power and the depositing of the second pad oxide layer includes a second oxygen plasma power greater than the first oxygen plasma power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Shih-Hao Fu, Hung-Ju Chou, Che-Lun Chang, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Yuan-Ching Peng, Sung-En Lin, Nung-Che Cheng, Chunyao Wang
  • Patent number: 11437245
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of forming semiconductor devices. A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece that includes a stack of semiconductor layers, depositing a first pad oxide layer on a germanium-containing top layer of the stack, depositing a second pad oxide layer on the first pad oxide layer, depositing a pad nitride layer on the second pad oxide layer, and patterning the stack using the first pad oxide layer, the second pad oxide layer, and the pad nitride layer as a hard mask layer. The depositing of the first pad oxide layer includes a first oxygen plasma power and the depositing of the second pad oxide layer includes a second oxygen plasma power greater than the first oxygen plasma power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shih-Hao Fu, Hung-Ju Chou, Che-Lun Chang, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Yuan-Ching Peng, Sung-En Lin, Nung-Che Cheng, Chunyao Wang
  • Publication number: 20220102151
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of forming semiconductor devices. A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece that includes a stack of semiconductor layers, depositing a first pad oxide layer on a germanium-containing top layer of the stack, depositing a second pad oxide layer on the first pad oxide layer, depositing a pad nitride layer on the second pad oxide layer, and patterning the stack using the first pad oxide layer, the second pad oxide layer, and the pad nitride layer as a hard mask layer. The depositing of the first pad oxide layer includes a first oxygen plasma power and the depositing of the second pad oxide layer includes a second oxygen plasma power greater than the first oxygen plasma power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Shih-Hao Fu, Hung-Ju Chou, Che-Lun Chang, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Yuan-Ching Peng, Sung-En Lin, Nung-Che Cheng, Chunyao Wang
  • Publication number: 20220028744
    Abstract: Methods and associated devices including the fabrication of a semiconductor structure are described that include epitaxially growing a stack of layers alternating between a first composition and a second composition. The stack of layers extends across a first region and a second region of a semiconductor substrate. The stack of layers in the second region of the semiconductor substrate may be etched to form an opening. A passivation process is then performed that includes introducing chlorine to at least one surface of the opening. After performing the passivation process, an epitaxial liner layer is grown in the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Hung-Ju CHOU, Yuan-Ching PENG, Jiun-Ming KUO
  • Publication number: 20210257360
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first fin extending along a first direction, a second fin extending parallel to the first fin, and a gate structure over and wrapping around the first fin and the second fin, the gate structure extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first fin bents away from the second fin along the second direction and the second fin bents away from the first fin along the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Jiun-Ming Kuo, Pei-Ling Gao, Chen-Hsuan Liao, Hung-Ju Chou, Chih-Chung Chang, Che-Yuan Hsu
  • Publication number: 20210257462
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a SiGe fin protruding from a substrate, where the SiGe fin includes a top portion having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a bottom portion having a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall, and where a first transition region connecting the first sidewall to the third sidewall and a second transition region connecting the second sidewall to the fourth sidewall each have a tapered profile extending away from the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively, and a Si-containing layer disposed on the top portion of the SiGe fin, where a portion of the Si-containing layer on the first transition region extends away from the first sidewall by a first lateral distance and a portion of the Si-containing layer on the second transition region extends away from the second sidewall by a second lateral distance that is different from the first lateral distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Yu-Shan Lu, Hung-Ju Chou, Pei-Ling Gao, Chen-Hsuan Liao, Chih-Chung Chang, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Che-Yuan Hsu
  • Publication number: 20210249312
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein are directed to a method for reducing fin oxidation during the formation of fin isolation regions. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate with an n-doped region and a p-doped region formed on a top portion of the semiconductor substrate; epitaxially growing a first layer on the p-doped region; epitaxially growing a second layer different from the first layer on the n-doped region; epitaxially growing a third layer on top surfaces of the first and second layers, where the third layer is thinner than the first and second layers. The method further includes etching the first, second, and third layers to form fin structures on the semiconductor substrate and forming an isolation region between the fin structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hung-Ju CHOU, Chih-Chung CHANG, Jiun-Ming KUO, Che-Yuan HSU, Pei-Ling GAO, Chen-Hsuan LIAO
  • Publication number: 20210210354
    Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor capping layer over a first fin in a first region of a substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor capping layer, and forming an insulation material over the dielectric layer, an upper surface of the insulation material extending further away from the substrate than an upper surface of the first fin. The method further incudes recessing the insulation material to expose a top portion of the first fin, and forming a gate structure over the top portion of the first fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Yin Wang, Hung-Ju Chou, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Wei-Ken Lin, Chun Te Li
  • Patent number: 10964548
    Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor capping layer over a first fin in a first region of a substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor capping layer, and forming an insulation material over the dielectric layer, an upper surface of the insulation material extending further away from the substrate than an upper surface of the first fin. The method further includes recessing the insulation material to expose a top portion of the first fin, and forming a gate structure over the top portion of the first fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yin Wang, Hung-Ju Chou, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Wei-Ken Lin, Chun Te Li
  • Publication number: 20200006077
    Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor capping layer over a first fin in a first region of a substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor capping layer, and forming an insulation material over the dielectric layer, an upper surface of the insulation material extending further away from the substrate than an upper surface of the first fin. The method further includes recessing the insulation material to expose a top portion of the first fin, and forming a gate structure over the top portion of the first fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Yin Wang, Hung-Ju Chou, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Wei-Ken Lin, Chun Te Li
  • Patent number: 10497577
    Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor capping layer over a first fin in a first region of a substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor capping layer, and forming an insulation material over the dielectric layer, an upper surface of the insulation material extending further away from the substrate than an upper surface of the first fin. The method further includes recessing the insulation material to expose a top portion of the first fin, and forming a gate structure over the top portion of the first fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yin Wang, Hung-Ju Chou, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Wei-Ken Lin, Chun Te Li
  • Publication number: 20190067027
    Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor capping layer over a first fin in a first region of a substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor capping layer, and forming an insulation material over the dielectric layer, an upper surface of the insulation material extending further away from the substrate than an upper surface of the first fin. The method further includes recessing the insulation material to expose a top portion of the first fin, and forming a gate structure over the top portion of the first fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Yin Wang, Hung-Ju Chou, Jiun-Ming Kuo, Wei-Ken Lin, Chun Te Li