Patents by Inventor Jhon-Jhy Liaw

Jhon-Jhy Liaw 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: 11784226
    Abstract: A metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) includes a substrate and a well over the substrate, the well including dopants of a first conductivity-type. The well includes an anti-punch-through (APT) layer at an upper section of the well, the APT layer including the dopants of the first conductivity-type and further including carbon. The MOSFET further includes a source feature and a drain feature adjacent the APT layer, being of a second conductivity-type opposite to the first conductivity-type. The MOSFET further includes multiple channel layers over the APT layer and connecting the source feature to the drain feature, wherein the multiple channel layers are vertically stacked one over another. The MOSFET further includes a gate wrapping around each of the channel layers, such as in a gate-all-around device, wherein a first portion of the gate is disposed between a bottommost one of the channel layers and the APT layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 11784180
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and semiconductor cell arrays are provided herein. In some examples, a semiconductor device includes a multi-fin active region, a mono-fin active region, and an isolation feature between the multi-fin active region and the mono-fin active region. The multi-fin active region includes a first plurality of fins, a second plurality of fins parallel to the first plurality of fins, a first n-type field effect transistor (FET), and a first p-type FET. The mono-fin active region abuts the multi-fin active region. The mono-fin active region includes a first fin, a second fin different from the first fin, a second n-type FET, and a second p-type FET. The isolation feature is parallel to the first and second gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230320058
    Abstract: Methods and structures for the co-optimization of memory and logic devices. A device includes a substrate having a first region and a second region. The device may include a first gate structure disposed in the first region and a second gate structure disposed in the second region. The device may further include a first source/drain feature disposed adjacent to the first gate structure and a second source/drain feature disposed adjacent to the second gate structure. A first top surface of the first source/drain feature and a second top surface of the second source/drain feature are substantially level. A first bottom surface of the first source/drain feature is a first distance away from the first top surface, and a second bottom surface of the second source/drain feature is a second distance away from the second top surface. In some cases, the second distance is greater than the first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Ta-Chun Lin, Chih-Hung Hsieh, Chun-Jun Lin, Kuo-Hua Pan, Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230307299
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fabrication method that includes providing a workpiece having a semiconductor substrate with a first circuit area and a second circuit area; forming a first active region within the first circuit area and a second active region within the second circuit area; forming a first gate structure on the first active region and a second gate structure on the second active region; introducing a doping species to the first active region but not the second active region; performing an etching process, thereby simultaneously recessing both first source/drain regions of the first active region and second source/drain regions of the second active region at a same etch rate; and thereafter, epitaxially growing first source/drain features within the first source/drain regions and second source/drain features within the second source/drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Ta-Chun Lin, Kuo-Hua Pan, Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230301050
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell, which includes a read port and a write port. The write port includes a first pull-up Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) device and a second pull-up MOS device, and a first pull-down MOS device and a second pull-down MOS device forming cross-latched inverters with the first pull-up MOS device and the second pull-up MOS device. The integrated circuit structure further includes a first metal layer, with a bit-line, a CVdd line, and a first CVss line in the first metal layer, a second metal layer over the first metal layer, and a third metal layer over the second metal layer. A write word-line is in the second metal layer. A read word-line is in the third metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230301051
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes first and second SRAM cells disposed over a substrate. Each first SRAM cell includes at least two first p-type transistors and four first n-type transistors. Each first p-type and n-type transistors includes a channel in a single semiconductor fin. Each second SRAM cell includes at least two second p-type transistors and four second n-type transistors. Each second p-type transistors includes a channel in a single semiconductor fin. Each second n-type transistors includes a channel in multiple semiconductor fins. The source/drain regions of the first p-type transistors are doped at a first dopant concentration, the source/drain regions of the second p-type transistors are doped at a second dopant concentration, and the first dopant concentration is greater than the second dopant concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 11764287
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a first channel member including a first channel portion and a first connection portion, a second channel member including a second channel portion and a second connection portion, a gate structure disposed around the first channel portion and the second channel portion, and an inner spacer feature disposed between the first connection portion and the second connection portion. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode. The gate dielectric layer extends partially between the inner spacer feature and the first connection portion and between the inner spacer feature and the second connection portion. The gate electrode does not extend between the inner spacer feature and the first connection portion and between the inner spacer feature and the second connection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 11764112
    Abstract: Fin patterning methods disclosed herein achieve advantages of fin cut first techniques and fin cut last techniques while providing different numbers of fins in different IC regions. An exemplary method implements a spacer lithography technique that forms a fin pattern that includes a first fin line and a second fin line in a substrate. The first fin line and the second fin line have a first spacing in a first region corresponding with a single-fin FinFET and a second spacing in a second region corresponding with a multi-fin FinFET. The first spacing is greater than the second spacing, relaxing process margins during a fin cut last process, which partially removes a portion of the second line in the second region to form a dummy fin tip in the second region. Spacing between the dummy fin tip and the first fin in the second region is greater than the second spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 11756962
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including a substrate, one hybrid fin, a gate, and a dielectric structure. The substrate includes at least two fins. The hybrid fin is disposed between the at least two fins. The gate covers portions of the at least two fins and the hybrid fin. The dielectric structure lands on the hybrid fin to divide the gate into two segment. The two segments are electrically isolated to each other by the dielectric structure and the hybrid fin. The hybrid fin includes a first portion, disposed between the two segments of the gate; and a second portion, disposed aside the first portion, wherein a top surface of the second portion is lower than a top surface of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-San Chien, Chun-Sheng Liang, Jhon-Jhy Liaw, Kuo-Hua Pan, Hsin-Che Chiang
  • Patent number: 11758714
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes first and second transistors each having a source terminal, a drain terminal, and a gate terminal. The semiconductor structure further includes a program line; a first metal plate over the first and the second transistors; a first insulator over the first metal plate; a second metal plate over the first insulator; a second insulator over the second metal plate; and a third metal plate over the second insulator. The first metal plate, the first insulator, and the second metal plate form a first anti-fuse element. The second metal plate, the second insulator, and the third metal plate form a second anti-fuse element. The source terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first metal plate. The source terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the third metal plate. The program line is electrically connected to the second metal plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 11757014
    Abstract: An exemplary semiconductor memory chip includes a first static random access memory (SRAM) cell and a second SRAM cell. The first SRAM cell has a first GAA transistor, and the second SRAM cell has a second GAA transistor. The first and the second SRAM cells have a same cell size, and the first and the second GAA transistors are of a same transistor type. Moreover, the first GAA transistor has a first threshold voltage and the second GAA transistor has a second threshold voltage. The second threshold voltage is different than the first threshold voltage. Furthermore, the first GAA transistor has a first gate stack and the second GAA transistor has a second gate stack. The first gate stack has a first work function value, and the second gate stack has a second work function value. The second work function value is different than the first work function value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230281372
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes receiving a device layout for a standard cell that includes a transistor and a multilayer interconnect. The multilayer interconnect includes a power line, signal lines, a source contact connected to the power line and a source of the transistor, and a drain contact connected to one of the signal lines and a drain of the transistor. The method includes modifying the device layout for the standard cell. For example, if performance of the standard cell is sensitive to power-related features, the method includes enlarging the power line and the source contact and shrinking the signal lines and the drain contact. If performance of the standard cell is sensitive to signal-related features, the method includes shrinking the power line and the source contact and enlarging the signal lines and the drain contact. A cell height of the standard cell is the same after modifying the device layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Yu-Lung Tung, Xiaodong Wang, Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 11749677
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor device formed over a substrate and a second semiconductor device formed over the substrate. The first semiconductor device includes a first source/drain feature over the substrate, a first gate structure over the substrate, a first conductive feature over the first source/drain feature, and a first insulation layer between the first gate structure and the first conductive feature. The second semiconductor device includes a second source/drain feature over the substrate, a second gate structure over the substrate, a second conductive feature over the second source/drain feature, and a second insulation layer between the second gate structure and the second conductive feature. A width of the first conductive feature and a width of the second conductive feature are different, and a width of the first insulation layer is less than a width of the second insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ta-Chun Lin, Kuo-Hua Pan, Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230275093
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure comprising one or more fins formed on a substrate and extending along a first direction; one or more gates formed on the one or more fins and extending along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the one or more gates including an first isolation gate and at least one functional gate; source/drain features formed on two sides of each of the one or more gates; an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer formed on the source/drain features and forming a coplanar top surface with the first isolation gate. A first height of the first isolation gate is greater than a second height of each of the at least one functional gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230275095
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a semiconductor fin, a gate structure, a source structure, a drain structure, a source contact, and a drain contact. The semiconductor fin extends upwardly from the substrate. The gate structure extends across the semiconductor fin. The source structure is on the semiconductor fin. The drain structure is on the semiconductor fin, in which the source and drain structures are respectively on opposite sides of the gate structure in a plan view. The source contact lands on the source structure and forms a rectangular pattern in the plan view. The drain contact lands on the drain structure and forms a circular pattern in the plan view, in which the rectangular pattern of the source contact has a length greater than a longest dimension of the circular pattern of the drain contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Patent number: 11742349
    Abstract: A method includes forming a first channel region, a second channel region, and a third channel region over a substrate, depositing a first interfacial layer over the first, second, and third channel regions, removing the first interfacial layer from the first and second channel regions, depositing a second interfacial layer over the first and second channel regions, thinning a thickness of the second interfacial layer over the first channel region, depositing a high-k dielectric layer over the first, second, and third channel regions, and forming a gate electrode layer over the first, second, and third channel regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Ta-Chun Lin, Kuo-Hua Pan, Jhon Jhy Liaw, Shien-Yang Wu
  • Patent number: 11742347
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, and first and second semiconductor fins extending from the substrate and lengthwise aligned along a first direction. The semiconductor structure further includes an isolation structure over the substrate and adjacent to sidewalls of the semiconductor fins, and first and second gate structures oriented lengthwise along a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction. The first and the second gate structures are disposed over the isolation structure. The first gate structure is disposed over the first semiconductor fin. The second gate structure is disposed over the second semiconductor fin. The semiconductor structure further includes a spacer layer that is disposed on a sidewall of the first gate structure and on a sidewall of the second gate structure and extends continuously through a trench between an end of the first semiconductor fin and an end of the second semiconductor fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Publication number: 20230261090
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure in which first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers are alternately stacked over a bottom fin structure protruding from a substrate, is formed. A sacrificial gate structure is formed over the fin structure. A source/drain region of the fin structure is etched, thereby forming a source/drain space. The first semiconductor layers are laterally etched through the source/drain space. An inner spacer is formed on an end of each of the etched first semiconductor layers. One or more epitaxial layers are formed in the source/drain space, and the sacrificial gate structure is replaced with a metal gate structure. A width of the source/drain space at a bottommost one of the first semiconductor layers is greater than a width of the source/drain space at one of the first semiconductor layers above the bottommost one of the first semiconductor layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230261053
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a substrate and a fin structure. The substrate includes a first cell region and a second cell region abutting the first cell region. The fin structure includes a first plan-view profile within the first cell region and a second plan-view profile within the second cell region. The first plan-view profile includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposing the first sidewall. The second plan-view profile includes a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall opposing the third sidewall. A width between the first sidewall and the second sidewall is greater than a width between the third sidewall and the fourth sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy LIAW
  • Publication number: 20230262951
    Abstract: Memory devices are provided. A memory device according to the present disclosure includes a first pull-down device (PD-1), a second pull-down device (PD-2), a first pass-gate device (PG-1), and a second pass-gate device (PG-2) disposed in a first p-well on a substrate, and a first pull-up device (PU-1), a second pull-up device (PU-2), a first isolation device (IS-1), and a second isolation device (IS-2) disposed in an n-well adjacent the first p-well. The PD-1, the PD-2, the PG-1, and the PG-2 share a first active region. The PU-1, the PU-2, the IS-1, and the IS-2 share a second active region. A first gate of the IS-1 and a second gate of the IS-2 are coupled to a positive supply voltage. A drain of the PU-1 and a drain of the PU-2 are coupled to the positive supply voltage (CVdd).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy LIAW