Patents by Inventor Jian-An Ke

Jian-An Ke 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: 10037920
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes receiving a substrate with a gate structure and forming a spacer layer over the substrate and the gate structure. The method further includes implanting carbon into the spacer layer at an angle tilted away from a first direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, which increases etch resistance of the spacer layer on sidewalls of the gate structure. The method optionally includes implanting germanium into the spacer layer at the first direction, which decreases etch resistance of the spacer layer overlaying the gate structure and the substrate. The method further includes etching the spacer layer to expose the gate structure, resulting in a first portion of the spacer layer on the sidewalls of the gate structure. Due to increased etch resistance, the first portion of the spacer layer maintains its profile and thickness in subsequent fabrication processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke
  • Patent number: 9583393
    Abstract: Embodiments of mechanisms for epitaxially growing one or more doped silicon-containing materials to form source and drain regions of finFET devices are provided in this disclosure. The dopants in the one or more doped silicon-containing materials can be driven into the neighboring lightly-doped-drain (LDD) regions by thermal anneal to dope the regions. The epitaxially growing process uses a cyclical deposition/deposition/etch (CDDE) process. In each cycle of the CDDE process, a first and a second doped materials are formed and a following etch removes most of the second doped material. The first doped material has a higher dopant concentration than the second material and is protected from the etching process by the second doped material. The CDDE process enables forming a highly doped silicon-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke, Tsan-Yao Chen, Chin-Kun Wang
  • Publication number: 20170011968
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes receiving a substrate with a gate structure and forming a spacer layer over the substrate and the gate structure. The method further includes implanting carbon into the spacer layer at an angle tilted away from a first direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, which increases etch resistance of the spacer layer on sidewalls of the gate structure. The method optionally includes implanting germanium into the spacer layer at the first direction, which decreases etch resistance of the spacer layer overlaying the gate structure and the substrate. The method further includes etching the spacer layer to expose the gate structure, resulting in a first portion of the spacer layer on the sidewalls of the gate structure. Due to increased etch resistance, the first portion of the spacer layer maintains its profile and thickness in subsequent fabrication processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung TSAI, Jian-An KE
  • Patent number: 9502298
    Abstract: The embodiments of mechanisms for forming source/drain (S/D) regions of field effect transistors (FETs) described uses Cl2 as an etchant during the epitaxial formation of the S/D regions. The mechanisms involve using an asymmetric cyclic deposition and etch (ACDE) process that forms a preparation layer enable epitaxial growth of the following epitaxial layer with transistor dopants. The mechanisms also involve soaking the surface of substrate with dopant-containing precursors to enable sufficient incorporation of transistor dopants during the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions. By using Cl2 as etchants, the mechanisms also enables high throughput of the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Tsan-Yao Chen, Jian-An Ke
  • Publication number: 20160284597
    Abstract: Embodiments of mechanisms for epitaxially growing one or more doped silicon-containing materials to form source and drain regions of finFET devices are provided in this disclosure. The dopants in the one or more doped silicon-containing materials can be driven into the neighboring lightly-doped-drain (LDD) regions by thermal anneal to dope the regions. The epitaxially growing process uses a cyclical deposition/deposition/etch (CDDE) process. In each cycle of the CDDE process, a first and a second doped materials are formed and a following etch removes most of the second doped material. The first doped material has a higher dopant concentration than the second material and is protected from the etching process by the second doped material. The CDDE process enables forming a highly doped silicon-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke, Tsan-Yao Chen, Chin-Kun Wang
  • Patent number: 9455200
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes receiving a substrate with a gate structure and forming a spacer layer over the substrate and the gate structure. The method further includes implanting carbon into the spacer layer at an angle tilted away from a first direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, which increases etch resistance of the spacer layer on sidewalls of the gate structure. The method optionally includes implanting germanium into the spacer layer at the first direction, which decreases etch resistance of the spacer layer overlaying the gate structure and the substrate. The method further includes etching the spacer layer to expose the gate structure, resulting in a first portion of the spacer layer on the sidewalls of the gate structure. Due to increased etch resistance, the first portion of the spacer layer maintains its profile and thickness in subsequent fabrication processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke
  • Patent number: 9362175
    Abstract: Embodiments of mechanisms for epitaxially growing one or more doped silicon-containing materials to form source and drain regions of finFET devices are provided in this disclosure. The dopants in the one or more doped silicon-containing materials can be driven into the neighboring lightly-doped-drain (LDD) regions by thermal anneal to dope the regions. The epitaxially growing process uses a cyclical deposition/deposition/etch (CDDE) process. In each cycle of the CDDE process, a first and a second doped materials are formed and a following etch removes most of the second doped material. The first doped material has a higher dopant concentration than the second material and is protected from the etching process by the second doped material. The CDDE process enables forming a highly doped silicon-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke, Tsan-Yao Chen, Chin-Kun Wang
  • Publication number: 20160042952
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes receiving a substrate with a gate structure and forming a spacer layer over the substrate and the gate structure. The method further includes implanting carbon into the spacer layer at an angle tilted away from a first direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, which increases etch resistance of the spacer layer on sidewalls of the gate structure. The method optionally includes implanting germanium into the spacer layer at the first direction, which decreases etch resistance of the spacer layer overlaying the gate structure and the substrate. The method further includes etching the spacer layer to expose the gate structure, resulting in a first portion of the spacer layer on the sidewalls of the gate structure. Due to increased etch resistance, the first portion of the spacer layer maintains its profile and thickness in subsequent fabrication processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke
  • Publication number: 20150318212
    Abstract: The embodiments of mechanisms for forming source/drain (S/D) regions of field effect transistors (FETs) described uses Cl2 as an etchant during the epitaxial formation of the S/D regions. The mechanisms involve using an asymmetric cyclic deposition and etch (ACDE) process that forms a preparation layer enable epitaxial growth of the following epitaxial layer with transistor dopants. The mechanisms also involve soaking the surface of substrate with dopant-containing precursors to enable sufficient incorporation of transistor dopants during the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions. By using Cl2 as etchants, the mechanisms also enables high throughput of the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Tsan-Yao Chen, Jian-An Ke
  • Patent number: 9093468
    Abstract: The embodiments of mechanisms for forming source/drain (S/D) regions of field effect transistors (FETs) described uses Cl2 as an etchant during the epitaxial formation of the S/D regions. The mechanisms involve using an asymmetric cyclic deposition and etch (ACDE) process that forms a preparation layer enable epitaxial growth of the following epitaxial layer with transistor dopants. The mechanisms also involve soaking the surface of substrate with dopant-containing precursors to enable sufficient incorporation of transistor dopants during the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions. By using Cl2 as etchants, the mechanisms also enables high throughput of the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Tsan-Yao Chen, Jian-An Ke
  • Publication number: 20150017776
    Abstract: Embodiments of mechanisms for epitaxially growing one or more doped silicon-containing materials to form source and drain regions of finFET devices are provided in this disclosure. The dopants in the one or more doped silicon-containing materials can be driven into the neighboring lightly-doped-drain (LDD) regions by thermal anneal to dope the regions. The epitaxially growing process uses a cyclical deposition/deposition/etch (CDDE) process. In each cycle of the CDDE process, a first and a second doped materials are formed and a following etch removes most of the second doped material. The first doped material has a higher dopant concentration than the second material and is protected from the etching process by the second doped material. The CDDE process enables forming a highly doped silicon-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke, Tsan-Yao Chen, Chin-Kun Wang
  • Patent number: 8877592
    Abstract: Embodiments of mechanisms for epitaxially growing one or more doped silicon-containing materials to form source and drain regions of finFET devices are provided in this disclosure. The dopants in the one or more doped silicon-containing materials can be driven into the neighboring lightly-doped-drain (LDD) regions by thermal anneal to dope the regions. The epitaxially growing process uses a cyclical deposition/deposition/etch (CDDE) process. In each cycle of the CDDE process, a first and a second doped materials are formed and a following etch removes most of the second doped material. The first doped material has a higher dopant concentration than the second material and is protected from the etching process by the second doped material. The CDDE process enables forming a highly doped silicon-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Jian-An Ke, Tsan-Yao Chen, Chin-Kun Wang
  • Publication number: 20140264636
    Abstract: The embodiments of mechanisms for forming source/drain (S/D) regions of field effect transistors (FETs) described uses Cl2 as an etchant during the epitaxial formation of the S/D regions. The mechanisms involve using an asymmetric cyclic deposition and etch (ACDE) process that forms a preparation layer enable epitaxial growth of the following epitaxial layer with transistor dopants. The mechanisms also involve soaking the surface of substrate with dopant-containing precursors to enable sufficient incorporation of transistor dopants during the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions. By using Cl2 as etchants, the mechanisms also enables high throughput of the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Chun Hsiung Tsai, Tsan-Yao Chen, Jian-An Ke