Patents by Inventor Joseph M. Steigerwald

Joseph M. Steigerwald 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: 11887891
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Tahir Ghani, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Subhash M. Joshi, Joseph M. Steigerwald, Jason W. Klaus, Jack Hwang, Ryan Mackiewicz
  • Publication number: 20240030067
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Mark T. BOHR, Tahir GHANI, Nadia M. RAHHAL-ORABI, Subhash M. JOSHI, Joseph M. STEIGERWALD, Jason W. KLAUS, Jack HWANG, Ryan MACKIEWICZ
  • Publication number: 20230154793
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Mark T. BOHR, Tahir GHANI, Nadia M. RAHHAL-ORABI, Subhash M. JOSHI, Joseph M. STEIGERWALD, Jason W. KLAUS, Jack HWANG, Ryan MACKIEWICZ
  • Patent number: 11600524
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Tahir Ghani, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Subhash M. Joshi, Joseph M. Steigerwald, Jason W. Klaus, Jack Hwang, Ryan Mackiewicz
  • Publication number: 20220328689
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe multi-threshold voltage devices and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a channel body disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a first gate electrode having a first thickness coupled with the channel body and a second gate electrode having a second thickness coupled with the channel body, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Joseph M. Steigerwald, Tahir Ghani, Jenny Hu, Ian R.C. Post
  • Patent number: 11437511
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe multi-threshold voltage devices and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a channel body disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a first gate electrode having a first thickness coupled with the channel body and a second gate electrode having a second thickness coupled with the channel body, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph M. Steigerwald, Tahir Ghani, Jenny Hu, Ian R. C. Post
  • Publication number: 20210134673
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Mark T. BOHR, Tahir GHANI, Nadia M. RAHHAL-ORABI, Subhash M. JOSHI, Joseph M. STEIGERWALD, Jason W. KLAUS, Jack HWANG, Ryan MACKIEWICZ
  • Patent number: 10930557
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Tahir Ghani, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Subhash M. Joshi, Joseph M. Steigerwald, Jason W. Klaus, Jack Hwang, Ryan Mackiewicz
  • Publication number: 20200251387
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Mark T. BOHR, Tahir GHANI, Nadia M. RAHHAL-ORABI, Subhash M. JOSHI, Joseph M. STEIGERWALD, Jason W. KLAUS, Jack HWANG, Ryan MACKIEWICZ
  • Publication number: 20200227472
    Abstract: An embodiment integrates memory, such as spin-torque transfer magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-M RAM) within a logic chip. The STT-MRAM includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) that has an upper MTJ layer, a lower MTJ layer, and a tunnel barrier directly contacting the upper MTJ layer and the lower MTJ layer; wherein the upper MTJ layer includes an upper MTJ layer sidewall and the lower MTJ layer includes a lower MTJ sidewall horizontally offset from the upper MTJ layer. Another embodiment includes a memory area, comprising a MTJ, and a logic area located on a substrate; wherein a horizontal plane intersects the MTJ, a first Inter-Layer Dielectric (ILD) material adjacent the MTJ, and a second ILD material included in the logic area, the first and second ILD materials being unequal to one another. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Kevin J. LEE, Tahir GHANI, Joseph M. STEIGERWALD, John H. EPPLE, Yih WANG
  • Publication number: 20200144420
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe multi-threshold voltage devices and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a channel body disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a first gate electrode having a first thickness coupled with the channel body and a second gate electrode having a second thickness coupled with the channel body, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph M. STEIGERWALD, Tahir GHANI, Jenny HU, Ian R. C. POST
  • Patent number: 10644064
    Abstract: An embodiment integrates memory, such as spin-torque transfer magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-M RAM) within a logic chip. The STT-MRAM includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) that has an upper MTJ layer, a lower MTJ layer, and a tunnel barrier directly contacting the upper MTJ layer and the lower MTJ layer; wherein the upper MTJ layer includes an upper MTJ layer sidewall and the lower MTJ layer includes a lower MTJ sidewall horizontally offset from the upper MTJ layer. Another embodiment includes a memory area, comprising a MTJ, and a logic area located on a substrate; wherein a horizontal plane intersects the MTJ, a first Inter-Layer Dielectric (ILD) material adjacent the MTJ, and a second ILD material included in the logic area, the first and second ILD materials being unequal to one another. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Lee, Tahir Ghani, Joseph M. Steigerwald, John H. Epple, Yih Wang
  • Patent number: 10629483
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Tahir Ghani, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Subhash M. Joshi, Joseph M. Steigerwald, Jason W. Klaus, Jack Hwang, Ryan Mackiewicz
  • Patent number: 10573747
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe multi-threshold voltage devices and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a channel body disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a first gate electrode having a first thickness coupled with the channel body and a second gate electrode having a second thickness coupled with the channel body, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph M. Steigerwald, Tahir Ghani, Jenny Hu, Ian R. C. Post
  • Publication number: 20190051558
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Tahir Ghani, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Subhash M. Joshi, Joseph M. Steigerwald, Jason W. Klaus, Jack Hwang, Ryan Mackiewicz
  • Patent number: 10141226
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Tahir Ghani, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Subhash M. Joshi, Joseph M. Steigerwald, Jason W. Klaus, Jack Hwang, Ryan Mackiewicz
  • Publication number: 20180277593
    Abstract: An embodiment integrates memory, such as spin-torque transfer magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-M RAM) within a logic chip. The STT-MRAM includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) that has an upper MTJ layer, a lower MTJ layer, and a tunnel barrier directly contacting the upper MTJ layer and the lower MTJ layer; wherein the upper MTJ layer includes an upper MTJ layer sidewall and the lower MTJ layer includes a lower MTJ sidewall horizontally offset from the upper MTJ layer. Another embodiment includes a memory area, comprising a MTJ, and a logic area located on a substrate; wherein a horizontal plane intersects the MTJ, a first Inter-Layer Dielectric (ILD) material adjacent the MTJ, and a second ILD material included in the logic area, the first and second ILD materials being unequal to one another. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Kevin J. LEE, Tahir GHANI, Joseph M. STEIGERWALD, John H. EPPLE, Yih WANG
  • Patent number: 9997563
    Abstract: An embodiment integrates memory, such as spin-torque transfer magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) within a logic chip. The STT-MRAM includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) that has an upper MTJ layer, a lower MTJ layer, and a tunnel barrier directly contacting the upper MTJ layer and the lower MTJ layer; wherein the upper MTJ layer includes an upper MTJ layer sidewall and the lower MTJ layer includes a lower MTJ sidewall horizontally offset from the upper MTJ layer. Another embodiment includes a memory area, comprising a MTJ, and a logic area located on a substrate; wherein a horizontal plane intersects the MTJ, a first Inter-Layer Dielectric (ILD) material adjacent the MTJ, and a second ILD material included in the logic area, the first and second ILD materials being unequal to one another. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Lee, Tahir Ghani, Joseph M. Steigerwald, John H. Epple, Yih Wang
  • Patent number: 9972541
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for filling a high aspect ratio, narrow structure with multiple metal layers and associated configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a transistor structure comprising a semiconductor material, a dielectric material having a recess defined over the transistor structure, the recess having a height in a first direction, an electrode terminal disposed in the recess and coupled with the transistor structure, wherein a first portion of the electrode terminal comprises a first metal in direct contact with the transistor structure and a second portion of the electrode terminal comprises a second metal disposed on the first portion and wherein an interface between the first portion and the second portion is planar and extends across the recess in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph M. Steigerwald, Nick Lindert
  • Publication number: 20180096891
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark T. Bohr, Tahir Ghani, Nadia M. Rahhal-Orabi, Subhash M. Joshi, Joseph M. Steigerwald, Jason W. Klaus, Jack Hwang, Ryan Mackiewicz