Patents by Inventor Kai-Hsuan LEE

Kai-Hsuan LEE 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: 11205724
    Abstract: A method includes forming a metal gate in a first inter-layer dielectric, performing a treatment on the metal gate and the first inter-layer dielectric, selectively growing a hard mask on the metal gate without growing the hard mask from the first inter-layer dielectric, depositing a second inter-layer dielectric over the hard mask and the first inter-layer dielectric, planarizing the second inter-layer dielectric and the hard mask, and forming a gate contact plug penetrating through the hard mask to electrically couple to the metal gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Bo-Yu Lai, Sheng-Chen Wang, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Yen-Ming Chen, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 11189706
    Abstract: Semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed herein. An exemplary semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor fin formed on a substrate; and a gate structure disposed over a channel region of the semiconductor fin, the gate structure including a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode, wherein the gate dielectric layer includes a bottom portion and a side portion, and the gate electrode is separated from the side portion of the gate dielectric layer by a first air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chien Ning Yao, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Wei-Yang Lee, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Publication number: 20210358810
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a FinFET includes at last the following steps. A semiconductor substrate is patterned to form trenches in the semiconductor substrate and semiconductor fins located between two adjacent trenches of the trenches. Gate stacks is formed over portions of the semiconductor fins. Strained material portions are formed over the semiconductor fins revealed by the gate stacks. First metal contacts are formed over the gate stacks, the first metal contacts electrically connecting the strained material portions. Air gaps are formed in the FinFET at positions between two adjacent gate stacks and between two adjacent strained materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sai-Hooi Yeong, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Yu-Ming Lin, Chi-On Chui
  • Publication number: 20210343599
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and two fins protruding from the substrate. Each fin includes two source/drain (S/D) regions and a channel region. Each fin includes a top surface that remains flat across the S/D regions and the channel region. The semiconductor device also includes a gate stack engaging each fin at the respective channel region, a first dielectric layer on sidewalls of the gate stack, a first epitaxial layer over top and sidewall surfaces of the S/D regions of the two fins, and a second epitaxial layer over top and sidewall surfaces of the first epitaxial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Cheng-Yu Yang, Chia-Ta Yu, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Feng-Cheng Yang
  • Patent number: 11152486
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes a first gate stack, a second gate stack, a first source/drain feature disposed between the first and second gate stacks, and a source/drain contact over and electrically coupled to the first source/drain feature. The source/drain contact is spaced apart from each of the first and second gate stacks by an inner spacer disposed on sidewalls of the source/drain contact, a first air gap, a first gate spacer, and a second air gap separated from the first air gap by the first gate spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-Yu Yang, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Wei-Yang Lee, Fu-Kai Yang, Yen-Ming Chen
  • Publication number: 20210313233
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a source/drain (S/D) feature disposed adjacent to a metal gate structure (MG), an S/D contact disposed over the S/D feature, and a dielectric layer disposed over the S/D contact, where the S/D feature and the S/D contact are separated from the MG by a first air gap, where the dielectric layer partially fills the first air gap, and where a bottom portion of a bottom surface of the S/D contact is separated from a top portion of the S/D feature by a second air gap that is connected to the first air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yen-Ming Chen, Sai-Hooi Yeong
  • Patent number: 11133229
    Abstract: A method includes forming a gate dielectric layer on a semiconductor fin, and forming a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode extends on sidewalls and a top surface of the semiconductor fin. A gate spacer is selectively deposited on a sidewall of the gate electrode. An exposed portion of the gate dielectric layer is free from a same material for forming the gate spacer deposited thereon. The method further includes etching the gate dielectric layer using the gate spacer as an etching mask to expose a portion of the semiconductor fin, and forming an epitaxy semiconductor region based on the semiconductor fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Chia-Ta Yu, Cheng-Yu Yang, Sheng-Chen Wang, Bo-Yu Lai, Bo-Cyuan Lu, Chi On Chui, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yen-Ming Chen
  • Publication number: 20210249519
    Abstract: Semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed herein. An exemplary semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor fin formed on a substrate; and a gate structure disposed over a channel region of the semiconductor fin, the gate structure including a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode, wherein the gate dielectric layer includes a bottom portion and a side portion, and the gate electrode is separated from the side portion of the gate dielectric layer by a first air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Chien Ning Yao, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Wei-Yang Lee, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Publication number: 20210242217
    Abstract: A method includes etching a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin to form first recesses. The first and the second semiconductor fins have a first distance. A third semiconductor fin and a fourth semiconductor fin are etched to form second recesses. The third and the fourth semiconductor fins have a second distance equal to or smaller than the first distance. An epitaxy is performed to simultaneously grow first epitaxy semiconductor regions from the first recesses and second epitaxy semiconductor regions from the second recesses. The first epitaxy semiconductor regions are merged with each other, and the second epitaxy semiconductor regions are separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Chia-Ta Yu, Cheng-Yu Yang, Sheng-Chen Wang, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yen-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 11081395
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a FinFET includes at last the following steps. A semiconductor substrate is patterned to form trenches in the semiconductor substrate and semiconductor fins located between two adjacent trenches of the trenches. Gate stacks is formed over portions of the semiconductor fins. Strained material portions are formed over the semiconductor fins revealed by the gate stacks. First metal contacts are formed over the gate stacks, the first metal contacts electrically connecting the strained material portions. Air gaps are formed in the FinFET at positions between two adjacent gate stacks and between two adjacent strained materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sai-Hooi Yeong, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Yu-Ming Lin, Chi-On Chui
  • Publication number: 20210225713
    Abstract: A method of forming a device includes providing a transistor having a gate structure and a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate structure. A cavity is formed along a sidewall surface of a contact opening over the source/drain structure. After forming the cavity, a sacrificial layer is deposited over a bottom surface and along the sidewall surface of the contact opening including within the cavity. A first portion of the sacrificial layer along the bottom surface of the contact opening is removed to expose a portion of the source/drain structure. A metal plug is then formed over the portion of the exposed source/drain structure. A remaining portion of the sacrificial layer is removed to form an air gap disposed between the metal plug and the gate structure. Thereafter, a seal layer is deposited over the air gap to form an air gap spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Sai-Hooi YEONG, Kai-Hsuan LEE
  • Patent number: 11062957
    Abstract: A method includes providing a device structure having a substrate, an isolation structure over the substrate, and two fins extending from the substrate and through the isolation structure, each fin having two source/drain (S/D) regions and a channel region; depositing a first dielectric layer over top and sidewall surfaces of the fins and over the isolation structure; forming a gate stack over the first dielectric layer and engaging each fin at the respective channel region; treating surfaces of the gate stack and the first dielectric layer such that the surfaces of the gate stack are more attachable to a second dielectric layer than the surfaces of the first dielectric layer are; after the treating of the surfaces, depositing the second dielectric layer; and etching the first dielectric layer to expose the S/D regions of the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-Yu Yang, Chia-Ta Yu, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Feng-Cheng Yang
  • Patent number: 11043425
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a device. The method includes forming a trench that exposes a source/drain (S/D) feature, wherein the S/D feature is separated from a metal gate structure (MG) by a gate spacer. The method further includes removing the gate spacer to form an air gap and forming a first dielectric layer in the trench, wherein the first dielectric layer partially fills the air gap. The method also includes forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer in the trench and forming a S/D contact over the S/D feature and the second dielectric layer, wherein the second dielectric layer is different from the first dielectric layer. After forming the S/D contact, the first dielectric layer is removed to extend the air gap; and after removing the first dielectric layer, a third dielectric layer is formed to seal the air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yen-Ming Chen, Sai-Hooi Yeong
  • Publication number: 20210183996
    Abstract: In one example aspect, a method for integrated circuit (IC) fabrication comprises providing a device structure including a substrate, a source/drain (S/D) feature on the substrate, a gate stack on the substrate, a contact hole over the S/D feature; and a dummy feature over the S/D feature and between the gate stack and the contact hole. The method further comprises forming in the contact hole a contact plug that is electrically coupled to the S/D feature, and, after forming the contact plug, selectively removing the dummy feature to form an air gap that extends higher than a top surface of the gate stack. The method further comprises forming over the contact plug a seal layer that covers the air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Bo-Yu Lai, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yih-Ann Lin, Yen-Ming Chen
  • Publication number: 20210118749
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate stack, an epitaxy structure, a first spacer, a second spacer, and a dielectric residue. The gate stack is over a substrate. The epitaxy structure is formed raised above the substrate. The first spacer is on a sidewall of the gate stack. The first spacer and the epitaxy structure define an air gap therebetween. The second spacer seals the air gap between the first spacer and the epitaxy structure. The dielectric residue is in the air gap and has an upper portion and a lower portion under the upper portion. The upper portion of the dielectric residue has higher etch resistance to phosphoric acid than that of the lower portion of the dielectric residue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo-Yu LAI, Kai-Hsuan LEE, Wei-Yang LEE, Feng-Cheng YANG, Yen-Ming CHEN
  • Patent number: 10985167
    Abstract: A method includes etching a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin to form first recesses. The first and the second semiconductor fins have a first distance. A third semiconductor fin and a fourth semiconductor fin are etched to form second recesses. The third and the fourth semiconductor fins have a second distance equal to or smaller than the first distance. An epitaxy is performed to simultaneously grow first epitaxy semiconductor regions from the first recesses and second epitaxy semiconductor regions from the second recesses. The first epitaxy semiconductor regions are merged with each other, and the second epitaxy semiconductor regions are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Chia-Ta Yu, Cheng-Yu Yang, Sheng-Chen Wang, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yen-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 10971408
    Abstract: A method of forming a device includes providing a transistor having a gate structure and a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate structure. A cavity is formed along a sidewall surface of a contact opening over the source/drain structure. After forming the cavity, a sacrificial layer is deposited over a bottom surface and along the sidewall surface of the contact opening including within the cavity. A first portion of the sacrificial layer along the bottom surface of the contact opening is removed to expose a portion of the source/drain structure. A metal plug is then formed over the portion of the exposed source/drain structure. A remaining portion of the sacrificial layer is removed to form an air gap disposed between the metal plug and the gate structure. Thereafter, a seal layer is deposited over the air gap to form an air gap spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sai-Hooi Yeong, Kai-Hsuan Lee
  • Publication number: 20210066500
    Abstract: A device includes a fin extending from a semiconductor substrate; a gate stack over the fin; a first spacer on a sidewall of the gate stack; a source/drain region in the fin adjacent the first spacer; an inter-layer dielectric layer (ILD) extending over the gate stack, the first spacer, and the source/drain region, the ILD having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion of the ILD is closer to the gate stack than the first portion of the ILD; a contact plug extending through the ILD and contacting the source/drain region; a second spacer on a sidewall of the contact plug; and an air gap between the first spacer and the second spacer, wherein the first portion of the ILD extends across the air gap and physically contacts the second spacer, wherein the first portion of the ILD seals the air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Su-Hao Liu, Kuo-Ju Chen, Kai-Hsuan Lee, I-Hsieh Wong, Cheng-Yu Yang, Liang-Yin Chen, Huicheng Chang, Yee-Chia Yeo, Syun-Ming Jang, Meng-Han Chou
  • Publication number: 20210057546
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a FinFET device having gate spacers with reduced capacitance and methods for forming the FinFET device. Particularly, the FinFET device according to the present disclosure includes gate spacers formed by two or more depositions. The gate spacers are formed by depositing first and second materials at different times of processing to reduce parasitic capacitance between gate structures and contacts introduced after epitaxy growth of source/drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Wen-Kai Lin, Bo-Yu Lai, Li Chun Te, Kai-Hsuan Lee, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Tien-I Bao, Wei-Ken Lin
  • Patent number: 10923565
    Abstract: In one example aspect, a method for integrated circuit (IC) fabrication comprises providing a device structure including a substrate, a source/drain (S/D) feature on the substrate, a gate stack on the substrate, a contact hole over the S/D feature; and a dummy feature over the S/D feature and between the gate stack and the contact hole. The method further comprises forming in the contact hole a contact plug that is electrically coupled to the S/D feature, and, after forming the contact plug, selectively removing the dummy feature to form an air gap that extends higher than a top surface of the gate stack. The method further comprises forming over the contact plug a seal layer that covers the air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kai-Hsuan Lee, Bo-Yu Lai, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yih-Ann Lin, Yen-Ming Chen