Patents by Inventor Karthik Balakrishnan

Karthik Balakrishnan 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: 20210050262
    Abstract: Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask composed of a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask is then patterned with an actively-focused laser beam laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask with gaps, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The semiconductor wafer is then plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Jungrae Park, Sriskantharajah Thirunavukarasu, Eng Sheng Peh
  • Publication number: 20210050263
    Abstract: Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask composed of a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask is then patterned with a uniform rotating laser beam laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask with gaps, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The semiconductor wafer is then plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Jungrae Park, Karthik Balakrishnan, James S. Papanu
  • Patent number: 10916552
    Abstract: A stacked FinFET mask-programmable read only memory (ROM) is provided. The stacked FinFET mask-programmable ROM includes a fin structure extending upward from an insulator layer. The fin structure includes, from bottom to top, a first semiconductor fin portion, an insulator fin portion, and a second semiconductor fin portion. A lower gate structure having a first threshold voltage contacts a sidewall of the first semiconductor fin portion, and an upper gate structure having a second threshold voltage contacts a sidewall of the second semiconductor fin portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10916537
    Abstract: An electric static discharge (ESD) diode pair is disclosed. The first diode of the device includes a first diode junction portion having vertically orientated and horizontally oriented portions of a first conductivity and a second diode junction portion of a second conductivity in direct contact with both of the vertically orientated and horizontally orientated portions of the first diode junction portion. The second diode of the device includes a first diode junction portion having vertically orientated and horizontally oriented portions of a second conductivity and a second diode junction portion having a first conductivity in direct contact with both of the vertically orientated and horizontally orientated portions of the first diode junction portion. A common electrical contact is in direct contact first diode junction portion for each of the first diode and the second diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Alexander Reznicek, Jeng-Bang Yau
  • Patent number: 10903121
    Abstract: Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask composed of a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask is then patterned with a uniform rotating laser beam laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask with gaps, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The semiconductor wafer is then plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jungrae Park, Karthik Balakrishnan, James S. Papanu
  • Patent number: 10903210
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET), integrated circuit (IC) chip including the FETs and a method of forming the IC. Fins on pedestals are defined, e.g., with a hard mask, in a fin layer on a semiconductor wafer and spaces between the pedestals are filled with dielectric material, e.g., shallow trench isolation (STI). Sacrificial sidewalls are formed along the sides of fins and pedestal sub-fins sidewalls are re-exposed. Pedestal sub-fins are doped with a punch-though dopant and punch-though dopant is diffused into the sub-fins and the bottoms of fins. After removing the hard mask and sacrificial sidewalls, metal FET gates are formed on the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Kangguo Cheng, Pouya Hashemi, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 10896912
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first vertical transistor on a semiconductor substrate, and forming a second vertical transistor stacked on the first vertical transistor. In the method, a silicide layer is formed on a first drain region of the first vertical transistor and on a second drain region of the second vertical transistor. The silicide layer electrically connects the first and second drain regions to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan, Tak Ning, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari
  • Patent number: 10886333
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes forming a plurality of source lines spaced apart from each other on a dielectric layer, forming a plurality of spacers on sides of the plurality of source lines, and forming a plurality of drain lines on the dielectric layer adjacent the plurality of source lines including the plurality of spacers formed thereon. In the method, a metal oxide layer is formed on the plurality of source lines and on the plurality of drain lines, and a plurality of gate lines are formed on the metal oxide layer. The plurality of gate lines are oriented perpendicular to the plurality of drain lines and the plurality of source lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10886275
    Abstract: A memory device is provided that includes a bilayer nanosheet channel layer including a silicon (Si) layer and a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer; and a common gate structure for biasing each of the silicon layer and the silicon germanium layer of the bilayer nanosheet channel layer to provide one of the silicon layer and the silicon germanium layer is biased in accumulation and one of the first layer and the second layer biased in inversion. The memory devices also includes a floating body region on a front face or rear face of the bilayer nanosheet channel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Clint Oteri
  • Publication number: 20200402984
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of making the same. The semiconductor structures including at least two vertically stacked nanosheet devices. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a plurality of horizontal nanosheet devices (HNS devices) that are stacked vertically, on top of each other, relative to a top surface of a substrate. The plurality of HNS devices including a first HNS device and a second HNS device that each have source and drain structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Karthik Balakrishnan, Jeng-Bang Yau
  • Patent number: 10833181
    Abstract: A vertical, single column compound semiconductor bipolar junction transistor device includes an all-around extrinsic base. Aspect ratio trapping is employed during fabrication of the transistor device on a silicon substrate. Homojunction and heterojunction devices are formed using III-V materials with appropriate bandgaps. The emitter of the device may be electrically connected by a lateral buried metal contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Pouya Hashemi, Tak H. Ning, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 10825921
    Abstract: A method of forming a lateral bipolar junction transistor (LBJT) that includes providing a germanium containing layer on a crystalline oxide layer, and patterning the germanium containing layer stopping on the crystalline oxide layer to form a base region. The method may further include forming emitter and collector extension regions on opposing sides of the base region using ion implantation, and epitaxially forming an emitter region and collector region on the crystalline oxide layer into contact with the emitter and collector extension regions. The crystalline oxide layer provides a seed layer for the epitaxial formation of the emitter and collector regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Pouya Hashemi, Tak H. Ning, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20200343257
    Abstract: The dosimeter has two vertical field effect transistors (VFETs), each VFET with a bottom and top source/drain and channel between them. An implanted charge storage region material lies between and in contact with each of the vertical channels. A trapped charge is within the implanted charge storage region. The amount of the trapped charge is related to an amount of radiation that passes through the implanted charge storage region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Jeng-Bang Yau, Alexander Reznicek, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Karthik Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10804278
    Abstract: A method for integrating vertical transistors and electric fuses includes forming fins through a dielectric layer and a dummy gate stack on a substrate; thinning top portions of the fins by an etch process; epitaxially growing top source/drain regions on thinned portions of the fins in a transistor region and top cathode/anode regions on the thinned portions of the fins in a fuse region; and removing the dummy gate layer and exposing sidewalls of the fins. The fuse region is blocked to form a gate structure in the transistor region. The transistor region is blocked and the fuse region is exposed to conformally deposit a metal on exposed sidewalls of the fins. The metal is annealed to form silicided fins. Portions of the substrate are separated to form bottom source/drain regions for vertical transistors in the transistor region and bottom cathode/anode regions for fuses in the fuse region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: ELPIS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Michael A. Guillorn, Pouya Hashemi, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20200303388
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first vertical transistor on a semiconductor substrate, and forming a second vertical transistor stacked on the first vertical transistor. In the method, a silicide layer is formed on a first drain region of the first vertical transistor and on a second drain region of the second vertical transistor. The silicide layer electrically connects the first and second drain regions to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan, Tak Ning, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari
  • Patent number: 10784134
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting warpage in a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a warpage detector for detecting warpage in substrates includes: one or more light sources to illuminate one or more substrates when present; a camera for capturing images of exposed portions of one or more substrates when present; a motion assembly having a mounting stage for supporting the camera; and a data acquisition interface (DAI) coupled to the camera to process substrate images and detect warpage of substrates based upon the processed substrate images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Eng Sheng Peh, Karthik Balakrishnan, Sriskantharajah Thirunavukarasu
  • Patent number: 10777555
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming a bottom source/drain region on a semiconductor substrate, forming a channel region extending vertically from the bottom source/drain region, growing a top source/drain region from an upper portion of the channel region, and growing a gate region from a lower portion of the channel region under the upper portion, wherein the gate region is on more than one side of the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karthik Balakrishnan, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Alexander Reznicek, Jeng-Bang Yau
  • Publication number: 20200279888
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes forming a plurality of source lines spaced apart from each other on a dielectric layer, forming a plurality of spacers on sides of the plurality of source lines, and forming a plurality of drain lines on the dielectric layer adjacent the plurality of source lines including the plurality of spacers formed thereon. In the method, a metal oxide layer is formed on the plurality of source lines and on the plurality of drain lines, and a plurality of gate lines are formed on the metal oxide layer. The plurality of gate lines are oriented perpendicular to the plurality of drain lines and the plurality of source lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10756097
    Abstract: VFET-based mask-programmable ROM are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a ROM device includes: forming a bottom drain on a wafer; forming fins on the bottom drain with a top portion having a channel dopant at a different concentration than a bottom portion of the fins; forming bottom/top dummy gates alongside the bottom/top portions of the fins; forming a source in between the bottom/top dummy gates; forming a top drain above the top dummy gates; removing the bottom/top dummy gates; and replacing the bottom/top dummy gates with bottom/top replacement gates, wherein the bottom drain, the bottom replacement gates, the bottom portion of the fins, and the source form bottom VFETs of the ROM device, and wherein the source, the top replacement gates, the top portion of the fins, and the top drain form top VFETs stacked on the bottom VFETs. A ROM device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan, Tak Ning, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari
  • Publication number: 20200259013
    Abstract: A stacked FinFET mask-programmable read only memory (ROM) is provided. The stacked FinFET mask-programmable ROM includes a fin structure extending upward from an insulator layer. In accordance with the present application, the fin structure includes, from bottom to top, a lower programmable semiconductor fin portion having a first threshold voltage, an insulator fin portion, and an upper programmable semiconductor fin portion having a second threshold voltage. A lower gate structure contacts a sidewall of the lower programmable semiconductor fin portion, and an upper gate structure contacts a sidewall of the upper programmable semiconductor fin portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Karthik Balakrishnan, Tak Ning, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari