Patents by Inventor Kuo-Cheng Ching

Kuo-Cheng Ching 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: 10872891
    Abstract: Examples of an integrated circuit with gate cut features and a method for forming the integrated circuit are provided herein. In some examples, a workpiece is received that includes a substrate and a plurality of fins extending from the substrate. A first layer is formed on a side surface of each of the plurality of fins such that a trench bounded by the first layer extends between the plurality of fins. A cut feature is formed in the trench. A first gate structure is formed on a first fin of the plurality of fins, and a second gate structure is formed on a second fin of the plurality of fins such that the cut feature is disposed between the first gate structure and the second gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhi-Chang Lin, Wei-Hao Wu, Jia-Ni Yu, Chih-Hao Wang, Kuo-Cheng Ching
  • Publication number: 20200395359
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes: forming a semiconductor fin extending upwardly from a substrate; breaking the semiconductor fin into two separate fin structures; conformally forming a first dielectric layer over the fin structures; after conformally forming the first dielectric layer, filling a recess between the fin structures with a first flowable oxide; etching back the first flowable oxide to lower a top surface of the first flowable oxide to a level below top surfaces of the fin structures; conformally forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and the etched back first flowable oxide, such that a laterally portion of the second dielectric layer in the recess is lower than the top surfaces of the fin structures; planarizing the first and second dielectric layers to expose the fin structures, while leaving the laterally portion of the second dielectric layer covering the first flowable oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng CHING, Shi-Ning JU, Chih-Hao WANG
  • Patent number: 10868001
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a separation wall made of a dielectric material is formed between two fin structures. A dummy gate structure is formed over the separation wall and the two fin structures. An interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer is formed over the dummy gate structure. An upper portion of the ILD layer is removed, thereby exposing the dummy gate structure. The dummy gate structure is replaced with a metal gate structure. A planarization operation is performed to expose the separation wall, thereby dividing the metal gate structure into a first gate structure and a second gate structure. The first gate structure and the second gate structure are separated by the separation wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Chih-Hao Wang, Chih-Liang Chen, Shi Ning Ju
  • Patent number: 10861952
    Abstract: In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, in a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure in which first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers are alternately stacked is formed. A sacrificial gate structure is formed over the fin structure. A first cover layer is formed over the sacrificial gate structure, and a second cover layer is formed over the first cover layer. A source/drain epitaxial layer is formed. After the source/drain epitaxial layer is formed, the second cover layer is removed, thereby forming a gap between the source/drain epitaxial layer and the first cover layer, from which a part of the fin structure is exposed. Part of the first semiconductor layers is removed in the gap, thereby forming spaces between the second semiconductor layers. The spaces are filled with a first insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ching-Wei Tsai, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Publication number: 20200381352
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a substrate that includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a third semiconductor layer; forming a plurality of fins over the third semiconductor layer; forming a trench between two of the plurality of fins; depositing a dummy material in the trench; forming a gate structure over channel regions of the plurality of the fins; forming source/drain features over source/drain regions of the plurality of the fins; bonding the substrate on a carrier wafer; removing the first and second semiconductor layers to expose the dummy material; removing the dummy material in the trench; depositing a conductive material in the trench; and bonding the substrate to a silicon substrate such that the conductive material is in contact with the silicon substrate. The trench extends through the third semiconductor layer and has a bottom surface on the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Chih-Chao Chou, Kuo-Cheng Ching, Shi Ning Ju, Wen-Ting Lan, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 10854721
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first type region including a first conductivity type. The semiconductor device includes a second type region including a second conductivity type. The semiconductor device includes a channel region extending between the first type region and the second type region. The semiconductor device includes a first silicide region on a first type surface region of the first type region. The first silicide region is separated at least one of a first distance from a first type diffusion region of the first type region or a second distance from the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Colinge, Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ta-Pen Guo, Carlos H. Diaz
  • Patent number: 10847513
    Abstract: Various examples of a buried interconnect line are disclosed herein. In an example, a device includes a fin disposed on a substrate. The fin includes an active device. A plurality of isolation features are disposed on the substrate and below the active device. An interconnect is disposed on the substrate and between the plurality of isolation features such that the interconnect is below a topmost surface of the plurality of isolation features. The interconnect is electrically coupled to the active device. In some such examples, a gate stack of the active device is disposed over a channel region of the active device and is electrically coupled to the interconnect. In some such examples, a source/drain contact is electrically coupled to a source/drain region of the active device, and the source/drain contact is electrically coupled to the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Shi Ning Ju, Kuan-Ting Pan, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 10847426
    Abstract: Provided are FinFET devices and methods of forming the same. A FinFET device includes a substrate, a first gate strip and a second gate strip. The substrate has at least one first fin in a first region, at least one second fin in a second region and an isolation layer covering lower portions of the first and second fins. The first fin includes a first material layer and a second material layer over the first material layer, and the interface between the first material layer and the second material layer is uneven. The first gate strip is disposed across the first fin. The second gate strip is disposed across the second fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semicondutor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hao Wang, Jui-Chien Huang, Kuo-Cheng Ching, Chun-Hsiung Lin, Pei-Hsun Wang
  • Patent number: 10833003
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a substrate that includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a third semiconductor layer; forming a plurality of fins over the third semiconductor layer; forming a trench between two of the plurality of fins; depositing a dummy material in the trench; forming a gate structure over channel regions of the plurality of the fins; forming source/drain features over source/drain regions of the plurality of the fins; bonding the substrate on a carrier wafer; removing the first and second semiconductor layers to expose the dummy material; removing the dummy material in the trench; depositing a conductive material in the trench; and bonding the substrate to a silicon substrate such that the conductive material is in contact with the silicon substrate. The trench extends through the third semiconductor layer and has a bottom surface on the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Chao Chou, Kuo-Cheng Ching, Shi Ning Ju, Wen-Ting Lan, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 10833084
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating an integrated circuit device. The method includes providing a precursor including a substrate having first and second metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) regions. The first and second MOS regions include first and second gate regions, semiconductor layer stacks, and source/drain regions respectively. The method further includes laterally exposing and oxidizing the semiconductor layer stack in the first gate region to form first outer oxide layer and inner nanowire set, and exposing the first inner nanowire set. A first high-k/metal gate (HK/MG) stack wraps around the first inner nanowire set. The method further includes laterally exposing and oxidizing the semiconductor layer stack in the second gate region to form second outer oxide layer and inner nanowire set, and exposing the second inner nanowire set. A second HK/MG stack wraps around the second inner nanowire set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ting-Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 10825918
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a first fin structure and a second fin structure extending above an isolation structure. The semiconductor device structure includes a dummy fin structure formed over the isolation structure, and the dummy fin structure is between the first fin structure and the second fin structure. The semiconductor device structure includes a capping layer formed over the dummy fin structure, and the top surface of the capping layer is higher than the top surface of the first fin structure and the top surface of the second fin structure. The semiconductor device structure includes a first gate structure formed over first fin structure, and a second gate structure formed over the second fin structure. The first gate structure and the second gate structure are separated by the dummy fin structure and the capping layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Zhi-Chang Lin, Kuan-Ting Pan, Chih-Hao Wang, Shi-Ning Ju
  • Patent number: 10825919
    Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor devices is provided. The method includes forming a fin structure on a substrate, in which the fin structure includes a fin stack of alternating first and second semiconductor layers and forming recesses in the fin stack at source and drain regions. The method also includes etching the second semiconductor layers to form recessed second semiconductor layers, and forming third semiconductor layers on sidewalls of the recessed second semiconductor layers. The method further includes epitaxially growing source and drain structures in the recesses, removing the recessed second semiconductor layers to form spaces between the first semiconductor layers, and oxidizing the third semiconductor layers to form inner spacers. In addition, the method includes forming a gate structure to fill the spaces and to surround the first semiconductor layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Hsiung Lin, Pei-Hsun Wang, Chih-Hao Wang, Kuo-Cheng Ching, Jui-Chien Huang
  • Patent number: 10818658
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a fin structure on a substrate; a first gate stack and a second gate stack formed on the fin structure; a dielectric material layer disposed on the first and second gate stacks, wherein the dielectric layer includes a first portion disposed on a sidewall of the first gate stack with a first thickness and a second portion disposed on a sidewall of the second gate stack with a second thickness greater than the first thickness; a first gate spacer disposed on the first portion of the dielectric material layer; and a second gate spacer disposed on the second portion of the dielectric material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ying-Keung Leung, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 10811317
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing semiconductor structures are provided. The method includes alternately stacking first epitaxy layers and second epitaxy layers to form a semiconductor stack and forming a first mask structure and a second mask structure over the semiconductor stack. The method further includes forming spacers on sidewalls of the second mask and patterning the semiconductor stack to form a first fin structure covered by the first mask structure and a second fin structure covered by the second mask structure and the spacers. The method further includes removing the first epitaxy layers of the first fin structure to form first nanostructures and removing the first epitaxy layers of the second fin structure to form second nanostructures. In addition, the second nanostructures are wider than the first nanostructures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Shi-Ning Ju, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 10811509
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source/drain feature disposed over a substrate. The source/drain feature includes a first nanowire, a second nanowire disposed over the first nanowire, a cladding layer disposed over the first nanowire and the second nanowire and a spacer layer extending from the first nanowire to the second nanowire. The device also includes a conductive feature disposed directly on the source/drain feature such that the conductive feature physically contacts the cladding layer and the spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ching-Fang Huang, Carlos H. Diaz, Chih-Hao Wang, Wen-Hsing Hsieh, Ying-Keung Leung
  • Publication number: 20200328219
    Abstract: A method includes providing a substrate having an n-type fin-like field-effect transistor (NFET) region and forming a fin structure in the NFET region. The fin structure includes a first layer having a first semiconductor material, and a second layer under the first layer and having a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material. The method further includes forming a patterned hard mask to fully expose the fin structure in gate regions of the NFET region and partially expose the fin structure in at least one source/drain (S/D) region of the NFET region. The method further includes oxidizing the fin structure not covered by the patterned hard mask, wherein the second layer is oxidized at a faster rate than the first layer. The method further includes forming an S/D feature over the at least one S/D region of the NFET region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ka-Hing Fung, Chih-Sheng Chang, Zhiqiang Wu
  • Patent number: 10804381
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a fin feature over the substrate. The fin feature includes a first portion having a first semiconductor material and a second portion having a second semiconductor material over the first portion. The second semiconductor material is different from the first semiconductor material. The semiconductor device further includes an isolation feature over the substrate and over sides of the fin feature; a semiconductor oxide feature including the first semiconductor material and disposed on sidewalls of the first portion; and a gate stack disposed on the fin feature and the isolation feature. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer extending into recesses that are into a top portion of the semiconductor oxide feature and below the second portion of the fin feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Carlos H. Diaz, Chih-Hao Wang, Zhiqiang Wu
  • Publication number: 20200321339
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a fin-like field-effect transistor (FinFET). The device includes one or more fin structures over a substrate, each with source/drain (S/D) features and a high-k/metal gate (HK/MG). A first HK/MG in a first gate region wraps over an upper portion of a first fin structure, the first fin structure including an epitaxial silicon (Si) layer as its upper portion and an epitaxial growth silicon germanium (SiGe), with a silicon germanium oxide (SiGeO) feature at its outer layer, as its middle portion, and the substrate as its bottom portion. A second HK/MG in a second gate region, wraps over an upper portion of a second fin structure, the second fin structure including an epitaxial SiGe layer as its upper portion, an epitaxial Si layer as it upper middle portion, an epitaxial SiGe layer as its lower middle portion, and the substrate as its bottom portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Ka-Hing Fung, Chih-Sheng Chang, Zhiqiang Wu
  • Publication number: 20200321453
    Abstract: A fin field effect transistor device structure includes a first fin structure formed over a substrate. The structure also includes a fin top layer formed over a top portion of the first fin structure. The structure also includes a first oxide layer formed across the first fin structure and the fin top layer. The structure also includes a first gate structure formed over the first oxide layer across the first fin structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng CHING, Kuan-Ting PAN, Shi-Ning JU, Chih-Hao WANG
  • Publication number: 20200321459
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein for fabricating integrated circuit devices, such as fin-like field-effect transistors (FinFETs), and disclosed are the associated devices. An exemplary method includes forming a first semiconductor material layer over a fin portion of a substrate; forming a second semiconductor material layer over the first semiconductor material layer; and converting a portion of the first semiconductor material layer to a first semiconductor oxide layer. The fin portion of the substrate, the first semiconductor material layer, the first semiconductor oxide layer, and the second semiconductor material layer form a fin. The method further includes forming a gate stack overwrapping the fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Chih-Hao WANG, Gwan-Sin CHANG, Kuo-Cheng CHING, Zhiqiang WU