Patents by Inventor Lars Liebmann
Lars Liebmann 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: 20230078381Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a semiconductor structure. For example, the semiconductor structure can include a lower channel structure, an upper channel structure formed vertically over the lower channel, a first transistor device including lower and upper gates formed around a first portion of the lower and upper channel structures, respectively, and a separation layer formed between and separating the lower and upper gates, and a second transistor device including a common gate formed around a second portion of the lower and upper channel structures. The first portion of the lower channel structure is equal to the first portion of the upper channel structure in width, and has a first width less than a second width of the second portion of the lower channel structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2022Publication date: March 16, 2023Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Lars LIEBMANN, Jeffrey SMITH, Daniel CHANEMOUGAME, Paul GUTWIN
-
Patent number: 11581242Abstract: A microfabrication device is provided. The microfabrication device includes a combined substrate including a first substrate connected to a second substrate, the first substrate having first devices and the second substrate having second devices; fluidic passages formed at a connection point between the first substrate and the second substrate, the connection point including a wiring structure that electrically connects first devices to second devices and physically connects the first substrate to the second substrate; dielectric fluid added to the fluidic passages; and a circulating mechanism configured to circulate the dielectric fluid through the fluidic passages to transfer heat.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Daniel Chanemougame, Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Paul Gutwin
-
Patent number: 11574845Abstract: A method of manufacturing a 3D semiconductor device, the method including forming a first target structure, the first target structure including at least one upper gate, at least one bottom gate, and a dielectric separation layer disposed between and separating the at least one upper gate and the at least one bottom gate; removing material in a plurality of material removal areas in the first target structure, the plurality of material removal areas including at least one material removal area that extends through the at least one upper gate to a top of the dielectric separation layer; and forming a first contact establishing a first electrical connection to the upper gate and a second contact establishing a second electrical connection to the at least one bottom gate, such that the first contact and second contact are independent of each other.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Daniel Chanemougame, Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Anton deVilliers
-
Publication number: 20230036597Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a self-aligned microfabrication method, which can include providing a substrate having vertically arranged first and second channel structures, forming first and second sacrificial contacts to cover ends of the first and second channel structures, respectively, covering the first and second sacrificial contacts with a fill material, recessing the fill material such that the second sacrificial contact is at least partially uncovered while the first sacrificial contact remains covered, replacing the second sacrificial contact with a cover spacer, removing a remaining portion of the first fill material, uncovering the end of the first channel structure, forming a first source/drain (S/D) contact to cover the end of the first channel structure, covering the first S/D contact with a second fill material, uncovering the end of the second channel structure, and forming a second S/D contact at the end of the second channel structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2022Publication date: February 2, 2023Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Jeffrey SMITH, Daniel CHANEMOUGAME, Lars LIEBMANN, Paul GUTWIN, Subhadeep KAL, Kandabara TAPILY, Anton DEVILLIERS
-
Publication number: 20230024975Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor apparatus includes forming a plurality of repetitive initial structures over a substrate of the semiconductor apparatus. An initial structure in the plurality of repetitive initial structures is formed by forming a first stack of transistors along a Z direction substantially perpendicular to a substrate plane, and forming local interconnect structures. Each of the transistors in the first stack of transistors is sandwiched between two of the local interconnect structures. Vertical conductive structures are formed substantially parallel to the Z direction, a height of one of the vertical conductive structures along the Z direction being at least a height of the initial structure. The initial structure is functionalized into a final structure by forming one or more connections each electrically coupling one of the local interconnect structures to one of the vertical conductive structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Anton deVilliers
-
Publication number: 20230017350Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor device. For example, the method can include forming a target structure, the target structure including a lower gate region, an upper gate region, and a separation layer disposed between and separating the lower gate region and the upper gate region. The method can also include forming a sacrificial contact structure extending vertically from the bottom gate region through the separation layer and the upper gate region to a position above the upper gate region, removing at least a portion of the sacrificial contact structure resulting in a lower gate contact opening extending from the position above the upper gate region to the bottom gate region, insulating a side wall surface of the lower gate contact opening, and filling the lower gate contact opening with a conductor to form a lower gate contact.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Daniel CHANEMOUGAME, Lars LIEBMANN, Jeffrey SMITH, Paul GUTWIN
-
Patent number: 11550985Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving data representative of an electrical circuit including an arrangement of devices, inputs, outputs, and power sources; pairing the devices based on a complimentary feature shared between the devices, the complimentary feature being associated to an operational characteristic of the devices; grouping the paired devices into device clusters based on common features shared between two or more of the paired devices; arranging the device clusters based on locations of input, outputs, or power connections of the device clusters to optimize electrical isolation or electrical connections between the device clusters; and generating discrete portions of the arranged device clusters to form a physical layout representative of a physical manifestation of the electrical circuit, such that when the discrete portions are integrated together they form a physical manifestation of the electrical circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Lars Liebmann
-
Patent number: 11545497Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) structure is provided. The structure includes a plurality of SRAM bit cells on a substrate. Each SRAM bit cell includes at least six transistors including at least two NMOS transistors and at least two PMOS transistors. Each of the six transistors is being lateral gate-all-around transistors in that gates wraps all around a cross section of channels of the at least six transistors. The at least six transistors positioned in three decks in which a third deck is positioned vertically above a second deck, and the second deck is positioned vertically above a first deck relative to a working surface of the substrate. A first inverter is formed using a first transistor positioned in the first deck and a second transistor positioned in the second deck. A second inverter is formed using a third transistor positioned in the first deck and a fourth transistor positioned in the second deck. A pass gate is located in the third deck.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Daniel Chanemougame, Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith
-
Publication number: 20220416048Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a method, which includes providing a semiconductor structure including a first lower semiconductor device and a first upper semiconductor device stacked vertically over the first lower semiconductor device. The first lower semiconductor device has one or more first lower channels. The first upper semiconductor device has one or more first upper channels. First work function metal (WFM) can cover the first lower channels and the first upper channels. The method can also include recessing the first WFM to uncover the first upper channels of the first upper semiconductor device, depositing a monolayer on uncovered dielectric surfaces of the semiconductor structure, depositing isolation dielectric on the first WFM of the first lower semiconductor device, and depositing second WFM to cover the first upper channels of the first upper semiconductor device. The isolation dielectric isolates the first lower semiconductor device from the first upper semiconductor device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Jeffrey SMITH, Lars LIEBMANN, Daniel CHANEMOUGAME, Paul GUTWIN, Kandabara TAPILY, Subhadeep KAL, Robert CLARK
-
Patent number: 11532708Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first field-effect transistor positioned over a substrate, a second field-effect transistor stacked over the first field-effect transistor, a third field-effect transistor stacked over the second field-effect transistor, and a fourth field-effect transistor stacked over the third field-effect transistor. A bottom gate structure is disposed around a first channel structure of the first field-effect transistor and positioned over the substrate. An intermediate gate structure is disposed over the bottom gate structure and around a second channel structure of the second field-effect transistor and a third channel structure of the third field-effect transistor. A top gate structure is disposed over the intermediate gate structure and around a fourth channel structure of the fourth field-effect transistor.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2021Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Daniel Chanemougame, Paul Gutwin
-
Publication number: 20220375921Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an array of unit cells, each unit cell of which including field effect transistors arranged in a stack. Local interconnect structures form select conductive paths between select terminals of the field effect transistors to define cell circuitry that is confined within each unit cell. An array of contacts is disposed on an accessible surface of the unit cell, where each contact is electrically coupled to a corresponding electrical node of the cell circuitry.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2022Publication date: November 24, 2022Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Daniel Chanemougame, Anton deVilliers
-
Publication number: 20220367461Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a multi-tier semiconductor structure. For example, the semiconductor structure can include a lower semiconductor device tier including lower semiconductor devices, an upper semiconductor device tier disposed over the lower semiconductor device tier and including upper semiconductor devices, a separation layer disposed between and separating the lower and upper semiconductor device tiers, a wiring tier disposed below the lower semiconductor device tier, a lower gate contact extending from a lower gate region of the lower semiconductor device tier downward to the wiring tier, an upper gate contact extending from an upper gate region of the upper semiconductor device tier downward through the separation layer to the wiring tier, and an isolator covering a lateral surface of the upper gate contact and electrically isolating the upper and lower gate contacts. The lower gate contact and the upper gate contact can be independent from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Daniel CHANEMOUGAME, Lars LIEBMANN, Jeffrey SMITH, Paul GUTWIN
-
Patent number: 11495540Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a semiconductor apparatus including a plurality of structures. A first one of the structures comprises a first stack of transistors that includes a first transistor formed on a substrate and a second transistor stacked on the first transistor along a Z direction substantially perpendicular to a substrate plane of the semiconductor apparatus. The first one of the structures further includes local interconnect structures. The first transistor is sandwiched between two of the local interconnect structures. The first one of the structures further includes vertical conductive structures substantially parallel to the Z direction. The vertical conductive structures are configured to provide at least power supplies for the first one of the structures by electrically coupling with the local interconnect structures. A height of one of the vertical conductive structures along the Z direction is at least a height of the first one of the structures.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Anton deVilliers
-
Patent number: 11488947Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an array of unit cells, each unit cell of which including field effect transistors arranged in a stack. Local interconnect structures form select conductive paths between select terminals of the field effect transistors to define cell circuitry that is confined within each unit cell. An array of contacts is disposed on an accessible surface of the unit cell, where each contact is electrically coupled to a corresponding electrical node of the cell circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Daniel Chanemougame, Anton deVilliers
-
Patent number: 11469146Abstract: In a self-aligned fin cut process for fabricating integrated circuits, a sacrificial gate or an epitaxially-formed source/drain region is used as an etch mask in conjunction with a fin cut etch step to remove unwanted portions of the fins. The process eliminates use of a lithographically-defined etch mask to cut the fins, which enables precise and accurate alignment of the fin cut.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.Inventors: Lei L. Zhuang, Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Lars Liebmann, Ruilong Xie, Terence Hook
-
Publication number: 20220302121Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a first stack is positioned over substrate and includes a first pair of transistors and a second pair of transistors stacked over the substrate. A second stack is positioned over the substrate and adjacent to the first stack. The second stack includes a third pair of transistors and a fourth pair of transistors stacked over the substrate. A first capacitor is stacked with the first and second stacks. A second capacitor is positioned adjacent to the first capacitor and stacked with the first and second stacks. A first group of the transistors in the first and second stacks is coupled to each other to form a static random-access memory cell. A second group of the transistors in the first and second stacks is coupled to the first and second capacitors to form a first dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) cell and a second DRAM cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2021Publication date: September 22, 2022Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Paul GUTWIN, Lars LIEBMANN, Daniel CHANEMOUGAME
-
Patent number: 11450671Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a semiconductor apparatus including a first stack of transistors and a second stack of transistors. The first stack includes a first transistor and a second transistor stacked on the first transistor along a Z direction perpendicular to a substrate plane. The second stack includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor stacked on the third transistor along the Z direction. The semiconductor apparatus includes a first routing track and a second routing track electrically isolated from the first routing track. The first and second routing tracks extend in an X direction parallel to the substrate plane. A first and fourth conductive trace conductively couple a first gate of the first transistor and a fourth gate of the fourth transistor to the first routing track, respectively. A first terminal structure conductively couples four source/drain terminals of the first, second, third and fourth transistors, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Anton deVilliers, Daniel Chanemougame
-
Patent number: 11437376Abstract: A 3D IC includes a substrate having a substrate surface, a first stack of semiconductor devices stacked along a thickness direction of the substrate, and a second stack of semiconductor devices stacked along the thickness direction of the substrate and provided adjacent to the first stack in a direction along the substrate surface. Each semiconductor device of the first and second stack includes a gate and a pair of source-drain regions provided on opposite sides of the respective gate, and each gate of the first and second stack is a split gate. A gate contact is physically connected to a first split gate of a first one of the semiconductor devices. The gate contact forms at least part of a local interconnect structure that electrically connects the first semiconductor device to a second semiconductor device in the 3D IC.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Lars Liebmann, Jeffrey Smith, Anton deVilliers, Daniel Chanemougame
-
Publication number: 20220277957Abstract: A method of forming transistor devices is described that includes forming a first transistor plane on a substrate, the first transistor plane including at least one layer of epitaxial film adaptable for forming channels of field effect transistors, depositing a first insulator layer on the first transistor plane, depositing a first layer of polycrystalline silicon on the first insulator layer, annealing the first layer of polycrystalline silicon using laser heating. The laser heating increases grain size of the first layer of polycrystalline silicon. The method further includes forming a second transistor plane on the first layer of polycrystalline silicon, the second transistor plane being adaptable for forming channels of field effect transistors, depositing a second insulator layer on the second transistor plane, depositing a second layer of polycrystalline silicon on the second insulator layer, and annealing the second layer of polycrystalline silicon using laser heating.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2020Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventors: H. Jim Fulford, Mark I. Gardner, Jeffrey Smith, Lars Liebmann, Daniel Chanemougame
-
Publication number: 20220271033Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a multi-tier semiconductor structure. For example, the multi-tier semiconductor structure can include a first semiconductor device tier that includes first semiconductor devices. A first signal wiring structure can be formed over and electrically connected to the first semiconductor device tier. An insulator layer can be formed over the first signal wiring structure. A second semiconductor device tier can be formed over the insulator layer, the second semiconductor device tier including second semiconductor devices. A second signal wiring structure can be formed over and electrically connected to the second semiconductor device tier. An inter-tier via can be formed vertically through the insulator layer and electrically connecting the second signal wiring structure to the first signal wiring structure. The first semiconductor device tier, the second semiconductor device tier and the inter-tier via can be formed monolithically.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2021Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Daniel CHANEMOUGAME, Lars LIEBMANN, Jeffrey SMITH, Paul GUTWIN, Xiaoqing XU