Patents by Inventor Louis C. Hsu
Louis C. Hsu 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).
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Patent number: 8009461Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a SRAM having a pair of MCSFETs connected as access transistors (pass gates). A design structure embodied or stored in a machine readable medium includes a SRAM having two MCSFETs connected as access transistors.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Xu Ouyang, Louis C. Hsu
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Publication number: 20110201199Abstract: A laser annealing method for annealing a stacked semiconductor structure having at least two stacked layers is disclosed. A laser beam is focused on a lower layer of the stacked layers. The laser beam is then scanned to anneal features in the lower layer. The laser beam is then focused on an upper layer of the stacked layers, and the laser beam is scanned to anneal features in the upper layer. The laser has a wavelength of less than one micrometer. The beam size, depth of focus, energy dosage, and scan speed of the laser beam are programmable. Features in the lower layer are offset from features in the upper layer such that these features do not overlap along a plane parallel to a path of the laser beam. Each of the stacked layers includes active devices, such as transistors. Also, the first and second layers may be annealed simultaneously.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Howard H. Chen, Louis C. Hsu, Lawrence S. Mok, J. Campbell Scott
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Patent number: 7968944Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) chip that may be a bulk CMOS IC chip with silicon on insulator (SOI) Field Effect Transistors (FETs) and method of making the chip. The IC chip includes areas with pockets of buried insulator strata and FETs formed on the strata are SOI FETs. The SOI FETs may include Partially Depleted SOI (PD-SOI) FETs and Fully Depleted SOI (FD-SOI) FETs and the chip may include bulk FETs as well. The FETs are formed by contouring the surface of a wafer, conformally implanting oxygen to a uniform depth, and planarizing to remove the Buried OXide (BOX) in bulk FET regions.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2009Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Rajiv V. Joshi, Louis C. Hsu, Oleg Gluschenkov
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Patent number: 7947599Abstract: A laser annealing method for annealing a stacked semiconductor structure having at least two stacked layers is disclosed. A laser beam is focused on a lower layer of the stacked layers. The laser beam is then scanned to anneal features in the lower layer. The laser beam is then focused on an upper layer of the stacked layers, and the laser beam is scanned to anneal features in the upper layer. The laser has a wavelength of less than one micrometer. The beam size, depth of focus, energy dosage, and scan speed of the laser beam are programmable. Features in the lower layer are offset from features in the upper layer such that these features do not overlap along a plane parallel to a path of the laser beam. Each of the stacked layers includes active devices, such as transistors. Also, the first and second layers may be annealed simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2008Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Howard H. Chen, Louis C. Hsu, Lawrence S. Mok, J. Campbell Scott
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Patent number: 7927995Abstract: An anti-fuse structure that included a buried electrically conductive, e.g., metallic layer as an anti-fuse material as well as a method of forming such an anti-fuse structure are provided. According to the present invention, the inventive anti-fuse structure comprises regions of leaky dielectric between interconnects. The resistance between these original interconnects starts decreasing when two adjacent interconnects are biased and causes a time-dependent dielectric breakdown, TDDB, phenomenon to occur. Decreasing of the resistance between adjacent interconnects can also be expedited via increasing the local temperature.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Chih-Chao Yang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Timothy J. Dalton, Nicholas C. Fuller, Louis C. Hsu
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Publication number: 20110075504Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) cell includes a first read port, the first read port having a first beta ratio; and a write port, the write port having a second beta ratio that is substantially lower than the first beta ratio. A static random access memory (SRAM) array includes a plurality of SRAM cells, an SRAM cell including a first read port, the first read port having a first beta ratio; and a write port, the write port having a second beta ratio that is substantially lower than the first beta ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2009Publication date: March 31, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Yuen H. Chan, Louis C. Hsu, Xu Ouyang, Robert C. Wong
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Patent number: 7911025Abstract: Techniques are provided for fuse/anti-fuse structures, including an inner conductor structure, an insulating layer spaced outwardly of the inner conductor structure, an outer conductor structure disposed outwardly of the insulating layer, and a cavity-defining structure that defines a cavity, with at least a portion of the cavity-defining structure being formed from at least one of the inner conductor structure, the insulating layer, and the outer conductor structure. Methods of making and programming the fuse/anti-fuse structures are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2008Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Louis C. Hsu, Rajiv V. Joshi, Jack Allan Mandelman, Chih-Chao Yang
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Patent number: 7906428Abstract: The present invention provides an interconnect structure that can be made in the BEOL which exhibits good mechanical contact during normal chip operations and does not fail during various reliability tests as compared with the conventional interconnect structures described above. The inventive interconnect structure has a kinked interface at the bottom of a via that is located within an interlayer dielectric layer. Specifically, the inventive interconnect structure includes a first dielectric layer having at least one metallic interconnect embedded within a surface thereof; a second dielectric layer located atop the first dielectric layer, wherein said second dielectric layer has at least one aperture having an upper line region and a lower via region, wherein the lower via region includes a kinked interface; at least one pair of liners located on at least vertical walls of the at least one aperture; and a conductive material filling the at least one aperture.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Timothy Joseph Dalton, Louis C. Hsu, Conal Eugene Murray, Carl Radens, Kwong-Hon Wong, Chih-Chao Yang
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Patent number: 7902061Abstract: A method of making an interconnect structure: which includes providing an interconnect structure in a dielectric material, recessing the dielectric material such that a portion of the interconnect structure extends above an upper surface of the dielectric material; and depositing an encasing cap over the extended portion of the interconnect structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Timothy J. Dalton, Louis C. Hsu, Carl Radens, Theodorus E. Standaert, Keith Kwong Hon Wong, Chih-Chao Yang
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Publication number: 20110002188Abstract: Electronic fuse (e-fuse) systems with multiple reprogrammability are provided. In one aspect, a reprogrammable e-fuse system is provided that includes a first e-fuse string; a second e-fuse string; a selector connected to both the first e-fuse string and the second e-fuse string configured to alternately select an e-fuse from the first e-fuse string or the second e-fuse string to be programmed; and a comparator connected to both the first e-fuse string and the second e-fuse string configured to compare a voltage across the first e-fuse string to a voltage across the second e-fuse string to determine a programming state of the e-fuse system.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2009Publication date: January 6, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Howard H. Chen, John A. Fifield, Louis C. Hsu
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Patent number: 7821051Abstract: A damascene MIM capacitor and a method of fabricating the MIM capacitor. The MIN capacitor includes a dielectric layer having top and bottom surfaces; a trench in the dielectric layer, the trench extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the dielectric layer; a first plate of a MIM capacitor comprising a conformal conductive liner formed on all sidewalls and extending along a bottom of the trench, the bottom of the trench coplanar with the bottom surface of the dielectric layer; an insulating layer formed over a top surface of the conformal conductive liner; and a second plate of the MIM capacitor comprising a core conductor in direct physical contact with the insulating layer, the core conductor filling spaces in the trench not filled by the conformal conductive liner and the insulating layer. The method includes forming portions of the MIM capacitor simultaneously with damascene interconnection wires.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2007Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Chih-Chao Yang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Timothy J. Dalton, Louis C. Hsu
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Patent number: 7790522Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor material having two crystal orientations. The semiconductor material forms an active area of the device. A device channel is formed on the two crystal orientations, which include a first region formed in a first crystal orientation surface of the semiconductor material, and a second region formed in a second crystal orientation surface of the semiconductor material wherein the first crystal orientation surface forms an angle with the second crystal orientation surface and the device channel covers at least an intersection of the angle.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2009Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Louis C. Hsu, Rajiv V. Joshi, Xu Ouyang
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Patent number: 7777306Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor material having two crystal orientations. The semiconductor material forms an active area of the device. A device channel is formed on the two crystal orientations, which include a first region formed in a first crystal orientation surface of the semiconductor material, and a second region formed in a second crystal orientation surface of the semiconductor material wherein the first crystal orientation surface forms an angle with the second crystal orientation surface and the device channel covers at least an intersection of the angle.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2007Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Louis C. Hsu, Rajiv V. Joshi, Xu Ouyang
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Patent number: 7772649Abstract: A masking layer is applied over a top semiconductor layer and patterned to expose in an opening a shallow trench isolation structure and a portion of a top semiconductor region within which a first source/drain region and a body is to be formed. Ions are implanted into a portion of a buried insulator layer within the area of the opening to form damaged buried insulator region. The shallow trench isolation structure is removed and the damaged buried insulator region is etched selective to undamaged buried insulator portions to form a cavity. A dielectric layer is formed on the sidewalls and the exposed bottom surface of the top semiconductor region and a back gate filling the cavity is formed. A contact is formed to provide an electrical bias to the back gate so that the electrical potential of the body and the first source/drain region is electrically modulated.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Kangguo Cheng, Louis C. Hsu, Jack A. Mandelman, Carl Radens, William Tonti
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Patent number: 7732922Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved semiconductor structure, such that within the same insulating layer, Cu interconnects embedded within the same insulating level layer have a different Cu grain size than other Cu interconnects embedded within the same insulating level layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2008Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Chih-Chao Yang, Louis C. Hsu, Rajiv V. Joshi
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Patent number: 7727888Abstract: An interconnect structure and a method for forming the same are described. Specifically, under the present invention, a gouge is created within a via formed in the interconnect structure before any trenches are formed. This prevents the above-mentioned trench damage from occurring. That is, the bottom surface of the trenches will have a roughness of less than approximately 20 nm, and preferably less than approximately 10 nm. In addition to the via, gouge and trench(es), the interconnect structure of the present invention includes at least two levels of metal wiring. Further, in a typical embodiment, the interconnect structure utilizes any dielectrics having a dielectric constant no greater than approximately 5.0.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2005Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Chih-Chao Yang, Louis C. Hsu, Rajiv V. Joshi
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Patent number: 7728371Abstract: An isolated shallow trench isolation portion is formed in a top semiconductor portion of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate along with a shallow trench isolation structure. A trench in the shape of a ring is formed around a doped top semiconductor portion and filled with a conductive material such as doped polysilicon. The isolated shallow trench isolation portion and the portion of a buried insulator layer bounded by a ring of the conductive material are etched to form a cavity. A capacitor dielectric is formed on exposed semiconductor surfaces within the cavity and above the doped top semiconductor portion. A conductive material portion formed in the trench and above the doped top semiconductor portion constitutes an inner electrode of a capacitor, while the ring of the conductive material, the doped top semiconductor portion, and a portion of a handle substrate abutting the capacitor dielectric constitute a second electrode.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2007Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Kangguo Cheng, Louis C Hsu, Jack A. Mandelman, William Tonti
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Patent number: 7726010Abstract: A method of fabricating a MEMS switch having a free moving inductive element within in micro-cavity guided by at least one inductive coil. The switch consists of an upper inductive coil at one end of a micro-cavity; optionally, a lower inductive coil; and a free-moving inductive element preferably made of magnetic material. The coils are provided with an inner permalloy core. Switching is achieved by passing a current through the upper coil, inducing a magnetic field unto the inductive element. The magnetic field attracts the free-moving inductive element upwards, shorting two open conductive wires, closing the switch. When the current flow stops or is reversed, the free-moving magnetic element drops back by gravity to the bottom of the micro-cavity and the conductive wires open. When the chip is not mounted with the correct orientation, the lower coil pulls the free-moving inductive element back at its original position.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2008Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Louis C. Hsu, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Timothy J. Dalton, Carl J. Radens, Keith Kwong Hon Wong, Chih-Chao Yang
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Patent number: 7709365Abstract: A method for forming a CMOS well structure including forming a plurality of first conductivity type wells over a substrate, each of the plurality of first conductivity type wells formed in a respective opening in a first mask. A cap is formed over each of the first conductivity type wells, and the first mask is removed. Sidewall spacers are formed on sidewalls of each of the first conductivity type wells. A plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed, each of the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed between respective first conductivity type wells. A plurality of shallow trench isolations are formed between the first conductivity type wells and second conductive type wells. The plurality of first conductivity type wells are formed by a first selective epitaxial growth process, and the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed by a second selective epitaxial growth process.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2006Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Wilfried Haensch, Terence B. Hook, Louis C. Hsu, Rajiv V. Joshi, Werner Rausch
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Patent number: 7694243Abstract: A system for protecting a weak device operating in micro-electronic circuit and a design structure including the system embodied in a machine readable medium are disclosed. The system includes a high voltage power supply from high voltage overstressing prevents the weak device from failing during power-up, power-down, and when a low voltage power supply in a multiple power supply system is absent. The system further includes a low voltage power supply detection circuit configured to detect circuit power-up, circuit power-down, and when the low voltage power supply is absent, and generate a control signal upon detection. The system further includes a controlled current mirror device configured to provide a trickle current to maintain a conduction channel in the weak device in response to the control signal received from the low voltage power supply detection circuit during circuit power-up, circuit power-down, and when the low voltage power supply is absent.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2007Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hibourahima Camara, Louis C. Hsu, James D. Rockrohr, Karl D. Selander, Huihao Xu, Steven J. Zier