Patents by Inventor Michael RIZZOLO

Michael RIZZOLO 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: 20250140606
    Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 12218003
    Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Adeia Semiconductor Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Patent number: 12182825
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a compliance evaluation system, which may implement a software-based compliance evaluation tool for accurate notation, capture, and reporting of all potential compliance problems within a technical, a procedural or a process domain associated with a software program. The compliance evaluation system may enable a rapid and pro-active response to reported potential compliance problems by routing the reported potential compliance problems to appropriate analyst computers before the potential compliance problems become real and serious for company and vendors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walton Easley, Kenneth Thomas, Dennis Gudenau, Edward Michael Rizzolo, Charles Sullivan Heath, Jr., Abram Alian Maldonado
  • Publication number: 20240413076
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a porous dielectric layer including a recessed portion, a conductive layer formed in the recessed portion, and a cap layer formed on the porous dielectric layer and on the conductive layer in the recessed portion, an upper surface of the porous dielectric layer being exposed through a gap in the cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin David Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Bartlet H. Deprospo, Huai Huang, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Publication number: 20240365673
    Abstract: Embodiments of present invention provide a method of forming a MRAM structure. The method includes providing a supporting structure, forming a free layer on top of the supporting structure, a tunnel barrier layer on top of the free layer, and a reference layer on top of the tunnel barrier layer; etching the reference layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the free layer to form a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack on top of the supporting structure; the MTJ stack having sidewalls of the reference layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the free layer being exposed; performing an in-situ oxidation of the sidewalls of the tunnel barrier layer; performing an in-situ etching of the sidewalls of the tunnel barrier layer with an anhydrous vapor-phase etch chemistry; and performing an in-situ encapsulation of the sidewalls of the tunnel barrier layer. A structure formed by the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Michael Rizzolo, Julien Frougier, Hemanth Jagannathan
  • Patent number: 12112339
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a compliance evaluation system, which may implement a software-based compliance evaluation tool for accurate notation, capture, and reporting of all potential compliance problems within a technical, a procedural or a process domain associated with a software program. The compliance evaluation system may enable a rapid and pro-active response to reported potential compliance problems by routing the reported potential compliance problems to appropriate analyst computers before the potential compliance problems become real and serious for company and vendors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walton Easley, Kenneth Thomas, Dennis Gudenau, Edward Michael Rizzolo, Charles Sullivan Heath, Jr., Abram Alian Maldonado
  • Publication number: 20240224812
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM) formed at a backside of a wafer. A self-aligning micro stud and silicide layer can directly electrically connect the MRAM to a source/drain (S/D) of a transistor in the MRAM region of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Tao Li, Ruilong Xie, Michael Rizzolo, Julien Frougier
  • Publication number: 20240203904
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided that includes a stress modulating pattern containing bonding dielectric layer. The stress modulating pattern containing bonding dielectric layer can be formed on a wafer, on a device-containing region that is present on a device wafer, or both a wafer and a device-containing region that is present on a device wafer. The stress modulating pattern is composed of a plurality of patterned structures (metal and/or dielectric) that are embedded at least partially within a bonding dielectric layer. Warpage modulation can be achieved using such a stress modulating pattern containing bonding dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: FEE LI LIE, Hosadurga Shobha, Michael Rizzolo, Aakrati Jain, Sagarika Mukesh, Christopher J. Waskiewicz
  • Publication number: 20240147876
    Abstract: A memory cell structure includes a substrate having formed thereon a first electrode and second electrodes physically spaced apart. A phase change material (PCM) cell is formed on the substrate and forms a bridge extending between the first and second electrodes, the phase change material including a first end electrically contacting the first electrode and a second end contacting the second electrode. The phase change material cell includes a thinned surface portion where a surface topography of the phase change material cell is decreased relative to a surface topography of the phase change material cell surface at the first and second ends. The PCM thickness is intentionally gradually tapered to localize the formation of the phase change region. During PCM programming, corresponding to the weight update in machine learning, the phase change of the PCM occurs at the thinnest surface portion and gradually propagates towards the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11955424
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a porous dielectric layer including a recessed portion, a conductive layer formed in the recessed portion, and a cap layer formed on the porous dielectric layer and on the conductive layer in the recessed portion, an upper surface of the porous dielectric layer being exposed through a gap in the cap layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Adeia Semiconductor Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin David Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Bartlet H. Deprospo, Huai Huang, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11942126
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell. The MRAM cell comprises a top contact, a hard mask layer below the top contact, and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) below the hard mask layer. The MRAM cell further comprises a diffusion barrier below the MTJ, a bottom contact below the diffusion barrier, and a magnetic liner arranged around the bottom contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Rizzolo, Saba Zare, Virat Vasav Mehta, Eric Raymond Evarts
  • Publication number: 20240096693
    Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher J. Penny, Benjamin D. Briggs, Huai Huang, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Hosadurga Shobha
  • Publication number: 20240090235
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a backside power distribution network; a backside power rail joined to the backside power distribution network; and a backside contact via that couples at least one front end of line transistor to the backside power rail; wherein the backside contact via comprises a pillar based memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Wu-Chang Tsai, Alexander Reznicek, Michael Rizzolo, Ailian Zhao
  • Publication number: 20240057345
    Abstract: A back side contact structure is provided that directly connects a first electrode of a MRAM, which is present in a back side of a wafer, to a source/drain structure of a transistor. The back side contact is self-aligned to the source/drain structure of the transistor as well as to the first electrode of the MRAM. The close proximity between the MRAM and the source/drain structure increases the speed of the device. MRAM yield is not compromised since no re-sputtering of back side contact metal onto the MRAM occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Ruilong Xie, Nicholas Anthony Lanzillo, Koichi Motoyama, Brent A. Anderson, Michael Rizzolo, Lawrence A. Clevenger
  • Publication number: 20240014133
    Abstract: An electrical device includes a plurality of metal lines in a region of a substrate positioned in an array of metal lines all having parallel lengths, and a plurality of air gaps between the metal lines in a same level as the metal lines, wherein an air gap is present between each set of adjacent metal lines. A plurality of interconnects may be present in electrical communication with said plurality of metal lines, wherein an exclusion zone for said plurality of interconnects is not present in said array of metal lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11869561
    Abstract: A cross-point SOT-MRAM cell includes: a first SHE write line; a second SHE write line non-colinear to the first SHE write line; a cross-point free layer comprising a first free layer, a second free layer, and a dielectric layer disposed between the first and the second free layers, the cross-point free layer configured to store a magnetic bit and located between and in contact with both the first SHE write line and the second SHE write line; and a remote sensing MTJ located in a vicinity of the cross-point free layer, wherein a free layer sensor of the remote sensing MTJ is in contact with one of the first SHE write line and the second SHE write line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Julien Frougier, Dimitri Houssameddine, Ruilong Xie, Kangguo Cheng, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11869783
    Abstract: One or more processors determine a predicted sorting bin of a semiconductor device, based on measurement and test data performed on the semiconductor device subsequent to a current metallization layer. A current predicted sorting bin and a target sorting bin are determined by a machine learning model for the semiconductor device; the target bin include higher performance semiconductor devices than the predicted sorting bin. The model determines a performance level improvement attainable by adjustments made to process parameters of subsequent metallization layers of the semiconductor device. Adjustments to process parameters are generated, based on measurement and test data of the current metallization layer of semiconductor device, and the adjustment outputs for the process parameters of the subsequent metallization layers of the semiconductor device are made available to the one or more subsequent metallization layer processes by a feed-forward mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Nicholas A. Lanzillo, Michael Rizzolo, Theodorus E. Standaert, James Stathis
  • Publication number: 20230409692
    Abstract: A system for a touch screen interface that includes a coating including a plurality of a touch activated microchips; and a projector for projecting a light image onto the coating that is applied to a touch screen substrate. The system also includes an image calibrator that calibrates touch activated microchips in the coating to features of the light image projected onto the coating. The system further includes a receiver for receiving signal from the touch activated microchips when said feature of the light image is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Maryam Ashoori, Benjamin D. Briggs, Justin A. Canaperi, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Leigh Anne H. Clevenger, Michael Rizzolo, Spyridon Skordas
  • Publication number: 20230361023
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a porous dielectric layer including a recessed portion, a conductive layer formed in the recessed portion, and a cap layer formed on the porous dielectric layer and on the conductive layer in the recessed portion, an upper surface of the porous dielectric layer being exposed through a gap in the cap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin David Briggs, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Bartlet H. Deprospo, Huai Huang, Christopher J. Penny, Michael Rizzolo
  • Patent number: 11812668
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a conductive shell layer along a memory stack and a patterned hardmask disposed on the memory stack, and etching the patterned hardmask, the conductive shell layer and the memory stack to form a structure including a central core surrounded by a conductive outer shell disposed on a patterned memory stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Rizzolo, Theodorus E. Standaert, Ashim Dutta, Dominik Metzler