Patents by Inventor Min-Hung Lee

Min-Hung Lee 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: 20250228144
    Abstract: A method of forming a memory cell comprises the following steps. A bottom electrode layer is formed over a substrate. A variable resistance film is formed over the bottom electrode layer. The variable resistance film comprises a first orthorhombic phase with a first fraction in the variable resistance film. A top electrode layer is formed over the variable resistance film. A laser anneal process is performed to the substrate, the bottom electrode layer, the variable resistance film and the top electrode layer. After performing the laser anneal process, the variable resistance film comprises a second orthorhombic phase with a second fraction in the variable resistance film, and the second fraction is different from the first fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jia-Yang LEE, Min-Hung LEE
  • Patent number: 12334148
    Abstract: A method of operating a memory cell includes the following steps. A first plurality of bias operations is performed to the memory cell using a first voltage, wherein the memory cell comprises a variable resistance pattern, and the first voltage of each cycle of the first plurality of bias operations has a same first polarity. The memory cell is determined whether reaches a fatigue threshold. After the determination determines that the memory cell reaches the fatigue threshold, a second plurality of bias operations is performed to the memory cell using a second voltage, wherein the second voltage of each cycle of the second plurality of bias operations has a same second polarity, and the second polarity is opposite to the first polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kuo-Yu Hsiang, Min-Hung Lee
  • Publication number: 20250078894
    Abstract: A memory device includes multiple first memory cells each having a first terminal coupled to a first node and a second terminal coupled to a corresponding one in multiple first bit lines; multiple second memory cells each having a first terminal coupled to a second node and a second terminal coupled to a corresponding one in multiple second bit lines; and a driver circuit coupled between the first node and the second node, and configured to generate, in response to a first voltage at the first node, a second voltage at the second node when a memory operation is performed to one of the first memory cells. The first voltage and the second voltage have different polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kuo-Yu HSIANG, Min-Hung LEE
  • Publication number: 20240355926
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure over the substrate, and source/drain regions in the substrate and on opposite sides of the gate structure. The gate structure includes an interfacial layer, a quasi-antiferroelectric (QAFE) layer over the interfacial layer, and a gate electrode over the QAFE layer. The QAPE layer includes Hf1-xZrxO2, in which x is greater than 0.5 and is lower than 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL TAIWAN NORMAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kuan-Ting CHEN, Shu-Tong CHANG, Min-Hung LEE
  • Patent number: 12062719
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure over the substrate, and source/drain regions in the substrate and on opposite sides of the gate structure. The gate structure includes an interfacial layer, a quasi-antiferroelectric (QAFE) layer over the interfacial layer, and a gate electrode over the QAFE layer. The QAFE layer includes Hf1-xZrxO2, in which x is greater than 0.5 and is lower than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL TAIWAN NORMAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kuan-Ting Chen, Shu-Tong Chang, Min-Hung Lee
  • Publication number: 20240170059
    Abstract: A method of operating a memory cell includes the following steps. A first plurality of bias operations is performed to the memory cell using a first voltage, wherein the memory cell comprises a variable resistance pattern, and the first voltage of each cycle of the first plurality of bias operations has a same first polarity. The memory cell is determined whether reaches a fatigue threshold. After the determination determines that the memory cell reaches the fatigue threshold, a second plurality of bias operations is performed to the memory cell using a second voltage, wherein the second voltage of each cycle of the second plurality of bias operations has a same second polarity, and the second polarity is opposite to the first polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, National Taiwan Normal University
    Inventors: Kuo-Yu HSIANG, Min-Hung LEE
  • Patent number: 11942546
    Abstract: A method includes forming an interfacial layer over a substrate; forming a quasi-antiferroelectric (QAFE) layer over the interfacial layer, in which forming the QAFE layer comprises performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycle, and the ALD cycle includes performing a first sub-cycle for X time(s), in which the first sub-cycle comprises providing a Zr-containing precursor; performing a second sub-cycle for Y time(s), in which the second sub-cycle comprises providing a Hf-containing precursor; and performing a third sub-cycle for Z time(s), in which the third sub-cycle comprises providing a Zr-containing precursor, and in which X+Z is at least three times Y; and forming a gate electrode over the QAFE layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL TAIWAN NORMAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kuan-Ting Chen, Shu-Tong Chang, Min-Hung Lee
  • Publication number: 20230422515
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a substrate and a memory device. The memory device is over the substrate. The memory device includes a bottom electrode, a dielectric layer, an antiferroelectric layer, and a top electrode. The dielectric layer is over the bottom electrode. The antiferroelectric layer is over the dielectric layer. The top electrode is over the antiferroelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, National Taiwan Normal University
    Inventors: Kuo-Yu HSIANG, Chun-Yu LIAO, Jen-Ho LIU, Min-Hung LEE
  • Publication number: 20230363170
    Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor layer over a substrate; depositing a first ferroelectric layer over a channel region of the semiconductor layer; depositing a first dielectric layer over the first ferroelectric layer; depositing a second ferroelectric layer over the first dielectric layer; depositing a gate metal layer over the second ferroelectric layer; patterning the gate metal layer, the second ferroelectric layer, the first dielectric layer, and the first ferroelectric layer to form a gate structure; and forming source/drain regions in the semiconductor layer and on opposite sides of the gate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, National Taiwan Normal University
    Inventors: Kuan-Ting CHEN, Chun-Yu LIAO, Kuo-Yu HSIANG, Yun-Fang CHUNG, Min-Hung LEE, Shu-Tong CHANG
  • Publication number: 20220359762
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure over the substrate, and source/drain regions in the substrate and on opposite sides of the gate structure. The gate structure includes an interfacial layer, a quasi-antiferroelectric (QAFE) layer over the interfacial layer, and a gate electrode over the QAFE layer. The QAFE layer includes Hf1?xZrxO2, in which x is greater than 0.5 and is lower than 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, National Taiwan Normal University
    Inventors: Kuan-Ting CHEN, Shu-Tong CHANG, Min-Hung LEE
  • Publication number: 20220181494
    Abstract: A method includes forming an interfacial layer over a substrate; forming a quasi-antiferroelectric (QAFE) layer over the interfacial layer, in which forming the QAFE layer comprises performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycle, and the ALD cycle includes performing a first sub-cycle for X time(s), in which the first sub-cycle comprises providing a Zr-containing precursor; performing a second sub-cycle for Y time(s), in which the second sub-cycle comprises providing a Hf-containing precursor; and performing a third sub-cycle for Z time(s), in which the third sub-cycle comprises providing a Zr-containing precursor, and in which X+Z is at least three times Y; and forming a gate electrode over the QAFE layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, National Taiwan Normal University
    Inventors: Kuan-Ting Chen, Shu-Tong Chang, Min-Hung Lee
  • Patent number: 10686072
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source and a drain and a channel disposed between the source and the drain, a first gate dielectric layer disposed on the channel, a first gate electrode disposed on the first gate dielectric layer, a second gate dielectric layer disposed on the first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode disposed on the second gate dielectric layer. The second gate dielectric layer is made of a ferroelectric material. A first area of a bottom surface of the first gate electrode which is in contact with the first gate dielectric layer where the is greater than a second area of a bottom surface of the second gate dielectric layer which is in contact with the first gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yu-Hung Liao, Samuel C. Pan, Sheng-Ting Fan, Min-Hung Lee, Chee-Wee Liu
  • Publication number: 20180190853
    Abstract: A Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer (HIT) solar cell has a crystalline Si substrate, an intrinsic amorphous Si layer, a doped amorphous Si layer, a transparent conductive layer and two electrode layers. The intrinsic amorphous Si layer disposed between the doped amorphous Si layer and the crystalline silicon substrate contacts the doped amorphous Si layer and the crystalline silicon substrate. Each of the intrinsic amorphous Si layer and the doped amorphous Si layer has the thickness less than 50 nm. The intrinsic amorphous Si layer and the doped amorphous Si layer are both made by electron beam evaporation. The transparent conductive layer is formed on the doped amorphous Si layer. The two electrode layers are formed on the transparent conductive layer and the crystalline silicon substrate respectively. The crystalline silicon substrate is disposed between the two electrode layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: MIN-HUNG LEE, CHIH-YU CHEN, GING-RUE LIOU, SHU-TONG CHANG
  • Publication number: 20180166582
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source and a drain and a channel disposed between the source and the drain, a first gate dielectric layer disposed on the channel, a first gate electrode disposed on the first gate dielectric layer, a second gate dielectric layer disposed on the first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode disposed on the second gate dielectric layer. The second gate dielectric layer is made of a ferroelectric material. A first area of a bottom surface of the first gate electrode which is in contact with the first gate dielectric layer where the is greater than a second area of a bottom surface of the second gate dielectric layer which is in contact with the first gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Yu-Hung LIAO, Samuel C. PAN, Sheng-Ting FAN, Min-Hung LEE, Chee-Wee LIU
  • Patent number: 9978868
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device in accordance with some embodiments. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; a gate stack over the substrate. The gate stack includes a ferroelectric layer; a first dielectric material layer; and a first conductive layer. One of the first dielectric material layer and the ferroelectric layer is electrically charged to form a charged layer with fixed charge. The semiconductor device further includes source and drain features formed on the substrate and disposed on sides of the gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Der-Chuan Lai, Samuel C Pan, Yu-Cheng Shen, Min-Hung Lee, Chee-Wee Liu
  • Patent number: 9768030
    Abstract: A Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor (TFET) includes a source region in a semiconductor substrate, and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate. The source region and the drain region are of opposite conductivity types. The TFET further includes a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate, with the source region and the drain region extending to opposite sides of the gate stack. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, and a ferroelectric layer over the gate dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., National Taiwan University
    Inventor: Min-Hung Lee
  • Publication number: 20170141235
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device in accordance with some embodiments. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; a gate stack over the substrate. The gate stack includes a ferroelectric layer; a first dielectric material layer; and a first conductive layer. One of the first dielectric material layer and the ferroelectric layer is electrically charged to form a charged layer with fixed charge. The semiconductor device further includes source and drain features formed on the substrate and disposed on sides of the gate stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Der-Chuan Lai, Samuel C. Pan, Yu-Cheng Shen, Min-Hung Lee, Chee-Wee Liu
  • Publication number: 20160308021
    Abstract: A Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor (TFET) includes a source region in a semiconductor substrate, and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate. The source region and the drain region are of opposite conductivity types. The TFET further includes a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate, with the source region and the drain region extending to opposite sides of the gate stack. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, and a ferroelectric layer over the gate dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventor: Min-Hung Lee
  • Patent number: 9391162
    Abstract: A Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor (TFET) includes a source region in a semiconductor substrate, and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate. The source region and the drain region are of opposite conductivity types. The TFET further includes a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate, with the source region and the drain region extending to opposite sides of the gate stack. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, and a ferroelectric layer over the gate dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Min-Hung Lee
  • Publication number: 20150287802
    Abstract: A Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor (TFET) includes a source region in a semiconductor substrate, and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate. The source region and the drain region are of opposite conductivity types. The TFET further includes a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate, with the source region and the drain region extending to opposite sides of the gate stack. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, and a ferroelectric layer over the gate dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicants: National Taiwan University, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Min-Hung Lee