Patents by Inventor Reiner Port

Reiner Port 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).

  • Dry etch process landing on metal oxide etch stop layer over metal layer and structure formed thereby
    Patent number: 11195725
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a metal layer on a first dielectric layer. An etch stop layer is disposed over the metal layer and on the dielectric layer directly adjacent to the metal layer. The etch stop layer includes a metal oxide, and is less than 10 nanometers thick. A second dielectric layer is disposed over the etch stop layer. The second dielectric layer is removed from an etched region which extends down to the etch stop layer. The etched region extends at least partially over the metal layer. In one version of the microelectronic device, the etch stop layer may extend over the metal layer in the etched region. In another version, the etch stop layer may be removed in the etched region. The microelectronic device is formed by etching the second dielectric layer using a plasma etch process, stopping on the etch stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sebastian Meier, Michael Hans Enzelberger-Heim, Reiner Port
  • DRY ETCH PROCESS LANDING ON METAL OXIDE ETCH STOP LAYER OVER METAL LAYER AND STRUCTURE FORMED THEREBY
    Publication number: 20200303202
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a metal layer on a first dielectric layer. An etch stop layer is disposed over the metal layer and on the dielectric layer directly adjacent to the metal layer. The etch stop layer includes a metal oxide, and is less than 10 nanometers thick. A second dielectric layer is disposed over the etch stop layer. The second dielectric layer is removed from an etched region which extends down to the etch stop layer. The etched region extends at least partially over the metal layer. In one version of the microelectronic device, the etch stop layer may extend over the metal layer in the etched region. In another version, the etch stop layer may be removed in the etched region. The microelectronic device is formed by etching the second dielectric layer using a plasma etch process, stopping on the etch stop layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Sebastian Meier, Michael Hans Enzelberger-Heim, Reiner Port
  • Dry etch process landing on metal oxide etch stop layer over metal layer and structure formed thereby
    Patent number: 10707089
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a metal layer on a first dielectric layer. An etch stop layer is disposed over the metal layer and on the dielectric layer directly adjacent to the metal layer. The etch stop layer includes a metal oxide, and is less than 10 nanometers thick. A second dielectric layer is disposed over the etch stop layer. The second dielectric layer is removed from an etched region which extends down to the etch stop layer. The etched region extends at least partially over the metal layer. In one version of the microelectronic device, the etch stop layer may extend over the metal layer in the etched region. In another version, the etch stop layer may be removed in the etched region. The microelectronic device is formed by etching the second dielectric layer using a plasma etch process, stopping on the etch stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sebastian Meier, Michael Hans Enzelberger-Heim, Reiner Port
  • DRY ETCH PROCESS LANDING ON METAL OXIDE ETCH STOP LAYER OVER METAL LAYER AND STRUCTURE FORMED THEREBY
    Publication number: 20190304796
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a metal layer on a first dielectric layer. An etch stop layer is disposed over the metal layer and on the dielectric layer directly adjacent to the metal layer. The etch stop layer includes a metal oxide, and is less than 10 nanometers thick. A second dielectric layer is disposed over the etch stop layer. The second dielectric layer is removed from an etched region which extends down to the etch stop layer. The etched region extends at least partially over the metal layer. In one version of the microelectronic device, the etch stop layer may extend over the metal layer in the etched region. In another version, the etch stop layer may be removed in the etched region. The microelectronic device is formed by etching the second dielectric layer using a plasma etch process, stopping on the etch stop layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sebastian Meier, Michael Hans Enzelberger-Heim, Reiner Port