Patents by Inventor SEAN T. MA

SEAN T. MA 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).

  • Patent number: 12288803
    Abstract: A transistor includes a body of semiconductor material, where the body has laterally opposed body sidewalls and a top surface. A gate structure contacts the top surface of the body. A source region contacts a first one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls and a drain region contacts a second one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls. A first isolation region is under the source region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the source region. A second isolation region is under the drain region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the drain region. Depending on the transistor configuration, a major portion of the inner-facing sidewalls of the first and second isolation regions contact respective sidewalls of either a subfin structure (e.g., FinFET transistor configurations) or a lower portion of a gate structure (e.g., gate-all-around transistor configuration).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Willy Rachmady, Cheng-Ying Huang, Matthew V. Metz, Nicholas G. Minutillo, Sean T. Ma, Anand S. Murthy, Jack T. Kavalieros, Tahir Ghani, Gilbert Dewey
  • Patent number: 12211898
    Abstract: Discussed herein is device contact sizing in integrated circuit (IC) structures. In some embodiments, an IC structure may include: a first source/drain (S/D) contact in contact with a first S/D region, and a second S/D contact in contact with a second S/D region, wherein the first S/D region and the second S/D region have a same length, and the first S/D contact and the second S/D contact have different lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Guillaume Bouche, Andy Chih-Hung Wei, Sean T. Ma
  • Patent number: 12191349
    Abstract: Material systems for source region, drain region, and a semiconductor body of transistor devices in which the semiconductor body is electrically insulated from an underlying substrate are selected to reduce or eliminate a band to band tunneling (“BTBT”) effect between different energetic bands of the semiconductor body and one or both of the source region and the drain region. This can be accomplished by selecting a material for the semiconductor body with a band gap that is larger than a band gap for material(s) selected for the source region and/or drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Dipanjan Basu, Cory E. Weber, Justin R. Weber, Sean T. Ma, Harold W. Kennel, Seung Hoon Sung, Glenn A. Glass, Jack T. Kavalieros, Tahir Ghani
  • Patent number: 12068319
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for integrating semiconductor oxide materials as alternate channel materials for n-channel devices in integrated circuits. The semiconductor oxide material may have a wider band gap than the band gap of silicon. Additionally or alternatively, the high mobility, wide band gap semiconductor oxide material may have a higher electron mobility than silicon. The use of such semiconductor oxide materials can provide improved NMOS channel performance in the form of less off-state leakage and, in some instances, improved electron mobility as compared to silicon NMOS channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gilbert Dewey, Willy Rachmady, Jack T. Kavalieros, Cheng-Ying Huang, Matthew V. Metz, Sean T. Ma, Harold Kennel, Tahir Ghani, Abhishek A. Sharma
  • Patent number: 11996447
    Abstract: Monolithic FETs including a fin of a first semiconductor composition disposed on a sub-fin of a second composition. In some examples, an InGaAs fin is grown over GaAs sub-fin. The sub-fin may be epitaxially grown from a seeding surface disposed within a trench defined in an isolation dielectric. The sub-fin may be planarized with the isolation dielectric. The fin may then be epitaxially grown from the planarized surface of the sub-fin. A gate stack may be disposed over the fin with the gate stack contacting the planarized surface of the isolation dielectric so as to be self-aligned with the interface between the fin and sub-fin. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sean T. Ma, Matthew V. Metz, Willy Rachmady, Gilbert Dewey, Chandra S. Mohapatra, Jack T. Kavalieros, Anand S. Murthy, Tahir Ghani
  • Publication number: 20240162289
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are source/drain regions in integrated circuit (IC) structures, as well as related methods and components. For example, in some embodiments, an IC structure may include: an array of channel regions, including a first channel region and an adjacent second channel region; a first source/drain region proximate to the first channel region; a second source/drain region proximate to the second channel region; and an insulating material region at least partially between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sean T. Ma, Andy Chih-Hung Wei, Guillaume Bouche
  • Patent number: 11984487
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are non-planar transistor (e.g., nanoribbon) arrangements having asymmetric gate enclosures on at least one side. An example transistor arrangement includes a channel material shaped as a nanoribbon, and a gate stack wrapping around at least a portion of a first face of the nanoribbon, a sidewall, and a portion of a second face of the nanoribbon. Portions of the gate stack provided over the first and second faces of the nanoribbon extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the nanoribbon for a certain distance that may be referred to as a “gate length.” A portion of the gate stack wrapping around the sidewall of the nanoribbon does not extend along the entire gate length, but, rather, extends over less than a half of the gate length, e.g., about one third of the gate length, thus making the gate enclosure on that sidewall asymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sean T. Ma, Guillaume Bouche
  • Patent number: 11973121
    Abstract: Discussed herein are device contacts in integrated circuit (IC) structures. In some embodiments, an IC structure may include: a first source/drain (S/D) contact; a gate contact, wherein the gate contact is in contact with a gate and with the first S/D contact; and a second S/D contact, wherein a height of the second S/D contact is less than a height of the first S/D contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Guillaume Bouche, Andy Chih-Hung Wei, Mwilwa Tambwe, Sean T. Ma, Piyush Mohan Sinha
  • Publication number: 20240113161
    Abstract: A transistor includes a body of semiconductor material, where the body has laterally opposed body sidewalls and a top surface. A gate structure contacts the top surface of the body. A source region contacts a first one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls and a drain region contacts a second one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls. A first isolation region is under the source region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the source region. A second isolation region is under the drain region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the drain region. Depending on the transistor configuration, a major portion of the inner-facing sidewalls of the first and second isolation regions contact respective sidewalls of either a subfin structure (e.g., FinFET transistor configurations) or a lower portion of a gate structure (e.g., gate-all-around transistor configuration).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Willy RACHMADY, Cheng-Ying HUANG, Matthew V. METZ, Nicholas G. MINUTILLO, Sean T. MA, Anand S. MURTHY, Jack T. KAVALIEROS, Tahir GHANI, Gilbert DEWEY
  • Publication number: 20240105852
    Abstract: Top-gate thin film transistor (TFTs) structures. Thin film transistors when in the top-gate configuration suffer from contact resistance. An example TFT includes a semiconductor layer doped with one or more dopant elements. A gate dielectric layer is on the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode is on the gate dielectric layer. The semiconductor layer is doped with the one or more dopant elements beneath the gate dielectric layer. The TFT may further include one or more contacts and/or one or more gate spacers, and the semiconductor layer may further be doped with the one or more dopant elements beneath the contact(s) and/or gate spacer(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek A. Sharma, Sean T. Ma, Van H. Le, Jack T. Kavalieros, Gilbert Dewey
  • Patent number: 11929435
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for an integrated circuit including a ferroelectric gate stack including a ferroelectric layer, an interfacial oxide layer, and a gate electrode. The ferroelectric layer can be voltage activated to switch between two ferroelectric states. Employing such a ferroelectric layer provides a reduction in leakage current in an off-state and provides an increase in charge in an on-state. The interfacial oxide layer can be formed between the ferroelectric layer and the gate electrode. Alternatively, the ferroelectric layer can be formed between the interfacial oxide layer and the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gilbert Dewey, Willy Rachmady, Jack T. Kavalieros, Cheng-Ying Huang, Matthew V. Metz, Sean T. Ma, Harold Kennel, Tahir Ghani
  • Patent number: 11923410
    Abstract: A transistor includes a body of semiconductor material, where the body has laterally opposed body sidewalls and a top surface. A gate structure contacts the top surface of the body. A source region contacts a first one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls and a drain region contacts a second one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls. A first isolation region is under the source region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the source region. A second isolation region is under the drain region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the drain region. Depending on the transistor configuration, a major portion of the inner-facing sidewalls of the first and second isolation regions contact respective sidewalls of either a subfin structure (e.g., FinFET transistor configurations) or a lower portion of a gate structure (e.g., gate-all-around transistor configuration).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Willy Rachmady, Cheng-Ying Huang, Matthew V. Metz, Nicholas G. Minutillo, Sean T. Ma, Anand S. Murthy, Jack T. Kavalieros, Tahir Ghani, Gilbert Dewey
  • Patent number: 11916106
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are source/drain regions in integrated circuit (IC) structures, as well as related methods and components. For example, in some embodiments, an IC structure may include: an array of channel regions, including a first channel region and an adjacent second channel region; a first source/drain region proximate to the first channel region; a second source/drain region proximate to the second channel region; and an insulating material region at least partially between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sean T. Ma, Andy Chih-Hung Wei, Guillaume Bouche
  • Publication number: 20240064958
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include three-dimensional 3D arrays of memory cells and methods of forming such devices. In an embodiment a memory device comprises, a substrate surface, and a three-dimensional (3D) array of memory cells over the substrate surface. In an embodiment each memory cell comprises a transistor and a capacitor. In an embodiment the transistor of each memory cell comprises, a semiconductor channel, with a first end of the semiconductor channel electrically coupled to a bit line that runs substantially parallel to the substrate surface, and a second end of the semiconductor channel is electrically coupled to the capacitor. The transistor may also comprise a gate dielectric on a surface of the semiconductor channel between the first end and the second end of the semiconductor channel. In an embodiment, the gate dielectric is contacted by a word line that runs substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Aaron LILAK, Sean T. MA, Abhishek SHARMA
  • Publication number: 20240006484
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include transistors and methods of forming transistors. In an embodiment, the transistor comprises a channel with a first end and a second end opposite from the first end, a first spacer around the first end of the channel, a second spacer around the second end of the channel, and a gate stack over the channel, where the gate stack is between the first spacer and the second spacer. In an embodiment, the transistor may further comprise a first extension contacting the first end of the channel; and a second extension contacting the first end of the channel. In an embodiment, the transistor further comprises conductive layers over the first extension and the second extension outside of the first spacer and the second spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Ashish Verma PENUMATCHA, Kevin P. O'BRIEN, Kirby MAXEY, Carl H. NAYLOR, Chelsey DOROW, Uygar E. AVCI, Matthew V. METZ, Sudarat LEE, Chia-Ching LIN, Sean T. MA
  • Patent number: 11862730
    Abstract: Described is a thin film transistor which comprises: a dielectric comprising a dielectric material; a first structure adjacent to the dielectric, the first structure comprising a first material; a second structure adjacent to the first structure, the second structure comprising a second material wherein the second material is doped; a second dielectric adjacent to the second structure; a gate comprising a metal adjacent to the second dielectric; a spacer partially adjacent to the gate and the second dielectric; and a contact adjacent to the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek A. Sharma, Sean T. Ma, Van H. Le, Jack T. Kavalieros, Gilbert Dewey
  • Patent number: 11849572
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include three-dimensional 3D arrays of memory cells and methods of forming such devices. In an embodiment a memory device comprises, a substrate surface, and a three-dimensional (3D) array of memory cells over the substrate surface. In an embodiment each memory cell comprises a transistor and a capacitor. In an embodiment the transistor of each memory cell comprises, a semiconductor channel, with a first end of the semiconductor channel electrically coupled to a bit line that runs substantially parallel to the substrate surface, and a second end of the semiconductor channel is electrically coupled to the capacitor. The transistor may also comprise a gate dielectric on a surface of the semiconductor channel between the first end and the second end of the semiconductor channel. In an embodiment, the gate dielectric is contacted by a word line that runs substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Lilak, Sean T. Ma, Abhishek Sharma
  • Patent number: 11784239
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are tri-gate transistor arrangements, and related methods and devices. For example, in some embodiments, a transistor arrangement may include a fin stack shaped as a fin extending away from a base, and a subfin dielectric stack. The fin includes a subfin portion and a channel portion, the subfin portion being closer to the base than the channel portion. The subfin dielectric stack includes a transistor dielectric material, and a fixed charge liner material disposed between the transistor dielectric material and the subfin portion of the fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sean T. Ma, Aaron D. Lilak, Justin R. Weber, Harold W. Kennel, Willy Rachmady, Gilbert W. Dewey, Cheng-Ying Huang, Matthew V. Metz, Jack T. Kavalieros, Anand S. Murthy, Tahir Ghani
  • Patent number: 11764275
    Abstract: An apparatus including a transistor device disposed on a surface of a circuit substrate, the device including a body including opposing sidewalls defining a width dimension and a channel material including indium, the channel material including a profile at a base thereof that promotes indium atom diffusivity changes in the channel material in a direction away from the sidewalls. A method including forming a transistor device body on a circuit substrate, the transistor device body including opposing sidewalls and including a buffer material and a channel material on the buffer material, the channel material including indium and the buffer material includes a facet that promotes indium atom diffusivity changes in the channel material in a direction away from the sidewalls; and forming a gate stack on the channel material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Chandra S. Mohapatra, Glenn A. Glass, Harold W. Kennel, Anand S. Murthy, Willy Rachmady, Gilbert Dewey, Sean T. Ma, Matthew V. Metz, Jack T. Kavalieros, Tahir Ghani
  • Patent number: 11749715
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are isolation regions in integrated circuit (IC) structures, as well as related methods and components. For example, in some embodiments, an IC component may include: a first region including silicon; a second region including alternating layers of a second material and a third material, wherein the second material includes silicon and germanium, the third material includes silicon, and individual ones of the layers in the second region has a thickness that is less than 3 nanometers; and a third region including alternating layers of the second material and the third material, wherein individual ones of the layers in the third region has a thickness that is greater than 3 nanometers, and the second region is between the first region and the third region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Guillaume Bouche, Sean T. Ma, Andy Chih-Hung Wei