Patents by Inventor Seung-Chul Song

Seung-Chul Song 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: 10879133
    Abstract: A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit structure, and method of fabricating the same according to a replacement metal gate process. P-channel and n-channel MOS transistors are formed with high-k gate dielectric material that differ from one another in composition or thickness, and with interface dielectric material that differ from one another in composition or thickness. The described replacement gate process enables construction so that neither of the p-channel or n-channel transistor gate structures includes the metal gate material from the other transistor, thus facilitating reliable filling of the gate structures with fill metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niimi, Seung-Chul Song
  • Patent number: 9875788
    Abstract: A 5 Transistor Static Random Access Memory (5T SRAM) is designed for reduced cell size and immunity to process variation. The 5T SRAM includes a storage element for storing data, wherein the storage element is coupled to a first voltage and a ground voltage. The storage element can include symmetrically sized cross-coupled inverters. A single access transistor controls read and write operations on the storage element. Control logic is configured to generate a value of the first voltage a write operation that is different from the value of the first voltage for a read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Seong-Ook Jung, Hyunkook Park, Seung-Chul Song, Mohamed Hassan Abu-Rahma, Lixin Ge, Zhongze Wang, Beom-Mo Han
  • Patent number: 9865330
    Abstract: Stable SRAM cells utilizing Independent Gate FinFET architectures provide improvements over conventional SRAM cells in device parameters such as Read Static Noise Margin (RSNM) and Write Noise Margin (WNM). Exemplary SRAM cells comprise a pair of storage nodes, a pair of bit lines, a pair of pull-up devices, a pair of pull-down devices and a pair of pass-gate devices. A first control signal and a second control signal are configured to adjust drive strengths of the pass-gate devices, and a third control signal is configured to adjust drive strengths of the pull-up devices, wherein the first control signal is routed orthogonal to a bit line direction, and the second and third control signals are routed in a direction same as the bit line direction. RSNM and WNM are improved by adjusting drive strengths of the pull-up and pass-gate devices during read and write operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Seong-Ook Jung, Mingu Kang, Hyunkook Park, Seung-Chul Song, Mohamed Abu-Rahma, Beom-Mo Han, Lixin Ge, Zhongze Wang
  • Patent number: 9768078
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chet Vernon Lenox, Seung-Chul Song, Brian K. Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 9659825
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing PMOS transistors may be formed by forming a dual layer hard mask. A first layer of the hard mask is halogen-containing silicon nitride formed using a halogenated silane reagent. A second layer of the hard mask is silicon nitride formed on the first layer using halogen-free reagents. After source/drain cavities are etched in the PMOS transistors, a pre-epitaxial bake with hydrogen is performed. After SiGe epitaxial source/drain regions are formed, the hard mask is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deborah Jean Riley, Seung-Chul Song
  • Publication number: 20160254197
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Chet Vernon LENOX, Seung-Chul SONG, Brian K. KIRKPATRICK
  • Publication number: 20160172443
    Abstract: A method for tuning a threshold voltage of a semiconductor device includes implanting at least one dopant in a semiconductor substrate at an angle to form a source region and/or a drain region of a transistor. The angle is oblique to a surface of the substrate. Implanting the at least one dopant at the angle alters a flat-band voltage of the transistor and shifts the threshold voltage of the transistor. The at least one dopant or at least one additional dopant can be implanted in a gate electrical contact of the transistor. Implanting the at least one dopant at the oblique angle can change an electrostatic potential of a gate electrical contact of the transistor compared to implanting the at least one dopant at a non-oblique angle, and the change in the electrostatic potential of the gate electrical contact can shift the threshold voltage of the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Younsung Choi, Kwan-Yong Lim, Seung-Chul Song, Song Zhao
  • Patent number: 9362375
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Chet Vernon Lenox, Seung-Chul Song, Brian K. Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 9337100
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to fabricate an electronic device is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes a template having an imprint surface. The imprint surface includes a first region having a first pattern adapted to fabricate a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device and a second region having a second pattern adapted to fabricate a planar electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Seung-Chul Song, Beom-Mo Han, Mohamed Hassan Abu-Rahma
  • Patent number: 9224656
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing PMOS transistors may be formed by forming a dual layer hard mask. A first layer of the hard mask is carbon-containing silicon nitride formed using a hydrocarbon reagent. A second layer of the hard mask is chlorine-containing silicon nitride formed on the first layer using a chlorinated silane reagent. After SiGe epitaxial source/drain regions are formed, the hard mask is removed using a wet etch which removes the second layer at a rate at least three times faster than the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deborah Jean Riley, Seung-Chul Song
  • Patent number: 9178037
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chet Vernon Lenox, Seung-Chul Song, Brian K. Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 9178038
    Abstract: A raised source/drain MOS transistor is formed in a process that utilizes a first sidewall spacer when implanting a semiconductor region to form the heavily-doped source region and the heavily-doped drain region of the transistor, and a second different sidewall spacer when epitaxially growing the raised source region and the raised drain region of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Seung-Chul Song, James W. Blatchford, Kwan-Yong Lim
  • Publication number: 20150311304
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Chet Vernon LENOX, Seung-Chul SONG, Brian K. KIRKPATRICK
  • Publication number: 20150287647
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing PMOS transistors may be formed by forming a dual layer hard mask. A first layer of the hard mask is halogen-containing silicon nitride formed using a halogenated silane reagent. A second layer of the hard mask is silicon nitride formed on the first layer using halogen-free reagents. After source/drain cavities are etched in the PMOS transistors, a pre-epitaxial bake with hydrogen is performed. After SiGe epitaxial source/drain regions are formed, the hard mask is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Deborah Jean RILEY, Seung-Chul SONG
  • Publication number: 20150279966
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Chet Vernon LENOX, Seung-Chul SONG, Brian K. KIRKPATRICK
  • Patent number: 9093555
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing PMOS transistors may be formed by forming a dual layer hard mask. A first layer of the hard mask is halogen-containing silicon nitride formed using a halogenated silane reagent. A second layer of the hard mask is silicon nitride formed on the first layer using halogen-free reagents. After source/drain cavities are etched in the PMOS transistors, a pre-epitaxial bake with hydrogen is performed. After SiGe epitaxial source/drain regions are formed, the hard mask is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deborah Jean Riley, Seung-Chul Song
  • Patent number: 9087917
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chet Vernon Lenox, Seung-Chul Song, Brian K. Kirkpatrick
  • Publication number: 20150140769
    Abstract: A raised source/drain MOS transistor is formed in a process that utilizes a first sidewall spacer when implanting a semiconductor region to form the heavily-doped source region and the heavily-doped drain region of the transistor, and a second different sidewall spacer when epitaxially growing the raised source region and the raised drain region of the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Seung-Chul Song, James W. Blatchford, Kwan-Yong Lim
  • Publication number: 20150069516
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is formed by removing a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate to form a gate cavity. A conformal dielectric first liner is formed in the gate cavity and a conformal second liner is formed on the first liner. A first etch removes the second liner from the bottom of the gate cavity, leaving material of the second liner on sidewalls of the gate cavity. A second etch removes the first liner from the bottom of the gate cavity exposed by the second liner, leaving material of the first liner on the bottom of the gate cavity under the second liner on the sidewalls of the gate cavity. A third etch removes the second liner from the gate cavity, leaving an L-shaped spacers of the first liner in the gate cavity. A permanent gate dielectric layer and replacement gate are formed in the gate cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chet Vernon LENOX, Seung-Chul SONG, Brian K. Kirkpatrick
  • Publication number: 20150031178
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing PMOS transistors may be formed by forming a dual layer hard mask. A first layer of the hard mask is carbon-containing silicon nitride formed using a hydrocarbon reagent. A second layer of the hard mask is chlorine-containing silicon nitride formed on the first layer using a chlorinated silane reagent. After SiGe epitaxial source/drain regions are formed, the hard mask is removed using a wet etch which removes the second layer at a rate at least three times faster than the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Deborah Jean RILEY, Seung-Chul SONG