Patents by Inventor Steven Bentley

Steven Bentley 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: 10170617
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to vertical transport field effect transistor devices and methods of manufacture. A structure includes: a vertical fin structure having a lower dopant region, an upper dopant region and a channel region between the lower dopant region and the upper dopant region; and a doped semiconductor material provided on sides of the vertical fin structure at a lower portion. The lower dopant region being composed of the doped semiconductor material which is merged into the vertical fin structure at the lower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES
    Inventors: Jiseok Kim, Hiroaki Niimi, Hoon Kim, Puneet Harischandra Suvarna, Steven Bentley, Jody A. Fronheiser
  • Publication number: 20180366372
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide integrated circuit (IC) structures with stepped epitaxial regions and methods of forming the same. A method according to the disclosure can include: removing a portion of a substrate to form a recess therein, the portion of the substrate being laterally adjacent to a semiconductor fin having a sidewall spacer thereon, to expose an underlying sidewall of the semiconductor fin; forming an epitaxial layer within the recess, such that the epitaxial layer laterally abuts the sidewall of the semiconductor fin below the sidewall spacer; removing a portion of the epitaxial layer to form a stepped epitaxial region adjacent to the semiconductor fin, the stepped epitaxial region including a first region laterally abutting the sidewall of the semiconductor fin, and a second region laterally adjacent to the first region; and forming a gate structure over the stepped epitaxial region and adjacent to the semiconductor fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Puneet H. Suvarna, Steven Bentley, Mark V. Raymond, Peter M. Zeitzoff
  • Patent number: 10157794
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide integrated circuit (IC) structures with stepped epitaxial regions and methods of forming the same. A method according to the disclosure can include: removing a portion of a substrate to form a recess therein, the portion of the substrate being laterally adjacent to a semiconductor fin having a sidewall spacer thereon, to expose an underlying sidewall of the semiconductor fin; forming an epitaxial layer within the recess, such that the epitaxial layer laterally abuts the sidewall of the semiconductor fin below the sidewall spacer; removing a portion of the epitaxial layer to form a stepped epitaxial region adjacent to the semiconductor fin, the stepped epitaxial region including a first region laterally abutting the sidewall of the semiconductor fin, and a second region laterally adjacent to the first region; and forming a gate structure over the stepped epitaxial region and adjacent to the semiconductor fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Puneet H. Suvarna, Steven Bentley, Mark V. Raymond, Peter M. Zeitzoff
  • Patent number: 10141414
    Abstract: A gate electrode structure of a transistor element may be provided as a series connection of a negative capacitor portion and a floating electrode portion. When forming the negative capacitor portion, the value of the negative capacitance may be adjusted on the basis of two different mechanisms or manufacturing processes, thereby providing superior matching of the positive floating gate electrode portion and the negative capacitor portion. For example, the layer thickness of the ferroelectric material and the effective capacitive area of the dielectric material may be adjusted on the basis of independent manufacturing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Galatage, Steven Bentley, Puneet Harischandra Suvarna, Zoran Krivokapic
  • Publication number: 20180337256
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method and resulting structures for a semiconductor device having self-aligned contacts. In a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor fin is formed vertically extending from a bottom source/drain region of a substrate. A conductive gate is formed over a channel region of the semiconductor fin. A top source/drain region is formed on a surface of the semiconductor fin and a top metallization layer is formed on the top source/drain region. A dielectric cap is formed over the top metallization layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Steven Bentley, Su Chen Fan, Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Junli Wang, Ruilong Xie
  • Publication number: 20180331213
    Abstract: A fin extends from, and is perpendicular to, a planar surface of a substrate. A self-aligned bottom source/drain conductor is on the substrate adjacent the fin, a bottom insulator spacer is on the bottom source/drain conductor adjacent the fin, and a gate insulator is on a channel portion of the fin. A gate conductor is on the gate insulator, a self-aligned top source/drain conductor contacts the channel portion of the fin distal to the bottom insulator spacer, a top gate length limit insulator is positioned where the channel portion meets the top source/drain conductor, and a bottom gate length limit insulator is positioned where the channel portion meets the bottom insulator spacer. The gate length of the gate conductor is defined by a distance between the gate length limit insulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: GLOBAL FOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Steven Bentley, Puneet Harischandra Suvarna, Julien Frougier, Bartlomiej Jan Pawlak
  • Patent number: 10056377
    Abstract: Methods of forming a VFET SRAM or logic device having a sub-fin level metal routing layer connected to a gate of one transistor pair and to the bottom S/D of another transistor pair and resulting device are provided. Embodiments include pairs of fins formed on a substrate; a bottom S/D layer patterned on the substrate around the fins; conformal liner layers formed over the substrate; a ILD formed over a liner layer; a metal routing layer formed between the pairs of fins on the liner layer between the first pair and on the bottom S/D layer between at least the second pair, an upper surface formed below the active fin portion; a GAA formed on the dielectric spacer around each fin of the first pair; and a bottom S/D contact xc or a dedicated xc formed on the metal routing layer adjacent to the GAA or through the GAA, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Steven Bentley, Bipul C. Paul
  • Publication number: 20180226505
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to vertical transport field effect transistor devices and methods of manufacture. A structure includes: a vertical fin structure having a lower dopant region, an upper dopant region and a channel region between the lower dopant region and the upper dopant region; and a doped semiconductor material provided on sides of the vertical fin structure at a lower portion. The lower dopant region being composed of the doped semiconductor material which is merged into the vertical fin structure at the lower portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Jiseok KIM, Hiroaki NIIMI, Hoon KIM, Puneet Harischandra SUVARNA, Steven BENTLEY, Jody A. FRONHEISER
  • Patent number: 9991352
    Abstract: A method that includes forming a patterned stack of materials comprising at least one channel semiconductor material layer and first and second layers of sacrificial material positioned above and below, respectively, the at least one channel semiconductor material layer, forming a replacement gate cavity above the patterned stack of materials and performing an etching process through the gate cavity to selectively remove at least a portion of the first and second layers of sacrificial material relative to the at least one channel semiconductor material layer. The method further includes performing a second etching process to form a reduced-thickness portion of the channel semiconductor material layer that has a final thickness that is less than the initial thickness and forming a replacement gate structure around at least the reduced-thickness portion of the channel semiconductor material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Julien Frougier, Ali Razavieh, Ruilong Xie, Steven Bentley
  • Publication number: 20180145073
    Abstract: Methods of forming a VFET SRAM or logic device having a sub-fin level metal routing layer connected to a gate of one transistor pair and to the bottom S/D of another transistor pair and resulting device are provided. Embodiments include pairs of fins formed on a substrate; a bottom S/D layer patterned on the substrate around the fins; conformal liner layers formed over the substrate; a ILD formed over a liner layer; a metal routing layer formed between the pairs of fins on the liner layer between the first pair and on the bottom S/D layer between at least the second pair, an upper surface formed below the active fin portion; a GAA formed on the dielectric spacer around each fin of the first pair; and a bottom S/D contact xc or a dedicated xc formed on the metal routing layer adjacent to the GAA or through the GAA, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Steven BENTLEY, Bipul C. PAUL
  • Publication number: 20180138046
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vertical field effect transistor includes an isotropic etch of a gate conductor to recess the gate and define the length of the transistor channel. A symmetric gate conductor geometry prior to the etch, in combination with the isotropic (i.e., lateral) etch, allows the effective vertical etch rate of the gate conductor to be independent of local pattern densities, resulting in a uniform channel length among plural transistors formed on a semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Steven BENTLEY, Ruilong XIE
  • Patent number: 9972494
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vertical field effect transistor includes an isotropic etch of a gate conductor to recess the gate and define the length of the transistor channel. A symmetric gate conductor geometry prior to the etch, in combination with the isotropic (i.e., lateral) etch, allows the effective vertical etch rate of the gate conductor to be independent of local pattern densities, resulting in a uniform channel length among plural transistors formed on a semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Steven Bentley, Ruilong Xie
  • Publication number: 20180130895
    Abstract: One illustrative method of forming a vertical transistor device disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming bottom source/drain (S/D) regions. A plurality of vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures is formed above the bottom source/drain (S/D) regions. A gate insulation layer is formed above the vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures. A conformal layer of conductive gate material is formed above the gate insulation layer. The conformal layer of conductive material is etched to define conductive gate spacers on sidewalls of the vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures. Top source/drain (S/D) regions are formed above the vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Chanro Park, Steven Bentley, Hoon Kim, Min Gyu Sung, Ruilong Xie
  • Patent number: 9966456
    Abstract: One illustrative method of forming a vertical transistor device disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming bottom source/drain (S/D) regions. A plurality of vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures is formed above the bottom source/drain (S/D) regions. A gate insulation layer is formed above the vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures. A conformal layer of conductive gate material is formed above the gate insulation layer. The conformal layer of conductive material is etched to define conductive gate spacers on sidewalls of the vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures. Top source/drain (S/D) regions are formed above the vertically oriented channel semiconductor structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Chanro Park, Steven Bentley, Hoon Kim, Min Gyu Sung, Ruilong Xie
  • Patent number: 9960086
    Abstract: At least one method, apparatus and system are disclosed for forming a fin field effect transistor (finFET) having doping region self-aligned with a fin reveal position. A plurality of fins of a transistor is formed. A nitride cap layer on the plurality of fins is formed. An N-type doped region in a first portion of the plurality of fins. A P-type doped region in a second portion of the plurality of fins. A shallow trench isolation (STI) fill process for depositing an STI material on the plurality of fins. A fin reveal process for removing the STI material to a predetermined level. A cap strip process for removing the nitride cap layer for forming a fin reveal position that is self-aligned with the P-type and N-type doped regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Mira Park, Kwan-Yong Lim, Steven Bentley, Amitabh Jain
  • Patent number: 9947804
    Abstract: An IC structure according to the disclosure includes: a substrate; a pair of transistor sites positioned on the substrate, wherein an upper surface of the substrate laterally between the pair of transistor sites defines a separation region; a pair of nanosheet stacks, each positioned on one of the pair of transistor sites; an insulative liner conformally positioned on the upper surface of the substrate within the separation region, and a sidewall surface of each of the pair of transistor sites; a semiconductor mandrel positioned on the insulative liner and over the separation region; a pair of insulator regions each positioned laterally between the semiconductor mandrel and the insulative liner on the sidewall surfaces of each of the pair of transistor sites; and a source/drain epitaxial region positioned over the pair of insulator regions and the semiconductor mandrel, wherein the source/drain epitaxial region laterally abuts the pair of nanosheet stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Julien Frougier, Min Gyu Sung, Ruilong Xie, Chanro Park, Steven Bentley
  • Publication number: 20180090391
    Abstract: At least one method, apparatus and system are disclosed for forming a fin field effect transistor (finFET) having doping region self-aligned with a fin reveal position. A plurality of fins of a transistor is formed. A nitride cap layer on the plurality of fins is formed. An N-type doped region in a first portion of the plurality of fins. A P-type doped region in a second portion of the plurality of fins. A shallow trench isolation (STI) fill process for depositing an STI material on the plurality of fins. A fin reveal process for removing the STI material to a predetermined level. A cap strip process for removing the nitride cap layer for forming a fin reveal position that is self-aligned with the P-type and N-type doped regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Mira Park, Kwan-Yong Lim, Steven Bentley, Amitabh Jain
  • Publication number: 20180053843
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for co-integrating a short-channel vertical transistor and a long-channel transistor. One method may include: from a starting substrate, forming a wide fin, wherein the wide fin comprises a wide active region; depositing a recess mask over a top surface of the starting substrate; recessing a long channel based on the deposited recess mask; depositing a gate electrode and a gate material, to form a gate structure; and forming SD contacts in an SD region of the long-channel transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Steven Bentley, Kwan-Yong Lim, Hiroaki Niimi, Junli Wang
  • Publication number: 20180033789
    Abstract: We disclose semiconductor devices, comprising a semiconductor substrate comprising a substrate material; and a plurality of fins disposed on the substrate, each fin comprising a lower region comprising the substrate material, a dopant region disposed above the lower region and comprising at least one dopant, and a channel region disposed above the dopant region and comprising a semiconductor material, wherein the channel region comprises less than 1×1018 dopant molecules/cm3, as well as methods, apparatus, and systems for fabricating such semiconductor devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicants: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC., International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Bentley, Kwan-Yong Lim, Tenko Yamashita, Gauri Karve, Sanjay Mehta
  • Patent number: 9865682
    Abstract: A method includes forming at least one fin on a semiconductor substrate. A nanowire material is formed above the fin. A hard mask layer is formed above the fin. A first directed self-assembly material is formed above the hard mask layer. The hard mask layer is patterned using a portion of the first directed self-assembly material as an etch mask to expose a portion of the nanowire material. The nanowire material is etched using the hard mask layer as an etch mask to define a substantially vertical nanowire on a top surface of the at least one fin, wherein at least one dimension of the substantially vertical nanowire is defined by an intrinsic pitch of the first directed self-assembly material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Bentley, Richard A. Farrell, Gerard Schmid, Ajey Poovannummoottil Jacob