Patents by Inventor Stuart A. Sieg

Stuart A. Sieg 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: 9209178
    Abstract: Etching interleaved structures of semiconductor material forming fins of finFETs and local isolation material interposed between the fins is performed alternately and cyclically by alternating etchants cyclically such as by alternating gases during reactive ion etching. Etchants are preferably alternated when one of the semiconductor material and the local isolation material protrudes above the other by a predetermined distance. Since protruding surfaces are etched more rapidly than recessed surfaces, the overall etching process is accelerated and completed in less time such that erosion of other materials to which the etchants are less than optimally selective is reduced and allow improved etching of trenches for improved isolation structures to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sivananda K. Kanakasabapathy, Stuart A. Sieg, Theodorus E. Standaert, Yunpeng Yin
  • Publication number: 20150311121
    Abstract: A trench isolation structure is formed beneath a topmost surface of a semiconductor substrate. A mandrel structure having a bottommost surface that straddles a sidewall edge of the underlying trench isolation structure is then formed. Nitride spacers are formed on sidewalls of the mandrel structure and thereafter the mandrel structure is removed. A dielectric oxide material is then formed having a topmost surface that is coplanar with a topmost surface of each remaining nitride spacer. Each nitride spacer is removed and thereafter a semiconductor fin is epitaxially grown within a cavity in the dielectric oxide material which exposes a topmost surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin S. Petrarca, Stuart A. Sieg, Theodorus E. Standaert
  • Publication number: 20150145065
    Abstract: Etching interleaved structures of semiconductor material forming fins of finFETs and local isolation material interposed between the fins is performed alternately and cyclically by alternating etchants cyclically such as by alternating gases during reactive ion etching. Etchants are preferably alternated when one of the semiconductor material and the local isolation material protrudes above the other by a predetermined distance. Since protruding surfaces are etched more rapidly than recessed surfaces, the overall etching process is accelerated and completed in less time such that erosion of other materials to which the etchants are less than optimally selective is reduced and allow improved etching of trenches for improved isolation structures to be formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sivananda K. Kanakasabapathy, Stuart A. Sieg, Theodorus E. Standaert, Yunpeng Yin
  • Publication number: 20140256130
    Abstract: A method for printing a wafer ID on a wafer, the method comprises identifying a wafer ID on a back side of the wafer. Subsequently, etching a plurality of recesses, consistent in size with chip features of the wafer, into the front side of the wafer, such that the plurality of recesses depicts the wafer ID. The method further comprises filling the recesses with a metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mukta G. Farooq, Robert Hannon, Subramanian S. Iyer, Kevin S. Petrarca, Stuart A. Sieg
  • Patent number: 8822141
    Abstract: A method for printing a wafer ID on a wafer, the method comprises identifying a wafer ID on a back side of the wafer. Subsequently, etching a plurality of recesses, consistent in size with chip features of the wafer, into the front side of the wafer, such that the plurality of recesses depicts the wafer ID. The method further comprises filling the recesses with a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mukta G. Farooq, Robert Hannon, Subramanian S. Iyer, Kevin S. Petrarca, Stuart A. Sieg
  • Patent number: 8450120
    Abstract: A method and system for repairing photomasks is disclosed. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to identify, measure, and correct defects. The SEM is operated in multiple modes, including a measuring mode and a repair mode. The repair mode is of higher landing energy and exposure time than the measuring mode, and induces shrinkage in the photoresist to correct various features, such as vias that are too small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart A. Sieg, Kourosh Nafisi, Eric Peter Solecky
  • Publication number: 20120187294
    Abstract: A method and system for repairing photomasks is disclosed. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to identify, measure, and correct defects. The SEM is operated in multiple modes, including a measuring mode and a repair mode. The repair mode is of higher landing energy and exposure time than the measuring mode, and induces shrinkage in the photoresist to correct various features, such as vias that are too small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stuart A. Sieg, Kourosh Nafisi, Eric Peter Solecky
  • Publication number: 20120190134
    Abstract: A method and system for repairing photomasks is disclosed. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to identify, measure, and correct defects. The SEM is operated in multiple modes, including a measuring mode and a repair mode. The repair mode is of higher landing energy and exposure time than the measuring mode, and induces shrinkage in the photoresist to correct various features, such as vias that are too small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stuart A. Sieg, Kourosh Nafisi, Eric Peter Solecky
  • Patent number: 8211717
    Abstract: A method and system for repairing photomasks is disclosed. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to identify, measure, and correct defects. The SEM is operated in multiple modes, including a measuring mode and a repair mode. The repair mode is of higher landing energy and exposure time than the measuring mode, and induces shrinkage in the photoresist to correct various features, such as vias that are too small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart A. Sieg, Kourosh Nafisi, Eric Peter Solecky