Patents by Inventor T. Howard Shillingford

T. Howard Shillingford 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).

  • Method to planarize semiconductor surface
    Patent number: 6531265
    Abstract: A method to planarize a semiconductor surface using a Fence Creation and Elimination (FCE) process is described. Shallow recesses on a semiconductor surface are filled with a filling material. The filling material is deposited on the semiconductor surface to a thickness approximately equal to the depth of the shallow recesses. A selectively etchable material is formed on the filling material. A reverse mask (RM) is used to pattern the selectively etchable material to form segments of the selectively etchable material equal to the pattern of the shallow recesses and aligned to the shallow recesses. Exposed filling material is removed followed by the removal of the segments of the selectively etchable material. The remaining filling material in the shallow recesses forms fences which extend above the surface of the semiconductor. The fences are removed resulting in a planar semiconductor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shaw-Ning Mei, T. Howard Shillingford, Edward J. Vishnesky
  • Novel method to planarize semiconductor surface
    Publication number: 20020076653
    Abstract: A method to planarize a semiconductor surface using a Fence Creation and Elimination (FCE) process is described. Shallow recesses on a semiconductor surface are filled with a filling material. The filling material is deposited on the semiconductor surface to a thickness approximately equal to the depth of the shallow recesses. A selectively etchable material is formed on the filling material. A reverse mask (RM) is used to pattern the selectively etchable material to form segments of the selectively etchable material equal to the pattern of the shallow recesses and aligned to the shallow recesses. Exposed filling material is removed followed by the removal of the segments of the selectively etchable material. The remaining filling material in the shallow recesses forms fences which extend above the surface of the semiconductor. The fences are removed resulting in a planar semiconductor surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shaw-Ning Mei, T. Howard Shillingford, Edward J. Vishnesky