Patents by Inventor Thomas N. Adam

Thomas N. Adam 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: 9087869
    Abstract: A silicon-carbon alloy layer and a silicon-germanium alloy layer are sequentially formed on a silicon-containing substrate with epitaxial alignment. Trenches are formed in the silicon-germanium alloy layer by an anisotropic etch employing a patterned hard mask layer as an etch mask and the silicon-carbon alloy layer as an etch stop layer. Fin-containing semiconductor material portions are formed on a bottom surface and sidewalls of each trench with epitaxial alignment with the silicon-germanium alloy layer and the silicon-carbon alloy layer. The hard mask layer and the silicon-germanium alloy layer are removed, and an oxygen-impermeable spacer is formed on sidewalls of each fin-containing semiconductor material portion. Physically exposed semiconductor portions are converted into semiconductor oxide portions, and the oxygen-impermeable spacers are removed. The remaining portions of the fin-containing semiconductor portions include semiconductor fins, which can be employed to form semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20150187815
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including semiconductor fins, a gate over a middle portion of the semiconductor fins, and faceted semiconductor regions outside of the gate separated from gaps may be formed. The semiconductor structure may be formed by forming fins on a semiconductor substrate where each fin has a pair of sidewalls aligned parallel to the length of the fin, growing dummy semiconductor regions on the sidewalls of the fins, forming a sacrificial gate that covers a center portion of the fins and the dummy semiconductor regions, removing portions of the dummy semiconductor regions not covered by the sacrificial gate, and growing faceted semiconductor regions on the sidewalls of the portions of the fins not covered by the sacrificial gate. The faceted semiconductor regions may intersect to form gaps between the faceted semiconductor regions and the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9070771
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a material stack on a semiconductor substrate, the material stack including a first dielectric layer on the substrate, a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer on the second dielectric layer, wherein the second dielectric layer is a high-k dielectric. Openings are formed through the material stack to expose a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor material is formed in the openings through the material stack. The first dielectric layer is removed selectively to the second dielectric layer and the semiconductor material. A gate structure is formed on a channel portion of the semiconductor material. In some embodiments, the method may provide a plurality of finFET or trigate semiconductor device in which the fin structures of those devices have substantially the same height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz
  • Patent number: 9059323
    Abstract: Various embodiments include methods of forming semiconductor structures. In one embodiment, a method includes: providing a precursor structure including a substrate and a set of fins overlying the substrate; forming a dummy epitaxy between the fins in the set of fins; masking a first group of fins in the set of fins and the dummy epitaxy between the first group of fins in the set of fins; removing the dummy epitaxy to expose a second group of the fins; forming a first in-situ doped epitaxy between the exposed fins; masking the second group of fins in the set of fins and the in-situ doped epitaxy between the second group of fins in the set of fins; unmasking the first group of fins; removing the dummy epitaxy layer between the first group of fins to expose of the first group of fins; and forming a second in-situ doped epitaxy between the exposed fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9059207
    Abstract: A planar semiconductor device including a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate with source and drain portions having a thickness of less than 10 nm that are separated by a multi-layered strained channel. The multi-layer strained channel of the SOI layer includes a first layer with a first lattice dimension that is present on the buried dielectric layer of the SOI substrate, and a second layer of a second lattice dimension that is in direct contact with the first layer of the multi-layer strained channel portion. A functional gate structure is present on the multi-layer strained channel portion of the SOI substrate. The semiconductor device having the multi-layered channel may also be a finFET semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Patent number: 9059206
    Abstract: A method to scale a MOSFET structure while maintaining gate control is disclosed. The extension regions of the MOSFET are formed by epitaxial growth and can be formed after the completion of high temperature processing. The extensions can be extremely shallow and have an abrupt interface with the channel. A dummy gate can establish the position of the abrupt interfaces and thereby define the channel length. The gate electrode can be formed to align perfectly with the channel, or to overlap the extension tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9059253
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods of forming gate caps. Embodiments may include providing a semiconductor device including a gate on a semiconductor substrate and a source/drain region on the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the gate, forming a blocking region, a top surface of which extends above a top surface of the gate, depositing an insulating layer above the semiconductor device, and planarizing the insulating layer using the blocking region as a planarization stop. Embodiments further include semiconductor devices having a semiconductor substrate, a gate above the semiconductor substrate, a source/drain region adjacent to the gate, a gate cap above the gate that cover the full width of the gate, and a contact adjacent to the source/drain region having a portion of its sidewall defined by the gate cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan, Thomas N. Adam
  • Patent number: 9059139
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes epitaxial raised source/drain (RSD) regions formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate through selective epitaxial growth. In one embodiment, the faceted side portions of the RSD regions are utilized to form cavity regions which may be filled with a dielectric material to form dielectric spacer regions. Spacers may be formed over the dielectric spacer regions. In another embodiment, the faceted side portions may be selectively grown to form air gap spacer regions in the cavity regions. A conformal spacer layer with interior and exterior surfaces may be formed in the cavity region, creating an air gap spacer defined by the interior surfaces of the conformal spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Juntao Li, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9053939
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) may include an n-type doped crystalline collector formed in an upper portion of a crystalline silicon substrate layer; a p-type doped crystalline p+Si1-xGex layer, formed above the n-type doped collector, that forms a p-type doped internal base of the HBT; a crystalline silicon cap formed on the p-type doped crystalline p+Si1-xGex layer, in which the crystalline silicon cap includes an n-type impurity and forms an n-type doped emitter of the HBT; and an n-type doped crystalline silicon emitter stack formed within an opening through an insulating layer to an upper surface of the crystalline silicon cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, David L. Harame, Qizhi Liu, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9054218
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) device comprises forming a plurality of fins on a substrate, epitaxially growing a sacrificial epitaxy region between the fins, stopping growth of the sacrificial epitaxy region at a beginning of merging of epitaxial shapes between neighboring fins, and forming a dielectric layer on the substrate including the fins and the sacrificial epitaxy region, wherein a portion of the dielectric layer is positioned between the sacrificial epitaxy region extending from fins of adjacent transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Hong He, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20150155301
    Abstract: A substrate with two SiGe regions having different Germanium concentrations and a method for making the same. The structure includes an extremely-thin-silicon-germanium-on-insulator (ETSGOI) substrate with at least two active regions, wherein each of the at least two active regions has a SiGe layer with uniform Germanium concentration, and the Germanium concentration of the SiGe layer of one of the at least two active regions is different than the Germanium concentration of the SiGe layer of the other of at least two active regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20150155307
    Abstract: FinFET devices and methods of making the same. A structure includes: a substrate with a buried insulator, a plurality of fins over a recessed buried insulator, and a nitride material filing recessed spaces between the plurality of fins, wherein the plurality of fins remain uncovered by the nitride, and wherein the nitride material does not contact the bottom of the plurality of fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan
  • Publication number: 20150155306
    Abstract: FinFET devices and methods of making the same. A structure includes: a substrate with a buried insulator, a plurality of fins over the buried insulator, and a nitride material filing spaces between the plurality of fins, wherein the plurality of fins remain uncovered by the nitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corpporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan
  • Patent number: 9048262
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including semiconductor fins, a gate over a middle portion of the semiconductor fins, and faceted semiconductor regions outside of the gate separated from gaps may be formed. The semiconductor structure may be formed by forming fins on a semiconductor substrate where each fin has a pair of sidewalls aligned parallel to the length of the fin, growing dummy semiconductor regions on the sidewalls of the fins, forming a sacrificial gate that covers a center portion of the fins and the dummy semiconductor regions, removing portions of the dummy semiconductor regions not covered by the sacrificial gate, and growing faceted semiconductor regions on the sidewalls of the portions of the fins not covered by the sacrificial gate. The faceted semiconductor regions may intersect to form gaps between the faceted semiconductor regions and the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20150145063
    Abstract: A method including providing a semiconductor substrate including a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device, the first and second semiconductor devices including dummy spacers, dummy gates, and extension regions; protecting the second semiconductor device with a mask; removing the dummy spacers from the first semiconductor device; and depositing in-situ doped epitaxial regions on top of the extension regions of the first semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20150145033
    Abstract: A structure including a semiconductor substrate including a source region and a drain region, a gate located above the semiconductor substrate and between the source region and the drain region, and two opposing halo regions being part of the source and drain regions, respectively, the halo regions being grown epitaxially, wherein the source region and the drain region include a stressor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Keith E. Fogel, Judson R. Holt, Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9035391
    Abstract: A fin field effect transistor including a plurality of fin structures on a substrate, and a shared gate structure on a channel portion of the plurality of fin structures. The fin field effect transistor further includes an epitaxial semiconductor material having a first portion between adjacent fin structures in the plurality of fin structures and a second portion present on outermost sidewalls of end fin structures of the plurality of fin structures. The epitaxial semiconductor material provides a source region and at drain region to each fin structure of the plurality of fin structures. A nitride containing spacer is present on the outermost sidewalls of the second portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Paul C. Jamison, Ali Khakifirooz
  • Patent number: 9035365
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes epitaxial raised source/drain (RSD) regions formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate through selective epitaxial growth. In one embodiment, the faceted side portions of the RSD regions are utilized to form cavity regions which may be filled with a dielectric material to form dielectric spacer regions. Spacers may be formed over the dielectric spacer regions. In another embodiment, the faceted side portions may be selectively grown to form air gap spacer regions in the cavity regions. A conformal spacer layer with interior and exterior surfaces may be formed in the cavity region, creating an air gap spacer defined by the interior surfaces of the conformal spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Juntao Li, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9034741
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same, wherein the method includes fabrication of field effect transistors (FET). The method includes growing a doped epitaxial halo region in a plurality of sigma-shaped source and drain recesses within a semiconductor substrate. An epitaxial stressor material is grown within the sigma-shaped source and drain recesses surrounded by the doped epitaxial halo forming source and drain regions with controlled current depletion towards the channel region to improve device performance. Selective growth of epitaxial regions allows for control of dopants profile and hence tailored and enhanced carrier mobility within the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Keith E. Fogel, Judson R. Holt, Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20150102428
    Abstract: A merged fin finFET and method of fabrication. The finFET includes: two or more single-crystal semiconductor fins on a top surface of an insulating layer on semiconductor substrate, each fin of the two or more fins having a central region between and abutting first and second end regions and opposite sides, top surfaces and sidewalls of the two or more fins are (100) surfaces and the longitudinal axes of the two or more fins aligned with a [100] direction; a gate dielectric layer on each fin of the two or more fins; an electrically conductive gate over the gate dielectric layer over the central region of each fin of the of two or more fins; and a merged source/drain comprising an a continuous layer of epitaxial semiconductor material on ends of each fin of the two or more fins, the ends on a same side of the conductive gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Keith E. Fogel, Jinghong Li, Alexander Reznicek