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).

  • Publication number: 20140353732
    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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Keith E. Fogel, Judson R. Holt, Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140353721
    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: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz
  • Publication number: 20140357037
    Abstract: A channel region of a finFET has fins having apexes in a first direction parallel to a surface of a substrate, each fin extending downwardly from the apex, with a gate overlying the apexes and between adjacent fins. A semiconductor stressor region extends in at least the first direction away from the fins to apply a stress to the channel region. Source and drain regions of the finFET can be separated from one another by the channel region, with the source and/or drain at least partly in the semiconductor stressor region. The stressor region includes a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region overlying and extending from the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region can be more doped than the first semiconductor region, and the first and second semiconductor regions can have opposite conductivity types where a portion of the second semiconductor region meets the first semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8900934
    Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor fins are formed which extend from a semiconductor material portion that is present atop an insulator layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. A gate structure and adjacent gate spacers are formed that straddle each semiconductor fin. Portions of each semiconductor fin are left exposed. The exposed portions of the semiconductor fins are then merged by forming an epitaxial semiconductor material from an exposed semiconductor material portion that is not covered by the gate structure and gate spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Jinghong Li, Chung-Hsun Lin, Sebastian Naczas, Alexander Reznicek, Tenko Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20140346573
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a first dielectric layer on a substrate; forming a set of bias lines on the first dielectric layer; covering the set of bias lines with a second dielectric layer; forming a semiconductor layer on the second dielectric layer; and forming a set of devices on the semiconductor layer above the set of bias lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan
  • Publication number: 20140346612
    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: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8896063
    Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor fins are formed which extend from a semiconductor material portion that is present atop an insulator layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. A gate structure and adjacent gate spacers are formed that straddle each semiconductor fin. Portions of each semiconductor fin are left exposed. The exposed portions of the semiconductor fins are then merged by forming an epitaxial semiconductor material from an exposed semiconductor material portion that is not covered by the gate structure and gate spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Jinghong Li, Chung-Hsun Lin, Sebastian Naczas, Alexander Reznicek, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8889495
    Abstract: Semiconductor alloy fin structures can be formed by recessing a semiconductor material layer including a first semiconductor material to form a trench, and epitaxially depositing a semiconductor alloy material of the first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material within the trench. The semiconductor alloy material is epitaxially aligned to the first semiconductor material in the semiconductor material layer. First semiconductor fins including the first semiconductor material and second semiconductor fins including the semiconductor alloy material can be simultaneously formed. In one embodiment, the first and second semiconductor fins can be formed on an insulator layer, which prevents diffusion of the second semiconductor material to the first semiconductor fins. In another embodiment, shallow trench isolation structures and reverse biased wells can be employed to provide electrical insulation among neighboring semiconductor fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Thomas N. Adam, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8884344
    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: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan, Thomas N. Adam
  • Publication number: 20140327054
    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: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Juntao Li, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140327058
    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: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan, Thomas N. Adam
  • Patent number: 8877604
    Abstract: A FET structure including epitaxial source and drain regions includes large contact areas and exhibits both low resistivity and low parasitic gate to source/drain capacitance. The source and drain regions are laterally etched to provide recesses for accommodating low-k dielectric material without compromising the contact area between the source/drain regions and their associated contacts. A high-k dielectric layer is provided between the raised source/drain regions and a gate conductor as well as between the gate conductor and a substrate, such as an ETSOI or PDSOI substrate. The structure is usable in electronic devices such as MOSFET devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8872172
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures having embedded source/drains with oxide underlayers and methods for forming the same. Embodiments include semiconductor structures having a channel in a substrate, and a source/drain region adjacent to the channel including an embedded oxide region and an embedded semiconductor region located above the embedded oxide region. Embodiments further include methods of forming a transistor structure including forming a gate on a substrate, etching a source/drain recess in the substrate, filling a bottom portion of the source/drain recess with an oxide layer, and filling a portion of the source/drain recess not filled by the oxide layer with a semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan, Thomas N. Adam
  • Publication number: 20140312420
    Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor fins are formed which extend from a semiconductor material portion that is present atop an insulator layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. A gate structure and adjacent gate spacers are formed that straddle each semiconductor fin. Portions of each semiconductor fin are left exposed. The exposed portions of the semiconductor fins are then merged by forming an epitaxial semiconductor material from an exposed semiconductor material portion that is not covered by the gate structure and gate spacers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Jinghong Li, Chung-Hsun Lin, Sebastian Naczas, Alexander Reznicek, Tenko Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20140312419
    Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor fins are formed which extend from a semiconductor material portion that is present atop an insulator layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. A gate structure and adjacent gate spacers are formed that straddle each semiconductor fin. Portions of each semiconductor fin are left exposed. The exposed portions of the semiconductor fins are then merged by forming an epitaxial semiconductor material from an exposed semiconductor material portion that is not covered by the gate structure and gate spacers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Jinghong Li, Chung-Hsun Lin, Sebastian Naczas, Alexander Reznicek, Tenko Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20140312425
    Abstract: FinFET structures and methods of formation are disclosed. Fins are formed on a bulk substrate. A crystalline insulator layer is formed on the bulk substrate with the fins sticking out of the epitaxial oxide layer. A gate is formed around the fins protruding from the crystalline insulator layer. An epitaxially grown semiconductor region is formed in the source drain region by merging the fins on the crystalline insulator layer to form a fin merging region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Interantional Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan
  • Publication number: 20140312428
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor article which includes a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of gate structures having a spacer adjacent to a conducting material of the gate structure wherein a corner of the spacer is faceted to create a faceted space between the faceted spacer and the semiconductor substrate; and a raised source/drain adjacent to each of the gate structures, the raised source/drain filling the faceted space and having a surface parallel to the semiconductor substrate. At least one gate structure of the plurality of gate structures is for an nFET and at least one gate structure of the plurality of gate structures is for a pFET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8865561
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a set of doped regions in a substrate; forming a crystalline dielectric layer on the substrate, the crystalline dielectric layer including an epitaxial oxide; forming a semiconductor layer on the crystalline dielectric layer, the semiconductor layer and the crystalline dielectric layer forming an extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) structure; and forming a set of devices on the semiconductor layer, wherein at least one device in the set of devices is formed over a doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Thomas N. Adam, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Raghavasimhan Sreenivasan
  • Patent number: 8866227
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device that may begin with providing a semiconductor substrate including a first device region including a silicon layer in direct contact with a buried dielectric layer, a second device region including a silicon germanium layer in direct contact with the buried dielectric layer, and a third device region with a silicon doped with carbon layer. At least one low power semiconductor device may then be formed on the silicon layer within the first device region of the semiconductor substrate. At least one p-type semiconductor device may be formed on the silicon germanium layer of the second device region of the semiconductor substrate. At least one n-type semiconductor device may be formed on the silicon doped with carbon layer of the third device region of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Stephen W. Bedell, Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi
  • Patent number: 8859376
    Abstract: A method and structure of an embedded stressor in a semiconductor transistor device having a sigma-shaped channel sidewall and a vertical isolation sidewall. The embedded stressor structure is made by a first etch to form a recess in a substrate having a gate and first and second spacers. The second spacers are removed and a second etch creates a step in the recess on a channel sidewall. An anisotropic etch creates facets in the channel sidewall of the recess. Where the facets meet, a vertex is formed. The depth of the vertex is determined by the second etch depth (step depth). The lateral position of the vertex is determined by the thickness of the first spacers. A semiconductor material having a different lattice spacing than the substrate is formed in the recess to achieve the embedded stressor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek