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: 8674447
    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: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140070332
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including at least two fin structures on a substrate surface and a functional gate structure present on the at least two fin structures. The functional gate structure includes at least one gate dielectric that is in direct contact with at least the sidewalls of the two fin structures, and at least one gate conductor on the at least one gate dielectric. The sidewall of the gate structure is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate surface, wherein the plane defined by the sidewall of the gate structure and a plane defined by an upper surface of the substrate surface intersect at an angle of 90°+/?5°. An epitaxial semiconductor material is in direct contact with the at least two fin structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140070277
    Abstract: A smooth germanium layer which can be grown directly on a silicon semiconductor substrate by exposing the substrate to germanium precursor in the presence of phosphine at temperature of about 350 C. The germanium layer formation can be achieved with or without a SiGe seed layer. The process to form the germanium layer can be integrated into standard CMOS processing to efficiently form a structure embodying a thin, highly strained germanium layer. Such structure can enable processing flexibility. The germanium layer can also provide unique physical properties such as in an opto-electronic devices, or to enable formation of a layer of group III-V material on a silicon substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Stephen W. Bedell, Keith E. Fogel, Alexander Reznicek, Devandra Sadana
  • Publication number: 20140061820
    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: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz
  • Patent number: 8653599
    Abstract: A CMOS nanowire FinFET device structure and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The CMOS nanowire FinFET device structure includes a first plurality of fins and a second plurality of fins. The first and the second plurality of fins are formed in a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) layer over a buried insulator (BOX) layer. The first plurality of fins is formed in the first region and the second plurality of fins is formed in the second region. The CMOS nanowire FinFET device structure further includes a first plurality of nanowires formed over a top surface of each of the first plurality of fins and containing a first epitaxial layer. The first plurality of nanowires has a pair of facet surfaces. The pair of facet surfaces has (111) crystal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam
  • Patent number: 8652932
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including at least two fin structures on a substrate surface and a functional gate structure present on the at least two fin structures. The functional gate structure includes at least one gate dielectric that is in direct contact with at least the sidewalls of the two fin structures, and at least one gate conductor on the at least one gate dielectric. The sidewall of the gate structure is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate surface, wherein the plane defined by the sidewall of the gate structure and a plane defined by an upper surface of the substrate surface intersect at an angle of 90°+/?5°. An epitaxial semiconductor material is in direct contact with the at least two fin structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140042547
    Abstract: A high density bulk fin capacitor is disclosed. Fin capacitors are formed near finFETs by further etching the fin capacitors to provide more surface area, resulting in increased capacitance density. Embodiments of the present invention include depletion-mode varactors and inversion-mode varactors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ali Khakifirooz, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8648388
    Abstract: A field effect transistor and method of fabrication are provided. The field effect transistor comprises a plurality of elongated uniaxially-strained SiGe regions disposed on a silicon substrate, oriented such that they are in parallel to the direction of flow of electrical carriers in the channel. The elongated uniaxially-strained SiGe regions are oriented perpendicular to, and traverse through the transistor gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Khakifirooz, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140038369
    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: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8642415
    Abstract: A method of creating a semiconductor integrated circuit is disclosed. The method includes forming a first field effect transistor (FET) device and a second FET device on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes epitaxially growing raised source/drain (RSD) structures for the first FET device at a first height. The method includes epitaxially growing raised source/drain (RSD) structures for the second FET device at a second height. The second height is greater than the first height such that a threshold voltage of the second FET device is greater than a threshold voltage of the first FET device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Balasubramanian S. Haran, Pranita Kulkarni, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140027863
    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: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Keith E. Fogel, Jinghong Li, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20140024181
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure which includes an extremely thin silicon-on-insulator (ETSOI) semiconductor structure having a PFET portion and an NFET portion, a gate structure in the PFET portion and the NFET portion, a high quality nitride spacer adjacent to the gate structures in the PFET portion and the NFET portion and a doped faceted epitaxial silicon germanium raised source/drain (RSD) in the PFET portion. An amorphous silicon layer is formed on the RSD in the PFET portion. A faceted epitaxial silicon RSD is formed on the ETSOI adjacent to the high quality nitride in the NFET portion. The amorphous layer in the PFET portion prevents epitaxial growth in the PFET portion during formation of the RSD in the NFET portion. Extensions are ion implanted into the ETSOI underneath the gate structure in the NFET portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Bala S. Haran, Pranita Kulkarni, Amlan Majumdar, Stefan Schmitz
  • Publication number: 20140015014
    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: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam
  • Publication number: 20140001561
    Abstract: A CMOS device structure and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The CMOS device structure includes a substrate having a first region and a second region. The CMOS device structure further includes a first gate formed in the first region overlying a first channel region in the substrate. The CMOS device structure further includes a first pair of source/drain regions formed in the first region on either side of the first channel region. Each region of the pair of source/drain regions has a substantially V-shaped concave top surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam
  • Publication number: 20140001554
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes providing an active layer and forming adjacent gate structures on the active layer. The gate structures each have sidewalls such that first spacers are formed on the sidewalls. A raised region is epitaxially grown on the active layer between the adjacent gate structures and at least one trench that extends through the raised region and through the active region is formed, whereby the at least one trench separates the raised region into a first raised region corresponding to a first transistor and a second raised region corresponding to a second transistor. The first raised region and second raised region are electrically isolated by the at least one trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20130334571
    Abstract: A smooth germanium layer which can be grown directly on a silicon semiconductor substrate by exposing the substrate to germanium precursor in the presence of phosphine at temperature of about 350C. The germanium layer formation can be achieved with or without a SiGe seed layer. The process to form the germanium layer can be integrated into standard CMOS processing to efficiently form a structure embodying a thin, highly strained germanium layer. Such structure can enable processing flexibility. The germanium layer can also provide unique physical properties such as in an opto-electronic devices, or to enable formation of a layer of group III-V material on a silicon substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam, Stephen W. Bedell, Keith E. Fogel, Devendra K. Sadana
  • Patent number: 8592916
    Abstract: A lower raised source/drain region is formed on a planar source/drain region of a planar field effect transistor or a surface of a portion of semiconductor fin adjoining a channel region of a fin field effect transistor. At least one contact-level dielectric material layer is formed and planarized, and a contact via hole extending to the lower raised source/drain region is formed in the at least one contact-level dielectric material layer. An upper raised source/drain region is formed on a top surface of the lower raised source/drain region. A metal semiconductor alloy portion and a contact via structure are formed within the contact via hole. Formation of the upper raised source/drain region is limited to a bottom portion of the contact via hole, thereby preventing formation of, and increase of parasitic capacitance by, any additional raised structure in source/drain regions that are not contacted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Khakifirooz, Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20130307074
    Abstract: An electrical device is provided that includes a substrate having an upper semiconductor layer, a buried dielectric layer and a base semiconductor layer. At least one isolation region is present in the substrate that defines a semiconductor device region and a resistor device region. The semiconductor device region includes a semiconductor device having a back gate structure that is present in the base semiconductor layer. Electrical contact to the back gate structure is provided by doped epitaxial semiconductor pillars that extend through the buried dielectric layer. An epitaxial semiconductor resistor is present in the resistor device region. Undoped epitaxial semiconductor pillars extending from the epitaxial semiconductor resistor to the base semiconductor layer provide a pathway for heat generated by the epitaxial semiconductor resistor to be dissipated to the base semiconductor layer. The undoped and doped epitaxial semiconductor pillars are composed of the same epitaxial semiconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Thomas N. Adam
  • Publication number: 20130307076
    Abstract: A fin resistor and method of fabrication are disclosed. The fin resistor comprises a plurality of fins arranged in a linear pattern with an alternating pattern of epitaxial regions. An anneal diffuses dopants from the epitaxial regions into the fins. Contacts are connected to endpoint epitaxial regions to allow the resistor to be connected to more complex integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Thomas N. Adam, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Publication number: 20130299889
    Abstract: A device including a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate including a semiconductor device region and a capacitor device region. A semiconductor device present in the semiconductor device region. The semiconductor device including a gate structure present on a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) layer of the SOI substrate, extension source and drain regions present in the SOI layer on opposing sides of the gate structure, and raised source and drain regions composed of a first portion of an epitaxial semiconductor material on the SOI layer. A capacitor is present in the capacitor device region, said capacitor including a first electrode comprised of a second portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material that has a same composition and crystal structure as the first portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material, a node dielectric layer present on the second portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material, and a second electrode comprised of a conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas N. Adam, Kangguo Cheng, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek