Patents by Inventor Thomas Y. Hoffman

Thomas Y. Hoffman 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: 10424517
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dual work function semiconductor device includes forming a first silicon oxide layer on a substrate and forming a first hafnium-containing dielectric material layer on the first silicon oxide layer. The method further includes forming an aluminum-containing dielectric material layer on the first hafnium-containing dielectric material layer and performing a thermal treatment to intermix the silicon oxide layer, the first hafnium-containing dielectric material layer and the aluminum-containing dielectric material layers. This results in an intermixing dielectric layer containing hafnium, aluminum, silicon, and oxygen. The method further includes forming a first metal-containing conductive layer on the intermixing dielectric layer and patterning the first metal-containing conductive layer and the intermixing dielectric layer, thereby forming a first gate stack in a first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Joshua Tseng, Yasutoshi Okuno, Lars-Ake Ragnarsson, Tom Schram, Stefan Kubicek, Thomas Y Hoffman, Naohisa Sengoku
  • Patent number: 8912055
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for forming hybrid metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and the hybrid MOSFETS thus obtained. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes providing a first substrate comprising a first region and a second region, providing a second substrate comprising a second semiconductor layer and an insulating layer overlaying the second semiconductor layer, and direct substrate bonding the second substrate to the first substrate, thereby contacting the first region and the second region with the insulating layer. The method further includes selectively removing the second semiconductor layer and the insulating layer in the first region, thereby exposing the first semiconductor layer in the first region, forming a first gate stack of a first MOSFET on the exposed first semiconductor layer in the first region, and forming a second gate stack of a second MOSFET on the second semiconductor layer in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Thomas Y. Hoffman, Matty Caymax, Niamh Waldron, Geert Hellings
  • Publication number: 20090206417
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dual work function semiconductor device is disclosed. In one aspect, a method starts by forming a host dielectric layer over a first and second region of a substrate. A first dielectric capping layer is formed overlying the host dielectric layer on the first and second region and later selectively removed to expose an underlying layer on the first region. A Hf-based dielectric capping layer is formed overlying the underlying layer on the first region and the first dielectric capping layer on the second region. The Hf-based dielectric capping layer is selected to have a healing effect on the exposed surface of the underlying layer on the first region. A control electrode is formed overlaying the Hf-based dielectric capping layer on the first region and on the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: Interuniversitair Microelektornica Centrum vzw (IMEC)
    Inventors: Shou-Zen Chang, HongYu Yu, Thomas Y. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20090174003
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dual work function semiconductor device is disclosed. In one aspect, the method relates to providing a substrate with a first and a second region. A gate dielectric is formed overlying the first and the second region. A metal gate layer is formed overlying the gate dielectric on the first and the second region. The metal gate layer has a first (as-deposited) work function that can be modified upon inducing strain thereon. The method further relates to selecting a first strain which induces a first pre-determined work function shift (?WF1) in the first (as-deposited) work function of the metal gate layer on the first region and selectively forming a first strained conductive layer overlying the metal gate layer on the first region, the first strained conductive layer exerting the selected first strain on the metal gate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicants: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum vzw (IMEC), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. (TSMC)
    Inventors: Shou-Zen Chang, Thomas Y. Hoffman, Geoffrey Pourtois, Hong Yu Yu