Patents by Inventor Wei-Liang Lin

Wei-Liang Lin 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: 11862465
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including operations of forming a first hard mask over an underlying layer on a substrate by a photolithographic and etching method, forming a sidewall spacer pattern having a first sidewall portion and a second sidewall portion on opposing sides of the first hard mask, etching the first sidewall portion, etching the first hard mask and leaving the second sidewall portion bridging a gap of the etched first hard mask, and processing the underlying layer using the second hard mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shih-Chun Huang, Chiu-Hsiang Chen, Ya-Wen Yeh, Yu-Tien Shen, Po-Chin Chang, Chien-Wen Lai, Wei-Liang Lin, Ya Hui Chang, Yung-Sung Yen, Li-Te Lin, Pinyen Lin, Ru-Gun Liu, Chin-Hsiang Lin
  • Patent number: 11848208
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first spacer over a substrate. The method includes partially removing the first spacer to form a gap dividing the first spacer into a first part and a second part. The method includes forming a filling layer covering a first top surface and a first sidewall of the first spacer. The filling layer and the first spacer together form a strip structure. The method includes forming a second spacer over a second sidewall of the strip structure. The method includes forming a third spacer over a third sidewall of the second spacer. The third spacer is narrower than the second spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Lai, Shih-Ming Chang, Wei-Liang Lin, Chin-Yuan Tseng, Ru-Gun Liu
  • Publication number: 20230369047
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for semiconductor manufacturing in accordance with some embodiments. The method includes forming a hard mask layer over a substrate, the substrate having one or more regions to receive a treatment process, forming a resist layer over the hard mask layer, patterning the resist layer to form a plurality of openings in the resist layer, each of the openings free of concave corners, performing an opening expanding process to enlarge at least one of the openings in the resist layer, transferring the openings in the resist layer to the hard mask layer, and performing the treatment process to the one or more regions in the substrate through the openings in the hard mask layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Yu-Tien Shen, Ya-Wen Yeh, Wei-Liang Lin, Ya Hui Chang, Yung-Sung Yen, Wei-Hao Wu, Li-Te Lin, Ru-Gun Liu, Kuei-Shun Chen
  • Publication number: 20230369062
    Abstract: In a method of forming a groove pattern extending in a first axis in an underlying layer over a semiconductor substrate, a first opening is formed in the underlying layer, and the first opening is extended in the first axis by directional etching to form the groove pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Ru-Gun LIU, Chih-Ming LAI, Wei-Liang LIN, Yung-Sung YEN, Ken-Hsien HSIEH, Chin-Hsiang LIN
  • Patent number: 11796922
    Abstract: In a method of forming a pattern, a photo resist layer is formed over an underlying layer, the photo resist layer is exposed to an actinic radiation carrying pattern information, the exposed photo resist layer is developed to form a developed resist pattern, a directional etching operation is applied to the developed resist pattern to form a trimmed resist pattern, and the underlying layer is patterned using the trimmed resist pattern as an etching mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ru-Gun Liu, Huicheng Chang, Chia-Cheng Chen, Jyu-Horng Shieh, Liang-Yin Chen, Shu-Huei Suen, Wei-Liang Lin, Ya Hui Chang, Yi-Nien Su, Yung-Sung Yen, Chia-Fong Chang, Ya-Wen Yeh, Yu-Tien Shen
  • Patent number: 11791161
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for semiconductor manufacturing in accordance with some embodiments. The method includes providing a substrate and a patterning layer over the substrate and forming a plurality of openings in the patterning layer. The substrate includes a plurality of features to receive a treatment process. The openings partially overlap with the features from a top view while a portion of the features remains covered by the patterning layer. Each of the openings is free of concave corners. The method further includes performing an opening expanding process to enlarge each of the openings and performing a treatment process to the features through the openings. After the opening expanding process, the openings fully overlap with the features from the top view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Tien Shen, Ya-Wen Yeh, Wei-Liang Lin, Ya Hui Chang, Yung-Sung Yen, Wei-Hao Wu, Li-Te Lin, Ru-Gun Liu, Kuei-Shun Chen
  • Patent number: 11764068
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a trench pattern is formed in a first layer disposed over an underlying layer, and a first dimension of the trench pattern is reduced by first directional deposition. In the first directional deposition, a deposition rate on a first side wall of the trench pattern extending in a first axis is greater than a deposition rate on a second side wall of the trench pattern extending in a second axis crossing the first axis, the first axis and the second axis being horizontal and parallel to a surface of the underlying layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ru-Gun Liu, Chih-Ming Lai, Wei-Liang Lin, Yung-Sung Yen, Ken-Hsien Hsieh, Chin-Hsiang Lin
  • Publication number: 20230260803
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an underlying structure is formed over a substrate. A film is formed over the underlying structure. Surface topography of the film is measured and the surface topography is stored as topography data. A local etching is performed by using directional etching and scanning the substrate so that an entire surface of the film is subjected to the directional etching. A plasma beam intensity of the directional etching is adjusted according to the topography data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Ya-Wen YEH, Yu-Tien SHEN, Shih-Chun HUANG, Po-Chin CHANG, Wei-Liang LIN, Yung-Sung YEN, Wei-Hao WU, Li-Te LIN, Pinyen LIN, Ru-Gun LIU
  • Publication number: 20230247817
    Abstract: A method (of manufacturing fins for a semiconductor device) includes: forming semiconductor fins including ones thereof having a first cap with a first etch sensitivity (first capped fins) and second ones thereof having a second cap with a second etch sensitivity (second capped fins), the first and second etch sensitivities being different; and eliminating selected ones of the first capped fins and selected ones of the second capped fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Chih-Liang CHEN, Chih-Ming LAI, Charles Chew-Yuen YOUNG, Chin-Yuan TSENG, Jiann-Tyng TZENG, Kam-Tou SIO, Ru-Gun LIU, Wei-Liang LIN, L. C. CHOU
  • Publication number: 20230170218
    Abstract: A method includes providing a substrate having a surface such that a first hard mask layer is formed over the surface and a second hard mask layer is formed over the first hard mask layer, forming a first pattern in the second hard mask layer, where the first pattern includes a first mandrel oriented lengthwise in a first direction and a second mandrel oriented lengthwise in a second direction different from the first direction, and where the first mandrel has a top surface, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and depositing a material towards the first mandrel and the second mandrel such that a layer of the material is formed on the top surface and the first sidewall but not the second sidewall of the first mandrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Shih-Chun Huang, Ya-Wen Yeh, Chien-Wen Lai, Wei-Liang Lin, Ya Hui Chang, Yung-Sung Yen, Ru-Gun Liu, Chin-Hsiang Lin, Yu-Tien Shen
  • Patent number: 11651972
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an underlying structure is formed over a substrate. A film is formed over the underlying structure. Surface topography of the film is measured and the surface topography is stored as topography data. A local etching is performed by using directional etching and scanning the substrate so that an entire surface of the film is subjected to the directional etching. A plasma beam intensity of the directional etching is adjusted according to the topography data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ya-Wen Yeh, Yu-Tien Shen, Shih-Chun Huang, Po-Chin Chang, Wei-Liang Lin, Yung-Sung Yen, Wei-Hao Wu, Li-Te Lin, Pinyen Lin, Ru-Gun Liu
  • Patent number: 11641744
    Abstract: A memory device and a method for fabricating the memory device are provided. The memory device includes a substrate having an upper surface; a stacked structure disposed on the upper surface of the substrate, wherein the stacked structure includes a first insulating layer, a first conductive layer, a second insulating layer, a second conductive layer and a third insulating layer sequentially stacked on the substrate; a plurality of channel structures penetrating the stacked structure and electrically connected to the substrate, wherein each of the channel structures includes an upper portion corresponding to the second conductive layer and a lower portion corresponding to the first conductive layer; a memory layer disposed between the second conductive layer and the upper portion; and a plurality of isolation structures penetrating the stacked structure to separate the stacked structure into a plurality of sub-stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Liang Lin, Wen-Jer Tsai
  • Patent number: 11616067
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method (of manufacturing fins for a semiconductor device) includes: forming a first layer (on a semiconductor substrate) that has first spacers and etch stop layer (ESL) portions which are interspersed; forming second spacers on central regions of the first spacers and the ESL portions; removing exposed regions of the first spacers and the ESL portions and corresponding underlying portions of the semiconductor substrate; removing the second spacers resulting in corresponding first capped semiconductor fins and second capped semiconductor fins that are organized into first and second sets; each member of the first set having a first cap with a first etch sensitivity; and each member of the second set having a second cap with a different second etch sensitivity; and eliminating selected ones of the first capped semiconductor fins and selected ones of the second capped semiconductor fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Liang Chen, Chih-Ming Lai, Charles Chew-Yuen Young, Chin-Yuan Tseng, Jiann-Tyng Tzeng, Kam-Tou Sio, Ru-Gun Liu, Wei-Liang Lin, L. C. Chou
  • Patent number: 11569090
    Abstract: A method of depositing a material on one of two, but not both, sidewalls of a raised structure formed on a substrate includes tilting a normal of the substrate away from a source of the deposition material or tilting the source of the deposition material away from the normal of the substrate. The method may be implemented by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shih-Chun Huang, Ya-Wen Yeh, Chien-Wen Lai, Wei-Liang Lin, Ya Hui Chang, Yung-Sung Yen, Ru-Gun Liu, Chin-Hsiang Lin, Yu-Tien Shen
  • Publication number: 20230007928
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a transformer includes: winding a first winding wire around a bobbin, wherein two ends of the first winding wire are connected to a first and a second pin of the bobbin respectively; winding a second winding wire around the bobbin, wherein two ends of the second winding wire are connected to a third and a fourth pin of the bobbin respectively; and winding a third and a fourth winding wire in parallel around the bobbin, wherein two ends of the third winding wire are connected to the second and a fifth pin of the bobbin respectively, and two ends of the fourth winding wire are connected to the fifth and a sixth pin respectively. The first, the third and the fourth winding wires form a primary coil, and the second winding wire is a secondary coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: PAO WEI LIN, WEI LIANG LIN, PEI WANG, JIA YAO LIN, YU TING CHEN, CHIEN-CHIH LAI
  • Patent number: 11532482
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes depositing a first material on a substrate, depositing on the substrate a second material that has an etch selectivity different from an etch selectively of the first material, depositing a spacer material on the first and second material, and etching the substrate using the spacer material as an etch mask to form a fin under the first material and a fin under the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Lei-Chun Chou, Chih-Liang Chen, Chih-Ming Lai, Charles Chew-Yuen Young, Chin-Yuan Tseng, Hsin-Chih Chen, Shi Ning Ju, Jiann-Tyng Tzeng, Kam-Tou Sio, Ru-Gun Liu, Wei-Cheng Lin, Wei-Liang Lin
  • Publication number: 20220384190
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first spacer over a substrate. The method includes partially removing the first spacer to form a gap dividing the first spacer into a first part and a second part. The method includes forming a filling layer covering a first top surface and a first sidewall of the first spacer. The filling layer and the first spacer together form a strip structure. The method includes forming a second spacer over a second sidewall of the strip structure. The method includes forming a third spacer over a third sidewall of the second spacer. The third spacer is narrower than the second spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Chih-Ming LAI, Shih-Ming CHANG, Wei-Liang LIN, Chin-Yuan TSENG, Ru-Gun LIU
  • Publication number: 20220367201
    Abstract: A method of reducing corner rounding during patterning of a substrate to form a prescribed pattern comprising a corner includes dividing the pattern into a first pattern and a second pattern, the first pattern forming a first edge of the corner and the second pattern forming a second edge of the corner. At least a portion of the second pattern overlaps the first pattern such that the first edge intersects with the second edge to form a corner of the prescribed pattern. The method further includes forming the first pattern in a first mask layer disposed on a substrate to expose the substrate and forming the second pattern in the first mask layer to expose the substrate. The substrate exposed through the first mask layer is then etched to obtain the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Chin-Yuan TSENG, Yu-Tien SHEN, Wei-Liang LIN, Chih-Ming LAI, Kuo-Cheng CHING, Shi-Ning JU, Li-Te LIN, Ru-Gun LIU
  • Publication number: 20220285168
    Abstract: In a method of forming a groove pattern extending in a first axis in an underlying layer over a semiconductor substrate, a first opening is formed in the underlying layer, and the first opening is extended in the first axis by directional etching to form the groove pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Ru-Gun LIU, Chih-Ming LAI, Wei-Liang LIN, Yung-Sung YEN, Ken-Hsien HSIEH, Chin-Hsiang LIN
  • Patent number: 11437239
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first layer over a substrate. The first layer has a trench. The method includes forming a first spacer and a second spacer respectively over opposite inner walls of the trench. The first spacer and the second spacer are spaced apart from each other. The method includes removing a first portion of the first spacer to form a first gap in the first spacer, wherein a first part and a second part of the first spacer are spaced apart by the first gap, and the first gap communicates with the trench. The method includes forming a filling layer into the trench and the first gap to cover the first spacer and the second spacer. The filling layer, the first spacer, and the second spacer together form a strip structure. The method includes removing the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Lai, Shih-Ming Chang, Wei-Liang Lin, Chin-Yuan Tseng, Ru-Gun Liu