Patents by Inventor Wen-hao Cheng

Wen-hao Cheng 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: 20230352350
    Abstract: A deposition system provides a feature that may reduce costs of the sputtering process by increasing a target change interval. The deposition system provides an array of magnet members which generate a magnetic field and redirect the magnetic field based on target thickness measurement data. To adjust or redirect the magnetic field, at least one of the magnet members in the array tilts to focus on an area of the target where more target material remains than other areas. As a result, more ion, e.g., argon ion bombardment occurs on the area, creating more uniform erosion on the target surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Wen-Hao CHENG, Hsuan-Chih CHU, Yen-Yu CHEN, Yi-Ming DAI
  • Publication number: 20230314702
    Abstract: A package includes an encapsulant having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a first integrated circuit die and a second integrated circuit die embedded in the encapsulant, and a first interposer on the first side of the encapsulant. The first interposer is mechanically and electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die. The package further includes a second interposer on the second side of the encapsulant. The second interposer is mechanically and electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die. The second interposer optically or electrically couples the first integrated circuit die to the second integrated circuit die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Chen-Hua Yu, Chuei-Tang Wang, Wen-Hao Cheng, Tung-Liang Shao, Chung-Hao Tsai
  • Publication number: 20230298916
    Abstract: A semiconductor process system includes a wafer support and a control system. The wafer support includes a plurality of heating elements and a plurality of temperature sensors. The heating elements heat a semiconductor wafer supported by the support system. The temperature sensors generate sensor signals indicative of a temperature. The control system selectively controls the heating elements responsive to the sensor signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Wen-Hao CHENG, Hsuan-Chih CHU, Yen-Yu CHEN
  • Patent number: 11762280
    Abstract: An EUV reflective structure includes a substrate and multiple pairs of a Si layer and a Mo layer. The Si layer includes a plurality of cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Benny Ku, Keith Kuang-Kuo Koai, Wen-Hao Cheng
  • Publication number: 20230275048
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method includes forming an interconnect structure electrically connected to a semiconductor device; forming a tantalum-based barrier layer over the interconnect structure; oxidizing the tantalum-based barrier layer to form a tantalum oxide over the tantalum-based barrier layer; and forming a metal layer over the tantalum oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao CHENG, Yen-Yu CHEN, Chih-Wei LIN, Yi-Ming DAI
  • Patent number: 11742231
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible workpiece pedestal capable of tilting a workpiece support surface. The workpiece pedestal further includes a heater mounted on the workpiece support surface. The heater includes a plurality of heating sources such as heating coils. The plurality of heating sources in the heater allows heating the workpiece at different temperatures for different zones of the workpiece. For example, the workpiece can have a central zone heated by a first heating coil, a first outer ring zone that is outside of the central zone heated by a second heating coil, a second outer ring zone that is outside of the first outer ring zone heated by a third heating coil. By using the tunable heating feature and the tilting feature of the workpiece pedestal, the present disclosure can reduce or eliminate the shadowing effect problem of the related workpiece pedestal in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsuan-Chih Chu, Wen-Hao Cheng, Yen-Yu Chen, Yi-Ming Dai
  • Patent number: 11728226
    Abstract: A deposition system provides a feature that may reduce costs of the sputtering process by increasing a target change interval. The deposition system provides an array of magnet members which generate a magnetic field and redirect the magnetic field based on target thickness measurement data. To adjust or redirect the magnetic field, at least one of the magnet members in the array tilts to focus on an area of the target where more target material remains than other areas. As a result, more ion, e.g., argon ion bombardment occurs on the area, creating more uniform erosion on the target surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Cheng, Hsuan-Chih Chu, Yen-Yu Chen, Yi-Ming Dai
  • Patent number: 11693327
    Abstract: A lithography system includes a radiation source configured to generate a radiation, a reticle configured to redirect the radiation, a first type injection nozzle proximal to the reticle and configured to generate a first particle shield in a propagation path of the radiation, and a second type injection nozzle proximal to the radiation source and configured to generate a second particle shield in the propagation path of the radiation. The second type injection nozzle and the first type injection nozzle are of different types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Wen-Hao Cheng
  • Patent number: 11688615
    Abstract: A semiconductor process system includes a wafer support and a control system. The wafer support includes a plurality of heating elements and a plurality of temperature sensors. The heating elements heat a semiconductor wafer supported by the support system. The temperature sensors generate sensor signals indicative of a temperature. The control system selectively controls the heating elements responsive to the sensor signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Cheng, Hsuan-Chih Chu, Yen-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 11681851
    Abstract: The current disclosure describes techniques for managing planarization of features formed on a semiconductor wafer. The disclosed techniques achieve relative planarization of micro bump structures formed on a wafer surface by adjusting the pattern density of the micro bumps formed within various regions on the wafer surface. The surface area size of a micro bump formed within a given wafer surface region may be enlarged or reduced to change the pattern density. A dummy micro bump may be inserted into a given wafer surface region to increase the pattern density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Venkata Sripathi Sasanka Pratapa, Jyun-Hong Chen, Wen-Hao Cheng
  • Patent number: 11682639
    Abstract: A device includes an interconnect structure, a barrier multi-layer structure, an oxide layer, a pad metal layer, and a passivation layer. The barrier multi-layer structure is over the interconnect structure, the barrier multi-layer structure includes a first metal nitride layer and a second metal nitride layer over the first metal nitride layer. The oxide layer is over the barrier multi-layer structure, in which the oxide layer is an oxide of the second metal nitride layer of the barrier multi-layer structure. The pad metal layer is over the oxide layer. The passivation layer is in contact with the barrier multi-layer structure, the oxide layer, and the pad metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Cheng, Yen-Yu Chen, Chih-Wei Lin, Yi-Ming Dai
  • Publication number: 20230178415
    Abstract: A robot for transferring a wafer is disclosed. A blade of the robot includes a first sensor on an upper surface of the blade and the second sensor on a back surface of the blade. The first sensor is operable to align the blade with a wafer. The second sensor is operable to align the blade with a holder that holds the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Wen-Hao CHENG, Yen-Yu CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230178399
    Abstract: Systematic fault localization systems and methods are provided which utilize computational GDS-assisted navigation to accelerate physical fault analysis to identify systematic fault locations and patterns. In some embodiments, a method includes detecting a plurality of electrical fault regions of a plurality of dies of a semiconductor wafer. Decomposed Graphic Database System (GDS) cross-layer clips are generated which are associated with the plurality of electrical fault regions. A plurality of cross-layer common patterns is identified based on the decomposed GDS cross-layer clips. Normalized differentials may be determined for each of the cross-layer common patterns, and locations of hotspots in each of the dies may be identified based on the determined normalized differentials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Peng-Ren Chen, Wen-Hao Cheng, Jyun-Hong Chen, Chien-Hui Chen
  • Patent number: 11669957
    Abstract: A method of analyzing a semiconductor wafer includes obtaining a graphic data system (GDS) file corresponding to the semiconductor wafer, using GDS information from the GDS file to provide coordinates of a layout feature of the semiconductor wafer to an electron microscope, using the electron microscope to capture a raw image from the semiconductor wafer based on the coordinates of the layout feature, and performing a measurement operation on the raw image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Peng-Ren Chen, Yi-An Huang, Jyun-Hong Chen, Wei-Chung Hu, Wen-Hao Cheng, Shiang-Bau Wang, Yung-Jung Chang
  • Publication number: 20230072507
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit (IC) structure. The IC structure includes a semiconductor substrate; an interconnection structure formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a redistribution layer (RDL) metallic feature formed on the interconnection structure. The RDL metallic feature further includes a barrier layer disposed on the interconnection structure; a diffusion layer disposed on the barrier layer, wherein the diffusion layer includes metal and oxygen; and a metallic layer disposed on the diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Shih Wei Bih, Sheng-Wei Yeh, Yen-Yu Chen, Wen-Hao Cheng, Chih-Wei Lin, Chun-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 11600505
    Abstract: Systematic fault localization systems and methods are provided which utilize computational GDS-assisted navigation to accelerate physical fault analysis to identify systematic fault locations and patterns. In some embodiments, a method includes detecting a plurality of electrical fault regions of a plurality of dies of a semiconductor wafer. Decomposed Graphic Database System (GDS) cross-layer clips are generated which are associated with the plurality of electrical fault regions. A plurality of cross-layer common patterns is identified based on the decomposed GDS cross-layer clips. Normalized differentials may be determined for each of the cross-layer common patterns, and locations of hotspots in each of the dies may be identified based on the determined normalized differentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peng-Ren Chen, Wen-Hao Cheng, Jyun-Hong Chen, Chien-Hui Chen
  • Patent number: 11574837
    Abstract: A robot for transferring a wafer is disclosed. A blade of the robot includes a first sensor on an upper surface of the blade and the second sensor on a back surface of the blade. The first sensor is operable to align the blade with a wafer. The second sensor is operable to align the blade with a holder that holds the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Cheng, Yen-Yu Chen
  • Publication number: 20230022509
    Abstract: A deposition system is provided capable of cleaning itself by removing a target material deposited on a surface of a collimator. The deposition system in accordance with the present disclosure includes a substrate process chamber. The deposition includes a substrate pedestal in the substrate process chamber, the substrate pedestal configured to support a substrate, a target enclosing the substrate process chamber, and a collimator having a plurality of hollow structures disposed between the target and the substrate, a vibration generating unit, and cleaning gas outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Wen-Hao CHENG, Hsuan-Chih CHU, Yen-Yu CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230008029
    Abstract: A sputtering target structure includes a back plate characterized by a first size, and a plurality of sub-targets bonded to the back plate. Each of the sub-targets is characterized by a size that is a fraction of the first size and is equal to or less than a threshold target size. Each sub-target includes a ferromagnetic material containing iron (Fe) and boron (B). Each of the plurality of sub-targets is in direct contact with one or more adjacent sub-targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Cheng, Hsuan-Chih Chu, Yen-Yu Chen
  • Publication number: 20230010438
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a device feature. The semiconductor device includes a first silicide layer having a first metal, wherein the first silicide layer is embedded in the device feature. The semiconductor device includes a second silicide layer having a second metal, wherein the second silicide layer, disposed above the device feature, comprises a first portion directly contacting the first silicide layer. The first metal is different from the second metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Cheng, Hsuan-Chih Chu, Yen-Yu Chen