Patents by Inventor William K. Henson

William K. Henson 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: 20100258875
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes: a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region; a first gate dielectric region on the first semiconductor region; a second gate dielectric region on the second semiconductor region, wherein the second semiconductor region includes a first top surface shared by the second semiconductor region and the second gate dielectric region, and wherein the first top surface defines a reference direction perpendicular to the first top surface and pointing from inside to outside of the second semiconductor region; an electrically conductive layer on the first gate dielectric region; a first poly-silicon region on the electrically conductive layer; a second poly-silicon region on the second gate dielectric region; a first hard mask region on the first poly-silicon region; and a second hard mask region on the second poly-silicon region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Doris, William K. Henson, Richard Stephen Wise, Hongwen Yan
  • Publication number: 20100237435
    Abstract: A method and structure to scale metal gate height in high-k/metal gate transistors. A method includes forming a dummy gate and at least one polysilicon feature, all of which are formed from a same polysilicon layer and wherein the dummy gate is formed over a gate metal layer associated with a transistor. The method also includes selectively removing the dummy gate while protecting the at least one polysilicon feature. The method further includes forming a gate contact on the gate metal layer to thereby form a metal gate having a height that is less than half a height of the at least one polysilicon feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael P. Chudzik, Ricardo A. Donaton, William K. Henson, Yue Liang
  • Patent number: 7791144
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing and more particularly to a CMOS device with a stress inducing material embedded in both gates and also in the source/drain of the PFET and varying thickness of the PFET and NFET channel. In one embodiment, the structure enhances the device performance by varying the thickness of the top Silicon layer respective to the NFET or the PFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Ricardo A. Donaton, William K. Henson, Kern Rim
  • Publication number: 20100187610
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a PFET formed on the substrate, the PFET includes a SiGe layer disposed on the substrate, a high-K dielectric layer disposed on the SiGe layer, a first metallic layer disposed on the high-k dielectric layer, a first intermediate layer disposed on the first metallic layer, a second metallic layer disposed on the first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer disposed on the second metallic layer, and a third metallic layer disposed on the second intermediate layer; an NFET formed on the substrate, the NFET includes the high-k dielectric layer, the high-k dielectric layer being disposed on the substrate, the second intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer being disposed on the high-k dielectric layer, and the third metallic layer, the third metallic layer being disposed on the second intermediate layer. Alternatively, the first metallic layer is omitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Unoh Kwon, Siddarth A. Krishnan, Takashi Ando, Michael P. Chudzik, Martin M. Frank, William K. Henson, Rashmi Jha, Yue Liang, Vijay Narayanan, Ravikumar Ramachandran, Keith Kwong Hon Wong
  • Publication number: 20100181643
    Abstract: A fuse includes a fuse link region, a first region and a second region. The fuse link region electrically connects the first region to the second region. A SiGe layer is disposed only in the fuse link region and the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chandrasekharan Kothandaraman, Deok-kee Kim, Dureseti Chidambarrao, William K. Henson
  • Patent number: 7749822
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor device includes a resistor and an FET device formed from a stack of layers. The stack of layers includes a dielectric layer formed on a substrate; a metal conductor layer having lower electrical resistance formed on the dielectric layer; and a polysilicon layer formed on the metal conductor layer. A resistor stack is formed by patterning a portion of the original stack of layers into a resistor. An FET stack is formed from another portion of the original stack of layers. The FET stack is doped to form a gate electrode and the resistor stack is doped aside from the resistor portion thereof. Then terminals are formed at distal ends of the resistor in a doped portion of the polysilicon layer. Alternatively, the polysilicon layer is etched away from the resistor stack followed by forming terminals at distal ends of the metal conductor in the resistor stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory G. Freeman, William K. Henson
  • Patent number: 7749830
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure fabrication method. The method includes providing a structure which includes (a) first and second semiconductor regions, (b) first and second gate dielectric regions on the first and second semiconductor regions, respectively, (c) a high-K dielectric region on the first gate dielectric region, K being greater than 4, (d) an electrically conductive layer on the high-K dielectric region, (e) a poly-silicon layer on the electrically conductive layer and the second gate dielectric region, and (f) a hard mask layer on the poly-silicon layer. The hard mask layer is patterned resulting in first and second hard mask regions. The poly-silicon layer is etched with the first and second hard mask regions as blocking masks resulting in first and second poly-silicon regions. The first and second poly-silicon regions are exposed to a surrounding ambient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Doris, William K. Henson, Richard Stephen Wise, Hongwen Yan
  • Patent number: 7745855
    Abstract: An integrated eFUSE device is formed by forming a silicon “floating beam” on air, whereupon the fusible portion of the eFUSE device resides. This beam extends between two larger, supporting terminal structures. “Undercutting” techniques are employed whereby a structure is formed atop a buried layer, and that buried layer is removed by selective etching. Whereby a “floating” silicide eFUSE conductor is formed on a silicon beam structure. In its initial state, the eFUSE silicide is highly conductive, exhibiting low electrical resistance (the “unblown state of the eFUSE). When a sufficiently large current is passed through the eFUSE conductor, localized heating occurs. This heating causes electromigration of the silicide into the silicon beam (and into surrounding silicon, thereby diffusing the silicide and greatly increasing its electrical resistance. When the current source is removed, the silicide remains permanently in this diffused state, the “blown” state of the eFUSE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William K. Henson, Deok-Kee Kim, Chandrasekharan Kothandaraman, Byeongju Park
  • Patent number: 7709910
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure provides lower parasitic capacitance between the gate electrode and contact vias while providing substantially the same level of stress applied by a nitride liner as conventional MOSFETs by reducing the height of the gate electrode and maintaining substantially the same height for the gate spacer. The nitride liner contacts only the outer sidewalls of the gate spacer, while not contacting inner sidewalls, or only a small area of the inner sidewalls of the gate spacer, therefore applying substantially the same level of stress to the channel of the MOSFET as conventional MOSFETs. The volume surrounded by the gate spacer and located above the gate electrode is either filled with a low-k dielectric material or occupied by a cavity having a dielectric constant of substantially 1.0. The reduced height of the gate electrode and the low-k dielectric gate filler or the cavity reduces the parasitic capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William K. Henson, Paul Chung-Muh Chang, Dureseti Chidambarrao, Ricardo A. Donaton, Yaocheng Liu, Shreesh Narasimha, Amanda L. Tessier
  • Patent number: 7682917
    Abstract: A disposable spacer is formed directly on or in close proximity to the sidewalls of a gate electrode and a gate dielectric. The disposable spacer comprises a material that scavenges oxygen such as a metal, a metal nitride, or a semiconductor material having high reactivity with oxygen. The disposable gate spacer absorbs any oxygen during subsequent high temperature processing such as a stress memorization anneal. A metal is deposited over, and reacted with, the gate electrode and source and drain regions to form metal semiconductor alloy regions. The disposable gate spacer is subsequently removed selective to the metal semiconductor alloy regions. A porous or non-porous low-k dielectric material is deposited to provide a low parasitic capacitance between the gate electrode and the source and drain regions. The gate dielectric maintains the original dielectric constant since the disposable gate spacer prevents absorption of additional oxygen during high temperature processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Michael Chudzik, William K. Henson, Naim Moumen, Vijay Narayanan, Devendra K. Sadana, Kathryn T. Schonenberg, Ghavam Shahidi
  • Patent number: 7675118
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including an nFET having a fully silicided gate electrode wherein a new dual stress liner configuration is used to enhance the stress in the channel region that lies beneath the gate electrode is provided. The new dual stress liner configuration includes a first stress liner that has an upper surface that is substantially planar with an upper surface of a fully silicided gate electrode of the nFET. In accordance with the present invention, the first stress liner is not present atop the nFET including the fully silicided gate electrode. Instead, the first stress liner of the present invention partially wraps around, i.e., surrounds the sides of, the nFET with the fully silicided gate electrode. A second stress liner having an opposite polarity as that of the first stress liner (i.e., of an opposite stress type) is located on the upper surface of the first stress liner as well as atop the nFET that contains the fully silicided FET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Yaocheng Liu, William K. Henson
  • Patent number: 7666790
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a silicide gate field effect transistor includes masking a silicon source/drain region prior to forming the silicide gate by annealing a metal silicide forming metal layer contacting a silicon-containing gate. The silicide gate may be either a fully silicided gate or a partially silicided gate. After unmasking the source/drain region a silicide layer may be formed upon the source/drain region, and also upon the partially silicided gate. The second silicide layer and the partially silicided gate also provide a fully silicided gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhijiong Luo, William K. Henson, Christian Lavoie, Huilong Zhu
  • Publication number: 20100013024
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing and more particularly to a CMOS device with a stress inducing material embedded in both gates and also in the source/drain region of the PFET and varying thickness of the PFET and NFET channel. In one embodiment, the structure enhances the device performance by varying the thickness of the top Silicon layer respective to the NFET or the PFET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Ricardo A. Donaton, William K. Henson, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: 7632724
    Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a field effect transistor (“FET”) having a channel region in a semiconductor-on-insulator (“SOI”) layer of an SOI substrate. Desirably, in such method, a sacrificial stressed layer is formed to overlie a first portion of an active semiconductor region but not overlie second portion of the active semiconductor region which shares a common boundary with the first portion. After forming trenches in the SOI layer, the SOI substrate is heated with the stressed layer thereon sufficiently to cause the stressed layer to relax, thereby causing the stressed layer to apply a first stress to the first portion and to apply a second stress to the second portion. For example, when the first stress is tensile, the second stress is compressive, or the first stress can be compressive when the second stress is tensile. Desirably, the stressed layer is then removed to expose the first and second portions of the active semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, William K. Henson, Yaocheng Liu
  • Patent number: 7615418
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing and more particularly a CMOS device with a stress inducing material embedded in both gates and also in the source/drain region of the PFET. The PFET region and the NFET region having a different sized gate to vary the device performance of the NFET and the PFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Ricardo A. Donaton, William K. Henson, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: 7608489
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing and more particularly to a CMOS device with a stress inducing material embedded in both gates and also in the source/drain region of the PFET and varying thickness of the PFET and NFET channel. In one embodiment, the structure enhances the device performance by varying the thickness of the top Silicon layer respective to the NFET or the PFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dureseti Chidambarrao, Ricardo A. Donaton, William K. Henson, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: 7605077
    Abstract: An integration scheme that enables full silicidation (FUSI) of the nFET and pFET gate electrodes at the same time as that of the source/drain regions is provided. The FUSI of the gate electrodes eliminates the gate depletion problem that is observed with polysilicon gate electrodes. In addition, the inventive integration scheme creates different silicon thicknesses of the gate electrode just prior to silicidation. This feature of the present invention allows for fabricating nFETs and pFETs that have a band edge workfunction that is tailored for the specific device region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William K. Henson, Kern Rim, Jack A. Mandelman
  • Publication number: 20090256207
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a transistor comprising a first fin having a first gate electrode disposed across the first fin; the gate electrode contacting opposing surfaces of the fin; and a planar oxide layer having a second gate electrode disposed across the planar oxide layer to form a planar metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor; the first fin and the planar oxide layer being disposed upon a surface of a wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiaomeng Chen, Bachir Dirahoui, William K. Henson, Michael D. Hulvey, Amit Kumar, Mahender Kumar, Amanda L. Tessier, Clement H. Wann
  • Publication number: 20090250760
    Abstract: Methods of forming high-k/metal gates for an NFET and PFET and a related structure are disclosed. One method includes recessing a PFET region; forming a first high-k dielectric layer and a first metal layer over the substrate; removing the first high-k dielectric layer and the first metal over the NFET region using a mask; forming a forming a second high-k dielectric layer and a second metal layer over the substrate, the first high-k dielectric layer being different then the second high-k dielectric layer and the first metal being different than the second metal; removing the second high-k dielectric layer and the second metal over the PFET region using a mask; depositing a polysilicon over the substrate; and forming a gate over the NFET region and the PFET region by simultaneously etching the polysilicon, the first high-k dielectric layer, the first metal, the second high-k dielectric layer and the second metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael P. Chudzik, William K. Henson, Naim Moumen, Dae-Gyu Park, Hongwen Yan
  • Publication number: 20090194820
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure fabrication method. The method includes providing a structure which includes (a) first and second semiconductor regions, (b) first and second gate dielectric regions on the first and second semiconductor regions, respectively, (c) a high-K dielectric region on the first gate dielectric region, K being greater than 4, (d) an electrically conductive layer on the high-K dielectric region, (e) a poly-silicon layer on the electrically conductive layer and the second gate dielectric region, and (f) a hard mask layer on the poly-silicon layer. The hard mask layer is patterned resulting in first and second hard mask regions. The poly-silicon layer is etched with the first and second hard mask regions as blocking masks resulting in first and second poly-silicon regions. The first and second poly-silicon regions are exposed to a surrounding ambient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Doris, William K. Henson, Richard Stephen Wise, Hongwen Yan