Patents by Inventor Yi-An Lai

Yi-An Lai 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: 20250138084
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit, formed based on one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is configured to operate with a first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a second circuit, also formed based on the one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is operatively coupled to the first circuit and configured to operate with a second voltage range, wherein the second voltage range is substantially higher than the first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a set of first test terminals connected to the first circuit. The integrated circuit includes a set of second test terminals connected to the second circuit. Test signals applied to the set of first test terminals and to the set of second test terminals, respectively, are independent from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20250087533
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes: forming a via in a first dielectric layer disposed over a substrate; forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer; forming an opening in the second dielectric layer, where the opening exposes an upper surface of the via; selectively forming a capping layer over the upper surface of the via, where the capping layer has a curved upper surface that extends above a first upper surface of the first dielectric layer distal from the substrate; after forming the capping layer, forming a barrier layer in the opening over the capping layer and along sidewalls of the second dielectric layer exposed by the opening; and filling the opening by forming an electrically conductive material over the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Ming-Hsing Tsai, Ya-Lien Lee, Chih-Han Tseng, Kuei-Wen Huang, Kuan-Hung Ho, Ming-Uei Hung, Chih-Cheng Kuo, Yi-An Lai, Wei-Ting Chen
  • Publication number: 20250063824
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a circuit that includes a substrate, a target device on the substrate, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device electrically coupled to the target device. The ESD device includes an ESD detection circuit electrically coupled to a first reference voltage supply and a second reference voltage supply, an inverter circuit electrically coupled to the ESD detection circuit and configured to trigger in response to an ESD event on the first or second reference voltage supply, a rectifier circuit electrically coupled to the inverter circuit and configured to rectify a current discharged from the inverter circuit, and a transistor electrically coupled to the rectifier circuit and configured to discharge a remaining current passing through the rectifier circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lin-Yu HUANG, Shih-Fan CHEN, Sheng-Fu HSU, Yi-An LAI, Chan-Hong CHERN, Cheng-Hsiang HSIEH
  • Patent number: 12216152
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit, formed based on one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is configured to operate with a first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a second circuit, also formed based on the one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is operatively coupled to the first circuit and configured to operate with a second voltage range, wherein the second voltage range is substantially higher than the first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a set of first test terminals connected to the first circuit. The integrated circuit includes a set of second test terminals connected to the second circuit. Test signals applied to the set of first test terminals and to the set of second test terminals, respectively, are independent from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 12175966
    Abstract: Techniques for updating a machine learning model based on user interactions are described. In particular, in some examples, user interactions with a chatbot provide aspects of a data set to be used to train or fine-tune a ML model. In some examples, this is accomplished by collecting data from a first plurality of interactions with a machine learning (ML) model; generating a variant of the ML model using the collected data by: filtering the collected data to create a first data set, training the ML model based on the first data set to generate an adapted ML model, and fine-tuning the adapted ML model on a second data set, different than the first data set to generate the variant of the ML model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Yi Zhang, Roger Scott Jenke, Meghana Puvvadi, Shang-Wen Daniel Li, Peng Zhang, Jason P. Krone, Garima Lalwani, Niranjhana Nayar, Kartik Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20240421194
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device having artificial field plates. The semiconductor device includes a first gallium nitride (GaN) layer on a substrate, an aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layer on the first GaN layer, and a second GaN layer on the AlGaN layer. The first and second GaN layers includes different types of dopants. The semiconductor device further includes a gate contact structure in contact with the second GaN layer, first and second source/drain (S/D) contact structures in contact with the AlGaN layer, one or more artificial field plates between the gate contact structure and the first S/D contact structure. The first and second S/D contact structures are disposed at opposite sides of the gate contact structure. The one or more artificial field plates are separated from the first and second S/D contact structures and above the AlGaN layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-An LAI, Pan Chieh Yu, Chih-Hua WANG, Chan-Hong CHERN, Cheng-Hsiang HSIEH
  • Publication number: 20240387300
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of group III-V semiconductor package is provided. The manufacturing method includes the following steps. A wafer comprising group III-V semiconductor dies therein is provided. A chip probing (CP) process is performed to the wafer to determine reliabilities of the group III-V semiconductor dies, wherein the CP process comprises performing a multi-step breakdown voltage testing process to the group III-V semiconductor dies to obtain a first portion of dies of the group III-V semiconductor dies with breakdown voltages to be smaller than a predetermined breakdown voltage. A singulation process is performed to separate the group III-V semiconductor dies from the wafer. A package process is performed to form group III-V semiconductor packages including the group III-V semiconductor dies. A final testing process is performed on the group III-V semiconductor packages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Chih-Hua Wang, Chu-Fu Chen, Kun-Lung Chen
  • Publication number: 20240387501
    Abstract: A method includes bonding a III-V die directly to a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) die to form a die stack. The III-V die includes a (111) semiconductor substrate, and a first circuit including a III-V based n-type transistor formed at a surface of the (111) semiconductor substrate. The CMOS die includes a (100) semiconductor substrate, and a second circuit including an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor on the (100) semiconductor substrate. The first circuit is electrically connected to the second circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Chan-Hong Chern, Yi-An Lai
  • Publication number: 20240363697
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor device comprising a plurality of quasi field plates (QFPs) for enhanced wafer uniformity and performance. A channel layer and a barrier layer are stacked on a substrate, and the channel layer accommodates a two-dimensional carrier gas (2DCG). A source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode overlie the channel and barrier layers, and the gate electrode is between the source and drain electrodes in a first direction. The plurality of QFPs are between the gate electrode and the drain electrode. Further, the plurality of QFPs are capacitively or directly electrically coupled to the drain electrode, and are spaced from each other laterally in a line in a second direction transverse to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Pen Chieh Yu, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20240274555
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a method and resulting structure that includes forming an opening in a dielectric layer to expose a metal feature, selectively depositing a metal cap on the metal feature, depositing a barrier layer over the metal cap, and depositing a conductive fill on the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Wei-Jen Lo, Syun-Ming Jang, Ming-Hsing Tsai, Chun-Chieh Lin, Hung-Wen Su, Ya-Lien Lee, Chih-Han Tseng, Chih-Cheng Kuo, Yi-An Lai, Kevin Huang, Kuan-Hung Ho
  • Publication number: 20240259013
    Abstract: A switching circuit includes a main circuit including a number of first transistors. The main circuit has a first node, a second node, and a third node and is operative in response to a control signal received by the first node, and the second node is configured to receive a supply voltage. The switching circuit also includes an auxiliary circuit electrically coupled to the second node of the main circuit and configured to provide surge protection for the main circuit. The auxiliary circuit includes a second transistor. A breakdown voltage of the second transistor is different than a breakdown voltage of each first transistor of the number of first transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11955956
    Abstract: A switching circuit includes a main circuit including a number of first transistors. The main circuit has a first node, a second node, and a third node and is operative in response to a control signal received by the first node, and the second node is configured to receive a supply voltage. The switching circuit also includes an auxiliary circuit electrically coupled to the second node of the main circuit and configured to provide surge protection for the main circuit. The auxiliary circuit includes a second transistor. A breakdown voltage of the second transistor is different than a breakdown voltage of each first transistor of the number of first transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20240085472
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit, formed based on one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is configured to operate with a first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a second circuit, also formed based on the one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is operatively coupled to the first circuit and configured to operate with a second voltage range, wherein the second voltage range is substantially higher than the first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a set of first test terminals connected to the first circuit. The integrated circuit includes a set of second test terminals connected to the second circuit. Test signals applied to the set of first test terminals and to the set of second test terminals, respectively, are independent from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11852675
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit, formed based on one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is configured to operate with a first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a second circuit, also formed based on the one or more Group III-V compound materials, that is operatively coupled to the first circuit and configured to operate with a second voltage range, wherein the second voltage range is substantially higher than the first voltage range. The integrated circuit includes a set of first test terminals connected to the first circuit. The integrated circuit includes a set of second test terminals connected to the second circuit. Test signals applied to the set of first test terminals and to the set of second test terminals, respectively, are independent from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20230403001
    Abstract: A switching circuit includes a main circuit including a number of first transistors. The main circuit has a first node, a second node, and a third node and is operative in response to a control signal received by the first node, and the second node is configured to receive a supply voltage. The switching circuit also includes an auxiliary circuit electrically coupled to the second node of the main circuit and configured to provide surge protection for the main circuit. The auxiliary circuit includes a second transistor. A breakdown voltage of the second transistor is different than a breakdown voltage of each first transistor of the number of first transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20230396238
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for generating a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal having a specific duty cycle. In one embodiment, the system includes a square wave generator and a logic device. The square wave generator is configured to delay a input square wave signal to generate a plurality of square wave signals. The logic device is configured to perform a logic operation to two of square wave signals of the plurality of square wave signals, which in turn generates the PWM signal having a duty cycle corresponding to the two square wave signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20230395694
    Abstract: An efficient AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) device suitable for use in high frequency and high power applications is disclosed. By including a second AlGaN layer that is selectively deposited outside the gate region, it is possible to reduce on-resistance of the device without affecting the threshold voltage. Independent control of Rds-on and threshold voltage Vth can therefore be achieved, resulting in enhanced performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Lid.
    Inventors: Chan-Hong CHERN, Yi-An LAI
  • Publication number: 20230369147
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor comprising: a plurality of layers, wherein each of the plurality of layers has at least one Group III-V compound material; a gate electrode operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of layers; a source electrode disposed on a first side of the gate electrode; a drain electrode disposed on a second side of the gate electrode; a field plate disposed between the gate electrode and the drain electrode; and a plurality of conductive lines disposed above the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of test structures, wherein each of the test structures, including a first metal pattern and a second metal pattern, emulates at least one of the gate electrode, the source electrode, the drain electrode, the field plate, or at least one of the plurality of conductive lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Pen Chieh Yu, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20230327653
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for generating a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal having a specific duty cycle. In one embodiment, the system includes a square wave generator and a logic device. The square wave generator is configured to delay a input square wave signal to generate a plurality of square wave signals. The logic device is configured to perform a logic operation to two of square wave signals of the plurality of square wave signals, which in turn generates the PWM signal having a duty cycle corresponding to the two square wave signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11764760
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for generating a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal having a specific duty cycle. In one embodiment, the system includes a square wave generator and a logic device. The square wave generator is configured to delay a input square wave signal to generate a plurality of square wave signals. The logic device is configured to perform a logic operation to two of square wave signals of the plurality of square wave signals, which in turn generates the PWM signal having a duty cycle corresponding to the two square wave signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-An Lai, Chan-Hong Chern, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh