With Ferroelectric Material Layer Patents (Class 257/295)
  • Patent number: 12046658
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems related to electrode formation are described. A first portion of a top electrode is formed over a dielectric material of a storage node. A metal oxide is formed over the first portion of the electrode. A second portion of the electrode is formed over the metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: An-Jen B. Cheng, Brenda D. Kraus, Sanket S. Kelkar, Matthew N. Rocklein, Christopher W. Petz, Richard Beeler, Dojun Kim
  • Patent number: 12048257
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an interconnection structure for an integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and a third insulating layer. Electrical contacts pass through the first insulating layer, and a component having an electrical contact region is located in the second insulating layer. The method includes etching a first opening in the third layer, vertically aligned with the contact region. A fourth insulating layer is deposited to fill in the opening, and a second opening is etched to the contact region by passing through the opening in the third insulating layer. A metal level is formed by filling in the second opening with a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Reynard, Sylvie Del Medico, Philippe Brun
  • Patent number: 12046662
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a dielectric structure over the substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a contact structure passing through the dielectric structure. The contact structure includes a contact layer, a first barrier layer, and a second barrier layer, the contact layer passes through the first barrier layer, the first barrier layer passes through the second barrier layer, the first barrier layer surrounds the contact layer, the second barrier layer surrounds a first upper portion of a sidewall of the first barrier layer and exposes a first lower portion of the sidewall of the first barrier layer, and the sidewall faces away from the contact layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Yang Wu, Shiu-Ko Jangjian, Ting-Chun Wang, Yung-Si Yu
  • Patent number: 12040377
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate stack and a channel layer over the gate stack. The gate stack includes a metal gate electrode, a ferroelectric layer, and a semiconducting oxide layer disposed between the ferroelectric layer and the metal gate electrode. The semiconducting oxide layer includes SrRuO3, InGaZnO (IGZO) or LaSrMnO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Ying-Chih Chen, Blanka Magyari-Kope
  • Patent number: 12040378
    Abstract: Described is a ferroelectric-based capacitor that improves reliability of a ferroelectric memory by providing tensile stress along a plane (e.g., x-axis) of a ferroelectric or anti-ferroelectric material of the ferroelectric/anti-ferroelectric based capacitor. Tensile stress is provided by a spacer comprising metal, semimetal, or oxide (e.g., metal or oxide of one or more of: Al, Ti, Hf, Si, Ir, or N). The tensile stress provides polar orthorhombic phase to the ferroelectric material and tetragonal phase to the anti-ferroelectric material. As such, memory window and reliability of the ferroelectric/anti-ferroelectric oxide thin film improves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Nazila Haratipour, Sou-Chi Chang, Chia-Ching Lin, Jack Kavalieros, Uygar Avci, Ian Young
  • Patent number: 12041760
    Abstract: A transistor includes a gate structure that has a first gate dielectric layer and a second gate dielectric layer. The first gate dielectric layer is disposed over the substrate. The first gate dielectric layer contains a first type of dielectric material that has a first dielectric constant. The second gate dielectric layer is disposed over the first gate dielectric layer. The second gate dielectric layer contains a second type of dielectric material that has a second dielectric constant. The second dielectric constant is greater than the first dielectric constant. The first dielectric constant and the second dielectric constant are each greater than a dielectric constant of silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Yu Hsu, Jian-Hao Chen, Chia-Wei Chen, Shan-Mei Liao, Hui-Chi Chen, Yu-Chia Liang, Shih-Hao Lin, Kuei-Lun Lin, Kuo-Feng Yu, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yen-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 12038308
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides magnetic sensor system that includes a magnetic sensing device comprising a magnetic multi-turn sensor, and an initialization device for setting the magnetic multi-turn sensor in a known state ready for use. The initialization device is in the form of a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, comprising one or more wires. A strong electrical pulse is applied to the one or more wires, which thereby generate a magnetic field that is strong enough to cause the magnetoresistive elements of the magnetic multi-turn sensor to be filled with domain walls, thereby magnetizing each element into an initialized state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Jochen Schmitt, Monsoon Dutt, Enno Lage, Stephen A. Bradshaw, Bryan Patricio Aguiar Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 12041786
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a fin protruding over the substrate, a gate structure over the fin, a bottom electrode over and electrically coupled to the gate structure, a ferroelectric layer around the bottom electrode, and a top electrode around the ferroelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Bo-Feng Young, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Han-Jong Chia, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 12041784
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor on a substrate, forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer on the MOS transistor, forming a ferroelectric field effect transistor (FeFET) on the ILD layer, and forming a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) on the ILD layer. The formation of the FeFET further includes first forming a semiconductor layer on the ILD layer, forming a gate structure on the semiconductor layer, and then forming a source/drain region adjacent to the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Shih-Hung Tsai, Hon-Huei Liu, Chun-Hsien Lin
  • Patent number: 12034039
    Abstract: A capacitor structure for an integrated circuit (IC) and a related method of forming are disclosed. The capacitor structure includes three electrodes. A planar bottom electrode has a first insulator layer thereover. A middle electrode includes a conductive layer over the first insulator layer and a plurality of spaced conductive pillars contacting the conductive layer. A second insulator layer extends over and between the plurality of spaced conductive pillars and contacts the conductive layer. An upper electrode extends over the second insulator layer, and hence, over and between the plurality of spaced conductive pillars. A length of the upper electrode can be controlled, in part, by the number and dimensions of the conductive pillars to increase capacitance capabilities per area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: EeJan Khor, Ramasamy Chockalingam, Juan Boon Tan
  • Patent number: 12035537
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method of forming an integrated chip. The method includes forming a lower electrode layer over a substrate, and an un-patterned amorphous initiation layer over the lower electrode layer. An intermediate ferroelectric material layer is formed have a substantially uniform amorphous phase on the un-patterned amorphous initiation layer. An anneal process is performed to change the intermediate ferroelectric material layer to a ferroelectric material layer having a substantially uniform orthorhombic crystalline phase. An upper electrode layer is formed over the ferroelectric material layer. One or more patterning processes are performed on the upper electrode layer, the ferroelectric material layer, the un-patterned amorphous initiation layer, and the lower electrode layer to form a ferroelectric memory device. An upper ILD layer is formed over the ferroelectric memory device, and an upper interconnect is formed to contact the ferroelectric memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bi-Shen Lee, Yi Yang Wei, Hai-Dang Trinh, Hsun-Chung Kuang, Cheng-Yuan Tsai
  • Patent number: 12027611
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first electrode; a first semiconductor layer located on the first electrode in a diode region; a second semiconductor layer located on the first electrode in an IGBT region; a third semiconductor layer located in the diode region, the boundary region, and the IGBT region and positioned on the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a fourth semiconductor layer located on the third semiconductor layer in the boundary region and the IGBT region; a fifth semiconductor layer located on the third semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer; a second electrode located in the diode region; a third electrode located in the IGBT region; and a fourth electrode extending from an upper surface of the fifth semiconductor layer toward the third semiconductor layer in the boundary region and electrically insulated from the third electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Iwakaji, Tomoko Matsudai
  • Patent number: 12027221
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a first active region extending along a first direction, a first pair of gate regions extending across the first active region along a second direction transverse to the first direction, and a first metal layer. The first pair of gate regions and the first active region configure a first program transistor and a first read transistor sharing a common source/drain region. The first metal layer includes a first program word line pattern over and coupled to the gate region of the first program transistor, a first read word line pattern over and coupled to the gate region of the first read transistor, a first source line pattern coupled to another source/drain region of the first program transistor, and a first bit line pattern coupled to another source/drain region of the first read transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Meng-Sheng Chang, Yao-Jen Yang
  • Patent number: 12022643
    Abstract: A transistor includes a gate structure that has a first gate dielectric layer and a second gate dielectric layer. The first gate dielectric layer is disposed over the substrate. The first gate dielectric layer contains a first type of dielectric material that has a first dielectric constant. The second gate dielectric layer is disposed over the first gate dielectric layer. The second gate dielectric layer contains a second type of dielectric material that has a second dielectric constant. The second dielectric constant is greater than the first dielectric constant. The first dielectric constant and the second dielectric constant are each greater than a dielectric constant of silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Yu Hsu, Jian-Hao Chen, Chia-Wei Chen, Shan-Mei Liao, Hui-Chi Chen, Yu-Chia Liang, Shih-Hao Lin, Kuei-Lun Lin, Kuo-Feng Yu, Feng-Cheng Yang, Yen-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 12022661
    Abstract: A two-terminal memory device including: a substrate; a source and a drain formed to face each other on an upper surface of the substrate; a ferroelectric layer connected to the source and the drain and formed between the source and the drain; and an extended drain extending from the drain and laminated on the ferroelectric layer. The two-terminal memory device may be applied as a cross-point type and neuromorphic device capable of implementing multi-resistance levels with multi-layer switchable resistance layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ui-Yeon Won, Jong-Seok Lee, Sang-Hyeok Yang
  • Patent number: 12009425
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a ferroelectric memory having a ferroelectric film between a gate electrode and a semiconductor substrate. The ferroelectric film and a metal film are not formed just above an element isolation region formed in a trench in an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, but are formed on the semiconductor substrate in the active region defined by the element isolation region to prevent a state in which a polarization state in the ferroelectric film of the active region and a polarization state in the ferroelectric film on the element isolation region differ from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Maruyama
  • Patent number: 12010924
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes forming a bottom electrode layer over a substrate and forming a pinned layer over the bottom electrode layer. The method also includes forming a tunnel barrier layer over the pinned layer and forming a free layer over the tunnel barrier layer. The method also includes patterning the free layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the pinned layer to form a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack structure and patterning the bottom electrode layer to form a bottom electrode structure under the MTJ stack structure. In addition, patterning the free layer includes using a first etching gas, and patterning the bottom electrode layer includes using a second etching gas, which is different from the first etching gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Pin Chiu, Chang-Lin Yang, Chien-Hua Huang, Chen-Chiu Huang, Chih-Fan Huang, Dian-Hau Chen
  • Patent number: 12004354
    Abstract: A memory array comprises vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, with the memory cells individually comprising a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region. At least a portion of the channel region is horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions. A capacitor of the memory cell comprises first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between. The first electrode is electrically coupled to the first source/drain region. A horizontal longitudinally-elongated sense line is in individual of the memory-cell tiers. Individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in the same memory-cell tier are electrically coupled to the horizontal longitudinally-elongated sense line in that individual tier of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 12002605
    Abstract: Magnetic nanowire components may be used in passive radio-frequency device allowing for smaller size devices, lower power consumption, and on-chip packaging potential across a wide range of technologies. A method for fabricating magnetic nanowire component electronic devices include depositing a conductive device pattern and transmission lines onto a substrate, aligning and securing a magnetic nanowire component to the device pattern, packaging the device with an insulation layer. Alternatively, the conductive device pattern and transmission lines may be deposited on the magnetic nanowire component, and the magnetic nanowire component may then be attached to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Yuepeng Zhang, John N. Hryn, Yunsong Xie
  • Patent number: 11997855
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a memory device. In some embodiments, the memory device has a substrate and a lower interconnect metal line disposed over the substrate. The memory device also has a selector channel disposed over the lower interconnect metal line and a selector gate electrode wrapping around a sidewall of the selector channel and separating from the selector channel by a selector gate dielectric. The memory device also has a memory cell disposed over and electrically connected to the selector channel and an upper interconnect metal line disposed over the memory cell. By placing the selector within the back-end interconnect structure, front-end space is saved, and more integration flexibility is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo-Feng Young, Sheng-Chen Wang, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Yu-Ming Lin, Mauricio Manfrini, Han-Jong Chia
  • Patent number: 11997853
    Abstract: A configuration for efficiently placing a group of capacitors with one terminal connected to a common node is described. The capacitors are stacked and folded along the common node. In a stack and fold configuration, devices are stacked vertically (directly or with a horizontal offset) with one terminal of the devices being shared to a common node, and further the capacitors are placed along both sides of the common node. The common node is a point of fold. In one example, the devices are capacitors. N number of capacitors can be divided in L number of stack layers such that there are N/L capacitors in each stacked layer. The N/L capacitors are shorted together with an electrode (e.g., bottom electrode). The electrode can be metal, a conducting oxide, or a combination of a conducting oxide and a barrier material. The capacitors can be planar, non-planar or replaced by memory elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Kepler Computing Inc.
    Inventors: Rajeev Kumar Dokania, Amrita Mathuriya, Debo Olaosebikan, Tanay Gosavi, Noriyuki Sato, Sasikanth Manipatruni
  • Patent number: 11990396
    Abstract: An organic interposer includes: a first organic insulating layer including a groove; a first metal wire located in the groove; a barrier metal material covering the first metal wire; and a second metal wire located above the first metal wire, wherein the barrier metal material includes: a first barrier metal film interposed between the first metal wire and an inner surface of the groove; and a second barrier metal film located on the first metal wire, and wherein the second metal wire is in contact with both of the first barrier metal film and the second barrier metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: RESONAC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Mitsukura, Masaya Toba, Yoshinori Ejiri, Kazuhiko Kurafuchi
  • Patent number: 11990470
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first plate, a second plate, a third plate, a ferroelectric dielectric, and a paraelectric dielectric. The ferroelectric dielectric is between the first plate and the second plate such that the first plate, the ferroelectric dielectric, and the second plate form a first capacitor. The paraelectric dielectric is between the second plate and the third plate such that the second plate, the paraelectric dielectric, and the third plate form a second capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Reinaldo Vega, Cheng Chi, Praneet Adusumilli
  • Patent number: 11985832
    Abstract: A device includes, in a first region, a first conductive interconnect, an electrode structure on the first conductive interconnect, where the electrode structure includes a first conductive hydrogen barrier layer and a first conductive fill material. A trench capacitor including a ferroelectric material or a paraelectric material is on the electrode structure. A second dielectric includes an amorphous, greater than 90% film density hydrogen barrier material laterally surrounds the memory device. A via electrode including a second conductive hydrogen barrier material is on at least a portion of the memory device. A second region includes a conductive interconnect structure embedded within a less than 90% film density dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Kepler Computing Inc.
    Inventors: Somilkumar J. Rathi, Noriyuki Sato, Niloy Mukherjee, Rajeev Kumar Dokania, Amrita Mathuriya, Tanay Gosavi, Pratyush Pandey, Jason Y. Wu, Sasikanth Manipatruni
  • Patent number: 11985831
    Abstract: An apparatus and configuring scheme where a ferroelectric capacitive input circuit can be programmed to perform different logic functions by adjusting the switching threshold of the ferroelectric capacitive input circuit. Digital inputs are received by respective capacitors on first terminals of those capacitors. The second terminals of the capacitors are connected to a summing node. A pull-up and pull-down device are coupled to the summing node. The pull-up and pull-down devices are controlled separately. During a reset phase, the pull-up and pull-down devices are turned on in a sequence, and inputs to the capacitors are set to condition the voltage on node n1. As such, a threshold for the capacitive input circuit is set. After the reset phase, an evaluation phase follows. In the evaluation phase, the output of the capacitive input circuit is determined based on the inputs and the logic function configured during the reset phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Kepler Computing Inc.
    Inventors: Amrita Mathuriya, Rafael Rios, Ikenna Odinaka, Rajeev Kumar Dokania, Debo Olaosebikan, Sasikanth Manipatruni
  • Patent number: 11984318
    Abstract: A method for patterning structures including providing a layer stack having a plurality of device layers and a hardmask layer disposed in a stacked arrangement, the layer stack having a plurality of trenches formed therein, the trenches extending through the hardmask layer and into at least one of the device layers, the trenches having lateral sidewalls with a first slope relative to a plane perpendicular to upper surfaces of the device layers, and performing a sputter etching process wherein ion beams are directed toward the hardmask layer to etch the hardmask layer and cause etched material from the hardmask layer to be redistributed along the lateral sidewalls of the trenches to provide the lateral sidewalls with a second slope relative to the plane perpendicular to the upper surfaces of the device layers, the second slope less than the first slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shurong Liang, Alexander C. Kontos, Il-Woong Koo
  • Patent number: 11978735
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a substrate surface, a transistor stack provided on the substrate surface and including a plurality of transistors stacked on each other along a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the substrate surface. Each transistor in the transistor stack includes a vertical channel structure extending along the vertical direction and having a first vertical sidewall and a second vertical sidewall opposite to the first vertical sidewall, and a ferroelectric gate structure in contact with the first vertical sidewall of the vertical channel structure; and a back gate structure provided on the substrate and in contact with the second vertical sidewall of the vertical channel structure of each respective transistor in the transistor stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mark I. Gardner, Robert D. Clark, H. Jim Fulford
  • Patent number: 11978782
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a hybrid integrated circuit. In one implementation, an integrated circuit may have a first region with a first gate structure having a ferroelectric gate dielectric, at least one source associated with the first gate of the first region, and at least one drain associated with the first gate structure of the first region. Moreover, the integrated circuit may have a second region with a second gate structure having a high-? gate dielectric, at least one source associated with the second gate structure of the second region, and at least one drain associated with the second gate structure of the second region. The integrated circuit may further have at least one trench isolation between the first region and the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Yi Chuang, Ching-Wei Tsai, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 11977766
    Abstract: A hierarchical network enables access for a stacked memory system including or more memory dies that each include multiple memory tiles. The processor die includes multiple processing tiles that are stacked with the one or more memory die. The memory tiles that are vertically aligned with a processing tile are directly coupled to the processing tile and comprise the local memory block for the processing tile. The hierarchical network provides access paths for each processing tile to access the processing tile's local memory block, the local memory block coupled to a different processing tile within the same processing die, memory tiles in a different die stack, and memory tiles in a different device. The ratio of memory bandwidth (byte) to floating-point operation (B:F) may improve 50× for accessing the local memory block compared with conventional memory. Additionally, the energy consumed to transfer each bit may be reduced by 10×.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: William James Dally, Carl Thomas Gray, Stephen W. Keckler, James Michael O'Connor
  • Patent number: 11973142
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes transistors respectively including channel layers in a substrate, source electrodes and drain electrodes respectively contacting both sides of the channel layers, gate electrodes on the channel layers, and ferroelectrics layers between the channel layers and the gate electrodes. Electrical characteristics of the ferroelectrics layers of at least two of the transistors are different. Accordingly, threshold voltages of the transistors are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sangwook Kim, Yunseong Lee, Sanghyun Jo, Jinseong Heo
  • Patent number: 11968842
    Abstract: A spin-orbit torque device is described. The spin-orbit torque device comprising an interfacing layer and a magnetic layer having a switchable magnetization direction. An interface is formed between the interfacing layer and the magnetic layer, the interface having a 3m1 crystallographic point group symmetry adapted to interact with an electric current to generate a spin torque for switching the magnetization direction of the magnetic layer. A method for fabricating the spin-orbit device and a method for switching the switchable magnetization of a spin-orbit torque device are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: National University of Singapore
    Inventors: Jingsheng Chen, Liang Liu, Chenghang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11968844
    Abstract: Provided are a memory device and a method of forming the same. The memory device includes: a selector; a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure, disposed on the selector; a spin orbit torque (SOT) layer, disposed between the selector and the MTJ structure, wherein the SOT layer has a sidewall aligned with a sidewall of the selector; a transistor, wherein the transistor has a drain electrically coupled to the MTJ structure; a word line, electrically coupled to a gate of the transistor; a bit line, electrically coupled to the SOT layer; a first source line, electrically coupled to a source of the transistor; and a second source line, electrically coupled to the selector, wherein the transistor is configured to control a write signal flowing between the bit line and the second source line, and control a read signal flowing between the bit line and the first source line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Min Lee, Ming-Yuan Song, Yen-Lin Huang, Shy-Jay Lin, Tung-Ying Lee, Xinyu Bao
  • Patent number: 11968841
    Abstract: A ferroelectric device, for instance, a metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) capacitor, a ferroelectric random access memory (Fe-RAM), or a ferroelectric field effect transistor (FeFET), is provided. In one aspect, the ferroelectric device is based on hafnium zirconate (HZO). The ferroelectric device can include a first electrode and a second electrode, and a doped HZO layer, which is arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. The doped HZO layer can include a ferroelectric layer and at least two non-zero remnant polarization charge states. The doped HZO layer can be doped with at least two different elements selected from the lanthanide series, or with a combination of at least one element selected from the lanthanide series and at least one rare earth element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Mihaela Ioana Popovici, Amey Mahadev Walke, Jan Van Houdt
  • Patent number: 11961897
    Abstract: A first fin structure is disposed over a substrate. The first fin structure contains a semiconductor material. A gate dielectric layer is disposed over upper and side surfaces of the first fin structure. A gate electrode layer is formed over the gate dielectric layer. A second fin structure is disposed over the substrate. The second fin structure is physically separated from the first fin structure and contains a ferroelectric material. The second fin structure is electrically coupled to the gate electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Hsing Hsu, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Ching-Wei Tsai, Kuan-Lun Cheng, Chih-Hao Wang, Min Cao
  • Patent number: 11963458
    Abstract: Provided are a magnetic tunnel junction dement suppressing diffusion and penetration of constituent elements between a hard mask film, and a magnetic tunnel junction film and a protection layer, and a method for manufacturing the magnetic tunnel junction element. The magnetic tunnel junction element has a configuration in which a non-magnetic insertion layer (7) including Ta or the like is inserted beneath a hard mask layer (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Koichi Nishioka, Tetsuo Endoh, Shoji Ikeda, Hiroaki Honjo, Hideo Sato, Sadahiko Miura
  • Patent number: 11955548
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates a ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) device. In some embodiments, the FeFET device includes a ferroelectric layer having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side and a gate electrode disposed along the first side of the ferroelectric layer. The FeFET device further includes an OS channel layer disposed along the second side of the ferroelectric layer opposite to the first side and a pair of source/drain regions disposed on opposite sides of the OS channel layer. The FeFET device further includes a 2D contacting layer disposed along the OS channel layer. The OS channel layer has a first doping type, and the 2D contacting layer has a second doping type different than the first doping type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mauricio Manfrini, Chih-Yu Chang, Sai-Hooi Yeong
  • Patent number: 11949018
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to ferroelectric materials and semiconductor devices, and more particularly to semiconductor memory devices incorporating doped polar materials. In one aspect, a semiconductor device comprises a capacitor which in turn comprises a polar layer comprising a base polar material doped with a dopant. The base polar material includes one or more metal elements and one or both of oxygen or nitrogen. The dopant comprises a metal element that is different from the one or more metal elements and is present at a concentration such that a ferroelectric switching voltage of the capacitor is different from that of the capacitor having the base polar material without being doped with the dopant by more than about 100 mV. The capacitor stack additionally comprises first and second crystalline conductive oxide electrodes on opposing sides of the polar layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Kepler Computing Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Ramamoorthy, Sasikanth Manipatruni, Gaurav Thareja
  • Patent number: 11949017
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to ferroelectric materials and semiconductor devices, and more particularly to semiconductor memory devices incorporating doped polar materials. In one aspect, a semiconductor device comprises a capacitor which in turn comprises a polar layer comprising a base polar material doped with a dopant. The base polar material includes one or more metal elements and one or both of oxygen or nitrogen. The dopant comprises a metal element that is different from the one or more metal elements and is present at a concentration such that a ferroelectric switching voltage of the capacitor is different from that of the capacitor having the base polar material without being doped with the dopant by more than about 100 mV. The capacitor stack additionally comprises first and second crystalline conductive oxide electrodes on opposing sides of the polar layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Kepler Computing Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Ramamoorthy, Sasikanth Manipatruni, Gaurav Thareja
  • Patent number: 11943925
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes first conductive lines stacked in a first direction perpendicular to a top surface of a substrate, second conductive lines extending in the first direction and intersecting the first conductive lines, and memory cells provided at intersection points between the first conductive lines and the second conductive lines, respectively. Each of the memory cells includes a semiconductor pattern parallel to the top surface of the substrate, the semiconductor pattern including a source region having a first conductivity type, a drain region having a second conductivity type, and a channel region between the source region and the drain region, first and second gate electrodes surrounding the channel region of the semiconductor pattern, and a charge storage pattern between the semiconductor pattern and the first and second gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyuncheol Kim, Jaeho Hong, Yongseok Kim, Ilgweon Kim, Hyeoungwon Seo, Sungwon Yoo, Kyunghwan Lee
  • Patent number: 11937433
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus includes a plurality of memory cells. At least a portion of the memory cells have a bottom electrode with each bottom electrode being at least partially electrically isolated from remaining ones of the bottom electrodes. At least one resistive interconnect electrically couples two or more of the bottom electrodes. The resistive interconnect is arranged to discharge at least a portion of excess charge from the two or more bottom electrodes. Additional apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 11929207
    Abstract: A capacitor includes: a plurality of bottom electrodes; a dielectric layer formed over the bottom electrodes; and a top electrode formed over the dielectric layer, wherein the top electrode includes a carbon-containing material and a germanium-containing material that fill a gap between the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Seung-Muk Kim
  • Patent number: 11930643
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for thin film transistor deck selection in a memory device are described. A memory device may include memory arrays arranged in a stack of decks formed over a substrate, and deck selection components distributed among the layers to leverage common substrate-based circuitry. For example, each memory array of the stack may include a set of digit lines of a corresponding deck, and deck selection circuitry operable to couple the set of digit lines with a column decoder that is shared among multiple decks. To access memory cells of a selected memory array on one deck, the deck selection circuitry corresponding to the memory array may each be activated, while the deck selection circuitry corresponding to a non-selected memory array on another deck may be deactivated. The deck selection circuitry, such as transistors, may leverage thin-film manufacturing techniques, such as various techniques for forming vertical transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Fatma Arzum Simsek-Ege
  • Patent number: 11929404
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprises a gate structure of a transistor. The gate structure comprises a gate conductive portion disposed on a gate dielectric layer. The semiconductor structure further comprises a capacitor structure disposed on the gate structure. The capacitor structure comprises a first conductive layer, a dielectric layer disposed on the first conductive layer and a second conductive layer disposed on the dielectric layer. The first and second conductive layers are respectively connected to a first contact portion and a second contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Reznicek, Takashi Ando, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Nanbo Gong
  • Patent number: 11925017
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stacked gate structure, and a wall structure. The stacked gate structure is on the substrate and extending along a first direction. The wall structure is on the substrate and laterally aside the stacked gate structure. The wall structure extends along the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The stacked gate structure is overlapped with the wall structure in the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Hsuan Liu, Chiang-Ming Chuang, Chih-Ming Lee, Kun-Tsang Chuang, Hung-Che Liao, Chia-Ming Pan, Hsin-Chi Chen
  • Patent number: 11925031
    Abstract: A method of forming an array of capacitors comprises forming rows and columns of horizontally-spaced openings in a sacrificial material. Fill material is formed in multiple of the columns of the openings and lower capacitor electrodes a are formed in a plurality of the columns that are between the columns of the openings comprising the fill material therein. The fill material is of different composition from that of the lower capacitor electrodes. The fill material is between a plurality of horizontally-spaced groups that individually comprises the lower capacitor electrodes. Immediately-adjacent of the groups are horizontally spaced apart from one another by a gap that comprises at least one of the columns of the openings comprising the fill material therein. The sacrificial material is removed to expose laterally-outer sides of the lower capacitor electrodes. A capacitor insulator is formed over tops and the laterally-outer sides of the lower capacitor electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fatma Arzum Simsek-Ege, Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 11923360
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a pair of semiconductor fins, a dummy fin structure, a gate structure, a plurality of source/drain structures, a crystalline hard mask layer, and an amorphous hard mask layer. The pair of semiconductor fins extend upwardly from the substrate. The dummy fin structure extends upwardly above the substrate and is laterally between the pair of semiconductor fins. The gate structure extends across the pair of semiconductor fins and the dummy fin structure. The source/drain structures are above the pair of semiconductor fins and on either side of the gate structure. The crystalline hard mask layer extends upwardly from the dummy fin and has an U-shaped cross section. The amorphous hard mask layer is in the first hard mask layer, wherein the amorphous hard mask layer having an U-shaped cross section conformal to the U-shaped cross section of the crystalline hard mask layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kun-Yu Lee, Chun-Yao Wang, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 11917831
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated chip that includes a first conductive structure arranged over a substrate. A memory layer is arranged over the first conductive structure, below a second conductive structure, and includes a ferroelectric material. An annealed seed layer is arranged between the first and second conductive structures and directly on a first side of the memory layer. An amount of the crystal structure that includes an orthorhombic phase is greater than about 35 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Song-Fu Liao, Rainer Yen-Chieh Huang, Hai-Ching Chen, Chung-Te Lin
  • Patent number: 11916144
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for forming a semiconductor device is described. A semiconductor layer is formed and a dielectric layer is formed. A pressurized treatment is performed to transform the semiconductor layer into a low-doping semiconductor layer and transform the dielectric layer into a crystalline ferroelectric layer. A gate layer is formed. An insulating layer is formed over the gate layer, the crystalline ferroelectric layer and the low-doping semiconductor layer. Contact openings are formed in the insulating layer exposing portions of the low-doping semiconductor layer. Source and drain terminals are formed on the low-doping semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Georgios Vellianitis, Chun-Chieh Lu, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Mauricio Manfrini
  • Patent number: 11910589
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell comprising an electrically floating body. A method of operating the memory cell is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Han, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 11908943
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to ferroelectric materials and semiconductor devices, and more particularly to semiconductor memory devices incorporating doped polar materials. In one aspect, a semiconductor device comprises a capacitor which in turn comprises a polar layer comprising a base polar material doped with a dopant. The base polar material includes one or more metal elements and one or both of oxygen or nitrogen. The dopant comprises a metal element that is different from the one or more metal elements and is present at a concentration such that a ferroelectric switching voltage of the capacitor is different from that of the capacitor having the base polar material without being doped with the dopant by more than about 100 mV. The capacitor stack additionally comprises first and second crystalline conductive oxide electrodes on opposing sides of the polar layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Kepler Computing Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Ramamoorthy, Sasikanth Manipatruni, Gaurav Thareja