Dielectric Comprising Two Or More Layers, E.g., Buffer Layers, Seed Layers, Gradient Layers (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.01)
  • Patent number: 11901450
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device includes a substrate and first and second spacers on the substrate. The semiconductor device includes a gate stack between the first and second spacers. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer having a first portion formed on the substrate and a second portion formed on the first and second spacers. The first portion includes a crystalline material and the second portion comprises an amorphous material. The gate stack further includes a gate electrode on the first and second portions of the gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semicondutor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Ming Lin, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Ziwei Fang, Bo-Feng Young, Chi On Chui, Chih-Yu Chang, Huang-Lin Chao
  • Patent number: 11903218
    Abstract: At least a portion of a memory cell is formed over a first substrate and at least a portion of a steering element or word or bit line of the memory cell is formed over a second substrate. The at least a portion of the memory cell is bonded to at least a portion of a steering element or word or bit line. At least one of the first or second substrate may be removed after the bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Raghuveer S. Makala, Johann Alsmeier
  • Patent number: 11848352
    Abstract: Integrated circuit (IC) devices include a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor having a top electrode plate, a bottom electrode plate, and a plurality of intermediate electrode plates between the top electrode plate and the bottom electrode plate. A plurality of dielectric layers may separate each of the electrode plates of the MIM capacitor from adjacent plates of the MIM capacitor. Each of the intermediate electrode plates may have a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the top electrode plate and the bottom electrode plate. By providing multiple intermediate electrode plates between the top and bottom electrode plates of the MIM capacitor, and allocating the greatest plate thicknesses to the intermediate plates, the capacitance density may be increased in a given area of the IC device, which may provide increased performance for the IC device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Po-Chia Lai, Chun-Yen Lee, Stefan Rusu
  • Patent number: 11830767
    Abstract: A variety of applications can include apparatus having a memory device with an array of vertical strings of memory cells for the memory device with data lines coupled to the vertical strings, where the data lines have been formed by a metal liner deposition process. In the metal liner deposition, a metal can be formed on a patterned dielectric region. The metal liner deposition process allows for construction of the height of the data lines to be well controlled with selection of a thickness for the dielectric region used in forming the metal liner. Use of a metal liner deposition provides a controlled mechanism to reduce data line capacitance by being able to select liner thickness in forming the data lines. The use of the dielectric region with the metal liner deposition can allow the fabrication of the data lines to avoid pitch double or pitch quad processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yi Hu
  • Patent number: 11424316
    Abstract: A capacitor structure and a semiconductor device, the capacitor structure including a lower electrode on a substrate; a seed layer on the lower electrode; a dielectric layer on the seed layer; and an upper electrode on the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer includes a ternary metal oxide having a chemical formula of ABO3, in which each of A and B is independently a metal, and the seed layer includes a ternary metal oxide containing the same elements as that of the dielectric layer, the ternary metal oxide having a chemical formula of ABO3-x, in which each of A and B is the same metal as A and B of the ternary metal oxide having a chemical formula of ABO3, 0<x<3, and x is a real number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jungmin Park, Haeryong Kim, Younsoo Kim, Younggeun Park
  • Patent number: 11417752
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a thin film transistor that has a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode on a substrate. This method for producing a thin film transistor includes a step for forming the oxide semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer by performing sputtering on a target with plasma. The step for forming the oxide semiconductor layer includes: a first film formation step in which only argon is supplied as a sputtering gas to perform sputtering; and a second film formation step in which a mixed gas of argon and oxygen is supplied as the sputtering gas to perform sputtering. A bias voltage applied to the target is a negative voltage of ?1 kV or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: NISSIN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Matsuo, Yasunori Ando, Yoshitaka Setoguchi, Shigeaki Kishida
  • Patent number: 11133314
    Abstract: Disclosed are semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The semiconductor memory device comprises a capacitor that includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode opposite to the bottom electrode across a dielectric layer, and an interface layer between the bottom electrode and the dielectric layer. The interface layer includes a combination of niobium (Nb), titanium (Ti), oxygen (O), and nitrogen (N), and further includes a constituent of the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyooho Jung, Younsoo Kim, Young-lim Park, Jeong-Gyu Song, Se Hyoung Ahn, Changmu An
  • Patent number: 10551752
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a substrate table configured to support a substrate on a substrate supporting area and a heater and/or temperature sensor on a surface adjacent the substrate supporting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Nicolaas Ten Kate, Johannes Henricus Wilhelmus Jacobs, Joost Jeroen Ottens, Bastiaan Andreas Wilhelmus Hubertus Knarren, Thibault Simon Mathieu Laurent, Robbert Jan Voogd, Giovanni Francisco Nino, Johan Gertrudis Cornelis Kunnen, Marinus Jan Remie
  • Patent number: 10522640
    Abstract: Gate structures and methods of forming the gate structures are described. In some embodiments, a method includes forming source/drain regions in a substrate, and forming a gate structure between the source/drain regions. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer over the substrate, a work function tuning layer over the gate dielectric layer, a first metal over the work function tuning layer, an adhesion layer over the first metal, and a second metal over the adhesion layer. In some embodiments, the adhesion layer can include an alloy of the first and second metals, and may be formed by annealing the first and second metals. In other embodiments, the adhesion layer can include an oxide of at least one of the first and/or second metal, and may be formed at least in part by exposing the first metal to an oxygen-containing plasma or to a natural environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiu-Ko JangJian, Chi-Wen Liu, Chih-Nan Wu, Chun Che Lin
  • Patent number: 10276795
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to fabrication of correlated electron materials used, for example, to perform a switching function. In embodiments, processes are described, in which an ultraviolet light source is utilized during fabrication of a correlated electron material. In embodiments, use of ultraviolet light may decrease a likelihood of diffusion of atomic and/or molecular components of a substrate that may bring about undesirable electrical performance of a CEM device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ARM Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimberly Gay Reid, Lucian Shifren
  • Patent number: 10242909
    Abstract: A method for forming a conductive structure for a semiconductor device includes depositing a barrier layer in a trench formed in a dielectric material and forming an interface layer over the barrier layer. A main conductor is formed over the interface layer, and the main conductor is recessed selectively to the interface layer and the barrier layer to a position below a top surface of the dielectric layer. The interface layer is selectively wet etched to the main conductor and the barrier layer using a chemical composition having an oxidizer, wherein the chemical composition is buffered to include a pH above 7. The barrier layer is selectively etching to the main conductor and the interface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs, Cornelius B. Peethala, David L. Rath
  • Patent number: 10164003
    Abstract: A method of forming a metal-insulator-metal capacitor is provided. The method includes forming a first metal plate over a semiconductor substrate, forming a first dielectric layer with a first dielectric constant on a surface of the first metal plate, forming a second dielectric layer with a second dielectric constant on a surface of the first dielectric layer, forming a third dielectric layer with a third dielectric constant on a surface of the second dielectric layer, and forming a second metal plate on a surface of the third dielectric layer. The second dielectric constant is different from the first dielectric constant and different from the third dielectric constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Hsing-Lien Lin, Hai-Dang Trinh, Cheng-Yuan Tsai
  • Patent number: 9997609
    Abstract: A method of forming a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) contact, a transistor including the MIS contact, and the MIS contact are described. The method includes etching an opening for formation of the contact, the opening extending to an upper surface of a semiconductor region. The method also includes implanting metal ions at a selected depth within the upper surface of the semiconductor region and converting the upper surface of the semiconductor region to a metal oxide insulating layer. The method further includes forming a metal layer on the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chia-Yu Chen, Zuoguang Liu, Tenko Yamashita, Chun-Chen Yeh
  • Patent number: 9991355
    Abstract: A method of forming a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) contact, a transistor including the MIS contact, and the MIS contact are described. The method includes etching an opening for formation of the contact, the opening extending to an upper surface of a semiconductor region. The method also includes implanting metal ions at a selected depth within the upper surface of the semiconductor region and converting the upper surface of the semiconductor region to a metal oxide insulating layer. The method further includes forming a metal layer on the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chia-Yu Chen, Zuoguang Liu, Tenko Yamashita, Chun-Chen Yeh
  • Patent number: 9929722
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe a transmission line used to carry an AC signal (e.g., a high-speed clock signal) between two different voltage domains in an IC. Instead of dividing the transmission line into multiple segments each with a buffer, in one embodiment the transmission line is arranged to form a capacitor. That is, the conductive material forming the transmission line is arranged in the IC to result in a desired capacitance. This capacitance can be used to replace a discrete capacitor that would otherwise be used with a buffer (e.g., level shifter) located at the end of the transmission line for converting the AC signal from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David M. Friend, Grant P. Kesselring, Christopher W. Steffen, James D. Strom
  • Patent number: 9887100
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor devices and structures thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a substrate that includes fins. Gates are disposed over the fins, the gates being substantially perpendicular to the fins. A source/drain region is disposed on each of fins between two of the gates. A contact is coupled to the source/drain region between the two of the gates. The source/drain region comprises a first width, and the contact comprises a second width. The second width is substantially the same as the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Cheng Ho, Tzu-Chiang Chen, Tsung-Lin Lee, Wei-Jen Lai, Chih Chieh Yeh
  • Patent number: 9881947
    Abstract: An array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, comprising a base substrate, and a gate, a gate insulating layer, an active layer and a source/drain arranged on the base substrate, the array substrate further comprising an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting wireless signals, the antenna being arranged on the base substrate. By arranging the antenna on the base substrate of the array substrate, the antenna is integrated directly in the display panel. Thus, not only the area of the PCB circuit board in the display device can be reduced, but also the spare area in the array substrate can be utilized sufficiently, thereby improving the integration level of the display device and reducing the total volume of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zongze He, Jianming Wang, Zhiming Meng, Weihao Hu
  • Patent number: 9656292
    Abstract: The invention discloses a coating method, a coating device and a coating system. The coating method comprises: collecting a thickness data of a film on inner walls of a coating chamber; and processing the thickness data to obtain the thickness of the film on the inner walls of the coating chamber. With the coating method, the cleaning for the coating device gets smarter, the troublesome of artificially controlling the cleaning in the prior art is eliminated and thus the cleaning efficiency for the coating device is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qingnan Al, Mengxiao Pan, He Zhou, Yue Li
  • Patent number: 9613866
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of fabricating the same using interrupted deposition processes and multiple laser anneals are provided. The structure includes a high-k gate stack with a high-k bilayer or nanolaminate where a bottom portion of the bilayer is crystallized while a top portion of the bilayer is amorphous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Aritra Dasgupta, Oleg Gluschenkov, Balaji Kannan, Unoh Kwon
  • Patent number: 9559295
    Abstract: A nano multilayer film of electrical field modulation type, a field effect transistor of electrical field modulation type, an electrical field sensor of switch type, and a random access memory of electrical field drive type can obtain an electro-resistance effect in an electrical field modulation multilayer film at room temperature. The nano multilayer film includes in succession from bottom to top a bottom layer, a substrate, a bottom layer, a functional layer, a buffer layer, an insulation layer, a conductive layer, and a cap layer. The buffer layer and the insulation layer can be selectively added as required when the conductive layer is made of a magnetic metal. The effect of influencing and changing the conductivity of the metal layer and thus adjusting the change in the resistance of the devices can obtain different resistance states corresponding to different electrical fields and achieving an electro-resistance effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Xiu-Feng Han, Hou-Fang Liu, Syed Rizwan, Da-Lai Li, Peng Guo, Guo-Qiang Yu, Dong-Ping Liu, Yi-Ran Chen
  • Patent number: 9435031
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus for depositing a material on a substrate is provided. The deposition apparatus has a processing chamber defining a processing space in which the substrate is arranged, an ultraviolet radiation assembly configured to emit ultraviolet radiation and a microwave radiation assembly configured to emit microwave radiation into an excitation space that can be the same as the processing space, and a gas feed assembly configured to feed a precursor gas into the processing space and a reactive gas into the excitation space. The ultraviolet radiation assembly and the microwave radiation assembly are operated in combination to excite the reactive gas in the excitation space. The material is deposited on the substrate from the reaction of the excited reactive gas and the precursor gas. A method for using the deposition apparatus to deposit a material on a substrate is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alfred Grill, Son V. Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini
  • Patent number: 9378961
    Abstract: A method including providing a substrate having a first region, a second region, and a third region defined thereupon. A first interfacial layer is formed over the first region, the second region, and the third region. The first interfacial layer is etched to remove a portion of the first interfacial layer from the first region and a portion of the first interfacial layer from the second region. Etching of the first interfacial layer defines a gate stack within the third region. After the etching of the first interfacial layer, a second interfacial layer is formed over at least a portion of the second region. The second interfacial layer is etched to define a gate stack within the second region. After the etching of the second interfacial layer, a third interfacial layer is formed on the substrate over at least a portion of the first region to define a gate stack within the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Nien Chen, Bao-Ru Young, Chi-Hsun Hsieh, Harry Hak-Lay Chuang, Wei Cheng Wu, Eric Huang
  • Patent number: 9337296
    Abstract: Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming an interfacial layer material over a semiconductor substrate and forming a gate insulation layer over the interfacial layer material that includes a combination of a layer of a hafnium oxide material and a layer of hafnium silicate material. The layer of the hafnium silicate material includes less than about 40 % of an overall height of the gate insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Naseer Babu Pazhedan
  • Patent number: 9305706
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fractional order capacitor comprising a dielectric nanocomposite layer of thickness t, comprising a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, a first electrode layer coupled to the first side of the dielectric nanocomposite layer, a second electrode layer coupled to the second side of the dielectric nanocomposite layer, a complex impedance phase angle dependent on at least a material weight percentage of filler material in a dielectric nanocomposite layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation
    Inventors: Mahmoud N. Almadhoun, Amro Elshurafa, Khaled Salama, Husam Alshareef
  • Patent number: 9231136
    Abstract: A method for preparing a perovskite film includes the steps of applying a first solution on a substrate to form a film by spin coating and applying a second solution on the film made from the first solution by spin coating to form the perovskite film. The perovskite film is expressed by a general formula of ABX3. The solute of the first solution at least contains one of AX and BX2. The solute of the second solution at least contains one of AX and BX2. A method for preparing the solar cell using the perovskite film as the active layer (absorber) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: National Central University
    Inventors: Chun-Guey Wu, Chien-Hung Chiang
  • Patent number: 8901716
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to provide a dielectric film material with controllable coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). A first compound containing a first liquid crystalline component is formed. The first compound is cast into a first film. The first film is oriented in an magnetic or electromagnetic field in a first direction. The first film is cured at a first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: James C. Matayabas, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8853815
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus is provided herein for buffering of nets routed through one or more areas associated with a first power domain that is different from a second power domain associated with the buffers and the buffered nets by limiting placement of these buffers in patterned areas associated with the second power domain. This provides for the routing of the buffered nets to be determined not only based on the shortest distance to travel from Point A to Point B, but also takes into account routing congestion on the semiconductor apparatus. Consequently, if an area on the semiconductor apparatus is congested, the buffered nets may be routed around the congestion. As such, although a path taken by a particular signal through the integrated circuit is not a direct route, it may still be of a distance to support a speed at which the particular signal needs to be transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Sundararajan Ranganathan, Paras Gupta, Raghavendra Dasegowda, Rajesh Verma, Parissa Najdesamii
  • Patent number: 8759970
    Abstract: An improved wire bond is provided with the bond pads of semiconductor devices and the lead fingers of lead frames or an improved conductive lead of a TAB tape bond with the bond pad of a semiconductor device. More specifically, an improved wire bond is described wherein the bond pad on a surface of the semiconductor device comprises a layer of copper and at least one layer of metal and/or at least a barrier layer of material between the copper layer and one layer of metal on the copper layer to form a bond pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Round Rock Research, LLC
    Inventor: Salman Akram
  • Patent number: 8686530
    Abstract: An electronic component, notably one including, for example, a TFT, a storage capacitor, or a crossing between electrically conductive layers of a stack device is disclosed. The electronic component comprises a substrate whereon a first electrically conductive layer forming electrode is provided. A second electrode formed by a second electrically conductive layer is separated from the first electrode by at least a dielectric layer, comprising an interlayer of an electrically insulating material, preferably having high resistance against electrical breakdown and a further layer of a photo-patternable electrically insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Creator Technology B.V.
    Inventors: Christoph Wilhelm Sele, Monica Johanna Beenhakkers, Gerwin Hermanus Gelinck, Nicolaas Aldegonda Jan Maria Van Aerle, Hjalmar Edzer Ayco Huitema
  • Patent number: 8508032
    Abstract: An electronic device package comprising: a block of insulating material; an electronic device housed within the insulating material and having a set of contact pads thereon; and a set of electrically conductive contact members at least partially housed within the insulating material, each contact member extending between a respective external contact point at which it is exposed at the surface of the block and an internal contact point from which it is electrically coupled to a respective contact pad on the electronic device, each internal contact point being outside the footprint of the electronic device, the set of contact members including: at least one contact member of a first type whose external contact point is located at least partially within the footprint of the electronic device; and at least one contact member of a second type that is wholly outside the footprint of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited
    Inventors: Martyn Robert Owen, Andrew George Holland
  • Patent number: 8450173
    Abstract: Electrical components for microelectronic devices and methods for forming electrical components. One particular embodiment of such a method comprises depositing an underlying layer onto a workpiece, and forming a conductive layer on the underlying layer. The method can continue by disposing a dielectric layer on the conductive layer. The underlying layer is a material that causes the dielectric layer to have a higher dielectric constant than without the underlying layer being present under the conductive layer. For example, the underlying layer can impart a structure or another property to the film stack that causes an otherwise amorphous dielectric layer to crystallize without having to undergo a separate high temperature annealing process after disposing the dielectric layer onto the conductive layer. Several examples of this method are expected to be very useful for forming dielectric layers with high dielectric constants because they avoid using a separate high temperature annealing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rishikesh Krishnan, Daniel Gealy, Vidya Srividya, Noel Rocklein
  • Patent number: 8421140
    Abstract: A capacitor structure and method of forming it are described. In particular, a high-K dielectric oxide is provided as the capacitor dielectric. The high-K dielectric is deposited in a series of thin layers and oxidized in a series of oxidation steps, as opposed to a depositing a single thick layer. Further, at least one of the oxidation steps is less aggressive than the oxidation environment or environments that would be used to deposit the single thick layer. This allows greater control over oxidizing the dielectric and other components beyond the dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Guy T. Blalock
  • Patent number: 8399954
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a protective element formed on a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of wiring layers composed of insulating layers including a layer that is a low dielectric-constant film, and metal lines, in which a metal line in a second wiring layer and a metal line in a first wiring layer among the plurality of wiring layers extend from the other region above the semiconductor substrate to a region electrically connected with the protective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Furuta
  • Patent number: 8362477
    Abstract: A memory device and a method of forming the same are provided. The memory device includes a substrate; a set of electrodes disposed on the substrate; a dielectric layer formed between the set of electrodes; and a transition metal oxide layer formed between the set of electrodes, the transition metal oxide layer configured to undergo a metal-insulator transition (MIT) to perform a read or write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tymon Barwicz, Keith A. Jenkins, Supratik Guha
  • Patent number: 8344439
    Abstract: Integrated circuit capacitors have composite dielectric layers therein. These composite dielectric layers include crystallization inhibiting regions that operate to increase the overall crystallization temperature of the composite dielectric layer. An integrated circuit capacitor includes first and second capacitor electrodes and a capacitor dielectric layer extending between the first and second capacitor electrodes. The capacitor dielectric layer includes a composite of a first dielectric layer extending adjacent the first capacitor electrode, a second dielectric layer extending adjacent the second capacitor electrode and an electrically insulating crystallization inhibiting layer extending between the first and second dielectric layers. The electrically insulating crystallization inhibiting layer is formed of a material having a higher crystallization temperature characteristic relative to the first and second dielectric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-hyoung Choi, Jung-hee Chung, Cha-young Yoo, Young-sun Kim, Se-hoon Oh
  • Patent number: 8334173
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus includes: forming a protrusion made of a conductor on each of the electrodes provided on a semiconductor wafer top face side of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed in a semiconductor wafer; making a trench in the top face between the plurality of semiconductor devices; filling an insulator into a gap between the protrusions and into the trench to form a sealing member; grinding a bottom face of the semiconductor wafer opposing the top face until the sealing member being exposed to divide the semiconductor wafer into each of the semiconductor devices; forming a first lead made of a conductor on each of the protrusions, the first lead forming a portion of a first external electrode; forming a conductive material layer directly to form a second lead on the bottom face of the plurality of semiconductor devices, the second lead forming the second external electrode; and cutting the sealing member between the plurality of semiconductor devices to separate
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takao Nogi, Tomoyuki Kitani, Akira Tojo, Kentaro Suga
  • Patent number: 8304910
    Abstract: A lack of exposure margin is avoided in a region, where an interconnection is required in a direction different from that of an interconnection of a region where an exposure condition is optimized. A semiconductor device According to an aspect of the invention includes a semiconductor substrate 201; an interlayer insulating film 202 that is formed on the semiconductor substrate 201; a plurality of first interconnections 1, 1, . . . that are formed in a first region on the interlayer insulating film 202 while complying with a first design rule, the first interconnections running along a specific direction; a plurality of second interconnections 2, 2, . . . that are formed in a second region on the interlayer insulating film 202 while complying with a second design rule identical to the first design rule, the second interconnections running along the same direction with that of the first interconnections 1, 1, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Haruhiko Koyama
  • Patent number: 8298941
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes, but is not limited to, the following processes. A seed layer is formed over a substrate. The seed layer includes first, second, and third portions. A first electrode covering the first portion of the seed layer is formed without forming an electrode on the second and third portions of the seed layer. The third portion of the seed layer is removed so that the first and second portions remain over the substrate, and the first and second portions are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8203176
    Abstract: To make it possible to significantly suppress the leakage current in a semiconductor device having a capacitor structure using a dielectric film. There is provided a composite oxide dielectric which is mainly composed of Zr, Al and O, and which has a composition ratio of Zr and Al in a range of (1?x):x where 0.01?x?0.15, and has a crystal structure. When the dielectric is set to have the Al composition in the above described range and is crystallized, the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric can be significantly increased. When the dielectric is used as a dielectric film of a capacitor of a semiconductor device, the leakage current of the capacitor can be significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Nakagawa, Toru Tatsumi, Nobuyuki Ikarashi, Makiko Oshida
  • Patent number: 8198199
    Abstract: There are disclosed an epitaxial film, comprising: heating an Si substrate provided with an SiO2 layer with a film thickness of 1.0 nm or more to 10 nm or less on a surface of the substrate; and forming on the SiO2 layer by use of a metal target represented by the following composition formula: yA(1?y)B??(1), in which A is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements including Y and Sc, B is Zr, and y is a numeric value of 0.03 or more to 0.20 or less, the epitaxial film represented by the following composition formula: xA2O3?(1?x)BO2??(2), in which A and B are respectively same elements as A and B of the composition formula (1), and x is a numeric value of 0.010 or more to 0.035 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jumpei Hayashi, Takanori Matsuda, Tetsuro Fukui, Hiroshi Funakubo
  • Publication number: 20120092807
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for producing a stack of layers on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes producing a substrate a first conductive layer; and producing by ALD a sub-stack of layers on said conductive layer, at least one of said layers of the sub-stack being a TiO2 layer, the other layers of the sub-stack being layers of a dielectric material having a composition suitable to form a cubic perovskite phase upon crystallization of said sub-stack of layers. Crystallization is obtained via heat treatment. When used in a metal-insulator-metal capacitor, the stack of layers can provide improved characteristics as a consequence of the TiO2 layer being present in the sub-stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventors: Mihaela Ioana Popovici, Johan Swerts, Malgorzata Pawlak, Kazuyuki Tomida, Min-Soo Kim, Jorge Kittl, Sven Van Elshocht
  • Patent number: 8120078
    Abstract: A photodiode structure including a semiconductor of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor having a main surface, a first well formed in the semiconductor at the main surface thereof, the first well being of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. A second well formed in the semiconductor at the main surface thereof laterally outside the first well, the second well being of the second conductivity type, and a first terminal electrically connecting the first well and the second well, and a second terminal connecting the semiconductor such that a depletion region of laterally varying distance to the main surface results from applying a reverse voltage to the first and second terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Stefan Hermann Groiss
  • Patent number: 8114732
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a non-volatile memory structure. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a gate dielectric layer overlying a surface region of the semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon gate structure is formed overlying the gate dielectric layer. The method subjects the polysilicon gate structure to an oxidizing environment to cause formation of a first silicon oxide layer overlying the polysilicon gate structure and formation of an undercut region underneath the polysilicon gate structure. An aluminum oxide material is formed overlying the polysilicon gate structure filling the undercut region. In a specific embodiment, the aluminum oxide material has a nanocrystalline silicon material sandwiched between a first aluminum oxide layer and a second aluminum oxide layer. The aluminum oxide material is subjected to a selective etching process while maintaining the aluminum oxide material in an insert region in a portion of the undercut region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Mieno Fumitake
  • Patent number: 8102013
    Abstract: The use of atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form an amorphous dielectric layer of titanium oxide (TiOX) doped with lanthanide elements, such as samarium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, erbium and thulium, produces a reliable structure for use in a variety of electronic devices. The dielectric structure is formed by depositing titanium oxide by atomic layer deposition onto a substrate surface using precursor chemicals, followed by depositing a layer of a lanthanide dopant, and repeating to form a sequentially deposited interleaved structure. Such a dielectric layer may be used as the gate insulator of a MOSFET, as a capacitor dielectric, or as a tunnel gate insulator in flash memories, because the high dielectric constant (high-k) of the layer provides the functionality of a thinner silicon dioxide layer, and because the reduced leakage current of the dielectric layer when the percentage of the lanthanide element doping is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kie Y. Ahn, Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 8034727
    Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to the present invention uses a first raw material gas containing Si, a second raw material gas containing a metal element M and an oxidation gas, in which a first step of supplying the oxidation gas onto a substrate to be treated, and a second step of supplying the first raw material gas are sequentially performed. The method further includes, after the first and second steps, a step of supplying the second raw material gas or gas mixture of the first raw material gas and the second raw material gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8008161
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a capacitor arrangement which includes at least three electrodes is described. The capacitor arrangement is fabricated using a number of lithography methods that is smaller than the number of electrodes. A capacitor arrangement extending over more than two or more interlayers between metallization layers has a high capacitance per unit area and can be fabricated in a simple way is also described. The circuit arrangement has a high capacitance per unit area and can be fabricated in a simple way. An electrode layer is first patterned using a dry-etching process and residues of the electrode layer are removed using a wet-chemical process, making it possible to fabricate capacitors with excellent electrical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jens Bachmann, Bernd Föste, Klaus Goller, Jakob Kriz
  • Publication number: 20110193150
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes forming a first capacitor using a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor, forming a second capacitor being a pillar type corresponding to a cell capacitor formed in a cell region, and forming a third capacitor over the first and the second capacitors
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Chul KOO
  • Patent number: 7994550
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprising: a substrate; a seed layer supported by the substrate; an elemental semiconductor layer disposed over a first portion of the seed layer; and a compound semiconductor layer disposed on a second portion of the seed layer. The first portion of the seed layer is electrically insulated from the second portion of the seed layer. A first semiconductor device is formed in the elemental semiconductor layer. A second semiconductor device is formed in the compound semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor device includes: a first electrode in contact with a first region of the compound semiconductor layer; a second electrode in contact with a second region of the compound semiconductor layer; and a third electrode. The third electrode controls carriers passing in a third region of the compound semiconductor layer disposed between the first region and the second region. A fourth electrode is in electrical contact with the second portion of the seed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Valery S. Kaper, John P. Bettencourt, Jeffrey R. LaRoche, Kamal Tabatabaie
  • Patent number: 7977185
    Abstract: A method (and apparatus) of post silicide spacer removal includes preventing damage to the silicide spacer through the use of at least one of an oxide layer and a nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian J. Greene, Chung Woh Lai, Yong Meng Lee, Wenhe Lin, Siddhartha Panda, Kern Rim, Young Way Teh
  • Patent number: 7973352
    Abstract: Integrated circuit capacitors have composite dielectric layers therein. These composite dielectric layers include crystallization inhibiting regions that operate to increase the overall crystallization temperature of the composite dielectric layer. An integrated circuit capacitor includes first and second capacitor electrodes and a capacitor dielectric layer extending between the first and second capacitor electrodes. The capacitor dielectric layer includes a composite of a first dielectric layer extending adjacent the first capacitor electrode, a second dielectric layer extending adjacent the second capacitor electrode and an electrically insulating crystallization inhibiting layer extending between the first and second dielectric layers. The electrically insulating crystallization inhibiting layer is formed of a material having a higher crystallization temperature characteristic relative to the first and second dielectric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-hyoung Choi, Jung-hee Chung, Cha-young Yoo, Young-sun Kim, Se-hoon Oh