Using Selective Deposition Of Single Crystal Silicon, E.g., Selective Epitaxial Growth (seg) (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.562)
  • Patent number: 10121711
    Abstract: Approaches for providing a substrate having a planar metrology pad adjacent a set of fins of a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device are disclosed. Specifically, the FinFET device comprises a finned substrate, and a planar metrology pad formed on the substrate adjacent the fins in a metrology measurement area of the FinFET device. Processing steps include forming a first hardmask over the substrate, forming a photoresist over a portion of the first hardmask in the metrology measurement area of the FinFET device, removing the first hardmask in an area adjacent the metrology measurement area remaining exposed following formation of the photoresist, patterning a set of openings in the substrate to form the set of fins in the FinFET device in the area adjacent the metrology measurement area, depositing an oxide layer over the FinFET device, and planarizing the FinFET device to form the planar metrology pad in the metrology measurement area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Sipeng Gu, Xiang Hu, Alok Vaid, Lokesh Subramany, Akshey Sehgal
  • Patent number: 9735057
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating field effect transistors having a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region are provided which include: using a single mask step in forming a first portion(s) and a second portion(s) of at least one of the source region or the drain region, the first portion(s) including a first material selected and configured to facilitate the first portion(s) stressing the channel region, and the second portion(s) including a second material selected and configured to facilitate the second portion(s) having a lower electrical resistance than the first portion(s). One embodiment includes: providing the first material with a crystal lattice structure; and forming the second material by disposing another material interstitially with respect to the crystal lattice structure. Another embodiment includes forming the first portion and the second portion within at least one of a source cavity or a drain cavity of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Shashidhar Shreeshail Shintri, Min-hwa Chi
  • Patent number: 9634127
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein for fabricating integrated circuit devices, such as fin-like field-effect transistors (FinFETs). An exemplary method includes forming a first semiconductor material layer over a fin portion of a substrate; forming a second semiconductor material layer over the first semiconductor material layer; and converting a portion of the first semiconductor material layer to a first semiconductor oxide layer. The fin portion of the substrate, the first semiconductor material layer, the first semiconductor oxide layer, and the second semiconductor material layer form a fin. The method further includes forming a gate stack overwrapping the fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Cheng Ching, Gwan Sin Chang, Zhiqiang Wu, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 9530777
    Abstract: Methods and structures for forming finFETs of different semiconductor composition and of different conductivity type on a same wafer are described. Some finFET structures may include strained channel regions. FinFETs of a first semiconductor composition may be grown in trenches formed in a second semiconductor composition. Material of the second semiconductor composition may be removed from around some of the fins at first regions of the wafer, and may remain around fins at second regions of the wafer. A chemical component from the second semiconductor composition may be driven into the fins by diffusion at the second regions to form finFETs of a different chemical composition from those of the first regions. The converted fins at the second regions may include strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicolas Loubet, Hong He, James Kuss
  • Patent number: 9449820
    Abstract: Techniques for reducing nanowire dimension and pitch are provided. In one aspect, a pitch multiplication method for nanowires includes the steps of: providing an SOI wafer having an SOI layer separated from a substrate by a BOX, wherein the SOI layer includes Si; patterning at least one nanowire in the SOI layer, wherein the at least one nanowire as-patterned has a square cross-sectional shape with flat sides; growing epitaxial SiGe on the outside of the at least one nanowire using an epitaxial process selective for growth of the epitaxial SiGe on the flat sides of the at least one nanowire; removing the at least one nanowire selective to the epitaxial SiGe, wherein the epitaxial SiGe that remains includes multiple epitaxial SiGe wires having been formed in place of the at least one nanowire that has been removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Guy M. Cohen, Michael A. Guillorn, Isaac Lauer, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Patent number: 8927353
    Abstract: A fin field effect transistor and method of forming the same. The fin field effect transistor includes a semiconductor substrate having a fin structure and between two trenches with top portions and bottom portions. The fin field effect transistor further includes shallow trench isolations formed in the bottom portions of the trenches and a gate electrode over the fin structure and the shallow trench isolation, wherein the gate electrode is substantially perpendicular to the fin structure. The fin field effect transistor further includes a gate dielectric layer along sidewalls of the fin structure and source/drain electrode formed in the fin structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju-Wang Hsu, Chih-Yuan Ting, Tang-Xuan Zhong, Yi-Nien Su, Jang-Shiang Tsai
  • Patent number: 8883578
    Abstract: Various embodiments form silicon and silicon germanium fins on a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment a semiconductor wafer is obtained. The semiconductor wafer comprises a substrate, a dielectric layer, and a semiconductor layer including silicon germanium (SiGe). At least one SiGe fin is formed from at least a first SiGe region of the semiconductor layer in at least one PFET region of the semiconductor wafer. Strained silicon is epitaxially grown on at least a second SiGe region of the semiconductor layer. At least one strained silicon fin is formed from the strained silicon in at least one NFET region of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Chun-chen Yeh, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8841178
    Abstract: Various embodiments form silicon and silicon germanium fins on a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment a semiconductor wafer is obtained. The semiconductor wafer comprises a substrate, a dielectric layer, and a semiconductor layer including silicon germanium (SiGe). At least one SiGe fin is formed from at least a first SiGe region of the semiconductor layer in at least one PFET region of the semiconductor wafer. Strained silicon is epitaxially grown on at least a second SiGe region of the semiconductor layer. At least one strained silicon fin is formed from the strained silicon in at least one NFET region of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Chun-chen Yeh, Tenko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8823146
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure having a silicon substrate having a <111> crystallographic orientation, an insulating layer disposed over a first portion of the silicon substrate, a silicon layer having a <100> orientation disposed over the insulating layer, and a non-nitride column III-V semiconductor layer or column II-VI semiconductor layer having the same <111> crystallographic orientation as the silicon substrate, the non-nitride column III-V semiconductor layer or column II-VI semiconductor layer being in direct contact with a second portion of the silicon substrate. A column III-nitride is disposed on the surface of the third portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: William E. Hoke
  • Patent number: 8759944
    Abstract: Memory cell structures, including PSOIs, NANDs, NORs, FinFETs, etc., and methods of fabrication have been described that include a method of epitaxial silicon growth. The method includes providing a silicon layer on a substrate. A dielectric layer is provided on the silicon layer. A trench is formed in the dielectric layer to expose the silicon layer, the trench having trench walls in the <100> direction. The method includes epitaxially growing silicon between trench walls formed in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Du Li
  • Patent number: 8741743
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device is provided which comprises (a) creating a first mask for the epitaxial growth of features in a semiconductor device, said first mask defining a set of epitaxial tiles (219); (b) creating a second mask for defining the active region of the semiconductor device, said second mask defining a set of active tiles (229); and (c) using the first and second masks to create a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Omar Zia, Nigel Cave, Venkat Kolagunta, Ruiqi Tian, Edward O. Travis
  • Patent number: 8709910
    Abstract: A semiconductor process includes the following steps. A semiconductor substrate is provided. The semiconductor substrate has a patterned isolation layer and the patterned isolation layer has an opening exposing a silicon area of the semiconductor substrate. A silicon rich layer is formed on the sidewalls of the opening. An epitaxial process is performed to form an epitaxial structure on the silicon area in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-I Liao, Chia-Lin Hsu, Yung-Lun Hsieh, Chien-Hao Chen, Bo-Syuan Lee, Min-Chung Cheng
  • Patent number: 8679925
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and transistors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece comprising a plurality of fins, and forming a semiconductive material over a top surface of the plurality of fins. An etch stop layer is formed over the semiconductive material, and an insulating material is disposed over the etch stop layer. The insulating material and a portion of the etch stop layer are removed from over the plurality of fins. Forming the semiconductive material or forming the etch stop layer are controlled so that removing the portion of the etch stop layer does not remove the etch stop layer between a widest portion of the semiconductive material over the plurality of fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Ping Wang
  • Patent number: 8629024
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and transistors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece comprising a plurality of fins, and forming a semiconductive material over a top surface of the plurality of fins. An etch stop layer is formed over the semiconductive material, and an insulating material is disposed over the etch stop layer. The insulating material and a portion of the etch stop layer are removed from over the plurality of fins. Forming the semiconductive material or forming the etch stop layer are controlled so that removing the portion of the etch stop layer does not remove the etch stop layer between a widest portion of the semiconductive material over the plurality of fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Ping Wang
  • Patent number: 8492273
    Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising providing a substrate comprising an insulating material and a second semiconductor material and pre-treating the substrate with a plasma produced from a gas selected from the group consisting of a carbon-containing gas, a halogen-containing gas, and a carbon-and-halogen containing gas. The method further comprises depositing a first semiconductor material on the pre-treated substrate by chemical vapor deposition, where the first semiconductor material is selectively deposited on the second semiconductor material. The method may be used to manufacture a semiconducting device, such as a microelectromechanical system device, or to manufacture a semiconducting device feature, such as an interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: George Bryce, Simone Severi, Peter Verheyen
  • Patent number: 8481402
    Abstract: Methods and structures for semiconductor devices with STI regions in SOI substrates is provided. A semiconductor structure comprises an SOI epitaxy island formed over a substrate. The structure further comprises an STI structure surrounding the SOI island. The STI structure comprises a second epitaxial layer on the substrate, and a second dielectric layer on the second epitaxial layer. A semiconductor fabrication method comprises forming a dielectric layer over a substrate and surrounding a device fabrication region in the substrate with an isolation trench extending through the dielectric layer. The method also includes filling the isolation trench with a first epitaxial layer and forming a second epitaxial layer over the device fabrication region and over the first epitaxial layer. Then a portion of the first epitaxial layer is replaced with an isolation dielectric, and then a device such as a transistor is formed second epitaxial layer within the device fabrication region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Hua Yu, Tze-Liang Lee, Pang-Yen Tsai
  • Patent number: 8445336
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) layer includes providing a substrate, forming an amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer on the substrate, forming a thermal oxide layer to a thickness of about 10 ? to 50 ? on the a-Si layer, forming a metal catalyst layer on the thermal oxide layer, and annealing the substrate to crystallize the a-Si layer into the poly-Si layer using a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer. Thus, the a-Si layer can be crystallized into a poly-Si layer by a super grain silicon (SGS) crystallization method. Also, the thermal oxide layer may be formed during the dehydrogenation of the a-Si layer so that an additional process of forming a capping layer required for the SGS crystallization method can be omitted, thereby simplifying the fabrication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Hoon Yang, Ki-Yong Lee, Jin-Wook Seo, Byoung-Keon Park, Kil-Won Lee
  • Patent number: 8445387
    Abstract: Memory cell structures, including PSOIs, NANDs, NORs, FinFETs, etc., and methods of fabrication have been described that include a method of epitaxial silicon growth. The method includes providing a silicon layer on a substrate. A dielectric layer is provided on the silicon layer. A trench is formed in the dielectric layer to expose the silicon layer, the trench having trench walls in the <100> direction. The method includes epitaxially growing silicon between trench walls formed in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Du Li
  • Patent number: 8377779
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and transistors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece comprising a plurality of fins, and forming a semiconductive material over a top surface of the plurality of fins. An etch stop layer is formed over the semiconductive material, and an insulating material is disposed over the etch stop layer. The insulating material and a portion of the etch stop layer are removed from over the plurality of fins. Forming the semiconductive material or forming the etch stop layer are controlled so that removing the portion of the etch stop layer does not remove the etch stop layer between a widest portion of the semiconductive material over the plurality of fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Ping Wang
  • Patent number: 8357562
    Abstract: A structure to diminish high voltage instability in a high voltage device when under stress includes an amorphous silicon layer over a field oxide on the high voltage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jifa Hao
  • Patent number: 8344453
    Abstract: A method of forming a localized SOI structure in a substrate (10) wherein a trench (18) is formed in the substrate, and a dielectric layer (20) is formed on the base of the trench (18). The trench is filled with semiconductor material (22) by means of epitaxial growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Markus Gerhard Andreas Muller
  • Patent number: 8309986
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures include a trench formed proximate a substrate including a first semiconductor material. A crystalline material including a second semiconductor material lattice mismatched to the first semiconductor material is formed in the trench. Process embodiments include removing a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a side portion of the crystalline material and defining a gate thereover. Defects are reduced by using an aspect ratio trapping approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Lochtefeld
  • Patent number: 8299535
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures are disclosed that have embedded stressor elements therein. The disclosed structures include at least one FET gate stack located on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The at least one FET gate stack includes source and drain extension regions located within the semiconductor substrate at a footprint of the at least one FET gate stack. A device channel is also present between the source and drain extension regions and beneath the at least one gate stack. The structure further includes embedded stressor elements located on opposite sides of the at least one FET gate stack and within the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Abhishek Dube, Judson R. Holt, Jeffrey B. Johnson, Jinghong Li, Dae-Gyu Park, Zhengmao Zhu
  • Patent number: 8288757
    Abstract: A recess along a sidewall is formed in a pMOS region and an nMOS region. An SiC layer of which thickness is thicker than a depth of the recess is formed in the recess. A sidewall covering a part of the SiC layer is formed at both lateral sides of a gate electrode in the pMOS region. A recess is formed by selectively removing the SiC layer in the pMOS region. A side surface of the recess at the gate insulating film side is inclined so that the upper region of the side surface, the closer to the gate insulating film in a lateral direction at a region lower than the surface of the silicon substrate. An SiGe layer is formed in the recess in the pMOS region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ohta, Yosuke Shimamune
  • Patent number: 8273620
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a method for fabricating the device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a cell region and a peripheral region, a cell active region formed in the cell region, and a peripheral active region formed in the peripheral region, wherein the cell active region and the peripheral active region are defined by isolation regions. The semiconductor device further includes a first gate stack formed on the cell active region, a second gate stack formed on the peripheral active region, a cell epitaxial layer formed on an exposed portion of the cell active region, and a peripheral epitaxial layer formed on an exposed portion of the peripheral active region, wherein the height of the peripheral epitaxial layer is greater than the height of the cell epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-bum Kim, Young-pil Kim, Si-young Choi, Byeong-chan Lee, Jong-wook Lee
  • Patent number: 8268654
    Abstract: The number of photomasks is reduced in a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device which operates in a fringe field switching mode, whereby a manufacturing process is simplified and manufacturing cost is reduced. A first transparent conductive film and a first metal film are sequentially stacked over a light-transmitting insulating substrate; the first transparent conductive film and the first metal film are shaped using a multi-tone mask which is a first photomask; an insulating film, a first semiconductor film, a second semiconductor film, and a second metal film are sequentially stacked; the second metal film and the second semiconductor film are shaped using a multi-tone mask which is a second photomask; a protective film is formed; the protective film is shaped using a third photomask; a second transparent conductive film is formed; and the second transparent conductive film is shaped using a fourth photomask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Saishi Fujikawa, Yoko Chiba
  • Patent number: 8247329
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a nanotube region using a thin epitaxial layer formed on the sidewall of a trench in the semiconductor body. The thin epitaxial layer has uniform doping concentration. In another embodiment, a first thin epitaxial layer of the same conductivity type as the semiconductor body is formed on the sidewall of a trench in the semiconductor body and a second thin epitaxial layer of the opposite conductivity type is formed on the first epitaxial layer. The first and second epitaxial layers have uniform doping concentration. The thickness and doping concentrations of the first and second epitaxial layers and the semiconductor body are selected to achieve charge balance. In one embodiment, the semiconductor body is a lightly doped P-type substrate. A vertical trench MOSFET, an IGBT, a Schottky diode and a P-N junction diode can be formed using the same N-Epi/P-Epi nanotube structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamza Yilmaz, Xiaobin Wang, Anup Bhalla, John Chen, Hong Chang
  • Patent number: 8236660
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures are disclosed that have embedded stressor elements therein. The disclosed structures include at least one FET gate stack located on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The at least one FET gate stack includes source and drain extension regions located within the semiconductor substrate at a footprint of the at least one FET gate stack. A device channel is also present between the source and drain extension regions and beneath the at least one gate stack. The structure further includes embedded stressor elements located on opposite sides of the at least one FET gate stack and within the semiconductor substrate. Each of the embedded stressor elements includes a lower layer of a first epitaxy doped semiconductor material having a lattice constant that is different from a lattice constant of the semiconductor substrate and imparts a strain in the device channel, and an upper layer of a second epitaxy doped semiconductor material located atop the lower layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Abhishek Dube, Judson R. Holt, Jinghong Li, Joseph S. Newbury, Viorel Ontalus, Dae-Gyu Park, Zhengmao Zhu
  • Patent number: 8232149
    Abstract: An SOI device includes an SOI substrate having a stacked structure including a buried oxide layer and a first silicon layer sequentially stacked on a silicon substrate. The SOI substrate possesses grooves having a depth that extends from an upper surface of the first silicon layer to a partial depth of the buried oxide layer. An insulation layer is formed on the lower surfaces of the grooves and a second silicon layer is formed filling the grooves having the insulation layer formed thereon. Gates are formed on the second silicon layer and junction regions are formed in the first silicon layer on both sides of the gates to contact the insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Bo Youn Kim
  • Patent number: 8227304
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure on a bulk semiconductor starting wafer. Parallel semiconductor bodies are formed at the top surface of the wafer. An insulator layer is deposited and recessed. Exposed upper portions of the semiconductor bodies are used as seed material for growing epitaxial layers of semiconductor material laterally over the insulator layer, thereby creating a semiconductor layer. This semiconductor layer can be used to form one or more SOI devices (e.g., a single-fin or multi-fin MUGFET or multiple series-connected single-fin or multi-fin MUGFETs). However, placement of SOI device components in and/or on portions of the semiconductor layer should be predetermined to avoid locations which might impact device performance (e.g., placement of any FET gate on a semiconductor fin formed from the semiconductor layer can be predetermined to avoid interfaces between joined epitaxial semiconductor material sections).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Subramanian S. Iyer, Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 8173524
    Abstract: Methods form epitaxial materials by forming at least two gate stacks on a silicon substrate and forming sidewall spacers on sides of the gate stacks. Such methods pattern a recess in the silicon substrate between adjacent ones of the gate stacks. The methods also provide a liner in a bottom of the recess, and epitaxially grow epitaxial material from sidewalls of the recess to fill the recess with the epitaxial material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ashima B. Chakravarti, Anthony I. Chou, Abhishek Dube, Dominic J. Schepis
  • Patent number: 8158471
    Abstract: A method of forming capacitorless DRAM over localized silicon-on-insulator comprises the following steps: A silicon substrate is provided, and an array of silicon studs is defined within the silicon substrate. An insulator layer is defined atop at least a portion of the silicon substrate, and between the silicon studs. A silicon-over-insulator layer is defined surrounding the silicon studs atop the insulator layer, and a capacitorless DRAM is formed within and above the silicon-over-insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Suraj Mathew, Jigish D Trivedi
  • Patent number: 8154050
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which semiconductor epitaxial layers are embedded in the source/drain regions includes an element formation region formed in the major surface of a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on a part of the element formation region, the semiconductor epitaxial layers formed in the source/drain regions of the element formation region so as to sandwich the channel region below the gate electrode, and silicide layers formed on the gate electrode and semiconductor epitaxial layers. Each semiconductor epitaxial layer has a three-layered structure in which first semiconductor films different in material or composition from the semiconductor substrate sandwich a second semiconductor film having a silicidation reactivity higher than that of the first semiconductor films. Each silicide layer extends to the second semiconductor film along the interface between the semiconductor substrate and semiconductor epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Gaku Sudo
  • Patent number: 8148722
    Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a transparent N-doped p-type ZnO semiconductor layer using a surface chemical reaction between precursors containing elements constituting thin layers, and a thin film transistor (TFT) including the p-type ZnO semiconductor layer. The method includes the steps of: preparing a substrate and loading the substrate into a chamber; injecting a Zn precursor and an oxygen precursor into the chamber, and causing a surface chemical reaction between the Zn precursor and the oxygen precursor using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to form a ZnO thin layer on the substrate; and injecting a Zn precursor and an nitrogen precursor into the chamber, and causing a surface chemical reaction between the Zn precursor and the nitrogen precursor to form a doping layer on the ZnO thin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sang Hee Park, Chi Sun Hwang, Hye Yong Chu, Jeong Ik Lee
  • Patent number: 8021936
    Abstract: A thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The TFT includes a transparent substrate, an insulating layer on a region of the transparent substrate, a monocrystalline silicon layer, which includes source, drain, and channel regions, on the insulating layer and a gate insulating film and a gate electrode on the channel region of the monocrystalline silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Noguchi, Wenxu Xianyu, Hans S. Cho, Huaxiang Yin
  • Publication number: 20110204443
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure on a bulk semiconductor starting wafer. Parallel semiconductor bodies are formed at the top surface of the wafer. An insulator layer is deposited and recessed. Exposed upper portions of the semiconductor bodies are used as seed material for growing epitaxial layers of semiconductor material laterally over the insulator layer, thereby creating a semiconductor layer. This semiconductor layer can be used to form one or more SOI devices (e.g., a single-fin or multi-fin MUGFET or multiple series-connected single-fin or multi-fin MUGFETs). However, placement of SOI device components in and/or on portions of the semiconductor layer should be predetermined to avoid locations which might impact device performance (e.g., placement of any FET gate on a semiconductor fin formed from the semiconductor layer can be predetermined to avoid interfaces between joined epitaxial semiconductor material sections).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Subramanian S. Iyer, Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7977706
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures include a trench formed proximate a substrate including a first semiconductor material. A crystalline material including a second semiconductor material lattice mismatched to the first semiconductor material is formed in the trench. Process embodiments include removing a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a side portion of the crystalline material and defining a gate thereover. Defects are reduced by using an aspect ratio trapping approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Lochtefeld
  • Patent number: 7977200
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including at least one capacitor formed in wiring levels on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, wherein the at least one capacitor is coupled to an active layer of the SOI substrate. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming an SOI substrate, forming a BOX layer over the SOI substrate, and forming at least one capacitor in wiring levels on the BOX layer, wherein the at least one capacitor is coupled to an active layer of the SOI substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William F. Clark, Jr., Stephen E. Luce
  • Patent number: 7956417
    Abstract: Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for reducing stacking faults in an epitaxial semiconductor layer. In accordance with such method, a substrate is provided which includes a first single-crystal semiconductor region including a first semiconductor material, the first semiconductor region having a <110> crystal orientation. An epitaxial layer including the first semiconductor material is grown on the first semiconductor region, the epitaxial layer having the <110> crystal orientation. The substrate is then annealed with the epitaxial layer at a temperature greater than 1100 degrees Celsius in an ambient including hydrogen, whereby the step of annealing reduces stacking faults in the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yun-Yu Wang, Christopher D. Sheraw, Anthony G. Domenicucci, Linda Black, Judson R. Holt, David M. Fried
  • Patent number: 7910486
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a nanotube region using a thin epitaxial layer formed on the sidewall of a trench in the semiconductor body. The thin epitaxial layer has uniform doping concentration. In another embodiment, a first thin epitaxial layer of the same conductivity type as the semiconductor body is formed on the sidewall of a trench in the semiconductor body and a second thin epitaxial layer of the opposite conductivity type is formed on the first epitaxial layer. The first and second epitaxial layers have uniform doping concentration. The thickness and doping concentrations of the first and second epitaxial layers and the semiconductor body are selected to achieve charge balance. In one embodiment, the semiconductor body is a lightly doped P-type substrate. A vertical trench MOSFET, an IGBT, a Schottky diode and a P-N junction diode can be formed using the same N-Epi/P-Epi nanotube structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamza Yilmaz, Xiaobin Wang, Anup Bhalla, John Chen, Hong Chang
  • Patent number: 7910395
    Abstract: An LED structure includes a first substrate; an adhering layer formed on the first substrate; first ohmic contact layers formed on the adhering layer; epi-layers formed on the first ohmic contact layers; a first isolation layer covering the first ohmic contact layers and the epi-layers at exposed surfaces thereof; and first electrically conducting plates and second electrically conducting plates, both formed in the first isolation layer and electrically connected to the first ohmic contact layers and the epi-layers, respectively. The trenches allow the LED structure to facilitate complex serial/parallel connection so as to achieve easy and various applications of the LED structure in the form of single structures under a high-voltage environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Helio Optoelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shih-Chang Shei, Ming-Hung Chen, Shih-Yi Wen, Chun-Che Lee
  • Patent number: 7906830
    Abstract: Memory cell structures, including PSOIs, NANDs, NORs, FinFETs, etc., and methods of fabrication have been described that include a method of epitaxial silicon growth. The method includes providing a silicon layer on a substrate. A dielectric layer is provided on the silicon layer. A trench is formed in the dielectric layer to expose the silicon layer, the trench having trench walls in the <100> direction. The method includes epitaxially growing silicon between trench walls formed in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Du Li
  • Patent number: 7871881
    Abstract: A method for fabrication of a monolithically integrated SOI substrate capacitor has the steps of: forming an insulating trench, which reaches down to the insulator and surrounds a region of the monocrystalline silicon of a SOI structure, doping the monocrystalline silicon region, forming an insulating, which can be nitride, layer region on a portion of the monocrystalline silicon region, forming a doped silicon layer region on the insulating layer region, and forming an insulating outside sidewall spacer on the monocrystalline silicon region, where the outside sidewall spacer surrounds the doped silicon layer region to provide an isolation between the doped silicon layer region and exposed portions of the monocrystalline silicon region. The monocrystalline silicon region, the insulating layer region, and the doped silicon layer region constitute a lower electrode, a dielectric, and an upper electrode of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Ted Johansson
  • Patent number: 7829399
    Abstract: A method of forming capacitorless DRAM over localized silicon-on-insulator comprises the following steps: A silicon substrate is provided, and an array of silicon studs is defined within the silicon substrate. An insulator layer is defined atop at least a portion of the silicon substrate, and between the silicon studs. A silicon-over-insulator layer is defined surrounding the silicon studs atop the insulator layer, and a capacitorless DRAM is formed within and above the silicon-over-insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Suraj Mathew, Jigish D Trivedi
  • Patent number: 7825476
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) layer includes providing a substrate, forming an amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer on the substrate, forming a thermal oxide layer to a thickness of about 10 to 50 ? on the a-Si layer, forming a metal catalyst layer on the thermal oxide layer, and annealing the substrate to crystallize the a-Si layer into the poly-Si layer using a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer. Thus, the a-Si layer can be crystallized into a poly-Si layer by a super grain silicon (SGS) crystallization method. Also, the thermal oxide layer may be formed during the dehydrogenation of the a-Si layer so that an additional process of forming a capping layer required for the SGS crystallization method can be omitted, thereby simplifying the fabrication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Hoon Yang, Ki-Yong Lee, Jin-Wook Seo, Byoung-Keon Park, Kil-Won Lee
  • Patent number: 7799592
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures include a trench formed proximate a substrate including a first semiconductor material. A crystalline material including a second semiconductor material lattice mismatched to the first semiconductor material is formed in the trench. Process embodiments include removing a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a side portion of the crystalline material and defining a gate thereover. Defects are reduced by using an aspect ratio trapping approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Lochtefeld
  • Patent number: 7759213
    Abstract: Trenches are formed in a silicon substrate by etching exposed portions of the silicon substrate. After covering areas on which deposition of Si:C containing material is to be prevented, selective epitaxy is performed in a single wafer chamber at a temperature from about 550° C. to about 600° C. employing a limited carrier gas flow, i.e., at a flow rate less than 12 standard liters per minute to deposit Si:C containing regions at a pattern-independent uniform deposition rate. The inventive selective epitaxy process for Si:C deposition provides a relatively high net deposition rate a high quality Si:C crystal in which the carbon atoms are incorporated into substitutional sites as verified by X-ray diffraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek Dube, Ashima B. Chakravarti, Dominic J. Schepis
  • Patent number: 7755133
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a method for fabricating the device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a cell region and a peripheral region, a cell active region formed in the cell region, and a peripheral active region formed in the peripheral region, wherein the cell active region and the peripheral active region are defined by isolation regions. The semiconductor device further includes a first gate stack formed on the cell active region, a second gate stack formed on the peripheral active region, a cell epitaxial layer formed on an exposed portion of the cell active region, and a peripheral epitaxial layer formed on an exposed portion of the peripheral active region, wherein the height of the peripheral epitaxial layer is greater than the height of the cell epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-bum Kim, Young-pil Kim, Si-young Choi, Byeong-chan Lee, Jong-wook Lee
  • Patent number: 7754513
    Abstract: Latch-up resistant semiconductor structures formed on a hybrid substrate and methods of forming such latch-up resistant semiconductor structures. The hybrid substrate is characterized by first and second semiconductor regions that are formed on a bulk semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region is separated from the bulk semiconductor region by an insulating layer. The first semiconductor region is separated from the bulk semiconductor region by a conductive region of an opposite conductivity type from the bulk semiconductor region. The buried conductive region thereby the susceptibility of devices built using the first semiconductor region to latch-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jack Allan Mandelman, William Robert Tonti
  • Patent number: 7713828
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions on the semiconductor substrate, and contact plugs connected to the source and drain regions. The contact plugs includes first impurity-diffused epitaxial layers that contact with the source and drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Yuki