With Epitaxial Semiconductor Layer Formation Patents (Class 438/222)
  • Patent number: 7615390
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of depositing epitaxial layers based on Group IV elements on a silicon substrate by Chemical Vapor Deposition, wherein nitrogen or one of the noble gases is used as a carrier gas, and the invention further provides a Chemical Vapor Deposition apparatus (10) comprising a chamber (12) having a gas input port (14) and a gas output port (16), and means (18) for mounting a silicon substrate within the chamber (12), said apparatus further including a gas source connected to the input port and arranged to provide nitrogen or a noble gas as a carrier gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Philippe Meunier-Beillard, Mathieu Rosa Jozef Caymax
  • Patent number: 7611937
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure having a hybrid crystal orientation and forming MOSFETs having improved performance on the semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a buried oxide (BOX) on a first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the BOX, wherein the first and second semiconductor layers have a first and a second crystal orientation, respectively, and wherein the substrate comprises a first region and a second region. An isolation structure is formed in the second region extending to the first semiconductor layer. A trench is then formed in the isolation structure, exposing the first semiconductor layer. A semiconductor material is epitaxially grown in the trench. The method further includes forming a MOSFET of a first type on the second semiconductor layer and a MOSFET of an opposite type than the first type on the epitaxially grown semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Te Lin, I-Lu Wu, Mariam Sadaka
  • Patent number: 7608526
    Abstract: A semiconductor workpiece including a substrate, a relaxed buffer layer including a graded portion formed on the substrate, and at least one strained transitional layer within the graded portion of the relaxed buffer layer and method of manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignees: ASM America, Inc., S.O.I. Tec Silicon On Insulator Technologies, S.A.
    Inventors: Nyles W. Cody, Christophe Figuet, Mark Kennard
  • Publication number: 20090256173
    Abstract: A method is provided of fabricating complementary stressed semiconductor devices, e.g., an NFET having a tensile stressed channel and a PFET having a compressive stressed channel. In such method, a first semiconductor region having a lattice constant larger than silicon can be epitaxially grown on an underlying semiconductor region of a substrate. The first semiconductor region can be grown laterally adjacent to a second semiconductor region which has a lattice constant smaller than that of silicon. Layers consisting essentially of silicon can be grown epitaxially onto exposed major surfaces of the first and second semiconductor regions after which gates can be formed which overlie the epitaxially grown silicon layers. Portions of the first and second semiconductor regions adjacent to the gates can be removed to form recesses. Regions consisting essentially of silicon can be grown within the recesses to form embedded silicon regions. Source and drain regions then can be formed in the embedded silicon regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xiangdong Chen, Thomas W. Dyer, Haining S. Yang
  • Patent number: 7598142
    Abstract: A CMOS device having dual-epi channels comprises a first epitaxial region formed on a substrate, a PMOS device formed on the first epitaxial region, a second epitaxial region formed on the substrate, wherein the second epitaxial region is formed from a different material than the first epitaxial region, an NMOS device formed on the second epitaxial region, and electrical contacts coupled to the PMOS and NMOS devices, wherein the electrical contacts are self-aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Inventors: Pushkar Ranade, Keith E. Zawadzki
  • Patent number: 7588980
    Abstract: A first aspect of the invention provides a method of selectively forming an epitaxial layer on a substrate. The method includes heating the substrate to a temperature of less than about 800° C. and employing both silane and dichlorosilane as silicon sources during epitaxial film formation. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yihwan Kim, Andrew M. Lam
  • Patent number: 7566609
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a field effect transistor (FET) that includes the steps of forming a gate structure on a semiconductor substrate, and forming a recess in the substrate and embedding a second semiconductor material in the recess. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer, conductive layers and an insulating layer. Forming said gate structure includes a step of recessing the conductive layer in the gate structure, and the steps of recessing the conductive layer and forming the recess in the substrate are performed in a single step. There is also provided a FET device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhijiong Luo, Yung Fu Chong, Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 7556996
    Abstract: A method of forming a field effect transistor comprises providing a substrate comprising, at least on a surface thereof, a first semiconductor material. A recess is formed in the substrate. The recess is filled with a second semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material has a different lattice constant than the first semiconductor material. A gate electrode is formed over the recess filled with the second semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Schwan, Joe Bloomquist, Kai Frohberg, Manfred Horstmann
  • Patent number: 7557000
    Abstract: A method for forming an strained silicon integrated circuit device. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a dielectric layer overlying the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a gate layer overlying the dielectric layer and forming a hard mask overlying the gate layer. The method patterns the gate layer to form a gate structure including edges using the hard mask as a protective layer. The method forms a dielectric layer overlying the gate structure to protect the gate structure including the edges. The method forms spacers from the dielectric layer, while maintaining the hard mask overlying the gate structure. The method etches a source region and a drain region adjacent to the gate structure using the dielectric layer and the hard mask as a protective layer, while the hard mask prevents any portion of the gate structure from being exposed. In a preferred embodiment, the method maintains the hard mask overlying the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventors: John Chen, Hanming Wu, Da Wei Gao, Bei Zhu, Paolo Bonfanti
  • Patent number: 7554138
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor strained layer and to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (10) in which a semiconductor body (11) of silicon is provided, at a surface thereof, with a first semiconductor layer (1) having a lattice of a mixed crystal of silicon and germanium and a thickness such that the lattice is substantially relaxed, and on top of the first semiconductor layer (1) a second semiconductor layer (2) is provided comprising strained silicon, in which layer (2) a part of the semiconductor device (10) is formed, and wherein measures are taken to avoid reduction of the effective thickness of the strained silicon layer (2) during subsequent processing needed to form the semiconductor device (10), said measures comprising the use of a third layer (3) having a lattice of a mixed crystal of silicon and germanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Philippe Meunier-Beillard, Claire Ravit
  • Patent number: 7550343
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor structure used in manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a substrate layer. The structure also includes first and second isolation regions formed by etching an oxide layer provided on the substrate layer to define an epitaxial growth surface of the substrate layer for epitaxial growth of a substrate material on the epitaxial growth surface between the first and second isolation regions. The structure also includes an active region that includes the epitaxially-grown substrate material between the first and second isolation regions, the active region formed by epitaxially growing the substrate material on the epitaxial growth surface of the substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Christoph A. Wasshuber
  • Patent number: 7544548
    Abstract: A semiconductor process and apparatus provide a shallow trench isolation region (96) with a trench liner (95, 104) for use in a hybrid substrate device (21) by lining a first trench with a first trench liner (95), and then lining a second trench formed within the first trench by depositing a second trench liner (104) that is anisotropically etched to expose an underlying substrate (70) on which is epitaxially grown a silicon layer (110) to fill the second trench. By forming first gate electrodes (251) over a first SOI substrate (90) using deposited (100) silicon and forming second gate electrodes (261) over an epitaxially grown (110) silicon substrate (110), a high performance CMOS device is obtained which includes high-k metal PMOS gate electrodes (261) having improved hole mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Mariam G. Sadaka, Ted R. White, Bich-Yen Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7537980
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a stacked semiconductor device, a seed layer including impurity regions may be prepared. A first insulation interlayer pattern having a first opening may be formed on the seed layer. A first SEG process may be carried out to form a first plug partially filling the first opening. A second SEG process may be performed to form a second plug filling the first opening. A third SEG process may be carried out to form a first channel layer on the first insulation interlayer pattern. A second insulation interlayer may be formed on the first channel layer. The second insulation interlayer, the first channel layer and the second plug arranged on the first plug may be removed to expose the first plug. The first plug may be removed to form a serial opening. The serial opening may be filled with a metal wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Hoon Son, Yu-Gyun Shin, Jong-Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 7534680
    Abstract: Provided are bipolar transistor, BiCMOS device and method of fabricating thereof, in which an existing sub-collector disposed beneath a collector of a SiGe HBT is removed and a collector plug disposed at a lateral side of the collector is approached to a base when fabricating a Si-based very high-speed device, whereby it is possible to fabricate the SiGe HBT and an SOI CMOS on a single substrate, reduce the size of the device and the number of masks to be used, and implement the device of high density, low power consumption, and wideband performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jin Yeong Kang, Seung Yun Lee, Kyoung Ik Cho
  • Patent number: 7531392
    Abstract: The present invention relates to semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate structures that contain surface semiconductor regions of different crystal orientations located directly on an insulator layer. The present invention also relates to methods for fabricating such SOI substrate structures, by growing an insulator layer directly on a multi-orientation bulk semiconductor substrate that comprises surface semiconductor regions of different crystal orientations located directly on a semiconductor base layer, and removing the semiconductor base layer, thereby forming a multi-orientation SOI substrate structure that comprises surface semiconductor regions of different crystal orientations located directly on the insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Ellis-Monaghan, Mark D. Jaffe
  • Patent number: 7528045
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor includes providing a substrate having at least a gate structure and a shallow trench isolation (STI) formed thereon, performing a first etching process to form recesses in the substrate respectively at two sides of the gate structure, performing a selective epitaxial growth (SEG) process to form epitaxial silicon layers in the recesses respectively, accordingly a seam is formed in between the epitaxial silicon layer and the STI, forming a dielectric layer in the seam, and performing a self-aligned silicide (salicide) process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Chiang Wu, Shih-Fang Tzou, Shih-Chieh Hsu, Jen-Hong Huang
  • Patent number: 7524707
    Abstract: A semiconductor process and apparatus includes forming first and second metal gate electrodes (151, 161) over a hybrid substrate (17) by forming the first gate electrode (151) over a first high-k gate dielectric (121) and forming the second gate electrode (161) over at least a second high-k gate dielectric (122) different from the first gate dielectric (121). By forming the first gate electrode (151) over a first SOI substrate (90) formed by depositing (100) silicon and forming the second gate electrode (161) over an epitaxially grown (110) SiGe substrate (70), a high performance CMOS device is obtained which includes high-k metal PMOS gate electrodes (161) having improved hole mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Olubunmi O. Adetutu, Mariam G. Sadaka, Ted R. White, Bich-Yen Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7521302
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device providing insulation between a plurality of MOS transistors without device isolation regions. The method includes forming a first insulation layer on a substrate, exposing a portion of the substrate by etching the first insulation layer using a resist, growing an epitaxial layer on the exposed portion of the substrate, removing the patterned first insulation layer, and forming transistors on the substrate and epitaxial layer, respectively. The epitaxial layer is grown to a degree that an upper surface of the epitaxial layer is higher than that of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joon-Jin Park
  • Patent number: 7510925
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: the first step of forming a gate electrode over a silicon substrate, with a gate insulating film; and the second step of digging down a surface layer of the silicon substrate by etching conducted with the gate electrode as a mask. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device further includes the third step of epitaxially growing, on the surface of the dug-down portion of the silicon substrate, a mixed crystal layer including silicon and atoms different in lattice constant from silicon so that the mixed crystal layer contains an impurity with such a concentration gradient that the impurity concentration increases along the direction from the silicon substrate side toward the surface of the mixed crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuki Miyanami
  • Patent number: 7498216
    Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit structure that has a substrate having at least two types of crystalline orientations. The first-type transistors are on first portions of the substrate that have a first type of crystalline orientation and second-type transistors are on second portions of the substrate that have a second type of crystalline orientation. The straining layer is above the first-type transistors and the second-type transistors. Further, the straining layer can be strained above the first-type transistors and relaxed above the second-type transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edward J. Nowak
  • Publication number: 20090035897
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of integrated semiconductor devices such that different types of devices are formed upon a specific crystallographic orientation of a hybrid substrate. In accordance with the present invention, junction capacitance of one of the devices is improved in the present invention by forming the source/drain diffusion regions of the device in an epitiaxial semiconductor material such that they are situated on a buried insulating layer that extends partially underneath the body of the second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device, together with the first semiconductor device, is both located atop the buried insulating layer. Unlike the first semiconductor device in which the body thereof is floating, the second semiconductor device is not floating. Rather, it is in contact with an underlying first semiconducting layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min Yang
  • Publication number: 20090023258
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing CMOS transistors includes an etching back process alternatively performed after the gate structure formation, the lightly doped drain formation, source/drain implantation, or SEG process to etch a hard mask layer covering and protecting a first type gate structure, and to reduce thickness deviation between the hard masks covering the first type gate structure and a second type gate structure. Therefore the damage to spacers, STIs, and the profile of the gate structures due to the thickness deviation is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Chia-Wen Liang, Cheng-Tung Huang, Shyh-Fann Ting, Chih-Chiang Wu, Shih-Chieh Hsu, Li-Shian Jeng, Kun-Hsien Lee, Meng-Yi Wu, Wen-Han Hung, Tzyy-Ming Cheng
  • Patent number: 7479422
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate region having a first material and a second material overlying the first material, wherein the first material has a different lattice constant from a lattice constant of the second material. The method further includes etching a first opening on a first side of a gate and etching a second opening on a second side of the gate. The method further includes creating a first in-situ p-type doped epitaxial region in the first opening and the second opening, wherein the first in-situ doped epitaxial region is created using the second material. The method further includes creating a second in-situ n-type doped expitaxial region overlying the first in-situ p-type doped epitaxial region in the first opening and the second opening, wherein the second in-situ n-type doped epitaxial region is created using the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian A. Winstead, Ted R. White, Da Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090014805
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, there are eSiGe CMOS devices and methods of making them. The method of making a substrate for a CMOS device can include providing a DSB silicon substrate including a first bonded to a second layer, wherein each layer has a (100) oriented surface and a first direction and a second direction and the first direction of the first layer is approximately aligned with the second direction of the second layer. The method can also include performing amorphization on a selected region of the first layer to form a localized amorphous silicon region and recrystallizing the localized amorphous silicon region across the interface using the second layer as a template, such that the first direction of the first layer in the selected region is approximately aligned with the first direction of the second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Periannan Chidambaram, Angelo Pinto
  • Patent number: 7473643
    Abstract: A circuit is provided which prevents dendrite formation on interconnects during semiconductor device processing due to a dendrite-forming current. The circuit includes a switch located in at least one of the dendrite-forming current paths. The switch is configured to be open or in the “off” state during processing, and is configured to be closed or in the “on” state after processing to allow proper functioning of the semiconductor device. The switch may include an nFET or pFET, depending on the environment in which it is used to control or prevent dendrite formation. The switch may be configured to change to the “closed” state when an input signal is provided during operation of the fabricated semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas B. Hershberger, Steven H. Voldman, Michael J. Zierak
  • Publication number: 20090004792
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a channel region layer over a semiconductor layer where the semiconductor layer includes a first and a second well region, forming a protection layer over the channel region layer, forming a first gate dielectric layer over the first well region, forming a first metal gate electrode layer over the first gate dielectric, removing the protection layer, forming a second gate dielectric layer over the channel region layer, forming a second metal gate electrode layer over the second gate dielectric layer, and forming a first gate stack including a portion of each of the first gate dielectric layer and the first metal gate electrode layer over the first well region and forming a second gate stack including a portion of each of the second gate dielectric layer and the second metal gate electrode layer over the channel region layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Gauri V. Karve, Cristiano Capasso, Srikanth B. Samavedam, James K. Schaeffer, William J. Taylor, JR.
  • Patent number: 7468886
    Abstract: A method and structure of improving thermal dissipation from a module assembly include attaching a first side of at least one chip to a single chip carrier, the at least one chip having a second side opposite of the first side; grinding the second side of the at least one chip to a desired surface profile; applying a heat transfer medium on at least one of a heat sink and the second side of the at least one chip; and disposing the heat sink on the second side of the at least one chip with the heat transfer medium therebetween defining a gap between the heat sink and the second side of the at least one chip. The gap is controlled to improve heat transfer from the second side of the at least one chip to the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick A. Coico, David L. Edwards, Richard F. Indyk, David C. Long
  • Patent number: 7465623
    Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating an SOI component on a semiconductor layer/insulator/substrate structure including a diode region formed in the substrate. The method comprises, in accordance with one embodiment, forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) region extending through the semiconductor layer to the insulator. A layer of polycrystalline silicon is deposited overlying the STI and the semiconductor layer and is patterned to form a polycrystalline silicon mask comprising at least a first mask region and a second mask region. First and second openings are etched through the STI and the insulator using the mask as an etch mask. N- and P-type ions are implanted into the diode region through the openings to form the anode and cathode of the diode. The anode and cathode are closely spaced and precisely aligned to each other by the polycrystalline silicon mask. Electrical contacts are made to the anode and cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Mario M. Pelella, Darin A. Chan
  • Patent number: 7432167
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of fabricating strained silicon channel MOS transistor, comprising providing a substrate, forming at least a gate structure on the substrate, forming a mask layer on the gate structure, performing an etching process to form two recesses corresponding to the gate structure within the substrate, performing a selective epitaxial growth (SEG) process to form an epitaxial layer in the recesses respectively, and performing an ion implantation process for the epitaxial layers to form a source/drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Chao-Ching Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7432149
    Abstract: Methods and structures for CMOS devices with hybrid crystal orientations using double SOI substrates is provided. In accordance with preferred embodiments, a manufacturing sequence includes the steps of forming an SOI silicon epitaxy layer after the step of forming shallow trench isolation regions. The preferred sequence allows hybrid SOI CMOS fabrication without encountering problems caused by forming STI regions after epitaxy. A preferred device includes an NFET on a {100} crystal orientation and a PFET on a {110} crystal orientation. An NMOS channel may be oriented along the <100> direction, which is the direction of maximum electron mobility for a {100} substrate. A PMOS channel may be oriented along the <110> direction, which is the direction where hole mobility is maximum for a {110} substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: I-Lu Wu, Chung-Te Lin, Tan-Chen Lee
  • Publication number: 20080217686
    Abstract: A method for improving channel carrier mobility in ultra-thin Silicon-on-oxide (UTSOI) FET devices by integrating an embedded pFET SiGe extension with raised source/drain regions. The method includes selectively growing embedded SiGe (eSiGe) extensions in pFET regions and forming strain-free raised Si or SiGe source/drain (RSD) regions on CMOS. The eSiGe extension regions enhance hole mobility in the pFET channels and reduce resistance in the pFET extensions. The strain-free raised source/drain regions reduce contact resistance in both UTSOI pFETs and nFETs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amlan Majumdar, Gen Pei, Zhibin Ren, Dinkar Singh, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Patent number: 7402466
    Abstract: Methods of forming a strained Si-containing hybrid substrate are provided as well as the strained Si-containing hybrid substrate formed by the methods. In the methods of the present invention, a strained Si layer is formed overlying a regrown semiconductor material, a second semiconducting layer, or both. In accordance with the present invention, the strained Si layer has the same crystallographic orientation as either the regrown semiconductor layer or the second semiconducting layer. The methods provide a hybrid substrate in which at least one of the device layers includes strained Si.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Meikei Ieong, Alexander Reznicek, Devendra K. Sadana, Leathen Shi, Min Yang
  • Patent number: 7393751
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a related method for fabrication thereof include an isolation region located within an isolation trench within a semiconductor substrate. The isolation region comprises; (1) a lower lying dielectric plug layer recessed within the isolation trench; (2) a U shaped dielectric liner layer located upon the lower lying dielectric plug layer and partially filling the recess; and (3) an upper lying dielectric plug layer located upon the U shaped dielectric liner layer and completely filling the recess. The isolation region provides for sidewall coverage of the isolation trench, thus eliminating some types of leakage paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhijiong Luo, Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 7393762
    Abstract: A method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of at least one of nitrogen and oxygen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the plasma have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Secruity, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Hoffbauer, Alex Mueller
  • Patent number: 7390717
    Abstract: A fabrication process for a trench type power semiconductor device includes forming inside spacers over a semiconductor surface. Using the spacers as masks, trenches with gates are formed in the semiconductor body. After removing the spacers, source implants are formed in the semiconductor body along the trench edges and are then driven. Insulation caps are then formed over the trenches. Outside spacers are next formed along the sides of the caps. Using these spacers as masks, the semiconductor surface is etched and high conductivity contact regions formed. The outside spacers are then removed and source and drain contacts formed. Alternatively, the source implants are not driven. Rather, prior to outside spacer formation a second source implant is performed. The outside spacers are then formed, portions of the second source implant etched, any remaining source implant driven, and the contact regions formed. The gate electrodes are either recessed below or extend above the semiconductor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Paul Harvey, David Kent, Robert Montgomery, Kyle Spring
  • Patent number: 7390710
    Abstract: Layers of epitaxial silicon are used to protect the tunnel dielectric layer of a floating-gate memory cell from excessive oxidation or removal during the formation of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. Following trench formation, the layers of epitaxial silicon are grown from silicon-containing layers on opposing sides of the tunnel dielectric layer, thereby permitting their thickness to be limited to approximately one-half of the thickness of the tunnel dielectric layer. The epitaxial silicon may be oxidized prior to filling the trench with a dielectric material or a dielectric fill may occur prior to oxidizing at least the epitaxial silicon covering the ends of the tunnel dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Garo Derderian, Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 7384837
    Abstract: A dual gate strained-Si MOSFET with thin SiGe dislocation regions and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The method forms a first layer of relaxed SiGe overlying a substrate, having a thickness of less than 5000 ?; forms a second layer of relaxed SiGe overlying the substrate and adjacent to the first layer of SiGe, having a thickness of less than 5000 ?; forms a layer of strained-Si overlying the first and second SiGe layers; forms a shallow trench isolation region interposed between the first SiGe layer and the second SiGe layer; forms an p-well in the substrate and the overlying first layer of SiGe; forming forms a p-well in the substrate and the overlying second layer of SiGe; forms channel regions, in the strained-Si, and forms PMOS and NMOS transistor source and drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng Teng Hsu, Jong-Jan Lee, Douglas J. Tweet, Jer-shen Maa
  • Patent number: 7381622
    Abstract: By patterning a spacer layer stack and etching a cavity in an in situ etch process, the process complexity, as well as the uniformity, during the formation of embedded strained semiconductor layers may be significantly enhanced. In an initial phase, the spacer layer stack may be patterned on the basis of an anisotropic etch step with a high degree of uniformity, since a selectivity between individual stack layers may not be necessary. Thereafter, a cleaning process may be performed followed by a cavity etch process, wherein a reduced over-etch time during the spacer patterning process significantly contributes to the uniformity of the finally obtained cavities, while the in situ nature of the process also provides a reduced overall process time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Hellmich, Gunter Grasshoff, Fernando Koch, Andy Wei, Thorsten Kammler
  • Patent number: 7361528
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a germanium infrared sensor for a CMOS imager includes preparation of a donor wafer, including: ion implantation into a silicon wafer to form a P+ silicon layer; growing an epitaxial germanium layer on the P+silicon layer, forming a silicon-germanium interface; cyclic annealing; and implanting hydrogen ions to a depth at least as deep as the P+ silicon layer to form a defect layer; preparing a handling wafer, including: fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit on a silicon substrate; depositing a layer of refractory metal; treating the surfaces of the donor wafer and the handling wafer for bonding; bonding the handling wafer and the donor wafer to form a bonded structure; splitting the bonded structure along the defect layer; depositing a layer of indium tin oxide on the germanium layer; completing the IR sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Jer-Shen Maa, Sheng Teng Hsu, Douglas J. Tweet
  • Patent number: 7354826
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method of fabricating a bitline in a memory array includes forming a trench in a substrate, where the trench has sidewalls and a bottom surface. The method further includes performing a selective epitaxial process to partially fill the trench with selective epitaxially grown silicon, where the selective epitaxially grown silicon is situated on the sidewalls and bottom surface of the trench. The selective epitaxially grown silicon is doped in the selective epitaxial process. The method further includes performing a silicon reflow process to cause the selective epitaxially silicon to be redistributed in the trench. The method further includes performing a number of selective epitaxial process/silicon reflow process cycles to substantially fill the trench with the selective epitaxially grown silicon. The method further includes extending a top surface of the selective epitaxially grown silicon in the trench above an ONO stack to form the bitline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignees: Spansion LLC, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Orimoto, Robert B. Ogle, Rinji Sugino
  • Patent number: 7351633
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device using selective epitaxial growth (SEG) is disclosed. The method comprises; forming a seed window exposing a portion of a substrate through an interlayer insulating layer, growing a single crystal silicon SEG layer in the seed window using the exposed portion of the substrate as a seed, depositing an amorphous silicon layer on the interlayer insulating layer and in contact with the SEG layer, and performing an annealing process on the amorphous silicon layer over an annealing interval, and during the annealing interval applying microwave energy to the amorphous silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun-Seuck Kim
  • Patent number: 7349141
    Abstract: An interferometric modulator includes a post structure comprising an optical element. In a preferred embodiment, the optical element in the post structure is a reflective element, e.g., a mirror. In another embodiment, the optical element in the post structure is an etalon, e.g., a dark etalon. The optical element in the post structure may decrease the amount of light that would otherwise be retroreflected from the post structure. In various embodiments, the optical element in the post structure increases the brightness of the interferometric modulator by redirecting light into the interferometric cavity. For example, in certain embodiments, the optical element in the post structure increases the backlighting of the interferometric modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: IDC, LLC
    Inventors: Ming-Hau Tung, Srinivasan Sethuraman
  • Patent number: 7323733
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory and a fabrication method thereof. The nonvolatile memory includes a substrate, a bottom electrode deposited on the substrate, a resistor layer deposited on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode on the resistor layer. The bottom electrode includes LaNiO3 and the resistor layer includes doped SrZrO3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Tseung-Yuen Tseng, Chih-Yi Liu, Pei-Hsun Wu
  • Publication number: 20070298565
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, forming a gate electrode on the gate dielectric, forming a stressor in the semiconductor substrate adjacent an edge of the gate electrode, and implanting an impurity after the step of forming the stressor. The impurity is preferably selected from the group consisting essentially of group IV elements, inert elements, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Chun-Feng Nieh, Chien-Hao Chen, Keh-Chiang Ku, Tze-Liang Lee, Shih-Chang Chen
  • Patent number: 7300846
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed, in which an insulating layer may be formed in a strained silicon layer under source/drain regions to substantially overcome conventional problems resulting from a channel decrease in the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myung Jin Jung
  • Patent number: 7279377
    Abstract: A method suitable for use during fabrication of a semiconductor device such as a dynamic random access memory or a flash programmable read-only memory comprises etching through silicon nitride and pad oxide layers and into a semiconductor wafer to form a trench into the wafer. A shallow trench isolation (STI) layer is formed in the opening in the silicon nitride and in the trench in the wafer which will, under certain conditions, form with an undesirable void. The silicon nitride and pad oxide layers are removed, then an epitaxial silicon layer is formed on the silicon wafer between the STI. A gate/tunnel oxide layer is formed on the epitaxial silicon layer, then a word line is formed over the gate/tunnel oxide. The epitaxial silicon layer ensures that some minimum distance is maintained between the gate/tunnel oxide and the void in the STI. Wafer processing may then be continued to form a completed semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal R. Rueger, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7271066
    Abstract: Disclosed are a semiconductor devices and method of fabricating the same. Anti-etch films are formed in the top corners of the device isolation film using a material that has a different etch selectivity ratio from nitride or oxide and is not etched in an oxide gate pre-cleaning process. It is thus possible to prevent formation of a moat at the top corners of the device isolation film and the gate oxide film from being thinly formed, thereby improving reliability and electrical characteristics of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kwan Yong Lim, Heung Jae Cho, Jung Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7268043
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed. A trench is formed in an active region of a semiconductor substrate. A doped layer is formed on the inner walls of the trench. The trench is filled up with a first semiconductor layer. A gate insulating layer is formed on the first semiconductor layer and the substrate. Two gate electrodes are formed on the gate insulating layer such that the trench is located in between two gate electrodes. First and second impurity regions are formed in the substrate on both sides of each of the gate electrodes. Since the doped layer is locally formed in the trench area, the source and drain regions are completely separated from the heavily doped layer to weaken the electric field of PN junction, thereby improving refresh and preventing punchthrough between the source and drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nak-Jin Son, Ji-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 7259069
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed. A trench is formed in an active region of a semiconductor substrate. A doped layer is formed on the inner walls of the trench. The trench is filled up with a first semiconductor layer. A gate insulating layer is formed on the first semiconductor layer and the substrate. Two gate electrodes are formed on the gate insulating layer such that the trench is located in between two gate electrodes. First and second impurity regions are formed in the substrate on both sides of each of the gate electrodes. Since the doped layer is locally formed in the trench area, the source and drain regions are completely separated from the heavily doped layer to weaken the electric field of PN junction, thereby improving refresh and preventing punchthrough between the source and drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nak-Jin Son, Ji-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 7247533
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device uses selective epitaxial growth (SEG), by which leakage current generation is minimized using lateral SEG growth in case a contact intrudes a shallow track isolation feature. The method includes steps of forming a sidewall spacer on a gate, selectively growing an epitaxial layer in a lateral direction relative to the sidewall spacer and the gate, and forming a contact on the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Heui Gyun Ahn