Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chang-Ta Yang

Ping-Wei Wang

Yu-Kuan Lin

Chih-Chuan Yang

Feng-Ming Chang

Wen-Chun Keng

Shih-Hao Lin

Hsin-Wen Su

Mei-Yun Wang

Kuo-Yi Chao

Kuo-Hung Lo

Shau-Wei Lu

Jordan Hsu

Kian-Long Lim

Lie-Yong Yang

Chia-Hao Pao

Huai-Ying Huang

Min Cao

Jui-Lin Chen

Yuh-Jier Mii

Hsiang-Lin Chen

Chao-Yuan Chang

A method includes receiving a structure that includes a substrate including a first well region having a first dopant type and a second well region having a second dopant type that is opposite to the first dopant type; and fins extending above the substrate. The method further includes forming a patterned etch mask on the structure, wherein the patterned etch mask provides an opening that is directly above a first fin of the fins, wherein the first fin is directly above the first well region. The method further includes etching the structure through the patterned etch mask, wherein the etching removes the first fin and forms a recess in the substrate that spans from the first well region into the second well region; and forming a dielectric material between remaining portions of the fins and within the recess.

FinFET circuit devices with well isolation

A semiconductor memory device includes a first word line formed over a first active region. In some embodiments, a first metal line is disposed over and perpendicular to the first word line, where the first metal line is electrically connected to the first word line using a first conductive via, and where the first conductive via is disposed over the first active region. In some examples, the semiconductor memory device further includes a second metal line and a third metal line both parallel to the first metal line and disposed on opposing sides of the first metal line, where the second metal line is electrically connected to a source/drain region of the first active region using a second conductive via, and where the third metal line is electrically connected to the source/drain region of the first active region using a third conductive via.

Semiconductor memory structure

An integrated circuit structure in which a gate overlies channel region in an active area of a first transistor. The first transistor includes a channel region, a source region and a drain region. A conductive contact is coupled to the drain region of the first transistor. A second transistor that includes a channel region, a source region a drain region is adjacent to the first transistor. The gate of the second transistor is spaced from the gate of the first transistor. A conductive via passes through an insulation layer to electrically connect to the gate of the second transistor. An expanded conductive via overlays both the conductive contact and the conductive via to electrically connect the drain of the first transistor to the gate of the second transistor.

Compact electrical connection that can be used to form an SRAM cell and method of making the same

Well pick-up (WPU) regions are disclosed herein for improving performance of memory arrays, such as static random access memory arrays. An exemplary semiconductor device includes a circuit region, a first WPU region, second WPU region, a first well of a first conductivity type, and a second well of a second conductivity type. The circuit region, the first WPU region, and the second WPU region are arranged along a first direction in sequence. The first well has a first portion disposed in the circuit region and a second portion disposed in the first WPU region. The second well has a first portion disposed in the circuit region, a second portion disposed in the first WPU region, and a third potion disposed in the second WPU region. Measured along the first direction a width of the first WPU region is less than a width of the second WPU region.

Well pick-up region design for improving memory macro performance

A semiconductor device includes a memory macro having a middle strap area between edges of the memory macro and memory bit areas on both sides of the middle strap area. The memory macro includes n-type wells and p-type wells arranged alternately along a first direction with well boundaries between the adjacent n-type and p-type wells. The n-type and the p-type wells extend lengthwise along a second direction and extend continuously through the middle strap area and the memory bit areas. The memory macro includes a first dielectric layer disposed at the well boundaries in the middle strap area and the memory bit areas. From a top view, the first dielectric layer extends along the second direction and fully separates the n-type wells from the p-type wells in the middle strap area. From a cross-sectional view, the first dielectric layer vertically extends into the n-type or the p-type wells.

Cut metal gate in memory macro edge and middle strap

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate and a first fin structure and a second fin structure over the substrate. A top surface of the first fin structure and a top surface of the second fin structure are at different height levels. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first semiconductor element on the first fin structure and a second semiconductor element on the second fin structure. The first semiconductor element is wider than the second semiconductor element, and the first semiconductor element is closer to the substrate than the second semiconductor element.

Semiconductor device with fin structures

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate having a first well region and a second well region and a first fin structure formed in a first region of the first well region. The semiconductor device structure also includes a second fin structure formed in a second region of the first well region. In addition, the second fin structure is narrower than the first fin structure. The semiconductor device structure also includes a third fin structure formed in a first region of the second well region. In addition, a sidewall of the first fin structure is substantially aligned with a sidewall of the third fin structure.

Semiconductor device having fin structures

Well pick-up (WPU) regions are disclosed herein for improving performance of memory arrays, such as static random access memory arrays. An exemplary integrated circuit (IC) device includes a circuit region, a WPU region, a first well extending lengthwise along a first direction through the circuit region and into the WPU region, a second well extending lengthwise along the first direction through the circuit region and into the WPU region, and a third well physically connecting a portion of the first well in the WPU region and a portion of the second well in the WPU region.

A static random access memory (SRAM) cell includes substrate, a first semiconductor fin, a first gate structure, a second semiconductor fin, and a second gate structure. The substrate has a first p-well and an n-well bordering the first p-well. The first semiconductor fin extends within the first p-well. The first gate structure extends across the first semiconductor fin and forms a first write-port pull-down transistor with the first semiconductor fin. The second semiconductor fin extends within the n-well. The second gate structure extends across the second semiconductor fin and forms a first write-port pull-up transistor with the second semiconductor fin. A channel region of the first write-port pull-down transistor has a higher doping concentration than a channel region of the first write-port pull-up transistor.

Static random access memory cell

A semiconductor device comprises a memory macro including a well pick-up (WPU) area oriented lengthwise along a first direction, and memory bit areas adjacent to the WPU area. In the WPU area, the memory macro includes n-type and p-type wells arranged alternately along the first direction with well boundaries between adjacent wells; gate structures over the wells and oriented lengthwise along the first direction; a first dielectric layer disposed at each of the well boundaries; first contact features disposed over one of the p-type wells; and second contact features disposed over one of the n-type wells. From a top view, the first dielectric layer extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and separates all the gate structures in the first WPU area, the first contact features are disposed between the gate structures, and the second contact features are disposed between the gate structures.

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a first fin structure, a second fin structure, and a third fin structure over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a merged semiconductor element on the first fin structure and the second fin structure and an isolated semiconductor element on the third fin structure. The semiconductor device structure further includes an isolation feature over the semiconductor substrate and partially or completely surrounding the first fin structure, the second fin structure, and the third fin structure. A top surface of the first fin structure is below a top surface of the isolation feature, and a top surface of the third fin structure is above the top surface of the isolation feature.

A method for manufacturing a SRAM cell includes forming a first p-well in a semiconductor substrate; forming a first semiconductor fin extending within the first p-well; forming a first mask layer over the first semiconductor fin; patterning the first mask layer to expose a first channel region of the first semiconductor fin, while leaving a second channel region of the first semiconductor fin covered by the first mask layer; with the patterned first mask layer in place, doping the first channel region of the first semiconductor fin with a first dopant; after doping the first channel region of the first semiconductor fin, removing the first mask layer from the second channel region; and forming a first gate structure extending across the first channel region of the first semiconductor fin and a second gate structure extending across the second channel region of the first semiconductor fin.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Chang-Ta Yang