Tokyo Electron Limited

Tokyo Electron Limi Ted

Jeffrey Smith

Anton J deVillers

Lars W Liebmann

Daniel Chanemougame

Kandabara N Tapily

Subhadeep Kal

Paul Gutwin

Mark I Gardner

H Jim Fulford

Jodi Grzeskowiak

Robert Daniel Clark

Gerrit J Leusink

Paul T Gutwin

Nihar Mohanty

Kai-Hung Yu

Angelique Denise Raley

Xiaoqing Xu

David L O'Meara

David Victor Pietromonaco

Daniel J Fulford

Lior Huli

Soo Doo Chae

Brian Cline

Benjamen M Rathsack

Qiang Zhao

Noel Russell

Richard Farrell

Nicholas Joy

Carlos A Fonseca

Xinghua Sun

Yen-Tien Lu

Hiroaki Niimi

Kaoru Maekawa

Ronald W Nasman

Joshua Hooge

Eric Chih-Fang Liu

Hoyoung Kang

Teruhiko Kodama

Katie Lutker-Lee

Michael Murphy

Steven Consiglio

Steven Grzeskowiak

Anton Villiers

Hiroki Niimi

Robert Brandt

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming, over a hardmask layer and an underlying layer of a substrate, a pattern of first trenches between adjacent template lines, each of the first trenches exposing a portion of the hardmask layer, and each of the template lines including a mandrel and spacers on sidewalls of the mandrel; forming a pattern of first blocks over the pattern of the first trenches and the template lines, the first blocks dividing the first trenches to form a pattern of first stencil trenches; transferring the pattern of first stencil trenches to the hardmask layer to form a pattern of first hardmask trenches, each of the first hardmask trenches exposing a portion of the underlying layer; forming a first fill layer filling the first hardmask trenches and exposing the mandrels; selectively removing the mandrels to form second trenches, each of the second trenches exposing a portion of the hardmask layer; and forming a conformal liner in the second trenches and over a surface of the spacers, a surface of the first blocks, and a surface of the first fill layer to form third trenches.

Double patterning method of patterning a substrate

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a multi-tier semiconductor structure. For example, the multi-tier semiconductor structure can include a first semiconductor device tier that includes first semiconductor devices. A first signal wiring structure can be formed over and electrically connected to the first semiconductor device tier. An insulator layer can be formed over the first signal wiring structure. A second semiconductor device tier can be formed over the insulator layer, the second semiconductor device tier including second semiconductor devices. A second signal wiring structure can be formed over and electrically connected to the second semiconductor device tier. An inter-tier via can be formed vertically through the insulator layer and electrically connecting the second signal wiring structure to the first signal wiring structure. The first semiconductor device tier, the second semiconductor device tier and the inter-tier via can be formed monolithically.

Inverted top-tier FET for multi-tier gate-on-gate 3-dimension integration (3Di)

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a semiconductor structure. For example, the semiconductor structure can include a lower channel structure, an upper channel structure formed vertically over the lower channel, a first transistor device including lower and upper gates formed around a first portion of the lower and upper channel structures, respectively, and a separation layer formed between and separating the lower and upper gates, and a second transistor device including a common gate formed around a second portion of the lower and upper channel structures. The first portion of the lower channel structure is equal to the first portion of the upper channel structure in width, and has a first width less than a second width of the second portion of the lower channel structure.

Tapered device for lateral gate all around devices

Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes forming dummy power rails on a substrate by accessing from a first side of the substrate that is opposite to a second side of the substrate. Further, the method includes forming transistor devices and first wiring layers on the substrate by accessing the first side of the substrate. The dummy power rails are positioned below a level of the transistor devices on the first side of the substrate. Then, the method includes replacing the dummy power rails with conductive power rails by accessing from the second side of the substrate that is opposite to the first side of the substrate.

Replacement buried power rail in backside power delivery

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a self-aligned microfabrication method, which can include providing a substrate having vertically arranged first and second channel structures, forming first and second sacrificial contacts to cover ends of the first and second channel structures, respectively, covering the first and second sacrificial contacts with a fill material, recessing the fill material such that the second sacrificial contact is at least partially uncovered while the first sacrificial contact remains covered, replacing the second sacrificial contact with a cover spacer, removing a remaining portion of the first fill material, uncovering the end of the first channel structure, forming a first source/drain (S/D) contact to cover the end of the first channel structure, covering the first S/D contact with a second fill material, uncovering the end of the second channel structure, and forming a second S/D contact at the end of the second channel structure.

Self-aligned method for vertical recess for 3D device integration

A first transistor tier is formed over a substrate, positioned in a first tier of the semiconductor device and includes bottom transistors extending along a horizontal direction parallel to the substrate. A first segment of a first conductive plane is formed in the first tier and adjacent to a first side of the first transistor tier, spans a height of the first transistor tier, and is connected to the first transistor tier. A second transistor tier is formed over the first transistor tier, positioned in a second tier of the semiconductor device and includes top transistors extending along the horizontal direction. A second segment of the first conductive plane is formed in the second tier and adjacent to a first side of the second transistor tier, positioned over and connected to the first segment of the first conductive plane, and spans a height of the second transistor tier.

Power wall integration for multiple stacked devices

A semiconductor device includes a first pair of transistors over a substrate. The first pair of transistors includes a first transistor having a first gate structure over the substrate and a second transistor having a second gate structure stacked over the first transistor. A second pair of transistors is stacked over the first pair of transistors, resulting in a vertical stack perpendicular to a working surface of the substrate. The second pair of transistors includes a third transistor having a third gate structure stacked over the second transistor and a fourth transistor having a fourth gate structure stacked over the third transistor. The third gate structure extends from a central region of the vertical stack to a first side of the vertical stack. The second gate structure and the fourth gate structure extend from the central region to a second side of the vertical stack opposite the first side.

Interdigitated device stack

An additional set of interconnects is created in bulk material, allowing connections to active devices to be made from both above and below. The interconnects below the active devices can form a power distribution network, and the interconnects above the active devices can form a signaling network. Various accommodations can be made to suit different applications, such as encapsulating buried elements, using sacrificial material, and replacing the bulk material with a dielectric. Epitaxial material can be used throughout the formation process, allowing for the creation of a monolithic substrate.

Monolithic formation of a set of interconnects below active devices

A semiconductor device includes a first three dimensional (3D) transistor and a second 3D transistor oriented parallel to the first 3D transistor disposed in a substrate, the first 3D transistor and the second 3D transistor being a subset of a plurality of transistors. The device includes a diffusion-break trench disposed in a region laterally separating the second 3D transistor from the first 3D transistor, the diffusion-break trench having a length extending along a lateral direction. The device includes a diffusion-break wire filling the diffusion-break trench, the diffusion-break wire having a height along a vertical direction, gates of the plurality of transistors being made of a different conductive material than the diffusion-break wire.

Wiring in diffusion breaks in an integrated circuit

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a multi-tier semiconductor structure. For example, the multi-tier semiconductor structure can include a lower semiconductor device tier, and a lower signal wiring structure electrically connected to the lower semiconductor device tier. The multi-tier semiconductor structure can further include a primary power delivery network (PDN) structure disposed over the lower semiconductor device tier and the lower signal wiring structure and electrically connected to the lower semiconductor device tier. The multi-tier semiconductor structure can further include an upper semiconductor device tier disposed over and electrically connected the first PDN structure, and an upper signal wiring structure disposed over the primary PDN structure and electrically connected to the upper semiconductor device tier.

Inter-tier power delivery network (PDN) for dense gate-on-gate 3D logic integration

A method of forming transistor devices is described that includes forming a first transistor plane on a substrate, the first transistor plane including at least one layer of epitaxial film adaptable for forming channels of field effect transistors, depositing a first insulator layer on the first transistor plane, depositing a first layer of polycrystalline silicon on the first insulator layer, annealing the first layer of polycrystalline silicon using laser heating. The laser heating increases grain size of the first layer of polycrystalline silicon. The method further includes forming a second transistor plane on the first layer of polycrystalline silicon, the second transistor plane being adaptable for forming channels of field effect transistors, depositing a second insulator layer on the second transistor plane, depositing a second layer of polycrystalline silicon on the second insulator layer, and annealing the second layer of polycrystalline silicon using laser heating.

High density logic formation using multi-dimensional laser annealing

A microfabrication device is provided. The microfabrication device includes a transistor plane formed on a substrate, the transistor plane including a plurality of field effect transistors; fluidic passages formed within the transistor plane; a dielectric fluid added to the fluidic passages; and a circulating mechanism configured to circulate the dielectric fluid through the transistor plane.

Integrated high efficiency transistor cooling

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. For example, the method can include forming a first power rail, forming a first power input structure for coupling with a first terminal of a power source that is external of the semiconductor device to receive electrical power from the power source, forming an active device between the first power rail and the first power input structure, and forming a first middle-of-line rail with a plurality of layers. The first middle-of-line rail can be configured to deliver the electrical power from the first power input structure to the first power rail. The first power rail can provide the electrical power to the active device for operation. Topmost and bottommost ones of the layers of the first middle-of-line rail can be as high as and leveled with top and bottom surfaces of the active device, respectively.

Power delivery network for CFET with buried power rails

A method for microfabrication of a three dimensional transistor stack having gate-all-around field-effect transistor devices. The channels hang between source/drain regions. Each channel is selectively deposited with layers of materials designed for adjusting the threshold voltage of the channel. The layers may be oxides, high-k materials, work function materials and metallization. The three dimensional transistor stack forms an array of high threshold voltage devices and low threshold voltage devices in a single package.

Method for threshold voltage tuning through selective deposition of high-k metal gate (HKMG) film stacks

A method for forming a semiconductor apparatus includes forming a plurality of repetitive initial structures over a substrate of the semiconductor apparatus. An initial structure in the plurality of repetitive initial structures is formed by forming a first stack of transistors along a Z direction substantially perpendicular to a substrate plane, and forming local interconnect structures. Each of the transistors in the first stack of transistors is sandwiched between two of the local interconnect structures. Vertical conductive structures are formed substantially parallel to the Z direction, a height of one of the vertical conductive structures along the Z direction being at least a height of the initial structure. The initial structure is functionalized into a final structure by forming one or more connections each electrically coupling one of the local interconnect structures to one of the vertical conductive structures.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus having stacked devices

Growing community of inventors

Clifton Park, NY, United States of America

Jeffrey Smith