18155933. TUNABLE STRUCTURE PROFILE simplified abstract (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.)

TUNABLE STRUCTURE PROFILE

Organization Name

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Inventor(s)

Li-Wei Yin of Hsinchu (TW)

Tzu-Wen Pan of Hsinchu (TW)

Yu-Hsien Lin of Kaohsiung (TW)

Jih-Sheng Yang of Hsinchu (TW)

Shih-Chieh Chao of Taichung (TW)

Chia Ming Liang of Taipei (TW)

Yih-Ann Lin of Hsinchu (TW)

Ryan Chia-Jen Chen of Hsinchu (TW)

TUNABLE STRUCTURE PROFILE - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18155933 titled 'TUNABLE STRUCTURE PROFILE

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a method for forming structures with sloping surfaces of a desired profile by etching a gate material to create recessed surfaces with horns and valleys, and then depositing an etch-retarding layer before performing a second etch process to establish the desired profile.

• The method involves performing a first etch process to create a recessed surface with horns and a valley.
• An etch-retarding layer is deposited over the recessed surface, with a thicker central region over the valley and thinner edge regions over the horns.
• A second etch process is then performed to recess the horns and establish the gate material with the desired profile.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in the manufacturing of microelectronics, MEMS devices, and other precision engineering applications where structures with sloping surfaces are required.

Problems Solved

This method solves the problem of forming structures with precise sloping surfaces of a desired profile, which can be challenging using traditional etching techniques.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include the ability to create complex structures with sloping surfaces accurately and efficiently, leading to improved performance and functionality of the final products.

Potential Commercial Applications

One potential commercial application of this technology could be in the production of high-performance sensors, actuators, and other microdevices that require precise control over surface profiles.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art in this field could be the use of sacrificial layers or specialized etching techniques to create structures with sloping surfaces, but the specific method described in this patent application may offer unique advantages in terms of precision and efficiency.

How does this method compare to existing techniques for forming structures with sloping surfaces?

This method offers a more controlled and precise way to create structures with sloping surfaces compared to traditional etching techniques, but further comparative studies may be needed to fully understand its advantages.

What are the potential limitations or challenges of implementing this method in industrial-scale production?

One potential challenge could be scaling up this method for mass production while maintaining the same level of precision and efficiency. Further research and development may be needed to address these challenges.

Original Abstract Submitted

Provided are structures and methods for forming structures with sloping surfaces of a desired profile. An exemplary method includes performing a first etch process to differentially etch a gate material to a recessed surface, wherein the recessed surface includes a first horn at a first edge, a second horn at a second edge, and a valley located between the first horn and the second horn; depositing an etch-retarding layer over the recessed surface, wherein the etch-retarding layer has a central region over the valley and has edge regions over the horns, and wherein the central region of the etch-retarding layer is thicker than the edge regions of the etch-retarding layer; and performing a second etch process to recess the horns to establish the gate material with a desired profile.