Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device is formed on a semiconductor substrate having an active region, the semiconductor device comprising: a gate dielectric layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the gate dielectric layer having at least two sub-layers with at least one sub-layer having a dielectric constant greater than SiO2; a floating gate formed on the gate dielectric layer defining a channel interposed between a source and a drain formed within the active region of the semiconductor substrate; a control gate formed above the floating gate; and an intergate dielectric layer interposed between the floating gate and the control gate, the intergate dielectric layer comprising: a first layer formed on the floating gate; a second layer formed on the first layer; and a third layer formed on the second layer, wherein each of the first, second and third layers has a dielectric constant greater than SiO2.

Abstract: A buried local interconnect and method of forming the same counterdopes a region of a doped substrate to form a counterdoped isolation region. A hardmask is formed and patterned on the doped substrate, with a recess being etched through the patterned hardmask into the counterdoped region. Dielectric spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the recess, with a portion of the bottom of the recess being exposed. A metal is then deposited in the recess and reacted to form silicide at the bottom of the recess. The recess is filled with fill material, which is polished. The hardmask is then removed to form a silicide buried local interconnect.

Abstract: A buried local interconnect and method of forming the same counterdopes a region of a doped substrate to form a counterdoped isolation region. A hardmask is formed and patterned on the doped substrate, with a recess being etched through the patterned hardmask into the counterdoped region. Dielectric spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the recess, with a portion of the bottom of the recess being exposed. A metal is then deposited in the recess and reacted to form silicide at the bottom of the recess. The recess is filled with fill material, which is polished. The hardmask is then removed to form a silicide buried local interconnect.

Abstract: A buried local interconnect and method of forming the same counterdopes a region of a doped substrate to form a counterdoped isolation region. A hardmask is formed and patterned on the doped substrate, with a recess being etched through the patterned hardmask into the counterdoped region. Dielectric spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the recess, with a portion of the bottom of the recess being exposed. A metal is then deposited in the recess and reacted to form silicide at the bottom of the recess. The recess is filled with fill material, which is polished. The hardmask is then removed to form a silicide buried local interconnect.

Abstract: A buried local interconnect and method of forming the same counterdopes a region of a doped substrate to form a counterdoped isolation region. A hardmask is formed and patterned on the doped substrate, with a recess being etched through the patterned hardmask into the counterdoped region. Dielectric spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the recess, with a portion of the bottom of the recess being exposed. A metal is then deposited in the recess and reacted to form silicide at the bottom of the recess. The recess is filled with fill material, which is polished. The hardmask is then removed to form a silicide buried local interconnect.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an interface layer, a nitrided gate dielectric, a gate electrode, and source drain regions. The interface layer is formed in a substrate by laser processing. The nitrided gate dielectric is formed over the interface layer by laser processing. The gate electrode is formed over the substrate and the gate dielectric after the laser processing step, and source/drain regions are formed in the substrate proximate to the gate electrode.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a dual bit flash memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate and depositing a charge-trapping dielectric layer with the depositing performed without using ammonia at an ultra-slow deposition rate. First and second bitlines are implanted and a wordline layer is deposited. A hard mask layer is deposited over the wordline layer. A photoresist is deposited over the wordline layer and used to form a hard mask. The photoresist is removed. The wordline layer is processed using the hard mask to form a wordline and the hard mask is removed. A reduced hydrogen, high-density data retention liner to reduce charge loss, covers the wordline and the charge-trapping dielectric layer. An interlayer dielectric layer is deposited over the data retention liner.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, relates to a process for fabricating a charge trapping dielectric flash memory device including steps of providing a semiconductor substrate having formed thereon a gate stack comprising a charge trapping dielectric charge storage layer and a control gate electrode overlying the charge trapping dielectric charge storage layer; forming an oxide layer over at least the gate stack; and depositing a spacer layer over the gate stack, wherein the depositing step deposits a spacer material having a reduced hydrogen content relative to a hydrogen content of a conventional spacer material.

Abstract: A process for fabrication of a semiconductor device including an ONO structure as a component of a flash memory device, comprising forming the ONO structure by providing a semiconductor substrate having a silicon surface; forming a first oxide layer on the silicon surface; depositing a silicon nitride layer on the first oxide layer; and forming a top oxide layer on the silicon nitride layer, wherein the top oxide layer is formed by an in-situ steam generation oxidation of a surface of the silicon nitride layer. The semiconductor device may be, e.g., a SONOS two-bit EEPROM device or a floating gate FLASH memory device including an ONO structure.

Abstract: A system for monitoring and controlling the deposition of thin films employed in semiconductor fabrication is provided. The system includes one or more acoustic and/or ultrasonic wave sources, each source directing waves onto one or more thin films deposited on a wafer. Waves reflected from the thin film is collected by a monitoring system, which processes the collected waves. Waves passing through the thin film may similarly be collected by the monitoring system, which processes the collected waves. The collected waves are indicative of the presence of impurities and/or defects in the deposited thin film. The monitoring system analyzes and provides the collected wave data to a processor, which determines whether adjustments to thin film deposition parameters are needed. The system also includes a plurality of thin film deposition devices associated with depositing thin films on the wafer. The processor selectively controls thin film deposition parameters and devices to facilitate regulating deposition.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a Flash memory includes depositing a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate. A low hydrogen charge-trapping dielectric layer is deposited followed by a second dielectric layer. First and second bitlines are implanted and a wordline layer is deposited.

Abstract: Process for reducing charge leakage in a SONOS flash memory device, including in one embodiment, forming a bottom oxide layer of an ONO structure on the semiconductor substrate to form an oxide/silicon interface having a first oxygen content adjacent the oxide/silicon interface; treating the bottom oxide layer to increase the first oxygen content to a second oxygen content adjacent the oxide/silicon interface; and depositing a nitride charge-storage layer on the bottom oxide layer. In another embodiment, process for reducing charge leakage in a SONOS flash memory device, including forming a bottom oxide layer of an ONO structure on a surface of the semiconductor substrate having an oxide/silicon interface with a super-stoichiometric oxygen content adjacent the oxide/silicon interface; and depositing a nitride charge-storage layer on the bottom oxide layer.

Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque sub-layer of a contact cap layer or a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ONO (oxide-nitride-oxide) insulating layer for a flash memory device, the insulating layer including a first oxide layer, a nitride layer over the first oxide layer, and a second oxide layer over the nitride layer, wherein at least one of the first oxide layer, the nitride layer and the second oxide layer are conditioned using laser thermal annealing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory cell structure comprises a semiconductor substrate, a first silicon oxide layer situated over the semiconductor substrate, a charge storing layer situated over the first silicon oxide layer, a second silicon oxide layer situated over the charge storing layer, and a gate layer situated over the second silicon oxide layer. In the exemplary embodiment, the charge storing layer comprises silicon nitride having reduced hydrogen content, e.g., in the range of about 0 to 0.5 atomic percent. As a result, the reduced hydrogen content reduces the charge loss in the charge storing layer. The reduced charge loss in the charge storing layer has the benefit of reducing threshold voltage shifts, programming data loss, and programming capability loss in the memory device, thereby improving memory device performance.

Abstract: A SONOS flash memory device, including a semiconductor substrate; an ONO structure formed on the semiconductor substrate, the ONO structure including a bottom oxide layer, a dielectric charge storage layer and a top oxide layer, the bottom oxide layer having a super-stoichiometric oxygen content and an oxygen vacancy content of about 1010/cm2 or less, wherein the bottom oxide layer exhibits a reduced charge leakage relative to a bottom oxide layer having a stoichiometric or sub-stoichiometric oxygen content and a greater number of oxygen vacancies. In one embodiment, the bottom oxide layer has an oxygen vacancy content of substantially zero.

Abstract: Process of fabricating multi-bit charge trapping dielectric flash memory device, including forming on a semiconductor substrate a bottom oxide layer to define a substrate/oxide interface, in which the bottom oxide layer includes a first oxygen concentration and a first nitrogen concentration; and adding a quantity of nitrogen to the bottom oxide layer, whereby the bottom oxide layer includes a first region adjacent the charge storage layer and a second region adjacent the substrate/oxide interface, the second region having a second oxygen concentration and a second nitrogen concentration, in which the second nitrogen concentration exceeds the first nitrogen concentration, provided that the second nitrogen concentration does not exceed the second oxygen concentration. In one embodiment, the first nitrogen concentration is substantially zero.

Abstract: Process for fabricating a charge trapping dielectric flash memory device including steps of providing a semiconductor substrate; forming on the semiconductor substrate a bottom oxide layer; depositing on the bottom oxide layer a nitride layer, the deposited nitride layer having a first hydrogen content; and applying a treatment to reduce the first hydrogen content to a second hydrogen content.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including depositing a first layer of dielectric material onto the device, laser thermal annealing a surface of the first layer, and depositing a second layer of dielectric material over the laser thermal annealed surface of the first layer. The two layers are preferably low dielectric constant (“low-k”) material that form an inter-layer dielectric (“ILD”) layer of a semiconductor device. According to one aspect of the invention, a third layer of low-k material is deposited over the second layer and a surface of the third layer is also laser thermal annealed.

Abstract: Process for fabricating a semiconductor device including steps of providing a semiconductor substrate having formed thereon a semiconductor device; depositing over the semiconductor device a spacer layer, the spacer layer having a first hydrogen content; and applying a treatment to reduce the first hydrogen content to a second hydrogen content. The invention is particularly useful when applied to flash memory devices such as a charge trapping dielectric flash memory device.