Abstract: A double-RESURF LDMOS transistor has a gate dielectric structure including a shallow field “bump” oxide region and an optional raised dielectric structure that provides a raised support for the LDMOS transistor's polysilicon gate electrode. Fabrication of the shallow field oxide region is performed through a hard “bump” mask and controlled such that the bump oxide extends a minimal depth into the LDMOS transistor's drift (channel) region. The hard “bump” mask is also utilized to produce an N-type drift (N-drift) implant region and a P-type surface effect (P-surf) implant region, whereby these implants are “self-aligned” to the gate dielectric structure. The N-drift implant is maintained at Vdd by connection to the LDMOS transistor's drain diffusion. An additional Boron implant is utilized to form a P-type buried layer that connects the P-surf implant to the P-body region of the LDMOS transistor, whereby the P-surf implant is maintained at 0V.

Abstract: A charge trap memory device is provided. In one embodiment, the charge trap memory device includes a semiconductor material structure having a vertical channel extending from a first diffusion region formed in a semiconducting material to a second diffusion region formed over the first diffusion region, the vertical channel electrically connecting the first diffusion region to the second diffusion region. A tunnel dielectric layer is disposed on the vertical channel, a multi-layer charge-trapping region including a first deuterated layer disposed on the tunnel dielectric layer, a first nitride layer disposed on the first deuterated layer, and a second nitride layer comprising a deuterium-free trap-dense, oxygen-lean nitride disposed on the first nitride layer. The second nitride layer includes a majority of charge traps distributed in the multi-layer charge-trapping region.

Abstract: An embodiment of a semiconductor memory device including a multi-layer charge storing layer and methods of forming the same are described. Generally, the device includes a channel formed from a semiconducting material overlying a surface on a substrate connecting a source and a drain of the memory device; a tunnel oxide layer overlying the channel; and a multi-layer charge storing layer including an oxygen-rich, first oxynitride layer on the tunnel oxide layer in which a stoichiometric composition of the first oxynitride layer results in it being substantially trap free, and an oxygen-lean, second oxynitride layer on the first oxynitride layer in which a stoichiometric composition of the second oxynitride layer results in it being trap dense. In one embodiment, the device comprises a non-planar transistor including a gate having multiple surfaces abutting the channel, and the gate comprises the tunnel oxide layer and the multi-layer charge storing layer.

Abstract: An embodiment of a semiconductor memory device including a multi-layer charge storing layer and methods of forming the same are described. Generally, the device includes a channel formed from a semiconducting material overlying a surface on a substrate connecting a source and a drain of the memory device; a tunnel oxide layer overlying the channel; and a multi-layer charge storing layer including an oxygen-rich, first oxynitride layer on the tunnel oxide layer in which a stoichiometric composition of the first oxynitride layer results in it being substantially trap free, and an oxygen-lean, second oxynitride layer on the first oxynitride layer in which a stoichiometric composition of the second oxynitride layer results in it being trap dense. In one embodiment, the device comprises a non-planar transistor including a gate having multiple surfaces abutting the channel, and the gate comprises the tunnel oxide layer and the multi-layer charge storing layer.

Abstract: An embodiment of a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. In one embodiment, the device comprises a channel comprising silicon overlying a surface on a substrate electrically connecting a first diffusion region and a second diffusion region of the memory device, and a gate stack intersecting and overlying at least a portion of the channel, the gate stack comprising a tunnel oxide abutting the channel, a split charge-trapping region abutting the tunnel oxide, and a multi-layer blocking dielectric abutting the split charge-trapping region. The split charge-trapping region includes a first charge-trapping layer comprising a nitride closer to the tunnel oxide, and a second charge-trapping layer comprising a nitride overlying the first charge-trapping layer. The multi-layer blocking dielectric comprises at least a high-K dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of scaling a nonvolatile trapped-charge memory device and the device made thereby is provided. In an embodiment, the method includes forming a channel region including polysilicon electrically connecting a source region and a drain region in a substrate. A tunneling layer is formed on the substrate over the channel region by oxidizing the substrate to form an oxide film and nitridizing the oxide film. A multi-layer charge trapping layer including an oxygen-rich first layer and an oxygen-lean second layer is formed on the tunneling layer, and a blocking layer deposited on the multi-layer charge trapping layer. In one embodiment, the method further includes a dilute wet oxidation to densify a deposited blocking oxide and to oxidize a portion of the oxygen-lean second layer.

Abstract: A double-RESURF LDMOS transistor has a gate dielectric structure including a shallow field “bump” oxide region and an optional raised dielectric structure that provides a raised support for the LDMOS transistor's polysilicon gate electrode. Fabrication of the shallow field oxide region is performed through a hard “bump” mask and controlled such that the bump oxide extends a minimal depth into the LDMOS transistor's drift (channel) region. The hard “bump” mask is also utilized to produce an N-type drift (N-drift) implant region and a P-type surface effect (P-surf) implant region, whereby these implants are “self-aligned” to the gate dielectric structure. The N-drift implant is maintained at Vdd by connection to the LDMOS transistor's drain diffusion. An additional Boron implant is utilized to form a P-type buried layer that connects the P-surf implant to the P-body region of the LDMOS transistor, whereby the P-surf implant is maintained at 0V.

Abstract: A double-RESURF LDMOS fabrication method utilizes a shared mask to form separately patterned N+ buried layer (NBL) and P+ buried layer (PBL) regions. The mask includes two opening types (e.g., large and small), and the P-type and N-type implant materials are separately directed onto the mask at different implant angles, such that the N-type implant passes through both opening types to form a first pattered implant region in both a first region and a surrounding second region, and such that the P-type implant material passes only through the larger openings and forms a second pattered implant region only in the first substrate portion. An optional epitaxial layer is deposited over the substrate and annealed to form the separately patterned PBL and NBL in the epitaxial layer, where a portion of the PBL diffuses above the NBL and forms a P-surf region below the LDMOS's N-drift region.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device and the device are described. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate in an oxidation chamber, wherein the substrate comprises a first exposed crystal plane and a second exposed crystal plane, and wherein the crystal orientation of the first exposed crystal plane is different from the crystal orientation of the second exposed crystal plane. The substrate is then subjected to a radical oxidation process to form a first portion of a dielectric layer on the first exposed crystal plane and a second portion of the dielectric layer on the second exposed crystal plane, wherein the thickness of the first portion of the dielectric layer is approximately equal to the thickness of the second portion of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The method includes subjecting a substrate to a first oxidation process to form a tunnel oxide layer overlying a polysilicon channel, and forming over the tunnel oxide layer a multi-layer charge storing layer comprising an oxygen-rich, first layer comprising a nitride, and an oxygen-lean, second layer comprising a nitride on the first layer. The substrate is then subjected to a second oxidation process to consume a portion of the second layer and form a high-temperature-oxide (HTO) layer overlying the multi-layer charge storing layer. The stoichiometric composition of the first layer results in it being substantially trap free, and the stoichiometric composition of the second layer results in it being trap dense. The second oxidation process can comprise a plasma oxidation process or a radical oxidation process using In-Situ Steam Generation.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of integrating a non-volatile memory device into a logic MOS flow is described. Generally, the method includes: forming in a first region of a substrate a channel of a memory device from a semiconducting material overlying a surface of the substrate, the channel connecting a source and a drain of the memory device; forming a charge trapping dielectric stack over the channel adjacent to a plurality of surfaces of the channel, wherein the charge trapping dielectric stack includes a blocking layer on a charge trapping layer over a tunneling layer; and forming a MOS device over a second region of the substrate.

Abstract: A nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The device includes a substrate having a channel region and a pair of source and drain regions. A gate stack is above the substrate over the channel region and between the pair of source and drain regions. The gate stack includes a high dielectric constant blocking region.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices including non-volatile memory transistors and methods of fabricating the same to improve performance thereof are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises: (i) forming an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) dielectric stack on a surface of a semiconductor substrate in at least a first region in which a non-volatile memory transistor is to be formed, the ONO dielectric stack including a multi-layer charge storage layer; (ii) forming an oxide layer on the surface of the substrate in a second region in which a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) logic transistor is to be formed; and (iii) forming a high work function gate electrode on a surface of the ONO dielectric stack. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The method includes forming a first oxide layer on a surface of a substrate. The first oxide layer is exposed to a first decoupled plasma nitridation process having a first bias. Subsequently, a charge-trapping layer is formed on the first oxide layer. The charge-trapping layer is exposed to an oxidation process and then to a second decoupled plasma nitridation process having a second, different, bias.

Abstract: Non-volatile semiconductor memories and methods of fabricating the same to improve performance thereof are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes: (i) forming a gate for a non-volatile memory transistor on a surface of a substrate overlaying a channel region formed therein, the gate including a charge trapping layer; and (ii) forming a strain inducing structure over the gate of the non-volatile memory transistor to increase charge retention of the charge trapping layer. Preferably, the memory transistor is a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) transistor comprising a SONOS gate stack. More preferably, the memory also includes a logic transistor on the substrate, and the step of forming a strain inducing structure comprises the step of forming the strain inducing structure over the logic transistor. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The device includes a substrate having a channel region and a pair of source/drain regions. A gate stack is above the substrate over the channel region and between the pair of source/drain regions. The gate stack includes a multi-layer charge-trapping region having a first deuterated layer. The multi-layer charge-trapping region may further include a deuterium-free charge-trapping layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method to form the same. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a non-volatile charge trap memory device disposed on a first region and a logic device disposed on a second region. A charge trap dielectric stack may be formed subsequent to forming wells and channels of the logic device. HF pre-cleans and SC1 cleans may be avoided to improve the quality of a blocking layer of the non-volatile charge trap memory device. The blocking layer may be thermally reoxidized or nitridized during a thermal oxidation or nitridation of a logic MOS gate insulator layer to densify the blocking layer. A multi-layered liner may be utilized to first offset a source and drain implant in a high voltage logic device and also block silicidation of the nonvolatile charge trap memory device.

Abstract: A double-RESURF LDMOS transistor has a gate dielectric structure including a shallow field “bump” oxide region and an optional raised dielectric structure that provides a raised support for the LDMOS transistor's polysilicon gate electrode. Fabrication of the shallow field oxide region is performed through a hard “bump” mask and controlled such that the bump oxide extends a minimal depth into the LDMOS transistor's drift (channel) region. The hard “bump” mask is also utilized to produce an N-type drift (N-drift) implant region and a P-type surface effect (P-surf) implant region, whereby these implants are “self-aligned” to the gate dielectric structure. The N-drift implant is maintained at Vdd by connection to the LDMOS transistor's drain diffusion. An additional Boron implant is utilized to form a P-type buried layer that connects the P-surf implant to the P-body region of the LDMOS transistor, whereby the P-surf implant is maintained at 0V.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a silicon-oxide-oxynitride-oxide-silicon structure and methods of forming the same are provided. Generally, the structure comprises: a tunnel oxide layer on a surface of a substrate including silicon; a multi-layer charge storing layer including an oxygen-rich, first oxynitride layer on the tunnel oxide layer in which the stoichiometric composition of the first oxynitride layer results in it being substantially trap free, and an oxygen-lean, second oxynitride layer on the first oxynitride layer in which the stoichiometric composition of the second oxynitride layer results in it being trap dense; a blocking oxide layer on the second oxynitride layer; and a silicon containing gate layer on the blocking oxide layer. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for forming a tunneling layer of a nonvolatile trapped-charge memory device and the article made thereby. The method includes multiple oxidation and nitridation operations to provide a dielectric constant higher than that of a pure silicon dioxide tunneling layer but with a fewer hydrogen and nitrogen traps than a tunneling layer having nitrogen at the substrate interface. The method provides for an improved memory window in a SONOS-type device. In one embodiment, the method includes an oxidation, a nitridation, a reoxidation and a renitridation. In one implementation, the first oxidation is performed with O2 and the reoxidation is performed with NO.