Abstract: A structure and method for providing improved and reliable charge trapping memory device are disclosed herein. A charge trapping field effect transistor (FET) comprising a semiconductor substrate, a doped region in the semiconductor substrate, and a gate structure on the semiconductor substrate and a method of fabricating the same are also discussed. The doped region comprises a first lateral dimension along a first direction. The gate structure comprises a charge trapping dielectric region and a charge trapping conductive region in contact with the charge trapping dielectric region.

Abstract: A method to fabricate a non-planar memory device including forming a multi-layer silicon nitride structure substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate. There may be multiple non-stoichiometric silicon nitride layers, each including a different or same silicon richness value from one another.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a memory device with a self-aligned trap layer and rounded active region corners is disclosed. In the present invention, an STI process is performed before any of the charge-trapping and top-level layers are formed. Immediately after the STI process, the sharp corners of the active regions are exposed. Because these sharp corners are exposed at this time, they are available to be rounded through any number of known rounding techniques. Rounding the corners improves the performance characteristics of the memory device. Subsequent to the rounding process, the charge-trapping structure and other layers can be formed by a self-aligned process.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a substrate, a dielectric layer over the substrate, a first gate conductor, an inter-gate dielectric structure and a second gate conductor is disclosed. A gate dielectric structure is disposed between the first gate conductor and the dielectric layer, and may include two or more dielectric films disposed in an alternating manner. The inter-gate dielectric structure may be disposed between the first gate conductor and the second gate conductor, and may include two or more dielectric films disposed in an alternating manner. The second gate conductor is formed in an L shape such that the second gate has a relatively low aspect ratio, which allows for a reduction in spacing between adjacent gates, while maintaining the required electrical isolation between the gates and contacts that may subsequently be formed.

Abstract: At integrated circuit memory device, in one embodiment, includes a substrate having a plurality of bit lines. A first and second inter-level dielectric layer are successively disposed on the substrate. Each of a plurality of source lines and staggered bit line contacts extend through the first inter-level dielectric layer. Each of a plurality of source line vias and a plurality of staggered bit line vias extend through the second inter-level dielectric layer to each respective one of the plurality of source lines and the plurality of staggered bit line contacts. The source lines and staggered bit line contacts that extend through the first inter-level dielectric layer are formed together by a first set of fabrication processes. The source line vias and staggered bit line contacts that extend through the second inter-level dielectric layer are also formed together by a second set of fabrication processes.

Abstract: A memory string is disclosed including a plurality of core cells serially connected between a source select gate and a drain select gate along a channel. Each core cell includes a wordline separated from the channel by a stack of layers including a charge trapping layer. At least one of the source and drain select gates is a stacked select gate with a plurality of components, including a first component adjacent to the plurality of core cells and a second component separated from the core cells by the first component. The first component includes a wordline separated from the channel by a stack of layers including a charge trapping layer, and a distance between the wordline of the first component and the wordline of a first core cell in the plurality of core cells is substantially the same as distances between each wordline in the plurality of word core cells.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of making the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a memory gate on a charge storage structure formed on a substrate, a select gate on a gate dielectric on the substrate proximal to the memory gate, and a dielectric structure between the memory gate and the select gate, and adjacent to sidewalls of the memory gate and the select gate, wherein the memory gate and the select gate are separated by a thickness of the dielectric structure. Generally, the dielectric structure comprises multiple dielectric layers including a first dielectric layer adjacent the sidewall of the memory gate, and a nitride dielectric layer adjacent to the first dielectric layer and between the memory gate and the select gate. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a substrate, a dielectric layer, a polycrystalline silicon (“poly”) resistor, a drain, and a source is disclosed. After implantation, the poly resistor may have a lateral doping profile with two peaks, one near each edge of the poly resistor, and a trough near the middle of the poly resistor. Such a doping profile can allow the poly resistor to have a resistance that is insensitive to small variations in critical dimension of the poly resistor. The resistance of the poly resistor may be determined by the doping dose of the tilted implant used to form the poly resistor. The tilted implant may be used to form the drain and the source of a transistor substantially simultaneously as forming the poly resistor.

Abstract: A memory string is disclosed including a plurality of core cells serially connected between a source select gate and a drain select gate along a channel. Each core cell includes a wordline separated from the channel by a stack of layers including a charge trapping layer. At least one of the source and drain select gates is a stacked select gate with a plurality of components, including a first component adjacent to the plurality of core cells and a second component separated from the core cells by the first component. The first component includes a wordline separated from the channel by a stack of layers including a charge trapping layer, and a distance between the wordline of the first component and the wordline of a first core cell in the plurality of core cells is substantially the same as distances between each wordline in the plurality of word core cells.

Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array arranged in rows and columns. The memory array may have at least four non-volatile memory (NVM) cells coupled in the same column of the memory array, in which each NVM cell may include a memory gate. The first and second NVM cells of the at least four NVM cells may share a first source region, and the third and fourth NVM cells may share a second source region. The memory gates of the first and second NVM cells may not be electrically coupled with one another, and the first and second source regions may not be electrically coupled with one another. Each of the first and second source regions may be electrically coupled with at least another source region of the same column in the memory array.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of making the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a memory gate on a charge storage structure formed on a substrate, a select gate on a gate dielectric on the substrate proximal to the memory gate, and a dielectric structure between the memory gate and the select gate, and adjacent to sidewalls of the memory gate and the select gate, wherein the memory gate and the select gate are separated by a thickness of the dielectric structure. Generally, the dielectric structure comprises multiple dielectric layers including a first dielectric layer adjacent the sidewall of the memory gate, and a nitride dielectric layer adjacent to the first dielectric layer and between the memory gate and the select gate. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A memory string is disclosed including a plurality of core cells serially connected between a source select gate and a drain select gate along a channel. Each core cell includes a wordline separated from the channel by a stack of layers including a charge trapping layer. At least one of the source and drain select gates is a stacked select gate with a plurality of components, including a first component adjacent to the plurality of core cells and a second component separated from the core cells by the first component. The first component includes a wordline separated from the channel by a stack of layers including a charge trapping layer, and a distance between the wordline of the first component and the wordline of a first core cell in the plurality of core cells is substantially the same as distances between each wordline in the plurality of word core cells.

Abstract: A memory device that has a first gate disposed adjacent to a second gate and a first dielectric structure disposed between the first and second gates. The first dielectric structure has at least four layers of oxide and nitride films arranged in an alternating layer, in which each of the at least four or more layers includes a width in an approximate range of 30 ? or less. The first dielectric structure further includes a top surface that is substantially un-etched.

Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array arranged in rows and columns. The memory array may have at least four non-volatile memory (NVM) cells coupled in the same column of the memory array, in which each NVM cell may include a memory gate. The first and second NVM cells of the at least four NVM cells may share a first source region, and the third and fourth NVM cells may share a second source region. The memory gates of the first and second NVM cells may not be electrically coupled with one another, and the first and second source regions may not be electrically coupled with one another. Each of the first and second source regions may be electrically coupled with at least another source region of the same column in the memory array.

Abstract: A three-dimensional charge trap semiconductor device is constructed with alternating insulating and gate layers stacked over a substrate. During the manufacturing process, a channel hole is formed in the stack and the gate layers are recessed from the channel hole. Using the recessed topography of the gate layers, a charge trap layer can be deposited on the sidewalls of the channel hole and etched, leaving individual discrete charge trap layer sections in each recess. Filling the channel hole with channel material effectively provides a three-dimensional semiconductor device having individual charge trap layer sections for each memory cell.

Abstract: An integrated circuit memory device, in one embodiment, includes a substrate having a plurality of bit lines. A first and second inter-level dielectric layer are successively disposed on the substrate. Each of a plurality of source lines and staggered bit line contacts extend through the first inter-level dielectric layer. Each of a plurality of source line vias and a plurality of staggered bit line vias extend through the second inter-level dielectric layer to each respective one of the plurality of source lines and the plurality of staggered bit line contacts. The source lines and staggered bit line contacts that extend through the first inter-level dielectric layer are formed together by a first set of fabrication processes. The source line vias and staggered bit line contacts that extend through the second inter-level dielectric layer are also formed together by a second set of fabrication processes.

Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array arranged in rows and columns. The memory array may have at least four non-volatile memory (NVM) cells coupled in the same column of the memory array, in which each NVM cell may include a memory gate. The first and second NVM cells of the at least four NVM cells may share a first source region, and the third and fourth NVM cells may share a second source region. The memory gates of the first and second NVM cells may not be electrically coupled with one another, and the first and second source regions may not be electrically coupled with one another. Each of the first and second source regions may be electrically coupled with at least another source region of the same column in the memory array.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a first gate stack on a substrate is disclosed. The first gate stack may include a first gate conductor over a first gate dielectric structure. A dielectric structure can be formed over the first gate stack and the substrate. The dielectric structure layer can include four or more layers of two or more dielectric films disposed in an alternating manner. The dielectric structure can be selectively etched to form an inter-gate dielectric structure. A second gate conductor can be formed over a second gate dielectric structure, adjacent to the integrate dielectric structure. A dielectric layer can be formed over the substrate, the first and second gate conductors, and the inter-gate dielectric structure. The first gate conductor may be used to make a memory gate and the second gate conductor can be used to make a select gate of a split-gate memory cell.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods of manufacturing n-type lightly doped drains and p-type lightly doped drains. In one method, photoresist mask is used to etch a transistor, and the mask is left in place (i.e., reused) to protect other devices and poly while a high energy implantation is performed in alignment with the photoresist mask, such that the implantation is adjacent to the etched transistor. One example of a high energy implantation is forming lightly doped source and dram regions. This technique of reusing a photoresist mask can be employed for creating lightly doped source and drain regions of one conductivity followed by using the technique a second time to create lightly doped source and drain regions of the complementary conductivity type. This may prevent use of at least one hard mask during manufacturing.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of making the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a memory gate on a charge storage structure formed on a substrate, a select gate on a gate dielectric on the substrate proximal to the memory gate, and a dielectric structure between the memory gate and the select gate, and adjacent to sidewalls of the memory gate and the select gate, wherein the memory gate and the select gate are separated by a thickness of the dielectric structure. Generally, the dielectric structure comprises multiple dielectric layers including a first dielectric layer adjacent the sidewall of the memory gate, and a nitride dielectric layer adjacent to the first dielectric layer and between the memory gate and the select gate. Other embodiments are also disclosed.