Abstract: A method of forming an interfacial layer for hafnium-based high-k/metal gate transistors comprises depositing a hafnium-based high-k dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate and then annealing the high-k dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate in a nitric oxide atmosphere for a time duration and at a temperature sufficient to drive at least a portion of the nitric oxide through the dielectric layer to an interface between the dielectric layer and the substrate. At this interface, the nitric oxide reacts with the substrate to form a silicon oxynitride interfacial layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, and a non-volatile memory cell provided on the semiconductor substrate, the non-volatile memory cell comprising a tunnel insulating film having a film thickness periodically and continuously changing in a channel width direction of the non-volatile memory cell, a floating gate electrode provided on the tunnel insulating film, a control gate electrode provided above the floating gate electrode, and an interelectrode insulating film provided between the control gate electrode and the floating gate electrode.

Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a two-bit memory cell includes a gate stack situated over a substrate, where the gate stack includes a charge-trapping layer. The charge-trapping layer includes first and second conductive segments and a nitride segment, where the nitride segment is situated between the first and second conductive segments. The nitride segment electrically insulates the first conductive segment from the second conductive segment. The first and second conductive segments provide respective first and second data bit storage locations in the two-bit memory cell. The gate stack can further include a lower oxide segment situated between the substrate and the charge-trapping layer. The gate stack can further include an upper oxide segment situated over the charge-trapping layer. The gate stack can be situated between a first dielectric segment and a second dielectric segment, where the first and second dielectric segments are situated over respective first and second bitlines.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory having a multitude of memory cells (21-1), the semiconductor memory having a substrate (1), at least one wordline (5-1), a first (15-1) and a second line (15-2; 16-1), wherein each of the multitude of memory cells (21-1) comprises a first doping region (6) disposed in the substrate (1), a second doping region (7) disposed in the substrate (1), a channel region (22) disposed in the substrate (1) between the first doping region (6) and the second doping region (7), a charge-trapping layer stack (2) disposed on the substrate (1), on the channel region (22), on a portion of the first doping region (6) and on a portion of the second doping region (7). Each memory cell (21-1) further comprises a conductive layer (3) disposed on the charge-trapping layer stack (2), wherein the conductive layer (3) is electrically floating. A dielectric layer (4) is disposed on a top surface of the conductive layer (3) and on sidewalls (23) of the conductive layer (3).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a non-volatile memory device and a method of manufacturing the same. The non-volatile memory device includes a substrate, a tunneling layer disposed on the substrate, a charge trapping layer disposed on the tunneling layer, a blocking layer disposed on the charge trapping layer, and a control gate electrode disposed on the blocking layer. The blocking layer in contact with the charge trapping layer includes an aluminum nitride layer.

Abstract: The fabrication method for a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a memory cell area including memory cells and a peripheral circuit area adjacent to the memory cell area and including peripheral transistors, the method including the steps of: (1) forming a first active region in the memory cell area and a second active region in the peripheral circuit area in a substrate by forming isolation insulating films in the memory cell area and the peripheral circuit area so as to be away from a boundary therebetween; (2) forming a bottom insulating film and an intermediate charge trap film sequentially over the entire surface of the substrate; (3) removing a portion of the intermediate charge trap film formed in the peripheral circuit area using a first mask film; (4) forming a gate insulating film in the peripheral circuit area and also at least part of a top insulating film in the memory cell area; (5) forming a gate electrode film on the top insulating film and the gate insulating film; and (6) forming

Abstract: In a MIS transistor of which gate length is 10 nm or less, a gate insulator comprising a silicon oxide film formed on a silicon substrate and a high-k film formed on the silicon oxide film has a nitrided region including more nitrogen at the lateral side than at the central side in the gate-length direction, and including more nitrogen at the upper side than at the lower side in the film thickness direction. The reliability and characteristics of a MIS transistor using a gate insulator including a high-k (high dielectric constant) film is enhanced.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first gate insulating film over a cell region of a semiconductor substrate. A conductive layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate including the cell region and a peripheral region. An oxidizing process is performed on the conductive layer to form a second gate insulating film in the cell region and a third gate insulating film in the peripheral region.

Abstract: A method of depositing a silicon dioxide layer for a semiconductor device. The method includes depositing the silicon dioxide layer to have a silicon concentration of greater than 30 atomic percent and a nitrogen concentration of less than 5 atomic percent. The depositing includes flowing nitric oxide gas with a silicon precursor over a substrate. In one example, the silicon precursor and nitric oxide are flowed over a substrate with the substrate being at a temperature in a range of approximately 600 to approximately 900 degrees Celsius. In one example, the silicon dioxide layer is formed on a layer including charge storage memory material.

Abstract: A blocking dielectric engineered, charge trapping memory cell includes a charge trapping element that is separated from a gate by a blocking dielectric comprising a buffer layer in contact with the charge trapping element, such as silicon dioxide which can be made with high-quality, and a second capping layer in contact with said one of the gate and the channel. The capping layer has a dielectric constant that is higher than that of the first layer, and preferably comprises a high-? material. The second layer also has a conduction band offset that is relatively high. A bandgap engineered tunneling layer between the channel and the charge trapping element is provided which, in combination with the multilayer blocking dielectric described herein, provides for high-speed erase operations by hole tunneling. In an alternative, a single layer tunneling layer is used.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a SONOS memory is disclosed. First, a semiconductor substrate is provided and a SONOS memory cell is formed on said semiconductor substrate. A passivation layer is deposited on the SONOS memory cell and a contact pad is formed on the passivation layer. Subsequently, an ultraviolet treatment is performed and an annealing process is conducted thereafter.

Abstract: Provided are a non-volatile memory device and a method of manufacturing the non-volatile memory device. The non-volatile memory device includes a charge trap layer having a crystalline material. In the method, a tunneling insulating layer is formed on a substrate, and a crystalline charge trap layer is formed on the tunneling insulating layer.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed, such as those involving forming a charge trap for, e.g., a memory device, which can include flash memory cells. A substrate is exposed to temporally-separated pulses of a titanium source material, a strontium source material, and an oxygen source material capable of forming an oxide with the titanium source material and the strontium source material to form the charge trapping layer on the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer and a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device are provided, which prevent peeling-off of films and pattern skipping in a wafer edge portion. A silicone substrate has formed thereon gate structures in active regions isolated by a trench isolation film; a contact interlayer film; and a multilayer interconnection structure formed by alternate laminations of low-k via interlayer films, i.e., V layers, and low-k interconnect interlayer films, i.e., M layers. In a Fine layer ranging from first to fifth interlayer films, the M layers are removed from the wafer edge portion, but the V layers are not removed therefrom. Further, the contact interlayer film is not removed from the wafer edge portion.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device may include: a tunnel insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; a charge storage layer on the tunnel insulating layer; a blocking insulating layer on the charge storage layer; and a control gate electrode on the blocking insulating layer. The tunnel insulating layer may include a first tunnel insulating layer and a second tunnel insulating layer. The first tunnel insulating layer and the second tunnel insulating layer may be sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate. The second tunnel insulating layer may have a larger band gap than the first tunnel insulating layer. A method for fabricating a nonvolatile memory device may include: forming a tunnel insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a charge storage layer on the tunnel insulating layer; forming a blocking insulating layer on the charge storage layer; and forming a control gate electrode on the blocking insulating layer.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor memory device using a layout scheme where a bottom conductive layer in a peripheral circuit region, which is simultaneously formed with a self-align contact, is connected to one electrode of a power decoupling capacitor. Predetermined capacitors selected among a plurality of capacitors are connected to each other in parallel by using a conductive layer that is simultaneously formed with the self-align contact in a cell array region. Herein, the conductive layer and the self-align contact may be made of the same material. It is possible to embody the decoupling capacitor of a single stage cell type by connecting the conductive layer to a top interconnection layer. In addition, other embodiments implement the decoupling capacitor in a two-stage cell type by connecting a plurality of decoupling capacitors in series by means of the conductive layer in the peripheral circuit region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first gate insulator, a first gate electrode, a second gate insulator, and a second gate electrode. Regarding the thickness of the second gate insulator, the thickness of the insulator, on a first edge of the first gate electrode in the word-line direction, and the thickness of the insulator, on a second edge of the first gate electrode in the word-line direction, are larger than, the thickness of the insulator, on the upper surface of the first gate electrode, the thickness of the insulator, on the first side of the first gate electrode in the word-line direction, and the thickness of the insulator, on the second side of the first gate electrode in the word-line direction.

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 semiconductor device includes an N-type MOS transistor and a P-type MOS transistor. The N-type MOS transistor has a first gate insulating film and a first gate electrode. The P-type MOS transistor has a second gate insulating film and a second gate electrode. The first gate insulating film and the second gate insulating film are made of silicon oxynitride, and the first gate insulating film and the second gate insulating film are different from each other in nitrogen concentration profile.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory is provided with memory cells including bit lines made of a diffusion layer formed in a semiconductor substrate, charge-trapping gate insulating films formed between the bit lines and word lines formed on the gate insulating films. An interlayer insulating film is formed over the memory cells and bit line contact plugs are formed in the interlayer insulating film to be connected to the bit lines. Further, a light blocking film is formed on at least part of the interlayer insulating film covering the memory cells and part of the light blocking film formed on the interlayer insulating film extends from the surface to the inside of the interlayer insulating film in the neighborhood of the bit line contact plugs.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and a method of fabricating the same is provided to prevent charges stored in a charge trap layer from moving to neighboring memory cells. The method of fabricating a nonvolatile memory device, includes forming a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate in which active regions are defined by isolation layers, forming a charge trap layer on the first dielectric layer, removing the first dielectric layer and the charge trap layer over the isolation layers, forming a second dielectric layer on the isolation layers including the charge trap layer, and forming a conductive layer on the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory is provided. A substrate having a number of trenches and a number of select gates is provided. The trenches are arranged in parallel and extend in a first direction. Each of the select gates is disposed on the substrate between two adjacent trenches respectively. A number of select gate dielectric layers are disposed between the select gates and the substrate. A number of composite layers are disposed over the surface of the trenches and each composite layer has a charge trapping layer. A number of word lines are arranged in parallel in a second direction, wherein each of the word lines fills the trenches between adjacent select gates and is disposed over the composite layers.

Abstract: Provided are a charge trap memory device and method of manufacturing the same. A charge trap memory device may include a tunnel insulating layer on a substrate, a charge trap layer on the tunnel insulating layer, and a blocking insulating layer formed of a material including Gd or a smaller lanthanide element on the charge trap layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of forming a metal oxide layer pattern on a substrate including providing a preliminary metal oxide layer on a substrate; etching the preliminary metal oxide layer to provide a preliminary metal oxide layer pattern, wherein the line width of the preliminary metal oxide layer pattern gradually increases in a vertically downward direction; and etching the preliminary metal oxide layer pattern to form a metal oxide layer pattern in a manner so as to decrease the line width of a lower portion of the preliminary metal oxide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is formed using a semiconductor substrate. A gate dielectric is formed over the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode layer is formed over the gate dielectric. A patterned masking layer is formed over the gate electrode layer. A first region of the gate electrode layer lies within an opening in the patterned masking layer. The first region of the gate electrode layer is partially etched to leave an elevated portion of the gate electrode layer and a lower portion adjacent to the elevated portion. A sidewall spacer is formed adjacent to the elevated portion and over the lower portion. An implant is performed into the semiconductor substrate using the elevated portion and the sidewall spacer as a mask. The sidewall spacer and the lower portion are removed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a flash memory is provided. The method includes forming a tunneling insulating film, a charge storage film, and a blocking insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; performing High Temperature (HT) anneal for the resultant semiconductor substrate; and performing Low Temperature (LT) wet vapor anneal for the resultant semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A memory system includes a substrate, forming a first insulator over the substrate, forming a charge trap layer, having a composition for setting a predetermined electrical charge level, over the first insulator, and forming a second insulator over the charge trap layer.

Abstract: Non-volatile memory devices include a tunnel insulating layer on a channel region of a substrate, a charge-trapping layer pattern on the tunnel insulating layer and a first blocking layer pattern on the charge-trapping layer pattern. Second blocking layer patterns are on the tunnel insulating layer proximate sidewalls of the charge-trapping layer pattern. The second blocking layer patterns are configured to limit lateral diffusion of electrons trapped in the charge-trapping layer pattern. A gate electrode is on the first blocking layer pattern. The second blocking layer patterns may prevent lateral diffusion of the electrons trapped in the charge-trapping layer pattern.

Abstract: A method includes forming at least a portion of a semiconductor device in a processing chamber containing oxygen and removing substantially all of the oxygen from the processing chamber. The method further includes forming remaining portions of the semiconductor device in the processing chamber without the presence of oxygen.

Abstract: Electronic apparatus and methods may include a hafnium tantalum oxynitride film on a substrate for use in a variety of electronic systems. The hafnium tantalum oxynitride film may be structured as one or more monolayers. The hafnium tantalum oxynitride film may be formed using atomic layer deposition. Metal electrodes may be disposed on a dielectric containing a hafnium tantalum oxynitride film.

Abstract: Electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus include a hafnium lanthanide oxynitride film on a substrate for use in a variety of electronic systems. The hafnium lanthanide oxynitride film may be structured as one or more monolayers. Metal electrodes may be disposed on a dielectric containing a hafnium lanthanide oxynitride film.

Abstract: A gate of a memory device may include a charge trapping structure having a tunnel oxide layer, a charge storing layer, and a blocking layer on a semiconductor substrate; a conductive pattern on the charge trapping structure, the conductive pattern including metal nitride; an ohmic film on the conductive pattern; and a gate electrode on the ohmic film.

Abstract: A method for integrating a metal-containing film in a semiconductor device, for example a gate stack. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate in a process chamber, depositing the tungsten-containing film on the substrate at a first substrate temperature by exposing the substrate to a deposition gas containing a tungsten carbonyl precursor, heat treating the tungsten-containing film at a second substrate temperature greater than the first substrate temperature to remove carbon monoxide gas from the tungsten-containing film, and forming a barrier layer on the heat treated tungsten-containing film. Examples of tungsten-containing films include W, WN, WSi, and WC. Additional embodiments include depositing metal-containing films containing Ni, Mo, Co, Rh, Re, Cr, or Ru from the corresponding metal carbonyl precursors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a substrate; a bottom electrode over the substrate wherein the bottom electrode is in or over a lowest metallization layer over the substrate; a blocking layer over the bottom electrode; a charge-trapping layer over the blocking layer; an insulation layer over the charge-trapping layer; a control gate over the insulation layer; a tunneling layer over the control gate; and a top electrode over the tunneling layer.

Abstract: In a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory device and a method of manufacturing the same, a SONOS memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating layer deposited on the semiconductor substrate, an active layer formed on a predetermined region of the insulating layer and divided into a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, a first side gate stack formed at a first side of the channel region, and a second side gate stack formed at a second side of the channel region opposite the first side of the channel region. In the SONOS memory device, at least two bits of data may be stored in each SONOS memory device, thereby allowing the integration density of the semiconductor memory device to be increased without increasing an area thereof.

Abstract: A transistor and method of manufacture thereof. A semiconductor workpiece is doped before depositing a gate dielectric material. Using a separate anneal process or during subsequent anneal processes used to manufacture the transistor, dopant species from the doped region of the workpiece are outdiffused into the gate dielectric, creating a doped gate dielectric. The dopant species fill vacancies in the atomic structure of the gate dielectric, resulting in a transistor having increased speed, reduced power consumption, and improved voltage stability.

Abstract: An NROM semiconductor memory device and fabrication method are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for fabricating an NROM semiconductor memory device can include providing a plurality of u-shaped MOSFETs, which are spaced apart from one another and have a multilayer dielectric. The dielectric suitable for charge trapping along rows in a first direction and alone columns in a second direction in trenches of a semiconductor substrate. Source/drain regions are provided between the u-shaped MOSFETs in interspaces between the rows which run parallel to the columns. Isolation trenches are provided in the source/drain regions between the u-shaped MOSFETs of adjacent columns as far as a particular depth in the semiconductor substrate. The isolation trenches are filled with an insulation material. Word lines are provided for connecting respective rows of u-shaped MOSFETs.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes the steps of providing a gate insulating film on an active region, depositing a first conductive film on the gate insulating film, processing the first conductive film, the gate insulating film, and the active region to provide an opening of which the bottom is located below the interface between the active region and the gate insulating film and then providing a gate electrode between the openings, depositing a first insulating film which covers the side and bottom surface of the opening, depositing a second insulating film over the first insulating film, shaping the first and second insulating films into a side wall spacer shape by etching to provide charge retention sections beside the gate electrode and providing diffusion areas at opposite sides of the gate electrode beneath the charge retention sections in the active region.

Abstract: A fabrication method for a non-volatile memory is provided. To fabricate the non-volatile memory, a plurality of first trenches and second trenches are formed in a substrate, wherein the second trenches are disposed above the first trenches and cross over the first trenches. Then, a tunneling layer and a charge storage layer are sequentially formed on both sidewalls of each second trench. An isolation layer is filled into the first trench. Furthermore, a charge barrier layer is formed on the sidewall of the second trench, and a gate dielectric layer is formed at the bottom of the second trench. A control gate layer is filled into the second trench. Finally, two first doping regions are formed in the substrate at both sides of the control gate layer.

Abstract: The present memory device includes first and second electrodes, an active layer; and a passive layer, the active and passive layers being between the first and second electrodes, with at least one of the active layer and passive layer being a doped a sol-gel.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a non-volatile memory is described. A plurality of first memory units having gaps between each other is formed over a substrate. Insulating spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the first memory units. A composite layer is formed on the substrate and the gaps between the first memory units are filled with a doped polysilicon layer. Thereafter, a portion of the doped polysilicon layer is removed to form trenches. After that, a metallic layer fills the trenches. A portion of the metallic layer is removed to form a plurality of gates. The gates and the composite layer together form a plurality of second memory units. The second memory units and the first memory units together constitute a memory cell column. Then, a source region and a drain region are formed in the substrate adjacent to the two sides of the memory cell column.

Abstract: For fabricating a memory device, spacers are formed to sides of word-line gates. In addition, aluminum oxide is formed as one of a liner layer or a cover layer to the spacers. The aluminum oxide has a chemical composition of Al2O3 for example. Such aluminum oxide may be used as an etch stop layer in a periphery region, a metal silicide block, and a hydrogen block for enhanced performance of the memory device.

Abstract: Silicon nanocrystals are applied as storage layer (6) and removed using spacer elements (11) laterally with respect to the gate electrode (5). By means of an implantation of dopant, source/drain regions (2) are fabricated in a self-aligned manner with respect to the storage layer (6). The portions of the storage layer (6) are interrupted by the gate electrode (5) and the gate dielectric (4), so that a central portion of the channel region (3) is not covered by the storage layer (6). This memory cell is suitable as a multi-bit flash memory cell in a virtual ground architecture.

Abstract: in methods of fabricating a non-volatile memory device having a local silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) gate structure, a semiconductor substrate having a cell transistor area, a high voltage transistor area, and a low voltage transistor area, is prepared. At least one memory storage pattern defining a cell gate insulating area on the semiconductor substrate within the cell transistor area is formed. An oxidation barrier layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate within the cell gate insulating area. A lower gate insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate within the high voltage transistor area. A conformal upper insulating layer is formed on the memory storage pattern, the oxidation barrier layer, and the lower gate insulating layer. A low voltage gate insulating layer having a thickness which is less than a combined thickness of the upper insulating layer and the lower gate insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate within the low voltage transistor area.

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: An array of transistors includes a plurality of transistors, a plurality of word lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of bit lines extending in a second direction. Each transistor includes a source, a drain, a channel and a localized charge storage dielectric. A first transistor of the plurality of transistors and a second transistor of the plurality of transistors share a common source/drain. A first localized charge storage dielectric of the first transistor does not overlap the common source/drain and a second localized charge storage dielectric of the second transistor overlaps the common source/drain.

Abstract: An improved semiconductor memory structure and methods for its fabrication are disclosed. The memory structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a dielectric region formed over a channel region. A doped region is formed between a top portion and a bottom portion of the dielectric region. This doped region includes a suitable electron affinity material. A gate electrode is connected with the top of the dielectric region. In some embodiments, suitable electron affinity materials are introduced into the doped region using implantation techniques. In another embodiment, the electron affinity material is introduced into the doped region using plasma treatment of the dielectric region and the redeposition of additional dielectric material on top of the dielectric region and doped region.