Abstract: A method of fabricating a memory device is provided that may begin with forming a layered gate stack overlying a semiconductor substrate and patterning a metal electrode layer stopping on the high-k gate dielectric layer of the layered gate stack to provide a first metal gate electrode and a second metal gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate. In a next process sequence, at least one spacer is formed on the first metal gate electrode overlying a portion of the high-k gate dielectric layer, wherein a remaining portion of the high-k gate dielectric is exposed. The remaining portion of the high-k gate dielectric layer is etched to provide a first high-k gate dielectric having a portion that extends beyond a sidewall of the first metal gate electrode and a second high-k gate dielectric having an edge that is aligned to a sidewall of the second metal gate electrode.

Abstract: In order to form a plurality of semiconductor elements over an insulating surface, in one continuous semiconductor layer, an element region serving as a semiconductor element and an element isolation region having a function to electrically isolate element regions from each other by repetition of PN junctions. The element isolation region is formed by selective addition of an impurity element of at least one or more kinds of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon and an impurity element that imparts an opposite conductivity type to that of the adjacent element region in order to electrically isolate elements from each other in one continuous semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit system includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming buried word lines in the semiconductor substrate with the buried word lines including vertical charge-trapping dielectric layers. The system further includes forming bit lines further comprising forming in-substrate portions in the semiconductor substrate, and forming above-substrate portions over the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A lamination pattern having a control gate electrode, a first insulation film thereover, and a second insulation film thereover is formed over a semiconductor substrate. A memory gate electrode is formed adjacent to the lamination pattern. A gate insulation film is formed between the control gate and the semiconductor substrate. A fourth insulation film, including a lamination film of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, and another silicon oxide film, is formed between the memory gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate and between the lamination pattern and the memory gate electrode. At the sidewall on the side of the lamination pattern adjacent to the memory gate electrode, the first insulation film is retreated from the control gate electrode and the second insulation film, and the upper end corner portion of the control gate electrode is rounded.

Abstract: A mask read-only memory (ROM) includes parallel doping lines of a second conductivity type formed in a substrate of a first conductivity type, a first insulation film formed on the doping lines and the substrate, conductive pads fainted on the first insulation film, a second insulation film formed on the first insulation film and the conductive pads, parallel wires formed on the second insulation film extending perpendicular to the doping lines, contact plugs formed in the first insulation film that connect the doping lines to the conductive pads, and vias formed in the second insulation film that connect the conductive pads to the wires, wherein crossings of the doping lines and the wires define memory cells, contact plugs and vias are formed in memory cells of a first type, and at least one of the contact plug and via are missing from memory cells of a second type.

Abstract: A method for generating three-dimensional (3D) non-volatile memory (NVM) arrays includes forming multiple parallel horizontally-disposed mono-crystalline silicon beams that are spaced apart and arranged in a vertical stack (e.g., such that an elongated horizontal air gap is defined between each adjacent beam in the stack), forming separate charge storage layers on each of the mono-crystalline silicon beams such that each charge storage layer includes a high-quality thermal oxide layer that entirely covers (i.e., is formed on the upper, lower and opposing side surfaces of) each of the mono-crystalline silicon beams, and then forming multiple vertically-disposed poly-crystalline silicon wordline structures next to the stack such that each wordline structure is connected to each of the bitline structures in the stack by way of corresponding portions of the separate charge storage layers. The memory cells are accessed during read/write operations by way of the corresponding wordline and bitline structures.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having, over a semiconductor substrate, a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode which are adjacent to each other and constitute a nonvolatile memory. The height of the memory gate electrode is lower than the height of the control gate electrode. A metal silicide film is formed over the upper surface of the control gate electrode, but not formed over the upper surface of the memory gate electrode. The memory gate electrode has, over the upper surface thereof, a sidewall insulating film made of silicon oxide. This sidewall insulating film is formed in the same step as that for the formation of respective sidewall insulating films over the sidewalls of the memory gate electrode and the control gate electrode. The present invention makes it possible to improve the production yield and performance of the semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: A vertical non-volatile memory device is structured/fabricated to include a substrate, groups of memory cell strings each having a plurality of memory transistors distributed vertically so that the memory throughout multiple layers on the substrate, integrated word lines coupled to sets of the memory transistors, respectively, and stacks of word select lines. The memory transistors of each set are those transistors, of one group of the memory cell strings, which are disposed in the same layer above the substrate. The word select lines are respectively connected to the integrated word lines.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory apparatus includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a variable resistance layer, a resistance value of the variable resistance layer reversibly varying between a plurality of resistance states based on an electric signal applied between the electrodes. The variable resistance layer includes at least a tantalum oxide, and is configured to satisfy 0 <x<2.5 when the tantalum oxide is represented by TaOx; and wherein when a resistance value between the electrodes is in the low-resistance state is RL, a resistance value between the electrodes is in the high-resistance state is RH, and a resistance value of a portion other than the variable resistance layer in a current path connecting a first terminal to a second terminal via the first electrode, the variable resistance layer and the second electrode, is R0, R0 satisfies RL <R0.

Abstract: A high voltage power semiconductor device includes high reliability-high voltage junction termination with a charge dissipation layer. An active device area is surrounded by a junction termination structure including one or more regions of a polarity opposite the substrate polarity. A tunneling oxide layer overlays the junction termination area surrounding the active device area in contact with the silicon substrate upper surface. A layer of undoped polysilicon overlays the tunneling oxide layer and spans the junction termination area, with connections to an outer edge of the junction termination structure and to a grounded electrode inside of the active area. The tunneling oxide layer has a thickness that permits hot carriers formed at substrate upper surface to pass through the tunneling oxide layer into the undoped polysilicon layer to be dissipated but sufficient to mitigate stacking faults at the silicon surface.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and a method of forming a nonvolatile memory device are provided. The nonvolatile memory device includes an active region of a semiconductor substrate defined by a device isolation layer, a tunnel insulating structure disposed on the active region, and a charge storage structure disposed on the tunnel insulating structure. The nonvolatile memory device also includes a gate interlayer dielectric layer disposed on the charge storage structure, and a control gate electrode disposed on the gate interlayer dielectric layer. The charge storage structure includes an upper charge storage structure and a lower charge storage structure, and the upper charge storage structure has a higher impurity concentration than the lower charge storage structure.

Abstract: A flash memory cell string and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The flash memory cell string includes a plurality of cell devices and switching devices connected to ends of the cell devices. Each of the cell devices includes a semiconductor substrate, a tunneling insulating layer, a charge storage node, a control insulating layer, and a control electrode which are sequentially laminated on the semiconductor substrate. In each cell device, a source/drain region is not formed. The switching device does not include a source or drain region in a side connected to the cell devices. The switching device includes a source or drain region in the other side that is not connected to the cell devices. The source or drain region does or does not overlap the control electrode. Accordingly, it is possible to improve a miniaturization property and performance of NAND flash memory cell devices.

Abstract: An integrated circuit formed of nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits is formed on a substrate. The nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits are separated by isolation regions formed of a shallow trench isolation. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are formed in a triple well structure. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are NAND-based NOR memory circuits formed of at least two floating gate transistors that are serially connected such that at least one of the floating gate transistors functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the charge retaining transistors when the charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading. Each column of the NAND-based NOR memory circuits are associated with and connected to one bit line and one source line.

Abstract: Monolithic three dimensional NAND strings and methods of making. The method includes both front side and back side processing. Using the combination of front side and back side processing, a NAND string can be formed that includes an air gap between the floating gates in the NAND string. The NAND string may be formed with a single vertical channel. Alternatively, the NAND string may have a U shape with two vertical channels connected with a horizontal channel.

Abstract: A memory string comprises: a first semiconductor layer including a columnar portion extending in a stacking direction on a substrate; a first charge storage layer surrounding the columnar portion; and a plurality of first conductive layers stacked on the substrate so as to surround the first charge storage layer. A select transistor comprises: a second semiconductor layer in contact with an upper surface of the columnar portion and extending in the stacking direction; a second charge storage layer surrounding the second semiconductor layer; and a second conductive layer deposited above the first conductive layer to surround the second charge storage layer. The second charge storage layer is formed from a layer downward of the second conductive layer to an upper end vicinity of the second conductive layer, and is not formed in a layer upward of the upper end vicinity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stacked body, a plurality of semiconductor pillars and a charge storage film. The stacked body is provided on the substrate, with a plurality of insulating films alternately stacked with a plurality of electrode films, and includes a hydrophobic layer provided between one of the insulating films and one of the electrode films. The hydrophobic layer has higher hydrophobicity than the electrode films. The plurality of semiconductor pillars extend in a stacking direction of the stacked body and pierce the stacked body, and the charge storage film is provided between the electrode films and one of the semiconductor pillars.

Abstract: A method of growing an epitaxial silicon layer is provided. The method comprising providing a substrate including an oxygen-terminated silicon surface and forming a first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the oxygen-terminated silicon surface. Additionally, the method includes forming a second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface through atomic-layer deposition (ALD) epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. The second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface is capable of being added one or more layer of silicon through ALD epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. In one embodiment, the method is applied for making devices with thin-film transistor (TFT) floating gate memory cell structures which is capable for three-dimensional integration.

Abstract: A memory device includes a group of memory cells formed on a substrate, each memory cell including a source region and a drain region formed in the substrate. The memory device also includes a protection layer formed on top surfaces of the source regions and the drain regions, and on side surfaces of the group of memory cells.

Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells and peripheral devices. At least some of the individual memory cells include carbonated portions that contain SiC. At least some of the peripheral devices do not include any carbonated portions. A transistor includes a first source/drain, a second source/drain, a channel including a carbonated portion of a semiconductive substrate that contains SiC between the first and second sources/drains and a gate operationally associated with opposing sides of the channel.

Abstract: Over the top of a semiconductor substrate, a lamination pattern having a control gate electrode, a first insulation film thereover, and a second insulation film thereover is formed. Over the top of the semiconductor substrate, a memory gate electrode adjacent to the lamination pattern is formed. Between the control gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, a third insulation film for gate insulation film is formed. Between the memory gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, and between the lamination pattern and the memory gate electrode, a fourth insulation film including a lamination film of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, and another silicon oxide film is formed. At the sidewall on the side of the lamination pattern adjacent to the memory gate electrode, the first insulation film is retreated from the control gate electrode and the second insulation film, and the upper end corner portion of the control gate electrode is rounded.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a first gate formed on a first region of a surface of the substrate, a second gate formed on a second region of the surface of the substrate, a charge storage layer filled between the first gate and the second gate, a first diffusion region formed on a first side of the charge storage layer, and a second diffusion region formed opposite the charge storage layer from the first diffusion region. The first region and the second region are separated by a distance sufficient for forming a self-aligning charge storage layer therebetween.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The method can comprise forming a tunnel insulating film on a substrate, forming a charge storage layer including a conductor on the tunnel insulating film, forming an isolation trench which isolate the charge storage layer and the tunnel insulating film in the substrate, embedding an isolation insulating film in the isolation trench, removing a native oxide film which is formed on a surface of the charge storage layer, and forming an insulating film on a surface of the isolation insulating film and the surface of the charge storage layer. The process from the removing the native oxide film to the forming the insulating film carried out in a manufacture apparatus in which an oxygen concentration is controlled.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; a gate insulating film; first trenches in a cell array region; first embedded insulating films in the first trenches; second trenches in a peripheral circuit region; second embedded insulating films in the second trenches; a third trench in an isolation region; a third embedded insulating film in the third trench; gate structures; and inter-gate insulating films between the gate structures covering the first, second and third embedded insulating films. An upper surface of the third embedded insulating film covered with the inter-gate insulating film is substantially flat. Upper surfaces of the first, second, and third embedded insulating films are higher than an upper surface of the gate insulating film. The upper surfaces of the first and third embedded insulating films are lower than the upper surfaces of the second embedded insulating films.

Abstract: A gate pattern is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate, a lower conductive pattern, an upper conductive pattern, and a sidewall conductive pattern. The lower conductive pattern is on the substrate. The insulating pattern is on the lower conductive pattern. The upper conductive pattern is on the insulating pattern opposite to the lower conductive pattern. The sidewall conductive pattern is on at least a portion of sidewalls of the upper conductive pattern and the lower conductive pattern. The sidewall conductive pattern electrically connects the upper conductive pattern and the lower conductive pattern. An upper edge portion of the lower conductive pattern may be recessed relative to a lower edge portion of the lower conductive pattern to define a ledge thereon. The sidewall conductive pattern may be directly on the ledge and sidewall of the recessed upper edge portion of the lower conductive pattern.

Abstract: Structures and techniques are disclosed for reducing bit line to bit line capacitance in a non-volatile storage system. The bit lines are formed at a 4ƒpitch in each of two separate metal layers, and arranged to alternate between each of the layers. In an alternative embodiment, shields are formed between each of the bit lines on each metal layer.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a p-type semiconductor substrate; a p-type first p well which is formed in the semiconductor substrate and in which a bit line connecting transistor configured to connect a bit line of a memory cell and a sense amplifier unit is formed; and an n-type first N well which surrounds the first P well and which is configured to electrically isolate the first P well from the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a first gate oxide layer overlying a first device region and a second device region in the substrate, a first gate in the first device region, and a second gate and a third gate in the second device region. The device also has a first dielectric layer with a first portion disposed on the first gate, a second portion disposed adjacent a sidewall of the first gate, and a third portion disposed over the third gate. An inter-gate oxide layer is disposed on the first gate and between the first portion and the second portion of the first dielectric layer. A fourth gate overlies the second gate oxide layer, the inter-gate oxide layer, and the first portion and the second portion of the first dielectric layer in the first device region. A fifth gate overlies the third portion of the first dielectric layer which is disposed over the third gate in the second device region.

Abstract: There is provided a non-volatile semiconductor memory having a charge accumulation layer of a configuration where a metal oxide with a dielectric constant sufficiently higher than a silicon nitride, e.g., a Ti oxide, a Zr oxide, or a Hf oxide, is used as a base material and an appropriate amount of a high-valence substance whose valence is increased two levels or more (a VI-valence) is added to produce a trap level that enables entrance and exit of electrons with respect to the base material.

Abstract: A memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, memory elements formed above the substrate in rows and columns, bit lines and word lines selectively connected with the memory elements in the respective columns and rows, each memory element including, a first gate insulator formed above the substrate, a charge accumulation layer formed on the first gate insulator, a second gate insulator formed on the charge accumulation layer, and a control electrode formed on the second gate insulator, wherein a ratio r/d is not smaller than 0.5, where r: a radius of curvature of an upper corner portion or surface roughness of the charge accumulation layer and d: an equivalent oxide thickness of the second gate insulator in a cross section along a direction vertical to the bit lines.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes first and second memory cells having a floating gate and a control gate. The floating gate of the first and second memory cells is comprised a first part, and a second part arranged on the first part, and a width of the second part in an extending direction of the control gate is narrower than that of the first part. A first space between the first parts of the first and second memory cells is filled with one kind of an insulator. The control gate is arranged at a second space between the second parts of the first and second memory cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-performance MONOS-type NAND-type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device using an aluminum oxide film as a part of gate insulating film in a select transistor and as a block insulating film in a memory transistor. The NAND-type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device has, on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of memory cell transistors connected to each other in series and a select transistor. The memory cell transistor includes a first insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a charge trapping layer, a second insulating film made of aluminum oxide, a first control gate electrode, and a first source/drain region. The select transistor includes a third insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a fourth insulating film made of an aluminum oxide containing at least one of a tetravalent cationic element, a pentavalent cationic element, and N (nitrogen), a second control gate electrode, and a second source/drain region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes multiple logic circuit cells having respective logic circuits formed therein and multiple interconnects connected to the corresponding logic circuit cells. At least one of the interconnects has an opening formed therein so as to have an opening ratio different from one or more of the opening ratios of the remaining interconnects.

Abstract: An electronic device can include a gate electrode having different portions with different conductivity types. In an embodiment, a process of forming the electronic device can include forming a semiconductor layer over a substrate, wherein the semiconductor layer has a particular conductivity type. The process can also include selectively doping a region of the semiconductor layer to form a first doped region having an opposite conductivity type. The process can further include patterning the semiconductor layer to form a gate electrode that includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion includes a portion of the first doped region, and the second region includes a portion of the semiconductor layer outside of the first doped region. In a particular embodiment, the electronic device can have a gate electrode having edge portions of one conductivity type and a central portion having an opposite conductivity type.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of floating gate electrodes respectively formed above a semiconductor substrate with first insulating films disposed therebetween, and a control gate electrode formed above the plurality of floating gate electrodes with a second insulating film disposed therebetween. In each of the plurality of floating gate electrodes is formed to have a width of an upper portion thereof in a channel width direction which is smaller than a width of a lower portion thereof in the channel width direction and one of contact surfaces thereof on at least opposed sides which contact the second insulating film is formed to have one surface, and the second insulating film has a maximum film thickness in a vertical direction, the maximum film thickness being set smaller than a distance from a lowest surface to a highest surface of the second insulating film in the vertical direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes sheet-like memory strings arranged in a matrix shape substantially perpendicularly to a substrate. A control gate electrode film includes a common connecting section that extends in a first direction and an electrode forming section that is provided for each of memory cells above or below a floating gate electrode film via an inter-electrode dielectric film to project from the common connecting section in a second direction. The floating gate electrode film extends in the second direction and is formed on a first principal plane of a sheet-like semiconductor film via a tunnel dielectric film.

Abstract: A two transistor NOR flash memory cell has symmetrical source and drain structure manufactured by a NAND-based manufacturing process. The flash cell comprises a storage transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor and an access transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor, a poly1 NMOS transistor with poly1 and poly2 being shorted or a single-poly poly1 or poly2 NMOS transistor. The flash cell is programmed and erased by using a Fowler-Nordheim channel tunneling scheme. A NAND-based flash memory device includes an array of the flash cells arranged with parallel bit lines and source lines that are perpendicular to word lines. Write-row-decoder and read-row-decoder are designed for the flash memory device to provide appropriate voltages for the flash memory array in pre-program with verify, erase with verify, program and read operations in the unit of page, block, sector or chip.

Abstract: A semiconductor-on-insulator structure includes a buried dielectric layer interposed between a base semiconductor substrate and a surface semiconductor layer. The buried dielectric layer comprises an oxide material that includes a nitrogen gradient that peaks at the interface of the buried dielectric layer with at least one of the base semiconductor substrate and surface semiconductor layer. The interface of the buried dielectric layer with the at least one of the base semiconductor substrate and surface semiconductor layer is abrupt, providing a transition in less than about 5 atomic layer thickness, and having less than about 10 angstroms RMS interfacial roughness. A second dielectric layer comprising an oxide dielectric material absent nitrogen may be located interposed between the buried dielectric layer and the surface semiconductor layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, conductive members, an interlayer insulating film, and a plurality of contacts. The conductive members are provided in an upper portion of the substrate or above the substrate to extend in one direction. The interlayer insulating film is provided on the substrate and the conductive members. The plurality of contacts is provided in the interlayer insulating film. In a first region on the substrate, the contacts are located at some of lattice points of an imaginary first lattice. In a second region on the substrate, the contacts are located at some of lattice points of an imaginary second lattice. The second lattice is different from the first lattice. Each of the first lattice and the second lattice includes some of the lattice points located on the conductive members or on an extension region extended in the one direction of the conductive members.

Abstract: A transistor is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and thereafter a first insulating film is formed. Subsequently, a ferroelectric capacitor is formed on the first insulating film, and then a second insulating film is formed on the ferroelectric capacitor. Thereafter, the upper surface of the second insulating film is planarized. Subsequently, a contact hole which reaches one of impurity regions of the transistor is formed, and thus a plug is formed by embedding a conductor in the contact hole. Thereafter, a hydrogen barrier layer is formed of aluminum oxide or the like. Then, a third insulating film is formed on the hydrogen barrier layer. Subsequently, contact holes which are connected to the ferroelectric capacitor and the plug are formed. Thereafter, a conductor is embedded in the contact holes, and thus interconnections are formed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first region including a first well which is formed in substrate, a second well which is formed in substrate and on first well, and a memory cell which is formed on second well, and a second region including a third well which is formed in substrate, and a first transistor which is formed on third well. The device includes a third region including a second transistor which is formed on semiconductor substrate, and a fourth region including a fourth well which is formed in semiconductor substrate, a fifth well which is formed in substrate and on fourth well, and a third transistor which is formed on fifth well. Bottoms of first well and fourth well are lower than a bottom of third well, and bottom of third well is lower than bottoms of second well and fifth well.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having, over a semiconductor substrate, a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode which are adjacent to each other and constitute a nonvolatile memory. The height of the memory gate electrode is lower than the height of the control gate electrode. A metal silicide film is formed over the upper surface of the control gate electrode, but not formed over the upper surface of the memory gate electrode. The memory gate electrode has, over the upper surface thereof, a sidewall insulating film made of silicon oxide. This sidewall insulating film is formed in the same step as that for the formation of respective sidewall insulating films over the sidewalls of the memory gate electrode and the control gate electrode. The present invention makes it possible to improve the production yield and performance of the semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment, includes a dielectric film and an Si semiconductor part. The dielectric film is formed by using one of oxide, nitride and oxynitride. The Si semiconductor part is arranged below the dielectric film, having at least one element of sulfur (S), selenium (Se), and tellurium (Te) present in an interface with the dielectric film, and formed by using silicon (Si).

Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, a non-volatile anti-fuse memory cell is disclosed. The memory cell consists of a programmable n-channel diode-connectable transistor. The poly-silicon gate of the transistor has two portions. One portion is doped more highly than a second portion. The transistor also has a source with two portions where one portion of the source is doped more highly than a second portion. The portion of the gate that is physically closer to the source is more lightly doped than the other portion of the poly-silicon gate. The portion of the source that is physically closer to the lightly doped portion of the poly-silicone gate is lightly doped with respect to the other portion of the source. When the transistor is programmed, a rupture in the insulator will most likely occur in the portion of the poly-silicone gate that is heavily doped.

Abstract: A method of lithography patterning includes forming a first material layer on a substrate; forming a first patterned resist layer including at least one opening therein on the first material layer; forming a second material layer on the first patterned resist layer and the first material layer; forming a second patterned resist layer including at least one opening therein on the second material layer; and etching the first and second material layers uncovered by the first and second patterned resist layers.

Abstract: A memory device includes gate lines and select lines formed over a substrate, and at least two dummy lines formed in a gap region between adjacent select lines. The memory device is able to reduce a width of the select line by enhancing uniformity of the line pattern density. Therefore, a degree of integration of the memory device is enhanced and the cost of production is reduced. Furthermore, by forming a source line in a gap region between adjacent dummy lines, it is possible to secure a process margin of photolithography for forming a contact hole and to reduce contact resistance.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of element-separating insulators, and contacts. The plurality of element-separating insulators are formed in an upper layer portion of the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of element-separating insulators partition the upper layer portion into a plurality of active areas extending in a first direction. The contacts are connected to the active areas. A recess is made in a part in the first direction of an upper surface of each of the active areas. The recess is made across the entire active area in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Positions in the first direction of two of the contacts connected respectively to mutually-adjacent active areas are different from each other. One of the contacts is in contact with a side surface of the recess and not in contact with a bottom surface of the recess.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a substrate; a stacked body with a plurality of dielectric films and electrode films alternately stacked therein, the stacked body being provided on the substrate and having a step in its end portion for each of the electrode films; an interlayer dielectric film burying the end portion of the stacked body; a plurality of semiconductor pillars extending in the stacking direction of the stacked body and penetrating through a center portion of the stacked body; a charge storage layer provided between one of the electrode films and one of the semiconductor pillars; and a plug buried in the interlayer dielectric film and connected to a portion of each of the electrode films constituting the step, a portion of each of the dielectric films in the center portion having a larger thickness than a portion of each of the dielectric films in the end portion.

Abstract: A memory string comprises: a pair of columnar portions; a first insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the columnar portions; a charge storage layer surrounding a side surface of the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the charge storage layer; and a first conductive layer surrounding a side surface of the second insulating layer. A select transistor comprises: a second semiconductor layer extending from an upper surface of the columnar portions; a third insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the second semiconductor layer; a fourth insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the third insulating layer; and a second conductive layer surrounding a side surface of the fourth insulating layer. The first semiconductor layer is formed continuously in an integrated manner with the second semiconductor layer. The first insulating layer is formed continuously in an integrated manner with the third insulating layer.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a semiconductor member; a memory film provided on a surface of the semiconductor member and being capable of storing charge; and a plurality of control gate electrodes provided on the memory film, spaced from each other, and arranged along a direction parallel to the surface. Average dielectric constant of a material interposed between one of the control gate electrodes and a portion of the semiconductor member located immediately below the control gate electrode adjacent to the one control gate electrode is lower than average dielectric constant of a material interposed between the one control gate electrode and a portion of the semiconductor member located immediately below the one control gate electrode.

Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device. The device includes: a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells. Each of the nonvolatile memory cells includes: a first semiconductor layer including a first source region, a first drain region, and a first channel region; a block insulating film formed on the first channel region; a charge storage layer formed on the block insulating film; a tunnel insulating film formed on the charge storage layer; a second semiconductor layer formed on the tunnel insulating film and including a second source region, a second drain region, and a second channel region. The second channel region is formed on the tunnel insulating film such that the tunnel insulating film is located between the second source region and the second drain region. A dopant impurity concentration of the first channel region is higher than that of the second channel region.