Oxidizing Sidewall Of Gate Electrode Patents (Class 438/265)
  • Patent number: 10068912
    Abstract: A memory apparatus that has at least two non-volatile memory (NVM) cells disposed side by side overlying a substrate and an isolation structure disposed between the first and second NVM cells in the substrate. The first and second NVM cells share a common charge trapping layer that includes a continuous structure, and the portion of the common charge trapping layer that is disposed directly above the isolation structure includes a higher oxygen and/or nitrogen concentration than the portions of the common charge trapping layer that are disposed within the first and second NVM cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Pawan Kishore Singh, Shivananda Shetty, James Pak
  • Patent number: 9985042
    Abstract: A method of forming a memory device with memory cells over a planar substrate surface and FinFET logic devices over fin shaped substrate surface portions, including forming a protective layer over previously formed floating gates, erase gates, word line poly and source regions in a memory cell portion of the substrate, then forming fins into the surface of the substrate and forming logic gates along the fins in a logic portion of the substrate, then removing the protective layer and completing formation of word line gates from the word line poly and drain regions in the memory cell portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien-Sheng Su, Jeng-Wei Yang, Man-Tang Wu, Chun-Ming Chen, Hieu Van Tran, Nhan Do
  • Patent number: 9306039
    Abstract: A memory device, and method of make same, having a substrate of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, first and second spaced-apart regions in the substrate of a second conductivity type, with a channel region in the substrate therebetween, a conductive floating gate over and insulated from the substrate, wherein the floating gate is disposed at least partially over the first region and a first portion of the channel region, a conductive second gate laterally adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate, wherein the second gate is disposed at least partially over and insulated from a second portion of the channel region, and a stressor region of embedded silicon carbide formed in the substrate underneath the second gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mandana Tadayoni, Nhan Do
  • Patent number: 9287386
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for forming nanowire structures with desired materials for three dimensional (3D) stacking of fin field effect transistor (FinFET) for semiconductor chips. In one embodiment, a method of forming nanowire structures on a substrate includes forming a multi-material layer on a substrate, wherein the multi-material layer includes repeating pairs of a first layer and a second layer, the substrate further comprising a patterned hardmask layer disposed on the multi-material layer, etching the multi-material layer through openings defined by the patterned hardmask layer to expose sidewalls of the first and the second layer of the multi-material layer, and laterally and selectively etching the second layer from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ying Zhang, Hua Chung
  • Patent number: 9236497
    Abstract: The method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. A doped semiconductor layer is formed over the substrate. The doped semiconductor layer is patterned to form a plurality of doped semiconductor patterns. An implantation process is performed to implant a dopant into the doped semiconductor patterns. A process temperature of the implantation process is no more than about ?50° C. The dopants of the implantation process and the doped semiconductor patterns have the same conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeng-Hwa Liao, Jung-Yu Shieh, Ling-Wuu Yang
  • Patent number: 8921136
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of forming a self-aligned contact and related apparatus. In some embodiments, the method forms a plurality of gate lines interspersed between a plurality of dielectric lines, wherein the gate lines and the dielectric lines extend in a first direction over an active area. One or more of the plurality of gate lines are into a plurality of gate line sections aligned in the first direction. One or more of the plurality of dielectric lines are cut into a plurality of dielectric lines sections aligned in the first direction. A dummy isolation material is deposited between adjacent dielectric sections in the first direction and between adjacent gate line sections in the first direction. One or more self-aligned metal contacts are then formed by replacing a part of one or more of the plurality of dielectric lines over the active area with a contact metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Neng-Kuo Chen, Shao-Ming Yu, Gin-Chen Huang, Chia-Jung Hsu, Sey-Ping Sun, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Patent number: 8871645
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices suitable for narrow pitch applications and methods of fabrication thereof are described herein. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device may include a floating gate having a first width proximate a base of the floating gate that is greater than a second width proximate a top of the floating gate. In some embodiments, a method of shaping a material layer may include (a) oxidizing a surface of a material layer to form an oxide layer at an initial rate; (b) terminating formation of the oxide layer when the oxidation rate is about 90% or below of the initial rate; (c) removing at least some of the oxide layer by an etching process; and (d) repeating (a) through (c) until the material layer is formed to a desired shape. In some embodiments, the material layer may be a floating gate of a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Udayan Ganguly, Yoshita Yokota, Jing Tang, Sunderraj Thirupapuliyur, Christopher Sean Olsen, Shiyu Sun, Tze Wing Poon, Wei Liu, Johanes Swenberg, Vicky U. Nguyen, Swaminathan Srinivasan, Jacob Newman
  • Patent number: 8865546
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a flash memory cell provided with a floating gate, an intermediate insulating film, and a control gate, forming first and second impurity diffusion regions, thermally oxidizing surfaces of a silicon substrate and the floating gate, etching a tunnel insulating film in a partial region through a window of a resist pattern; forming a metal silicide layer on the first impurity diffusion region in the partial region, forming an interlayer insulating film covering the flash memory cell, and forming, in a first hole of the interlayer insulating film, a conductive plug connected to the metal silicide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Tetsuya Yamada
  • Patent number: 8748967
    Abstract: An aspect of the present embodiment, there is provided a semiconductor device, including a semiconductor substrate, a first insulator above the semiconductor substrate, the first insulator containing tungsten, germanium and silicon, a charge storage film on the first insulator, a second insulator on the charge storage film and, a control gate electrode on the second insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenichiro Toratani, Masayuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8710549
    Abstract: A SOI MOS device for eliminating floating body effects and self-heating effects are disclosed. The device includes a connective layer coupling the active gate channel to the Si substrate. The connective layer provides electrical and thermal passages during device operation, which could eliminate floating body effects and self-heating effects. An example of a MOS device having a SiGe connector between a Si active channel and a Si substrate is disclosed in detail and a manufacturing process is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Science
    Inventors: Xiaolu Huang, Jing Chen, Xi Wang, Deyuan Xiao
  • Patent number: 8669609
    Abstract: A first dielectric is formed over a semiconductor layer, a first gate layer over the first dielectric, a second dielectric over the first gate layer, and a third dielectric over the second dielectric. An etch is performed to form a first sidewall of the first gate layer. A second etch is performed to remove portions of the first dielectric between the semiconductor layer and the first gate layer to expose a bottom corner of the first gate layer and to remove portions of the second dielectric between the first gate layer and the third dielectric layer to expose a top corner of the first gate layer. An oxide is grown on the first sidewall and around the top and bottom corners to round the corners. The oxide is then removed. A charge storage layer and second gate layer is formed over the third dielectric layer and overlapping the first sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Sung-Taeg Kang
  • Patent number: 8659069
    Abstract: A method of forming a gate structure includes forming a tunnel insulation layer pattern on a substrate, forming a floating gate on the tunnel insulation layer pattern, forming a dielectric layer pattern on the floating gate, the dielectric layer pattern including a first oxide layer pattern, a nitride layer pattern on the first oxide layer pattern, and a second oxide layer pattern on the nitride layer pattern, the second oxide layer pattern being formed by performing an anisotropic plasma oxidation process on the nitride layer, such that a first portion of the second oxide layer pattern on a top surface of the floating gate has a larger thickness than a second portion of the second oxide layer pattern on a sidewall of the floating gate, and forming a control gate on the second oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Hwan Kim, Sung-Ho Heo, Jae-Ho Choi, Hun-Hyeong Lim, Ki-Hyun Hwang, Woo-Sung Lee
  • Patent number: 8652902
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for manufacturing a floating gate memory device and the floating gate memory device thus obtained. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes providing a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, forming at least two trenches in the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, and, as a result of forming the at least two trenches, forming at least one elevated structure. The method further includes forming isolation regions at a bottom of the at least two trenches by partially filling the at least two trenches, thermally oxidizing sidewall surfaces of at least a top portion of the at least one elevated structure, thereby providing a gate dielectric layer on at least the exposed sidewall surfaces; and forming a conductive layer over the at least one elevated structure, the gate dielectric layer, and the isolation regions to form at least one floating gate semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Pieter Blomme, Antonino Cacciato, Gouri Sankar Kar
  • Patent number: 8569868
    Abstract: A structure for a semiconductor device is disclosed. The structure includes a first feature and a second feature. The first feature and the second feature are formed simultaneously in a single etch process from a same monolithic substrate layer and are integrally and continuously connected to each other. The first feature has a width dimension of less than a minimum feature size achievable by lithography and the second feature has a width dimension of at least equal to a minimum feature size achievable by lithography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Steven J. Holmes, Xuefeng Hua, Ying Zhang
  • Patent number: 8557659
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to spacer structures of a semiconductor device. An exemplary structure for a semiconductor device comprises a substrate having a first active region and a second active region; a plurality of first gate electrodes having a gate pitch over the first active region, wherein each first gate electrode has a first width; a plurality of first spacers adjoining the plurality of first gate electrodes, wherein each first spacer has a third width; a plurality of second gate electrodes having the same gate pitch as the plurality of first gate electrodes over the second active region, wherein each second gate electrode has a second width greater than the first width; and a plurality of second spacers adjoining the plurality of second gate electrodes, wherein each second spacer has a fourth width less than the third width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Lee-Wee Teo, Ming Zhu, Hui-Wen Lin, Bao-Ru Young, Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang
  • Patent number: 8466023
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same include a semiconductor substrate, a high-k dielectric pattern and a metal-containing pattern sequentially being stacked on the semiconductor substrate, a gate pattern including poly semiconductor and disposed on the metal-containing pattern, and a protective layer disposed on the gate pattern, wherein the protective layer includes oxide, nitride and/or oxynitride of the poly semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chongkwang Chang, Youngjoon Moon, Duck-nam Kim, Yeong-Jong Jeong
  • Patent number: 8377774
    Abstract: A split gate-type non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a floating gate having an acute-angled portion between a side surface and an upper surface above a semiconductor substrate; a control gate provided apart from the floating gate to oppose to the acute-angled portion; and an insulating portion provided on the floating gate. A side surface of the insulating portion on a side of the control gate is inclined to a direction apart from the control gate with respect to a vertical line to the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Takaaki Nagai
  • Patent number: 8368138
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. The semiconductor devices include a tunnel insulation layer on a substrate, a floating gate on the tunnel insulation layer, a gate insulation layer on the floating gate, a low-dielectric constant (low-k) region between the top of the floating gate and the gate insulation layer, the low-k region having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide, and a control gate on the gate insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Lack Choi, Sunghoi Hur, Jaeduk Lee, Jungdal Choi
  • Patent number: 8361869
    Abstract: The present application discloses a method for manufacturing a gate-all-around field effect transistor, comprising the steps of: forming a suspended fin in a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate stack around the fin; and forming source/drain regions in the fin on both sides of the gate stack, wherein an isolation dielectric layer is formed in a portion of the semiconductor substrate which is adjacent to bottom of both the fin and the gate stack. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a gate-all-around device on a bulk silicon substrate, which suppress a self-heating effect and a floating-body effect of the SOI substrate, and lower a manufacture cost. The inventive method is a conventional top-down process with respect to a reference plane, which can be implemented as a simple manufacture process, and is easy to be integrated into and compatible with a planar CMOS process. The inventive method suppresses a short channel effect and promotes miniaturization of MOSFETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Huajie Zhou, Yi Song, Qiuxia Xu
  • Patent number: 8288225
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory array includes floating gates that have an inverted-T shape in cross section along a plane that is perpendicular to the direction along which floating cells are connected together to form a string. Adjacent strings are isolated by shallow trench isolation structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Chien, George Matamis, Tuan Pham, Masaaki Higashitani, Hidetaka Horiuchi, Jeffrey W. Lutze, Nima Mokhlesi, Yupin Kawing Fong
  • Patent number: 8263459
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a non-volatile memory comprising at least one array of memory cells on a substrate of a semiconductor material, the memory cells being self-aligned to and separated from each other by STI structures, the memory cells comprising a floating gate having an inverted-T shape in a cross section along the array of memory cells, wherein the inverted T shape is formed by oxidizing an upper part of the sidewalls of the floating gates thereby forming sacrificial oxide, and subsequently removing the sacrificial oxide simultaneously with further etching back the STI structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventor: Pieter Blomme
  • Patent number: 8263463
    Abstract: A split gate nonvolatile memory cell on a semiconductor layer is made by forming a gate dielectric over the semiconductor layer. A first layer of gate material is deposited over the gate dielectric. The first layer of gate material is etched to remove a portion of the first layer of gate material over a first portion of the semiconductor layer and to leave a select gate portion having a sidewall adjacent to the first portion. A treatment is applied over the semiconductor layer to reduce a relative oxide growth rate of the sidewall to the first portion. Oxide is grown on the sidewall to form a first oxide on the sidewall and on the first portion to form a second oxide on the first portion after the applying the treatment. A charge storage layer is formed over the first oxide and along the second oxide. A control gate is formed over the second oxide and adjacent to the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Sung-Taeg Kang, Brian A. Winstead
  • Publication number: 20120217573
    Abstract: A first dielectric is formed over a semiconductor layer, a first gate layer over the first dielectric, a second dielectric over the first gate layer, and a third dielectric over the second dielectric. An etch is performed to form a first sidewall of the first gate layer. A second etch is performed to remove portions of the first dielectric between the semiconductor layer and the first gate layer to expose a bottom corner of the first gate layer and to remove portions of the second dielectric between the first gate layer and the third dielectric layer to expose a top corner of the first gate layer. An oxide is grown on the first sidewall and around the top and bottom corners to round the corners. The oxide is then removed. A charge storage layer and second gate layer is formed over the third dielectric layer and overlapping the first sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventor: SUNG-TAEG KANG
  • Patent number: 8247857
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshio Ozawa, Fumiki Aiso
  • Patent number: 8163609
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device using a semiconductor substrate includes forming a first insulating layer having a first band energy over the semiconductor substrate. A first semiconductor layer having a second band energy is formed on the first insulating layer. The first semiconductor layer is annealed to form a plurality of first charge retainer globules from the first semiconductor layer. A first protective film is formed over each charge retainer globule of the plurality of first charge retainer globules. A second semiconductor layer is formed having a third band energy over the plurality of first charge retainer globules. The second semiconductor layer is annealed to form a plurality of storage globules from the second semiconductor layer over the plurality of first charge retainer globules. A magnitude of the second band energy is between a magnitude of the first band energy and a magnitude of the third band energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheong Min Hong, Sung-Taeg Kang
  • Patent number: 8138045
    Abstract: A method of forming sidewall spacers for a gate in a semiconductor device includes depositing a gate oxide layer over a gate and source/drain regions, and using a thermal anneal to oxidize silicon of the substrate and silicon of the gate after formation of the deposited oxide layer. A sidewall layer is deposited over the oxide layer following the oxidation, and the sidewall layer and oxide layer are patterned to form the sidewall spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mahalingam Nandakumar, Said Ghneim, Frank Scott Johnson
  • Patent number: 8124961
    Abstract: A single electron transistor includes source/drain layers disposed apart on a substrate, at least one nanowire channel connecting the source/drain layers, a plurality of oxide channel areas in the nanowire channel, the oxide channel areas insulating at least one portion of the nanowire channel, a quantum dot in the portion of the nanowire channel insulated by the plurality of oxide channel areas, and a gate electrode surrounding the quantum dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Dae Suk, Kyoung-Hwan Yeo, Ming Li, Yun-Young Yeoh
  • Patent number: 8124478
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a flash memory device includes forming a control gate having a hollow donut shape over an insulation layer formed over a substrate. The method also includes forming an inter-poly dielectric of a spacer shape on an inner wall of the control gate, filling a conductive layer for a floating gate between the spacer shaped inter-poly dielectrics, and forming an interlayer insulation layer over a resulting product formed with the conductive layer for a floating gate. The method further includes removing a center portion of the conductive layer for a floating gate to form an opening, forming a tunnel insulation layer on an inner face of the opening, and filling with a semiconductor layer the opening formed with the tunnel insulation layer to form an active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Woo Park, Sung Yoon Cho
  • Patent number: 8114729
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit and integrated circuits therefrom includes the steps of providing a substrate having a semiconductor surface, forming a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor surface and a polysilicon including layer on the gate dielectric. A portion of the polysilicon layer is masked, and pre-gate etch implant of a first dopant type into an unmasked portion of the polysilicon layer is performed, wherein masked portions of the polysilicon layer are protected from the first dopant. The polysilicon layer is patterned to form a plurality of polysilicon gates and a plurality of polysilicon lines, wherein the masked portion includes at least one of the polysilicon lines which couple a polysilicon gate of a PMOS device to a polysilicon gate of an NMOS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Shashank Ekbote, Kamel Benaissa, Greg C. Baldwin, Borna Obradovic
  • Patent number: 8114741
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure and a method of forming the same are provided. The method includes providing a surface; performing an ionized oxygen treatment to the surface; forming an initial layer comprising silicon oxide using first process gases comprising a first oxygen-containing gas and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS); and forming a silicate glass over the initial layer. The method may further include forming a buffer layer using second process gases comprising a second oxygen-containing gas and TEOS, wherein the first and the second process gases have different oxygen-to-TEOS ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Shiu-Ko JangJian, Wan-Ting Huang, Yu-Jen Chien, Phil Sun
  • Patent number: 8097507
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. In accordance with a method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to an aspect of the invention, a tunnel dielectric layer, a first conductive layer, a dielectric layer, a second conductive layer, and a gate electrode layer are sequentially stacked over a semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode layer and the second conductive layer are patterned. A first passivation layer is formed on sidewalls of the gate electrode layer. Gate patterns are formed by etching the dielectric layer, the first conductive layer, and the tunnel dielectric layer, which have been exposed. A second passivation layer is formed on the entire surface along a surface of the gate patterns including the first passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kwang Seok Jeon
  • Patent number: 8089121
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor layer as a channel, a conductive layer which is formed on a surface of the semiconductor layer with a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer interposed therebetween and functions as a control gate electrode; and a plurality of first charge storage layers formed between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer. The plurality of first charge storage layers are formed in isolation from one another along a surface of the first insulating layer. The first insulating layer is formed so as to protrude towards the semiconductor layer at a position where each of the first charge storage layers is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kensuke Takano, Yoshio Ozawa, Katsuyuki Sekine, Masaru Kito
  • Patent number: 8071448
    Abstract: A disclosed semiconductor device includes multiple gate electrodes disposed on a semiconductor substrate; and multiple sidewall spacers disposed on sidewalls of the gate electrodes. The thickness of the sidewall spacers is larger on the sidewalls along longer sides of the gate electrodes than on the sidewalls along shorter sides of the gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Masaki Okuno
  • Patent number: 8063431
    Abstract: An electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) is disclosed. The EEPROM includes a tunneling region in a semiconductor substrate, a control gate region in the semiconductor substrate and separated from the tunneling region by a device isolating layer, a tunnel oxide layer in a trench in the semiconductor substrate between the tunneling region and the control gate region, and a polysilicon layer on the tunnel oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang Young Ko
  • Patent number: 8048730
    Abstract: Disclosed are a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes an isolation area formed on a semiconductor substrate to define NMOS and PMOS areas, a gate insulating layer and a gate formed on each of the NMOS and PMOS areas, a primary gate spacer formed at sides of the gate, LDD areas formed in the semiconductor substrate at sides of the gate, a secondary gate spacer formed at sides of the primary gate spacer, source and drain areas formed in the semiconductor substrate at sides of the gate of the PMOS area; and source and drain areas formed in the semiconductor substrate at sides of the gate of the NMOS area, wherein the source and drain areas of the NMOS area are deeper than the source and drain areas of the PMOS area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu Hitek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eun Jong Shin
  • Patent number: 8048739
    Abstract: According to yet another embodiment, a method for forming a non-volatile memory device includes etching a substrate to form first and second trenches. The first and second trenches are filled with an insulating material to form first and second isolation structures. A conductive layer is formed over the first and second isolation structures and between the first and second isolation structures to form a floating gate. The conductive layer and the first isolation structure are etched to form a third trench having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having vertical sidewalls and the lower portion having sloping sidewalls. The third trench is filled with a conductive material to form a control gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Chan Sun Hyun
  • Patent number: 8017991
    Abstract: Example embodiments provide a non-volatile memory device with increased integration and methods of operating and fabricating the same. A non-volatile memory device may include a plurality of first storage node films and a plurality of first control gate electrodes on a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of second storage node films and a plurality of second control gate electrodes may be recessed into the semiconductor substrate between two adjacent first control gate electrodes and below the bottom of the plurality of first control gate electrodes. A plurality of bit line regions may be on the semiconductor substrate and each may extend across the plurality of first control gate electrodes and the plurality of second control gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-joo Kim, Suk-pil Kim, Yoon-dong Park, June-mo Koo
  • Patent number: 8017477
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of first control gate electrodes, second control gate electrodes, first storage node films, and second storage node films. The first control gate electrodes are recessed into a semiconductor substrate. Each second control gate electrode is disposed between two adjacent first control gate electrodes. The second control gate electrodes are disposed on the semiconductor substrate over the first control gate electrodes. The first storage node films are disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the first control gate electrodes. The second storage node films are disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the second control gate electrodes. A method of fabricating the nonvolatile memory device includes forming the first storage node films, forming the first control gate electrodes, forming the second storage node films, and forming the second control gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-joo Kim, Suk-pil Kim, Yoon-dong Park
  • Patent number: 7977191
    Abstract: A method of forming a flash memory device includes forming a plurality of memory gates over a semiconductor substrate, forming an oxide film over the uppermost surface and sidewalls of the memory gates and then forming a plurality of selective gates on sidewalls of each of the memory gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-Jun Yun
  • Patent number: 7964457
    Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method for a power management semiconductor device or an analog semiconductor device both including a CMOS. According to the method, a substance having high thermal conductivity is additionally provided above a semiconductor region constituting a low impurity concentration drain region so as to expand the drain region, which contributes to a promotion of thermal conductivity (or thermal emission) in the drain region during a surge input and leads to suppression of local temperature increase, to thereby prevent thermal destruction. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a power management semiconductor device or an analog semiconductor device with the extended possibility of transistor design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Naoto Saitoh, Yuichiro Kitajima
  • Patent number: 7955932
    Abstract: A single electron transistor includes source/drain layers disposed apart on a substrate, at least one nanowire channel connecting the source/drain layers, a plurality of oxide channel areas in the nanowire channel, the oxide channel areas insulating at least one portion of the nanowire channel, a quantum dot in the portion of the nanowire channel insulated by the plurality of oxide channel areas, and a gate electrode surrounding the quantum dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Dae Suk, Kyoung-Hwan Yeo, Ming Li, Yun-Young Yeoh
  • Patent number: 7947589
    Abstract: A semiconductor process and apparatus provide a FinFET device by forming a second single crystal semiconductor layer (19) that is isolated from an underlying first single crystal semiconductor layer (17) by a buried insulator layer (18); patterning and etching the second single crystal semiconductor layer (19) to form a single crystal mandrel (42) having vertical sidewalls; thermally oxidizing the vertical sidewalls of the single crystal mandrel to grow oxide spacers (52) having a substantially uniform thickness; selectively removing any remaining portion of the single crystal mandrel (42) while substantially retaining the oxide spacers (52); and selectively etching the first single crystal semiconductor layer (17) using the oxide spacers (52) to form one or more FinFET channel regions (92).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramachandran Muralidhar, Marwan H. Khater
  • Patent number: 7935596
    Abstract: Memory devices having an increased effective channel length and/or improved TPD characteristics, and methods of making the memory devices are provided. The memory devices contain two or more memory cells on a semiconductor substrate and bit line dielectrics between the memory cells. The bit line dielectrics can extend into the semiconductor. The memory cell contains a charge trapping dielectric stack, a poly gate, a pair of pocket implant regions, and a pair of bit lines. The bit line can be formed by an implant process at a higher energy level and/or a higher concentration of dopants without suffering device short channel roll off issues because spacers at bit line sidewalls constrain the implant in narrower implant regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Ning Cheng, Huaqiang Wu, Hiro Kinoshita, Jihwan Choi
  • Patent number: 7932150
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of making and using a high-K dielectric liner to facilitate the lateral oxidation of a high-K gate dielectric, integrated circuit structures containing the high-K dielectric liner and/or oxidized high-K gate dielectric, and other associated methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Ryosuke Iijima
  • Patent number: 7923365
    Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming a field effect transistor having a gate electrode, a sacrificial spacer on a sidewall of the gate electrode and silicided source/drain regions. The sacrificial spacer is used as an implantation mask when forming highly doped portions of the source/drain regions. The sacrificial spacer is then removed from the sidewall of the gate electrode. A stress-inducing electrically insulating layer, which is configured to induce a net tensile stress (for NMOS transistors) or compressive stress (for PMOS transistors) in a channel region of the field effect transistor, is then formed on the sidewall of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., International Business Machines Corporation, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Ltd., Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jun-jung Kim, Sang-jine Park, Min-ho Lee, Thomas W. Dyer, Sunfei Fang, O-sung Kwon, Johnny Widodo
  • Patent number: 7923327
    Abstract: Provided are a non-volatile memory device and a method of fabricating the same. The non-volatile memory device comprises: a control gate region formed by doping a semiconductor substrate with second impurities; an electron injection region formed by doping the semiconductor substrate with first impurities, where a top surface of the electron injection region includes a tip portion at an edge; a floating gate electrode covering at least a portion of the control gate region and the tip portion of the electron injection region; a first tunnel oxide layer interposed between the floating gate electrode and the control gate region; a second tunnel oxide layer interposed between the floating gate electrode and the electron injection region; a trench surrounding the electron injection region in the semiconductor substrate; and a device isolation layer pattern filled in the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung Kun Park
  • Patent number: 7892943
    Abstract: A first dielectric plug is formed in a portion of a trench that extends into a substrate of a memory device so that an upper surface of the first dielectric plug is recessed below an upper surface of the substrate. The first dielectric plug has a layer of a first dielectric material and a layer of a second dielectric material formed on the layer of the first dielectric material. A second dielectric plug of a third dielectric material is formed on the upper surface of the first dielectric plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Violette
  • Patent number: 7888203
    Abstract: Nonvolatile memory devices and methods of making the same are described. A nonvolatile memory device includes a string selection transistor, a plurality of memory cell transistors, and a ground selection transistor electrically connected in series to the string selection transistor and to the pluralities of memory cell transistors. Each of the transistors includes a channel region and source/drain regions. First impurity layers are formed at boundaries of the channels and the source/drain regions of the memory cell transistors. The first impurity layers are doped with opposite conductivity type impurities relative to the source/drain regions of the memory cell transistors. Second impurity layers are formed at boundaries between a channel and a drain region of the string selection transistor and between a channel and a source region of the ground selection transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Hyun Lee, Jung-Dal Choi
  • Patent number: 7846826
    Abstract: A gate dielectric film, a poly-silicon film, a film of a refractory metal such as tungsten, and a gate cap dielectric film are sequentially laminated on a semiconductor substrate. The gate cap dielectric film and the refractory metal film are selectively removed by etching. Thereafter, a double protection film including a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film is formed on side surfaces of the gate cap dielectric film, the refractory metal film, and the poly-silicon film. The poly-silicon film is etched using the double protection film as a mask. Thereafter, the semiconductor substrate is light oxidized to form a silicon oxide film on side surfaces of the poly-silicon film. Accordingly, a junction leakage of a MOSFET having a gate electrode of a poly-metal structure, particularly, a memory cell transistor of a DRAM, can be further reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Elpida Memory Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyonori Oyu, Kensuke Okonogi
  • Patent number: 7829411
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming high quality oxide layers of different thickness over a first and a second semiconductor region in one processing step. The method comprises the steps of: doping the first and the second semiconductor region with a different dopant concentration, and oxidising, during the same processing step, both the first and the second semiconductor region under a temperature between 500° C. and 700° C., preferably between 500° C. and 650° C. A corresponding device is also provided. Using a low-temperature oxidation in combination with high doping levels results in an unexpected oxidation rate increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Josine Johanna Gerarda Petra Loo, Youri Ponomarev, Robertus Theodorus Fransiscus Schaijk