Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a pillar-shaped silicon layer including a first diffusion layer, a channel region, and a second diffusion layer formed in that order from the silicon substrate side, floating gates respectively disposed in two symmetrical directions so as to sandwich the pillar-shaped silicon layer, and a control gate line disposed in two symmetrical directions other than the two directions so as to sandwich the pillar-shaped silicon layer. A tunnel insulating film is formed between the pillar-shaped silicon layer and each of the floating gates. The control gate line is disposed so as to surround the floating gates and the pillar-shaped silicon layer with an inter-polysilicon insulating film interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a planar silicon layer, first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers on a silicon substrate; forming a gate insulating film, depositing a metal film and a polysilicon around the gate insulating film, conducting planarization, conducting etching to expose upper portions of the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers, forming first and second insulating film sidewalls, and forming first and second gate electrodes and a gate line; forming n-type diffusion layers in upper and lower portions of the first pillar-shaped silicon layer, and forming p-type diffusion layers in upper and lower portions of the second pillar-shaped silicon layer; forming a third insulating film sidewall on side walls of the first and second insulating film sidewalls, the first and second gate electrodes, and the gate line; and forming a silicide.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a first dielectric film, a floating gate portion, second and third dielectric films, a control gate portion, and a recess on the side face of the floating gate portion. The second dielectric film for element isolation is embedded between a height position of a lower portion of the side face of the floating gate portion and a height position inside the semiconductor substrate. The third dielectric film covers an upper surface and a side face portion of the floating gate portion up to a height position of an upper surface of the second dielectric film, and on the second dielectric film. A height position of an interface between the second and third dielectric films is between a height position of a center of the recess and a position in a predetermined range below the height position of the center of the recess.

Abstract: An access transistor for a resistance variable memory element and methods of forming the same are provided. The access transistor has first and second source/drain regions and a channel region vertically stacked over the substrate. The access transistor is associated with at least one resistance variable memory element.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device comprises a first layer, a first conductive layer, a insulating layer, and a second conductive layer stacked on a substrate, a block insulating layer on inner surfaces of a pair of through-holes formed in the first conductive layer, the insulating layer, and the second conductive layer, and on an inner surface of a connecting hole connecting lower ends of the pair of through-holes, a charge storage layer on the block insulating layer, a second layer on the charge storage layer, and a semiconductor layer on the second layer. The second layer includes an air gap layer on the charge storage layer in the pair of through-holes, and a third conductive layer on the charge storage layer in the connecting hole.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes two floating gates, a control gate and a first dielectric layer. The floating gates are disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The control gate partially overlaps each of the floating gates, and a part of the control gate is disposed between the two floating gates. Furthermore, the first dielectric layer disposed between the two floating gates and the control gate has a fixed thickness.

Abstract: An object is to provide a memory device which does not need a complex manufacturing process and whose power consumption can be suppressed, and a semiconductor device including the memory device. A solution is to provide a capacitor which holds data and a switching element which controls storing and releasing charge in the capacitor in a memory element. In the memory element, a phase-inversion element such as an inverter or a clocked inverter includes the phase of an input signal is inverted and the signal is output. For the switching element, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region is used. In the case where application of a power supply voltage to the phase-inversion element is stopped, the data is stored in the capacitor, so that the data is held in the capacitor even when the application of the power supply voltage to the phase-inversion element is stopped.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a charge storage layer formed on the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the charge storage layer, and a control electrode formed on the second insulating film, wherein forming the second insulating film comprises forming an insulating film containing silicon using source gas not containing chlorine, and forming an insulating film containing oxygen and a metal element on the insulating film containing silicon.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory cell of a high operation speed and a high rewrite cycle and a nonvolatile memory cell of high reliability. In a split gate type nonvolatile memory in which memory gate electrodes are formed in the shape of sidewalls of control gate electrodes, it is possible to produce a memory chip having a memory of a high operation speed and a high rewrite cycle and a memory of high reliability at a low cost by jointly loading memory cells having different memory gate lengths in an identical chip.

Abstract: A conductive pattern structure includes a first insulating interlayer on a substrate, metal wiring on the first insulating interlayer, a second insulating interlayer on the metal wiring, and first and second metal contacts extending through the second insulating interlayer. The first metal contacts contact the metal wiring in a cell region and the second metal contact contacts the metal wiring in a peripheral region. A third insulating interlayer is disposed on the second insulating interlayer. Conductive segments extend through the third insulating interlayer in the cell region and contact the first metal contacts. Another conductive segment extends through the third insulating interlayer in the peripheral region and contacts the second metal contact. The structure facilitates the forming of uniformly thick wiring in the cell region using an electroplating process.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells, each including a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate formed on the semiconductor substrate with the inclusion of the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the floating gate, and a control gate formed on the floating gate with the inclusion of the second insulating film; an element isolation insulating film formed in the semiconductor substrate and extending in a gate-length direction to isolate between memory cells adjoining in a gate-width direction; and an air gap formed on the element isolation insulating film and between floating gates adjoining in the gate-width direction.

Abstract: Memory arrays and methods of their formation are disclosed. One such memory array has memory-cell strings are formed adjacent to separated substantially vertical, adjacent semiconductor structures, where the separated semiconductor structures couple the memory cells of the respective strings in series. For some embodiments, two dielectric pillars may be formed from a dielectric formed in a single opening, where each of the dielectric pillars has a pair of memory-cell strings adjacent thereto and where at least one memory cell of one of the strings on one of the pillars and at least one memory cell of one of the strings on the other pillar are commonly coupled to an access line.

Abstract: Strings of memory cells having a string select gate configured to selectively couple ends of a string to a data line and a source line concurrently, memory devices incorporating such strings and methods for accessing and forming such strings are provided. For example, non-volatile memory devices are disclosed that utilize vertical structure NAND strings of serially-connected non-volatile memory cells. One such string including two or more serially-connected non-volatile memory cells where each end of the string shares a string select gate with the other end of the string is disclosed.

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.

Abstract: A method for forming a memory device includes: forming a tunnel insulation layer, a conductive layer for a floating gate electrode, a charge blocking layer and a conductive layer for a control gate electrode over a substrate; and selectively etching the conductive layer for the control gate electrode, the charge blocking layer and the conductive layer for the floating gate electrode, thereby forming a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of select lines and at least two dummy lines disposed in a gap region between adjacent select lines, wherein the gate lines, the select lines and the dummy lines together construct strings.

Abstract: A memory device is provided with a floating gate electrode film formed in a memory cell region, a first inter-electrode insulating film formed on the floating gate electrode film, a control gate electrode film formed on the first inter-electrode insulating film, a lower conductive film formed in a peripheral circuit region, a second inter-electrode insulating film formed on the lower conductive film, an upper conductive film formed on the second inter-electrode insulating film, and a pair of contacts that is separated from each other, is connected to the lower conductive film from the upper side, and is not connected to the upper conductive film. Materials of the lower conductive film and the floating gate electrode film are the same. Materials of the second inter-electrode insulating film and the first inter-electrode insulating film are the same. Materials of the upper conductive film and the control gate electrode film are the same.

Abstract: A method for producing a tunnel field-effect transistor is disclosed. Connection regions of different doping types are produced by means of self-aligning implantation methods.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; an element isolation insulator; an insulating block; an interlayer insulating film; and a contact. A plurality of active areas extending in one direction and protruding upward are formed at an upper surface of the substrate. The insulating block is disposed directly on the element isolation insulator. The contact is formed in the interlayer insulating film. A lower end of the contact is connected to an upper surface of the active area. A part of a lower surface of the contact located directly on the insulating block is positioned higher than a part of a lower surface of the contact located directly on the active area.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a peripheral circuit region and a cell region. A method for fabricating the non-volatile memory device includes forming gate patterns over a substrate, the gate pattern including a tunnel insulation layer, a floating gate electrode, a charge blocking layer and a control gate electrode, and removing the control gate electrode and the charge blocking layer of the gate pattern formed in the peripheral circuit region.

Abstract: The semiconductor element includes an oxide semiconductor layer on an insulating surface; a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the oxide semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer over the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer; and a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer. The source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer have sidewalls which are in contact with a top surface of the oxide semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming memory devices employing halogen ion implantation and diffusion processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of word line structures above a semiconducting substrate, each of the word line structures comprising a gate insulation layer, performing an LDD ion implantation process to form LDD doped regions in the substrate between the word line structures, performing a halogen ion implantation process to implant atoms of halogen into the semiconducting substrate between the word line structures, and performing at least one anneal process to cause at least some of the atoms of halogen to diffuse into the gate insulation layers on adjacent word line structures.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes following steps. A patterned gate layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A compensation layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate outside the patterned gate layer. A trench is formed in the compensation layer and the semiconductor substrate. An epitaxial layer is formed in the trench. The step for forming the compensation layer is between the step for forming the patterned gate layer and the step for forming the epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an NVM cell and a logic transistor uses a semiconductor substrate. A metal select gate of the NVM cell is formed over an NVM work function setting metal, the NVM work function setting metal is on a high-k dielectric, and a metal logic gate of a logic transistor is similarly formed over work function setting and high-k dielectric materials. The logic transistor is formed while portions of the metal select gate of the NVM cell are formed. The logic transistor is protected while the NVM cell is then formed including forming a charge storage region using nanocrystals and a metal control gate over a portion of the metal select gate and a portion of the charge storage region over the substrate. The charge storage region is etched to be aligned to the metal control gate.

Abstract: A novel method for manufacturing a 3-D vertical memory comprising the steps of dividing a multilayer structure composed of insulating intermediate layers and sacrificial intermediate layers into a first multilayer structure and a second multilayer structure, replacing the sacrificial intermediate layers in the multilayer structures with metal intermediate layers, and manufacturing the channel structure in two multilayer structures.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage device is disclosed that includes a set of connected non-volatile storage elements formed on a well, a bit line contact positioned in the well, a source line contact positioned in the well, a bit line that is connected to the bit line contact, and a source line that is connected to the source line contact and the well.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device using a nonvolatile memory, high speed erasing operation and low power consumption are realized. In a nonvolatile memory in which a channel formation region, a tunnel insulating film, and a floating gate are stacked in this order, the channel formation region is formed using an oxide semiconductor layer. In addition, a metal wiring for erasing is provided in a lower side of the channel formation region so as to face the floating gate. With the above structure, when erasing operation is performed, charge accumulated in the floating gate is extracted to the metal wiring through the channel formation region. Consequently, high speed erasing operation and low power consumption of the semiconductor device can be realized.

Abstract: A method for forming a split gate flash cell memory device provides for establishing a floating gate region then using spacers or other hard mask materials that cover opposed edges of a gate electrode material in the gate region, to serve as hard masks during an etching operation that partially etches the gate electrode material which may be polysilicon. The gate electrode so produced serves as a floating gate electrode and includes a recessed central portion flanked by a pair of opposed upwardly extending fins which may terminate upwardly at an apex. A floating gate oxide is then formed by thermal oxidation and/or oxide deposition techniques.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes gate structures including a tunnel insulating layer pattern, a floating gate, a dielectric layer pattern and a control gate sequentially disposed on a substrate. The control gate includes an impurity doped polysilicon layer pattern and a metal layer pattern. The gate structures are spaced apart from each other on the substrate. A capping layer pattern is disposed on a sidewall portion of the metal layer pattern and includes a metal oxide. An insulating layer covers the gate structures and the capping layer pattern. The insulating layer is formed on the substrate and includes an air-gap therein.

Abstract: A gate structure includes an insulation layer on a substrate, a first conductive layer pattern on the insulation layer, a metal ohmic layer pattern on the first conductive layer pattern, a diffusion reduction layer pattern on the metal ohmic layer pattern an amorphous layer pattern on the diffusion reduction layer pattern, and a second conductive layer pattern on the amorphous layer pattern. The gate structure may have a low sheet resistance and desired thermal stability.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a memory cell formed on the substrate. The memory cell includes a word line. The semiconductor device also includes a protection area formed in the substrate, a conductive structure configured to extend the word line to the protection area, and a contact configured to short the word line and the protection area.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes transistors with a vertical gate electrode. In a transistor structure, a semiconductor pattern has first and second sides facing in a transverse direction, and third and fourth sides facing in a longitudinal direction. Gate patterns are disposed adjacent to the first and second sides of the semiconductor pattern. Impurity patterns directly contact the third and fourth sides of the semiconductor pattern. A gate insulating pattern is interposed between the gate patterns and the semiconductor pattern.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells, each including a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate formed on the semiconductor substrate with the inclusion of the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the floating gate, and a control gate formed on the floating gate with the inclusion of the second insulating film; an element isolation insulating film formed in the semiconductor substrate and extending in a gate-length direction to isolate between memory cells adjoining in a gate-width direction; and an air gap formed on the element isolation insulating film and between floating gates adjoining in the gate-width direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory includes a memory cell in a memory cell array which is provided in a semiconductor substrate and which includes a first active region surrounded by a first isolation insulator, a transistor in a transistor region which is provided in the semiconductor substrate and which includes second active regions surrounded by a second isolation insulator. The second isolation insulator includes a first film, and a second film between the first film and the second active region, and the upper surface of the first film is located closer to the bottom of the semiconductor substrate than the upper surface of the second film.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a first memory cell and a second memory cell, of a nonvolatile memory array. The first memory cell includes a body region, a gate structure, a source region, and a drain region. The second memory cell includes a body region, a gate structure, a source region, and a drain region. In one embodiment, the body of the second memory cell is physically isolated from the body region of the first memory cell. A bitline segment is electrically connected to the drain region of the first memory cell and to the drain region of the second memory cell.

Abstract: Methods for forming split gate flash cell structures provide for symmetrical cells that are immune to misalignment of the photoresist pattern when forming the control gates. Spacers are utilized to form the floating gates in the floating gate transistors used in the flash cells. The spacers may be oxide spacers used to mask a polysilicon layer that will form the floating gates or the spacers may be polysilicon spacers that will themselves form the floating gates. The inter-gate oxide of the floating gate transistors may be formed using HTO or may be deposited. Hard mask spacers are used in conjunction with the control gate photoresist patterning operation to control the size and configuration of the control gate and the channel length.

Abstract: Nanostructure-based charge storage regions are included in non-volatile memory devices and integrated with the fabrication of select gates and peripheral circuitry. One or more nanostructure coatings are applied over a substrate at a memory array area and a peripheral circuitry area. Various processes for removing the nanostructure coating from undesired areas of the substrate, such as target areas for select gates and peripheral transistors, are provided. One or more nanostructure coatings are formed using self-assembly based processes to selectively form nanostructures over active areas of the substrate in one example. Self-assembly permits the formation of discrete lines of nanostructures that are electrically isolated from one another without requiring patterning or etching of the nanostructure coating.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device involves process for forming gate insulating films of different thickness on a semiconductor substrate, depositing films that constitute a gate electrode, removing the gate insulating films having different thickness formed on an impurity diffusion region surface of a transistor including the gate electrode, and doping impurities into a portion where the gate insulating film is removed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a non-volatile memory device with asymmetric source/drain junctions, wherein a gate stack is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and impurity ions are implanted at a predetermined angle to form a source/drain junction in the semiconductor substrate. Thermal treatment of the semiconductor substrate forms an asymmetrically disposed source/drain junction between adjacent gate stacks.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a non-volatile memory and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a base material and a stack structure. The stack structure disposed on the base material at least includes a tunneling layer, a trapping layer and a dielectric layer. The trapping layer is disposed on the tunneling layer. The dielectric layer has a dielectric constant and is disposed on the trapping layer. The dielectric layer is transformed from a first solid state to a second solid state when the dielectric layer undergoes a process.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory including a substrate of a first conductivity type with first and second spaced apart regions formed therein of a second conductivity type with a channel region therebetween. A polysilicon metal gate word line is positioned over a first portion of the channel region and spaced apart therefrom by a high K dielectric layer. The metal portion of the word line is immediately adjacent to the high K dielectric layer. A polysilicon floating gate is immediately adjacent to and spaced apart from the word line, and positioned over and insulated from another portion of the channel region. A polysilicon coupling gate is positioned over and insulated from the floating gate. A polysilicon erase gate is positioned on another side of and insulated from the floating gate, positioned over and insulated from the second region, and immediately adjacent to but spaced apart from another side of the coupling gate.

Abstract: In one aspect of this invention, a pixel structure includes a scan line formed on a substrate and a data line formed over the substrate defining a pixel area, a switch formed inside the pixel area on the substrate, a shielding electrode having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, and formed over the scan line, the data line and the switch, where the first portion is overlapped with the switch and the second portion is overlapped with the data line, and a pixel electrode having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, and formed over the shielding electrode in the pixel area, where the first portion is overlapped with the first portion of the shielding electrode so as to define a storage capacitor therebetween and the second portion has no overlapping with the second portion of the shielding electrode.

Abstract: An object is to provide a memory device which does not need a complex manufacturing process and whose power consumption can be suppressed, and a semiconductor device including the memory device. A solution is to provide a capacitor which holds data and a switching element which controls storing and releasing charge in the capacitor in a memory element. In the memory element, a phase-inversion element such as an inverter or a clocked inverter includes the phase of an input signal is inverted and the signal is output. For the switching element, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region is used. In the case where application of a power supply voltage to the phase-inversion element is stopped, the data is stored in the capacitor, so that the data is held in the capacitor even when the application of the power supply voltage to the phase-inversion element is stopped.

Abstract: Devices can be fabricated using a method of growing nanoscale structures on a semiconductor substrate. According to various embodiments, nucleation sites can be created on a surface of the substrate. The creation of the nucleation sites may include implanting ions with an energy and a dose selected to provide a controllable distribution of the nucleation sites across the surface of the substrate. Nanoscale structures may be grown using the controllable distribution of nucleation sites to seed the growth of the nanoscale structures. According to various embodiments, the nanoscale structures may include at least one of nanocrystals, nanowires, or nanotubes. According to various nanocrystal embodiments, the nanocrystals can be positioned within a gate stack and function as a floating gate for a nonvolatile device. Other embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: To reduce capacitance between each adjacent two word lines in a semiconductor memory device, a first insulating film is formed, with a first gate insulating film thereunder, in an interstice between gates respectively of each adjacent two memory transistors, and in an interstice between a gate of a selective transistor and a gate of a memory transistor adjacent thereto. Additionally, a second insulating film is formed on the first insulating film, sides of the gate of each memory transistor, and a side, facing the memory transistor, of the gate of the selective transistor. A third insulating film is formed parallel to a semiconductor substrate so as to cover a metal silicide film, the first and second insulating films and fourth and fifth insulating films. Avoid part is provided in the interstice between each adjacent two gates of the memory transistors, and in the interstice between the gate of the selective transistor and the gate of the memory transistor adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate and a plurality of rows of memory cells. The substrate comprises a plurality of isolation structures and a plurality of active regions. Each of the active regions is spaced apart from another active region by one of the isolation structures. In a cross-section of the substrate between two rows of memory cells in a direction parallel to the two rows of memory cells, a maximum height of each isolation structure with respect to a bottom of the substrate is lower than or equal to minimum heights of active regions adjacent thereto.

Abstract: In a semiconductor storage device a select gate electrode is arranged into a ring shape so as to surround the second impurity regions, and is electrically connected to a word line. A first control gate electrode is arranged into a ring shape on the outer peripheral side of the select gate electrode, and a second control gate electrode is arranged into a ring shape on the inner peripheral side of the select gate electrode. A pair of first and second bit lines corresponding to every row are placed on the memory cells of the device, a first bit line is electrically connected to one of first impurity regions that are adjacent along the row direction, and a second bit line is electrically connected to the other of the first impurity regions that are adjacent along the row direction.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device is disclosed, which comprises a memory cell unit including at least one memory cell transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate and having a laminated structure of a charge accumulation layer and a control gate layer, and a selection gate transistor one of the source/drain diffusion layer regions of which is connected to a bit line or a source line and the other of the source/drain diffusion layer regions of which is connected to the memory cell unit. The shape of the source diffusion layer region of the selection gate transistor is asymmetrical to the shape of the drain diffusion layer region thereof below the selection gate transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor storage device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region of a first conductivity type in between respective regions of an opposite conductivity type, at least the first region being covered by a first dielectric layer, a polysilicon floating gate placed on the first dielectric layer over the first region, said floating gate being surrounded by an insulating material; and a metal control gate structure adjacent to the polysilicon floating gate, the metal control gate structure being capacitively coupled to said floating gate. A method of manufacturing such a semiconductor storage device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A flash NAND type EEPROM system with individual ones of an array of charge storage elements, such as floating gates, being capacitively coupled with at least two control gate lines. The control gate lines are preferably positioned between floating gates to be coupled with sidewalls of floating gates. The memory cell coupling ratio is desirably increased, as a result. Both control gate lines on opposite sides of a selected row of floating gates are usually raised to the same voltage while the second control gate lines coupled to unselected rows of floating gates immediately adjacent and on opposite sides of the selected row are kept low. The control gate lines can also be capacitively coupled with the substrate in order to selectively raise its voltage in the region of selected floating gates. The length of the floating gates and the thicknesses of the control gate lines can be made less than the minimum resolution element of the process by forming an etch mask of spacers.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region, e.g., peripheral region. The method forms a stop layer overlying the first and second regions and a low k dielectric layer (e.g., k<2.9) overlying the stop layer in the first and second regions. The method forms a cap layer overlying the low k dielectric layer. In an embodiment, the method initiates formation of a plurality of via structures within a first portion of the low k dielectric layer overlying the first region and simultaneously initiates formation of an isolated via structure for in the second region of the semiconductor substrate, using one or more etching processes. The method includes ceasing formation of the plurality of via structures within the first portion and ceasing formation of the isolated via structure in the second region when one or more portions of stop layer have been exposed.