Abstract: Formation of elements of a vertical bipolar transistor is described, in particular a vertical npn transistor formed on a p-type substrate. Accordingly, an improved method not limited by constraints of photolithography, and an ensuing device made by such methods, is described. A temporary spacer (e.g., an oxide spacer) is deposited over a dielectric separation layer. The temporary spacer and dielectric separation layers are then anisotropically etched, forming a dielectric “boot shape” on a lower edge of the dielectric separation layer. An area within this non-photolithographically produced boot region defines an emitter contact window. Since the boot tip is formed through deposition and etching techniques, the emitter window is automatically aligned (i.e., self-aligned) with an underlying base region. Feature sizes are determined by deposition and etching techniques. Consequently, photolithography of small features is eliminated.

Abstract: An array of multi-level non-volatile memory transistors features a transistor construction with a conductive polysilicon control gate having opposed sidewalls insulatively spaced just above the substrate. Conductive polysilicon spacers are separated from the opposed sidewalls by thin tunnel oxide. Source and drain implants are beneath or slightly outboard of the spacers. Insulative material is placed over the structure with a hole cut above the control gate for contact by a gate electrode connected to, or part of, a conductive word line. The array has auxiliary low voltage transistors which may be made at the same time as the formation of the memory transistors. The auxiliary transistors apply opposite phase clock pulses to source and drain electrodes of transistors in the array so that first one side of each memory transistor may be written to, or read, then the other side.

Abstract: A memory cell having a low current memory device and a relatively high current output amplifier device, all built in the areawise footprint occupied by the memory device only. The low current memory device is a layered n-MOS or p-MOS lateral device having laterally spaced source and drain electrodes in a substrate and floating and control gates above the source and drain. The relatively high current output amplifier device is formed by contacts with layers or regions within layers having opposite conductivity types such that p-n junctions are arranged in forward and reverse bias configurations. These configurations form a vertical bipolar transistor that is beneath at least a portion of the lateral memory device and within the same footprint. The vertical bipolar transistor is connected as an output driver or amplifier for the memory device. An array of similar devices forms a memory array.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for an improved memory cell having a pair of non-volatile memory transistors with each transistor using a nanocrystal gate structure, the transistor pair constructed between a pair of bit line polysilicon depositions. Between the pair of non-volatile memory transistors, a word line device is interposed, allowing serial linkage of the pair of non-volatile memory transistors.

Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) device structure and method for forming FETs for scaled semiconductor devices. Specifically, FinFET devices are fabricated from bulk semiconductor wafers, as opposed to silicon-on-insulator (SOI) or separation by implantation of oxygen (SIMOX) wafers, in a highly uniform and reproducible manner. The method facilitates formation of FinFET devices from readily-available bulk semiconductor substrates with improved and reproducible fin height control while providing isolation between source and drain regions of the FinFET device.

Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) device structure and method for forming FETs for scaled semiconductor devices. Specifically, FinFET devices are fabricated from silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers in a highly uniform and reproducible manner. The method facilitates formation of FinFET devices with improved and reproducible fin height control while providing isolation between source and drain regions of the FinFET device.

Abstract: An EEPROM having a charge storage element, i.e., a floating gate, in the substrate adjacent to vertically separated source and drain electrodes. An electrically transparent poly control gate allows relatively low voltages to be used for program, erase, and read operations when a plurality of similar devices are arranged in a memory array. A second poly member, called a tunnel poly member, communicates with source and drain electrodes in synchronism with the poly control gate to provide charge carriers to the floating gate. Manufacturing involves a series of layers with minimal needs for photolithography.

Abstract: An interdigitized, single layer capacitor with a narrow interplate channel and a method for forming the same is disclosed. The narrow interplate channel is formed using a method which provides for a narrower interplate channel than can be produced using standard photolithographic techniques.

Abstract: Formation of elements of a vertical bipolar transistor is described, in particular a vertical npn transistor formed on a p-type substrate. Accordingly, an improved method not limited by constraints of photolithography, and an ensuing device made by such methods, is described. A temporary spacer (e.g., an oxide spacer) is deposited over a dielectric separation layer. The temporary spacer and dielectric separation layers are then anisotropically etched, forming a dielectric “boot shape” on a lower edge of the dielectric separation layer. An area within this non-photolithographically produced boot region defines an emitter contact window. Since the boot tip is formed through deposition and etching techniques, the emitter window is automatically aligned (i.e., self-aligned) with an underlying base region. Feature sizes are determined by deposition and etching techniques. Consequently, photolithography of small features is eliminated.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously fabricating at least two semiconductor devices, at least bone of which is a nanocrystal memory and at least one of which is a non-nanocrystal semiconductor device. A nanocrystal layer is formed over an oxide layer of the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated. The nanocrystal layer is removed from at least one portion of the substrate corresponding to the at least one non-nanocrystal device being fabricated. A polycrystalline gate is formed for each of the semiconductor devices being fabricated. Doping is provided to provide the source and drain regions for each of the semiconductor devices being fabricated. The substrate is thermally treated after the doping. The thermal budget of the fabrication process is not limited by this thermal treatment.

Abstract: Formation of elements of a vertical bipolar transistor is described, in particular a vertical npn transistor formed on a p-type substrate. Accordingly, an improved method not limited by constraints of photolithography, and an ensuing device made by such methods, is described. A temporary spacer (e.g., an oxide spacer) is deposited over a dielectric separation layer. The temporary spacer and dielectric separation layers are then anisotropically etched, forming a dielectric “boot shape” on a lower edge of the dielectric separation layer. An area within this non-photolithographically produced boot region defines an emitter contact window. Since the boot tip is formed through deposition and etching techniques, the emitter window is automatically aligned (i.e., self-aligned) with an underlying base region. Feature sizes are determined by deposition and etching techniques. Consequently, photolithography of small features is eliminated.

Abstract: A film stack and a method for fabricating the same. In one embodiment, a film stack comprises a semiconductor substrate with the following layers: a first layer of oxide over the substrate; a first layer of polycrystalline silicon over the first layer of oxide; a second layer of oxide over the first layer of polycrystalline silicon; a second layer of polycrystalline silicon over the second layer of oxide; a third layer of oxide over the second layer of polycrystalline silicon; and a layer of nitride over the third layer of oxide. The second layer of polycrystalline silicon and the third layer of oxide reduce the formation of bird's beaks after liner oxidation of a trench formed in the film stack. The reduced bird's beaks prevent unwanted residual strings of the first layer of polycrystalline silicon remaining after subsequent processing of the film stack.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously fabricating at least two semiconductor devices, at least one of which is a nanocrystal memory and at least one of which is a non-nonocrystal semiconductor device. A nanocrystal layer is formed over an oxide layer of the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated. The nanocrystal layer is removed from at least one portion of the substrate corresponding to the at least one non-nanocrystal device being fabricated. A polycrystalline gate is formed for each of the semiconductor devices being fabricated. Doping is provided to provide the source and drain regions for each of the semiconductor devices being fabricated. The substrate is thermally treated after the doping. The thermal budget of the fabrication process is not limited by this thermal treatment.

Abstract: An array of multi-level non-volatile memory transistors features a transistor construction with a conductive polysilicon control gate having opposed sidewalls insulatively spaced just above the substrate. Conductive polysilicon spacers are separated from the opposed sidewalls by thin tunnel oxide. Source and drain implants are beneath or slightly outboard of the spacers. Insulative material is placed over the structure with a hole cut above the control gate for contact by a gate electrode connected to, or part of, a conductive word line. The array has auxiliary low voltage transistors which may be made at the same time as the formation of the memory transistors. The auxiliary transistors apply opposite phase clock pulses to source and drain electrodes of transistors in the array so that first one side of each memory transistor may be written to, or read, then the other side.

Abstract: A method of non-thermal annealing of a silicon wafer comprising irradiating a doped silicon wafer with electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength or frequency range coinciding with lattice phonon frequencies of the doped semiconductor material. The wafer is annealed in an apparatus including a cavity and a radiation source of a wavelength ranging from 10–25 ?m and more particularly 15–18 ?m, or a frequency ranging from 12–30 THz and more particularly 16.5–20 THz.

Abstract: A method for formation of openings in semiconducting devices not limited by constraints of photolithography include forming a first dielectric layer over a semiconducting substrate, depositing a polysilicon layer over the first dielectric layer, forming a second dielectric layer over the polysilicon layer, forming a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer, etching a dielectric window through the third dielectric layer, forming a fourth dielectric layer into the dielectric window and over the third dielectric layer, the fourth dielectric layer being of a material dissimilar to the second dielectric layer, etching the fourth dielectric layer anisotropically using an etchant with a high selectivity ratio between the fourth dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer thereby forming a spacer, and etching portions of the first and second dielectric layers and the polysilicon layer anisotropically, the portions underlying an area bounded by a periphery of the spacer thereby forming the opening.

Abstract: An improved memory cell having a pair of non-volatile memory transistors with each transistor using a nanocrystal gate structure, the transistor pair constructed between a pair of bit line polysilicon depositions. Between the pair of non-volatile memory transistors, a word line device is interposed, allowing serial linkage of the pair of non-volatile memory transistors.

Abstract: A non-volatile transistor memory array has individual cells with a current injector and a non-volatile memory transistor. Injector current gives rise to charged particles that can be stored in the memory transistor by tunneling. When a row of the array is activated by a word line, the active row has current injectors ready to operate if program line voltages are appropriate to cause charge storage in a memory cell, while a cell in an adjacent row be erased by charge being driven from a memory transistor. A series of conductive plates are arranged over the word line, with each plate having a pair of oppositely extending tangs, one causing programming of a cell in a first row and another causing erasing of a cell in another row.

Abstract: A doped silicon block or island, formed above a drain electrode in substrate of a die or chip, has a height corresponding to the desired length of a channel. A source electrode is formed above the silicon island and allows for contact from above. Contact from above may also be made with an L-shaped control gate and with the subsurface drain. A horizontal array of contacts for source, gate and drain is formed for the vertical transistor that is built. If a layer of nanocrystals is incorporated into a layer between the gate and the channel, a non-volatile floating gate transistor may be formed. Without the layer of nanocrystals, an MOS or CMOS transistor is formed.

Abstract: Non-volatile memory transistors have a semiconductor substrate with spaced apart source and drain regions defining a channel, a layer of tunnel oxide over the channel and a conductive layer of carbon nanotubes over the tunnel oxide. In patterning, mesas are formed retaining desired locations of nanotubes as floating gates. The mesas are used for self-aligned implantation of source and drain electrodes. The nanotubes, being deposited as a porous randomly arranged matted layer, allow for etch removal of the support layer so that the nanotubes rest directly on tunnel oxide. The nanotubes are protected with insulative material and a conductive control gate is placed over the nanotube floating gate layer.