Abstract: A method manufactures a non-volatile memory device on a semiconductor substrate that includes a matrix of memory cells and associated circuitry. The method includes: forming a filling dielectric layer on the whole substrate until gates of the cells and a conductive layer of the circuitry are completely covered, removing the dielectric layer until upper portions of the gates of the cells and the conductive layer are exposed, defining a plurality of gate electrodes of the transistors of the circuitry in the conductive layer, and forming source and drain regions of the transistors of the circuitry in the substrate. The method also comprises: forming spacers on side walls of gate electrodes of the transistors of the circuitry, and forming a silicide layer on the electrodes of the cells, on the gate electrodes of the transistors of the circuitry and on the source and drain regions of the transistors of said circuitry.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has active areas bounded by portions of an insulating layer. A thin layer of tunnel oxide is formed on the substrate and a first layer of conductive material is then deposited. Non-volatile memory cells are manufactured thereon by defining floating gate regions. The definition of these floating gate regions involves defining the first layer of conductive material in order to form a plurality of alternated stripes above pairs of active areas alternated by active areas lacking stripes. Spacers are then formed in the shelter of the side walls of the alternated stripes. A second layer of conductive material is then deposited together with the first layer of conductive material. The spacers are then selectively removed.

Abstract: A method is described for manufacturing non-volatile memory cells on a semiconductive substrate having active areas bounded by portions of an insulating layer. A thin layer of tunnel oxide is formed and a first layer of conductive material is then deposited. A plurality of floating gate regions are defined by forming stripes of shielding material only above pairs of alternated active areas. Spacers of a selective material are defined with respect to the shielding material and of small width at will in the shelter of the side walls of the stripes thus defined. A shielding material is also deposited on the active areas which lacked it. The formation of the floating gate is completed by leaving the definition of the distance between the floating gate regions to the spacers.

Abstract: A method manufactures a non-volatile memory device on a semiconductor substrate that includes a matrix of memory cells and associated circuitry. The method includes: forming a filling dielectric layer on the whole substrate until gates of the cells and a conductive layer of the circuitry are completely covered, removing the dielectric layer until upper portions of the gates of the cells and the conductive layer are exposed, defining a plurality of gate electrodes of the transistors of the circuitry in the conductive layer, and forming source and drain regions of the transistors of the circuitry in the substrate. The method also comprises: forming spacers on side walls of gate electrodes of the transistors of the circuitry, and forming a silicide layer on the electrodes of the cells, on the gate electrodes of the transistors of the circuitry and on the source and drain regions of the transistors of said circuitry.

Abstract: A method is described for manufacturing non-volatile memory cells on a semiconductive substrate having active areas bounded by portions of an insulating layer. A thin layer of tunnel oxide is formed and a first layer of conductive material is then deposited. A plurality of floating gate regions are defined by forming stripes of shielding material only above pairs of alternated active areas. Spacers of a selective material are defined with respect to the shielding material and of small width at will in the shelter of the side walls of the stripes thus defined. A shielding material is also deposited on the active areas which lacked it. The formation of the floating gate is completed by leaving the definition of the distance between the floating gate regions to the spacers.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has active areas bounded by portions of an insulating layer. A thin layer of tunnel oxide is formed on the substrate and a first layer of conductive material is then deposited. Non-volatile memory cells are manufactured thereon by defining floating gate regions. The definition of these floating gate regions involves defining the first layer of conductive material in order to form a plurality of alternated stripes above pairs of active areas alternated by active areas lacking stripes. Spacers are then formed in the shelter of the side walls of the alternated stripes. A second layer of conductive material is then deposited together with the first layer of conductive material. The spacers are then selectively removed.

Abstract: Process for forming salicide on active areas of MOS transistors, each MOS transistor comprising a gate and respective source and drain regions, the source and drain regions each comprising a first lightly doped sub-region adjacent the gate and a second highly doped sub-region spaced apart from the gate. The salicide is formed selectively at least over the second highly doped sub-regions of the source and drain regions of the MOS transistors, and not over the first lightly doped sub-region.

Abstract: A method for forming structures self-aligned with each other on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the following steps: Forming, on the semiconductor substrate, first regions of a first material projecting from the semiconductor substrate; forming, over the whole of the semiconductor substrate, a protective layer of a second material selective with respect to the first material; removing the protective layer to expose said first regions through a planarizing step; etching said first regions to expose said semiconductor substrate, and forming second regions projecting from the substrate of said protective layer. Advantageously, spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the first regions.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell is described, being integrated on a semiconductor substrate and comprising: A floating gate transistor including a source region and a drain region, a gate region projecting from the substrate and comprised between the source and drain regions, the gate region having a predetermined length and width and comprising a first floating gate region and a control gate region, in which the floating gate region is insulated laterally, along the width direction, by a dielectric layer with low dielectric constant value. A process for manufacturing non-volatile memory cells on a semiconductor substrate is also described, comprising the following steps: form active areas in the semiconductor substrate bounded by an insulating layer, deposit a first conductor material layer on active areas, define through a standard photolithographic technique a plurality of floating gate regions, form a dielectric layer with low dielectric constant value on the floating gate regions.

Abstract: A process for the manufacturing of electronic devices, including memory cells, involving forming, on a substrate of semiconductor material, multilayer stacks including a floating gate region, an intermediate dielectric region, and a control gate region; forming a protective layer extending on top of the substrate and between the multilayer stacks and having a height at least equal to the multilayer stacks. The step of forming multilayer stacks includes the step of defining the control gate region on all sides so that each control gate region is completely separate from adjacent control gate regions. The protective layer isolates the multilayer stacks from each other at the sides. Word lines of metal extend above the protective layer and are in electrical contact with the gate regions.

Abstract: Process for forming salicide on active areas of MOS transistors, each MOS transistor comprising a gate and respective source and drain regions, the source and drain regions each comprising a first lightly doped sub-region adjacent the gate and a second highly doped sub-region spaced apart from the gate. The salicide is formed selectively at least over the second highly doped sub-regions of the source and drain regions of the MOS transistors, and not over the first lightly doped sub-region.

Abstract: A process for the manufacturing of electronic devices, including memory cells, involving forming, on a substrate of semiconductor material, multilayer stacks including a floating gate region, an intermediate dielectric region, and a control gate region; forming a protective layer extending on top of the substrate and between the multilayer stacks and having a height at least equal to the multilayer stacks. The step of forming multilayer stacks includes the step of defining the control gate region on all sides so that each control gate region is completely separate from adjacent control gate regions. The protective layer isolates the multilayer stacks from each other at the sides. Word lines of metal extend above the protective layer and are in electrical contact with the gate regions.

Abstract: A process for forming an integrated circuit calls for the provision of at least one matrix of non-volatile memory cells including an intermediate dielectric multilayer comprising a lower silicon oxide layer, an intermediate silicon nitride layer and an upper silicon oxide layer. The process calls for the simultaneous provision in zones peripheral to the memory cells of at least one first and one second transistor type each having a gate dielectric of a first and a second thickness respectively. After formation of the floating gate of the cells with a gate oxide layer and a polycrystalline silicon layer and the formation of the lower silicon oxide layer and of the intermediate silicon nitride layer, the process in accordance with the present invention includes removal of said layers from the zones peripheral to the matrix, and formation of a first silicon oxide layer over the substrate in the areas of both types of transistor.

Abstract: A process for the manufacturing of electronic devices, including memory cells, involving forming, on a substrate of semiconductor material, multilayer stacks including a floating gate region, an intermediate dielectric region, and a control gate region; forming a protective layer extending on top of the substrate and between the multilayer stacks and having a height at least equal to the multilayer stacks. The step of forming multilayer stacks includes the step of defining the control gate region on all sides so that each control gate region is completely separate from adjacent control gate regions. The protective layer isolates the multilayer stacks from each other at the sides. Word lines of metal extend above the protective layer and are in electrical contact with the gate regions.

Abstract: Process for forming salicide on active areas of MOS transistors, each MOS transistor comprising a gate and respective source and drain regions, the source and drain regions each comprising a first lightly doped sub-region adjacent the gate and a second highly doped sub-region spaced apart from the gate. The salicide is formed selectively at least over the second highly doped sub-regions of the source and drain regions of the MOS transistors, and not over the first lightly doped sub-region.

Abstract: A process of fabricating a floating-gate memory device, the process including the steps of: forming a stack of superimposed layers including a floating gate region, a dielectric region, and a control gate region; and forming an insulating layer of oxynitride to the side of the floating gate region to completely seal the floating gate region outwards and improve the retention characteristics of the memory device. The insulating layer is formed during reoxidation of the sides of the floating gate region, after self-align etching the stack of layers and implanting the source/drain of the cell.

Abstract: A process of fabricating a floating-gate memory device, the process including the steps of: forming a stack of superimposed layers including a floating gate region, a dielectric region, and a control gate region; and forming an insulating layer of oxynitride to the side of the floating gate region to completely seal the floating gate region outwards and improve the retention characteristics of the memory device. The insulating layer is formed during reoxidation of the sides of the floating gate region, after self-align etching the stack of layers and implanting the source/drain of the cell.

Abstract: A process for forming an integrated circuit calls for the provision of at least one matrix of non-volatile memory cells including an intermediate dielectric multilayer comprising a lower silicon oxide layer, an intermediate silicon nitride layer and an upper silicon oxide layer. The process calls for the simultaneous provision in zones peripheral to the memory cells of at least one first and one second transistor type each having a gate dielectric of a first and a second thickness respectively. After formation of the floating gate of the cells with a gate oxide layer and a polycrystalline silicon layer and the formation of the lower silicon oxide layer and of the intermediate silicon nitride layer, the process in accordance with the present invention includes removal of said layers from the zones peripheral to the matrix, and formation of a first silicon oxide layer over the substrate in the areas of both types of transistor.

Abstract: The driving capability of a selection transistor is increased by an N-type implant at the source and drain regions of the selection transistor itself. This implant is conveniently made at the end of the self-aligned etching, using the same self-aligned etching mask defining the control gate regions and the floating gate regions of memory elements, keeping the circuitry area covered by a circuitry mask.

Abstract: A process for forming an integrated circuit includes at least one matrix of non-volatile memory cells having an intermediate dielectric multilayer including at least a lower dielectric material layer and an upper silicon oxide layer. The integrated circuit includes at least one transistor simultaneously formed in zones peripheral to the matrix and having a gate dielectric of a first thickness. After formation of the floating gate with a gate oxide layer and a polycrystalline silicon layer and the formation of the lower dielectric material layer, the process includes removal of said layers from the peripheral zones of the matrix; deposition of said upper silicon oxide layer over the memory cells, and over the substrate in the areas of the peripheral transistors; and formation of a first silicon oxide layer at least in the areas of the peripheral transistors. A second transistor type can be formed having a gate dielectric of a second thickness, thinner than said first thickness, in successive steps.