Abstract: An improved flash memory device having core stacks and periphery stacks which are protected by first and second thin side walls, side spacers over the side walls, and an HTO layer over the stacks, and side spacer. The flash memory device has an intermetallic dielectric layer placed over the HTO layer. A tungsten plug is placed in the intermetallic dielectric layer to provide an electrical connection to the drain of the flash memory device. The additional first and second side walls reduce current leakage between core stacks and the tungsten plug and help to protect the stacks during fabrication.

Abstract: A network media access controller operates as a centralized control point for managing secure data storage in a network-attached data storage subsystem. The network media access controller includes first and second network interfaces. The first network interface is coupleable through a first network connection to a network-attached data storage subsystem including a storage device. The network-attached data storage subsystem is responsive to a data storage command to store first data to the storage device. The second network interface is coupleable through a second network connection to a client computer system. The client computer system selectively provides the data storage command with respect to second data. A network data processor is coupled to the first network interface to provide the data storage command and first data and to the second network interface to receive the data storage command and second data.

Abstract: A secure storage access controller provides for the proxy routing of data transfer requests and responses between network clients and storage servers. The controller includes first and second network interface processors coupleable to client and data storage networks and a plurality of data packet processors coupled to the first and second network interface processors. Each data packet processor is operative to terminate respective client network connections routed to the plurality of data packet processors through the first network interface processor and to establish respective storage network connections through the second network interface processor. The data packet processors provide for the proxy transport of data transfer requests and responses between the client and storage network connections.

Abstract: A network gateway processor architecture including a scalable array of compute processors that function to convert inbound data packets to outbound data packets, an ingress processor coupleable to a first network to receive the inbound data packets and coupled to provide the inbound data packets to the compute processors, and an egress processor coupleable to a second network and coupled to the compute processors to collect and forward the outbound data packets to the second network. The ingress processor distributes inbound data packets to the compute processors based on a least load value selected from current load values determined for the respective compute processors of the scalable array. The current load values represent estimated processing completion times for the respective compute processors of the scalable array of compute processors.

Abstract: An improved flash memory device, which has shallow trench isolation in the periphery region and LOCOS isolation in the core region is provided. A hard mask is used first to create the shallow trench isolation. The LOCOS isolation is then created. Subsequent etching is used to remove stringers. The flash memory is able to use shallow trench isolation to limit encroachment. The flash memory may also have a nitridated tunnel oxide layer. A hard mask is used to prevent nitride contamination of the gate oxide layer.

Abstract: A network data processor system includes a plurality of data packet processors coupled through a data switch fabric between network connection processors. The data packet processors each include a data processing engine configured to perform a data processing function over data contained within predetermined data packets. The network connection processors include network interfaces coupleable to external data transmission networks and provide for the selective routing of said predetermined data packets through said data switch fabric to load balance the processing of the predetermined data packets by the plurality of data packet processors. A network control processor is provided to manage the other processors connected to the data switch fabric and to handle predetermined network connection processes. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention the data processing engine is preferably configured to perform hardware encryption and decryption algorithms called for by the IPsec protocol.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an improved flash memory device having core stacks and periphery stacks which are protected with an oxide layer, a protective layer and an insulating layer. A high energy dopant implant is used to pass the dopant through the insulating layer, the protective layer and oxide layer into the substrate to create source and drain regions, without using a self aligned etch. The flash memory device has an intermetallic dielectric layer placed over the core stacks and the periphery stacks. A tungsten plug is placed in the intermetallic dielectric layer to provide an electrical connection to the drain of the flash memory device.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip having a plurality of flash memory devices, shallow trench isolation in the periphery region, and LOCOS isolation in the core region. A hard mask is used first to create the shallow trench isolation. The LOCOS isolation is then created. Subsequent etching is used to remove stringers. The flash memory is able to use shallow trench isolation to limit encroachment. The flash memory may also have a nitridated tunnel oxide barrier layer. A hard mask is used to prevent nitride contamination of the gate oxide layer.

Abstract: An improved flash memory device having core stacks and periphery stacks which are protected by first and second thin side walls, side spacers over the side walls, and an HTO layer over the stacks, and side spacer. The flash memory device has an intermetallic dielectric layer placed over the HTO layer. A tungsten plug is placed in the intermetallic dielectric layer to provide an electrical connection to the drain of the flash memory device. The additional first and second side walls reduce current leakage between core stacks and the tungsten plug and help to protect the stacks during fabrication.

Abstract: An etch barrier to be used in a photolithograph process is disclosed. A silicon rich etch barrier is deposited on a substrate using a low energy deposition technique. A diamond like carbon layer is deposited on the silicon rich etch barrier. Photoresist is then placed on this etch barrier DLC combination. To form photolithographic features, successive steps of oxygen and flourine reactive ion etching is used.

Abstract: An improved flash memory device, which comprises core stacks and periphery stacks which are protected with an oxide layer, a protective layer and an insulating layer. A high energy dopant implant is used to pass the dopant through the insulating layer, the protective layer, and oxide layer into the substrate to create source and drain regions, without using a self aligned etch. The flash memory device has an intermetallic dielectric layer placed over the core stacks and the periphery stacks. A tungsten plug is placed in the intermetallic dielectric layer to provide an electrical connection to the drain of the flash memory device.

Abstract: A predetermined species such as nitrogen is placed at an interface between a bit line junction and a dielectric layer of a control dielectric structure of a flash memory device to minimize degradation of such an interface by minimizing formation of interface defects during program or erase operations of the flash memory device. The predetermined species such as nitrogen is implanted into a bit line junction of the flash memory device. A thermal process is performed that heats up the semiconductor wafer such that the predetermined species such as nitrogen implanted within the semiconductor wafer thermally drifts to the interface between the bit line junction and the control dielectric structure during the thermal process. The predetermined species such as nitrogen at the interface minimizes formation of interface defects and thus degradation of the interface with time during the program or erase operations of the flash memory device.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a contact in a semiconductor device including a plurality of gates is disclosed. The method and system include providing an insulating layer substantially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of gates and providing at least one contact within the insulating layer. The contact has a side defining a sloped profile. The sloped profile includes an angle between the side of the contact and a surface of the substrate that is less than approximately eighty-eight degrees.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a contact in a semiconductor device including a plurality of gates is disclosed. The method and system include providing an insulating layer substantially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of gates and providing at least one contact within the insulating layer. The at least one contact has a reduced width that is less than approximately 0.

Abstract: A method for making a ULSI MOSFET chip includes forming a MOSFET gate stack on a substrate, with a tunnel oxide layer being sandwiched between the gate stack and substrate. To prevent thickening of the tunnel oxide layer into a “gate edge lifting” profile during subsequent oxidation-causing steps, at least one protective barrier film is deposited or grown over the gate stack and tunnel oxide layer immediately after gate stack formation. Then, subsequent steps, including forming source and drain regions for the gate stack, can be undertaken without causing thickening of the tunnel oxide layer.

Abstract: A predetermined species such as nitrogen is placed at an interface between a bit line junction and a dielectric layer of a control dielectric structure of a flash memory device to minimize degradation of such an interface by minimizing formation of interface defects during program or erase operations of the flash memory device. The predetermined species such as nitrogen is implanted into a bit line junction of the flash memory device. A thermal process is performed that heats up the semiconductor wafer such that the predetermined species such as nitrogen implanted within the semiconductor wafer thermally drifts to the interface between the bit line junction and the control dielectric structure during the thermal process. The predetermined species such as nitrogen at the interface minimizes formation of interface defects and thus degradation of the interface with time during the program or erase operations of the flash memory device.

Abstract: A method for making a ULSI MOSFET chip includes forming a MOSFET gate stack on a substrate, with a tunnel oxide layer being sandwiched between the gate stack and substrate. To prevent thickening of the tunnel oxide layer into a “gate edge lifting” profile during subsequent oxidation-causing steps, at least one protective barrier film is deposited or grown over the gate stack and tunnel oxide layer immediately after gate stack formation. Then, subsequent steps, including forming source and drain regions for the gate stack, can be undertaken without causing thickening of the tunnel oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for substantially reducing conductive line cracking on an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of: obtaining a semiconductor structure with a first surface and with an insulating region adjacent to and rising above the first surface; and forming a layer of a first conductive material above the first surface of the semiconductor structure and above the adjacent first insulating region. Additionally the method includes forming an opening through the layer of first conductive material down to the first insulating region; polishing the layer of first conductive material; and forming an insulation layer over the layer of first conductive material. The method further includes the steps of forming a layer of a second conductive material above the insulation layer; polishing the layer of second conductive material; and forming a third conductive layer above the layer of second conductive material.

Abstract: A kit in accordance with the invention is disclosed that allows for simultaneous connectivity of a variety of SCSI devices to a SCSI card via a SCSI bus. Such SCSI devices include internal narrow, internal wide, external narrow, and external wide devices. A kit in accordance with the invention includes a terminator-adapter. The terminator-adapter includes a first wide connector, a second narrow connector, and a wide bus including an upper and lower bus. The upper bus is coupled to the wide connector and is first and second connector as well as a soft terminator. By enabling the soft terminator, the terminator-adapter behaves as a wide bus terminator. By disabling the soft terminator, the terminator-adapter behaves as a wide-to-narrow adapter. A kit in accordance with the invention may further include a wide cable and a SCSI card. In various embodiments, the SCSI card includes a wide internal connector and a narrow internal connector.

Abstract: Arrangements are provided to increase the process control during the fabrication of the floating/control gate configuration in a non-volatile memory semiconductor device. The arrangements effectively reduce the severity of the topology attributable to the space between adjacent floating gates by advantageously reducing the height of the floating gates in particular locations. The reduced height floating gate's topology allows a subsequently formed control gate to be formed without significant surface depressions. Significant surface depressions in the control gate can lead to cracks in the silicide layer that is formed on the control gate. The cracking usually occurs during subsequent thermal processing of the semiconductor device. Thus the disclosed arrangements prevent cracking of the silicide layer on the control gate, which can affect the performance of the semiconductor device by increasing the resistance of the control gate arrangement.