Abstract: In the course of a method for fabricating a field-effect transistor having a floating gate, a structure is formed which has uncovered sidewalls of a layer made of the material for forming the floating gate and which is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere in order to coat the sidewalls. At the same time, other regions of the structure have an insulating oxide layer. At a point in time prior to the action of an oxidizing atmosphere, nitrogen is implanted into the material of the floating gate in a quantity that appreciably reduces the oxidation at the sidewalls thereof.

Abstract: A method of flash memory cell programming is provided which uses a uniform electric potential across tunnel oxide. The tight Vt distribution and very stable Vt shift over program/erase cycling allows for a multi-level cell capable of having more than 2 bits per cell.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a memory cell array, in particular an EPROM or EEPROM memory cell array, includes burying insulation zones on a silicon substrate in accordance with an STI (Shallow Trench Isolation) technique, forming word lines on the insulation zones, covering the word lines with a hard mask and side wall oxides and CVD depositing an oxide or nitride laterally onto the hard mask and onto the side wall oxides to define a spacer. Spacer channels are etched into the insulation zones between adjoining word lines. An SAS (Self Aligned Source) resist mask is applied to mask each two adjacent coated word lines on mutually facing sections, including the spacer channel located between these word lines, while each two adjacent masked word lines of masked word line pairs remain unmasked on mutually facing sections. The SAS resist mask is exposed.

Abstract: A method is provided which uses a uniform electric potential across tunnel oxide, based on a uniform field to allow memory cell recovery from over-erasure.

Abstract: A method for producing a capacitor having a dielectric and first and second capacitor electrodes in a semiconductor circuit device formed on a semiconductor substrate, includes forming a trench in a layer applied to the substrate. An electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode is deposited inside the trench and at least regionally conformally with side walls thereof. An auxiliary layer acting as a space-holder for the dielectric is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode. An electrically conductive layer for the first capacitor electrode is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the auxiliary layer. The auxiliary layer is at least partially removed to expose a hollow layer in at least a partial region between the two electrically conductive layers for the first and second capacitor electrodes. The dielectric is deposited into the exposed hollow layer between the two electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: A method for producing a capacitor having a dielectric and first and second capacitor electrodes in a semiconductor circuit device formed on a semiconductor substrate, includes forming a trench in a layer applied to the substrate. An electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode is deposited inside the trench and at least regionally conformally with side walls thereof. An auxiliary layer acting as a space-holder for the dielectric is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode. An electrically conductive layer for the first capacitor electrode is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the auxiliary layer. The auxiliary layer is at least partially removed to expose a hollow layer in at least a partial region between the two electrically conductive layers for the first and second capacitor electrodes. The dielectric is deposited into the exposed hollow layer between the two electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: A method for producing a capacitor having a dielectric and first and second capacitor electrodes in a semiconductor circuit device formed on a semiconductor substrate, includes forming a trench in a layer applied to the substrate. An electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode is deposited inside the trench and at least regionally conformally with side walls thereof. An auxiliary layer acting as a space-holder for the dielectric is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode. An electrically conductive layer for the first capacitor electrode is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the auxiliary layer. The auxiliary layer is at least partially removed to expose a hollow layer in at least a partial region between the two electrically conductive layers for the first and second capacitor electrodes. The dielectric is deposited into the exposed hollow layer between the two electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface defining a plane extending substantially parallel thereto. A multiplicity of memory cells disposed on the substrate each have a selection transistor disposed in the plane. The transistor has a gate terminal and first and second electrode terminals. Each of the memory cells has a storage capacitor associated with and triggerable by the transistor. The capacitor has a ferroelectric dielectric and first and second capacitor electrodes. The capacitor has a configuration projecting upward from the plane and is disposed inside a trench extending as far as the second electrode terminal of the transistor. A word line is connected to the gate terminal of the transistor, a bit line is connect to the first electrode terminal of the transistor, and a common conductor layer of electrically conductive material is connected to the first capacitor electrode of the capacitor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a self-adjusted nonvolatile memory cell, in which a MOS transistor with source and drain regions is incorporated into the surface region of a semiconductor body. The floating gate and the control gate of the MOS transistor are accommodated, overlapping one another, in a recess trench, while the transistor channel is guided laterally in a surface region of the trench.

Abstract: An EEPROM semiconductor structure is produced with a resistor, a thin-film transistor, a capacitor, and a transistor. The individual implantation steps are utilized to create various structures and, as a result, the production process is substantially simplified.

Abstract: The read only memory has a plurality of conductor track planes one above the other. The conductor tracks in adjacent planes are oriented such that they intersect in intersecting regions. In these intersecting regions, either a VIA tunnel contact is provided, which represents a logic "1" or no VIA tunnel contact is provided, so that this intersecting region represents a logic "0". In this way, over the same surface area, a plurality of memory cells can be produced one above the other. The read only memory is produced with a defined sequence of process steps and it is operated by selectively applying predetermined voltages across the various conductor tracks.

Abstract: The MOS circuit configuration allows switching high voltages on a semiconductor chip. In order to switch a high negative voltage, for example as a programming voltage on the word line of a flash-memory, two circuit variants are given which are formed only with transistors of the same conductivity type as the substrate. The substrate and the transistors formed in the well are p-conductive. In this way it is possible to dispense with deep insulating wells which require special technology.

Abstract: Electrically erasable and programmable non-volatile memory cell, which is formed with only one MOS transistor which is formed by a source-channel-drain junction, semi conductor substrate (1) of a first conductivity type has a drain region (2) and a source region (3) of a second conductivity type with a polarity opposite to that of the first conductivity type. A gate electrode (4), which is at a floating potential, is electrically insulated from the drain area (2) by a tunneling oxide (5) and from a channel region (9), which is located between the drain area and the source area (2, 3), by a gate oxide (5; 10). It and extends at least over a part of the channel region (9) and a part of the drain region (2) in the source-channel-drain direction. A control electrode (7) is electrically insulated from the gate electrode (4) by a coupling oxide (8).

Abstract: A negative programming voltage is selectively applied to a word line of a nonvolatile memory by initially charging all of the word lines with the negative programming voltage. When the negative programming voltage is turned off, the word lines assume a floating state. Thereafter, a positive voltage is added to all the non-selected word lines in order to compensate for the negative charges.

Abstract: A method for producing a capacitor having a dielectric and first and second capacitor electrodes in a semiconductor circuit device formed on a semiconductor substrate, includes forming a trench in a layer applied to the substrate. An electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode is deposited inside the trench and at least regionally conformally with side walls thereof. An auxiliary layer acting as a space-holder for the dielectric is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the electrically conductive layer for the second capacitor electrode. An electrically conductive layer for the first capacitor electrode is conformally deposited inside the trench and on the auxiliary layer. The auxiliary layer is at least partial removed to expose a hollow layer in at least a partial region between the two electrically conductive layers for the first and second capacitor electrodes. The dielectric is deposited into the exposed hollow layer between the two electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface defining a plane extending substantially parallel thereto. A multiplicity of memory cells disposed on the substrate each have a selection transistor disposed in the plane. The transistor has a gate terminal and first and second electrode terminals. Each of the memory cells has a storage capacitor associated with and triggerable by the transistor. The capacitor has a ferroelectric dielectric and first and second capacitor electrodes. The capacitor has a configuration projecting upward from the plane and is disposed inside a trench extending as far as the second electrode terminal of the transistor. A word line is connected to the gate terminal of the transistor, a bit line is connected to the first electrode terminal of the transistor, and a common conductor layer of electrically conductive material is connected to the first capacitor electrode of the capacitor.