Abstract: Floating gate structures are disclosed that have a projection that extends away from the surface of a substrate. This projection may provide the floating gate with increased surface area for coupling the floating gate and the control gate. In one embodiment, the word line extends downwards on each side of the floating gate to shield adjacent floating gates in the same string. In another embodiment, a process for fabricating floating gates with projections is disclosed. The projection may be formed so that it is self-aligned to the rest of the floating gate.

Abstract: Various techniques are described which utilize multiple poly-silicon layers in the design and fabrication of various logic elements that are used in semiconductor devices. According to a specific implementation of the present invention, logic gate cell sizes and memory array cell sizes may be reduced by fabricating various transistor gates using multiple poly-silicon layers. The techniques of the present invention of using multiple layers of poly-silicon to form transistor gates of logic elements provides extra degrees of freedom in fine tuning transistor parameters such as, for example, oxide thickness, threshold voltage, maximum allowed gate voltage, etc.

Abstract: According to one example embodiment, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device, wherein the device includes a transistor having source and drain regions separated by a channel region. The device includes a gate formed over the channel region and formed over part of the source region and over part of the drain region. The device further includes an insulator region configured and arranged to insulate the gate from the channel region and from the source and drain regions. The insulator region has a first material arranged over the channel region and providing a high dielectric constant, and has a second material arranged over part of the source region and over part of the drain region and providing a significantly lower dielectric constant.

Abstract: An integrated circuit manufacturing process selectively blocks silicide formation during the fabrication of I/O devices to enhance their ESD performance while not impacting the performance of core devices. In an example embodiment, a spacer dielectric covers the MOS structure so that the gate may be protected from process degradation. The spacer dielectric is masked to define silicidation blocking regions and silicidation accepting regions. Spacer dielectric is removed in regions where silicidation is to be accepted. Silicidation blocking regions protect transistor devices from subsequent ion implantation. Consequently, the ion implantation profiles for core transistors and I/O transistors are maintained for enhanced performance and reliability for each transistor type.

Abstract: According to one example embodiment, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device, wherein the device includes a transistor having source and drain regions separated by a channel region. The device includes a gate formed over the channel region and formed over part of the source region and over part of the drain region. The device further includes an insulator region configured and arranged to insulate the gate from the channel region and from the source and drain regions. The insulator region has a first material arranged over the channel region and providing a high dielectric constant, and has a second material arranged over part of the source region and over part of the drain region and providing a significantly lower dielectric constant.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device that includes dual gate oxide layers made of two dielectric layers of varying thickness on a single wafer. In an example embodiment, a semiconductor structure is fabricated by providing a first layer of a dielectric over a semiconductor material and covering the first layer with a protective second dielectric layer adapted to mask the first layer. The first and second layers are then removed over a region of the semiconductor material while the second layer is used to protect the first layer, therein leaving the region of semiconductor material substantially exposed. A third layer of dielectric material is formed over the first and second layers and the adjacent exposed semiconductor material region; a gate material is then formed over the third dielectric layer. Finally, an etching step etches through the gate material and underlying layers to the semiconductor material to form a thick gate region and a thin gate region.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a MOSFET on an SOI substrate includes the formation of an active region (14) isolated by field isolation regions (16, 18) and by an insulating layer (12). A recess (26) is formed in the active region (14) using a masking layer (22) having an opening (24) therein. A gate dielectric layer (32) is formed in the recess (26) and a polycrystalline silicon layer (34) is deposited to overlie the masking layer (22), and to fill the recess (26). A planarization process is carried out to form a gate electrode (36) in the recess (26), and source and drain regions (40, 42) are formed in a self-aligned manner to the gate electrode (36). A channel region (44) resides intermediate to the source and drain regions (40, 42) and directly below the gate electrode (36).

Abstract: A CMOS device having reduced parasitic junction capacitance and a process for fabrication of the device. The device includes an a portion (20') of an undoped epitaxial layer (20) vertically separating source and drain regions (52 and 53, 54 and 55) from buried layers (16, 18) formed in a semiconductor substrate (12). The undoped epitaxial layer (20) reduces the junction capacitance of the source and drain regions by providing an intrinsic silicon region physically separating regions of high dopant concentration from the source and drain regions. Additionally, MOS transistors fabricated in accordance with the invention have fully self-aligned channel regions extending from the upper surface (22) of the undoped epitaxial layer (20) to the buried layers (16, 18) residing in the semiconductor substrate (12).