Abstract: The present invention relates to a flash memory cell comprising a silicon substrate having an active region comprising a channel region and source-/drain-regions, the active region comprising a projecting portion, which projecting portion at least comprising said channel region; a tunneling dielectric layer formed on the surface of said active region; a floating gate formed on the surface of said tunneling dielectric layer for storing electric charges; an inter-gates coupling dielectric layer formed on the surface of said floating gate, and a control gate formed on the surface of said inter-gates coupling dielectric layer, wherein said floating gate is formed to have a groove-like shape for at least partly encompassing said projecting portion of said active region. This invention further relates to a flash memory device comprising such flash memory cells, as well as a manufacturing method thereof.

Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells that include a memory element having a non-reactive resistance whose magnitude is programmable to assume a high-resistance state or a low-resistance state. Sets of first and second lines provide access to the memory cells, wherein the memory element of each memory cell is coupled between one of the first lines and one of the second lines. A checking unit determines whether to invert data values to be stored in memory cells coupled to at least a section of respective ones of the first lines based on a number of memory cells that would be programmed in the high-resistance state or the low-resistance state as a result of the data values in order to reduce the number memory cells programmed in the low-resistance state and the resulting leakage current.

Abstract: In a charge trapping memory architecture for virtual ground with interconnects (6) that are present parallel to the word lines (2) and STI isolations (1) that are present parallel to the bit lines (4), provision is made of STI isolations (7) that are widened for division into slices. Instead of this, the interconnects present below a bit line may be omitted or two mutually adjacent bit lines (41, 42) may be wired up in such a way that the memory transistors present between them operate only in the dummy mode.

Abstract: The invention provides an integration scheme for a memory cell array, especially a charge-trapping memory cell array, comprising an architecture of local interconnects, which enables to avoid nitride insulations of wordline stacks and to produce CMOS devices of different structures and dimensions in standard technology along with the tinier memory cell transistors.

Abstract: Bitline conductor tracks are arranged parallel to one another and electrically insulated from a substrate provided with a basic doping. A memory layer sequence, especially a charge-trapping layer sequence with a dielectric memory layer between dielectric confinement layers, is provided at least in regions adjacent to the bitline conductor tracks. The memory cells comprise gate electrodes connected by wordlines, and channel regions below the gate electrodes. They can be programmed by the trapping of channel hot electrons that are accelerated between source and drain regions formed by induced bitlines that are generated by the application of voltages to the bitline conductor tracks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory with a volatile memory device, in particular a DRAM memory device, and with a non-volatile memory device. The volatile memory device is electrically coupled with the non-volatile memory device, and the non-volatile memory device has a polymer memory device adapted to be switched between two states of information.

Abstract: The charge-trapping layer comprises two strips above the source and drain junctions. The thicknesses of the charge-trapping layer and the gate dielectric are chosen to facilitate Fowler-Nordheim-tunnelling of electrons into the strips during an erasure process. Programming is performed by injection of hot holes into the strips individually for two-bit storage.

Abstract: The invention provides an integration scheme for a memory cell array, especially a charge-trapping memory cell array, comprising an architecture of local interconnects, which enables to avoid nitride insulations of wordline stacks and to produce CMOS devices of different structures and dimensions in standard technology along with the tinier memory cell transistors.

Abstract: To manufacture a memory device, a gate dielectric layer is formed over a semiconductor body and a gate electrode layer is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode layer is structured to form a gate electrode with sidewalls. An etching process is performed to remove parts of the gate dielectric layer from beneath the gate electrode on opposite sides of the gate electrode. Boundary layers, e.g., oxide layers, are formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor body and a lower surface of the gate electrode adjacent where the gate dielectric has been removed thereby leaving spaces. Charge-trapping layer material can then be deposited to fill the spaces. Source and drain regions are then formed in the semiconductor body adjacent the gate electrode.

Abstract: The channel region (11) and the source-drain regions (9, 10) are arranged vertically at a sidewall of a dielectric trench filling (4). On the opposite side, the semiconductor material is bounded by the gate dielectric (18) and the gate electrode (16), which is arranged in a cutout of the semiconductor material. A memory cell array comprises a multiplicity of vertically oriented strip-type semiconductor regions in which source-drain regions are implanted at the top and bottom and a channel region embedded in insulating material on all sides is present in between as a floating body.

Abstract: Bitline conductor tracks are arranged parallel to one another and electrically insulated from a substrate provided with a basic doping. A memory layer sequence, especially a charge-trapping layer sequence with a dielectric memory layer between dielectric confinement layers, is provided at least in regions adjacent to the bitline conductor tracks. The memory cells comprise gate electrodes connected by wordlines, and channel regions below the gate electrodes. They can be programmed by the trapping of channel hot electrons that are accelerated between source and drain regions formed by induced bitlines that are generated by the application of voltages to the bitline conductor tracks.

Abstract: Transistor bodies of semiconductor material located at a main surface of a semiconductor substrate between shallow trench isolations are provided with a rounded or curved upper surface. A floating gate electrode is arranged above said upper surface and electrically insulated from the semiconductor material by a tunnel dielectric having essentially the same tiny thickness throughout a primary tunnel area encompassing the area of curvature. The floating gate electrode may bridge the transistor body and is covered with a coupling dielectric provided for a control gate electrode, which forms part of a wordline.

Abstract: A memory cell having a source region, a drain region, a source-end control gate, a drain-end control gate, an injection gate arranged between the source-end control gate and the drain-end control gate, a source-end storage element arranged in the source-end control gate, and a drain-end storage element arranged in the drain-end control gate. To program the memory cell, a low electrical voltage is applied to the injection gate, and a high electrical voltage is applied to the control gates.

Abstract: In the case of this semiconductor memory having NROM cells, the channel regions of the memory transistors in each case run transversely with respect to the relevant word line, the bit lines are arranged on the top side of the word lines and in a manner electrically insulated from the latter, and electrically conductive cross-connections are present, which are arranged in sections in interspaces between the word lines and in a manner electrically insulated from the latter and are connected to the bit lines in each case in next but one sequence.

Abstract: In a memory cell array comprising charge-trapping memory cells, local interconnects along the direction of the wordlines for connecting source/drain regions of adjacent memory cells to bitlines are formed by selective deposition of silicon or polysilicon bridges at sidewalls of the semiconductor material within upper recesses in the dielectric material of shallow trench isolations running across the wordlines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flash memory cell comprising a silicon substrate having an active region comprising a channel region and source-/drain-regions, the active region comprising a projecting portion, which projecting portion at least comprising said channel region; a tunneling dielectric layer formed on the surface of said active region; a floating gate formed on the surface of said tunneling dielectric layer for storing electric charges; an inter-gates coupling dielectric layer formed on the surface of said floating gate, and a control gate formed on the surface of said inter-gates coupling dielectric layer, wherein said floating gate is formed to have a groove-like shape for at least partly encompassing said projecting portion of said active region. This invention further relates to a flash memory device comprising such flash memory cells, as well as a manufacturing method thereof.

Abstract: A memory layer intended for trapping charge carriers over a source region and a drain region is interrupted over the channel so that a diffusion of the charge carriers, which are trapped over the source region and over the drain region, is prevented. The memory layer is limited to regions over the parts of the source region and of the drain region facing the channel and is embedded all around in oxide.

Abstract: In a memory cell array comprising charge-trapping memory cells, local interconnects along the direction of the wordlines for connecting source/drain regions of adjacent memory cells to bitlines are formed by selective deposition of silicon or polysilicon bridges at sidewalls of the semiconductor material within upper recesses in the dielectric material of shallow trench isolations running across the wordlines.

Abstract: A trench (2) is fabricated in a silicon body (1). The walls (4) of the trench are provided with a nitrogen implantation (6). An oxide layer between the source/drain regions (5) and a word line applied on the top side grows to a greater thickness than a lower oxide layer of an ONO storage layer fabricated as gate dielectric at the trench wall. Instead of the nitrogen implantation into the trench walls, it is possible to fabricate a metal silicide layer on the top sides of the source/drain regions in order to accelerate the oxide growth there.

Abstract: The invention provides an integration scheme for a memory cell array, especially a charge-trapping memory cell array, comprising an architecture of local interconnects, which enables to avoid nitride insulations of wordline stacks and to produce CMOS devices of different structures and dimensions in standard technology along with the tinier memory cell transistors.