Patents by Inventor Mark Helm

Mark Helm has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040183123
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a silicon nitride layer over and against a floating gate; and b) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a floating gate layer over a substrate; b) forming a silicon nitride layer over the floating gate layer, the silicon nitride layer comprising a first portion and a second portion elevationally displaced from the first portion, the first portion having a greater stoichiometric amount of silicon than the second portion; and c) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Mark Fischer, John T. Moore, Scott Jeffrey DeBoer
  • Patent number: 6759298
    Abstract: A method of forming an array of FLASH field effect transistors and circuitry peripheral to such array includes forming a sacrificial oxide over an array area and a periphery area of a semiconductor substrate. After forming the sacrificial oxide, at least one conductivity modifying implant is conducted into semiconductive material of the substrate within the array without conducting the one conductivity modifying implant into semiconductive material of the substrate within the periphery. The sacrificial oxide is removed from the array while the sacrificial oxide is left over the periphery. After removing the sacrificial oxide from the array, at least some FLASH transistor gates are formed within the array and at least some non-FLASH transistor gates are formed within the periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger W Lindsay, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 6756634
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a silicon nitride layer over and against a floating gate; and b) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a floating gate layer over a substrate; b) forming a silicon nitride layer over the floating gate layer, the silicon nitride layer comprising a first portion and a second portion elevationally displaced from the first portion, the first portion having a greater stoichiometric amount of silicon than the second portion; and c) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Mark Fischer, John T. Moore, Scott Jeffrey DeBoer
  • Patent number: 6746921
    Abstract: Thermal oxidation of a peripheral area of a semiconductor substrate is globally restricted with an overlying oxidation resistant layer that is not globally received within the array during formation of a sacrificial oxide layer prior to forming any transistor gate dielectric layer within the array. At least some FLASH field effect transistor gates having floating gate dielectric of a first thickness are formed within the array and at least some non-FLASH field effect transistor gates having gate dielectric of a second thickness are formed within the periphery, with the first and second thicknesses being different. Other aspects and implementations are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger W Lindsay, Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20040005752
    Abstract: Wells are formed in a substrate where standard Vt and low Vt devices of both a first and second type are to be fabricated. Wells defining the locations of first type standard Vt devices are masked, and a first voltage threshold implant adjustment is performed within wells defining the second type standard Vt devices, and each of the first and second type low Vt devices. Wells that define the locations of second type standard Vt devices are masked, and a second voltage threshold implant adjustment is performed to the wells defining the first type standard Vt devices, and each of the first and second type low Vt devices. Doped polysilicon gate stacks are then formed over the wells. Performance characteristics and control of each device Vt is controlled by regulating at least one of the first and second voltage threshold implant adjustments, and the polysilicon gate stack doping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Mark Helm, Xianfeng Zhou
  • Publication number: 20030235964
    Abstract: A dielectric layer (e.g., an interpoly dielectric layer) is deposited over low and high voltage devices of a peripheral memory device. The dielectric behaves as an oxidation and wet oxide etch barrier. The dielectric prevents the devices from being stripped by a wet oxide etch that can result in the exposure of the silicon corners. The exposure of a silicon corner may increase thinning of a gate oxide at the field edge. This causes variability and unreliability in the device. The dielectric is not removed from a device until the device is ready for processing. That is, the dielectric remains on a device until the growing of a gate oxide on that device has begun. This reduces the exposure of the silicon corner. Hedges that result may be removed by exposing a trench in the field oxide at the hedge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham R. Wolstenholme, Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20030235963
    Abstract: A method of forming an array of FLASH field effect transistors and circuitry peripheral to such array includes forming a sacrificial oxide over an array area and a periphery area of a semiconductor substrate. After forming the sacrificial oxide, at least one conductivity modifying implant is conducted into semiconductive material of the substrate within the array without conducting the one conductivity modifying implant into semiconductive material of the substrate within the periphery. The sacrificial oxide is removed from the array while the sacrificial oxide is left over the periphery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Roger W. Lindsay, Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20030235956
    Abstract: Thermal oxidation of a peripheral area of a semiconductor substrate is globally restricted with an overlying oxidation resistant layer that is not globally received within the array during formation of a sacrificial oxide layer prior to forming any transistor gate dielectric layer within the array. At least some FLASH field effect transistor gates having floating gate dielectric of a first thickness are formed within the array and at least some non-FLASH field effect transistor gates having gate dielectric of a second thickness are formed within the periphery, with the first and second thicknesses being different. Other aspects and implementations are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Roger W. Lindsay, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 6645814
    Abstract: Thermal oxidation of a peripheral area of a semiconductor substrate is globally restricted with an overlying oxidation resistant layer that is not globally received within the array during formation of a sacrificial oxide layer prior to forming any transistor gate dielectric layer within the array. At least some FLASH field effect transistor gates having floating gate dielectric of a first thickness are formed within the array and at least some non-FLASH field effect transistor gates having gate dielectric of a second thickness are formed within the periphery, with the first and second thicknesses being different. Other aspects and implementations are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger W Lindsay, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 6647542
    Abstract: An efficient method for fabricating dual well type structures uses the same number of masks used in single well type structure fabrication. In a preferred embodiment, the current invention allows low voltage and high voltage n-channel transistors and low voltage and high voltage p-channel transistors to be formed in a single substrate. One mask is used for forming a diffusion well, a second mask for both forming a retrograde well and doping the well to achieve an intermediate threshold voltage in that well, and a third mask for both differentiating the gate oxides for the low voltage devices and doping the threshold voltages to achieve the final threshold voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 6635530
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly. A first transistor gate layer is formed over a substrate. A silicon nitride layer is formed over the first transistor gate layer. The silicon nitride layer comprises a first portion and a second portion elevationally displaced above the first portion. The first portion has less electrical resistance than the second portion and a different stoichiometric composition than the second portion. The first portion is physically against the second portion. A second transistor gate layer is formed over the silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Mark Fischer, John T. Moore, Scott Jeffrey DeBoer
  • Publication number: 20020137272
    Abstract: An efficient method for fabricating dual well type structures uses the same number of masks used in single well type structure fabrication. In a preferred embodiment, the current invention allows low voltage and high voltage n-channel transistors and low voltage and high voltage p-channel transistors to be formed in a single substrate. One mask is used for forming a diffusion well, a second mask for both forming a retrograde well and doping the well to achieve an intermediate threshold voltage in that well, and a third mask for both differentiating the gate oxides for the low voltage devices and doping the threshold voltages to achieve the final threshold voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventor: Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 6396100
    Abstract: An efficient method for fabricating dual well type structures uses the same number of masks used in single well type structure fabrication. In a preferred embodiment, the current invention allows low voltage and high voltage n-channel transistors and low voltage and high voltage p-channel transistors to be formed in a single substrate. One mask is used for forming a diffusion well, a second mask for both forming a retrograde well and doping the well to achieve an intermediate threshold voltage in that well, and a third mask for both differentiating the gate oxides for the low voltage devices and doping the threshold voltages to achieve the final threshold voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 6358787
    Abstract: A method of forming CMOS integrated circuitry includes, a) providing a series of gate lines over a semiconductor substrate, a first gate line being positioned relative to an area of the substrate for formation of an NMOS transistor, a second gate line being positioned relative to an area of the substrate for formation of a PMOS transistor; b) masking the second gate line and the PMOS substrate area while conducting a p-type halo ion implant into the NMOS substrate area adjacent the first gate line, the p-type halo ion implant being conducted at a first energy level to provide a p-type first impurity concentration at a first depth within the NMOS substrate area; and c) in a common step, blanket ion implanting phosphorus into both the NMOS substrate area and the PMOS substrate area adjacent the first and the second gate lines to form both NMOS LDD regions and PMOS n-type halo regions, respectively, the phosphorus implant being conducted at a second energy level to provide an n-type second impurity concentration
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles H. Dennison, Mark Helm
  • Publication number: 20020001897
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a silicon nitride layer over and against a floating gate; and b) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a floating gate layer over a substrate; b) forming a silicon nitride layer over the floating gate layer, the silicon nitride layer comprising a first portion and a second portion elevationally displaced from the first portion, the first portion having a greater stoichiometric amount of silicon than the second portion; and c) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 1998
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: MARK A. HELM, MARK FISCHER, JOHN T. MOORE, SCOTT JEFFREY DEBOER
  • Publication number: 20010046756
    Abstract: An efficient method for fabricating dual well type structures uses the same number of masks used in single well type structure fabrication. In a preferred embodiment, the current invention allows low voltage and high voltage n-channel transistors and low voltage and high voltage p-channel transistors to be formed in a single substrate. One mask is used for forming a diffusion well, a second mask for both forming a retrograde well and doping the well to achieve an intermediate threshold voltage in that well, and a third mask for both differentiating the gate oxides for the low voltage devices and doping the threshold voltages to achieve the final threshold voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventor: Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20010042884
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a silicon nitride layer over and against a floating gate; and b) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a gated semiconductor assembly, comprising: a) forming a floating gate layer over a substrate; b) forming a silicon nitride layer over the floating gate layer, the silicon nitride layer comprising a first portion and a second portion elevationally displaced from the first portion, the first portion having a greater stoichiometric amount of silicon than the second portion; and c) forming a control gate over the silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventors: MARK A. HELM, MARK FISCHER, JOHN T. MOORE, SCOTT JEFFREY DEBOER
  • Publication number: 20010012672
    Abstract: A method of forming CMOS integrated circuitry includes, a) providing a series of gate lines over a semiconductor substrate, a first gate line being positioned relative to an area of the substrate for formation of an NMOS transistor, a second gate line being positioned relative to an area of the substrate for formation of a PMOS transistor; b) masking the second gate line and the PMOS substrate area while conducting a p-type halo ion implant into the NMOS substrate area adjacent the first gate line, the p-type halo ion implant being conducted at a first energy level to provide a p-type first impurity concentration at a first depth within the NMOS substrate area; and c) in a common step, blanket ion implanting phosphorus into both the NMOS substrate area and the PMOS substrate area adjacent the first and the second gate lines to form both NMOS LDD regions and PMOS n-type halo regions, respectively, the phosphorus implant being conducted at a second energy level to provide an n-type second impurity concentration
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: Charles H. Dennison, Mark Helm
  • Patent number: 6268250
    Abstract: An efficient method for fabricating dual well type structures uses the same number of masks used in single well type structure fabrication. In a preferred embodiment, the current invention allows low voltage and high voltage n-channel transistors and low voltage and high voltage p-channel transistors to be formed in a single substrate. One mask is used for forming a diffusion well, a second mask for both forming a retrograde well and doping the well to achieve an intermediate threshold voltage in that well, and a third mask for both differentiating the gate oxides for the low voltage devices and doping the threshold voltages to achieve the final threshold voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 6261888
    Abstract: A method of forming CMOS integrated circuitry includes, a) providing a series of gate lines over a semiconductor substrate, a first gate line being positioned relative to an area of the substrate for formation of an NMOS transistor, a second gate line being positioned relative to an area of the substrate for formation of a PMOS transistor; b) masking the second gate line and the PMOS substrate area while conducting a p-type halo ion implant into the NMOS substrate area adjacent the first gate line, the p-type halo ion implant being conducted at a first energy level to provide a p-type first impurity concentration at a first depth within the NMOS substrate area; and c) in a common step, blanket ion implanting phosphorus into both the NMOS substrate area and the PMOS substrate area adjacent the first and the second gate lines to form both NMOS LDD regions and PMOS n-type halo regions, respectively, the phosphorus implant being conducted at a second energy level to provide an n-type second impurity concentration
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles H. Dennison, Mark Helm