Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. A SONOS flash memory device, including a SONOS flash memory cell; and at least one UV-protective layer, in which the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material, is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.

Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. A SONOS flash memory device, including a SONOS flash memory cell; and at least one UV-protective layer, in which the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material, is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.

Abstract: A charge trapping dielectric memory device. The memory device includes a gate electrode disposed over a dielectric stack that includes a dielectric charge trapping layer. The gate electrode has a work function of about 4.6 eV to about 5.2 eV.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes insulators between floating gates. The insulators each include both a lower trench-fill insulator portion in a trench in the substrate, and an upper protruding portion that protrudes from the substrate. Floating gates extend between the protruding portions of adjacent insulators, and are in contact with the protruding portions of the adjacent insulators. An interpoly dielectric overlies the floating gates, and a control gate overlies the interpoly dielectric. The insulators and the floating gates may make a substantially planar surface for the interpoly dielectric, which may themselves be planar.

Abstract: A dual bit dielectric memory cell comprises a substrate with a source region and a drain region implanted on opposing sides of a central channel region. A multilevel charge trapping dielectric is positioned on the substrate above the central channel region and includes a central region between an opposing source lateral region and a drain lateral region. A control gate is positioned above the multilevel charge trapping dielectric. The multilevel charge trapping dielectric comprises a tunnel dielectric layer adjacent the substrate, a top dielectric adjacent the control gate, and a charge trapping dielectric positioned there between. The thickness of the tunnel dielectric layer in the central region is greater than a thickness of the tunnel dielectric layer in each of the source lateral region and the drain lateral region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for saliciding word lines in a virtual ground array flash memory device without causing shorting between bit lines. According to one aspect of the invention, saliciding takes place prior to patterning one or more layers of a memory cell stack. The unpatterned layers protect the substrate between word lines from becoming salicided. The invention provides virtual ground array flash memory devices with doped and salicided word lines, but no shorting between bit lines, even in virtual ground arrays where there are no oxide island isolation regions between word lines. Potential advantages of such structures include reduced size, reduced number of processing steps, and reduced exposure to high temperature cycling.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The method and system include providing a plurality of gate stacks above a substrate. Each of the plurality of gate stacks includes a first edge and a second edge. The method and system also include providing a source implant adjacent to the first edge of each of the plurality of gate stacks and driving the source implant under the first edge of each of the plurality of gate stacks. The method and system also include providing a drain implant after source implant is driven under the first edge. The drain implant is in the substrate adjacent to the second edge of each of the plurality of gate stacks.

Abstract: A method and system for insulating a lower layer of a semiconductor device from an upper layer of the semiconductor device is disclosed. The method and system include providing an interlayer dielectric on the lower layer. The method and system further include providing an antireflective coating (ARC) layer. At least a portion of the ARC layer is on the interlayer dielectric. The method and system further include providing a plurality of via holes in the interlayer dielectric and the ARC layer and filling the plurality of via holes with a conductive material. The method and system further include removing the ARC layer while reducing subsequent undesirable charge gain and subsequent undesirable charge loss over the use of a chemical mechanical polish in removing the ARC layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate having bitlines under a charge-trapping material over a core region and a gate insulator material over a periphery region. A wordline-gate material, a hard mask, and a first photoresist are deposited and patterned over the core region while covering the periphery region. After removing the first photoresist, wordlines are formed from the wordline-gate material in the core region. An anti-reflective coating and a second photoresist are deposited and patterned over the periphery region and covering the core region. The anti-reflective coating is removable without damaging the charge-trapping material. After removing the second photoresist and the anti-reflective coating, gates are formed from the wordline-gate material in the periphery region and the integrated circuit completed.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a SONOS type non-volatile semiconductor memory device having improved erase speed, the device containing bitlines extending in a first direction; wordlines extending in a second direction, the wordlines comprising functioning wordlines and at least one dummy wordline, wherein the dummy wordline is positioned near at least one of a bitline contact and an edge of the core region, and the dummy wordline is treated so as not to cycle between on and off states.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a MirrorBit® Flash memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate and depositing a charge-trapping dielectric layer. First and second bitlines are implanted and a wordline layer is deposited. A hard mask layer is deposited over the wordline layer. The hard mask is of a material formulated for removal without damaging the charge-trapping dielectric layer. A photoresist is deposited over the wordline layer and used to form a hard mask. The photoresist is removed. The wordline layer is processed using the hard mask to form a wordline and the hard mask is removed. A salicide is grown without short-circuiting the first and second bitlines.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a dual bit dielectric memory cell structure on a silicon substrate includes implanting buried bit lines within the substrate and fabricating a layered island on the surface of the substrate between the buried bit lines. The island has a perimeter defining a gate region, and comprises a tunnel dielectric layer on the surface of the silicon on insulator wafer, an isolation barrier dielectric layer on the surface of the tunnel dielectric layer, a top dielectric layer on the surface of the isolation barrier dielectric layer, and a polysilicon gate on the surface of the top dielectric layer. A portion of the isolation barrier dielectric layer is removed to form an undercut region within the gate region and a charge trapping material is deposited within the undercut region.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a MirrorBit® Flash memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate and depositing a charge-trapping dielectric layer. First and second bitlines are implanted and a wordline layer is deposited. A hard mask layer is deposited over the wordline layer. The hard mask is of a material formulated for removal without damaging the charge-trapping dielectric layer. A photoresist is deposited over the wordline layer and used to form a hard mask. The photoresist is removed. The wordline layer is processed using the hard mask to form a wordline and the hard mask is removed. A salicide is grown without short-circuiting the first and second bitlines.

Abstract: A process for fabrication of a semiconductor device including a modified ONO structure, including forming the modified ONO structure by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; depositing a layer comprising a high-K dielectric material on the first oxide layer; and forming a top oxide layer on the layer comprising a high-K dielectric material. The semiconductor device may be, e.g., a MIRRORBIT™ two-bit EEPROM device or a floating gate flash device including a modified ONO structure.

Abstract: A device and method for manufacturing thereof for a MirrorBit® Flash memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate and successively depositing a first insulating layer, a charge-trapping layer, and a second insulating layer. First and second bitlines are implanted and wordlines are formed before completing the memory. Spacers are formed between the wordlines and an inter-layer dielectric layer is formed over the wordlines. One or more of the second insulating layer, wordlines, spacers, and inter-layer dielectric layers are deuterated, replacing hydrogen bonds with deuterium, thus improving data retention and substantially reducing charge loss.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device etches a feature on a substrate in accordance with a photoresist mask. The photoresist mask is removed by plasma etching. Laser thermal annealing is performed to vaporize polymer residue created during the stripping of the photoresist mask, and to repair damage to the substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate and depositing a charge-trapping dielectric layer and a gate dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate. Bitlines are implanted closely in the semiconductor substrate and annealed using a rapid thermal anneal. Wordlines and gates are formed and source/drain junctions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate. An interlayer dielectric layer is deposited and the integrated circuit completed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing for a MirrorBit® Flash memory includes depositing a charge-trapping material over a semiconductor substrate and implanting first and second bitlines in the semiconductor substrate. A wordline material is deposited over the charge-trapping dielectric material and a hard mask material deposited thereon. An anti-reflective coating (ARC) material is deposited on the hard mask material and a photoresist material is deposited on the ARC followed by processing the photoresist material and the ARC material to form a photomask of a patterned photoresist and a patterned ARC. The hard mask material is processed using the photomask to form a hard mask. The patterned photoresist is removed and then the patterned ARC without damaging the hard mask or the wordline material. The wordline material is processed using the hard mask to form a wordline and the hard mask is removed without damaging the wordline or the charge-trapping material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for saliciding the word lines in a virtual ground array flash memory device without saliciding the substrate between word lines. According to the invention, in a process for manufacturing virtual ground array flash memory devices, a salicide protect layer covers the substrate between word lines in the core region while the tops of the word lines are exposed. The salicide protect layer can be brought into the desired configuration by one or more of masking the substrate between word lines during an etching process, removing salicide protection material in the core by polishing, and forming a comparatively thick layer of salicide protection material in the core whereby the tendency of the salicide protect layer to follow the contour of the underlying structures is reduced. With the substrate between word lines protected by the salicide protect layer, the word lines are salicided.

Abstract: A process for fabrication of a semiconductor device including a modified ONO structure, comprising forming the modified ONO structure by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first dielectric material layer on the semiconductor substrate; depositing a silicon nitride layer on the first dielectric material layer; and forming a top dielectric material layer, wherein at least one of the bottom dielectric material layer and the top dielectric material layer comprise a mid-K or a high-K dielectric material. The semiconductor device may be, e.g., a SONOS two-bit EEPROM device or a floating gate flash device including the modified ONO structure.