Embedded NOR Flash Memory Process with NAND Cell and True Logic Compatible Low Voltage Device
An integrated circuit formed of nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits is formed on a substrate. The nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits are separated by isolation regions formed of a shallow trench isolation. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are formed in a triple well structure. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are NAND-based NOR memory circuits formed of at least two floating gate transistors that are serially connected such that at least one of the floating gate transistors functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the charge retaining transistors when the charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading. Each column of the NAND-based NOR memory circuits are associated with and connected to one bit line and one source line.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 and 37 CFR §1.78 as a divisional application to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/135,220, filed Jun. 29, 2011, which in turn claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/398,964, filed on Jul. 1, 2010, assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure, and both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONSU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/387,771 (771), filed on May 7, 2009 assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/455,337, filed on Jun. 1, 2009 assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/455,936, filed on Jun. 9, 2009 assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/456,354, filed on Jun. 16, 2009 assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/456,744, filed on Jun. 22, 2009 assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure relates generally to integrated circuits and to processes for manufacturing integrated circuits. More particularly, this disclosure relates to nonvolatile flash memory circuits fabricated with logic and linear circuits as a system-on-chip (SoC) and to processes for manufacturing nonvolatile flash memory circuits fabricated with logic and linear circuits as a system-on-chip (SoC).
BACKGROUNDAs is known in the art, Flash nonvolatile memory is a solid-state memory technology that is widely used in many applications such as consumer cell phones and personal digital assistants to provide permanent data storage. The NAND Flash and NOR Flash memory have emerged as the dominant varieties of non-volatile semiconductor memories. The NAND Flash memory has a very small cell size and is used primarily as a high-density data storage medium. Alternately, the NOR Flash has approximately one quarter the density of the NAND flash memory and is typically used for program code storage and direct execution. The advantages of the NAND flash are higher memory density and thus lower bit cost, relatively fast write speed, and lower active power. The advantages of the NOR flash memory are relatively fast read speed and random access to provide ease of access for executing programming code.
NOR flash memory cells suffer from a punch-through phenomenon of the MOS charge retaining transistors for present advanced integrated circuit manufacturing technology nodes. Punch-through is caused when drain and source depletion regions merge, if a sufficiently large reverse bias is applied. This occurs with MOS transistors with very short channel lengths. The energy barrier that keeps the electrons in the source region of an NMOS transistor is lowered when the drain and source depletion merge. In this instance many electrons start to flow from the source to the drain even when the gate voltage is below the threshold voltage level of the NMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor is not supposed to conduct. This leakage current is sufficient large to cause the consumption of a relatively large amount of power during programming. The MOS charge retaining transistors are designed to have a channel length that is sufficiently large to prevent the punch-through.
The NAND flash memory cell is structured to have a serial NAND string with a gating transistor overcomes this scaling problem and is in mass production at the present advanced integrated circuit manufacturing technology minimum feature size of approximately 19 nm. However, NAND flash memory has a relatively slow read speed and is thus not suitable for an embedded application. While there are embedded NAND and NOR flash memory designs, there is no true embedded flash memory technology that is available for mass production in the semiconductor industry that has low power consumption to meet the requirement of “Green Memory”. Nonetheless, the demand for an integrated circuit process capable of having a NAND and NOR flash nonvolatile memory is increasing, because more and more System-on-Chip (SoC) integrated circuits are required with the embedded flash memory designs.
SUMMARYAn object of this disclosure is to provide circuits and methods of manufacture of integrated circuits combining nonvolatile memory circuits with logic and linear analog circuits.
To accomplish at least this object, an integrated circuit is formed on a substrate. The integrated circuit is formed of nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits. The nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits, and the linear analog circuits are each formed in active semiconductor areas separated by isolation regions formed with a shallow trench isolation. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are formed in a triple well structure where a first deep well is formed of a first conductivity type such as a diffusion with an N-type impurity and a second well is formed of a second conductivity type where the second well such as a diffusion of a P-type impurity.
The nonvolatile memory array circuits are constructed of rows and columns of NAND or NOR charge retaining cells formed within designated active areas. The NOR charge retaining cells are NAND-based NOR memory cells having at least two floating gate transistors serially connected such that at least one of the floating gate transistors functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the charge retaining transistors when the charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading. The nonvolatile memory array circuits formed of NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells has a column of the NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells with a bit line and source line associated with each column of the NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells. A drain of the topmost charge retaining transistor is connected to the bit line associated with and parallel to each of the columns of serially connected NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells. Similarly, a source of the bottommost charge retaining transistor is connected to the source line associated with and parallel to each of the columns of NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells and parallel to the associated bit line. A control gate of each of the rows of NAND-based NOR flash memory cells is connected to a word line.
The active areas for peripheral circuitry of the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits, and the linear circuits have a shallow well of the first conductivity type and a shallow well of the second conductivity type into which the low voltage logic devices are fabricated. The shallow well of the first conductivity type is an N-well and the shallow well of the second conductivity type is a P-well. PMOS transistors are formed in the N-well and NMOS transistors are formed in the P-well.
High voltage MOS transistors are formed in the substrate. To establish the appropriate threshold, ion implantation is performed at the channel regions of the high voltage MOS transistors. One ion implantation operation sets the threshold for a high voltage MOS transistor with a standard threshold voltage. A second ion implantation operation sets the threshold for a zero threshold high voltage MOS transistor. The low voltage and high voltage transistors are implemented for peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits. A threshold setting implant is applied to the channel regions of the charge retaining transistors of the NAND and NAND-based NOR memory arrays.
A high voltage thick insulation layer is grown in the area for the logic circuits and linear analog circuits and the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory circuits. In various embodiments the high voltage thick insulation layer is an oxide insulation layer grown on the surface of the substrate. Upon removal of the high voltage thick insulation layer in the area of the charge retaining transistors of the nonvolatile memory circuits, a tunneling insulation layer is formed over the area of the charge retaining transistors of the nonvolatile memory circuits. In various embodiments, the tunneling insulation layer is a tunneling oxide.
In some embodiments, a first conductive layer is formed on the substrate above the tunnel insulation layer and the thick insulation layer. In various embodiments the first conductive layer is a first polycrystalline silicon layer. The first conductive layer is patterned to define a floating gate for each of the floating gate charge retaining transistors. Then, a nitride layer and two oxide layers are formed on the first conductive layer to form an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) charge trapping layer.
An active area mask is employed to define the areas of the shallow trench isolation to separate the area of the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits. The defined areas of the active area mask are etched to create the trenches and then filled with trench insulation that in various embodiments is a silicon oxide. Further, in various embodiments the shallow trench isolation self-aligns the charge retaining regions of the charge retaining transistors. In the embodiments having floating gate charge retaining regions, the shallow trench isolation provides the self alignment of the first conductive layer to improve performance of the charge retaining transistors.
In the embodiments having a floating gate charge retaining transistors, an inter-level dielectric layer is formed on the first conductive layer. In various embodiments, the inter-level dielectric layer is an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) formed by a high temperature chemical vapor deposition. The inter-level dielectric is then etched in the active areas for peripheral circuitry of the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits, and the linear circuits and a dual gate mask is formed. The high voltage thick insulation is removed in the active areas for peripheral circuitry of the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits, and the linear circuits having the low voltage transistors and a thin gate insulation is grown in the regions defining the low voltage transistors. The thin gate insulation, in various embodiments, is a silicon oxide.
A second conductive layer is formed on the surface of the substrate. In various embodiments, the conductive layer is a second polycrystalline silicon that is deposited to thickness of from approximately 1,500 Å to 3,000 Å. The second polycrystalline silicon conductive layer is doped to with an impurity to increase the conductivity of the second polycrystalline silicon conductive layer. In some embodiments, the second polycrystalline silicon conductive layer has a conductive film added to a top surface to form a low resistance polycide layer. A capping layer is deposited over the second conductive layer to prevent peeling of the conductive films where in various embodiments the conductive films are tungsten.
A control gate mask is applied to the second polycrystalline silicon conductive layer with the capping layer to define the control gates of the charge retaining transistors and the gates of the NMOS and PMOS transistors of the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits. A PMOS mask is formed over the regions of the PMOS transistors to protect the regions of the PMOS transistors. A first lightly doped drain (LDD) implant of an impurity of the first conductivity type is applied to the surface of the substrate. The capping layer, the second polycrystalline layer, the inter-level dielectric, the first polycrystalline silicon layer, and the tunneling insulation layer form a stacked gate for the floating gate charge retaining transistors. The stacked gate becomes a self-aligning feature for the lightly doped drain implant to form the source and drains of the floating gate charge retaining transistors. The capping layer and the gates of the NMOS transistors peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits are self-aligning features for the lightly doped drain implant to form the lightly doped drains of the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits. The lightly doped drain implant may be an arsenic implant or a phosphorus implant of a density of from approximately 1e12 to approximately 1e15.
A NMOS mask is placed over the regions of the NMOS transistors of the nonvolatile memory array, the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits. A second lightly doped drain implant of an impurity of the second conductivity type is applied to the surface of the substrate. The capping layer and the gates of the PMOS transistors peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits are self-aligning features for the lightly doped drain implant to form the lightly doped drains of the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits. The lightly doped drain implant may be a boron implant or a boron di-flouride (BF2) implant of a density of from approximately 1e12 to approximately 1e15.
A peripheral implant mask is formed over the substrate leaving the nonvolatile memory array circuits exposed for a cell source and drain implant. The stacked gate is self-aligning feature for the cell source/drain implant of the first conductivity type to form the source and drains for the charge retaining transistors. In some embodiments, the cell source/drain implant is preceded by a halo implant of the second conductivity type within the triple well against the junction walls to limit the extent of depletion regions.
A thick insulation layer is formed on the surface of the substrate and then defined to form spacers adjacent to the stacked gate structure of the charge retaining transistors and the gates of the NMOS and PMOS transistors. The low voltage transistors and the nonvolatile memory array circuits have a high voltage diffusion masking applied to them. A double diffusion implant of the first conductivity type is applied to the high voltage transistors to form the source and drain of the high voltage transistors. In various embodiments the implant density is chosen such that the junction breakdown voltage is greater than approximately +20V.
The high voltage diffusion masking is removed and a first low voltage diffusion masking is applied to the regions of the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits having the second type conductivity and a first low voltage diffusion having a conductivity of the first type is applied to the low voltage and high voltage transistors of the first conductivity type to form a shallow junction depth for low voltage applications and for a metal contact for the high voltage transistors. In some embodiments, the high voltage transistors are covered with the first low voltage diffusion masking. Upon removal of the low voltage diffusion masking from the high voltage region, a diffusion plug is created to make a contact region for the source and drains of the high voltage transistors.
The first low voltage diffusion masking is removed from the surface of the substrate and a second low voltage diffusion masking is applied to the high and low voltage transistors of the first conductivity type. A second low voltage diffusion is applied to the area of the transistors with the second conductivity type to create the source and drains of the transistors of the second conductivity type to form a shallow junction depth for low voltage applications.
A second interlayer dielectric is formed on the surface of the substrate. The second interlayer dielectric is a borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) or a phosphosilicate glass (PSG). The second interlayer dielectric is formed by chemical vapor deposition followed by a chemical mechanical planarization. A photoresist layer is formed on the second interlayer dielectric and patterned to expose the drain and source regions of the charge retaining transistors and the NMOS and PMOS transistors. An etching process exposes the drain and source regions of the charge retaining transistors and the NMOS and PMOS transistors. Contact regions are made to the sources and drains and filled with a barrier metal. In various embodiments, the barrier metal is Titanium Nitride/titanium alloy.
A first level metal is formed on the surface of the second interlayer dielectric. In some embodiments, the first level metal is sputtered onto the surface of the substrate or electroplated on the surface of the substrate. In various embodiments the first level metal is aluminum and other embodiments, the first level metal is copper. The first level metal is then patterned to form interconnections for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits. Additional layers of the interlayer dielectric and metal conductors are formed to provide more interconnections for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits.
The punch-through phenomenon of the charge retaining transistors of the NOR flash memory cell has forced the charge retaining transistors to be fabricated with a sufficiently large channel length to prevent the punch-through. While the NAND flash memory cell is structured to have a serial NAND string with a gating transistor that overcomes the scaling problem, the NAND flash memory cell has a relatively slow read speed. The size of the NOR flash memory cell and the slow read speed of the NAND flash memory cell make them actually unsuitable embedded flash memory technology for System-on-Chip (SoC) designs. The power consumption of the NOR flash memory cells of the prior art does not meet the requirements of “Green Memory”. The slow read speed of the NAND cell can not meet the performance requirements for SoC designs.
The 771 patent application describes a NAND-based NOR flash memory cell. The NAND-based NOR memory cell is designed and marketed by APlus Flash Technology, Inc., San Jose, Calif. under the HiNOR™ name. The NAND-based NOR flash memory cell combines the advantage of the scaling capability of NAND flash memory cell and the fast read speed of the NOR flash memory cell to provide a true low power flash memory for the embedded applications for the SoC.
A SoC is formed on a substrate that is divided into functional regions. The functional regions include at least one embedded memory region that includes at least one NAND-based NOR flash memory array. The functional regions further include at least one logic region that includes logic circuits configured to be a computer central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor, a graphics processor, or any other logical function. The functional regions further includes at least one linear region that includes analog circuits configured to be a radio transmitter, a radio receiver, an audio amplifier, power supply control circuitry, or any other analog function.
The gate length of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1 is the channel region in the bulk regions 132a and 132b of shallow P-type well TPW between source/drain region 115 and the common source/drain region 120 of the floating gate transistor M0 and the common source/drain region 120 and the source/drain region 122 of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1. The NOR floating gate transistor's 110 channel width is determined by the width of the N-diffusion of the source/drain region 115, the source/drain region 122 and the common source/drain region 120. The typical unit size of the dual floating gate transistor NOR flash memory cell 100 is from approximately 12λ2 to approximately 15λ2. Therefore the effective size for a single bit NOR cell is approximately 6λ2. The effective size (6λ2) of a single bit NOR cell is slightly larger than a NAND cell size of the prior art. However, the effective size of a single bit NOR cell is much smaller than the NOR cell size (15λ2) of the prior art for a semiconductor manufacturing process below 50 nm. The effective single bit/single transistor size of the dual floating gate transistor NOR flash memory cell 100 remains constant an effective cell size of approximately 6λ2. The constant cell size is a result of the scalability is identical to that of the NAND flash memory cell of the prior art.
The floating gate layers 145a and 145b each respectively store electron charges to modify the threshold voltage of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1. In all operations such as read, program and erase, the P-type substrate P-SUB is always connected to a ground reference voltage source (GND). The deep n-type diffusion well DNW is connected to the power supply voltage source (VDD) in read and program operations but is connected to a very large erase voltage level of from approximately +20V to approximately +25.0V in a Fowler-Nordheim channel erase operation. The shallow P-type well TPW is connected to the ground reference voltage in normal read and program operations but is connected to the very large erase voltage level in the Fowler Nordheim channel erase operation. The deep n-type diffusion well DNW and the shallow p-type diffusion well TPW are biased commonly to the very large erase voltage level to avoid the undesired forward current. In present designs of dual floating gate transistor NOR flash memory cell 100, the power supply voltage source is either 1.8V or 3.0V.
In an array of dual floating gate transistor NOR flash memory cells 100, the floating gate transistors M0 and M1 are arranged in rows and columns. The second polycrystalline silicon layer 125 that is the control gate of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1 and is extended to form a word-line WL that connects to each of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1 on a row of the array. The drain/source 115 of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1 is connected to a bit line BL. The source/drain 122 of the floating gate transistor M1 is connected to a source line SL. The bit line BL and the source line SL being formed in parallel and in parallel with a column of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1
A tunnel oxide is formed on top of the channel region 132a and 132b between the source/drain region 115 and the common source/drain region 120 of the floating gate transistor M0 and between the common source/drain region 120 and the source/drain region 122 of the floating gate transistor M1 and beneath the floating gates 145a and 145b. The thickness of the tunnel oxide is typically 100 Å. The tunnel oxide is the layer through which the electron charges pass during the Fowler-Nordheim channel tunneling programming and erasing. During a programming operation, the Fowler-Nordheim tunnel programming attracts electrons to the floating gates 145a and 145b through the tunnel oxide from cell's channel regions 132a and 132b within the shallow p-type diffusion well TPW. During an erasing operation, the Fowler-Nordheim tunnel erasing expels stored electrons from the floating gates 145a and 145b through the tunnel oxide to cell's channel regions 132a and 132b and thus into the shallow p-type diffusion well TPW.
After an erase operation, fewer electron charges are stored in the floating gates 145a and 145b that results in a decrease in an erased threshold voltage level (Vt0) of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1. In contrast, in a Fowler-Nordheim program operation, electrons are attracted into floating gates 145a and 145b so that a first programmed threshold voltage level (Vt1) and a second programmed threshold voltage level of the floating gate transistors M0 and M1 by applying the very large programming voltage level of from approximately 15.0V to approximately 20.0V to the control gates 125a and 125b of the floating gates 145a and 145b.
The bit line BL and the source line SL are connected to a column controller (not shown) to provide the necessary bit line operational voltages to selected NAND flash memory cells 200 for programming, reading, and erasing retained charges representing digital data bits within charge retaining floating gates 245a, 245b, . . . , 245m of each of the selected NAND flash memory cells 200.
The word lines WL1, WL2, . . . , WLm, top select gate line SG1, and the bottom select gate line SG2 are connected to a word line controller (not shown). The word line controller transfers word line operational voltages for selecting, programming, reading, and erasing the retained charges representing the digital data bits within the charge retaining floating gates 245a, 245b, . . . , 245m of each of the selected NAND flash memory cells 200.
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A mask is placed on the surface of the P-type substrate P-SUB to define the control gates of the floating gate charge retaining transistors of the nonvolatile memory region NVMC and the gate structures of the high voltage transistor regions HVZN and HVN and the low voltage transistor regions LVP and LVN. The second doped polycrystalline silicon conductive layer CG and the capping layer CAPL are etched to remove the material essentially exposing the shallow trench isolation and portions of the thick high voltage oxide HVOX of the high voltage transistor regions HVZN and HVN, the thin oxide LVOX of the low voltage transistor regions LVP and LVN, and the tunnel oxide TOX. This defines the control gates of the nonvolatile memory cell region NVMC and the gates of the high voltage transistor regions HVZN and HVN and the low voltage transistor regions LVP and LVN. The nonvolatile memory cell region NVMC now has the stacked gate structure for each of the floating gate charge retaining transistors of each memory cell. The stacked gate structure consists of the tunnel oxide TOX, the doped polycrystalline silicon conductive floating gate layer FG, the device dielectric layer ONO, the second doped polycrystalline silicon conductive control gate layer CG.
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The surface of the P-type substrate P-SUB is coated with patterned photoresist layer. The patterned photoresist layer is arranged to expose the drain and source regions of the N-type and P-type MOS transistors and floating gate charge retaining transistors of the high voltage transistor regions HVZN and HVN, low voltage transistor regions LVP and LVN, and the nonvolatile memory cell region NVMC. The P-type substrate P-SUB is etched until drain and source regions of the N-type and P-type MOS transistors and floating gate charge retaining transistors of the high voltage transistor regions HVZN and HVN, low voltage transistor regions LVP and LVN, and the nonvolatile memory cell region NVMC are exposed. The patterned photoresist layer and the stacked gate structure with the spacer act as a mask for the etching.
The openings to the selected sources and drains of the N-type and P-type MOS transistors and floating gate charge retaining transistors of the high voltage transistor regions HVZN and HVN, low voltage transistor regions LVP and LVN, and the nonvolatile memory cell region NVMC are filled with a contact barrier metal CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn. The contact barrier metal CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn is a titanium nitride/titanium (TiN/Ti) alloy barrier metal. Where a metal wiring layer must contact a gate of the high voltage transistor regions HVZN and HVN and low voltage transistor regions LVP and LVN and the nonvolatile memory cell region NVMC a similar inter-layer connecting metal V0 is formed in openings formed during the etching.
After the formation of the contact barrier metal CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn and the inter-layer connecting via V0, a first metal conductive layer M1 is formed on the surface of the P-type substrate P-SUB. In some embodiments, the first conductive metal layer M0 is aluminum and is sputtered over the entire surface of the P-type substrate P-SUB. In other embodiments, the first conductive metal layer M1 is copper and is plated in selective areas on the surface of the P-type substrate P-SUB. In still other embodiments, the first conductive metal layer M1 is copper that is deposited in a single damascene and chemical mechanical polishing CMP process.
For additional conductive metal layers M2, . . . , Mn−1, Mn, an interlayer layer dielectric insulating layer IDE2, . . . , IDEn is deposited on each of the previous conductive metal layers M1, M2, . . . , Mn−1 and patterned with opening to accept the inter-layer connecting vias V1, V2, . . . , Vn. The additional conductive metal layers M2, . . . , Mn−1, Mn are formed on their respective lower interlayer dielectric insulating layer IDE2, . . . , IDEn. In some embodiments, the additional conductive metal layers M2, . . . , Mn−1, Mn are aluminum and are sputtered over the entire surface of the P-type substrate P-SUB. In other embodiments, the additional conductive metal layers M2, . . . , Mn−1, Mn are copper and is plated in selective areas on the surface of the P-type substrate P-SUB. In still other embodiments, the additional conductive metal layers M2, . . . , Mn−1, Mn are copper that is deposited in a single damascene and chemical mechanical polishing CMP process.
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The NAND-based NOR structure is such that at least one of the floating gate charge retaining transistors of the column of NOR nonvolatile memory cells NOR1, NOR2, . . . NORn functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the plurality of floating gate charge retaining transistors when the floating gate charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading.
While this disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The charge retaining transistors in other embodiment have charge trapping oxide/nitride/oxide layers with no floating gate and still embody the principles of the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A method for forming an integrated circuit on a substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits in active semiconductor areas;
- separating the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits by isolation regions with a shallow trench isolation;
- connecting the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits such that the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits are in intercommunication to transfer signals and data between them and external circuitry;
- wherein forming the nonvolatile memory array circuits further comprises forming the nonvolatile memory circuits in a triple well structure by forming a first deep well with an impurity of a first conductivity type and forming a second well with an impurity of a second conductivity type in the first deep well; and
- wherein forming the nonvolatile memory array circuits further comprises forming NAND-based NOR memory cells by forming at least two floating gate transistors, serially connecting the at least two floating gate transistors such that at least one of the floating gate transistors functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the charge retaining transistors when the charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading.
2. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the impurity of the first conductivity type is an N-type impurity
3. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the impurity of the second conductivity type is a P-type impurity.
4. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein forming the nonvolatile memory array circuits further comprises the step of: forming NAND and NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells in rows and columns of formed within designated active areas.
5. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 4 wherein forming NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells further comprises the steps of: associating each column of NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells with a bit line and a source line.
6. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 4 wherein forming NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells further comprises the steps of:
- connecting a drain of a topmost charge retaining transistor of each of the NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells to the bit line associated with and parallel to each of the columns of serially connected NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells; and
- connecting a source of the bottommost charge retaining transistor of each of the NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells to a source line associated with and parallel to the column of NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells and parallel to the associated bit line.
7. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 4 wherein forming NAND-based NOR charge retaining cells comprises the step of: connecting a control gate of the NAND-based NOR flash memory cells of each of the rows to a word line.
8. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits in active semiconductor areas comprises the steps of:
- forming a shallow well of the first conductivity type and a shallow well of the second conductivity type; and
- fabricating the low voltage logic and linear circuits in the first conductivity type and a shallow well of the second conductivity type.
9. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein the shallow well of the first conductivity type is an N-well and the shallow well of the second conductivity type is a P-well.
10. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein PMOS transistors are formed in the N-well and NMOS transistors are formed in the P-well.
11. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 1 further comprising the step of: forming high voltage MOS transistors in the substrate for the logic and linear analog circuits.
12. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 11 wherein forming high voltage MOS transistors comprises performing an ion implantation at the channel regions of the high voltage MOS transistors to establish the appropriate threshold.
13. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 12 wherein performing the ion implantation comprises the step of: performing a first ion implantation operation to set the threshold for the high voltage MOS transistor with a standard threshold voltage.
14. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 13 wherein performing the ion implantation further comprises the step of: performing a second ion implantation operation to set the threshold for a zero threshold high voltage MOS transistor.
15. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: applying a threshold setting implant to the channel regions of the charge retaining transistors of the NAND and NAND-based NOR memory arrays.
16. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: growing a high voltage thick insulation in active semiconductor areas for the logic circuits and linear analog circuits and the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory circuits.
17. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein the high voltage thick insulation layer is a nitride insulation layer grown on the surface of the substrate.
18. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 18 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits further comprises the step of: forming a tunneling insulation layer is formed in the over the area of the charge retaining transistors of the nonvolatile memory circuits.
19. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 18 wherein the tunneling insulation layer is a tunneling oxide.
20. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 18 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: forming a first conductive layer on the substrate above the tunnel insulation layer and the thick insulation layer.
21. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 20 wherein the first conductive layer is a first polycrystalline silicon layer.
22. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 20 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: patterning the first conductive layer to define a floating gate for each of the floating gate charge retaining transistors.
23. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 22 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: forming a nitride layer and a second oxide layer on the tunneling oxide layer to form an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) charge retaining layer.
24. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 22 wherein separating the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits comprises the step of: defining an active area mask for the areas of the shallow trench isolation.
25. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 24 wherein separating the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: etching the defined areas of the active area mask create the trenches and filling the trenches with trench insulation.
26. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 25 wherein the trench insulation is a silicon oxide.
27. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 25 the shallow trench isolation self-aligns the charge retaining regions of the charge retaining transistors.
28. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 27 wherein the shallow trench isolation provides the self alignment of the first conductive layer to improve performance of the charge retaining transistors.
29. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 22 wherein separating the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: forming an inter-level dielectric on the first conductive layer.
30. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 28 wherein the inter-level dielectric layer is an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) formed by a high temperature chemical vapor deposition.
31. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 29 wherein separating the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits further comprises etching the inter-level dielectric in the active areas.
32. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: removing the high voltage thick insulation in the active areas for peripheral circuitry of the nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits, and the linear circuits having the low voltage transistors and growing a thin gate insulation in the regions defining low voltage transistors.
33. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 32 wherein the thin gate insulation is a silicon oxide.
34. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 29 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises forming a second conductive layer on the surface of the substrate.
35. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 34 wherein the second conductive layer is a second polycrystalline silicon that is deposited to thickness of from approximately 1,500 Å to 3,000 Å.
36. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 35 wherein the second polycrystalline silicon conductive layer is doped with an impurity to increase the conductivity of the second polycrystalline silicon conductive layer.
37. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 34 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the steps of:
- applying conductive films to a top surface of the second conductive layer to improve conductivity of the second conductive layer, and
- depositing a capping layer over the second conductive layer to prevent peeling of conductive films
38. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 37 wherein the conductive films are tungsten.
39. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 34 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the steps of: applying a control gate mask to the second polycrystalline silicon conductive layer and the capping layer and defining the control gates of the charge retaining transistors and the gates of the NMOS and PMOS transistors of the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits.
40. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 39 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits in active semiconductor areas further comprises the step of: forming a PMOS mask over the regions of the PMOS transistors to protect the regions of the PMOS transistors.
41. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 40 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits in active semiconductor areas further comprises the step of: implanting a first lightly doped drain (LDD) implant of an impurity of the first conductivity type to the surface of the substrate.
42. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 41 wherein the lightly doped drain implant is an arsenic implant or a phosphorus implant of a density of from approximately 1e12 to approximately 1e15.
43. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 41 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits in active semiconductor areas further comprises placing an NMOS mask over the regions of the NMOS transistors of the nonvolatile memory array, the peripheral circuits for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits and implanting a second lightly doped drain implant of an impurity of the second conductivity type to the surface of the substrate.
44. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 43 wherein the lightly doped drain implant may be a boron implant or a boron di-flouride (BF2) implant of a density of from approximately 1e12 to approximately 1e15.
45. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 43 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: forming a peripheral implant mask over the substrate and leaving the nonvolatile memory array circuits exposed for a cell source and drain implant.
46. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 45 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: implanting a cell source/drain implant of the first conductivity type to form the source and drains for the charge retaining transistors wherein the stacked gate is self-aligning feature.
47. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 46 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: implanting a halo implant of the second conductivity type within the triple well against the junction walls to limit the extent of depletion regions prior to the cell source/drain implant.
48. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 46 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the steps of: forming a thick spacer insulation layer on the surface of the substrate and defining the thick spacer insulation layer to form spacers adjacent to the stacked gate structure of the charge retaining transistors and the gates of the NMOS and PMOS transistors.
49. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 48 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: applying a high voltage diffusion masking to the low voltage transistors and the nonvolatile memory array circuits.
50. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 49 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits in active semiconductor areas further comprises the step of: diffusing a double diffusion implant of the first conductivity type to the high voltage transistors to form the source and drain of the high voltage transistors.
51. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 50 wherein the double diffusion implant density is chosen such that the junction breakdown voltage is greater than approximately +20V.
52. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 49 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the steps of: removing the high voltage diffusion masking and applying a first low voltage diffusion masking to the regions of the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits having the second type conductivity and diffusing a first low voltage diffusion having a conductivity of the first type to the low voltage and high voltage transistors of the first conductivity type to form a shallow junction depth for low voltage applications and for a metal contact for the high voltage transistors.
53. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 49 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the steps of: covering the high voltage transistors with the first low voltage diffusion masking; removing the low voltage diffusion masking from the high voltage region; and creating a diffusion plug to make a contact region for the source and drains of the high voltage transistors.
54. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 52 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits in further comprises the steps of: removing the first low voltage diffusion masking is removed from the surface of the substrate and applying a second low voltage diffusion masking to the high and low voltage transistors of the first conductivity type.
55. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 54 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: implanting a second low voltage diffusion to the area of the transistors with the second conductivity type to create the source and drains of the transistors of the second conductivity type to form a shallow junction depth for low voltage applications.
56. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 55 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises forming a second interlayer dielectric on the surface of the substrate.
57. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 56 wherein the second interlayer dielectric is a borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) or a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) formed by chemical vapor deposition followed by a chemical mechanical planarization.
58. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 56 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the steps of: forming and patterning a second interlayer photoresist layer on the second interlayer dielectric to expose the drain and source regions of the charge retaining transistors and the NMOS and PMOS transistors.
59. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 58 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: etching the second interlayer photoresist layer for exposing the drain and source regions of the charge retaining transistors and the NMOS and PMOS transistors.
60. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 59 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: forming contact regions to the sources and drains and filling the contact regions with a barrier metal.
61. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 60 wherein the barrier metal is Titanium Nitride/titanium alloy.
62. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 61 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: forming a first level metal on the surface of the second interlayer dielectric.
63. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 62 wherein forming the first level metal comprises the step of: sputtering the first level metal onto the surface of the substrate or electroplating the first level metal on the surface of the substrate.
64. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 62 wherein the first level metal is aluminum or is copper.
65. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 62 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: patterning the first level metal to form interconnections for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits.
66. The method for forming the integrated circuit of claim 65 wherein forming nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits further comprises the step of: forming additional layers of the interlayer dielectric and metal conductors to provide added interconnections for the nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 3, 2013
Publication Date: Oct 10, 2013
Inventors: Peter Wung Lee (Saratoga, CA), Han-Rei Ma (San Jose, CA), Fu-Chang Hsu (San Jose, CA)
Application Number: 13/908,559
International Classification: H01L 27/115 (20060101);