Abstract: A semiconductor device of this invention is a single-layer gate nonvolatile semiconductor memory in which a floating gate having a predetermined shape is formed on a semiconductor substrate. This floating gate opposes a diffusion layer serving as a control gate via a gate oxide film and is capacitively coupled with the diffusion layer by using the gate oxide film as a dielectric film. The diffusion layer immediately below the dielectric film is insulated from the semiconductor substrate by an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film. A pair of diffusion layers are formed in surface regions of the semiconductor substrate on the two sides of the floating gate extending on a tunnel oxide film.

Abstract: Provided is a non-volatile memory device that can repetitively perform data write and erase operations in an embedded semiconductor device. In the non-volatile memory device, a device isolation region isolates a first active region and a second active region formed on a semiconductor substrate. A transistor electrode is formed on a first insulating layer in the first active region. A first capacitor electrode is formed on a second insulating layer in the first active region. A second capacitor electrode is formed on a third insulating layer in the second active region and electrically connected to the transistor electrode and the first capacitor electrode.

Abstract: A carrier storage node such as a floating gate is formed on a moving electrode with a control gate to form a suspended gate non-volatile memory, reducing floating gate to floating gate coupling and leakage current, and increasing data retention.

Abstract: A floating gate memory cell has a floating gate in which there are two floating gate layers. The top layer is etched to provide a contour in the top layer while leaving the lower layer unchanged. The control gate follows the contour of the floating gate to increase capacitance therebetween. The two layers of the floating gate can be polysilicon separated by a very thin etch stop layer. This etch stop layer is thick enough to provide an etch stop during a polysilicon etch but preferably thin enough to be electrically transparent. Electrons are able to easily move between the two layers. Thus the etch of the top layer does not extend into the lower layer but the first and second layer have the electrical effect for the purposes of a floating gate of being a continuous conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flash semiconductor device minimizes a loss of dopant caused by dopant out-diffusion. A trench is formed in a semiconductor substrate. At least one poly gate is formed in the semiconductor substrate including the trench. An RCS (Recess Common Source) region is formed in the trench. Dopant ions are implanted into the RCS region, and an annealing process is applied to the RCS region.

Abstract: Nonvolatile integrated circuit memory devices having a 2-bit memory cell include a substrate, a source region and a drain region in the substrate, a step recess channel between the source region and the drain region, a trapping structure including a plurality of charge trapping nano-crystals on the step recess channel, and a gate on the trapping structure. Related fabrication methods are also described.

Abstract: A NAND flash memory device includes a plurality of active regions extending in a first direction on a substrate, the active regions including a first well of a first conductivity, a plurality of word lines extending on the first well in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, first and second dummy word lines extending in a second direction on the first well, the first and second dummy word lines being separated from each other to define an intermediate region therebetween, the first and second dummy word lines being adapted to receive a substantially constant bias voltage of about 0 V, and at least one contact in an active region in the intermediate region between the first and second dummy word lines.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a cell well, a memory cell array formed on the cell well and having a memory cell area and cell well contact area, first wiring bodies arranged in the memory cell area, and second wiring bodies arranged in the cell well contact area. The layout pattern of the second wiring bodies is the same as the layout pattern of the first wiring bodies. The cell well contact area comprises cell well contacts that have the same dopant type as the cell well and that function as source/drain regions of dummy transistors formed in the cell well contact area.

Abstract: An AlGaInP based light emitting diode is provided with a distributed Bragg reflector comprising a combination of an AlGaAs layer and an AlInP layer, each having a film thickness determined by following formulas (1) to (3): t1={?0/(4×n1)}×???(1), t2={?0/(4×n2)}×(2??)??(2), and 0.5<?<0.9??(3) wherein t1 is a film thickness [nm] of the AlGaAs layer, t2 is a film thickness [nm] of the AlInP layer, ?0 is a wavelength [nm] of a light to be reflected, n1 is a refractive index of the AlGaAs layer to the wavelength of the light to be reflected, and n2 is a refractive index of the AlInP layer to the wavelength of the light to be reflected.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system in which an embedded memory fabricated in accordance with a conventional logic process includes one or more electrically-alterable non-volatile memory cells, each having a programming transistor, a read transistor and a control capacitor, which share a common floating gate electrode. The under-diffusion of the source/drain regions of the programming transistor and control capacitor are maximized. In one embodiment, the source/drain regions of the programming transistor are electrically shored by transistor punch-through (or direct contact).

Abstract: A semiconductor device including: a well layer that is formed on a semiconductor substrate; a first impurity diffusion layer that is formed on the well layer; a floating gate that is formed on the well layer in one region isolated from the first impurity diffusion layer, with a gate insulating film therebetween, and that is drawn over the first impurity diffusion layer and over the well layer in other region isolated from the first impurity diffusion layer, respectively; a source or drain layer that is formed on the well layer in such a manner that the source or drain layer sandwiches the floating gate disposed on the gate insulation film with another source or drain layer and in isolation from the first impurity diffusion layer; and a second impurity diffusion layer that is formed on the well layer adjacently to the other region, the well layer being of a first conductivity type while the source or drain layer, the first impurity diffusion layer and the second impurity diffusion layer being each of a second

Abstract: A semiconductor device having step gates includes a semiconductor substrate including first regions having relatively low steps at both ends of an active region defined by trench isolation films and a second region having a relatively high step at a central part of the active region, a groove having a predetermined depth being formed at the central part of the second region, step gate stacks formed on the boundary between the first region and second region while exposing the groove of the second region, first impurity regions formed in the first regions exposed by the step gate stacks, and a second impurity region formed in the second region exposed by the step gate stacks while enclosing the groove of the second region.

Abstract: A method includes the steps of: introducing insulation film into a trench to provide a trench isolation; planarizing the trench isolation to expose a passivation film; and removing the passivation film and depositing a second silicon layer on a first silicon layer and the trench isolation; and in the step of depositing the first silicon layer the first silicon layer is an undoped silicon layer and in the step of depositing the second silicon layer the second silicon layer is a doped silicon layer or an undoped silicon layer subsequently having an impurity introduced thereinto or the like and thermally diffused through subsequent thermal hysteresis into the first silicon layer.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures are adapted to form an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) cell having a long retention life, and/or a reduced programming voltage, and/or a reduced semiconductor real estate, and/or a reduced number of semiconductor fabrication steps.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a nonvolatile memory element, the nonvolatile memory element, including: a first region, a second region formed adjacent to the first region, and a third region formed adjacent to the second region; the nonvolatile memory element further including a semiconductor layer, a separating insulation layer which is formed on the semiconductor layer and which demarcates a forming region of the nonvolatile memory element, a first diffusion layer which is formed on the semiconductor layer of the first region, a first source region and a first drain region formed on the first diffusion layer, a second diffusion layer which is separated from the first diffusion layer and which is formed on a periphery of the first diffusion layer and on the semiconductor layer of the second region, a second source region and a second drain region formed on the second diffusion layer, a third diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor layer of the third region, a first insulation layer formed above the

Abstract: Nonvolatile memory cells and array are provided. The memory cell comprises a body, a source, a drain, and a charge storage region. The body comprises an n-type conductivity and is formed in a well of the n-type conductivity. The source and the drain have p-type conductivity and are formed in the well with a channel of the body defined therebetween. The charge storage region is disposed over and insulated from the channel by a channel insulator. Each cell further comprises a bias setting having a source voltage applied to the source, a well voltage applied to the well, and a drain voltage applied to the drain. A bias configuration for an erase operation of the memory cell is further provided, wherein the source voltage is sufficiently more negative with respect to the well voltage and is sufficiently more positive with respect to the drain voltage to inject hot holes onto the charge storage region. The cells can be arranged in row and column to form memory arrays and memory device.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell includes an ion well of a semiconductor substrate; a first half-transistor having a firs select gate, a first diffusion region in the ion well, and a first gate dielectric layer between the first select gate and the ion well; a second half-transistor disposed adjacent to the first half-transistor, wherein the second half-transistor has a second select gate spaced apart from the first select gate, a second diffusion region in the ion well, and a second gate dielectric layer between the second select gate and the ion well. The first and second half-transistors are mirror-symmetrical to each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of this invention is a single-layer gate nonvolatile semiconductor memory in which a floating gate having a predetermined shape is formed on a semiconductor substrate. This floating gate opposes a diffusion layer serving as a control gate via a gate oxide film and is capacitively coupled with the diffusion layer by using the gate oxide film as a dielectric film. The diffusion layer immediately below the dielectric film is insulated from the semiconductor substrate by an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film. A pair of diffusion layers are formed in surface regions of the semiconductor substrate on the two sides of the floating gate extending on a tunnel oxide film.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate including an insulating layer, a charge storage region of a first conductivity type on the insulating layer, and an insulating film on the insulating layer and surrounding the charge storage region. A body region of the first conductivity type is on an upper surface of the charge storage region, and a gate stack including a gate electrode and a gate insulating film is on the body region. A source region and a drain region of a second conductivity type are on opposite sides of the body region. The charge storage region extends further towards the semiconductor substrate than the source region and/or the drain region. Methods of forming semiconductor memory devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: An EEPROM flash memory device having a floating gate electrode enabling a reduced erase voltage and method for forming the same, the floating gate electrode including an outer edge portion including multiple charge transfer pointed tips.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a non-volatile memory includes first providing a substrate for defining multiple pairs of active regions; forming a control gate in one of each pair of the active regions of the substrate; sequentially forming a gate oxide layer, a conductor layer, and a patterned mask layer on the substrate, wherein the patterned mask layer exposes a portion of the conductor layer; forming a first dielectric layer on the exposed portion of the conductor layer; removing the patterned mask layer; removing the conductor layer without covering the first dielectric layer, and using the remained conductor layer as the floating gate; forming a second dielectric layer on sidewalls of the floating gate; forming an erase gate above the floating gate and correspondingly above the control gate, and forming a source region and a drain region in the other one of each pair of the active regions.

Abstract: An improved nonvolatile memory cell made by a method for fabricating a three dimensional monolithic memory with increased density. The memory cell includes at least a part of a first conductor, a semiconductor element, and at least a part of a second conductor. The method includes forming conductors preferably comprising tungsten, then filling and planarizing; above the conductors forming semiconductor elements, preferably comprising two diode portions, optionally forming an antifuse above or below both of the diode portions, and then filling and planarizing; and continuing to form conductors and semiconductor elements in multiple stories of memories. The arrangement of processing steps and the choice of materials decreases aspect ratio of each memory cell, improving the reliability of gap fill and preventing etch undercut.

Abstract: A memory device is disclosed. A floating gate is disposed overlying a substrate. A tunneling dielectric layer is interposed between the floating gate and the substrate. An inter poly dielectric layer is disposed overlying the floating gate and the substrate. A word line is disposed overlying the floating gate, extending in a row direction. A bit line is disposed in the substrate, extending in a column direction, wherein the bit line is partially overlapped by the floating gate and the word line.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes: a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type in which a first region, a second region, and a third region are partitioned by an isolation insulating layer; a semiconductor section of a second conductivity type provided in the first region and functioning as a control gate; a semiconductor section of the first conductivity type provided in the second region; a semiconductor section of the second conductivity type provided in the third region; an insulating layer provided on the semiconductor layer in the first to third regions; a floating gate electrode provided on the insulating layer across the first to third regions; impurity regions of the first conductivity type provided on each side of the floating gate electrode in the first region; impurity regions of the second conductivity type provided on each side of the floating gate electrode in the second region and functioning as either a source region or a drain region; and impurity regions of the first conductivity

Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device having a plurality of NAND strings, each NAND string includes a memory cell block obtained by connecting a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in series, a first selection gate transistor connected to a data transfer line contact, and a second selection gate transistor connected to a source line contact. The upper surface of an isolation insulating film between adjacent data transfer line contacts is higher than the major surface of a semiconductor substrate in a device area between the first selection gate transistor and data transfer line contact. Alternatively, the upper surface of an isolation insulating film between adjacent source line contacts is higher than the major surface of the semiconductor substrate in a device area between the second selection gate transistor and source line contact.

Abstract: A carrier storage node such as a floating gate is formed on a moving electrode with a control gate to form a suspended gate non-volatile memory, reducing floating gate to floating gate coupling and leakage current, and increasing data retention.

Abstract: The fabrication method for a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a memory cell area including memory cells and a peripheral circuit area adjacent to the memory cell area and including peripheral transistors, the method including the steps of: (1) forming a first active region in the memory cell area and a second active region in the peripheral circuit area in a substrate by forming isolation insulating films in the memory cell area and the peripheral circuit area so as to be away from a boundary therebetween; (2) forming a bottom insulating film and an intermediate charge trap film sequentially over the entire surface of the substrate; (3) removing a portion of the intermediate charge trap film formed in the peripheral circuit area using a first mask film; (4) forming a gate insulating film in the peripheral circuit area and also at least part of a top insulating film in the memory cell area; (5) forming a gate electrode film on the top insulating film and the gate insulating film; and (6) forming

Abstract: The memory cell includes a first unit, a semiconductor layer, a second unit, and a doped region. The first unit includes a first gate, a first charge trapping layer, and a second charge trapping layer. The first and the second charge trapping layer are respectively disposed on both sides of the first gate. The semiconductor layer is disposed on the first unit. The second unit is disposed on the semiconductor layer and is in mirror symmetry to the first unit. The second unit includes a second gate and a third and a fourth charge trapping layer respectively disposed on both sides of the second gate. The doped region is disposed at both sides of the semiconductor layer and serves as a common source/drain region of both the first and the second unit.

Abstract: An integrated shunt capacitor comprises a bottom plate (86,88), a capacitor dielectric (92) overlying a portion of the bottom plate, a top plate (62) overlying the capacitor dielectric, a shield (74) overlying a portion of the top plate (62); and a metallization feature (70) disposed about and isolated from at least two sides of the top plate (62), the metallization feature (70) for coupling the bottom plate (86,88) to the shield (74). In one embodiment, an RF power transistor has an impedance matching network including an integrated shunt capacitor as described herein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single-poly EPROM comprising a source, a drain, a control gate, a floating gate and an additional gate. The control gate is positioned laterally of a channel between the source and the drain. The floating gate is positioned above the channel above the control gate. The additional gate is positioned above the floating gate, wherein the additional gate is electrically connected to the control gate.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory is provided, including a control gate, a floating gate, a gate oxide layer, a source region, a drain region, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and an erase gate. The control gate is disposed in a substrate. The floating gate comprising a coupling part and a gate part is disposed over the control gate and located over a portion of the substrate with the gate oxide layer there-between. The source region adjoins with one side of the gate part, while the drain region adjoins with the other side of the gate part. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the floating gate. The second dielectric layer is disposed on the sidewalls of the floating gate. The erase gate is disposed over the coupling part of the floating gate and covers the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) comprises a contactless array of EEPROM memory cells disposed in rows and columns and constructed over a silicon-on-insulator wafer. Each EEPROM memory cell comprises a drain region, a source region, a gate region, and a body region. The semiconductor device further comprises a plurality of gate lines each connecting the gate regions of a row of EEPROM memory cells, a plurality of body lines each connecting the body regions of a column of EEPROM memory cells, a plurality of source lines each connecting the source regions of a column of EEPROM memory cells, and a plurality of drain lines each connecting the drain regions of a column of EEPROM memory cells. The source lines and the drain lines are buried lines, and the source regions and the drain regions of a column of EEPROM memory cells are insulated from the source regions and the drain regions of the adjacent columns of EEPROM memory cells.

Abstract: A NAND-type non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a gate insulating layer on an active region of a semiconductor substrate, first and second select gate structures on the active region, and a memory gate structure therebetween. The first and second select gate structures respectively include a plurality of select gate patterns, and the memory gate structure includes a plurality of storage gate patterns. The gate insulating layer includes a plurality of openings therein exposing portions of the active region between ones of the plurality of select gate patterns of the first and second select gate structures. The device may further include impurity regions in portions of the active region between the gate patterns, and halo regions adjacent ones of the impurity regions in the portions of the active region exposed by the openings in the gate insulating layer. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided on a semiconductor substrate, and includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory cells respectively coupled to the plurality of word lines and to the plurality of data lines. The erasable non-volatile memory cell each includes a MIS transistor having a floating gate having a first level polycrystalline silicon layer, a source, and a drain coupled to the corresponding data line, and a control gate formed of a semiconductor region in the semiconductor substrate, the control gate being coupled to the corresponding word line.

Abstract: The present memory device includes first and second electrodes, a passive layer between the first and second electrodes; and an active layer between the first and second electrodes, the active layer being of dendrimeric material which provides passages through the active layer.

Abstract: A multi-function memory array that includes a DRAM distributed in several DRAM sectors, a Flash EEPROM distributed in several Flash EEPROM sectors, a data bus interconnecting the DRAM sectors and the Flash EEPROM sectors, and a plurality of memory access control circuitries. Each DRAM sector and Flash EEPROM sector can be accessed independently and data can be transferred between a DRAM sector and a Flash EEPROM sector. External data can also be written into either DRAM or Flash EEPROM. Flash EEPROM in one sector is distributed in rows and columns, and cells in each column are separated from the cells in an adjacent column by deep trench isolation regions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same. The device is disposed on a substrate, including a fin constructed with first and second sidewalls, a first gate line formed in the pattern of spacer on the first sidewall of the fin, and a second gate line formed in the pattern of spacer on the second sidewall of the fin. First and second impurity regions are disposed in the fin. The first and second impurity regions are isolated from each other and define a channel region in the fin between the first and second gate lines.

Abstract: A single-gate non-volatile memory and an operation method thereof, wherein a transistor and a capacitor structure are embedded in a semiconductor substrate; the transistor comprises: a first electrically-conductive gate, a first dielectric layer, and multiple ion-doped regions; the capacitor structure comprises: a second electrically-conductive gate, a second dielectric layer, and a second on-doped region; the first electrically-conductive gate and the second electrically-conductive gate are interconnected to form a single floating gate of a memory cell; a reverse bias is used to implement the reading, writing, and erasing operations of the single-floating-gate memory cell; in the operation of a single-gate non-volatile memory with an isolation well, positive and negative voltages are applied to the drain, the gate, and the silicon substrate/the isolation well to create an inversion layer so that the absolute voltage, the area of the voltage booster circuit, and the current consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: In a flash EEPROM device, and method for fabricating the same, no bit line contact is made, thereby minimizing a design rule between a contact and a gate. Thus, cell size may be reduced. The flash EEPROM device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active area defined in a bit line direction and a word line direction, a plurality of floating gates formed in the word line direction, an interlayer polysilicon oxide film formed on a floating gate, a control gate formed on the interlayer polysilicon oxide film, source and drain electrodes disposed between adjacent floating gates in the word line direction, a buried N+ region formed in the semiconductor substrate under the source and drain electrodes, and a metal silicide film formed on an upper surface of the control gate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a non-volatile memory is provided. A plurality of columns of isolation structures are formed on a substrate. A plurality of rows of stacked gate structures crossing over the isolation structures are formed on the substrate. A plurality of doping regions are formed in the substrate between two neighboring stacked gate structures. A plurality of stripes of spacers are formed on the sidewalls of stacked gate structures. A plurality of first dielectric layers are formed on a portion of the isolation structures adjacent to two rows of stacked gate structures. Also, one isolation structure is disposed between two neighboring first dielectric layers in the same row, while two neighboring rows comprising the first dielectric layer and the isolation structure are arranged in an interlacing manner. A plurality of first conductive layers are formed between two neighboring first dielectric layers in the same row.

Abstract: A manufacturing method and a device of an EEPROM cell are provided. The method includes the following steps. First, a tunnel layer and an inter-gate dielectric layer are formed over a surface of a substrate respectively, and a doped region is formed in the substrate under the inter-gate dielectric layer and used as a control gate. Thereafter, a floating gate is formed over the inter-gate dielectric layer and the tunnel layer. Thereafter, a source region and a drain region are formed in the substrate beside two sides of the floating gate under the tunnel layer. Especially, the manufacturing method of the memory cell can be integrated with the manufacturing process of high operation voltage component and low operation voltage component.

Abstract: A manufacturing method and a device of an EEPROM cell are provided. The method includes the following steps. First, a tunnel layer and an inter-gate dielectric layer are formed over a surface of a substrate respectively, and a doped region is formed in the substrate under the inter-gate dielectric layer and used as a control gate. Thereafter, a floating gate is formed over the inter-gate dielectric layer and the tunnel layer. Thereafter, a source region and a drain region are formed in the substrate beside two sides of the floating gate under the tunnel layer. Especially, the manufacturing method of the memory cell can be integrated with the manufacturing process of high operation voltage component and low operation voltage component.

Abstract: A non-volatile transistor memory array having memory cells, each with a control transistor and a floating gate memory transistor. The cells are arranged in symmetric quadrants with active regions appearing as tic-tac-toe style strips having a central shared drain erase region. Within the drain erase region is an avalanche diode that has overlying regions of four floating gates of the memory transistors and serving to supply erase current of holes and electrons to addressed floating gates. The cells have four voltage lines or contacts, including a wordline and a bitline, a common source line and a substrate contact that are used both for addressing and for controlling distributed device capacitance in a manner that treats the floating gate as one plate of a virtual capacitor, the other plate being distributed device capacitance in the control transistor, and the memory transistor including the four voltage lines or contacts.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory is provided. A substrate having a plurality of trenches and a plurality of select gates is provided. The trenches are arranged in parallel and extend in a first direction. Each of the select gates is disposed on the substrate between two adjacent trenches respectively. A plurality of select gate dielectric layers are disposed between the select gates and the substrate. A plurality of composite layers are disposed over the surface of the trenches and each composite layer has a charge trapping layer. A plurality of word lines are arranged in parallel in a second direction, wherein each of the word lines fills the trenches between adjacent select gates and is disposed over the composite layers.

Abstract: A method for forming an improved etching hardmask oxide layer in a polysilicon etching process including providing a planarized semiconductor wafer process surface including adjacent first exposed polysilicon portions and exposed oxide portions; selectively etching through a thickness portion of the exposed oxide portions; thermally growing an oxide hardmask layer over the exposed polysilicon portions to form oxide hardmask portions; exposing second exposed polysilicon portions adjacent at least one oxide hardmask portion; and, etching through a thickness portion of the second exposed polysilicon portions.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, which is intended to prevent data destruction by movements of electric charges between floating gates and thereby improve the reliability, includes element isolation/insulation films buried into a silicon substrate to isolate stripe-shaped element-forming regions. Formed on the substrate are a floating gate via a first gate insulating film and further a control gate via a second gate insulating film. Source and drain diffusion layers are formed in self-alignment with control gates. The second gate insulating film on the floating gate is divided and separated together with the floating gate by slits above the element isolation/insulation films into discrete portions of individual memory cells.

Abstract: An electrical shield is provided in a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell structure to protect the cell's floating gate from any influence resulting from charge redistribution in the vicinity of the floating gate during a programming operation. The shield may be created from the second polysilicon layer or other conductive material covering the floating gate. The shield may be grounded. Alternately, it may be connected to the cell's control gate electrode resulting in better coupling between the floating gate and the control gate. It is not necessary that the shield cover the floating gate completely, the necessary protective effect is achieved if the coupling to the dielectric layers surrounding the floating gate is reduced.

Abstract: A memory system is disclosed that includes a set of non-volatile storage elements. Each of said non-volatile storage elements includes source/drain regions at opposite sides of a channel in a substrate and a floating gate stack above the channel. The memory system also includes a set of shield plates positioned between adjacent floating gate stacks and electrically connected to the source/drain regions for reducing coupling between adjacent floating gates. The shield plates are selectively grown on the active areas of the memory without being grown on the inactive areas. In one embodiment, the shield plates are epitaxially grown silicon positioned above the source/drain regions.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell and method of fabrication are provided. The non-volatile memory cell includes a substrate of a first conductivity type, a first dopant region of a second conductivity type in the substrate, a second dopant region of the first conductivity type in the first dopant region, a first isolation region overlaying a portion of the substrate, the first dopant region, and the second dopant region, a second isolation region overlaying another portion of the substrate, the first dopant region, and the second dopant region, a contact region of the first conductivity type in the second dopant region, the contact region extending between the first isolation region and the second isolation region and being more heavily doped than the second dopant region, a gate dielectric atop the first isolation region and a portion of the contact region, and a gate conductor atop the gate dielectric.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-aligned non-volatile memory cell including a small sidewall spacer electrically coupled and being located next to a main floating gate region. Both the small sidewall spacer and the main floating gate region are formed on a substrate and both form the floating gate of the non-volatile memory cell. Both are isolated electrically from the substrate by an oxide layer which is thinner between the small sidewall spacer and the substrate; and is thicker between the main floating gate region and the substrate. The small sidewall spacer can be made small; therefore, the thin oxide layer area can also be made small to create a small pathway for electrons to tunnel into the floating gate.