Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device where memory cells and some logic devices are formed on bulk silicon while other logic devices are formed on a thin silicon layer over insulation over the bulk silicon of the same substrate. The memory cell stacks, select gate poly, and source regions for the memory devices are formed in the memory area before the logic devices are formed in the logic areas. The various oxide, nitride and poly layers used to form the gate stacks in the memory area are formed in the logic areas as well. Only after the memory cell stacks and select gate poly are formed, and the memory area protected by one or more protective layers, are the oxide, nitride and poly layers used to form the memory cell stacks removed from the logic areas, and the logic devices are then formed.

Abstract: Measuring an inkjet nozzle may include taking at least one impedance measurement after the firing command is sent to detect the presence of a drive bubble and taking another impedance measurement to detect a collapse of the drive bubble.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory includes a first dielectric layer disposed on a substrate, a floating gate disposed on the dielectric layer, a control gate, a second dielectric layer disposed between the floating gate and the control gate and having one of a silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer and multilayers of silicon oxide and silicon nitride, and an erase gate and a select gate. The erase gate and the select gate include a stack of a bottom polysilicon layer and an upper metal layer.

Abstract: A memory device having plurality of upwardly extending semiconductor substrate fins, a memory cell formed on a first fin and a logic device formed on a second fin. The memory cell includes source and drain regions in the first fin with a channel region therebetween, a polysilicon floating gate extending along a first portion of the channel region including the side and top surfaces of the first fin, a metal select gate extending along a second portion of the channel region including the side and top surfaces of the first fin, a polysilicon control gate extending along the floating gate, and a polysilicon erase gate extending along the source region. The logic device includes source and drain regions in the second fin with a second channel region therebetween, and a metal logic gate extending along the second channel region including the side and top surfaces of the second fin.

Abstract: A memory structure can include a conductive channel, a charge storage structure adjacent to the conductive channel, and a strain-inducing layer adjacent to the conductive channel on a side opposite the charge storage structure. The strain-inducing layer can have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than the conductive channel.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a high-voltage MOS (HV) transistor and a capacitor supported by a semiconductor substrate. A gate stack of the HV transistor includes a first insulating layer over the semiconductor layer and a gate electrode formed from a first polysilicon. The capacitor includes a first electrode made of the first polysilicon and a second electrode made of a second polysilicon and at least partly resting over the first electrode. A first polysilicon layer deposited over the semiconductor substrate is patterned to form the first polysilicon of the gate electrode and first electrode, respectively. A second polysilicon layer deposited over the semiconductor substrate is patterned to form the second polysilicon of the second electrode. Silicon oxide spacers laterally border the second electrode and the gate stack of the HV transistor. Silicon nitride spacers border the silicon oxide spacers.

Abstract: Devices and methods of forming a device are disclosed. The device includes a substrate defined with at least a device region. A multi-gate transistor disposed in the device region which includes first and second gates both having first and second gate sidewalls. The multi-gate transistor also includes first source/drain (S/D) regions disposed adjacent to the first gate sidewall of the first and second gate, a common second S/D region disposed adjacent to the second gate sidewall of the first and second gate. A negative capacitance element is disposed within the second gate to reduce total overlap capacitance of the transistor. An interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer is disposed over the substrate and covering the transistor. First and second contacts are disposed in the ILD layer which are coupled to the first and second S/D regions respectively.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vertical transistor device comprises forming a bottom source region on a semiconductor substrate, forming a channel region extending vertically from the bottom source region, forming a top drain region on an upper portion of the channel region, forming a first gate region having a first gate length around the channel region, and forming a second gate region over the first gate region and around the channel region, wherein the second gate region has a second gate length different from the first gate length, and wherein at least one dielectric layer is positioned between the first and second gate regions.

Abstract: The present application provides a NAND flash memory, comprising: a control unit, which includes a signal receiving unit, a voltage boosted circuit and a flash array; and a power source supplying power to the control unit; wherein when the voltage boosted circuit receives an erase signal from the signal receiving unit, the voltage boosted circuit exerts a device erase pulse whose magnitude is larger than an initial voltage to blocks of the flash array to permanently erase data in the blocks; the blocks include power-on read blocks. By removing data from at least power-on read blocks, the present invention discloses a scheme for permanently destroying the NAND flash memory.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes forming a common source region in a substrate, and forming an isolation feature over the common source region. The common source region is disposed between the substrate and the isolation feature. The common source region and the isolation feature span a plurality of active regions of the substrate. A gate, such as an erase gate, may be formed after forming the common source region. In some implementations, the common source region is formed by etching the substrate to form a saw-tooth shaped recess region (or a U-shaped recess region) and performing an ion implantation process to form a doped region in a portion of the saw-tooth shaped recess region (or the U-shaped recess region), such that the common source region has a sawtooth profile (or a U-shaped profile).

Abstract: An OTP memory device includes a first and a second doped region of the same polarity in a semiconductor substrate. The second doped region has a higher doping concentration than the first doped region. A drain region and a source region of an opposite polarity are also in the semiconductor substrate. The drain region is positioned over the first, higher doped region, and the drain is positioned over the second, lower doped region. The select device above the semiconductor substrate can form a channel in a channel region of the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region. One portion of the select device is positioned over the first, lower doped region, and another portion of the select device is positioned over the second, higher doped region. An anti-fuse device is positioned above the second doped region and in part above a portion of the source region.

Abstract: An non-volatile memory cell is described. The non-volatile memory cell includes a substrate, insulators, a floating gate and a control gate. The substrate has a fin. The insulators are located over the substrate, wherein the fin is located between the insulators. The floating gate is located over the fin and the insulators. The control gate is located over the floating gate on the insulators and includes at least one of first contact slots located over the sidewalls of the floating gate.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory cell includes a substrate having a drain region, a source region, and a channel region between the drain region and the source region. A floating gate and a select gate are disposed on the channel region. A control gate is disposed on the floating gate. An erase gate is disposed on the source region. The erase gate includes a lower end portion that extends into a major surface of the substrate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first element isolating area, a first element area surrounding the first element isolating area, a second element isolating area surrounding the first element area a first gate electrode provided on and across the first element isolating area, the first element area, and the second element isolating area, and a second gate electrode isolated from the first gate electrode and provided on and across the first element isolating area, the first element area, and the second element isolating area.

Abstract: In a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell region in which a flash memory cell is formed is defined by an element isolation region. A floating gate electrode of the flash memory cell includes a protruding portion protruding toward an erase gate electrode so as to flare from a portion located immediately below a control gate electrode. Protruding portion includes an end face of a height corresponding to a thickness, and an inclined surface continuous with end face. Protruding portion faces erase gate electrode with a tunnel oxide film interposed therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flash cell structure and a method of fabricating the same. The flash cell structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a stacked gate structure disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a first doped region disposed in the semiconductor substrate at a side of the stacked gate structure, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and an erase gate. The stacked gate structure includes a floating gate insulated from the semiconductor substrate and a control gate disposed on the floating gate and insulated from the floating gate. The first dielectric layer is disposed on a sidewall of the floating gate. The second dielectric layer is disposed on the first doped region. A thickness of the first dielectric layer is less than a thickness of the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate having: a first terminal region; a second terminal region; a first extension region that extends from the first terminal region towards the second terminal region; a second extension region that extends from the second terminal region towards the first terminal region; a channel region between the first and second extension regions; a gate conductor that overlies the channel region of the substrate, the gate conductor configured to control conduction in the channel region; a first control conductor that overlies at least a portion of the first extension region, the first control conductor configured to control conduction in the first extension region; and a second control conductor that overlies at least a portion of the second extension region, the second control conductor configured to control conduction in the second extension region, wherein the first and second control conductors are electrically isolated within the semiconductor device from the gate conduct

Abstract: A memory cell including a substrate with a protruding portion, the protruding portion having a side wall and a bottom, an upper doped region connected to a bit line, a lower region being closer to a bottom of the protruding portion than the upper region, a substrate contact, a control element configured to control a current flow between the lower region and the substrate contact, and a wordline portion, a first insulator near the wordline portion, a floating gate near the wordline portion, and a second insulator between the floating gate and the side wall of the protruding portion, wherein the wordline portion and the floating gate are arranged so that the channel is generate-able in the substrate near the side wall between the upper doped region and the lower region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. At least two separated stacked structures and at least two hard mask patterns respectively on the stacked structures are formed on a substrate. A patterned mask layer is formed on the substrate. The patterned mask layer has an opening which exposes a portion of top surfaces of the hard mask patterns and a portion of the substrate between the stacked structures. The exposed portion of the substrate is removed by using the patterned mask layer and the hard mask patterns as a mask, so as to form a trench in the substrate. An ion implantation process is performed by using the patterned mask layer and the hard mask patterns as a mask, so as to form a doped region in the substrate around the trench.

Abstract: A split gate flash cell device with floating gate transistors is provided. Each floating gate transistor is formed by providing a floating gate transistor substructure including an oxide disposed over a polysilicon gate disposed over a gate oxide disposed on a portion of a common source. Nitride spacers are formed along sidewalls of the floating gate transistor substructure and cover portions of the gate oxide that terminate at the sidewalls. An isotropic oxide etch is performed with the nitride spacers intact. The isotropic etch laterally recedes opposed edges of the oxide inwardly such that a width of the oxide is less than a width of the polysilicon gate. An inter-gate dielectric is formed over the floating gate transistor substructure and control gates are formed over the inter-gate dielectric to form the floating gate transistors.

Abstract: Devices and methods for forming a device are disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate and forming a memory cell pair on the substrate. Each of a memory cell of the memory cell pair includes at least one transistor having first and second gates formed between first and second terminals and a third gate disposed over the second terminal. The first gate serves as an access gate (AG), the second gate serves as a storage gate and the third gate serves as an erase gate (EG). The first cell terminal serves as a bitline terminal and the second cell terminal serves as a source line terminal. The source line terminal is a raised source line terminal and is elevated with respect to the bit line terminal and the source line terminal is common to the memory cell pair.

Abstract: An embodiment metal-insulator-metal (MiM) capacitor includes a gate stack disposed upon an insulation layer, the gate stack including a gate metal, the gate metal serving as a bottom electrode, a dielectric layer disposed upon the gate stack, and a top metal layer disposed upon the dielectric layer, the top metal serving as a top electrode.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: forming a stacked body by alternately stacking a plurality of interlayer insulating films and a plurality of control gate electrodes; forming a through-hole extending in a stacking direction in the stacked body; etching a portion of the interlayer insulating film facing the through-hole via the through-hole to remove the portion; forming a removed portion; forming a first insulating film on inner faces of the through-hole and the portion in which the interlayer insulating films are removed; forming a floating gate electrode in the portion in which the interlayer insulating films are removed; forming a second insulating film so as to cover a portion of the floating gate electrode facing the through-hole; and burying a semiconductor pillar in the through-hole.

Abstract: A memory device, and method of make same, having a substrate of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, first and second spaced-apart regions in the substrate of a second conductivity type, with a channel region in the substrate therebetween, a conductive floating gate over and insulated from the substrate, wherein the floating gate is disposed at least partially over the first region and a first portion of the channel region, a conductive second gate laterally adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate, wherein the second gate is disposed at least partially over and insulated from a second portion of the channel region, and a stressor region of embedded silicon carbide formed in the substrate underneath the second gate.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell includes a substrate of a first conductivity type with first and second spaced apart regions of a second conductivity type, forming a channel region therebetween. A select gate is insulated from and disposed over a first portion of the channel region which is adjacent to the first region. A floating gate is insulated from and disposed over a second portion of the channel region which is adjacent the second region. Metal material is formed in contact with the floating gate. A control gate is insulated from and disposed over the floating gate. An erase gate includes a first portion insulated from and disposed over the second region and is insulated from and disposed laterally adjacent to the floating gate, and a second portion insulated from and laterally adjacent to the control gate and partially extends over and vertically overlaps the floating gate.

Abstract: An erasable programmable single-poly nonvolatile memory includes a first PMOS transistor comprising a select gate, a first p-type doped region, and a second p-type doped region, wherein the select gate is connected to a select gate voltage, and the first p-type doped region is connected to a source line voltage; a second PMOS transistor comprising the second p-type doped region, a third p-type doped region, and a floating gate, wherein the third p-type doped region is connected to a bit line voltage; and an erase gate region adjacent to the floating gate, wherein the erase gate region is connected to an erase line voltage.

Abstract: A device having thin-film transistor (TFT) floating gate memory cell structures is provided. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions being embedded in the dielectric layer. the dielectric layer being associated with a first surface. Each of the one or more source or drain regions includes an N+ polysilicon layer on a diffusion barrier layer which is on a first conductive layer. The N+ polysilicon layer has a second surface substantially co-planar with the first surface. Additionally, the device includes a P? polysilicon layer overlying the co-planar surface and a floating gate on the P? polysilicon layer. The floating gate is a low-pressure CVD-deposited silicon layer sandwiched by a bottom oxide tunnel layer and an upper oxide block layer. Moreover, the device includes at least one control gate made of a P+ polysilicon layer overlying the upper oxide block layer.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relates to an architecture to create split gate flash memory cell that has lower common source (CS) resistance and a reduced cell size by utilizing a buried conductive common source structure. A two-step etch process is carried out to create a recessed path between two split gate flash memory cells. A single ion implantation to form the common source also forms a conductive path beneath the STI region that connects two split gate flash memory cells and provide potential coupling during programming and erasing and thus electrically connect the common sources of memory cells along a direction that forms a CS line. The architecture contains no OD along the source line between the cells, thus eliminating the effects of CS rounding and CS resistance, resulting in a reduced space between cells in an array. Hence, this particular architecture reduces the resistance and the buried conductive path between several cells in an array suppresses the area over head.

Abstract: A three-dimensional nonvolatile memory array includes a select layer that selectively connects vertical bit lines to horizontal bit lines. Individual select switches of the select layer include two separately controllable transistors that are connected in series between a horizontal bit line and a vertical bit line. Each transistor in a select switch is connected to a different control circuit by a different select line.

Abstract: A split gate flash cell device with floating gate transistors is provided. Each floating gate transistor is formed by providing a floating gate transistor substructure including an oxide disposed over a polysilicon gate disposed over a gate oxide disposed on a portion of a common source. Nitride spacers are formed along sidewalls of the floating gate transistor substructure and cover portions of the gate oxide that terminate at the sidewalls. An isotropic oxide etch is performed with the nitride spacers intact. The isotropic etch laterally recedes opposed edges of the oxide inwardly such that a width of the oxide is less than a width of the polysilicon gate. An inter-gate dielectric is formed over the floating gate transistor substructure and control gates are formed over the inter-gate dielectric to form the floating gate transistors.

Abstract: A protection device includes a triac and triggering units. Each triggering unit is formed by a MOS transistor configured to operate at least temporarily in a hybrid operating mode and a field-effect diode. The field-effect diode has a controlled gate that is connected to the gate of the MOS transistor.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device of the present invention includes the steps of forming a stacked body in which a semiconductor film, a gate insulating film, and a first conductive film are sequentially stacked over a substrate; selectively removing the stacked body to form a plurality of island-shaped stacked bodies; forming an insulating film to cover the plurality of island-shaped stacked bodies; removing a part of the insulating film to expose a surface of the first conductive film, such that a surface of the first conductive film almost coextensive with a height of the insulating film; forming a second conductive film over the first conductive film and a left part of the insulating film; forming a resist over the second conductive film; selectively removing the first conductive film and the second conductive film using the resist as a mask.

Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes: a memory array on a first substrate; and a peripheral circuit on a second substrate, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate may be attached to each other so that the memory array and the peripheral circuit are electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-volatile memory cells. A memory cell includes a floating gate formed over a substrate with a tunneling dielectric over an upper surface of the floating gate and an erase gate over the tunneling dielectric. Sidewall dielectrics enclose the tunneling dielectric. Assist gates and coupling gates are formed on either side of the memory cell and are spaced from the floating gate of the memory cell by the sidewall dielectrics. Methods for forming memory cells include depositing a floating gate over a dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, depositing a tunneling dielectric over the floating gate, depositing an erase gate over the tunneling dielectric, patterning the erase gate, tunneling dielectric and floating gate to form memory cells having vertical sides, and depositing sidewall dielectrics on the vertical sides of the memory cells to seal the tunneling dielectrics. Additional steps are performed to complete the cells.

Abstract: The technology of the present invention relates to a non-volatile memory device and a fabrication method thereof. The non-volatile memory device includes channel layers protruding vertically from a substrate, a plurality of hole-supply layers and a plurality of gate electrodes, which are alternately stacked along the channel layers, and a memory film interposed between the channel layers and the gate electrodes and between the hole-supply layers and the gate electrodes. According to this technology, the hole-supply layers are formed between the memory cells such that sufficient holes are supplied to the memory cells during the erase operation of the memory cells, whereby the erase operation of the memory cells is smoothly performed without using the GIDL current, and the properties of the device are protected from being deteriorated due to program/erase cycling.

Abstract: An object is to suppress reading error even in the case where writing and erasing are repeatedly performed. Further, another object is to reduce writing voltage and erasing voltage while increase in the area of a memory transistor is suppressed. A floating gate and a control gate are provided with an insulating film interposed therebetween over a first semiconductor layer for writing operation and erasing operation and a second semiconductor layer for reading operation which are provided over a substrate; injection and release of electrons to and from the floating gate are performed using the first semiconductor layer; and reading is performed using the second semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Devices and methods for forming a device are disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate and forming a memory cell pair on the substrate. Each of a memory cell of the memory cell pair includes at least one transistor having first and second gates formed between first and second terminals and a third gate disposed over the second terminal. The first gate serves as an access gate (AG), the second gate serves as a storage gate and the third gate serves as an erase gate (EG). The first cell terminal serves as a bitline terminal and the second cell terminal serves as a source line terminal. The source line terminal is a raised source line terminal and is elevated with respect to the bit line terminal and the source line terminal is common to the memory cell pair.

Abstract: A serial capacitor comprised of a bottom electrode, a top electrode that is conductively coupled the bottom electrode, a middle electrode positioned between the bottom and top electrode, a lower dielectric layer positioned between the bottom and middle electrodes, and an upper dielectric layer positioned between the middle and the electrodes. A method includes forming the bottom electrode in a first layer of insulating material, forming the lower dielectric layer and the middle electrode above the bottom electrode, wherein the middle electrode is positioned in a second layer of insulating material, forming the upper dielectric layer above the middle electrode, forming an opening that exposes a portion of the bottom electrode, and forming the top electrode above the upper dielectric layer, wherein a portion of the top electrode extends through the opening and contacts the bottom electrode.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming an underlayer film that contains atoms selected from the group consisting of aluminum, boron and alkaline earth metal; and forming a silicon oxide film on the underlayer film by a CVD method or an ALD method by use of a silicon source containing at least one of an ethoxy group, a halogen group, an alkyl group and an amino group, or a silicon source of a siloxane system.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an interelectrode insulating film formed between a charge storage layer and a control electrode layer. The interelectrode insulating film is formed in a first region above an upper surface of an element isolation insulating film, a second region along a sidewall of the charge storage layer, and a third region above an upper surface of the charge storage layer. The interelectrode insulating film includes a first stack including a first silicon nitride film or a high dielectric constant film interposed between a first and a second silicon oxide film or a second stack including a second high dielectric constant film and a third silicon oxide film, and a second silicon nitride film formed between the control electrode layer and the first or the second stack. The second silicon nitride film is relatively thinner in the third region than in the first region.

Abstract: A Graphene Flash Memory (GFM) device is disclosed. In general, the GFM device includes a number of memory cells, where each memory cell includes a graphene channel, a graphene storage layer, and a graphene electrode. In one embodiment, by using a graphene channel, graphene storage layer, and graphene electrode, the memory cells of the GFM device are enabled to be scaled down much more than memory cells of a conventional flash memory device. More specifically, in one embodiment, the GFM device has a feature size less than 25 nanometers, less than or equal to 20 nanometers, less than or equal to 15 nanometers, less than or equal to 10 nanometers, or less than or equal to 5 nanometers.

Abstract: In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a method for manufacturing the device, each memory cell and its select Tr have the same gate insulating film as a Vcc Tr. Further, the gate electrodes of a Vpp Tr and Vcc Tr are realized by the use of a first polysilicon layer. A material such as salicide or a metal, which differs from second polysilicon (which forms a control gate layer), may be provided on the first polysilicon layer. With the above features, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device can be manufactured by reduced steps and be operated at high speed in a reliable manner.

Abstract: An aspect of the present embodiment, there is provided a semiconductor device, including a semiconductor substrate, a first insulator above the semiconductor substrate, the first insulator containing tungsten, germanium and silicon, a charge storage film on the first insulator, a second insulator on the charge storage film and, a control gate electrode on the second insulator.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-volatile memory cells with increased programming efficiency. An apparatus is disclosed that includes a control gate formed over a portion of a floating gate formed over a semiconductor substrate. The control gate includes a source side sidewall spacer adjacent a source region in the semiconductor substrate and a drain side sidewall spacer, the floating gate having an upper surface portion adjacent the source region that is not covered by the control gate; an inter-poly dielectric over the source side sidewall spacer and the upper surface of the floating gate adjacent the source region; and an erase gate formed over the source region and overlying the inter-poly dielectric, and adjacent the source side sidewall of the control gate, the erase gate overlying at least a portion of the upper surface of the floating gate adjacent the source region. Methods for forming the apparatus are provided.

Abstract: A memory device includes a planar substrate, a plurality of horizontal conductive planes above the planar substrate, and a plurality of horizontal insulating layers interleaved with the plurality of horizontal conductive planes. An array of vertical conductive columns, perpendicular to the pluralities of conductive planes and insulating layers, passes through apertures in the pluralities of conductive planes and insulating layers. The memory device includes a plurality of programmable memory elements, each of which couples one of the horizontal conductive planes to a respective vertical conductive column.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells (1). Each of the nonvolatile memory cells comprises a MOS type first transistor section (3) used for information storage, and a MOS type second transistor section (4) which selects the first transistor section. The second transistor section has a bit line electrode (16) connected to a bit line, and a control gate electrode (18) connected to a control gate control line. The first transistor section has a source line electrode (10) connected to a source line, a memory gate electrode (14) connected to a memory gate control line, and a charge storage region (11) disposed directly below the memory gate electrode. A gate withstand voltage of the second transistor section is lower than that of the first transistor section.

Abstract: A memory device, and method of make same, having a substrate of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, first and second spaced-apart regions in the substrate of a second conductivity type, with a channel region in the substrate therebetween, a conductive floating gate over and insulated from the substrate, wherein the floating gate is disposed at least partially over the first region and a first portion of the channel region, a conductive second gate laterally adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate, wherein the second gate is disposed at least partially over and insulated from a second portion of the channel region, and a stressor region of embedded silicon carbide formed in the substrate underneath the second gate.

Abstract: The flash memory cell comprises a sense transistor that has a pair of source/drain lines and a control gate. A coupling metal-insulator-metal capacitor is created between the floating gate and a read wordline. A tunneling metal-insulator-metal capacitor is created between the floating gate and a write/erase bit line. In one embodiment, the insulator is a metal oxide.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for electronic devices such as non-volatile memory devices are described. The memory devices include a multi-layer control dielectric, such as a double or triple layer. The multi-layer control dielectric includes a combination of high-k dielectric materials such as aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, and/or hybrid films of hafnium aluminum oxide. The multi-layer control dielectric provides enhanced characteristics, including increased charge retention, enhanced memory program/erase window, improved reliability and stability, with feasibility for single or multi state (e.g., two, three or four bit) operation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first element isolating area, a first element area surrounding the first element isolating area, a second element isolating area surrounding the first element area a first gate electrode provided on and across the first element isolating area, the first element area, and the second element isolating area, and a second gate electrode isolated from the first gate electrode and provided on and across the first element isolating area, the first element area, and the second element isolating area.