Non-homogeneous Composition Insulator Layer (e.g., Graded Composition Layer Or Layer With Inclusions) Patents (Class 257/325)
  • Patent number: 12150303
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have conductive terminal ends within control gate regions. The control gate regions are vertically spaced from one another by first insulative regions which include first insulative material. Charge-storage material is laterally outward of the conductive terminal ends, and is configured as segments. The segments of the charge-storage material are arranged one atop another and are vertically spaced from one another by second insulative regions which include second insulative material. The second insulative material has a different dielectric constant than the first insulative material. Charge-tunneling material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the segments of the charge-trapping material. Channel material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the charge-tunneling material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Inventors: Byeung Chul Kim, Francois H. Fabreguette, Richard J. Hill, Purnima Narayanan, Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 11974437
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical pattern in a first direction, interlayer insulating layers, spaced apart, a side surface of each of the interlayer insulating layers facing a side of the vertical pattern, a gate electrode between the interlayer insulating layers, a side of the gate electrode facing the side of the vertical pattern, a dielectric structure between the vertical pattern and the interlayer insulating layers with the gate electrode between the interlayer insulating layers, and data storage patterns between the gate electrode and the vertical pattern, the data storage patterns spaced apart. The dielectric structure includes a first and a second dielectric layers, the second dielectric layer between the first dielectric layer and the vertical pattern. The data storage patterns are between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer includes portions between the data storage patterns and the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yonghoon Son
  • Patent number: 11823894
    Abstract: A method for forming a crystalline high-k dielectric layer and controlling the crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the high-k dielectric layer during an anneal process. The crystalline phase and orientation of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer may be controlled using seeding sections of the dielectric layer serving as nucleation sites and using a capping layer mask during the anneal process. The location of the nucleation sites and the arrangement of the capping layer allow the orientation and phase of the crystal growth of the dielectric layer to be controlled during the anneal process. Based on the dopants and the process controls used the phase can be modified to increase the permittivity and/or the ferroelectric property of the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Yen Peng, Te-Yang Lai, Sai-Hooi Yeong, Chi On Chui
  • Patent number: 11672120
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have conductive terminal ends within control gate regions. The control gate regions are vertically spaced from one another by first insulative regions which include first insulative material. Charge-storage material is laterally outward of the conductive terminal ends, and is configured as segments. The segments of the charge-storage material are arranged one atop another and are vertically spaced from one another by second insulative regions which include second insulative material. The second insulative material has a different dielectric constant than the first insulative material. Charge-tunneling material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the segments of the charge-trapping material. Channel material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the charge-tunneling material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byeung Chui Kim, Francois H. Fabreguette, Richard J. Hill, Purnima Narayanan, Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 11479474
    Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing composite nanoparticles, which includes: a) preparing a metal nanocore having a nano-star shape from a first reaction solution in which a first metal precursor is mixed with a first buffer solution; b) fixing a Raman reporter in the metal nanocore; and c) forming a metal shell, which surrounds the nanocore in which the Raman reporter is fixed, from a second reaction solution in which the nanocore in which the Raman reporter is fixed, and a second metal precursor are mixed with a second buffer solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
    Inventors: Eun-Ah You, Wansun Kim, Tae Geol Lee
  • Patent number: 11444100
    Abstract: A vertical memory device and a method of fabricating the same are proposed. The vertical memory device includes a gate stack structure in which gates and interlayer insulating layers for insulating the gates are alternately laminated on a substrate and multiple memory cell areas and inter-memory cell areas are divided in a first direction perpendicular to the substrate; a channel structure extending in the first direction from the substrate to penetrate the gate stack structure; and charge storage elements disposed between the gate stack structure and the channel structure and sequentially formed to be embedded in the gate stack structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University
    Inventors: Tae Whan Kim, Jun Gyu Lee, Hyun Soo Jung
  • Patent number: 11380689
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic device including the semiconductor memory device are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventor: Huilong Zhu
  • Patent number: 11342496
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory structure includes a substrate, a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) stack disposed on the substrate, and an encapsulation layer surrounding the MTJ stack. The encapsulation layer comprises an outer silicon oxynitride layer with a composition of SiOx1Ny1 and an inner silicon oxynitride layer with a composition of SiOx2Ny2, wherein x1/y1>x2/y2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: HeFeChip Corporation Limited
    Inventors: Hong-Hui Hsu, Wei-Chuan Chen, Qinli Ma, Shu-Jen Han
  • Patent number: 11276817
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic tunnel junction device is provided. The method includes forming a conical insulator core, forming a conductor layer on the insulator core, forming a magnetic free layer on the conductor layer, forming a barrier layer on the magnetic free layer, and forming a magnetic fixed layer on the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Janusz Jozef Nowak
  • Patent number: 11217450
    Abstract: Methods are provided to form pure silicon oxide layers on silicon-germanium (SiGe) layers, as well as an FET device having a pure silicon oxide interfacial layer of a metal gate structure formed on a SiGe channel layer of the FET device. For example, a method comprises growing a first silicon oxide layer on a surface of a SiGe layer using a first oxynitridation process, wherein the first silicon oxide layer comprises nitrogen. The first silicon oxide layer is removed, and a second silicon oxide layer is grown on the surface of the SiGe layer using a second oxynitridation process, which is substantially the same as the first oxynitridation process, wherein the second silicon oxide layer is substantially devoid of germanium oxide and nitrogen. For example, the first silicon oxide layer comprises a SiON layer and the second silicon oxide layer comprises a pure silicon dioxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ando, Pouya Hashemi, Hemanth Jagannathan, ChoongHyun Lee, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 11114570
    Abstract: A memory structure includes a substrate, a gate electrode, a first isolation layer, a thin metal layer, indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) particles, a second isolation layer, an IGZO channel layer, and a source/drain electrode. The gate electrode is located on the substrate. The first isolation layer is located on the gate electrode. The thin metal layer is located on the first isolation layer, and has metal particles. The IGZO particles are located on the metal particles. The second isolation layer is located on the IGZO particles. The IGZO channel layer is located on the second isolation layer. The source/drain electrode is located on the IGZO channel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Hsiao-Wen Zan, Chuang-Chuang Tsai, Ching-Fu Lin, Zong-Xuan Li, Wei-Tsung Chen
  • Patent number: 11114455
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming holes passing through a stacked structure, surrounding channel structures, and replacing some of the materials of the stacked structure through the holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix inc.
    Inventor: Nam Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 11088246
    Abstract: In a method of forming a gate-all-around field effect transistor (GAA FET), a fin structure is formed. The fin structure includes a plurality of stacked structures each comprising a dielectric layer, a CNT over the dielectric layer, a support layer over the CNT. A sacrificial gate structure is formed over the fin structure, an isolation insulating layer is formed, a source/drain opening is formed by patterning the isolation insulating layer, the support layer is removed from each of the plurality of stacked structures in the source/drain opening, and a source/drain contact layer is formed in the source/drain opening. The source/drain contact is formed such that the source/drain contact is in direct contact with only a part of the CNT and a part of the dielectric layer is disposed between the source/drain contact and the CNT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Matthias Passlack, Marcus Johannes Henricus Van Dal, Timothy Vasen, Georgios Vellianitis
  • Patent number: 11037956
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have conductive terminal ends within control gate regions. The control gate regions are vertically spaced from one another by first insulative regions which include first insulative material. Charge-storage material is laterally outward of the conductive terminal ends, and is configured as segments. The segments of the charge-storage material are arranged one atop another and are vertically spaced from one another by second insulative regions which include second insulative material. The second insulative material has a different dielectric constant than the first insulative material. Charge-tunneling material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the segments of the charge-trapping material. Channel material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the charge-tunneling material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byeung Chul Kim, Francois H. Fabreguette, Richard J. Hill, Purnima Narayanan, Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 11031294
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an isolation region is formed in a substrate, such that the isolation region surrounds an active region of the substrate in plan view. A first dielectric layer is formed over the active region. A mask layer is formed on a gate region of the first dielectric layer. The gate region includes a region where a gate electrode is to be formed. The mask layer covers the gate region, but does not entirely cover the first dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer not covered by the mask layer is removed such that a source-drain region of the active region is exposed. After that, the mask layer is removed. A second dielectric layer is formed so that a gate dielectric layer is formed. The gate electrode is formed over the gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Meng-Han Lin, Chih-Ren Hsieh, Chen-Chin Liu
  • Patent number: 10943921
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of forming an integrated structure. An assembly is formed to include a stack of alternating first and second levels. The first levels have insulative material, and the second levels have voids which extend horizontally. The assembly includes channel material structures extending through the stack. A first metal-containing material is deposited within the voids to partially fill the voids. The deposited first metal-containing material is etched to remove some of the first metal-containing material from within the partially-filled voids. Second metal-containing material is then deposited to fill the voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, Chet E. Carter, Collin Howder, John Mark Meldrim, Everett A. McTeer
  • Patent number: 10879255
    Abstract: Various apparatuses, including three-dimensional (3D) memory devices and systems including the same, are described herein. In one embodiment, a 3D memory device can include at least two sources; at least two memory arrays respectively formed over and coupled to the at least two sources; and a source conductor electrically respectively coupled to the at least two sources using source contacts adjacent one or more edges of the source. Each of the at least two memory arrays can include memory cells, control gates, and data lines. There is no data line between an edge of a source and the source contacts adjacent the edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Toru Tanzawa
  • Patent number: 10777576
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have conductive terminal ends within control gate regions. The control gate regions are vertically spaced from one another by first insulative regions which include first insulative material. Charge-storage material is laterally outward of the conductive terminal ends, and is configured as segments. The segments of the charge-storage material are arranged one atop another and are vertically spaced from one another by second insulative regions which include second insulative material. The second insulative material has a different dielectric constant than the first insulative material. Charge-tunneling material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the segments of the charge-trapping material. Channel material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the charge-tunneling material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byeung Chul Kim, Francois H. Fabreguette, Richard J. Hill, Purnima Narayanan, Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 10607858
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a first conductive bump. The semiconductor substrate has an integrated circuit and an interconnection metal layer, and a tilt surface is formed on an edge of the semiconductor substrate. The first conductive bump is electrically connected to the integrated circuit via the interconnection metal layer, and is disposed on the tilt surface, wherein a profile of the first conductive bump extends beyond a side surface of the edge of the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Po-Chun Lin, Chin-Lung Chu
  • Patent number: 10566446
    Abstract: Methods of improving hot carrier parameters in a field-effect transistor by hydrogen reduction. A gate structure of the field-effect transistor is formed on a substrate, and the substrate is heated inside a deposition chamber to a given process temperature for a given time period. After the time period concludes, a conformal layer is deposited at the given process temperature over the gate structure, and is subsequently etched to form sidewall spacers on the gate structure. After the sidewall spacers are formed, a capping layer is conformally deposited over the gate structure and the sidewall spacers, and cured with an ultraviolet light treatment. An interconnect structure may be formed over the field-effect transistor and the capping layer, and a moisture barrier layer may be formed over the interconnect structure. The moisture barrier layer is composed of a material that is permeable to hydrogen and impermeable to water molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Yun-Yu Wang, Jochonia Nxumalo, Ahmad Katnani, Dimitrios Ioannou, Kenneth Bandy, Jeffrey Brown, Michael J. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 10431591
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a NAND memory array which has a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have terminal ends corresponding to control gate regions. Charge-trapping material is along the control gate regions of the wordline levels, and is spaced form the control gate regions by charge-blocking material. The charge-trapping material along vertically adjacent wordline levels is spaced by intervening regions through which charge migration is impeded. Channel material extends vertically along the stack and is spaced from the charge-trapping material by charge-tunneling material. Some embodiments include methods of forming NAND memory arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Yushi Hu
  • Patent number: 10361214
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a method in which an assembly is formed to have voids within a stack, and to have slits adjacent the voids. Peripheral boundaries of the voids have proximal regions near the slits and distal regions adjacent the proximal regions. A material is deposited within the voids under conditions which cause the material to form to a greater thickness along the distal regions than along the proximal regions. Some embodiments include an assembly having a stack of alternating first and second levels. The second levels include conductive material. Panel structures extend through the stack. The conductive material within the second levels has outer edges with proximal regions near the panel structures and distal regions adjacent the proximal regions. Interface material is along the outer edges of the conductive material and has a different composition along the proximal regions than along the distal regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, John Mark Meldrim, Everett A. McTeer
  • Patent number: 10283524
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of forming an integrated structure. An assembly is formed to include a stack of alternating first and second levels. The first levels have insulative material, and the second levels have voids which extend horizontally. The assembly includes channel material structures extending through the stack. A first metal-containing material is deposited within the voids to partially fill the voids. The deposited first metal-containing material is etched to remove some of the first metal-containing material from within the partially-filled voids. Second metal-containing material is then deposited to fill the voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, Chet E. Carter, Collin Howder, John Mark Meldrim, Everett A. McTeer
  • Patent number: 10230022
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus is presented. The lighting apparatus includes a semiconductor light source, a color stable Mn4+ doped phosphor and a quantum dot material, each of the color stable Mn4+ doped phosphor and the quantum dot material being radiationally coupled to the semiconductor light source. A percentage intensity loss of the color stable Mn4+ doped phosphor after exposure to a light flux of at least 20 w/cm2 at a temperature of at least 50 degrees Celsius for at least 21 hours is ?4%. A backlight device including the lighting apparatus is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anant Achyut Setlur, James Edward Murphy, Florencio Garcia, Srinivas Prasad Sista
  • Patent number: 10177043
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing multi-voltage devices is provided. The method includes forming a pair of logic gate stacks in a logic region of a semiconductor substrate and a pair of device gate stacks in a multi-voltage device region. The pair of logic gate stacks and the pair of device gate stacks include first dummy gate material. The pair of device gate stacks also includes a work function tuning layer. The method further includes depositing second dummy gate material over the pair of logic gate stacks. The first dummy gate material and the second dummy gate material from over a first logic gate stack of the pair of logic gate stacks are replaced with an n-type material. The first dummy gate material and the second dummy gate material from over a second logic gate stack of the pair of logic gate stacks are replaced with a p-type material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Han Tsao, Chii-Ming Wu, Cheng-Yuan Tsai, Yi-Huan Chen
  • Patent number: 10170493
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a method in which an assembly is formed to have voids within a stack, and to have slits adjacent the voids. Peripheral boundaries of the voids have proximal regions near the slits and distal regions adjacent the proximal regions. A material is deposited within the voids under conditions which cause the material to form to a greater thickness along the distal regions than along the proximal regions. Some embodiments include an assembly having a stack of alternating first and second levels. The second levels include conductive material. Panel structures extend through the stack. The conductive material within the second levels has outer edges with proximal regions near the panel structures and distal regions adjacent the proximal regions. Interface material is along the outer edges of the conductive material and has a different composition along the proximal regions than along the distal regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, John Mark Meldrim, Everett A. McTeer
  • Patent number: 10128258
    Abstract: A memory transistor includes a gate electrode and a blocking structure disposed beneath the gate electrode, where the blocking structure is formed by plasma oxidation. The memory transistor includes a multi-layer charge storage layer disposed beneath the blocking structure, wherein the multi-layer charge storage layer includes a trap dense charge storage layer over a substantially trap free charge storage layer, where a thickness of the trap dense charge storage layer is reduced by the plasm oxidation. The memory transistor further includes a tunneling layer disposed beneath the multi-layer charge storage layer and a channel region disposed beneath the tunneling layer, where the channel region is positioned laterally between a source region and a drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Jeong Soo Byun, Krishnaswamy Ramkumar
  • Patent number: 9966372
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of trenches provided in an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate; trench electrodes each provided in a corresponding one of the trenches; a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type provided in a first range interposed between adjacent ones of the trenches; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; a third semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type; an interlayer insulation film provided on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and including a plurality of contact holes; a first conductor layer provided in each of the contact holes; and a surface electrode provided on the interlayer insulation film and connected to each of the first conductor layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Kameyama, Tadashi Misumi, Jun Okawara, Shinya Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9899408
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device having a vertical structure includes: a first interlayer insulating layer on a substrate; a first gate electrode disposed on the first interlayer insulating layer; second interlayer insulating layers and second gate electrodes alternately stacked on the first gate electrode; an opening portion penetrating the first gate electrode, the second interlayer insulating layers, and the second gate electrodes and exposing the first interlayer insulating layer; a gate dielectric layer covering side walls and a bottom surface of the opening portion; and a channel region formed on the gate dielectric layer, and penetrating a bottom surface of the gate dielectric layer and the first interlayer insulating layer and thus electrically connected to the substrate, wherein a separation distance between side walls of the gate dielectric layer in a region which contacts the first gate electrode is greater than that in a region which contacts any one of the second gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-Hwan Son, Young-Woo Park, Jae-Duk Lee
  • Patent number: 9865587
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided that includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device integrated on the same semiconductor substrate as semiconductor fin field effect transistors (FinFETs). The ESD device includes a three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode connected to the semiconductor substrate. The three-dimension (3D) wrap-around PN diode has an increased junction area and, in some applications, improved heat dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Nicolas J. Loubet, Xin Miao, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 9786674
    Abstract: Provided is a method of forming a decoupling capacitor device and the device thereof. The decoupling capacitor device includes a first dielectric layer portion that is deposited in a deposition process that also deposits a second dielectric layer portion for a non-volatile memory cell. Both portions are patterned using a single mask. A system-on-chip (SOC) device is also provided, the SOC include an RRAM cell and a decoupling capacitor situated in a single inter-metal dielectric layer. Also a method for forming a process-compatible decoupling capacitor is provided. The method includes patterning a top electrode layer, an insulating layer, and a bottom electrode layer to form a non-volatile memory element and a decoupling capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Chiang Min, Chang-Ming Wu, Shih-Chang Liu, Yuan-Tai Tseng
  • Patent number: 9773807
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory assembly having memory cells proximate a conductive source. Channel material extends along the memory cells and is electrically coupled with the conductive source. The conductive source is over an insulative material and includes an adhesion material directly against the insulative material. The adhesion material comprises one or more of metal, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon carbide, metal silicide, metal carbide, metal oxide, metal oxynitride and metal nitride. The conductive source includes metal-containing material over and directly against the adhesion material. The metal-containing material consists essentially of metal. The conductive source includes a metal-and-nitrogen-containing material over and directly against the metal-containing material, and includes a conductively-doped semiconductor material over the metal-and-nitrogen-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Keen Wah Chow, Devesh Kumar Datta, Anurag Jindal, David Ross Economy, John Mark Meldrim
  • Patent number: 9666267
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a charge storage element present in a buried dielectric layer of the substrate on which the semiconductor device is formed. Charge injection may be used to introduce charge to the charge storage element of the buried dielectric layer that is present within the substrate. The charge that is injected to the charge storage element may be used to adjust the threshold voltage (Vt) of each of the semiconductor devices within an array of semiconductor devices that are present on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jin Cai, Kangguo Cheng, Robert H. Dennard, Ali Khakifirooz, Tak H. Ning
  • Patent number: 9640629
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate and a gate electrode. The gate electrode includes a first electrode formed on the substrate, the first electrode having a first conductive property, with a first insulating film between the first electrode and the substrate, and a second electrode formed on the substrate, the second electrode having a second conductive property different from the first conductive property, with a second insulating film between the second electrode and the substrate. The first electrode is formed in a rectangular shape having a hollow portion. A slit is formed in a side surface of the first electrode extending in a width direction of the gate electrode. The second electrode is formed in the slit and along the side surface of the first electrode that has the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Toshitaka Miyata
  • Patent number: 9558939
    Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a plurality of spaced apart structures on a semiconductor substrate within a semiconductor processing chamber, with each structure including a plurality of stacked groups of layers. Each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked base silicon monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one oxygen monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base silicon portions. Furthermore, the oxygen monolayers may be formed using N2O as an oxygen source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: ATOMERA INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert Stephenson, Nyles Cody
  • Patent number: 9553175
    Abstract: A method includes forming a first oxide layer. The method further includes etching a portion of the first oxide layer using a first decoupled plasma nitridation process. The method includes forming, subsequent to the etching, a charge-trapping layer on the first oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Helmut Puchner, Igor Polishchuk, Sagy Charel Levy
  • Patent number: 9543314
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a memory cell having a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode formed via a charge accumulation layer with respect to the control gate electrode is provided which improves its performance. A control gate electrode which configures a memory cell, and a metallic film which configures part of the memory gate electrode are formed by a so-called gate last process. Thus, the memory gate electrode is configured by a silicon film corresponding to a p-type semiconductor film being in contact with an ONO film, and the metallic film. Further, a contact plug is coupled to both of the silicon film and the metallic film which configure the memory gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuyoshi Mihara
  • Patent number: 9496355
    Abstract: Isolated conductive nanoparticles on a dielectric layer and methods of fabricating such isolated conductive nanoparticles provide charge storage units in electronic structures for use in a wide range of electronic devices and systems. The isolated conductive nanoparticles may be used as a floating gate in a flash memory. In an embodiment, conductive nanoparticles are deposited on a dielectric layer by a plasma-assisted deposition process such that each conductive nanoparticle is isolated from the other conductive nanoparticles to configure the conductive nanoparticles as charge storage elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brenda D Kraus, Eugene P. Marsh
  • Patent number: 9257446
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory improved in characteristics. In the semiconductor device, a nonvolatile memory has a high-k insulating film (high dielectric constant film) between a control gate electrode portion and a memory gate electrode portion and a transistor of a peripheral circuit region has a high-k/metal configuration. The high-k insulating film arranged between the control gate electrode portion and the memory gate electrode portion relaxes an electric field intensity at the end portion (corner portion) of the memory gate electrode portion on the side of the control gate electrode portion. This results in reduction in uneven distribution of charges in a charge accumulation portion (silicon nitride film) and improvement in erase accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Arigane, Daisuke Okada, Digh Hisamoto
  • Patent number: 9202817
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, at least one split gate memory device, and at least one logic device. The split gate memory device is disposed on the substrate. The logic device is disposed on the substrate. At least one of a select gate and a main gate of the split gate memory device and a logic gate of the logic device are made of metal. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device includes forming at least one split gate stack and at least one logic gate stack and respectively replacing at least one of a dummy gate layer and a main gate layer in the split gate stack and the dummy gate layer in the logic gate stack with at least one metal memory gate and a metal logic gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductorr Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Harry Hak-Lay Chuang, Wei-Cheng Wu, Ya-Chen Kao
  • Patent number: 9105739
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a nonvolatile memory is provided which has improved electric performance. A memory gate electrode is formed over a semiconductor substrate via an insulating film. The insulating film is an insulating film having a charge storage portion therein, and includes a first silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film over the first silicon oxide film, and a second silicon oxide film over the silicon nitride film. Metal elements exist between the silicon nitride film and the second silicon oxide film, or in the silicon nitride film at a surface density of 1×1013 to 2×1014 atoms/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsunori Kaneoka, Takaaki Kawahara
  • Patent number: 9093320
    Abstract: Semiconductor device including a memory cell featuring a first gate insulating film over a semiconductor substrate, a control gate electrode over the first gate insulating film, a second gate insulating film over the substrate and a side wall of the control gate electrode, a memory gate electrode over the second gate insulating film arranged adjacent with the control gate electrode through the second gate insulating film, first and second semiconductor regions in the substrate positioned on a control gate electrode side and a memory gate side, respectively, the second gate insulating film featuring a first film over the substrate, a charge storage film over the first film and a third film over the second film, the first film having a first portion between the substrate and memory gate electrode and a thickness greater than that of a second portion between the control gate electrode and the memory gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronic Corporation
    Inventor: Shoji Shukuri
  • Patent number: 9029937
    Abstract: A transistor in which the state of an interface between an oxide semiconductor layer and an insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer is favorable and a method for manufacturing the transistor are provided. Nitrogen is added to the vicinity of the interface between the oxide semiconductor layer and the insulating film (gate insulating layer) in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer so that the state of the interface of the oxide semiconductor layer becomes favorable. Specifically, the oxide semiconductor layer has a concentration gradient of nitrogen, and a region containing much nitrogen is provided at the interface with the gate insulating layer. A region having high crystallinity can be formed in the vicinity of the interface with the oxide semiconductor layer by addition of nitrogen, whereby the interface state can be stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9024365
    Abstract: A high voltage junction field effect transistor and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The high voltage junction field effect transistor includes a base, a drain, a source and a P type top layer. The drain and the source are disposed above the base. A channel is formed between the source and the drain. The P type top layer is disposed above the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Fan Chen, Wing-Chor Chan, Jeng Gong
  • Publication number: 20150115349
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating memory devices having charged species, and methods for adjusting flatband voltages in such memory devices. In one such method, a dielectric material is formed adjacent to a semiconductor. A charged species is introduced into the dielectric material, wherein the charged species has an energy barrier in a range of greater than about 0.5 eV to about 3.0 eV. A control gate is formed adjacent to the dielectric material. A flatband voltage of the memory device can be adjusted by moving the charged species to different levels within the dielectric material, thus programming different states into the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Roy Meade
  • Patent number: 9012975
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The FET includes a substrate, a fin bump, an insulating layer, a charge trapping structure and a gate structure. The fin bump is disposed on the substrate. The insulating layer is disposed on the substrate and located at two sides of the fin bump. The charge trapping structure is disposed on the insulating layer and located at at least one side of the fin bump. A cross-section of the charge trapping structure is L-shaped. The gate structure covers the fin bump and the charge trapping structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Tong-Yu Chen, Chih-Jung Wang
  • Publication number: 20150102400
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including a first dielectric disposed over a channel region of a transistor formed in a substrate and a gate disposed over the first dielectric. The semiconductor device further includes a second dielectric disposed vertically, substantially perpendicular to the substrate, at an edge of the gate, and a spacer disposed proximate to the second dielectric. The spacer includes a cross-section with a perimeter that includes a top curved portion and a vertical portion that is substantially perpendicular to the substrate. Further, disclosed herein, are methods associated with the fabrication of the aforementioned semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Gong CHEN, Scott BELL
  • Patent number: 9006093
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor structure includes forming a select gate stack on a substrate. The substrate includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) region and a high voltage region. The select gate stack is formed in the NVM region. A charge storage layer is formed over the NVM region and the high voltage region of the substrate. The charge storage layer includes charge storage material between a bottom layer of dielectric material and a top layer of dielectric material. The charge storage material in the high voltage region is oxidized while the charge storage material in the NVM region remains unoxidized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheong Min Hong, Sung-Taeg Kang, Jane A. Yater
  • Publication number: 20150097224
    Abstract: A system and method for providing electrical isolation between closely spaced devices in a high density integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed herein. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising a substrate, a first device, a second device, and a trench in the substrate and a method of fabricating the same are also discussed. The trench is positioned between first and second devices and comprises a first filled portion and a second filled portion. The first filled portion of the trench comprises a dielectric material that forms a buried trench isolation for providing electrical isolation between the first and second devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Lei XUE, Ching-Huang LU, Simon Siu-Sing CHAN
  • Patent number: 8987807
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes first to n-th semiconductor layers which are stacked in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of a semiconductor substrate and which extend in a second direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, an electrode which extends in the first direction along side surfaces of the first to n-th semiconductor layers, the side surfaces of the first to n-th semiconductor layers exposing in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and first to n-th charge storage layers located between the first to n-th semiconductor layers and the electrode respectively. The first to n-th charge storage layers are separated from each other in areas between the first to n-th semiconductor layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shosuke Fujii, Kiwamu Sakuma, Jun Fujiki, Atsuhiro Kinoshita