With Additional, Non-memory Control Electrode Or Channel Portion (e.g., Accessing Field Effect Transistor Structure) Patents (Class 257/326)
  • Patent number: 6781193
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a cell region having a memory gate pattern with a charge storage layer, and a peripheral region having a high-voltage-type gate pattern, a low-voltage-type gate pattern, and a resistor pattern. To fabricate the above memory device, a device isolation layer is formed in a substrate. Gate insulating layers having difference thickness are formed in low-and high-voltage regions of the peripheral region, respectively. A first conductive layer is formed over substantially the entire surface of a gate insulating layer in the peripheral region. A triple layer including a tunneling insulating layer, a charge storage layer, and a blocking insulating layer and a second conductive layer are sequentially formed over substantially the entire surface of the substrate including the first conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Hyun Lee, Jung-Dal Choi, Wang-Chul Shin
  • Patent number: 6781192
    Abstract: Techniques of shallow trench isolation and devices produced therefrom. The techniques of shallow trench isolation utilize foamed polymers, cured aerogels or air gaps as the insulation medium. Such techniques facilitate lower dielectric constants than the standard silicon dioxide due to the cells of gaseous components inherent in foamed polymers, cured aerogels or air gaps. Lower dielectric constants reduce capacitive coupling concerns and thus permit higher device density in an integrated circuit device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Farrar
  • Patent number: 6777731
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive tunnel element includes first and second electrodes and a tunnel barrier disposed between the two electrodes, the tunnel barrier having at least two barrier layers made of different barrier materials, the profile of a quantum mechanical barrier height within the tunnel barrier being asymmetrical and the conductivity of the tunnel element, therefore, being dependent on the polarity of a voltage Um between the two electrodes. Also provided is a magnetoresistive memory cell, a cell array of magnetoresistive memory cells, and a memory device having cell arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Franz Kreupl
  • Patent number: 6774429
    Abstract: An inventive semiconductor memory device includes a memory circuit and a logic circuit that are formed on a single semiconductor substrate. The memory circuit includes a storage element having a memory gate structure. The memory gate structure includes: a tunnel insulating film formed on the substrate; and a control gate electrode formed out of a gate prototype film. The logic circuit includes a logical element having a logic gate structure. The logic gate structure includes: a lower gate electrode formed out of the gate prototype film; and an upper gate electrode formed out of a conductor film on the lower gate electrode. The conductor film contains a metal. The memory gate structure includes no metal films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Arai
  • Patent number: 6774428
    Abstract: A flash memory structure is provided. The flash memory structure includes a P-type substrate, a deep N-well set up within the P-type substrate, a P-well set up within the deep N-well, a pair of gate structures set up over the substrate, a select gate set up between the pair of gate structure and N-type source/drain regions in the P-well on each side of the gate structure. Since each pair of neighboring gate structure uses a common gate, the level of integration of device can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Wei Hung, Da Sung, Cheng-Yuan Hsu
  • Patent number: 6774433
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a bitline area, a string selection transistor, a plurality of memory transistors, a ground selection transistor, and a source area which are serially disposed. The memory transistors are silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) transistors having a multi-layered charge storage layer. The memory transistors are also depletion mode transistors having a negative threshold voltage. In a method of fabricating the non-volatile memory device, a first conductive type diffusion layer is formed at a predetermined area of a first conductive type substrate. Impurities of a second conductive type are implanted into a predetermined area of a surface of the substrate where the first conductive type diffusion layer is formed, thereby forming an inversely doped area at a surface of the first conductive type diffusion layer. A string selection gate, a plurality of memory gates, and a ground selection gate are formed over a predetermined area of the first conductive type diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chany-Hyun Lee, Jung-Dal Choi
  • Patent number: 6770932
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a memory region and a peripheral region, comprising: a memory cell configured to store data, the memory cell formed in the memory region of a semiconductor substrate and having a first gate electrode, first and second diffusion layers, the first gate electrode having a first top surface and a first side surface; a peripheral transistor formed in the peripheral region in the semiconductor substrate having a second gate electrode, third and fourth diffusion layers, the second gate electrode having a second top surface and a second side surface; a first contact layer connected to the second top surface of the second gate electrode in the peripheral transistor; and a silicon nitride layer formed above the first side surface of the first gate electrode in the memory cell and the second side surface of the second gate electrode in the peripheral transistor, the silicon nitride layer not being contact with the first contact layer, a thickness of the silicon nitride layer that is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Himeno, Hiroaki Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6770920
    Abstract: Nonvolatile memory devices and methods for fabricating the same are provided. The device includes first and second base patterns disposed under floating and selection gates, respectively, at an active region. A channel region is formed in the active region between the first and second base patterns, and source and drain regions are formed in the active region adjacent to the first and second base patterns, respectively. The method includes forming first and second base patterns on a semiconductor substrate to be separated from each other by a predetermined space. A channel region is formed in the semiconductor substrate between the first and second base patterns. Source and drain regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the reverse side of the channel region on the basis of the first and second base patterns, respectively. A tunnel oxide layer is formed on a predetermined region of the channel region. A memory gate is formed to cover the first base pattern and the tunnel oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Kwang Yoo, Jeong-Uk Han
  • Patent number: 6768150
    Abstract: A magnetic memory cell is disclosed. The memory cell includes first conductor and second conductors coupled to first and second electrodes of a magnetic element. A plurality of memory cells is interconnected by first and second conductors to form a memory array or block. The second conductor is coupled to the second electrode via a conductive strap having a fuse portion. The fuse portion can be blown to sever the connection between the second conductor and magnetic element, Nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kia Seng Low, Joerg Dietrich Schmid
  • Patent number: 6765271
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for manufacturing a non-volatile semiconductor memory cell of a structure provided with a trap gate between a word line serving as a control gate, and a channel region of a substrate, the trap gate is constructed of an insulating layer and capable of trapping a carrier. The trap gate constructed of the insulating layer can change a threshold of a transistor locally because the carriers injected and trapped inside do not move in the gate. As associated with it, the trap gate does not need to be separated between adjacent memory cells. In addition, the insulating layers for electrical isolation need to be formed on and under the trap gate constructed of the insulating layer. However, the gate insulating layer of the three-layers structure can be formed very thin and highly reliably compared with the conventional floating gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Iijima
  • Patent number: 6762095
    Abstract: A method of fabricating flash memory is provided. A substrate divided into a memory cell region and a peripheral circuit region is provided. After forming a first conductive layer over the substrate, the first conductive layer in the memory cell region is patterned to form a first gate conductive layer. Thereafter, a gate dielectric layer is formed over the substrate and then a second conductive layer and a passivation layer are sequentially formed over the gate dielectric layer. After removing the passivation layer, the second conductive layer and the first conductive layer in the peripheral circuit region, a third conductive layer is formed over the substrate. The third conductive layer and the passivation layer in the memory cell region are removed. The second conductive layer, the gate dielectric layer and the first gate conductive layer in the memory cell region are patterned to form a plurality of memory gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Wen-Kuei Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20040119102
    Abstract: A double-gate field effect transistor (DGFET) structure and method of forming such a structure in which the parasitic capacitance under the source/drain regions is substantially reduced are provided. Two new means to reduce the parasitic capacitance under the source/drain regions are provided. Firstly, the silicon area outside the gate is converted to oxide while protecting a silicon ledge adjacent to the gate with a first spacer. The oxidation can be facilitated using a self-aligned oxygen implant, or implant of some other species. Secondly, the first spacer is removed, replaced with a second spacer, and a new silicon source/drain area is grown by employing lateral selective epi overgrowth and using the now exposed silicon ledge as a seed, over the self-aligned oxide isolation region. This achieves a low-capacitance to the back-plane, while retaining control of the threshold voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Guy M. Cohen, Meikei Ieong, Ronnen A. Roy, Paul Solomon, Min Yang
  • Patent number: 6753568
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory node (1) to which charge is written through a tunnel barrier configuration (2) from a control electrode (9). The stored charge effects the conductivity of a source/drain path (4) and data is read by monitoring the conductivity of the path. The charge barrier configuration comprises a multiple tunnel barrier configuration, which may comprise alternating layers (16) of polysilicon of 3 nm thickness and layers (15) of Si3N4 of 1 nm thickness, overlying polycrystalline layer of silicon (1) which forms the memory node. Alternative barrier configurations (2) are described, including a Schottky barrier configuration, and conductive nanometer scale conductive islands (30, 36, 44), which act as the memory node, distributed in an electrically insulating matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakazato, Kiyoo Itoh, Hiroshi Mizuta, Toshihiko Sato, Toshikazu Shimada, Haroon Ahmed
  • Patent number: 6750506
    Abstract: A high-voltage semiconductor device includes: a drain region; a metal electrode electrically connected to the drain region; and electrically floating plate electrodes formed on a field insulating film over a semiconductor regionm. Parts of the metal electrodes are extended onto the interlevel dielectric film and located over the respective plate electrodes. Each part of the metal electrode is capacitively coupled to associated one of the plate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Noda, Teruhisa Ikuta
  • Publication number: 20040108544
    Abstract: A transistor (100) is formed on a semiconductor substrate (17) that forms a channel (27) of the transistor. A drain region (25) has a second conductivity type formed in the substrate to electrically couple to the channel. A first portion (40) of the drain region is formed with a first depth and a second portion (61) is formed between the first portion and the channel with a second depth less than the first depth. First and second field reduction regions (10, 11) have a first conductivity type and are formed in the first and second portions of the drain region. The first field reduction region is formed to a third depth and the second field reduction region is formed between the first field reduction region and the channel with a fourth depth less than the third depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Zia Hossain, Mohamed Imam, Joe Fulton
  • Patent number: 6747311
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes memory cell transistors, peripheral transistors, first post-oxidation films provided on the gate electrode of all of the memory cell transistors, second post-oxidation films provided on the gate electrode of all of the peripheral transistors, first insulating films provided on the first post-oxidation films and covering a side surface of the gate electrode of all of the memory cell transistors and second insulating films provided on the second post-oxidation films and covering a side surface of the gate electrode of all of the peripheral transistors. The first and second insulating films are harder for an oxidizing agent to pass therethrough than a silicon oxide film, and the first and second insulating films are oxidized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Riichiro Shirota, Kazuhiro Shimizu, Hiroaki Hazama, Hirohisa Iizuka, Seiichi Aritome, Wakako Moriyama
  • Patent number: 6744098
    Abstract: The invention encompasses a method of forming silicon nitride on a silicon-oxide-comprising material. The silicon-oxide-comprising material is exposed to activated nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into an upper portion of the material. The nitrogen is thermally annealed within the material to bond at least some of the nitrogen to silicon proximate the nitrogen. After the annealing, silicon nitride is chemical vapor deposited on the nitrogen-containing upper portion of the material. The invention also encompasses a method of forming a transistor device. A silicon-oxide-comprising layer is formed over a substrate. The silicon-oxide-comprising layer is exposed to nitrogen from a nitrogen-containing plasma to introduce nitrogen into an upper portion of the layer. The nitrogen is thermally annealed within the layer to bond at least some of the nitrogen silicon proximate the nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Moore
  • Patent number: 6744101
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) structure, and method for making the same, which further suppresses short-channel effects based on variations within the gate dielectric itself. The FET structure utilizes non-uniform gate dielectrics to alter the vertical electric field presented along the channel. The thickness and/or dielectric constant of the gate dielectric is varied along the length of the channel to present a vertical electric field which varies in a manner that tends to reduce the short-channel effects and gate capacitances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Long, Yowjuang William Liu, Don Wollesen
  • Patent number: 6740944
    Abstract: The invention provides a transistor having low leakage currents and methods of fabricating the transistor on a semiconductor substrate. The transistor has a gate and a nonuniform gate oxide under the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Peter John McElheny, Yowjuang (Bill) Liu
  • Patent number: 6727548
    Abstract: An active negative differential resistance element (an NDR FET) and a memory device (such as an SRAM) using such elements is disclosed. Soft error rate (SER) performance for NDR FETs and such memory devices are enhanced by adjusting a location of charge traps in a charge trapping layer that is responsible for effectuating an NDR behavior. Both an SER and a switching speed performance characteristic can be tailored by suitable placement of the charge traps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Progressant Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsu-Jae King
  • Publication number: 20040070026
    Abstract: A multi-storage nonvolatile memory of high density, high speed and high reliability has a memory transistor and switch transistors disposed on both the sides of the memory transistor. The memory transistor includes a gate insulating film having discrete traps and a memory gate electrode, whereas the switch transistors include switch gate electrodes. The gate insulating film has the discrete traps for storing information charge, can locally inject carriers, and one memory cell constitutes a multi-storage cell for storing at least information of 2 bits. The switch transistors having the switch gate electrodes realize source side injection. The memory transistor is fommed together with the switch transistors in self-aligned diffusion. The memory gate electrode of the memory transistor is connected to a word line so as to perform word-line erase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kamigaki, Shinichi Minami, Kozo Katayama, Masataka Kato
  • Patent number: 6717198
    Abstract: A first insulating hydrogen barrier film is filled between lower electrodes of some ferroelectric capacitors arranged along one direction out of a word line direction and a bit line direction among a plurality of ferroelectric capacitors included in a ferroelectric memory of this invention. A common capacitor dielectric film commonly used by the some ferroelectric capacitors arranged along the one direction is formed on the lower electrodes of the some ferroelectric capacitors arranged along the one direction and on the first insulating hydrogen barrier film. A common upper electrode commonly used by the some ferroelectric capacitors arranged along the one direction is formed on the common capacitor dielectric film. A second insulating hydrogen barrier film is formed so as to cover the common upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Yoshikawa, Takumi Mikawa
  • Patent number: 6717207
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the present invention includes: a plurality of element isolation regions formed at predetermined intervals in the main surface of a semiconductor substrate; a first silicon oxide film, a nitride film and a second silicon oxide film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a word line formed on the second silicon oxide film; an interlayer insulating film formed on the word line; a plurality of bit lines formed on the interlayer insulating film in a plurality of regions positioned above the plurality of element isolation regions; and an interlayer insulating film formed between the bit lines. Accordingly, in this non-volatile semiconductor memory device, the withstand voltage between the bit lines increases and, therefore, the occurrence of current leakage can be prevented so that an improvement in performance can be implemented. In addition, the manufacturing cost can be lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 6710398
    Abstract: The scalable stack-type DRAM memory structure of the present invention comprises a scalable DRAM transistor structure and a scalable DRAM capacitor structure. The scalable DRAM transistor structure comprises a plurality of transistor-stacks, a plurality of common-drain regions, and a plurality of source regions being formed over a shallow-trench-isolation structure without a dummy-transistor structure by using a spacer-formation technique. The scalable DRAM capacitor structure comprises a plurality of rectangular tube-shaped cavities being formed over thin fourth conductive islands to form a high-capacity DRAM capacitor for each of DRAM cells; and a plurality of planarized conductive contact-islands over planarized third conductive islands being patterned and simultaneously etched with a plurality of bit-lines for forming a contactless DRAM memory. The cell size of a DRAM cell is scalable and can be made to be smaller than 6F2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Intelligent Sources Development Corp.
    Inventor: Ching-Yuan Wu
  • Patent number: 6707078
    Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a SONOS type non-volatile semiconductor memory device having improved erase speed, the device containing bitlines extending in a first direction; wordlines extending in a second direction, the wordlines comprising functioning wordlines and at least one dummy wordline, wherein the dummy wordline is positioned near at least one of a bitline contact and an edge of the core region, and the dummy wordline is treated so as not to cycle between on and off states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Fasl, LLC
    Inventors: Hidehiko Shiraiwa, Yider Wu, Jean Yee-Mei Yang, Mark T. Ramsbey, Darlene G. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 6707099
    Abstract: A semiconductor device less susceptible to inverse narrow channel effect and its manufacturing method are provided. A silicon nitride film (13) is adopted as element isolation regions; the silicon nitride film (13) has a smaller etch rate than a sacrificial silicon oxide film (7) which serves as a sacrificial layer during ion implantation (8). This prevents formation of recesses in the silicon nitride film (13) during the removal of the sacrificial silicon oxide film (7), which weakens the strength of the electric fields at the gate edges. Weakening the strength of the electric fields at the gate edges suppresses the inverse narrow channel effect, so that the MOS transistor offers a characteristic closer to a characteristic in which the threshold voltage keeps a constant value independently of the channel width. Thus an MOS transistor having a good characteristic can be manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Katsuomi Shiozawa, Takashi Kuroi, Katsuyuki Horita
  • Patent number: 6703654
    Abstract: An MTJ (magnetic tunneling junction) device particularly suitable for use in an MRAM (magnetic random access memory) is formed on a bottom conductor electrode which is smooth and has a low sheet resistivity. The advantageous properties of the conductor electrode are due in part to crystal plane alignment of a high melting-point metal layer by a seed layer and an overlayer and by the specular reflection of conduction electrons within the metal layer. The resulting device has improved performance characteristics and the electrode allows the device to be easily fabricated singly or in an array and integrated with associated CMOS circuitry on a large diameter wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng T. Horng, Ru-Ying Tong
  • Publication number: 20040041206
    Abstract: One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a memory cell, or more specifically, to a one-transistor SOI non-volatile memory cell. In various embodiments, the memory cell includes a substrate, a buried insulator layer formed on the substrate, and a transistor formed on the buried insulator layer. The transistor includes a floating body region that includes a charge trapping material. A memory state of the memory cell is determined by trapped charges or neutralized charges in the charge trapping material. The transistor further includes a first diffusion region and a second diffusion region to provide a channel region in the body region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. The transistor further includes a gate insulator layer formed over the channel region, and a gate formed over the gate insulator layer. Other aspects are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arup Bhattacharyya
  • Publication number: 20040041205
    Abstract: A process and product for making integrated circuits with dense logic and/or linear regions and dense memory regions is disclosed. On a common substrate, a dual hard mask process separately forms stacks of logic and/or linear transistors and EEPROM memory transistors. By using the process, the logic and/or linear and memory transistors are made with different sidewall insulating layers. The logic and/or linear transistors have relatively thin sidewall insulating layers sufficient to provide isolation from adjacent devices and conductors. The memory transistors have thicker sidewall insulating layer to prevent the charge stored in the memory device from adversely influencing the operation of the memory transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventor: Danny Shum
  • Patent number: 6700205
    Abstract: Provided is, for example, a method for the fabrication of electrical interconnects in semiconductor devices wherein a substrate including two or more transistors having gate regions wherein the gate regions are not exposed (e.g., the gate regions are completely covered by an insulating cap) is provided. An insulating layer overlying the transistors and the active areas is deposited, where upon a hard mask is created and patterned to form a contact plug/interconnect opening over a first active area and a portion of a first transistor immediately adjacent the first active area. A spacer is formed within the contact plug/interconnect opening. Insulating material overlying active areas between transistors is removed. A portion of the gate region of the first transistor is then exposed and interconnect material is deposited within the contact plug/interconnect opening onto the exposed portion of the gate region of the first transistor and the first active area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, Daniel Smith, Jason Taylor
  • Patent number: 6693317
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a tunneling photodiode is presented comprised of the following steps: forming a p-well in an n-type substrate, forming a thin insulating layer over the surface of the p-type material, and then forming a thin n-type layer over the insulating layer. Preferably, the n and p type semiconductor material could be silicon and the insulating layer could be between about 30 to 40 angstroms of gate quality silicon dioxide. In other embodiments of the invention the materials of either electrode are either n or p-type semiconductors or metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ho-Yin Yiu, Chein-Ling Jan, Jen-Pan Wang, Lin-June Wu
  • Patent number: 6680510
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device has a cell transistor and a non-cell transistor which are covered with an interlayer insulator film (228). The non-cell transistor has a first insulator film (212) formed on a semiconductor substrate (210); a first gate electrode (214b) formed on the first insulator film; a second insulator film (216b) formed on the first gate electrode in a first area of the gate electrode, the first area being a part of the first gate electrode; a second gate electrode (218b) formed on the second insulator film; and a contact portion (234) embedded in a contact hole (232) of the interlayer insulator film (228) to contact the first gate electrode in a second area of the first gate electrode, wherein the second insulator film is not formed on the second area and the contact portion is out of contact with the second insulator film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Osamu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6673678
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a step of providing a first ion implantation on the principal surface of a silicon substrate in a manner to cover a groove to form a first impurity region on the principal surface. Next, a step of providing a second ion implantation to cover the groove to form a second impurity region on the principal surface that overlaps the first impurity region at the groove and electrically connects the second source/drain region and the third source/drain region by the first impurity region. In short, the impurity region at the groove is formed by a twice ion implantation of the first and second ion implantations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Furuhata
  • Patent number: 6674122
    Abstract: A multi-storage nonvolatile memory of high density, high speed and high reliability has a memory transistor and switch transistors disposed on both the sides of the memory transistor. The memory transistor includes a gate insulating film having discrete traps and a memory gate electrode, whereas the switch transistors include switch gate electrodes. The gate insulating film has the discrete traps for storing information charge, can locally inject carriers, and one memory cell constitutes a multi-storage cell for storing at least information of 2 bits. The switch transistors having the switch gate electrodes realize source side injection. The memory transistor is fommed together with the switch transistors in self-aligned diffusion. The memory gate electrode of the memory transistor is connected to a word line so as to perform word-line erase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kamigaki, Shinichi Minami, Kozo Katayama, Masataka Kato
  • Patent number: 6670635
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a control circuit for carrying out gamma correction of a supplied signal, and a memory for storing data used in the gamma correction. The control circuit and the memory are constituted by TFTs, and are integrally formed on the same insulating substrate. A semiconductor display device includes a pixel region in which a plurality of TFTs are arranged in matrix; a driver for switching the plurality of TFTs; a picture signal supply source for supplying a picture signal; a control circuit for carrying out gamma correction of the picture signal; and a memory for storing data used in the gamma correction of the picture signal. The plurality of TFTs, the driver, the control circuit, and the memory are integrally formed on the same insulating substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 6661055
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a transistor in a semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same. According to the present invention, the transistor has an auxiliary electrode to which a voltage is applied apart from a gate electrode and formed at both sides of the gate electrode. In a transistor that is turned on/off depending on a voltage applied to the gate electrode, a region where the gate electrode and the source/drain overlap is maintained to have the same voltage by the auxiliary electrode by always applying a high voltage to the auxiliary electrode upon an on operation of the transistor even when the gate electrode becomes a zero (0) volt upon a refresh operation of a DRAM device. Therefore, the present invention can prevent generation of GIDL current. Further, even though the gate electrode is continuously turned on/off, the auxiliary electrode always maintains the same voltage between the gate electrode and the bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jai Bum Suh
  • Publication number: 20030222303
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprise a source region 44 and a drain region 46 formed in a semiconductor substrate 30; a gate electrode 36 formed on the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region with a first insulation film 32 formed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate; and a charge accumulation region 42a, 42b of a dielectric material, which is formed on at least either of the side wall of the gate electrode on the side of the source region and the side wall of the gate electrode on the side of the drain region. Accordingly, charges accumulated on the side of the source region 44 and the charges accumulated on the side of the drain region 46 can be easily spatially isolated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masatoshi Fukuda, Taro Sugizaki, Toshiro Nakanishi, Yasuo Nara
  • Patent number: 6653684
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including logic MOS transistors, EPROM cells, and high-voltage MOS transistors. Each EPROM cell includes a floating gate formed from a first polysilicon level above a tunnel oxide and a control gate formed from a second polysilicon level. Each logic MOS transistor includes a gate formed from a portion of the second polysilicon level above a very thin oxide. Each high-voltage transistor includes a gate corresponding to a portion of the first polysilicon level above a layer of said tunnel oxide, the gate being covered with a portion of the second polysilicon layer, except at locations where a contact is desired to be made with the gate. The uncovered portion of the first polysilicon layer in the high-voltage MOS transistors is coated with a silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Richard Fournel, Eric Mazaleyrat
  • Publication number: 20030213992
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided, in which drivability of a transistor in a peripheral circuit region is improved. The peripheral circuit region includes a second semiconductor region formed on the semiconductor substrate, a second gate insulating film thinner than a first gate insulating film, a second gate electrode formed on the second gate insulating film, and source and drain regions formed at both sides of the second gate electrodes in the second semiconductor region and doped with an impurity of first conductivity. The source and drain regions include a p-type low-concentration impurity region having an impurity of first conductivity in relatively low concentration and a p-type high-concentration impurity region having an impurity of first conductivity in relatively high concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunji Kubo
  • Publication number: 20030209756
    Abstract: Gate structures, comprising a first insulation film, a first gate material and a gate oxide film, are formed. A second insulation film is formed on side surfaces of the gate structures in the peripheral region. Trenches are formed at a surface of the semiconductor substrate by etching the semiconductor substrate with the first and the second insulation films used as masks. The second insulation film formed on side surface of the gate structures is removed, exposing the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate structures on both sides of the trenches. Element-isolating insulation films are formed in the trenches and on the exposed substrate. The gate structures in the peripheral region are removed. Gate structures of peripheral transistors are formed between the element-isolating insulation films in the peripheral region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventor: Masahiko Kanda
  • Publication number: 20030197218
    Abstract: A technique of fabricating a nonvolatile device includes forming a low doping region to aid in the reduction of substrate hot electrons. The nonvolatile device may be a floating gate device, such as a Flash, EEPROM, or EPROM memory cell. The low doping region has a lower doping concentration than that of the substrate. By reducing substrate hot electrons, this improves the reliability and longevity of the nonvolatile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Pass, James D. Sansbury, Raminda U. Madurawe, John E. Turner, Rakesh H. Patel, Peter J. Wright
  • Patent number: 6630707
    Abstract: The semiconductor device with its primary bit line and secondary bit lines, according to the present invention, is capable of being accessed at a high speed. In this semiconductor device, any one of a plurality of secondary bit lines is selectively connected to the primary bit line. The primary bit line 1 and secondary bit lines 3 are all formed on the same insulating film 26. A lined layer of wiring 15 for a memory cell selection word line 8 is formed on an insulating film 27.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Shinmori
  • Patent number: 6627927
    Abstract: The dual-bit flash memory cells of the present invention include three regions: the gate region, the first-side region, and the second-side region. The gate region is formed between the first-side region and the second-side region and is defined by a masking photoresist step and is scalable. The gate region includes two stack-gate transistors formed in the side portions of the gate region with a select-gate transistor being formed therebetween for the first embodiment of the present invention and with a bit-line conductive island formed over a common-drain diffusion region for the second embodiment of the present invention. The first-side/second-side region includes a common-source conductive bus line being integrated with a conductive erasing anode for high-speed erasing. The cell size of each bit is smaller than 4F2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Inventor: Ching-Yuan Wu
  • Publication number: 20030168694
    Abstract: Semiconductor device having on a single substrate (1) at least one memory cell (3) and at least one logic transistor (25);
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: U.S. PHILIPS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roy Arthur Colclaser, Guido Jozef Maria Dormans, Donald Robert Wolters
  • Patent number: 6614070
    Abstract: A NAND stack array (95′) is placed within a well formed on a semiconductor substrate and includes a series array of memory cell transistors (10) whose threshold voltages can be electrically altered over a range of depletion values. When a cell within a certain NAND stack is selected for a read operation, a peripheral circuit drives selected gate word line to the well potential and drives the word lines of the other gates within the selected NAND stack to a potential at least equal in magnitude to the magnitude of the a reference voltage plus the threshold voltage of a memory cell in the programmed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan T. Hirose, Loren T. Lancaster
  • Publication number: 20030146467
    Abstract: A semiconductor nonvolatile memory device improving reproducibility and reliability of insulation breakage of a silicon oxide film and capable of reducing the manufacturing cost and a method for production of the same, wherein each of the memory cells arranged in a matrix form has an insulating film breakage type fuse comprising an impurity region of a first conductivity type formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate while covering the impurity region, an opening formed in the first insulating film so as to reach the impurity region, and a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second insulating film, and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type successively stacked in the opening from the impurity region side, or has an insulating film breakage type fuse comprising an impurity region of a first conductivity type in the first semiconductor layer having an SOI structure, a first insulating film on the SOI layer, an op
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hagiwara, Hideaki Kuroda, Michitaka Kubota, Akira Nakagawara
  • Patent number: 6603171
    Abstract: A process for the manufacturing of electronic devices, including memory cells, involving forming, on a substrate of semiconductor material, multilayer stacks including a floating gate region, an intermediate dielectric region, and a control gate region; forming a protective layer extending on top of the substrate and between the multilayer stacks and having a height at least equal to the multilayer stacks. The step of forming multilayer stacks includes the step of defining the control gate region on all sides so that each control gate region is completely separate from adjacent control gate regions. The protective layer isolates the multilayer stacks from each other at the sides. Word lines of metal extend above the protective layer and are in electrical contact with the gate regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Grossi, Cesare Clementi
  • Patent number: 6593609
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor memory device in which a first insulation film and a second insulation film are laminated on a source and a drain of an access transistor to form a laminated insulation film, wherein the first insulation film is the same as an insulation film used as a sidewall for a logic transistor, and the second insulation film is the same as an encircling insulation film encircling the sidewall. Furthermore, the top surface of the laminated insulation film is positioned at substantially the same height as that of a silicide film on a gate electrode of the access transistor. On the other hand, a method for fabricating a semiconductor memory device according to the present invention polishes a logic region and a memory cell region together so as to expose gate electrodes of a logic transistor and an access transistor, and further polishes a laminated insulation film on a source and a drain of the access transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Shinkawata
  • Publication number: 20030127685
    Abstract: A semiconductor device less susceptible to inverse narrow channel effect and its manufacturing method are provided. A silicon nitride film (13) is adopted as element isolation regions; the silicon nitride film (13) has a smaller etch rate than a sacrificial silicon oxide film (7) which serves as a sacrificial layer during ion implantation (8). This prevents formation of recesses in the silicon nitride film (13) during the removal of the sacrificial silicon oxide film (7), which weakens the strength of the electric fields at the gate edges. Weakening the strength of the electric fields at the gate edges suppresses the inverse narrow channel effect, so that the MOS transistor offers a characteristic closer to a characteristic in which the threshold voltage keeps a constant value independently of the channel width. Thus an MOS transistor having a good characteristic can be manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuomi Shiozawa, Takashi Kuroi, Katsuyuki Horita
  • Publication number: 20030102504
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and method for making the same, where a memory cell and high voltage MOS transistor are formed on the same substrate. An insulating layer is formed having a first portion that insulates the control and floating gates of the memory cell from each other, and a second portion that insulates the poly gate from the substrate in the MOS transistor. The insulating layer is formed so that its first portion has a smaller thickness than that of its second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Geeng-Chuan Chern, Amitay Levi, Dana Lee