Floating Or Plural Gate Structure (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.179)
  • Publication number: 20090142914
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device, capable of inhibiting an undercut from occurring in a dielectric layer formed between a floating gate and a control gate. In one method, the dielectric layer can be protected using a covering of a nitride layer that can be used as a hard mask for gate patterning in a flash memory device. In another method, the gate stack can be inhibited from being damaged by changing the material of the hard mask used to etch the gate stack. For example, an LTO can be used as the hardmask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: Chung Kyung JUNG
  • Patent number: 7541237
    Abstract: Rows of memory cells are electrically isolated from one another by trenches formed in the substrate between the rows that are filled with a dielectric, commonly called “shallow trench isolation” or “STI.” Discontinuous source and drain regions of the cells are connected together by column oriented bit lines, preferably made of doped polysilicon, that extend in the column direction on top of the substrate. This structure is implemented in a flash memory array of cells having either one floating gate per cell or at least two floating gates per cell. A process of making a dual-floating gate memory cell array includes etching the word lines twice along their lengths, once to form openings through which source and drain implants are made and in which the conductive bit lines are formed, and second to form individual floating gates with a select transistor gate positioned between them that also serves to erase charge from the adjacent floating gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Sandisk Corporation
    Inventors: Jack H. Yuan, Jacob Haskell
  • Patent number: 7537996
    Abstract: A method of forming an array of floating gate memory cells, and an array formed thereby, wherein each memory cell includes a trench formed into a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and spaced apart source and drain regions with a channel region formed therebetween. The source region is formed underneath the trench, and the channel region includes a first portion extending vertically along a sidewall of the trench and a second portion extending horizontally along the substrate surface. An electrically conductive floating gate is disposed in the trench adjacent to and insulated from the channel region first portion. An electrically conductive control gate is disposed over and insulated from the channel region second portion. A block of conductive material has at least a lower portion thereof disposed in the trench adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate, and can be electrically connected to the source region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaw Wen Hu, Sohrab Kianian
  • Publication number: 20090124071
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes: forming a charge storage layer on a substrate on which a gate insulating layer is formed; forming a first metal oxide layer on the charge storage layer using a first reaction source including a metal oxide layer precursor and a first oxidizing agent and changing the first metal oxide layer to a second metal oxide layer using a second reaction source including a second oxidizing agent having larger oxidizing power than the first oxidizing agent and repeating the forming of the first metal oxide layer and the changing of the first metal oxide layer to the second metal oxide layer several times to form a blocking insulating layer; and forming an electrode layer on the blocking insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Dong-chul Yoo, Han-mei Choi, Kwang-hee Lee, Kyong-won An, Cha-young Yoo
  • Publication number: 20090117728
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile memory device includes forming a tunneling insulation layer and a conductive layer for a floating gate over a substrate, partially etching the conductive layer, the tunneling insulation layer, and the substrate to form a trench, forming an isolation layer filling a portion of the trench, forming spacers on both sidewalls of the conductive layer not covered by the isolation layer, recessing a portion of the exposed isolation layer using the spacers as an etch barrier layer to form wing spacers, removing the spacers, performing a primary cleaning process on the resulting substrate using a mixed solution of H2SO4 and H2O2 and a mixed solution of NH4OH, H2O2, and H2O, and performing a secondary cleaning process on the resulting structure using a mixed solution of a HF solution and a deionized water and a mixed solution of NH4OH, H2O2, and H2O.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventor: Hae-Soo KIM
  • Publication number: 20090108326
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of first conductive patterns, a second conductive pattern having a top surface of which stepwisely or gradually decreases in height in a direction from a side facing the first conductive pattern toward an opposite side, a first insulation film formed over the plurality of first conductive patterns and the second conductive pattern, and a third conductive pattern formed over the first insulation film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
    Inventor: Hikaru KOKURA
  • Publication number: 20090108329
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor device includes a tunnel insulating film including a ridge and a valley, and a nano floating gate including a nano dot. The ridge and the valley are alternately arranged by a given interval. The nano dot is disposed over the valley of the tunnel insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jae Yun YI
  • Patent number: 7521318
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed, which includes a semiconductor substrate including a device region and an isolation region having an isolation trench, a gate electrode formed on the device region through a gate insulating film, a first isolation insulating film formed in the isolation trench, the first isolation insulating film having a recess, a second isolation insulating film formed on the first isolation insulating film to be filled in the recess, the second isolation insulating film having an upper surface higher than the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an impurity region formed in the semiconductor substrate under the first isolation insulating film, the impurity region having a conductivity type the same as a conductivity type of the semiconductor substrate, an impurity concentration higher than an impurity concentration of the semiconductor substrate, and a width of the impurity region smaller than a width of the isolation trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Koki Ueno
  • Publication number: 20090096012
    Abstract: A flash memory secures a desired coupling ratio in a target thickness by lowering the leakage current through a high-dielectric (k) layer employing a combination of energy band gaps. The flash memory device includes a tunnel insulating layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first conductive layer formed on the tunnel insulating layer, a high-dielectric (k) layer having a stacked structure of first, second and third high-k insulating layers formed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer formed on the high-k layer. The first high-k insulating layer has a first energy bandgap, the second high-k insulating layer has a second energy bandgap greater than the first energy bandgap, and the third high-k insulating layer has a third energy bandgap smaller than the second energy bandgap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kwang Chul JOO
  • Patent number: 7517750
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods of manufacturing memory devices including forming floating gate patterns on a semiconductor substrate having active regions thereon, wherein the floating gate patterns cover the active regions and are spaced apart from the active regions; forming an inter-gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate having the floating gate patterns by alternately stacking a zirconium oxide layer and an aluminum oxide layer at least once, wherein the inter-gate dielectric layer is formed by a deposition process using O3 gas as a reactive gas; forming a control gate layer on the inter-gate dielectric layer; and forming a control gate, an inter-gate dielectric layer pattern and a floating gate by sequentially patterning the control gate layer, the inter-gate dielectric layer and the floating gate pattern, wherein the inter-gate dielectric layer pattern and the control gate are sequentially stacked across the active regions, and the floating gate is formed between the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Han-Mei Choi, Young-Geun Park, Seung-Hwan Lee, Young-Sun Kim
  • Publication number: 20090085094
    Abstract: Provided is a floating gate having multiple charge storing layers, a non-volatile memory device using the same, and a method of fabricating the floating gate and the non-volatile memory device, in which the multiple charge storing layers using metal nano-crystals of nano size is formed to thereby enhance a charge storage capacity of the memory device. The floating gate includes a polymer electrolytic film which is deposited on a tunneling oxide film, and is formed of at least one stage in which at least one thin film is deposited on each stage, and at least one metal nano-crystal film which is self-assembled on the upper surface of each stage of the polymer electrolytic film and on which a number of metal nano-crystals for trapping charges are deposited. The floating gate is made by self-assembling the metal nano-crystals on the polymer electrolytic film, and thus can be fabricated without undergoing a heat treatment process at high temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Jang-Sik Lee, Jinhan Cho, Jaegab Lee
  • Publication number: 20090085121
    Abstract: An integrated circuit and method for manufacturing an integrated circuit are described. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit includes a memory cell that includes a resistivity changing memory element. The resistivity changing memory element is electrically coupled to a select transistor that includes a FinFET including a source, a drain, and a fin structure formed above a surface of a substrate between the source and the drain. The fin structure includes a channel area extending in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate, and a dielectric layer formed around at least a portion of the channel area such that an effective channel width of the select transistor depends at least in part on a height of the fin structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Human Park, Ulrich Klostermann, Rainer Leuschner
  • Patent number: 7510933
    Abstract: Provided is a fabrication method of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, which comprises disposing, in a ultrapure water preparing system, UF equipment having therein a UF module which has been manufactured by disposing, in a body thereof, a plurality of capillary hollow fiber membranes composed of a polysulfone membrane or polyimide membrane, bonding the plurality of hollow fiber membranes at end portions thereof by hot welding, and by this hot welding, simultaneously adhering the hollow fiber membranes to the body. Upon preparation of ultrapure water to be used for the fabrication of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, the present invention makes it possible to prevent run-off of ionized amine into the ultrapure water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Osamu Takahashi, Kunio Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 7510937
    Abstract: The fabrication method for a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a memory cell area including memory cells and a peripheral circuit area adjacent to the memory cell area and including peripheral transistors, the method including the steps of: (1) forming a first active region in the memory cell area and a second active region in the peripheral circuit area in a substrate by forming isolation insulating films in the memory cell area and the peripheral circuit area so as to be away from a boundary therebetween; (2) forming a bottom insulating film and an intermediate charge trap film sequentially over the entire surface of the substrate; (3) removing a portion of the intermediate charge trap film formed in the peripheral circuit area using a first mask film; (4) forming a gate insulating film in the peripheral circuit area and also at least part of a top insulating film in the memory cell area; (5) forming a gate electrode film on the top insulating film and the gate insulating film; and (6) forming
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Keita Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7510935
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing a charge-trapping dielectric and a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)-type non-volatile semiconductor device includes forming the charge-trapping dielectric, and a first oxide layer including silicon oxide. A silicon nitride layer including silicon-rich nitride is formed by a cyclic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process using a silicon source material and a nitrogen source gas. A second oxide layer is formed on the silicon nitride layer. Hence, the charge-trapping dielectric having good erase characteristics is formed. In the SONOS-type non-volatile semiconductor device including the charge-trapping dielectric, a data erase process may be stably performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Hae Lee, Ju-Wan Lim, Jae-Young Ahn, Sang-Ryol Yang, Ki-Hyun Hwang
  • Publication number: 20090078984
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor apparatus including: a semiconductor substrate; a gate dielectric film that is formed on the semiconductor substrate; a floating gate electrode film that is formed on the gate dielectric film; an inter-gate dielectric film that includes: a metal oxide film that is formed on the floating gate electrode film; an electron trap film that is formed on the metal oxide film; and a silicon oxide film that is formed on the electron trap film; and a control gate electrode film that is formed on the inter-gate dielectric film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hajime NAGANO, Masayuki TANAKA
  • Patent number: 7507624
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device is provided. The method includes: providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a cell transistor on the semiconductor substrate, and forming a SiON layer with a refractive index of about 1.8 or less on the cell transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Euhn-Gi Lee, Bong-Jun Jang, Sung-Woon Yun
  • Patent number: 7507625
    Abstract: A flash memory device, and a manufacturing method thereof, having advantages of protecting sidewalls of a floating gate and a control gate and preventing a recess of an active area of a source region are provided. The method includes forming a tunneling oxide layer on an active region of a semiconductor substrate, forming a floating gate, a gate insulation layer, and a control gate on the tunneling oxide layer, forming insulation sidewall spacers on sides of the floating gate and the control gate, and removing at least portions of the tunneling oxide layer and the device isolation layer so as to expose the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yeong-Sil Kim
  • Patent number: 7504280
    Abstract: Provided is a nonvolatile memory device and a method of manufacturing the same. The nonvolatile memory device includes a semiconductor substrate on which a source, a drain, and a channel region are formed, a tunneling oxide film formed on the channel region, a floating gate formed of a fullerene material on the tunneling oxide, a blocking oxide film formed on the floating gate, and a gate electrode formed on the blocking oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoon-ho Khang, Kyo-yeol Lee, Eun-hye Lee, Joo-hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 7501679
    Abstract: A flash memory device includes a floating gate formed with a byproduct, such as a polymer, generated in an etching process. The flash memory device is configured to minimize the unstableness often caused by a floating gate that includes direct contact between polymer and polysilicon. Formation of the floating gate includes forming a tunneling oxide layer, a conductive layer and an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate. Portions of the insulating layer are removed using a photoresist pattern defining a floating gate area as a mask. Thermal oxide layers are formed on a surface of the conductive layer from which the insulating layer was removed. Polymer materials are included on sides of the respective photoresist pattern and insulating layer. A floating gate is formed by selectively removing portions of the thermal oxide layer and the conductive layer using the photoresist and the polymer materials as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung Ho Kwak
  • Patent number: 7501319
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a fabricating method thereof are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes polysilicon gate electrodes, a gate oxide layer, sidewall floating gates, a block oxide layer, source/drain areas, and sidewall spacers. In addition, the method includes the steps of: forming a block dielectric layer and a sacrificial layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming trenches by etching the sacrificial layer; forming sidewall floating gates on lateral faces of the trenches; forming a block oxide layer on the sidewall floating gates; forming polysilicon gate electrodes by a patterning process; removing the sacrificial layer; forming source/drain areas by implanting impurity ions into the resulting structure; injecting carriers or electric charges into the sidewall floating gates; and forming spacers on lateral faces of the polysilicon gate electrodes and the sidewall floating gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Hyo Jung
  • Publication number: 20090047778
    Abstract: A plasma oxidation processing method is performed, on a structural object including a silicon layer and a refractory metal-containing layer, to form a silicon oxide film. A first plasma oxidation process is performed by use of a process gas including at least hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and a process pressure of 1.33 to 66.67 Pa. A second plasma oxidation process is performed by use of a process gas including at least hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and a process pressure of 133.3 to 1,333 Pa, after the first plasma oxidation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Masaru Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20090047763
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first transistor having a composite gate structure containing a lamination of a first polycrystalline silicon film, an interlayer insulating film, and a second polycrystalline silicon film; and a second transistor having a single gate structure containing a lamination of a third polycrystalline silicon film and a fourth polycrystalline silicon film, wherein the first polycrystalline silicon film and the third polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same thickness; the first polycrystalline silicon film and the third polycrystalline silicon film have different impurity concentrations controlled independently of each other; the second polycrystalline silicon film and the fourth polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same thickness, and the second polycrystalline silicon film, the fourth polycrystalline silicon film, and the third polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same impurity concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventor: Katsuki Hazama
  • Patent number: 7491597
    Abstract: Provided is a flash memory, and more particularly, to a method and structure for erasing flash blocks based on back-bias. The method comprises the steps of forming a flash block on a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate and forming a body-electrode on back side of the silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yang-Kyu Choi, Hyunjin Lee
  • Patent number: 7482227
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flash memory includes providing a substrate with a sacrificial oxide layer, a sacrificial poly-Si layer, a hard mask layer and a trench exposing part of the substrate and filled with an oxide layer, later depositing a oxide layer conformally on the sacrificial oxide layer and the oxide layer, and afterwards removing the oxide layer on the sacrificial oxide layer and on the top of the oxide layer and the sacrificial oxide layer to form a spacer as a STI oxide spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Mao-Quan Chen, Ching-Nan Hsiao, Chung-Lin Huang
  • Patent number: 7479427
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device employs a SONOS type memory architecture and includes a bit line diffusion layer in a shallow trench groove in which a conductive film is buried. This makes it possible to decrease the resistivity of the bit line diffusion layer without enlarging the area on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, and to fabricate the semiconductor memory device having stable electric characteristics without enlarging the cell area. The bit line is formed by implanting ions into the sidewall of Si3N4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Masahiko Higashi, Hiroyuki Nansei
  • Patent number: 7479430
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the present invention has a semiconductor substrate and a memory cell having a floating gate provided through a tunnel insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate, and a control gate provided through an inter-layer insulting layer on said floating gate. The inter-insulating layer includes a silicon oxide layer contiguous to said floating gate, a first silicon nitride layer provided by a CVD method on the silicon oxide layer and a second silicon nitride layer provided on said first silicon nitride layer and having a lower trap density than that of the first silicon nitride layer. The inter-insulating layer may includes a silicon oxide layer contiguous to said floating gate and a silicon oxide layer deposited on said silicon oxide layer and having a quantity of hydrogen content on the order of 1019/cm3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Seiichi Mori
  • Patent number: 7479428
    Abstract: A high permittivity gate dielectric is used in an NROM memory cell. The gate dielectric has a dielectric constant greater than silicon dioxide and is comprised of an atomic layer deposited and/or evaporated nanolaminate structure. The NROM memory cell has a substrate with doped source/drain regions. The high-k gate dielectric is formed above the substrate between a pair of the source/drain regions. A polysilicon control gate is formed on top of the gate dielectric. The gate dielectric can have an oxide-high-k dielectric-oxide composite structure, an oxide-nitride-high-k dielectric composite structure, or a high-k dielectric-high-k dielectric-high-k dielectric composite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Inventor: Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 7476586
    Abstract: Structures and methods for NOR flash memory cells, arrays and systems are provided. The NOR flash memory cell includes a vertical floating gate transistor extending outwardly from a substrate. The floating gate transistor having a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region, a channel region between the first and the second source/drain regions, a floating gate separated from the channel region by a gate insulator, and a control gate separated from the floating gate by a gate dielectric. A sourceline is formed in a trench adjacent to the vertical floating gate transistor and coupled to the first source/drain region. A transmission line coupled to the second source/drain region. And, a wordline is coupled to the control gate perpendicular to the sourceline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 7470574
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dual organic field-effect transistor (OFET) structure and a method of fabricating the structure. The dual OFET structure includes an n-type organic semiconductor layer and a p-type organic semiconductor layer in contact with each other along an interface and forming a stack. The dual OFET structure also includes a source electrode and a drain electrode, the source and drain electrodes being in contact with one of the organic semiconductor layers. The dual OFET structure further includes first and second gate structures located on opposite sides of the stack. The first gate structure is configured to control a channel region of the n-type organic semiconductor layer, and the second gate structure is configured to control a channel region of the p-type organic semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenan Bao, Evert-Jan Borkent, Dawen Li
  • Patent number: 7465629
    Abstract: Provided are a flash memory and a method for manufacturing the same. The flash memory includes a semiconductor substrate having a device isolation region and an active region; a stacked gate on the semiconductor substrate; an insulation layer covering the semiconductor substrate and the stacked gate; a drain contact penetrating the insulation layer on one side of the stacked gate; and a source line penetrating the insulation layer on an opposite side of the stacked gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Woo Nam
  • Patent number: 7465985
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and a method of forming the same are provided. The non-volatile memory device may include a cell isolation pattern and a semiconductor pattern sequentially stacked on a predetermined or given region of a semiconductor substrate, a cell gate line on the semiconductor pattern and on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate on one side of the cell isolation pattern, a multi-layered trap insulation layer between the cell gate line and the semiconductor substrate, and the cell gate line and the semiconductor pattern, a first impurity diffusion layer in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the cell gate line and a second impurity diffusion layer in the semiconductor pattern on both sides of the cell gate line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung-Yong Choi, Choong-Ho Lee, Dong-Gun Park
  • Publication number: 20080303076
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a floating gate type semiconductor device on a substrate having a surface (2), and a device thus manufactured. The method comprises:—forming, on the substrate surface, a stack comprising an insulating film (4), a first layer of floating gate material (6) and a layer of sacrificial material (8),—forming at least one isolation zone (18) through the stack and into the substrate (2), the first layer of floating gate material (6) thereby having a top surface and side walls (26),—removing the sacrificial material (8), thus leaving a cavity (20) defined by the isolation zones (18) and the top surface of the first layer of floating gate material (6), and filling the cavity (20) with a second layer of floating gate material (22), the first layer of floating gate material (6) and the second layer of floating gate material (22) thus forming together a floating-gate (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Robertus Theodorus Fransiscus Van Schaijk, Michiel Jos Van Duuren
  • Patent number: 7462903
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating semiconductor structures and contacts to semiconductor structures are provided. A method comprises providing a substrate and forming a gate stack on the substrate. The gate stack is formed having a first axis. An impurity doped region is formed within the substrate adjacent to the gate stack and a dielectric layer is deposited overlying the impurity doped region. A via is etched through the dielectric layer to the impurity doped region. The via has a major axis and a minor axis that is perpendicular to and shorter than the major axis. The via is etched such that the major axis is disposed at an angle greater than zero and no greater than 90 degrees from the first axis. A conductive contact is formed within the via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventor: Joseph William Wiseman
  • Publication number: 20080290395
    Abstract: A method of realizing a flash floating poly gate using an MPS process can include forming a tunnel oxide layer on an active region of a semiconductor substrate; and then forming a first floating gate on and contacting the tunnel oxide layer; and then forming second and third floating gates on and contacting the first floating gate, wherein the second and third floating gates extend perpendicular to the first floating gate; and then forming a poly meta-stable polysilicon layer on the first, second and third floating gates; and then forming a control gate on the semiconductor substrate including the poly meta-stable polysilicon layer. Therefore, it is possible to increase the surface area of the capacitor by a limited area in comparison with a flat floating gate. As a result, it is possible to improve the coupling ratio essential to the flash memory device and to improve the yield and reliability of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventor: Tae-Woong Jeong
  • Patent number: 7452776
    Abstract: A floating gate memory cell's channel region (104) is at least partially located in a fin-like protrusion (110P) of a semiconductor substrate. The floating gate's top surface may come down along at least two sides of the protrusion to a level below the top (110P-T) of the protrusion. The control gate's bottom surface may also comes down to a level below the top of the protrusion. The floating gate's bottom surface may comes down to a level below the top of the protrusion by at least 50% of the protrusion's height. The dielectric (120) separating the floating gate from the protrusion can be at least as thick at the top of the protrusion as at a level (L2) which is below the top of the protrusion by at least 50% of the protrusion's height. A very narrow fin or other narrow feature in memory and non-memory integrated circuits can be formed by providing a first layer (320) and then forming spacers (330) from a second layer without photolithography on sidewalls of features made from the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: ProMOS Technoloies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yue-Song He, Len Mei
  • Patent number: 7452775
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device having a substrate, an n type well, a p type well, a control gate, a composite dielectric layer, a source region and a drain region is provided. A trench is formed in the substrate. The n type well is formed in the substrate. The p type well is formed in the substrate above the n type well. The junction of p type well and the n type well is higher than the bottom of the trench. The control gate which protruding the surface of substrate is formed on the sidewalls of the trench. The composite dielectric layer is formed between the control gate and the substrate. The composite dielectric layer includes a charge-trapping layer. The source region and the drain region are formed in the substrate of the bottom of the trench respectively next to the sides of the control gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Powership Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Wei-Zhe Wong, Ching-Sung Yang, Chih-Chen Cho
  • Publication number: 20080277715
    Abstract: In a film formation method of a semiconductor device including a plurality of silicon-based transistors or capacitors, there exist hydrogen at least in a part of the silicon surface in advance, and the film formation method removes the hydrogen by exposing the silicon surface to a first inert gas plasma. Thereafter a silicon compound layer is formed on the surface of the silicon gas by generating plasma while using a mixed gas of a second inert gas and one or more gaseous molecules, such that there is formed a silicon compound layer containing at least a pat of the elements constituting the gaseous molecules, on the surface of the silicon gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Masaki Hirayama, Yasuyuki Shirai
  • Patent number: 7445995
    Abstract: A flash memory structure comprises a semiconductor substrate, a source region, a drain region, a first insulating dielectric layer, a floating gate, a second insulating dielectric layer, and a control gate. The semiconductor substrate has a first top surface and a second top surface that is lower than the first top surface. The source region and the drain region are respectively in the second top surface and the first top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor substrate connecting the source region and the drain region is a vertical channel region. The whole channel region is covered by the first insulating dielectric layer, the floating gate, the second insulating dielectric layer, and the control gate in turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Himax Technologies, Inc..
    Inventor: Ming Tang
  • Publication number: 20080261389
    Abstract: A method of forming a micro pattern of a semiconductor device method includes forming an etch target layer over a substrate, a hard mask layer over the etch target layer, and first auxiliary patterns over the etch target layer. The first auxiliary patterns defining a plurality of structures that are spaced apart from each other. Silicon is injected into the first auxiliary patterns to form silylated first auxiliary patterns. An insulating layer is formed over the hard mask layer and the silylated first auxiliary patterns, the insulating layer defining a space between two adjacent silylated first auxiliary patterns. A second auxiliary pattern is formed over the insulating layer at the space defined between the two silylated first auxiliary patterns. The insulating layer is etched to remove a portion of the insulating layer provided between the silylated first auxiliary patterns and the second auxiliary pattern while not removing a portion of the insulating layer provided below the second auxiliary pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Woo Yung Jung
  • Patent number: 7439573
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first transistor having a composite gate structure containing a lamination of a first polycrystalline silicon film, an interlayer insulating film, and a second polycrystalline silicon film; and a second transistor having a single gate structure containing a lamination of a third polycrystalline silicon film and a fourth polycrystalline silicon film, wherein the first polycrystalline silicon film and the third polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same thickness; the first polycrystalline silicon film and the third polycrystalline silicon film have different impurity concentrations controlled independently of each other; the second polycrystalline silicon film and the fourth polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same thickness, and the second polycrystalline silicon film, the fourth polycrystalline silicon film, and the third polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same impurity concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Pegre Semiconductors LLC
    Inventor: Katsuki Hazama
  • Patent number: 7439121
    Abstract: In a film formation method of a semiconductor device including a plurality of silicon-based transistors or capacitors, there exist hydrogen at least in a part of the silicon surface in advance, and the film formation method removes the hydrogen by exposing the silicon surface to a first inert gas plasma. Thereafter a silicon compound layer is formed on the surface of the silicon gas by generating plasma while using a mixed gas of a second inert gas and one or more gaseous molecules, such that there is formed a silicon compound layer containing at least a pat of the elements constituting the gaseous molecules, on the surface of the silicon gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Masaki Hirayama, Yasuyuki Shirai
  • Patent number: 7432156
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and a method for its fabrication are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the method comprises the steps of forming a gate insulator and a gate electrode overlying a semiconductor substrate. The gate insulator is etched to form an undercut opening beneath an edge of the gate electrode and the undercut opening is filled with a layered structure comprising a charge trapping layer sandwiched between layers of oxide and nitride. A region of the semiconductor substrate is impurity doped to form a bit line aligned with the gate electrode, and a conductive layer is deposited and patterned to form a word line coupled to the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Chungho Lee, Ashot Melik-Martirosian, Hiroyuki Kinoshita, Kuo-Tung Chang, Amol Joshi, Meng Ding
  • Publication number: 20080242074
    Abstract: A method of forming a gate pattern of a flash memory device may include forming a tunnel dielectric layer, a conductive layer for a floating gate, a dielectric layer, a conductive layer for a control gate, a metal electrode layer, and a hard mask film over a semiconductor substrate. The metal electrode layer may be etched such that a positive slope of an upper sidewall may be formed larger than a positive slope of a lower sidewall of the metal electrode layer. The conductive layer for the control gate, the dielectric layer, and the conductive layer for the floating gate may then be etched. High molecular weight argon gas, for example, may be used to improve an anisotropic etch characteristic of plasma. Over etch of a metal electrode layer may be decreased to reduce a bowing profile. Resistance of word lines can be decreased and electrical properties can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventor: In No Lee
  • Publication number: 20080237693
    Abstract: There is provided a storage of a non-volatile memory device and a method of forming the same. The storage of example embodiments may include a bottom electrode, a first tunneling insulating layer on the bottom electrode, a middle electrode on the first tunneling insulating layer, a second tunneling insulating layer on the middle electrode, and a top electrode on the second tunneling insulating layer. The first and second tunneling insulating layers may be formed of metal oxide having a thickness from about several ? to about several tens ? and a storage may be formed to have a width of about several tens nm. Therefore, a multi bit storage, increased integration, increased operation speed and decreased power consumption may be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Jang-Eun Lee, Se-Chung Oh, Kyung-Tae Nam, Jun-Ho Jeong, Dae-Kyom Kim
  • Publication number: 20080237692
    Abstract: Provided is a method of forming a floating gate, a non-volatile memory device using the same, and a method of fabricating the non-volatile memory device, in which nano-crystals of nano-size whose density and size can be easily adjusted, are synthesized using micelles so as to be used as the floating gate of the non-volatile memory device. The floating gate is fabricated by forming a tunnel oxide film on the semiconductor substrate, coating a gate formation solution on the tunnel oxide film in which the gate formation solution includes micelle templates into which precursors capable of synthesizing metallic salts in nano-structures formed by a self-assembly method are introduced, and arranging the metallic salts on the tunnel oxide film by removing the micelle templates, to thereby form the floating gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Jaegab LEE, Jang-Sik LEE, Chi Young LEE, Byeong Hyeok SOHN
  • Publication number: 20080233728
    Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device which has the following steps of forming a plurality of layered patterns obtained by stacking an insulating film, a conductor film for forming a floating gate electrode and another insulating film over a semiconductor substrate in the order of mention, forming sidewalls over the side surfaces of the plurality of layered patterns, removing a damage layer of the semiconductor substrate between any two adjacent layered patterns by dry etching, forming an insulating film over the semiconductor substrate between two adjacent layered patterns, and forming a plurality of assist gate electrodes over the insulating film between two adjacent layered patterns in self alignment therewith. According to the present invention, a semiconductor device having a flash memory has improved reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Naohiro HOSODA, Tetsuo Adachi
  • Publication number: 20080230826
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems form memory structures, such as flash memory structures from nanoparticles by providing a source of nanoparticles as a conductive layer. The particles are moved by application of a field, such as an electrical field, magnetic field and even electromagnetic radiation. The nanoparticles are deposited onto an insulating surface over a transistor in a first distribution of the nanoparticles. A field is applied to the nanoparticles on the surface that applies a force to the particles, rearranging the nanoparticles on the surface by the force from the field to form a second distribution of nanoparticles on the surface. A protective and enclosing insulating layer is deposited on the nanoparticle second distribution. The addition of a top conductive layer completes a basic flash memory structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicants: Nevada
    Inventor: Biswajit Das
  • Patent number: 7422960
    Abstract: The invention includes methods for utilizing partial silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology in combination with fin field effect transistor (finFET) technology to form transistors particularly suitable for utilization in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) arrays. The invention also includes DRAM arrays having low rates of refresh. Additionally, the invention includes semiconductor constructions containing transistors with horizontally-opposing source/drain regions and channel regions between the source/drain regions. The transistors can include gates that encircle at least three-fourths of at least portions of the channel regions, and in some aspects can include gates that encircle substantially an entirety of at least portions of the channel regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Fischer
  • Publication number: 20080211006
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory including a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface; a plurality of memory cell transistors formed in the semiconductor substrate, each memory cell transistor including a gate electrode having a gate insulating layer on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode layer on the gate insulating layer, an inter-gate insulating layer on the floating gate electrode layer, and a control gate electrode layer on the inter-gate insulating layer; a first oxide-based insulating film formed above the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate between the gate electrodes, and including an upper surface as high or higher than that of the floating gate electrode layer but lower than that of the control gate electrode layer; a nitride-based insulating film containing boron formed on the first oxide-based insulating film and the control gate layer; and a second oxide-based insulating film formed on the nitride-based insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tomoharu HASHIGUCHI, Hajime Nagano