With Charge Trapping Gate Insulator, E.g., Mnos Transistor (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.423)
  • Patent number: 8129775
    Abstract: The semiconductor device has a stacked structure in which a tunnel oxide layer, a charge trapping layer, a blocking oxide layer, and a gate electrode are sequentially formed on a silicon substrate, wherein the blocking oxide layer includes a crystalline layer disposed adjacent to the charge trapping layer and an amorphous layer disposed adjacent to the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Akiyama, Hirokazu Higashijima, Tetsushi Ozaki, Tetsuya Shibata
  • Publication number: 20120052673
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile memory device is disclosed. The method includes forming a first structure for a common source line on a semiconductor substrate, the first structure extending along a first direction, forming a mold structure by alternately stacking a plurality of sacrificial layers and a plurality of insulating layers on the semiconductor substrate, forming a plurality of openings in the mold structure exposing a portion of the first structure, and forming a first memory cell string at a first side of the first structure and a second memory cell string at a second, opposite side of the first structure. The plurality of openings include a first through-hole and a second through-hole, each through-hole passing through the plurality of sacrificial layers and plurality of insulating layers, and the first through-hole and the second through-hole overlap each other in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Dong-Chul Yoo, Ki-Hyun Hwang, Han-Mei Choi, Jin-Gyun Kim
  • Publication number: 20120052672
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a cell string includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer, a sacrificial layer, and a semiconductor pattern on a semiconductor substrate, such that the interlayer dielectric layer and the sacrificial layer are formed in a first direction parallel with the semiconductor substrate, and such that the semiconductor pattern is formed in a second direction perpendicular to the semiconductor substrate, forming an opening by patterning the interlayer dielectric layer and the sacrificial layer, filling the opening with a metal, and annealing the semiconductor pattern having the opening filled with the metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Toshiro Nakanishi, Choong-Man Lee
  • Patent number: 8124484
    Abstract: To manufacture a MOS memory device having a dielectric film laminate in which adjacent dielectric films have band-gaps of different magnitudes, a plasma processing device which transmits microwaves to a chamber by means of a planar antenna having a plurality of holes is used to perform plasma CVD under pressure conditions that differ from at least pressure conditions used when forming the adjacent dielectric films, and the dielectric films are sequentially formed by altering the band-gaps of the adjacent dielectric films that constitute the dielectric film laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: Tohoku University, Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuo Endoh, Masayuki Kohno, Syuichiro Otao, Minoru Honda, Toshio Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20120043601
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a stacked body is formed by alternately stacking dielectric films and conductive films on a silicon substrate and a plurality of through holes extending in the stacking direction are formed in a matrix configuration. A shunt interconnect and a bit interconnect are provided above the stacked body. Conductor pillars are buried inside the through holes arranged in a line immediately below the shunt interconnect out of the plurality of through holes, and semiconductor pillars are buried inside the remaining through holes. The conductive pillars are formed from a metal, or low resistance silicon. Its upper end portion is connected to the shunt interconnect and its lower end portion is connected to a cell source formed in an upper layer portion of the silicon substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takashi MAEDA, Yoshihisa Iwata
  • Patent number: 8119481
    Abstract: A blocking dielectric engineered, charge trapping memory cell includes a charge trapping element that is separated from a gate by a blocking dielectric including a buffer layer in contact with the charge trapping element, such as silicon dioxide which can be made with high-quality, and a second capping layer in contact with said one of the gate and the channel. The capping layer has a dielectric constant that is higher than that of the first layer, and preferably includes a high-? material. The second layer also has a conduction band offset that is relatively high. A bandgap engineered tunneling layer between the channel and the charge trapping element is provided which, in combination with the multilayer blocking dielectric described herein, provides for high-speed erase operations by hole tunneling. In an alternative, a single layer tunneling layer is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Chih Lai, Hang-Ting Lue, Chien-Wei Liao
  • Patent number: 8114732
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a non-volatile memory structure. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a gate dielectric layer overlying a surface region of the semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon gate structure is formed overlying the gate dielectric layer. The method subjects the polysilicon gate structure to an oxidizing environment to cause formation of a first silicon oxide layer overlying the polysilicon gate structure and formation of an undercut region underneath the polysilicon gate structure. An aluminum oxide material is formed overlying the polysilicon gate structure filling the undercut region. In a specific embodiment, the aluminum oxide material has a nanocrystalline silicon material sandwiched between a first aluminum oxide layer and a second aluminum oxide layer. The aluminum oxide material is subjected to a selective etching process while maintaining the aluminum oxide material in an insert region in a portion of the undercut region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Mieno Fumitake
  • Patent number: 8115261
    Abstract: It is made possible to provide a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device that have the highest possible permittivity and can be produced at low production costs. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming an amorphous film containing (HfzZr1-z)xSi1-xO2-y (0.81?x?0.99, 0.04?y?0.25, 0?z?1) on a semiconductor substrate, the ranges of composition ratios x, y, and z being values measured by XPS; and transforming the amorphous film into an insulating film containing (HfzZr1-z)xSi1-xO2 as tetragonal crystals, by performing annealing at 750° C. or higher on the amorphous film in an atmosphere containing oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsunehiro Ino, Yasushi Nakasaki
  • Publication number: 20120032249
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a multilayer body, a semiconductor pillar, a memory layer, a first insulating film and a second insulating film. The multilayer body includes a plurality of interelectrode insulating films and a plurality of electrode films alternately stacked in a first direction. The semiconductor pillar penetrates through the multilayer body in the first direction. The memory layer is provided between each of the electrode films and the semiconductor pillar and extends in the first direction. The first insulating film is provided between the memory layer and the semiconductor pillar and extends in the first direction. The second insulating film is provided between each of the electrode films and the memory layer and extends in the first direction. The second insulating film is projected between the electrode films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Toru MATSUDA
  • Publication number: 20120025297
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a source region and a drain region provided on a surface area of a semiconductor region, a tunnel insulating film provided on a channel between the source region and the drain region, a charge storage layer provided on the tunnel insulating film, a first dielectric film provided on the charge storage layer and containing lanthanum aluminum silicon oxide or oxynitride, a second dielectric film provided on the first dielectric film and containing oxide or oxynitride containing at least one of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), and a rare earth metal, and a control gate electrode provided on the second dielectric film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Akira TAKASHIMA, Masao SHINGU, Koichi MURAOKA
  • Publication number: 20120025287
    Abstract: A memory cell (100) comprising a transistor, the transistor comprising a substrate (101), a first source/drain region (102), a second source/drain region (112), a gate (104) and a gate insulating layer (103) positioned between the substrate (101) and the gate (104), wherein the gate insulating layer (103) is in a direct contact with the substrate (101) and comprises charge traps (131) distributed over an entire volume of the gate insulating layer (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventor: Dusan Golubovic
  • Publication number: 20120018795
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a non-volatile memory is disclosed. A gate structure is formed on a substrate and includes a gate dielectric layer and a gate conductive layer. The gate dielectric layer is partly removed, thereby a symmetrical opening is formed among the gate conductive layer, the substrate and the gate dielectric layer, and a cavity is formed on end sides of the gate dielectric layer. A first oxide layer is formed on a sidewall and bottom of the gate conductive layer, and a second oxide layer is formed on a surface of the substrate. A nitride material layer is formed covering the gate structure, the first and second oxide layer and the substrate and filling the opening. An etching process is performed to partly remove the nitride material layer, thereby a nitride layer is formed on a sidewall of the gate conductive layer and extending into the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chien-Hung CHEN, Tzu-Ping Chen, Yu-Jen Chang
  • Publication number: 20120018790
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory including a substrate, a stacked gate structure, two doped regions and a plurality of spacers is provided. The stacked gate structure is disposed on the substrate, wherein the stacked gate structure includes a first dielectric layer, a charge storage layer, a second dielectric layer and a conductive layer in sequence from bottom to top relative to the substrate. The doped regions are disposed in the substrate at two sides of the stacked gate structure, respectively, and bottom portions of the doped regions contact with the substrate under the doped regions. The spacers are respectively disposed between each side of each of the doped regions and the substrate, and top portions of the spacers are lower than top portions of the doped regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: SHIH-GUEI YAN, Wen-Jer Tsai, Jyun-Siang Huang
  • Patent number: 8101478
    Abstract: A device having thin-film transistor (TFT) metal-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (MONOS) or semiconductor-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (SONOS) memory cell structures is provided. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions being embedded in the dielectric layer. the dielectric layer being associated with a first surface. Each of the one or more source or drain regions includes an N+ polysilicon layer on a diffusion barrier layer which is on a conductive layer. The N+ polysilicon layer has a second surface substantially co-planar with the first surface. Additionally, the device includes a P? polysilicon layer overlying the co-planar surface, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer overlying the P? polysilicon layer; and at least one control gate overlying the ONO layer. In one embodiment, the control gate is made of a metal layer. In another embodiment, the control gate is made of a P+ polysilicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Fumitake Mieno
  • Publication number: 20120012817
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of manufacturing and operating the semiconductor device may be disclosed. The semiconductor device may comprise different nanostructures. The semiconductor device may have a first element formed of nanowires and a second element formed of nanoparticles. The nanowires may be ambipolar carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The first element may be a channel layer. The second element may be a charge trap layer. In this regard, the semiconductor device may be a transistor or a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Seunghun Hong, Sung Myung, Jiwoon Im, Minbaek Lee
  • Publication number: 20120008400
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor storage device includes: a memory string; a select transistor; and a carrier selection element. The select transistor has one end connected to one end of the memory string. The carrier selection element has one end connected to the other end of the select transistor, and selects a majority carrier flowing through respective bodies of the memory transistors and the select transistor. The carrier selection element includes: a third semiconductor layer; a metal layer; a second gate insulation layer; and a third conductive layer. The metal layer extends in the vertical direction. The metal layer extends in the vertical direction from the top of the third semiconductor layer. The second gate insulation layer surrounds the third semiconductor layer and the metal layer. The third conductive layer surrounds the third semiconductor layer and the metal layer via the second gate insulation layer and extends in a parallel direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki FUKUZUMI, Ryota Katsumata, Megumi Ishiduki, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20120009747
    Abstract: Nonvolatile memory devices and methods of manufacturing nonvolatile memory devices are provided. The method includes patterning a bulk substrate to form an active pillar; forming a charge storage layer on a side surface of active pillar; and forming a plurality of gates connected to the active pillar, the charge storage layer being disposed between the active pillar and the gates. Before depositing a gate, a bulk substrate is etched using a dry etching to form a vertical active pillar which is in a single body with a semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Pil-Kyu Kang, Daelok Bae, Jongwook Lee, Seungwoo Choi, Yong-Hoon Son, Jong-Hyuk Kang, Jung Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8093128
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method to form the same. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a non-volatile charge trap memory device disposed on a first region and a logic device disposed on a second region. A charge trap dielectric stack may be formed subsequent to forming wells and channels of the logic device. HF pre-cleans and SC1 cleans may be avoided to improve the quality of a blocking layer of the non-volatile charge trap memory device. The blocking layer may be thermally reoxidized or nitridized during a thermal oxidation or nitridation of a logic MOS gate insulator layer to densify the blocking layer. A multi-layered liner may be utilized to first offset a source and drain implant in a high voltage logic device and also block silicidation of the nonvolatile charge trap memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: William W. C. Koutny, Jr., Sam Geha, Igor Kouznetsov, Krishnaswamy Ramkumar, Fredrick B. Jenne, Sagy Levy, Ravindra Kapre, Jeremy Warren
  • Patent number: 8094496
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a multi-layer insulating film having at least charge storage layers and formed on bottom surfaces and both side surfaces of a plurality of trench portions respectively formed in portions between the plurality of active areas formed in a first direction, a plurality of gate electrodes filled in internal portions of the plurality of trench portions with the multi-layer insulating film, a plurality of first metal interconnections formed in a second direction and each functioning as a bit line or source line, and a plurality of first conductivity-type diffusion layer regions arranged in a staggered form in corresponding portions of the plurality of active areas which intersect with the plurality of first metal interconnections. The device further includes a plurality of connection contacts form to respectively connect the plurality of first conductivity-type diffusion layer regions to the plurality of first metal interconnections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Akira Umezawa
  • Publication number: 20110316070
    Abstract: The present invention provides a charge trapping non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a method of making the device. The charge trapping non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a source region, a drain region, and, consecutively formed over the semiconductor substrate, a channel insulation layer, a charge trapping layer, a blocking insulation layer, and a gate electrode. The drain region includes a P-N junction, and the source region includes a metal-semiconductor junction formed between the semiconductor substrate and a metal including titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum or one of their various combinations. The charge trapping non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the present disclosure has low programming voltage, fast programming speed, low energy consumption, and relatively high device reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUDAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Dongping Wu, Shi-Li Zhang
  • Publication number: 20110309434
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The manufacturing method includes the following steps. First, a substrate is provided. Then, a tunneling dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, and a dummy gate is form on the tunneling dielectric layer. Subsequently, an interlayer dielectric layer is formed around the dummy gate, and the dummy gate is removed to form an opening. Following that, a charge storage layer is formed on the inner side wall of the opening, and the charge storage layer covers the tunneling dielectric layer. Moreover, an inter-gate dielectric layer is formed on the charge storage layer, and a metal gate is formed on the inter-gate dielectric layer. Accordingly, a stacked gate structure of the nonvolatile memory device includes the tunneling dielectric layer, the charge storage layer, the inter-gate dielectric layer, and the metal gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Chih-Jen Huang, Chien-Hung Chen
  • Publication number: 20110312171
    Abstract: Methods include forming a charge storage transistor gate stack over semiconductive material. One such stack includes a tunnel dielectric, charge storage material over the tunnel dielectric, a high-k dielectric over the charge storage material, and conductive control gate material over the high-k dielectric. The stack is etched at least to the tunnel dielectric to form a plurality of charge storage transistor gate lines over the semiconductive material. Individual of the gate lines have laterally projecting feet which include the high-k dielectric. After etching the stack to form the gate lines, ions are implanted into an implant region which includes the high-k dielectric of the laterally projecting feet. The ions are chemically inert to the high-k dielectric. The ion implanted high-k dielectric of the projecting feet is etched selectively relative to portions of the high-k dielectric outside of the implant region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Chan Lim, Jennifer Lequn Liu, Brian Dolan, Saurabh Keshav, Hongbin Zhu
  • Publication number: 20110303968
    Abstract: An integrated circuit of an array of nonvolatile memory cells has a dielectric stack layer over the substrate, and implanted regions in the substrate under the dielectric stack layer. The dielectric stack layer is continuous over a planar region, that includes locations of the dielectric stack layer that store nonvolatile data, such that these locations are accessed by word lines/bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hang-Ting Lue, Tzu-Hsuan Hsu, Sheng-Chih Lai
  • Publication number: 20110303958
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes control gates provided in an array form, the control gates passing through the first semiconductor layer, data recording layers between the first semiconductor layer and the control gates, two first conductive-type diffusion layers at two ends in the first direction of the first semiconductor layer, two second conductive-type diffusion layers at two ends in the second direction of the first semiconductor layer, select gate lines extending in the first direction on the first semiconductor layer, and word lines extending in the second direction on the select gate lines. The select gate lines function as select gates shared by select transistors connected between the control gates and the word lines arranged in the first direction. Each of the word lines is commonly connected to the control gates arranged in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Kouji MATSUO, Toshiyuki Enda, Nobutoshi Aoki, Toshihiko Iinuma
  • Patent number: 8076200
    Abstract: A nonvolatile read-only memory having a thin nitrided tunnel insulator surface with a charge blocking insulator over the nitrided surface is presented. The tunnel insulator may be formed of a metal oxide, a metal oxycarbide, a semiconductor oxide, or oxycarbide. The dielectric structure may be formed by nitridation of a surface of a tunnel insulator using ammonia and deposition of a blocking insulator having a larger band gap than the tunnel insulator. The dielectric structure may form part of a memory device, as well as other devices and systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Forbes, Kie Y. Ahn
  • Patent number: 8076206
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes steps of forming a dummy layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a groove 12 in the semiconductor substrate while using the dummy layer as a mask, forming a tunnel insulating film and a trap layer to cover an inner surface of the groove and the dummy layer, eliminating the trap layer formed above the upper surface and at the sides of the dummy layer, and forming a top insulating film to cover a remaining trap layer and the exposed tunnel insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventor: Masahiko Higashi
  • Publication number: 20110300682
    Abstract: A memory cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate with a surface with a source region and a drain region disposed below the surface of the substrate and separated by a channel region; a tunneling barrier dielectric structure with an effective oxide thickness of greater than 3 nanometers disposed above the channel region; a conductive layer disposed above the tunneling barrier dielectric structure and above the channel region; a charge trapping structure disposed above the conductive layer and above the channel region; a top dielectric structure disposed above the charge trapping structure and above the channel region; and a top conductive layer disposed above the top dielectric structure and above the channel region are described along with devices thereof and methods for manufacturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hang-Ting Lue
  • Publication number: 20110291177
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a pipe insulation layer having a pipe channel hole, a pipe gate disposed over the pipe insulation layer, a pair of cell strings each having a columnar cell channel, and a pipe channel coupling the columnar cell channels and surrounding inner sidewalls and a bottom of the pipe channel hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Ki-Hong Lee, Kwon Hong, Dae-Gyu Shin
  • Publication number: 20110291178
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a lower gate layer, a stacked body, a dummy electrode layer, an insulating film, and a channel body. The lower gate layer is provided above the substrate. The stacked body includes a plurality of insulating layers and a plurality of electrode layers alternately stacked above the lower gate layer. The dummy electrode layer is provided between the lower gate layer and the stacked body, made of the same material as the electrode layer, and thicker than each of the electrode layers. The insulating film includes a charge storage film provided on a side wall of a hole formed to penetrate through the stacked body and the dummy electrode layer. The channel body is provided on an inside of the insulating film in the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiyuki SASAKI, Noriko Sakurai, Tokuhisa Ohiwa, Katsunori Yahashi
  • Patent number: 8068370
    Abstract: A charge trapping floating gate is described with asymmetric tunneling barriers. The memory cell includes a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region. A first tunneling barrier structure is disposed above the channel region. A floating gate is disposed above the first tunneling barrier structure covering the channel region. A second tunneling barrier is disposed above the floating gate. A dielectric charge trapping structure disposed above the second tunneling barrier and a blocking dielectric structure is disposed above the charge trapping structure. A top conductive layer disposed above the top dielectric structure acts as a gate. The second tunneling barrier is a more efficient conductor of tunneling current, under bias conditions applied for programming and erasing the memory cell, than the first tunneling barrier structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hang-Ting Lue
  • Patent number: 8063438
    Abstract: In a vertical-type memory device and a method of manufacturing the vertical-type memory device, the vertical memory device includes an insulation layer pattern of a linear shape provided on a substrate, pillar-shaped single-crystalline semiconductor patterns provided on both sidewalls of the insulation layer pattern and transistors provided on a sidewall of each of the single-crystalline semiconductor patterns. The transistors are arranged in a vertical direction of the single-crystalline semiconductor pattern, and thus the memory device may be highly integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Hoon Son, Jong-Wook Lee, Jong-Hyuk Kang
  • Publication number: 20110280076
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes at least one junctionless transistor and a storage region. The junctionless transistor includes a junctionless, heavily doped semiconductor channel having two dimensions less than 100 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: George Samachisa, Johann Alsmeier, Andrei Mihnea
  • Patent number: 8058131
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a substrate, a nonvolatile memory device formed in a memory cell region of the substrate, and a semiconductor device formed in a device region of the substrate. The nonvolatile memory device has a multilayer gate electrode structure including a tunnel insulating film and a floating gate electrode formed thereon. The floating gate electrode has sidewall surfaces covered with a protection insulating film. The semiconductor device has a gate insulating film and a gate electrode formed thereon. A bird's beak structure is formed of a thermal oxide film at an interface of the tunnel insulating film and the floating gate electrode, the bird's beak structure penetrating into the floating gate electrode along the interface from the sidewall faces of the floating gate electrode, and the gate insulating film is interposed between the substrate and the gate electrode to have a substantially uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hashimoto, Koji Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110272753
    Abstract: In a power feeding region of a memory cell (MC) in which a sidewall-shaped memory gate electrode (MG) of a memory nMIS (Qnm) is provided by self alignment on a side surface of a selection gate electrode (CG) of a selection nMIS (Qnc) via an insulating film, a plug (PM) which supplies a voltage to the memory gate electrode (MG) is embedded in a contact hole (CM) formed in an interlayer insulating film (9) formed on the memory gate electrode (MG) and is electrically connected to the memory gate electrode (MG). Since a cap insulating film (CAP) is formed on an upper surface of the selection gate electrode (CG), the electrical conduction between the plug (PM) and the selection gate electrode (CG) can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Kota Funayama, Hiraku Chakihara, Yasushi Ishii
  • Patent number: 8053826
    Abstract: The charge retention characteristics of a non-volatile memory, particularly, a MONOS-type non-volatile memory is improved. In a non-volatile memory cell including a tunnel silicon oxide film (107), a silicon nitride film (104) serving as a charge storage film, a silicon oxide film (105), and a gate electrode (108) which are sequentially formed on a semiconductor substrate, the tunnel silicon oxide film (107) has a stacked structure of a silicon oxynitride film (102) and a silicon oxide film (103). Herein, it is configured such that a density of nitrogen atoms contained in the silicon oxynitride film (102) decreases as a distance from an interface with the semiconductor substrate increases in a film-thickness direction of the silicon oxynitride film (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiki Yonamoto
  • Patent number: 8048741
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a semiconductor substrate, on which an impurity diffusion layer is formed in a cell array area; a gate wiring stack body formed on the cell array area, in which multiple gate wirings are stacked and separated from each other with insulating films; a gate insulating film formed on the side surface of the gate wiring stack body, in which an insulating charge storage layer is contained; pillar-shaped semiconductor layers arranged along the gate wiring stack body, one side surfaces of which are opposed to the gate wiring stack body via the gate insulating film, each pillar-shaped semiconductor layer having the same conductivity type as the impurity diffusion layer; and data lines formed to be in contact with the upper surfaces of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layers and intersect the gate wirings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Fumitaka Arai, Riichiro Shirota, Makoto Mizukami
  • Patent number: 8049269
    Abstract: In a non-volatile memory device, active fin structures extending in a first direction may be formed on a substrate. A tunnel insulating layer may be formed on surfaces of the active fin structures and bottom surfaces of trenches that may be defined by the active fin structures. A charge trapping layer and a blocking layer may be sequentially formed on the tunnel insulating layer. A gate electrode structure may include first portions disposed over top surfaces of the active fin structures and second portions vertically spaced apart from portions of the charge trapping layer that may be disposed over the bottom surfaces of the trenches, and may extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Thus, lateral electron diffusion may be reduced in the charge trapping layer, and thereby the data retention performance and/or reliability of the non-volatile memory device may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Se-Hoon Lee, Kyu-Charn Park, Jeong-Dong Choe
  • Publication number: 20110256705
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer over a substrate. The method further includes forming a select gate layer over the dielectric layer. The method further includes etching the select gate layer at a first etch rate to form a first portion of a sidewall of a select gate, wherein the step of etching the select gate layer at the first etch rate includes using an oxidizing agent to oxidize at least a top portion of the substrate underlying the dielectric layer to form an oxide layer. The method further includes etching the select gate layer at a second etch rate lower than the first etch rate to form a second portion of the sidewall of the select gate, wherein the step of etching the select gate layer at the second etch rate includes removing only a top portion of the dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Sung-Taeg Kang, Cheong Min Hong, Brian A. Winstead
  • Publication number: 20110250746
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device with a blocking layer controlling the transfer of electric charges in a charge storage layer includes the blocking layer having a first blocking layer in contact with the charge storage layer and a second blocking layer over the first blocking layer, wherein the first blocking layer has a greater energy band gap than the second blocking layer and the second blocking layer has a greater permittivity than the first blocking layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Heung-Jae CHO, Moon-Sig JOO, Yong-Soo KIM, Won-Joon CHOI
  • Publication number: 20110241098
    Abstract: A three-dimensional stacked flash memory array having cut-off gate line and a fabricating method of the same are provided. The flash memory array enables to operate two memory cells by each word line, to produce a high integrity without limitation by vertical stacks of word lines, to increase operating speed and uniformity of electrical property between cells by using a single crystal substrate as a channel region, and to reduce a fabricating cost to a great amount by a fabricating method which is including steps of forming a plurality of trenches in a semiconductor substrate and stacking repeatedly a conductive material interlaid with an insulating layer from bottom of each trench to form a cut-off gate line and a plurality of word lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SNU R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Byung-Gook Park, Seongjae Cho, Won Bo Shim
  • Publication number: 20110242888
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes the nonvolatile memory cell in the main surface of a semiconductor substrate. The nonvolatile memory cell has a first insulating film over the semiconductor substrate, a conductive film, a second insulating film, the charge storage film capable of storing therein charges, a third insulating film over the charge storage film, a first gate electrode, a fourth insulating film in contact with the set of stacked films from the first insulating film to the foregoing first gate electrode, a fifth insulating film juxtaposed with the first insulating film over the foregoing semiconductor substrate, a second gate electrode formed over the fifth insulating film to be adjacent to the foregoing first gate electrode over the side surface of the fourth insulating film, and source/drain regions with the first and second gate electrodes interposed therebetween. The conductive film and the charge storage film are formed to two-dimensionally overlap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi ARIGANE, Digh Hisamoto, Yasuhiro Shimamoto, Yutaka Okuyama
  • Publication number: 20110233654
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device is disclosed having a charge storage layer that incorporates a plurality of nano-crystals. A substrate having a source region and a drain region is provided. Select and control gates are formed on the substrate. The charge storage layer is provided between the control gate and the substrate. The nano-crystals in the charge storage layer have a size of about 1 nm to about 10 nm, and may be formed of Silicon or Germanium. Writing operations are accomplished via hot electron injection, FN tunneling, or source-side injection. Erase operations are accomplished using FN tunneling. The control gate is formed of a single layer of polysilicon, which reduces the total number of processing steps required to form the device, thus reducing cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yue-Der CHIH, Chrong Jung LIN
  • Publication number: 20110233649
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes: a charge accumulation layer (CAL) on a substrate; a memory gate formed onto the substrate through the CAL; a first side gate formed through a first insulating film on a first side of the memory gate; a second side gate formed through a second insulating film on a second side opposite to the first side; a first impurity implantation region (IIR1) in the substrate adjacent the first side gate; a second impurity implantation region (IIR2) formed in the substrate on a side of the second side gate; and a channel region between IIR1 and IIR2. The channel region includes a first region corresponding to a boundary between the CAL and the substrate; a select side region between the first region and IIR1; and an assist side region between the first region and IIR2. The select side region is longer than the assist side region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakuni SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20110233647
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating a semiconductor memory cell that has a spacer layer are disclosed. A method includes forming a plurality of source/drain regions in a substrate where the plurality of source/drain regions are formed between trenches, forming a first oxide layer above the plurality of source/drain regions and in the trenches, forming a charge storage layer above the oxide layer and separating the charge storage layer in the trenches where a space is formed between separated portions of the charge storage layer. The method further includes forming a spacer layer to fill the space between the separated portions of the charge storage layer and to rise a predetermined distance above the space. A second oxide layer is formed above the charge storage layer and the spacer layer and a polysilicon layer is formed above the second oxide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Shenqing FANG, Angela HUI, Gang XUE, Alexander NICKEL, Kashmir SAHOTA, Scott BELL, Chun CHEN, Wai LO
  • Publication number: 20110230024
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a non-volatile memory is provided. The method comprises steps of providing a substrate. Thereafter, a plurality of first doped regions are formed in the substrate and then a plurality of trenches are formed in a portion of the first doped regions. A plurality of second doped regions are formed in a portion of the substrate under the bottoms of the trenches respectively. Then, a charge storage layer is formed conformal to a surface of the substrate and a conductive layer is formed over the substrate, wherein the conductive layer covers the charge storage layer and fills in the trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chao-I Wu
  • Patent number: 8022466
    Abstract: Memory cells including a semiconductor layer having at least two source/drain regions disposed below a surface of the semiconductor layer and separated by a channel region; a lower insulating layer disposed above the channel region; a charge storage layer disposed above the lower insulating layer; an upper insulating multi-layer structure disposed above the charge storage layer, wherein the upper insulating multi-layer structure comprises a polysilicon material layer interposed between a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer; and a gate disposed above the upper insulating multi-layer structure are described along with arrays thereof and methods of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Erh-Kun Lai, Yen-Hao Shih, Tzu-Hsuan Hsu, Shih-Chih Lee, Jung-Yu Hsieh, Kuang-Yeu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8023326
    Abstract: A nonvolatile trap charge storage cell selects a logic interconnect transistor uses in programmable logic applications, such as FPGA. The nonvolatile trap charge element is an insulator located under a control gate and above an oxide on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The preferred embodiment is an integrated device comprising a word gate portion sandwiched between two nonvolatile trap charge storage portions, wherein the integrated device is connected between a high bias, a low bias and an output. The output is formed by a diffusion connecting to the channel directly under the word gate portion. The program state of the two storage portions determines whether the high bias or the low bias is coupled to a logic interconnect transistor connected to the output diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Halo LSI, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoko Ogura, Seiki Ogura, Nori Ogura
  • Patent number: 8022465
    Abstract: Memory cells comprising: a semiconductor substrate having at least two source/drain regions separated by a channel region; a charge-trapping structure disposed above the channel region; and a gate disposed above the charge-trapping structure; wherein the charge-trapping structure comprises a bottom insulating layer, a first charge-trapping layer, and a second charge-trapping layer, wherein an interface between the bottom insulating layer and the substrate has a hydrogen concentration of less than about 3×1011/cm?2, and methods for forming such memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Macronrix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Hao Shih, Min-Ta Wu, Shin-Chin Lee, Jung-Yu Hsieh, Erh-Kun Lai, Kuang Yeu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20110220986
    Abstract: A memory device including a substrate, a conductive layer, a charge storage layer, first and second dopant regions and first and second cell dopant regions is provided. A plurality of trenches is deployed in the substrate. The conductive layer is disposed on the substrate and fills the trenches. The charge storage layer is disposed between the substrate and the conductive layer. The first and second dopant regions having a first conductive type are configured in the substrate under bottoms of the trenches and in an upper portion of the substrate between two adjacent trenches, respectively. The first and second cell dopant regions having a second conductive type are configured in the substrate between lower portions of side surfaces of the trenches and in the substrate adjacent to the bottoms of the second dopant regions, respectively. The first and the second conductive types are different dopant types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Fong Huang, I-Shen Tsai, Shang-Wei Lin, Miao-Chih Hsu, Kuan-Fu Chen
  • Publication number: 20110220988
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing NAND memory cells includes providing a substrate having a first doped region formed therein; forming a first dielectric layer, a storage layer and a patterned hard mask on the substrate; forming a STI in the substrate through the patterned hard mask and removing the patterned hard mask to define a plurality of recesses; forming a second dielectric layer and a first conductive layer filling the recesses on the substrate; and performing a planarization process to remove a portion of the first conductive layer and the second dielectric layer to form a plurality of self-aligned islanding gate structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Chun-Sung Huang, Ping-Chia Shih, Chiao-Lin Yang, Chi-Cheng Huang