Electrically Programmable (eprom), I.e., Floating Gate Memory Structures (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.68)
  • Publication number: 20110260232
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first memory cell and a second memory cell, of a nonvolatile memory array. The first memory cell includes a body region, a gate structure, a source region, and a drain region. The second memory cell includes a body region, a gate structure, a source region, and a drain region. In one embodiment, the body of the second memory cell is physically isolated from the body region of the first memory cell. A bitline segment is electrically connected to the drain region of the first memory cell and to the drain region of the second memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Gregory James Scott, Mark Michael Nelson, Thierry Coffi Herve Yao
  • Patent number: 8044489
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a phase-change memory cell comprises an interlayer dielectric film formed of, for example, SiOF formed on a select transistor formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a chalcogenide material layer formed of, for example, GeSbTe extending on the interlayer dielectric film, and a top electrode formed on the chalcogenide material layer. A fluorine concentration in an interface between the interlayer dielectric film and the chalcogenide material layer is higher than a fluorine concentration in an interface between the chalcogenide material layer and the top electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Matsui
  • Publication number: 20110254074
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device includes defining a first area by forming a separating area on a substrate, and forming a tunnel film in the first area, a floating gate on the tunnel film, a first electrode in the separating area, a first film on the floating gate, a second film on the first electrode, a control gate on the first film, a second electrode on the second film, and source and drain areas in the first area. The method includes forming a first interlayer film to cover the control gate and the second electrode, forming, in the first interlayer film, a conductive via plug reaching the second electrode, and forming, on the first interlayer film, a second wiring electrically coupled to the second electrode via the conductive via plug, and a first wiring that is capacitively-coupled to the second wiring and to the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
    Inventor: Toru Anezaki
  • Patent number: 8022502
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory element comprises a first electrode layer (103), a second electrode (107), and a resistance variable layer (106) which is disposed between the first electrode layer (103) and the second electrode layer (107), a resistance value of the resistance variable layer varying reversibly according to electric signals having different polarities which are applied between the electrodes (103), (107), wherein the resistance variable layer (106) has a first region comprising a first oxygen-deficient tantalum oxide having a composition represented by TaOx (0<x<2.5) and a second region comprising a second oxygen-deficient tantalum oxide having a composition represented by TaOy (x<y<2.5), the first region and the second region being arranged in a thickness direction of the resistance variable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Kanzawa, Koji Katayama, Satoru Fujii, Shunsaku Muraoka, Koichi Osano, Satoru Mitani, Ryoko Miyanaga, Takeshi Takagi, Kazuhiko Shimakawa
  • Patent number: 8022489
    Abstract: An air tunnel floating gate memory cell includes an air tunnel defined over a substrate. A first polysilicon layer (floating gate) is defined over the air tunnel. An oxide layer is disposed over the first polysilicon layer such that the oxide layer caps the first polysilicon layer and defines the sidewalls of the air tunnel. A second polysilicon layer, functioning as a word line, is defined over the oxide layer. A method for making an air tunnel floating gate memory cell is also disclosed. A sacrificial layer is formed over a substrate. A first polysilicon layer is formed over the sacrificial layer. An oxide layer is deposited over the first polysilicon layer such that the oxide layer caps the first polysilicon layer and defines the sidewalls of the sacrificial layer. A hot phosphoric acid (H3PO4) dip is used to etch away the sacrificial layer to form an air tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hang-Ting Lue, Erh-Kun Lai, Kuang Yeu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8017480
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a floating gate memory device comprises using thin buried diffusion regions with increased encroachment by a buried diffusion oxide layer into the buried diffusion layer and underneath the tunnel oxide under the floating gate. Further, the floating gate polysilicon layer has a larger height than the buried diffusion height. The increased step height of the gate polysilicon layer to the buried diffusion layer, and the increased encroachment of the buried diffusion oxide, can produce a higher GCR, while still allowing decreased cell size using a virtual ground array design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Chin Liu, Chun-Pei Wu, Ta-Kang Chu, Yao-Fu Chan
  • Patent number: 8017991
    Abstract: Example embodiments provide a non-volatile memory device with increased integration and methods of operating and fabricating the same. A non-volatile memory device may include a plurality of first storage node films and a plurality of first control gate electrodes on a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of second storage node films and a plurality of second control gate electrodes may be recessed into the semiconductor substrate between two adjacent first control gate electrodes and below the bottom of the plurality of first control gate electrodes. A plurality of bit line regions may be on the semiconductor substrate and each may extend across the plurality of first control gate electrodes and the plurality of second control gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-joo Kim, Suk-pil Kim, Yoon-dong Park, June-mo Koo
  • Patent number: 8008703
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a first well of a first conductivity type, which is formed in a semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, a plurality of memory cell transistors that are formed in the first well, a second well of a second conductivity type, which includes a first part that surrounds a side region of the first well and a second part that surrounds a lower region of the first well, and electrically isolates the first well from the semiconductor substrate, and a third well of the second conductivity type, which is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The third well has a less depth than the second part of the second well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Noguchi, Minori Kajimoto
  • Patent number: 8008096
    Abstract: ALD processing techniques for forming non-volatile resistive-switching memories are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a first electrode on a substrate, maintaining a pedestal temperature for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process of less than 100° Celsius, forming at least one metal oxide layer over the first electrode, wherein the forming the at least one metal oxide layer is performed using the ALD process using a purge duration of less than 20 seconds, and forming a second electrode over the at least one metal oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobi Fuchigami, Pragati Kumar, Prashant Phatak
  • Publication number: 20110198682
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, and a well of a first conductivity type formed in the substrate. The device further includes a plurality of first isolation layers disposed in parallel to each other in the well, and a second isolation layer disposed in parallel to the first isolation layers in the well, a width of a substrate surface between the second isolation layer and the first isolation layers being set greater than a width of a substrate surface between the first isolation layers. The device further includes a memory cell including a gate insulator, a floating gate, an inter-gate insulator, and a control gate sequentially disposed on the well between the first isolation layers, and a dummy cell including a gate insulator, a floating gate, an inter-gate insulator, and a control gate sequentially disposed on the well between the second isolation layer and one of the first isolation layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Kiyomi NARUKE
  • Patent number: 7998809
    Abstract: An improved process forming a floating gate region of a semiconductor memory device. The process includes using a ceria slurry for chemical mechanical planarization to provide “stop on polysilicon” capabilities, allowing a thin nitride layer, or in the alternative no nitride layer, to be used and reducing the number of processing steps required to form the floating gate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Naga Chandrasekaran
  • Patent number: 7994003
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a nonvolatile memory device includes forming a tunnel insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a charge storage layer on the tunnel insulating layer, forming a dielectric layer on the charge storage layer, the dielectric layer including a first aluminum oxide layer, a silicon oxide layer, and a second aluminum oxide layer sequentially stacked on the charge storage layer, and forming a gate electrode on the dielectric layer, the gate electrode directly contacting the second aluminum oxide layer of the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byong-Ju Kim, Sun-Jung Kim, Zong-Liang Huo, Jun-Kyu Yang, Seon-Ho Jo, Han-Mei Choi, Young-Sun Kim
  • Patent number: 7981746
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate provided with a trench section; a tunnel insulating film covering an inner surface of the trench section; a trap layer provided in contact with the tunnel insulating film on an inner surface of an upper portion of the trench section; a top insulating film provided in contact with the trap layer; a gate electrode embedded in the trench section, and provided in contact with the tunnel insulating film at a lower portion of the trench section and in contact with the top insulating film at the upper portion of the trench section, in which the trap layer and the top insulating film, in between the lower portion of the trench section and the upper portion of the trench section, extend and protrude from both sides of the trench section so as to be embedded in the gate electrode, and a method for manufacturing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Fumiaki Toyama, Fumihiko Inoue
  • Patent number: 7973357
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory devices are provided including a control gate electrode on a substrate; a charge storage insulation layer between the control gate electrode and the substrate; a tunnel insulation layer between the charge storage insulation layer and the substrate; a blocking insulation layer between the charge storage insulation layer and the control gate electrode; and a material layer between the tunnel insulation layer and the blocking insulation layer, the material layer having an energy level constituting a bottom of a potential well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Suk Kim, Sun-Il Shim, Chang-Seok Kang, Won-Cheol Jeong, Jung-Dal Choi, Jae-Kwan Park, Seung-Hyun Lim, Sun-Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 7972925
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flash memory device and a fabrication method thereof. A trench may be formed within a junction region between word lines by etching a semiconductor substrate between not only a word line and a select line, but also between adjacent word lines. Accordingly, the occurrence of a program disturbance phenomenon can be prevented as the injection of hot carriers into a program-inhibited cell is minimized in a program operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Yoo Nam Jeon, Ki Seog Kim
  • Patent number: 7968406
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory cells. The memory cells may include a tunnel dielectric material, a charge-retaining region over the tunnel dielectric material, crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material over the charge-retaining region, and a control gate material over the crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material. Additionally, the memory cells may include an amorphous region between the charge-retaining region and the crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material, and/or may include an amorphous region between the crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material and the control gate material. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells which contain an amorphous region between a charge-retaining region and a crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material, and/or which contain an amorphous region between a crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material and a control gate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Noel Rocklein, Kyu S. Min
  • Patent number: 7960266
    Abstract: High density semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same are provided. Spacer fabrication techniques are utilized to form circuit elements having reduced feature sizes, which in some instances are smaller than the smallest lithographically resolvable element size of the process being used. Spacers are formed that serve as a mask for etching one or more layers beneath the spacers. An etch stop pad layer having a material composition substantially similar to the spacer material is provided between a dielectric layer and an insulating sacrificial layer such as silicon nitride. When etching the sacrificial layer, the matched pad layer provides an etch stop to avoid damaging and reducing the size of the dielectric layer. The matched material compositions further provide improved adhesion for the spacers, thereby improving the rigidity and integrity of the spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: James Kai, George Matamis, Tuan Duc Pham, Masaaki Higashitani, Takashi Orimoto
  • Patent number: 7939861
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory (NVM) devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a NVM device may include a substrate, and a field-effect transistor (FET). The FET may include a first doped region in the substrate and a second doped region in the substrate. The first and the second doped regions may define a channel region of the substrate between them. An insulating layer may overlie the channel region. A floating gate may overlie the insulating layer. Charge of an amount that encodes a value may be stored on the floating gate. The floating gate and the first and the second doped regions may be shaped such that the floating gate defines with the first doped region a first border of a first length, and the floating gate defines with the second doped region a second border of a second length that is less than 90% of the first length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew E. Horch
  • Patent number: 7923770
    Abstract: A method of fabricating memory devices is provided. First, a charge storage structure including a gate dielectric structure is formed on the substrate in sequence to form a charge trapping layer. Then, a gate conductive layer is formed above the charge storage structure. Afterwards, the gate conductive layer and at least a part of the charge storage structure are patterned. The cross section of the patterned charge storage structure is then become a trapezoid or a trapezoid analogue, which has the shorter side near the gate conductive layer and the longer side near the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Lin Chen, Kuang-Wen Liu, Hsin-Huei Chen
  • Patent number: 7919772
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory has a problem in that applied voltage is high. This is because a carrier needs to be injected into a floating gate through an insulating film by a tunneling effect. In addition, there is concern about deterioration of the insulating film by performing such carrier injection. An object of the present invention is to provide a memory in which applied voltage is lowered and deterioration of an insulating film is prevented. One feature is to use a layer in which an inorganic compound having a charge-transfer complex is mixed with an organic compound as a layer functioning as a floating gate of a memory. A specific example is an element having a transistor structure where a layer in which an inorganic compound having a charge-transfer complex is mixed with an organic compound and which is sandwiched between insulating layers is used as a floating gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinobu Furukawa, Ryota Imahayashi
  • Patent number: 7915118
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device may include a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate that includes an acute-angled tip at an upper end, and a control gate electrode insulated from the floating gate electrode and facing at least a portion of the floating gate electrode, wherein an angle formed between the semiconductor substrate and an upper portion of a lateral surface of the floating gate electrode is smaller than an angle formed between the semiconductor substrate and a lower portion of the lateral surface of the floating gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-gil Yang, Jung-sup Uom, Sup-youl Ju, Se-jong Park, Hyun-sug Han
  • Patent number: 7915119
    Abstract: An active region is provided which includes a plurality of active region columns extending in a first direction and a plurality of active region rows extending in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction and having concave portions. Floating electrodes and control electrodes are provided on the active region columns. An interlayer insulating film formed as a layer below an upper wiring is provided on the active region and the control electrodes. Conductive sections that electrically connect the upper wiring and the active region are respectively provided on the concave portions on the active region rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junya Maneki
  • Patent number: 7915661
    Abstract: The present invention provides semiconductor device and a fabrication method therefor. The semiconductor device includes trenches (11) formed in a semiconductor substrate (10), first ONO films (18) provided on both side surfaces of the trenches, and first word lines (22) provided on side surfaces of the first ONO films (18) and running in a length direction of the trenches (11). According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device and a fabrication method therefor, in which higher memory capacity can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Masaya Hosaka, Masatomi Okanishi
  • Patent number: 7915660
    Abstract: A junction-free NAND flash memory is described, including a substrate, memory cells, source/drain inducing (SDI) gates electrically connected with each other, and a dielectric material layer. The memory cells are disposed on the substrate, wherein each memory cell includes a charge storage layer. Each SDI gate is disposed between two neighboring memory cells. The dielectric material layer is disposed between the memory cells and the SDI gates and between the SDI gates and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Houng-Chi Wei, Shi-Hsien Chen, Hsin-Heng Wang, Shih-Hsiang Lin
  • Patent number: 7910434
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory array includes floating gates that have an inverted-T shape in cross section along a plane that is perpendicular to the direction along which floating cells are connected together to form a string. Adjacent strings are isolated by shallow trench isolation structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Henry Chien, George Matamis, Tuan Pham, Masaaki Higashitani, Hidetaka Horiuchi, Jeffrey W. Lutze, Nima Mokhlesi, Yupin Kawing Fong
  • Publication number: 20110049601
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, conductive members, an interlayer insulating film, and a plurality of contacts. The conductive members are provided in an upper portion of the substrate or above the substrate to extend in one direction. The interlayer insulating film is provided on the substrate and the conductive members. The plurality of contacts is provided in the interlayer insulating film. In a first region on the substrate, the contacts are located at some of lattice points of an imaginary first lattice. In a second region on the substrate, the contacts are located at some of lattice points of an imaginary second lattice. The second lattice is different from the first lattice. Each of the first lattice and the second lattice includes some of the lattice points located on the conductive members or on an extension region extended in the one direction of the conductive members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Yasunobu Kai, Takaki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7892943
    Abstract: A first dielectric plug is formed in a portion of a trench that extends into a substrate of a memory device so that an upper surface of the first dielectric plug is recessed below an upper surface of the substrate. The first dielectric plug has a layer of a first dielectric material and a layer of a second dielectric material formed on the layer of the first dielectric material. A second dielectric plug of a third dielectric material is formed on the upper surface of the first dielectric plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Violette
  • Patent number: 7888210
    Abstract: Fabricating semiconductor-based non-volatile memory that includes composite storage elements, such as those with first and second charge storage regions, can include etching more than one charge storage layer. To avoid inadvertent shorts between adjacent storage elements, a first charge storage layer for a plurality of non-volatile storage elements is formed into rows prior to depositing the second charge storage layer. Sacrificial features can be formed between the rows of the first charge storage layer that are adjacent in a column direction, before or after forming the rows of the first charge layer. After forming interleaving rows of the sacrificial features and the first charge storage layer, the second charge storage layer can be formed. The layers can then be etched into columns and the substrate etched to form isolation trenches between adjacent columns. The second charge storage layer can then be etched to form the second charge storage regions for the storage elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Vinod Robert Purayath, George Matamis, Takashi Orimoto, James Kai
  • Publication number: 20110031549
    Abstract: A memory includes active areas and an isolation on a semiconductor substrate. A tunnel dielectric film is on active areas. Floating gates include lower gate parts and upper gate parts. An upper gate part has a larger width than that of a lower gate part on a cross section perpendicular to an extension direction of an active area, and is provided on the lower gate part. An intermediate dielectric film is on an upper surface and a side surface of each floating gate. The control gate is on an upper surface and a side surface of each floating gate via the intermediate dielectric film. A height of a lower end of each control gate from a surface of the semiconductor substrate is lower than a height of an interface between the upper gate part and the lower gate part from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masaki Kondo, Kazuaki Isobe
  • Patent number: 7883964
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes: a device region and a device isolating region, which have a pattern with a striped form that extends in a first direction, and are alternately and sequentially disposed at a first pitch in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction; and a contact made of a first conductive material, which is connected to the device region and disposed at the first pitch in the second direction. On a cross section of the second direction, the bottom width of the contact is longer than the top width of the contact, and the bottom width is longer than the width of the device region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Hiroyuki Nitta
  • Patent number: 7869279
    Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with access and program PMOS transistors situated in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, and an n-erase pocket formed directly in the P-substrate. Each cell includes a program PMOS including gate, and first and second P+ regions formed in an N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. Each cell further comprises an access PMOS including a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the same n-doped well as the first and second P+ regions of the program PMOS, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line. Each cell further includes an n-doped erase pocket including gate, and first and second N+ regions electrically connected to a corresponding erase line, and the gate is electrically connected to the gate of the program PMOS, forming the floating gate of the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Kola Nirmal Ratnakumar
  • Patent number: 7867837
    Abstract: A polysilicon layer provided for a polysilicon electrode (8) is patterned by means of a resist mask (5) and an auxiliary layer (4) made of a material that is suitable as an antireflection layer, the auxiliary layer (4) being provided with lateral hollowed-out recesses in such a way that the polysilicon electrode is formed with rounded edges (7) during etching. The auxiliary layer is preferably produced from a soluble material and with a thickness of 70 nm to 80 nm. A base layer (2) may be provided as a gate dielectric of memory cell transistors and additionally as an etching stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Franz Bermann, Günther Koppitsch, Sven Schroeter
  • Publication number: 20110001180
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells integrated on a semiconductor substrate, each of the memory cells includes a tunnel insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode formed on the tunnel insulating film, a first interelectrode insulating film formed on the upper surface of the floating gate electrode, a second interelectrode insulating film formed to cover the side surfaces of the floating gate electrode and the first interelectrode insulating film, and a control gate electrode formed on the second interelectrode insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Kazunori MASUDA, Mutsuo Morikado, Kiyomi Naruke
  • Patent number: 7863133
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory cell structures are described that are formed by a method including forming a first oxide layer on a horizontal strained substrate, forming at least one first recess through the first oxide layer to the strained substrate, and forming at least one vertical epitaxial structure in the recess. A crystal lattice of the vertical epitaxial structure is aligned with a crystal lattice of the strained substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Lyle Jones
  • Patent number: 7858464
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing non-volatile memory devices that can reduce or prevent loss of charges stored in a charge storage layer and/or that can improve charge storage capacity by neutral beam irradiation of an insulating layer are disclosed. The methods include forming a tunneling insulating layer on a substrate, forming a charge storage layer on the tunneling insulating layer, forming a blocking insulating layer on the charge storage layer, irradiating the blocking insulating layer and/or the tunneling insulating layer with a neutral beam, and forming a gate conductive layer on the blocking insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo-doo Chae, Chung-woo Kim, Choong-man Lee, Yung-hee Lee, Chan-jin Park, Sung-wook Hwang, Jeong-hee Han, Do-haing Lee, Jin-seok Lee
  • Publication number: 20100314677
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor storage device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor layer formed on the semiconductor substrate; a first device isolation/insulation film formed in a trench, the trench formed in the semiconductor layer, with a first direction taken as a longitudinal direction; a device formation region formed by separating the semiconductor layer by the first device isolation/insulation film with the first direction taken as a longitudinal direction; and a memory transistor disposed on the device formation region. The first device isolation/insulation film and the device formation region have an impurity of a first conductivity type. An impurity concentration of the impurity of the first conductivity type in the first device isolation/insulation film is higher than that in the device formation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshiko KATO, Hiroyuki Kutsukake, Kikuko Sugimae, Yasuhiko Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20100308393
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate having an active region isolated by an element isolation insulating film; a floating gate electrode film formed on a gate insulating film residing on the active region; an interelectrode insulating film formed above an upper surface of the element isolation insulating film and an upper surface and sidewalls of the floating gate electrode film, the interelectrode insulating film being configured by multiple film layers including a high dielectric film having a dielectric constant equal to or greater than a silicon nitride film; a control gate electrode film formed on the interelectrode insulating film; and a silicon oxide film formed between the upper surface of the floating gate electrode film and the interelectrode insulating film; wherein the high dielectric film of the interelectrode insulating film is placed in direct contact with the sidewalls of the floating gate electrode film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Matsuo, Masayuki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100304557
    Abstract: A method of forming a non-volatile memory device includes the following steps. First and second cell gates are formed in a cell region. First and second peripheral gates are formed in a peripheral-region. A first insulating layer is formed over the first and second cell gates and the first and second peripheral gates. A second conductive layer is formed over the first insulating layer. A third insulating layer is formed over the second conductive layer. Selected portions of the third insulating layer, the second conductive layer, and the first insulating layer are removed to form an inter-gate plug provided between the first and second cell gates. The inter-gate plug completely fills a space defined between the first and second cell gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Yun Bong LEE
  • Patent number: 7829934
    Abstract: A flash memory device has a resistivity measurement pattern and method of forming the same. A trench is formed in an isolation film in a Self-Aligned Floating Gate (SAFG) scheme. The trench is buried to form a resistivity measurement floating gate. This allows the resistivity of the floating gate to be measured even in the SAFG scheme. Contacts for resistivity measurement are directly connected to the resistivity measurement floating gate. Therefore, variation in resistivity measurement values, which is incurred by the parasitic interface, can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Ki Hong Yang, Sang Wook Park
  • Patent number: 7829445
    Abstract: Provided may be a method of fabricating a flash memory device having metal nano particles. The method of manufacturing a flash memory device may include forming a metal oxide thin layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a floating gate of an amorphous metal silicon oxide thin layer by performing a thermal treatment process on the semiconductor substrate where the metal oxide thin layer is formed, and forming metal nano particles in the floating gate by projecting an electron beam on the floating gate, the metal nano particles being surrounded by a silicon oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Whan Kim, Jae-Hun Jung, Jae-Won Shin, Jeong-Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 7829936
    Abstract: Methods of forming a memory cell containing two split sub-lithographic charge storage nodes on a semiconductor substrate are provided. The methods can involve forming two split sub-lithographic charge storage nodes by using spacer formation techniques. By removing exposed portions of a first poly layer while leaving portions of the first poly layer protected by the spacers, the method can provide two split sub-lithographic first poly gates. Further, by removing exposed portions of a charge storage layer while leaving portions of the charge storage layer protected by the two split sub-lithographic first poly gates, the method can provide two split, narrow portions of the charge storage layer, which subsequently form two split sub-lithographic charge storage nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Minghao Shen, Shenqing Fang, Wai Lo, Christie R. K. Marrian, Chungho Lee, Ning Cheng, Fred Cheung, Huaqiang Wu
  • Publication number: 20100279499
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a memory includes first providing a substrate with a horizontally adjacent control gate region and floating gate region which includes a sacrificial layer and sacrificial sidewalls, removing the sacrificial layer and sacrificial sidewalls to expose the substrate, forming dielectric sidewalls adjacent to the control gate region, forming a floating gate dielectric layer on the exposed substrate and forming a floating gate layer adjacent to the dielectric sidewalls and on the floating gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Hung-Mine Tsai, Ching-Nan Hsiao, Chung-Lin Huang
  • Publication number: 20100276743
    Abstract: A laminated body is formed by alternately laminating a plurality of dielectric films and electrode films on a silicon substrate. Next, a through hole extending in the lamination direction is formed in the laminated body. Next, a selective nitridation process is performed to selectively form a charge layer made of silicon nitride in a region of an inner surface of the through hole corresponding to the electrode film. Next, a high-pressure oxidation process is performed to form a block layer made of silicon oxide between the charge layer and the electrode film. Next, a tunnel layer made of silicon oxide is formed on an inner side surface of the through hole. Thus, a flash memory can be manufactured in which the charge layer is split for each electrode film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Takuji Kuniya, Yosuke Komori, Ryota Katsumata, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Masaru Kito, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Megumi Ishiduki, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 7824981
    Abstract: A method comprises providing a first conductive region, arranging a second conductive region adjacent to and insulated from the first conductive region by a dielectric region, arranging a third region adjacent to and insulated from the second conductive region, and adjusting mechanical stress to at least one of the first conductive region and the second conductive region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Inventor: Chih-Hsin Wang
  • Publication number: 20100270606
    Abstract: A peripheral circuit area is formed around a memory cell array area. The peripheral circuit area has element regions, an element isolation region isolating the element regions, and field-effect transistor formed in each of the element regions and including a gate electrode extending in a channel width direction, on a semiconductor substrate. An end portion and a corner portion of the gate electrode are on the element isolation region. A radius of curvature of the corner portion of the gate electrode is smaller than a length from the end portion of the element region in the channel width direction to the end portion of the gate electrode in the channel width direction, and is less than 85 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KUTSUKAKE, Takayuki TOBA, Yoshiko KATO, Kenji GOMIKAWA, Haruhiko KOYAMA
  • Patent number: 7821045
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a substrate and a memory cell coupled to the substrate. The memory cell may include an L-shaped floating gate, a control gate, an insulation layer coupled between the control gate and the first L-shaped floating gate, and a conductive layer coupled between the substrate and the first L-shape floating gate. Other embodiments including additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Qiang Tang, Venkat Narayanan
  • Patent number: 7816207
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes a first electrode formation step of forming a control gate electrode above a surface of a semiconductor substrate with a control gate insulating film interposed between the control gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, a step of forming a storage node insulating film on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second electrode formation step of forming a memory gate electrode on a surface of the storage node insulating film. The second electrode formation step includes a step of forming a memory gate electrode layer on the surface of the storage node insulating film, a step of forming an auxiliary film, having an etching rate slower than that of the memory gate electrode layer, on a surface of the memory gate electrode layer, and a step of performing anisotropic etching on the memory gate electrode layer and the auxiliary film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Okazaki, Motoi Ashida, Hiroji Ozaki, Tsuyoshi Koga, Daisuke Okada
  • Patent number: 7811883
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory transistor with a nanocrystal-containing floating gate formed by nanowires is disclosed. The nanocrystals are formed by the growth of short nanowires over a crystalline program oxide. As a result, the nanocrystals are single-crystals of uniform size and single-crystal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Guy M. Cohen
  • Publication number: 20100255672
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes 5 steps. The first step is a step of forming a floating gate on a first surface region of a semiconductor substrate through a gate insulating film. The second step is a step of forming a tunnel insulating film so as to cover a second surface region adjacent to the first surface region and an end portion of the floating gate. The third step is a step of forming an oxide film so as to cover the tunnel insulating film and be thicker at a portion above the second surface region than at a portion above the floating gate. The fourth step is a step of etching back the oxide film and a surface of the tunnel insulating film on the floating gate. The fifth step is a step of forming a control gate on the tunnel insulating film on the second surface region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toru Kidokoro
  • Publication number: 20100255671
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a first dielectric layer formed on the major surface of a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode layer formed on the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer obtained by sequentially forming, on the floating gate electrode layer, a lower dielectric film mainly containing silicon and nitrogen, an intermediate dielectric film, and an upper dielectric film mainly containing silicon and nitrogen, a control gate electrode layer formed on the second dielectric layer, and a buried dielectric layer formed by covering the two side surfaces in the gate width direction of the stacked structure including the above-mentioned layers. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device further includes a silicon oxide film formed near the buried dielectric layer in the interface between the floating gate electrode layer and lower dielectric film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ishida, Masayuki Tanaka