With Charge Trapping Gate Insulator (e.g., Mnos-memory Transistors) (epo) Patents (Class 257/E29.309)
  • Patent number: 8035151
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including at least one memory channel region and at least one memory source/drain region, the memory channel region and the memory source/drain region being arranged alternately, and at least one word line on the memory channel region, wherein the memory source/drain region has a higher net impurity concentration than the memory channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Hyun Lee, Jung-Dal Choi
  • Patent number: 8034670
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device is presented. A substrate prepared with a second gate is provided. The second gate is processed to form a second gate with a rounded corner and a first gate is formed on the substrate. The first gate is adjacent to and overlaps a portion of the second gate and the rounded corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Timothy Phua, Bangun Indajang, Dong Kyun Sohn
  • Publication number: 20110241099
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first node impurity region, a second node impurity region, a third node impurity region, and an insulating layer. The first through third node impurity regions are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. Each of the first through third node impurity regions has a longitudinal length, a transverse length and a thickness respectively corresponding to first through third directions, which are perpendicular with respect to each other. The first node impurity region is parallel to the second and third node impurity regions, which are disposed in the substantially same line. The insulating layer is located between the first through third node impurity regions in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Woo-Song Ahn, Satoru Yamada, Young-Jin Choi, Seung-Uk Han, Kyo-Suk Chae
  • 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: 20110241101
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory element includes a semiconductor layer, a tunnel insulator provided on the semiconductor layer, a charge accumulation film provided on the tunnel insulator having a film thickness of 0.9 nm or more and 2.8 nm or less and the charge accumulation film containing cubic HfO2 particles, a block insulator provided on the charge accumulation film, and a control electrode provided on the block insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tsunehiro INO, Daisuke MATSUSHITA, Yasushi NAKASAKI, Masao SHINGU
  • Publication number: 20110241100
    Abstract: A stacked non-volatile memory device comprises a plurality of bit line and word line layers stacked on top of each other. The bit line layers comprise a plurality of bit lines that can be formed using advanced processing techniques making fabrication of the device efficient and cost effective. The device can be configured for NAND operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: ERH-KUN LAI, Hang-Ting Lue, Kuang-Yeu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20110242921
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing selective threshold voltage characteristics via use of MOS transistors having differential threshold voltages. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a metal oxide semiconductor device comprising a substrate of semiconductor material having a source region, a drain region and a channel region therebetween, an insulating layer over the channel region, and a gate portion of the insulating layer. Moreover, with regard to the device, the shape of the insulating layer and/or the shape or implantation of a junction region are of varied dimension as between the gate-to-drain and gate-to-source junctions to provide differential threshold voltages between them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Hieu Van Tran, Samar Saha
  • Patent number: 8030700
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a stacked body provided on the semiconductor substrate and having a plurality of insulator layers and a plurality of conductive layers alternately stacked; a semiconductor layer provided inside a through-hole formed so as to pass through the stacked body and extending in a stacking direction of the insulator layers and the conductive layers; and a charge trap layer provided between the conductive layer and the semiconductor layer. A lower part in the semiconductor layer is narrower than an upper part therein, and at least the lowermost layer in the conductive layers is thinner than the uppermost layer therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Wataru Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8030166
    Abstract: A charge trapping memory cell is described, having pocket implants along the sides of the channel and having the same conductivity type as the channel, and which implants have a concentration of dopants higher than in the central region of the channel. This effectively disables the channel in the region of non-uniform charge trapping caused by a bird's beak or other anomaly in the charge trapping structure on the side of the channel. The pocket implant can be formed using a process compatible with standard shallow trench isolation processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hang-Ting Lue
  • Patent number: 8030701
    Abstract: A memory cell of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment of the invention has a MONOS structure. The charge storage layer of the memory cell includes insulating material layers. The relationship between the conduction band edge energy and valance band edge energy of the insulating material layers either increases gradually or decreases gradually from the tunnel insulating film toward the block insulating film. Furthermore, when the relative permittivity of the block insulating film is expresses as ?r, an energy barrier between the charge storage layer and the block insulating film is equal to or larger than 4.5 ?r?2/3 (eV) and is equal to or smaller than 3.8 (eV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Naoki Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20110233651
    Abstract: Devices and methods for isolating adjacent charge accumulation layers in a semiconductor device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a bit line formed in a semiconductor substrate, a charge accumulation layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a word line formed on the charge accumulation layer across the bit line, and a channel region formed in the semiconductor substrate below the word line and between the bit line and its adjacent bit line. For the semiconductor device, the charge accumulation layer is formed above the channel region in a widthwise direction of the word line, and a width of the word line is set to be narrower than a distance between an end of the channel region and a central part of the channel region in a lengthwise direction of the word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Fumihiko INOUE, Haruki SOUMA, Yukio HAYAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20110233610
    Abstract: Nonvolatile memory devices include a plurality of nonvolatile memory cell transistors having respective channel regions within a semiconductor layer formed of a first semiconductor material and respective source/drain regions formed of a second semiconductor material, which has a smaller bandgap relative to the first semiconductor material. The source/drain regions can form non-rectifying junctions with the channel regions. The source/drain regions may include germanium (e.g., Ge or SiGe regions), the semiconductor layer may be a P-type silicon layer and the source/drain regions of the plurality of nonvolatile memory cell transistors may be P-type germanium or P-type silicon germanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Byung-kyu Cho, Kwang-soo Seol, Sung-hoi Hur, Jung-dal Choi
  • 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: 20110233646
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device is provided in which memory strings, which are formed by providing a plurality of transistors having gate electrode films on sides of columnar semiconductor films in a height direction of the columnar semiconductor films via charge storage layers, are substantially perpendicularly arranged in a matrix shape on a substrate. A coupling section made of a semiconductor material that connects lower portions of the columnar semiconductor films forming a pair of the memory strings adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction is provided. Each of the columnar semiconductor films is formed of a generally single-crystal-like germanium film or silicon germanium film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ichiro MIZUSHIMA, Shinji Mori, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Fumiki Aiso
  • Publication number: 20110233644
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes first and second stacked structural bodies, first and second semiconductor pillars, a memory unit connection portion, a selection unit stacked structural body, first and second selection unit semiconductor pillars, a selection unit connection portion, and first to fifth interconnections. The semiconductor pillars pierce the stacked structural bodies. The first and second interconnections are connected to the first and second semiconductor pillars, respectively. The memory unit connection portion connects the first and second semiconductor pillars. The selection unit semiconductor pillars pierce the selection unit stacked structural body. The third and fourth interconnections are connected to the first and second selection unit semiconductor pillars, respectively. The selection unit connection portion connects the first and second selection unit semiconductor pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki FUKUZUMI, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20110233642
    Abstract: One or more embodiments relate to a memory device, comprising: a substrate; a gate stack disposed over the substrate, the gate stack comprising a control gate disposed over a charge storage layer; and a spacer select gate disposed over the substrate and laterally disposed from the gate stack, the select gate comprising a carbon allotrope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Ronald KAKOSCHKE, Harald SEIDL
  • Publication number: 20110233645
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a manufacturing method of a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device, includes: forming a plurality of structures above a semiconductor substrate, each of the plurality of structures being such that in a stacked film where a plurality of first semiconductor films and a plurality of second semiconductor films are stacked alternately at least the second semiconductor films are held by a semiconductor or conductor pillar member via a gate dielectric film; selectively removing the first semiconductor films from the stacked film while maintaining a state where the second semiconductor films are held by the pillar member for each of the structures; oxidizing an exposed surface for each of the structures after removing the first semiconductor films; and embedding an inter-layer dielectric film between the plurality of structures in which the exposed surface is oxidized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Toshihiko IINUMA
  • Publication number: 20110233655
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, in a semiconductor memory device, a source region and a drain region are disposed away from each other in the semiconductor layer. A tunnel insulating film is formed between the source region and the drain region on the semiconductor layer. A charge accumulating film includes an oxide cluster and is formed on the tunnel insulating film. A block insulating film is formed on the charge accumulating film. A gate electrode is formed on the block insulating film. The oxide cluster includes either Zr or Hf, and further contains at least one element selected from Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au and Hg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tatsuo SHIMIZU, Atsuhiro KINOSHITA
  • Publication number: 20110233648
    Abstract: Three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The three-dimensional semiconductor devices include an electrode structure with sequentially-stacked electrodes disposed on a substrate, semiconductor patterns penetrating the electrode structure, and memory elements including a first pattern and a second pattern interposed between the semiconductor patterns and the electrode structure, the first pattern vertically extending to cross the electrodes and the second pattern horizontally extending to cross the semiconductor patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kwang Soo Seol, Chanjin Park, Kihyun Hwang, Hanmei Choi, Dongchul Yoo, Sunghoi Hur, Wansik Hwang, Toshiro Nakanishi, Kwangmin Park, Juyul Lee
  • 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: 20110233650
    Abstract: Provided are nonvolatile memory devices and methods of forming nonvolatile memory devices. Nonvolatile memory devices include a device isolation layer that defines an active region in a substrate. Nonvolatile memory devices further include a first insulating layer, a nonconductive charge storage pattern, a second insulating layer and a control gate line that are sequentially disposed on the active region. The charge storage pattern includes a horizontal portion and a protrusion disposed on an upper portion of an edge of the horizontal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Jin-Taek Park, Won-Seok Jung
  • Publication number: 20110233653
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor device includes a memory cell in a first area of a substrate, a low voltage transistor in a second area of the substrate, and a high voltage transistor in a third area of the substrate. The memory cell includes a tunnel insulation layer formed on the substrate, a charge trapping layer pattern formed on the tunnel insulation layer in the first area of the substrate, a blocking layer pattern formed on the charge trapping layer pattern and a control gate formed on the blocking layer pattern. The control gate has a width substantially smaller than a width of the blocking layer pattern and the width of the control gate is substantially smaller than a width of the charge trapping layer pattern. In addition, an offset is formed between the control gate and the blocking layer pattern such that a spacer is not formed on a sidewall of the control gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Hak-Sun LEE, Kyoung-Sub Shin
  • Publication number: 20110227141
    Abstract: A memory device having a vertical channel structure is disclosed. The memory device includes a plurality of gate lines extending substantially parallel to one another along a surface of a substrate, and a connection unit electrically connecting the plurality of gate lines. The connection unit includes a first portion laterally extending along the surface of the substrate, a second portion extending substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and a supporting insulating layer extending in a cavity defined by the first and second portions of the connection unit. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventors: Jae-hun Jeong, Han-soo Kim, Won-seok Cho, Jae-hoon Jang
  • Publication number: 20110227142
    Abstract: Memories, systems, and methods for forming memory cells are disclosed. One such memory cell includes a charge storage node that includes nanodots over a tunnel dielectric and a protective film over the nanodots. In another memory cell, the charge storage node includes nanodots that include a ruthenium alloy. Memory cells can include an inter-gate dielectric over the protective film or ruthenium alloy nanodots and a control gate over the inter-gate dielectric. The protective film and ruthenium alloy can be configured to protect at least some of the nanodots from vaporizing during formation of the inter-gate dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: D.V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Matthew N. Rocklein, Rhett Brewer
  • Publication number: 20110227143
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a lower layer, a complex dielectric layer on the lower layer, and an upper layer on the complex dielectric layer. The complex dielectric layer includes an amorphous metal silicate layer and a crystalline metal-based insulating layer thereon. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventors: Jong-cheol Lee, Ki-yeon Park, Chun-hyung Chung, Cha-young Yoo
  • Publication number: 20110227140
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stacked body, a memory film, and a SiGe film. The stacked body includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers alternately stacked above the substrate. The memory film includes a charge storage film. The memory film is provided on a sidewall of a memory hole punched through the stacked body. The SiGe film is provided inside the memory film in the memory hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Megumi ISHIDUKI, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kidoh, Masaru Kito, Hideaki Aochi
  • 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: 8022468
    Abstract: A memory device may include a substrate, a first dielectric layer formed over the substrate and a charge storage element formed over the first dielectric layer. The memory device may also include a second dielectric layer formed over the charge storage element and a control gate formed over the second dielectric layer. The memory device may further include an interlayer dielectric formed over the control gate and the substrate, where the interlayer dielectric includes a material that is substantially opaque to ultraviolet radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignees: Spansion LLC, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Minh Van Ngo, Wenmei Li, Jeffrey A. Shields, Ning Cheng, Angela Hui, Cinti Xiaohua Chen
  • 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: 20110220989
    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: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Noel Rocklein, Kyu S. Min
  • Publication number: 20110220987
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a base, a stacked body, a memory film, a channel body, an interconnection, and a contact plug. The base includes a substrate and a peripheral circuit formed on a surface of the substrate. The stacked body includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers alternately stacked above the base. The memory film is provided on an inner wall of a memory hole punched through the stacked body to reach a lowermost layer of the conductive layers. The memory film includes a charge storage film. The interconnection is provided below the stacked body. The interconnection electrically connects the lowermost layer of the conductive layers in an interconnection region laid out on an outside of a memory cell array region and the peripheral circuit. The contact plug pierces the stacked body in the interconnection region to reach the lowermost layer of the conductive layers in the interconnection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Tanaka, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8017993
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a stacked body with a plurality of insulating films and electrode films alternately stacked therein, through which a through hole extending in the stacking direction is formed; a semiconductor pillar buried inside the through hole; and a charge storage layer located on both sides of each of the electrode films in the stacking direction and insulated from the electrode film and the semiconductor pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Yosuke Komori, Megumi Ishiduki, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 8017994
    Abstract: A hot electron (BBHE) is generated close to a drain by tunneling between bands, and it data writing is performed by injecting the hot electron into a charge storage layer. When Vg is a gate voltage, Vsub is a cell well voltage, Vs is a source voltage and Vd is a drain voltage, a relation of Vg>Vsub>Vs>Vd is satisfied, Vg?Vd is a value of a potential difference required for generating a tunnel current between the bands or higher, and Vsub?Vd is substantially equivalent to a barrier potential of the tunnel insulating film or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Genusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Natsuo Ajika, Shoji Shukuri, Masaaki Mihara, Moriyoshi Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20110215394
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a base, a stacked body, a memory film, a channel body, a contact plug, a global bit line, and a plurality of local bit lines. The base has a substrate and a peripheral circuit formed on the substrate. The stacked body has a plurality of conductive layers and insulating layers stacked alternately above the base. The memory film includes a charge storage film provided on an inner wall of a memory hole formed in a stacking direction of the stacked body. The channel body is provided inside the memory film in the memory hole. The contact plug is provided by piercing the stacked body. The global bit line is provided between the peripheral circuit and the stacked body and connected to a lower end portion of the contact plug. The plurality of local bit lines are provided above the stacked body and divided in an extending direction of the plurality of local bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yosuke Komori, Masaru Kidoh, Ryota Katsumata
  • Patent number: 8014198
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a selecting transistor and a memory cell transistor; a column decoder controlling the potential of bit lines; a voltage application circuit controlling the potential of the first word lines; a first row decoder controlling the potential of the second word lines; and a second row decoder controlling the potential of the source line. The column decoder is formed of a circuit whose withstand voltage is lower than the voltage application circuit and the second row decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Torii, Kazuhiro Mizutani, Toshio Nomura, Masayoshi Asano, Ikuto Fukuoka, Hiroshi Mawatari, Motoi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8013380
    Abstract: A MONOS type non-volatile semiconductor memory device which is capable of electrically writing, erasing, reading and retaining data, the memory device including source/drain regions, a first gate insulating layer, a first charge trapping layer formed on the first gate insulating layer, a second gate insulating layer formed on the first charge trapping layer, and a controlling electrode formed on the second gate insulating layer. The first charge trapping layer includes an insulating film containing Al and O as major elements and having a defect pair formed of a complex of an interstitial O atom and a tetravalent cationic atom substituting for an Al atom, the insulating film also having electron unoccupied levels within the range of 2 eV-6 eV as measured from the valence band maximum of Al2O3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasushi Nakasaki, Koichi Muraoka, Naoki Yasuda, Shoko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8013378
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device has an element isolation region between rewrite units of memory cells. A plurality of memory cells are memory cell groups arranged in a row direction, and each memory cell group consists of (8×N) memory cells arranged in a row direction as a unit to be used as a storage region. The number of a plurality of selection word lines is at least eight, and the number of selection transistors corresponding to at least N is connected to each of the plurality of selection word lines. At least one selection transistor in addition to (8×N) selection transistors are connected in total to the plurality of selection word lines. A plurality of main bit lines includes at least one main bit line in addition to (4×N) main bit lines connected to the common drain of a pair of selection transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Keita Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8014203
    Abstract: The memory device is described, which includes a substrate, a conductive layer, a plurality of charge storage layers and a plurality of doped regions. The substrate has a plurality of trenches formed therein. The conductive layer is disposed on the substrate and fills the trenches. The charge storage layers are disposed between the substrate and the conductive layer in the trenches respectively, wherein the charge storage layers are separated from each other. The doped regions are configured in the substrate under bottoms of the trenches, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: I-Chen Yang, Yao-Wen Chang, Tao-Cheng Lu, Guan-Wei Wu, Tao-Yuan Lin, Po-Chou Chen
  • Publication number: 20110210387
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a charge storage layer on a first insulating film, a second insulating film which is provided on the charge storage layer, formed of layers, and a control gate electrode on the second insulating film. The second insulating film includes a bottom layer (A) provided just above the charge storage layer, a top layer (C) provided just below the control gate electrode, and a middle layer (B) provided between the bottom layer (A) and the top layer (C). The middle layer (B) has higher barrier height and lower dielectric constant than both the bottom layer (A) and the top layer (C). The average coordination number of the middle layer (B) is smaller than both the average coordination number of the top layer (C) and the average coordination number of the bottom layer (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventor: Naoki YASUDA
  • Publication number: 20110211392
    Abstract: A cell string included in a memory cell array of a nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells, a string select transistor, and a ground select transistor. The plurality of memory cells are connected in series. The string select transistor is connected between a bitline and the plurality of memory cells, and has a structure substantially the same as a structure of each memory cell. The ground select transistor is connected between the plurality of memory cells and a common source line, and has a structure substantially the same as the structure of each memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-Ho Kim, Jae-Kwan Park, Byung-Jun Hwang, Sung-Bo Shim, Hye-Young Kwon
  • Publication number: 20110210386
    Abstract: Devices can be fabricated using a method of growing nanoscale structures on a semiconductor substrate. According to various embodiments, nucleation sites are created on a surface of the substrate. The creation of the nucleation sites includes implanting ions with an energy and a dose selected to provide a controllable distribution of the nucleation sites across the surface of the substrate. Nanoscale structures can be grown using the controllable distribution of nucleation sites to seed the growth of the nanoscale structures. According to various embodiments, the nanoscale structures include at least one of nanocrystals, nanowires, and nanotubes. According to various nanocrystal embodiments, the nanocrystals are positioned within a gate stack and function as a floating gate for a nonvolatile device. Other embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, D. Mark Durcan
  • Publication number: 20110211394
    Abstract: Storage transistors for flash memory areas in semiconductor devices may be provided on the basis of a self-aligned charge storage region. To this end, a floating spacer element may be provided in some illustrative embodiments, while, in other cases, the charge storage region may be efficiently embedded in the electrode material in a self-aligned manner during a replacement gate approach. Consequently, enhanced bit density may be achieved, since additional sophisticated lithography processes for patterning the charge storage region may no longer be required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Thilo Scheiper, Sven Beyer, Uwe Griebenow, Jan Hoentschel
  • Patent number: 8008709
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer in a memory cell to retain charge well in the nitride layer includes the steps of forming a bottom oxide layer on a substrate, depositing a nitride layer and oxidizing a top oxide layer, thereby causing oxygen to be introduced into the nitride layer. Another method includes the steps of forming a bottom oxide layer on a substrate, depositing a nitride layer and oxidizing a portion of a top oxide layer, thereby causing oxygen to be introduced into the nitride layer and depositing a remaining portion of the top oxide layer, thereby assisting in controlling the amount of oxygen introduced into the nitride layer. A further method includes the steps of forming a bottom oxide layer on a substrate, depositing a nitride layer, depositing a portion of a top oxide layer and oxidizing a remaining portion of the top oxide layer, thereby causing oxygen to be introduced into the nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion Israel Ltd
    Inventor: Boaz Eitan
  • Patent number: 8008710
    Abstract: A memory string has a semiconductor layer with a joining portion that is formed to join a plurality of columnar portions extending in a vertical direction with respect to a substrate and lower ends of the plurality of columnar portions. First conductive layers are formed in a laminated fashion to surround side surfaces of the columnar portions and an electric charge storage layer, and function as control electrodes of memory cells. A second conductive layer is formed around the plurality of columnar portions via a gate insulation film, and functions as control electrodes of selection transistors. Bit lines are formed to be connected to the plurality of columnar portions, respectively, with a second direction orthogonal to a first direction taken as a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Megumi Ishiduki, Yosuke Komori, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20110204430
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and a method of fabricating the same is provided to prevent charges stored in a charge trap layer from moving to neighboring memory cells. The method of fabricating a nonvolatile memory device, includes forming a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate in which active regions are defined by isolation layers, forming a charge trap layer on the first dielectric layer, removing the first dielectric layer and the charge trap layer over the isolation layers, forming a second dielectric layer on the isolation layers including the charge trap layer, and forming a conductive layer on the second dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Se Jun KIM, Eun Seok CHOI, Kyoung Hwan PARK, Hyun Seung YOO, Myung Shik LEE, Young Ok HONG, Jung Ryul AHN, Yong Top KIM, Kyung Pil HWANG, Won Sic WOO, Jae Young PARK, Ki Hong LEE, Ki Seon PARK, Moon Sig JOO
  • Publication number: 20110204433
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device is disclosed. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes a semiconductor substrate including a surface layer; an element isolation insulating film isolating the surface layer of the semiconductor device into a plurality of active regions; a first gate insulating film formed above the active regions; a charge storing layer formed above the first gate insulating film and including a silicon layer containing an upper layer selectively doped with carbon; a second gate insulating film formed above the charge storing layer; and a control gate electrode formed above the second gate insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Junya FUJITA, Masayuki TANAKA, Shunsuke DOI
  • Publication number: 20110204431
    Abstract: A extractor implanted region is used in a silicon-on-insulator CMOS memory device. The extractor region is reversed biased to remove minority carriers from the body region of partially depleted memory cells. This causes the body region to be fully depleted without the adverse floating body effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventor: Leonard Forbes
  • Publication number: 20110204432
    Abstract: Methods for forming or patterning nanostructure arrays are provided. The methods involve formation of arrays on coatings comprising nanostructure association groups, formation of arrays in spin-on-dielectrics, solvent annealing after nanostructure deposition, patterning using resist, and/or use of devices that facilitate array formation. Related devices for forming nanostructure arrays are also provided, as are devices including nanostructure arrays (e.g., memory devices). Methods for protecting nanostructures from fusion during high temperature processing are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: NANOSYS, INC.
    Inventors: Jian Chen, Xiangfeng Duan, Chao Liu, Madhuri L. Nallabolu, J. Wallace Parce, Srikanth Ranganathan