With Charge Trapping Gate Insulator (e.g., Mnos-memory Transistors) (epo) Patents (Class 257/E29.309)
  • Publication number: 20130032874
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. The device includes a plurality of electrode films stacked along a first axis perpendicular to a major surface of a substrate, a plurality of semiconductor layers penetrating through the electrode films, and a memory film provided between the electrode films and the semiconductor layer. The method can include forming a first stacked body by alternately stacking a plurality of first films and second films. The method can include forming a support unit supporting the first films. The method can include forming a first hole and removing the second films via the first hole to form a second stacked body. The method can include forming a plurality of through holes penetrating through the first films. In addition, the method can include burying the memory film and the semiconductor layers in the through holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Nikka KO
  • Patent number: 8369152
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, memory cells without a source region and a drain region, and a first insulating film. The memory cells are arranged adjacent to one another on the semiconductor substrate and include a first gate electrode including a charge accumulation layer. A current path functioning as a source region or a drain region of a selected memory cell is formed in the semiconductor substrate when a voltage is applied to the first gate electrode of one of unselected memory cells. The first insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate to fill a region between the first gate electrodes of the memory cells adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Shimane, Naoyuki Shigyo, Mutsuo Morikado
  • Publication number: 20130028016
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory cells which have channel-supporting material, dielectric material over the channel-supporting material, carrier-trapping material over the dielectric material and an electrically conductive electrode material over and directly against the carrier-trapping material; where the carrier-trapping material includes gallium, indium, zinc and oxygen. Some embodiments include methods of storing information. A memory cell to is provided which has a channel-supporting material, a dielectric material over the channel-supporting material, a carrier-trapping material over the dielectric material, and an electrically conductive electrode material over and directly against the carrier-trapping material; where the carrier-trapping material includes gallium, indium, zinc and oxygen. It is determined if carriers are trapped in the carrier-trapping material to thereby ascertain a memory state of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, D.V. Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20130026557
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) non-volatile memory cell, wherein the method comprises steps as following: a pad oxide layer and a first hard mask layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. The pad oxide layer and the first hard mask layer are then etched through to form an opening exposing a portion of the substrate. Subsequently, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) structure with a size substantially less than or equal to the opening is formed to coincide with the portion of the substrate exposed from the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming WANG, Ping-Chia SHIH, Chun-Sung HUANG, Chi-Cheng HUANG, Hsiang-Chen LEE, Chih-Hung LIN, Yau-Kae SHEU
  • Publication number: 20130026558
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes an insulating substrate, a channel layer over the insulating substrate, a gate at least partially extending from an upper surface of the channel layer into the channel layer, a source and a drain respectively at opposing sides of the gate on the channel layer, a gate insulating layer surrounding, the gate and electrically insulating the gate from the channel layer, the source, and the drain, and a variable resistance material layer between the insulating substrate and the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-hun Jeon, In-kyeong Yoo, Chang-jung Kim, Young-bae Kim
  • Patent number: 8362615
    Abstract: A memory and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The memory includes a dielectric layer, a polysilicon layer, a first buried diffusion, a second buried diffusion, a charge storage structure and a gate. The polysilicon layer is disposed on the dielectric layer and electrically connected to at least a voltage. The first buried diffusion and the second buried diffusion are separately disposed in the surface of the polysilicon layer. The charge storage structure is disposed on the polysilicon layer and positioned between the first buried diffusion and the second buried diffusion. The gate is disposed on the charge storage structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Erh-Kun Lai, Hang-Ting Lue, Kuang-Yeu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20130020630
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a different gate structure in each of a plurality of device regions is described. The method may include a replacement gate process. The method includes forming a hard mask layer on oxide layers formed on one or more regions of the substrate. A high-k gate dielectric layer is formed on each of the first, second and third device regions. The high-k gate dielectric layer may be formed directly on the hard mask layer in a first and second device regions and directly on an interfacial layer formed in a third device region. A semiconductor device including a plurality of devices (e.g., transistors) having different gate dielectrics formed on the same substrate is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., ("TSMC")
    Inventors: Da-Yuan Lee, Kuang-Yuan Hsu
  • Patent number: 8357968
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory semiconductor device having one end of an electricity supply line ESL arranged over a terminal end TE1 and the other end thereof arranged over a terminal end TE2, the central portion of the electricity supply line ESL being arranged over a dummy part DMY. The terminal end TE1, the terminal end TE2, and the dummy part DMY have substantially the same height, so that most of the electricity supply line ESL arranged from over the terminal end TE1 to over the terminal end TE2 via the dummy part DMY has the same height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hiraku Chakihara, Tsutomu Okazaki
  • Patent number: 8357970
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating charge storage transistors are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In one such method, a pillar of epitaxial silicon is formed. At least first and second charge storage nodes (e.g., floating gates) are formed around the pillar of epitaxial silicon at different levels. A control gate is formed around each of the charge storage nodes. Additional embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20130015520
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a fin-type stacked layer structure in which a first insulating layer, a first semiconductor layer, . . . an n-th insulating layer, an n-th semiconductor layer, and an (n+1)-th insulating layer (n is a natural number equal to or more than 2) are stacked in order thereof in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of a semiconductor substrate and which extends in a second direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, first to n-th memory strings which use the first to n-th semiconductor layers as channels respectively, a common semiconductor layer which combines the first to n-th semiconductor layers at first ends of the first to n-th memory strings in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Fujii Shosuke, Daisuke Nagishima, Kiwamu Sakuma
  • Publication number: 20130015519
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes first to n-th semiconductor layers which are stacked in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of a semiconductor substrate and which extend in a second direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, an electrode which extends in the first direction along side surfaces of the first to n-th semiconductor layers, the side surfaces of the first to n-th semiconductor layers exposing in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and first to n-th charge storage layers located between the first to n-th semiconductor layers and the electrode respectively. The first to n-th charge storage layers are separated from each other in areas between the first to n-th semiconductor layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Shosuke Fujii, Kiwamu Sakuma, Jun Fujiki, Atsuhiro Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20130009233
    Abstract: A transistor construction includes a first floating gate having a first conductive or semiconductive surface and a second floating gate having a second conductive or semiconductive surface. A dielectric region is circumferentially surrounded by the first surface. The region is configured to reduce capacitive coupling between the first and second surfaces. Another transistor construction includes a floating gate having a cavity extending completely through the floating gate from a first surface of the floating gate to an opposing second surface of the floating gate. The floating gate otherwise encloses the cavity, which is filled with at least one dielectric. A method includes closing an upper portion of an opening in insulator material with a gate material during the deposition before filling a lower portion with the gate material. The depositing and closing provide an enclosed cavity within the lower portion of the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Seiichi Aritome
  • Publication number: 20130009232
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell includes a substrate, two charge trapping structures, a gate oxide layer, a gate and two doping regions. The charge trapping structures are disposed on the substrate separately. The gate oxide layer is disposed on the substrate between the two charge trapping structures. The gate is disposed on the gate oxide layer and the charge trapping structures, wherein the charge trapping structures protrude from two sides of the gate. The doping regions are disposed in the substrate at two sides of the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Chi-Cheng Huang, Ping-Chia Shih, Chih-Ming Wang, Chun-Sung Huang, Hsiang-Chen Lee, Chih-Hung Lin, Yau-Kae Sheu
  • Publication number: 20130010535
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor memory element including: a semiconductor substrate including: a source region; a drain region; and a channel region; a lower insulating film that is formed on the channel region; a charge storage film that is formed on the lower insulating film and that stores data; an upper insulating film that is formed on the charge storage film; and a control gate that is formed on the upper insulating film, wherein the upper insulating film includes: a first insulting film; and a second insulating film that is laminated with the first insulating film, and wherein the first insulating film is formed to have a trap level density larger than that of the second insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masao SHINGU, Jun FUJIKI, Naoki YASUDA, Koichi MURAOKA
  • Patent number: 8350326
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 8350315
    Abstract: Memory devices include a tunneling insulating layer disposed on a substrate, a charge storage layer disposed on the tunneling insulating layer, a blocking insulating layer disposed on the charge storage layer and a control gate electrode disposed on the blocking insulating layer. The control gate electrode may have an edge portion spaced farther apart from the blocking insulating layer than a central portion of the control gate electrode to concentrate charge density distribution on a central portion of a memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang-soo Seol
  • Patent number: 8350312
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a stacked structure that is formed by laminating a first insulating film, first conductive layer, second insulating film and second conductive layer on a semiconductor substrate and in which the first and second conductive layers are connected with a via electrically, an interlayer insulating film formed to electrically separate the second conductive layer into a first region including a connecting portion with the first conductive layer and a second region that does not include the connecting portion, a first contact plug formed on the first region and a second contact plug formed on the second region. An isolation insulating film is buried in portions of the substrate, first insulating film and first conductive layer in one peripheral portion on the second region side of the stacked structure and the second contact plug is formed above the isolation insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shoko Kikuchi, Takafumi Ikeda, Kazuhiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8350344
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor device may include a charge storage structure and a gate. The charge storage structure is formed on a substrate. The gate is formed on the charge storage structure. The gate includes a lower portion formed of silicon and an upper portion formed of metal silicide. The upper portion of the gate has a width greater than that of the lower portion of the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Min Son, Woon-Kyung Lee
  • Patent number: 8350602
    Abstract: A reconfigurable semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first insulating material formed on the substrate, two channels having different polarities, a plurality of terminal electrodes formed on the insulating material and coupled in common with the channels at their opposite ends, a second insulating material formed on the terminal electrodes, and a control gate formed on the second insulating material. The channels have different polarity and a charge storage layer is formed inside the second insulating material. The control gate is applied with a forward bias or a reverse bias and then the bias is cut off. The voltage-current characteristics of the semiconductor device are changed according to an electrical charge created in the charge storage layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seoul National University Research & Development Business Foundation
    Inventors: Seunghun Hong, Sung Myung, Kwang Heo
  • Publication number: 20130001673
    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: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Matthew N. Rocklein, Rhett Brewer
  • Publication number: 20130001428
    Abstract: A method of operating a radiation-detecting device includes charging a first charge storage region of a charge storage structure to place a first charge value at the first charge storage region, and charging a second charge storage region of the charge storage structure to place a second charge value at the second charge storage region. The method further includes conducting a first read operation to determine a change in the first charge value at the first charge storage region at a first time after charging the first charge storage region, and determining a first radiation flux value for an environment containing the charge storage structure based on the change in the first charge value at the first time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventor: Michael McCarthy
  • Patent number: 8344446
    Abstract: Provided is an excellent nonvolatile storage device having advantageous in miniaturization and less variation in initial threshold value, and exhibiting a high writing efficiency, without an erasing failure and a retention failure. The nonvolatile storage device is characterized by including a film stack extending from between a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode onto at least a surface of the gate electrode lying on a first impurity diffusion region side, the film stack including a charge accumulating layer and a tunnel insulating film sequentially from a gate electrode side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihide Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8343840
    Abstract: A band gap engineered, charge trapping memory cell includes a charge trapping element that is separated from a gate by a blocking layer of metal doped silicon oxide material having a medium dielectric constant, such as aluminum doped silicon oxide, and separated from the semiconductor body including the channel by an engineered tunneling dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Chih Lai, Hang-Ting Lue, Chien-Wei Liao
  • Publication number: 20120326222
    Abstract: A memory structure including a memory cell is provided, and the memory cell includes following elements. A first gate is disposed on a substrate. A stacked structure includes a first dielectric structure, a channel layer, a second dielectric structure and a second gate disposed on the first gate, a first charge storage structure disposed in the first dielectric structure and a second charge storage structure disposed in the second dielectric structure. At least one of the first charge storage structure and the second charge storage structure includes two charge storage units which are physically separated. A first dielectric layer is disposed on the first gate at two sides of the stacked structure. A first source and drain and a second source and drain are disposed on the first dielectric layer and located at two sides of the channel layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsien Cheng, Wen-Jer Tsai, Shih-Guei Yan, Chih-Chieh Cheng, Jyun-Siang Huang
  • Publication number: 20120326223
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes forming a stacked body by alternately stacking an insulating film and a conductive film. The method includes forming a trench in the stacked body. The trench extends in one direction and divides the conductive film. The method includes burying a diblock copolymer in the trench. The method includes phase-separating the diblock copolymer into a plurality of first blocks and an insulative second block extending in a stacking direction of the insulating film and the conductive film. The method includes forming a plurality of holes by removing the first blocks. The method includes forming charge accumulation layers on inner surfaces of the holes. And, the method includes forming a plurality of semiconductor pillars extending in the stacking direction by burying a semiconductor material in the holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Omura
  • Publication number: 20120326225
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a substrate having an active region defined by a device isolation region that has a trench and an air gap, a device isolation pattern positioned at a lower portion of the trench, a memory cell layer including a tunnel insulation layer, a trap insulation layer and a blocking insulation layer that are sequentially stacked on the active region and one of which extends from the active region toward the device isolation region encloses top of the air gap whose bottom is defined by a layer other than that of the top, and a control gate electrode positioned on the cell structure. The one of the insulation layer extending includes a recess at a region corresponding to the center of the air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: SUNG-IL CHANG, Young-Woo Park
  • Publication number: 20120326224
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor element having an FET on the semiconductor substrate and comprises a different threshold voltage depending on an OFF state and an ON state. The semiconductor element has an insulating film disposed above a part where a channel of the semiconductor substrate is formed, a gate electrode disposed above the insulating film, and a charge trap film disposed between the insulating film and the gate electrode, and to exchange more electrons with the gate electrode than with the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shigeru KAWANAKA, Kosuke Tatsumura, Naoki Yasuda, Jun Fujiki, Atsushi Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 8339862
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, it is provided: a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising: a plurality of bit lines arranged in a first direction; a plurality of source lines arranged in the first direction, the plurality of source lines being parallel to the plurality of bit lines, the plurality of source lines being distinct from the plurality of bit lines; a plurality of memory gate lines arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of the plurality of memory cells including a p type MIS nonvolatile transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal, a channel between the first terminal and the second terminal, a gate insulation film formed on the channel, a gate electrode connected to one corresponding memory gate line of the plurality of memory gate lines, and a carrier storage layer formed between the gate insulation film and the gate electrode, the first terminal being connected to one correspo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Genusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Natsuo Aiika, Shoii Shukuri, Satoshi Shimizu, Taku Ogura
  • Patent number: 8338875
    Abstract: Isolation trenches are formed in the main surface of a semiconductor substrate, and isolation regions. are embedded in these trenches. First insulating films, charge storage layers, a second insulating film, and a control gate are formed on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate sectioned by the isolation regions. Shielding layers are arranged in the isolation regions in such a manner that their bottom portions are lower than the channel regions and their upper portions are higher than at least the main surface of the semiconductor substrate to provide an electric and magnetic shield between their storage layers and channel regions of adjacent memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Nakao
  • Publication number: 20120319187
    Abstract: For providing a cheap semiconductor memory device with improving reliability by level of a cell, in the place of escaping from defects on memory cells electrically, through such as ECC, and further for providing a cell structure enabling scaling-down in the vertical direction with maintaining the reliability, in a semiconductor memory device, upon which high-speeded read-out operation is required, a charge storage region is constructed with particles made from a large number of semiconductor charge storage small regions, each being independent, thereby increasing the reliability by the cell level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taro Osabe, Tomoyuki Ishii, Kazuo Yano, Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8335111
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Ryota Katsumata, Megumi Ishiduki, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 8334182
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chao-I Wu
  • Patent number: 8334551
    Abstract: Each of the memory blocks includes: a first conductive layer expanding in parallel to the substrate over the first area, n layers of the first conductive layers being formed in a lamination direction and shared by the plurality of memory strings; a first semiconductor layer; and an electric charge accumulation layer. The memory strings are arranged with m columns in a second direction for each of the memory blocks. The wiring layers are arranged in the second direction, formed to extend to the vicinity of one end of the first conductive layer in the first direction from one side of the memory block, and connected via contact plugs to the first conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kiyotaro Itagaki, Yoshihisa Iwata, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Masaru Kidoh, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Hideaki Aochi, Akihiro Nitayama
  • Publication number: 20120313160
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having, over a semiconductor substrate, a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode which are adjacent to each other and constitute a nonvolatile memory. The height of the memory gate electrode is lower than the height of the control gate electrode. A metal silicide film is formed over the upper surface of the control gate electrode, but not formed over the upper surface of the memory gate electrode. The memory gate electrode has, over the upper surface thereof, a sidewall insulating film made of silicon oxide. This sidewall insulating film is formed in the same step as that for the formation of respective sidewall insulating films over the sidewalls of the memory gate electrode and the control gate electrode. The present invention makes it possible to improve the production yield and performance of the semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Koichi TOBA, Yasushi Ishii, Yoshiyuki Kawashima, Satoru Machida, Munekatsu Nakagawa, Takashi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20120313158
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the same. The method comprises: providing a substrate, forming sequentially a first high-k dielectric layer, an adjusting layer, a second high-k dielectric layer and a metal gate on the substrate, etching the first high-k dielectric layer, the adjusting layer, the second high-k dielectric layer and the metal gate to form a gate stack. Accordingly, the present invention further provides a semiconductor structure. The present invention proposes to arrange an adjusting layer between two layers of high-k dielectric layer, which effectively avoids reaction of the adjusting layer with the metal gate because of their direct contact, so as to maintain the performance of semiconductor devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicants: BEIJING NMC CO., LTD., Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Haizhou Yin, Huilong Zhu, Zhijiong Luo
  • Publication number: 20120313159
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In a non-volatile memory device, widths of a metal gate and an upper portion of a base gate in a gate electrode are less than the width of a hard mask pattern disposed on the metal gate. First and second protection spacers are disposed on opposing sidewalls of the metal gate and on opposing sidewalls of the upper portion of the base gate, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventor: Jae-Hwang Sim
  • Patent number: 8330232
    Abstract: A multi-bit memory cell includes a substrate; a multi-bit charge-trapping cell over the substrate, the multi-bit charge-trapping cell having a first lateral side and a second lateral side; a source region in the substrate, a portion of the source region being under the first side of the multi-bit charge-trapping cell; a drain region in the substrate, a portion of the drain region being under the second side of the multi-bit charge-trapping cell; and a channel region in the substrate between the source region and the drain region. The channel region has one of a p-type doping and an n-type doping, and the doping is configured to provide a highest doping concentration near the central portion of the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shao Hong Ku, Yin Jen Chen, Wenpin Lu, Tahui Wang
  • Patent number: 8330201
    Abstract: There is provided a non-volatile semiconductor memory having a charge accumulation layer of a configuration where a metal oxide with a dielectric constant sufficiently higher than a silicon nitride, e.g., a Ti oxide, a Zr oxide, or a Hf oxide, is used as a base material and an appropriate amount of a high-valence substance whose valence is increased two levels or more (a VI-valence) is added to produce a trap level that enables entrance and exit of electrons with respect to the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tatsuo Shimizu, Koichi Muraoka
  • Patent number: 8330208
    Abstract: Monolithic, three dimensional NAND strings include a semiconductor channel, at least one end portion of the semiconductor channel extending substantially perpendicular to a major surface of a substrate, a plurality of control gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate, the blocking dielectric comprising a plurality of blocking dielectric segments, a plurality of discrete charge storage segments, and a tunnel dielectric located between each one of the plurality of the discrete charge storage segments and the semiconductor channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Johann Alsmeier, Vinod Robert Purayath, Henry Chien, George Matamis, Yao-Sheng Lee, James Kai, Yuan Zhang
  • Patent number: 8330209
    Abstract: Memory devices having an increased effective channel length and/or improved TPD characteristics, and methods of making the memory devices are provided. The memory devices contain two or more memory cells on a semiconductor substrate and bit line dielectrics between the memory cells. The bit line dielectrics can extend into the semiconductor. The memory cell contains a charge trapping dielectric stack, a poly gate, a pair of pocket implant regions, and a pair of bit lines. The bit line can be formed by an implant process at a higher energy level and/or a higher concentration of dopants without suffering device short channel roll off issues because spacers at bit line sidewalls constrain the implant in narrower implant regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Ning Cheng, Huaqiang Wu, Hiro Kinoshita, Jihwan Choi
  • Patent number: 8330210
    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: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Chih Lai, Hang-Ting Lue, Chien-Wei Liao
  • Publication number: 20120307568
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns. Each memory cell may include a first region coupled to a source line, a second region coupled to a bit line, and a body region capacitively coupled to at least one word line via a tunneling insulating layer and disposed between the first region and the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivasa Rao Banna, Michael A. Van Buskirk, Timothy Thurgate
  • Publication number: 20120306001
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a main surface, a MONOS-type memory cell formed over the main surface and having a channel, an n-channel transistor formed over the main surface, and a p-channel transistor formed over the man surface. Nitride films are formed in a manner to contact the top surfaces of the MONOS-type memory cell, the n-channel transistor, and the p-channel transistor. The nitride films apply stress to the channels of the MONOS-type memory cell, the n-channel transistor, and the p-channel transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Yuichi HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20120306000
    Abstract: A method includes defining active regions on a substrate, forming a dummy gate stack material over exposed portions of the active regions of the substrate and non-active regions of the substrate, removing portions of the dummy gate stack material to expose portions of the active regions and non-active regions of the substrate and define dummy gate stacks, forming a gap-fill dielectric material over the exposed portions of the substrate and the source and drain regions, removing portions of the gap-fill dielectric material to expose the dummy gate stacks, removing the dummy gate stacks to form dummy gate trenches, forming dividers within the dummy gate trenches, depositing gate stack material inside the dummy gate trenches, over the dividers, and the gap-fill dielectric material, and removing portions of the gate stack material to define gate stacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Josephine B. Chang, Paul C. Chang, Michael A. Guillorn, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Patent number: 8324680
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor storage device includes: a substrate; a control circuit layer provided on the substrate; a support layer provided on the control circuit layer; and a memory cell array layer provided on the support layer. The memory cell array layer includes: a first lamination part having first insulation layers and first conductive layers alternately laminated therein; and a second lamination part provided on either the top or bottom surface of the respective first lamination part and laminated so as to form a second conductive layer between second insulation layers. The control circuit layer includes at least any one of: a row decoder driving word lines provided in the memory cell array layer, and a sense amplifier sensing and amplifying a signal from bit lines provided in the memory cell array layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tatsuo Izumi, Takeshi Kamigaichi
  • Patent number: 8324675
    Abstract: A flash memory device having a vertical channel structure. The flash memory device includes a substrate having a surface that extends in a first direction, a channel region having a pillar shape and extending from the substrate in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, a gate dielectric layer formed around the channel region, a memory cell string comprising a plurality of transistors sequentially formed around the channel region in the second direction, wherein the gate dielectric layer is disposed between the plurality of transistors and the channel region, and a bit line connected to one of the plurality of transistors, and surrounding a side wall and an upper surface of one end of the channel region so as to directly contact the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hui-chang Moon, Han-soo Kim, Won-seok Cho, Jae-hoon Jang, Ki-hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 8324681
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Erh-Kun Lai, Hang-Ting Lue, Kuang Yeu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20120299084
    Abstract: To improve the electric performance and reliability of a semiconductor device. A memory gate electrode of a split gate type nonvolatile memory is a metal gate electrode formed from a stacked film of a metal film 6a and a silicon film 6b over the metal film 6a. In an upper end part of the metal film 6a, a metal oxide portion 17 is formed by oxidation of a part of the metal film 6a. A control gate electrode of the split gate type nonvolatile memory is a metal gate electrode formed from a stacked film of a metal film 4a and the silicon film 4b over the metal film 4a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Kentaro SAITO, Kazumasa YANAGISAWA, Yasushi ISHII, Koichi TOBA
  • Publication number: 20120299086
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device are provided. The method includes alternately stacking first material layers and second material layers on a substrate to form a stacked structure, forming a through hole penetrating the stacked structure, forming a data storage layer on a sidewall of the through hole, forming a semiconductor pattern electrically connected to the substrate on an inner sidewall of the data storage layer, etching an upper portion of the data storage layer to form a first recessed region exposing an outer sidewall of the semiconductor pattern, and forming a first conductive layer in the first recessed region. Related devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventor: Jaegoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20120299085
    Abstract: A select transistor for use in a memory device including a plurality of memory transistors connected in series includes a tunnel insulating layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a charge storage layer formed on the tunnel insulating layer, a blocking insulating layer formed on the charge storage layer and configured to be irradiated with a gas cluster ion beam containing argon as source gas, a gate electrode formed on the blocking insulating layer, and a source/drain region formed within the semiconductor substrate at both sides of the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Yoshitsugu TANAKA