With Floating Gate (epo) Patents (Class 257/E29.3)
  • Patent number: 8803218
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a floating gate formed over a semiconductor substrate, an insulator formed on a first sidewall of the floating gate, a dielectric layer formed on a second sidewall and an upper surface of the floating gate, and a control gate formed over the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Nam-Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 8791522
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A first oxide layer having a protrusion is formed on a substrate. A pair of doped regions is formed in the substrate at two sides of the protrusion. A pair of charge storage spacers is formed on the sidewalls of the protrusion. A second oxide layer is formed on the first oxide layer and the charge storage spacers. A conductive layer is formed on the second oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Chieh Cheng, Shih-Guei Yan, Cheng-Hsien Cheng, Wen-Jer Tsai
  • Patent number: 8791520
    Abstract: Provided are nonvolatile memory devices and a method of forming the same. A tunnel insulating pattern is provided on a substrate, and a floating gate is provided on the tunnel insulating pattern. A floating gate cap having a charge trap site is provided on the floating gate, and a gate dielectric pattern is provided on the floating gate cap. A control gate is provided on the gate dielectric pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaeduk Lee, Albert Fayrushin, ByungKyu Cho, Jungdal Choi, Sunghoi Hur, Kwang Soo Seol, Dohyun Lee
  • Patent number: 8786003
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a substrate; a memory unit provided on the substrate; and a non-memory unit provided on the substrate. The memory unit includes: a first stacked body including a plurality of first electrode films and a first inter-electrode insulating film, the plurality of first electrode films being stacked along a first axis perpendicular to the major surface, the first inter-electrode insulating film being provided between two of the first electrode films mutually adjacent along the first axis; a first semiconductor layer opposing side surfaces of the first electrode films; a first memory film provided between the first semiconductor layer and the first electrode films; and a first conductive film provided on the first stacked body apart from the first stacked body. The non-memory unit includes a resistance element unit of the same layer as the conductive film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masao Iwase, Hiroyasu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8772856
    Abstract: Memory cells formed to include a charge storage node having conductive nanodots over a charge storage material are useful in non-volatile memory devices and electronic systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 8772857
    Abstract: A vertical memory device includes a channel, a ground selection line (GSL), word lines and a string selection line (SSL). The channel extends in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a top surface of a substrate, and a thickness of the channel is different according to height. The GSL, the word lines and the SSL are sequentially formed on a sidewall of the channel in the first direction and spaced apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byeong-In Choe, Jae-Hoon Jang, Sun-Il Shim, Han-Soo Kim, Jin-Man Han
  • Patent number: 8765538
    Abstract: Provided are three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices and methods of forming the same. The device includes a substrate, conductive patterns stacked on the substrate, and an active pattern penetrating the conductive patterns to be connected to the substrate. The active pattern may include a first doped region provided in an upper portion of the active pattern, and a diffusion-resistant doped region overlapped with at least a portion of the first doped region. The diffusion-resistant doped region may be a region doped with carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bio Kim, Kihyun Hwang, Jaeyoung Ahn, SeungHyun Lim, Dongwoo Kim
  • Patent number: 8766350
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment, includes a plurality of gate structures; a first dielectric film; and a second dielectric film. The first dielectric film crosslinks adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures so as to form a cavity each above and below in a position between the adjacent gate structures. The second dielectric film is formed as if to cover the cavity above the first dielectric film between the adjacent gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Osamu Arisumi, Toshihiko Iinuma
  • Patent number: 8759915
    Abstract: Semiconductor device formed by a first conductive strip of semiconductor material; a control gate region of semiconductor material, facing a channel portion of the first conductive strip, and an insulation region arranged between the first conductive strip and the control gate region. The first conductive strip includes a conduction line having a first conductivity type and a control line having a second conductivity type, arranged adjacent and in electrical contact with each other, and the conduction line forms the channel portion, a first conduction portion and a second conduction portion arranged on opposite sides of the channel portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Rolandi, Cristiano Calligaro, Luigi Pascucci
  • Patent number: 8759898
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory including at least first and second memory cells each including a storage MOS transistor with dual gates and an insulation layer provided between the two gates. The insulation layer of the storage transistor of the second memory cell includes at least one portion that is less insulating than the insulation layer of the storage transistor of the first memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Fornara
  • Patent number: 8759894
    Abstract: A memory device is provided including a substrate. A first dielectric layer is formed over the substrate. An isolation trench is formed in a portion of the substrate and the first dielectric layer. At least two charge storage elements are formed over the first dielectric layer on opposite sides of the isolation trench. A second dielectric layer is formed over the at least two charge storage elements. A control gate layer is formed over the second dielectric layer, where the isolation trench has a width suitable for reducing cross-coupling noise of charge storage elements, and where the at least two charge storage elements have a height suitable for providing sufficient gate coupling between the at least two charge storage elements and the control gate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignees: Spansion LLC, Globalfoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Yider Wu, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Unsoon Kim, Angela T. Hui
  • Patent number: 8754465
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a tunnel insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a first floating gate electrode on the tunnel insulating film, an inter-floating gate insulating film on the first floating gate electrode, a second floating gate electrode on the inter-floating gate insulating film, an inter-electrode insulating film on the second floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode on the inter-electrode insulating film. The inter-floating gate insulating film includes a main insulating film, and a first fixed charge layer between the main insulating film and the second floating gate electrode and having negative fixed charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Motoyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 8754485
    Abstract: A 3-dimensional (3-D) non-volatile memory device includes a first channel protruding from a substrate, a selection gate formed on sidewalls of the first channel and in an L shape, and a gate insulating layer interposed between the first channel and the selection gate and surrounding the first channel. A method of manufacturing a 3-D non-volatile memory device includes forming first channels protruding from a substrate, forming a first gate insulating layer surrounding the first channels, and forming first selection gates having an L shape on sidewalls of the first channels on which the first gate insulating layers are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Ki Hong Lee, Seung Ho Pyi, Sung Chul Shin
  • Patent number: 8748966
    Abstract: A three dimensional non-volatile memory structure includes a plurality of interlayer dielectric layers and a plurality of control gates alternately stacked over a substrate, a channel formed to penetrate the plurality of interlayer dielectric layers and the plurality of control gates, a tunnel insulating layer formed to surround the channel, a plurality of floating gates disposed between the plurality of interlayer dielectric layers and the tunnel insulating layer, wherein the plurality of floating gates each have a thickness greater than a corresponding one of the interlayer dielectric layers, and a charge blocking layer disposed between the plurality of control gates and the plurality of floating gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Jin Whang, Kwon Hong, Ki Hong Lee
  • Patent number: 8748964
    Abstract: Memory cells including a charge storage structure having a gettering agent therein can be useful for non-volatile memory devices. Providing for gettering of oxygen from a charge-storage material of the charge storage structure can facilitate a mitigation of detrimental oxidation of the charge-storage material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rhett T. Brewer, Durai V. Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 8750044
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3-D) nonvolatile memory device includes channel layers protruded from a substrate, word line structures configured to include word lines stacked over the substrate, first junctions and second junctions formed in the substrate between the word line structures adjacent to each other, source lines coupled to the first junctions, respectively, and well pickup lines coupled to the second junctions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Eun Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 8748965
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell transistor obtained by sequentially stacking the gate insulation film, the floating gate electrode, the interelectrode insulation film, and the control gate electrode over the channel semiconductor layer. The control gate electrode has a structure obtained by sequentially stacking the semiconductor film, the silicide phase-change suppressing layer, and the silicide film. In addition, the silicide phase-change suppressing layer includes a polycrystalline silicon film in which at least one of C, F, and N is doped in a concentration range of 1×1020 to 5×1021 [atom/cm3].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Satoshi Nagashima, Junya Fujita, Hideyuki Yamawaki, Masahiro Kiyotoshi, Hisataka Meguro
  • Patent number: 8750041
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory including one or more EEPROM cell pairs. Each EEPROM cell pair includes three transistors and stores two data bits, effectively providing a 1.5 transistor EEPROM cell. An EEPROM cell pair includes a first non-volatile memory transistor connected to a first bit line, a second non-volatile memory transistor connected to a second bit line, and a source access transistor coupled to common source line. The source access transistor includes: a first diffusion region continuous with a source region of the first non-volatile memory transistor and a second diffusion region continuous with a source region of the second non-volatile memory transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Sorin S. Georgescu, A. Peter Cosmin, George Smarandoiu
  • Patent number: 8735958
    Abstract: A blocking semiconductor layer minimizes penetration of implant species into a semiconductor layer beneath the blocking semiconductor layer. The blocking semiconductor layer may have grains with relatively fine or small grain sizes and/or may have a dopant in a relatively low concentration to minimize penetration of implant species into the semiconductor layer beneath the blocking semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Ling Chiang, Wen-Ming Chang, Chun-Ming Cheng, Ling-Wuu Yang, Kuang-Chao Chen
  • Patent number: 8736069
    Abstract: A method is provided for use with an IC device including a stack including a plurality of conductive layers interleaved with a plurality of dielectric layers, for forming interlayer connectors extending from a connector surface to respective conductive layers. The method forms landing areas on the plurality of conductive layers in the stack. The landing areas are without overlying conductive layers in the stack. The method forms etch stop layers over corresponding landing areas. The etch stop layers have thicknesses that correlate with depths of the corresponding landing areas. The method fills over the landing areas and the etch stop layers with a dielectric fill material. Using a patterned etching process, the method forms a plurality of vias extending through the dielectric fill material and the etch stop layers to the landing areas in the plurality of conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiajung Chiu, Guanru Lee
  • Patent number: 8735959
    Abstract: A device includes a substrate; a shallow trench isolation (STI) region located in the substrate, the STI region comprising an STI material, and further comprising a recess in the STI material, the recess having a bottom and sides; a floating gate, wherein a portion of the floating gate is located on a side of the recess in the STI region and is separated from the substrate by a portion of the STI material; and a gate dielectric layer located over the floating gate, and a control gate located over the gate dielectric layer, wherein a portion of the control gate is located in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Erwan Dornel
  • Patent number: 8735962
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a vertical channel layer protruding upward from a semiconductor substrate, a tunnel insulating layer covering a sidewall of the vertical channel layer, a plurality of floating gates separated from each other and stacked one upon another along the vertical channel layer, and surrounding the vertical channel layer with the tunnel insulating layer interposed therebetween, a plurality of control gates enclosing the plurality of floating gates, respectively, and an interlayer insulating layer provided between the plurality of control gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Jin Whang, Dong Sun Sheen, Seung Ho Pyi, Min Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8729620
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having excellent writing property and charge-retention property. A semiconductor layer including a channel forming region between a pair of impurity regions which are formed to be apart from each other is provided. In an upper layer portion thereof, a first insulating layer, a floating gate, a second insulating layer, and a control gate are provided. The floating gate has at least a two-layer structure, and a first layer in contact with the first insulating layer preferably has a band gap smaller than that of the semiconductor layer. Furthermore, by setting an energy level at the bottom of the conduction band of the floating gate lower than that of the channel forming region of the semiconductor layer, injectability of carriers and a charge-retention property can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yoshinobu Asami, Tamae Takano, Makoto Furuno
  • Patent number: 8716779
    Abstract: A flash memory device includes an active region, drain contacts, a source contact line, and source contacts. The active regions are formed on a substrate extend at least from a source region to a drain region of the substrate. The drain contacts are formed over the active regions in the drain region. The source contact line is formed in the source region of the semiconductor substrate. The source contact line intersects the active regions and is continuously line-shaped. The source contact line includes source contacts formed at locations where the source contact line and the active regions intersect. The source contacts are zigzag-shaped and are separated from corresponding drain contacts by a given distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Mi Hye Kim, Dong Sook Chang
  • Patent number: 8710573
    Abstract: It is made possible to provide a memory device that can be made very small in size and have a high capacity while being able to effectively suppress short-channel effects. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor layer formed above the semiconductor substrate so that the first insulating film is interposed between the semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate; a NAND cell having a plurality of memory cell transistors connected in series, each of the memory cell transistors having a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer, a floating gate formed on the gate insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the floating gate, and a control gate formed on the second insulating film; a source region having an impurity diffusion layer formed in one side of the NAND cell; and a drain region having a metal electrode formed in the other side of the NAND cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Kinoshita, Hiroshi Watanabe, Fumitaka Arai
  • Patent number: 8709892
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a flash memory device where the flash memory device includes a substantially uniform size and spatial distribution of nanoparticles on a tunnel oxide layer to form a floating gate. The flash memory device may be fabricated by defining active areas in a substrate and forming an oxide layer on the substrate. A self-assembled protein lattice may be formed on top of the oxide layer where the self-assembled protein lattice includes a plurality of molecular chaperones. The cavities of the chaperones may provide confined spaces where nanocrystals can be trapped thereby forming an ordered nanocrystal lattice. A substantially uniform distribution of nanocrystals may be formed on the oxide layer upon removal of the self-assembled protein lattice such as through high temperature annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Darpa
    Inventors: Chuanbin Mao, Shan Tang, Sanjay Banerjee
  • Patent number: 8698225
    Abstract: In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a method for manufacturing the device, each memory cell and its select Tr have the same gate insulating film as a Vcc Tr. Further, the gate electrodes of a Vpp Tr and Vcc Tr are realized by the use of a first polysilicon layer. A material such as salicide or a metal, which differs from second polysilicon (which forms a control gate layer), may be provided on the first polysilicon layer. With the above features, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device can be manufactured by reduced steps and be operated at high speed in a reliable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshitake Yaegashi, Kazuhiro Shimizu, Seiichi Aritome
  • Patent number: 8698223
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes contact structures and conductive wires formed over the contact structures and coupled to the respective contact structures. Part of each of the conductive wires crosses the contact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Woo Yung Jung
  • Patent number: 8698222
    Abstract: A memory device is described, including a tunnel dielectric layer over a substrate, a gate over the tunnel dielectric layer, at least one charge storage layer between the gate and the tunnel dielectric layer, two doped regions in the substrate beside the gate, and a word line that is disposed on and electrically connected to the gate and has a thickness greater than that of the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Guei Yan, Wen-Jer Tsai, Cheng-Hsien Cheng
  • Publication number: 20140097482
    Abstract: A NAND flash memory chip is made by forming sacrificial control gate structures and sacrificial select structures, and subsequently replacing these sacrificial structures with metal. Filler structures are formed between sacrificial control gate structures and are subsequently removed to form air gaps between neighboring control gate lines and between floating gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuya Tokunaga, Jongsun Sel, Marika Gunji-Yoneoka, Tuan Pham
  • Publication number: 20140097483
    Abstract: A 3-D Single Floating Gate Non-Volatile Memory (SFGNVM) device based on the 3-D fin Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) is disclosed. The disclosed Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) device consists of a pair of semiconductor fins and one floating metal gate. The floating metal gate for storing electrical charges to alter the threshold voltage of the fin MOSFET crosses over the pair of semiconductor fins on top of coupling and tunneling dielectrics above the surfaces of the two semiconductor fins. One semiconductor fin with the same type impurity forms the control gate of the non-volatile memory device. The other semiconductor fin is doped with opposite type of impurity in the channel regions under the metal floating gate and with the same type of impurity in the source and drain regions on the sides of the crossed metal floating gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: FLASHSILICON INCORPORATION
    Inventor: Lee WANG
  • Publication number: 20140097480
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a memory cell in accordance with various embodiments may include: forming at least one charge storing memory cell structure over a substrate, the charge storing memory cell structure having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall; forming an electrically conductive layer over the substrate and the charge storing memory cell structure; patterning the electrically conductive layer to form a spacer at the first sidewall and a blocking structure at the second sidewall of the charge storing memory cell structure; implanting first dopant atoms to form a first doped region in the substrate proximate the spacer, wherein the first dopant atoms are blocked by the blocking structure; removing the blocking structure after implanting the first dopant atoms; implanting second dopant atoms to form a second doped region in the substrate proximate the second sidewall of the charge storing memory cell structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Danny Shum, Christoph Bukethal, Martin Stiftinger, John Power
  • Patent number: 8692308
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer with a trench dug downward from its surface, a source region formed on a surface layer portion adjacent to a first side of the trench in a prescribed direction, a drain region formed on the surface layer portion, adjacent to a second side of the trench opposite to the first side in the prescribed direction, a first insulating film on the bottom surface and the side surface of the trench, a floating gate stacked on the first insulating film and opposed to the bottom surface and the side surface of the trench through the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the floating gate, and a control gate at least partially embedded in the trench so that the portion embedded in the trench is opposed to the floating gate through the second insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Izumi
  • Patent number: 8692309
    Abstract: In the trap type memory chip the withstanding voltage is raised up, and then the electric current for reading out is increased. There are formed on the p-type semiconductor substrate 1 a first gate lamination structure which comprises a first insulating film 11 including a trap layer, and a first conductive body 9, and a second gate lamination structure which comprises a second insulating film 12 free of a trap layer and including an insulating film layer 13 doped with metal for controlling the work function at least on the upper layer, and a second conductive body 10. A source drain region 2 and a source drain region 3 are formed such that the first gate lamination structure and the second gate lamination structure are interleaved therebetween. The effective work function of the second gate lamination structure is higher than that of the first gate lamination structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Terai
  • Publication number: 20140091381
    Abstract: Methods for preventing line collapse during the fabrication of NAND flash memory and other microelectronic devices that utilize closely spaced device structures with high aspect ratios are described. In some embodiments, one or more mechanical support structures may be provided to prevent the collapse of closely spaced device structures during fabrication. In one example, during fabrication of a NAND flash memory, one or more mechanical support structures may be set in place prior to performing a high aspect ratio word line etch for forming the NAND strings. The one or more mechanical support structures may comprise one or more fin supports that are arranged in a bit line direction. In another example, the one or more mechanical support structures may be developed during the word line etch for forming the NAND strings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: SANDISK 3D, LLC
    Inventor: Donovan Lee
  • Publication number: 20140091382
    Abstract: A memory device, and method of make same, having a substrate of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, first and second spaced-apart regions in the substrate of a second conductivity type, with a channel region in the substrate therebetween, a conductive floating gate over and insulated from the substrate, wherein the floating gate is disposed at least partially over the first region and a first portion of the channel region, a conductive second gate laterally adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate, wherein the second gate is disposed at least partially over and insulated from a second portion of the channel region, and a stressor region of embedded silicon carbide formed in the substrate underneath the second gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventors: Mandana Tadayoni, Nhan Do
  • Patent number: 8685826
    Abstract: A method for forming a nanocrystalline silicon structure for the manufacture of integrated circuit devices, e.g., memory, dynamic random access memory, flash memory, read only memory, microprocessors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a surface region. The method forms an insulating layer (e.g., silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride) overlying the surface region. In a specific embodiment, the method includes forming an amorphous silicon material of a determined thickness of less than twenty nanometers overlying the insulating layer using a chloro-silane species. The method includes subjecting the amorphous silicon material to a thermal treatment process to cause formation of a plurality of nanocrystalline silicon structures derived from the thickness of amorphous silicon material less than twenty nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventor: Mieno Fumitake
  • Patent number: 8686488
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, made of polysilicon containing a p-type impurity as a group XIII element, and having a lower film and an upper film stacked on the lower film, an inter-electrode insulating film formed on the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode formed on the inter-electrode insulating film. One of a concentration and an activation concentration of the p-type impurity in the upper film is higher than one of a concentration and an activation concentration of the p-type impurity in the lower film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaki Kondo, Nobutoshi Aoki, Takashi Izumida, Tomomi Yoda
  • Publication number: 20140085984
    Abstract: A memory device includes an N-channel transistor and a P-channel transistor. A word line is electrically connected to a drain terminal of the N-channel transistor, and a source terminal of the P-channel transistor. A first bit line is electrically connected to a source terminal of the N-channel transistor. A second bit line is electrically connected to a drain terminal of the P-channel transistor. Gate terminals of the N-channel transistor and the P-channel transistor are electrically connected and floating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Te-Liang Lee, Chin-Yuan Ko, Ming-Yih Wang
  • Publication number: 20140084354
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing non-volatile memory devices including peripheral transistors with reduced and less variable gate resistance are described. In some embodiments, a NAND-type flash memory may include floating-gate transistors and peripheral transistors (or non-floating-gate transistors). The peripheral transistors may include select gate transistors (e.g., drain-side select gates and/or source-side select gates) and/or logic transistors that reside outside of a memory array region. A floating-gate transistor may include a floating gate of a first conductivity type (e.g., n-type) and a control gate including a lower portion of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type (e.g., p-type). A peripheral transistor may include a gate including a first layer of the first conductivity type, a second layer of the second conductivity type, and a cutout region including one or more sidewall diffusion barriers that extends through the second layer and a portion of the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Kenji Sato
  • Patent number: 8674427
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and a method of manufacturing thereof are provided. The method includes forming a floating gate on a substrate, forming a dielectric layer to conform to a shape of the floating gate, forming a conductive layer to form a control gate on the substrate, the control gate covering the floating gate and the dielectric layer, forming a photoresist pattern on one side of the conductive layer, forming the control gate in the form of a spacer to surround sides of the floating gate, the forming of the control gate including performing an etch-back on the conductive layer until a portion of the dielectric layer on the floating gate is exposed, and forming a poly pad, to which a plurality of contact plugs are connected, on one side of the control gate, the forming of the poly pad including removing the photoresist pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Magnachip Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-ho Cho, Jung-goo Park, Min-wan Chu, Doo-yeol Ryu
  • Patent number: 8674414
    Abstract: Provided are three-dimensional nonvolatile memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The memory devices include semiconductor pillars penetrating interlayer insulating layers and conductive layers alternately stacked on a substrate and electrically connected to the substrate and floating gates selectively interposed between the semiconductor pillars and the conductive layers. The floating gates are formed in recesses in the conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byoungkeun Son, Hansoo Kim, Jinho Kim, Kihyun Kim
  • Patent number: 8674424
    Abstract: A memory device is described, including a gate over a substrate, a gate dielectric between the gate and the substrate, and two charge storage layers. The width of the gate is greater than that of the gate dielectric, so that two gaps are present at both sides of the gate dielectric and between the gate and the substrate. Each charge storage layer includes a body portion in one of the gaps, a first extension portion connected with the body portion and protruding out of the corresponding sidewall of the gate, and a second extension portion connected to the first extension portion and extending along the sidewall of the gate, wherein the edge of the first extension portion protrudes from the sidewall of the second extension portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Guei Yan, Wen-Jer Tsai, Chih-Chieh Cheng
  • Patent number: 8669607
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-volatile memory cells with increased programming efficiency. An apparatus is disclosed that includes a control gate formed over a portion of a floating gate formed over a semiconductor substrate. The control gate includes a source side sidewall spacer adjacent a source region in the semiconductor substrate and a drain side sidewall spacer, the floating gate having an upper surface portion adjacent the source region that is not covered by the control gate; an inter-poly dielectric over the source side sidewall spacer and the upper surface of the floating gate adjacent the source region; and an erase gate formed over the source region and overlying the inter-poly dielectric, and adjacent the source side sidewall of the control gate, the erase gate overlying at least a portion of the upper surface of the floating gate adjacent the source region. Methods for forming the apparatus are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Shiuan Tsair, Wen-Ting Chu, Po-Wei Liu, Wen-Tuo Huang, Yu-Hsiang Yang, Chieh-Fei Chiu, Yu-Ling Hsu
  • Patent number: 8664711
    Abstract: A method of forming a device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate and forming a device layer on the substrate having a formed thickness TFD. A capping layer is formed on the substrate having a formed thickness TFC. Forming the capping layer consumes a desired amount of the device layer to cause the thickness of the device layer to be about the target thickness TTD. The thickness of the capping layer is adjusted from TFC to about a target thickness TTC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Mun Jung, Swee Tuck Woo, Sanford Chu, Liang Choo Hsia
  • Patent number: 8664712
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flash memory cell having a FET transistor with a floating gate on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate composed of a thin film of semiconductor material separated from a base substrate by an insulating buried oxide (BOX) layer, The transistor has in the thin film, a channel, with two control gates, a front control gate located above the floating gate and separated from it by an inter-gate dielectric, and a back control gate located within the base substrate directly under the insulating (BOX) layer and separated from the channel by only the insulating (BOX) layer. The two control gates are designed to be used in combination to perform a cell programming operation. The invention also relates to a memory array made up of a plurality of memory cells according to the first aspect of the invention, which can be in an array of rows and columns, and a method of fabricating such memory cells and memory arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Carlos Mazure, Richard Ferrant
  • Patent number: 8664708
    Abstract: A method of forming a device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with a cell area and forming first and second gates of first and second transistors in the cell area. The first gate includes a second sub-gate surrounding a first sub-gate. The first and second sub-gates of the first gate are separated by a first intergate dielectric layer. The second gate includes a second sub-gate surrounding a first sub-gate. The first and second sub-gates of the second gate are separated by a second intergate dielectric layer. The method also includes forming first and second junctions of the first and second transistors. A first gate terminal is formed and coupled to the second sub-gate of the first transistor. A second gate terminal is formed and coupled to at least the first sub-gate of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Mun Jung, Kian Hong Lim, Jianbo Yang, Swee Tuck Woo, Sanford Chu
  • Patent number: 8664640
    Abstract: A memory device can include an active layer that has a selectable lateral conductivity. The layer can include a plurality of nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Moungi G. Bawendi, Vladimir Bulović, Seth A. Coe-Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8664710
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The non-volatile memory includes a gate dielectric layer, a floating gate, a control gate, an inter-gate dielectric structure and two doped regions. The gate dielectric layer is disposed on a substrate. The floating gate is disposed on the gate dielectric layer. The control gate is disposed on the floating gate. The inter-gate dielectric structure is disposed between the control gate and the floating gate. The inter-gate dielectric structure includes a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer and a charged nitride layer. The first oxide layer is disposed on the floating gate. The second oxide layer is disposed on the first oxide layer. The charged nitride layer is disposed between the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer. The doped regions are disposed in the substrate at two sides of the floating gate, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shaw-Hung Ku, Chi-Pei Lu, Chun-Lien Su
  • Publication number: 20140054667
    Abstract: A memory device having a substrate of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, first and second spaced-apart regions in the substrate of a second conductivity type, with a channel region in the substrate therebetween, a conductive floating gate over and insulated from the substrate, wherein the floating gate is disposed at least partially over the first region and a first portion of the channel region, a conductive second gate laterally adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate, wherein the second gate is disposed at least partially over and insulated from a second portion of the channel region, and wherein at least a portion of the channel region first portion is of the second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventor: Yuri Tkachev