Multiple Interelectrode Dielectrics Or Nonsilicon Compound Gate Insulator Patents (Class 438/261)
  • Patent number: 7745278
    Abstract: A method of forming a CMOS structure, and the device produced therefrom, having improved threshold voltage and flatband voltage stability. The inventive method includes the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate having an nFET region and a pFET region; forming a dielectric stack atop the semiconductor substrate comprising an insulating interlayer atop a high k dielectric; removing the insulating interlayer from the nFET region without removing the insulating interlayer from the pFET region; and providing at least one gate stack in the pFET region and at least one gate stack in the nFET region. The insulating interlayer can be AlN or AlOxNy. The high k dielectric can be HfO2, hafnium silicate or hafnium silicon oxynitride. The insulating interlayer can be removed from the nFET region by a wet etch including a HCl/H2O2 peroxide solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nestor A. Bojarczuk, Jr., Cyril Cabral, Jr., Eduard A. Cartier, Matthew W. Copel, Martin M. Frank, Evgeni P. Gousev, Supratik Guha, Rajarao Jammy, Vijay Narayanan, Vamsi K. Paruchuri
  • Patent number: 7745276
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a SiC semiconductor device includes: preparing a SiC substrate having a (11-20)-orientation surface; forming a drift layer on the substrate; forming a base region in the drift layer; forming a first conductivity type region in the base region; forming a channel region on the base region to couple between the drift layer and the first conductivity type region; forming a gate insulating film on the channel region; forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film; forming a first electrode to electrically connect to the first conductivity type region; and forming a second electrode on a backside of the substrate. The device controls current between the first and second electrodes by controlling the channel region. The forming the base region includes epitaxially forming a lower part of the base region on the drift layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Okuno, Hiroki Nakamura, Naohiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100155805
    Abstract: There is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, including, a tunnel insulator, a floating gate electrode including a first floating gate electrode and a second floating gate electrode being constituted with a nondegenerate state semiconductor, an intergate insulating film formed to cover at least continuously an upper and a portion of a side surface of the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode in order, and an isolation insulating film, a lower portion of the isolation insulating film being embedded in the semiconductor substrate in both sides of the floating gate electrode along a channel width direction, an upper portion of the isolation insulating film contacting with a side surface of the first floating gate electrode and protruding to a level between an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and an upper surface of the first floating gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventor: Yoshio OZAWA
  • Patent number: 7741177
    Abstract: A method of providing a memory cell comprises providing a semiconductor substrate including a body of a first conductivity type, first and second regions of a second conductivity type and a channel between the first and second regions; arranging a first insulator layer adjacent to the substrate; arranging a charge storage region adjacent to the first insulator layer; arranging a second insulator layer adjacent to the charge storage region; arranging a first conductive region adjacent to the second insulator layer; arranging a layer adjacent to the first conductive region; arranging a second conductive region adjacent to the layer; and increasing mechanical stress of at least one of the first and second conductive regions. The second conductive region overlaps the first conductive region at an overlap surface, and wherein a line perpendicular to the overlap surface intersects at least a portion of the charge storage region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Chih-Hsin Wang
  • Publication number: 20100140682
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a tunnel insulating layer, a charge storage layer and a charge block layer are formed on a silicon substrate in this order, and a plurality of control gate electrodes are provided above the charge block layer. Moreover, a cap layer made of silicon nitride is formed between the charge block layer and each of the control gate electrode, the cap layer being divided for each gate control electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Isao KAMIOKA, Yoshio OZAWA, Katsuyuki SEKINE
  • Publication number: 20100140686
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory which includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of memory cells, and a plurality of active regions disposed in the substrate between adjacent ones of the memory cells. At least two contact electrodes are disposed between adjacent ones of the memory cells and each being connected to one of the active regions, and a contact member is connected to one of the contact electrodes and extending over a gate electrode of a memory cell disposed adjacent to the one contact electrode. Faults can be detected in the memory cells due to particles located between the various insulator and electrode layers in the gate electrode structure, or between the substrate and the gate insulator of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Daisuke Arizono
  • Patent number: 7728380
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a semiconductor device. In embodiments, a semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate having isolation layers and a well region, a gate electrode formed within a trench having a predetermined depth in the well region, source/drain regions formed at both sides of the trench, respectively, an interlayer dielectric layer formed on the semiconductor substrate to have predetermined contact holes, and metal interconnections formed within the contact holes, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jae Hwan Shim
  • Patent number: 7723186
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for fabricating memory with metal nanodots as charge-storing elements. In an example approach, a coupling layer such as an amino functional silane group is provided on a gate oxide layer on a substrate. The substrate is dip coated in a colloidal solution having metal nanodots, causing the nanodots to attach to sites in the coupling layer. The coupling layer is then dissolved such as by rinsing or nitrogen blow drying, leaving the nanodots on the gate oxide layer. The nanodots react with the coupling layer and become negatively charged and arranged in a uniform monolayer, repelling a deposition of an additional monolayer of nanodots. In a configuration using a control gate over a high-k dielectric floating gate which includes the nanodots, the control gates may be separated by etching while the floating gate dielectric extends uninterrupted since the nanodots are electrically isolated from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Sandisk Corporation
    Inventors: Vinod Robert Purayath, George Matamis, Takashi Orimoto, James Kai, Tuan D. Pham
  • Publication number: 20100124118
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory structure with pairs of serially connected threshold voltage adjustable select transistors connected to the top and optionally to the bottom of NAND series strings of groups of the dual-sided charge-trapping nonvolatile memory cells for controlling connection of the NAND series string to an associated bit line. A first of the threshold voltage adjustable select transistors has its threshold voltage level adjusted to a first threshold voltage level and a second of the threshold voltage adjustable select transistors adjusted to a second threshold voltage level. The pair of serially connected threshold voltage adjustable select transistors is connected to a first of two associated bit lines. The NAND nonvolatile memory strings further is connected to a pair of serially connected threshold voltage adjustable bottom select transistors that is connected to the second associated bit line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Peter Wung Lee, Fu-Chang Hsu
  • Publication number: 20100123183
    Abstract: A technique capable of improving the memory retention characteristics of a non-volatile memory is provided. In particular, a technique of fabricating a non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided capable of enhancing the film quality of a silicon oxide film even when a silicon oxide film as a first potential barrier film is formed with a plasma oxidation method to improve the memory retention characteristics of the non-volatile memory. After a silicon oxide film, which is a main component of a first potential barrier film, is formed with a plasma oxidation method, plasma nitridation at a high temperature and a heat treatment in an atmosphere containing nitric oxide are performed in combination, thereby forming a silicon oxynitride film on the surface of the silicon oxide film, and segregating nitrogen to an interface between the silicon oxide film and a semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko YAMAMOTO, Tadashi Terasaki, Yoshiki Yonamoto, Hirotaka Hamamura
  • Patent number: 7719050
    Abstract: A memory cell comprises a body of a semiconductor material having a first conductivity type. A conductor-filter system includes a first conductor having thermal charge carriers, and a filter contacting the first conductor and including dielectrics for providing a filtering function on the charge carriers of one polarity. The filter includes a first set of electrically alterable potential barriers. A conductor-insulator system includes a second conductor and a first insulator contacting the second conductor at an interface and having a second set of electrically alterable potential barriers. A first region is spaced-apart from the second conductor. A channel of the body is defined therebetween. A second insulator is adjacent to the first region. A charge storage region is disposed in between the first and the second insulators. A word-line has a first portion and a second portion comprising the first conductor disposed over and insulated from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Inventor: Chih-Hsin Wang
  • Patent number: 7718491
    Abstract: A NAND based memory device uses inversion bit lines in order to eliminate the need for implanted bit lines. As a result, the cell size can be reduced, which can provide greater densities in smaller packaging. In another aspect, a method for fabricating a NAND based memory device that uses inversion bit lines is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chao-I Wu
  • Publication number: 20100117136
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells formed on a semiconductor substrate, each memory cell including source and drain regions separately formed on a surface portion of the substrate, buried insulating films formed in portions of the substrate that lie under the source and drain regions and each having a dielectric constant smaller than that of the substrate, a tunnel insulating film formed on a channel region formed between the source and drain regions, a charge storage layer formed of a dielectric body on the tunnel insulating film, a block insulating film formed on the charge storage layer, and a control gate electrode formed on the block insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: Naoki YASUDA
  • Publication number: 20100112769
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device, and a method of manufacturing thereof, the device includes a substrate of single-crystal semiconductor material extending in a horizontal direction and a plurality of interlayer dielectric layers on the substrate. A plurality of gate patterns are provided, each gate pattern being between a neighboring lower interlayer dielectric layer and a neighboring upper interlayer dielectric layer. A vertical channel of single-crystal semiconductor material extends in a vertical direction through the plurality of interlayer dielectric layers and the plurality to of gate patterns, a gate insulating layer being between each gate pattern and the vertical channel that insulates the gate pattern from the vertical channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong-Hoon Son, Jong-Wook Lee
  • Publication number: 20100112768
    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: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Hak-Sun LEE, Kyoung-Sub Shin
  • Patent number: 7709308
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same. The device is disposed on a substrate, including a fin constructed with first and second sidewalls, a first gate line formed in the pattern of spacer on the first sidewall of the fin, and a second gate line formed in the pattern of spacer on the second sidewall of the fin. First and second impurity regions are disposed in the fin. The first and second impurity regions are isolated from each other and define a channel region in the fin between the first and second gate lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Woo Oh, Ki-Whan Song
  • Patent number: 7709316
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a gate structure is provided. First, a sacrificial oxide layer is formed on a substrate. A nitridation treatment process is performed to redistribute the nitrogen atoms in the sacrificial layer and the substrate. Next, the sacrificial oxide layer is removed. A re-oxidation process is performed to produce an interface layer on the surface of the substrate. A high K (dielectric constant) gate dielectric layer, a barrier layer and a metal layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. The metal layer, the barrier layer, the high K gate dielectric layer and the interface layer are defined to form a stacked gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Yun-Ren Wang, Ying-Wei Yen, Shu-Yen Chan, Kuo-Tai Huang
  • Patent number: 7709325
    Abstract: The present invention in one embodiment provides a method of forming an electrode that includes the steps of providing at least one metal stud in a layer of an interlevel dielectric material; forming a pillar of a first dielectric material atop the at least one metal stud; depositing an electrically conductive material atop the layer of the interlevel dielectric material and an exterior surface of the pillar, wherein a portion of the electrically conductive material is in electrical communication with the at least one metal stud; forming a layer of a second dielectric material atop the electrically conductive material and the substrate; and planarizing the layer of the second dielectric material to expose an upper surface of the electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric A. Joseph, Chung H. Lam, Alejandro G. Schrott
  • Patent number: 7709334
    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 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Erh-Kun Lai, Hang-Ting Lue, Kuang-Yeu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20100102375
    Abstract: This semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate with a first impurity type; a plurality of active areas formed in the semiconductor substrate; an element isolation trench including a first trench part and a second trench part surrounding the plurality of active areas, the first trench part being extended from a surface of the semiconductor substrate to a depth direction, the second trench part being extended from the center of a bottom surface of the first trench part to the depth direction with a narrower width than the width of the first trench part in a width direction; an element isolation insulator film filled in the element isolation trench; a gate electrode formed on the plurality of active areas via a gate insulator film; a plurality of diffusion layers with a second impurity type formed in a surface of the plurality of active areas, the plurality of diffusion layers being located on each side of the element isolation trench and separated each other on each side of the gate electrode; an
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Takashi AOI
  • Publication number: 20100105179
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flash memory device is capable of controlling a phenomenon in which a length of the channel between a source and a drain is decreased due to undercut. The method includes forming a gate electrode comprising a floating gate, an ONO film and a control gate using a hard mask pattern over a semiconductor substrate, forming a spacer over the sidewall of the gate electrode, forming an low temperature oxide (LTO) film over the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate including the gate electrode and the spacer, etching the LTO film such that a top portion of the source/drain region and a top portion of the gate electrode are exposed, and removing the LTO film present over the sidewall of the gate electrode by wet-etching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventor: Chung-Kyung Jung
  • Publication number: 20100105178
    Abstract: Provided may be a method of fabricating a flash memory device having metal nano particles. The method of manufacturing a flash memory device may include forming a metal oxide thin layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a floating gate of an amorphous metal silicon oxide thin layer by performing a thermal treatment process on the semiconductor substrate where the metal oxide thin layer is formed, and forming metal nano particles in the floating gate by projecting an electron beam on the floating gate, the metal nano particles being surrounded by a silicon oxide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Tae-Whan Kim, Jae-Hun Jung, Jae-Won Shin, Jeong-Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 7704829
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and method for fabricating the same are provided. The nonvolatile memory device includes an active region; a source region formed in the active region; a source line formed on the source region and electrically connected with the source region, to cross over the active region; word lines aligned at each sidewall of the source line to cross over the active region in parallel with the source line; and a charge storage layer interposed between the word lines and the active region. Since the word lines are formed at both sides of the source line using an anisotropic etch-back process, without photolithography, the area of a unit cell can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang Bum Lee
  • Patent number: 7700438
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for non-volatile semiconductor devices. The apparatus comprises a substrate having therein a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region extending to a first surface of the substrate, and a multilayered gate structure containing nano-crystals located above the channel region. The gate structure comprises, a gate dielectric substantially in contact with the channel region, spaced-apart nano-crystals disposed in the gate dielectric, one or more impurity blocking layers overlying the gate dielectric and a gate conductor layer overlying the one more impurity blocking layers. The blocking layer nearest the gate conductor can also be used to adjust the threshold voltage of the device and/or retard dopant out-diffusion from the gate conductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Li Liu, Tushar P. Merchant, Marius K. Orlowski, Matthew W. Stoker
  • Publication number: 20100093143
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of memory cell transistors aligned in a predetermined direction on the semiconductor substrate, each memory cell transistor provided with a first gate electrode including a floating gate electrode comprising a polycrystalline silicon layer of a first thickness, a control gate electrode provided above the floating gate electrode, and an inter-gate insulating film between the floating and the control gate electrode; a pair of select gate transistors on the semiconductor substrate with a pair of second gate electrodes neighboring in alignment with the first gate electrode, each second gate electrode including a lower-layer gate electrode comprising the polycrystalline silicon layer of the first thickness, an upper-layer gate electrode provided above the lower-layer gate electrode; a polyplug of the first thickness situated between the second gate electrodes of the pair of select gate transistors; and a metal plug provided on the polyplug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yugo IDE, Minori Kajimoto
  • Publication number: 20100093142
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a device is described. A substrate having at least two isolation structures is provided. A first oxide layer and a first conductive layer are sequentially formed on the substrate between the isolation structures. A first nitridation process is performed to form a first nitride layer on the surface of the first conductive layer and a first oxynitride layer on the surface of the isolation structures. A second oxide layer is formed on the first nitride layer and first oxynitride layer. A densification process is performed to oxidize the first oxynitride layer on the surface of the isolation structures. A second nitride layer and a third oxide layer are sequentially formed on the second oxide layer. A second nitridation process is performed to form a third nitride layer on the surface of the third oxide layer. A second conductive layer is formed on the third nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: POWERCHIP SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Ching-Yuan Ho, Hirotake Fujita, Po-Jui Chiang
  • Patent number: 7691709
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a flash memory includes forming a first oxide film over a semiconductor substrate, forming a metal film over the first oxide film, forming a photoresist pattern on the metal film, etching the metal film using the photoresist pattern as a mask and forming a metal film pattern, forming a second oxide film overlying the metal film pattern, and heat-treating the first and second oxide films at high temperature and processing the metal film pattern using metal oxide crystallization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Hye-Sung Lee
  • Patent number: 7687387
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes depositing first to third mask layers above a substrate, processing the third mask layer, processing the second mask layer, slimming the second mask layer in an L/S section and out of the L/S section, peeling the third mask layer in the L/S section and out of the L/S section, forming spacers on sidewalls of the second mask layer in the L/S section and out of the L/S section, etching the second mask layer in the L/S section, under a condition that the second mask layer out of the L/S section is covered with a resist, to remove the second mask layer in the L/S section while the second mask layer out of the L/S section remains, and processing the first mask layer by etching, using the spacers in the L/S section and out of the L/S section and the second mask layer out of the L/S section as a mask, the spacers in the L/S section and out of the L/S section and the second mask layer out of the L/S section be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Jungo Inaba, Daina Inoue, Mutsumi Okajima
  • Patent number: 7682905
    Abstract: A method of forming a sub-lithographic charge storage element on a semiconductor substrate is provided. The method can involve providing first and second layers on a semiconductor substrate, a thickness of the first layer being larger than a thickness of the second layer; forming a spacer adjacent a side surface of the first layer and on a portion of an upper surface of the second layer; and removing an exposed portion of the second layer that is not covered by the spacer. By removing the exposed portion of the second layer while leaving a portion of the second layer that is protected by the spacer, the method can make a sub-lithographic charge storage element from the remaining portion of the second layer on the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventor: Suketu Arun Parikh
  • Patent number: 7682899
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a charge storage layer formed on the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the charge storage layer, and a control electrode formed on the second insulating film, wherein forming the second insulating film comprises forming an insulating film containing silicon using source gas not containing chlorine, and forming an insulating film containing oxygen and a metal element on the insulating film containing silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Katsuaki Natori, Masayuki Tanaka, Akihito Yamamoto, Katsuyuki Sekine, Ryota Fujitsuka, Daisuke Nishida, Yoshio Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7682906
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a non-volatile memory device includes forming a tunnel isolation layer forming a tunnel isolation layer on a substrate, forming a conductive pattern on the tunnel isolation layer, forming a lower silicon oxide layer on the conductive pattern, treating a surface portion of the lower silicon oxide layer with a nitridation treatment to form a first silicon oxynitride layer on the lower silicon oxide layer, forming a metal oxide layer on the first silicon oxynitride layer, forming an upper silicon oxide layer on the metal oxide layer, and forming a conductive layer on the upper silicon oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Geun Park, Han-Mei Choi, Seung-Hwan Lee, Sun-Jung Kim, Se-Hoon Oh, Young-Sun Kim
  • Patent number: 7679128
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor substrate; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of first polycrystalline silicon layers formed on the gate insulating film and including recesses formed therebetween; an inter-gate insulating film formed along the recesses on the first polycrystalline silicon layers; a second polycrystalline silicon layer having an upper flat surface and formed directly on the inter-gate insulating film; an etch-stopping insulating film made from a material different from a material of the inter-gate insulating films and formed on the second polycrystalline silicon layers into a flat plate shape, the etch-stopping insulating film being located immediately above the recesses between the first polycrystalline silicon layers so as to cover the first polycrystalline silicon layers and the recesses between the first polycrystalline silicon layers; and a third polycrystalline silicon layer formed on the etch-stop
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kenji Matsuzaki
  • Publication number: 20100062595
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and a method of forming the nonvolatile memory device, the method including forming a tunnel insulating layer on a substrate, wherein forming the tunnel insulating layer includes forming a multi-element insulating layer by a process including sequentially supplying a first element source, a second element source, and a third element source to the substrate, forming a charge storage layer on the tunnel insulating layer, forming a blocking insulating layer on the charge storage layer, and forming a control gate electrode on the blocking insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Juwan Lim, Sungkweon Baek, Kwangmin Park, Seungjae Baik, Kihyun Hwang
  • Publication number: 20100059810
    Abstract: The present invention can realize a highly-integrated semiconductor device having a MONOS type nonvolatile memory cell equipped with a split gate structure without deteriorating the reliability of the device. A memory gate electrode of a memory nMIS has a height greater by from 20 to 100 nm than that of a select gate electrode of a select nMIS so that the width of a sidewall formed over one (side surface on the side of a source region) of the side surfaces of the memory gate electrode is adjusted to a width necessary for achieving desired disturb characteristics. In addition, a gate electrode of a peripheral second nMIS has a height not greater than the height of a select gate electrode of a select nMIS to reduce the width of a sidewall formed over the side surface of the gate electrode of the peripheral second nMIS so that a shared contact hole is prevented from being filled with the sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Takuro HOMMA, Yasushi Ishii, Kota Funayama
  • Publication number: 20100052042
    Abstract: The semiconductor memory device of the present invention includes a plurality of memory strings having a plurality of electrically reprogrammable memory cells connected in series, the memory strings having a column shaped semiconductor, a first insulation film formed around the column shaped semiconductor, a charge accumulation layer formed around the first insulation film, a second insulation film formed around the charge accumulation film and a plurality of electrodes formed around the second insulation film, a bit line connected to one end of the memory strings via a plurality of selection transistors, and a conducting layer extending in two dimensions and in which the plurality of electrodes of the memory strings and the plurality of electrodes of different memory strings are shared respectively, wherein each end part of the conducting layer is formed in step shapes in a direction parallel with the bit line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroyasu TANAKA, Ryota KATSUMATA, Hideaki AOCHI, Masaru KIDO, Masaru KITO, Mitsuru SATO
  • Patent number: 7670963
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a nonvolatile charge trap memory device is described. The method includes first forming a tunnel dielectric layer on a substrate in a first process chamber of a single-wafer cluster tool. A charge-trapping layer is then formed on the tunnel dielectric layer in a second process chamber of the single-wafer cluster tool. A top dielectric layer is then formed on the charge-trapping layer in the second or in a third process chamber of the single-wafer cluster tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corportion
    Inventors: Krishnaswamy Ramkumar, Sagy Levy
  • Patent number: 7671405
    Abstract: A method of forming at least a portion of a dual bit memory core array upon a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising performing front end processing, performing a first bitline implant, or pocket implants, or both into the first bitline spacings to establish buried first bitlines within the substrate, depositing a layer of the spacer material over the charge trapping dielectric and the polysilicon layer features, forming a sidewall spacer adjacent to the charge trapping dielectric and the polysilicon layer features to define second bitline spacings between adjacent memory cells, performing a deep arsenic implant into the second bitline spacings to establish a second bitline within the structure that is deeper than the first bit line, removing the sidewall spacers and performing back end processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Thurgate, Yi He, Ming-Sang Kwan, Zhizheng Liu, Xuguang Wang
  • Publication number: 20100044776
    Abstract: A multilayer body is formed by alternately stacking electrode films serving as control gates and dielectric films in a direction orthogonal to an upper surface of a silicon substrate. Trenches extending in the word line direction are formed in the multilayer body and a memory film is formed on an inner surface of the trench. Subsequently, a silicon body is buried inside the trench, and a charge storage film and the silicon body are divided in the word line direction to form silicon pillars. This simplifies the configuration of memory cells in the bit line direction, and hence can shorten the arrangement pitch of the silicon pillars, decreasing the area per memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Megumi Ishiduki, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Yosuke Komori, Masaru Kito, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20100047982
    Abstract: A flash NAND type EEPROM system with individual ones of an array of charge storage elements, such as floating gates, being capacitively coupled with at least two control gate lines. The control gate lines are preferably positioned between floating gates to be coupled with sidewalls of floating gates. The memory cell coupling ratio is desirably increased, as a result. Both control gate lines on opposite sides of a selected row of floating gates are usually raised to the same voltage while the second control gate lines coupled to unselected rows of floating gates immediately adjacent and on opposite sides of the selected row are kept low. The control gate lines can also be capacitively coupled with the substrate in order to selectively raise its voltage in the region of selected floating gates. The length of the floating gates and the thicknesses of the control gate lines can be made less than the minimum resolution element of the process by forming an etch mask of spacers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventor: Eliyahou Harari
  • Patent number: 7666740
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device that realizes a multi-bit cell and a method for manufacturing the same includes manufacturing the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device to be capable of storing multi-bit data, for example, 4-bit data, in a single memory cell and, as a result, the integration degree of a NOR type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-Oog Kim
  • Publication number: 20100038699
    Abstract: A stacked body is formed on a silicon substrate by stacking a plurality of insulating films and a plurality of electrode films alternately and through-holes are formed to extend in the stacking direction. Next, gaps are formed between the electrode films using etching the insulating films via the through-holes. Charge storage layers are formed along side faces of the through-holes and inner faces of the gaps, and silicon pillars are filled into the through-holes. Thereby, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device is manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Megumi Ishiduki, Yosuke Komori, Hideaki Aochi, Yasuyuki Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20100041192
    Abstract: A method for preparing a multi-level flash memory structure comprises the steps of forming a protrusion in a semiconductor substrate, forming a plurality of storage structures at the sides of the protrusion, forming a dielectric layer overlying the storage structures and the protrusion of the semiconductor substrate, forming a gate structure on the dielectric layer, and forming a plurality of diffusion regions at the sides of the protrusion. Each of the storage structures includes a charge-trapping site and an insulation structure isolating the charge-trapping site from the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: PROMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Lih Wei Lin, Wei Sheng Hsu
  • Publication number: 20100035395
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating memory are disclosed. For example, a method includes fabricating rows of memory cells on pillars separated by isolation regions therebetween. Each pillar has a pair of memory cells, each on an opposite side thereof. The method also includes fabricating control gates substantially between the rows of memory cells, each control gate to control half the cells of each of its adjacent rows of memory cells, and fabricating word lines for the array, the word lines extending substantially parallel to the control gates for the cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Roger W. Lindsay, Lyle Jones
  • Publication number: 20100029052
    Abstract: A method includes forming a silicon nitride layer and patterning it to form a first opening and a second opening separated by a first portion of silicon nitride. Gate material is deposited in the first and second openings to form first and second select gate structures in the first and second openings. Second and third portions of silicon nitride layer are removed adjacent to the first and second gate structures, respectively. A charge storage layer is formed over the semiconductor device after removing the second and third portions. First and second sidewall spacers of gate material are formed on the charge storage layer and adjacent to the first and second gate structures. The charge storage layer is etched using the first and second sidewall spacers as masks. The first portion is removed. A drain region is formed in the semiconductor layer between the first and second gate structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Sung-Taeg Kang, Jane A. Yater
  • Publication number: 20100025754
    Abstract: To improve characteristics of a semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory. There is provided a semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory cell that performs memory operations by transferring a charge to/from a charge storage film, wherein the nonvolatile memory cell includes a p well formed in a principal plane of a silicon substrate, and a memory gate electrode formed over the principal plane across the charge storage film, and wherein a memory channel region located beneath the charge storage film of the principal plane of the silicon substrate contains fluorine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi SHIBA
  • Patent number: 7651914
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including: providing a first insulating film and a silicon film on a semiconductor substrate; providing a fifth insulating film containing silicon and oxygen on the silicon film; providing a second insulating film containing silicon and nitrogen on the fifth insulating film; providing a third insulating film on the second insulating film, the third insulating film is composed of a single-layer insulating film containing oxygen or multiple-layer stacked insulating film at least whose films on a top layer and a bottom layer contain oxygen, and relative dielectric constant of the single-layer insulating film and the stacked insulating film being larger than relative dielectric constant of a silicon oxide film; providing a fourth insulating film containing silicon and nitrogen on the third insulating film; and providing a control gate above the fourth insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akahori, Wakako Takeuchi, Yoshio Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7652324
    Abstract: A NAND type dual bit nitride read only memory and a method for fabricating thereof are provided. Firstly, a plurality of isolation layers, which are spaced and parallel to each other are formed in the substrate. Next, a plurality of word lines and a plurality of oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stack structures are formed on the substrate. The word lines are spaced and parallel to each other, and also the word lines are perpendicular to the isolation layers. Each of the ONO stack structure is located between the corresponding word line and the substrate. And then a plurality of discontinuous bit lines, which are located between the word lines and between the isolation layers are formed on the substrate. The structure of the present invention of the NAND type dual bit nitride read only memory is similar to that of a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), and their fabrication processes are fully compatible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chien-Hung Liu
  • Publication number: 20100009504
    Abstract: A memory array comprising vertical memory cells does not require any isolation layers between cells. Thus, a very compact, high density memory array can be achieved. Each memory cell in the memory array is configured to store 4 bits of data per cell. Multi-level charge techniques can be used to increase the number of bit per cell and achieve further increased density for the memory array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tzu-Hsuan Hsu, Ming-Hsiu Lee, Chao-I Wu, Ming-Chang Kuo
  • Patent number: 7642200
    Abstract: A method of forming a thin film is provided. The method includes introducing an organometallic compound represented by the following formula onto a substrate; wherein M represents a metal in listed in Group 4A of the periodic table of elements, R1, R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having a carbon number from 1 to 5, and X represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having a carbon number from 1 to 5 and then chemisorbing a portion of the organometallic compound on the substrate. The method further includes removing a non-chemisorbed portion of the organometallic compound from the substrate, providing an oxidizing agent onto the substrate and forming a thin film including a metal oxide on the substrate by chemically reacting the oxidizing agent with a metal in the organometallic compound and by separating ligands of the organometallic compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Ho Lee, Jun-Hyun Cho, Jung-Sik Choi, Sang-Mun Chon
  • Publication number: 20090321814
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes, in a memory region, a plurality of bit line diffusion layers, a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of memory elements composed of a bit line diffusion layer pair, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode. The plurality of bit line diffusion layers are divided into plural in respective columns, and are connected electrically to each other through bit line contact diffusion layers. The width of sidewall insulating films on the sides of the bit line contact diffusion layers formed at the word lines arranged adjacent to the bit line contact diffusion layers is smaller than that of the sidewall insulating films formed on the opposite sides of the bit line contact diffusion layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Koichi KAWASHIMA, Nobuyoshi Takahashi