Abstract: A process uses two layers of polysilicon for fabricating high-density nonvolatile memory, such as mask ROM or SONOS memory, integrated with advanced peripheral logic on a single chip. The method includes covering a gate dielectric layer with a sacrificial layer of silicon nitride; using a masks for defining line structures in the layer of silicon nitride for the bit line implant processes; depositing a dielectric material among the line structures to fill gaps among the line structures; planarizing the deposited oxide and said layer of silicon nitride; removing the silicon nitride and applying a layer of polysilicon material; patterning wordlines in the array portion, and transistor gate structures in said non-array portion, and applying LDD, silicide and other logic circuit processes.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrically erasable, non-volatile memory device, having a memory cell of the floating gate type (16), defined by a source zone, a drain zone, a channel zone (8) and a control gate zone (6), the latter being separated from the channel zone by an insulation zone (14), said five zones being implemented in a semiconductor film formed on an insulating layer (4), said memory cell being laterally insulated by one or more insulation zones (10, 12) in contact with the insulating layer.

Abstract: In a method for fabricating a buried bit line for a semiconductor memory, the buried bit line is produced as a diffusion region using a dopant source including polysilicon that has previously been applied above the region intended for the buried bit line. This keeps the extent of diffusion within limits and means that the doped polysilicon is particularly suitable for the formation of the insulating oxide region above the buried bit line, due to the rapid oxidation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a structure of a low-voltage channel write/erase flash memory cell and a fabricating method thereof, which structure comprises an N-substrate, a deep P-well formed on the substrate, and an N-well formed on the deep P-well. A deep p-type region and a shallow p-type region are ion-implanted in the N-well. The deep p-type region is connected to the shallow p-type region. An n-type region is ion-implanted in the deep p-type region to be electrically shorted with the deep p-type region and be used as a drain. Another n-type region is also ion-implanted at one side of the shallow p-type region to be used as a source.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a y-direction, self-alignment mask ROM device is described. The method includes forming a buried drain region in a substrate and forming a gate oxide layer on the substrate. Perpendicular to the direction of the buried drain region, a bar-shaped silicon nitride layer is formed on the gate oxide layer. A photoresist layer is then formed on the gate oxide layer and the bar-shaped silicon nitride layer. Performing a code implantation to form a plurality of coded memory cells using the photoresist layer as a mask. The photoresist layer is then removed. A polysilicon layer is further formed on the gate oxide layer and the bar-shaped silicon nitride layer. The polysilicon layer is back-etched until the bar-shaped silicon nitride layer is exposed. The silicon nitride layer is subsequently removed.

Abstract: Reliability of a semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory comprising first through third gate electrodes is enhanced. With a flash memory having first gate electrodes (floating gate electrodes), second gate electrodes (control gate electrodes) and third gate electrodes, isolation parts are formed in a self-aligned manner against patterns of a conductor film for forming the third gate electrodes by filling up the respective isolation grooves and a gate insulator film for select nMISes in a peripheral circuit region is formed prior to the formation of the isolation parts. By so doing, deficiency with the gate insulator film for the select nMISes, caused by stress occurring to the isolation parts, can be reduced. Further, with the semiconductor device including the case of stacked memory cells, the patterns of the conductor film for forming the third gate electrodes, serving as a mask for forming the isolation parts in the self-aligned manner, can be formed without misalignment against channels.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory element is disclosed. The method includes arranging a mask on the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, using the mask to conduct exposure, forming first, second, and third element-isolation regions on the semiconductor substrate surface, and forming a gate electrode. A resist film is formed on the substrate. On the mask, auxiliary patterns are made at the each central portion of first, second, and third patterns. In the exposure with the mask, first, second, and third resist patterns is formed on the resist film. The resist patterns respectively correspond to the patterns on the mask. The gate electrode extending in the second direction is formed from the upper surface of the second element-isolation region to the upper surface of the third electrode element-isolation region through an area between the second and third element-isolation regions.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a non-volatile memory having a P-type floating gate is described. A tunneling layer is formed on a substrate and then a first patterned polysilicon layer is formed on the tunneling layer. A buried drain is formed in the substrate beside the first polysilicon layer and then an insulating structure is formed on the tunneling layer on the buried drain. Thereafter, a second polysilicon layer is formed on the first polysilicon layer to constitute a floating gate together with the first polysilicon layer. A P-type ion is implanted into the second polysilicon layer and then a dielectric layer and a control gate are sequentially formed on the floating gate. A thermal process is then performed to make the P-type, ion in the second polysilicon layer diffuse into the first polysilicon layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a memory device having a buried source/drain region is provided, in which a dielectric layer and a word-line is sequentially formed on the substrate, then a buried source/drain region is formed in the substrate. After that, a barrier layer is formed on the exposed surface of the word-line, then a metal layer is formed over the substrate. The metal layer is patterned to leave a portion covering the buried source/drain region beside the word-line and crossing over the word-line.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a nitride read only memory. A trapping dielectric sandwiched structure, including an insulation layer, a charge trap layer and an insulation layer, is formed on a substrate. An opening with indented sidewalls is formed in the insulation layer. A thermal oxide layer is formed to fill the opening, such that the indented sidewalls are completely sealed. The charge trap layer is thus sealed by the insulation layers and the thermal oxide layer to avoid the direct contact between the control gate and the charge trap layer, so as to prevent the data loss.

Abstract: A method of forming FLASH memory circuitry having an array of memory cells and having FLASH memory peripheral circuitry operatively configured to at least read from the memory cells of the array, includes forming a plurality of spaced isolation trenches within a semiconductor substrate within a FLASH memory array area and within a FLASH peripheral circuitry area peripheral to the memory array area. The forming includes forming at least some of the isolation trenches within the FLASH memory array to have maximum depths which are different within the substrate than that of at least some of the isolation trenches within the FLASH peripheral circuitry area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a nonvolatile memory cell. The present invention uses tungsten (W) as an upper layer of a control gate electrode in order to integrate the memory cell and performs an ion implantation process for forming a source region and a drain region before a selective oxidization process that is performed to prevent abnormal oxidization of tungsten (W). Therefore, the present invention can reduce a RC delay time of word lines depending on integration of the memory cell and also secure a given distance between a silicon substrate and a tunnel oxide film. As a result, the present invention can solve a data retention problem of the flash memory.

Abstract: A high performance 1T RAM cell in a system-on-a-chip is formed using an asymmetric LDD structure that improves pass gate performance and storage node junction leakage. The asymmetric LDD structure is formed using selective ion implantation of the core and I/O LDDs. The node junctions are both pocket implant-free and source/drain implant-free. Further, silicide formation is avoided within the storage node junctions by forming nearly merged sidewall spacers within the node junctions and by forming optional blocking portions over the nearly merged sidewall spacers.

Abstract: An extended drain metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (EDMOSFET) with a source field plate is provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor EEPROM device and a method for making it are achieved. The EEPROM device is a novel twin-bit cell structure with adjacent floating gates having a common control gate and common bit-line contact in each cell area. In each cell area a first and second floating gate is formed. Source areas are formed in the substrate adjacent to the outer edges of the floating gates and a drain area is formed between and adjacent to the floating gates. A gate oxide is formed over the floating gates. A control gate is formed over the drain area and patterned to also partially extend over the floating gates. The control gate is also patterned to provide a recess for a bit-line contact to the drain area. The recess results in reduced cell area and the non-critical overlay of the control gate over the floating gates results in relaxed overlay alignment.

Abstract: The manufacturing method of the invention is applied to production of a semiconductor device including a memory area and a logic circuit area. The method first provides a semiconductor substrate, which has a conductive layer to make a word gate of the non-volatile memory device, a stopper layer formed above the conductive layer, and control gates formed as side walls on both side faces of the conductive layer via an ONO membrane, which are all located above a semiconductor layer in the memory area, as well as a gate electrode of an insulated gate field effect transistor formed above a semiconductor layer in the logic circuit area. The method subsequently forms an insulating layer over whole surface of the memory area and the logic circuit area on the semiconductor substrate, and carries out anisotropic etching of an upper portion in a part of the insulating layer.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a flash memory device, a first gate insulating film, a first gate conductive film, and a second insulating film are sequentially formed on a semiconductor substrate. A region where a first gate is to be formed is defined by etching the second insulating film to expose an upper portion of the first gate conductive film. Second conductive film spacers are formed along sidewalls of the etched second insulating film. An oxide film is formed on the exposed surface of the second conductive film spacers and the first gate conductive film. Silicon insulating spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the etched second insulating film. A source junction contact hole is formed by etching the first gate conductive film and the first gate insulating film by using the second insulating film and the silicon insulating film spacers as a mask. A source junction contact fill is formed filling the source junction contact hole.

Abstract: The disclosed semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a logic circuit area formed on the semiconductor substrate, the logic circuit area includes transistors for driving bit lines, and a ferroelectrics memory area laminated on the logic circuit area and including a transistor area and a capacitor area. Also the disclosed method of fabricating the semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a logic circuit area on a semiconductor substrate, the logic circuit area includes interconnection wirings connected to transistors for driving bit lines, forming bit lines electrically connected to the interconnection wirings at the upper side thereof, forming a silicon film connected to the bit lines at the upper side thereof and defining a cell forming area, forming transistors on the silicon film, each transistor including a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode, and forming capacitors electrically connected to the source electrodes at the upper side of the transistor.

Abstract: A method for interconnecting bit contacts and digit lines of a semiconductor device. A mask, through which portions of sidewall spacers of the digit lines located proximate the bit contacts are exposed, is positioned over the digit lines. Dopant is directed toward the semiconductor device at a nonperpendicular angle to a plane of the semiconductor device so as to dope portions of the sidewall spacers on one side of each of the digit lines while sidewall spacers opposed thereto and adjacent bit contacts are shielded from the dopant. Doped regions of the sidewall spacers may be removed with selectivity over undoped regions thereof to expose connect regions of each conductive element of each digit line. A conductive strap may then be formed to electrically link each connect region to its corresponding bit contact. Semiconductor devices including the conductive straps are also disclosed.

Abstract: A low resistance common source line (12) for high performance NOR-type flash memories cells in different bit-lines but on the same word-line is used to reduce the memory core cell size and to improve the circuit density as the device dimensions are scaled down. For advanced flash memory technology where shallow trench isolation (STI) (4) is used, the common source formation (12) is facilitated by a VCI implant (11) performed before STI field oxide fill (5). The process sequence is to first form the trenches (4) for the subsequent STI (4), then apply the VCI mask (10) and perform the VCI high energy ion implant (11) to form the “future” source line (12). Then field oxide fill (5) is deposited into the STI trench (4) to form the desired field isolation structures and the memory circuit is completed using conventional techniques.

Abstract: A shallow junction EEPROM device and process for fabricating the device includes the formation of a control-gate region and a tunnel region in a semiconductor substrate in which the control-gate region has a substantially higher total doping concentration than the tunnel region. To compensate for rate enhanced oxidation of the silicon surface overlying the control-gate region, nitrogen is selectively introduced into the control-gate region, such that the resulting dielectric layer thickness overlying the control-gate region is substantially the same as that overlying the tunnel region. The relatively high doping concentration of the control-gate region enables fabrication of an EEPROM device having high capacitance coupling, shallow junctions, and a relatively small capacitor area.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a flash memory device having a self-aligned source includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a source region separated from a drain region by a channel region. The method also includes forming an isolation structure in the semiconductor substrate that crosses the source, drain, and channel regions of the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a continuous stack structure outwardly from the channel region of the semiconductor substrate and the isolation structure. The method includes depositing a bottom anti-reflective layer over the semiconductor substrate, the isolation structure and the stack structure to substantially uniformly planarize the semiconductor substrate and the isolation structure. The method further includes depositing a photoresist layer over select portions of the bottom anti-reflective layer and the continuous stack structure to form a self-aligned source pattern using a photo mask.

Abstract: The present invention provides a memory structure, comprising: a substrate; a gate structure disposed on the substrate; a buried bit-line disposed in the substrate along both sides of the gate structures; a raised bit-line disposed on the buried bit-line; an isolating spacer disposed on both sidewalls of the gate structure and a word-line disposed over the substrate, wherein the word-line is electrically connected to the gate structure and isolated from the raised bit-line by an insulation layer.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. A non-volatile memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate having active areas which extend in a first direction and are repeatedly arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a plurality of word lines formed on the semiconductor substrate which extending in the second direction while being repeatedly arranged in the first direction, string select lines adjacent to a first word line and extending in the second direction, ground select lines adjacent to a last word line and extending in the second direction, a first insulating interlayer formed on the resultant structure and comprising a first opening exposing the active area between the ground select lines and a second opening exposing the active area between the string select lines, a bit line contact pad formed in the second opening.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory including at least one first gate electrode as a floating gate on a semiconductor substrate with intervention of a first insulating film as a tunnel oxide film; sidewall spacers on both sidewalls of the first gate electrode in a direction of a channel length; a bit line formed of an impurity diffusion region of a conductivity type different from the conductivity type of the semiconductor substrate in a surface layer of the semiconductor substrate by the side of the first gate electrode, wherein the bit line comprises a first bit line formed in self-alignment using the first gate electrode as a mask and a second bit line formed in self-alignment using the first gate electrode and the sidewall spacers as a mask.

Abstract: A method for making an electrically programmable and erasable memory cell is disclosed. Specifically, a method for creating a floating gate using shallow trench isolation-type techniques is utilized to provide a floating gate having sharply defined tip characteristics. A first insulating layer is formed over a substrate. A conductive material is formed over the first insulating layer. A trench is defined in the conductive layer. This trench is filled with an oxide which is used as a mask to define tips of the floating gate during an etching process which defines the edges of the floating gate. After the floating gate has been etched, a tunneling oxide deposited over the floating gate. A conductive material is then formed over the tunneling oxide.

Abstract: A patterned photoresist layer is coated onto a semiconductor substrate. Then a doped region is formed in the semiconductor substrate not covered by the patterned photoresist layer. In addition, a semiconductor process is performed to trim the patterned photoresist layer, and a lightly doped drain (LDD) region is formed in the region of the semiconductor substrate next to the doped region. The doped region and the LDD region constitute the buried bit lines of the mask ROM. Finally, the photoresist layer is stripped.

Abstract: A semiconductor flash memory device is formed with shallow trench isolation (STI) and a low-resistance source bus line (Vss Bus). Embodiments include forming core and peripheral field oxide regions, as by conventional STI techniques, bit lines by ion implantation, polysilicon floating gates above the channel regions and polysilicon word lines. The Vss Bus is then formed by etching away portions of the field oxide between corresponding source regions of adjacent bit lines to expose portions of the substrate, ion implanting impurities into the source regions and the exposed substrate, forming insulating spacers on the sides of the floating gates and word lines, and forming a metal silicide layer, such as titanium silicide, on the implanted source regions and exposed portions of the substrate to form a continuous conductor between the source regions.

Abstract: A method for preventing bit line to bit line leakage in memory cell is described. In this method, P-implantation is applied to suppress the leakage current induced by the damage, wherein the damage is caused by the etching step for the formation of spacers. The P-implantation step is performed after the etching step, and such a sequence centralizes the implanted ions to prevent them from decreasing the threshold voltage. On the other hand, the P-implantation step is performed after the bit lines annealing step to prevent the implanted ions from being thermally diffused.

Abstract: A patterned photoresist layer is coated onto a semiconductor substrate. Then a doped region is formed in the semiconductor substrate not covered by the patterned photoresist layer. In addition, a semiconductor process is performed to trim the patterned photoresist layer, and a lightly doped drain (LDD) region is formed in the region of the semiconductor substrate next to the doped region. The doped region and the LDD region constitute the buried bit lines of the mask ROM. Finally, the photoresist layer is stripped.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to semiconductor memory devices and more particularly to multi-bit flash electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) devices that employ charge trapping within a floating gate to indicate a 0 or 1 bit state. A memory device is provided, according to an aspect of the invention, comprising a floating gate transistor having dual polysilicon floating gates with an isolation opening between floating gates. Processes for making the memory device according to the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: A technique of fabricating a nonvolatile device includes forming a low doping region to aid in the reduction of substrate hot electrons. The nonvolatile device may be a floating gate device, such as a Flash, EEPROM, or EPROM memory cell. The low doping region has a lower doping concentration than that of the substrate. By reducing substrate hot electrons, this improves the reliability and longevity of the nonvolatile device.

Abstract: A method of forming a flash memory array structure includes forming a first dielectric layer outwardly from a semiconductor substrate, removing a portion of the first dielectric layer and the substrate to create a trench isolation region, forming a second dielectric layer in the trench isolation region, removing a portion of the second dielectric layer to create an exposed substrate region proximate a bottom of the trench isolation region, doping the exposed substrate region with an n-type dopant, and forming a silicide region in the exposed substrate region.

Abstract: Non-volatile memory cells store a level of charge corresponding to the data being stored in a dielectric material storage element that is sandwiched between a control gate and the semiconductor substrate surface over channel regions of the memory cells. More than two memory states are provided by one of more than two levels of charge being stored in a common region of the dielectric material. More than one such common region may be included in each cell. In one form, two such regions are provided adjacent source and drain diffusions in a cell that also includes a select transistor positioned between them.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of utilizing the fabrication process of floating gate spacer to build a twin-bit MONOS/SONOS memory, wherein recessed ONO spacers are used to fabricate a discontinuous floating gate below a poly control gate to obtain a MONOS/SONOS memory device having twinbit memory cells. Cross talk between charges stored in the two bits can be avoided, hence enhancing the reliability of memory device. Moreover, if the voltage Vt varies during the fabrication process, the device can restore its normal characteristics through the individual and separate characteristic of the two bits and by using program or erase condition. The present invention can utilize the fabrication process of ONO spacer to complete the fabrication process of floating gate in automatic alignment way without the need of undergoing several mask processes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an improved flash memory device having core stacks and periphery stacks which are protected with an oxide layer, a protective layer and an insulating layer. A high energy dopant implant is used to pass the dopant through the insulating layer, the protective layer and oxide layer into the substrate to create source and drain regions, without using a self aligned etch. The flash memory device has an intermetallic dielectric layer placed over the core stacks and the periphery stacks. A tungsten plug is placed in the intermetallic dielectric layer to provide an electrical connection to the drain of the flash memory device.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a memory cell configuration, which includes the steps of etching isolation trenches into a semiconductor substrate and thereby forming webs between the isolation trenches and producing bit lines after channel regions have been produced. It furthermore includes performing an etching step which results in the isolation trenches penetrating more deeply into the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure includes growing regions of oxide on a first structure, to form bit-line regions; wherein said semiconductor structure includes a semiconducting substrate, a patterned ONO layer on said substrate, wherein said patterned ONO layer comprises regions of ONO and exposed regions of said semiconducting substrate, a patterned hard mask layer on said regions of ONO, and a patterned photoresist layer on said patterned hard mask layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of fabricating an NROM cell and preventing charging. An oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer and bit line masks are formed on the ONO layer of the memory array area and an implantation process forms buried bit lines within the substrate. Rows of word lines can then be formed on the ONO layer approximately perpendicular to the buried bit lines. Finally, a spacer is formed on sidewalls of each word line, and a barrier layer and a passivation layer used for preventing the NROM cell being charged during process is respectively formed on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a NROM is described, in which a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) and a photoresist pattern are sequentially formed on a substrate that has a charge trapping layer formed thereon. An etching process is then performed to pattern the BARC and the charge trapping layer with the photoresist pattern as a mask. The etching process is conducted in an etching chamber equipped with a source power supply and a bias power supply, which two have a power ratio of 1.5˜3, while an etchant used therein is a gas plasma containing trifluoromethane (CHF3) and tetrafluoromethane (CF4). Thereafter, a buried drain is formed in the substrate, a buried drain oxide layer is formed on the buried drain, and then plural gates are formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device enabling word lines to be arranged at close intervals, comprising a plurality of memory transistors arranged in an array and a plurality of word lines serving also as gate electrodes of memory transistors in a same row, extending in a row direction, and repeating in a column direction, where insulating films are formed between the plurality of word lines to insulate and isolate the word lines from each other and where a dimension of separation of word lines is defined by the thickness of the insulating films.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of forming a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, involving the sequential or non-sequential steps of forming a charge trapping dielectric over a substrate, the substrate having a core region and a periphery region; removing at least a portion of the charge trapping dielectric in the periphery region; forming a gate dielectric in the periphery region; forming buried bitlines in the core region; removing at least a portion of the charge trapping dielectric positioned over the buried bitlines in the core region; forming a bitline isolation over the buried bitlines in the core region; and forming gates in the core region and the periphery region. Another aspect of the present invention relates to increasing the thickness of the gate dielectric in at least a portion of the periphery region simultaneously while forming the bitline isolation.

Abstract: Within a method for forming a series of gate dielectric layers having a plurality of thicknesses upon a semiconductor substrate, there is sequentially selectively stripped only a series of sacrificial gate dielectric layers only in locations where new gate dielectric layers are desired to be formed, rather masking a only a portion of a partially sacrificial gate dielectric layer which is desired to be retained and stripping a sacrificial remainder of the gate dielectric layer. By employing the sequential selective stripping method, a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication is formed with enhanced reliability insofar as there is attenuated over etching into isolation regions which separate active regions of a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A thin film transistor and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed, in which an offset region is affected or biased by a gate voltage to increase on-current, thereby improving on/off characteristic of a device. A first semiconductor layer is formed on a substrate, and insulating layer patterns are formed at both ends of the first semiconductor layer. A second semiconductor layer is formed on the first semiconductor layer and the insulating layer patterns. A gate insulating film is formed on the first and second semiconductor layers and the insulating layer patterns, and an active layer formed on the gate insulating film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a flash memory device. According to the present invention, a dielectric film is formed and an amorphous silicon layer is then formed to mitigate a topology generated by patterning of a first polysilicon layer in a cell region. The amorphous silicon layer serves as a protection layer of the dielectric film in the cell region when a gate oxide film in a peripheral circuit region is formed. Therefore, the present invention can not only improve the resistance of a word line in the cell region but also improve the film quality of the dielectric film and the gate oxide film in the peripheral circuit region.

Abstract: A method for producing bit lines for a memory cell array comprises as a first step the step of providing a layer structure which comprises a substrate having transistor wells implanted in a surface thereof, a sequence of storage medium layers provided on the surface of said substrate, and a gate region layer provided on said sequence of storage medium layers. Bit line recesses, which extend down to the sequence of storage medium layers, are produced in said gate region layer. Subsequently, insulating spacer layers are produced on lateral surfaces of said bit line recesses, whereupon a source/drain implantation is executed in the area of said bit line recesses, after a complete or partial removal of the sequence of storage medium layers. Following this, the substrate is exposed completely in the area of the bit line recesses, if this has not yet been done prior to the implantation.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. A non-volatile memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate having active areas which extend in a first direction and are repeatedly arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a plurality of word lines formed on the semiconductor substrate which extending in the second direction while being repeatedly arranged in the first direction, string select lines adjacent to a first word line and extending in the second direction, ground select lines adjacent to a last word line and extending in the second direction, a first insulating interlayer formed on the resultant structure and comprising a first opening exposing the active area between the ground select lines and a second opening exposing the active area between the string select lines, a bit line contact pad formed in the second opening.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a memory cell in a two-bit EEPROM device including forming an ONO layer overlying a semiconductor substrate, depositing a hard mask overlying the ONO layer, and patterning the hard mask. The hard mask is preferably made from polysilicon or silicon. The process further includes doping the semiconductor substrate with boron causing p-type regions to form in the semiconductor substrate, and doping the semiconductor substrate with n-type dopants, such as arsenic, causing n-type regions to form in the semiconductor substrate. The exposed ONO layer is then etched to expose part of the semiconductor substrate, and a bit-line oxide region is formed overlying the semiconductor substrate. The hard mask is then removed, preferably using a plasma etch process.

Abstract: A process and structure for fabricating a non-volatile memory cell through the formation of a source and drain region and a charge trapping layer located therebetween is presented. E-fields for generating trapped charges are formed through using poly-edge discharge techniques wherein the gate structures of the memory cells are laterally separated from the vertical region of the source and drain regions. The gate structure forms a laterally directed e-field through the charge trapping layer to one of the source and drain regions which enables the charge to be trapped and retained in an area that is lateral to the source and drain regions. Lateral separation of the gate from the source and drain regions is maintained through the use of spacers which may take the form of insulated polysilicon structures or in an alternate embodiment may take the form of insulating spacers located on the sidewalls of the gate structure.

Abstract: A method for interconnecting bit contacts and digit lines of a semiconductor device. A mask, through which portions of sidewall spacers of the digit lines located proximate the bit contacts are exposed, is positioned over the digit lines. Dopant is directed toward the semiconductor device at a non-perpendicular angle to a plane of the semiconductor device so as to dope portions of the sidewall spacers on one side of each of the digit lines while sidewall spacers opposed thereto and adjacent bit contacts are shielded from the dopant. Doped regions of the sidewall spacers may be removed with selectivity over undoped regions thereof to expose connect regions of each conductive element of each digit line. A conductive strap may then be formed to electrically link each connect region to its corresponding bit contact. Semiconductor devices including the conductive straps are also disclosed.