Gate Insulator Structure Constructed Of Diverse Dielectrics (e.g., Mnos, Etc.) Or Of Nonsilicon Compound Patents (Class 438/287)
  • Patent number: 7977218
    Abstract: Novel fabrication methods implement the use of dummy tiles to avoid the effects of in-line charging, ESD events, and such charge effects in the formation of a memory device region region. One method involves forming at least a portion of a memory core array upon a semiconductor substrate that involves forming STI structures in the substrate substantially surrounding a memory device region region within the array. An oxide layer is formed over the substrate in the memory device region region and over the STI's, wherein an inner section of the oxide layer formed over the memory device region region is thicker than an outer section of the oxide layer formed over the STI's. A first polysilicon layer is then formed over the inner and outer sections comprising one or more dummy tiles formed over one or more outer sections and electrically connected to at least one inner section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Cinti Chen, Yi He, Wenmei Li, Zhizheng Liu, Ming-Sang Kwan, Yu Sun, Jean Yee-Mei Yang
  • Patent number: 7977735
    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: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Erh-Kun Lai, Hang-Ting Lue, Kuang Yeu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20110165749
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device on a semiconductor layer is provided. The method includes: forming a select gate dielectric layer over the semiconductor layer; forming a select gate layer over the select gate dielectric layer; and forming a sidewall of the select gate layer by removing at least a portion of the select gate layer. The method further includes growing a sacrificial layer on at least a portion of the sidewall of the select gate layer and under at least a portion of the select gate layer and removing the sacrificial layer to expose a surface of the at least portion of the sidewall of the select gate layer and a surface of the semiconductor layer under the select gate layer. The method further includes forming a control gate dielectric layer, a charge storage layer, and a control gate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Brian A. Winstead, Cheong M. Hong, Sung-Taeg Kang, Konstantin V. Loiko, Spencer E. Williams
  • Publication number: 20110165750
    Abstract: In methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a plurality of gate structures spaced apart from each other and oxide layer patterns. A sputtering process using the oxide layer patterns as a sputtering target to connect the oxide layer patterns on the adjacent gate structures to each other is performed, so that a gap is formed between the gate structures. A volume of the gap is formed uniformly to have desired volume by controlling a thickness of the oxide layer patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Jun-Kyu Yang, Young-Geun Park, Ki-Hyun Hwang, Han-Mei Choi, Chan-Jin Park
  • Patent number: 7972928
    Abstract: This invention has a purpose to provide an insulated gate-type semiconductor device and its manufacturing method in which a decrease in gate insulation dielectric strength voltage and a reduction in manufacturing costs are both achieved. First, (a) a CZ bulk substrate is prepared. Next, (b) P? diffused layer and N+ diffused layer 31 are formed by executing processes such as ion implantation and thermal diffusion treatment. Further (c) a gate trench is formed by reactive ion etching. Next, (d) a gate insulation film containing carbon of 1.0×1018 atoms/cm3 is formed on the wall face of a gate trench according to a CVD method and, annealing is subsequently performed. As a consequence, a low defect area is formed in the vicinity of an interface between the CZ bulk substrate and the gate insulation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihiro Hisanaga
  • Patent number: 7972931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing thin-film transistors using nanoparticles and thin film transistors manufactured by the method. A hydrophilic buffer layers are deposited on the substrates to facilitate formation of nanoparticle films. Sintered nanoparticles are used as an active layer and dielectric materials of high dielectric coefficient are also used as a gate dielectric layer to form a top gate electrode on the gate dielectric layer, thereby enabling low-voltage operation and low-temperature fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Korea University Industrial & Academic Collaboration Foundation
    Inventors: Sangsig Kim, Kyoung-Ah Cho, Dong-Won Kim, Jae-Won Jang
  • Patent number: 7972950
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a dual gate allows for the gates to have a wide variety of threshold voltages. The method includes forming a gate insulation layer, a first capping layer, and a barrier layer in the foregoing sequence across a first region and a second region on a substrate, exposing the gate insulation layer on the first region by removing the first capping layer and the barrier layer from the first region, forming a second capping layer on the gate insulation layer in the first region and on the barrier layer in the second region, and thermally processing the substrate on which the second capping layer is formed. The thermal processing causes material of the second capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the first region and material of the first capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the second region. Thus, devices having different threshold voltages can be formed in the first and second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hoon-joo Na, Yu-gyun Shin, Hong-bae Park, Hag-ju Cho, Sug-hun Hong, Sang-jin Hyun, Hyung-seok Hong
  • Patent number: 7972925
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flash memory device and a fabrication method thereof. A trench may be formed within a junction region between word lines by etching a semiconductor substrate between not only a word line and a select line, but also between adjacent word lines. Accordingly, the occurrence of a program disturbance phenomenon can be prevented as the injection of hot carriers into a program-inhibited cell is minimized in a program operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Yoo Nam Jeon, Ki Seog Kim
  • Publication number: 20110159656
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a bulk Si nanometer surrounding-gate MOSFET based on a quasi-planar process, including: local oxidation isolation or shallow trench isolation; depositing buffer SiO2 oxide layer/SiN dielectric layer on the bulk Si; electron beam exposure; etching two adjacent slots; depositing SiN sidewalls; isotropically etching Si; dry oxidation; removing SiN by wet etching; forming the nanowire by stress self-constraint oxidation; depositing and anisotropically etching oxide dielectric layer and planarizing surface; releasing the nanowire by wet etching while keeping sufficiently thick SiO2 at bottom as isolation; growing gate dielectric and depositing gate material; etching back the gate and isotropically etching the gate material by using the gate dielectric as a block layer; shallow implantation in the source/drain region; depositing and etching sidewalls; deep implantation in the source/drain region to form contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Yi Song, Huajie Zhou, Qiuxia Xu
  • Publication number: 20110156129
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a non-volatile memory structure. The method provides a semiconductor substrate and forms a gate dielectric layer overlying a surface region of the semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon gate structure is formed overlying the gate dielectric layer. The method subjects the polysilicon gate structure to an oxidizing environment to cause formation of a first silicon oxide layer overlying the polysilicon gate structure and formation of a second silicon oxide layer overlying a surface region of the substrate. A hafnium oxide material is formed overlying the first and second silicon oxide layers and filling the undercut region. The hafnium oxide material has a nanocrystalline silicon material sandwiched between a first hafnium oxide layer and a second hafnium oxide layer. The hafnium oxide material is selectively etched while a portion of it is maintained in an insert region in a portion of the undercut region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: MIENO FUMITAKE
  • Publication number: 20110156130
    Abstract: A method of forming multiple conductive structures in a semiconductor device includes forming spacers adjacent side surfaces of a mask, where the mask and the spacers are formed on a conductive layer. The method also includes etching at least one trench in a portion of the conductive layer not covered by the spacers or the mask. The method may further include depositing a material over the semiconductor device, removing the mask and etching the conductive layer to remove portions of the conductive layer not covered by the spacers or the material, where remaining portions of the conductive layer form the conductive structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicants: ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC., SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Michael BRENNAN, Scott BELL
  • Patent number: 7968410
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming a first polysilicon layer having a first thickness in a peripheral circuit region formed on a substrate; forming a stack structure comprising a first tunneling insulating layer, a charge trap layer, and a blocking insulating layer in a memory cell region formed on the substrate; forming a second polysilicon layer having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness on the blocking insulating layer; and forming gate electrodes by siliciding the first and second polysilicon layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun-ji Jung, Sang-woo Lee, Jeong-gil Lee, Gil-heyun Choi, Chang-won Lee, Byung-hee Kim, Jin-ho Park
  • Patent number: 7968412
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a MISFET device, in a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor layer is formed, having a first type of conductivity and a first level of doping. A first body region and a second body region, having a second type of conductivity, opposite to the first type of conductivity, and an enriched region, extending between the first and second body regions are formed in the semiconductor layer. The enriched region has the first type of conductivity and a second level of doping, higher than the first level of doping. Moreover, a gate electrode is formed over the enriched region and over part of the first and second body regions, and a dielectric gate structure is formed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer, the dielectric gate structure having a larger thickness on the enriched region and a smaller thickness on the first and second body regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Orazio Battiato, Domenico Repici, Fabrizio Marco Di Paola, Giuseppe Arena, Angelo Magri′
  • Patent number: 7968956
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a p-channel MIS transistor formed on the substrate, the p-channel transistor having a first gate dielectric formed on the substrate and a first gate electrode layer formed on the first dielectric, and an n-channel MIS transistor formed on the substrate, the n-channel transistor having a second gate dielectric formed on the substrate and a second gate electrode layer formed on the second dielectric. A bottom layer of the first gate electrode layer in contact with the first gate dielectric and a bottom layer of the second gate electrode layer in contact with the second gate dielectric have the same orientation and the same composition including Ta and C, and a mole ratio of Ta to a total of C and Ta, (Ta/(Ta+C)), is larger than 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kosuke Tatsumura, Masakazu Goto, Reika Ichihara, Masato Koyama, Shigeru Kawanaka, Kazuaki Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20110147826
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of utilizing polysilazane in forming non-volatile memory cells. The memory cells may be multi-level cells (MLCs). The polysilazane may be converted to silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, or silicon oxynitride with thermal processing and exposure to an ambient that contains one or both of oxygen and nitrogen. The methods may include using the polysilazane in forming a charge trapping layer of a non-volatile memory cell. The methods may alternatively, or additionally include using the polysilazane in forming intergate dielectric material of a non-volatile memory cell. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells of a NAND memory array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald A. Weimer
  • Publication number: 20110147710
    Abstract: Non-silicon metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices and methods of forming the same. The non-silicon MIS device includes a gate dielectric stack which comprises at least two layers of non-native oxide or nitride material. The first material layer of the gate dielectric forms an interface with the non-silicon semiconductor surface and has a lower dielectric constant than a second material layer of the gate dielectric. In an embodiment, a dual layer including a first metal silicate layer and a second oxide layer provides both a good quality oxide-semiconductor interface and a high effective gate dielectric constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Gilbert Dewey, Marko Radosavljevic, Ravi Pillarisetty, Robert S. Chau
  • Publication number: 20110147854
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) having at least one PMOS transistor includes performing PLDD implantation including co-implanting indium, carbon and a halogen, and a boron specie to establish source/drain extension regions in a substrate having a semiconductor surface on either side of a gate structure including a gate electrode on a gate dielectric formed on the semiconductor surface. Source and drain implantation is performed to establish source/drain regions, wherein the source/drain regions are distanced from the gate structure further than the source/drain extension regions. Source/drain annealing is performed after the source and drain implantation. The co-implants can be selectively provided to only core PMOS transistors, and the method can include a ultra high temperature anneal such as a laser anneal after the PLDD implantation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mahalingam Nandakumar, Amitabh Jain
  • Publication number: 20110140190
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a twin bit cell structure with an aluminum oxide material includes forming a gate dielectric layer overlying a semiconductor substrate and a polysilicon gate structure overlying the gate dielectric layer. An undercut region is formed in each side of the gate dielectric layer underneath the polysilicon gate structure. Thereafter, an oxidation process is performed to form a first silicon oxide layer on a peripheral surface of the polysilicon gate structure and a second silicon oxide layer on an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate. Then, an aluminum oxide material is deposited over the first and second silicon oxide layers including the undercut region and the gate dielectric layer. The aluminum oxide material is selectively etched to form an insert region in a portion of the undercut region. A sidewall spacer is formed to isolate and protect the exposed aluminum oxide material and the polysilicon gate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: MIENO FUMITAKE
  • Publication number: 20110140191
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a twin bit cell structure with a silicon nitride material includes forming a gate dielectric layer overlying a semiconductor substrate and a polysilicon gate structure overlying the gate dielectric layer. An undercut region is formed in each side of the gate dielectric layer underneath the polysilicon gate structure. Thereafter, an oxidation process is performed to form a first silicon oxide layer on a peripheral surface of the polysilicon gate structure and a second silicon oxide layer on an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate. Then, a silicon nitride material is deposited over the first and second silicon oxide layers including the undercut region and the gate dielectric layer. The silicon nitride material is selectively etched to form an insert region in a portion of the undercut region. A sidewall spacer is formed to isolate and protect the exposed silicon nitride material and the polysilicon gate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: MIENO FUMITAKE
  • Publication number: 20110140193
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a non-volatile memory and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a base material and a stack structure. The stack structure disposed on the base material at least includes a tunneling layer, a trapping layer and a dielectric layer. The trapping layer is disposed on the tunneling layer. The dielectric layer has a dielectric constant and is disposed on the trapping layer. The dielectric layer is transformed from a first solid state to a second solid state when the dielectric layer undergoes a process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Chih LAI, Hang-Ting LUE
  • Publication number: 20110141806
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flash memory device is provided. First and second gates are formed on first and second dielectrics and spaced apart from each other on a cell area of a substrate. A third gate is formed on a third dielectric that is formed on first opposing sidewalls of the first gate and extending on a portion of the substrate from the first opposing sidewalls. A fourth gate is formed on a fourth dielectric that is formed on second opposing sidewalls of the second gate and extending on a portion of the substrate from the second opposing sidewalls. The third gate and third dielectric on one of the first opposing sidewalls facing the second gate and the fourth gate and fourth dielectric on one of the second opposing sidewalls facing the first gate are removed. Drain areas are formed at outer sides of the third and fourth gates, and a common source area is formed between the first and second gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: DONGBU HITEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dae Il Kim
  • Publication number: 20110140192
    Abstract: A method for forming a twin-bit cell structure is provided. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a surface region. A gate dielectric layer is formed overlying the surface region. The method forms a polysilicon gate structure overlying the gate dielectric layer. In a specific embodiment, the method subjects the gate polysilicon structure to an oxidizing environment to cause formation of a first silicon oxide layer overlying the gate polysilicon structure. Preferably, an undercut region is allowed to be formed underneath the gate polysilicon structure. The method includes forming an undoped polysilicon material overlying the polysilicon gate structure including the undercut region and the gate dielectric layer. The undoped polysilicon material is subjected to a selective etching process to form an insert region in a portion of the undercut region while the insert region remains filled with the undoped polysilicon material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: MIENO FUMITAKE
  • Publication number: 20110140087
    Abstract: A quantum well device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a quantum well region overlying a substrate, a gate region overlying a portion of the quantum well region, a source and drain region adjacent to the gate region. The quantum well region includes a buffer structure overlying the substrate and including semiconductor material having a first band gap, a channel structure overlying the buffer structure including a semiconductor material having a second band gap, and a barrier layer overlying the channel structure and including an un-doped semiconductor material having a third band gap. The first and third band gap are wider than the second band gap. Each of the source and drain region is self-aligned to the gate region and includes a semiconductor material having a doped region and a fourth band gap wider than the second band gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicants: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Geert Hellings, Geert Eneman, Marc Meuris
  • Publication number: 20110140205
    Abstract: Many of the physical properties of a silicon semiconductor have already been understood, whereas many of the physical properties of an oxide semiconductor have been still unclear. In particular, an adverse effect of an impurity on an oxide semiconductor has been still unclear. In view of the above, a structure is disclosed in which an impurity that influences electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor layer is prevented or is eliminated. A semiconductor device which includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer and in which the nitrogen concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer is 1×1020 atoms/cm3 or less is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro SAKATA, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Yuki IMOTO
  • Patent number: 7960803
    Abstract: The use of atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form a dielectric layer of hafnium nitride (Hf3N4) and hafnium oxide (HfO2) and a method of fabricating such a combination gate and dielectric layer produces a reliable structure for use in a variety of electronic devices. Forming the dielectric structure includes depositing hafnium oxide using precursor chemicals, followed by depositing hafnium nitride using precursor chemicals, and repeating to form the laminate structure. Alternatively, the hafnium nitride may be deposited first followed by the hafnium nitride. Such a dielectric layer may be used as the gate insulator of a MOSFET, a capacitor dielectric in a DRAM, or a tunnel gate insulator in flash memories, because the high dielectric constant (high-k) of the film provides the functionality of a thinner silicon dioxide film, and because of the reduced leakage current when compared to an electrically equivalent thickness of silicon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kie Y. Ahn, Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 7960281
    Abstract: A gate insulating film (13) and a gate electrode (14) of non-single crystalline silicon for forming an nMOS transistor are provided on a silicon substrate (10). Using the gate electrode (14) as a mask, n-type dopants having a relatively large mass number (70 or more) such as As ions or Sb ions are implanted, to form a source/drain region of the nMOS transistor, whereby the gate electrode (14) is amorphized. Subsequently, a silicon oxide film (40) is provided to cover the gate electrode (14), at a temperature which is less than the one at which recrystallization of the gate electrode (14) occurs. Thereafter, thermal processing is performed at a temperature of about 1000° C., whereby high compressive residual stress is exerted on the gate electrode (14), and high tensile stress is applied to a channel region under the gate electrode (14). As a result, carrier mobility of the nMOS transistor is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sayama, Kazunobu Ohta, Hidekazu Oda, Kouhei Sugihara
  • Patent number: 7960235
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a bulk Si nanometer surrounding-gate MOSFET based on a quasi-planar process, including: local oxidation isolation or shallow trench isolation; depositing buffer SiO2 oxide layer/SiN dielectric layer on the bulk Si; electron beam exposure; etching two adjacent slots; depositing SiN sidewalls; isotropically etching Si; dry oxidation; removing SiN by wet etching; forming the nanowire by stress self-constraint oxidation; depositing and anisotropically etching oxide dielectric layer and planarizing surface; releasing the nanowire by wet etching while keeping sufficiently thick SiO2 at bottom as isolation; growing gate dielectric and depositing gate material; etching back the gate and isotropically etching the gate material by using the gate dielectric as a block layer; shallow implantation in the source/drain region; depositing and etching sidewalls; deep implantation in the source/drain region to form contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy
    Inventors: Yi Song, Huajie Zhou, Qiuxia Xu
  • Patent number: 7960799
    Abstract: A charge trap type non-volatile memory device has memory cells formed on a silicon substrate at a predetermined interval via an element isolation trench along a first direction in which word lines extend. Each of the memory cells has a tunnel insulating film formed on the silicon substrate, a charge film formed on the tunnel insulating film, and a common block film formed on the charge film. The common block film is formed in common with the memory cells along first direction. An element isolation insulating film buried in the element isolation trench has an upper portion of a side wall of the element isolation insulating film which contacts with a side wall of the charge film in each of the memory cells and a top portion of the element isolation insulating film which contacts with the common block film. A control electrode film is formed on the common block film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Tadashi Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20110136312
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a semiconductor device and its manufacture method, the semiconductor device including non-volatile memory cells and a peripheral circuit including field effect transistors having an insulated gate. A semiconductor device and its manufacture method are to be provided, the semiconductor device having memory cells with a high retention ability and field effect transistors having an insulated gate with large drive current. The semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate (1) having first and second areas (AR1, AR2), a floating gate structure (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) for a non-volatile memory cell, a control gate structure (14) formed coupled to the floating gate structure, formed in the first area, and an insulated gate electrode (12, 14) for a logical circuit formed in the second area, wherein the floating gate structure has bird's beaks larger than those of the insulated gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hashimoto, Kazuhiko Takada
  • Patent number: 7955934
    Abstract: A method for making a nitride read only memory device with buried diffusion spacers is disclosed. An oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer is formed on top of a silicon substrate, and a polysilicon gate is formed over the ONO layer. The polysilicon gate is formed less than a length of the ONO layer. Two buried diffusion spacers are formed beside two sidewalls of the polysilicon gate and over the ONO layer. Two buried diffusion regions are implanted on the silicon substrate next to the two buried diffusion spacers. The two buried diffusion regions are then annealed such that the approximate interfaces of the buried diffusion regions are under the sidewalls of the polysilicon gate. The structure of a nitride read only memory device with buried diffusion spacers is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chien Hung Liu
  • Patent number: 7955935
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a memory cell including forming nanodots over a first dielectric layer and forming an intergate dielectric layer over the nanodots, where the intergate dielectric layer encases the nanodots. To form sidewalls of the memory cell, a portion of the intergate dielectric layer is removed with a dry etch, where the sidewalls include a location where a nanodot has been deposited. A spacing layer is formed over the sidewalls to cover the location where a nanodot has been deposited and the remaining portion of the intergate dielectric layer and the nanodots can be removed with an etch selective to the intergate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Kirk D. Prall
  • Patent number: 7955933
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes the steps of preparing a wafer having multiple memory cells, each memory cell having a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate, charge storage units formed on both sides of the gate electrode, lightly doped regions formed beneath the charge storage units, respectively, in the upper part of the semiconductor substrate, and highly doped regions formed in a pair of regions sandwiching a region underneath the gate electrode and the lightly doped regions in between; erasing data stored in the charge storage units electrically; and treating the wafer at a high temperature for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Narihisa Fujii, Takashi Ono
  • Publication number: 20110127590
    Abstract: In a replacement gate approach, the oxygen contents of a cap material may be increased, thereby providing more stable characteristics of the cap material itself and of the high-k dielectric material. Consequently, upon providing a work function adjusting metal species at a very advanced manufacturing stage, corresponding additional treatments may be reduced in number or may even be completely avoided, while at the same time threshold voltage variations may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Binder, Joachim Metzger, Klaus Hempel
  • Publication number: 20110129976
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming an interconnect in a semiconductor memory device. The method includes forming a pair of source select transistors on a substrate. A source region is formed in the substrate between the pair of source select transistors. A first inter-layer dielectric is formed between the pair of source select transistors. A mask layer is deposited over the pair of source select transistors and the inter-layer dielectric, where the mask layer defines a local interconnect area between the pair of source select transistors having a width less than a distance between the pair of source select transistors. The semiconductor memory device is etched to remove a portion of the first inter-layer dielectric in the local interconnect area, thereby exposing the source region. A metal contact is formed in the local interconnect area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventor: Simon S. CHAN
  • Patent number: 7951678
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of an integrated circuit structure that incorporates at least two field effect transistors (FETs) that have the same conductivity type and essentially identical semiconductor bodies (i.e., the same semiconductor material and, thereby the same conduction and valence band energies, the same source, drain, and channel dopant profiles, the same channel widths and lengths, etc.). However, due to different gate structures with different effective work functions, at least one of which is between the conduction and valence band energies of the semiconductor bodies, these FETs have selectively different threshold voltages, which are independent of process variables. Furthermore, through the use of different high-k dielectric materials and/or metal gate conductor materials, the embodiments allow threshold voltage differences of less than 700 mV to be achieved so that the integrated circuit structure can function at power supply voltages below 1.0V.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Edward J. Nowak
  • Publication number: 20110121409
    Abstract: Field effect transistors, methods of fabricating a carbon insulating layer using molecular beam epitaxy and methods of fabricating a field effect transistor using the same are provided, the methods of fabricating the carbon insulating layer include maintaining a substrate disposed in a molecular beam epitaxy chamber at a temperature in a range of about 300° C. to about 500° C. and maintaining the chamber in vacuum of 10?11 Torr or less prior to performing an epitaxy process, and supplying a carbon source to the chamber to form a carbon insulating layer on the substrate. The carbon insulating layer is formed of diamond-like carbon and tetrahedral amorphous carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: David Seo, Jai-kwang Shin, Sun-ae Seo
  • Patent number: 7947591
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices with dual-metal gate structures and fabrication methods thereof. A semiconductor substrate with a first doped region and a second doped region separated by an insulation layer is provided. A first metal gate stack is formed on the first doped region, and a second metal gate stack is formed on the second doped region. A sealing layer is disposed on sidewalls of the first gate stack and the second gate stack. The first metal gate stack comprises an interfacial layer, a high-k dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, a first metal layer on the high-k dielectric layer, a metal insertion layer on the first metal layer, a second metal layer on the metal insertion layer, and a polysilicon layer on the second metal layer. The second metal gate stack comprises an interfacial layer, a high-k dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, a second metal layer on the high-k dielectric layer, and a polysilicon layer on the second metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peng-Fu Hsu, Fong-Yu Yen, Yi-Shien Mor, Huan-Just Lin, Ying Jin, Hun-Jan Tao
  • Publication number: 20110117712
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a control terminal sidewall spacer structure made of a high-K dielectric material. The semiconductor device includes a control terminal where the spacer structure is a sidewall spacer structure for the control terminal. The semiconductor device includes current terminal regions located in a substrate. In some examples, the spacer structure has a height that is less than the height of the control terminal. In some examples, the spacer structure includes portions located over the regions of the substrate between the first current terminal region and the second current terminal region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: RAMACHANDRAN MURALIDHAR, Jin Cai, Amlan Majumdar, Ghavam G. Shahidi
  • Publication number: 20110117713
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes flash memory cells, and peripheral circuitry including low voltage transistors (LVT) and high voltage transistors (HVT). The integrated circuit includes a tunnel barrier layer comprising SiON, SiN or other high-k material. The tunnel barrier layer may comprise a part of the gate dielectric of the HVTs. The tunnel barrier layer may constitute the entire gate dielectric of the HVTs. The corresponding tunnel barrier layer may be formed between or upon shallow trench isolation (STIs). Therefore, the manufacturing efficiency of a driver chip IC may be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Jin-Taek Park, Young-Woo Park, Jang-Hyun You, Jung-Dal Choi
  • Patent number: 7944004
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of making an integrated circuit with multiple thickness and/or multiple composition high-K gate dielectric layers and integrated circuits containing multiple thickness and/or multiple composition high-K gate dielectrics. The methods involve forming a layer of high-K atoms over a conventional gate dielectric and heating the layer of high-K atoms to form a high-K gate dielectric layer. Methods of suppressing gate leakage current while mitigating mobility degradation are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mariko Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 7943500
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises; forming an HfSiO film 36 on a silicon substrate 26; exposing the HfSiO film 36 to NH3 gas to thereby form an HfSiON film 38; forming an HfSiO film 40 on the HfSiON film 38; adhering Al to the surface of the HfSiO film 40 to thereby form an Al adhered layer 58 on the surface of the HfSiO film 40; and forming a polysilicon film 42 on the HfSiO film 40 with the Al adhered layer 58 formed on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masaomi Yamaguchi, Yasuyoshi Mishima
  • Patent number: 7943446
    Abstract: A semiconductor device able to secure electrical effective thicknesses required for insulating films of electronic circuit elements by using depletion of electrodes of the electronic circuit elements even if the physical thicknesses of the insulating films are not different, where gate electrodes of high withstand voltage use transistors to which high power source voltages are supplied contain an impurity at a relatively low concentration, so the gate electrodes are easily depleted at the time of application of the gate voltage; depletion of the gate electrodes is equivalent to increasing the thickness of the gate insulating films; the electrical effective thicknesses required of the gate insulating films can be made thicker; and the gate electrodes of high performance transistors for which a high speed and large drive current are required do not contain an impurity at a high concentration where depletion of the gate electrodes will not occur, so the electrical effective thickness of the gate insulating films
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuko Ohgishi
  • Patent number: 7943460
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided that includes forming a Ge-containing layer atop a p-type device regions of the substrate. Thereafter, a first dielectric layer is formed in a second portion of a substrate, and a second dielectric layer is formed overlying the first dielectric layer in the second portion of the substrate and overlying a first portion of the substrate. Gate structures may then formed atop the p-type device regions and n-type device regions of the substrate, in which the gate structures to the n-type device regions include a rare earth metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Renee T. Mo, Huiming Bu, Michael P. Chudzik, William K. Henson, Mukesh V. Khare, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 7935596
    Abstract: Memory devices having an increased effective channel length and/or improved TPD characteristics, and methods of making the memory devices are provided. The memory devices contain two or more memory cells on a semiconductor substrate and bit line dielectrics between the memory cells. The bit line dielectrics can extend into the semiconductor. The memory cell contains a charge trapping dielectric stack, a poly gate, a pair of pocket implant regions, and a pair of bit lines. The bit line can be formed by an implant process at a higher energy level and/or a higher concentration of dopants without suffering device short channel roll off issues because spacers at bit line sidewalls constrain the implant in narrower implant regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Ning Cheng, Huaqiang Wu, Hiro Kinoshita, Jihwan Choi
  • Publication number: 20110097866
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a non-volatile memory cell is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: forming two separate charge trapping structures on a semiconductor substrate; forming first spacers on sidewalls of the two charge trapping structures; forming a gate dielectric layer on the substrate; forming a gate on the two charge trapping structures and the gate dielectric layer between the two charge trapping structures; and forming two doped regions in the substrate besdie the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Hung-Lin Shih, Tsan-Chi Chu
  • Publication number: 20110095348
    Abstract: Technique of improving a manufacturing yield of a semiconductor device including a non-volatile memory cell in a split-gate structure is provided. A select gate electrode of a CG shunt portion is formed so that a second height d2 from the main surface of the semiconductor substrate of the select gate electrode of the CG shunt portion positioned in the feeding region is lower than a first height d1 of the select gate electrode from the main surface of the semiconductor substrate in a memory cell forming region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Hiraku CHAKIHARA, Yasushi Ishii
  • Patent number: 7932154
    Abstract: In a non-volatile flash memory device, and a method of fabricating the same, the device includes a semiconductor substrate, a source region and a drain region disposed in the semiconductor substrate to be spaced apart from each other, a tunneling layer pattern, a charge trap layer pattern and a shielding layer pattern, which are sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region, adjacent to the source region, a first channel region disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the tunneling layer pattern, a gate insulating layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate between the drain region and the first channel region, a second channel region disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the gate insulating layer, a concentration of the second channel region being different from that of the first channel region, and a gate electrode covering the shielding layer pattern and the gate insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Su Kim, Sung-Taeg Kang, In-Wook Cho, Jeong-Hwan Yang
  • Publication number: 20110092040
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same include a semiconductor substrate, a high-k dielectric pattern and a metal-containing pattern sequentially being stacked on the semiconductor substrate, a gate pattern including poly semiconductor and disposed on the metal-containing pattern, and a protective layer disposed on the gate pattern, wherein the protective layer includes oxide, nitride and/or oxynitride of the poly semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chongkwang Chang, Youngjoon Moon, Duck-nam Kim, Yeong-Jong Jeong
  • Patent number: 7927953
    Abstract: On a silicon substrate is formed a stacked body by alternately stacking a plurality of silicon oxide films and silicon films, a trench is formed in the stacked body, an alumina film, a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film are formed in this order on an inner surface of the trench, and a channel silicon crystalline film is formed on the silicon oxide film. Next, a silicon oxide layer is formed at an interface between the silicon oxide film and the channel silicon crystalline film by performing thermal treatment in an oxygen gas atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yoshio Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7928503
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells. Dopant is implanted into a semiconductor substrate to form a pair of source/drain regions that are spaced from one another by a channel region. The dopant is annealed within the source/drain regions, and then a plurality of charge trapping units are formed over the channel region. Dielectric material is then formed over the charge trapping units, and control gate material is formed over the dielectric material. Some embodiments include memory cells that contain a plurality of nanosized islands of charge trapping material over a channel region, with adjacent islands being spaced from one another by gaps. The memory cells can further include dielectric material over and between the nanosized islands, with the dielectric material forming a container shape having an upwardly opening trough therein. The memory cells can further include control gate material within the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hussein I. Hanafi