Abstract:
A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell (24) from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell (24) in a semiconductor device (10, 50); and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell (24) at least one UV-protective layer (38, 46, 48 or 52), the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. A SONOS flash memory device (10, 50), including a SONOS flash memory cell (24); and at least one UV-protective layer (38, 46, 48 or 52), in which the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material, is provided.
Abstract:
A MONOS device and method for making the device has a charge trapping dielectric layer (32), such as an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer (34, 36, 38), formed on a substrate (30). A recess (44) is created through the ONO layer (32) and in the substrate (30). A metal silicide bit line (48) is formed in the recess (44) and bit line oxide (54) is formed on top of the metal silicide. A word line (56) is formed over the ONO layer (32) and the bit line oxide (54), and a low resistance silicide (58) is provided on top of the word line (56). The silicide (58) is formed by laser thermal annealing, for example.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a memory array (100) comprising a substrate (222) and a plurality of bitlines (224) having contacts (240) and a plurality of wordlines (201, 202) intersecting the bitlines (224). A protective spacer (234) is used to separate the bitline contacts (240) from the wordlines (201) adjacent to the bitline contacts (240) to prevent damage caused during the formation of the bitline contacts (240). The present invention also relates to a method of forming the memory array.
Abstract:
A method of forming a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, involving forming a charge trapping dielectric (114) over a substrate (112); forming a first set of memory cell gates (116) over the charge trapping dielectric (114) in a core region; forming a conformal insulation material layer (118) around the first set of memory cell gates (116); and forming a second set of memory cell gates (122) in the core region, wherein each memory cell gate of the second set of memory cell gates (122) is adjacent to at least one memory cell gate of the first set of memory cell gates (116), each memory cell gate of the first set of memory cell gates (116) is adjacent at least one memory cell gate of the second set of memory cell gates (122), and the conformal insulation material layer (118) is positioned between each adjacent memory cell gate is disclosed.
Abstract:
One aspect of the present invention provides a process for forming IC devices (100) with ESD protection transistors (112). According to one aspect of the invention, an ESD protection transistor (112) is provided with a light doping and then, after forming spacers, a heavy doping. The heavy doping with spacers in place can lower the sheet resistance, enhance the bipolar effect for the transistor, reduce the transistor's capacitance, and reduce the junction breakdown voltage, all without causing short channel effects. The invention thereby provides ESD protection transistors (112) that are compact, highly sensitive, and fast-switching. The spacers can be formed at the same time as spacers for other transistors, such as other transistors in a peripheral region of the device (100).
Abstract:
According to one embodiment, a memory cell structure comprises a semiconductor substrate (210), a first silicon oxide layer (215) situated over the semiconductor substrate, a charge storing layer (220) situated over the first silicon oxide layer, a second silicon oxide layer (225) situated over the charge storing layer, and a gate layer (230) situated over the second silicon oxide layer. In the exemplary embodiment, the charge storing layer (220) comprises silicon nitride having reduced hydrogen content, e.g., in the range of about 0 to 0.5 atomic percent. As a result, the reduced hydrogen content reduces the charge loss in the charge storing layer (220). The reduced charge loss in the charge storing layer (220) has the benefit of reducing threshold voltage shifts, prograirnming data loss, and programming capability loss in the memory device, thereby improving memory device performance.
Abstract:
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of forming a SONOS type non-volatile semiconductor memory device, involving forming a first layer of a charge trapping dielectric on a semiconductor substrate; forming a second layer of the charge trapping dielectric over the first layer of the charge trapping dielectric on the semiconductor substrate; optionally at least partially forming a third layer of the charge trapping dielectric over the second layer of the charge trapping dielectric on the semiconductor substrate; optionally removing the third layer of the charge trapping dielectric, if present; forming a source/drain mask over the charge trapping dielectric; implanting a source/drain implant through the charge trapping dielectric into the semiconductor substrate; optionally removing the third layer of the charge trapping dielectric, if present; and one of forming the third layer of the charge trapping dielectric over the second layer of the charge trapping dielectric on the semiconductor substrate, reforming the third layer of the charge trapping dielectric over the second layer of the charge trapping dielectric on the semiconductor substrate, or forming additional material over the third layer of the charge trapping dielectric.
Abstract:
A technique for forming at least part of an array of a dual bit memory core is disclosed. Initially, a portion of a charge trapping dielectric layer (608) is formed over a substrate (602) and a resist (614) is formed over the portion of the charge trapping dielectric layer (608). The resist (614) is patterned and a pocket implant (630) is performed at an angle to establish pocket implants (620) within the substrate (602). A bitline implant (634) is then performed to establish buried bitlines (640) within the substrate (602). The patterned resist is then removed and the remainder of the charge trapping dielectric layer (608) is formed. A wordline material (660) is formed over the remainder of the charge trapping dielectric layer and patterned to form wordlines (662) that overlie the bitlines (640). The pocket implants (620) serve to mitigate, among other things, complementary bit disturb (CBD) that can result from semiconductor scaling. As such, semiconductor devices can be made smaller and increased packing densities can be achieved by virtue of the inventive concepts set forth herein.
Abstract:
A Si-rich silicon oxide layer (500) having reduced UV transmission is deposited by PECVD, on an interlayer dielectric (300) , prior to metallization, thereby reducing V t . Embodiments include depositing a UV opaque Si-rich silicon oxide layer (500) having an R.I. of 1.7 to 2.0.
Abstract:
A manufacturing method for a MirrorBit® Flash memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate [102] [602] and depositing a charge-trapping dielectric layer [504] [606]. First and second bitlines [512] [608] are implanted and a wordline layer [515] is deposited [610]. A hard mask layer [516] is deposited over the wordline layer [515] [612]. The hard mask layer [516] is of a material formulated for removal without damaging the charge-trapping dielectric layer [504]. A photoresist [518] is deposited over the wordline layer [515] and used to form a hard mask [519] [618]. The photoresist [518] is removed [620]. The wordline layer [515] is processed using the hard mask [519] to form a wordline [525-528].