Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080203449 | SOURCE/DRAIN STRESSOR AND METHOD THEREFOR - A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a gate structure overlying a substrate. The method further includes forming a sidewall spacer adjacent to the gate structure. The method further includes performing an angled implant in a direction of a source side of the semiconductor device. The method further includes annealing the semiconductor device. The method further includes forming recesses adjacent opposite ends of the sidewall spacer in the substrate to expose a first type of semiconductor material. The method further includes epitaxially growing a second type of semiconductor material in the recesses, wherein the second type of semiconductor material has a lattice constant different from a lattice constant of the first type of semiconductor material to create stress in a channel region of the semiconductor device. | 08-28-2008 |
20080261361 | Shallow trench isolation for SOI structures combining sidewall spacer and bottom liner - A method for making a semiconductor device is provided which comprises (a) providing a layer stack comprising a semiconductor layer ( | 10-23-2008 |
20080296633 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING A TRANSISTOR STRUCTURE HAVING AN ACTIVE REGION ADJACENT TO A STRESSOR LAYER - An electronic device can include a transistor structure of a first conductivity type, a field isolation region, and a layer of a first stress type overlying the field isolation region. For example, the transistor structure may be a p-channel transistor structure and the first stress type may be tensile, or the transistor structure may be an n-channel transistor structure and the first stress type may be compressive. The transistor structure can include a channel region that lies within an active region. An edge of the active region includes the interface between the channel region and the field isolation region. From a top view, the layer can include an edge the lies near the edge of the active region. The positional relationship between the edges can affect carrier mobility within the channel region of the transistor structure. | 12-04-2008 |
20080299717 | METHOD OF FORMING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE FEATURING A GATE STRESSOR AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device ( | 12-04-2008 |
20090026554 | SOURCE/DRAIN STRESSORS FORMED USING IN-SITU EPITAXIAL GROWTH - A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a semiconductor layer. The method further includes forming a gate structure overlying the semiconductor layer. The method further includes forming a high-k sidewall spacer adjacent to the gate structure. The method further includes forming a recess in the semiconductor layer, the recess aligned to the high-k sidewall spacer. The method further includes forming an in-situ doped epitaxial material in the recess, the epitaxial material having a natural lattice constant different from a lattice constant of the semiconductor layer to create stress in a channel region of the semiconductor device. | 01-29-2009 |
20090256191 | SPLIT GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL WITH IMPROVED ENDURANCE AND METHOD THEREFOR - A non-volatile memory cell including a substrate in which is formed a source region and a drain region defining a channel region between the source region and the drain region is provided. The non-volatile memory cell further includes a select gate structure overlying a first portion of the channel region. The non-volatile memory cell further includes a control gate structure formed overlying a second portion of the channel region, wherein the control gate structure includes a nanocrystal stack having a height, wherein the control gate structure has a convex shape in a corner region formed at an intersection of a first plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate and a second plane substantially parallel to a side surface of the control gate structure, wherein a ratio of radius of the control gate structure in the corner region to the height of the nanocrystal stack is at least 0.5. | 10-15-2009 |
20090273013 | METHOD OF FORMING A SPLIT GATE MEMORY DEVICE AND APPARATUS - A split-gate memory device has a select gate having a first work function overlying a first portion of a substrate. A control gate having a second work function overlies a second portion of the substrate proximate the first portion. When the majority carriers of the split-gate memory device are electrons, the first work function is greater than the second work function. When the majority carriers of the split-gate memory device are holes, the first work function is less than the second work function. First and second current electrodes in the substrate are separated by a channel that underlies the control gate and select gate. The differing work functions of the control gate and the select gate result in differing threshold voltages for each gate to optimize device performance. For an N-channel device, the select gate is P conductivity and the control gate is N conductivity. | 11-05-2009 |
20090296491 | MEMORY HAVING P-TYPE SPLIT GATE MEMORY CELLS AND METHOD OF OPERATION - A memory comprising a plurality of P-channel split-gate memory cells are organized in rows and columns. Each of the plurality of P-channel split-gate memory cells comprises a select gate, a control gate, a source region, a drain region, a channel region, and a charge storage layer comprising nanocrystals. Programming a memory cell of the plurality of P-channel split-gate memory cells comprises injecting electrons from a channel region of the memory cell to the charge storage layer. Erasing the memory cell comprises injecting holes from the channel region to the charge storage region. | 12-03-2009 |
20100001326 | ONE TRANSISTOR DRAM CELL STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR FORMING - A one-transistor dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell includes a transistor which has a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region, a body region between the first and second source/drain regions, and a gate over the body region. The first source/drain region includes a Schottky diode junction with the body region and the second source/drain region includes an n-p diode junction with the body region. | 01-07-2010 |
20100078703 | SPLIT-GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL AND METHOD - A method is disclosed for making a non-volatile memory cell on a semiconductor substrate. A select gate structure is formed over the substrate. The control gate structure has a sidewall. An epitaxial layer is formed on the substrate in a region adjacent to the sidewall. A charge storage layer is formed over the epitaxial layer. A control gate is formed over the charge storage layer. This allows for in-situ doping of the epitaxial layer under the select gate without requiring counterdoping. It is beneficial to avoid counterdoping because counterdoping reduces charge mobility and increases the difficulty in controlling threshold voltage. Additionally there may be formed a recess in the substrate and the epitaxial layer is formed in the recess, and a halo implant can be performed, prior to forming the epitaxial layer, through the recess into the substrate in the area under the select gate. | 04-01-2010 |
20100244120 | NONVOLATILE SPLIT GATE MEMORY CELL HAVING OXIDE GROWTH - A split gate nonvolatile memory cell on a semiconductor layer is made by forming a gate dielectric over the semiconductor layer. A first layer of gate material is deposited over the gate dielectric. The first layer of gate material is etched to remove a portion of the first layer of gate material over a first portion of the semiconductor layer and to leave a select gate portion having a sidewall adjacent to the first portion. A treatment is applied over the semiconductor layer to reduce a relative oxide growth rate of the sidewall to the first portion. Oxide is grown on the sidewall to form a first oxide on the sidewall and on the first portion to form a second oxide on the first portion after the applying the treatment. A charge storage layer is formed over the first oxide and along the second oxide. A control gate is formed over the second oxide and adjacent to the sidewall. | 09-30-2010 |
20100244121 | STRESSED SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MAKING - A method of making a semiconductor device on a semiconductor layer includes forming a gate dielectric and a first layer of gate material over the gate dielectric. The first layer is etched to remove a portion of the first layer of gate material over a first portion of the semiconductor layer and to leave a select gate portion. A storage layer is formed over the select gate portion and over the first portion of the semiconductor layer. A second layer of gate material is formed over the storage layer. The second layer of gate material is etched to remove a first portion of the second layer of gate material over a first portion of the select gate portion. A portion of the first portion of the select gate is etched out to leave an L-shaped select structure. The result is a memory cell with an L-shaped select gate. | 09-30-2010 |
20100248466 | METHOD FOR MAKING A STRESSED NON-VOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE - A method of making a semiconductor device on a semiconductor layer includes: forming a gate dielectric over the semiconductor layer; forming a layer of gate material over the gate dielectric; etching the layer of gate material to form a select gate; forming a storage layer that extends over the select gate and over a portion of the semiconductor layer; depositing an amorphous silicon layer over the storage layer; etching the amorphous silicon layer to form a control gate; and annealing the semiconductor device to crystallize the amorphous silicon layer. | 09-30-2010 |
20110031548 | SPLIT GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL WITH IMPROVED ENDURANCE AND METHOD THEREFOR - A non-volatile memory cell including a substrate in which is formed a source region and a drain region defining a channel region between the source region and the drain region is provided. The non-volatile memory cell further includes a select gate structure overlying a first portion of the channel region. The non-volatile memory cell further includes a control gate structure formed overlying a second portion of the channel region, wherein the control gate structure includes a nanocrystal stack having a height, wherein the control gate structure has a convex shape in a corner region formed at an intersection of a first plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate and a second plane substantially parallel to a side surface of the control gate structure, wherein a ratio of radius of the control gate structure in the corner region to the height of the nanocrystal stack is at least 0.5. | 02-10-2011 |
20110165749 | METHOD OF MAKING A SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE USEFUL IN MAKING A SPLIT GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL - 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. | 07-07-2011 |
20110220975 | METHOD OF FORMING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE FEATURING A GATE STRESSOR AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device is formed in a semiconductor layer. A gate stack is formed over the semiconductor layer and comprises a first conductive layer and a second layer over the first layer. The first layer is more conductive and provides more stopping power to an implant than the second layer. A species is implanted into the second layer. Source/drain regions are formed in the semiconductor layer on opposing sides of the gate stack. The gate stack is heated after the step of implanting to cause the gate stack to exert stress in the semiconductor layer in a region under the gate stack. | 09-15-2011 |
20110256705 | METHOD FOR FORMING A SPLIT GATE DEVICE - A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer over a substrate. The method further includes forming a select gate layer over the dielectric layer. The method further includes etching the select gate layer at a first etch rate to form a first portion of a sidewall of a select gate, wherein the step of etching the select gate layer at the first etch rate includes using an oxidizing agent to oxidize at least a top portion of the substrate underlying the dielectric layer to form an oxide layer. The method further includes etching the select gate layer at a second etch rate lower than the first etch rate to form a second portion of the sidewall of the select gate, wherein the step of etching the select gate layer at the second etch rate includes removing only a top portion of the dielectric layer. | 10-20-2011 |
20120241839 | SPLIT-GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELLS HAVING IMPROVED OVERLAP TOLERANCE - Embodiments include a split-gate non-volatile memory cell that is formed having a control gate and a select gate, where at least a portion of the control gate is formed over the select gate. A charge storage layer is formed between the select gate and the control gate. The select gate is formed using a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The second conductive layer is formed over the first conductive layer and has a lower resistivity than the first conductive layer. In one embodiment, the first conductive layer is polysilicon and the second conductive layer is titanium nitride (TiN). In another embodiment, the second conductive layer may be a silicide or other conductive material, or combination of conductive materials having a lower resistivity than the first conductive layer. | 09-27-2012 |
20120261769 | METHOD OF MAKING A SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE USEFUL IN MAKING A SPLIT GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL - A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate and a select gate structure over a first portion of the semiconductor substrate. The select gate structure comprises a sidewall forming a corner with a second portion of the semiconductor substrate and a charge storage stack over an area comprising the second portion of the semiconductor substrate, the sidewall, and the corner. A corner portion of a top surface of the charge storage stack is non-conformal with the corner, and the corner portion of the top surface of the charge storage stack has a radius of curvature measuring approximately one-third of a thickness of the charge storage stack over the second portion of the substrate or greater. A control gate layer is formed over the charge storage stack. A portion of the control gate layer conforms to the corner portion of the top surface of the charge storage stack. | 10-18-2012 |
20120273889 | SHALLOW TRENCH ISOLATION FOR SOI STRUCTURES COMBINING SIDEWALL SPACER AND BOTTOM LINER - A method for making a semiconductor device is provided which includes (a) providing a layer stack comprising a semiconductor layer ( | 11-01-2012 |
20120292683 | MEMORY WITH DISCRETE STORAGE ELEMENTS - A method of making a non-volatile memory cell includes forming a plurality of discrete storage elements. A tensile dielectric layer is formed among the discrete storage elements and provides lateral tensile stress to the discrete storage elements. A gate is formed over the discrete storage elements. | 11-22-2012 |
20130084697 | SPLIT GATE MEMORY DEVICE WITH GAP SPACER - A method for forming a split gate device includes forming a first sidewall of a first conductive gate layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes a tunnel region laterally adjacent the first sidewall, forming a dielectric layer along the first sidewall to provide for increased thickness of a gap spacer, forming a charge storage layer over a portion of a top surface of the first conductive layer and over the tunnel region, and forming a second conductive gate layer over the charge storage layer. | 04-04-2013 |
20130109141 | TRANSISTORS WITH DIFFERENT THRESHOLD VOLTAGES | 05-02-2013 |
20130193506 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING DIFFERENT NON-VOLATILE MEMORIES HAVING NANOCRYSTALS OF DIFFERING DENSITIES AND METHOD THEREFOR - A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first plurality of nanocrystals over a surface of a substrate having a first region and a second region, wherein the first plurality of nanocrystals is formed in the first region and the second region and has a first density; and, after forming the first plurality of nanocrystals, forming a second plurality of nanocrystals over the surface of the substrate in the second region and not the first region, wherein the first plurality of nanocrystals together with the second plurality of nanocrystals in the second region result in a second density, wherein the second density is greater than the first density. | 08-01-2013 |
20130279267 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ERASE BIASING OF SPLIT-GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELLS - Methods and systems are disclosed for erasing split-gate non-volatile memory (NVM) cells using select-gate erase voltages that are adjusted to reduce select-gate to control-gate break-down failures. The adjusted select-gate erase voltages provide bias voltages on the select-gates that are configured to have the same polarity as the control-gate erase voltages applied during erase operations and that are different from select-gate read voltages applied during read operations. Certain additional embodiments use discrete charge storage layers for the split-gate NVM cells and include split-gate NVM cells having gap dielectric layer thicknesses that are dependent upon control gate dielectric layer widths. | 10-24-2013 |
20130323922 | SPLIT GATE MEMORY DEVICE WITH GAP SPACER - A method for forming a split gate device includes forming a first sidewall of a first conductive gate layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes a tunnel region laterally adjacent the first sidewall, forming a dielectric layer along the first sidewall to provide for increased thickness of a gap spacer, forming a charge storage layer over a portion of a top surface of the first conductive layer and over the tunnel region, and forming a second conductive gate layer over the charge storage layer. | 12-05-2013 |
20130343112 | METHOD FOR PRECONDITIONING THIN FILM STORAGE ARRAY FOR DATA RETENTION - A method includes over-programming thin film storage (TFS) memory cells on a semiconductor wafer with a first voltage that is higher than a highest voltage used to program the memory cells during normal operation of the memory cells. With the memory cells in an over-programmed state, the wafer is exposed to a first temperature above a product specification temperature for a period of time sufficient to induce redistribution of charge among storage elements in the memory cells. | 12-26-2013 |
20140054704 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INCLUDING AN ACTIVE REGION AND TWO LAYERS HAVING DIFFERENT STRESS CHARACTERISTICS - An integrated circuit includes a device including an active region of the device, where the active region of the device includes a channel region having a transverse and a lateral direction. The device further includes an isolation region adjacent to the active region in a traverse direction from the active region, where the isolation region includes a first region located in a transverse direction to the channel region. The isolation region further includes a second region located in a lateral direction from the first region. The first region of the isolation region is under a stress of a first type and the second region of the isolative region is one of under a lesser stress of the first type or of under a stress of a second type being opposite of the first type. | 02-27-2014 |
20140203347 | METHOD OF MAKING A NON-VOLATILE MEMORY (NVM) CELL STRUCTURE - A non-volatile memory device includes a substrate and a charge storage layer. The charge storage layer comprises a bottom layer of oxide, a layer of discrete charge storage elements on the bottom layer of oxide, and a top layer of oxide on the charge storage elements. A control gate is on the top layer of oxide. A surface of the top layer of oxide facing a surface of the control gate is substantially planar. | 07-24-2014 |
20140211559 | PROGRAMMING A SPLIT GATE BIT CELL - A method of programming a split gate memory applies voltages differently to the terminals of the selected cells and the deselected cells. For cells being programming by being coupled to a selected row and a selected column, coupling the control gate to a first voltage, coupling the select gate to a second voltage, programming is achieved by coupling the drain terminal to a current sink that causes the split gate memory cell to be conductive, and coupling the source terminal to a third voltage. For cells not being programmed by not being coupled to a selected row, non-programming is maintained by coupling the control gate to the first voltage, coupling the select gate to a fourth voltage which is greater than a voltage applied to the select gate during a read in which the split gate memory cells are deselected but sufficiently low to prevent programming. | 07-31-2014 |
20140299935 | SHALLOW TRENCH ISOLATION FOR SOI STRUCTURES COMBINING SIDEWALL SPACER AND BOTTOM LINER - A method for making a semiconductor device is provided which includes (a) providing a layer stack comprising a semiconductor layer ( | 10-09-2014 |
20140357072 | METHODS AND STRUCTURES FOR SPLIT GATE MEMORY - A method of making a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell using a substrate having a top surface of silicon includes forming a select gate stack over the substrate. An oxide layer is grown on the top surface of the substrate. Nanocrystals of silicon are formed on the thermal oxide layer adjacent to a first side the select gate stack. The nanocrystals are partially oxidized to result in partially oxidized nanocrystals and further growing the thermal oxide layer. A control gate is formed over the partially oxidized nanocrystals. A first doped region is formed in the substrate adjacent to a first side of the control gate and a second doped region in the substrate adjacent to a second side of the select gate. | 12-04-2014 |
20150035034 | SPLIT GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL - A method of making a semiconductor structure uses a substrate having a background doping of a first type. A gate structure has a gate dielectric on the substrate and a select gate layer on the gate dielectric. Implanting is performed into a first portion of the substrate adjacent to a first end with dopants of a second type. The implanting is prior to any dopants being implanted into the background doping of the first portion which becomes a first doped region of the second type. An NVM gate structure has a select gate, a storage layer having a first portion over the first doped region, and a control gate over the storage layer. Implanting at a non-vertical angle with dopants of the first type forms a deep doped region under the select gate. Implanting with dopants of the second type forms a source/drain extension. | 02-05-2015 |
20150054048 | Split-Gate Non-Volatile Memory Cells Having Gap Protection Zones - Split-gate non-volatile memory (NVM) cells having gap protection zones are disclosed along with related manufacturing methods. After formation of a gate for a split-gate NVM cell over a substrate, a doped region is formed adjacent the gate. A first portion of the doped region is then removed to leave a second portion of the doped region that forms a gap protection zone adjacent the select gate. For some disclosed embodiments, a select gate is formed before a control gate for the split-gate NVM cell. For other disclosed embodiments, the control gate is formed before the select gate for the split-gate NVM cell. The gap protection zones can be formed, for example, using an etch processing step to remove the desired portions of the doped region, and a spacer can also be used to protect the gap protection zone during this etch processing step. Related NVM systems are also disclosed. | 02-26-2015 |
20150060989 | Split Gate Nanocrystal Memory Integration - A process integration is disclosed for fabricating non-volatile memory (NVM) cells having spacer control gates ( | 03-05-2015 |