摘要:
An apparatus for measuring effects of isolation processes (280) on an oxide layer (286) in a memory device (255) is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a structure (110) comprised of an array (110c) of memory devices (255). A testing unit (120) is coupled with the structure (110). The testing unit (120) is for performing various electrical tests on the array (110c) of memory devices (255). The testing unit (120) is also for providing data regarding each memory device (255) in the array (110c) of memory devices (255). An analyzer (120) is coupled with the structure (110) for analyzing results of the various electrical tests. This determines the condition of the oxide layer (286) of each memory device (255) in the array of memory devices (110c).
摘要:
A floating gate flash memory device including a substrate including a source region, a drain region and a channel region positioned therebetween; a stack gate including a floating gate electrode, at least one of sidewall/spacers, second sidewalls or a barrier layer, in which the floating gate is positioned above the channel region. The floating gate may be separated from the channel region by one or more of a reverse tunnel dielectric layer, the barrier layer and a pad dielectric layer. The floating gate may be a metal floating gate.
摘要:
A method for testing tunnel oxide on a memory-related structure. In one method embodiment, the present invention accesses a memory-related structure during a manufacturing process. Next, the present embodiment applies a constant voltage to a gate of the memory-related structure. The present embodiment then measures a first gate current for the memory-related structure when the constant voltage is initially applied, to obtain a first value. Next, the present embodiment measures a second gate current for the memory-related structure a period of time after the constant voltage is initially applied to obtain a second value. A calculation of ratio of the second value to the first value is then performed. The present embodiment then generates a graph of the first value and the ratio of the second value to the first value as a function of time, wherein a decrease in the graph signifies stress induced electron trapping behavior of the tunnel oxide.
摘要:
A method of determining the active region width (10) of an active region (4) by measuring the respective gate currents (Ig,100, Ig,100′, Ig,100″) of respective composite capacitance structures (100, 100′, 100″), respectively comprising at least one capacitor element (16, 17, 18; 16′, 17′, 18″; 16″, 17″, 18″) having respective predetermined widths (Wi) for fabricating a flash memory semiconductor device, and a device thereby fabricated. The present method also comprises plotting the respective gate currents (Ig,100, Ig,100 ′, Ig,100″) as a quasi-linear function (IW) of the respective predetermined widths (Wi), extrapolating a calibration term (WI=0) from the quasi-linear function (IW), and subtracting the calibration term (WIg=0) from the respective predetermined widths (Wi) to define and constrain the active region width (10) for facilitating device fabrication.
摘要:
A method of determining the location of the breakdown in the gate oxide of a MOSFET is disclosed. Additionally, the method determines the location of the breakdown in a manner that is convenient to use and can be easily employed. The method will determine whether there is a breakdown in the gate oxide. If there is a breakdown, the method will enable determination of the location of the breakdown in the gate oxide.
摘要:
A non-destructive and non-intrusive, user friendly, easy to setup and efficient system and method of determining the gate oxide thickness of an operational MOSFET used in real circuit applications is provided. Additionally, the present invention determines the gate oxide thickness when the operational MOSFET is operating in the inversion mode.
摘要:
A method (300) of fabricating a semiconductor device. An oxide layer (220) is produced on a sidewall (211) of a stacked gate (210) and over a shallow trench (212) adjacent to the stacked gate. The thickness of the oxide layer is sufficient to withstand a subsequent etch. A first layer (222) of material is deposited over the oxide layer. In a first etch, the first layer is reduced to a first thickness along the sidewall. Because the oxide layer has a depth sufficient to withstand the first etch, the oxide layer serves as a protective layer for the shallow trench during the first etch. Accordingly, a protective liner layer does not need to be deposited in addition to the oxide layer.
摘要:
A process for fabrication of a floating gate flash memory device, and the device made thereby, including providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a pad dielectric layer overlying the substrate; forming a hard mask layer overlying the pad dielectric layer; forming an initial trench through the hard mask layer, wherein the initial trench has an initial lateral extent Li defined by opposite hard mask sidewalls in the hard mask layer; reducing the initial lateral extent Li of the initial trench to define a reduced trench having a reduced lateral extent Lrx, wherein x is at least one; and filling the reduced trench with a floating gate material.
摘要:
A floating gate flash memory device including a substrate comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned therebetween; a floating gate electrode positioned above the channel region and separated from the channel region by a tunnel dielectric material layer; and a control gate electrode positioned above the floating gate electrode and separated from the floating gate electrode by an interpoly dielectric layer, the interpoly dielectric layer comprising a modified ONO structure having a bottom dielectric material layer adjacent to the floating gate electrode, a top dielectric material layer adjacent to the control gate electrode, and a center layer comprising a nitride and positioned between the bottom dielectric material layer and the top dielectric material layer, in which the tunnel dielectric material layer, and at least one of the bottom dielectric material layer and the top dielectric material layer, comprise a high-K dielectric material.
摘要:
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.