摘要:
Chlorine is incorporated into pad oxide (110) formed on a silicon substrate (120) before the etch of substrate isolation trenches (134). The chlorine enhances the rounding of the top corners (140C) of the trenches when a silicon oxide liner (150.1) is thermally grown on the trench surfaces. A second silicon oxide liner (150.2) incorporating chlorine is deposited by CVD over the first liner (150.1), and then a third liner (150.3) is thermally grown. The chlorine concentration in the second liner (150.2) and the thickness of the three liners (150.1, 150.2, 150.3) are controlled to improve the corner rounding without consuming too much of the active areas (140).
摘要:
A process for forming a first group of gate structures, designed to operate at a lower voltage than a simultaneously formed second group of gate structures, has been developed. The process features the thermal growth of a first silicon dioxide gate insulator layer, on a portion of the semiconductor substrate used for the lower voltage gate structures, while simultaneously forming a thicker, second silicon dioxide gate insulator layer on a portion of the semiconductor substrate used for the higher voltage gate structures. The thermal growth of the first, and second silicon dioxide gate insulator layers is accomplished via diffusion of the oxidizing species: through a thick, composite silicon nitride layer, to obtain the thinner, first silicon dioxide gate insulator layer, on a first portion of the semiconductor substrate; and through a thinner, silicon nitride layer, to obtain the thicker, second silicon dioxide gate insulator layer, on a second portion of the semiconductor substrate.
摘要:
In a nonvolatile memory cell with charge trapping dielectric (150), the tunnel dielectric (140) includes chlorine adjacent to the charge trapping dielectric but no chlorine (or less chlorine) adjacent to the cell's channel region (120). The chlorine adjacent to the charge trapping dielectric serves to improve the programming and/or erase speed. The low chlorine concentration adjacent to the channel region prevents chlorine from degrading the data retention. Other features are also provided.
摘要:
After forming a stack of layers (130, 140, 310) for a transistor or a charge-trapping memory over an active area (110), and before etching isolation trenches (160) in the semiconductor substrate (120) with the stack as a mask, spacers (610) are formed on the stack's sidewalls. The trench etch may include a lateral component, so the top edges of the trenches may be laterally recessed to a position under the spacers or the stack. After the etch, the spacers are removed to facilitate filling the trenches with the dielectric (to eliminate voids at the recessed top edges of the trenches). Other embodiments are also provided.
摘要:
A nonvolatile memory cell stores at least 50% of the charge in a dielectric, charge-trapping layer (160) and at least 20% of the charge in a floating gate (170). The floating gate is at most 20 nm thick.
摘要:
Thin oxide films are grown on silicon which has been previously treated with a gaseous or liquid source of chloride ions. The resulting oxide is of more uniform thickness than obtained on untreated silicon, thereby allowing a given charge to be stored on a floating gate formed over said oxide for a longer time than previously required for a structure not so treated.
摘要:
Chlorine is incorporated into pad oxide (110) formed on a silicon substrate (120) before the etch of substrate isolation trenches (134). The chlorine enhances the rounding of the top corners (140C) of the trenches when a silicon oxide liner (150.1) is thermally grown on the trench surfaces. A second silicon oxide liner (150.2) incorporating chlorine is deposited by CVD over the first liner (150.1), and then a third liner (150.3) is thermally grown. The chlorine concentration in the second liner (150.2) and the thickness of the three liners (150.1, 150.2, 150.3) are controlled to improve the corner rounding without consuming too much of the active areas (140).