Abstract:
A contact structure, including a first conducting region having a first thin portion with a first sublithographic dimension in a first direction; a second conducting region having a second thin portion with a second sublithographic dimension in a second direction transverse to said first direction; the first and second thin portions being in direct electrical contact and defining a contact area having a sublithographic extension. The thin portions are obtained using deposition instead of lithography: the first thin portion is deposed on a wall of an opening in a first dielectric layer; the second thin portion is obtained by deposing a sacrificial region on vertical wall of a first delimitation layer, deposing a second delimitation layer on the free side of the sacrificial region, removing the sacrificial region to form a sublithographic opening that is used to etch a mold opening in a mold layer and filling the mold opening.
Abstract:
A process for self-aligned manufacturing of integrated electronic devices includes: forming, in a semiconductor wafer having a substrate, insulation structures that delimit active areas and project from the substrate; forming a first conductive layer, which coats the insulation structures and the active areas; and partially removing the first conductive layer. In addition, recesses are formed in the insulation structures before forming said first conductive layer.
Abstract:
An electronic semiconductor device has a sublithographic contact area between a first conductive region and a second conductive region. The first conductive region is cup-shaped and has vertical walls which extend, in top plan view, along a closed line of elongated shape. One of the walls of the first conductive region forms a first thin portion and has a first dimension in a first direction. The second conductive region has a second thin portion having a second sublithographic dimension in a second direction transverse to the first dimension. The first and the second conductive regions are in direct electrical contact at their thin portions and form the sublithographic contact area. The elongated shape is chosen between rectangular and oval elongated in the first direction. Thereby, the dimensions of the contact area remain approximately constant even in presence of a small misalignment between the masks defining the conductive regions.
Abstract:
A cell array is formed by a plurality of cells each including a selection bipolar transistor and a storage component. The cell array is formed in a body including a common collector region of P type; a plurality of base regions of N type, overlying the common collector region; a plurality of emitter regions of P type formed in the base regions; and a plurality of base contact regions of N type and a higher doping level than the base regions, formed in the base regions, wherein each base region is shared by at least two adjacent bipolar transistors.
Abstract:
A process for fabricating non-volatile memory cells on a semiconductor substrate includes forming a stack structure comprised of a first polysilicon layer isolated from the substrate by an oxide layer. The first polysilicon layer, oxide layer, and semiconductor substrate are cascade etched to define a first portion of a floating gate region of the cell and at least one trench bordering an active area of the memory cell. The at least one trench is filled with an isolation layer. The process further includes depositing a second polysilicon layer onto the whole exposed surface of the semiconductor, and etching the second polysilicon layer to expose the floating gate region formed in the first polysilicon layer, thereby forming extensions adjacent the above portion of the first polysilicon layer.
Abstract:
The phase change memory cell is formed by a resistive element and by a memory region of a phase change material. The resistive element has a first thin portion having a first sublithographic dimension in a first direction; and the memory region has a second thin portion having a second sublithographic dimension in a second direction transverse to the first dimension. The first thin portion and the second thin portion are in direct electrical contact and define a contact area of sublithographic extension. The second thin portion is delimited laterally by oxide spacer portions surrounded by a mold layer which defines a lithographic opening. The spacer portions are formed after forming the lithographic opening, by a spacer formation technique.
Abstract:
The memory cell is formed in a body of a P-type semiconductor material forming a channel region and housing N-type drain and source regions at two opposite sides of the channel region. A floating gate region extends above the channel region. A P-type charge injection region extends in the body contiguously to the drain region, at least in part between the channel region and the drain region. An N-type base region extends between the drain region, the charge injection region, and the channel region. The charge injection region and the drain region are biased by special contact regions so as to forward bias the PN junction formed by the charge injection region and the base region. The holes thus generated in the charge injection region are directly injected through the base region into the body, where they generate, by impact, electrons that are injected towards the floating gate region.
Abstract:
A process for fabricating non-volatile memory cells on a semiconductor substrate includes forming a stack structure comprised of a first polysilicon layer isolated from the substrate by an oxide layer. The first polysilicon layer, oxide layer, and semiconductor substrate are cascade etched to define a first portion of a floating gate region of the cell and at least one trench bordering an active area of the memory cell. The at least one trench is filled with an isolation layer. The process further includes depositing a second polysilicon layer onto the whole exposed surface of the semiconductor, and etching the second polysilicon layer to expose the floating gate region formed in the first polysilicon layer, thereby forming extensions adjacent the above portion of the first polysilicon layer.