Texas Instruments Corporation

Dave J McElroy

Manzur Gill

Pradeep L Shah

A CMOS memory cell array and a method of forming it, which avoids problems caused by field oxide corner-rounding. A moat pattern defines alternating columns of active areas and field oxide regions. A source line pattern defines rows of source lines. Silicon dopant is implanted in areas not covered by the source line pattern to form buried n+ source lines. The field oxide regions are formed in areas not covered by the moat pattern. Subsequent fabrication steps may be in accordance with conventional CMOS fabrication techniques.

Memory cell array having continuous-strip field-oxide regions

A CMOS memory cell array, and a process for making it, that avoids problems caused by LOCOS isolation of cells. Moats are formed by etching away columns of a thick field oxide layer. The moats have two-tiered sidewalls, such that an upper tier is sloped, and a lower tier is more vertical. This approach provides the advantages of sloped sidewalls, but avoids filament problems. After the moats are formed, subsequent fabrication steps may be in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques for CMOS arrays.

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Allen, TX, United States of America

Dave J McElroy