Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Te-Hsun Hsu

Hung-Cheng Sung

Shih-Wei Wang

Wen-Ting Chu

Yue-Der Chih

Chin-Yi Huang

Jack Yeh

Chang-Jen Hsieh

Shih Wei Wang

Derek Lin

Yung-Tao Lin

Cheng Hsiang Huang

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, and a trench formed in the substrate. First and second floating gates, each associated with corresponding first and second memory cells, extend into the trench. Since the trench can be made relatively deep, the floating gates may be made relatively large while the lateral dimensions of the floating gates remains small. Moreover, the insulator thickness between the floating gate and a sidewall of the trench where a channel region is formed can be made relatively thick, even though the lateral extent of the memory cell is reduced. A programming gate extends into the trench between the first and second floating gates, and is shared, along with a source region, by the two memory cells.

Memory cell having a shared programming gate

A memory cell includes a semiconductor substrate; and a first, a second, and a third transistor. The first transistor includes a first dielectric over the semiconductor substrate; and a first floating gate over the first dielectric. The second transistor is electrically coupled to the first transistor and includes a second dielectric over the semiconductor substrate; and a second floating gate over the second dielectric. The first and the second floating gates are electrically disconnected. The memory cell further includes a first capacitor; a second capacitor electrically coupled to the first capacitor; a third capacitor; a fourth capacitor electrically coupled to the third capacitor, wherein each of the first, the second, the third and the fourth capacitors includes the semiconductor substrate as one of the capacitor plates. The third transistor is a selector of the memory cell and is electrically coupled to the first and the second transistors.

Logic non-volatile memory cell with improved data retention ability

A programmable non-volatile memory (PNVM) device and method of forming the same compatible with CMOS logic device processes to improve a process flow, the PNVM device including a semiconductor substrate active area; a gate dielectric on the active area; a floating gate electrode on the gate dielectric; an inter-gate dielectric disposed over the floating gate electrode; and, a control gate damascene electrode extending through a dielectric insulating layer in electrical communication with the inter-gate dielectric, the control gate damascene electrode disposed over an upper portion of the floating gate electrode.

Programmable non-volatile memory (PNVM) device

An array of memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns are provided. The array includes a first program line in a first direction, wherein the first program line is connected to program gates of memory cells in a first row of the array; a first erase line in the first direction, wherein the first erase line is connected to erase gates of the memory cells in the first row of the array; and a first word-line in the first direction, wherein the first word-line is connected to word-line nodes of the memory cells in the first row of the array.

Logic compatible arrays and operations

A system and method provides an improved source-coupling ratio in flash memories. In one embodiment, a flash memory cell system with high source-coupling ratio includes at least a conventional floating gate device having a floating gate, a drain and a source. The floating gate is formed over a first junction for charging the floating gate by electron injection from the source to the floating gate and at least a first dielectric is layered on top of the floating gate to form a second junction. At least a first polycrystalline silicon is layered on top of the first dielectric, the first polycrystalline silicon electrically connected to the source. Electron tunneling provided through the second junction to the floating gate charges the floating gate, thereby increasing the source-coupling ratio of the floating gate and increasing the efficiency of storing electrical charge.

Scalable split-gate flash memory cell with high source-coupling ratio

A non-volatile memory cell includes a floating gate over a semiconductor substrate, a first capacitor comprising a first plate, the floating gate, and a dielectric therebetween, a second capacitor comprising a second plate, the floating gate, and a dielectric therebetween, a third capacitor comprising a third plate connected to the floating gate, and a fourth plate, wherein the third and fourth plates are formed in metallization layers over the semiconductor substrate. The first plate of the first capacitor includes a first doped region and a second doped region in the semiconductor substrate. The non-volatile memory cell further includes a transistor comprising a gate electrode over the semiconductor substrate, wherein a source/drain region of the transistor is connected to the first doped region of the first capacitor.

Logic compatible storage device

A new method to form a split gate for a flash device in the manufacture of an integrated circuit device is achieved. The method comprises providing a substrate. A film is deposited overlying the substrate. The film comprises a second dielectric layer overlying a first dielectric layer with an electronic-trapping layer therebetween. A masking layer is deposited overlying the film. The masking layer and the film are patterned to expose a part of the substrate and to form a floating gate electrode comprising the electronic-trapping layer. An oxide layer is grown overlying the exposed part of the substrate. The masking layer is removed. A conductive layer is deposited overlying the oxide layer and the second dielectric layer. The conductive layer and the oxide layer are patterned to complete a control gate electrode comprising the conductive layer. The control gate electrode has a first part overlying the floating gate electrode and a second part not overlying the floating gate electrode.

Uniform channel programmable erasable flash EEPROM

A non-volatile memory cell and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The non-volatile memory cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate over the semiconductor substrate, a first, a second, and a third capacitor each having a first plate and sharing a common floating gate as a second plate. The non-volatile memory cell further includes a transistor connected in series with the first capacitor. The gate electrode of the transistor is connected to a wordline of a memory array, and a source/drain region is connected to a bitline.

Logic compatible non-volatile memory cell

A new method to form a floating gate isolation test structure in the manufacture of a memory device is achieved. The method comprises providing a substrate. A gate oxide layer is formed overlying the substrate. A floating gate conductor layer is deposited overlying the gate oxide layer. The floating gate conductor layer is patterned to expose the substrate for planned source regions. Ions are implanted into the exposed substrate to form the source regions. Contacting structures are formed to the source regions. Contacting structures are formed to the floating gate conductor layer.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Te-Hsun Hsu