Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Yi Hsien Lu

Wei Cheng Wu

Harry-Hak-Lay Chuang

Ya-Chen Kao

Chen-Chin Liu

Yu-Hsiung Wang

Juo-Li Yang

Chen-Ming Huang

Chun-Heng Chen

Chih-Jen Wu

Chih-Hong Hwang

An-Chun Tu

Chen-Chien Li

Kuei-Shu Chang-Liao

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a memory cell structure covered by a protective layer is formed in a memory cell area of a substrate. A mask pattern is formed. The mask pattern has an opening over a first circuit area, while the memory cell area and a second circuit area are covered by the mask pattern. The substrate in the first circuit area is recessed, while the memory cell area and the second circuit area are protected. A first field effect transistor (FET) having a first gate dielectric layer is formed in the first circuit area over the recessed substrate and a second FET having a second gate dielectric layer is formed in the second circuit area over the substrate as viewed in cross section.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit that includes a semiconductor substrate having a periphery region and memory cell region separated by a boundary region. A pair of split gate flash memory cells are disposed on the memory cell region and include a first select gate and a first memory gate. A first gate electrode is disposed over a first gate dielectric layer on the periphery region. A second gate electrode is disposed over a second gate dielectric layer on the periphery region at a position between the boundary region and the first gate electrode. The second dielectric layer is thicker than the first gate dielectric layer. The first select gate and the first memory gate have upper surfaces that are co-planar or level with the upper surface of the second gate electrode.

High voltage CMOS with co-planar upper gate surfaces for embedded non-volatile memory

The present disclosure relates to a structure and method for embedding a non-volatile memory (NVM) in a HKMG (high-&#x3ba; metal gate) integrated circuit which includes a high-voltage (HV) HKMG transistor. NVM devices (e.g., flash memory) are operated at high voltages for its read and write operations and hence a HV device is necessary for integrated circuits involving non-volatile embedded memory and HKMG logic circuits. Forming a HV HKMG circuit along with the HKMG periphery circuit reduces the need for additional boundaries between the HV transistor and rest of the periphery circuit. This method further helps reduce divot issue and reduce cell size.

HKMG high voltage CMOS for embedded non-volatile memory

The present disclosure relates to a structure and method for embedding a non-volatile memory (NVM) in a HKMG (high-&#x3ba; metal gate) integrated circuit which includes a high voltage (HV) HKMG transistor. NVM devices (e.g., flash memory) are operated at high voltages for its read and write operations and hence a HV device is necessary for integrated circuits involving non-volatile embedded memory and HKMG logic circuits. Forming a HV HKMG circuit along with the HKMG periphery circuit reduces the need for additional boundaries between the HV transistor and rest of the periphery circuit. This method further helps reduce divot issue and reduce cell size.

A method of forming a nitrogen-containing oxide film is disclosed. The method comprises (a) exposing a substrate to a first gas pulse having one of an oxygen-containing gas and a metal-containing gas; (b) exposing the substrate to a second gas pulse having the other of the oxygen-containing gas and the metal-containing gas to form an oxide film over the substrate; and (c) exposing the oxide film to a third gas pulse having a nitrogen-containing plasma to form a nitrogen-containing oxide film, wherein the nitrogen-containing oxide film has a nitrogen concentration between about 0.1 and about 3 atomic percent (at %).

Growing community of inventors

Yuanchang, Taiwan

Yi Hsien Lu