Methods for fabricating memory devices

Abstract

Methods for fabricating memory devices having a multi-dot floating gate ensuring a desirable crystallization of a semiconductor film without ruining the flatness of the surface of the polycrystallized silicon layer and a tunnel oxide film, allowing desirable semiconductor dots to be produced, and allowing production of the memory devices having a multi-dot floating gate with ease and at low costs even when a substrate is made of glass or plastic. Such a method for fabricating memory devices includes steps for forming on a substrate a semiconductor film and treating said semiconductor film by a first laser annealing so as to have a polycrystalline structure; forming on the semiconductor film a semiconductor dot forming film having a non-stoichiometric composition with an excessive content of a semiconductor element; and dispersing semiconductor dots within the semiconductor dot forming film by a second laser annealing thereby to produce semiconductor dots; in which a pulse energy density of the laser used for the first laser annealing is larger than a pulse energy density of the laser used for the second laser annealing.