The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 20, 2016
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2015
Applicant:
Sandisk Technologies, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Inventors:
Masafumi Yoshida, Yokkaichi, JP;
Ryo Nakamura, Yokkaichi, JP;
Assignee:
SanDisk Technologies LLC, Plano, TX (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/762 (2006.01); H01L 21/8239 (2006.01); H01L 27/115 (2006.01); H01L 21/8234 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 27/11524 (2013.01); H01L 27/11548 (2013.01); H01L 21/8239 (2013.01); H01L 21/823481 (2013.01);
Abstract
A method of forming a NAND flash memory includes etching between word lines to expose isolation material in shallow trench isolation (STI) trenches while active areas between word lines remain covered, then forming protective sleeves at locations over exposed isolation material. Subsequently, with the protective sleeves in place, isotropic etching of isolation material forms an air gap extending continuously between the protective sleeves along an individual STI trench.