Precision creation of inter-gates insulator
First Claim
1. An isolation providing method comprising:
- (a) defining a first oxidation stop layer above a first conductively-doped semiconductor layer;
(b) providing a first intrinsic silicon layer on the first oxidation stop layer;
(c) oxidizing at least a sublayer portion of the first intrinsic silicon layer so as to thereby create a corresponding and thermally-grown, first intrinsic silicon oxide sublayer over the first semiconductor layer; and
(d) disposing a second conductively-doped semiconductor layer above the first intrinsic silicon oxide sublayer so that the first intrinsic silicon oxide sublayer provides isolation between the first and second conductively-doped semiconductor layers.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ONO-type inter-poly insulator is formed by depositing intrinsic silicon on an oxidation stop layer. In one embodiment, the oxidation stop layer is a nitridated top surface of a lower, and conductively-doped, polysilicon layer. In one embodiment, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is used to precisely control the thickness of the deposited, intrinsic silicon. Heat and an oxidizing atmosphere are used to convert the deposited, intrinsic silicon into thermally-grown, silicon dioxide. The oxidation stop layer impedes deeper oxidation. A silicon nitride layer and an additional silicon oxide layer are further deposited to complete the ONO structure before an upper, and conductively-doped, polysilicon layer is formed. In one embodiment, the lower and upper polysilicon layers are patterned to respectively define a floating gate (FG) and a control gate (CG) of an electrically re-programmable memory cell. In an alternative embodiment, after the middle, silicon nitride of the ONO structure is defined, another layer of intrinsic silicon is deposited, by way of for example, ALD. Heat and an oxidizing atmosphere are used to convert the second deposited, intrinsic silicon into thermally-grown, silicon dioxide. An ONO structure with two thermally-grown, and spaced apart, silicon oxide layers is thereby provided.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An isolation providing method comprising:
-
(a) defining a first oxidation stop layer above a first conductively-doped semiconductor layer;
(b) providing a first intrinsic silicon layer on the first oxidation stop layer;
(c) oxidizing at least a sublayer portion of the first intrinsic silicon layer so as to thereby create a corresponding and thermally-grown, first intrinsic silicon oxide sublayer over the first semiconductor layer; and
(d) disposing a second conductively-doped semiconductor layer above the first intrinsic silicon oxide sublayer so that the first intrinsic silicon oxide sublayer provides isolation between the first and second conductively-doped semiconductor layers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An insulating structure comprising:
-
(a) an oxidation stop layer; and
(b) a thermally-grown, intrinsic, silicon oxide layer which has been grown from ALD deposited intrinsic, silicon that had been deposited on said oxidation stop layer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification