Semiconductor memory element, semiconductor memory device and method of fabricating the same

• US 20060267077A1
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,598,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/316
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/105 including field-effect components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1266 the substrate on which the devices are formed not being the final device substrate, e.g. using a temporary substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1285 using control of the annealing or irradiation parameters, e.g. using different scanning direction or intensity for different transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/04 characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes characterised by physical imperfections H01L29/30
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 41/40 characterised by the peripheral circuit region
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 41/49 comprising different types of peripheral transistor

Abstract

It is an object to provide a semiconductor memory device having a highly reliable and small-sized involatile memory by realizing a semiconductor memory element which restrains extreme concentration of an electric field onto a surface of activating layer in a channel region and is very minute. Further, it is an object thereof to provide a highly reliable and small-sized semiconductor memory device. There is fabricated a semiconductor memory element in which a surface of an activating layer is flat and which is very minute by using a crystallizing process of a semiconductor activating layer for adding a metal element onto a substrate having an insulating surface to subject to a heating processing and thereafter carrying out continuous oscillating laser irradiation. By using such a semiconductor memory element, a highly reliable and small-sized involatile memory and a semiconductor memory device having the involatile memory are provided.

Claims

1. A nonvolatile memory comprising a semiconductor memory element, said semiconductor memory element comprising:

a semiconductor active layer comprising a channel region and one conductive type impurity region;

a first insulating film;

a charge accumulating layer;

a second insulating film; and

a control gate electrode,

wherein the nonvolatile memory is formed over a substrate having an insulating surface; and

wherein the semiconductor active layer is constituted by aggregating a plurality of crystal grains elongated in the same direction.

4. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 1, wherein the channel region is a polycrystal semiconductor film crystallized by being irradiated with continuously oscillating laser.

7. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor active layer comprises silicon.

10. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 1, wherein a structure of said semiconductor memory element is one selected from the group consisting of a structure having a floating gate electrode, an MNOS structure, and an MONOS structure.

13. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NOR type memory cell array.

16. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NAND type memory cell array.

19. A semiconductor memory device comprising the nonvolatile memory according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor memory device is one selected from a group consisting of a game machine, a video camera, a head attaching type display, a DVD player, a personal computer, a portable telephone, and a car audio.

2. A nonvolatile memory comprising a semiconductor memory element, said semiconductor memory element comprising:

a semiconductor active layer comprising a channel region and one conductive type impurity region;

a first insulating film;

a charge accumulating layer;

a second insulating film; and

a control gate electrode,

wherein the nonvolatile memory is formed over a substrate having an insulating surface; and

wherein a surface roughness of the channel region is 0.1 nm through 60 nm in a P-V value.

5. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 2, wherein the channel region is a polycrystal semiconductor film crystallized by being irradiated with continuously oscillating laser.

8. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 2, wherein the semiconductor active layer comprises silicon.

11. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 2, wherein a structure of said semiconductor memory element is one selected from the group consisting of a structure having a floating gate electrode, an MNOS structure, and an MONOS structure.

14. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 2, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NOR type memory cell array.

17. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 2 , wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NAND type memory cell array.

20. A semiconductor memory device comprising the nonvolatile memory according to claim 2, wherein the semiconductor memory device is one selected from a group consisting of a game machine, a video camera, a head attaching type display, a DVD player, a personal computer, a portable telephone, and a car audio.

3. A nonvolatile memory comprising a semiconductor memory element, said semiconductor memory element comprising:

a semiconductor active layer comprising a channel region and one conductive type impurity region;

a first insulating film;

a charge accumulating layer;

a second insulating film; and

a control gate electrode,

wherein the nonvolatile memory is formed over a substrate having an insulating surface; and

wherein a surface roughness of the channel region is 0.1 nm through 5 nm in an rms value.

6. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 3, wherein the channel region is a polycrystal semiconductor film crystallized by being irradiated with continuously oscillating laser.

9. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 3, wherein the semiconductor active layer comprises silicon.

12. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 3, wherein a structure of said semiconductor memory element is one selected from the group consisting of a structure having a floating gate electrode, an MNOS structure, and an MONOS structure.

15. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 3, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NOR type memory cell array.

18. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 3 , wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NAND type memory cell array.

21. A semiconductor memory device comprising the nonvolatile memory according to claim 3, wherein the semiconductor memory device is one selected from a group consisting of a game machine, a video camera, a head attaching type display, a DVD player, a personal computer, a portable telephone, and a car audio.

22. A nonvolatile memory comprising a semiconductor memory element, said semiconductor memory element comprising:

a charge accumulating layer surrounded by an insulating film between a semiconductor active layer and a control gate electrode, said semiconductor active layer comprising a channel region and one conductive type impurity region,

wherein the nonvolatile memory is formed over a substrate having an insulating surface; and

wherein the semiconductor active layer is constituted by aggregating a plurality of crystal grains elongated in the same direction.

25. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 22, wherein the channel region is a polycrystal semiconductor film crystallized by being irradiated with continuously oscillating laser.

28. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 22, wherein the semiconductor active layer comprises silicon.

31. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 22, wherein a structure of said semiconductor memory element is one selected from the group consisting of a structure having a floating gate electrode, an MNOS structure, and an MONOS structure.

34. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 22, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NOR type memory cell array.

37. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 22, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NAND type memory cell array.

40. A semiconductor memory device comprising the nonvolatile memory according to claim 22, wherein the semiconductor memory device is one selected from a group consisting of a game machine, a video camera, a head attaching type display, a DVD player, a personal computer, a portable telephone, and a car audio.

23. A nonvolatile memory comprising a semiconductor memory element, said semiconductor memory element comprising:

a charge accumulating layer surrounded by an insulating film between a semiconductor active layer and a control gate electrode, said semiconductor active layer comprising a channel region and one conductive type impurity region,

wherein the nonvolatile memory is formed over a substrate having an insulating surface; and

wherein a surface roughness of the channel region is 0.1 nm through 60 nm in a P-V value.

26. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 23, wherein the channel region is a polycrystal semiconductor film crystallized by being irradiated with continuously oscillating laser.

29. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 23, wherein the semiconductor active layer comprises silicon.

32. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 23, wherein a structure of said semiconductor memory element is one selected from the group consisting of a structure having a floating gate electrode, an MNOS structure, and an MONOS structure.

35. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 23, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NOR type memory cell array.

38. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 23, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NAND type memory cell array.

41. A semiconductor memory device comprising the nonvolatile memory according to claim 23, wherein the semiconductor memory device is one selected from a group consisting of a game machine, a video camera, a head attaching type display, a DVD player, a personal computer, a portable telephone, and a car audio.

24. A nonvolatile memory comprising a semiconductor memory element, said semiconductor memory element comprising:

a charge accumulating layer surrounded by an insulating film between a semiconductor active layer and a control gate electrode, said semiconductor active layer comprising a channel region and one conductive type impurity region,

wherein the nonvolatile memory is formed over a substrate having an insulating surface; and

wherein a surface roughness of the channel region is 0.1 nm through 5 nm in an rms value.

27. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 24, wherein the channel region is a polycrystal semiconductor film crystallized by being irradiated with continuously oscillating laser.

30. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 24, wherein the semiconductor active layer comprises silicon.

33. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 24, wherein a structure of said semiconductor memory element is one selected from the group consisting of a structure having a floating gate electrode, an MNOS structure, and an MONOS structure.

36. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 24, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NOR type memory cell array.

39. The nonvolatile memory according to claim 24, wherein said semiconductor memory element is arranged in a NAND type memory cell array.

42. A semiconductor memory device comprising the nonvolatile memory according to claim 24, wherein the semiconductor memory device is one selected from a group consisting of a game machine, a video camera, a head attaching type display, a DVD player, a personal computer, a portable telephone, and a car audio.