Programmable structure including nanocrystal storage elements in a trench
First Claim
1. A semiconductor fabrication process, comprising:
- forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate;
lining the trench with a bottom dielectric;
forming a layer of discontinuous storage elements (DSEs) over the bottom dielectric and a top dielectric over the layer of DSEs;
forming a conductive control gate over the top dielectric; and
forming a source/drain region in the substrate underlying the trench.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A storage cell includes a semiconductor substrate defining a trench, a bottom dielectric lining the trench, and a charge storage layer on the bottom dielectric. The charge storage layer includes a plurality of discontinuous storage elements (DSEs). A control gate and a top dielectric cover the DSEs. The storage cell includes a source/drain region underlying the trench. The DSEs may be silicon nanocrystals and the control gate may be polysilicon. The control gate may be recessed below an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and an upper most of the DSEs may be vertically aligned with the control gate upper surface. The storage cell may include an oxide gap structure laterally aligned with the silicon nanocrystals adjacent the trench sidewall and extending vertically from the upper most of the silicon nanocrystals to the upper surface of the substrate. The DSEs include at least programmable two injection regions.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A semiconductor fabrication process, comprising:
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forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate;
lining the trench with a bottom dielectric;
forming a layer of discontinuous storage elements (DSEs) over the bottom dielectric and a top dielectric over the layer of DSEs;
forming a conductive control gate over the top dielectric; and
forming a source/drain region in the substrate underlying the trench. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A storage cell, comprising;
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a semiconductor substrate defining a trench;
a bottom dielectric lining the trench;
a charge storage layer over the bottom dielectric including a plurality of discontinuous storage elements (DSEs);
a top dielectric overlying the layer of DSEs;
a conductive control gate over the top dielectric including at least a portion located in the trench; and
a diffusion region underlying the trench. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of fabricating a storage device, comprising:
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forming first and second trenches in a semiconductor substrate;
forming a source/drain regions underlying the first and second trenches;
lining the trenches with a bottom dielectric and a layer of discontinuous storage elements (DSEs) on the bottom dielectric;
forming a top dielectric over the layer of DSEs; and
forming a layer of control gate material in the first and second trenches overlying the top dielectric;
- View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification