CELL BOUNDARY STRUCTURE FOR EMBEDDED MEMORY
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate including a peripheral region and a memory region separated by an isolation structure, wherein the isolation structure extends into a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and comprises dielectric material;
a memory cell on the memory region;
a dummy control gate structure on the isolation structure, wherein the dummy control gate structure defines a dummy sidewall that faces the peripheral region and that comprises multiple different materials;
a sidewall spacer on the isolation structure, along the dummy sidewall of the dummy control gate structure, wherein the sidewall spacer has a boundary sidewall that faces the peripheral region and that is smooth; and
a logic device on the peripheral region.
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method for forming an embedded memory boundary structure with a boundary sidewall spacer. In some embodiments, an isolation structure is formed in a semiconductor substrate to separate a memory region from a logic region. A multilayer film is formed covering the semiconductor substrate. A memory structure is formed on the memory region from the multilayer film. An etch is performed into the multilayer film to remove the multilayer film from the logic region, such that the multilayer film at least partially defines a dummy sidewall on the isolation structure. A spacer layer is formed covering the memory structure, the isolation structure, and the logic region, and further lining the dummy sidewall. An etch is performed into the spacer layer to form a spacer on dummy sidewall from the spacer layer. A logic device structure is formed on the logic region.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate including a peripheral region and a memory region separated by an isolation structure, wherein the isolation structure extends into a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and comprises dielectric material; a memory cell on the memory region; a dummy control gate structure on the isolation structure, wherein the dummy control gate structure defines a dummy sidewall that faces the peripheral region and that comprises multiple different materials; a sidewall spacer on the isolation structure, along the dummy sidewall of the dummy control gate structure, wherein the sidewall spacer has a boundary sidewall that faces the peripheral region and that is smooth; and a logic device on the peripheral region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; an isolation structure extending into a top of the semiconductor substrate and comprising dielectric material; a memory cell on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the memory cell comprises a control gate electrode and a control gate dielectric layer, and wherein the control gate electrode overlies the control gate dielectric layer; a dummy structure on the isolation structure and comprising a dummy gate electrode and a dummy gate dielectric layer, wherein the dummy gate electrode and the dummy gate dielectric layer are respectively even with the control gate electrode and the control gate dielectric layer, and wherein the dummy gate electrode and the dummy gate dielectric layer collectively define a dummy sidewall; and a sidewall spacer overlying the isolation structure and covering the dummy sidewall from a bottom of the dummy gate dielectric layer to a top of the dummy gate electrode, wherein the sidewall spacer has an angled sidewall on an opposite side of the sidewall spacer as the dummy structure. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; an isolation structure extending into a top of the semiconductor substrate and comprising dielectric material; a logic device adjacent to the isolation structure and comprising a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode, wherein the gate electrode overlies the gate dielectric layer; a multilayer stack on the isolation structure, wherein the multilayer stack has a heterogeneous sidewall that faces the logic device and that comprises multiple different materials; and a sidewall spacer on the isolation structure, wherein the sidewall spacer is even with the gate electrode and has a bottom surface elevated above a bottom surface of the gate dielectric layer, and wherein the sidewall spacer contacts the heterogeneous sidewall from top to bottom and is a single material. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification