US4598460A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making a CMOS EPROM with independently selectable thresholds
Assignee: Solid State Scientific Inc
•
Filing: 1984-12-10
•
Granted: 1986-07-08
•
Expires: 2004-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A process for making an integrated cirucit EPROM having an array of EPROM devices and CMOS peripheral circuits, including blanket depositions of a first and a second polysilicon layers on a silicon substrate and removing portions of those polysilicon layers. The EPROM floating gate is made from the first polysilicon layer, and the EPROM control gate as well as the P-channel and N-channel gates of the peripheral transistors are all made from the second polysilicon layer. Independently adjustable thresholds for each of the three device types are made possible by forming an N-well at the substrate region at which the P-channel device is to be built, blanket implanting all three channels prior to selectively forming the first polysilicon layer over the EPROM region, and then selectively doping the channels of the N- and P-channel devices only.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander H. Owens
- 👤 Mark A. Halfacre
- 👤 David S. Pan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:01
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10B; H10B41/00; H10B41/40; H10B41/42; H10B41/49; H10D; H10D84/00; H10D84/01; H10D84/0123; H10D84/0126; H10D84/0165; H10D84/02; H10D84/03; H10D84/038
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of fabricating on a P-conductivity type substrate an N-channel EPROM FET having self-aligned floating and control gates, a separate N-channel FET device, and a separate P-channel FET device in an N-conductivity type well region formed in said substrate comprising the steps of: (a) masking said substrate to cover the substrate regions at which said EPROM FET and N-channel device are to be formed and introducing N-type impurities into said substrate to form an N-well region at a portion thereof at which said P-channel device is to be formed; (b) simultaneously introducing P-type impurities into the channel regions of said EPROM FET, said P-channel and said N-channel devices; (c) selectively forming a first polysilicon layer over the region of the substrate at which said EPROM device is to be formed;
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of fabricating on a P-conductivity type substrate an N-channel EPROM FET having self-aligned floating and control gates, a separate N-channel FET device, and a separate P-channel FET device in an N-conductivity type well region formed in said substrate comprising the steps of: (a) masking said substrate to cover the substrate regions at which said EPROM FET and N-channel device are to be formed and introducing N-type impurities into said substrate to form an N-well region at a portion thereof at which said P-channel device is to be formed; (b) simultaneously introducing P-type impurities into the channel regions of said EPROM FET, said P-channel and said N-channel devices; (c) selectively forming a first polysilicon layer over the region of the substrate at which said EPROM device is to be formed;
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
144 words
(d) selectively introducing P-type impurities in said channel regions of said P-channel and N-channel devices while said EPROM region is covered by said first polysilicon layer; (e) forming a second polysilicon layer over the substrate region wherein said EPROM, said P-channel and said N-channel devices are to be formed; (f) forming on said second polysilicon layer a masking layer just over a central portion of said EPROM region and entirely over said P-channel and N-channel device regions; (g) removing the portions of said first and second polysilicon layers not covered by said masking layer thereby shaping the EPROM self-aligned floating and control gates; (h) subsequently etching away portions of said second polysilicon layer to form the gates of the P- and N-channel devices; and (i) introducing impurities at selected regions of said substrate to form the sources and drains of each of the devices.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
144 words
(d) selectively introducing P-type impurities in said channel regions of said P-channel and N-channel devices while said EPROM region is covered by said first polysilicon layer; (e) forming a second polysilicon layer over the substrate region wherein said EPROM, said P-channel and said N-channel devices are to be formed; (f) forming on said second polysilicon layer a masking layer just over a central portion of said EPROM region and entirely over said P-channel and N-channel device regions; (g) removing the portions of said first and second polysilicon layers not covered by said masking layer thereby shaping the EPROM self-aligned floating and control gates; (h) subsequently etching away portions of said second polysilicon layer to form the gates of the P- and N-channel devices; and (i) introducing impurities at selected regions of said substrate to form the sources and drains of each of the devices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 additionally comprising, prior to forming said first polysilicon layer, growing a first silicon dioxide layer over said EPROM substrate region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 additionally comprising heating to oxidize said self-aligned EPROM gates and to further oxidize said P-channel and N-channel gates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2 additionally comprising, prior to forming said second polysilicon layer, growing a second silicon dioxide layer directly over said P-channel and N-channel regions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 4 additionally comprising, after forming said first polysilicon layer, growing a third silicon dioxide layer over said first polysilicon layer, prior to depositing said second polysilicon layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 5 wherein step (f) includes the steps of successively etching said second polysilicon layer, said third oxide layer and said first polysilicon layer, in that order.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said steps of successively etching comprise: (a) performing a polysilicon etch through a mask to remove a portion of said second polysilicon layer and to shape said EPROM control gate; (b) performing a polysilicon oxide etch through said mask to remove said third oxide layer in the area peripheral to said control gate; and (c) performing another polysilicon etch through said mask to remove a portion of said first polysilicon layer in an area peripheral to said control gate to shape said EPROM floating gate and to provide mutual alignment between said control and floating gates.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said introducing impurities to form said sources and drains is partly accomplished by forming an ion-implant masking layer covering said EPROM and said N-channel regions, and exposing said P-channel region; and implanting P-type ions to form the source and drain of said P-channel device wherein said P-channel gate serves also as an implant mask and determines the channel length of said P-channel device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said introducing impurities is additionally accomplished by forming an ion-implant masking layer covering said P-channel region and exposing said EPROM and N-channel regions; and implanting N-type arsenic ions to form the sources and drains of said EPROM device and of said N-channel device, respectively, wherein said self-aligned gates serve also as an implant mask and at least partially determines the channel length of said EPROM device, and wherein said N-channel gate also serves as an implant mask and determines the channel length of said N-channel device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said introducing impurities is additionally accomplished by implant masking layer to determine, by shortening, the channels between the respective sources and drains of said EPROM device and of said N-channel device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4151021A
Cited
US4142926B1
Cited
US4142926A
Cited
US4288256A
Cited
US4373248A
Cited
US4472871A
Cited
US4377818A
Cited
US4355455A
Cited
US4329186A
Cited
US4373249A
Cited
US4315781A
Cited
US4495693A
Cited
US4385947A
Cited
US4468852A
Cited
US4525920A
Cited
US4471523A
Cited
US4513494A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-07-07 | 1990-01-06 | 1990-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-07-07 | 1994-01-06 | 1994-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-07-07 | 1998-01-06 | 1998-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |