US5427970A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of making flash memory with high coupling ratio
Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp
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Filing: 1994-07-18
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Granted: 1995-06-27
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Expires: 2014-07-18
Abstract
Abstract A new method of fabricating a high coupling ratio Flash EEPROM memory cell is achieved. A layer of silicon dioxide is provided over the surface of a semiconductor substrate. A layer of silicon nitride is deposited over the silicon dioxide layer and patterned. The silicon dioxide layer not covered by the patterned silicon nitride layer is removed, thereby exposing portions of the substrate. A tunnel oxide layer is grown on the exposed portions of the semiconductor substrate. Silicon nitride spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the patterned silicon nitride layer. Ions are implanted into the substrate using the silicon nitride layer and spacers as a mask to form implanted regions within the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is oxidized where the implanted regions have been formed leaving the thin tunnel oxide only under the silicon nitride spacers. The silicon nitride layer and spacers are removed. A first polysilicon layer is deposited over the surface of the silicon dioxide and tunnel oxide layers and patterned to form a floating gate. An interpoly dielectric layer is deposited over the patterned first polysilicon layer followed by a second polysilicon layer. The second polysilicon layer is patterned to form a control gate. Passivation and metallization complete the fabrication of the memory cell with improved coupling ratio.
Inventors
- 👤 Chen-Chih Hsue
- 👤 Gary Hong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:45
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/0411; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10D64/01334
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
The method of forming a memory cell with improved coupling ratio comprising: depositing a layer of silicon nitride over the surface of a semiconductor substrate and patterning said silicon nitride layer to expose portions of said semiconductor substrate; growing a tunnel oxide layer on said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate; forming silicon nitride spacers on the sidewalls of said patterned silicon nitride layer; implanting ions into said substrate using said silicon nitride spacers and said patterned silicon nitride layer as a mask to form implanted regions within said semiconductor substrate; oxidizing said semiconductor substrate where said implanted regions have been formed leaving said tunnel oxide only under said silicon nitride spacers; removing said silicon nitride spacers and said silicon nitride layer; depositing a first polysilicon layer over the surface of said semiconductor substrate and said tunnel oxide layer and patterning said first polysilicon layer to form a floating gate; depositing an interpoly dielectric layer over said patterned first polysilicon layer; depositing a second conducting layer overlying said dielectric layer and patterning said second conducting layer to form a control gate; and providing passivation and metallization to complete the fabrication of said memory cell with improved coupling ratio.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
198 words
The method of forming a memory cell with improved coupling ratio comprising: depositing a layer of silicon nitride over the surface of a semiconductor substrate and patterning said silicon nitride layer to expose portions of said semiconductor substrate; growing a tunnel oxide layer on said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate; forming silicon nitride spacers on the sidewalls of said patterned silicon nitride layer; implanting ions into said substrate using said silicon nitride spacers and said patterned silicon nitride layer as a mask to form implanted regions within said semiconductor substrate; oxidizing said semiconductor substrate where said implanted regions have been formed leaving said tunnel oxide only under said silicon nitride spacers; removing said silicon nitride spacers and said silicon nitride layer; depositing a first polysilicon layer over the surface of said semiconductor substrate and said tunnel oxide layer and patterning said first polysilicon layer to form a floating gate; depositing an interpoly dielectric layer over said patterned first polysilicon layer; depositing a second conducting layer overlying said dielectric layer and patterning said second conducting layer to form a control gate; and providing passivation and metallization to complete the fabrication of said memory cell with improved coupling ratio.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said silicon nitride layer has a thickness of between about 1000 to 2000 Angstroms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 wherein after said silicon nitride layer has been patterned, a lightly doped drain implant is performed with phosphorus ions with a dosage of between about 1 E 13 to 5 E 13 atoms/cm 2 and energy of between about 40 to 80 KeV using said patterned silicon nitride layer as a mask.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a layer of silicon dioxide is grown to a thickness of between about 150 to 500 Angstroms over the surface of said semiconductor substrate before the deposition of said silicon nitride layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said tunnel oxide is grown to a thickness of between about 70 to 110 Angstroms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said silicon nitride spacers have a width of between about 500 to 2000 Angstroms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said implanted regions are formed by implanting Arsenic ions with a dosage of 3 E 15 to 8 E 15 atoms/cm 2 and energy of between about 60 to 100 KeV.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said oxidizing said semiconductor substrate where said implanted regions have been formed results in oxidized regions having a thickness of between about 500 to 1500 Angstroms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first polysilicon layer is deposited to a thickness of between about 1000 to 3000 Angstroms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said interpoly dielectric layer is composed of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and silicon nitride (ONO) layers with a combined thickness of between about 150 to 500 Angstroms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said interpoly dielectric layer is deposited over said first polysilicon layer before said patterning of said first polysilicon layer and wherein said first polysilicon layer and said interpoly dielectric layer are patterned together.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second conducting layer is composed of polysilicon and is deposited to a thickness of between about 2000 to 5000 Angstroms.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second conducting layer is composed of a polycide material in the group consisting of tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide, titanium silicide, and tantalum silicide and is deposited to a thickness of between about 2000 to 5000 Angstroms.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
264 words
The method of forming a memory cell with improved coupling ratio comprising: providing a layer of silicon dioxide over the surface of a semiconductor substrate; depositing a layer of silicon nitride over said silicon dioxide layer and patterning said silicon nitride layer; removing said silicon dioxide layer not covered by said patterned silicon nitride layer wherein portions of said semiconductor substrate are exposed; growing a tunnel oxide layer on said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate; forming silicon nitride spacers on the sidewalls of said patterned silicon nitride layer; implanting ions into said substrate using said silicon nitride spacers and said patterned silicon nitride layer as a mask to form implanted regions within said semiconductor substrate; oxidizing said semiconductor substrate where said implanted regions have been formed leaving said tunnel oxide only under said silicon nitride spacers; removing said silicon nitride spacers and said silicon nitride layer; depositing a first polysilicon layer over the surface of said silicon dioxide and said tunnel oxide layers; depositing an interpoly dielectric layer over said first polysilicon layer; patterning said first polysilicon layer and said interpoly dielectric layer to form a floating gate wherein a portion of said silicon dioxide layer is exposed; removing said exposed silicon dioxide layer wherein a portion of said semiconductor substrate is exposed; oxidizing said exposed semiconductor substrate; depositing a second conducting layer overlying said dielectric layer and said oxidized portion of said semiconductor substrate and patterning said second conducting layer to form a control gate; and providing passivation and metallization to complete the fabrication of said memory cell with improved coupling ratio.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
264 words
The method of forming a memory cell with improved coupling ratio comprising: providing a layer of silicon dioxide over the surface of a semiconductor substrate; depositing a layer of silicon nitride over said silicon dioxide layer and patterning said silicon nitride layer; removing said silicon dioxide layer not covered by said patterned silicon nitride layer wherein portions of said semiconductor substrate are exposed; growing a tunnel oxide layer on said exposed portions of said semiconductor substrate; forming silicon nitride spacers on the sidewalls of said patterned silicon nitride layer; implanting ions into said substrate using said silicon nitride spacers and said patterned silicon nitride layer as a mask to form implanted regions within said semiconductor substrate; oxidizing said semiconductor substrate where said implanted regions have been formed leaving said tunnel oxide only under said silicon nitride spacers; removing said silicon nitride spacers and said silicon nitride layer; depositing a first polysilicon layer over the surface of said silicon dioxide and said tunnel oxide layers; depositing an interpoly dielectric layer over said first polysilicon layer; patterning said first polysilicon layer and said interpoly dielectric layer to form a floating gate wherein a portion of said silicon dioxide layer is exposed; removing said exposed silicon dioxide layer wherein a portion of said semiconductor substrate is exposed; oxidizing said exposed semiconductor substrate; depositing a second conducting layer overlying said dielectric layer and said oxidized portion of said semiconductor substrate and patterning said second conducting layer to form a control gate; and providing passivation and metallization to complete the fabrication of said memory cell with improved coupling ratio.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said silicon nitride layer has a thickness of between about 1000 to 2000 Angstroms.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 14 wherein after said silicon nitride layer has been patterned, a lightly doped drain implant is performed with phosphorus ions with a dosage of between about 1 E 13 to 5 E 13 atoms/cm 2 and energy of between about 40 to 80 KeV using said patterned silicon nitride layer as a mask.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said silicon dioxide layer is grown to a thickness of between about 150 to 500 Angstroms.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said tunnel oxide is grown to a thickness of between about 70 to 110 Angstroms.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said silicon nitride spacers have a width of between about 500 to 2000 Angstroms.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said implanted regions are formed by implanting Arsenic ions with a dosage of 3 E 15 to 8 E 15 atoms/cm 2 and energy of between about 60 to 100 KeV.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said oxidizing said semiconductor substrate where said implanted regions have been formed results in oxidized regions having a thickness of between about 500 to 1500 Angstroms.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said first polysilicon layer is deposited to a thickness of between about 1000 to 3000 Angstroms.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said interpoly dielectric layer is composed of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and silicon nitride (ONO) layers.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said first polysilicon layer is patterned before the deposition of said interpoly dielectric layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said oxidizing said semiconductor substrate before said second polysilicon deposition results in oxidized regions having a thickness of between about 200 to 500 Angstroms.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said second conducting layer is composed of polysilicon deposited to a thickness of between about 2000 to 5000 Angstroms.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said second conducting layer is composed of a polycide material in the group consisting of tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide, titanium silicide, and tantalum silicide and is deposited to a thickness of between about 2000 to 5000 Angstroms.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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