Method of making integrated MNOS and CMOS devices in a bulk silicon wafer

Claim 2

An MNOS/CMOS transistor fabrication process comprising: forming at least one well of a first conductivity type in a semiconductor wafer of a second conductivity type by ion implantation; then, depositing doping materials of the first and second conductivity types into respective preselected regions of the surface of the wafer wherein such regions will comprise source, drain, and contact regions of opposite conductivity type to the implanted ions of this step; then, implanting ions of the first and second conductivity types into preselected fields intermediate certain of the preselected regions; then, forming a field oxide layer over substantially all of the surface of the wafer; then, exposing preselected gate regions on the surface of the substrate and covering these gate regions with a gate oxide layer; then, implanting ions of the first conductivity type into those gate regions which have been preselected as MNOS transistor gate regions; then, exposing at least a portion of the surface of the substrate in the MNOS transistor gate regions and then covering the gate regions with first a memory oxide layer and then a silicon nitride layer; then, exposing preselected contact areas on the surface of the substrate; and then, forming electrical interconnects and contacts with the contact areas and the gate regions.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 further comprising implanting ions of the first conductivity type into the surface of the substrate in preselected gate regions such that depletion mode transistors will be formed.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the field oxide is formed by heating the wafer to at least 800° C. for at least 10 hours, and preferably to about 925° C. for about 19 hours, in an atmosphere comprising steam.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the field oxide is formed by a low temperature chemical vapor deposition step comprising exposing the wafer to an atmosphere comprising a gaseous compound selected from the group consisting of silane, dichlorosilane, other silicon-bearing gaseous compounds and mixtures thereof, and oxygen at a temperature less than about 550° C. such that the silicon component of the gaseous compound will combine with the oxygen to form a substantially uniform layer of silicon dioxide upon the surface of the wafer.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein the gaseous compound comprises silane and the temperature is from about 350° C. to about 400° C. for a time period of from about 3 to about 5 hours.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the electrical interconnects and contacts are implemented as aluminum metallization layers.

Claim 8

The process of claim 6 wherein the formation of the aluminum electrical interconnects and contacts includes an etch step comprising an anisotropic plasma etching process.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises a silicon wafer.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 wherein the silicon wafer surface comprises bulk silicon wafer.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein the first conductivity type is p conductivity type and the second conductivity type is n conductivity type.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein the first conductivity type is n conductivity type and the second conductivity type is p conductivity type.

Claim 13

An MNOS/CMOS transistor fabrication process comprising: forming at least one well of a first conductivity type in a bulk silicon wafer of a second conductivity type by ion implantation; then, depositing doping materials of the first and second conductivity types into preselected regions of the surface of the wafer wherein such regions will comprise source, drain, and contact regions; then, implanting ions into the first and second conductivity types into respective preselected fields intermediate certain of the preselected regions of opposite conductivity type to the implanted ions of this step; then, forming a field oxide layer over substantially all of the surface of the wafer by a process comprising heating the wafer to at least 800° C. for at least 10 hours, and preferably to about 925° C. for about 19 hours, in an atmosphere comprising steam; then, exposing preselected gate regions on the surface of the substrate and covering these gate regions with a gate oxide layer; then, implanting ions of the first conductivity type into those gate regions which have been preselected as MNOS transistor gate regions; then, exposing at least a portion of the surface of the substrate in the MNOS transistor gate regions and then covering the gate regions with first a memory oxide layer and then a silicon nitride layer; then, exposing preselected contact areas on the surface of the substrate; and then, forming electrical interconnects and contacts with the contact area and the gate regions.

Claim 14

An MNOS/CMOS transistor fabrication process comprising: forming at least one well of a first conductivity type in a bulk silicon wafer of a second conductivity type by ion implantation; then, depositing doping materials of the first and second conductivity types into preselected regions of the surface of the wafer wherein such regions will comprise source, drain, and contact regions; then, implanting ions into the first and second conductivity types into respective preselected fields intermediate certain of the preselected regions of opposite conductivity type to the implanted ions of this step; then, forming a field oxide layer over substantially all of the surface of the wafer by a process comprising heating the wafer to at least 800° C. for at least 10 hours, and preferably to about 925° C. for about 19 hours, in an atmosphere comprising steam; then, exposing preselected gate regions on the surface of the substrate and covering these gate regions with a gate oxide layer; then, implanting ions of the first conductivity type into those gate regions which have been preselected as MNOS transistor gate regions; then, exposing at least a portion of the surface of the substrate in the MNOS transistor gate regions and then covering the gate regions with first a memory oxide layer and then a silicon nitride layer; then, exposing preselected contact areas on the surface of the substrate; and then, forming electrical interconnects and contacts with the contact area and the gate regions.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 wherein the first conductivity type is p conductivity type and the second conductivity type is n conductivity type.

Claim 16

The process of claim 12 wherein the first conductivity type is n conductivity type and the second conductivity type is p conductivity type.

Claim 17

An MNOS/CMOS transistor fabrication process comprising: forming at least one well of a first conductivity type in a bulk silicon wafer of a second conductivity type by ion implantation; then, depositing doping materials of the first and second conductivity types into preselected regions of the surface of the wafer, wherein such regions will comprise source, drain, and contact regions; then, implanting ions of the first and second conductivity types into respective preselected fields intermediate certain of the preselected regions of opposite conductivity type to the implanted ions of this step; then, forming a field oxide layer over substantially all of the surface of the wafer by a process comprising a low temperature chemical vapor deposition process comprising exposing the wafer to an atmosphere comprising a gaseous compound selected from the group consisting of silane, dichlorosilane, other silicon-bearing gaseous compounds and mixtures thereof, and oxygen at a temperature less than about 550° C. such that the silicon component of the gaseous compound will combine with the oxygen to form a substantially uniform layer of silicon dioxide upon the surface of the wafer; then, exposing preselected gate regions on the surface of the substrate and covering these regions with a gate oxide layer; then, implanting ions of the first conductivity type into those gate regions which have been preselected as MNOS transistor gate regions; then, exposing at least a portion of the surface of the substrate in the MNOS transistor gate regions and then covering the gate regions with first a memory oxide layer and then a silicon nitride layer; then, exposing preselected contact areas on the surface of the substrate; and then, forming electrical interconnects and contacts with the contact areas and the gate regions.

Claim 18

An MNOS/CMOS transistor fabrication process comprising: forming at least one well of a first conductivity type in a bulk silicon wafer of a second conductivity type by ion implantation; then, depositing doping materials of the first and second conductivity types into preselected regions of the surface of the wafer, wherein such regions will comprise source, drain, and contact regions; then, implanting ions of the first and second conductivity types into respective preselected fields intermediate certain of the preselected regions of opposite conductivity type to the implanted ions of this step; then, forming a field oxide layer over substantially all of the surface of the wafer by a process comprising a low temperature chemical vapor deposition process comprising exposing the wafer to an atmosphere comprising a gaseous compound selected from the group consisting of silane, dichlorosilane, other silicon-bearing gaseous compounds and mixtures thereof, and oxygen at a temperature less than about 550° C. such that the silicon component of the gaseous compound will combine with the oxygen to form a substantially uniform layer of silicon dioxide upon the surface of the wafer; then, exposing preselected gate regions on the surface of the substrate and covering these regions with a gate oxide layer; then, implanting ions of the first conductivity type into those gate regions which have been preselected as MNOS transistor gate regions; then, exposing at least a portion of the surface of the substrate in the MNOS transistor gate regions and then covering the gate regions with first a memory oxide layer and then a silicon nitride layer; then, exposing preselected contact areas on the surface of the substrate; and then, forming electrical interconnects and contacts with the contact areas and the gate regions.

Claim 19

The process of claim 15 wherein the gaseous compound comprises silane and the temperature is from about 350° C. to about 400° C. for a time period of from about 3 to about 5 hours.

Claim 20

The process of claim 15 wherein the electrical interconnects and contacts are implemented as aluminim metallization layers.

Claim 21

The process of claim 17 wherein the formation of the aluminum electrical interconnects and contacts includes an etch step comprising an anisotropic plasma etching process.

Claim 22

The process of claim 15 wherein the first conductivity type comprises p conductivity type and the second conductivity type comprises n conductivity type.

Claim 23

The process of claim 15 wherein the first conductivity type is n conductivity type and the second conductivity type is p conductivity type.