Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of fabricating flash memory, comprising: forming a protruding plateau on a surface of a silicon substrate; performing an ion implantation process to form a drain region having side walls on a top surface of the protruding plateau and to form source regions in the substrate adjacent a base of the protruding plateau; forming a gate oxide layer having side walls on side walls of the protruding plateau, such that only a portion of the side walls of the drain region is exposed; forming a tunnel oxide layer having side walls over the source regions and the drain region wherein the tunnel oxide layer is thinner than the gate oxide layer; forming a floating gate terminal layer on the side walls of the gate oxide layer and the side walls of the tunnel oxide layer; depositing a dielectric layer having side walls over the substrate; and forming a controlling gate terminal layer on the side walls of the dielectric layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of fabricating flash memory, comprising: forming a protruding plateau on a surface of a silicon substrate; performing an ion implantation process to form a drain region having side walls on a top surface of the protruding plateau and to form source regions in the substrate adjacent a base of the protruding plateau; forming a gate oxide layer having side walls on side walls of the protruding plateau, such that only a portion of the side walls of the drain region is exposed; forming a tunnel oxide layer having side walls over the source regions and the drain region wherein the tunnel oxide layer is thinner than the gate oxide layer; forming a floating gate terminal layer on the side walls of the gate oxide layer and the side walls of the tunnel oxide layer; depositing a dielectric layer having side walls over the substrate; and forming a controlling gate terminal layer on the side walls of the dielectric layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the protruding plateau has a thickness of between about 1000 Å and about 10,000 Å.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein ions are implanted at an energy level of about 50 KeV to a dosage of about 1×10 15 ions/cm 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the gate oxide layer has a thickness of between about 100 Å and about 300 Å.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel oxide layer has a thickness of between about 50 Å and about 100 Å.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the floating gate terminal layer is a polysilicon layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the floating gate terminal layer has a thickness of between about 500 Å and about 1500 Å.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer is a three-layered structure of oxide/nitride/oxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness of between about 100 Å and about 400 Å.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling gate terminal layer is a polysilicon layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel oxide layer has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion of the tunnel oxide layer provides a first tunneling region directly between the drain region and the floating gate terminal layer, and the second portion of the tunnel oxide layer provides a second tunneling region directly between the source regions and the floating gate terminal layer.