Modified gate structure for non-volatile memory and its method of fabricating the same

Claim 2

A modified gate structure formed over a substrate, comprising: a first dielectric layer formed on said substrate; a first conductive layer formed on said first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer formed on said first conductive layer, wherein said second dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; a third dielectric layer formed on said second dielectric layer, wherein said third dieletric layer comprises tantalum oxide or BST; a refractory metal layer formed on said third dielectric layer; and a second conductive layer formed on said refractory metal layer, wherein said second conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 3

The modified gate structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer.

Claim 4

The modified gate structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 5

The modified gate structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refractory metal is selected from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, titanium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Claim 6

A method of fabricating the modified gate structure as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising the following steps of: providing the substrate; forming the first dielectric layer on the substrate; forming the first conductive layer on the first dielectric layer; forming the second dielectric layer on the first conductive layer, wherein the second dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; forming the third dielectric layer on the second dielectric layer, the third dielectric layer comprising tantalum oxide or BST; forming the refractory metal layer on the third dielectric layer; and forming the second conductive layer on the refractory metal layer, wherein said second conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 7

The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer.

Claim 8

The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 9

The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said refractory metal layer is selected from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, titanium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Claim 10

The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a step of subjecting the third dielectric layer to an annealing treatment after the step of forming the refractory metal layer.

Claim 11

A modified gate structure formed over a substrate, comprising: a first dielectric layer formed on said substrate; a first conductive layer formed on said first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer formed on said first conductive layer; a third dielectric layer formed on said second dielectric layer, wherein said third dieletric layer comprises tantalum oxide or BST; a refractory metal layer formed on said third dielectric layer; and a second conductive layer formed on said refractory metal layer, wherein said second conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 12

A modified gate structure formed over a substrate, comprising: a first dielectric layer formed on said substrate; a first conductive layer formed on said first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer formed on said first conductive layer; a third dielectric layer formed on said second dielectric layer, wherein said third dieletric layer comprises tantalum oxide or BST; a refractory metal layer formed on said third dielectric layer; and a second conductive layer formed on said refractory metal layer, wherein said second conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 13

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer.

Claim 14

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 15

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon; wherein said second dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; and wherein said refractory metal is selected from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, titanium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Claim 16

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein said refractory metal is selected from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, titanium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Claim 17

A method of fabricating the modified gate structure as claimed in claim 10, the method comprising the following steps of: providing the substrate; forming the first dielectric layer on the substrate; forming the first conductive layer on the first dielectric layer; forming the second dielectric layer on the first conductive layer; forming the third dielectric layer on the second dielectric layer, the third dielectric layer comprising tantalum oxide or BST; forming the refractory metal layer on the third dielectric layer; and forming the second conductive layer on the refractory metal layer, wherein said second conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 18

A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first and second dielectric layers are silicon oxide layers; and wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 19

A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon.

Claim 20

A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said refractory metal layer is selected from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, titanium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Claim 21

A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a step of subjecting the third dielectric layer to an annealing treatment after the step of forming the refractory metal layer.

Claim 22

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon; and wherein said refractory metal is selected from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, titanium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Claim 23

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; wherein said first conductive layer comprises polysilicon or amorphous silicon; and wherein said refractory metal is selected from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, titanium, molybdenum, and tantalum.

Claim 24

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second dieletric layer is a silicon dioxide layer.

Claim 25

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second dieletric layer is a silicon dioxide layer.

Claim 26

A modified gate structure formed over a substrate, comprising: a first dielectric layer formed on said substrate; a first conductive layer formed on said first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer formed on said first conductive layer, wherein said second dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; a third dielectric layer formed on said second dielectric layer, wherein said third dieletric layer comprises tantalum oxide or BST; a refractory metal layer formed on said third dielectric layer; and a second conductive layer formed on said refractory metal layer; wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 80-200 Å; wherein said second dieletric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 20-50 Å; and wherein said third dielectric layer has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.

Claim 27

A modified gate structure formed over a substrate, comprising: a first dielectric layer formed on said substrate; a first conductive layer formed on said first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer formed on said first conductive layer, wherein said second dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; a third dielectric layer formed on said second dielectric layer, wherein said third dieletric layer comprises tantalum oxide or BST; a refractory metal layer formed on said third dielectric layer; and a second conductive layer formed on said refractory metal layer; wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 80-200 Å; wherein said second dieletric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 20-50 Å; and wherein said third dielectric layer has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.

Claim 28

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 80-200 Å; wherein said second dieletric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 20-50 Å; and wherein said third dielectric layer has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.

Claim 29

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 80-200 Å; wherein said second dieletric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 20-50 Å; and wherein said third dielectric layer has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.

Claim 30

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 80-200 Å; wherein said second dieletric layer is a silicon dioxide layer having a thickness of about 20-50 Å; and wherein said third dielectric layer has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.

Claim 31

A modified gate structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer; and wherein said second dielectric layer is a silicon oxide layer.