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US6674138B1
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Use of high-k dielectric materials in modified ONO structure for semiconductor devices
Assignee: Monterey Research LLC
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Filing: 2001-12-31
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Granted: 2004-01-06
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Expires: 2021-12-31
Abstract
Abstract A process for fabrication of a semiconductor device including a modified ONO structure, including forming the modified ONO structure by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; depositing a layer comprising a high-K dielectric material on the first oxide layer; and forming a top oxide layer on the layer comprising a high-K dielectric material. The semiconductor device may be, e.g., a MIRRORBIT(TM) two-bit EEPROM device or a floating gate flash device including a modified ONO structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Arvind Halliyal
- 👤 Mark T. Ramsbey
- 👤 Kuo-Tung Chang
- 👤 Nicholas H. Tripsas
- 👤 Robert B. Ogle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:32
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10D64/01336; H10D64/0134; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/0413; H10D30/60; H10D30/69; H10D30/691; H10D64/031; H10D64/037; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/68; H10D64/681; H10D64/685; H10D64/691; H10D64/693; H10D64/01342; H10D64/01344; H10D64/01346
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
A semiconductor device comprising a modified ONO structure, wherein the modified ONO structure comprises a bottom oxide layer; a layer comprising a composite dielectric material on the bottom oxide layer, wherein the composite dielectric material comprises elements of at least one high-K dielectric material; and a top oxide layer on the layer comprising a composite dielectric material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
A semiconductor device comprising a modified ONO structure, wherein the modified ONO structure comprises a bottom oxide layer; a layer comprising a composite dielectric material on the bottom oxide layer, wherein the composite dielectric material comprises elements of at least one high-K dielectric material; and a top oxide layer on the layer comprising a composite dielectric material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
136 words
The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the high-K dielectric material comprises at least one of hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ), zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ), barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), cerium oxide (CeO 2 ), lanthanum oxide (La 2 O 3 ), lanthanum aluminum oxide (LaAlO 3 ), lead titanate (PbTiO 3 ), strontium titanate (SrTiO 3 ), lead zirconate (PbZrO 3 ), tungsten oxide (WO 3 ), yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ), bismuth silicon oxide (Bi 4 Si 2 O 12 ), barium strontium titanate (BST) (Ba 1−x Sr x TiO 3 ), PMN (PbMg x Nb 1−x O 3 ), PZT (PbZr x Ti 1−x O 3 ), PZN (PbZn x Nb 1−x O 3 ), and PST (PbSc x Ta 1−x O 3 ).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the modified ONO structure is a memory cell in a SONOS type cell modified to incorporate the composite dielectric material in the nitride layer of the ONO structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the modified ONO structure is a memory cell in a two-bit EEPROM modified to incorporate the composite dielectric material in the nitride layer of the ONO structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
137 words
A non-volatile memory cell comprising: a) a substrate comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned therebetween; b) a floating gate positioned above the channel region and separated from the channel region by a tunnel dielectric film; and c) a control gate positioned above the floating gate and separated from the floating gate by an interpoly dielectric layer, the interpoly dielectric layer comprising a bottom silicon dioxide layer adjacent to the floating gate, a top silicon dioxide layer adjacent to the control gate, and a center layer comprising a high-K dielectric material and positioned between the bottom silicon dioxide layer and the top silicon dioxide layer, with the proviso that when the center layer comprises tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 3 ), the center layer further comprises at least one additional dielectric material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
137 words
A non-volatile memory cell comprising: a) a substrate comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned therebetween; b) a floating gate positioned above the channel region and separated from the channel region by a tunnel dielectric film; and c) a control gate positioned above the floating gate and separated from the floating gate by an interpoly dielectric layer, the interpoly dielectric layer comprising a bottom silicon dioxide layer adjacent to the floating gate, a top silicon dioxide layer adjacent to the control gate, and a center layer comprising a high-K dielectric material and positioned between the bottom silicon dioxide layer and the top silicon dioxide layer, with the proviso that when the center layer comprises tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 3 ), the center layer further comprises at least one additional dielectric material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
144 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 5 , wherein the high-K dielectric material comprises at least one of hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ), zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ), tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 5 ), barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), cerium oxide (CeO 2 ), lanthanum oxide (La 2 O 3 ), lanthanum aluminum oxide (LaAlO 3 ), lead titanate (PbTiO 3 ), strontium titanate (SrTiO 3 ), lead zirconate (PbZrO 3 ), tungsten oxide (WO 3 ), yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ), bismuth silicon oxide (Bi 4 Si 2 O 12 ), barium strontium titanate (BST) (Ba 1−x Sr x TiO 3 ), PMN (PbMg x Nb 1−x O 3 ), PZT (PbZr x Ti 1−x O 3 ), PZN (PbZn x Nb 1−x O 3 ), and PST (PbSc x Ta 1−x O 3 ).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 5 , wherein the center layer comprises a composite dielectric material including elements of the high-K dielectric material and at least one additional dielectric material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 7 , wherein the at least one additional dielectric material comprises aluminum nitride.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
A non-volatile memory cell comprising: a) a substrate comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned therebetween; b) a charge storage layer comprising a modified ONO structure, having a bottom silicon dioxide layer adjacent the channel region, a top silicon dioxide layer, and a center charge storage layer comprising a high-K dielectric material and positioned between the bottom silicon oxide layer and the top silicon dioxide layer; and c) a gate capacitively coupled to the channel region through the charge storage layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
86 words
A non-volatile memory cell comprising: a) a substrate comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned therebetween; b) a charge storage layer comprising a modified ONO structure, having a bottom silicon dioxide layer adjacent the channel region, a top silicon dioxide layer, and a center charge storage layer comprising a high-K dielectric material and positioned between the bottom silicon oxide layer and the top silicon dioxide layer; and c) a gate capacitively coupled to the channel region through the charge storage layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
144 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 9 , wherein the high-K dielectric material comprises at least one of hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ), zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ), tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 5 ), barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), cerium oxide (CeO 2 ), lanthanum oxide (La 2 O 3 ), lanthanum aluminum oxide (LaAlO 3 ), lead titanate (PbTiO 3 ), strontium titanate (SrTiO 3 ), lead zirconate (PbZrO 3 ), tungsten oxide (WO 3 ), yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ), bismuth silicon oxide (Bi 4 Si 2 O 12 ), barium strontium titanate (BST) (Ba 1−x Sr x TiO 3 ), PMN (PbMg x Nb 1−x O 3 ), PZT (PbZr x Ti 1−x O 3 ), PZN (PbZn x Nb 1−x O 3 ), and PST (PbSc x Ta 1−x O 3 ).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 9 , wherein the charge storage layer comprises a composite dielectric material including elements of the high-K dielectric material and at least one additional dielectric material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 9 , wherein the memory cell is a SONOS type cell modified to incorporate the high-K dielectric material in the center charge storage layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 9 , wherein the memory cell is a two-bit EEPROM cell modified to incorporate the high-K dielectric material in the center charge storage layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
102 words
A non-volatile memory cell comprising: a) a substrate comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned therebetween; b) a floating gate positioned above the channel region and separated from the channel region by a tunnel dielectric film; and c) a control gate positioned above the floating gate and separated from the floating gate by an interpoly dielectric layer, the interpoly dielectric layer comprising a single layer adjacent to both the floating gate and the control gate, the single layer comprising a dielectric material, wherein the dielectric material is a metal silicate, a metal aluminate or a metal mixed-aluminate-silicate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
102 words
A non-volatile memory cell comprising: a) a substrate comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region positioned therebetween; b) a floating gate positioned above the channel region and separated from the channel region by a tunnel dielectric film; and c) a control gate positioned above the floating gate and separated from the floating gate by an interpoly dielectric layer, the interpoly dielectric layer comprising a single layer adjacent to both the floating gate and the control gate, the single layer comprising a dielectric material, wherein the dielectric material is a metal silicate, a metal aluminate or a metal mixed-aluminate-silicate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 14 , wherein the dielectric material is a metal silicate and the metal is hafnium, zirconium, yttrium, cerium, tantalum, titanium, lanthanum, tungsten, bismuth, barium, strontium, scandium, niobium or lead, or mixtures thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
The non-volatile memory cell of claim 14 , wherein the dielectric material is a metal aluminate or a metal mixed-aluminate-silicate and the metal is hafnium, zirconium, yttrium, cerium, tantalum, titanium, lanthanum, tungsten, bismuth, barium, strontium, scandium, niobium or lead, or mixtures thereof.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-01-05 | 2007-07-07 | 2008-01-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-01-05 | 2011-07-07 | 2012-01-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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