A nonvolatile memory device may be provided. The nonvolatile memory device comprises an active region, an n-well region and an isolation region separating the active region and the n-well region. A floating gate may be provided. The floating gate may be arranged over a portion of the active region and over a first portion of the n-well region. A first doped region in the active region may be laterally displaced from the floating gate on a first side and a second doped region in the active region may be laterally displaced from the floating gate on a second side opposite to the first side. A contact may be arranged over the n-well region, whereby the contact may be laterally displaced from a first corner of the floating gate over the first portion of the n-well region. A silicide exclusion layer may be arranged at least partially over the floating gate.

A semiconductor memory device includes a select transistor and a floating gate transistor on a substrate. The select transistor includes a select gate, a select gate oxide layer and a drain doping region. The floating gate transistor includes a floating gate, a floating gate oxide layer, a source doping region, a first tunnel doping region and a second tunnel doping region under the floating gate, a first tunnel oxide layer on the first tunnel doping region, and a second tunnel oxide layer on the second tunnel doping region. The floating gate oxide layer is disposed between the first tunnel oxide layer and the second tunnel oxide layer. A lightly doped diffusion region surrounds the source doping region and the second tunnel doping region.

A memory structure is provided in the present disclosure. The memory structure includes a substrate, a plurality of discrete memory gate structures on the substrate where each of the plurality of memory gate structures includes a floating gate layer and a control gate layer on the floating gate layer, an isolation layer formed between adjacent memory gate structures where a top surface of the isolation layer is lower than a top surface of the control gate layer and higher than a bottom surface of the control gate layer, an opening is formed on an exposed sidewall of the control gate layer, and a bottom of the opening is lower than or coplanar with the top surface of the isolation layer, and a metal silicide layer on an exposed surface of the control gate layer and the top surface of the isolation layer.

A memory structure is provided in the present disclosure. The memory structure includes a substrate, a plurality of discrete memory gate structures on the substrate where each of the plurality of memory gate structures includes a floating gate layer and a control gate layer on the floating gate layer, an isolation layer formed between adjacent memory gate structures where a top surface of the isolation layer is lower than a top surface of the control gate layer and higher than a bottom surface of the control gate layer, an opening is formed on an exposed sidewall of the control gate layer, and a bottom of the opening is lower than or coplanar with the top surface of the isolation layer, and a metal silicide layer on an exposed surface of the control gate layer and the top surface of the isolation layer.

In one aspect, a flash memory cell includes a well having a first-type dopant, a source having a second-type dopant and formed within the well, a drain having the second-type dopant and formed within the well, a floating gate above the well, a control gate above the floating gate, an oxide compound disposed between the floating gate and the control gate, and a tunnel oxide disposed between the floating gate and the well. The flash memory cell is configured, in one of a program mode or an erase mode, to move an electron from the source to the floating gate. The flash memory cell is configured, in the other one of the program or the erase mode, to move an electron is from the floating gate to the drain.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a circuit structure and related multi-time programmable (MTP) memory cell. The circuit structure may include a transistor having a floating gate over a semiconductor channel and a control gate on the dielectric layer. The control gate is electrically coupled to a word line. The control gate is capacitively coupled to the floating gate. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor includes a first electrode coupled to the word line and a second electrode coupled to the floating gate of the transistor.

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming such apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes first memory cells located in different levels in a first portion of the apparatus, second memory cells located in different levels in a second portion of the apparatus, a switch located in a third portion of the apparatus between the first and second portions, first and second control gates to access the first and second memory cells, an additional control gate located between the first and second control gates to control the switch, a first conductive structure having a thickness and extending perpendicular to the levels in the first portion of the apparatus, a first dielectric structure between the first conductive structure and charge-storage portions of the first memory cells, a second dielectric structure having a second thickness between the second conductive structure and a sidewall of the additional control gate, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness.

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming such apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes first memory cells located in different levels in a first portion of the apparatus, second memory cells located in different levels in a second portion of the apparatus, a switch located in a third portion of the apparatus between the first and second portions, first and second control gates to access the first and second memory cells, an additional control gate located between the first and second control gates to control the switch, a first conductive structure having a thickness and extending perpendicular to the levels in the first portion of the apparatus, a first dielectric structure between the first conductive structure and charge-storage portions of the first memory cells, a second dielectric structure having a second thickness between the second conductive structure and a sidewall of the additional control gate, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness.

An integrated circuit includes two different types of embedded memories, with cells that have different retention characteristics, and situated in different areas of the substrate. In some applications the cells are both non-volatile memories sharing a common gate layer but with different oxide layers, different thicknesses, etc. The first type of cell is a conventional flash cell which can be part of a logic/memory region, while the second type of cell uses capacitive coupling and can be located in a high voltage region. Because of their common features, the need for additional masks, manufacturing steps, etc. can be mitigated.

A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. First charge-blocking material is formed to extend elevationally along the vertically-alternating tiers. The first charge-blocking material has k of at least 7.0 and comprises a metal oxide. A second charge-blocking material is formed laterally inward of the first charge-blocking material. The second charge-blocking material has k less than 7.0. Storage material is formed laterally inward of the second charge-blocking material. Insulative charge-passage material is formed laterally inward of the storage material. Channel material is formed to extend elevationally along the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers laterally inward of the insulative charge-passage material. Structure embodiments are disclosed.