A method of forming a semiconductor device includes recessing the upper surface of first and second areas of a semiconductor substrate relative to the third area of the substrate, forming a pair of stack structures in the first area each having a control gate over a floating gate, forming a first source region in the substrate between the pair of stack structures, forming an erase gate over the first source region, forming a block of dummy material in the third area, forming select gates adjacent the stack structures, forming high voltage gates in the second area, forming a first blocking layer over at least a portion of one of the high voltage gates, forming silicide on a top surface of the high voltage gates which are not underneath the first blocking layer, and replacing the block of dummy material with a block of metal material.

According to an embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes a first conductive layer, electrodes, an interconnection layer and at least one semiconductor layer. The electrodes are arranged between the first conductive layer and the interconnection layer in a first direction perpendicular to the first conductive layer. The interconnection layer includes a first interconnection and a second interconnection. The semiconductor layer extends through the electrodes in the first direction, and is electrically connected to the first conductive layer and the first interconnection. The device further includes a memory film between each of the electrodes and the semiconductor layer, and a conductive body extending in the first direction. The conductive body electrically connects the first conductive layer and the second interconnection, and includes a first portion and a second portion connected to the second interconnection. The second portion has a width wider than the first portion.

A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film provided on the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive film provided on a first region of the first insulating film, a second conductive film provided on a second region of the first insulating film, a first stacked body provided on the first conductive film, a second stacked body provided on the second conductive film, a first semiconductor pillar, and two conductive pillars. In the first stacked body, a second insulating film and an electrode film are stacked alternately. In the second stacked body, a third insulating film and a first film are stacked alternately. The two conductive pillars extend in the first direction through the second stacked body, are separated from the second conductive film, sandwich the second conductive film, and are connected at a bottom ends of the second conductive pillars to the semiconductor substrate.

A non-volatile memory device and its manufacturing method are provided. The method includes the following steps. A plurality of isolation structures are formed in a substrate. A first polycrystalline silicon layer is formed in the substrate and between two adjacent isolation structures. A first implantation process is performed to implant a first dopant into the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the isolation structures. A portion of each of the isolation structures is partially removed, and the remaining portion of each of the isolation structures has a substantially flat top surface. An annealing process is performed after partially removing the isolation structures to uniformly diffuse the first dopant in the first polycrystalline silicon layer. A dielectric layer is formed on the first polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second polycrystalline silicon layer is formed on the dielectric layer.

A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of first electrode layers stacked in a first direction; a semiconductor layer extending in the first direction in the plurality of first electrode layers; a first insulating layer extending in the first direction along the semiconductor layer between the semiconductor layer and each of the plurality of first electrode layers; a second insulating layer covering the periphery of the plurality of first electrode layers; a resistive body provided on the second insulating layer; and a third insulating layer provided between the resistive body and the second insulating layer, the third insulating layer including the same material as the material of the first insulating layer.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards an integrated memory chip with an enhanced device-region layout for reduced leakage current and an enlarged word-line etch process window (e.g., enhanced word-line etch resiliency). In some embodiments, the integrated memory chip comprises a substrate, a control gate, a word line, and an isolation structure. The substrate comprises a first source/drain region. The control gate and the word line are on the substrate. The word line is between and borders the first source/drain region and the control gate and is elongated along a length of the word line. The isolation structure extends into the substrate and has a first isolation-structure sidewall. The first isolation-structure sidewall extends laterally along the length of the word line and underlies the word line.

A flash includes a substrate. Two gate structures are disposed on the substrate. Each of the gate structures includes a floating gate and a control gate. The control gate is disposed on the floating gate. An erase gate is disposed between the gate structures. Two word lines are respectively disposed at a side of each of the gate structures. A top surface of each of the word lines includes a first concave surface and a sharp angle. The sharp angle is closed to a sidewall of the word line which the sharp angle resided. The sidewall is away from each of the gate structures. The shape angle connects to the first concave surface.

Bridging testing method between adjacent semiconductor devices includes forming patterned diffusion region on semiconductor substrate, and forming first conductive layer over diffusion region. First conductive layer is patterned in same pattern as patterned diffusion region. Second conductive layer formed extending in first direction over first conductive layer. Second conductive layer is patterned to form opening extending in first direction in central region of second conductive layer exposing portion of first conductive layer. First conductive layer exposed portion is removed exposing portion of diffusion region. Source/drain region is formed over exposed portion of diffusion region, and dielectric layer is formed over source/drain region. Third conductive layer is formed over dielectric layer. End portions along first direction of second conductive layer removed to expose first and second end portions of first conductive layer. Electrical resistance across first conductive layer between first and second end portions of first conductive layer is measured.

A method of forming a semiconductor device by recessing the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate in first and second areas but not a third area, forming a first conductive layer in the first and second areas, forming a second conductive layer in all three areas, removing the first and second conductive layers from the second area and portions thereof from the first area resulting in pairs of stack structures each with a control gate over a floating gate, forming a third conductive layer in the first and second areas, forming a protective layer in the first and second areas and then removing the second conductive layer from the third area, then forming blocks of conductive material in the third area, then etching in the first and second areas to form select and HV gates, and replacing the blocks of conductive material with blocks of metal material.

A memory device includes a semiconductor substrate with memory cell and logic regions. A floating gate is disposed over the memory cell region and has an upper surface terminating in opposing front and back edges and opposing first and second side edges. An oxide layer has a first portion extending along the logic region and a first thickness, a second portion extending along the memory cell region and has the first thickness, and a third portion extending along the front edge with the first thickness and extending along a tunnel region portion of the first side edge with a second thickness less than the first thickness. A control gate has a first portion disposed on the oxide layer second portion and a second portion vertically over the front edge and the tunnel region portion of the first side edge. A logic gate is disposed on the oxide layer first portion.