The present disclosure relates to a flash memory cell that includes a substrate and a floating gate structure over the substrate. The floating gate structure includes a first portion having a first top surface and a first thickness. The floating gate structure also includes a second portion having a second top surface and a second thickness that is different from the first thickness. The floating gate structure further includes a sidewall surface connecting the first and second top surfaces, and an angle between the first top surface and the sidewall surface of the floating gate structure is an obtuse angle. The flash memory cell also includes a control gate structure over the first and second portions of the floating gate structure.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method for forming an embedded memory boundary structure with a boundary sidewall spacer. In some embodiments, an isolation structure is formed in a semiconductor substrate to separate a memory region from a logic region. A multilayer film is formed covering the semiconductor substrate. A memory structure is formed on the memory region from the multilayer film. An etch is performed into the multilayer film to remove the multilayer film from the logic region, such that the multilayer film at least partially defines a dummy sidewall on the isolation structure. A spacer layer is formed covering the memory structure, the isolation structure, and the logic region, and further lining the dummy sidewall. An etch is performed into the spacer layer to form a spacer on dummy sidewall from the spacer layer. A logic device structure is formed on the logic region.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method of forming an integrated circuit (IC). An isolation structure is formed between a logic region and a memory region of a substrate. A dummy structure is formed on the isolation structure and defines a dummy sidewall of the dummy structure facing the logic region. A boundary sidewall spacer is formed covering the dummy structure and at least partially defines a boundary sidewall of the boundary sidewall spacer facing the logic region. A protecting dielectric layer is formed on a top surface of the boundary sidewall spacer by converting an uppermost portion of the boundary sidewall spacer to the protecting dielectric layer. The protecting dielectric layer is removed, and a logic device structure is formed on the logic region.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a nonvolatile memory, including the steps of: forming a gate oxide layer on a substrate; forming a stacked capacitor of a storage cell after making a logic gate polysilicon undertake at least two deposition processes; and removing the extra logic gate polysilicon by an etching process to form a storage transistor and a peripheral logic transistor. According to the method of the present invention, the stacked capacitor of the storage transistor is formed by depositing at least twice, and the memory is manufactured in a standard logic process, which makes the manufacturing process of the memory simpler, the memory has good compatibility with the logic process and has low cost.

A memory device includes a memory cell, a logic device and a high voltage device formed on the same semiconductor substrate. Portions of the upper surface of the substrate under the memory cell and the high voltage device are recessed relative to the upper surface portion of the substrate under the logic device. The memory cell includes a polysilicon floating gate disposed over a first portion of a channel region of the substrate, a polysilicon word line gate disposed over a second portion of the channel region, a polysilicon erase gate disposed over a source region of the substrate, and a metal control gate disposed over the floating gate and insulated from the floating gate by a composite insulation layer that includes a high-K dielectric. The logic device includes a metal gate disposed over the substrate. The high voltage device includes a polysilicon gate disposed over the substrate.

The present disclosure relates to a flash memory cell that includes a substrate and a floating gate structure over the substrate. The floating gate structure includes a first portion having a first top surface and a first thickness. The floating gate structure also includes a second portion having a second top surface and a second thickness that is different from the first thickness. The floating gate structure further includes a sidewall surface connecting the first and second top surfaces, and an angle between the first top surface and the sidewall surface of the floating gate structure is an obtuse angle. The flash memory cell also includes a control gate structure over the first and second portions of the floating gate structure.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method for forming an embedded memory boundary structure with a boundary sidewall spacer. In some embodiments, an isolation structure is formed in a semiconductor substrate to separate a memory region from a logic region. A multilayer film is formed covering the semiconductor substrate. A memory structure is formed on the memory region from the multilayer film. An etch is performed into the multilayer film to remove the multilayer film from the logic region, such that the multilayer film at least partially defines a dummy sidewall on the isolation structure. A spacer layer is formed covering the memory structure, the isolation structure, and the logic region, and further lining the dummy sidewall. An etch is performed into the spacer layer to form a spacer on dummy sidewall from the spacer layer. A logic device structure is formed on the logic region.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to an embedded memory boundary structure with a boundary sidewall spacer, and associated forming methods. In some embodiments, an isolation structure is formed in a semiconductor substrate to separate a memory region from a logic region. A memory cell structure is formed on the memory region and a dummy structure is formed on the isolation structure. A boundary sidewall spacer is formed covering the dummy structure. A protecting dielectric layer is formed on a top surface of the boundary sidewall spacer. The boundary sidewall spacer and the protecting dielectric layer provide a smooth boundary sidewall that is not subject to damage during formation of the logic device structure and, hence, is not subject to trapping high etch residue during formation of the logic device structure with HKMG technology.

A method of forming a non-volatile memory cell on a substrate having memory cell and logic circuit regions by forming a pair of conductive floating gates in the memory cell region, forming a first source region in the substrate between the pair of floating gates, forming a polysilicon layer in both regions, forming an oxide layer over the polysilicon layer in the logic circuit region, performing a chemical-mechanical polish of the polysilicon layer in the memory cell area leaving a first block of the polysilicon layer between the floating gates that is separated from remaining portions of the polysilicon layer, and selectively etching portions of the polysilicon layer to result in: second and third blocks of the polysilicon layer disposed in outer regions of the memory cell area, and a fourth block of the polysilicon layer in the logic circuit region.

A method of preventing charge loss from a floating gate includes providing a substrate comprising a memory cell region and a logic region, wherein a floating gate is disposed in the memory cell region and a gate structure is disposed within the logic region, a first hard mask covers the floating gate and a second hard mask covers the first hard mask. A planarization process is performed to remove entirely the second hard mask and expose the first hard mask. Later, a third hard mask is formed to cover the first hard mask, the gate structure and the substrate, wherein the third hard mask prevents charges in the floating gate from flowing to the first hard mask. Finally, the third hard mask within the logic region is removed and the third hard mask remains within the memory region.