A flash memory device is provided. The flash memory device includes a substrate, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, a third dielectric layer, a first polycrystalline silicon layer and a second polycrystalline silicon layer. The first dielectric layer is formed on the substrate located in a first region of a peripheral region, the second dielectric layer is formed on the substrate located in a second region of the peripheral region, and the third dielectric layer is formed on the substrate located in an array region. A bottom surface of the third dielectric layer is lower than a bottom surface of the second dielectric layer. The first polycrystalline silicon layer is formed on the first and the second dielectric layers. The second polycrystalline silicon layer is formed on the third dielectric layer.

A semiconductor device includes a gate stack structure including alternately stacked insulating patterns and conductive patterns; a memory channel structure extending through the gate stack structure; and a bit line pad on the memory channel structure, wherein the memory channel structure includes a variable resistance layer, a channel layer surrounding the variable resistance layer, and a channel insulating layer surrounding the channel layer, and a bottom surface of the bit line pad contacts a top surface of the variable resistance layer, a top surface of the channel layer, and a top surface of the channel insulating layer.

A semiconductor device includes a gate stack structure including alternately stacked insulating patterns and conductive patterns; a memory channel structure extending through the gate stack structure; and a bit line pad on the memory channel structure, wherein the memory channel structure includes a variable resistance layer, a channel layer surrounding the variable resistance layer, and a channel insulating layer surrounding the channel layer, and a bottom surface of the bit line pad contacts a top surface of the variable resistance layer, a top surface of the channel layer, and a top surface of the channel insulating layer.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a floating gate test device, as well as a method for forming the IC. In some embodiments, the IC comprises a memory cell structure including a pair of control gates respectively separated from a substrate by a pair of floating gates and a pair of select gate electrodes disposed on opposite sides of the pair of control gates. A memory test structure includes a pair of dummy control gates respectively separated from the substrate by a pair of dummy floating gates and a pair of dummy select gate electrodes disposed on opposite sides of the pair of dummy control gates. The memory test structure further includes a pair of conductive floating gate test contact vias respectively extending through the pair of dummy control gates and reaching on the dummy floating gates.

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 three 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 all three areas, forming a protective layer in the first and second areas and then removing the third conductive layer from the third area, then forming blocks of dummy conductive material in the third area, then etching in the first and second areas to form select and HV gates, and then replacing the blocks of dummy conductive material with blocks of metal material.

A method of forming a device on a semiconductor substrate having first, second, third and dummy areas, includes recessing the substrate upper surface in the first, second and dummy areas, forming a first conductive layer over the substrate, removing the first conductive layer from the third area and a second portion of the dummy area, forming a first insulation layer over the substrate, forming first trenches through the first insulation layer and into the substrate in the third area and the second portion of the dummy area, forming second trenches through the first insulation layer, the first conductive layer and into the substrate in the first and second areas and a first portion of the dummy area, and filling the first and second trenches with insulation material. Then, memory cells are formed in the first area, HV devices in the second area and logic devices in the third area.

A method of forming a device on a semiconductor substrate having first, second, third and dummy areas, includes recessing the substrate upper surface in the first, second and dummy areas, forming a first conductive layer over the substrate, removing the first conductive layer from the third area and a second portion of the dummy area, forming a first insulation layer over the substrate, forming first trenches through the first insulation layer and into the substrate in the third area and the second portion of the dummy area, forming second trenches through the first insulation layer, the first conductive layer and into the substrate in the first and second areas and a first portion of the dummy area, and filling the first and second trenches with insulation material. Then, memory cells are formed in the first area, HV devices in the second area and logic devices in the third area.

An integrated circuit device includes a substrate, a first isolation feature, a memory cell, and a semiconductor device. The substrate has a cell region, a peripheral region, and a transition region between the cell region and the peripheral region. The first isolation feature is in the transition region. The substrate includes a protrusion portion between a first portion and a second portion of the first isolation feature, the second portion is between the first portion and the cell region, and a top surface of the first portion of the first isolation feature has a first part and a second part lower than the first part, and the second part is between the first part and the second portion of the first isolation feature. The memory cell is over the cell region of the substrate. The semiconductor device is over the peripheral region of the substrate.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure is provided. The method comprises the following steps. A first silicon-containing gate electrode is formed on a semiconductor substrate in a first region. A second silicon-containing gate electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate in a second region. A gate silicide element is formed on an upper surface of the first silicon-containing gate electrode. A source silicide element and a drain silicide element are formed on the semiconductor substrate on opposing sides of the second silicon-containing gate electrode respectively. The gate silicide element, the source silicide element and the drain silicide element are formed simultaneously.

A method of forming memory cells, high voltage devices and logic devices on fins of a semiconductor substrate's upper surface, and the resulting memory device formed thereby. The memory cells are formed on a pair of the fins, where the floating gate is disposed between the pair of fins, the word line gate wraps around the pair of fins, the control gate is disposed over the floating gate, and the erase gate is disposed over the pair of fins and partially over the floating gate. The high voltage devices include HV gates that wrap around respective fins, and the logic devices include logic gates that are metal and wrap around respective fins.