A non-volatile memory device and its manufacturing method are provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a substrate and a plurality of first floating gates and a plurality of second floating gates formed on the substrate. The substrate includes a center region and two border regions located on opposite sides of the center region. The center region and two border regions are located in an array region. The first floating gates are located in the center region, and the second floating gates are located in one of the border regions. Each of the first floating gates has a first width, and each of the second floating gates has a second width less than the first width. There is a first spacing between the first floating gates, and there is a second spacing which is greater than the first spacing between the second floating gates.

A memory cell includes a substrate, a floating gate on the substrate, a control gate on the floating gate, a first dielectric layer between the floating gate and the control gate, an erase gate merged with the control gate and disposed on a first sidewall of the floating gate, a second dielectric layer between the floating gate and the erase gate, a select gate on an opposite second sidewall of the floating gate, a spacer between the select gate and the control gate and between the select gate and the floating gate, a source doping region in the substrate and adjacent to the first sidewall of the floating gate, and a drain doping region in the substrate and adjacent to the select gate.

Some embodiments include a memory device and methods of forming the memory device. One such memory device includes a first group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the first group being formed in a cavity of a first control gate located in one device level of the memory device. The memory device also includes a second group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the second group being formed in a cavity of a second control gate located in another device level of the memory device. Additional apparatus and methods are described.

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate; a source diffusion region in the substrate; a pair of floating gates disposed on opposite of the source diffusion region; a first dielectric cap layer disposed directly on each of the floating gates; an erase gate disposed on the source diffusion region and partially overlapping an upper inner corner of each of the floating gates; a second dielectric cap layer disposed on the erase gate and the first dielectric cap layer; a select gate disposed on a sidewall of the first dielectric cap layer; and a drain diffusion region disposed in the substrate and adjacent to the select gate.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards an integrated memory chip comprising a memory array with a strap-cell architecture that reduces the number of distinct strap-cell types and that reduces strap-line density. In some embodiments, the memory array is limited to three distinct types of strap cells: a source line/erase gate (SLEG) strap cell; a control gate/word line (CGWL) strap cell; and a word-line strap cell. The small number of distinct strap-cell types simplifies design of the memory array and further simplifies design of a corresponding interconnect structure. Further, in some embodiments, the three distinct strap-cell types electrically couple word lines, erase gates, and control gates to corresponding strap lines in different metallization layers of an interconnect structure. By spreading the strap lines amongst different metallization layers, strap-line density is reduced.

An EEPROM memory integrated circuit includes memory cells arranged in a memory plane. Each memory cell includes an access transistor in series with a state transistor. Each access transistor is coupled, via its source region, to the corresponding source line and each state transistor is coupled, via its drain region, to the corresponding bit line. The floating gate of each state transistor rests on a dielectric layer having a first part with a first thickness, and a second part with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. The second part is located on the source side of the state transistor.

A 3D semiconductor device including: a first level including a plurality of first metal layers; a second level, where the second level overlays the first level, where the second level includes at least one single crystal silicon layer, where the second level includes a plurality of transistors, where each transistor of the plurality of transistors includes a single crystal channel, where the second level includes a plurality of second metal layers, where the plurality of second metal layers include interconnections between the transistors of the plurality of transistors, and where the second level is overlaid by a first isolation layer; and a connective path between the plurality of transistors and the plurality of first metal layers, where the connective path includes a via disposed through at least the single crystal silicon layer, and where the via includes contact with at least one of the plurality of transistors.

Provided is a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a floating gate disposed on a substrate; a memory gate disposed on the floating gate; a first spacer disposed sidewalls of the floating gate and the memory gate, and an upper surface of the substrate; a second spacer disposed on the first spacer; a select high-k film disposed on a first portion of a sidewall of the first spacer between the substrate and the second spacer; and a select gate disposed on a second portion of the sidewall of the first spacer between the substrate and the second spacer. A width of a portion of the first spacer is reduced as a distance to the substrate decreases, and the portion of the first spacer is disposed between the substrate and the second spacer.

A 3D semiconductor device including: a first level including a single crystal silicon layer and a plurality of first transistors, the plurality of first transistors each including a single crystal channel; a first metal layer overlaying the plurality of first transistors; a second metal layer overlaying the first metal layer; a third metal layer overlaying the second metal layer; a second level is disposed above the third metal layer, where the second level includes a plurality of second transistors; a fourth metal layer disposed above the second level; and a connective path between the fourth metal layer and either the third metal layer or the second metal layer, where the connective path includes a via disposed through the second level, where the via has a diameter of less than 800 nm and greater than 5 nm, and where at least one of the plurality of second transistors includes a metal gate.

A semiconductor memory cell and arrays of memory cells are provided In at least one embodiment, a memory cell includes a substrate having a top surface, the substrate having a first conductivity type selected from a p-type conductivity type and an n-type conductivity type; a first region having a second conductivity type selected from the p-type and n-type conductivity types, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type, the first region being formed in the substrate and exposed at the top surface; a second region having the second conductivity type, the second region being formed in the substrate, spaced apart from the first region and exposed at the top surface; a buried layer in the substrate below the first and second regions, spaced apart from the first and second regions and having the second conductivity type; a body region formed between the first and second regions and the buried layer, the body region having the first conductivity type; a gate positioned between the first and second regions and above the top surface; and a nonvolatile memory configured to store data upon transfer from the body region.