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.

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.

An integrated circuit includes; a source region arranged in an upper portion of a substrate, a pair of split gate structures respectively on opposing sides of the source region, wherein each of the pair of split gate structures includes a floating gate electrode layer and a control gate electrode layer disposed on the floating gate electrode layer, an erase gate structure between the pair of split gate structures on the source region and including an erase gate electrode layer, a pair of selection gate structures respectively on outer sidewalls of the pair of split gate structures, and a pair of gate spacers, wherein each of the gate spacers is disposed between one of the pair of split gate structures and one of the pair of selection gate structures, includes a first gate spacer and a second gate spacer disposed on the first gate spacer, is further disposed on an outer side wall of the one of the pair of split gate structures, and a lowermost end of the second gate spacer is at a lower level than an upper surface of the floating gate electrode layer.

A non-volatile memory device, includes a source region and a drain region disposed in a channel length direction on a substrate; a flash cell, including a floating gate and a control gate, disposed between the source region and the drain region; a selection gate disposed between the source region and the flash cell; a selection line connecting the selection gate; a word line connecting the control gate; a common source line connected to the source region; and a bit line connected to the drain region.

An array of electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) includes a first row of floating gate, a second row of floating gate, two spacers, a first row of word line and a second row of word line. The first row of floating gate and the second row of floating gate are disposed on a substrate along a first direction. The two spacers are disposed between and parallel to the first row of floating gate and the second row of floating gate. The first row of word line is sandwiched by one of the spacers and the adjacent first row of floating gate, and the second row of word line is sandwiched by the other one of the spacers and the adjacent second row of floating gate. The present invention also provides a method of forming said array of electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

A non-volatile memory device includes a substrate. A plurality of shallow trench isolation (STI) lines are disposed on the substrate and extend along a first direction. A memory gate structure is disposed on the substrate between adjacent two of the plurality of STI lines. A trench line is disposed in the substrate and extends along a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein the trench line also crosses top portions of the plurality of STI lines. A conductive line is disposed in the trench line and used as a selection line to be coupled to the memory gate structure.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes depositing a first dielectric layer over a substrate; depositing a sacrificial layer over the first dielectric layer; depositing a second dielectric layer over the sacrificial layer; depositing an erase gate electrode layer over the second dielectric layer; etching a memory hole in the erase gate electrode layer, the sacrificial layer, and the first and second dielectric layers; and forming a semiconductor layer in the memory hole.

A method for making a semi-floating gate transistor with a three-gate structure is disclosed, comprising: forming a first trench structure in isolated active regions and a first polysilicon layer, removing part of the first polysilicon layer; forming a second gate oxide layer and a second polysilicon layer; patterning isolation trench; filling an isolation dielectric layer in the isolation trench; and forming a trench between two first trench structures, to cut open the second polysilicon layer, the second gate oxide layer, the first polysilicon layer and the first gate oxide layer into two parts, so that the active region is exposed from the bottom of the trench, wherein the first polysilicon layer on either side of the trench forms a first gate, and portions of the second polysilicon layer on both sides of the isolation trench form a second gate and a third gate.