A semiconductor device includes a single poly non-volatile memory device including a sensing and selection gate structure, an erase gate structure, and a control gate structure. The sensing and selection gate structure includes a sensing gate and a selection gate, a bit line, a word line disposed on the selection gate, and a tunneling gate line. The erase gate structure includes an erase gate, and an erase gate line disposed near the erase gate. The control gate structure includes a control gate disposed on the substrate, and a control gate line disposed near the control gate. The sensing gate, the selection gate, the erase gate and the control gate are connected by one conductive layer. The erase gate structure implements a PMOS capacitor, an NMOS transistor, or a PMOS transistor. The semiconductor device includes a single poly non-volatile memory device including a separate program area and erase area.

The present application discloses a semi-floating gate device. A floating gate structure covers a selected area of a first well region and is used to form a conductive channel. The floating gate structure further covers a surface of a lightly doped drain region, and a floating gate material layer and the lightly doped drain region contact at a dielectric layer window to form a PN structure. A source region is self-aligned with a first side surface of the floating gate structure. A first control gate is superposed on a top of the floating gate structure. A second control gate is disposed on a surface of the lightly doped drain region between the drain region and a second side surface of the floating gate structure. The first control gate and the second control gate are isolated by an inter-gate dielectric layer.

Numerous embodiments are disclosed of a non-volatile memory cell array formed in a p-well, which is formed in a deep n-well, which is formed in a p-substrate. During an erase operation, a negative voltage is applied to the p-well, which reduces the peak positive voltage required to be applied to the cells to cause the cells to erase.

A method of forming a device on a substrate with recessed first/third areas relative to a second area by forming a fin in the second area, forming first source/drain regions (with first channel region therebetween) by first/second implantations, forming second source/drain regions in the third area (defining second channel region therebetween) by the second implantation, forming third source/drain regions in the fin (defining third channel region therebetween) by third implantation, forming a floating gate over a first portion of the first channel region by first polysilicon deposition, forming a control gate over the floating gate by second polysilicon deposition, forming an erase gate over the first source region and a device gate over the second channel region by third polysilicon deposition, and forming a word line gate over a second portion of the first channel region and a logic gate over the third channel region by metal deposition.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to an IC, and associated forming methods. In some embodiments, the IC comprises a memory region and a logic region integrated in a substrate. A plurality of memory cell structures is disposed on the memory region. Each memory cell structure of the plurality of memory cell structures comprises a control gate electrode disposed over the substrate, a select gate electrode disposed on one side of the control gate electrode, and a spacer between the control gate electrode and the select gate electrode. A contact etch stop layer (CESL) is disposed along an upper surface of the substrate, extending upwardly along and in direct contact with a sidewall surface of the select gate electrode within the memory region. A lower inter-layer dielectric layer is disposed on the CESL between the plurality of memory cell structures within the memory region.

A non-volatile memory device is provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a substrate, a floating gate, and a gate. The substrate includes a source region and a drain region, and a channel region between the source region and the drain region. The floating gate is over the channel region. The floating gate includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer underlying the first conductive layer. The gate is adjacent to the floating gate.

A semiconductor device includes: a logic region and a non-volatile memory (NVM) region; a logic gate insulating film disposed on a substrate in the logic region; at least one gate oxidation acceleration ion implantation layer disposed in the NVM region; at least one NVM gate insulating film disposed on the at least one gate oxidation acceleration ion implantation layer; a logic gate electrode disposed on the logic gate insulating film; and at least one NVM gate electrode disposed on the at least one NVM gate insulating film, wherein a thickness of the at least one NVM gate insulating film is equal or greater than a thickness of the logic gate insulating film.

The present disclosure describes a patterning process for a strap region in a memory cell for the removal of material between polysilicon lines. The patterning process includes depositing a first hard mask layer in a divot formed on a top portion of a polysilicon layer interposed between a first polysilicon gate structure and a second polysilicon gate; depositing a second hard mask layer on the first hard mask layer. The patterning process also includes performing a first etch to remove the second hard mask layer and a portion of the second hard mask layer from the divot; performing a second etch to remove the second hard mask layer from the divot; and performing a third etch to remove the polysilicon layer not covered by the first and second hard mask layers to form a separation between the first polysilicon gate structure and the second polysilicon structure.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for opening a source line in a memory device. An erase gate line (EGL) and the source line are formed elongated in parallel. The source line underlies the EGL and is separated from the EGL by a dielectric layer. A first etch is performed to form a first opening through the EGL and stops on the dielectric layer. A second etch is performed to thin the dielectric layer at the first opening, wherein the first and second etches are performed with a common mask in place. A silicide process is performed to form a silicide layer on the source line at the first opening, wherein the silicide process comprises a third etch with a second mask in place and extends the first opening through the dielectric layer. A via is formed extending through the EGL to the silicide layer.

A semiconductor structure for a memory device includes a first gate structure and a second gate structure adjacent to the first gate structure. The second gate structure includes a first layer and a second layer, and the first layer is between the second layer and the first gate structure. The first layer and the second layer include a same semiconductor material and same dopants. The first layer has a first dopant concentration, and the second layer has a second dopant concentration different from the firs dopant concentration.