Embodiments of inventive concepts relate to a neuromorphic circuit including a flash memory-based spike regulator capable of generating a stable spike signal with a small number of devices. The neuromorphic circuit may generate a simple and stable spike signal using a flash memory-based spike regulator. Therefore, it is possible to implement a semiconductor neuromorphic circuit at low power and low cost by using the spike regulator of the present invention. Example embodiments of inventive concepts provide a neuromorphic circuit comprising a control signal generator for generating a control signal for generating a pulse signal; and a spike regulator for generating a spike signal in response to the control signal. Wherein the spike regulator comprises a first transistor for switching an input signal transmitted to one terminal to the other terminal in response to the control signal; and a first flash memory type transistor having a drain terminal connected to the other terminal of the first transistor and transferring the switched input signal to a source terminal as a spike signal.

Gates having air gaps therein, and methods of fabrication thereof, are disclosed herein. An exemplary gate includes a gate electrode and a gate dielectric. A first air gap is between and/or separates a first sidewall of the gate electrode from the gate dielectric, and a second air gap is between and/or separates a second sidewall of the gate electrode from the gate dielectric. A dielectric cap may be disposed over the gate electrode, and the dielectric cap may wrap a top of the gate electrode. The dielectric cap may fill a top portion of the first air gap and a top portion of the second air gap. The gate may be disposed between a first epitaxial source/drain and a second epitaxial source/drain, and a width of the gate is about the same as a distance between the first epitaxial source/drain and the second epitaxial source/drain.

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, an insulating layer disposed on the substrate, an active layer disposed on the insulating layer and including a device region, and a charge trap layer in the substrate and extending between the insulating layer and the substrate and directly under the device region. The charge trap layer includes a plurality of n-type first doped regions and a plurality of p-type second doped regions alternately arranged and directly in contact with each other to form a plurality of interrupted depletion junctions.

A semiconductor device with a high on-state current is provided. A transistor included in the semiconductor device includes a first insulator; a first semiconductor layer over the first insulator; a second semiconductor layer including a channel formation region over the first semiconductor layer; a first conductor and a second conductor over the second semiconductor layer; a second insulator over the second semiconductor layer and between the first conductor and the second conductor; and a third conductor over the second insulator. In a cross-sectional view in a channel width direction of the transistor, the third conductor covers a side surface and a top surface of the second semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer has a higher permittivity than the first semiconductor layer. In the cross-sectional view in the channel width direction of the transistor, a length of an interface between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer is greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 20 nm, and a length from a bottom surface of the second semiconductor layer to a bottom surface of the third conductor in a region not overlapping with the second semiconductor layer is larger than a thickness of the second semiconductor layer.

According to one embodiment, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes: a tunnel insulation film provided on a semiconductor substrate; a floating gate electrode provided on the tunnel insulation film; an inter-electrode insulation film provided on the floating gate electrode; and a control gate electrode provided on the inter-electrode insulation film. The inter-electrode insulation film includes: a lower insulation film provided on the floating gate electrode side; and an upper insulation film provided on the control gate electrode side. The lower insulation film includes: N (N is an integer of 2 or larger) electric charge accumulation layers; and boundary insulation films provided between the electric charge accumulation layers.

A semiconductor memory device includes a stacked structure including conductive layers and insulating layers alternately stacked, a strained channel layer passing through the stacked structure, a stressor layer contacting the strained channel layer and applying stress to the strained channel layer, and a core layer formed in the stressor layer.

A semiconductor device including a memory cell featuring a first gate insulating film over a semiconductor substrate, a control gate electrode over the first gate insulating film, a second gate insulating film over the substrate and a side wall of the control gate electrode, a memory gate electrode over the second gate insulating film arranged adjacent with the control gate electrode through the second gate insulating film, first and second semiconductor regions in the substrate positioned on a control gate electrode side and a memory gate side, respectively, the second gate insulating film featuring a first film over the substrate, a charge storage film over the first film and a third film over the second film, the first film having a first portion between the substrate and memory gate electrode and a thickness greater than that of a second portion between the control gate electrode and the memory gate electrode.

The semiconductor device includes: a channel layer, a barrier layer, a first insulating film, and a second insulating film, each of which is formed above a substrate; a trench that penetrates the second insulating film, the first insulating film, and the barrier layer to reach the middle of the channel layer; and a gate electrode arranged in the trench and over the second insulating film via a gate insulating film. The bandgap of the second insulating film is smaller than that of the first insulating film, and the bandgap of the second insulating film is smaller than that of the gate insulating film GI. Accordingly, a charge (electron) can be accumulated in the second (upper) insulating film, thereby allowing the electric field strength at a corner of the trench to be improved. As a result, a channel is fully formed even at a corner of the trench, thereby allowing an ON-resistance to be reduced and an ON-current to be increased.

Semiconductor memory having both volatile and non-volatile modes and methods of operation. A semiconductor storage device includes a plurality of memory cells each having a floating body for storing, reading and writing data as volatile memory. The device includes a floating gate or trapping layer for storing data as non-volatile memory, the device operating as volatile memory when power is applied to the device, and the device storing data from the volatile memory as non-volatile memory when power to the device is interrupted.

Methods of forming multi-tiered semiconductor devices are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In one such method, an opening is formed in a tier of semiconductor material and a tier of dielectric. A portion of the tier of semiconductor material exposed by the opening is processed so that the portion is doped differently than the remaining semiconductor material in the tier. At least substantially all of the remaining semiconductor material of the tier is removed, leaving the differently doped portion of the tier of semiconductor material as a charge storage structure. A tunneling dielectric is formed on a first surface of the charge storage structure and an intergate dielectric is formed on a second surface of the charge storage structure. Additional embodiments are also described.