Methods of forming flash memory cells are described which incorporate air gaps for improved performance. The methods are useful for so-called 2-d flat cell flash architectures. 2-d flat cell flash memory involves a reactive ion etch to dig trenches into multi-layers containing high work function and other metal layers. The methods described herein remove the metal oxide debris from the sidewalls of the multi-layer trench and then, without breaking vacuum, selectively remove shallow trench isolation (STI) oxidation which become the air gaps. Both the metal oxide removal and the STI oxidation removal are carried out in the same mainframe with highly selective etch processes using remotely excited fluorine plasma effluents.

Example embodiments relate to a method of fabricating a synapse memory device capable of being driven at a low voltage and realizing a multi-level memory. The synapse memory device includes a two-transistor structure in which a drain region of a first transistor including a memory layer and a first source region of a second transistor share a source-drain shared area. The synapse memory device is controlled by applying a voltage through the source-drain shared area. The memory layer includes a charge trap layer and a threshold switching layer, and may realize a non-volatile multi-level memory function.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a conductive pattern on a substrate, forming a filling insulation layer covering the conductive pattern, forming a contact hole in the filling insulation layer and adjacent to the conductive pattern, forming an opening in the conductive pattern by removing a portion of the conductive pattern adjacent to the contact hole such that the opening is connected to the contact hole, and forming a contact plug filling the contact hole and the opening. A width of the opening is greater than a width of the contact hole.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor layer, a first electrode, first and second oxide layers, and a storage layer. The first oxide layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and the first electrode. The second oxide layer is provided between the first oxide layer and the first electrode. The storage layer is provided between the first and second oxide layers. The storage layer includes a first region including silicon nitride, a second region provided between the first region and the second oxide layer and including silicon nitride, and a third region provided between the first and second regions. The third region includes a plurality of first metal atoms. A first density of bond of the first metal atoms in the third region is lower than a second density of bond of the first metal atom and a nitrogen atom in the third region.

An embodiment of a method of forming a portion of a memory array includes forming a conductor with a concentration of germanium that decreases with an increasing thickness of the conductor, removing a portion of the conductor at a rate governed by the concentration of germanium to form a tapered first opening through the conductor, removing a sacrificial material below the conductor to form a second opening contiguous with the tapered first opening, and forming a semiconductor in the contiguous first and second openings, wherein a portion of the semiconductor pinches off within the first opening adjacent an upper surface of the conductor before the contiguous first and second openings are completely filled with the semiconductor.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate; a stacked body; a first columnar portion; a second columnar portion; and a plurality of first interconnects. The stacked body is provided on the substrate and includes a plurality of electrode layers separately stacked each other. A distance between the first columnar portion and one end of the plurality of electrode layers in the first direction is smaller than a distance between the second columnar portion and the other end of the plurality of electrode layers in the first direction. In the same electrode layer, a first width of a first charge storage film of the first columnar portion is smaller than a second width of a second charge storage film of the second columnar portion.

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.

Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a stack of alternating dielectric levels and conductive levels, and having vertically-stacked memory cells within the conductive levels. An opening extends through the stack. Channel material is within the opening and along the memory cells. At least some of the channel material contains germanium.

A semiconductor device includes interlayer insulating layers and conductive patterns alternately stacked over a pipe gate, a first slit and a second slit penetrating the interlayer insulating layers and the conductive patterns and crossing each other, an etch stop pad groove overlapping an intersection of the first slit and the second slit, arranged in the pipe gate, and connected to the first slit or the second slit, and slit insulating layers filling the first slit, the second slit and the etch stop pad groove.

The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including preparing a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulating layer over said semiconductor substrate, forming first grooves in the first insulating film, forming a gate electrode and a first interconnect in the first grooves, respectively, forming a gate insulating film over the gate electrode, forming a semiconductor layer over the gate insulating, forming a second insulating layer over the semiconductor layer and the first insulating film, forming a via in the second insulating layer, and forming a second interconnect such that the second interconnect is connected to the semiconductor layer through the via. The gate electrode, the first interconnect and the second interconnect are formed by Cu or Cu alloy, respectively.