A method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. A sacrificial oxide layer is formed on a substrate having first and second areas. Using a photoresist mask exposing the first area and covering the second area as a mask layer, by a wet etching process, the sacrificial oxide layer in the first area and an edge portion of the sacrificial oxide layer in the second area are simultaneously removed, wherein the sacrificial oxide layer remained in the second area has a sidewall with a slope smaller than 40 degrees. An oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer is formed over the first and second areas. The sacrificial oxide layer and the ONO layer formed thereon in the second area are removed, so that the ONO layer remained in the first area forms a first gate insulating layer in the first area. A second gate insulating layer is formed in the second area.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor memory device includes forming a mold stack on a substrate and the mold stack including first sacrificial layers and second sacrificial layers alternately stacked on the substrate. The method also includes forming a plurality of vertical channels that penetrate the mold stack and that contact the substrate, patterning the mold stack to form word line cuts between the vertical channels, the word line cuts exposing the substrate, removing one of the first and second sacrificial layers to form recessed regions in the mold stack, forming a data storage layer, at least a portion of the data storage layer being formed between the vertical channels and the gates, forming gates in the recessed regions, forming air gaps between the gates by removing the other of the first and second sacrificial layers, and forming an insulation layer pattern in the word line cuts.

A method for processing a carrier accordance with various embodiments may include: forming a structure over the carrier, the structure including at least two adjacent structure elements arranged at a first distance between the same; depositing a spacer layer over the structure, wherein the spacer layer may be deposited having a thickness greater than half of the first distance, wherein the spacer layer may include electrically conductive spacer material; removing a portion of the spacer layer, wherein spacer material of the spacer layer may remain in a region between the at least two adjacent structure elements; and electrically contacting the remaining spacer material.

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.

An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed on a substrate. Separator insulator structures can be optionally formed through the alternating stack. Memory opening are formed through the alternating stack, and the sacrificial material layers are removed selective to the insulating layers. Electrically conductive layers are formed in the lateral recesses by deposition of at least one conductive material. Metal-semiconductor alloy regions are appended to the electrically conductive layers by depositing at least a semiconductor material and inducing reaction of the semiconductor material with the material of the electrically conductive layers and/or a sacrificial metal layer. Memory stack structures can be formed in the memory openings and directly on the metal-semiconductor alloy regions of the electrically conductive layers.

Structures and methods that facilitate the formation of gate contacts for vertical transistors constructed with semiconductor pillars and spacer-like gates are disclosed. In a first embodiment, a gate contact rests on an extended gate region, a piece of a gate film, patterned at a side of a vertical transistor at the bottom of the gate. In a second embodiment, an extended gate region is patterned on top of one or more vertical transistors, resulting in a modified transistor structure. In a third embodiment, a gate contact rests on a top surface of a gate merged between two closely spaced vertical transistors. Optional methods and the resultant intermediate structures are included in the first two embodiments in order to overcome the related topography and ease the photolithography. The third embodiment includes alternatives for isolating the gate contact from the semiconductor pillars or for isolating the affected semiconductor pillars from the substrate.

A method includes forming a first oxide layer. The method further includes etching a portion of the first oxide layer using a first decoupled plasma nitridation process. The method includes forming, subsequent to the etching, a charge-trapping layer on the first oxide layer.

Monolithic, three dimensional NAND strings include a semiconductor channel, at least one end portion of the semiconductor channel extending substantially perpendicular to a major surface of a substrate, a plurality of control gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate, the blocking dielectric comprising a plurality of blocking dielectric segments, a plurality of discrete charge storage segments, and a tunnel dielectric located between each one of the plurality of the discrete charge storage segments and the semiconductor channel.

A method for generating a non-volatile memory device may comprise: applying plasma for a preset time period to an exposed surface of a channel of a field effect transistor such that a plurality of charge-trapping sites are formed at the channel. The channel is comprised of a multi-layer structure of atomically thin two-dimensional sheets.