A semiconductor memory device and method of making the same are disclosed. The semiconductor memory device includes a substrate that includes a memory region and a peripheral region, a transistor including a metal gate located in the peripheral region, a composite dielectric film structure located over the metal gate of the transistor, the composite dielectric film structure including a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, where the second dielectric layer has a greater density than a density of the first dielectric layer, and at least one memory cell located in the memory region. The composite dielectric film structure provides enhanced protection of the metal gate against etching damage and thereby improves device performance.

A semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate and at least one patterned dielectric layer is provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a semiconductor portion, at least one first device, at least one second device and at least one first dummy ring. The at least one first device is disposed on a first region surrounded by the semiconductor portion. The at least one second device and the at least one first dummy ring are disposed on a second region, and the second region surrounds the first region. The at least one patterned dielectric layer covers the semiconductor substrate.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method for forming an embedded memory boundary structure with a boundary sidewall spacer. In some embodiments, an isolation structure is formed in a semiconductor substrate to separate a memory region from a logic region. A multilayer film is formed covering the semiconductor substrate. A memory structure is formed on the memory region from the multilayer film. An etch is performed into the multilayer film to remove the multilayer film from the logic region, such that the multilayer film at least partially defines a dummy sidewall on the isolation structure. A spacer layer is formed covering the memory structure, the isolation structure, and the logic region, and further lining the dummy sidewall. An etch is performed into the spacer layer to form a spacer on dummy sidewall from the spacer layer. A logic device structure is formed on the logic region.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method for forming an integrated circuit (IC), and the associated integrated circuit. In some embodiments, a substrate is provided including a logic region having a plurality of logic sub-regions including a low-voltage logic sub-region and a high-voltage logic sub-region. The method further comprises forming a stack of gate dielectric precursor layers on the plurality of logic sub-regions and removing the stack of gate dielectric precursor layers from the low-voltage logic sub-region and the high-voltage logic sub-region. The method further comprises forming a high-voltage gate dielectric precursor layer on the low-voltage logic sub-region and the high-voltage logic sub-region and removing the high-voltage gate dielectric precursor layer from the low-voltage logic sub-region. The low-voltage logic sub-region has a logic device configured to operate at a voltage smaller than that of another logic device of the high-voltage logic sub-region.

A semiconductor device include a nonvolatile memory device, including a first well region formed in a substrate, a tunneling gate insulator formed on the first well region, a floating gate formed on the tunneling gate insulator, a control gate insulator formed on the substrate, a control gate formed on the control gate insulator, and a first source region and a first drain region formed on opposite sides of the control gate, respectively, and a first logic device, including a first logic well region formed in the substrate, a first logic gate insulator formed on the first logic well region, a first logic gate formed on the first logic gate insulator, wherein the first logic gate comprises substantially a same material as a material of the control gate of the nonvolatile memory device.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to a method of forming an integrated circuit (IC). An isolation structure is formed between a logic region and a memory region of a substrate. A dummy structure is formed on the isolation structure and defines a dummy sidewall of the dummy structure facing the logic region. A boundary sidewall spacer is formed covering the dummy structure and at least partially defines a boundary sidewall of the boundary sidewall spacer facing the logic region. A protecting dielectric layer is formed on a top surface of the boundary sidewall spacer by converting an uppermost portion of the boundary sidewall spacer to the protecting dielectric layer. The protecting dielectric layer is removed, and a logic device structure is formed on the logic region.

A method of forming a device with a silicon substrate having upwardly extending first and second fins. A first implantation forms a first source region in the first silicon fin. A second implantation forms a first drain region in the first silicon fin, and second source and drain regions in the second silicon fin. A first channel region extends between the first source and drain regions. A second channel region extends between the second source and drain regions. A first polysilicon deposition is used to form a floating gate that wraps around a first portion of the first channel region. A second polysilicon deposition is used to form an erase gate wrapping around first source region, a word line gate wrapping around a second portion of the first channel region, and a dummy gate wrapping around the second channel region. The dummy gate is replaced with a metal gate.

A method of forming a device with a silicon substrate having upwardly extending first and second fins. A first implantation forms a first source region in the first silicon fin. A second implantation forms a first drain region in the first silicon fin, and second source and drain regions in the second silicon fin. A first channel region extends between the first source and drain regions. A second channel region extends between the second source and drain regions. A first polysilicon deposition is used to form a floating gate that wraps around a first portion of the first channel region. A second polysilicon deposition is used to form an erase gate wrapping around first source region, a word line gate wrapping around a second portion of the first channel region, and a dummy gate wrapping around the second channel region. The dummy gate is replaced with a metal gate.

The present disclosure relates to a flash memory cell that includes a substrate and a floating gate structure over the substrate. The floating gate structure includes a first portion having a first top surface and a first thickness. The floating gate structure also includes a second portion having a second top surface and a second thickness that is different from the first thickness. The floating gate structure further includes a sidewall surface connecting the first and second top surfaces, and an angle between the first top surface and the sidewall surface of the floating gate structure is an obtuse angle. The flash memory cell also includes a control gate structure over the first and second portions of the floating gate structure.

A method of forming a memory device includes forming a floating gate on a memory cell area of a semiconductor substrate, having an upper surface terminating in an edge. An oxide layer is formed having first and second portions extending along the logic and memory cell regions of the substrate surface, respectively, and a third portion extending along the floating gate edge. A non-conformal layer is formed having a first, second and third portions covering the oxide layer first, second and third portions, respectively. An etch removes the non-conformal layer third portion, and thins but does not entirely remove the non-conformal layer first and second portions. An etch reduces the thickness of the oxide layer third portion. After removing the non-conformal layer first and second portions, a control gate is formed on the oxide layer second portion and a logic gate is formed on the oxide layer first portion.