A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of isolation structures, a charge storage layer, and a conductive layer. The substrate has a memory region and a logic region. The substrate in the memory region has a plurality of semiconductor fins. The isolation structures are disposed in the substrate to isolate the semiconductor fins. The semiconductor fins are protruded beyond the isolation structures. The charge storage layer covers the semiconductor fins. The conductive layer is disposed across the semiconductor fins and the isolation structures such that the charge storage layer is disposed between the conductive layer and the semiconductor fins.

A memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having a cell region and a peripheral region surrounding the cell region and a pair of control gate stacks on the cell region. Each of the control gate stacks includes a storage layer and a control gate on the storage layer. The memory device includes at least one high- metal gate stack disposed on the substrate. The high- metal gate stack has a metal gate and a high- dielectric film wrapping around the metal gate, and a top surface of the control gate is lower than a top surface of the metal gate.

Word lines for a three-dimensional memory device can be formed by forming a stack of alternating layers comprising insulating layers and sacrificial material layers and memory stack structures vertically extending therethrough. Backside recesses are formed by removing the sacrificial material layers through a backside via trench. A metal silicide layer and metal portion are formed in the backside recesses to form the word lines including a metal portion, a metal silicide layer, and optionally, a silicon-containing layer.

A semiconductor device including a logic transistor, a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell and a contact etching stop layer (CESL) is shown. The CESL includes a first silicon nitride layer on the logic transistor but not on the NVM cell, a silicon oxide layer on the first silicon nitride layer and on the NVM cell, and a second silicon nitride layer disposed on the silicon oxide layer over the logic transistor and disposed on the silicon oxide layer on the NVM cell.

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.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type; a stacked body; a plurality of columnar portions; a plurality of first insulating portions having a wall configuration; and a plurality of second insulating portions having a columnar configuration. The columnar portions extend in a stacking direction of the stacked body. The columnar portions include a semiconductor body and a charge storage film. The first insulating portions extend in the stacking direction and in a first direction crossing the stacking direction. The second insulating portions extend in the stacking direction. A wide of the second insulating portions along a second direction crossing the first direction in a plane is wider than a wide of the first insulating portions along the second direction. The second insulating portions are disposed in a staggered lattice configuration.

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including a non-volatile memory formed in a memory cell area and a logic circuit formed in a peripheral area, a mask layer is formed over a substrate in the memory cell area and the peripheral area. A resist mask is formed over the peripheral area. The mask layer in the memory cell area is patterned by using the resist mask as an etching mask. The substrate is etched in the memory cell area. After etching the substrate, a memory cell structure in the memory cell area and a gate structure for the logic circuit are formed. A dielectric layer is formed to cover the memory cell structure and the gate structure. A planarization operation is performed on the dielectric layer. An upper portion of the memory cell structure is planarized during the planarization operation.

A method of forming a nonvolatile memory device includes forming first, second, and third gate structures, with the second and third gate structures including first and second spacer structures formed on a sidewall of the second gate structure and sidewalls of the third gate structure. Impurity regions are formed through ion implantation and the first spacer structure shields the second and third gate structures during ion implantation. The second spacer structure defines resulting impurity regions.

A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit includes following steps. A substrate including a memory region and a core region is provided. At least two semiconductor word lines, two memory cells in between the two semiconductor word lines, and a semiconductor gate in between the two memory cells are formed in the memory region. A transistor device including a dummy gate is formed in the core region, and a height of the dummy gate is larger than a height of the semiconductor word lines. A protecting layer is formed on the semiconductor word lines, the memory cells, the semiconductor gate and the transistor device. A portion of the protecting layer is removed to expose the dummy gate and followed be removing the dummy gate to form a gate trench in the transistor device. Then a metal gate is formed in the gate trench.

A semiconductor device including a logic transistor, a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell and a contact etching stop layer (CESL) is shown. The CESL includes a first silicon nitride layer on the logic transistor but not on the NVM cell, a silicon oxide layer on the first silicon nitride layer and on the NVM cell, and a second silicon nitride layer disposed on the silicon oxide layer over the logic transistor and disposed on the silicon oxide layer on the NVM cell.