Three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The three-dimensional semiconductor devices include an electrode structure with sequentially-stacked electrodes disposed on a substrate, semiconductor patterns penetrating the electrode structure, and memory elements including a first pattern and a second pattern interposed between the semiconductor patterns and the electrode structure, the first pattern vertically extending to cross the electrodes and the second pattern horizontally extending to cross the semiconductor patterns.

An improvement is achieved in the reliability of a semiconductor device. In a memory cell region, a plurality of fins are provided which are portions of a semiconductor substrate extending in an x-direction along a main surface of the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from each other in a y-direction orthogonal to the x-direction along the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. Between the fins adjacent to each other in the y-direction, a portion of an upper surface of an isolation region is at a position higher than a surface obtained by connecting a position of the upper surface of the isolation region which is in contact with a side wall of one of the fins to a position of the upper surface of the isolation region which is in contact with a side wall of the other fin. In a cross section along the y-direction, the upper surface of the isolation region has a projecting shape.

A thin-film memory transistor includes a source region, a drain region, a channel region, a gate electrode, and a charge-trapping layer provided between the channel region and the gate electrode and electrically isolated therefrom, wherein the charge-trapping layer has includes a number of charge-trapping sites that is 70% occupied or evacuated using a single voltage pulse of a predetermined width of 500 nanoseconds or less and a magnitude of 15.0 volts or less. The charge-trapping layer comprises silicon-rich nitride may have a refractive index of 2.05 or greater or comprises nano-crystals of germanium (Ge), zirconium oxide (ZrO.sub.2), or zinc oxide (ZnO). The thin-film memory transistor may be implemented, for example, in a 3-dimensional array of NOR memory strings formed above a planar surface of a semiconductor substrate.

The present disclosure relates to a memory device that includes a substrate and source and drain regions formed in the substrate. The memory device includes a gate dielectric formed on the substrate and between the source and drain regions. The memory device also includes a gate structure formed on the gate dielectric and the gate structure has a planar top surface. The memory device further includes a multi-spacer structure that includes first, second, and third spacers. The first spacer is formed on a sidewall of the gate structure and a top surface of one of the source and drain regions. The second spacer is formed on a sidewall of the first spacer and the second spacer has a dielectric constant greater than a dielectric constant of the first spacer. The third spacer is formed on a sidewall of the second spacer and a horizontal surface of the first spacer.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a ferroelectric layer disposed on the substrate, a gate insulation layer disposed on the ferroelectric layer, metal particles disposed in the gate insulation layer, and a gate electrode layer disposed on the gate insulation layer.

A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer having a main surface; a first-conduction-type well region formed on a surface portion of the main surface of the semiconductor layer; a second-conduction-type first region formed on a surface portion of the well region; a second-conduction-type second region formed on the surface portion of the well region at an interval from the first region; a first-conduction-type diffusion layer formed on the surface portion of the main surface adjacent to the first region; a planar gate structure formed on the main surface of the semiconductor layer to face a first-conduction-type channel region between the first region and the second region; and a memory structure including a charge storage film arranged adjacent to a lateral side of the planar gate structure on a side of the first region.

Three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The three-dimensional semiconductor devices include an electrode structure with sequentially-stacked electrodes disposed on a substrate, semiconductor patterns penetrating the electrode structure, and memory elements including a first pattern and a second pattern interposed between the semiconductor patterns and the electrode structure, the first pattern vertically extending to cross the electrodes and the second pattern horizontally extending to cross the semiconductor patterns.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a source/drain region arranged within a substrate. A first select gate is arranged over the substrate, and a first memory gate is arranged over the substrate and separated from the source/drain region by the first select gate. An inter-gate dielectric structure is arranged between the first memory gate and the first select gate. The inter-gate dielectric structure extends under the first memory gate. A height of the inter-gate dielectric structure decreases along a direction extending from the first select gate to the first memory gate.

A semiconductor memory device includes a channel layer, a gate electrode spaced apart from the channel layer, a blocking insulating layer between the gate electrode and the channel layer, a tunnel insulating layer between the channel layer and the blocking insulating layer, and nano-particles spaced apart from each other between the tunnel insulating layer and the blocking insulating layer.

The present disclosure relates to a memory device that includes a substrate and source and drain regions formed in the substrate. The memory device includes a gate dielectric formed on the substrate and between the source and drain regions. The memory device also includes a gate structure formed on the gate dielectric and the gate structure has a planar top surface. The memory device further includes a multi-spacer structure that includes first, second, and third spacers. The first spacer is formed on a sidewall of the gate structure and a top surface of one of the source and drain regions. The second spacer is formed on a sidewall of the first spacer and the second spacer has a dielectric constant greater than a dielectric constant of the first spacer. The third spacer is formed on a sidewall of the second spacer and a horizontal surface of the first spacer.