A bipolar transistor includes a common collector region comprising a buried semiconductor layer and an annular well. A well region is surrounded by the annular well and delimited by the buried semiconductor layer. A first base region and a second base region are formed by the well region and separated from each other by a vertical gate structure. A first emitter region is implanted in the first base region, and a second emitter region is implanted in the second base region. A conductor track electrically couples the first emitter region and the second base region to configure the bipolar transistor as a Darlington-type device. Structures of the bipolar transistor may be fabricated in a co-integration with a non-volatile memory cell.

Described is a packaging technology to improve performance of an AI processing system. An IC package is provided which comprises: a substrate; a first die on the substrate, and a second die stacked over the first die. The first die includes memory and the second die includes computational logic. The first die comprises DRAM having bit-cells. The memory of the first die may store input data and weight factors. The computational logic of the second die is coupled to the memory of the first die. In one example, the second die is an inference die that applies fixed weights for a trained model to an input data to generate an output. In one example, the second die is a training die that enables learning of the weights. Ultra high-bandwidth is changed by placing the first die below the second die. The two dies are wafer-to-wafer bonded or coupled via micro-bumps.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed to an IC, and associated forming methods. In some embodiments, the IC comprises a memory region and a logic region integrated in a substrate. A plurality of memory cell structures is disposed on the memory region. Each memory cell structure of the plurality of memory cell structures comprises a control gate electrode disposed over the substrate, a select gate electrode disposed on one side of the control gate electrode, and a spacer between the control gate electrode and the select gate electrode. A contact etch stop layer (CESL) is disposed along an upper surface of the substrate, extending upwardly along and in direct contact with a sidewall surface of the select gate electrode within the memory region. A lower inter-layer dielectric layer is disposed on the CESL between the plurality of memory cell structures within the memory region.

A semiconductor device includes: a logic region and a non-volatile memory (NVM) region; a logic gate insulating film disposed on a substrate in the logic region; at least one gate oxidation acceleration ion implantation layer disposed in the NVM region; at least one NVM gate insulating film disposed on the at least one gate oxidation acceleration ion implantation layer; a logic gate electrode disposed on the logic gate insulating film; and at least one NVM gate electrode disposed on the at least one NVM gate insulating film, wherein a thickness of the at least one NVM gate insulating film is equal or greater than a thickness of the logic gate insulating film.

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a memory cell structure covered by a protective layer is formed in a memory cell area of a substrate. A mask pattern is formed. The mask pattern has an opening over a first circuit area, while the memory cell area and a second circuit area are covered by the mask pattern. The substrate in the first circuit area is recessed, while the memory cell area and the second circuit area are protected. A first field effect transistor (FET) having a first gate dielectric layer is formed in the first circuit area over the recessed substrate and a second FET having a second gate dielectric layer is formed in the second circuit area over the substrate as viewed in cross section.

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.

Numerous examples of an input function circuit block and an output neuron circuit block coupled to a vector-by-matrix multiplication (VMM) array in an artificial neural network are disclosed. In one example, an artificial neural network comprises a vector-by-matrix multiplication array comprising a plurality of non-volatile memory cells organized into rows and columns; an input function circuit block to receive digital input signals, convert the digital input signals into analog signals, and apply the analog signals to control gate terminals of non-volatile memory cells in one or more rows of the array during a programming operation; and an output neuron circuit block to receive analog currents from the columns of the array during a read operation and generate an output signal.

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.

A memory device includes a substrate, a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. The first transistor is over the substrate and includes a select gate. The second transistor is over the substrate and connected to the first transistor in series, in which the second transistor includes a floating gate. The capacitor is over the substrate and connected to the second transistor, wherein the capacitor includes a top electrode, a bottom electrode in the substrate, and an insulating layer between the top electrode and the bottom electrode. The insulating layer includes nitrogen. A nitrogen concentration of the insulating layer increases in a direction from the top electrode to the bottom electrode.

A non-volatile semiconductor memory and three or more types of transistors are provided. A thickness of a first gate oxide film of a first transistor is larger than that of a second gate oxide film of a second transistor, and is smaller than that of a third gate oxide film of a third transistor. In a first transistor region, a first silicon oxide film is formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and second and third silicon oxide films are formed on the first silicon oxide film. By removing the second and third silicon oxide films and a part of an upper layer of the first silicon oxide film, the first gate oxide film is formed from the first silicon oxide film.