A semiconductor device has an impurity region covering a bottom of a gate trench and a column region. A bottom of the column region is deeper than a bottom of the gate trench. The impurity region is arranged between the gate trench and the column region. This structure can improve the characteristics of the semiconductor device.

Methods for forming semiconductor structures are provided. The method for forming the semiconductor structure includes forming a word line cell over a substrate and forming a dielectric layer over the word line cell. The method further includes forming a conductive layer over the dielectric layer and polishing the conductive layer until the dielectric layer is exposed. The method further includes forming an oxide layer on a top surface of the conductive layer and removing portions of the conductive layer not covered by the oxide layer to form a memory gate.

A semiconductor memory device includes a stacked structure including conductive layers and insulating layers alternately stacked, a strained channel layer passing through the stacked structure, a stressor layer contacting the strained channel layer and applying stress to the strained channel layer, and a core layer formed in the stressor layer.

The present disclosure relates to a memory cell, a memory array, and methods for writing a memory cell. In an example embodiment, a memory cell comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, and a differential sense amplifier. The first transistor is a Vt-modifiable n-channel transistor and the second transistor is a Vt-modifiable p-channel transistor, each transistor having first and second main electrodes. The first main electrodes of the first and second transistors are connected together. The differential sense amplifier is connected to the second main electrodes of the first and the second transistor. The differential sense amplifier is adapted for sensing the current difference between the first transistor and the second transistor.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a film to be treated having a high flatness. A semiconductor substrate having a surface and including a first region and a second region on the surface is prepared, the first region being a region in which a plurality of first level difference portions are formed, the second region being a region in which a plurality of second level difference portions arranged more sparsely than the plurality of first level difference portions are formed, or a region in which no level difference portion is formed. A photosensitive film is formed on a portion of the second region to surround a periphery of the first region as seen in plan view. An applied film having flowability is formed to cover the first region and the photosensitive film. A portion of the applied film at least on the first region is removed.

Provided is a pulse operating method for an FET-type sensor having a horizontal floating electrode. The pulse operating method for an FET-type sensor includes a reading preparation step of applying one or more pre-bias voltage pulses (V.sub.pre) to the control electrode and a reading step of applying one or more read-bias voltage pulses (V.sub.rCG) to the control electrode and applying a voltage pulse (V.sub.rDs) synchronized with the read-bias voltage pulse between a drain and a source. The reactivity and the recovery time can be improved according to the width or the magnitude of the pre-bias voltage pulse applied to the input terminal of the control electrode, and the oxidizing gas and the reducing gas can be distinguished. In addition, since current flows to the FET-type sensor only in the read-biasing period, power consumption can be greatly reduced.

According to one embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes electrodes, an interlayer insulating film, at least one semiconductor layer, conductive layers, first and second insulating films. The electrodes are arranged in a first direction. The interlayer insulating film is provided between the electrodes.

The semiconductor layer extends in the first direction in the electrodes and the interlayer insulating film. The conductive layers are provided between each of the electrodes and the semiconductor layer, and separated from each other in the first direction. The first insulating film is provided between the conductive layers and the semiconductor layer. The second insulating film is provided between each of the electrodes and the conductive layers, and extends between each of the electrodes and the interlayer insulating film adjacent to the each of the electrodes. A width of the conductive layers in the first direction is narrower than that of the second insulating film.

The non-volatile memory device comprises memory cells each comprising a selectable state transistor having a floating gate and a control gate. The state transistor is of the depletion-mode type and is advantageously configured so as to have a threshold voltage that is preferably negative when the memory cell is in a virgin state. When the memory cell is read, a read voltage of zero may then be applied to the control gate and also to the control gates of the state transistors of all the memory cells of the memory device.

A flash memory cell structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a pad dielectric layer, a floating gate, a control gate, and a blocking layer. The pad dielectric layer is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The floating gate is disposed over the pad dielectric layer, in which the floating gate has a top surface opposite to the pad dielectric layer, and the top surface includes at least one recess formed thereon. The control gate is disposed over the top surface of the floating gate. The blocking layer is disposed between the floating gate and the control gate.

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate. The gate stack includes a first insulating layer, a charge trapping structure, a second insulating layer, and a gate electrode. The first insulating layer separates the semiconductor substrate from the charge trapping structure. The charge trapping structure is between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer. The gate electrode is over the second insulating layer. The charge trapping structure includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes zinc oxide, tin dioxide, titanium oxide, zinc tin oxide, indium oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium gallium zinc oxide, zinc oxynitride, tin oxynitride, titanium oxynitride, zinc tin oxynitride, indium oxynitride, indium zinc oxynitride, or indium gallium zinc oxynitride. The second layer includes nickel oxide, tin oxide, copper oxide, nickel oxynitride, tin oxynitride, or copper oxynitride. The semiconductor device structure includes a first doped region and a second doped region in the semiconductor substrate and on two opposite sides of the gate stack.