Charge storage and sensing devices and methods
AssigneesTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., National Taiwan University
InventorsJenn-Gwo Hwu, Chien-Shun Liao, Wei-Chih Kao
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Abstract
Charge storage and sensing devices having a tunnel diode operable to sense charges stored in a charge storage structure are provided. In some embodiments, a device includes a substrate, a charge storage device on the substrate, and tunnel diode on the substrate adjacent to the charge storage device. The tunnel diode includes a tunnel diode dielectric layer on the substrate, and a tunnel diode electrode on the tunnel diode dielectric layer. A substrate electrode is disposed on the doped region of the substrate, and the tunnel diode electrode is positioned between the charge storage device and the substrate electrode.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a substrate having a doped region;
- a fin on a surface of the substrate;
- a metal layer surrounding at least a portion of the fin,
- a charge storage device on the substrate, the charge storage device including:
- a charge storage structure on the substrate, and
- a charge storage electrode on the charge storage structure;
- a tunnel diode on the substrate adjacent to the charge storage device, the tunnel diode including:
- a tunnel diode dielectric layer on the substrate, and
- a tunnel diode electrode on the tunnel diode dielectric layer;
- and
- a substrate electrode on the doped region of the substrate, the tunnel diode electrode positioned between the charge storage device and the substrate electrode,
- wherein the charge storage structure is disposed between the fin and the metal layer, and the charge storage electrode contacts the metal layer.
A method, comprising:
- forming a fin on the substrate;
- forming a charge storage structure on the substrate;
- forming a charge storage electrode on the charge storage structure;
- forming a metal layer laterally surrounding a portion of the fin, the charge storage structure disposed between the metal layer and the portion of the fin, the charge storage electrode in physical contact with the metal layer;
- forming a tunnel diode dielectric layer on the substrate;
- forming a tunnel diode electrode on the tunnel diode dielectric layer;
- forming a doped region in the substrate, the tunnel diode electrode positioned between the charge storage electrode and the doped region;
- and
- forming a substrate electrode on the doped region.
A method, comprising:
- storing a charge in a charge storage device by applying a first voltage to a gate electrode of the charge storage device;
- reading the stored charge by applying a second voltage to a tunnel diode electrode of a tunnel diode positioned adjacent to the charge storage device;
- and
- applying a first control voltage to a gate electrode of a first transistor,
- wherein the tunnel diode includes a tunnel diode dielectric layer on a substrate, and the tunnel diode electrode is disposed on the tunnel diode dielectric layer,
- wherein a substrate electrode is disposed on a doped region of the substrate, the tunnel diode electrode positioned between the charge storage device and the substrate electrode, and
- wherein storing the charge in the charge storage device includes applying the first voltage from a write bit line to the gate electrode of the charge storage device through the first transistor in response to the applying the first control voltage, the first transistor having source and drain electrodes electrically coupled between the gate electrode of the charge storage device and the write bit line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.