# US 11,309,433 B2 · Non-volatile memory structure and manufacturing method thereof

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- Number: US 11,309,433 B2
- Document ID: US11309433B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/822,030
- Filed: 2020-03-18
- Published: 2021-09-23
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-18
- Assignees: Winbond Electronics Corp.
- Applicants: Winbond Electronics Corp.
- Inventors: Yi-Hui Chen; Chih-Hao Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309433B2

## CPC

- H10D 30/68: Floating-gate IGFETs
- H10D 64/035: {comprising conductor-insulator-conductor-insulator-semiconductor structures}
- H10B 41/30: characterised by the memory core region
- H10D 30/0411: {of FETs having floating gates}
- H10D 64/679: {comprising air gaps}
- H10D 64/687: {having cavities, e.g. porous gate dielectrics having gasses therein}
- H10W 10/021: {of air gaps}
- H10W 10/20: Air gaps
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A non-volatile memory structure including a substrate, a plurality of charge storage layers, a first dielectric layer, and a control gate is provided. The charge storage layers are located on the substrate. An opening is provided between two adjacent charge storage layers. The first dielectric layer is located on the charge storage layers and on a surface of the opening. A bottom cross-sectional profile of the first dielectric layer located in the opening is a profile that is recessed on both sides. The control gate is located on the first dielectric layer and fills the opening.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A non-volatile memory structure, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of charge storage layers located on the substrate, wherein an opening is provided between two adjacent charge storage layers;
a first dielectric layer located on the plurality of charge storage layers and on a surface of the opening, wherein a bottom cross-sectional profile of the first dielectric layer located in the opening is a profile that is recessed on both sides, and the bottom cross-sectional profile of the first dielectric layer located in the opening comprises:
a first recess portion, a protruding portion, and a second recess portion, wherein the protruding portion protrudes in a direction away from the substrate, and the protruding portion is located between the first recess portion and the second recess portion;
a control gate located on the first dielectric layer and filling the opening, wherein the non-volatile memory structure comprises a plurality of control gates, the plurality of control gates extend in a first direction and are arranged in a second direction, the first direction intersects the second direction, and a trench is provided between two adjacent control gates;
a plurality of capping layers located on the plurality of control gates, wherein the plurality of capping layers extend in the first direction and are arranged in the second direction, and the trench is located between two adjacent capping layers; and
two side structures located on two sidewalls of a top of the trench, wherein each side structure comprises a first side and a second side opposite to each other, the first side is closer to the adjacent capping layer than the second side, and a bottom of the first side is higher than a bottom of the second side.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The non-volatile memory structure according to claim 1, further comprising:
an isolation layer located in the substrate between two adjacent charge storage layers, wherein the opening is located above the isolation layer, and both sides of a bottom of the opening are lower than a top of the isolation layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The non-volatile memory structure according to claim 2, wherein the top of the isolation layer is higher than bottoms of the plurality of charge storage layers, and an air gap is provided in the isolation layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The non-volatile memory structure according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second dielectric layer filling the trench.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The non-volatile memory structure according to claim 4, wherein an air gap is provided in the second dielectric layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The non-volatile memory structure according to claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of gate dielectric layers located between the plurality of charge storage layers and the substrate.

### Claim 7

A manufacturing method of a non-volatile memory structure, comprising:
forming a plurality of charge storage layers on a substrate, wherein an opening is provided between two adjacent charge storage layers;
forming a first dielectric layer on the plurality of charge storage layers and on a surface of the opening, wherein a bottom cross-sectional profile of the first dielectric layer located in the opening is a profile that is recessed on both sides, and the bottom cross-sectional profile of the first dielectric layer located in the opening comprises:
a first recess portion, a protruding portion, and a second recess portion, wherein the protruding portion protrudes in a direction away from the substrate, and the protruding portion is located between the first recess portion and the second recess portion;
forming a control gate on the first dielectric layer, wherein the control gate fills the opening, wherein
the method for forming the plurality of charge storage layers comprises:
forming a gate dielectric material layer on the substrate;
forming a charge storage material layer on the gate dielectric material layer;
forming a hard mask layer on the charge storage material layer; and
patterning the hard mask layer, the charge storage material layer, the gate dielectric material layer, and the substrate to form a patterned hard mask layer, the plurality of charge storage layers, and a plurality of gate dielectric layers and form a first trench in the substrate, wherein the first trench extends between two adjacent charge storage layers and into the patterned hard mask layer; and
forming an isolation layer in the first trench, wherein the opening is located above the isolation layer, and both sides of a bottom of the opening are lower than a top of the isolation layer, wherein the method for forming the isolation layer comprises:
forming a filling layer in the first trench, wherein a top of the fillet lave is lower than a top of the patterned hard mask layer;
conformally forming a side structure layer covering the filling layer in the first trench;
performing an etching process on the side structure layer to form two first side structures on two sidewalls of a top of the first trench and expose the filling layer;
removing the filling layer;
forming an isolation material layer filling the first trench, wherein the isolation material layer covers the two first side structures and the patterned hard mask layer; and
removing a portion of the isolation material layer to form the isolation layer in the first trench and expose the two first side structures and the patterned hard mask layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The manufacturing method of the non-volatile memory structure according to claim 7, further comprising:
removing the two first side structures to form the opening before the first dielectric layer is formed; and
removing the patterned mask layer before the first dielectric layer is formed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The manufacturing method of the non-volatile memory structure according to claim 7, further comprising:
performing an etching process on the isolation layer to adjust a height of the isolation layer, so that the height of the isolation layer is lower than heights of the plurality of charge storage layers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The manufacturing method of the non-volatile memory structure according to claim 7, wherein when the non-volatile memory structure comprises a plurality of control gates, the plurality of control gates extend in a first direction and are arranged in a second direction, the first direction intersects the second direction, and a second trench is provided between two adjacent control gates.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The manufacturing method of the non-volatile memory structure according to claim 10, further comprising:
forming a plurality of capping layers on the plurality of control gates, wherein the plurality of capping layers extend in the first direction and are arranged in the second direction, and the second trench is located between two adjacent capping layers.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The manufacturing method of the non-volatile memory structure according to claim 11, further comprising:
forming two second side structures on two sidewalls of a top of the second trench.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The manufacturing method of the non-volatile memory structure according to claim 12, further comprising:
forming a second dielectric layer filling the second trench.