Floating gate nitridation

An integrated circuit comprising a nonvolatile memory cell:

• a channel region;
• a first dielectric on a surface of the channel region;
• a conductive floating gate on the first dielectric, the floating gate having a surface which has silicon and nitrogen atoms therein;
• silicon oxide formed at said surface of the floating gate;
• a conductive control gate opposite to said surface of the floating gate.

A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising a nonvolatile memory, the method comprising:

• forming a first layer to provide one or more floating gates for the nonvolatile memory;
• forming a first dielectric on a surface of the first layer, wherein the first dielectric comprises a first surface comprising silicon oxide;
• nitriding the first surface of the first dielectric to incorporate nitrogen atoms into the first surface;
• forming a conductive layer on the nitrided first surface of the first dielectric, the conductive layer providing one or more control gates for the nonvolatile memory.

An integrated circuit comprising a nonvolatile memory cell comprising:

• a channel region;
• a first dielectric on a surface of the channel region;
• a conductive floating gate on the first dielectric;
• a second dielectric on a surface of the floating gate;
• and
• a conductive control gate separated from the floating gate by the second dielectric;
• wherein the second dielectric comprises a layer of silicon oxide having a surface having nitrogen atoms embedded therein;
• and
• the control gate contacts said silicon oxide surface with nitrogen atoms.