Method for simultaneous fabrication of a nanocrystal and non-nanocrystal device

A method for simultaneously fabricating two semiconductor devices, at least one of which is a nanocrystal device and at least one of which is a non-nanocrystal device, comprising:

• a) forming a first thermal oxide layer for at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated on at least two portions of a surface of a substrate;
• b) forming a nanocrystal layer over the oxide layer of the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated;
• c) masking at least one portion of the substrate associated with the at least one nanocrystal device being fabricated to protect underlying layers while performing fabrication processes for the at least non-nanocrystal device being fabricated, said fabrication processes including removing with an etching process the nanocrystal layer from the at least one portion of the substrate corresponding to the at least one non-nanocrystal device being fabricated;
• d) forming a polycrystalline gate for each of the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated, the exposed nanocrystals not covered by the gate on the at least one portion of the substrate associated with the at least one nanocrystal device consumed by a thermal oxidation process, the thermal oxidation process producing a second thermal oxide, a remaining plurality of nanocrystals forming a floating gate;
• e) providing doping in selected areas of the substrate to form source and drain regions for the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated;
• and
• f) thermally treating the substrate following the doping, the thermal treatment not limiting a thermal budget of the fabrication process.

A semiconductor substrate having at least two semiconductor devices, at least one of which is a nanocrystal device and at least one of which is a non-nanocrystal device, fabricated by a process comprising:

• a) forming a first thermal oxide layer for at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated on at least two portions of a surface of the substrate;
• b) forming a nanocrystal layer over the oxide layer of the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated;
• c) removing with an etching process the nanocrystal layer from the at least one portion of the substrate corresponding to the at least one non-nanocrystal device being fabricated;
• d) forming a polycrystalline gate for each of the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated, the exposed nanocrystals not covered by the gate on the at least one portion of the substrate associated with the at least one nanocrystal device consumed by a thermal oxidation process, the thermal oxidation process producing a second thermal oxide, a remaining plurality of nanocrystals forming a floating gate;
• e) providing doping in selected areas of the substrate to form source and drain regions for the at least two semiconductor devices being fabricated;
• and
• f) thermally treating the substrate following the doping, the thermal treatment not limiting a thermal budget of the fabrication process.