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US 2010/0059808 A1Published application
Nonvolatile memories with charge trapping dielectric modified at the edges
OwnerWei Zheng, Chung Wah Foninventors
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Abstract
A nonvolatile memory cell has charge trapping dielectric (160) which has been modified (i.e. oxidized) adjacent to edges of blocking dielectric (180). The modification reduces the charge-trapping density adjacent to the edges of the blocking dielectric, and hence reduces the leakage current at the edges. Other features are also provided.
Claims19
A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising a nonvolatile memory cell, the memory cell comprising:
- a charge trapping region which is a dielectric region;
- and
- a conductive gate insulated from the charge trapping region by a first dielectric;
- the method comprising:
- (a) forming (i) charge trapping dielectric for the charge trapping region, (ii) the first dielectric, and (iii) a conductor for the conductive gate, wherein the charge trapping dielectric has an edge adjacent to an edge of the first dielectric;
- and then
- (b) oxidizing the charge trapping dielectric at said edge of the charge trapping dielectric to form an oxidized region in the charge trapping dielectric, the oxidized region extending from said edge of the charge trapping dielectric by at least 4 nm.
4 more elements
A nonvolatile memory cell comprising:
- an active area in a semiconductor region;
- a charge trapping region which is a dielectric region insulated from the active area;
- a first dielectric;
- and
- a conductive gate insulated from the charge trapping region by the first dielectric;
- wherein the charge trapping region has an edge adjacent to an edge of the first dielectric;
- and
- the charge trapping region comprises an oxidized edge region extending from said edge of the charge trapping dielectric by at least 4 nm.
5 more elements
A nonvolatile memory cell comprising:
- an active area in a semiconductor region;
- a charge trapping region which is a dielectric region insulated from the active area;
- a first dielectric;
- and
- a conductive gate insulated from the charge trapping region by the first dielectric;
- wherein the charge trapping region has an edge adjacent to an edge of the first dielectric;
- and
- the charge trapping region comprises a modified edge region extending from said edge of the charge trapping dielectric by at least 4 nm, wherein the modified edge region has a lower density of charge trapping sites than the charge trapping dielectric's other region farther away from said edge of the charge trapping region.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.