US 2014/0209995 A1 · Non-Volatile Memory Cells Having Carbon Impurities and Related Manufacturing Methods

Abstract

Non-volatile memory (NVM) cells having carbon impurities are disclosed along with related manufacturing methods. The carbon impurities can be introduced using a variety of techniques, including through epitaxial growth of silicon-carbon (SiC) layers and/or carbon implants. Further, the carbon impurities can be introduced into one or more structures within NVM cells, including source regions, drain regions, gate regions, and/or charge storage layers. For discrete charge storage layers that utilize nanocrystal structures, carbon impurities can be introduced into the nanocrystal charge storage layers. The disclosed embodiments are useful for a variety of NVM cell types including split-gate NVM cells, floating gate NVM cells, discrete charge storage NVM cells, and/or other desired NVM cells. Advantageously, the carbon impurities introduce tensile stress into the cell structures, and this tensile stress helps maintain NVM system performance and data retention even as device geometries are reduced.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for forming a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell having carbon impurities, comprising:

forming a charge storage layer over a substrate;
and
forming a gate region over the charge storage layer;
wherein the forming a gate region steps includes introducing a carbon impurity within a silicon material as part of the forming step so that the gate region comprises silicon material having a carbon impurity.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Non-Volatile Memory Cells Having Carbon Impurities and Related Manufacturing Methods

Life of this patent

Non-Volatile Memory Cells Having Carbon Impurities and Related Manufacturing Methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21