Nonvolatile memory device having STI structure and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

A nonvolatile memory device and a method of forming the nonvolatile memory device having a shallow trench isolation structure and having a device isolation layer having a protruding portion above a substrate surface includes forming a gate oxide, a lower conductive layer pattern, and a hard mask layer; patterning the hard mask layer; isotropically etching the lower conductive layer to form a lower conductive layer pattern having a sloped sidewall profile where a width of a lower portion of the lower conductive layer pattern is smaller than a width of an upper portion of the lower conductive layer pattern; etching the gate oxide layer and the substrate, using the hard mask pattern as an etch mask, to form a trench; and forming a device isolation layer contacting with a sidewall of the lower conductive layer pattern in the trench.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.