Semiconductor device with nanoclusters

A method of making a device comprising:

• providing a substrate having a structure of nanoclusters and dielectric over the substrate;
• depositing an oxidation barrier layer over the structure;
• patterning to form a first area and a second area, the first area including the oxidation barrier layer and the structure over the substrate, and the second area having the oxidation barrier layer and at least the nanoclusters of the structure removed;
• forming a second dielectric over the second area subsequent to the patterning;
• and
• removing at least a portion of the oxidation barrier layer from the first area, wherein the removing the at least a portion at least reduces a thickness of the oxidation barrier layer.

A method of making a semiconductor device comprising:

• providing a substrate having a structure of nanoclusters and dielectric overlying the substrate;
• depositing an oxidation barrier layer over the structure, wherein the oxidation barrier layer includes at least one selected from a group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon, a silicon germanium alloy, a high-K dielectric material, and a metal;
• patterning to form a first area and a second area, the first area including portions of the oxidation barrier layer and the structure, and the second area having portions of the oxidation barrier layer and at least the nanoclusters of the structure removed;
• forming a second dielectric in the second area subsequent to the patterning;
• and
• removing at least a portion of the oxidation barrier layer from the first area subsequent to the forming the second dielectric, wherein the removing the at least a portion at least reduces a thickness of the oxidation barrier layer.

A method of making a semiconductor memory comprising:

• providing a substrate having a structure of nanoclusters and dielectric overlying the substrate;
• depositing an oxidation barrier layer over the structure;
• patterning to form a first area and a second area, the first area including portions of the oxidation barrier layer and the structure, and the second area having portions of the oxidation barrier layer and at least the nanoclusters of the structure removed;
• forming a second dielectric outside the first area subsequent to the patterning;
• removing at least a portion of the oxidation barrier layer from the first area subsequent to the forming the second dielectric, wherein the removing the at least a portion at least reduces a thickness of the oxidation barrier layer;
• forming a charge storage transistor in the first area, wherein at least a portion of the nanoclusters is utilized as a charge storage location for the charge storage transistor;
• forming a second transistor in the second area, wherein a portion of the second dielectric serves at least as a portion of a gate dielectric of the second transistor.