Reducing floating gate to floating gate coupling effect

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to technology for non-volatile memory.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#FIG. 1 is a top view of a NAND string.

#FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the NAND string.

#FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the NAND string.

#One example of a memory system suitable for implementing the present invention uses the NAND flash memory structure, which includes arranging multiple transistors in series between two select gates. The transistors in series and the select gates are referred to as a NAND string. FIG. 1 is a top view showing one NAND string. FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit thereof. The NAND string depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes four transistors 100, 102, 104 and 106 in series and sandwiched between a first select gate 120 and a second select gate 122. Select gate 120 connects the NAND string to bit line 126. Select gate 122 connects the NAND string to source line 128. Select gate 120 is controlled by the applying appropriate voltages to control gate 120CG. Select gate 122 is controlled by applying the appropriate voltages to control gate 122CG. Each of the transistors 100, 102, 104 and 106 has a control gate and a floating gate. Transistor 100 has control gate 100CG and floating gate 100FG. Transistor 102 includes control gate 102CG and floating gate 102FG. Transistor 104 includes control gate 104CG and floating gate 104FG. Transistor 106 includes a control gate 106CG and floating gate 106FG. Control gate 100CG is connected to word line WL3, control gate 102CG is connected to word line WL2, control gate 104CG is connected to word line WL1, and control gate 106CG is connected to word line WL0. In one embodiment, transistors 100, 102, 104 and 106 are each memory cells. In other embodiments, the memory cells may include multiple transistors or may be different than that depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. Select gate 120 is connected to select line SGD. Select gate 122 is connected to select line SGS.

#FIG. 3 provides a cross-sectional view of the NAND string described above. As depicted in FIG. 3, the transistors of the NAND string are formed in p-well region 140. Each transistor includes a stacked gate structure that consists of the control gate (100CG, 102CG, 104CG and 106CG) and a floating gate (100FG, 102FG, 104FG and 106FG) corresponding to transistors 100, 102, 104, and 106 depicted in FIG. 2. The floating gates are formed on the surface of the p-well on top of an oxide or other dielectric film. The control gate is above the floating gate, with an inter-polysilicon dielectric layer separating the control gate and floating gate. The control gates of the memory cells (100, 102, 104, 106 of FIG. 2) form the word lines. N+ doped layers 130, 132, 134, 136 and 138 are shared between neighboring cells, whereby the cells are connected to one another in series to form a NAND string. These N+ doped layers form the source and drain of each of the cells. For example, N+ doped layer 130 serves as the drain of transistor 122 (as shown in FIG. 2 and connected to 122CG) and the source for transistor of 106, N+ doped layer 132 serves as the drain for transistor 106 and the source for transistor 104, N+ doped region 134 serves as the drain for transistor 104 and the source for transistor 102, N+ doped region 136 serves as the drain for transistor 102 and the source for transistor 100, and N+ doped layer 138 serves as the drain for transistor 100 and the source for transistor 120 (as shown in FIG. 2 and connected to 120 CG). N+ doped layer 126 connects to the bit line for the NAND string, while N+ doped layer 128 connects to a common source line for multiple NAND strings.

#Note that although FIGS. 1-3 show four memory cells in the NAND string, the use of four transistors is only provided as an example. A NAND string can have less than four memory cells or more than four memory cells. For example, some NAND strings will include 8 memory cells, 16 memory cells, 32 memory cells, etc. The discussion herein is not limited to any particular number of memory cells in a NAND string.