# US 8,541,829 B2 · Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and fabrication method for the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,829 B2 - Document ID: US8541829B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/235,948 - Filed: 2011-09-19 - Published: 2012-02-16 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-15 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kikuko Sugimae; Masayuki Ichige; Fumitaka Arai; Yasuhiko Matsunaga; Atsuhiro Sato - Inventors: Kikuko Sugimae; Masayuki Ichige; Fumitaka Arai; Yasuhiko Matsunaga; Atsuhiro Sato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541829B2 ## CPC - H10B 69/00: Erasable-and-programmable ROM [EPROM] devices not provided for in groups H10B41/00 - H10B63/00, e.g. ultraviolet erasable-and-programmable ROM [UVEPROM] devices - H10B 41/30: characterised by the memory core region - H10B 41/35: with a cell select transistor, e.g. NAND - G11C 16/0416: {comprising cells containing a single floating gate transistor and no select transistor, e.g. UV EPROM} - G11C 16/0433: {comprising cells containing a single floating gate transistor and one or more separate select transistors} - G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series} - G11C 16/30: Power supply circuits - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a memory cell transistor including a first floating gate electrode layer formed on a first tunneling insulating film, a first inter-gate insulating film, first and second control gate electrode layers, and a first metallic silicide film; a high voltage transistor including a high voltage gate electrode layer formed on a high voltage gate insulating film, a second inter-gate insulating film having an aperture, third and fourth control gate electrode layers, and a second metallic silicide film; a low voltage transistor including a second floating gate electrode layer formed on a second tunneling insulating film, a third inter-gate insulating film having an aperture, fifth and sixth control gate electrode layers, and a third metallic silicide film; and a liner insulating film directly disposed on source and drain regions of each of the memory cell transistor, the low voltage transistor, and the high voltage transistor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nonvolatile semiconductor memory comprising: a substrate; a cell array region that is disposed on the substrate including a memory cell transistor, which comprises; first source and drain regions, a tunneling insulating film formed on a semiconductor region between the first source and drain regions, an electric storage layer formed on the tunneling insulating film, a first insulating film formed on the electric storage layer, a first control gate electrode layer formed on the first insulating film, and a first metallic silicide film electrically connected to the first control gate electrode layer; a high voltage circuit region that is disposed on a different area of the substrate from the cell array region and comprises: a high voltage transistor, which comprises second source and drain regions, a high voltage gate insulating film formed on a semiconductor region between the second source and drain regions, a high voltage gate electrode layer formed on the high voltage gate insulating film, and a second metallic silicide film electrically connected to the high voltage gate electrode layer; a low voltage circuit region that is disposed on a different area of the substrate from the cell array region and the high voltage circuit region, and comprises: a low voltage transistor that comprises third source and drain regions, a low voltage gate insulating film formed on a semiconductor region between the third source and drain regions, a low voltage gate electrode layer formed on the low voltage gate insulating film, and a third metallic silicide film electrically connected to the low voltage gate electrode layer; a liner insulating film disposed on the first source and drain regions, the second source and drain regions, the third source and drain regions, side surfaces of the memory cell transistor, the high voltage transistor, and the low voltage transistor; and a barrier insulating film disposed above the memory cell transistor, the high voltage transistor, and the low voltage transistor, and contacting an upper surface of the first to third metallic silicide films, and contacting the liner insulating film at edges of the memory cell transistor, the high voltage transistor, and the low voltage transistor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, wherein the memory cell transistor has a MONOS structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, wherein the electric storage layer is a floating gate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, further comprising a gate contact plug connected to the second metallic silicide film through the barrier insulating film. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, further comprising an interlayer insulating film disposed between the liner insulating film and the barrier insulating film above the first to third source and drain regions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 5, wherein the interlayer insulating film is a TEOS film. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, wherein the barrier insulating film is a nitride film. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, wherein the high voltage gate insulating film is thicker than the tunneling insulating film. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, wherein the liner insulating film is a nitride film. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 1, wherein the first through the third metallic silicide films are one of cobalt silicide and nickel silicide. ### Claim 11 A nonvolatile semiconductor memory comprising a substrate; a cell array region that is disposed on the substrate including a memory cell transistor, which comprises; first source and drain regions, a tunneling insulating film formed on a semiconductor region between the first source and drain regions, an electric storage layer formed on the tunneling insulating film, a first insulating film formed on the electric storage layer, a first control gate electrode layer formed on the first insulating film, and a first metallic silicide film electrically connected to the first control gate electrode layer; a high voltage circuit region that is disposed on a different area of the substrate from the cell array region and comprises: a high voltage transistor, which comprises second source and drain regions, a high voltage gate insulating film formed on a semiconductor region between the second source and drain regions, a high voltage gate electrode layer formed on the high voltage gate insulating film, and a second metallic silicide film electrically connected to the high voltage gate electrode layer; a low voltage circuit region that is disposed on a different area of the substrate from the cell array region and the high voltage circuit region, and comprises: a low voltage transistor that comprises third source and drain regions, a low voltage gate insulating film formed on a semiconductor region between the third source and drain regions, a low voltage gate electrode layer formed on the low voltage gate insulating film, and a third metallic silicide film electrically connected to the low voltage gate electrode layer; a liner insulating film disposed on the first source and drain regions, the second source and drain regions, the third source and drain regions, side surfaces of the memory cell transistor, the high voltage transistor, and the low voltage transistor; and a barrier insulating film disposed above the memory cell transistor, the high voltage transistor, and the low voltage transistor, and contacting an upper surface of the first to third metallic silicide films, and contacting the liner insulating film at edges of the memory cell transistor, the high voltage transistor, and the low voltage transistor; wherein the thickness of the high voltage gate insulating film is greater than thickness of the tunneling insulating film and the low voltage gate insulating film, and an upper surface of the high voltage gate insulating film and an upper surface of the tunneling insulating film and an upper surface of the low voltage gate insulating film have substantially the same height. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, wherein the memory cell transistor has a MONOS structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, wherein the electric storage layer is a floating gate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, further comprising a gate contact plug connected to the second metallic silicide film through the barrier insulating film. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, further comprising an interlayer insulating film disposed between the liner insulating film and the barrier insulating film above the first to third source and drain regions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 15, wherein the interlayer insulating film is a TEOS film. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, wherein the barrier insulating film is a nitride film. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, wherein the high voltage gate insulating film is thicker than the tunneling insulating films. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, wherein the liner insulating film is a nitride film. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The nonvolatile semiconductor memory of claim 11, wherein the first through third metallic silicide films are one of cobalt silicide and nickel silicide.