Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor region;
• a tunnel insulating film provided on the semiconductor region;
• a charge storage insulating film provided on the tunnel insulating film and having a hafnium oxide including a cubic region;
• a block insulating film provided on the charge storage insulating film;
• and
• a control gate electrode provided on the block insulating film,
• wherein the hafnium oxide contains silicon.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor region;
• a tunnel insulating film provided on the semiconductor region;
• a charge storage insulating film provided on the tunnel insulating film;
• a block insulating film provided on the charge storage insulating film;
• and
• a control gate electrode provided on the block insulating film,
• wherein forming the charge storage insulating film comprises forming a hafnium oxide including a cubic region, and
• wherein forming the charge storage insulating film further comprises:
• forming a preliminary hafnium oxide film formed of an amorphous film and used for the charge storage insulating film, and
• converting the preliminary hafnium oxide film to a hafnium oxide film including a cubic region by a thermal treatment after forming the block insulating film, and
• wherein a ratio of the total number of atoms of hafnium and oxygen in the charge storage insulating film is higher than 99 atomic percent.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor region;
• a tunnel insulating film provided on the semiconductor region;
• a charge storage insulating film provided on the tunnel insulating film;
• a block insulating film provided on the charge storage insulating film;
• and
• a control gate electrode provided on the block insulating film,
• wherein forming the charge storage insulating film comprises forming a hafnium oxide including a cubic region, and
• wherein forming the charge storage insulating film further comprises:
• forming a stacked film of a first film containing silicon and oxygen and a second film containing hafnium and oxygen, and
• converting the stacked film to a hafnium oxide film including a cubic region by a thermal treatment, wherein the hafnium oxide film contains silicon.