# US 8,569,823 B2 · Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,569,823 B2 - Document ID: US8569823B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/235,970 - Filed: 2011-09-19 - Published: 2012-03-22 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-19 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Tsunehiro Ino; Masao Shingu; Shosuke Fujii; Akira Takashima; Daisuke Matsushita; Jun Fujiki; Naoki Yasuda; Yasushi Nakasaki; Koichi Muraoka - Inventors: Tsunehiro Ino; Masao Shingu; Shosuke Fujii; Akira Takashima; Daisuke Matsushita; Jun Fujiki; Naoki Yasuda; Yasushi Nakasaki; Koichi Muraoka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569823B2 ## CPC - H10D 64/685: {being perpendicular to the channel plane} - H10B 43/30: characterised by the memory core region - H10D 30/0413: {of FETs having charge-trapping gate insulators, e.g. MNOS transistors} - H10D 30/69: IGFETs having charge trapping gate insulators, e.g. MNOS transistors - H10D 64/037: {comprising charge-trapping insulators} - H10D 64/691: {comprising metallic compounds, e.g. metal oxides or metal silicates (insulators comprising nitrogen H10D64/693)} - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES ## Abstract According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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 a ratio of the total number of atoms of hafnium and oxygen in the charge storage insulating film is higher than 99 atomic percent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the charge storage insulating film has an oxygen vacancy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the charge storage insulating film contains zirconium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device according to claim 3, wherein a ratio of the total number of atoms of hafnium, zirconium, and oxygen in the charge storage insulating film is higher than 99 atomic percent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the block insulating film is formed of an oxide film. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor region is a semiconductor substrate, and the tunnel insulating film, the charge storage insulating film, the block insulating film, and the control gate electrode are stacked on the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor region is columnar, and the tunnel insulating film, the charge storage insulating film, the block insulating film, and the control gate electrode surround a side surface of the semiconductor region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the hafnium oxide includes a monoclinic region. ### Claim 9 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor region is columnar, and the tunnel insulating film, the charge storage insulating film, the block insulating film, and the control gate electrode surround a side surface of the semiconductor region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein the hafnium oxide includes a monoclinic region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein the charge storage insulating film contains zirconium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein the block insulating film is formed of an oxide film. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor region is a semiconductor substrate, and the tunnel insulating film, the charge storage insulating film, the block insulating film, and the control gate electrode are stacked on the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the charge storage insulating film is formed by CVD.