# US 9,437,476 B2 · Method of manufacturing semiconductor device including air gap between patterns > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,476 B2 - Document ID: US9437476B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/325,789 - Filed: 2014-07-08 - Published: 2015-09-17 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-12 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Keisuke Nakazawa; Ichiro Mizushima; Shinichi Nakao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437476B2 ## CPC - H10W 10/20: Air gaps - H10B 41/35: with a cell select transistor, e.g. NAND - H10B 41/47: with a floating-gate layer also being used as part of the peripheral transistor - H10B 41/48: with a tunnel dielectric layer also being used as part of the peripheral transistor - H10D 64/035: {comprising conductor-insulator-conductor-insulator-semiconductor structures} - H10W 10/021: {of air gaps} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a pattern portion and a flat portion on a substrate, the pattern portion including plural patterns, and the flat portion having a flat surface at a position lower than upper surfaces of the patterns. The method further includes transferring a first film on the substrate to continuously form the first film on the upper surfaces of the patterns and on the flat surface of the flat portion and to form a first air gap between the patterns. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a pattern portion and a flat portion on a substrate, the pattern portion including plural patterns, and the flat portion having a flat surface at a position lower than upper surfaces of the patterns; and transferring a first film on the substrate to continuously form the first film on the upper surfaces of the patterns and on the flat surface of the flat portion and to form a first air gap between the patterns. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the patterns includes a device region of the substrate, a first insulator on the device region, and a first electrode material on the first insulator, the method further comprising: forming a second insulator on the first electrode material and the first film; forming a second electrode material on the second insulator; and removing the first film after forming the second electrode material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising removing the first film after forming the second electrode material to increase a volume of the first air gap. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising removing a portion of the first film after forming the second electrode material to form a second air gap above the first air gap via the first film. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein each of the patterns includes one or more second films formed on the first electrode material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the first film is formed in a state where a height of a lower surface of the second films in each pattern is equal to a height of a lower surface of the second films in the flat portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the first film is formed in a state where a height of an upper surface of the second films in each pattern is higher than a height of an upper surface of the second films in the flat portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the second films after forming the first film. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein each of the patterns includes a third film formed on side surfaces of the device region, the first insulator and the first electrode material and providing an upper surface of each pattern. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first film is formed in a state where a height of an upper surface of the third film in each pattern is higher than a height of an upper surface of the third film in the flat portion. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: forming plural first patterns and one or more second patterns on a substrate, the first patterns being capable of functioning as transistors, and the second patterns being formed of the same material as the first patterns, being formed between the first patterns, and being incapable of functioning as transistors, and transferring a first film on the substrate to continuously form the first film on the first and second patterns and to form an air gap between mutually adjacent patterns among the first and second patterns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a maximum value of a width between the mutually adjacent patterns is smaller than 1000 times a minimum value of the width between the mutually adjacent patterns. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the minimum value is a width between mutually adjacent first patterns. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the minimum value is the width between the mutually adjacent first patterns functioning as cell transistors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the maximum value is a width between a first pattern and a second pattern which are mutually adjacent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the maximum value is the width between the first pattern functioning as a select transistor and the second pattern which are mutually adjacent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second patterns includes a first insulator on the substrate, a first electrode material on the first insulator, a second insulator on the first electrode material, and a second electrode material on the second insulator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising selectively forming contact plugs on the first patterns functioning as select transistors among the first patterns functioning as the select transistors and the second patterns.