Flash Memory Nitrogen Treatment for Data Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
As flash memory devices become more integrated and their feature size decreases, they face challenges in maintaining high temperature operating life and data retention reliability due to limitations in the thickness of the linear oxide layer and nitride spacer, which affects their performance.
Innovation Solution
A nitrogen atom-introducing treatment is performed after forming the first oxide layer and before forming the nitride spacer, using a thermal treatment with a nitrogen-containing gas to enhance bonding and repair process damage, thereby improving data retention reliability and integration degree without adding additional layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the thickness of the linear oxide layer and nitride spacer is reduced to increase integration degree, then the memory capacity and integration degree are improved, but the high temperature operating life and data retention reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A nitrogen atom-introducing treatment is performed after forming the first oxide layer and before forming the nitride spacer. This preliminary nitrogen introduction strengthens the oxide layer, allowing it to maintain reliability even when the thickness of the oxide layer and nitride spacer is reduced for higher integration.
2Productivity
If the feature size is reduced to increase integration degree, then the memory capacity is improved, but the high temperature operating life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the oxide layer by introducing nitrogen atoms through a nitrogen atom-introducing treatment. This parameter change strengthens the oxide layer, enabling it to withstand high temperature operations even when the overall device feature size is reduced for higher integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The nitrogen atom-introducing treatment strengthens the flash memory device's characteristics, increasing high temperature operating life and reducing data retention failures, while enhancing both data retention reliability and integration degree simultaneously.
Implementation Method 1
a nitrogen atom-introducing treatment is performed after the forming of the first oxide layer and before the forming of the nitride spacer
Implementation Method 2
using a thermal treatment with a nitrogen-containing gas to enhance bonding
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing flash memory device is provided and includes the following steps. First, a substrate is provided. Then, a stacked gate structure is formed on the substrate. Subsequently, a first oxide layer is formed on the stacked gate structure. Following that, a nitride spacer is formed on the first oxide layer, wherein a nitrogen atom-introducing treatment is performed after the forming of the first oxide layer and before the forming of the nitride spacer. Accordingly, the nitrogen atom-introducing treatment of the presentation invention can improve the data retention reliability of the flash memory device.