Sidewall-Oxidized Dielectric for Floating-Gate Capacitive Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of scaling down semiconductor devices while maintaining quality, yield, performance, and reliability is exacerbated by complexity, particularly in improving capacitive coupling between control and memory units.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design featuring a laterally oxidized intervention layer with a higher oxygen concentration at its sidewall portion, enhancing the dielectric constant and capacitive coupling between control and memory units, and a method involving lateral oxidation processes to fabricate this structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the size of semiconductor devices is continuously decreased to meet growing demand for computing power, then productivity and computing power are improved, but manufacturing precision and reliability deteriorate due to scaling challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a laterally oxidized intervention layer with non-uniform oxygen concentration distribution. The sidewall portion has a higher oxygen concentration than the center portion, resulting in different dielectric constants in different regions. This local variation in material properties allows the structure to maintain precise electrical characteristics at scaled dimensions while managing stress and capacitive coupling locally where needed.
2Productivity
If the size of semiconductor devices is continuously decreased, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases making it harder to maintain yield and performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the oxygen concentration parameter within the intervention layer. Through lateral oxidation processes, the oxygen concentration is varied spatially to create regions with different dielectric constants. This parameter modification allows the existing layered structure to provide enhanced capacitive coupling and stress management without adding complex additional layers or components, thus managing device complexity while maintaining performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional uniform dielectric layers are used in scaled devices, then manufacturing is simpler, but capacitive coupling between control and memory units deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by implementing local quality in the intervention layer. The lateral oxidation process creates a structure where the sidewall portions have higher oxygen concentration and thus higher dielectric constant compared to the center portion. This local variation in dielectric properties enhances capacitive coupling between control and memory units in the sidewall regions without requiring complete restructuring of the entire device, maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity while improving electrical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the oxygen concentration parameter through lateral oxidation. The intervention layer transitions from a uniform composition to one with spatially varying oxygen concentration, creating regions of different dielectric constants. This parameter modification directly enhances capacitive coupling in critical regions while preserving the basic layered structure and manufacturing flow, thus improving reliability without sacrificing ease of manufacture.
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 increased dielectric constant in the laterally oxidized intervention layer improves capacitive coupling, thereby enhancing the performance of the semiconductor device.
Implementation Method 1
a laterally oxidized intervention layer disposed over the floating gate... The laterally oxidized intervention layer comprises a sidewall portion and a center portion, wherein the sidewall portion has an oxygen concentration greater than that of the center portion
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses a semiconductor device having a sidewall oxidized dielectric and a method for fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; a tunnel insulating layer disposed over the substrate; a floating gate disposed over the tunnel insulating layer; a laterally oxidized intervention layer disposed over the floating gate; and a control gate disposed over the laterally oxidized intervention layer. The laterally oxidized intervention layer includes a sidewall portion and a center portion, wherein the sidewall portion has an oxygen concentration greater than that of the center portion.