METHOD OF FORMING A NANOCLUSTER CHARGE STORAGE DEVICE

• Main Authors: MURALIDHAR, RAMACHANDRAN, STEIMLE, ROBERT, F, RAO, RAJESH, A, CHINDALORE, GOWRISHANKAR, L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 07.03.2007
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

A plurality of memory cell devices is formed by using an intermediate dual polysilicon-nitride control electrode stack overlying nanoclusters. The stack includes a first-formed polysilicon-nitride layer and a second-formed polysilicon-containing layer. The second-formed polysilicon-containing layer is removed from areas containing the plurality of memory cells. In one form the second-formed polysilicon-containing layer also contains a nitride portion which is also removed, thereby leaving the first-formed polysilicon-nitride layer for the memory cell devices. In another form the second-formed ploysilicon-containing layer does not contain nitride and a nitride portion of the first-formed polysilicon-nitride layer is also removed. In the latter form a subsequent nitride layer is formed over the remaining polysilicon layer. In both forms a top portion of the device is protected from oxidation, thereby preserving size and quality of underlying nanoclusters. Gate electrodes of devices peripheral to the memory cell devices also use the second-formed polysilicon-containing layer.