Methods of forming floating gate transistors
View Patent ↗Floating gate transistors and methods of forming the same are described. In one implementation, a floating gate is formed over a substrate. The floating gate has an inner first portion and an outer second portion. Conductivity enhancing impurity is provided in the inner first portion to a greater concentration than conductivity enhancing impurity in the outer second portion. In another implementation, the floating gate is formed from a first layer of conductively doped semiconductive material and a second layer of substantially undoped semiconductive material. In another implementation, the floating gate is formed from a first material having a first average grain size and a second material having a second average grain size which is larger than the first average grain size.
1. A method of forming a plurality of floating gate transistors comprising:
forming an oxide-comprising layer against and physically contacting a semiconductive substrate;
forming a first layer against and physically contacting the oxide-comprising layer, wherein the first layer comprises semiconductive material and a dopant, at least some of the dopant physically contacting the oxide-comprising layer;
after forming the first layer, forming a second layer against and physically contacting the first layer, wherein the second layer comprises semiconductive material, the semiconductive material of the second layer being substantially undoped;
forming a third layer over the second layer, the third layer comprising dielectric material;
forming a fourth layer over the third layer, the fourth layer comprising conductive material;
etching the oxide-comprising layer and the first through fourth layers to form a plurality of floating gates;
forming source and drain regions laterally proximate the floating gates;
forming an oxide layer over the regions and the floating gates; and
disposing a plug of conductive contact film operatively adjacent at least one of the drain regions, the plug of conductive material being electrically connected to the at least one of the drain regions.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein before forming the third layer over the second layer, the first and second layers are etched to define floating gate wings over the oxide-comprising layer.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second layers comprise a material having a thickness, and the forming of the first and second layers comprises forming the first layer to occupy at least 25 percent of the material thickness.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second layers comprise a material having a thickness, and the forming of the first and second layers comprises forming the first layer to occupy less than 75 percent of the material thickness.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming of the first layer comprises forming the first layer to have a dopant concentration of greater than or equal to about 1×10 18 cm −3 .
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming of the first layer comprises:
forming a polysilicon-comprising layer upon the oxide-comprising layer; and
doping the polysilicon-comprising layer with phosphorous dopant material to a concentration of greater than or equal to about 1×10 18 cm −3 .
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the doping the polysilicon-comprising layer is to a degree sufficient to define a sheet resistance of between 300 ohm/sq. and 400 ohm/sq.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the first and second layers comprise a material having a thickness, and the forming of the first and second layers comprises forming the first layer to occupy less than 75 percent of the material thickness; and
the forming of the first layer comprises forming the first layer to have a dopant concentration of greater than or equal to about 1×10 18 cm −3 .
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the third layer comprises nitride.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second layers each have a thickness and the first and second layer thicknesses are substantially equal.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second layers each have a thickness and the first and second layer thicknesses are substantially different.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the first layer is less than about 550 Angstroms.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the first layer is between 450 Angstroms and 550 Angstroms.
14. A method of forming a plurality of floating gate transistors comprising:
forming an oxide-comprising layer against a semiconductive substrate;
forming a first layer against and physically contacting the oxide-comprising layer, wherein the first layer comprises semiconductive material and a dopant, at least some of the dopant physically contacting the oxide-comprising layer;
after forming the first layer, forming a second layer against and physically contacting the first layer, wherein the second layer comprises semiconductive material, the semiconductive material of the second layer being substantially undoped;
forming a third layer over the second layer, the third layer comprising dielectric material;
forming a fourth layer over the third layer, the fourth layer comprising conductive material; and
etching the oxide-comprising layer and the first through fourth layers to form a plurality of floating gates.