Semiconductor memory and its production process

1. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

one or more memory cells comprising an island-like semiconductor layer, a charge storage layer and a control gate, the charge storage layer and the control gate being formed to entirely or partially encircle a sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer,

wherein an active region of at least one of said memory cells is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by:

a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the island-like semiconductor layer, and

means for forming a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the island-like semiconductor layer; and

wherein a lower gate electrode of a first selection transistor, the control gate of the memory cell, and an upper gate electrode of a second selection transistor are arranged in an upward order in a direction vertical to the semiconductor substrate, so that the first and second selection transistors are located on opposite vertical sides of the memory cell in a vertical direction.

2. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of memory cells are formed with regard to one island-like semiconductor layer.

3. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of memory cells are formed with regard to one island-like semiconductor layer and the memory cells are arranged in series.

4. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of island-like semiconductor layers are formed in matrix,

impurity diffusion layers for reading a state of a charge stored in a memory cell are formed in the island-like semiconductor layers,

a plurality of control gates are provided continuously in a direction to form a control gate line and

a plurality of the impurity diffusion layers in a direction crossing the control gate line are connected to form a bit line.

5. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of memory cells are formed with regard to one island-like semiconductor layer and control gates constituting the memory cell are arranged so closely that channel layers of memory cells are electrically connected.

6. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of memory cells are formed with regard to one island-like semiconductor layer, and an electrode for electrically connecting channel layers of memory cells is further formed between control gates.

7. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of island-like semiconductor layers are formed in matrix, and the width of the island-like semiconductor layers in one direction is smaller than a distance between adjacent island-like semiconductor layers in the same direction.

8. A semiconductor memory according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of island-like semiconductor layers are formed in matrix, and a distance between the island-like semiconductor layers in one direction is smaller than a distance between the island-like semiconductor layers in another direction.

9. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 , wherein the control gate and the charge store layer each laterally surround a portion of the sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer on all lateral sides thereof.

10. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 , wherein the impurity diffusion layer is formed in a top portion of the semiconductor substrate immediately under the island-like semiconductor layer.

11. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 , wherein the island-like semiconductor layer is pillar-shaped so as to have a height dimension greater than a width dimension.

12. The semiconductor memory of claim 11 , wherein the island-like semiconductor layer has a circular cross section when viewed from above.

13. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor memory is an EEPROM.

14. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 , wherein said sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer is vertically extending relative to a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

15. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is an SOI board.

16. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

one or more memory cells comprising an island-like semiconductor layer, a charge storage layer and a control gate, the charge storage layer and the control gate being formed to entirely or partially encircle a sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer,

wherein an active region of at least one of said memory cells is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate; and

wherein a plurality of memory cells are formed with regard to one island-like semiconductor layer, and the active region of at least one of the memory cells is electrically insulated from another memory cell by:

a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or the island-like semiconductor layer, and

means for forming a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the island-like semiconductor layer; and

wherein the plurality of memory cells are stacked on top of one another over the semiconductor substrate and each use the island-like semiconductor layer, and wherein respective active regions of each of the memory cells are electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate.

17. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

one or more memory cells comprising an island-like semiconductor layer, a charge storage layer and a control gate, the charge storage layer and the control gate being formed to entirely or partially encircle a sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer,

wherein an active region of at least one of said memory cells is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by:

a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the island-like semiconductor layer, and

means for forming a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the island-like semiconductor layer; and

wherein a gate electrode for selecting a memory cell is formed at least at an end of the memory cell formed on the island-like semiconductor layer so as to partially or entirely encircle the sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer and the gate electrode is arranged in series with the memory cell.

18. A semiconductor memory according to claim 17 , wherein the control gate and the gate electrode are disposed so closely that a channel layer located in a part of the island-like semiconductor layer opposed to the gate electrode is electrically connected to a channel layer of the memory cell.

19. A semiconductor memory according to claim 17 , wherein a plurality of memory cells are formed with regard to one island-like semiconductor layer, and an electrode for electrically connecting a channel layer located in a part of the island-like semiconductor layer opposed to the gate electrode to a channel layer of the memory cell is further formed between the control gate and the gate electrode.

20. A semiconductor memory according to claim 17 , wherein all, some or one control gate(s) are formed of the same material as all, some or one gate electrode(s).

21. A semiconductor memory according to claim 17 , wherein the charge storage layer and the gate electrode are formed of the same material.

22. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

one or more memory cells comprising an island-like semiconductor layer, a charge storage layer and a control gate, the charge storage layer and the control gate being formed to entirely or partially encircle a sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer,

wherein an active region of at least one of said memory cells is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate; and

wherein a lower gate electrode of a first selection transistor, the control gate of the memory cell, and an upper gate electrode of a second selection transistor are arranged in an upward order in a direction vertical to the semiconductor substrate, so that the first and second selection transistors are located on opposite vertical sides of the memory cell in a vertical direction so as to sandwich the memory cell therebetween.

23. A semiconductor memory according to claim 22 , wherein said active region of said memory cell is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by at least a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the island-like semiconductor layer.

24. A semiconductor memory according to claim 22 , wherein the active region of said memory cell is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by:

a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the island-like semiconductor layer, and

a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the island-like semiconductor layer.

25. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

at least one memory cell comprising an island-like semiconductor layer, a charge storage layer and a control gate, wherein the charge storage layer and the control gate entirely or partially laterally surround at least a portion of a sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer;

wherein the active region of said memory cell is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by:

a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the island-like semiconductor layer, and

means for forming a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the island-like semiconductor layer; and

wherein a plurality of memory cells are stacked on top of one another over the semiconductor substrate and each use the island-like semiconductor layer, and wherein respective active regions of each of the memory cells are electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate.

26. The semiconductor memory of claim 25 , wherein the control gate and the charge store layer each laterally surround at least said portion of the sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer on all lateral sides thereof.

27. The semiconductor memory of claim 25 , wherein the diffusion layer is formed at a bottom portion of the island-like semiconductor layer.

28. The semiconductor memory of claim 25 , wherein the island-like semiconductor layer is pillar-shaped so as to have a height dimension greater than a width dimension.

29. The semiconductor memory of claim 28 , wherein the island-like semiconductor layer has a circular cross section when viewed from above.

30. The semiconductor memory of claim 25 , wherein the semiconductor memory is an EEPROM.

31. The semiconductor memory of claim 25 , wherein said sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer is vertically extending relative to a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

32. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

at least one memory cell comprising a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer having a height dimension greater than a width dimension, a charge storage layer and a control gate, wherein the charge storage layer and the control gate entirely or partially laterally surround at least a portion of a sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, wherein the sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer extends vertically relative to the semiconductor substrate;

wherein at least a portion of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer of the memory cell is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by:

a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, and

means for forming a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer; and

wherein a plurality of memory cells are stacked on top of one another over the semiconductor substrate and each use the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, and wherein respective active regions of each of the memory cells are electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate.

33. The semiconductor memory of claim 32 , wherein the control gate and the charge store layer each laterally surround at least said portion of the sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer on all lateral sides thereof.

34. The semiconductor memory of claim 32 , wherein the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer has a circular cross section when viewed from above.

35. The semiconductor memory of claim 32 , wherein the semiconductor memory is an EEPROM.

36. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of stacked memory cells, on top of each other, each memory cell comprising an island-like semiconductor layer, a charge storage layer and a control gate, the charge storage layer and the control gate being formed to entirely or partially encircle a sidewall of the island-like semiconductor layer,

wherein an active region of at least one of said memory cells is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate; and

wherein a lower gate electrode of a first selection transistor, the control gates of the plurality of memory cells, and an upper gate electrode of a second selection transistor are arranged in an upward order in a direction vertical to the semiconductor substrate, so that the first and second selection transistors are located on opposite vertical sides of the plurality of memory cells in a vertical direction so as to sandwich the plurality of memory cells therebetween.

37. A semiconductor memory according to claim 36 , wherein said active region of at least one of said memory cells is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by:

at least a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the island-like semiconductor layer, and

a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer.

38. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate;

at least one memory cell comprising a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer having a height dimension greater than a width dimension, a charge storage layer and a control gate, wherein the charge storage layer and the control gate entirely or partially laterally surround at least a portion of a sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, wherein the sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer extends vertically relative to the semiconductor substrate;

wherein at least a portion of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer of the memory cell is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate by:

a second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate or in the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, and

means for forming a depletion layer formed at a junction between the second conductivity type impurity diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate or the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer; and

wherein a lower gate electrode of a first selection transistor, control gates of a plurality of memory cells, and an upper gate electrode of a second selection transistor are arranged in an upward order in a direction vertical to the semiconductor substrate, so that the first and second selection transistors are located on opposite vertical sides of the plurality of memory cells in a vertical direction so as to sandwich the plurality of memory cells therebetween.