IP Library Granted Patent US 7,563,681
Granted Patent B2
US 7,563,681 · App. 11/341,973 · Granted Jul 21, 2009

Double-gated non-volatile memory and methods for forming thereof

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,563,681
App. No.
11/341,973
Granted
Jul 21, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for making a semiconductor device comprises providing a first wafer and providing a second wafer having a first side and a second side, the second wafer including a semiconductor structure, a first storage layer, and a layer of gate material, wherein the first storage layer is located between the semiconductor structure and the layer of gate material and closer to the first side of the second wafer than the semiconductor structure. The method further includes bonding the first side of the second wafer to the first wafer and cleaving away a first portion of the semiconductor structure to leave a layer of the semiconductor structure after the bonding. The method further includes forming a second storage layer over the layer of the semiconductor structure and forming a top gate over the second storage layer.

Claims (59)

1. A method of making a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a first wafer comprising a first semiconductor layer and a first insulating layer on the first semiconductor layer;

providing a second wafer comprising a second insulating layer, a layer of gate material on the second insulating layer, a first storage layer on the layer of gate material, and a semiconductor structure on the first storage layer;

bonding the first insulating layer to the second insulating layer;

cleaving away a first portion of the semiconductor structure to leave a layer of the semiconductor structure after the bonding;

forming a second storage layer over the layer of the semiconductor structure; and

forming a top gate over the second storage layer, wherein the first and second storage layers comprise nanocrystals.

2. The method of claim 1 farther comprising:

forming a bottom gate of the semiconductor device, wherein at least a portion of the bottom gate is formed from the layer of gate material.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cleaving further comprises:

implanting a dopant in the semiconductor structure to create a stress layer in the semiconductor structure;

wherein the first portion is removed from the layer of the semiconductor structure at the stress layer.

4. A method of forming a transistor, comprising:

providing a first device structure comprising a first semiconductor layer and a first insulating layer on the first semiconductor layer;

providing a second device structure comprising a second insulating layer, a first layer of gate material on the second insulating layer, a first storage layer on the first layer of gate material, and a third semiconductor layer on the first storage layer;

bonding the first insulating layer to the second insulating layer;

cleaving the third semiconductor layer to leave a semiconductor layer on the first storage layer;

forming a second storage layer over the semiconductor layer;

forming a second layer of gate material over the second storage layer;

patterning the semiconductor layer to leave a first portion of the semiconductor layer to function as a channel of the transistor; and

after the patterning the semiconductor layer, patterning the first layer of gate material to leave a first portion of the first layer of gate material wherein the first portion is covered by the first portion of the semiconductor layer and functions as a bottom gate of the transistor, wherein the first and second storage layers comprise nanocrystals.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

patterning the second layer of gate material to form a top gate of the transistor.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

implanting dopants into portions of the first portion of the semiconductor layer adjacent to the top gate;

forming a sidewall spacer around the top gate; and

removing portions of the first portion of the semiconductor layer to leave implanted portions under the sidewall spacer.

7. A method, comprising:

providing a first device structure comprising a first semiconductor layer and a second insulating layer on the first semiconductor layer;

providing a second device structure comprising a third insulating layer, a first layer of gate material on the third insulating layer, a first storage layer on the first layer of gate material, and a third semiconductor layer on the first storage layer;

bonding the second insulating layer to the third insulating layer, wherein the second and third insulating layers comprise a first insulating layer; and

cleaving the third semiconductor layer to leave a second semiconductor layer on the first storage layer;

forming a second storage layer on the second semiconductor layer;

forming a second layer of gate material on the second storage layer;

patterning the second layer of gate material to leave a top gate;

implanting the second semiconductor layer using the top gate as a mask to form source and drain regions in the second semiconductor layer;

forming a first sidewall spacer on sides of the top gate; and

etching through portions of the source and drain regions, through portions of the first storage layer; and through portions of the first layer of gate material and laterally etching a portion of the first layer of gate material, wherein the etching through portions of the first layer of gate material to remove portions of the first layer of gate material from under the first sidewall spacer leaves a bottom gate, wherein the first and second storage layers comprise nanocrystals.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising forming a second sidewall spacer on the first sidewall spacer prior to etching through portions of the source and drain regions.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

epitaxially growing semiconductor regions laterally from the source/drain regions.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

siliciding the semiconductor regions to form silicide regions; and

contacting the silicide regions.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

pattern etching through the second semiconductor layer, the first storage layer, and the first layer of gate material, wherein portions of the second semiconductor layer, the first storage layer, and the first layer of gate material remain; and

filling regions adjacent to the portions of the second semiconductor layer, the first storage layer, and the first layer of gate material with an insulating material.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

etching through the insulating material to expose a sidewall of a portion of the second semiconductor layer; and

epitaxially growing semiconductor regions laterally from the source/drain regions.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first layer of gate material comprises at least one of polysilicon, amorphous silicon, tungsten, tungsten silicon, germanium, amorphous germanium, titanium, titanium nitride, titanium silicon, titanium silicon nitride, tantalum, tantalum silicon, and tantalum silicon nitride.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

forming a second sidewall spacer around the first sidewall spacer; and

etching through portions of the first layer of gate material from at least under the second sidewall spacer to leave a bottom gate under the second storage layer.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

epitaxially growing semiconductor regions laterally from the source/drain regions.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

siliciding the semiconductor regions to form silicide regions; and

contacting the silicide regions.

Assignments (23)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040925 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Feb 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V. F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 052917/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040928 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jan 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 052915/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037486 FRAME 0517. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Dec 10, 2019
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 053547/0421 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 050744/0097 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. FROM 13,883,290 TO 13,833,290 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 041703 FRAME 0536. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS.. Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: SHENZHEN XINGUODU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048734/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENTS 8108266 AND 8062324 AND REPLACE THEM WITH 6108266 AND 8060324 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037518 FRAME 0292. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Feb 1, 2017
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 041703/0536 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE LISTED CHANGE OF NAME SHOULD BE MERGER AND CHANGE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040652 FRAME: 0180. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jan 12, 2017
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 041354/0148 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 8, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 040652/0180 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 040928/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V., F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 040925/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT TO THE SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
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ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 13, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
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ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 12, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037486/0517 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037356/0143 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037356/0553 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0854 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0225 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 6, 2013
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031591/0266 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2013
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
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SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 13, 2010
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024397/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2010
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 023882/0834 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 2, 2007
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.; FREESCALE ACQUISITION CORPORATION; FREESCALE ACQUISITION HOLDINGS CORP.; FREESCALE HOLDINGS (BERMUDA) III, LTD.
To: CITIBANK, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
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ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2006
From: SWIFT, CRAIG T.; DAO, THUY B.; SADD, MICHAEL A.
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
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