IP Library Granted Patent US 7,626,230
Granted Patent B2
US 7,626,230 · App. 11/657,650 · Granted Dec 1, 2009

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,626,230
App. No.
11/657,650
Granted
Dec 1, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example embodiments are directed to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device including a substrate including a plurality of active regions and a plurality of isolation regions between adjacent active regions, each active region including a groove, a bottom surface of the groove being below an upper surface of the active region.

Claims (22)

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a substrate including a plurality of active regions and a plurality of isolation regions between adjacent active regions, each active region including a groove, a bottom surface of the groove being below an upper surface of the active region and a sidewall of the groove being apart from the isolation regions; and

a gate structure having a floating gate and a control gate, the floating gate in the groove and protruding from a top surface of the active region while being spaced apart from adjacent isolation regions and the control gate facing sidewalls of the floating gate, wherein sidewalls and a bottom surface of the groove facing the floating gate act as a channel region of a transistor, and the groove extends along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the gate structure, and each of a source region and a drain region adjacent to the gate structure has a “U”-shape.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the gate structure is a floating gate structure including a tunneling insulation layer in the groove, the floating gate on the tunneling insulation layer, a blocking insulation layer on the floating gate, and the control gate on the blocking insulation layer.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein the tunneling insulation layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, and hafnium oxide.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a spacer and a pad oxide between the floating gate and the isolation regions.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 4 , wherein the spacer and the pad oxide are made of silicon oxide.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein a shape of a bottom portion of the groove has an obtuse or rounded profile.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the groove is in a center portion of the active region.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein a width of the floating gate is substantially equal to that of the groove.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the floating gate is insulated from the plurality of isolation regions.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the control gate crosses over the plurality of isolation regions, and a distance between adjacent floating gates under the control gate being larger than a width of an isolation region therebetween.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the floating gate has a height that is greater than a depth of the groove.

12. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a substrate including a plurality of active regions and a plurality of isolation regions between adjacent active regions, each active region including a groove, a bottom surface of the groove being below an upper surface of the active region and a sidewall of the groove being apart from the isolation regions; and

a gate structure having a conductive pattern and a control gate, the conductive pattern in the groove and protruding from a top surface of the active region while being spaced apart from adjacent isolation regions and the control gate facing sidewalls of the conductive pattern, wherein sidewalls and a bottom surface of the groove facing the conductive pattern act as a channel region of a transistor, and the groove extends along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the gate structure, and each of a source region and a drain region adjacent to the gate structure has a “U”-shape.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein major axes of the plurality of active regions and a major axis of the groove are in the same direction.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein a width of the conductive pattern is substantially equal to that of the groove.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the conductive pattern is insulated from the plurality of isolation regions.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the control gate crosses over the plurality of isolation regions, and a distance between adjacent conductive patterns under the control gate being larger than a width of an isolation region therebetween.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein a shape of a bottom portion of the groove has an obtuse or rounded profile.

18. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the conductive pattern has a height that is greater than a depth of the groove.

Assignments (8)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 053654 FRAME: 0254. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 15, 2021
From: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 058134/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 052853 FRAME: 0153. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Nov 15, 2021
From: UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058223/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 8, 2020
From: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP
To: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC; AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC; BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC; CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC; INNOVATIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC; LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC; MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC; MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC; NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC; R2 SOLUTIONS LLC; SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC; SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC; TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC; UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 053654/0254 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC; AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC; BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC; CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC; INNOVATIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC; LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC; MERTON ACQUISITION HOLDCO LLC; MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC; MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC; NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC; R2 SOLUTIONS LLC; SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC; SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC; TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC; UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052853/0153 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2020
From: FIO SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 052095/0903 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2020
From: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC
To: UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 052096/0225 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT DOCUMENT ATTACHED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 047702 FRAME 0815. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 16, 2019
From: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
To: FIO SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 048917/0927 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2018
From: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
To: FIO SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047702/0815 →