Word line to bit line spacing method and apparatus

1. An integrated circuit with a memory cell, comprising:

a bit line arranged in a semiconductor substrate;

a bit line contact region arranged adjacent the bit line;

a word line arranged above the bit line contact region in a trench formed in the semiconductor substrate; and

a generally U-shaped insulating layer arranged in a bottom region of the trench that separates the bit line and the bit line contact region from the word line,

wherein the generally U-shaped insulating layer comprises opposing end regions of a first generally uniform thickness and an intermediate region disposed between the opposing end regions of a second generally uniform thickness less than the first generally uniform thickness.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bit line contact region comprises an out-diffusion region or a polysilicon region.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein an out-diffusion region of the memory cell extends upward from the bit line contact region into a channel region of the memory cell by a distance determined by the thickness of an end region of the generally U-shaped insulating layer.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first generally uniform thickness is between approximately 10 nm to 100 nm and the second generally uniform thickness is between approximately 5 nm to 40 nm.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first generally uniform thickness is approximately ⅓ or less of a width of the trench.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the generally U-shaped insulating layer vertically aligns the bit line to the word line.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bit line and the word line extend perpendicular to one another.

8. A memory device comprising a plurality of interconnected memory cells, each of the memory cells comprising:

a bit line arranged in a semiconductor substrate;

a bit line contact region arranged adjacent the bit line;

a word line arranged above the bit line contact region in a trench formed in the semiconductor substrate; and

a generally U-shaped insulating layer arranged in a bottom region of the trench that separates the bit line and the bit line contact region from the word line,

wherein each generally U-shaped insulating layer comprises opposing end regions of a first generally uniform thickness and an intermediate region disposed between the opposing end regions of a second generally uniform thickness substantially less than the first generally uniform thickness.

9. The memory device of claim 8 , wherein an out-diffusion region of each memory cell extends upward from the bit line contact region into a channel region of the memory cell by a distance determined by the thickness of an end region of the generally U-shaped insulating layer.

10. The memory device of claim 8 , wherein the first generally uniform thickness is between approximately 10 nm to 100 nm and the second generally uniform thickness is between approximately 5 nm to 40 nm.

11. The memory device of claim 8 , wherein the first generally uniform thickness is approximately ⅓ or less of a width of the trenches.

12. The memory device of claim 8 , wherein the bit lines and the word lines extend perpendicular to one another.

13. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a vertical transistor formed in a semiconductor substrate, the vertical transistor comprising a channel region arranged between lower and upper junction regions;

a buried interconnect line arranged below the vertical transistor;

a gate electrode disposed above the bit line contact in a trench arranged adjacent the channel region; and

a generally U-shaped insulating layer arranged in a bottom region of the trench that separates the buried interconnect line from the gate electrode,

wherein the lower junction region extends upward from the buried interconnect line into the channel region by a distance determined by the thickness of an end region of the generally U-shaped insulating layer.