IP Library Granted Patent US 7,923,773
Granted Patent B2
US 7,923,773 · App. 12/255,817 · Granted Apr 12, 2011

Semiconductor device, manufacturing method thereof, and data processing system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,923,773
App. No.
12/255,817
Granted
Apr 12, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bottom of a gate trench has a first bottom relatively far from an STI and a second bottom relatively near from the STI. A portion, in an active region, configuring the second bottom of the gate trench configures a side-wall channel region, and has a thin-film SOI structure sandwiched between the gate electrode and the STI. On the other hand, a portion configuring the first bottom of the gate trench functions as a sub-channel region. A curvature radius of the second bottom is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom. In an approximate center in a length direction of the gate trench, a bottom of a trench is approximately flat, and on the other hand, in ends of the length direction, a nearly whole bottom of the trench is curved.

Claims (48)

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an active region having a source region and a drain region in which a gate trench is formed between the source region and the drain region;

an element isolation region surrounding the active region; and

a gate electrode of which at least one portion is buried in the gate trench,

wherein the gate trench has a first bottom portion relatively far from the element isolation region and a second bottom portion relatively near from the element isolation region, and a curvature radius of the second bottom portion is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom portion, and

wherein the active region includes a main channel region that is positioned at the second bottom portion of the gate trench, the main channel region has a thin-film structure sandwiched between the gate electrode and the element isolation region.

2. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active region further includes a sub-channel region that is positioned at the first bottom portion of the gate trench.

3. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the main channel region has a lower threshold voltage than that of the sub-channel region.

4. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an active region having a source region and a drain region in which a gate trench is formed between the source region and the drain region;

an element isolation region surrounding the active region; and

a gate electrode of which at least one portion is buried in the gate trench,

wherein the gate trench has a first bottom portion relatively far from the element isolation region and a second bottom portion relatively near from the element isolation region, and a curvature radius of the second bottom portion is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom portion, and

wherein the second bottom portion of the gate trench has an inversely arched side-wall.

5. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the element isolation region has a side-wall surface including an upper-portion-side-wall surface approximately vertical to a semiconductor substrate and a lower-portion-side-wall surface having a tapered shape.

6. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the main channel region is positioned between the gate electrode and the lower-portion-side-wall surface of the element isolation region.

7. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an active region having a source region and a drain region in which a gate trench is formed between the source region and the drain region;

an element isolation region surrounding the active region; and

a gate electrode of which at least one portion is buried in the gate trench,

wherein the gate trench has a first bottom portion relatively far from the element isolation region and a second bottom portion relatively near from the element isolation region, and a curvature radius of the second bottom portion is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom portion, and

wherein a length of the gate trench within the active region is 40 to 70 nm, and a width of the gate trench is 80 to 90% of the length of the gate trench.

8. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device comprising:

forming an element isolation region on a semiconductor substrate so as to form a plurality of active regions separated one another by the element isolation region;

forming a gate trench intersecting the active regions by etching the active regions so that a bottom of the gate trench has a first bottom portion relatively far from the element isolation region and a second bottom portion relatively near from the element isolation region and so that a curvature radius of the second bottom portion is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom portion;

forming a gate oxide film on an inner wall surface of the gate trench; and

embedding a gate electrode inside the gate trench formed therein with the gate oxide film.

9. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the step of forming the gate trench is performed by etching the active regions so that a main channel region positioned at the second bottom portion of the gate trench is formed, the main channel region having a thin-film structure sandwiched between the gate electrode and the element isolation region.

10. A data processing system having a memory device, a data processor, and a system bus connecting the memory device and the data processor, the memory device comprising:

an active region having a source region and a drain region in which a gate trench is formed between the source region and the drain region;

an element isolation region surrounding the active region; and

a gate electrode of which at least one portion is buried in the gate trench,

wherein the gate trench has a first bottom portion relatively far from the element isolation region and a second bottom portion relatively near from the element isolation region, and a curvature radius of the second bottom portion is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom portion, and

wherein the active region includes a main channel region that is positioned at the second bottom portion of the gate trench, the main channel region has a thin-film structure sandwiched between the gate electrode and the element isolation region.

11. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second bottom portion of the gate trench has an inversely arched side-wall.

12. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a length of the gate trench within the active region is 40 to 70 nm, and a width of the gate trench is 80 to 90% of the length of the gate trench.

13. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an active region having a source region and a drain region in which a gate trench is formed between the source region and the drain region;

an element isolation region surrounding the active region; and

a gate electrode of which at least one portion is buried in the gate trench,

wherein the gate trench has a first bottom portion relatively far from the element isolation region and a second bottom portion relatively near to the element isolation region, and

wherein a curvature radius of the second bottom portion is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom portion.

14. A data processing system having a memory device, a data processor, and a system bus connecting the memory device and the data processor, the memory device comprising:

an active region having a source region and a drain region in which a gate trench is formed between the source region and the drain region;

an element isolation region surrounding the active region; and

a gate electrode of which at least one portion is buried in the gate trench,

wherein the gate trench has a first bottom portion relatively far from the element isolation region and a second bottom portion relatively near from the element isolation region, and

wherein a curvature radius of the second bottom portion is larger than a curvature radius of the first bottom portion.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2018
From: LONGITUDE SEMICONDUCTOR S.A.R.L.
To: LONGITUDE LICENSING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 046865/0667 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 24, 2016
From: PS5 LUXCO S.A.R.L.
To: LONGITUDE SEMICONDUCTOR S.A.R.L.
Reel/Frame 039793/0880 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2016
From: PS4 LUXCO S.A.R.L.
To: PS5 LUXCO S.A.R.L.
Reel/Frame 039818/0506 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2014
From: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
To: PS4 LUXCO S.A.R.L.
Reel/Frame 032896/0209 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 29, 2013
From: PS4 LUXCO S.A.R.L.
To: ELPIDA MEMORY INC.
Reel/Frame 032414/0261 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2008
From: KUJIRAI, HIROSHI
To: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
Reel/Frame 021718/0785 →