P-type control gate in non-volatile storage
View Patent ↗Non-voltage storage and techniques for fabricating non-volatile storage are disclosed. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the control gates of non-volatile storage elements are formed from p-type polysilicon. In one embodiment, a lower portion of the control gate is p-type polysilicon. The upper portion of the control gate could be p-type polysilicon, n-type polysilicon, metal, metal nitride, etc. P-type polysilicon in the control gate may not deplete even at high Vpgm. Therefore, a number of problems that could occur if the control gate depleted are mitigated. For example, a memory cell having a control gate that is at least partially p-type polysilicon might be programmed with a lower Vpgm than a memory cell formed from n-type polysilicon.
1. A non-volatile storage system, comprising:
non-volatile storage elements, an individual non-volatile storage element includes:
a floating gate formed from an n-type semiconductor;
inter-poly dielectric; and
a control gate that includes a lower portion formed from a p-type semiconductor, an upper portion formed from the n-type semiconductor, and a conductive barrier layer between the lower portion and the upper portion of the control gate, the inter-poly dielectric resides between the floating gate and the control gate.
2. The non-volatile storage system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive barrier layer comprises one or more of titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, or tungsten nitride.
3. The non-volatile storage system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive barrier layer comprises a silicide.
4. A non-volatile storage system, comprising:
non-volatile storage elements, an individual non-volatile storage element includes:
a floating gate formed from an n-type semiconductor;
inter-poly dielectric; and
a control gate that includes a lower portion formed from a p-type semiconductor and an upper portion formed from the n-type semiconductor, the inter-poly dielectric resides between the floating gate and the control gate, wherein the control gate is highly doped such that a p-n junction between the upper portion and the lower portion will break down during programming.
5. A non-volatile storage system, comprising:
non-volatile storage elements, an individual non-volatile storage element includes:
a floating gate formed from an n-type semiconductor;
inter-poly dielectric; and
a control gate that includes a lower portion formed from a p-type semiconductor and an upper portion formed from the n-type semiconductor, the inter-poly dielectric resides between the floating rate and the control gate; and
a transistor having a control gate that includes a continuous region of the n-type semiconductor in a region that coincides with the floating gates, the inter-poly dielectric and the control gates of the non-volatile storage elements.
6. The non-volatile storage system of claim 5 , wherein the control gates of the non-volatile storage elements are silicided such that p-n junctions between the upper portions and the lower portions of the control gates of the non-volatile storage elements are eliminated.
7. A non-volatile storage system, comprising:
non-volatile storage elements, an individual non-volatile storage element includes:
a floating gate formed from an n-type semiconductor;
inter-poly dielectric; and
a control gate formed from a p-type semiconductor; and
a select transistor associated with the non-volatile storage elements, the select transistor includes:
a control gate that includes a lower portion of the n-type semiconductor and an upper portion of the p-type semiconductor; and
a conductive barrier layer between the lower portion and the upper portion of the control gate of the select transistor.
8. The non-volatile storage system of claim 7 , wherein the conductive barrier layer comprises a metal.
9. The non-volatile storage system of claim 8 , wherein the metal comprises one or more of tungsten, titanium, or tantalum.
10. The non-volatile storage system of claim 7 , wherein the conductive barrier layer comprises a metal nitride.
11. The non-volatile storage system of claim 10 , wherein the metal nitride comprises one or more of tungsten nitride, titanium nitride, or tantalum nitride.
12. The non-volatile storage system of claim 7 , wherein the conductive barrier layer comprises a silicide.
13. A non-volatile storage system, comprising:
a NAND string of non-volatile storage elements, an individual non-volatile storage element includes:
a floating gate formed from an n-type semiconductor;
inter-poly dielectric; and
a control gate that includes a lower portion formed from a p-type semiconductor and an upper portion formed from the n-type semiconductor, the inter-poly dielectric resides between the floating gate and the control gate;
a select transistor associated with the NAND string, the select transistor including:
a control gate that includes a continuous region of the n-type semiconductor in a region that coincides with the floating gates, the inter-poly dielectric and the control gates of the non-volatile storage elements.
14. The non-volatile storage system of claim 13 , wherein the control gates of the non-volatile storage elements include:
a conductive barrier layer between the lower and upper portion of the control gates.
15. The non-volatile storage system of claim 14 , wherein the conductive barrier layer comprises one or more of titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, or tungsten nitride.
16. The non-volatile storage system of claim 14 , wherein the wherein the conductive barrier layer comprises a silicide.
17. The non-volatile storage system of claim 13 , wherein the control gates of the non-volatile storage elements are silicided such that p-n junctions between the upper portions and the lower portions of the control gates of the non-volatile storage elements are eliminated.
18. The non-volatile storage system of claim 13 , wherein control gates of the non-volatile storage elements are highly doped such that a p-n junction between the upper and lower portions will break down during high field stress.