IP Library Granted Patent US 10,818,680
Granted Patent B2
US 10,818,680 · App. 16/578,104 · Granted Oct 27, 2020

Split gate non-volatile memory cells and logic devices with FINFET structure, and method of making same

Inventors: Feng Zhou (Fremont, CA); Jinho Kim (Saratoga, CA); Xian Liu (Sunnyvale, CA); Serguei Jourba (Aix en Provence, FR); Catherine Decobert (Pourrieres, FR); Nhan Do (Saratoga, CA)
Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
H01L27/11531H01L27/11521H01L29/1083H01L29/42328H01L29/66537H01L29/66795H01L29/66825H01L29/7851H01L29/7883
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,818,680
App. No.
16/578,104
Granted
Oct 27, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor substrate having an upper surface with a plurality of upwardly extending fins. A memory cell formed on a first of the fins and including spaced apart source and drain regions in the first fin, with a channel region extending therebetween along top and side surfaces of the first fin, a floating gate that extends along a first portion of the channel region, a select gate that extends along a second portion of the channel region, a control gate that extends along and is insulated from the floating gate, and an erase gate that extends along and is insulated from the source region. A logic device formed on a second of the fins and including spaced apart logic source and logic drain regions in the second fin, with a logic channel region of the second fin extending therebetween, and a logic gate that extends along the logic channel region.

Claims (43)

1. A memory device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface with a plurality of upwardly extending fins, wherein each of the fins includes first and second side surfaces that oppose each other and that terminate in a top surface;

a memory cell formed on a first fin of the plurality of fins, comprising:

spaced apart source and drain regions in the first fin, with a channel region of the first fin extending along the top surface and the opposing side surfaces of the first fin between the source and drain regions,

a floating gate that extends along a first portion of the channel region, wherein the floating gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the first fin,

a select gate that extends along a second portion of the channel region, wherein the select gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the first fin,

a control gate that extends along and is insulated from the floating gate, and

an erase gate that extends along and is insulated from the source region;

a logic device formed on a second fin of the plurality of fins, comprising:

spaced apart logic source and logic drain regions in the second fin, with a logic channel region of the second fin extending along the top surface and the opposing side surfaces of the second fin between the logic source and drain regions, and

a logic gate that extends along the logic channel region, wherein the logic gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the second fin;

wherein the first and second fins are formed as a single continuous fin.

2. A memory device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface with a plurality of upwardly extending fins, wherein each of the fins includes first and second side surfaces that oppose each other and that terminate in a top surface;

a memory cell formed on a first fin of the plurality of fins, comprising:

spaced apart source and drain regions in the first fin, with a channel region of the first fin extending along the top surface and the opposing side surfaces of the first fin between the source and drain regions,

a floating gate that extends along a first portion of the channel region, wherein the floating gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the first fin,

a select gate that extends along a second portion of the channel region, wherein the select gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the first fin,

a control gate that extends along and is insulated from the floating gate, and

an erase gate that extends along and is insulated from the source region;

a logic device formed on a second fin of the plurality of fins, comprising:

spaced apart logic source and logic drain regions in the second fin, with a logic channel region of the second fin extending along the top surface and the opposing side surfaces of the second fin between the logic source and drain regions, and

a logic gate that extends along the logic channel region, wherein the logic gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the second fin;

wherein the first and second fins are formed as separate, discrete fins, and wherein the second fin extends higher than the first fin relative to the substrate.

3. The memory device of claim 2 , wherein the erase gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the first fin, and extends along and is insulated from an upper edge of the floating gate.

4. The memory device of claim 3 , wherein the erase gate includes a notch facing the upper edge of the floating gate.

5. The memory device of claim 2 , wherein the logic gate includes a metal material, and wherein the logic gate is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the second fin by a high K insulation material.

6. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the floating gate, the select gate, the control gate, and the erase gate each include polysilicon material.

7. The memory device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a second logic device formed on a third fin of the plurality of fins, comprising:

spaced apart second logic source and logic drain regions in the third fin, with a second logic channel region of the third fin extending along the top surface and the opposing side surfaces of the third fin between the second logic source and drain regions, and

a second logic gate that extends along the second logic channel region, wherein the second logic gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the third fin.

8. The memory device of claim 7 , wherein:

the logic gate is insulated from the second fin by first insulation material;

the second logic gate is insulated from the third fin by second insulation material;

the first insulation material has a thickness that is greater than that of the second insulation material.

9. The memory device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a second memory cell formed on the first fin, comprising:

a second drain region spaced apart from the source region in the first fin, with a second channel region of the first fin extending along the top surface and the opposing side surfaces of the first fin between the source and second drain regions,

a second floating gate that extends along a first portion of the second channel region, wherein the second floating gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the first fin,

a second select gate that extends along a second portion of the second channel region, wherein the second select gate extends along and is insulated from the first and second side surfaces and the top surface of the first fin,

a second control gate that extends along and is insulated from the second floating gate, and

a second erase gate that extends along and is insulated from the source region.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059357/0823 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059263/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059264/0384 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0238 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0380 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052856/0909 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
Continuity (2)
Division 15957615 · Apr 19, 2018
Related Publication 20200013789A1 · Jan 9, 2020