Boundary design to reduce memory array edge CMP dishing effect
View Patent ↗In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a plurality of transistor devices disposed on or within a substrate and a plurality of memory devices disposed on or within the substrate. A first isolation structure is disposed within the substrate between the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices. A dummy gate structure is arranged on the first isolation structure and has a top surface that is vertically above top surfaces of the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices.
1. An integrated chip, comprising:
a plurality of transistor devices disposed on or within a substrate;
a plurality of memory devices disposed on or within the substrate;
a first isolation structure disposed within the substrate between the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices; and
a dummy gate structure arranged on the first isolation structure and having a top surface that is vertically above top surfaces of the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices.
2. The integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein the dummy gate structure comprises a logic wall core vertically separated from the substrate by a dielectric and laterally surrounded by one or more sidewall spacers.
3. The integrated chip of claim 1 , further comprising:
an etch stop layer arranged along sidewalls of the dummy gate structure, wherein a topmost surface of the etch stop layer is laterally outside of the dummy gate structure.
4. The integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein the first isolation structure has a greater thickness directly below the dummy gate structure than laterally outside of the dummy gate structure.
5. The integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein the first isolation structure has a first upper surface and a second upper surface vertically above the first upper surface, the dummy gate structure being directly over the second upper surface.
6. The integrated chip of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory wall disposed over the first isolation structure and laterally separated from the dummy gate structure by a non-zero distance, wherein the memory wall includes a bottom surface that is vertically below a bottom surface of the dummy gate structure and a top surface that is vertically between the bottom surface of the dummy gate structure and the top surface of the dummy gate structure.
7. The integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transistor devices respectively comprise a gate electrode arranged between one or more sidewall spacers, a bottommost surface of the one or more sidewall spacers being vertically below a bottommost surface of the dummy gate structure.
8. The integrated chip of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of transistor devices respectively comprise a metal gate electrode having one or more gate metals; and
wherein the dummy gate structure comprises polysilicon.
9. The integrated chip of claim 1 , further comprising:
an etch stop layer comprising a first sidewall arranged along a sidewall of the dummy gate structure and a second sidewall arranged along a sidewall of the first isolation structure.
10. An integrated chip, comprising:
a plurality of transistor devices disposed on or within a substrate;
a plurality of memory devices disposed on or within the substrate;
a first isolation structure disposed within the substrate between the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices; and
a dummy gate structure arranged on the first isolation structure and having a top surface that is vertically above top surfaces of the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices, wherein the top surface of the dummy gate structure is an upper surface of a logic wall core, the logic wall core being vertically separated from the first isolation structure by a dielectric and laterally surrounded by one or more sidewall spacers.
11. The integrated chip of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of transistor devices respectively comprise a gate electrode separated from the substrate by a gate dielectric, a bottommost surface of the gate dielectric being vertically below a bottommost surface of the dummy gate structure.
12. The integrated chip of claim 10 , wherein the first isolation structure comprises one or more sidewalls forming a protrusion that extends outward from an upper surface of the first isolation structure, the dummy gate structure being disposed on the protrusion.
13. The integrated chip of claim 12 , wherein the protrusion has an upper surface that laterally extends past opposing outermost sidewalls of the dummy gate structure.
14. The integrated chip of claim 12 , wherein the protrusion has an upper surface that is vertically between bottoms and tops of the plurality of memory devices.
15. The integrated chip of claim 10 , wherein the dummy gate structure has a larger width than respective ones of the plurality of transistor devices.
16. An integrated chip, comprising:
a plurality of transistor devices disposed on or within a substrate;
a plurality of memory devices disposed on or within the substrate;
a first isolation structure disposed within the substrate between the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices in a cross-sectional view, the first isolation structure segregating the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices along a first direction and along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction in a plan view, wherein the first isolation structure has a body and an upper facet vertically over the body; and
a dummy gate structure arranged on the first isolation structure and having a top surface that is vertically above top surfaces of the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices, the top surface being a flat surface formed by a chemical mechanical planarization process.
17. The integrated chip of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of memory devices respectively comprise a select gate separated from a control gate by a charge trapping layer.
18. The integrated chip of claim 16 , wherein the dummy gate structure and the plurality of transistor devices comprise a high-k dielectric material.
19. The integrated chip of claim 16 , further comprising:
a second isolation structure disposed within the substrate between the plurality of transistor devices and the plurality of memory devices, wherein the substrate is directly between outermost sidewalls of the first isolation structure and the second isolation structure; and
a plurality of dummy gate stacks disposed on the second isolation structure.
20. The integrated chip of claim 19 , wherein the second isolation structure continuously wraps around the first isolation structure in a closed and unbroken loop.