IP Library Granted Patent US 8,735,960
Granted Patent B2
US 8,735,960 · App. 12/313,134 · Granted May 27, 2014

High ultraviolet light absorbance silicon oxynitride film for improved flash memory device performance

Inventors: Minh Q. Tran (Milpitas, CA); Minh-Van Ngo (Fremont, CA); Alexander H. Nickel (Santa Clara, CA); Sung Jin Kim (Palo Alto, CA); Simon Chan (Saratoga, CA); Ning Cheng (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Spansion LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,735,960
App. No.
12/313,134
Granted
May 27, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ultraviolet light absorbent silicon oxynitride layer overlies a memory cell including a pair of source/drains, a gate insulator, a floating gate, a dielectric layer, and a control gate. A conductor is disposed through the silicon oxynitride layer for electrical connection to the control gate, and another conductor is disposed through the silicon oxynitride layer for electrical connection to a source/drain.

Claims (40)

1. An electronic structure comprising:

a transistor comprising a control gate, wherein the control gate is a single layer;

an insulator layer overlying the transistor, wherein the insulator layer is a single layer;

a layer comprising silicon oxynitride overlying and in direct contact with the insulator layer;

a layer comprising silicon dioxide overlying and in direct contact with the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is a single layer;

a first conductor disposed through the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide for electrical connection to the control gate, wherein the first conductor is electrically connected to the control gate through a first silicide conductive layer;

a silicon nitride layer overlying and in direct contact with the silicon dioxide layer and the first conductor;

a silicon dioxide layer overlying and in direct contact with the silicon nitride layer; and

a third conductor disposed through the silicon nitride layer and the silicon dioxide layer to electrically connect to the first conductor, wherein a glue/barrier layer is deposited between the third conductor and the silicon nitride layer and the silicon dioxide layer.

2. The electronic structure of claim 1 wherein the transistor further comprises a pair of source/drains, a gate insulator, a floating gate, and a dielectric layer.

3. The electronic structure of claim 2 and further comprising a second conductor disposed through the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide for electrical connection to a source/drain, wherein the second conductor is electrically connected to the source/drain through a second silicide conductive layer.

4. A memory device comprising:

a memory cell comprising a transistor, wherein the transistor comprises a control gate, wherein the control gate is a single layer;

an insulator layer overlying the memory cell, wherein the insulator layer is a single layer;

a layer comprising silicon oxynitride overlying and in direct contact with the insulator layer;

a layer comprising silicon dioxide overlying and in direct contact with the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is a single layer;

a first conductor disposed through the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide for electrical connection to the control gate, wherein the first conductor is electrically connected to the control gate through a first silicide conductive layer;

a silicon nitride layer overlying and in direct contact with the silicon dioxide layer and the first conductor;

a silicon dioxide layer overlying and in direct contact with the silicon nitride layer; and

a third conductor disposed through the silicon nitride layer and the silicon dioxide layer to electrically connect to the first conductor, wherein a glue/barrier layer is deposited between the third conductor and the silicon nitride layer and the silicon dioxide layer.

5. The memory device of claim 4 wherein the memory cell is a nonvolatile memory cell.

6. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the transistor further comprises a pair of source/drains, a gate insulator, a floating gate, and a dielectric layer.

7. The memory device of claim 4 and further comprising a second conductor disposed through the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide for electrical connection to a source/drain, wherein the second conductor is electrically connected to the source/drain through a second silicide conductive layer.

8. A memory device comprising:

a nonvolatile memory cell comprising a transistor, wherein the transistor comprises a control gate, wherein the control gate is a single layer;

an insulator layer over and in direct contact with the memory cell;

a layer comprising silicon oxynitride over and in direct contact with the insulator;

a layer comprising silicon dioxide overlying and in direct contact with the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is a single layer;

a first conductor disposed through the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide for electrical connection to the control gate, wherein the first conductor is electrically connected to the control gate through a first silicide conductive layer;

a silicon nitride layer overlying and in direct contact with the silicon dioxide layer and the first conductor;

a silicon dioxide layer overlying and in direct contact with the silicon nitride layer; and

a third conductor disposed through the silicon nitride layer and the silicon dioxide layer to electrically connect to the first conductor, wherein a glue/barrier layer is deposited between the third conductor and the silicon nitride layer and the silicon dioxide layer.

9. The memory device of claim 8 wherein the transistor further comprises a pair of source/drains, a gate insulator, a floating gate, and a dielectric layer.

10. The memory device of claim 8 and further comprising a second conductor disposed through the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide for electrical connection to a source/drain, wherein the second conductor is electrically connected to the source/drain through a first silicide conductive layer.

11. The electronic structure of claim 1 wherein the insulator layer comprises Borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG).

12. The memory device of claim 4 wherein the insulator layer comprises Borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG).

13. The memory device of claim 8 wherein the insulator layer comprises Borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG).

14. The electronic structure of claim 1 further comprising a glue/barrier layer between the first conductor and the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide.

15. The memory device of claim 4 further comprising a glue/barrier layer between the first conductor and the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide.

16. The memory device of claim 8 further comprising a glue/barrier layer between the first conductor and the insulator, the layer comprising silicon oxynitride, and the layer comprising silicon dioxide.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2022
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 059721/0467 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 059410/0438 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Oct 28, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050896/0366 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2012
From: SPANSION LLC; SPANSION INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 028837/0076 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2008
From: TRAN, MINH Q.; NGO, MINH-VAN; NICKEL, ALEXANDER H.; KIM, SUNG JIN; CHAN, SIMON; CHENG, NING
To: SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 021902/0666 →
Continuity (1)
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