Patent ID: 7714379
Filing Date: 2010-05-11
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor memory device comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of active regions separated by a plurality of trenches in said semiconductor substrate; a field isolation film partially filling the trenches such that the upper surface of the active regions is higher than the upper surface of the field isolation film; a gate insulation film including at least a tunneling insulation film, a charge storage film and a blocking insulation film, the gate insulation film formed over the field isolation film such that at least a portion of the gate insulation film completely fills remaining portions of the trenches unfilled by the field isolation film; and a conductive gate film formed over said gate insulation film, wherein an entirety of the lower surface of said conductive gate film is higher than the upper surface of the active regions, wherein a distance between the field isolation film and the conductive gate film over the field isolation film is greater than a distance between respective active regions and the conductive gate film over the respective active regions.