Abstract:
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a memory device, and more particularly to a nonvolatile memory device having a recess structure and methods of fabricating same.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a memory device, and more particularly to a nonvolatile memory device having a recess structure and methods of fabricating same. 
     2. Information 
     As the degree of integration of NAND flash memory increases, increasing effort may be directed to avoiding NAND cell deterioration while increasing NAND cell current. A decrease in cell current may result from a change in cell structure over time, where current flow areas of source and drain regions decrease. Moreover, such cell deterioration may lead to a substantial decrease in cell current which may in turn lead to erase-failure of the cell. Therefore, improving cell current while increasing the degree of integration of NAND flash memory has become an increasingly important goal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of a process for fabricating a memory device, according to an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 2-9  are cross-sectional views of a memory device, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a memory device, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of a computing system, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of claimed subject matter. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments. 
     In an embodiment, a flash memory device may comprise a three-dimensional gate structure including a relatively large area to provide improved current-carrying capacity for memory cell current. Such an improved current-carrying capacity may lead to improved reliability and/or stability of a flash memory device, for example. In particular, such a three-dimensional gate structure may comprise a U-shaped tunnel oxide layer disposed in a trench of an active region of a semiconductor substrate. Such a U-shaped tunnel oxide layer may be at least partially covered with a floating gate. In an implementation, at least a portion of such a U-shaped tunnel oxide and at least a portion of the floating gate may exist below a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, as discussed in detail below. Such portions of U-shaped tunnel oxide and floating gate may also exist below at least a portion of source/drain regions included in the semiconductor substrate. It should be noted that although terms “below”, “top”, “adjacent”, “depth”, “downward”, “above”, “over”, and so on are used herein, it is understood that such terms do not necessarily refer to a direction defined by gravity or any other particular orientation. Instead, such terms are merely used to identify a position of one portion of a memory device relative to a position of another portion of the memory device in a particular context. In particular implementations, for example, a process of etching a semiconductor substrate may be performed from “above” a “top” surface of the substrate so that etching proceeds in a “downward” direction from the top surface to a particular “depth below” the top surface. Again, in such a description, such terms do not necessarily refer to a direction defined by gravity or any other particular orientation, but are merely relative terms made clear in the context in which they are used. Claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular direction or orientation. 
     In another embodiment, a flash memory device may further comprise floating gate polysilicon at least partially filling a U-shaped tunnel oxide, wherein at least a portion of the floating gate polysilicon and the U-shaped tunnel oxide exist below a portion of adjacent source/drain regions. Such a flash memory device, which may comprise a NAND flash memory device for example, may also comprise isolation-oxide regions that separate U-shaped tunnel oxide portions. Such isolation-oxide regions may, for example, comprise an oxide material providing electrical insulation between adjacent active regions of a substrate. In one implementation, such a flash memory device may further comprise an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer at least partially covering U-shaped tunnel oxide portions, isolation-oxide regions and source/drain regions, for example. A control gate may at least partially cover such an ONO layer, as described below. Of course, such details of a flash memory device are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited. 
     In an embodiment, a process to fabricate a flash memory device comprising a three-dimensional gate structure may include forming trenches in active regions of a semiconductor substrate by etching the active regions using an isolation-oxide as an etch barrier (e.g., an etch mask), forming a tunnel oxide layer by conformally covering bottoms and sidewalls of the trenches, and at least partially filling the trenches with polysilicon to form floating gates. Before forming trenches in the active regions, such a fabrication process may further comprise forming a hard mask layer over the semiconductor substrate, forming isolation trenches by etching the hard mask layer and the semiconductor substrate to a particular depth, and at least partially filling the isolation trenches with an oxide layer to form the isolation-oxide. In one implementation, a process to fabricate a flash memory device may further comprise forming a planarized surface by chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) the polysilicon and the isolation-oxide, and subsequently forming an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer over the planarized surface. A control gate may then be formed over the ONO layer, for example. Of course, such details of an example of flash memory device fabrication are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited 
       FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of a process  100  for fabricating a memory device, and  FIGS. 2-9  are schematic cross-sectional views of the memory device at various stages of fabrication process  100 , according to an embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 2  and block  110  of process  100 , a hard mask layer may be deposited over a substrate  210 . In one implementation, such a hard mask layer may comprise a first nitride layer  220  and a second nitride layer  230 . For example, first nitride layer  220  may be used as a buffer during a CMP process. In one implementation, first nitride layer  220  may comprise a relatively soft material such as silicon nitride (SiN), though claimed subject matter is not so limited. Second nitride layer  230  may include a relatively smooth surface with relatively few or no defects at a silicon interface, for example. In one implementation, second nitride layer  230  may comprise Si 3 N 4  and may be deposited using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at relatively high temperature, though claimed subject matter is not so limited. Further, first and second nitride layers may be deposited using any of a number of deposition processes, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), and atomic layer deposition (ALD), for example. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and block  120  of process  100 , first and second nitride layers (e.g., the hard mask layer) and a portion of substrate  210  may be etched to form trenches  380  having a particular depth in patterned substrate  310 , patterned first nitride layer  320 , and patterned second nitride layer  330 . In an implementation, trenches  380  may be disposed in an isolation region, which may comprise a gap fill oxide. In particular, referring to  FIG. 4 , trenches  380  may be at least partially filled with an oxide to form isolation-oxide lines  340  using an oxidation process such as steam diluted oxidation, steam oxidation, LPRO, ISSG, and/or RTO, for example. Oxide materials may comprise any of a number of materials such as silicon oxide (SiO 2 ), silicon on glass (SOG), and so on. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  and block  130  of process  100 , the hard mask layer, including patterned first nitride layer  320  and patterned second nitride layer  330 , may be removed by selectively etching the hard mask layer to expose patterned substrate  310  while allowing isolation-oxide lines  340  to remain. Such selective etching may be performed using a relatively strong anisotropic etching to etch substantially downward towards patterned substrate  310  (e.g., not laterally into sidewalls). Such selective etching may be performed using a dry etch process involving mixed gases such as argon, neon, oxygen, and carbon tetrafluoride (CF 4 ), just to name a few examples. Next, referring to  FIG. 6  and block  140  of process  100 , an etch process  690  may be applied via trenches  580  between adjacent isolation-oxide lines  340  to form recessed regions  680  in substrate  610 . Such recessed regions may be formed in active regions of substrate  610 , where source/drain regions may be formed in an earlier process (not shown), for example. Recessed regions  680  may comprise trenches having a particular depth as measured from the top surface of patterned substrate  610 . Such recessed regions may be formed using etching processes described above, for example. Such a particular depth may be selected by adjusting the amount of time that substrate  610  is exposed to etching, for example. Accordingly, isolation-oxide lines  340  may be used in such an etch process as an etch barrier to allow formation of recessed regions  680  in active regions of substrate  610  while preventing the etch process from substantially removing substrate material from isolation regions of substrate  610 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7  and block  150  of process  100 , subsequent to formation of recessed regions  680 , a tunnel oxide layer  750  may be formed on substrate  610  to conformally cover bottoms and sidewalls of recessed regions  680 . Such a tunnel oxide layer may be formed using a radical oxidation deposition technique, for example. In an implementation, tunnel oxide layer  750  may comprise a plurality of U-shaped tunnel oxide portions  755  between adjacent isolation-oxide portions  340 . In particular, such tunnel oxide portions  755  may have, in cross-section, a substantially “U” shaped formation, conforming to bottoms and sidewalls of recessed regions  680 . In an implementation, at least a portion of such a U-shaped tunnel oxide formation may exist below a top surface of substrate  610 . As mentioned above, recessed regions  680  may be formed in a portion of substrate  610  comprising source/drain regions  715 . Accordingly, tunnel oxide portions  755  may be adjacent to such source/drain regions. Next, recessed regions, which include tunnel oxide layer  750 , may be at least partially filled with polysilicon to form floating gates  760 . Such a filling process may be performed by depositing polysilicon using various techniques such as LPCVD, CVD, ALD and/or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), for example, and doped in situ (e.g., during deposition) or implanted after deposition. Of course, such materials are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited. 
     In an embodiment, semiconductor structure  700 , including isolation-oxide lines  340  and floating gates  760 , may be planarized via chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), for example. Subsequently, and oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer  875  may be deposited on the planarized surface. In particular, such an ONO layer may comprise a blocking dielectric layer  870  (e.g., silicon oxide), a trapping dielectric layer  872  (e.g., silicon nitride), and a tunnel oxide layer  874  (e.g., silicon oxide). Of course, such materials are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited. Next, referring to  FIG. 9 , a control gate  990  comprising n-doped or p-doped polysilicon, for example, may be deposited to cover ONO layer  875 . In one implementation, control gate  990  may be deposited using various techniques such as LPCVD, CVD, ALD and/or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), for example, and doped in situ (e.g., during deposition) or implanted after deposition. Of course, such details regarding materials and techniques of depositing such materials are merely examples, and claimed subject matter is not so limited. 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view of a memory device  1000 , according to an embodiment. In particular, memory device  1000  may comprise a flash memory device including a three-dimensional gate structure including a relatively large area to provide improved current-carrying capacity for memory cell current, indicated by arrows  1095  in  FIG. 10 . Here, for example, cell current  1095  may flow along tunnel oxide layer  1050 , which at least partially covers sidewalls and/or bottoms of recessed regions  1080 . Accordingly, such a three-dimensional gate structure may comprise a U-shaped tunnel oxide including a floating gate disposed in a trench of an active region of a semiconductor substrate  1010 . 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a computing system  1100  including a memory device  1110 . Such a computing device may comprise one or more processors, for example, to execute an application and/or other code. For example, memory device  1110  may comprise a three-dimensional gate structure including a relatively large surface area to provide improved current-carrying capacity for cell current, shown in  FIG. 10 . A computing device  1104  may be representative of any device, appliance, or machine that may be configurable to manage memory device  1110 . Memory device  1110  may include a memory controller  1115  and a memory  1122 . By way of example but not limitation, computing device  1104  may include: one or more computing devices and/or platforms, such as, e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, a server device, or the like; one or more personal computing or communication devices or appliances, such as, e.g., a personal digital assistant, mobile communication device, or the like; a computing system and/or associated service provider capability, such as, e.g., a database or data storage service provider/system; and/or any combination thereof. 
     In an embodiment, computing device  1104  may include at least one processing unit  1120  that is operatively coupled to memory  1122  through a bus  1140  and a host or memory controller  1115 . Processing unit  1120  is representative of one or more circuits configurable to perform at least a portion of a data computing procedure or process. By way of example but not limitation, processing unit  1120  may include one or more processors, controllers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, and the like, or any combination thereof. Processing unit  1120  may include an operating system configured to communicate with memory controller  1115 . Such an operating system may, for example, generate commands to be sent to memory controller  1115  over bus  1140 . 
     Memory  1122  is representative of any data storage mechanism. Memory  1122  may include, for example, a primary memory  1124  and/or a secondary memory  1126 . Primary memory  1124  may include, for example, a random access memory, read only memory, etc. While illustrated in this example as being separate from processing unit  1120 , it should be understood that all or part of primary memory  1124  may be provided within or otherwise co-located/coupled with processing unit  1120 . 
     Secondary memory  1126  may include, for example, the same or similar type of memory as primary memory and/or one or more data storage devices or systems, such as, for example, a disk drive, an optical disc drive, a tape drive, a solid state memory drive, etc. In certain implementations, secondary memory  1126  may be operatively receptive of, or otherwise configurable to couple to, a computer-readable medium  1128 . Computer-readable medium  1128  may include, for example, any medium that can carry and/or make accessible data, code, and/or instructions for one or more of the devices in system  1100 . 
     Computing device  1104  may include, for example, an input/output  1132 . Input/output  1132  is representative of one or more devices or features that may be configurable to accept or otherwise introduce human and/or machine inputs, and/or one or more devices or features that may be configurable to deliver or otherwise provide for human and/or machine outputs. By way of example but not limitation, input/output device  1132  may include an operatively configured display, speaker, keyboard, mouse, trackball, touch screen, data port, etc. 
     In a particular embodiment, computing system  1100  may comprise a memory device including memory controller  1115  and a flash memory cell array, comprising recessed floating gates disposed in trenches of active regions of a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least a portion of the recessed floating gates are below a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. Computing system  1100  may further comprise processing unit  1120  to host one or more applications and to initiate commands to memory controller  1115  to provide access to memory cells in the flash memory cell array. 
     The terms, “and,” “and/or,” and “or” as used herein may include a variety of meanings that will depend at least in part upon the context in which it is used. Typically, “and/or” as well as “or” if used to associate a list, such as A, B or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C, here used in the inclusive sense, as well as A, B or C, here used in the exclusive sense. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of claimed subject matter. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments. 
     While there has been illustrated and described what are presently considered to be example embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted, without departing from claimed subject matter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter without departing from the central concept described herein. Therefore, it is intended that claimed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that such claimed subject matter may also include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, and equivalents thereof.