Patent Abstract:
A flash memory device where the floating gate of the flash memory is defined by a recessed access device. The use of a recessed access device results in a longer channel length with less loss of device density. The floating gate can also be elevated above the substrate a selected amount so as to achieve a desirable coupling between the substrate, the floating gate and the control gate incorporating the flash cell.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to memory devices and, in particular, concerns a flash memory device formed with a recessed gate structure. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A wide variety of computer memory devices are now available for use in electrical circuits. A typical computer memory device is a DRAM circuit which offers a high density memory storage device. With all memory devices there is a desire for an increased density of memory devices per chip area. Unfortunately, with increased density of memory devices, the actual physical device dimensions become reduced which causes leakage problems and the like. 
   One type of memory device which has become quite popular in the past few years is a flash memory device. A flash memory has the advantage of permitting global erasing of all of the cells and also has advantages in terms of processing in that the flash memory generally does not require a capacitor as the storage device. Hence, a higher density of cells can be formed due to fewer component requirements. 
   The typical flash memory comprises a transistor that has two gate structures. The first gate structure generally comprises a floating gate where charge is stored. The floating gate also functions as a transistor gate forming a conductive path between source/drain regions of the substrate. A control gate is generally positioned adjacent the floating gate but is separated from the floating gate by an insulator. The application of a first voltage on the control gate results in charge tunneling through the dielectric and being stored in the floating gate. When charge is stored in the floating gate, the transistor is non-conductive and when charge is not stored in the floating gate, the transistor can be made conductive, e.g., by application of a pass voltage signal. Hence, the state of charge stored in the floating gate is indicative of the logical state of the flash memory cell. 
   While flash memory is particularly versatile in many applications and can also be manufactured in a more efficient manner due to the fewer processing steps required, there is still a strong desire to be able to increase the density of flash memory devices. As a consequence, there is an increasing need to be able to make flash memory devices smaller and to do so in such a manner that leakage and other related problems are reduced. 
   As the lateral dimensions of the flash memory cells decrease, the channel length of the transistor, and notably the select gate, also decreases. With a decreased channel length, leakage currents can occur in the channel and the floating gate behavior can also be altered. Thus, with decreased lateral dimensions, the flash memory can be less reliable. 
   From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is an ongoing need for a flash memory design that is smaller in physical size so as to allow for higher density flash memories. To this end, there is a need for a flash memory design which decreases the overall footprint of the individual flash memory cells but does not substantially increase leakage currents occurring within the cell. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the memory device of the present invention which, in one particular implementation, includes a substrate with two source/drain regions formed in the substrate adjacent to the first surface. In this particular implementation, the memory device also includes a recessed access gate that is formed so as to extend into the substrate and so as to be interposed between the two source/drain regions. In this particular implementation, the recessed access device defines a floating gate structure and also induces the formation of a conductive channel between the two source/drain regions that is recessed from the first surface of the substrate. A control gate structure is then formed on the upper surface of the recessed access device. In this particular implementation, the control gate structure and the floating gate structure are formed so as to allow charge to be selectively stored and removed from the floating gate structure to selectively change the state of the conductor channel to thereby provide an indication of the memory state of the flash memory cell. 
   By having a recessed access gate structure, the overall size of the memory device can be reduced without a significant increase in the leakage current between source/drain regions as the conductive channel is defined by the periphery of the recessed access gate structure. As such, the channel length of the conductive channel is not proportionately reduced by a reduction in the lateral dimensions of the device. In one embodiment, high density flash memory devices can therefore be created without a corresponding consequent decrease in the reliability of the individual flash memory cells. 
   In another aspect, the present invention comprises a method of forming a memory device in a substrate wherein the method includes the acts of forming a floating gate in a substrate such that the floating gate is capable of storing charge therein and wherein the floating gate extends inward into the substrate and capacitively couples to the substrate such that in the first charge state, a first conductor channel is formed through the substrate about the periphery of the floating gate. The method further comprises the act of positioning a control gate on the floating gate to capacitively couple therewith wherein the application of voltage between the substrate and the control gate allows for a change in the charge state of the floating gate. 
   By positioning either a recessed access gate or a floating gate structure so as to extend into the substrate to thereby define a channel about the periphery of the substrate, the channel length between the source/drain regions floating gate can be increased without a substantial increase in the overall dimensions of the flash memory cell structure. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1A-1C  are top and cross-sectional views of a semiconductor substrate illustrating the formation of a recessed access gate structure that is to form a floating gate of the flash memory device of a first illustrated embodiment; 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are top and cross-sectional views of the structure of  FIG. 1A  illustrating the isolation of adjacent recessed access gate structures; 
       FIGS. 2C and 2D  are cross-sectional views that illustrate the formation of a control gate structure on the floating gate structures of the flash memory device of a first illustrated embodiment; 
       FIGS. 3A-3C  are top and cross-sectional views illustrating one exemplary formation of a select gate structure from one of the recessed access devices of the flash memory device of a first illustrated embodiment; 
       FIGS. 4A-4C  are top and cross-sectional views illustrating the formation of word lines in the flash memory device of a first illustrated embodiment; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of one possible flash memory device array of a first illustrated embodiment; 
       FIGS. 6A-6C  are top and cross-sectional views of a semiconductor substrate illustrating the formation of a recessed access gate structure that is to form a floating gate of the flash memory device of a second illustrated embodiment; 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are top and cross-sectional views of the structure of  FIG. 6A  illustrating the isolation of adjacent recessed access gate structures; 
       FIGS. 7C and 7D  are cross-sectional views illustrating the formation of a control gate and select gate structure of the second illustrated embodiment; 
       FIGS. 8A-8C  are top and cross-sectional views illustrating one exemplary formation of a word-line and select gate structure of the second illustrated embodiment as well as an isolation structure; and 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of one possible flash memory device array of the second illustrated embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
   Referring initially to  FIGS. 1A-1C , the initial process and steps to form a flash memory with recessed access device is illustrated. In this particular implementation, a pad oxide layer  102  is globally deposited over a semiconductor substrate  100  and then a masking layer, such as a nitride layer  104  is then deposited over the pad oxide  102 . In one particular implementation, the pad oxide  102  is formed using a wet oxidation process such that the pad oxide has a thickness of approximately 100 Å and the nitride is deposited using a well-known process to have a thickness of approximately 700 Å. 
   As is illustrated in  FIG. 1B , once the pad oxide  102  and the nitride layer  104  have been globally deposited on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate  100 , an opening or recess  106  is formed, using well known patterning and etching techniques, so as to define the recess  106  within the substrate  100  that is to receive the recessed access device in the manner that will be described below. 
   In one implementation, the recess  106  extends approximately 400 Å into the substrate  100 . Subsequently, a dielectric layer is grown on the interior surface  111  of the recess  106  so as to define a gate oxide  113 . In one particular implementation, the gate oxide  113  is formed using a wet oxidation procedure and has a thickness of approximately 80 Å. Subsequently, a conductive material, which in this implementation is polysilicon, is deposited over the gate oxide  113  and the nitride layer  104  so as to fill the recess  106  and to thereby define a polysilicon recessed access gate structure  110  formed within the recess  106 . The recessed access gate structure  106  defines a floating gate of the flash memory cell as will be described below. The excess polysilicon material on the nitride layer  104  can be removed from the upper surface of the nitride layer  104  using known etching techniques or chemical mechanical planarization techniques (CMP). 
   While referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , isolation structures  112  are formed in the semiconductor substrate  100  so as to isolate adjacent recessed access gate structures  110 . Specifically, an isolation opening or trench  114  is formed through the nitride  104 , the pad oxide  102 , the recessed gate structures and the substrate  100  using well-known patterning and etching techniques. Subsequently, isolation material which, in this implementation, comprises an oxide material, is deposited over the surface of the nitride  104  and the recessed access gate structure  110 , which is formed of polysilicon, so as to fill the isolation trench  114  using a high density plasma deposition (HDP) process. Subsequently, the excess isolation material on the nitride and the polysilicon is removed using a CMP process and, as is illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the isolation structure  112  is preferably selectively etched back so as to be recessed below the upper surface of the nitride layer  104  and the polysilicon  110 . 
     FIGS. 2C and 2D  illustrate the subsequent processing of the regions of the substrate  100  that include the recessed access devices  110 . As is illustrated in  FIG. 2C , the nitride layer  104  and the pad oxide layer  102  surrounding the recessed access device  110  are removed. As is further illustrated in  FIG. 2C , this results in a portion  118  of the recessed access gate structures  110  extending upward above an upper surface  116  of the substrate  100 . This upward extension allows for greater capacitive coupling between the recessed access gate structure  110 , the substrate  100  and the control gate structure as will be described in greater detail below. 
   After the selective removal of the nitride layer  104  and the pad oxide layer  102 , an insulating layer  120  is conformably deposited on the upper surface  116  of the substrate and also over the exposed portion  118  of the recessed gate structure  110  in the manner shown in  FIG. 2D . In one preferred embodiment, the insulating layer  120  is comprised of a high K dielectric such as oxygen nitride, oxynitride (ONO), which, in one particular embodiment, is deposited to a thickness of approximately 150 Å. 
   Subsequent to the deposition of the insulating layer, a thin conductive layer  122  is then conformably deposited over the insulating layer  120 . In this particular implementation, the thin conductive layer  122  can comprise a layer of polysilicon that is deposited using well-known techniques to a thickness of approximately 250 Å. 
   As is illustrated in  FIG. 2D , because the insulating layer  120  and the thin conductive layer  122  are conformably deposited over the substrate  100  and the recessed access gate structures  110 , the upper portions  118  of the recessed access gate structures  110   a ,  110   b  extend vertically upward and inward into a pocket  124  which improves the capacitive coupling between the recessed access gate structure  110   a ,  110   b , and an associated control gate structure in the manner that will be described in greater detail below. 
     FIGS. 2C and 2D  illustrate a pair of recessed access gate structures  110 . It will, however, be apparent from the following description that an array of recessed access gate structures  110  can be formed using the above described process and this array can be used to form an array of floating gates for flash memory cells. Typically, for each row of flash memory cells in an array, one gate is usually designated as a select gate that allows for data to either be written to or read from the flash memory devices in the row. 
     FIGS. 3A-3B  illustrate one process whereby one of the recessed access gates  110  can be designated as a select gate and not a floating gate of a flash memory cell. In particular, a photoresist mask layer  126  is globally deposited over the entire substrate  100 . The mask  126  is then patterned such that the recessed access gate  110   b  that is to be defined as the select gate  110   b  is exposed by an opening  130  in the mask layer  126 . The thin conductive layer  122  and the insulating layer  120  are then selectively etched in a known manner so as to expose the polysilicon of the recessed access gate structure  110   b . Subsequently, the photoresist material  126  is then removed using a well-known process and a subsequent conductive layer  132  forming a control gate structure, which in this case comprises polysilicon, is deposited over the substrate  100  so as to electrically interconnect with the polysilicon comprising the recessed access gate structure  110   b  and also the polysilicon previously deposited within conductive layer  122  as shown in  FIG. 3C . By removing the insulating layer  120 , and directly interconnecting the conductive layer  132  to the conductive material comprising the recessed access gate structure  110   b , the recessed access gate structure  110   b  will therefore not function as a flash memory cell as it will not have a control gate that is electrically isolated from the recessed access gate  110   b  and can thus be used as an ordinary recessed access transistor in a manner that will be described in greater detail below. 
   In this implementation, the recessed access gate  110   a  defines a floating gate of the flash memory. The conductive layer  122  defines the control gate of the flash memory and it is isolated from the floating gate  110   a  by the insulator layer  120 . Hence, when voltage is applied between the control gate and the substrate, charge can be stored in the floating gate thereby creating a conductive channel in the substrate  100 . Alternatively, if charge is removed from the floating gate, the conductive channel in the substrate is removed. Hence, the charge state of the floating gate can be sensed in a well-known manner thereby providing an indication of the memory state of the flash cell. 
     FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate one process whereby the control gate structures of a plurality of flash cells can be interconnected with a conductor. Specifically, as is illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-4C , a conductor  134  is preferably deposited so as to overlie the control gate structure  132 . In one particular implementation, the conductor  134  is comprised of tungsten silicide (WSiX) and is deposited using well-known deposition techniques to a thickness of approximately 600 Å and may then be patterned and etched using well-known processes. Subsequent to the deposition of the conductive layer  134 , an insulator layer  136  is then deposited on the conductor. In one particular implementation, the insulator layer  136  is comprised of a conformably deposited oxide layer such as a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) layer that is conformably deposited using well-known techniques. The insulator layer  136  and conductive layer  134  and the control gates  132  can then be patterned and etched so as to expose the insulating layer  120  in the upper surface of the substrate  100  to thereby fully isolate the floating gate while forming an array of flash storage nodes. 
     FIG. 5  is one exemplary implementation of a plurality of flash memory devices or cells using recessed access gate structures  110   a . A TEOS layer  137  is deposited so as to completely fill the trenches  140  in the array of flash devices. The TEOS layers also form spacers  138  positioned adjacent the select gates  110   b  after which source/drain regions  142  are implanted in the substrate  100  for blocks of memory devices  110   a . In this particular implementation, each of the source/drain regions  142  is formed in the substrate  100  adjacent one of the sides of the select gate structures  110   b . The source/drain regions  142  can be formed in a known fashion either before or after formation of the recessed access gate structures  110  described above. The illustration of  FIG. 5  is simply exemplary of one possible illustration of a flash memory array using recessed access gate structures  110   a ,  110   b  and a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any of a number of different ways of interconnecting each of the flash memory cells to associated decoder circuitry can be accomplished without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
   A flash cell of the illustrated array operates in the following fashion. When a selected voltage is applied between the control gate  132  and the substrate  100 , charge can therefore be accumulated on the recessed access floating gate  110   a . The accumulation of charge on the recessed access floating gate  110   a  inhibits the formation of a conductive channel  143  being formed in the substrate  100  about the periphery of the recessed access gate  100   a  thereby preventing conductivity between one source/drain region  142  to another source/drain region  142 . Alternatively, when no charge is on the floating gate  110   a , a conductive channel  143  between the two storage nodes  110   a  can be formed. Hence, when all of the storage nodes  110   a  are uncharged, there is a conductive channel formed between the two source/drain regions  142 . 
   Thus by selectively applying charge to the floating gates  110   a , the conductivity of the channel between the select gates  110   b  can be altered. In operation, a read voltage is generally applied to one of the gates  110   a  to ascertain whether the gate is a logical high or low. The remaining gates receive a pass voltage which results in the formation of a channel regardless of the charge state of the other gates. In this way, an individual floating gate  110   a  can be read to determine its logical state. If charge is stored in the selected floating gate  110   a , there is no channel formed between the select gates  110   b  under the array of floating gates  110   a , thereby indicating the storage of a first logical state. If charge is not stored in the selected floating gate  110   a , the application of the read voltage will result in the conductive channel being formed thereby indicating the storage of a second logical state in the selected gate  110   a.    
   By using a recessed access device  110   a , the conductive channel  143  has an increased length due to the vertical displacement into the substrate  100 . Hence, a longer channel length of the channel  143  between the two source/drain regions  142  can be achieved without using as much surface area on the semiconductor substrate  100 . The increased channel length thereby reduces the potential of leakage currents occurring between the two source/drain regions  142 . 
   As discussed above, the floating gate structure defined by the recessed access devices  110   a  extends upwards a pre-selected distance from the upper surface of the substrate  100  and is positioned within an opening or recess defined by the control gate structure. The height of the extension  118  of the recessed access device  110   a  above the substrate can be varied so as to modify the capacitive coupling between the floating gate, the substrate and the control gate to affect the ability of the charge to be stored or removed from the floating gate. 
     FIGS. 6-9  illustrate the various processing steps that can be utilized to form an alternative embodiment of one or more of flash memory cells with an associated select gate. Many of the processing steps described in conjunction with  FIGS. 6-9  are the same as the processing steps described in conjunction with the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . In particular, as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , a semiconductor substrate  100  is initially covered with a pad oxide  102  and is subsequently covered with a nitride layer  104  that is then selectively removed so as to allow for the formation of the recess  106 . The recess  106  is lined with a gate oxide  113  in the previously described manner and the material forming the recessed gate access device  110  can be deposited over the surface of the structure so as to fill the recess  106  so as to define the recessed gate  110  as shown in  FIG. 6C . This processing is done in substantially the same manner as described above in connection with  FIGS. 1A-1C . 
   Similarly,  FIGS. 7A-7B  illustrate the manner in which plurality of isolation structures  112  are formed so as to isolate different recessed access gate structures  110  from each other. In particular, an opening  114  is formed in the substrate  100 , the pad oxide  102  and the nitride layer  104  so as to be interposed between adjacent gate structures  110 . The isolation opening  114  is then filled with an isolation material in the previously described manner. This results in discreet isolated recessed access gate structures  110  in a manner that is shown in  FIG. 7C . As is also shown in  FIG. 7C , these recessed access gate structures  110  also incorporate an elevated section  118  which extends above the upper surface of the substrate  100  so as to allow for capacitive coupling between the floating gate, the control gate and the substrate in the manner described above. 
   At this point, the processing step of this embodiment differs from the processing step of the embodiment described in conjunction with  FIGS. 1 through 5 . In particular, in this embodiment, a select gate  152  is formed not using one of the recessed access gates structures  110 , rather, the select gate  152  is formed using the insulating layer  120  and the subsequently deposited polysilicon material forming the control gates  132  and the subsequently deposited conductive and insulative material forming the select gate  152 . In particular, referring to  FIG. 7D , an insulating layer  120  formed, in one implementation of ONO material, is conformably deposited over the recessed access device  110  and the remaining portion of the substrate  100 . Subsequently, a conductive layer  122  is then positioned on top of the ONO layer as is illustrated in  FIG. 7D . 
     FIGS. 8A-8C  illustrate the manner in which the select gate  152  for the flash memory cell  100  is formed as well as how the different embodiment of a select gate  152  can be formed. In particular, the conductive layer  122  is formed in one embodiment of polysilicon that is globally deposited over the surface of the insulating layer  120 . Subsequently, a conductive layer  134  of the material such as tungsten silicide (WSiX) can then be deposited on the conductive layer  132 . Subsequently, an insulated layer  136  can be deposited on top of the conductive layer  134 . The insulated layer  136  can be comprised of TEOS and can be deposited in the same manner as discussed above in connection with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 5 . Subsequently, the conductive layer  132 , the conductor  134 , and the insulator layer  136  can be patterned and etched in a well-known manner. The patterning and etching preferably defines a select gate structure  152  that is positioned over the substrate but insulated therefrom by the insulating layer  120 . As the conductor layer  134  and the conductive layer  132  can be selectively energized by application of a potential, the structure  152  can function as a typical MOS gate structure of a type known in the art. 
     FIG. 9  illustrates one exemplary embodiment in an array of flash memory cells  110  with the MOS select gate structure  152 . As shown, the flash memory devices have reduced leakage as a result of the programmed layer being formed in a recessed access device for the same reasons as described above. However, the select gate, instead of being formed out of a recessed access structure, can be formed out of a typical MOS gate structure such that the channel region  156  is positioned immediately under the gate structure  152 . As is also shown, various access vias  140  and conductor  141  can be implemented to form word lines and bit lines in a manner known in the art. 
   Based upon the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the flash memory device and the flash memory array disclosed herein allow for more reliable devices as a result of the floating gate structure of the flash memory being defined by a recessed access gate as this result in less leakage due to the longer channel length of the recessed access device. 
   Although the above disclosed embodiments of the present invention have shown, described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the above disclosed embodiments, it should be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and detail of the devices, systems and/or methods illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Consequently, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the foregoing description, but should be defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7