Patent ID: 7098502

Claim:
A method of making a semiconductor device comprising: forming a semiconductor channel structure, the semiconductor channel structure including a top horizontal surface, a first vertical sidewall, and a second vertical sidewall opposing the first sidewall; forming a first gate structure and a second gate structure, wherein the first gate structure is located laterally adjacent to and substantially along the first sidewall and the second gate structure is located laterally adjacent to and substantially along the second sidewall; forming a third gate structure located over and substantially along all of the top horizontal surface, wherein the first gate structure, the second gate structure, and the third gate structures are physically separate from each other, wherein forming the first gate structure and the second gate structure further comprises depositing a layer of gate material over both the third gate structure and a substrate, and removing a portion of the layer of gate material overlying the third gate structure to form the first gate structure and the second gate; and forming a charge storage layer between the semiconductor channel structure and at least one gate structure selected from a group consisting of the first gate structure, the second gate structure and the third gate structure.