Patent ID: 7226840

Claim:
A process for forming an electronic device, the process comprising: forming a first set of discontinuous storage elements over a primary surface of a substrate; forming a first trench within the substrate, wherein the first trench includes a wall and a bottom and extends from the primary surface of the substrate; forming a second set of discontinuous storage elements, wherein a first portion of the second set of discontinuous storage elements lie within the first trench; forming a first gate electrode within the first trench after forming the second set of discontinuous storage elements, wherein: the first gate electrode has an upper surface that lies below the primary surface of the substrate; and at least a part of the first portion of the second set of discontinuous storage elements lies between the first gate electrode and the wall of the first trench; removing a part of the first portion of the second set of discontinuous storage elements that overlies the primary surface of the substrate; forming a second gate electrode that overlies the first gate electrode and the primary surface of the substrate, wherein after forming the second gate electrode, substantially none of the first portion of the second set of discontinuous storage elements lies along the wall of the first trench at an elevation between an upper surface of the first gate electrode and the primary surface of the substrate.