Patent ID: 7615820

Claim:
A nonvolatile memory system, comprising: a substrate; a first dielectric layer formed above said substrate; a first conductive layer having a first portion that is subdivided into floating gates for a first group of storage elements of said nonvolatile memory system and a second portion that is subdivided into floating gates for a second group of storage elements of said nonvolatile memory system, said floating gates each including a top and two substantially vertical sidewalls; a trench etched in said substrate between said first portion and said second portion of said first conductive layer, said trench is filled with a grown dielectric material; a second dielectric layer formed above said first portion and said second portion of said first conductive layer; and a second conductive layer formed above said second dielectric layer, said second conductive layer including control gates for said first group of storage elements and said second group of storage elements, said second conductive layer is subdivided into word lines of said nonvolatile memory system, said word lines extending substantially below said tops of said floating gates and being separated from said tops and said substantially vertical sidewalls of said floating gates by said second dielectric layer.