Patent ID: 7785963

Claim:
A method for forming a non-volatile memory device, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a tunnel layer over the substrate; forming a conductive layer over the tunnel layer; forming a cap layer on the conductive layer; forming a plurality of trenches extending down through the cap layer, the conductive layer, the tunnel layer, and into the substrate; filling the plurality of trenches with a dielectric material; forming a dielectric layer having triangle-shaped peaks on the cap layer; removing a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a first portion of the cap layer; removing the first portion of the cap layer to expose a first portion of the conductive layer such that a cross-section of the cap layer and the conductive layer forms a plurality of structures; removing the first portion of the conductive layer such that a cross-section of the conductive layer forms a plurality of conductive structures, wherein each of the conductive structures has a top portion and a bottom portion and wherein the top portion is narrower than the bottom portion; forming an insulator layer over the conductive layer; and forming a conductive line over the insulator layer.