Patent · US Expired

Method of making dense flash EEPROM cell array and peripheral supporting circuits formed in deposited field oxide with the use of spacers

US5661053A · kind A · utility

521Cited by
17References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 25, 1994
Grant dateAug 26, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 25, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/947

Abstract

Techniques of forming a flash EEPROM cell array with the size of individual cells being reduced, thereby increasing the number of cells which may be formed on a semiconductor substrate of a given size. Use of dielectric spacers in several steps of the process controls areas being etched or implanted with ions to something smaller than can be obtained by the highest resolution photolithography. Both split-channel and non-split-channel (no select transistor) types of memory cells are included. Example cells employ three polysilicon layers, having separate floating, control and erase gates. A technique of forming the memory cell gates with greater uniformity of conductivity level includes depositing undoped polysilicon and then using ion implantation to introduce the dopant. Field oxide is formed at an early stage in the process by CVD deposition and dry etching. The memory cell array and adjacent peripheral components are formed in a coordinated manner on a single integrated circuit chip.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.