Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for forming self-aligned code structures for semi conductor devices

US6251732A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
7References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 10, 1999
Grant dateJun 26, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 10, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10B20/383

Abstract

Improved methods for forming integrated circuit devices with alignment structures such as a read-only memory (ROM) array in preparation for code programming with a mask is disclosed. In one embodiment, a gate oxide layer is deposited over a substrate and a gate stack layer is formed over the gate oxide layer. The gate stack layer includes a conductive layer and a sacrificial gate layer formed above the conductive layer with a thin layer of etch stop material in between. The gate stack layer is patterned and etched to form a plurality of wordlines having openings therebetween. An ion barrier layer is deposited over the patterned gate stacks, filling the openings. The ion barrier layer is then etched back to form alignment structures in the openings. A code programming mask, is deposited over the resulting structure and patterned to expose portions of the sacrificial gates. The exposed portions of the plurality of sacrificial gates are removed, followed by ion implantation in the designated channel regions.

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