Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and method for fabricating the same

<u>BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION</u>

1. Field of the Invention:

0001The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory having floating gates and a method for fabricating such a nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

2. Description of the Related Art:

0002A method for fabricating a conventional flash memory will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 1C, 2A to 2C, and 3A to 3C. Figure 1A is a plan view illustrating a first step of the fabrication process of a conventional flash memory, and Figures 1B and 1C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 1A, respectively. Figure 2A is a plan view illustrating a second step of the fabrication process of the flash memory, and Figures 28 and 2C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 2A, respectively. Figure 3A is a plan view illustrating a third step of the fabrication process of the flash memory, and Figures 3B and 3C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 3A, respectively.

0003First, referring to Figures 1A to 1C, local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) oxide films 33 are formed on a semiconductor substrate 21 of a memory cell array 500. The portions of the semiconductor substrate 21 which are not covered with the LOCOS oxide films 33 will remain active regions 34.

0004Referring to Figures 2A to 2C, tunnel oxide films 22 are formed on the active regions 34 of the semiconductor substrate 21, and polysilicon films which are to be floating gates 23 are formed on the tunnel oxide films 22 so as to cover the entire active regions 34. The LOCOS oxide films 33 are ten times or more thicker than the tunnel oxide films 22 and are used as isolators. As shown in Figure 2C; the floating gates 23 are formed so as to overlap the periphery portions of the LOCOS oxide films 33. Thus, the top surface area of each floating gate 23 is larger than the area thereof in contact with the tunnel oxide film 22. This structure makes it possible to obtain a coupling capacitance C₂ between the floating gate and a control gate larger than a coupling capacitance C₁ between the floating gate and the semiconductor substrate without increasing the coupling capacitance C₁.

0005Next, referring to Figures 3A to 3C, ONO (SiO₂/SiN/SiO₂) films 29 are formed to cover the floating gates 23 and a material for the control gates is deposited on the resultant substrate. A resist having a pattern of the control gates (word lines) is formed on the deposited material. Using this resist pattern as a mask, the material for the control gates and the ONO films 29 are etched to form control gates 30 as well as the floating gates 23. Thereafter, ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 21 using the control gates 30 as a mask, to form source diffusion layers 25a and drain diffusion layers 25b.

0006In the conventional nonvolatile semiconductor memory 500 shown in Figures 1A to 1C, 2A to 2B, and 3A to 3C with the above-described structure, in order to reduce the potential difference V_FG between the floating gate 23 and the semiconductor substrate 21, it is necessary to increase the coupling ratio C₂/C₁, i.e., the ratio of the coupling capacitance C₂ between the floating gate 23 and the control gate 30 to the coupling capacitance C₁ between the floating gate 23 and the semiconductor substrate 21. At this time, when a voltage V_co is applied to the control gate 30 and 0 V is applied to the semiconductor substrate 21, the potential difference V_FG between the floating gate 23 and the semiconductor substrate 21 is represented by:<maths id="math0001"><math display="block"><mrow><msub><mrow><mtext>V</mtext></mrow><mrow><mtext>FG</mtext></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mtext> = V</mtext></mrow><mrow><mtext>CO</mtext></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mtext>·C</mtext></mrow><mrow><mtext>2</mtext></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mtext>/C(C</mtext></mrow><mrow><mtext>1</mtext></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mtext>+C</mtext></mrow><mrow><mtext>2</mtext></mrow></msub><mtext>).</mtext></mrow></math><img file="EP0780902B1_D0001.tif" /></maths>

0007As described above, the floating gates 23 extend so as to overlap the LOCOS films 33 in order to increase the coupling ratio. This causes a problem of increasing the cell area.

0008Impurity diffusion layers may be used as isolators in place of the thick insulating films. In such a case, however, the coupling capacitance C₂ between the floating gate and the control gate cannot be made larger than the coupling capacitance C₁ between the floating gate and the semiconductor substrate by overlapping the floating gate with the impurity diffusion layers. It is therefore difficult to increase the coupling ratio in this case, unlike the case where the thick insulating films are used as isolators.

0009EP-A-0256993 discloses a floating gate type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a generally greater thickness in a part of the gate oxide layer between the floating gate and the drain region of the substrate than over the channel region. A thin tunnel oxide window is formed in that portion.

<u>SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION</u>

0010According to the present invention there is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor memory including a memory cell array having memory cells arranged in a matrix, a drain diffusion layer and a source diffusion layer between adjacent memory cells, the memory cell array comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a tunnel oxide film formed on the semiconductor substrate; floating gates including first polysilicon films formed on the tunnel oxide film and second polysilicon films formed on both sides of the respective first polysilicon films, each first polysilicon film of each memory cell being capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the drain diffusion layer and capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the source diffusion layer of the corresponding memory cell; first insulating films formed on the floating gates; and control gates formed on the first insulating films, wherein the memory cell array further comprises second insulating films formed on the tunnel oxide film between the first polysilicon films of adjacent memory cells, the second insulating films having a predetermined thickness which is less than that of the first polysilicon films, and wherein the second polysilicon films are formed on the second insulating films.

0011According to the present invention there is also provided a nonvolatile semiconductor memory including a memory cell array having memory cells arranged in a matrix, a drain diffusion layer and a source diffusion layer between adjacent memory cells, the memory cell array comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a tunnel oxide film formed on the semiconductor substrate; floating gates including a first polysilicon film formed on the tunnel oxide film and a third polysilicon film formed on the respective first polysilicon films, each first polysilicon film of each memory cell being capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the drain diffusion layer and capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the source diffusion layer of the corresponding memory cell; first insulating films formed on the floating gates; and control gates formed on the first insulating films, wherein the memory cell array further comprising second insulating films formed on the tunnel oxide film between the first polysilicon films of adjacent memory cells, the second insulating films having a thickness which is substantially same as that of the first polysilicon films, whereby a surface including surfaces of the first polysilicon films and surfaces of the second insulating films are planarized, and wherein each of the third polysilicon films covers the corresponding first polysilicon film and portions of the adjacent second insulating films, a surface area of the third polysilicon film being larger than that of the corresponding first polysilicon film.

0012In one embodiment, the second insulating films prevent capacitive coupling between corresponding second or third polysilicon films of the floating gates and the semiconductor substrate.

0013In an embodiment adjacent rows of said memory cells are separated from each other by isolation regions formed on or in said substrate, and said control gates are elongate control gates each formed on the first insulating films of a respective said row of cells, said floating gate portions being in contact with the corresponding first insulating film and projecting in the row direction beyond the contact region of the floating gate and the tunnel oxide film.

0014According to the present invention there is also provided a method for fabricating a nonvolatile semiconductor memory including a memory cell array having memory cells arranged in a matrix, a drain diffusion layer and a source diffusion layer between adjacent memory cells, the memory cell array including a tunnel oxide film, floating gates, first insulating films, and control gates formed in this order on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising the steps of: forming the tunnel oxide film on the semiconductor substrate; depositing first polysilicon on the tunnel oxide film and patterning the first polysilicon into a desired shape by photolithography to form first polysilicon films; depositing second insulating material on the entire surface of the resultant substrate and etching back the deposited second insulating material to form second insulating films on the tunnel oxide film between the first polysilicon films, the second insulating films having a predetermined thickness which is less than that of the first polysilicon films; and depositing second polysilicon on the entire surface of the resultant substrate and etching back the second polysilicon to form second polysilicon films on both sides of the first polysilicon films; wherein in the fabricated nonvolatile semiconductor memory each of the first polysilicon films and the corresponding second polysilicon films constitute a respective said floating gate, and each first polysilicon film of each memory cell is capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the drain diffusion layer and is capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the source diffusion layer of the corresponding memory cell.

0015According to the present invention there is further provided a method for fabricating a nonvolatile semiconductor memory including a cell array having memory cells arranged in a matrix, a drain diffusion layer and a source diffusion layer between adjacent memory cells, the memory cell array including a tunnel oxide film, floating gates, first insulating films, and control gates formed in this order on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising the steps of: forming the tunnel oxide film on the semiconductor substrate; depositing first polysilicon on the tunnel oxide film and patterning the first polysilicon into a desired shape by photolithography to form first polysilicon films; depositing second insulating material on the entire surface of the resultant substrate and removing the second insulating material until the first polysilicon films are exposed, to form second insulating films, and planarizing a surface including surfaces of the first polysilicon films and surfaces of the second insulating films; and depositing third polysilicon on the entire surface of the resultant substrate and patterning the third polysilicon to form third polysilicon films, each of the third polysilicon films covering the corresponding first polysilicon film and portions of the adjacent second insulating films, a surface area of each third polysilicon film being larger than that of the corresponding first polysilicon films, wherein in the fabricated nonvolatile semiconductor memory, each of the first polysilicon films and the corresponding third polysilicon film constitute a respective floating gate, and each first polysilicon film of each memory cell is capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the drain diffusion layer and is capacitively coupled via the tunnel oxide film with the source diffusion layer of the corresponding memory cell.

0016In one embodiment of the present invention, after the formation of the control gates, the method further comprises a step of forming impurity diffusion regions as isolators by implanting impurities of a same conductivity type as that of the semiconductor substrate in the semiconductor substrate using the control gates as a mask.

0017In one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises a step of forming the drain and source diffusion layers by implanting impurities in the semiconductor substrate using the pattern of the first polysilicon films as a mask.

0018Thus, according to the present invention, each floating gate includes the first polysilicon film and either the second polysilicon films or the third polysilicon film. An insulating film with a predetermined thickness is formed between the semiconductor substrate and the second or third polysilicon film. As a result, while the coupling capacitance between the floating gate and the semiconductor substrate is dependent on only the first polysilicon film, the surface area of the floating gate is determined by an area including the first polysilicon film and either the second polysilicon films or the third polysilicon film. This makes it possible to increase the capacitance coupling ratio of the control gate compared with that conventionally obtained for the same cell area. This eliminates or reduces the necessity of overlapping the floating gate with the isolation regions in the channel width direction.

0019Moreover, the second polysilicon films are formed in the narrow spaces between sections of the first polysilicon films having a minimum width in the channel length direction. Therefore, the formation of the second polysilicon films does not increase the call area.

0020Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of (1) providing a nonvolatile semiconductor memory where the coupling ratio can be increased without increasing the cell area even when impurity diffusion regions are used as isolators in place of thick insulating isolators, and (2) providing a method for fabricating such a nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

0021These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.

<u>BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS</u>

0022Figure 1A is a plan view illustrating a first step of the fabrication process of a conventional flash memory. Figures 1B and 1C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 1A, respectively.

0023Figure 2A is a plan view illustrating a second step of the fabrication process of the conventional flash memory. Figures 2B and 2C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 2A, respectively.

0024Figure 3A is a plan view illustrating a third step of the fabrication process of the conventional flash memory. Figures 38 and 3C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 3A, respectively.

0025Figure 4A is a plan view illustrating a flash memory of a virtual ground architecture. Figures 4B and 4C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 4A, respectively.

0026Figure 5A is a plan view illustrating a nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 1 according to the present invention. Figures 5B and 5C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 5A, respectively.

0027Figure 6 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the virtual ground architecture.

0028Figure 7 is a table showing the conditions in the write, erase, and read operations in Example 1.

0029Figures 8A to 8G are sectional views illustrating the steps of the fabrication process of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 1.

0030Figure 9 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory using LOCOS films as isolators according to the present invention.

0031Figure 10 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 2 according to the present invention.

0032Figure 11 is a table showing the conditions in the write, erase, and read operations in Example 2.

0033Figures 12A to 12E are sectional views illustrating the steps of the fabrication process of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 2.

0034Figure 13 is a sectional view of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 3 according to the present invention.

0035Figures 14A to 14E are sectional views illustrating the steps of the fabrication process of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 3.

<u>DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS</u>

0036The present invention will be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanied drawings.

0037First, the configuration of a flash memory of a virtual ground architecture will be described.

0038In the following examples, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory of a virtual ground architecture is used where source lines (ground lines) and drain lines are not fixed but switched appropriately therebetween. As an example of the memory of the virtual ground architecture, the configuration shown in Figures 4A to 4C has been proposed. Figure 4A is a plan view of a memory cell array 100 of a flash memory of the virtual ground architecture. Figures 4B and 4C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 4A, respectively.

0039Referring to Figures 4A to 4C, the memory cell array 100 includes a plurality of memory cells C formed in a matrix on a semiconductor substrate 101. In Figure 4A to 4C, the respective memory cells C are denoted by individual codes such as C_in. Each of the memory cells C includes a tunnel insulating film 102 formed on the semiconductor substrate 1, and a floating gate 103 formed on the tunnel insulating film 102.

0040A control gate 110 is formed on the floating gate 103 via an insulating film 109 made of ONO (SiO₂/SiN/SiO₂) and the like. Such control gates 110 extend in a channel direction of the memory cell C (an X direction shown in Figure 4A), constituting a word line for connecting the memory cells C lined in the X direction.

0041As shown in Figure 4B, an impurity diffusion layer 105 is formed between every two memory cells adjacent each other in the X direction (e.g., memory cells C_in and C_in). The impurity diffusion layer 105 serves as a drain diffusion layer for one of the two adjacent memory cells (e.g., the memory cell C_in) and a source diffusion layer for the other memory cell (e.g., the memory cell C_in). The impurity diffusion layer 105 is thus shared by the two adjacent memory cells.

0042The impurity diffusion layers 105 lined in the Y direction are connected with one another via diffusion layer wirings, forming a so-called buried bit line 112, as shown in Figure 4A. The bit line 112 serves as a source line or a drain line depending on the memory cell selected.

0043Thus, in the virtual ground architecture, the impurity diffusion layer 105 is shared by two memory cells adjacent in the X direction, the impurity diffusion layer 105 acting as the source diffusion layer for one memory cell and the drain diffusion layer for the other memory cell. This eliminates the necessity of isolating the source diffusion layer and the drain diffusion layer of memory cells adjacent in the X direction. The bit line 112 can be formed by connecting the impurity diffusion layers 105 for the memory cells lined in the Y direction. This eliminates the necessity of forming a contact region for connecting the bit line with each memory cell, allowing the memory cell array 100 to achieve a high degree of integration.

0044As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, a field oxide film (element isolation film) 113 such as a LOCOS oxide film is formed between two memory cells adjacent in the Y direction (e.g., the memory cells C_in and C_jn).

0045Other types of memory cell arrays other than the virtual ground architecture can also be used as long as there is formed an insulating film of a predetermined thickness which blocks the generation of a capacitance between a second polysilicon film and a floating gate according to the present invention and the semiconductor substrate.

(Example 1)

0046Figure 5A is a plan view of a memory cell array 200 of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 1 according to the present invention. Figures 5B and 5C are sectional views taken along lines B-B and C-C of Figure 5A, respectively. In Figures 5A to 5C, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in Figures 4A to 4C.

0047Referring to Figures 5A to 5C, the memory cell array 200 of this example includes a p-type semiconductor substrate 1, a tunnel insulating film 2 formed on the semiconductor substrate 1, first polysilicon films 3 formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 formed on the tunnel insulating film 2, and second polysilicon films B. The first and second polysilicon films 3 and 8 constitute floating gates 3'.

0048An ONO film 9 covers each of the floating gates 3' composed of the first and second polysilicon films 3 and 8, and a control gate 10 is formed over the ONO film 9. As shown in Figure 5A, the control gates 10 are formed on all memory cells lined in the X direction and are electrically connected, forming a word line.

0049A high-density impurity diffusion layer (N^-) 5 and a low-density impurity diffusion layer (N^-) 6 are formed between every two memory cells adjacent in the X direction, and these diffusion layers for the memory cells aligned in the Y direction are connected to form a bit line 12.

0050The first polysilicon film 3 of each memory cell capacitively couples with the high-density impurity diffusion layer 5 on the drain side via the tunnel insulating film 2, while the first polysilicon film 3 capacitively couples with the low-density impurity diffusion layer 6 on the source side via the tunnel insulating film 2, forming an asymmetric source/drain structure. The tunnel insulating film 2 may be a silicon oxide film or a double-layer structure of a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film.

0051As shown in Figure 5C, an isolating layer 11 such as a p-type impurity diffusion layer is formed in the X direction between the memory cells.

0052As shown in the equivalent circuit diagram of Figure 6, the memory cell array 200 employs the virtual ground method, where bit lines BL (bit lines BL₁ to BL₄ are shown in Figure 6) serve as source wirings or drain wirings depending on the selected cell.

0053The operation of the memory cell array 200 will now be described. Figure 7 shows the operation conditions when the memory cell C₁₂ shown in Figure 6 is selected, for example.

0054Referring to Figures 6 and 7, in the write operation, a negative high voltage VH₁ (-8 V, for example) is applied to a word line WL₁ connected to the selected cell C₁₂, while 0 V is applied to the other word lines (WL₂, for example). A predetermined positive source voltage V_cc (4 V, for example) is applied to a bit line BL₂ connected to a drain of the selected cell C₁₂, while the other bit lines (BL₁, BL₃, and BL₄, for example) are put in a floating state. As a result, a tunnel current flows in the selected cell C₁₂ via the tunnel insulating film 2 due to the electric field generated between the floating gate 3' and the drain (high-density impurity diffusion layer 5) thereof, allowing data to be written in the selected cell C₁₂. At this time, the source voltage V_cc is also applied to the control gate 10 of the memory cell, for example, a memory cell C₁₁, which is not selected (hereinafter such a memory cell is referred to as a "non-selected cell") and which is connected to the bit line BL₂ on the source side. However, since the low-density impurity diffusion layer 6 which does not generate the tunnel phenomenon between the source (low-density impurity diffusion layer 6) and the floating gate is formed on the source side of the non-selected cell C₁₁, no tunnel current flows between the source and the floating gate 3' of the non-selected cell C₁₁, thereby inhibiting data from being written in the non-selected cell C₁₁.

0055In the erase operation, a positive high voltage VH₂ (12 V, for example) is applied to a desired word line, while 0 V is applied to all the bit lines, so as to erase a plurality of memory cells at one time. For example, when the voltage VH₂ is applied to the word line WL₁, data in the memory cells C₁₁, C₁₂, and C₁₃ are erased. When the voltage VH₂ is applied to the word line WL₂, data in the memory cells C₂₁, C₂₂, and C₂₃ are erased.

0056In the read operation, a predetermined voltage V_∞ (4 V, for example) is applied to the word line WL₁, while a predetermined voltage V_L (1 V, for example) is applied to the bit line BL₂ and 0 V to the bit line BL₃, as in the conventional manner, so as to detect a current flowing between the bit lines BL₂ and BL₃. The voltages shown in the table of Figure 7 have the relationship of VH₁, VH₂ > V_cc > V_L.

0057Next, the fabrication process of the memory cell array 200 of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of this example will be described with reference to Figures 8A to 8G.

0058First, the tunnel oxide film 2 with a thickness of about 8 nm is formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 by thermal oxidation. Then, first polysilicon is deposited on the entire surface of the resultant substrate to a thickness of about 100 to 200 nm. The resultant first polysilicon layer is patterned by photolithography using a photoresist 4 to form the first polysilicon films 3 which are to constitute the floating gates in the shape of stripes extending in the channel width direction (Figure 8A).

0059Thereafter, arsenic (As) ions are obliquely implanted in the semiconductor substrate 1 at an angle of 7° from the normal of the semiconductor substrate 1 under the conditions of an acceleration energy of 70 KeV and a dose amount of 1 × 10¹⁵/cm² using the pattern of the photoresist 4 and the first polysilicon films 3 as a mask, so as to form the high-density impurity diffusion layers 5 which are to be the bit lines (Figure 8B).

0060After the photoresist 4 is removed, phosphorus (P) ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 1 under the conditions of an acceleration energy of 50 KeV and a dose amount of 3 × 10¹³/cm² using the pattern of the first polysilicon films 3 as a mask, so as. to form the low-density impurity diffusion layers 6 (Figure 8C). Thereafter, the resultant substrate is heat-treated in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900°C for 10 minutes, so that the drain diffusion layers of a DDD structure and the source diffusion layers of an LDD structure are formed (Figure 8D).

0061An insulating material is then deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to cover the first polysilicon films 3 and etched back, so that insulating films 7 with a thickness 5 to 10 times larger than that of the tunnel insulating film 2 are formed between the first polysilicon films 3. The insulating films 7 serve to prevent a coupling capacitance from generating between the second polysilicon films 8 (part of the floating gates) to be formed in a later stage and the semiconductor substrate 1. That is, portions where the relatively thick insulating films 7 are formed do not contribute the capacitive coupling of the floating gates 3' and the semiconductor substrate 1 (Figure 8E).

0062Next, a second polysilicon is deposited on the entire surface of the resultant substrate and etched back, so as to form second polysilicon films 8 on the sides of the first polysilicon films 3 in such a manner that they are electrically connected with each other. Thereafter, the ONO film 9 is formed on the resultant substrate (Figure 8F).

0063Subsequently, a fourth polysilicon film is formed on the ONO film 9. By patterning the fourth polysilicon layer, the ONO film 9, and the first and second polysilicon films 3 and 8 by photolithography, the control gates 10, the insulating films 9, and the floating gates 3' are formed (Figure 8G). The control gates 10 of respective memory cells are formed consecutively in the X direction, forming one word line.

0064Alternatively, the control gates 10 (i.e., the word line WL) may be of a double-layered structure including the fourth polysilicon film and a metal silicide film with a high melting point such as tungsten silicide (WSi).

0065Thereafter, boron ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 1 under the conditions of an acceleration energy of 40 KeV and a dose amount of 1 x 10¹³/cm² using the word lines as a mask, so as to form p-type impurity diffusion layers 11 as isolators (see Figure 5C).

0066In this example, the isolation is performed by junction isolation. The present invention is also applicable to the case where the isolation is performed by forming thick insulating films such as LOCOS films. For example, as shown in a memory cell array 200' of Figure 9, LOCOS films 13 are formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 before the formation of the tunnel insulating film 2 and the first polysilicon films 3.

0067In this example, the floating gates 3' composed of the first polysilicon films 3 and the second polysilicon films 8 are continuously formed in a shape of stripes. Alternatively, they may be formed separately from one another, and the fourth polysilicon film may be patterned so that the resultant word lines completely cover the floating gates.

0068In the case of using the LOCOS films 13 as isolators as shown in Figure 9, the overlap of the floating gate with the LOCOS film 13 can be minimized because the overlap is required only for an aligning allowance at photolithography.

(Example 2)

0069Figure 10 is a sectional view of a memory cell array 300 of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 2 according to the present invention. In Figure 10, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in Figures 5A to 5C.

0070Referring to Figure 10, the memory cell array 300 of this example is the same as the memory cell array 200 of Example 1, except that the low-density impurity diffusion layers 6 are not formed in this example.

0071Figure 11 shows the conditions of each operation mode when the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of this example is used. The conditions are shown with reference to the circuit diagram of Figure 6, as in Example 1.

0072Referring to Figures 6 and 11, when the memory cell C₁₂ is selected, in the write operation, a high voltage VH₁ (8 V, for example) is applied to the word line WL₁ connected to the selected cell C₁₂. A predetermined power voltage V_cc (4 V, for example) is applied to the bit line BL₂, one of the two bit lines connected to the selected cell C₁₂, while 0 V is applied to the other bit line BL₃. As a result, hot electrons generated in the channel region flow in the floating gate. As for the non-selected cells, voltages are applied to two bit lines which are connected to each non-selected cell so that the two bit lines have the same voltage.

0073In the erase operation, a negative voltage -VH₂ (-12 V, for example) is applied to the word line WL₁, while a predetermined positive voltage V_cc (4 V, for example) is applied to all or part of the bit lines, allowing a Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunnel current to flow. Thus, data in a plurality of memory cells (all memory cells in a block) can be erased at one time.

0074In the read operation, a voltage V_cc is applied to the word line WL₁ to which the selected call C₁₂ is connected, while a predetermined voltage V_L (for example, 1 V) is applied to the bit line BL₂ and 0 V to the bit line BL₃, so as to detect a current flowing between the bit lines BL₂ and BL₃. As for the bit lines BL₁ and BL₄ which are connected to the non-selected cells, voltages are applied to the bit lines BL₁ and BL₄ so that they have the same voltages as the bit lines BL₂ and BL₃, respectively. The voltages in the table of Figure 11 have the relationship of VH₁, VH₂ > V_cc > V_L.

0075Next, the fabrication process of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of this example will be described with reference to Figures 12A to 12E.

0076First, the tunnel oxide film 2 with a thickness of about 8 nm is formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 by thermal oxidation. Then, first polysilicon is deposited on the entire surface of the resultant substrate to a thickness of about 100 to 200 nm. The resultant first polysilicon layer is patterned by photolithography using a photoresist 4 to form the first polysilicon films 3 which are to constitute the floating gates in the shape of stripes extending in the channel width direction.

0077Thereafter, arsenic ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 1 under the conditions of an acceleration energy of 70 KeV and a dose amount of 1 × 10¹⁵/cm² using the pattern of the photoresist 4 and the first polysilicon films 3 as a mask, so as to form the high-density impurity diffusion layers 5 which are to be the bit lines (Figure 12A). Thereafter, after removing the photoresist 4, the resultant substrate is heat-treatad in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900°C for 10 minutes, so as to form the diffusion layers (Figure 12B).

0078An insulating material is then deposited by CVD to cover the first polysilicon films 3 and etched back, so that insulating films 7 with a thickness 5 to 10 times larger than that of the tunnel insulating film 2 are formed between the first polysilicon films 3 (Figure 12C).

0079Then, second polysilicon is deposited on the entire surface of the resultant substrate and etched back, so as to form second polysilicon films 8 on the sides of the first polysilicon films 3 in such a manner that they are electrically connected with each other. Thereafter, the ONO film 9 is formed on the resultant substrate (Figure 12D).

0080Thereafter, a fourth polysilicon film is formed on the ONO film 9. By patterning the fourth polysilicon layer, the ONO film 9, and the first and second polysilicon films 3 and 8 by photolithography, the control gates 10, the insulating films 9, and the floating gates 3' are formed (Figure 12E). The control gates 10 of respective memory cells are formed consecutively in the X direction, forming one word line.

0081Alternatively, the control gates 10 (i.e., the word line WL) may be of a double-layered structure including the fourth polysilicon film and a metal silicide film with a high melting point such as tungsten silicide (WSi).

0082Thereafter, boron ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 1 under the conditions of an acceleration energy of 40 KeV and a dose amount of 1 x 10¹³/cm² using the word lines as a mask, so as to form p-type impurity diffusion layers 11 as isolators.

0083In this example, as in Example 1, LOCOS films also may be used as isolators.

(Example 3)

0084Figure 13 is a sectional view of a memory cell array 400 of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of Example 3 according to the present invention. In Figure 13, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in Figures 5A to 5C.

0085Referring to Figures 14A to 14E, the fabrication process of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of this example will be described.

0086First, the tunnel oxide film 2 with a thickness of about 8 nm is formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 by thermal oxidation. Then, first polysilicon is deposited on the entire surface of the resultant substrate to a thickness of about 100 to 200 nm, and then silicon nitride is deposited on the first polysilicon layer to a thickness of 10 to 20 nm. The resultant first polysilicon layer and the nitride layer are patterned by photolithography using a photoresist to form first polysilicon films 3 which are to constitute the floating gates covering the channel regions and nitride films 14 in a shape of stripes extending in the channel width direction (Figure 14A).

0087Thereafter, arsenic ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 1 under the conditions of an acceleration energy of 20 to 60 KeV and a dose amount of 1 × 10¹⁵ to 5 × 10¹⁵/cm² using the pattern of the first polysilicon films 3 and the silicon nitride films 14 as a mask, so as to form high-density impurity diffusion layers 5 which are to be the bit lines (Figure 14B).

0088Thereafter, an insulating material such as silicon oxide is deposited by CVD to cover the first polysilicon films 3, and the resultant insulating layer is etched by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) until the top surfaces of the first polysilicon films 3 are exposed, and then planarized. As a result, the spaces between the first polysilicon films 3 located above the diffusion layers 5 to be formed later are filled with insulating films 7 (Figure 14C). The silicon nitride films 14 serve as a stopper for the CMP process.

0089Then, third polysilicon is deposited on the entire surface of the resultant substrate and patterned, so as to form third polysilicon films 15 of which surface area is larger than that of the first polysilicon films 3. The first polysilicon films 3 and the third polysilicon films 15 constitute the floating gates 3". Thereafter, the ONO film 9 is formed on the resultant substrate (Figure 14D).

0090Subsequently, a conductive layer which is to be the control gates 10, for example, a fourth polysilicon film or a double-layer film of the fourth polysilicon film and a tungsten silicide film, are formed on the entire surface of the resultant substrate. The conductive layer, the ONO film 9, the third polysilicon films 15, and the first polysilicon films 3 are etched using a resist mask, so as to form the word lines and the floating gates (Figure 14E).

0091Thereafter, boron ions are implanted in the semiconductor substrate 1 under the conditions of an acceleration energy of 20 to 40 KeV and a dose amount of 1 × 10¹³/cm² to 3 × 10¹³/cm² using the word lines as a mask, so as to form p-type impurity diffusion layers 11 as isolators, as shown in Figure 5C.

0092In this example, as in Examples 1 and 2, LOCOS films may be used as isolators.

0093Thus, according to the present invention, the coupling ratio can be increased without increasing the size of memory cells. This makes it possible to lower the voltage to be applied to the floating gates, and thus reduce power consumption.

0094The second polysilicon films are formed on the sides of the first polysilicon films having the minimum width in the spaces between the first polysilicon films in the channel length direction of the floating gates. Accordingly, no overlap of the floating gates with the isolation regions is required in the channel width direction of the floating gates. Thus, the cell area does not increase.

0095The insulating films are formed between the first polysilicon films by CVD. This prevents a variation in the size of the first polysilicon films which tends to occur when the insulating films are formed by oxidation.

0096In Example 3, the surface is planarized before the formation of the control gates. This facilitates obtaining a planar device surface. Accordingly, with only the thickness of the third polysilicon films existing under the word lines, the resultant word lines are substantially planar, and thus an increase in line resistance can be prevented.

0097According to the present invention, the device can be further miniaturized. Since the elements are isolated by the diffusion layers, the coupling capacitance between the floating gate and the control gate can be made larger than the coupling capacitance between the floating gate and the semiconductor substrate without overlapping the floating gate with the isolation region. This makes it possible to increase the coupling ratio as in the case where the LOCOS films are used as isolators. The height of the step under the word lines can be reduced compared with the conventional case where the LOCOS films are formed to increase the coupling ratio. This prevents the coverage of the word lines from deteriorating due to the step, and thus the resistance of the word lines is prevented from increasing due to deteriorated coverage.

0098According to the present invention, the N⁺ diffusion bit lines can be formed in a self-aligned manner without increasing the cell array area.

0099In these examples, a P-type semiconductor substrate and N-type diffusion layers are utilized, however, the present invention is not limited to these types of the semiconductor substrate and the diffusion layers.

0100Various other modifications will be apparent to and can be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the claims appended hereto be limited to the description as set forth herein.