Inventors:
Been-jon K. Woo - Saratoga CA, US
Yudong Kim - Santa Clara CA, US
Albert Fazio - Saratoga CA, US
International Classification:
H01L 21/8234
H01L 21/8244
US Classification:
438238, 438381, 438257, 438692, 257E2117, 257E21006, 257E21165, 257E21278, 257E21293, 257E21304, 257E21645
Abstract:
According to an embodiment of the invention, a flash memory cell includes a first gate stack and a second gate stack having a film deposited across the gap between the first and second gate stacks so that the film creates a void between the first and second gate stacks. Dielectric materials may be used to reduce conductivity between the two stacks. A dielectric material that is resistant to conductivity has a low dielectric constant (k). The lowest-k dielectric material is air, which has a dielectric constant of approximately 1. By creating a void between the two gate stacks, the least conductive material (air) is left filling the space between the gate stacks, and the likelihood of parasitic coupling of two adjacent floating gates is substantially reduced.