Non-Volatile Semiconductor Memory Device With Contamination Protection Layers

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device and, more specifically, to an electrically erasable programmable read only memory including cells each having a so-called "single polysilicon layer structure" in which a diffusion layer serving as a word line is formed in a substrate.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pattern of an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (to be called EEPROM hereinafter) including cells each having a conventional "single polysilicon layer structure". FIG. 2 is a cross section of the EEPROM along the line I--I in FIG. 1. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, an N-type diffusion region 12 serving as a word line WL is formed in a P-type silicon substrate 10. A gate oxidation film 14 is formed on the diffusion region 12, and a polysilicon floating gate 16 is formed on the gate oxidation film 14. The floating gate 16 extends from a region above the diffusion region 12, over a region above a channel region 22. The channel region 22 is interposed between an N-type diffusion region 18 serving as a source of the cell transistor, and an N-type diffusion region 20 serving as a drain thereof. The diffusion region 18 is electrically connected to an aluminum alloy grounding wire 24 which is grounded (GND). Data is stored in accordance with a charge status of the floating gate. Specifically, data is determined depending on whether or not an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22. For example, in the case where an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22, the diffusion regions 18 and 20 are electrically connected to each other, and the potential of the diffusion layer 20 will be at the ground level. Then, when a selection gate (SG) 26 is set at the "H" level, an inversion layer is formed in the channel 30 located between the diffusion region 20 and an N-type diffusion region 28. The diffusion region 28 is also set at the ground level. Since the diffusion region 28 is electrically connected to an aluminum alloy bit line (BL) 32, the potential of the bit line 32 is also set at the ground level. In the case where no inversion layer is formed in the channel 22, the potential of the bit line 32 never varies. A field oxidation film 34 separates the diffusion region 12 serving as a word line and a cell transistor region from each other. An interlayer insulation film 36 insulates the polysilicon layer including the floating gate 16 and the selection gate 26, and the aluminum alloy layer including the grounding line 24 and the bit line 32 from each other. A tunnel oxidation film 38 injects electrons from the diffusion region 20 to the floating gate 16. A PSG film 40 and a silicon nitride film 42 are formed as the last passivation film consecutively on the grounding line 24 and the bit line 32. In the case of an EEPROM having the above-described single polysilicon layer structure, the silicon nitride film 42, once formed, can shut off the route which may carry contaminants including movable ions, moisture, etc., into the cell from outside.

However, before the formation of the nitride film 42, the route which may introduce these contaminants into the cell is not completely shut off, and therefore 10 the cell may be contaminated by these substances during the manufacturing procedure, degrading the reliability of the cell.

The present invention has been proposed in consideration of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable non-volatile semiconductor memory device having a structure by which the route for carrying contaminants into the cell is shut off even during manufacture of the device.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-volatile semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a floating gate formed on the semiconductor substrate via an insulation film, for controlling conduction of a channel region formed in a surface of the semiconductor substrate in accordance with a potential of a word line; and a contaminant shut-off layer formed such as to cover a region above at least the floating gate, for avoiding contaminants entering the floating gate.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-volatile semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a first semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate, and serving as a word line commonly provided for memory cells adjacent to each other in a row direction; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate, and serving as a source region commonly provided for memory cells adjacent to each other in a row direction; a third semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type serving as a drain region formed in the semiconductor substrate; a floating gate formed on the semiconductor substrate via an insulation film, for controlling conduction of a channel region formed between the source region and the drain region in accordance with a potential of the first semiconductor layer; and a bit line formed straight in a column direction of a conductive film electrically connected to the drain region, and having a widened portion at a region above the floating gate for covering the entire region above the floating gate so as to avoid contaminants entering into the floating gate.

In the above-described non-volatile semiconductor memory device, a contaminant shut-off layer is provided between the passivation film and the floating film. With this structure, the route which carries contaminants into the floating gate in which data is stored can be shut off not only by the passivation film, but also by this contaminants shut-off layer even before formation of the passivation film. Thus, contamination of the cell can be avoided even during manufacture thereof, thereby increasing the reliability of the cell. The cell is protected by the double structure including the passivation film and the contaminants shut-off layer. As a result, the quality of the device is maintained high after completion of the device, guaranteeing a high reliability for a long period of time.

A contaminants shut-off layer can be obtained by, for example, forming a nitride film above a floating gate, forming a high-resistance polysilicon film above an interlayer insulation film, or widening the width of a bit line of aluminum alloy film above a floating gate to cover it. In any of the mentioned examples, the contaminant route to the cell, or the floating gate in particular, can be shut off.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pattern of a conventional non-volatile semiconductor memory device;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing cross section of the memory device shown in FIG. 1 along the line I--I;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a pattern of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cross section of the memory device shown in FIG. 3 along the line II--II;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a pattern of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cross section of the memory device shown in FIG. 5 along the line III--III;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a cross section of a pattern of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a pattern of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a cross section of the memory device shown in FIG. 8 along the line IV--IV;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a cross section of a pattern of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a cross section of a pattern of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a cross section of a pattern of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to accompanying drawings. In the description of the embodiments, the same items are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the figures.

FIG. 3 is a pattern plan view of an EEPROM including a cell having a "single polysilicon layer structure" according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross section of the EEPROM shown in FIG. 3 taken along the line II--II. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, an N-type diffusion region 12 serving as a word line WL is formed in a P-type silicon substrate 10. A gate oxidation film 14 is formed on the diffusion region 12. A floating gate 16 is formed on the gate oxidation film 14. The floating gate 16 extends from a region above the diffusion region 12 over a region above a channel region 22. The channel region 22 is interposed between an N-type diffusion region 18 serving as a source of the cell transistor and an N-type diffusion region 20 serving as a drain thereof. The diffusion region 18 is electrically connected to an aluminum alloy grounding wire 24 which is grounded (GND). Data is stored in accordance with a charge status of the floating gate 16. Specifically, data is determined depending on whether an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22. For example, in the case where an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22, the diffusion regions 18 and 20 are electrically connected to each other, and the potential of the diffusion region 20 will be at the ground level. Then, when a selection gate (SG) 26 is set at the "H" level, an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 30 located between the diffusion region 20 and an N-type diffusion region 28. Thus, the diffusion region 28 is also set at the ground level. Since the diffusion region 28 is electrically connected to an aluminum alloy bit line (BL) 32, the potential of the bit line 32 is also set at the ground level. In the case where no inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22, the potential of the bit line 32 never varies. A field oxidation film 34 separates the diffusion region 12 serving as a word line and a cell transistor (element) region from each other. An interlayer insulation film 36 insulates the polysilicon layer including the floating gate 16 and the selection gate 26, and the aluminum alloy layer including the grounding line 24 and the bit line 32 from each other. Further, a tunnel oxidation film 38 injects electrons from the diffusion region 20 to the floating gate 16. A PSG film 40 and a silicon nitride film 42 are formed as the last passivation film consecutively on the grounding line 24 and the bit line 32. Further, an oxidation film 48 is formed on each of the floating gate 16 and the selection gate 26. Each oxidation film 48 is formed during a later oxidation step carried out after formation of the floating gate 16 and the selection gate 26 obtained by patterning the first polysilicon film. On the oxidation film 48, formed is a silicon nitride film 50 such as to cover at least a region above the floating gate.

As described above, the EEPROM in FIG. 3 has the structure in which the nitride film 50 is formed such as to cover at least the floating gate 16. Therefore, the cell can be protected from contaminants including movable ions and moisture by this nitrogen film 50. The protection effect is significant particularly in the production steps before formation of the last laminated passivation film, i.e. the PSG film 40 and the nitride film 42. Also after completion of the device, the nitride film 50 serves to protect the cell from contaminants along with the nitride film 42 serving as a passivation film. Thus, as compared to the device having only an nitride film 42 as a passivation film, the device of the present invention entails the advantage of protecting the cell from contaminants, and therefore the reliability of the device can be maintained for a long period of time.

FIG. 5 is a pattern plan view of an EEPROM including a cell having a "single polysilicon layer structure" according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross section of the EEPROM shown in FIG. 5 taken along with the line III--III. As shown particularly in FIG. 6, a polysilicon film 52 having a resistance value substantially as high as that of the insulator may be formed on an interlayer insulation film 36 so as to cover at least a region above the floating gate 16. The interlayer insulation film 36 comprises PSG film, BPSG film, or laminated film of PSG and BPSG. The polysilicon film 52 can be obtained from, for example, the polysilicon film remaining undoped. The polysilicon film 52 may also be formed from an undoped polysilicon layer used for increasing bonding strength between the barrier metal layer and the interlayer insulating film 36. In this case, the polysilicon film 52 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 36 such as to cover at least the floating gate 16 while patterning the polysilicon film. In an EEPROM having the above-described structure, the polysilicon film 52 which is formed on the interlayer insulation film 36 so as to cover at least the region above the floating gate 16, serves to shut off the route carrying contaminants into the cell. As a result, an advantage similar to that of the EEPROM described in the first embodiment can be achieved also here.

FIG. 7 is a cross section of a cell having a "single polysilicon layer structure" according to the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, this cell has the structure of combination of the type shown in FIG. 4 and that shown in FIG. 6. Similarly, a region above at least the floating gate 16 may be covered by a nitride film 50. A polysilicon film 52 having a low resistance value substantially the same as that of the insulator may be formed on the interlayer insulation film 36. With the EEPROM having the described structure, an advantage similar to those of the first and second embodiments can be obtained.

FIG. 8 is a pattern plan view of an EEPROM including a cell having a "single polysilicon layer structure" according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a cross section of the cell shown in FIG. 8 taken along the line IV--IV. An N-type diffusion region 12 serving as a word line is formed on a P-type silicon substrate 10. A gate oxidation film 14 is formed on the diffusion region 12. A polysilicon floating gate 16 is formed on the gate oxidation film 14. The gate oxidation film 14 extends from above the diffusion region 12 over a region above a channel region. The channel region is interposed between an N-type diffusion region 17 serving as a source of the cell transistor and an N-type diffusion region 20 serving as a drain thereof. As shown in FIG. 8, in the memory cell array, cells C adjacent to each other in the row direction are commonly connected to the diffusion region 17. The diffusion region 17 is electrically brought into contact with the aluminum alloy grounding line 23 outside the memory cell array, via a contact hole 25, for example, in order for grounding (GND). In other words, the source regions of all the transistors are commonly connected with each other by the diffusion region 17 which is connected to the grounding line 23, i.e., a source wire. Data is stored in accordance with a charge status of the floating gate. Specifically, data is determined depending on whether an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22. For example, in the case where an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22, the diffusion regions 17 and 20 are electrically connected to each other, and the potential of the diffusion region 20 will be at the ground level. Then, when a selection gate (SG) 26 is set at the "H" level, an inversion layer is formed in the channel region 30 located between the diffusion region 20 and an N-type diffusion region 28. The diffusion region 28 is also set at the ground level. Since the diffusion region 28 is electrically connected to an aluminum alloy bit line (BL) 32, the potential of the bit line 32 is also set at the ground level. In the case where no inversion layer is formed in the channel region 22, the potential of the bit line 32 never varies. An PSG film 40 and a silicon nitride film 42 are formed in the mentioned order on the grounding line 23 and the bit line 32 as a passivation film.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the diffusion region 17 serving as the sources of the cell transistors is commonly connected to cells adjacent to each other in the row direction. Each memory cell C therefore requires only one bit line 32 thereon in the column direction. As compared to a conventional cell on which two wirings, a bit line and a grounding line must be provided, cells of the present invention require only one bit line. Consequently, the area of each cell can be reduced. Specifically, in the EEPROM shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the number of wirings extending in the column direction is less than a conventional one, and therefore the width of each cell in the row direction is less. Thus, the degree of integration of cells can be increased especially in the row direction, according to the present invention. Further, those contact holes 25 which gives a predetermined potential to the diffusion region 17 are arranged outside the cell array. As a result, the number of the contact holes in the cell array is reduced, thereby reducing the size of cell. Moreover, since the grounding line 23 is formed in parallel with the bit lines 32, the grounding line 23 and the bit line 32 can be obtained from only one aluminum wiring layer. According to the fourth embodiment, it is not necessary to form a grounding line 32 in the cell array, but it is only required to form an aluminum alloy wiring within the cell array for bit lines 32. Consequently, bit lines 32 can be formed in straight in the column direction. Since the bit line 32 is formed straight, the bit line can be easily reformed such that some portions thereof, which corresponds to the areas of cells C, have a width larger than the other portions and sufficient to cover above at least the floating gate 16. Each widened aluminum alloy wire portion 32a of each bit line 32 shuts off the route carrying contaminants into the cell from above. Thus, an advantage similar to those of the first to third embodiments can be achieved with the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross section of a cell having a "single polysilicon layer structure" according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 10, the fifth embodiment is a combination of cells having the structures shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, along with an additional structure in which a region above at least a floating gate 16 is covered by a nitride film 50, and some portions of a bit line 32 are widened to cover above a cell C, or at least the floating gate 16. With an EEPROM having the above-mentioned structure, an advantage similar to those of the first to fourth embodiments can be achieved. In the fifth embodiment, a selection gate 26 is provided so as to read out data in a cell transistor onto a bit line via a selection transistor, but formation of the selection gate 26 is not essential to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross section of a cell having a "single polysilicon layer structure" according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, the sixth embodiment is a combination of cells having the structures shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, along with an additional structure in which a region above at least a floating gate 16 is covered by a polysilicon film 52, and a widened portion 32a of a bit line 32 made from an aluminum alloy wiring.

FIG. 12 is a cross section of a cell having a "single polysilicon layer structure" according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 12, the seventh embodiment is a combination of cells having the structures shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, along with an additional structure in which a region above at least a floating gate 16 is covered by a nitride film 50, and a region above a cell C, or at least a floating gate 16, is covered by a polysilicon film 52 and a widened portion of a bit line 32.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.