Semiconductor devices including device isolation structures and method of forming the same

摘要

Provided are semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. A device isolation structure in the semiconductor device includes a gap region. A dielectric constant of a vacuum or an air in the gap region is smaller than a dielectric constant of an oxide layer and, as a result coupling and attendant interference between adjacent cells may be reduced.

主权项

1. A semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate; a floating gate pattern including a tunnel insulating layer having upper and lower surfaces and a floating gate layer having upper and lower surfaces, the floating gate pattern formed over the tunnel insulating layer; and a device isolation structure in the substrate to define an active region to isolate elements of the floating gate pattern, wherein the device isolation structure includes a lower insulating pattern, an upper insulating pattern, and a gap region between the lower insulating pattern and the upper insulating pattern, wherein the upper surface of the lower insulating pattern is lower than the lower surface of the tunnel insulating layer and the lower surface of the upper insulating pattern is higher than the upper surface of the of the tunnel insulating layer and lower than the upper surface of the floating gate layer.