POLYCRYSTALLINE MEMORY STRUCTURE AND ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE USING IT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve reliability and yield of a device by restraining a leakage current of a polycrystalline memory thin film used in a memory cell. SOLUTION: A polycrystalline memory structure is described for improving reliability and yield of devices employing polycrystalline memory materials comprising a polycrystalline memory layer, which has crystal grain boundaries forming gaps between adjacent crystallites overlying a substrate. An insulating material is located at least partially within gaps to at least partially block entrance to the gaps. A method for forming a polycrystalline memory structure is also described. A material layer is deposited and annealed to form a polycrystalline memory material having the gaps between adjacent crystallites. An insulating material is deposited over the polycrystalline memory material to at least partially fill the gaps, thereby blocking a portion of each gap. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO