Method for forming high-k charge storage device

Abstract

Structures and methods of fabricating of a floating gate non-volatile memory device. In a first example embodiment, We form a bottom tunnel layer comprised of a lower oxide tunnel layer and a upper hafnium oxide tunnel layer; a charge storage layer comprised of a tantalum oxide and a top blocking layer preferably comprised of a lower hafnium oxide storage layer and an upper oxide storage layer. We form a gate electrode over the top blocking layer. We pattern the layers to form a gate structure and form source/drain regions to complete the memory device. In a second example embodiment, we form a floating gate non-volatile memory device comprised of: a bottom tunnel layer comprised essentially of silicon oxide; a charge storage layer comprised of a tantalum oxide; a top blocking layer comprised essentially of silicon oxide; and a gate electrode. The embodiments also comprise anneals and nitridation steps.

1 . A method of fabricating a device comprising:
 providing a substrate;   forming a tunneling layer on the substrate;   annealing the tunneling layer;   forming a charge storage layer over the tunneling layer, wherein the charge storage layer comprises a metal oxide; and   forming a blocking layer over the charge storage layer.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal oxide layer comprises a transitional metal. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the tunneling layer comprises a tunneling stack having a tunneling dielectric layer and a metal oxide layer. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the blocking layer comprises a blocking stack having a dielectric layer and a metal oxide layer. 
   
   
       5 . A method of forming a memory device comprising:
 providing a substrate prepared with a tunneling layer;   annealing the tunneling layer;   forming a charge storage layer above the tunneling layer, wherein the charge storage layer comprises a metal oxide;   annealing the charge storage layer in a nitrogen containing atmosphere;   forming a blocking layer above the charge storage layer; and   forming a gate electrode layer above the blocking layer.