0.13 Micron Flash Technology Platform Development And Optimization Research

In recent years, with the fast growth of the markets of household appliances, personal computers, digital cameras and portable equipment,IC industry gets into all aspects of people’s daily lives. Non-volatile memory (NVM), with data saved even without power supply, has been developed rapidly. In the 21st century, with the innovation of manufacturing process technology, the storage capacity of an NVM reached to Giga-bit level. Many kinds of flash memories (flash), including NOR and NAND flash memories, were developed and applied at an incredible speed, which will probably be the most popular memory in the near future.Based on practical work, this thesis is focused on the development and improvement of the process platform of 0.13um NOR flash memory technology.First of all, the background of the NVM is introduced, and the characteristics of all NVMs are compared. After that, the physics of the flash device is analyzed, and an equivalent capacitance model to quantify the working principle of the device is obtained. Then, the mechanism of programming and erase for common NVM is explained. At last, the 0.13um NOR flash electrical performance, characteristics and verifications are discussed.Establishing and optimization of a process platform is the main target of this work. Besides 0.18/0.13um logic CMOS circuit design rules, it highlighted the specific well isolations, CD (Critical Dimension) adjustments and the boundary design rules, and combined all of them as a set of 0.13 microns NOR flash design rule library. Taking into account of the advantages of all kinds of process factors, we built a simple, low cost, high efficiency and high reliability process frame.Forming a tunneling oxide with high quality and reliability is the core of processing. Referring to the industry relevant leanings of tunnel oxide, we attempted to find the best approach under certain conditions. And then, recipe tuning of tunnel oxide and process sequence optimization was made step by step to produce the oxide layer, which was proved to be with good integrity.Finally the reliability of flash memory was discussed, it was shown that the scheme of 0.13um NOR flash process is definitely qualified for product, with good anti-disturbance, endurance and retention performances.