Semiconductor Manufacturing International Assigned Patent

Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Shanghai, China, and Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation, Beijing, China, has been assigned a patent (11,456,307) developed by Chen, Liang, and Chiu, Shengfen, Shanghai, China, for a “flash memory containing air gaps.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A flash memory is provided and includes a substrate including a memory cell region, a memory transistor array including memory transistors and selecting transistors in the memory cell region, a functional layer covering outer surfaces of the memory transistors and selecting transistors, as well as surfaces of the substrate between adjacent memory transistors and selecting transistors, a dielectric layer covering top surfaces of the memory transistors and selecting transistors and fills gaps between each selecting transistor and a corresponding adjacent memory transistor, and air gaps formed between adjacent memory transistors. Each selecting transistor is used for selecting one column of memory transistors in the memory transistor array. The functional layer has a roughened surface capable of absorbing water. The air gaps in the flash memory are water vapor induced air gaps.”

The patent application was filed on July 31, 2019 (16/527,503).