| US 7,582,929 B2 | ||
| Electronic device including discontinuous storage elements | ||
| Michael A. Sadd, Austin, Tex. (US); Ko-Min Chang, Austin, Tex. (US); Gowrishankar L. Chindalore, Austin, Tex. (US); Cheong M. Hong, Austin, Tex. (US); and Craig T. Swift, Austin, Tex. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Freescale Semiconductor, Inc, Austin, Tex. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 25, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/188,999. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0018222 A1, Jan. 25, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. H01L 29/94 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 257—317 [257/E29.129] | 15 Claims |
| 1. An electronic device comprising:
a substrate including a first trench that includes a wall and a bottom and extends from a primary surface of the substrate;
discontinuous storage elements, wherein a first portion of the discontinuous storage elements lies within the first trench,
and a second portion of the discontinuous storage elements overlies the primary surface outside of the first trench;
a first gate electrode having an upper surface that lies below the primary surface of the substrate; and
a second gate electrode overlying the first gate electrode and the primary surface of the substrate, wherein:
within a memory cell, a first discontinuous storage element and a second discontinuous storage element lie within the first
trench at elevations higher than the upper surface of the first gate electrode;
all of the first discontinuous storage element lies at an elevation higher than all of the second discontinuous storage element;
and
the second portion of the discontinuous storage element lies between the second gate electrode and the primary surface of
the substrate.
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