3D NAND Memory Cell Density via Insulating Film Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Three-dimensional NAND type flash memory semiconductor storage devices face reliability issues due to contact between the insulating slit and memory cells, leading to malfunctions, and existing designs have limited memory cell density and capacity.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor storage device incorporates a stacked body with conductive and insulating layers, columnar bodies, and an insulating film with protruding parts that prevent contact between the insulating slit and memory cells, allowing for increased memory cell density and capacity by forming memory cells and insulating slits with precise protrusions to avoid interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the insulating slit is formed to increase memory cell density, then storage capacity is improved, but contact between the insulating slit and memory cells occurs causing reliability deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating film is extended in the third direction (vertical dimension) to form protruding parts that protrude toward the columnar bodies. This dimensional extension allows the insulating film to occupy space in the vertical dimension, effectively preventing contact between the insulating slit and memory cells while maintaining high memory cell density in the horizontal plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding parts of the insulating film are formed in advance during the manufacturing process to preemptively prevent contact between the insulating slit and memory cells. By creating these protective protrusions before the insulating slit is formed, the design eliminates the harmful interaction that would otherwise occur when increasing memory cell density.
2Quantity of substance
If memory cells are arranged closer to increase density, then storage capacity is improved, but interference between memory cells and insulating slit increases
Solution Approach 1:
By extending the insulating film in the third vertical direction to create protruding parts, the design utilizes the vertical dimension to establish separation between the insulating slit and memory cells. This allows memory cells to be arranged closer in the horizontal plane without causing interference, thereby increasing density while eliminating harmful interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding parts of the insulating film act as an intermediary structure between the insulating slit and the memory cells. These protrusions serve as a physical barrier that mediates the spatial relationship between components, preventing direct contact and interference while allowing both structures to coexist at high density.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor storage device includes a stacked body including conductive layers stacked in a first direction; columnar bodies of a first group extending in the first direction in the stacked body, wherein memory cell transistors are respectively formed at intersections of the conductive layers and the columnar bodies of the first group; columnar bodies of a second group that are arranged in a second direction, and respectively include an insulating material; and an insulating film extending in the first direction and the second direction in the stacked body, and divides the stacked body to include a first portion adjacent to the columnar bodies of the first group, a second portion adjacent to the columnar bodies of the second group, a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, and a first protruding part protruding from one side surface in the third direction in the third portion.