3D NAND Word Line Pick-Up Layout With Segmented Connections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of complex structures in 3D NAND memory devices, such as staircase structures and word line contacts, becomes increasingly challenging as memory cell density increases, leading to high manufacturing costs and difficulties in further increasing memory cell density due to the need for a large number of word line pick-up structures.
Innovation Solution
Dividing a single word line pick-up structure into multiple sections, each connecting to a different word line, reduces the total number of word line pick-up structures, allowing for reduced real estate usage and simplified fabrication processes by eliminating the need for staircase structures and dummy channel structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional word line pick-up structures are used in 3D NAND memory devices, then word line connections can be established, but the number of structures required increases device complexity and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single word line pick-up structure into multiple sections, where each section connects to a different word line. This segmentation reduces the total number of pick-up structures needed while maintaining all necessary word line connections, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost without compromising connection reliability
2Productivity
If more word line pick-up structures are added to increase memory cell density, then more word lines can be connected, but real estate usage increases and fabrication becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting word line pick-up structures into multiple sections within a single pick-up structure, the patent enables connection to multiple word lines without adding proportional numbers of separate structures. This reduces real estate usage and simplifies fabrication while maintaining the ability to connect all necessary word lines for high memory cell density
3Reliability
If staircase structures and dummy channel structures are used to support word line pick-up functions, then word line connections can be maintained, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for staircase structures and dummy channel structures by integrating their word line connection functions directly into the segmented word line pick-up structures. This removal of unnecessary components reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining all required word line pick-up functions
Data Source
AI summary
In certain aspects, a three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes channel structures in a first region, word line pick-up structures in a second region, and word lines each extending from the first region into at least a portion of the second region. At least one word line pick-up structure includes multiple sections each electrically connected to a different word line.