Self-Aligned Conductive Contacts for Block-Bending Memory Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional memory device fabrication processes are susceptible to block bending errors, leading to misalignment and poor electrical connections between conductive elements, which can result in device failures.
Innovation Solution
The formation of conductive structures and staircase structures in memory devices is designed to ensure reliable physical connections despite potential block bending errors, enhancing the reliability and yield of the memory device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fabrication processes are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but block bending errors cause misalignment and poor electrical connections
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive contact is formed within a conductive cavity that is itself formed within the memory device structure. The cavity is defined by removing dielectric material to expose the conductive contact, creating a nested configuration where the conductive contact is surrounded by dielectric material on multiple sides. This nesting provides mechanical support and alignment reference, ensuring reliable electrical connections even when block bending occurs during fabrication.
2Manufacturing precision
If self-aligned conductive contacts are formed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive cavity is formed in advance before final conductive contact formation. The cavity is created by removing dielectric material to expose a portion of the conductive contact, establishing a pre-defined alignment reference. Subsequent conductive material deposition automatically aligns with this pre-formed cavity, eliminating the need for additional alignment steps and reducing process complexity while maintaining high precision.
3Reliability
If block bending error resistance is improved, then electrical connection reliability is enhanced, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric material surrounding the conductive contact provides localized mechanical support and stress distribution at the critical connection point. This local reinforcement strategy strengthens the conductive contact structure specifically where block bending occurs, without requiring global structural changes to the entire memory device, thus maintaining simplicity while improving reliability under bending conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes levels of conductive materials interleaved with levels of dielectric materials; memory cell strings including respective pillars extending through the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials; a dielectric structure formed in a slit, the slit extending through the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials, the dielectric structure separating the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials into a first portion and a second portion; first conductive structures located over and coupled to respective pillars of the first memory cell strings; second conductive structures located over and coupled to respective pillars of the second memory cell strings; and a conductive line contacting the dielectric structure, a conductive structure of the first conductive structures, and a conductive structure of the second conductive structures.