Contact Plug Structure for Aligning Conductive Lines at Varying Depths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor device manufacturing processes face challenges in achieving precise alignment of contact plugs with conductive patterns, often resulting in misalignment due to the stepped structure required for electrical signal application across different heights.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device design incorporates contact plugs with pillar and protruding portions that extend through interlayer and sacrificial insulating layers, allowing alignment with conductive lines at varying depths without the need for a stepped structure, thereby simplifying processes and reducing misalignment errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a stepped structure is used to open contact regions of conductive patterns at different heights, then electrical signals can be independently applied to conductive patterns at different heights, but misalignment occurs between contact plugs and conductive patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The contact plug is segmented into a pillar portion and a protruding portion. The pillar portion provides structural support while the protruding portion extends from the sidewall of the pillar portion to contact the conductive pattern at a different height level. This segmentation allows the contact plug to independently reach multiple conductive patterns at different heights without requiring a stepped structure, thereby maintaining alignment precision while enabling independent electrical signal application.
2Manufacturing precision
If contact plugs are designed with protruding portions from sidewalls, then alignment with conductive patterns at different depths is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding portion is formed as an integrated extension of the pillar portion, merging the support function and the contact function into a single continuous structure. This is achieved through a unified formation process where the protruding portion is created by extending the pillar portion material or through a combined deposition and patterning process, rather than assembling separate components. This merging approach maintains alignment precision while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device may comprise a plurality of conductive lines and a plurality of contact plugs. The plurality of conductive lines may include a first conductive line a second conductive line. The plurality of contact plugs may include a first contact plug and a second contact plug. The first contact plug may have a first pillar portion and a first protruding portion protruding from a sidewall of the first pillar portion at a first depth, so as to be in alignment and contact with a sidewall of the first conductive line. The second contact plug may have a second pillar portion and a second protruding portion protruding from a sidewall of the second pillar portion at a second depth, so as to be in alignment and contact with a sidewall of the second conductive line.