3D Memory Contact Plug Staircase Layout for Faster Voltage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor memory devices face challenges in optimizing the configuration of three-dimensional memory cell arrays to enhance storage capacity and operating speed while maintaining efficient power supply and voltage control.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor memory device incorporates a stacked body with alternating conductive and insulating layers, featuring contact plugs that penetrate through the stacked body to facilitate electrical connections, and a connection area with a staircase-shaped staircase area and bridge area to reduce the distance to word line ends, allowing for faster power supply and voltage control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a three-dimensional memory cell array is configured to increase storage capacity, then storage capacity is improved, but distance for power supply and voltage control increases causing slower operating speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a staircase-shaped connection area that creates multiple terraced levels, transforming the vertical three-dimensional structure into a multi-level horizontal connection system. This allows contact plugs to reach word line ends more directly across different elevation levels, effectively adding a dimensional pathway that reduces electrical distance without compromising the vertical stacking density that provides high storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection area is divided into multiple terraced levels or steps, creating segmented pathways for electrical connections. Each step provides an intermediate connection point that shortens the overall distance from contact plugs to word line ends, breaking the long vertical path into shorter segmented paths that improve voltage control speed while maintaining the compact three-dimensional structure.
2Reliability
If contact plugs extend through the entire stacked body, then electrical connectivity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The staircase-shaped connection area is formed beforehand before the contact plugs are created. This preliminary structuring provides pre-defined pathways and landing zones (step surfaces) that guide the contact plug formation process, making it easier to achieve proper electrical connections without requiring complex post-processing or adjustment steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The staircase structure creates different local connection points at various elevations, allowing contact plugs to connect to word line ends at optimized positions rather than requiring uniform connection points throughout the stacked body. This local differentiation enables reliable electrical connectivity while simplifying the overall manufacturing process by providing natural connection zones.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body including a plurality of conductive layers and insulating layers alternately stacked in a first direction; and a contact plug electrically connected to a corresponding one of the conductive layers and extending from a step surface of the corresponding conductive layer in the first direction to penetrate through a corresponding portion of the stacked body.