Fin-type MONOS Memory Cell Contact Plug Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor devices are miniaturized, the distance between fins in a fin-type transistor becomes small, leading to increased area requirements for contact plugs connecting source and drain regions, making miniaturization of memory cells difficult.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device employs a configuration where control and memory gate electrodes straddle multiple fins, with plugs connected to specific fins in a staggered manner to reduce the area required for each memory cell, allowing for miniaturization while maintaining efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the distance between fins is reduced to miniaturize the semiconductor device, then the device size is reduced, but the area required for contact plugs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact plugs are segmented into different types (first contact plugs connecting drain regions, second contact plugs connecting source regions) that are alternately arranged. This segmentation allows each contact plug to serve specific fins rather than requiring one large contact plug to span multiple fins, thereby reducing the area required per contact plug while maintaining proper electrical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
Adjacent fins share common contact plugs (first contact plugs for drain regions, second contact plugs for source regions). This merging approach reduces the total number of contact plugs needed and decreases the overall area required for contact structures, enabling further miniaturization of the semiconductor device.
2Reliability
If contact plugs extend over two or more fins to connect source and drain regions, then electrical connection is ensured, but the area per memory cell increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection function is segmented between different types of contact plugs. First contact plugs specifically connect drain regions of adjacent fins, while second contact plugs specifically connect source regions of adjacent fins. This segmentation allows each contact plug to have a more limited span, reducing the area required while maintaining reliable electrical connections through the alternating pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
Each contact plug type serves multiple fins (first contact plugs serve multiple drain regions, second contact plugs serve multiple source regions), allowing a single contact plug to provide universal connection functionality across multiple fins. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of contact plugs needed and decreases memory cell area.
Data Source
AI summary
Fins lined up in a Y direction, a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode each extending in the Y direction so as to straddle the fins, a plurality of first plugs electrically connected with a drain region formed in each of the fins, and a plurality of second plugs electrically connected with a source region formed in each of the fins are formed. Here, a N-th plug of the plurality of first plugs lined up in the Y direction is coupled with each of (2N−1)-th and 2N-th fins in the Y direction. Also, a N-th plug of the plurality of second plugs lined up in the Y direction is coupled with each of 2N-th and (2N+1)-th fins in the Y direction.