Semiconductor Device With Support Pillars For Stacked Body Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing height of the stacked body in three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices poses challenges to structural stability, making it difficult to maintain the integrity of the device as the number of memory cells increases.

Innovation Solution

The semiconductor device incorporates conductive patterns surrounding a channel film, with support pillars penetrating the periphery of gate contact plugs and trench buried films to enhance structural stability, allowing for a stable and integrated stacked structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the number of stacked memory cells is increased to improve degree of integration, then the height of the stacked body increases, but structural stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of memory cellsVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The stacked body is divided into multiple segments by introducing support pillars at different heights. These support pillars act as intermediate support structures that segment the tall stacked body into smaller, more stable sections, preventing overall structural collapse while maintaining the increased number of memory cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Support pillars are strategically positioned at specific locations within the stacked body, particularly in regions where structural stress is highest. This localized reinforcement provides targeted structural support without adding unnecessary materials throughout the entire structure, maintaining stability while preserving the high-density memory cell configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If the height of the stacked body is increased to accommodate more memory cells, then integration density improves, but manufacturing precision becomes more difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of stacked memory cellsVSAvoidstructural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Support pillars are formed in advance during the manufacturing process, before the complete stacked body is finalized. This preliminary action creates a pre-reinforced structure that can better withstand subsequent manufacturing steps and assembly processes, maintaining precision even as the stacked body height increases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The support pillars act as intermediary structures between the multiple memory cell layers. These intermediate elements provide reference points and structural anchors that help maintain alignment and precision during manufacturing, enabling the production of taller stacked bodies with consistent quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9870991B1Semiconductor device
Publication Date: 2018.01.16 SK HYNIX INC
  • US9870991B1 patent drawing
  • US9870991B1 patent drawing
  • US9870991B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A semiconductor device may be provided. The semiconductor device may include conductive patterns surrounding a channel film. The conductive patterns may be stacked and spaced apart from one another. The semiconductor device may include a gate contact plug coupled to one of the conductive patterns. The semiconductor device may include support pillars penetrating the conductive patterns in a periphery of the gate contact plug.