Slit Insulating Layer Preventing Bridge Formation in Stacked Semiconductor
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in manufacturing three-dimensional nonvolatile memory devices is the difficulty in forming stacked structures with high width-to-height ratios, which can lead to undesired electrical connections (bridges) between conductive layers, resulting in yield drops and degradation of electrical characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a substrate featuring a trench, an isolation layer with an etch stop pattern, and slit insulating layers that intersect and contact the etch stop pattern, preventing the slit insulating layers from extending to the substrate and thus avoiding bridge formation between stacked conductive layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a stacked structure with high width-to-height ratio is formed to increase integration density, then the integration density is improved, but the manufacturing difficulty increases and bridge formation occurs between conductive layers
Solution Approach 1:
An etch stop pattern is introduced as an intermediary layer between the stacked conductive layers and the substrate. This etch stop pattern serves as a mediator that prevents the slit insulating layer from directly contacting the substrate, thereby eliminating the bridge formation problem while allowing the stacked structure to maintain its high integration density configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The isolation layer is segmented by introducing an etch stop pattern that creates a distinct boundary region. This segmentation allows the slit insulating layer to be controlled in its extension, preventing it from reaching the substrate while maintaining the overall stacked structure integrity
2Ease of manufacture
If the slit insulating layer extends through the isolation layer to the substrate, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but bridge formation occurs between stacked conductive layers
Solution Approach 1:
The etch stop pattern acts as an intermediary barrier that prevents the slit insulating layer from forming a direct electrical connection (bridge) between the stacked conductive layers and the substrate. This intermediary layer maintains process simplicity while eliminating the reliability issue of bridge formation
3Quantity of substance
If the stacked structure is formed with high width-to-height ratio to increase memory cell density, then the storage capacity is improved, but undesired electrical connections between conductive layers occur
Solution Approach 1:
The etch stop pattern serves as a protective intermediary that prevents harmful electrical connections (bridges) between the stacked conductive layers and the substrate, allowing the high-density stacked structure to function reliably without undesired electrical pathways
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful electrical connection pathway is extracted or removed from the system by introducing the etch stop pattern, which eliminates the bridge formation issue while preserving the high memory cell density configuration
Data Source
AI summary
The semiconductor device may include a substrate including a trench. The semiconductor device may include an isolation layer formed in the trench and including an etch stop pattern. The semiconductor device may include a stacked structure disposed over the substrate. The semiconductor device may include a slit insulating layer passing through the stacked structure and including a first region extending in a first direction and a second region extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. An intersection region between the first region and the second region may pass through a portion of the isolation layer and come into contact with the etch stop pattern.