Storage Contact Plug Sloped Surface Bit Line Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The structure of storage contact plugs in semiconductor devices can impair the reliability by covering a portion of the bit line structures, and adjacent plugs may not be sufficiently spaced, affecting the overall performance.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device design includes storage contact plugs with a sloped upper surface that extends over the bit line structure, with a plug barrier pattern and spacers to ensure adequate spacing and thickness, improving reliability by maintaining the structural integrity and spacing between adjacent plugs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If storage contact plugs cover a portion of the bit line structure, then the storage contact plugs can be formed with adequate thickness, but the reliability of the semiconductor device deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage contact plug is segmented into multiple portions: a first portion extending over the bit line structure and a second portion extending over the semiconductor substrate. This segmentation allows each portion to serve its specific function - the first portion provides adequate thickness for manufacturing precision while the second portion ensures proper spacing and electrical isolation, thereby resolving the contradiction between thickness and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
A bit line spacer is introduced as an intermediary element between the storage contact plug and the bit line structure. The spacer maintains adequate spacing while allowing the storage contact plug to extend over the bit line structure with sufficient thickness. This intermediary resolves the contradiction by providing physical separation that ensures reliability while permitting the needed thickness for manufacturing precision
2Productivity
If adjacent storage contact plugs are closely spaced, then the device density increases, but the spacing between plugs becomes insufficient, deteriorating device performance
Solution Approach 1:
The storage contact plug extends in multiple dimensions - vertically into the substrate and horizontally over the bit line structure. This multi-dimensional extension allows adequate spacing to be achieved in the horizontal plane (improving performance) while maintaining sufficient vertical thickness (improving manufacturing precision), thus resolving the contradiction between density and performance
Solution Approach 2:
The storage contact plug is divided into distinct portions that serve different spatial functions. The first portion over the bit line structure provides thickness, while the second portion in the substrate provides spacing. This segmentation enables close spacing between adjacent plugs (high density) while maintaining adequate separation where needed (good performance)
Data Source
AI summary
Semiconductor devices are provided. A semiconductor device includes a bit line structure and a contact plug. The contact plug is adjacent a sidewall of the bit line structure and is on a sloped surface of the bit line structure. Moreover, in some embodiments, a level of the sloped surface of the bit line structure becomes lower as the sloped surface approaches the sidewall of the bit line structure.