Vertical Memory Body Connection Stabilizes Threshold Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Memory architectures with floating body potential face issues such as fluctuating threshold voltage and limited data states, which affect the accuracy of read and write operations and reduce memory density.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pillar body connection to control the body potential of a semiconductor, allowing for precise charge accumulation and increased data states by forming semiconductor pillars that connect directly to the body semiconductor, thereby stabilizing the threshold voltage and enhancing memory density without scaling the feature size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a floating body potential architecture is used to increase memory density, then device density is improved, but threshold voltage stability deteriorates and operation accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A body contact structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the body semiconductor and the substrate. This body contact provides a controlled electrical connection that mediates the floating body potential, enabling charge control while maintaining the vertical memory architecture's high density. The body contact includes a contact region extending into the body semiconductor and a contact electrode, forming an intermediate connection path that stabilizes threshold voltage without sacrificing memory cell density.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical potential parameter of the body semiconductor is changed from a completely floating state to a controlled potential state through the body contact. By adjusting the body contact connection and controlling charge accumulation in the body semiconductor, the threshold voltage can be stabilized while maintaining the vertical stacking architecture that provides high memory density. This parameter change enables multiple data states per cell while ensuring accurate read and write operations.
2Productivity
If vertical memory architecture is implemented to increase density, then memory density is improved, but control over charge accumulation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The body contact serves as an intermediary control mechanism that enables charge management in the vertical memory architecture. The contact region and contact electrode provide a dedicated path for controlling charge accumulation in the body semiconductor, making charge control feasible while maintaining the high-density vertical stacking of memory cells over the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The body contact extends in the vertical dimension into the body semiconductor region, providing control capability along the vertical axis of the memory architecture. This vertical extension of the contact region enables charge control without requiring lateral expansion of control circuitry, thus maintaining the high memory density achieved through vertical stacking while adding the dimension of controllable charge management.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of an apparatus includes a substrate, a body semiconductor, a vertical memory access line stack over the body semiconductor, and a body connection to the body semiconductor.