Multi-wafer bonding for NAND scaling
Technology is disclosed herein for a memory device with multiple dies bonded together. The memory device may be referred to herein as an integrated memory assembly. The integrated memory assembly has a control semiconductor die and two or more memory semiconductor dies. In one embodiment, each memory semiconductor die has a memory structure having blocks of memory cells. Bit lines extend over the respective memory structure. In one embodiment the integrated memory assembly has what is referred to herein as a “separate bit line architecture”. The separate bit line architecture allows the control semiconductor die to control a memory operation in parallel in the two memory semiconductor dies. Moreover, the separate bit line architecture allows for good scaling of a memory device with multiple dies bonded together.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a first semiconductor die comprising:
a first memory structure having first blocks of memory cells, wherein each first block comprises word lines, multiple drain side select lines, and NAND strings, wherein the word lines of each first block connect to all NAND strings in the first block, wherein each drain side select line of each first block connects to select transistors on a group of the NAND strings that comprise a first sub-block; and
first bit lines extending across the first memory structure, wherein the first bit lines comprise a first set of bit lines that alternate with a second set of bit lines, wherein the NAND strings of each first sub-block on the first semiconductor die connect to either the first set of bit lines or the second set of bit lines;
a second semiconductor die bonded to the first semiconductor die, the second semiconductor die comprising:
a second memory structure having second blocks of memory cells, wherein second each block comprises word lines, multiple drain side select lines, and NAND strings, wherein the word lines of each second block connect to all NAND strings in the second block, wherein each drain side select line of each second block connects to select transistors on a group of the NAND strings that comprise a second sub-block; and
second bit lines extending across the second memory structure, wherein each NAND string of each second sub-block on the second semiconductor die connects to a bit line of the second bit lines; and
a third semiconductor die bonded to the first semiconductor die, the third semiconductor die comprising control circuits that comprise first bit line control circuitry connected to the first bit lines and second bit line control circuitry connected to the second bit lines, wherein the control circuits are configured to control either the first set or the second set of the first bit lines extending across the first memory structure while controlling an equal number of the second bit lines extending across the second memory structure to perform a memory operation in parallel in a first sub-block in the first semiconductor die and a second sub-block in the second semiconductor die.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first set of bit lines are data bit lines, each data bit line connecting to a NAND string in each first sub-block on the first semiconductor die; and
the second set of bit lines are dummy bit lines, wherein the dummy bit lines do not connect to any NAND string in the first semiconductor die.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
electrical connections, each electrical connection electrically connecting one of the dummy bit lines on the first semiconductor die to one of the second bit lines on the second semiconductor die.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the control circuits are configured to:
control the first set of bit lines in the first semiconductor die with the first bit line control circuitry while controlling the second bit lines in the second semiconductor die with the second bit line control circuitry to perform the memory operation in parallel in the first sub-block in the first semiconductor die and the second sub-block in the second semiconductor die.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the second bit lines comprise a third set of bit lines that alternate with a fourth set of bit lines; and
the NAND strings of each second sub-block on the second semiconductor die connect to either the third set of bit lines or the fourth set of bit lines.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a first set of electrical connections electrically connecting one of the first set of bit lines on the first semiconductor die to one of the third set of bit lines on the second semiconductor die; and
a second set of electrical connections electrically connecting one of the second set of bit lines on the first semiconductor die to one of the fourth set of bit lines on the second semiconductor die.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control circuits are configured to:
control the first set of bit lines in the first semiconductor die with the first bit line control circuitry while controlling the fourth set of bit lines in the second semiconductor die with the second bit line control circuitry at a first point in time to perform the memory operation in parallel in the first sub-block in the first semiconductor die and the second sub-block in the second semiconductor die; and
control the second set of bit lines in the first semiconductor die with the first bit line control circuitry while controlling the third set of bit lines in the second semiconductor die with the second bit line control circuitry at a second point in time to perform a memory operation in parallel in a third sub-block in the first semiconductor die and a fourth sub-block in the second semiconductor die.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first bit lines consist of n bit lines; and
each first sub-block on the first semiconductor die consists of approximately n/2 NAND strings.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first memory structure comprises alternating conductive layers and insulating layers, wherein a plurality of the conductive layers serve as first word line layers;
the second memory structure comprises alternating conductive layers and insulating layers, wherein a plurality of the conductive layers serve as second word line layers; and
the first word line layers are electrically connected to corresponding layers in the second word line layers.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are bonded together by bond pads;
the first memory structure further comprises a bit line break region between two of the blocks;
the bit line break region comprises vias that connect at least half of the first bit lines to the bond pads; and
the second semiconductor die comprises electrical pathways that connect the second bit lines to the bond pads.
11 . A non-volatile memory device comprising:
a first semiconductor die comprising a first memory structure having NAND strings, wherein the first semiconductor die comprises a first plurality of bit lines extending across the first memory structure, the first plurality of bit lines comprise first data bit lines alternating with dummy bit lines, wherein each first data bit line connects to multiple NAND strings in the first memory structure, wherein the dummy bit lines do not connect to any NAND string in the first semiconductor die;
a second semiconductor die bonded to the first semiconductor die, the second semiconductor die comprising a second memory structure having NAND strings, wherein the second semiconductor die comprises a second plurality of bit lines extending across the second memory structure, the second plurality of bit lines comprise second data bit lines with each second data bit line connecting to multiple NAND strings in the second memory structure;
a third semiconductor die bonded to the first semiconductor die, the third semiconductor die comprising first bit line control circuitry configured to control memory operations in the first memory structure and second bit line control circuitry configured to control memory operations in the second memory structure;
first electrical connections that connect the first bit line control circuitry to the first data bit lines in the first semiconductor die; and
second electrical connections that connect the second bit line control circuitry to the second data bit lines in the second semiconductor die, wherein each second electrical connection comprises a dummy bit line of the dummy bit lines on the first semiconductor die.
12 . The non-volatile memory device of claim 11 , wherein the control circuits are configured to:
control the first data bit lines in the first semiconductor die with the first bit line control circuitry while controlling the second data bit lines in the second semiconductor die with the second bit line control circuitry to perform a memory operation in parallel in the first memory structure and the second memory structure.
13 . The non-volatile memory device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first memory structure comprises blocks of memory cells;
the second memory structure comprises blocks of memory cells;
each block in the first and second memory structure comprises word lines and multiple drain side select lines, the word lines of a block connect to all NAND strings in the block, each drain side select line connects to select transistors on a group of the NAND strings that comprise a sub-block;
each first data bit line is connected to a NAND string in each sub-block in the first memory structure; and
each second data bit line is connected to a NAND string in each sub-block in the second memory structure.
14 . The non-volatile memory device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first plurality of bit lines consist of n bit lines; and
each sub-block on the first semiconductor die consists of approximately n/2 NAND strings.
15 . The non-volatile memory device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first memory structure comprises alternating conductive layers and insulating layers, wherein a plurality of the conductive layers serve as first word line layers;
the second memory structure comprises alternating conductive layers and insulating layers, wherein a plurality of the conductive layers serve as second word line layers; and
the first word line layers are connected to corresponding layers in the second word line layers.