Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same

1. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

elements, each extending in a first direction and each including memory cells and first and second select gate transistors, the first select gate transistor arranged to a first side of the memory cells in the first direction, the second select gate transistor arranged to a second side of the memory cells in the first direction, the first direction being parallel to the semiconductor substrate, the elements including a first element, a second element, a third element, and a fourth element, the second element being stacked above the first element, the fourth element being stacked above the third element, both the third element and the fourth element being arranged in a second direction away from both the first element and the second element, the second direction being parallel to the semiconductor substrate, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction;

a first portion electrically connected to the first element;

a second portion electrically connected to the second element;

a third portion electrically connected to the third element;

a fourth portion electrically connected to the fourth element, the first and second portions arranged to the first side, the third and fourth portions arranged to the second side;

a third select gate transistor arranged between the first portion and the first element and between the second portion and the second element; and

a fourth select gate transistor arranged between the third portion and the third element and between the fourth portion and the fourth element.

2. The memory of claim 1 ,

wherein the first side is opposite to the second side in the first direction.

3. The memory of claim 2 ,

wherein the first and second portions are electrically isolated from the third and fourth elements, and

the third and fourth portions are electrically isolated from the first and second elements.

4. The memory of claim 3 ,

wherein the first and second portions are physically combined with the third and fourth elements, and

the third and fourth portions are physically combined with the first and second elements.

5. The memory of claim 2 ,

wherein the first and second portions are physically separated from the third and fourth elements, and

the third and fourth portions are physically separated from the first and second elements.

6. The memory of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second elements have drain regions at the first sides of the first and second elements, respectively, and

the third and fourth elements have drain regions at the second sides of the third and fourth elements, respectively.

7. The memory of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second elements have source regions at the second sides of the first and second elements, respectively, and

the third and fourth elements have source regions at the first sides of the third and fourth elements, respectively.

8. The memory of claim 7 ,

wherein the third select gate transistor is disposed closer to the first and second portions than the source regions of the third and fourth elements, and

the fourth select gate transistor is disposed closer to the third and fourth portions than the source regions of the first and second elements.

9. The memory of claim 7 ,

wherein the source regions of the third and fourth elements are disposed closer to the first and second portions than the third select gate transistor, and

the source regions of the first and second elements are disposed closer to the third and fourth portions than the fourth select gate transistor.

10. The memory of claim 7 ,

wherein the third select gate transistor is arranged to the source regions of the third and fourth elements in the second direction, and

the fourth select gate transistor is arranged to the source regions of the first and second elements in the second direction.

11. The memory of claim 1 ,

wherein the third select gate transistor is shared by the first and second elements, and

the fourth select gate transistor is shared by the third and fourth elements.

12. The memory of claim 1 ,

wherein the memory cells have word lines extending in the second direction, respectively,

the first and second select gate transistors have select gate lines extending in the second direction, respectively, and

the word lines and the select gate lines are shared by the first, second, third and fourth elements.

13. The memory of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first bit line electrically connected to the first and second elements through the first and second portions,

a second bit line electrically connected to the third and fourth elements through the third and fourth portions, the first and second bit lines extending in the first direction.

14. The memory of claim 13 ,

wherein each of the first and second portions includes a first bit line contact area with a staircase structure,

each of the third and fourth portions includes a second bit line contact area with a staircase structure,

the first bit line is electrically connected to the first and third elements through the first bit line contact area, and

the second bit line is electrically connected to the second and fourth elements through the second bit line contact area.

15. The memory of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first layer select transistor disposed in the first and second portions, and

a second layer select transistor disposed in the third and fourth portions,

wherein the first layer select transistor selects one of the first and second elements, and the second layer select transistor selects one of the third and fourth elements.

16. The memory of claim 1 ,

wherein the memory cells include charge storage layers and control gate electrodes, respectively,

the first and second select gate transistors include select gate electrodes, respectively, and

the control gate electrodes and the select gate electrodes extend in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second direction between the first and third elements and between the second and fourth elements.

17. The memory of claim 16 ,

wherein the charge storage layers are charge trap insulating layers, and

the charge trap insulating layers of the memory cells in the first, second, third and fourth elements are physically combined with one another.

18. The memory of claim 1 ,

wherein the first, second, third and fourth elements are disposed in first, second, third and fourth semiconductor layers, respectively,

the first and second semiconductor layers are stacked in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second direction, and

the third and fourth semiconductor layers are stacked in the third direction.

19. The memory of claim 18 ,

wherein the first and second elements are disposed on surfaces in the second direction of the first and second semiconductor layers, respectively, and

the third and fourth elements are disposed on surfaces in the second direction of the third and fourth semiconductor layers, respectively.

20. The memory of claim 18 ,

wherein the first and second semiconductor layers are electrically isolated by an insulating layer therebetween, and

wherein the third and fourth semiconductor layers are electrically isolated by an insulating layer therebetween.

21. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

elements, each extending in a first direction and each including memory cells and first and second select gate transistors, the first select gate transistor arranged to a first side of the memory cells in the first direction, the second select gate transistor arranged to a second side of the memory cells in the first direction, the first direction being parallel to the semiconductor substrate, the elements including a first element, a second element, a third element, and a fourth element, the second element being stacked above the first element, the fourth element being stacked above the third element, both the third element and the fourth element being arranged in a second direction away from both the first element and the second element, the second direction being parallel to the semiconductor substrate, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction;

a third select gate transistor arranged to the first sides of the first and second elements; and

a fourth select gate transistor arranged to the second sides of the third and fourth elements.

22. The memory of claim 21 ,

wherein the memory cells include charge storage layers and control gate electrodes, respectively,

the first and second select gate transistors include select gate electrodes, respectively, and

the control gate electrodes and the select gate electrodes extend in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second direction between the first and third elements and between the second and fourth elements.

23. The memory of claim 22 ,

wherein the charge storage layers are charge trap insulating layers, and

the charge trap insulating layers of the memory cells in the first, second, third and fourth elements are physically combined with one another.

24. The memory of claim 21 ,

wherein the first, second, third and fourth elements are disposed in first, second, third and fourth semiconductor layers, respectively,

the first and second semiconductor layers are stacked in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second direction, and

the third and fourth semiconductor layers are stacked in the third direction.

25. The memory of claim 24 ,

wherein the first and second elements are disposed on surfaces in the second direction of the first and second semiconductor layers, respectively, and

the third and fourth elements are disposed on surfaces in the second direction of the third and fourth semiconductor layers, respectively.

26. The memory of claim 24 ,

wherein the first and second semiconductor layers are electrically isolated by an insulating layer therebetween, and

wherein the third and fourth semiconductor layers are electrically isolated by an insulating layer therebetween.