IP Library Granted Patent US 9,853,040
Granted Patent B2
US 9,853,040 · App. 15/271,379 · Granted Dec 26, 2017

Semiconductor memory device

Inventors: Tomoya Kawai (Kawasaki, JP); Tsutomu Tezuka (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
H01L27/1157G11C16/08G11C16/24G11C16/26H01L27/11565
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,853,040
App. No.
15/271,379
Granted
Dec 26, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of first insulating layers and first conductive layers stacked alternately in a first direction above the semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor layer extending in the first direction; and a memory layer disposed between one of the first insulating layers and the first semiconductor layer and between one of the first conductive layers and the first semiconductor layer, the memory layer including a charge accumulation layer, the first semiconductor layer and the memory layer having a gap, between one of the first insulating layers and the first semiconductor layer, and the first semiconductor layer and the memory layer being contacted each other, between one of the first conductive layers and the first semiconductor layer.

Claims (50)

1. A semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of first insulating layers and first conductive layers stacked alternately in a first direction above the semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor layer extending in the first direction; and

a memory layer disposed between one of the first insulating layers and the first semiconductor layer and between one of the first conductive layers and the first semiconductor layer, the memory layer including a charge accumulation layer and a second insulating layer, the second insulating layer being between the charge accumulation layer and the first semiconductor layer,

the first semiconductor layer and the memory layer having a gap in which the first semiconductor layer and the second insulating layer are exposed, between one of the first insulating layers and the first semiconductor layer, and

the first semiconductor layer and the memory layer being contacted each other, between one of the first conductive layers and the first semiconductor layer.

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

the memory layer includes the second insulating layer, the charge accumulation layer, and a third insulating layer that are disposed from the first semiconductor layer to the first conductive layer.

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

the second insulating layer includes a first oxide layer, a nitride layer, and a second oxide layer that are disposed from the first semiconductor layer to the charge accumulation layer.

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

a length in a second direction intersecting the first direction of the first insulating layer is smaller than a length in the second direction of the first conductive layer.

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first semiconductor layer includes monocrystalline silicon or polysilicon having a crystal whose average grain size is larger than its average width in the second direction.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , further comprising

a second conductive layer disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the lowermost layer among the first insulating layers.

7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 6 , further comprising

a first metal layer disposed between the second conductive layer and the lowermost layer among the first insulating layers.

8. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 7 , wherein

the first metal layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), and gold (Au).

9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 7 , wherein

a bottom surface of the first semiconductor layer contacts an upper surface of the first metal layer.

10. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

the memory layer is disposed continuously along a side surface and upper surface of one of the first conductive layers, a side surface of one of the first insulating layers disposed above the first conductive layer, and a bottom surface and side surface of another of the first conductive layers disposed above the first insulating layer.

11. A semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of first insulating layers and first conductive layers stacked alternately in a first direction above the semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor layer extending in the first direction; and

a memory layer disposed between one of the first insulating layers and the first semiconductor layer and between one of the first conductive layers and the first semiconductor layer, the memory layer including a charge accumulation layer,

the first semiconductor layer and the memory layer having a gap, between all of the first insulating layers and the first semiconductor layer, and

the first semiconductor layer and the memory layer being contacted each other, between one of the first conductive layers and the first semiconductor layer.

12. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11 , wherein

the memory layer includes a second insulating layer, the charge accumulation layer, and a third insulating layer that are disposed from the first semiconductor layer to the first conductive layer.

13. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 12 , wherein

the second insulating layer includes a first oxide layer, a nitride layer, and a second oxide layer that are disposed from the first semiconductor layer to the charge accumulation layer.

14. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11 , wherein

a length in a second direction intersecting the first direction of one of the first insulating layers is smaller than a length in the second direction of the first conductive layer.

15. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11 , wherein

the first semiconductor layer includes monocrystalline silicon or polysilicon having a crystal whose average grain size is larger than its average width in the second direction.

16. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11 , further comprising

a second conductive layer disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the lowermost layer among the first insulating layers.

17. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16 , further comprising

a first metal layer disposed between the second conductive layer and the lowermost layer among the first insulating layers.

18. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 17 , wherein

the first metal layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), and gold (Au).

19. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 17 , wherein

a bottom surface of the first semiconductor layer contacts an upper surface of the first metal layer.

20. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11 , wherein

the memory layer is disposed continuously along a side surface and upper surface of one of the first conductive layers, a side surface of one of the first insulating layers disposed above the first conductive layer, and a bottom surface and side surface of another of the first conductive layers disposed above one of the first insulating layers.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043541/0381 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2017
From: KAWAI, TOMOYA; TEZUKA, TSUTOMU
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 042192/0156 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-057113 · Mar 22, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170278852A1 · Sep 28, 2017