IP Library Granted Patent US 10,797,069
Granted Patent B2
US 10,797,069 · App. 16/118,356 · Granted Oct 6, 2020

Semiconductor memory device

Inventor: Masaki Kondo (Yokkaichi Mie, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
H01L27/11582G11C16/10H01L21/76805H01L21/76831H01L21/76832H01L27/1157H01L27/11565G11C16/0483H01L29/40117H01L29/513H01L29/517H01L29/518
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,797,069
App. No.
16/118,356
Granted
Oct 6, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a pillar disposed above the semiconductor substrate and extending in a first direction crossing a principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of first memory cells arranged on a first side surface of the pillar along the first direction, and a plurality of second memory cells arranged on a second side surface of the pillar along the first direction. The memory device further includes a plurality of first control gate layers respectively connected to the first memory cells, a plurality of second control gate layers respectively connected to the second memory cells, and a stacked film disposed between one of the first control gate layers and one of the second control gate layers, the stacked film including a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and an electron capture layer disposed between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

Claims (26)

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising: a semiconductor substrate;

a pillar disposed above the semiconductor substrate and extending in a first direction crossing a principal surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of first memory cells arranged on a first side surface of the pillar along the first direction;

a plurality of second memory cells arranged on a second side surface of the pillar along the first direction, each of the first memory cells and the second memory cells including a charge storage layer:

a plurality of first control gate layers disposed along the first direction and respectively connected to the first memory cells;

a plurality of second control gate layers disposed along the first direction and respectively connected to the second memory cells; and

a stacked film disposed between one of the first control gate layers and one of the second control gate layers, the stacked film including a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and an electron capture layer disposed between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer, the electron capture layer configured to capture electrons,

wherein the electron capture layer is separate from the charge storage layer of each of the first memory cells and the second memory cells.

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

the semiconductor memory device is configured to write data to the first and second memory cells while electrons are captured in the electron capture layer in the stacked film.

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

the semiconductor memory device is configured to write data to one of the first memory cells after the first control gate layer connected to the one of the first memory cells is grounded, the corresponding second control gate layer has a high voltage applied to it, and electrons are captured in the electron capture layer in the stacked film; and

the semiconductor memory device is configured to write data to one of the second memory cells after the second control gate layer connected to the one of the second memory cells is grounded, the corresponding first control gate layer has a high voltage applied to it, and electrons are captured in the electron capture layer in the stacked film.

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

the first insulating layer comprises a material lower in relative dielectric constant than a material of the electron capture layer, and

the second insulating layer comprises a material lower in relative dielectric constant than the material of the electron capture layer.

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

the electron capture layer is a SiN layer, a HfO 2 layer, a ZrO 2 layer, or a SiO 2 layer, and

the first and second insulating layers are SiO 2 layers or Low-K layers.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to 1 , wherein

the electron capture layer includes two SiN layers and a SiO 2 layer disposed between the SiN layers, and

the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer are SiO 2 layers, SiON layers, or SiOC layers.

7. A method of writing to memory, comprising:

providing the semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 ;

writing data to one of the first memory cells after the first control gate layer connected to the one of the first memory cells is grounded, the corresponding second control gate layer has a high voltage applied to it, and electrons are captured in the electron capture layer in the stacked film; and

writing data to one of the second memory cells after the second control gate layer connected to the one of the second memory cells is grounded, the corresponding first control gate layer has a high voltage applied to it, and electrons are captured in the electron capture layer in the stacked film.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2018
From: KONDO, MASAKI
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047400/0298 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-050515 · Mar 19, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190287993A1 · Sep 19, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,676,195