IP Library Granted Patent US 10,916,654
Granted Patent B2
US 10,916,654 · App. 16/549,540 · Granted Feb 9, 2021

Semiconductor memory device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,916,654
App. No.
16/549,540
Granted
Feb 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The semiconductor memory device of the embodiment includes a stacked body including interlayer insulating layers and gate electrode layers alternately stacked in a first direction; a semiconductor layer provided in the stacked body and extending in the first direction; a first insulating layer provided between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode layers; conductive layers provided between the first insulating layer and the gate electrode layers; and second insulating layers provided between the conductive layers and the gate electrode layers and the second insulating layers containing ferroelectrics. Two of the conductive layers adjacent to each other in the first direction are separated by one of the interlayer insulating layers interposed between the two of the conductive layers, and a first thickness of one of the gate electrode layers in the first direction is smaller than a second thickness of one of the conductive layers in the first direction.

Claims (43)

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a stacked body including interlayer insulating layers and gate electrode layers alternately stacked in a first direction;

a semiconductor layer provided in the stacked body and extending in the first direction;

a first insulating layer provided between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode layers;

conductive layers provided between the first insulating layer and the gate electrode layers; and

second insulating layers provided between the conductive layers and the gate electrode layers and the second insulating layers containing ferroelectrics,

wherein two of the conductive layers adjacent to each other in the first direction are separated by one of the interlayer insulating layers interposed between the two of the conductive layers, and

a first thickness of one of the gate electrode layers in the first direction is smaller than a second thickness of one of the conductive layers in the first direction.

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the second insulating layers includes a first region between the one of the conductive layers and the one of the gate electrode layers, and the one of the second insulating layers includes a second region between the one of the gate electrode layers and one of the interlayer insulating layers.

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2 , wherein the first region contains the ferroelectrics, and the second region contains paraelectrics.

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2 , wherein the first region contains an orthorhombic crystal, and the second region contains a monoclinic crystal.

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the second insulating layers contain hafnium oxide.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 5 , wherein following inequality is satisfied, where d 1 (nm) is the first thickness, and d 2 (nm) is the second thickness.

d 2≥ d 1+10.

7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the first insulating layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and the interlayer insulating layers.

8. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the one of the conductive layers in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction is substantially constant.

9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive layers contain at least one material selected from a group consisting of titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), titanium nitride, tungsten nitride, tantalum nitride, titanium carbide, tungsten carbide, and tantalum carbide.

10. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a stacked body including interlayer insulating layers and gate electrode layers alternately stacked in a first direction;

a semiconductor layer provided in the stacked body and extending in the first direction;

a first insulating layer provided between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode layers;

conductive layers provided between the first insulating layer and the gate electrode layers; and

second insulating layers provided between the conductive layers and the gate electrode layers, one of the second insulating layers including a first region between one of the conductive layers and one of the gate electrode layers and the one of the second insulating layers including a second region between the one of the gate electrode layers and one of the interlayer insulating layers, and the second insulating layers containing ferroelectrics,

wherein a first thickness of the one of the gate electrode layers in the first direction is smaller than a second thickness of the one of the conductive layers in the first direction.

11. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 10 , wherein the first region contains the ferroelectrics, and the second region contains paraelectrics.

12. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 10 , wherein the first region contains an orthorhombic crystal, and the second region contains a monoclinic crystal.

13. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 10 , wherein the second insulating layers contain hafnium oxide.

14. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 13 , wherein following inequality is satisfied, where d 1 (nm) is the first thickness, and d 2 (nm) is the second thickness.

d 2≥ d 1+10.

15. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a plurality of gate electrode layers disposed in a first direction;

a semiconductor layer extending in the first direction;

a first insulating layer provided between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode layers;

conductive layers provided between the first insulating layer and the gate electrode layers; and

second insulating layers provided between the conductive layers and the gate electrode layers and the second insulating layers containing ferroelectrics,

wherein two of the conductive layers adjacent to each other in the first direction are separated, and

a first thickness of one of the gate electrode layers in the first direction is smaller than a second thickness of one of the conductive layers in the first direction.

16. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 15 , wherein one of the second insulating layers includes a first region between the one of the conductive layers and the one of the gate electrode layers, and the one of the second insulating layers includes a second region located in the first direction of the one of the gate electrode layers.

17. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16 , wherein the first region contains the ferroelectrics, and the second region contains paraelectrics.

18. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16 , wherein the first region contains an orthorhombic crystal, and the second region contains a monoclinic crystal.

19. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 15 , wherein the second insulating layers contain hafnium oxide.

20. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 19 , wherein following inequality is satisfied, where d 1 (nm) is the first thickness, and d 2 (nm) is the second thickness.

d 2≥ d 1+10.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058905/0582 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2019
From: FUJII, SHOSUKE
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050941/0379 →