IP Library Granted Patent US 12,520,495
Granted Patent B2
US 12,520,495 · App. 17/469,634 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

3D NAND with IO contacts in isolation trench

Inventors: Praveen Kumar Kalsani (San Jose, CA); Ahmed Reza (San Jose, CA); Liu Liu (Dalian, CN); Deepak Thimmegowda (Fremont, CA); Zengtao Tony Liu (Eagle, ID); Sriram Balasubrahmanyam (Folsom, CA)
Assignee: Intel NDTM US LLC
H10B43/50H10B41/27H10B41/50H10B43/27
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,520,495
App. No.
17/469,634
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An embodiment of a memory device may include a substrate, a first memory array of three-dimensional (3D) NAND cells disposed on the substrate, an isolation trench disposed on the substrate adjacent to the first memory array, and an input/output (IO) contact positioned within the isolation trench. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Claims (34)

1 . A memory device, comprising:

a first memory array of three-dimensional (3D) NAND cells over a substrate, wherein the first memory array comprises a plurality of decks arranged vertically;

an isolation trench comprising an oxide material, wherein the isolation trench is formed over the substrate and located adjacent to the first memory array, and separates the first memory array from a distinct second memory array of 3D NAND cells over the substrate;

an input/output (IO) contact within the monolithic oxide material of the isolation trench and spanning at least two decks of the plurality of decks;

an IO pad on the oxide material of the isolation trench, wherein the IO contact extends from the IO pad to the substrate;

a non-IO contact that spans at least two decks of the plurality of decks in an area of the first memory array and goes through one or more array layers with a thinner surround of a dielectric layer; and

a ground pad laterally adjacent to the IO pad and coupled to the non-IO contact;

wherein the isolation trench completely surrounds the first memory array.

2 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the isolation trench is immediately adjacent to the second memory array.

3 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first memory array comprises an array of a vertical 3D NAND strings of memory cells.

4 . The memory device of claim 3 , wherein the memory cells comprise one of floating gate NAND memory cells, charge trap flash (CTF) NAND memory cells, and isolated CTF NAND memory cells.

5 . The memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second IO contact within the monolithic material of the isolation trench extending from the IO pad to the substrate.

6 . The memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a processor coupled to memory comprising the first memory array, the isolation trench, the IO contact, the IO pad, the non-IO contact, and the ground pad.

7 . The memory device of claim 6 , further comprising:

at least one of a display or a battery coupled to the processor.

8 . A memory device, comprising:

a first memory array of three-dimensional (3D) NAND cells over a substrate, wherein the first memory array comprises a plurality of decks arranged vertically;

an isolation trench further including an oxide material, wherein the isolation trench is formed over the substrate and located adjacent to the first memory array, and separates the first memory array from a distinct second memory array of 3D NAND cells over the substrate;

an input/output (IO) contact within the isolation trench and spanning at least two decks of the plurality of decks;

an IO pad on the isolation trench, wherein the IO contact extends from the IO pad to the substrate;

a non-IO contact that spans at least two decks of the plurality of decks in an area of the first memory array and goes through one or more array layers with a thinner surround of a dielectric layer; and

a ground pad laterally adjacent to the IO pad and coupled to the non-IO contact;

wherein the isolation trench completely surrounds the first memory array.

9 . The memory device of claim 8 , further comprising: a second memory array of 3D NAND cells over the substrate, wherein the isolation trench is between the first memory array and the second memory array.

10 . The memory device of claim 8 , wherein the first memory array comprises an array of a vertical 3D NAND strings of memory cells.

11 . The memory device of claim 10 , wherein the memory cells comprise one of floating gate NAND memory cells, charge trap flash (CTF) NAND memory cells, and isolated CTF NAND memory cells.

12 . The memory device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a second IO contact within the isolation trench extending from the IO pad to the substrate.

13 . The memory device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a processor coupled to memory comprising the first memory array, the isolation trench, the IO contact, the IO pad, the non-IO contact, and the ground pad.

14 . The memory device of claim 13 , further comprising:

at least one of a display or a battery coupled to the processor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2024
From: INTEL CORPORATION
To: INTEL NDTM US LLC
Reel/Frame 067305/0491 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2021
From: KALSANI, PRAVEEN KUMAR; REZA, AHMED; LIU, LIU; THIMMEGOWDA, DEEPAK; LIU, ZENGTAO TONY; BALASUBRAHMANYAM, SRIRAM
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057417/0379 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230076831A1 · Mar 9, 2023
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