IP Library Granted Patent US 12,660,261
Granted Patent B2
US 12,660,261 · App. 17/728,116 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Cross-coupling connections for stacked field effect transistors

Inventors: Ruilong Xie (Niskayuna, NY); Heng Wu (Santa Clara, CA); Albert M. Young (Fishkill, NY); Albert M Chu (Nashua, NH); Junli Wang (Slingerlands, NY); Brent A Anderson (Jericho, VT)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
H10D62/118H10W90/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,660,261
App. No.
17/728,116
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device including a first pair of stacked transistors comprising a first upper transistor and a first lower transistor, a third transistor disposed adjacent to the first lower transistor, the third transistor comprising a gate portion extending from the third transistor gate toward the first pair of stacked transistors, a cross-connection disposed in contact with the gate portion and extending upward, and a gate contact disposed in contact with the cross-connection and a top surface of the first upper transistor.

Claims (25)

1 . A semiconductor device comprising:

a first pair of stacked transistors comprising a first upper transistor and a first lower transistor;

a third transistor disposed adjacent to the first lower transistor, the third transistor comprising an electrically conductive gate portion extending from a third transistor gate toward the first pair of stacked transistors;

an electrically conductive cross-connection disposed in contact directly with the electrically conductive gate portion extending upward and

disposed in electrical contact with a top surface of a gate of the first upper transistor; and

a dielectric layer disposed above and in contact with the electrically conductive cross-connection, wherein the dielectric layer covers the upper surface of the electrically conductive cross-connection.

2 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fourth transistor stacked upon the third transistor and a second cross-connection between a gate extension of the first lower transistor and the fourth transistor.

3 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first upper transistor is a first FET (field effect transistor) and the third transistor is a second FET, and wherein the first cross-connection forms a first gate connecting the first FET to the second FET.

4 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first upper transistor is NFET and the third transistor is PFET.

5 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first upper transistor is PFET and the third transistor is NFET.

6 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a bonding dielectric layer between the first upper transistor and the first lower transistor, wherein the cross-connection passes through the bonding dielectric layer.

7 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the gate portion comprises high-k metal gate material which is the same as the third transistor gate.

8 . A semiconductor device comprising:

a first pair of stacked transistors comprising a first upper transistor and a first lower transistor;

a gate cut region disposed adjacent to a gate of the first lower transistor;

a third transistor disposed adjacent to the gate cut region, the third transistor comprising an electrically conductive gate portion extending from a third transistor gate over the gate cut region;

a bonding dielectric layer disposed between the first upper transistor and the first lower transistor;

an electrically conductive cross-connection disposed through the bonding dielectric layer and in contact with the electrically conductive gate portion and a bottom surface of a gate of the first upper transistor; and

a dielectric layer disposed above and in contact with the first upper transistor, wherein the dielectric layer covers the upper surface of the first transistor.

9 . The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , further comprising a fourth transistor stacked upon the third transistor and a second cross-connection between a gate extension of the first lower transistor and the fourth transistor.

10 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 wherein the bonding dielectric layer separates the third transistor and the fourth transistor; and the second cross-connection passes through the bonding dielectric layer.

11 . The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the first upper transistor is a first FET (field effect transistor) and the third transistor is a second FET, and wherein the first cross-connection forms a first gate connecting the first FET to the second FET.

12 . The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the first upper transistor is NFET and the third transistor is PFET.

13 . The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the first upper transistor is PFET and the third transistor is NFET.

14 . The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein the gate extension comprises high-k metal gate materials which are the same as a third transistor gate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2022
From: XIE, RUILONG; WU, HENG; YOUNG, ALBERT M.; CHU, ALBERT M; WANG, JUNLI; ANDERSON, BRENT A
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059697/0176 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230343821A1 · Oct 26, 2023
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