IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,396,253
Granted Patent B2
US 12,396,253 · App. 18/171,754 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Integrated circuit devices including stacked field effect transistors and methods of forming the same

Inventors: Keumseok Park (Slingerlands, NY); Sooyoung Park (Halfmoon, NY); Jaejik Baek (Watervliet, NY); Kang-Ill Seo (Springfield, VA)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10D84/834H10D30/6757H10D62/121H10D62/151H10D84/0128H10D84/013H10D84/038
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,396,253
App. No.
18/171,754
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Integrated circuit devices and methods of forming the same are provided. An integrated circuit device may include a substrate and a transistor stack on the substrate, the transistor stack including a first transistor and a second transistor on the first transistor. The first transistor may be between the substrate and the second transistor and the first transistor may include first and second source/drain regions, a first channel region between the first and second source/drain regions, and a first gate structure on the first channel region. A lower surface of the first source/drain region may be higher than a lower surface of the first gate structure relative to the substrate.

Claims (54)

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a substrate; and

a transistor stack on the substrate, the transistor stack comprising a first transistor and a second transistor on the first transistor,

wherein the first transistor is between the substrate and the second transistor and wherein the first transistor comprises:

first and second source/drain regions;

a first channel region between the first and second source/drain regions; and

a first gate structure on the first channel region,

wherein a lower surface of the first source/drain region is higher than a lower surface of the first gate structure relative to the substrate, and

wherein the lower surface of the first source/drain region is higher than a lower surface of the second source/drain region relative to the substrate.

2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , further comprising a bottom insulating layer between the lower surface of the first source/drain region and the substrate.

3. The integrated circuit device of claim 2 , wherein an upper surface of the bottom insulating layer contacts the lower surface of the first source/drain region.

4. The integrated circuit device of claim 2 , wherein the lower surface of the first gate structure is coplanar with a lower surface of the bottom insulating layer.

5. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , further comprising a top contact contacting an upper surface of the first source/drain region.

6. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the second transistor are spaced apart from each other in a direction,

the first channel region comprises a plurality of first channel regions stacked in the direction, and

the lower surface of the first source/drain region is coplanar with a lower surface of a lowermost first channel region of the plurality of first channel regions.

7. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the second transistor are spaced apart from each other in a direction,

the first channel region comprises a plurality of first channel regions stacked in the direction, and

a lower portion of the first gate structure is between the substrate and a lowermost first channel region of the plurality of first channel regions.

8. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the second source/drain region is higher than the lower surface of the first gate structure relative to the substrate.

9. The integrated circuit device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a first bottom insulating layer between the lower surface of the first source/drain region and the substrate; and

a second bottom insulating layer between the lower surface of the second source/drain region and the substrate.

10. The integrated circuit device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a first top contact contacting an upper surface of the first source/drain region; and

a second top contact contacting an upper surface of the second source/drain region.

11. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , further comprising a bottom contact in the substrate and electrically connected to the second source/drain region.

12. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a substrate; and

a transistor stack on the substrate, the transistor stack comprising a first transistor and a second transistor on the first transistor,

wherein the first transistor is between the substrate and the second transistor and comprises:

first and second source/drain regions;

a first channel region between the first and second source/drain regions; and

a first gate structure on the first channel region and between the first and second source/drain regions,

wherein an uppermost end of the second source/drain region is spaced apart from the substrate by a first distance, and an upper surface of the first gate structure is spaced apart from the substrate by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

13. The integrated circuit device of claim 12 , wherein an uppermost end of the first source/drain region is spaced apart from the substrate by a third distance that is greater than the first distance.

14. The integrated circuit device of claim 12 , wherein the substrate and the second transistor are spaced apart from each other in a direction,

the first channel region comprises a plurality of first channel regions stacked in the direction, and

a lowermost end of the upper surface of the second source/drain region is spaced apart from the substrate by a fourth distance, and an upper surface of an uppermost first channel region of the plurality of first channel regions is spaced apart from the substrate by a fifth distance that is equal to the fourth distance.

15. The integrated circuit device of claim 12 , further comprising a bottom contact in the substrate and electrically connected to the second source/drain region.

16. A method of forming an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:

forming a preliminary transistor stack on a substrate, the preliminary transistor stack comprising an upper channel region and a lower channel region that is between the substrate and the upper channel region;

forming a bottom insulating layer on the substrate and adjacent a first side surface of the lower channel region;

forming a first source/drain region on the bottom insulating layer, the first source/drain region contacting the first side surface of the lower channel region; and

forming a second source/drain region that is on the substrate and contacts a second side surface of the lower channel region,

wherein an uppermost end of the second source/drain region is lower than an uppermost end of the first source/drain region relative to the substrate.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

forming an insulating layer on the first source/drain region; and

forming a top contact in the insulating layer, wherein the top contact is electrically connected to the first source/drain region.

18. The method of claim 16 ,

wherein the first side surface of the lower channel region is opposite the second side surface of the lower channel region.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the second source/drain region comprises:

forming a preliminary second source/drain region that is on the substrate and contacts the second side surface the of the lower channel region; and

forming the second source/drain region by removing an upper portion of the preliminary second source/drain region.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2023
From: PARK, KEUMSEOK; PARK, SOOYOUNG; BAEK, JAEJIK; SEO, KANG-ILL
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064434/0006 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63380127 · Oct 19, 2022
Related Publication 20240136354A1 · Apr 25, 2024
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Cited By (1)
US 12,635,218