IP Library Granted Patent US 12,563,733
Granted Patent B2
US 12,563,733 · App. 18/184,798 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Semiconductor memory device having lower contact passing through second stairs portion of stacked body

Inventors: Ryotaro Yamamoto (Yokkaichi Mie, JP); Kojiro Shimizu (Mie Mie, JP)
Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
H10B43/27H01L23/5226H01L23/5283H10B43/10H10B43/35
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,563,733
App. No.
18/184,798
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body including a first stacked portion including lower conductive layers stacked in a first direction and including a first stairs portion having a first end portion stepwise processed, and a second stacked portion provided on an upper side of the first stacked portion and including upper conductive layers stacked in the first direction and including a second stairs portion located above the first stairs portion and having a second end portion stepwise processed, and a first lower contact passing through the second stairs portion and connected to a portion of a first lower conductive layer, the portion being included in the first stairs portion.

Claims (56)

1 . A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a stacked body including: a first stacked portion including a plurality of lower conductive layers stacked to be apart from each other in a first direction, the first stacked portion including a first stairs portion having a first end portion stepwise processed along a second direction crossing the first direction; and a second stacked portion provided on an upper side of the first stacked portion and including a plurality of upper conductive layers stacked to be apart from each other in the first direction, the second stacked portion including a second stairs portion located above the first stairs portion and having a second end portion stepwise processed along the second direction;

a first pillar structure including a semiconductor layer extending in the first direction in the stacked body; and

a first lower contact passing through the second stairs portion, the first lower contact being connected to a portion of a first lower conductive layer of the plurality of lower conductive layers, the portion of the first lower conductive layer being included in the first stairs portion.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an upper contact connected to a portion of a first upper conductive layer of the plurality of upper conductive layers, the portion of the first upper conductive layer being included in the second stairs portion.

3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein

the first lower contact passes through the first upper conductive layer.

4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein

when viewed in the first direction, the first lower contact and the upper contact are disposed on a same line extending in the second direction.

5 . The device according to claim 2 , further comprising a second pillar structure extending in the first direction in the first and second stairs portions.

6 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein

the first lower contact and the second pillar structure pass through the first upper conductive layer.

7 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein

when viewed in the first direction, the first lower contact, the upper contact, and the second pillar structure are disposed on a same line extending in the second direction.

8 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein

when viewed in the first direction, the first lower contact and the upper contact are disposed on respective different lines extending in the second direction.

9 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein

when viewed in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction, a pattern of the first lower contact and a pattern of the upper contact mutually overlap.

10 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein

the first end portion is defined by a plurality of first rising portions and a plurality of first terrace portions extending substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of first rising portions excluding an uppermost first rising portion of the plurality of first rising portions,

the second end portion is defined by a plurality of second rising portions and a plurality of second terrace portions extending substantially parallel to the plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of second rising portions excluding an uppermost second rising portion of the plurality of second rising portions,

when viewed in the first direction, the first lower contact is disposed in one of the plurality of first terrace portions, and

when viewed in the first direction, the upper contact is disposed in one of the plurality of second terrace portions.

11 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first end portion is defined by a plurality of first rising portions and a plurality of first terrace portions extending substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of first rising portions excluding an uppermost first rising portion of the plurality of first rising portions,

the second end portion is defined by a plurality of second rising portions and a plurality of second terrace portions extending substantially parallel to the plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of second rising portions excluding an uppermost second rising portion of the plurality of second rising portions, and

when viewed in the first direction, positions of the plurality of first rising portions and positions of the plurality of second rising portions are shifted from each other.

12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first end portion is defined by a plurality of first rising portions and a plurality of first terrace portions extending substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of first rising portions excluding an uppermost first rising portion of the plurality of first rising portions,

the second end portion is defined by a plurality of second rising portions and a plurality of second terrace portions extending substantially parallel to the plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of second rising portions excluding an uppermost second rising portion of the plurality of second rising portions, and

when viewed in the first direction, positions of the plurality of first rising portions and positions of the plurality of second rising portions are substantially identical to each other.

13 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an insulating portion surrounding a side face of the first lower contact.

14 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first lower contact has a lower portion provided in an insulating region between the first stairs portion and the second stairs portion, and

the first lower contact has an upper portion that passes through the second stairs portion and is connected to the lower portion.

15 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an upper contact, wherein

the first stacked portion further includes a third stairs portion having a third end portion stepwise processed along the second direction,

the second stacked portion further includes a fourth stairs portion located above the third stairs portion and having a fourth end portion stepwise processed along the second direction, and

the upper contact is connected to a portion of a first upper conductive layer of the plurality of upper conductive layers, the portion of the first upper conductive layer being included in the fourth stairs portion.

16 . A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a stacked body including: a first stacked portion including a plurality of lower conductive layers stacked to be apart from each other in a first direction, the first stacked portion including a first stairs portion having a first end portion stepwise processed along a second direction crossing the first direction; and a second stacked portion provided on an upper side of the first stacked portion and including a plurality of upper conductive layers stacked to be apart from each other in the first direction, the second stacked portion including a second stairs portion located above the first stairs portion and having a second end portion stepwise processed along the second direction;

a first pillar structure including a semiconductor layer extending in the first direction in the stacked body;

a first lower contact passing through a first through hole formed in the second stairs portion and connected to a portion of a first lower conductive layer of the plurality of lower conductive layers, the portion of the first lower conductive layer being included in the first stairs portion; and

a second lower contact passing through a second through hole formed in the second stairs portion and connected to a portion of a second lower conductive layer of the plurality of lower conductive layers, the portion of the second lower conductive layer being included in the first stairs portion.

17 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein

the second stairs portion of the second stacked portion has a first portion between the first through hole and the second through hole.

18 . The device according to claim 17 , further comprising an upper contact connected to a portion of a first upper conductive layer of the plurality of upper conductive layers, the portion of the first upper conductive layer being included in the first portion of the second stairs portion.

19 . The device according to claim 18 , wherein

the first end portion is defined by a plurality of first rising portions and a plurality of first terrace portions extending substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of first rising portions excluding an uppermost first rising portion of the plurality of first rising portions,

the second end portion is defined by a plurality of second rising portions and a plurality of second terrace portions extending substantially parallel to the plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of second rising portions excluding an uppermost second rising portion of the plurality of second rising portions,

when viewed in the first direction, the upper contact is disposed in one of the plurality of second terrace portions, and

in the one of the plurality of second terrace portions, one of the first lower contact and the second lower contact passes through the first upper conductive layer, and the other one of the first lower contact and the second lower contact does not pass through the first upper conductive layer.

20 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein

the first end portion is defined by a plurality of first rising portions and a plurality of first terrace portions extending substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of first rising portions excluding an uppermost first rising portion of the plurality of first rising portions,

the second end portion is defined by a plurality of second rising portions and a plurality of second terrace portions extending substantially parallel to the plane perpendicular to the first direction from upper ends of the plurality of second rising portions excluding an uppermost second rising portion of the plurality of second rising portions, and

one of the plurality of second rising portions is located between the first through hole and the second through hole.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2025
From: SHIMIZU, KOJIRO
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 073081/0196 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-099675 · Jun 21, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230413558A1 · Dec 21, 2023
References Cited (5)
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US 20230069307A1 · Shimomura · 2023 [cited by examiner]
JP 2018148071A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]