IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,660,188
Granted Patent B2
US 12,660,188 · App. 18/475,784 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Semiconductor memory device and electronic system including the same

Inventors: Gil Sung Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Suk Kang Sung (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10B43/27G11C16/0483H10B43/10H10B43/35H10B43/40H10B80/00H10W90/00H10W90/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,660,188
App. No.
18/475,784
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor memory device may include a cell substrate, a mold structure including gate electrodes stacked on the cell substrate, a channel structures penetrating the mold structure; and a first cutting structure cutting some of the gate electrodes. The first cutting structure may include a first portion having a line shape extending in a first direction and a second portion having a line shape extending in a second direction. The first portion and the second portion may be alternately connected to form a zigzag shape. The first cutting structure may include a first side wall and a second side wall opposing the first side wall. A first point of the first side wall connected from the second portion to the first portion and a second point of the second side wall connected from the first portion to the second portion may be in corresponding channel structures among the channel structures.

Claims (86)

1 . A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a cell substrate including a cell region and an extension region;

a mold structure including a plurality of gate electrodes sequentially stacked on the cell substrate;

a plurality of first channel structures penetrating the mold structure and arranged in a first direction on the cell region;

a plurality of second channel structures penetrating the mold structure, the plurality of second channel structures being adjacent to the plurality of first channel structures in a second direction and arranged in the first direction on the cell region such that the plurality of first channel structures and the plurality of second channel structures are arranged in a zigzag pattern on the cell region; and

a cutting structure including a first portion and a second portion that each have a line shape,

the first portion extending in a third direction from inside of each of the plurality of first channel structures to inside of each of the plurality of second channel structures adjacent to each of the plurality of first channel structures, and

the second portion extending in a fourth direction from inside of each of the plurality of second channel structures to inside of each of the plurality of first channel structures adjacent to each of the plurality of second channel structures,

the fourth direction being different from the third direction,

wherein the cutting structure cuts some of the plurality of gate electrodes.

2 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the first portion and the second portion are connected to each other,

the cutting structure extends in the first direction and has a zigzag shape.

3 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of gate electrodes include a ground selection line, a plurality of word lines, and a string selection line, which are sequentially stacked on each other, and

the cutting structure cuts the string selection line.

4 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 3 , wherein

the extension region and the cell region are arranged by each other in the first direction,

the cutting structure extends in the first direction, and

the cutting structure has a zigzag shape in at least a part of the extension region.

5 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 3 , wherein

the extension region and the cell region are arranged by each other the first direction, and

the cutting structure extends in the first direction, and

the cutting structure has a line shape in at least a part of the extension region.

6 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of gate electrodes include a ground selection line, a plurality of word lines and a string selection line, which are sequentially stacked on each other, and

the cutting structure cuts the ground selection line.

7 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of first channel structures, the plurality of second channel structures, and the cutting structure are arranged by each other in the second direction.

8 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of third channel structures penetrating the mold structure, wherein

the plurality of third channel structures are spaced apart from the plurality of second channel structures in the second direction and arranged in the first direction in a zigzag arrangement.

9 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of first channel structures and the plurality of second channel structures each include a filling pattern penetrating the mold structure, a semiconductor pattern between the filling pattern and the mold structure, and an information storage film between the semiconductor pattern and the mold structure,

the first portion extends from the filling pattern of each of the plurality of first channel structures to the filling pattern of the plurality of second channel structures adjacent to each of the plurality of first channel structures in the third direction, and

the second portion extends from the filling pattern of each of the plurality of second channel structures to the filling pattern of each of the plurality of first channel structures adjacent to each of the plurality of second channel structures in the fourth direction.

10 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the cutting structure includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposing the first side wall,

a first point of the first side wall connected from the first portion to the second portion is on a same plane as outer walls of the plurality of second channel structures or is spaced part from the plurality of second channel structures, and

a second point of the second side wall connected from the second portion to the first portion is coplanar with outer walls of the plurality of first channel structures or is spaced apart from the plurality of first channel structures.

11 . A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a cell substrate;

a mold structure including a plurality of gate electrodes sequentially stacked on the cell substrate;

a plurality of channel structures penetrating the mold structure; and

a first cutting structure cutting some of the plurality of gate electrodes, the first cutting structure including a first portion having a line shape extending in a first direction and a second portion having a line shape extending in a second direction, the first portion and the second portion being alternately connected to form a zigzag shape, wherein

the first cutting structure includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposing the first side wall, and

a first point of the first side wall connected from the second portion to the first portion and a second point of the second side wall connected from the first portion to the second portion are in corresponding channel structures among the plurality of channel structures.

12 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 11 , wherein

the plurality of gate electrodes include a ground selection line, a plurality of word lines, and a string selection line that are sequentially stacked along a third direction, and

the first cutting structure cuts the string selection line.

13 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 12 , further comprising:

a second cutting structure cutting the ground selection line, wherein

the second cutting structure includes a third portion having a line shape extending in the first direction and a fourth portion having a line shape extending in the second direction, the third portion and the fourth portion are alternately connected to form a zigzag structure,

the second cutting structure includes a third side wall and a fourth side wall opposing the third side wall, and

a third point of the third side wall connected from the fourth portion to the third portion, and a fourth point of the fourth side wall connected from the third portion to the fourth portion are placed inside the plurality of channel structures.

14 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 13 , wherein

the second cutting structure does not overlap the first cutting structure in the third direction.

15 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 13 , wherein

the second cutting structure overlaps at least a part of the first cutting structure in the third direction.

16 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 11 , wherein

a third point of the first side wall connected from the first portion to the second portion and a fourth point of the second side wall connected from the second portion to the first portion are coplanar with outer walls of the plurality of channel structures or are spaced apart from the plurality of channel structures.

17 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 11 , wherein

the first cutting structure is a plurality of first cutting structures extending in a third direction,

the plurality of channel structures include a first channel structure and a second channel structure,

at least a part of one of the plurality of first cutting structures is in the first channel structure and not in the second channel structure, and

the second channel structure is between two of the plurality of first cutting structures adjacent to each other.

18 . The semiconductor memory device of claim 11 , further comprising:

a word line cutting structure adjacent to the first cutting structure,

the first cutting structure extends in a third direction,

the word line cutting structure cuts the plurality of gate electrodes,

the plurality of channel structures includes a first channel structure and a second channel structure,

at least a part of the first cutting structure is in the first channel structure and not in the second channel structure, and

the second channel structure is between the first cutting structure and the word line cutting structure.

19 . An electronic system comprising:

a main board;

a semiconductor memory device on the main board; and

a controller on the main board, the controller being electrically connected to the semiconductor memory device, wherein

the semiconductor memory device includes a cell substrate, a mold structure including a plurality of gate electrodes sequentially stacked on the cell substrate, a plurality of channel structures penetrating the mold structure, and a cutting structure cutting a part of the mold structure,

each of the plurality of gate electrodes is connected to the controller,

the cutting structure includes a first portion having a line shape extending in a first direction and a second portion having a line shape extending in a second direction,

the first portion and the second portion are alternately connected to form a zigzag shape,

the cutting structure includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposing the first side wall, and

a first point of the first side wall connected from the second portion to the first portion and a second point of the second side wall connected from the first portion to the second portion are in corresponding channel structures among the plurality of channel structures.

20 . The electronic system of claim 19 , wherein

the plurality of gate electrodes include a ground selection line, a plurality of word lines, and a string selection line, which are sequentially stacked, and

the cutting structure cuts at least one of the string selection line and the ground selection line.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2023
From: LEE, GIL SUNG; SUNG, SUK KANG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065355/0778 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0185434 · Dec 27, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240215242A1 · Jun 27, 2024
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