IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,763,276
Granted Patent B2
US 10,763,276 · App. 16/118,567 · Granted Sep 1, 2020

Three dimensional semiconductor memory including pillars having joint portions between columnar sections

Inventor: Hideto Takekida (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
H01L27/11582G11C16/28H01L27/1157H01L29/7926G11C16/0483
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,763,276
App. No.
16/118,567
Granted
Sep 1, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory includes a plurality of conductors stacked with insulators being interposed therebetween and a pillar through the plurality of conductors. The pillar includes a first columnar section, a second columnar section, and a joint portion between the first columnar section and the second columnar section. The pillar comprises portions that cross the respective conductors and that each function as part of a transistor. The plurality of conductors include a first conductor. The first conductor is closest to the joint portion among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section, and includes a bending portion formed along the joint portion.

Claims (48)

1. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a plurality of conductors stacked with insulators being interposed therebetween; and

a pillar through the plurality of conductors, the pillar including a first columnar section, a second columnar section above the first columnar section, and a joint portion between the first columnar section and the second columnar section, and the pillar comprising portions that cross the respective conductors, the portions respectively functioning as part of a transistor,

wherein the plurality of conductors include a first conductor that is closest to the joint portion among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section, and the first conductor includes a bending portion formed along the joint portion.

2. The memory of claim 1 , wherein the joint portion abuts each of the first columnar section and the second columnar section.

3. The memory of claim 2 , wherein an outer diameter of the joint portion in a cross-section area parallel to a surface of a substrate, is larger than an outer diameter of the second columnar section in a cross-section area parallel to the surface of the substrate and including a boundary portion between the second columnar section and the joint portion.

4. The memory of claim 3 , wherein the outer diameter of the joint portion is larger than an outer diameter of the first columnar section in a cross-section area parallel to the substrate and including a boundary portion between the first columnar section and the joint portion.

5. The memory of claim 3 , wherein a distance, in a first direction that crosses the surface of the substrate, between a first cross-section area of the pillar and a second cross-section area of the pillar is smaller than a thickness of the first conductor in the first direction,

the first cross-section area is parallel to the surface of the substrate and includes a portion of the bending portion most distant from the substrate in the first direction, and

the second cross-section area is parallel to the surface of the substrate and includes a portion of the bending portion closest to the substrate in the first direction.

6. The memory of claim 5 , wherein the distance is equal to or smaller than a half of the thickness.

7. The memory of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductors include a second conductor that is second closest to the joint portion among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section, and the second conductor includes a portion bending indirectly along the joint portion.

8. The memory of claim 1 , wherein a transistor provided in a portion where the first conductor crosses the second columnar section is not used for storing data.

9. The memory of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductors include a third conductor that is closest to the joint portion among the plurality of conductors through the first columnar section,

a first distance is smaller than a second distance,

the first distance is a distance, in a stacking direction of the plurality of conductors, between adjacent conductors among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section, and

the second distance is a distance in the stacking direction between the first conductor and the third conductor.

10. The memory of claim 9 , wherein the third conductor has no portion bending along the joint portion.

11. The memory of claim 9 , wherein a transistor provided in a portion where the third conductor crosses the first columnar section is not used for storing data.

12. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a plurality of conductors stacked with insulators being interposed therebetween; and

a pillar through the plurality of conductors, the pillar including a first columnar section and a second columnar section on the first columnar section, and the pillar comprising portions that cross the respective conductors, the portions respectively functioning as part of a transistor,

wherein the plurality of conductors include a first conductor that is closest to the first columnar section among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section, and the first conductor includes a bending portion formed along the first columnar section.

13. The memory of claim 12 , wherein, in a boundary portion between the first columnar section and the second columnar section, an outer diameter of the first columnar section in a cross-section area parallel to a surface of a substrate is larger than an outer diameter of the second columnar section in a cross-section area parallel to the surface of the substrate.

14. The memory of claim 13 , wherein a distance, in a first direction that crosses the surface of the substrate, between a first cross-section area of the pillar and a second cross-section area of the pillar is smaller than a thickness of the first conductor in the first direction,

the first cross-section area is parallel to the surface of the substrate and includes a portion of the bending portion most distant from the substrate in the first direction, and

the second cross-section area is parallel to the surface of the substrate and includes a portion of the bending portion closest to the substrate in the first direction.

15. The memory of claim 14 , wherein the distance is equal to or smaller than a half of the thickness.

16. The memory of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of conductors include a second conductor that is second closest to the first columnar section among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section, and the second conductor includes a portion bending indirectly along the first columnar section.

17. The memory of claim 12 , wherein a transistor provided in a portion where the first conductor crosses the second columnar section is not used for storing data.

18. The memory of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of conductors include a third conductor that is closest to the second columnar section among the plurality of conductors through the first columnar section,

a first distance is smaller than a second distance,

the first distance is a distance, in a stacking direction of the plurality of conductors, between adjacent conductors among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section,

the second distance is a distance in the stacking direction between the first conductor and the third conductor.

19. The memory of claim 18 , wherein the third conductor has no portion bending along the joint portion.

20. The memory of claim 18 , wherein a transistor provided in a portion where the third conductor crosses the first columnar section is not used for storing data.

21. A semiconductor memory comprising:

a plurality of conductors stacked with insulators being interposed therebetween; and

a plurality of pillars each passing through the plurality of conductors, the pillars each including a first columnar section, and a second columnar section above the first columnar section, the pillars each comprising portions that cross the respective conductors, the portions respectively functioning as part of a transistor, wherein

the plurality of conductors include a first conductor among the plurality of conductors through the second columnar section,

the plurality of pillars include a first pillar and a second pillar adjacent to each other, and

a first distance, in a stacking direction of the plurality of conductors, between a substrate and an upper end of the first conductor at a position between the first and second pillars is smaller than a second distance in the stacking direction between the substrate and an upper end of a portion where the first conductor comes into contact with the first pillar.

22. The memory of claim 21 , wherein

the plurality of conductors include a second conductor through the first columnar section, and

a third distance in the stacking direction between the substrate and an upper end of the second conductor at a position between the first and second pillars is equal to a fourth distance in the stacking direction between the substrate and an upper end of a portion where the second conductor comes into contact with the first pillar.

23. The memory of claim 21 , wherein

the plurality of conductors include a third conductor through the second columnar section and disposed above the first conductor, and

a fifth distance in the stacking direction between the substrate and an upper end of the third conductor at a position between the first and second pillars is equal to a sixth distance in the stacking direction between the substrate and an upper end of a portion where the third conductor comes into contact with the first pillar.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2018
From: TAKEKIDA, HIDETO
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046764/0575 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-249588 · Dec 26, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190198522A1 · Jun 27, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,507,415