Method for manufacturing semiconductor element-including memory device

1. A method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device that controls voltages applied to a first gate conductor layer, a second gate conductor layer, a third gate conductor layer, a fourth gate conductor layer, a first impurity region, and a second impurity region to perform a data write operation, a data read operation, and a data erase operation,

the method comprising the steps of:

forming a first semiconductor pillar and a second semiconductor pillar standing on a substrate in a vertical direction and disposed adjacent to each other in a first direction in plan view, and a third semiconductor pillar and a fourth semiconductor pillar standing on the substrate in the vertical direction, having centers on a second line parallel to a first line passing through centers of the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar, and disposed adjacent to each other;

forming a first gate insulating layer surrounding lower portions of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars and a second gate insulating layer surrounding upper portions of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars,

a first gate conductor layer that surrounds the first gate insulating layer surrounding the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar and that extends between the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar,

a second gate conductor layer that surrounds the first gate insulating layer surrounding the third semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar and that extends between the third semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar,

a third gate conductor layer that surrounds the second gate insulating layer surrounding the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar and that extends between the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar, and

a fourth gate conductor layer that surrounds the second gate insulating layer surrounding the third semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar and that extends between the third semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar;

before or after the forming of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, forming the first impurity region connected to bottom portions of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars;

before or after the forming of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, forming the second impurity region in a top portion of each of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars; and

forming a first wiring conductor layer connected to the second impurity region of each of the top portions of the first semiconductor pillar and the third semiconductor pillar, and a second wiring conductor layer connected to the second impurity region of each of the top portions of the second semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar.

2. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, in plan view, a first length is smaller than a second length, where the first length represents a distance between two opposed points among points where two outer circumferential lines of the first gate insulating layers surrounding the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar intersect the first line joining the centers of the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar, and the second length represents a distance between two opposed points among points where two outer circumferential lines of the first gate insulating layers surrounding the first semiconductor pillar and the third semiconductor pillar intersect a third line joining the centers of the first semiconductor pillar and the third semiconductor pillar,

the second length is larger than twice a third length, where the third length represents a thickness of the first gate conductor layer surrounding the first semiconductor pillar on the third line, and

the first length is smaller than twice the third length.

3. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

after the forming of the first gate insulating layer, forming, on an outer peripheral portion of the first gate insulating layer, a first conductor layer having an upper surface whose level corresponds to upper ends of the first gate conductor layer and the second gate conductor layer in the vertical direction;

forming a first mask material layer disposed on the top portion of each of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, a second mask material layer extending between the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar, and a third mask material layer extending between the third semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar and separated from the second mask material layer, the second and third mask material layers surrounding side surfaces of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars; and

etching the first conductor layer using the first mask material layer, the second mask material layer, and the third mask material layer as a mask to form the first gate conductor layer and the second gate conductor layer.

4. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

after the forming of the second gate insulating layer, forming, on an outer peripheral portion of the second gate insulating layer, a second conductor layer having an upper surface whose level is located near a lower end of the second impurity region in the vertical direction;

forming a first mask material layer disposed on each of the top portions of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, a fourth mask material layer extending between the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar, and a fifth mask material layer extending between the third semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar, the fourth and fifth mask material layers being disposed on the second conductor layer, surrounding a side surface of the first mask material layer and side surfaces of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, and being separated from each other; and

etching the second conductor layer using the first mask material layer, the fourth mask material layer, and the fifth mask material layer as a mask to form the third gate conductor layer and the fourth gate conductor layer.

5. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

after the forming of the first gate insulating layer, forming, on an outer peripheral portion of the first gate insulating layer, a third conductor layer having an upper surface whose level corresponds to upper ends of the first gate conductor layer and the second gate conductor layer in the vertical direction;

forming a second insulating layer on the third conductor layer;

forming, on the second insulating layer, a fourth conductor layer having an upper surface whose level is close to a lower end of the second impurity region in the vertical direction,

forming a first mask material layer disposed on each of the top portions of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, a sixth mask material layer extending between the first semiconductor pillar and the second semiconductor pillar, and a seventh mask material layer extending between the third semiconductor pillar and the fourth semiconductor pillar, the sixth and seventh mask material layers being disposed on the fourth conductor layer, surrounding a side surface of the first mask material layer and side surfaces of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, and being separated from each other; and

etching the third conductor layer, the second insulating layer, and the fourth conductor layer using the first mask material layer, the sixth mask material layer, and the seventh mask material layer as a mask to form the first gate conductor layer, the second gate conductor layer, the third gate conductor layer, and the fourth gate conductor layer.

6. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the memory device is formed such that a wiring line connected to the first impurity region is a source line, a wiring line connected to the second impurity region is a bit line, and one of a wiring line connected to the first gate conductor layer and the second gate conductor layer and a wiring line connected to the third gate conductor layer and the fourth gate conductor layer is a word line and the other is a first driving control line, and

voltages are applied to the source line, the bit line, the first driving control line, and the word line to selectively perform the data erase operation and the data write operation.

7. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the memory device is formed such that a first gate capacitance between the first gate conductor layer and the first to fourth semiconductor pillars is larger than a second gate capacitance between the second gate conductor layer and the first to fourth semiconductor pillars.

8. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 , comprising:

forming first holes between the third gate conductor layer and the fourth gate conductor layer in plan view.

9. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 , comprising:

forming second holes between the first wiring conductor layer and the second wiring conductor layer.

10. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the second insulating layer is formed from the second gate insulating layer connected to the first to fourth semiconductor pillars.

11. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 , comprising a step of:

oxidizing upper surfaces or upper surfaces and side surfaces of the first gate conductor layer and the second gate conductor layer.

12. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 5 , comprising:

after the etching of the third conductor layer, the second insulating layer, and the fourth conductor layer using the first mask material layer, the sixth mask material layer, and the seventh mask material layer as a mask to form the first gate conductor layer, the second gate conductor layer, the third gate conductor layer, and the fourth gate conductor layer, forming third holes between the first and third gate conductor layers and the second and fourth gate conductor layers.

13. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the second insulating layer is formed from the second gate insulating layer surrounding the first to fourth semiconductor pillars and connected to the top of the third conductor layer.

14. The method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped semiconductor element-including memory device according to claim 1 , comprising:

the data write operation of retaining, inside any or all of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars, a group of positive holes formed by an impact ionization phenomenon or a gate-induced drain leakage current by controlling voltages applied to the first gate conductor layer, the second gate conductor layer, the third gate conductor layer, the fourth gate conductor layer, the first impurity region, and the second impurity region; and the data erase operation of discharging the group of positive holes from the inside of any or all of the first to fourth semiconductor pillars by controlling voltages applied to the first gate conductor layer, the second gate conductor layer, the third gate conductor layer, the fourth gate conductor layer, the first impurity region, and the second impurity region.