IP Library Granted Patent US 12,317,477
Granted Patent B2
US 12,317,477 · App. 17/988,764 · Granted May 27, 2025

Memory device, memory circuit and manufacturing method of memory circuit

Inventor: Chen-Shuo Huang (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: AUO Corporation
H10B12/20H10B12/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,317,477
App. No.
17/988,764
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A memory device includes a substrate, an oxide insulating layer, a first metal oxide layer, a first gate dielectric layer, a second metal oxide layer, a second gate dielectric layer, a first gate, a source, and a drain. The oxide insulating layer is located above the substrate. The first metal oxide layer is located above the oxide insulating layer. The first gate dielectric layer is located above the first metal oxide layer. The second metal oxide layer is located above the first gate dielectric layer. The second gate dielectric layer is located above the second metal oxide layer. The first gate is located above the second gate dielectric layer. The second metal oxide layer is located between the first gate and the first metal oxide layer. The source and the drain are electrically connected to the first metal oxide layer.

Claims (63)

1. A memory device, comprising:

a substrate;

an oxide insulating layer located above the substrate;

a first metal oxide layer located above the oxide insulating layer;

a first gate dielectric layer located above the first metal oxide layer;

a second metal oxide layer located above the first gate dielectric layer;

a second gate dielectric layer located above the second metal oxide layer;

a first gate located above the second gate dielectric layer, wherein the second metal oxide layer is located between the first gate and the first metal oxide layer; and

a source and a drain electrically connected to the first metal oxide layer.

2. The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the first metal oxide layer comprises a source region, a drain region, and a channel region located between the source region and the drain region, wherein a resistivity of the source region and a resistivity of the drain region are lower than a resistivity of the channel region, and the second metal oxide layer is located between the channel region and the first gate.

3. The memory device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a buffer layer located above the substrate, wherein the buffer layer contains hydrogen, wherein a first oxygen-containing structure of the oxide insulating layer is located between the channel region and the buffer layer, and the source region and the drain region contact the buffer layer.

4. The memory device according to claim 3 , wherein the first metal oxide layer further comprises:

a first resistance gradient region and a second resistance gradient region contacting a side surface of the first oxygen-containing structure, wherein a resistivity of the first resistance gradient region and a resistivity of the second resistance gradient region decrease as distances from the channel region increase, wherein the first resistance gradient region is connected between the channel region and the source region, and the second resistance gradient region is connected between the channel region and the drain region.

5. The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first gate dielectric layer is less than a thickness of the second gate dielectric layer.

6. The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the first gate completely shields the second metal oxide layer in a normal direction of a top surface of the substrate.

7. A memory circuit, comprising:

a substrate;

an oxide insulating layer located above the substrate and comprising a first oxygen-containing structure and a second oxygen-containing structure;

a first gate dielectric layer located above the oxide insulating layer and comprising a first dielectric structure and a second dielectric structure, wherein the second oxygen-containing structure and the second dielectric structure are stacked on each other to form a protruding structure;

a second gate dielectric layer located above the first gate dielectric layer;

a memory device, comprising:

a first metal oxide layer located above the first oxygen-containing structure;

a second metal oxide layer, wherein the first dielectric structure is located between the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer;

a first gate, wherein the second gate dielectric layer is located between second metal oxide layer and the first gate, and the second metal oxide layer is located between the first gate and the first metal oxide layer; and

a first source and a first drain electrically connected to the first metal oxide layer; and

a thin film transistor, comprising:

a third metal oxide layer covering a top surface and a side surface of the protruding structure;

a second gate overlapping the third metal oxide layer, wherein second gate dielectric layer is located between the second gate and the third metal oxide layer; and

a second source and a second drain electrically connected to the third metal oxide layer.

8. The memory circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the third metal oxide layer comprises:

a channel region covering the top surface of the protruding structure;

a first resistance gradient region and a second resistance gradient region contacting the side surface of the protruding structure, wherein a resistivity of the first resistance gradient region and a resistivity of the second resistance gradient region decrease as distances from the channel region increase; and

a source region and a drain region extending from the side surface of the protruding structure in a direction away from the protruding structure, wherein the first resistance gradient region is connected between the channel region and the source region, and the second resistance gradient region is connected between the channel region and the drain region.

9. The memory circuit according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a buffer layer located above the substrate, wherein the buffer layer contains hydrogen, wherein the protruding structure is located between the channel region and the buffer layer, and the source region and the drain region contact the buffer region.

10. The memory circuit according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a word line electrically connected to the second gate;

a bit line electrically connected to the second drain, wherein the second source is electrically connected to the first gate;

a data line electrically connected to the first drain; and

a source line electrically connected to the first source.

11. The memory circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the thin film transistor further comprises:

a bottom gate, wherein the third metal oxide layer is located between the bottom gate and the second gate, and the protruding structure is located between the bottom gate and the third metal oxide layer.

12. The memory circuit according to claim 11 , wherein a length of the bottom gate is greater than a length of the second gate.

13. The memory circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the second metal oxide layer and the third metal oxide layer belong to a same patterned layer.

14. A manufacturing method of a memory device, comprising:

forming an oxide insulating layer above a substrate;

forming a first metal oxide layer above the oxide insulating layer;

forming a first gate dielectric layer above the first metal oxide layer;

forming a second metal oxide layer above the first gate dielectric layer;

forming a second gate dielectric layer above the second metal oxide layer;

forming a first gate above the second gate dielectric layer, wherein the second metal oxide layer is located between the first gate and the first metal oxide layer; and

forming a source and a drain electrically connected to the first metal oxide layer.

15. The manufacturing method of the memory device according to claim 14 , further comprising:

performing a patterning process on the oxide insulating layer and the first gate dielectric layer, such that the oxide insulating layer comprises a first oxygen-containing structure and a second oxygen-containing structure, and the first gate dielectric layer comprises a first dielectric structure and a second dielectric structure, wherein the second oxygen-containing structure and the second dielectric structure are stacked on each other to form a protruding structure;

forming the second metal oxide layer on the first dielectric structure of the first gate dielectric layer and forming a third metal oxide layer on a top surface and a side surface of the protruding structure;

forming the second gate dielectric layer on the second metal oxide layer and the third metal oxide layer;

forming the first gate and the second gate on the second gate dielectric layer, wherein the second gate overlaps the third metal oxide layer; and

forming a second source and a second drain electrically connected to the third metal oxide layer.

16. The manufacturing method of the memory device according to claim 15 , further comprising:

performing a doping process on the first metal oxide layer and the third metal oxide layer by treating the first gate and the second gate as masks.

17. The manufacturing method of the memory device according to claim 15 , further comprising:

performing a heat treatment process to diffuse oxygen in the protruding structure into the third metal oxide layer before forming the first gate and the second gate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2022
From: HUANG, CHEN-SHUO
To: AUO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061818/0246 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 111126381 · Jul 14, 2022 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63287695 · Dec 9, 2021
Related Publication 20230189499A1 · Jun 15, 2023
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