IP Library Granted Patent US 12,388,036
Granted Patent B2
US 12,388,036 · App. 17/481,040 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Three-dimensional memory devices and methods for forming the same

Inventors: Liang Chen (Wuhan, CN); Wei Liu (Wuhan, CN); Yanhong Wang (Wuhan, CN); Zhiliang Xia (Wuhan, CN); Wenxi Zhou (Wuhan, CN); Kun Zhang (Wuhan, CN); Yuancheng Yang (Wuhan, CN)
Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
H01L24/08H01L24/80H01L25/0657H01L25/18H01L25/50H01L2224/08145H01L2224/80895H01L2224/80896H01L2924/1431H01L2924/14511
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,388,036
App. No.
17/481,040
Granted
Aug 12, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In certain aspects, a three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes a first semiconductor structure, a second semiconductor structure, and a bonding interface between the first semiconductor structure and the second semiconductor structure. The first semiconductor structure includes an array of memory cells. The second semiconductor structure includes a first peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells. The first peripheral circuit includes a first transistor. The first semiconductor structure or the second semiconductor structure further includes a second peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells. The second peripheral circuit includes a second transistor. The first peripheral circuit and the second peripheral circuit are stacked over one another.

Claims (69)

1. A three-dimensional (3D) memory device, comprising:

a first semiconductor structure comprising:

an array of memory cells comprising an array of NAND memory strings, and

a first semiconductor layer, wherein sources of the array of NAND memory strings are in contact with a first side of the first semiconductor layer;

a second semiconductor structure comprising:

a first peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the first peripheral circuit comprising a first transistor, and

a second semiconductor layer in contact with the first transistor; and

a bonding interface between the first semiconductor structure and the second semiconductor structure,

wherein the first semiconductor structure or the second semiconductor structure further comprises a second peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the second peripheral circuit comprising a second transistor in contact with a second side of the first semiconductor layer opposite to the first side; and

the first peripheral circuit and the second peripheral circuit are stacked over one another.

2. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises single crystalline silicon.

3. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises polysilicon.

4. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein the array of NAND memory strings is between the bonding interface and the first semiconductor layer.

5. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the first transistor comprises a first gate dielectric;

the second transistor comprises a second gate dielectric; and

the first and second gate dielectrics have different thicknesses.

6. The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein a difference between the thicknesses of the first and second gate dielectrics is at least 5-fold.

7. The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein

at least one of the first semiconductor structure or the second semiconductor structure further comprises:

a third peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the third peripheral circuit comprising a third transistor comprising a third gate dielectric; and

a fourth peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the fourth peripheral circuit comprising a fourth transistor comprising a fourth gate dielectric;

the first and third peripheral circuits are coplanar;

the second and fourth peripheral circuits are coplanar; and

the third and fourth gate dielectrics have a same thickness.

8. The 3D memory device of claim 7 , wherein the thickness of the third and fourth gate dielectrics is between the thicknesses of the first and second gate dielectrics.

9. The 3D memory device of claim 7 , wherein the third and fourth peripheral circuits comprise at least one of a page buffer circuit or a logic circuit.

10. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the second semiconductor structure further comprises a first interconnect layer comprising a first interconnect coupled to the first transistor;

the first semiconductor structure or the second semiconductor structure further comprises a second interconnect layer comprising a second interconnect coupled to the second transistor; and

the first and second interconnects have different materials.

11. The 3D memory device of claim 10 , wherein the materials of the first and second interconnects comprise copper and tungsten.

12. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first peripheral circuit comprises an input/output (I/O) circuit, and the second peripheral circuit comprises a driving circuit, or vice versa.

13. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first voltage source coupled to the first peripheral circuit and configured to provide a first voltage to the first peripheral circuit; and

a second voltage source coupled to the second peripheral circuit and configured to provide a second voltage to the second peripheral circuit,

wherein the first voltage is different from the second voltage.

14. The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein

the first semiconductor structure further comprises a first bonding layer at the bonding interface and comprising a first bonding contact;

the second semiconductor structure further comprises a second bonding layer at the bonding interface and comprising a second bonding contact; and

the first bonding contact is in contact with the second bonding contact at the bonding interface.

15. The 3D memory device of claim 14 , wherein the first bonding contact and the second bonding contact comprise a same material.

16. A system, comprising:

a memory device configured to store data, and comprising:

a first semiconductor structure comprising:

an array of memory cells comprising an array of NAND memory strings, and

a first semiconductor layer, wherein sources of the array of NAND memory strings are in contact with a first side of the first semiconductor layer;

a second semiconductor structure comprising:

a first peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the first peripheral circuit comprising a first transistor, and

a second semiconductor layer in contact with the first transistor; and

a bonding interface between the first semiconductor structure and the second semiconductor structure,

wherein the first semiconductor structure or the second semiconductor structure further comprises a second peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the second peripheral circuit comprising a second transistor in contact with a second side of the first semiconductor layer opposite to the first side; and

the first peripheral circuit and the second peripheral circuit are stacked over one another; and

a memory controller coupled to the memory device and configured to control the array of memory cells through the first peripheral circuit and the second peripheral circuit.

17. A three-dimensional (3D) memory device, comprising:

a first semiconductor structure comprising:

an array of memory cells comprising an array of NAND memory strings, and

a first semiconductor layer, wherein sources of the array of NAND memory strings are in contact with a first side of the first semiconductor layer;

a second semiconductor structure comprising:

a first peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the first peripheral circuit comprising a first transistor, and

a second semiconductor layer, wherein the first transistor is in contact with a first side of the second semiconductor layer; and

a bonding interface between the first semiconductor structure and the second semiconductor structure,

wherein the first semiconductor structure or the second semiconductor structure further comprises a second peripheral circuit of the array of memory cells, the second peripheral circuit comprising a second transistor in contact with a second side of the second semiconductor layer opposite to the first side; and

the first peripheral circuit and the second peripheral circuit are stacked over one another.

18. The 3D memory device of claim 17 , wherein the array of NAND memory strings is between the bonding interface and the first semiconductor layer.

19. The 3D memory device of claim 17 , wherein

the first transistor comprises a first gate dielectric;

the second transistor comprises a second gate dielectric; and

the first and second gate dielectrics have different thicknesses.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2021
From: CHEN, LIANG; LIU, WEI; WANG, YANHONG; XIA, ZHILIANG; ZHOU, WENXI; ZHANG, KUN; YANG, YUANCHENG
To: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057558/0091 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021103785 · Jun 30, 2021
Related Publication 20230005860A1 · Jan 5, 2023
References Cited (75)
US 6306713B1 · Hu et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 10283493B1 · Nishida · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10355100B1 · Ueda et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10665580B1 · Hosoda et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11527545B2 · Fulford et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11569215B2 · Kim et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11600609B2 · Sung et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20080153200A1 · Sitaram · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20100264423A1 · Wood et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20140175637A1 · Stuber et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150129878A1 · Shin et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150160550A1 · Kim et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160079164A1 · Fukuzumi · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170179146A1 · Park et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180175034A1 · Goktepeli et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180204820A1 · Zhai et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180308559A1 · Kim et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190067322A1 · Chen et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190221557A1 · Kim et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200058617A1 · Wu et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200066703A1 · Kim et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200098571A1 · Matsuo · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200098776A1 · Sugisaki · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200194452A1 · Xiao · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200328176A1 · Liu · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200328180A1 · Cheng et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200328186A1 · Liu · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200350014A1 · Liu · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200350322A1 · Liu et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200411509A1 · Yang et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210066277A1 · Kim et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210074717A1 · Lim et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210082896A1 · Harashima et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210134748A1 · Liu · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220077126A1 · Choi et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220122932A1 · Oh et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220130846A1 · Kim · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 102770940A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 103871837A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 107799529A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 110870062A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 107946215A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108352298A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108604572A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108735760A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109155235A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 109817636A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 111968685A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110192269A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110249427A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110720145A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 110931489A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 110945652A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 110998844A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111326514A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111357108A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111788687A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 112614831A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112635441A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2004342753A · 2004 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010192611A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
KR 20080059804A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
TW 202119601A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2021068229A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
Supplemental European Search Report issued in corresponding EP Application No. 21 94 7574, mailed on Jan. 5, 2024, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103710, mailed Mar. 30, 2022, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103785, mailed Mar. 30, 2022, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/115218, mailed May 7, 2022, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103610, mailed Mar. 28, 2022, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103697, mailed Mar. 28, 2022, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103764, mailed Mar. 28, 2022, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103730, mailed Mar. 28, 2022, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103767, mailed Mar. 28, 2022, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103762, mailed Mar. 28, 2022, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/CN2021/103794, mailed Mar. 28, 2022, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]