IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,431,433
Granted Patent B2
US 12,431,433 · App. 17/734,473 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Semiconductor device

Inventors: Doohyun Lee (Hwaseong-si, KR); Heonjong Shin (Yongin-si, KR); Minchan Gwak (Hwaseong-si, KR); Seonbae Kim (Hwaseong-si, KR); Jinyoung Park (Hwaseong-si, KR); Hyunho Park (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H01L23/535H01L21/0259H01L21/32135H01L21/32139H01L21/76895H01L23/5283H10D30/031H10D30/6735H10D30/6757H10D62/118H10D64/017H10D64/018
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,431,433
App. No.
17/734,473
Granted
Sep 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device includes active regions extending in a first direction on a substrate; a gate electrode intersecting the active regions on the substrate, extending in a second direction, and including a contact region protruding upwardly; and an interconnection line on the gate electrode and connected to the contact region, wherein the contact region includes a lower region having a first width in the second direction and an upper region located on the lower region and having a second width smaller than the first width in the second direction, and wherein at least one side surface of the contact region in the second direction has a point at which an inclination or a curvature is changed between the lower region and the upper region.

Claims (45)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

active regions extending in a first direction on a substrate;

a gate electrode intersecting the active regions on the substrate and extending in a second direction;

first and second channel structures spaced apart from each other in the second direction on the active regions, each of the first and second channel structures including a plurality of channel layers spaced apart from each other in a third direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate and surrounded by the gate electrode;

an interconnection line on the gate electrode and connected to the gate electrode; and

source/drain regions in regions in which the active regions are recessed on both sides of the gate electrode and in contact with the plurality of channel layers,

the gate electrode including a contact region located on at least a portion of a first uppermost channel layer that is an uppermost channel layer among the plurality of channel layers of the first channel structure and connected to the interconnection line, and

the gate electrode exposing at least a portion of a second uppermost channel layer that is an uppermost channel layer among the plurality of channel layers of the second channel structure.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the contact region includes a lower region having a first width in the second direction and an upper region located on the lower region and having a second width smaller than the first width in the second direction.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein side surfaces of the upper region in the second direction have a curve of a concave shape.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein the interconnection line has a third width smaller than the first width in the second direction.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the contact region has an asymmetric shape in the second direction.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein a height of the contact region is in a range of about 10 nm to about 30 nm.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the gate electrode is located at a same or lower level as a level of an upper surface of the second uppermost channel layer, on the second channel structure.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 7 , wherein the upper surface of the gate electrode is located at a same or higher level as a level of a lower surface of the second uppermost channel layer, on the second channel structure.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:

etch stop layers on the first and second uppermost channel layers.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein the gate electrode covers the etch stop layer on the first uppermost channel layer and exposes the etch stop layer on the second uppermost channel layer.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an interlayer insulating layer covering the gate electrode and below the interconnection line,

wherein the interconnection line includes a plurality of interconnection lines spaced apart from each other in the second direction, and

wherein the interlayer insulating layer includes a region in contact with a part of side surfaces of the contact region and concavely recessed from an upper surface, between facing ends of the interconnection lines adjacent in the second direction.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of side surfaces of the contact region in the second direction is located so as not to overlap the first channel structure in the third direction.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:

internal spacer layers between the gate electrode and the source/drain regions in the first direction.

14. A semiconductor device comprising:

active regions extending in a first direction on a substrate;

a gate electrode intersecting the active regions on the substrate, extending in a second direction, and including a contact region protruding upwardly; and

an interconnection line on the gate electrode and connected to the contact region,

the contact region including a lower region having a first width in the second direction and an upper region located on the lower region and having a second width smaller than the first width in the second direction, and

at least one side surface of the contact region in the second direction having a point at which an inclination or a curvature is changed between the lower region and the upper region.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 14 , wherein a width of an upper surface of the upper region in the second direction is smaller than a width of a lower surface of the upper region in the second direction.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 14 , wherein the contact region has an asymmetric shape in the second direction.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 14 , wherein the contact region is located on one side end portion of the gate electrode in the second direction.

18. The semiconductor device of claim 14 , further comprising:

first and second channel structures spaced apart from each other in the second direction on the active regions,

wherein each of the first and second channel structures includes a plurality of channel layers spaced apart from each other in a third direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate and surrounded by the gate electrode, and

wherein the gate electrode exposes at least a portion of an uppermost channel layer among the plurality of channel layers of the second channel structure, on the second channel structure.

19. A semiconductor device comprising:

active regions extending in a first direction on a substrate;

a gate electrode intersecting the active regions on the substrate and extending in a second direction;

first and second channel structures spaced apart from each other in the second direction on the active regions, each of the first and second channel structures including a plurality of channel layers spaced apart from each other in a third direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate and surrounded by the gate electrode; and

an interconnection line on the gate electrode and connected to the gate electrode,

an upper surface of the gate electrode being located at a first level to be physically connected to the interconnection line at a contact location, the contact location overlapping at least a portion of the first channel structure in the third direction, and being located at a second level adjacent to an uppermost channel layer among the plurality of channel layers of the second channel structure on at least a portion of the second channel structure and lower than the first level.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 19 , wherein the gate electrode includes a contact region protruding upwardly on the first channel structure and connected to the interconnection line.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2022
From: LEE, DOOHYUN; SHIN, HEONJONG; GWAK, MINCHAN; KIM, SEONBAE; PARK, JINYOUNG; PARK, HYUNHO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059840/0924 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0105546 · Aug 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230047343A1 · Feb 16, 2023
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