IP Library Granted Patent US 12,446,237
Granted Patent B2
US 12,446,237 · App. 18/180,188 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Semiconductor device

Inventors: Hyunsoo Chung (Suwon-si, KR); Young Lyong Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Inhyo Hwang (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10B80/00H10B41/27H10B43/27
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 12,446,237
App. No.
18/180,188
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a peripheral circuit structure including peripheral circuits on a substrate and first bonding pads electrically connected to the peripheral circuits and a cell array structure including memory cells on a semiconductor layer and second bonding pads electrically connected to the memory cells and bonded to the first bonding pads. The cell array structure includes a stacked structure including insulating layers and electrodes, an external connection pad on a surface of the semiconductor layer, a dummy pattern at a same level as the semiconductor layer relative to the substrate, and a photosensitive insulating layer on the semiconductor layer and the dummy pattern. A first thickness of a portion of the photosensitive insulating layer vertically overlapping the external connection pad is greater than a second thickness of another portion of the photosensitive insulating layer vertically overlapping the dummy pattern.

Claims (64)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a peripheral circuit structure comprising peripheral circuits on a semiconductor substrate and first bonding pads electrically connected to the peripheral circuits; and

a cell array structure comprising memory cells arranged three-dimensionally on a semiconductor layer and second bonding pads electrically connected to the memory cells and bonded to the first bonding pads,

wherein the cell array structure further comprises:

a stacked structure comprising insulating layers and electrodes alternately stacked on a first surface of the semiconductor layer;

an external connection pad on a lower insulating layer that extends on a second surface of the semiconductor layer;

a dummy pattern positioned at a same level as the semiconductor layer relative to the semiconductor substrate; and

a photosensitive insulating layer on the semiconductor layer and the dummy pattern,

wherein a first thickness of a portion of the photosensitive insulating layer vertically overlapping the external connection pad is greater than a second thickness of another portion of the photosensitive insulating layer vertically overlapping the dummy pattern.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the dummy pattern comprises a same material as the semiconductor layer and is electrically isolated therefrom, and

wherein a thickness of the dummy pattern is substantially the same as a thickness of the semiconductor layer.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness by at least four times or more.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is about 40,000 Angstroms (Å) to about 55,000 Å, and the second thickness is greater than 0 Å and less than about 10,000 Å.

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

a first passivation layer and a second passivation layer sequentially stacked between the lower insulating layer and the photosensitive insulating layer,

wherein the first passivation layer comprises a same insulating material as the lower insulating layer, and

wherein the second passivation layer comprises a different insulating material than the first passivation layer and the lower insulating layer.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 5 , wherein the first passivation layer comprises a silicon oxide layer, and wherein the second passivation layer comprises a silicon nitride layer.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the dummy pattern comprises a same material as the semiconductor layer and is electrically isolated therefrom, and

wherein a first width of the dummy pattern in a first direction parallel to an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is smaller than a second width of the semiconductor layer in the first direction.

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

an upper insulating layer between the lower insulating layer and the photosensitive insulating layer,

wherein the photosensitive insulating layer and the upper insulating layer include a pad opening therein exposing an upper surface of the external connection pad, and

wherein an upper surface of the dummy pattern is covered by the upper insulating layer and the photosensitive insulating layer.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive insulating layer comprises a step difference between the portion thereof that is vertically overlapping the external connection pad and the another portion thereof that is vertically overlapping the dummy pattern.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the cell array structure comprises a cell array region, an edge region, and a connection region therebetween, and further comprising:

cell contact plugs respectively connected to ends of the electrodes in the connection region,

wherein the dummy pattern is in the edge region.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a peripheral circuit structure comprising peripheral circuits on a semiconductor substrate and first bonding pads electrically connected to the peripheral circuits; and

a cell array structure comprising memory cells arranged three-dimensionally on a semiconductor layer and second bonding pads electrically connected to the memory cells and bonded to the first bonding pads,

wherein the cell array structure further comprises:

a stacked structure comprising insulating layers and electrodes alternately stacked on a first surface of the semiconductor layer;

an external connection pad on a lower insulating layer that extends on a second surface of the semiconductor layer;

a dummy pattern positioned at a same level as the semiconductor layer relative to the semiconductor substrate; and

an upper insulating layer on the semiconductor layer and the dummy pattern,

wherein a first distance from the second surface of the semiconductor layer to an upper surface of the upper insulating layer is greater than a second distance from a surface of the dummy pattern to the upper surface of the upper insulating layer.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance by at least about 30,000 Å.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the upper insulating layer comprises photo sensitive polyimide (PSPI).

14. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the dummy pattern comprises a same material as the semiconductor layer and is electrically isolated therefrom, and

wherein a thickness of the dummy pattern is substantially the same as a thickness of the semiconductor layer.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 14 , wherein the dummy pattern and the semiconductor layer comprise polysilicon.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the upper insulating layer is a first upper insulating layer, and further comprising:

a second upper insulating layer and a third upper insulating layer between the lower insulating layer and the first upper insulating layer,

wherein the second upper insulating layer extends on an upper surface and a side surface of the external connection pad, and

wherein the third upper insulating layer is spaced apart from the external connection pad with the second upper insulating layer interposed therebetween.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 16 , wherein the second upper insulating layer comprises a silicon oxide layer, and

wherein the third upper insulating layer comprises a silicon nitride layer.

18. A semiconductor device comprising:

a peripheral circuit structure comprising peripheral circuits on a semiconductor substrate and first bonding pads electrically connected to the peripheral circuits; and

a cell array structure comprising memory cells arranged three-dimensionally on a semiconductor layer and second bonding pads electrically connected to the memory cells and bonded to the first bonding pads,

wherein the cell array structure further comprises:

a stacked structure comprising insulating layers and electrodes alternately stacked on a first surface of the semiconductor layer;

an external connection pad on a lower insulating layer that extends on a second surface of the semiconductor layer;

a dummy pattern at a same level as the semiconductor layer relative to the semiconductor substrate; and

a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer, and a third buffer layer sequentially stacked on the semiconductor layer and the dummy pattern,

wherein the first buffer layer, the second buffer layer, and the third buffer layer include a pad opening therein exposing an upper surface of the external connection pad,

wherein the third buffer layer comprises a recess in a portion thereof vertically overlapping the dummy pattern, and

wherein a depth of the recess is smaller than a depth of the pad opening, relative to a surface of the third buffer layer.

19. The semiconductor device of claim 18 , wherein the first buffer layer comprises a silicon oxide layer,

wherein the second buffer layer comprises a silicon nitride layer, and

wherein the third buffer layer comprises an insulating photosensitive material.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 18 , wherein the dummy pattern and the semiconductor layer comprise polysilicon and are electrically isolated from one another, and

wherein a first width of the dummy pattern in a first direction parallel to an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is smaller than a second width of the semiconductor layer in the first direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2023
From: CHUNG, HYUNSOO; KIM, YOUNG LYONG; HWANG, INHYO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062915/0187 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0088737 · Jul 19, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240032311A1 · Jan 25, 2024
References Cited (7)
US 9478487B2 · Yang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10734371B2 · Park · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10998301B2 · Kanamori et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11069707B2 · Tanabe et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11264403B2 · Yoshimizu · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20210296358A1 · Kanamori · 2021 [cited by examiner]
KR 20210025032A · 2021 [cited by examiner]