IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,727,152
Granted Patent B2
US 12,727,152 · App. 17/974,096 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same

Inventors: Jung Min Kwon (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Seung Hwan Kim (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
H10B12/488G11C5/063H10B12/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,727,152
App. No.
17/974,096
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device includes: a first word line stack in which first word lines are vertically stacked; a second word line stack in which second word lines are vertically stacked; a word line isolation slit disposed between the first word line stack and the second word line stack; and a first vertical isolation layer disposed between the first word line stack and the second word line stack and overlapping with the word line isolation slit.

Claims (51)

1 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a first word line stack in which first word lines are vertically stacked;

a second word line stack in which second word lines are vertically stacked;

a word line isolation slit disposed between the first word line stack and the second word line stack; and

a plurality of first vertical isolation layers spaced apart from each other and disposed between the first word line stack and the second word line stack, each first vertical isolation layer overlapping with the word line isolation slit.

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

a second vertical isolation layer laterally spaced apart from each first vertical isolation layer and disposed between the first word line stack and the second word line stack.

3 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein each first vertical isolation layer includes

a protrusion overlapping with the word line isolation slit.

4 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first vertical isolation layers and the word line isolation slit, includes a dielectric material.

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

an active layer;

a bit line coupled to one side of the active layer and oriented vertically; and

a capacitor coupled to another side of the active layer,

wherein each of the first word line stack and the second word line stack comprises double word lines that are facing each other with the active layer interposed therebetween.

6 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second word line stacks comprise portions of a memory cell array of a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM).

7 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein

the first word line stack includes a stepped first word line edge portion,

the second word line stack includes a stepped second word line edge portion, and

the word line isolation slit is disposed between the first word line edge portion and the second word line edge portion.

8 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first word line stack and the second word line stack includes

stepped word line pads that are facing each other with the word line isolation slit interposed therebetween.

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

word line edge slits contacting the stepped word line pads and facing each other with the word line isolation slit interposed therebetween.

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

a first cell isolation slit which is disposed adjacent to the first word line stack;

a second cell isolation slit which is disposed adjacent to the second word line stack; and

edge vertical isolation layers overlapping with one-side ends of the first and second cell isolation slits.

11 . The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein the edge vertical isolation layers include a protrusion overlapping with the one-side ends of the first and second cell isolation slits.

12 . The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the edge vertical isolation layers and the first and second cell isolation slits includes a dielectric material.

13 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a first linear edge slit;

a second linear edge slit;

a word line isolation slit;

a first word line stack disposed between the first linear edge slit and the word line isolation slit;

a second word line stack disposed between the first linear edge slit and the word line isolation slit; and

a plurality of vertical isolation layers having protrusions overlapping with respective edges of the first linear edge slit, the second linear edge slit, the word line isolation slit.

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

vertical cell isolation layers laterally spaced apart from the vertical isolation layers and disposed between the first word line stack and the second word line stack.

15 . The semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein at least one or more of the first linear edge slit, the second linear edge slit, the word line isolation slit, and the vertical isolation layer comprises a dielectric material.

16 . The semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second word line stacks comprise plural word line stacks stacked in a vertical direction with an inter-layer dielectric in between.

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

an active layer;

a bit line coupled to one side of the active layer and oriented vertically; and

a capacitor coupled to another side of the active layer,

wherein each of the first word line stack and the second word line stack comprises double word lines that are facing each other with the active layer interposed therebetween.

18 . The semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein the first and second word line stacks comprise portions of a memory cell array of a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM).

19 . The semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first word line stack and the second word line stack includes

stepped word line pads that are facing each other with the word line isolation slit interposed therebetween.

20 . The semiconductor device of claim 19 , further comprising:

supporters contacting the stepped word line pads and facing each other with the word line isolation slit interposed therebetween.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2022
From: KWON, JUNG MIN; KIM, SEUNG HWAN
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 061547/0254 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0038917 · Mar 29, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230317119A1 · Oct 5, 2023
References Cited (5)
US 11094699B1 · Brewer · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20120170368A1 · Lee · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20210183862A1 · Son et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
KR 101113766B1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
Office Action for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0038917 issued by the Korean Patent Office on Jun. 5, 2026. [cited by applicant]