Inverted cross-couple for top-tier FET for multi-tier gate-on-gate 3DI

US12557377B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-12557377-B2
Application numberUS-202217737640-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateMay 5, 2022
Priority dateMay 13, 2021
Publication dateFeb 17, 2026
Grant dateFeb 17, 2026

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a multi-tier semiconductor structure. For example, the semiconductor structure can include a lower semiconductor device tier including lower semiconductor devices, an upper semiconductor device tier disposed over the lower semiconductor device tier and including upper semiconductor devices, a separation layer disposed between and separating the lower and upper semiconductor device tiers, a wiring tier disposed below the lower semiconductor device tier, a lower gate contact extending from a lower gate region of the lower semiconductor device tier downward to the wiring tier, an upper gate contact extending from an upper gate region of the upper semiconductor device tier downward through the separation layer to the wiring tier, and an isolator covering a lateral surface of the upper gate contact and electrically isolating the upper and lower gate contacts. The lower gate contact and the upper gate contact can be independent from each other.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1 . A multi-tier semiconductor structure, comprising: a lower semiconductor device tier that includes lower semiconductor devices; an upper semiconductor device tier disposed over the lower semiconductor device tier, the upper semiconductor device tier including upper semiconductor devices; a separation layer disposed between and separating the lower semiconductor device tier and the upper semiconductor device tier; a wiring tier disposed below the lower semiconductor device tier; a lower gate contact extending from a lower gate region of the lower semiconductor device tier downward to the wiring tier; an upper gate contact extending from an upper gate region of the upper semiconductor device tier downward through the separation layer to the wiring tier; and an insulator layer disposed between the lower semiconductor device tier and the wiring tier, the lower gate contact and the upper gate contact extending downward to the wiring tier through the insulator layer; an isolator formed to cover a lateral surface of the upper gate contact, the isolator electrically isolating the upper gate contact from the lower gate region, wherein the lower gate contact and the upper gate contact are independent from each other, and the isolator includes a different material from the insulator layer. 2 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the wiring tier includes: a lower wiring track, to which the lower gate contact extends downward; and an upper wiring track, to which the upper gate contact extends downward, wherein the lower wiring track and the upper wiring track are independent from each other. 3 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the lower semiconductor devices are vertically stacked on one another, and the upper semiconductor devices are vertically stacked on one another. 4 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 3 , wherein the lower semiconductor devices include lower GAA semiconductor devices with lower nanosheet channels, and the upper semiconductor devices include upper GAA semiconductor devices with upper nanosheet channels. 5 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 4 , wherein the lower GAA semiconductor devices include p-type FETs or n-type FETs, and the upper GAA semiconductor devices include p-type FETs or n-type FETs. 6 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the isolator includes a dielectric layer. 7 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the isolator includes a dielectric block. 8 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer includes a silicon on insulator (SoI) layer. 9 . The multi-tier semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the insulator includes aluminum oxide (AlO).

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • Layouts of interconnections · CPC title

  • Manufacturing their interconnections or electrodes, e.g. source or drain electrodes · CPC title

  • Manufacturing their channels · CPC title

  • H10D84/038Primary

    using silicon technology, e.g. SiGe · CPC title

  • Nanostructure semiconductor bodies · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US12557377B2 cover?
Aspects of the present disclosure provide a multi-tier semiconductor structure. For example, the semiconductor structure can include a lower semiconductor device tier including lower semiconductor devices, an upper semiconductor device tier disposed over the lower semiconductor device tier and including upper semiconductor devices, a separation layer disposed between and separating the lower an…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Tokyo Electron Ltd
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H10D84/038. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Feb 17 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 12 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).