Three-dimensional semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9583503-B1
Application number	US-201514966173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 11, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A three-dimensional semiconductor device is provided, comprising: a plurality of ground selection line (GSL) sections separately formed on a substrate, the GSL sections being electrically insulated from each other and extended in parallel to each other, and the GSL sections extending along a first direction; a plurality of stacked structures vertically formed on the GSL sections on the substrate, and each stacked structure comprising alternated semiconductor layers and insulating layers; string selection lines (SSLs) separately formed on the stacked structures, and the string selection lines extending along the first direction; and bit lines disposed above the SSLs and extending along a second direction, the bit lines arranged parallel to each other and in perpendicular to the SSLs and GSL sections, wherein a plurality of memory cells of memory layers respectively defined by the stacked structures, the SSLs, the GSL sections and the bit lines correspondingly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor device, comprising:
a plurality of ground selection line (GSL) sections separately formed on a substrate, the GSL sections being electrically insulated from each other and extended in parallel to each other, and the GSL sections extending along a first direction, wherein the GSL sections comprise a plurality of odd-numbered GSL sections forming a finger structure and a plurality of even-numbered GSL sections forming a finger structure, and the odd-numbered GSL sections are interlaced with the even-numbered GSL sections;
a plurality of stacked structures vertically formed on the GSL sections, and each stacked structure comprising alternated semiconductor layers and insulating layers;
a plurality of string selection lines (SSLs) separately formed on the stacked structures, and the string selection lines extending along the first direction; and
a plurality of bit lines disposed above the SSLs and extending along a second direction, the bit lines arranged parallel to each other and in perpendicular to the SSLs and GSL sections, wherein a plurality of memory cells of memory layers are respectively defined by the stacked structures, the SSLs, the GSL sections and the bit lines correspondingly, and a plurality of memory pages respectively correspond to the memory cells associated with one of the GSL sections.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of GSL contact conductors formed within a GSL contact region and electrically connected to the GSL sections respectively.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein in each of the memory pages, a longitudinal length of the GSL section along the first direction is greater than a longitudinal length of the SSL along the first direction so as to create a landing platform within the GSL contact region, and each of the GSL contact conductor is electrically connected to the landing platform of the correspondingly GSL section.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the landing platforms for landing the corresponding GSL contact conductors are parts of the GSL sections protruding outside the stacked structures and outside the SSLs on the stacked structures.

5. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the landing platforms for landing the GSL contact conductors are positioned between a stairstep landing area and the stacked structures.

6. The device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a plurality of SSL contact conductors electrically connected to the SSLs respectively; and
a plurality of stairstep contact conductors formed within a stairstep landing area and respectively coupled to the semiconductor layers of the corresponding memory layers.

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the SSL contact conductors, the GSL contact conductors and the stairstep contact conductors are extended along a third direction, and the third direction is vertical to a plane determined by the first direction and the second direction.

8. The device according to claim 6 , wherein an etch stop layer is formed above the SSLs and sidewalls of the stacked structure and further extended to the stairstep landing area, the etch stop layer is also formed above a landing platform of the GSL section for landing the corresponding GSL contact conductor.

9. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising an insulation deposited in the stairstep landing area and also cover the etch stop layer above the SSLs and the landing platforms of the GSL sections, wherein an upper surface of the insulation is higher than the etch stop layer above the SSLs, and the SSL contact conductors, the GSL contact conductors and the stairstep contact conductors penetrate through at least the insulation and the etch stop layer for coupling to the SSLs, the landing platforms and the corresponding memory layers respectively.

10. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the GSL contact conductors are positioned between the SSL contact conductors and the stairstep contact conductors.

11. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the SSL contact conductor and the GSL contact conductor in each of the memory pages are arranged along the first direction.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the GSL sections in each of the memory pages has a first longitudinal length XGSL along the first direction, and one of the SSLs has a second longitudinal length XSSL along the first direction, wherein the first longitudinal length XGSL is larger than the second longitudinal length XSSL to create a landing platform within a GSL contact region, wherein a corresponding GSL contact conductor is electrically connected to the landing platform of the GSL section.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein said GSL section in each of the memory pages has a first transverse length YGSL along the second direction, and said SSL has a second transverse length YSSL along the second direction, the first transverse length YGSL is equal to the second transverse length YSSL.

14. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the first transverse length YGSL of said GSL section is corresponding to a transverse length of each of the memory pages.

15. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a substrate with an insulating surface;
forming a first semiconductor layer on the insulating surface of the substrate;
patterning the first semiconductor layer to form a plurality of ground selection line (GSL) sections separately on the substrate, wherein the GSL sections are electrically insulated from each other and extend along a first direction, wherein the GSL sections comprise a plurality of even-numbered GSL sections forming a finger structure and a plurality of odd-numbered GSL sections forming a finger structure, and the odd-numbered GSL sections are interlaced with the even-numbered GSL sections;
forming a plurality of stacked structures vertically on the GSL sections on the substrate and a plurality of string selection lines (SSLs) separately formed on the stacked structures, wherein each stacked structure comprises alternated second semiconductor layers and insulating layers, and the string selection lines extend along the first direction; and
forming a plurality of bit lines above the SSLs and extending along a second direction, the bit lines arranged parallel to each other and in perpendicular to the SSLs and GSL sections, wherein a plurality of memory cells respectively defined by the stacked structures, the SSLs, the GSL sections and the bit lines correspondingly.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
forming a plurality of SSL contact conductors to electrically connect the SSLs respectively;
forming a plurality of GSL contact conductors within a GSL contact region, and the GSL contact conductors electrically connecting to the GSL sections respectively; and
forming a plurality of stairstep contact conductors within a stairstep landing area, and the stairstep contact conductors electrically connecting to the second semiconductor layers of the corresponding memory layers.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein in each of memory pages, a longitudinal length of the GSL section along the first direction is greater than a longitudinal length of the SSL along the first direction so as to create a landing platform within the GSL contact region, and each of the GSL contact conductor is electrically connected to the landing platform of the correspondingly GSL section.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein th

Assignees

• Macronix Int Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Guan-Ru

Classifications

• H10P14/416

  of highly doped semiconductor materials, e.g. polysilicon layers or amorphous silicon layers · CPC title

• H10W20/064

  by modifying the conductivity of conductive parts, e.g. by alloying · CPC title

• H10W20/056

  by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches · CPC title

• H01L21/32055

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L23/528

  Electricity · mapped topic