# US 11,910,613 B2 · Semiconductor memory device, electronic system including the same, and method of fabricating the same

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,910,613 B2
- Document ID: US11910613B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/530,220
- Filed: 2021-11-18
- Published: 2022-11-10
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-06
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hyo Joon Ryu; Hee Suk Kim; Jeong Yong Sung; Jee Hoon Han
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910613B2

## CPC

- H10B 43/50: characterised by the boundary region between the core and peripheral circuit regions
- H10B 43/27: the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels
- H10B 43/40: characterised by the peripheral circuit region
- H10W 20/42: Vias, e.g. via plugs
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes a mold structure including a plurality of wordlines on a front side of a first substrate, and a string selection line and a stopper line on the plurality of wordlines. A channel structure extends in a vertical direction to penetrate the mold structure. A block separation area extends in a first direction to cut the mold structure. A protective structure is interposed between the block separation area and the stopper line and not between the block separation area and the string selection line and not between the block separation area and the plurality of wordlines. A string separation structure extends in the first direction to cut the string selection line and the stopper line. A bitline extends in a second direction on the mold structure. A bitline contact connects the channel structure and the bitline.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a mold structure including a plurality of wordlines, which are sequentially stacked on a front side of a first substrate, and a string selection line and a stopper line, which are sequentially stacked on the plurality of wordlines;
a channel structure extending in a vertical direction, which intersects the front side of the first substrate, to penetrate the mold structure;
a block separation structure extending in a first direction, which intersects the vertical direction, to cut the mold structure;
a protective structure interposed between the block separation structure and the stopper line, and not between the block separation structure and the string selection line and not between the block separation structure and the plurality of wordlines;
a string separation structure extending in the first direction to cut the string selection line and the stopper line;
a bitline extending in a second direction, which intersects the vertical direction and the first direction, on the mold structure; and
a bitline contact connecting the channel structure and the bitline,
wherein the protective structure has a lowermost surface located at a depth above the string selection line, and the block separation structure directly contacts the string selection line and the plurality of word lines below the protective structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the string separation structure at least partially overlaps with the channel structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the stopper line and the protective structure include materials different from each other.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 3, wherein
the stopper line includes silicon nitride, and
the protective structure includes silicon oxide.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the string separation structure includes silicon oxide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the string separation structure is positioned higher than a top surface of the protective structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the bitline contact is positioned higher than a top surface of the string separation structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein the bitline contact is spaced apart from the string separation structure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, further comprising:
a second substrate including a front side that faces the front side of the first substrate; and
a peripheral circuit element on the front side of the second substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 9, wherein the bitline is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 1, wherein an uppermost surface of the protective structure is horizontally aligned with an uppermost surface of the block separation structure.

### Claim 12

A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a mold structure including a plurality of wordlines, which are sequentially stacked on a front side of a substrate, and a string selection line and a stopper line, which are sequentially stacked on the plurality of wordlines;
a first channel structure extending in a vertical direction, which intersects the front side of the substrate, to penetrate the mold structure;
a string separation structure extending in a first direction, which intersects the vertical direction, to cut the string selection line and the stopper line, the string separation structure at least partially overlapping with the first channel structure;
a bitline extending in a second direction, which intersects the vertical direction and the first direction, on the mold structure;
a first bitline contact connecting the first channel structure and the bitline;
a block separation structure extending in the first direction to cut the mold structure; and
a protective structure interposed between the block separation structure and the stopper line, and not between the block separation structure and the string selection line and not between the block separation structure and the plurality of wordlines,
wherein the first bitline contact is shifted from a center of the first channel structure in a direction away from the string separation structure, and
wherein the protective structure has a lowermost surface located at a depth above the string selection line, and the block separation structure directly contacts the string selection line and the plurality of word lines below the protective structure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 12, wherein the first bitline contact is in contact with a top surface of the stopper line.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 12, wherein the first bitline contact is in contact with a side surface of the first channel structure.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 12, further comprising:
a contact stud connecting the first bitline contact and the bitline,
wherein the contact stud is shifted from a center of the first bitline contact in a direction toward the string separation structure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 12, further comprising:
a second channel structure extending in the vertical direction to penetrate the mold structure, the second channel structure being spaced apart from the first channel structure with the string separation structure interposed therebetween,
wherein the string separation structure at least partially overlaps with the second channel structure.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 16, further comprising:
a second bitline contact connected to the second channel structure,
wherein the second bitline contact is shifted from a center of the second channel structure in a direction away from the string separation structure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 12, further comprising:
a second channel structure extending in the vertical direction to penetrate the mold structure, the second channel structure being spaced apart from the string separation structure with the first channel structure interposed therebetween;
a second bitline contact connecting the second channel structure and the bitline;
a third channel structure extending in the vertical direction to penetrate the mold structure, the third channel structure being spaced apart from the first channel structure with the string separation structure interposed therebetween; and
a third bitline contact connecting the third channel structure and the bitline,
wherein a distance between the first bitline contact and second bitline contact is smaller than a distance between the first bitline contact and third bitline contact.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The semiconductor memory device of claim 18, wherein the first channel structure to third channel structure are arranged at regular intervals in the first direction.

### Claim 20

An electronic system, comprising:
a main substrate;
a semiconductor memory device on the main substrate; and
a controller electrically connected to the semiconductor memory device, on the main substrate,
wherein the semiconductor memory device includes:
a mold structure including a plurality of wordlines, which are sequentially stacked on a front side of a substrate, and a string selection line and a stopper line, which are sequentially stacked on the wordlines;
a channel structure extending in a vertical direction, which intersects the front side of the substrate, to penetrate the mold structure;
a string separation structure extending in a first direction, which intersects the vertical direction, to cut the string selection line and the stopper line, the string separation structure at least partially overlapping with the channel structure;
a bitline extending in a second direction, which intersects the vertical direction and the first direction, on the mold structure;
a bitline contact connecting the channel structure and the bitline, the bitline contact being shifted from a center of the channel structure in a direction away from the string separation structure;
a peripheral circuit element connected to the bitline contact;
an input/output pad connecting the controller and the peripheral circuit element;
a block separation structure extending in the first direction to cut the mold structure; and
a protective structure interposed between the block separation structure and the stopper line, and not between the block separation structure and the string selection line and not between the block separation structure and the plurality of wordlines,
wherein the protective structure has a lowermost surface located at a depth above the string selection line, and that the block separation structure directly contacts the string selection line and the plurality of word lines below the protective structure.