# US 12,016,186 B2 · Semiconductor memory device

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- Number: US 12,016,186 B2
- Document ID: US12016186B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/329,700
- Filed: 2021-05-25
- Published: 2021-12-16
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-15
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Song Yi Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12016186B2

## CPC

- H10B 63/30: {comprising selection components having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistors}
- H10D 86/431: {having different compositions, shapes, layouts or thicknesses of gate insulators in different TFTs}
- H10B 63/80: {Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays}
- H10D 30/6211: {having fin-shaped semiconductor bodies integral with the bulk semiconductor substrates}
- H10D 30/6735: {having gates fully surrounding the channels, e.g. gate-all-around}
- H10D 30/6757: {characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. transverse or longitudinal shape or doping profile (TFTs having channel structures for preventing kink or snapback effects H10D30/6708; TFTs having lightly-doped source or drain extensions H10D30/6715)}
- H10D 62/118: {Nanostructure semiconductor bodies}
- H10D 84/83135: {the IGFETs characterised by having different gate conductor materials or different gate conductor implants}
- H10D 84/834: {comprising FinFETs}
- H10D 86/60: wherein the TFTs are in active matrices
- H10B 63/20: {comprising selection components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes}
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes: first conductive lines provided on a substrate and extending in a first direction in parallel, each of the first conductive lines including a first end portion and a second end portion that are opposite to each other, the first direction being parallel to a top surface of the substrate; first selection transistors respectively connected to the first end portions of the first conductive lines; and second selection transistors respectively connected to the second end portions of the first conductive lines. Each of the first selection transistors may have a first gate width. Each of the second selection transistors may have a second gate width smaller than the first gate width.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
first conductive lines provided on a substrate and extending in a first direction in parallel, each of the first conductive lines including a first end portion and a second end portion that are opposite to each other, the first direction being parallel to a top surface of the substrate;
first selection transistors respectively connected to the first end portions of the first conductive lines; and
second selection transistors respectively connected to the second end portions of the first conductive lines, wherein:
each of the first selection transistors has a first gate width, and
each of the second selection transistors has a second gate width smaller than the first gate width.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the substrate includes a first selection region, in which the first selection transistors are disposed, and a second selection region, in which the second selection transistors are disposed, and
an area of the first selection region is larger than an area of the second selection region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first selection transistors and the second selection transistors are located below the first conductive lines.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
each of the first selection transistors includes a first gate electrode,
each of the second selection transistors includes a second gate electrode,
the first gate electrode includes at least one first gate protruding portion that protrudes into the substrate,
the second gate electrode includes at least two second gate protruding portions that protrude into the substrate, and
a total number of the at least one first gate protruding portion is smaller than a total number of the at least two second gate protruding portions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
each of the first selection transistors includes a first gate electrode,
each of the second selection transistors includes a second gate electrode,
the first gate electrode includes at least one first gate protruding portion that protrudes into the substrate,
the second gate electrode includes at least one second gate protruding portion that protrudes into the substrate, and
a distance from a surface of the substrate to a bottom end of the first gate protruding portion is shorter than a distance from the surface of the substrate to a bottom end of the at least one second gate protruding portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a device isolation layer, which is provided in the substrate and defines at least one first active fin and at least one second active fin protruding from the top surface of the substrate, wherein:
the at least one first active fin and the at least one second active fin protrude above a top surface of the device isolation layer,
each of the first selection transistors includes a first gate electrode crossing over the at least one first active fin,
each of the second selection transistors includes a second gate electrode crossing over the at least one second active fin, and
a height of a top end of the at least one first active fin from the top surface of the device isolation layer is lower than a height of a top end of the at least one second active fin from the top surface of the device isolation layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a device isolation layer, which is provided in the substrate and defines at least one first active fin and at least two second active fins protruding from the top surface of the substrate, wherein:
the at least one first active fin and the at least two second active fins protrude above a top surface of the device isolation layer,
each of the first selection transistors includes a first gate electrode crossing over the at least one first active fin,
each of the second selection transistors includes a second gate electrode crossing over the at least two second active fins, and
a total number of the at least two second active fins is greater than a total number of the at least one first active fin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a device isolation layer, which is provided in the substrate and defines a plurality of first active fins and a plurality of second active fins protruding from the top surface of the substrate, wherein:
the plurality of first active fins and the plurality of second active fins protrude above a top surface of the device isolation layer,
each of the first selection transistors includes a first gate electrode crossing over the plurality of first active fins,
each of the second selection transistors includes a second gate electrode crossing over the plurality of second active fins, and
a distance between the plurality of second active fins is smaller than a distance between the plurality of first active fins.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a device isolation layer, which is provided in the substrate to define at least one first active fin and at least one second active fin, the at least one first active fin and the at least one second active fin protruding above a top surface of the device isolation layer; and
at least one second channel pattern stacked on the at least one second active fin, wherein:
each of the first selection transistors includes a first gate electrode covering side and top surfaces of the at least one first active fin, and
each of the second selection transistors includes a second gate electrode, which is interposed between the at least one second active fin and the at least one second channel pattern and covers side and top surfaces of the at least one second active fin.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising at least one first channel pattern stacked on the at least one first active fin, wherein:
the first gate electrode is interposed between the at least one first channel pattern and the at least one first active fin,
the at least one second channel pattern includes at least two second channel patterns, and
a total number of the at least one first channel pattern is smaller than a total number of the at least two second channel patterns.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of second conductive lines, which are provided on the first conductive lines and extend in a second direction in parallel, the second direction being parallel to the top surface of the substrate and crossing the first direction; and
third selection transistors connected to the second conductive lines, respectively, wherein:
each of the third selection transistors has a third gate width, and
the third gate width is different from at least one of the first and second gate widths.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:
the substrate includes:
a first selection region, in which the first selection transistors are disposed;
a second selection region, in which the second selection transistors are disposed; and
a third selection region, in which the third selection transistors are disposed,
the first selection region and the second selection region are spaced apart from each other in the first direction,
the third selection region is spaced apart from the first selection region and the second selection region in the second direction, and
the third selection region has a long shape that is elongated in the first direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:
a plurality of third conductive lines, which are provided on the second conductive lines and extend in the first direction in parallel; and
fourth selection transistors connected to the third conductive lines, respectively, wherein:
each of the fourth selection transistors has a fourth gate width, and
the fourth gate width is different from at least one of the first to third gate widths.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein:
the substrate includes:
a first selection region, in which the first selection transistors are disposed;
a second selection region, in which the second selection transistors are disposed;
a third selection region, in which the third selection transistors are disposed; and
a fourth selection region, in which the fourth selection transistors are disposed,
the first selection region, the second selection region, and the fourth selection region are spaced apart from each other in the first direction,
the third selection region is spaced apart from the first selection region, the second selection region, and the fourth selection region in the second direction, and
the third selection region has a long shape that is elongated in the first direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein:
the fourth selection region includes a first sub-selection region, in which some of the fourth selection transistors are disposed, and a second sub-selection region, in which others of the fourth selection transistors are disposed,
the first sub-selection region is disposed between the first selection region and the second selection region, and
the second sub-selection region is spaced apart from the first sub-selection region by the first selection region.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
a plurality of fourth conductive lines, which are provided on the third conductive lines and extend in the second direction in parallel; and
fifth selection transistors connected to the fourth conductive lines, respectively, wherein:
each of the fifth selection transistors has a fifth gate width, and
the fifth gate width is different from at least one of the first to fourth gate widths.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein:
the substrate includes:
a first selection region, in which the first selection transistors are disposed;
a second selection region, in which the second selection transistors are disposed;
a third selection region, in which the third selection transistors are disposed;
a fourth selection region, in which the fourth selection transistors are disposed; and
a fifth selection region, in which the fifth selection transistors are disposed,
the first selection region, the second selection region, and the fourth selection region are spaced apart from each other in the first direction,
the fifth selection region is spaced apart from the first to fourth selection regions in the second direction, and
each of the third and fifth selection regions has a long shape that is elongated in the first direction.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein:
the fifth selection region includes a first sub-selection region, in which some of the fifth selection transistors are disposed, and a second sub-selection region, in which others of the fifth selection transistors are disposed,
the first sub-selection region is disposed between the first selection region and the third selection region, and
the second sub-selection region is spaced apart from the first sub-selection region by the third selection region.

### Claim 19

A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a cell array portion disposed on a peripheral circuit portion, wherein:
the cell array portion includes:
first conductive lines, which extend in a first direction and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction;
second conductive lines, which are provided on the first conductive lines and extend in the second direction and are spaced apart from each other in the first direction; and
memory cells respectively disposed between the first conductive lines and the second conductive lines,
the peripheral circuit portion includes:
first selection transistors, which are disposed on a substrate and are connected to the first conductive lines; and
second selection transistors, which are disposed on the substrate and are connected to the second conductive lines,
each of the first selection transistors has a first gate width, and
each of the second selection transistors has a second gate width that is different from the first gate width.

### Claim 20

A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
first conductive lines provided on a substrate and extending in a first direction;
second conductive lines provided on the first conductive lines and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction;
third conductive lines provided on the second conductive lines and extending in the first direction;
fourth conductive lines provided on the third conductive lines and extending in the second direction; and
first, second, third, and fourth selection regions, which are provided on the substrate and are connected to the first to fourth conductive lines, respectively, wherein:
the first selection region and the third selection region are spaced apart from each other in the first direction,
the second selection region and the fourth selection region are spaced apart from each other in the second direction and have a shape elongated in the first direction, and
an area of the first selection region is different from an area of the third selection region, or an area of the second selection region is different from an area of the fourth selection region.