# US 12,183,677 B2 · Three-dimensional semiconductor device

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- Number: US 12,183,677 B2
- Document ID: US12183677B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/526,208
- Filed: 2023-12-01
- Published: 2024-03-28
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-18
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Sung-Hun Lee; Seokjung Yun; Chang-Sup Lee; Seong Soon Cho; Jeehoon Han
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183677B2

## CPC

- H10W 20/435: {Cross-sectional shapes or dispositions of interconnections}
- H10B 41/20: characterised by three-dimensional [3D] arrangements, e.g. with cells on different height levels
- H10B 41/27: the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels
- H10B 43/10: characterised by the top-view layout
- H10B 43/20: characterised by three-dimensional [3D] arrangements, e.g. with cells on different height levels
- H10B 43/27: the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels
- H10B 43/35: with cell select transistors, e.g. NAND
- H10B 43/50: characterised by the boundary region between the core and peripheral circuit regions
- H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches}
- H10W 20/089: {using processes for implementing desired shapes or dispositions of the openings, e.g. double patterning}
- H10W 20/42: Vias, e.g. via plugs
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor device includes a stack structure including first and second stacks stacked on a substrate. Each of the first and second stacks includes a first electrode and a second electrode on the first electrode. A sidewall of the second electrode of the first stack is horizontally spaced apart from a sidewall of the second electrode of the second stack by a first distance. A sidewall of the first electrode is horizontally spaced apart from the sidewall of the second electrode by a second distance in each of the first and second stacks. The second distance is smaller than a half of the first distance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate including a cell array region and a connection region;
a stack structure including a first stack on the substrate and a second stack on the first stack, each of the first and second stacks including a first electrode and a second electrode on the first electrode;
a first contact plug connected to the second electrode of the first stack; and
a second contact plug connected to the second electrode of the second stack,
wherein the first stack has a first length in a first direction, the second stack has a second length in the first direction, and the second length is shorter than the first length,
wherein, in each of the first and second stacks, a sidewall of the first electrode is spaced apart from a sidewall of the second electrode by a first distance in the first direction,
wherein the first contact plug is spaced apart from a sidewall of the second electrode of the first stack by a second distance in the first direction, and
wherein the first contact plug is spaced apart from a sidewall of the second electrode of the second stack by a third distance greater than the second distance in the first direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein, in each of the first and second stacks, sidewalls of the first and second electrodes are inclined with respect to an upper surface of the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second contact plugs has a width greater than the first distance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first direction is parallel to an upper surface of the substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the sidewalls of the first and second electrodes of the second stack are between the first and second contact plugs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1,
wherein each of the first and second stacks further includes a third electrode and a fourth electrode below the first electrode, and
wherein sidewalls of the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes of the second stack are between the first and second contact plugs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1,
wherein the sidewall of the second electrode of the first stack is spaced apart from the sidewall of the first electrode of the second stack by a fourth distance, and
wherein the first distance is less than a half of the fourth distance.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising a vertical structure in the first and second stacks on the cell array region of the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising:
a peripheral substrate;
a peripheral circuit on the peripheral substrate;
a peripheral filling insulation on the peripheral substrate and on the peripheral circuit;
a peripheral circuit interconnection in the peripheral filling insulation; and
a peripheral connection plug in the peripheral filling insulation and contacting the peripheral circuit interconnection,
wherein the substrate is on the peripheral filling insulation.

### Claim 10

A semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate including a cell array region and a connection region; and
a stack structure including a first stack and a second stack on the first stack, each of the first and second stacks including a first electrode and a second electrode on the first electrode,
wherein the second electrode of the first stack has a first length in a first direction, the second electrode of the second stack has a second length in the first direction, and the second length is shorter than the first length,
wherein, in each of the first and second stacks, a sidewall of the first electrode is spaced apart from a sidewall of the second electrode by a first distance in the first direction,
wherein the first distance is less than a difference between the first length and the second length, and
wherein each of the first and second stacks has a sloped sidewall defined by sidewalls of the first and second electrodes.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The semiconductor device of claim 10, wherein the sloped sidewall is inclined with respect to an upper surface of the substrate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The semiconductor device of claim 10, wherein the sidewalls of the first and second electrodes have a substantially equal inclination angle with respect to an upper surface of the substrate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The semiconductor device of claim 10, further comprising:
a first contact plug connected to the second electrode of the first stack; and
a second contact plug connected to the second electrode of the second stack,
wherein each of the first and second contact plugs has a width greater than the first distance.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein the sloped sidewall of the second stack is between the first and second contact plugs.

### Claim 15

A semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate including a cell array region and a connection region; and
a stack structure including a first stack on the substrate and a second stack on the first stack, each of the first and second stacks including first, second, third, and fourth electrodes sequentially and vertically stacked; and
contact plugs respectively connected to the fourth electrodes of the first and second stacks,
wherein the first stack has a first length in a first direction, the second stack has a second length in the first direction, and the second length is shorter than the first length, and
wherein each of the first and second stacks has a sloped sidewall defined by sidewalls of the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The semiconductor device of claim 15,
wherein, in each of the first and second stacks, a sidewall of the first electrode is spaced apart from a sidewall of the fourth electrode by a first distance in the first direction, and
wherein the first distance is less than a difference between the first length and the second length.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor device of claim 16, further comprising:
a first contact plug connected to the fourth electrode of the first stack; and
a second contact plug connected to the fourth electrode of the second stack
wherein the sloped sidewall of the second stack is between the first and second contact plugs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The semiconductor device of claim 17,
wherein the first contact plug is spaced apart from the sidewall of the fourth electrode of the first stack by a second distance in the first direction, and
wherein the first contact plug is spaced apart from the sidewall of the fourth electrode of the second stack by a third distance greater than the second distance in the first direction.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The semiconductor device of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second contact plugs has a width greater than the first distance.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein each of the sidewalls of the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes is inclined with respect to an upper surface of the substrate.