# US 12,193,235 B2 · Nonvolatile memory device and apparatus including the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,193,235 B2 - Document ID: US12193235B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/537,984 - Filed: 2021-11-30 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-01 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Youngtek Oh; Hyeyoung Kwon; Taein Kim; Gukhyon Yon; Minhyun Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12193235B2 ## CPC - H10B 43/27: the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels - H10D 64/037: {comprising charge-trapping insulators} - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract A nonvolatile memory device includes a channel layer, a plurality of gate electrodes and a plurality of separation layers spaced apart from the channel layer and alternately arranged, a charge trap layer between the gate electrodes in the channel layer, and a charge blocking layer between the charge trap layer and the gate electrode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nonvolatile memory device comprising: a channel layer extending in a first direction; a plurality of gate electrodes and a plurality of separation layers spaced apart from the channel layer and alternately arranged in the first direction; a plurality of charge trap layers between the plurality of gate electrodes and the channel layer; and a plurality of charge blocking layers between the plurality of charge trap layers and the plurality of gate electrodes, wherein the plurality of separation layers separate the plurality of charge trap layers from each other, the plurality of separation layers separate the plurality of charge blocking layers from each other, and each corresponding charge trap layer among the plurality of charge trap layers, corresponding charge blocking layer among the plurality of charge blocking layers, and corresponding gate electrode among the plurality of gate electrodes is in direct contact with a corresponding separation layer among the plurality of separation layers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, further comprising: a charge tunneling layer arranged between the channel layer and the plurality of charge trap layers, wherein the charge tunneling layer surrounds the channel layer without being separated by the plurality of separation layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 2, wherein the charge tunneling layer is in direct contact with the plurality of separation layers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the corresponding charge trap layer and the corresponding charge blocking layer includes a tapered region in which a thickness gradually decreases toward the corresponding gate electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein intervals between the plurality of gate electrodes are 50 nm or less. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of charge blocking layers include at least one of silicon oxide and metal oxide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein a material in the plurality of separation layers is different from a material of the plurality of charge blocking layers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of separation layers have a trap density less than 1×1019 cm−3. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of separation layers each comprise a first separation layer and a second separation layer, the second separation layer surrounds the first separation layer, and the second separation layer of the corresponding separation layer contacts the corresponding charge trap layer and the corresponding charge blocking layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9, wherein a thickness of the first separation layer is greater than a thickness of the second separation layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9, wherein a thickness of the first separation layer is 50 nm or less, and a thickness of the second separation layer is 5 nm or less. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9, wherein a trap energy concentration of the first separation layer and a trap energy concentration of the second separation layer are different from each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 12, wherein the trap energy concentration of the second separation layer is higher than the trap energy concentration of the first separation layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 12, wherein the trap energy concentration of the second separation layer is less than 1×1019 cm−3. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9, wherein a hardness of the first separation layer is higher than a hardness the second separation layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9, wherein the second separation layer includes a material with a dielectric constant of 10 or less. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9, wherein the second separation layer includes at least one of Al2O3, SiOC, SiOF, and BN. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9, wherein the first separation layer includes at least one of silicon nitride and silicon oxide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, further comprising: a drain on an end of the channel layer; a bit line connected to the drain; a source connected to an other end of the channel layer; a source line connected to the source; and a plurality of word lines respectively connected to the plurality of gate electrodes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) An electronic apparatus comprising: the nonvolatile memory device according claim 1. ### Claim 21 A nonvolatile memory device comprising: a common source line; and a plurality of strings connected to the common source line, each of the plurality of strings including a channel layer extending in a first direction, a charge tunneling layer extending in the first direction along the channel layer, a plurality of separation layers and a plurality of charge trap layers alternately arranged in the first direction along a surface of the charge tunneling layer, a plurality of gate electrodes alternately arranged in the first direction with the plurality of separation layers, and a plurality of charge blocking layers alternately arranged in the first direction with the plurality of separation layers, the plurality of strings being spaced apart from each other, the charge tunneling layer extending between the channel layer and the plurality of charge trap layers, the plurality of charge blocking layers separating the plurality of gate electrodes from the plurality of charge trap layers, and the plurality of charge trap layers separating the plurality of separation layers from each other, wherein in each of the plurality of strings, each corresponding gate electrode among the plurality of gate electrodes is in direct contact with a corresponding separation layer among the plurality of separation layers.