# US 8,772,840 B2 · Memory device comprising an array portion and a logic portion

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- Number: US 8,772,840 B2
- Document ID: US8772840B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/525,730
- Filed: 2012-06-18
- Published: 2012-10-11
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2006-03-02
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Werner Juengling
- Inventors: Werner Juengling
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772840B2

## CPC

- H10B 12/00: Dynamic random access memory [DRAM] devices
- H10B 12/053: {the transistor being at least partially in a trench in the substrate (vertical transistor in combination with a capacitor formed in a substrate trench H10B12/0383)}
- H10B 12/09: {with simultaneous manufacture of the peripheral circuit region and memory cells}
- H10D 84/83: of only insulated-gate FETs [IGFET]
- H10D 84/8311: {the IGFETs characterised by having different channel structures}
- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

In an embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises patterning a first plurality of semiconductor structures in an array portion of a semiconductor substrate using a first photolithographic mask. The method further comprises patterning a second plurality of semiconductor structures over a logic portion of a semiconductor substrate using a second photolithographic mask. The method further comprises patterning a sacrificial layer over the first plurality of semiconductor structures using the second photolithographic mask. The sacrificial layer is patterned simultaneously with the second plurality of semiconductor structures.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A memory device comprising:
a substrate having an array portion and a logic portion;
a first plurality of transistor devices including a plurality of semiconductor structures that are recessed in the array portion of the substrate, wherein source and drain regions define at least part of an upper surface of each of the plurality of semiconductor structures, wherein the source and drain regions are co-planar with an uppermost surface of the substrate in the logic portion, and each of the plurality of semiconductor structures include a channel portion that is contiguous with the substrate array portion and adjacent to a gate region; and
a second plurality of transistor devices formed over the logic portion of the substrate, wherein each of the second plurality of transistor devices include a gate oxide layer, a conductive gate layer, and sidewall spacer structures, wherein there is no dielectric layer between the sidewall spacer structures, and wherein the second plurality of transistor devices are formed in a layer that is above the plurality of semiconductor structures,
wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor structures occupies an area of the substrate array portion between about 4F2 and about 8F2, wherein F is the minimum resolvable feature size formable using a photolithographic technique that is used to define features of the semiconductor structures, and
wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor structures occupies an area of the substrate having a length dimension that is equal to a width dimension.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the channel portion is between a first and second gate region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the channel portion is U-shaped.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The memory device of claim 3, wherein each of the semiconductor structures comprises a first pillar and a second pillar, and each of the first plurality of transistor devices comprises a first source/drain region positioned atop the first pillar, and a second source/drain region positioned atop the second pillar, wherein the U-shaped channel connects the first and second source/drain regions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor structures are defined by a pattern of alternating deep and shallow trenches that are crossed by a pattern of intermediate-depth trenches.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The memory device of claim 5, wherein the alternating deep and shallow trenches are filled with an oxide material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The memory device of claim 5, wherein the alternating deep and shallow trenches are filled with a spin-on dielectric material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The memory device of claim 5, wherein the shallow trenches are at least partially filled with a semiconductor material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the conductive gate layer comprises polycrystalline silicon.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor structures form a pattern having a first pitch, and wherein the second plurality of transistor devices form a pattern having a second pitch that is at least two times the first pitch.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of transistor devices are formed using a photolithographic mask that is also simultaneously used to pattern at least a portion of the plurality of semiconductor structures recessed in the array portion of the substrate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises single crystal silicon.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of transistor devices formed over the logic portion of the substrate are planar transistor devices.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of transistor devices formed over the logic portion of the substrate include a silicide region positioned over the conductive gate layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The memory device of claim 14, wherein the silicide region comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten silicide and titanium silicide.