18613763. THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEMORY DEVICE WITH SELF-ALIGNED WORD LINE CONTACT VIA STRUCTURES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME simplified abstract (SanDisk Technologies LLC)
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEMORY DEVICE WITH SELF-ALIGNED WORD LINE CONTACT VIA STRUCTURES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
Kartik Sondhi of Milpitas CA (US)
Senaka Kanakamedala of San Jose CA (US)
Koichi Matsuno of Fremont CA (US)
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEMORY DEVICE WITH SELF-ALIGNED WORD LINE CONTACT VIA STRUCTURES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18613763 titled 'THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEMORY DEVICE WITH SELF-ALIGNED WORD LINE CONTACT VIA STRUCTURES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME
The three-dimensional memory device described in the abstract consists of an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers with stepped surfaces in a contact region, memory openings that extend vertically through the stack, memory opening fill structures, a retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying the stepped surfaces, and a layer contact assembly that extends vertically through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion and a subset of layers in the alternating stack.
- The memory device includes memory openings that vertically extend through the alternating stack.
- Memory opening fill structures are located within the memory openings.
- A retro-stepped dielectric material portion covers the stepped surfaces of the electrically conductive layers.
- The layer contact assembly extends through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion and a subset of layers in the alternating stack.
- The layer contact assembly consists of a dielectric pillar structure surrounded by the subset of layers and a layer contact via structure with a cylindrical conductive portion and a downward-protruding tubular portion.
Potential Applications: - This technology can be used in high-density memory storage devices. - It can be applied in advanced computing systems requiring fast and efficient memory access.
Problems Solved: - Provides a solution for increasing memory density in three-dimensional memory devices. - Addresses the need for reliable and high-performance memory storage solutions.
Benefits: - Improved memory storage capacity and performance. - Enhanced efficiency in data processing tasks. - Enables the development of more compact and powerful electronic devices.
Commercial Applications: Title: Advanced Three-Dimensional Memory Devices for High-Density Storage Solutions This technology can be utilized in the production of next-generation smartphones, tablets, and other portable electronic devices. It can also find applications in data centers and servers where high-speed memory access is crucial for optimal performance.
Questions about Three-Dimensional Memory Devices: 1. How does the retro-stepped dielectric material portion contribute to the functionality of the memory device? The retro-stepped dielectric material portion helps to insulate the electrically conductive layers and provides a stable platform for the layer contact assembly to establish connections within the device.
2. What advantages does the layer contact assembly offer in terms of memory device performance? The layer contact assembly ensures efficient vertical connections between different layers in the memory device, enhancing data transfer speeds and overall reliability.
Original Abstract Submitted
A three-dimensional memory device includes: an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers having stepped surfaces in a contact region; memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack; memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings; a retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying the stepped surfaces; and a layer contact assembly vertically extending through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion and through a subset of layers in the alternating stack and including: a dielectric pillar structure that is laterally surrounded by the subset of layers in the alternating stack; and a layer contact via structure including a cylindrical conductive material portion that vertically extends through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion and a downward-protruding tubular portion adjoined to a bottom end of the cylindrical conductive portion and having an annular bottom surface that contacts an electrically conductive layer within the subset of layers in the alternating stack.
