SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, AND NONTRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING A PATTERN GENERATING PROGRAM
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a stacked body of N (N is an integer of 2 or more) layers stacked on a semiconductor substrate and openings different in depth surrounded by the stacked body and separated from each other.
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This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/127,455, filed on Mar. 3, 2015; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELDEmbodiments described herein relate generally to a semiconductor device, a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, and a nontransitory computer readable medium storing a pattern generating program.
BACKGROUNDTo make a semiconductor device with a higher degree of integration, the semiconductor device may use a three-dimensional structure. In the three-dimensional structure, steps may be provided between layers in a contact region to extract individual wires from the layers. There is a method for forming such steps by which to repeatedly perform lithography and etching according to the number of the steps.
In general, according to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a stacked body of N (N is an integer of 2 or more) layers stacked on a semiconductor substrate, and openings different in depth surrounded by the stacked body and separated from each other.
Exemplary embodiments of a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.
First EmbodimentReferring to
Next, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
In this case, etching the stacked body TA via the resist R with different film thicknesses makes it possible to form the contact holes H1 to H3 different in depth in one etching process. This eliminates the need to perform repeatedly the etching process for formation of the contact holes H1 to H3 different in depth, which results in reduction of the number of processes. In addition, providing the guide pattern G on the stacked body TA for formation of the resist R with different film thicknesses on the stacked body TA makes it possible to prevent that the resist R charged into the openings K1 to K3 flows to the outside. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the film thicknesses h1, h2, and h3 of the resist R with higher accuracy, thereby obtaining the depths of the contact holes H1 to H3 different in depth with higher accuracy.
Second EmbodimentReferring to
The foundation layer BS may be a semiconductor substrate, an insulator, or an electric conductor. The foundation layer BS may have an integrated circuit thereon.
Next, referring to
Next, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
Δh=Δd×EHR/EHA
where Δ=d2−d1.
Forming the extracted patterns NP1 to NP3 on the resist R makes it possible to control the volume of the resist R in the openings K1 to K3 with higher accuracy and provide the film thicknesses h1, h2, and h3 with higher accuracy. In addition, providing the guide pattern G on the stacked body TA makes it possible to prevent the resist R charged into the openings K1 to K3 from outflowing at the time of reflow, and prevent the film thicknesses h1, h2, and h3 from deviating from set values.
In the example of
Next, as illustrated in
In the example of
Referring to
Referring to
In the CAD system 21, designed layout data F1 for the three-dimensional structure is created for each of the layers and sent to the guide pattern generating device 22. Then, the stepped region calculation unit 22A extracts a stepped region from the designed layout data F1 for each oft the layers. The guide region calculation unit 22B extracts a guide region surrounding the bottom portion of the stepped region from the three-dimensional structure. The guide region may be set at a flat portion of the three-dimensional structure. The guide region preferably has no influence on operations of the three-dimensional structure acting as a device. Further, the guide region preferably has no influence on the process of the three-dimensional structure as a device. Then, the guide layout calculation unit 22C lays out a guide pattern surrounding the bottom portion of the stepped region in the guide region. Layout information F2 for the guide pattern is sent to the mask pattern generating device 23. In addition, the mask pattern generating device 23 receives input of depth information F3 of openings different in depth in the three-dimensional structure. The depth information F3 may be given by a distance from the surface of the three-dimensional structure to the bottom portion of the stepped region. The film thickness distribution calculation unit 23A calculates the film thickness of a resist in each of the openings necessary for obtaining the depth of the opening in the three-dimensional structure. The resist volume calculation unit 23B calculates the volume of the resist in each of the openings necessary for obtaining the film thickness distribution calculated by the film thickness distribution calculation unit 23A. Next, the mask layout calculation unit 23C generates an extracted pattern in each of the openings necessary for obtaining the volume calculated by the resist volume calculation unit 23B. The extracted patterns may be the extracted patterns NP1 to NP3 in
Referring to
Referring to
The external storage unit 6 may be a magnetic disc such as a hard disc, an optical disc such as a DVD, or a portable semiconductor storage unit such as a USB memory or a memory card. The human interface 4 may be a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel as an input interface, and may be a display or a printer as an output interface, for example. The communication interface 5 may be a LAN card, a modem, a router, or the like, for connection with the internet or a LAN. The external storage unit 6 has a guide pattern generating program 6a and a mask pattern generating program 6b installed therein.
When the guide pattern generating program 6a is executed by the processor 1, the stepped region in the three-dimensional structure is extracted and the guide pattern surrounding the bottom portion of the stepped region is generated. In addition, when the mask pattern generating program 6b is executed by the processor 1, the film thickness of the resist necessary for obtaining a depth to the bottom portion of the stepped region is calculated in each of the openings, and an extracted pattern necessary for obtaining the film thickness after reflow is generated in each of the openings.
The guide pattern generating program 6a and the mask pattern generating program 6b to be executed by the processor 1 may be stored in the external storage unit 6 and read into the RAM 3 at execution of the program, or may be stored in advance in the ROM 2, or may be acquired via the communication interface 5. In addition, the guide pattern generating program 6a and the mask pattern generating program 6b may be executed at a standalone computer or a cloud computer.
Referring to
An extracted line W5 is formed above the source-side select gate line SGS. The source-side select gate line SGS is connected to the source-side select gate line drive circuit B3 via the extracted line W5. Bit lines BL0 to BL7 are formed in the column direction DE2 above the drain-side select gate line SGD. In addition, an extracted line W6 is formed in the row direction DE1 above the drain-side select gate line SGD. The drain-side select gate line SGD is connected to the drain-side select gate line drive circuit B4 via the extracted line W6. Extracted lines W1 to W4 are formed in the row direction DE1 above the word line WL4 corresponding to the word lines WL1 to WL4, respectively. The word lines WL1 to WL4 are connected to the word line drive circuit B1 via the extracted lines W1 to W4, respectively.
The word line WL1 is connected to the extracted line W1 via a contact plug V1. The contact plug V1 penetrates through the word lines WL2 to WL4 and is electrically connected to the word line WL1. The word line WL2 is connected to the extracted line W2 via a contact plug V2. The contact plug V2 penetrates through the word lines WL3 and WL4 and is electrically connected to the word line WL2. The word line WL3 is connected to the extracted line W3 via a contact plug V3. The contact plug V3 penetrates through the word line WL4 and is electrically connected to the word line WL3. The word line WL4 is connected to the extracted line W4 via a contact plug V4. The contact plug V4 is electrically connected to the word line WL4.
Referring to
In the cell array region RM, memory holes MH are formed in such a manner as to penetrate through the word lines WL1 to WL4 in the depth direction DE3. Columnar bodies PS are embedded into the memory holes MH to form memory cells NA at intersections with the word lines WL1 to WL4.
As illustrated in
Meanwhile, in the word line extracted region RW, the stacked body TA has contact holes H1 to H4 different in depth as illustrated in
Forming the contact holes H1 to H4 different in depth in the stacked body TA eliminates the need to form steps between the word lines WL1 to WL4 before the formation of the contact holes H1 to H4, thereby resulting in reduction of the number of processes.
In the configuration of
In the foregoing embodiments, contact holes different in depth are formed as an example. Alternatively, the present invention may be applied to an example in which ion-implanted layers different in depth are formed on a processed substrate.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
Claims
1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a stacked body of N (N is an integer of 2 or more) layers stacked on a semiconductor substrate; and
- openings different in depth surrounded by the stacked body and separated from each other.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, comprising a guide pattern configured to be provided on the stacked body to divide the openings.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the guide pattern is arranged at a flat portion of the stacked body.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the guide pattern is made of a material different from that for the stacked body.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein
- the stacked body includes N layers of word lines; and
- the openings are N contact holes corresponding to the N layers of word lines.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 5, wherein contact holes in the lower-layer word lines penetrate through the upper-layer word lines.
7. The semiconductor device of claim 6, comprising:
- N contact plugs embedded into the N contact holes; and
- N extracted lines connected to the N layers of word lines via the N contact plugs.
8. The semiconductor device of claim 7, comprising a columnar body penetrating through the N layers of word lines, wherein
- the columnar body includes:
- a central body capable of forming a channel;
- a tunnel insulating film formed on an outer peripheral surface of the central body;
- a charge trap film formed on an outer peripheral surface of the tunnel insulating film; and
- a block insulating film formed on an outer peripheral surface of the charge trap film.
9. A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, comprising:
- forming a three-dimensional structure on a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a guide pattern corresponding to openings in the three-dimensional structure on the three-dimensional structure;
- forming resist films different in thickness divided by the guide pattern on the three-dimensional structure; and
- etching the three-dimensional structure via the resist films such that the openings are different in depth.
10. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein
- the forming resist films different in thickness divided by the guide pattern on the three-dimensional structure includes:
- forming resist films equal in thickness and different in area in the guide pattern on the three-dimensional structure; and
- reflowing the resist films to cause differences in the thickness of the resist films.
11. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor device of claim 10, wherein differences are made in crude density of a light-shielding pattern in an exposure mask for use in light exposure of the resist films to cause differences in areas of the resist films.
12. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a stacked body in which word lines and insulating films are alternately stacked.
13. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein depths of the openings are set for each of the word lines in the layers.
14. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor device of claim 13, comprising:
- forming side-wall insulating films on side walls of the openings; and
- embedding into the openings contact plugs electrically connected to the word lines in the layers.
15. A nontransitory computer readable medium storing a pattern generating program to cause a computer to perform:
- extracting a stepped region in a three-dimensional structure;
- calculating a guide region around the stepped region; and
- arranging a guide pattern in the guide region.
16. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the guide region is set at a flat portion of the three-dimensional structure.
17. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the guide pattern is set to surround a lower portion of the stepped region.
18. A nontransitory computer readable medium storing a pattern generating program to cause a computer to perform:
- acquiring depth information of openings different in depth in a three-dimensional structure;
- calculating a film thickness distribution of a resist necessary for obtaining the depth;
- calculating volume of the resist necessary for obtaining the film thickness distribution in each of the openings; and
- generating an extracted pattern of the resist necessary for obtaining the volume in each of the openings.
19. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the three-dimensional structure is a stacked body in which word lines and insulating films are alternately stacked.
20. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the depth information is depth information of contact holes for contact with the word lines.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 24, 2015
Publication Date: Sep 8, 2016
Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Minato-ku)
Inventors: Satoshi NAGAI (Yokkaichi), Eiji YONEDA (Yokkaichi), Kentaro MATSUNAGA (Yokkaichi), Koutarou SHO (Yokkaichi)
Application Number: 14/748,764