Embodiments described herein relate generally to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device.
There is known a semiconductor device designed such that structure bodies including a plurality of memory cells stacked in a height direction are arranged in a two-dimensional state on a polycrystalline silicon film. In this semiconductor device, a region including structure bodies arranged therein is partitioned by slits extending in a predetermined direction.
In a cross section perpendicular to the extending direction of the slits, the CD (Critical Dimension) at the bottom of each slit is preferably larger, and the recessed amount made by each slit into the underlying polycrystalline silicon film is preferably smaller. However, conventionally, it is difficult to achieve both these two matters together.
In general, according to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, memory cell component layers, a dividing part, and a complementary film. The memory cell component layers are provided on the semiconductor layer such that memory cells are arranged in a three-dimensional state. The dividing part extends from an upper surface of the memory cell component layers to a predetermined depth of the semiconductor layer. The dividing part includes a first spacer film made of an insulating material and provided on a side in contact with the memory cell component layers, and a filling film embedded in a region surrounded by the first spacer film. The complementary film is made of a conductive material and provided between the filling film and the semiconductor layer.
An exemplary embodiment of a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. The sectional views, the top view, and the perspective view of a semiconductor device used in the following embodiment are schematic, and so the relationship between the thickness and width of each layer and/or the thickness ratios between respective layers may be different from actual states.
The embodiment described hereinafter is exemplified by a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a structure that memory cells (transistors) of the SGT (Surrounding Gate Transistor) type are provided in a height direction. Each of the memory cells includes a semiconductor film serving as a channel and formed as a vertical column above a substrate, and a gate electrode film formed on the side surface of the semiconductor film, through a tunnel insulating film, a charge accumulation film, and an inter-electrode insulating film.
The memory cell part 11 is configured such that a plurality of memory strings are arranged above a substrate, wherein each memory string includes memory cell transistors (each of which will also be simply referred to as a memory cell, hereinafter), a drain-side selection transistor and a source-side selection transistor respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the memory cell column. As described later, each of the memory cell transistors, the drain-side selection transistor, and the source-side selection transistor is structured such that a gate electrode is formed on the side surface of a hollow columnar structure body including a semiconductor film, a tunnel insulating film, a charge accumulation film, and an inter-electrode insulating film stacked in this order. In each memory cell transistor, the gate electrode serves as a control gate electrode, and, in each of the drain-side selection transistor and the source-side selection transistor, the gate electrode serves as a selection gate electrode. The structure shown here is exemplified by a case where one memory string is provided with memory cells in four layers.
Each word line 16 connects the control gate electrodes of memory cells at the same height to each other among memory strings present within a predetermined range. The direction in which the word lines 16 extend will be referred to as a word line direction, hereinafter. Further, the source-side selection gate line 17 connects the selection gate electrodes of source-side selection transistors to each other among the memory strings present within the predetermined range, and the drain-side selection gate line 18 connects the selection gate electrodes of drain-side selection transistors to each other among the memory strings present within the predetermined range. Further, the bit lines 19 are arranged such that they are respectively connected to the upper sides of the memory strings in a direction intersecting with the word line direction (in this example, in a direction perpendicular thereto). The direction in which the bit lines 19 extend will be referred to as a bit line direction, hereinafter.
The word line drive circuit 12 is a circuit for controlling voltage to be applied to the word lines 16, the source-side selection gate line drive circuit 13 is a circuit for controlling voltage to be applied to the source-side selection gate line 17, and the drain-side selection gate line drive circuit 14 is a circuit for controlling voltage to be applied to the drain-side selection gate line 18. Further, the sense amplifier 15 is a circuit for amplifying an electric potential read from a selected memory cell. Here, in the following explanation, when there is no need to distinguish the source-side selection gate line 17 and the drain-side selection gate line 18 from each other, they will be simply referred to as selection gate lines. Further, when there is no need to distinguish the source-side selection transistor and the drain-side selection transistor from each other, they will be simply referred to as selection transistors.
The word lines 16, the source-side selection gate line 17, and the drain-side selection gate line 18 provided in the memory cell part 11 are connected to the word line drive circuit 12, the source-side selection gate line drive circuit 13, and the drain-side selection gate line drive circuit 14 respectively through contacts in a word line contact part 20 (electrode line contact part) provided for the memory cell part 11. The word line contact part 20 is arranged on a side of the memory cell part 11 facing the word line drive circuit 12, and has a structure formed such that the word lines 16 and the selection gate lines 17 and 18, which are connected to the memory cells at respective heights and the selection transistors, have been processed in a stepwise state.
As shown in
Here, a filler insulating film 124, such as a silicon oxide film, is embedded in the hollow columnar semiconductor film 123 up to a predetermined height, and a cap film 125, such as a P-type amorphous silicon film, is further embedded thereon from the predetermined height.
In the column of the transistors connected in series in the height direction, the transistors at the upper and lower ends serve as selection transistors SGS and SGD. In the example shown in
As shown in
A complementary film 105 is provided at the bottom of each slit 150. The complementary film 105 is formed in a region including a recessed portion of the underlying semiconductor film 101 at the bottom of each slit 150. The complementary film 105 may be made of amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, titanium (Ti), or tungsten. Further, the thickness of the complementary film 105 is set to be about a recessed amount of the underlying semiconductor film 101, such as 50 nm or less. The complementary film 105 serves to lower the resistance of the semiconductor film 101, which receives over-etching and thereby increases its resistance when the slit 150 is formed as described later. Further, since the complementary film 105 has no damage remaining on its upper surface due to etching as described later, if the filling film 163 is formed of a conductive film, the contact resistance between the complementary film 105 and the filling film 163 is reduced.
Here, in a case where the complementary film 105 and the filling film 163 are made of tungsten, the diameter of particles forming the complementary film 105 is smaller than the diameter of particles forming the filling film 163. For example, if each slit 150 has a width of about 160 nm in a cross section perpendicular to its extending direction, and the complementary film 105 has a thickness of 50 nm, the particles forming the complementary film 105 are smaller than the particles forming the filling film 163 that is formed in the slit 150 having a larger width. Consequently, by comparing the size of the particles forming the complementary film 105 with that of the filling film 163, the interface between these films can be estimated.
The transistors at the same height in each region present between dividing parts 161 are connected to each other by the same electrode film 112. For example, the source-side selection transistors SGS in each region present between dividing parts 161 are connected to each other by the lowermost layer electrode film 112. The drain-side selection transistors SGD in each region present between dividing parts 161 are connected to each other by the uppermost layer electrode film 112. These electrode films 112 serve as selection gate lines.
As shown in
Further, the memory cells MC at the same height in each region present between dividing parts 161 are connected to each other by the corresponding one of the electrode films 112. Each electrode film 112 connecting the memory cells MC serves as a word line.
Next, an explanation will be given of a manufacturing method of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having this configuration.
At first, peripheral circuit elements and so forth are formed on a semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon substrate, (not shown). An interlayer insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate thus provided with the peripheral circuit elements and so forth, and is planarized. Then, as shown in
The spacer film 111 may be formed of a silicon oxide film, for example. The insulating film 114 may be made of the same material as that of the spacer film 111, and may be formed of a silicon oxide film, for example. The sacrificial film 171 may be formed of a silicon nitride film, for example. The thickness of each of the spacer film 111 and the sacrificial film 171 may be set to several ten nm.
Then, as shown in
Thereafter, as shown in
Then, a semiconductor film 122 is formed on the ONO film 121. The semiconductor film 122 is formed such that it covers, also in a conformal state, each memory hole 120 including the ONO film 121 formed thereon. This semiconductor film 122 serves to cover and prevent part of the ONO film 121 formed on the sidewall of each memory hole 120 from being removed, when part of the ONO film 121 formed at the bottom of each memory hole 120 is being removed by etching. The semiconductor film 122 may be made of amorphous silicon. Further, its thickness may be set to 7 nm. Further, a resist 182 is applied onto the entire surface of the semiconductor film 122, and is subjected to patterning by use of a lithography technique and a development technique, so that openings are formed at positions corresponding to the memory holes 120.
Thereafter, anisotropic etching is performed by use of an RIE method or the like, through the resist 182 serving as a mask, so that part of the semiconductor film 122 and part of the ONO film 121 at the bottom of each memory hole 120 are removed. Then, the resist pattern is removed, and, thereafter, as shown in
Then, as shown in
Thereafter, as shown in
Then, anisotropic etching is performed by use of an RIE method or the like to etch the stacked body, through the resist pattern (not shown) serving as a mask, so that slits 150 are formed. Each slit 150 reaches the semiconductor film 101. In general, a fluorocarbon based gas is used for etching an insulating film including an oxide film, but, in this embodiment, the etching is performed under conditions (which will be referred to as non-deposit conditions, hereinafter) to prevent deposition products of the etching from being deposited on the side surface of each slit 150. For example, the deposition products of the etching are formed by deposition of components derived from an etching gas due to decomposition or combination in plasma, or deposition of etching by-product generated by the etching. In the case of a fluorocarbon based gas, the non-deposit conditions are conditions for using an etching gas having a small C/F ratio, such as CF4.
When the etching is performed to the stacked body under the non-deposit conditions, the amount of deposition products deposited on the sidewall of each slit 150 during the etching is reduced. In this case, the stacked body comes to have a taper angle of almost a right angle in a cross section perpendicular to the extending direction of each slit 150 thus formed. As a result, the width (CD) at the bottom can be set to a desired value without increasing the width at the top.
Further, the amount of carbon (C) implanted into the underlying semiconductor film 101 (silicon film) at the bottom of each slit 150 can be reduced. If carbon is implanted into the semiconductor film 101, the resistance of the semiconductor film 101 is deteriorated due to generation of damage and diffusion of carbon. On the other hand, in this embodiment, since the etching is performed under the non-deposit conditions, the resistance of the semiconductor film 101 is suppressed from being deteriorated.
However, when the etching is performed under the non-deposit conditions, it is difficult to attain a selective ratio relative to the underlying semiconductor film 101 (silicon film). Consequently, the semiconductor film 101 is dug down and the thickness of the semiconductor film 101 is reduced at the position where each slit 150 is formed, and the resistance thereby ends up being increased if it remains in this state.
Accordingly, in this embodiment, as shown in
Then, as shown in
Then, as shown in
Then, as shown in
Then, as shown in
Thereafter, as shown in
Then, as shown in
Then, a spacer film 162 is formed to cover the upper surface of the insulating film 114 and the inner surface of each slit 150. The spacer film 162 may be exemplified by an insulating film, such as a silicon oxide film. Thereafter, anisotropic etching is performed by use of an RIE method or the like, so that the spacer film 162 is etched back and is partly left only on the side surface of each slit 150. Thereafter, a filling film 163 is embedded in each slit 150. The filling film 163 may be formed of a conductive film or insulating film.
If the filling film 163 is to be used as a contact, it is formed of a conductive film. This conductive film may be made of tungsten or the like, for example. In this case, the conductive complementary film 105 (amorphous silicon film) is embedded near the center of the bottom of each slit 150. The complementary film 105 has no etching damage on its surface and contains no carbon, which is a component of an etching gas, diffused in its surface. Consequently, the filling film 163 formed of a conductive film and the conductive complementary film 105 come into good contact with each other, and thereby reduce the contact resistance therebetween. Further, when the conductive complementary film 105 and the filling film 163 form a good contact state, silicide is formed at the interface therebetween, and thus the resistance is lowered.
Thereafter, part of the filling film 163 above the stacked body is removed by a CMP method or the like. As a result, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device shown in
In the explanation described above, a NAND type flash memory having an SGT structure is taken as an example. However, other than this, this embodiment may be applied to a semiconductor device having a configuration in which memory cells of a ReRAM (Resistive Random Access Memory), MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory), or DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) are arranged in a three-dimensional state.
According to the embodiment, a semiconductor device including memory cells MC arranged in a three-dimensional state on the semiconductor film 101 is provided with the complementary film 105 in a recessed portion of the semiconductor film 101 at a position for forming each dividing part 161 that partitions a region. The complementary film 105 is formed of a conductive film, which has no etching damage on its surface and contains no carbon, which is a component of an etching gas, diffused in its surface. Consequently, it is possible to reduce the contact resistance between the complementary film 105 and the filling film 163 formed of a conductive film arranged thereon. Further, the semiconductor film 101 is recessed at the position for forming each dividing part 161 and reduces its thickness, and the resistance of the semiconductor film 101 thereby ends up being increased. However, it is possible to suppress an increase in the resistance by providing the complementary film 105 at the recessed portion.
Further, according to the embodiment, when the slits 150 are formed in the films for constituting memory cells MC arranged in a three-dimensional state (which will be referred to as memory cell component layers, hereinafter), which are provided on the semiconductor film 101, the slits 150 are formed by etching under conditions with a small C/F ratio. Consequently, it is possible to set the width of each slit 150 to be almost uniform from the top to the bottom in a cross section perpendicular to the extending direction of the slits 150, and to set the width at the bottom to a desired value. Further, when the slits 150 are formed, the recessed portion of the semiconductor film 101 below the memory cell component layers is complemented by the conductive complementary film 105. Consequently, it is possible to reduce the contact resistance between the semiconductor film 101 and the conductive filling film 163 embedded in each slit 150.
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.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/120,632, filed on Feb. 25, 2015; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62120632 | Feb 2015 | US |