Sandisk Technologies Inc.

Shiqian Shao

Fumiaki Toyama

Hirofumi Tokita

Peter Rabkin

Tuan Duc Pham

Tomohiro Kubo

Mohan Dunga

Yuki Mizutani

Jee-Yeon Kim

A non-volatile memory apparatus comprises a stack of integrated memory assemblies. Each integrated memory assembly includes a memory die bonded to a control die and a set of power pads connected to metal lines in the respective memory die and control die. The memory dies comprise a non-volatile memory structure and a top metal layer for transmitting power signals above the memory structure. The control dies comprise a substrate, a control circuit positioned on the substrate for performing memory operations on a corresponding memory structure and a set of metals layers above the control circuit. The substrate comprises a set of conductive vias through the substrate that connect at one end to the top metal layer of the memory die of an adjacent integrated memory assembly and connect at a second end to the set of metals layers above the control circuit for routing signals between integrated memory assemblies.

Non-volatile memory with inter-die connection

A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, a first three-dimensional memory array located in a first memory array region, and a second three-dimensional memory array located in a second memory array region that is laterally spaced from the first memory array region along a first horizontal direction by an inter-array region. The alternating stack is laterally bounded by two trench fill structures that are laterally spaced apart along a second horizontal direction by an inter-trench spacing. The inter-array region includes a stepped cavity having vertical steps of the alternating stack that laterally extend along different horizontal directions. Multiple rows of contact via structures may contact different electrically conductive layers in the stepped cavity. Alternatively or additionally, a top portion of the stepped cavity and a width of a bridge region of the electrically conductive layers in the inter-array region may have a variable lateral extent along the second horizontal direction.

Three-dimensional memory device with high contact via density and methods of forming the same

An integrated memory assembly comprises a control die bonded to a memory die. The memory die includes multiple non-volatile memory structures (e.g., planes, arrays, groups of blocks, etc.), each comprising a stack of alternating conductive and dielectric layers forming staircases at one or more edges of the non-volatile memory structures. The non-volatile memory structures are positioned with gaps between the non-volatile memory structures such that the gaps separate the staircases of adjacent non-volatile memory structures. Metal interlayer segments positioned in the gaps are connected to a top metal layer positioned above non-volatile memory structures and to one or more electrical circuits on the control die via zero, one or more other metal layers/segments.

Non-volatile memory with efficient signal routing

A three dimensional non-volatile memory structure includes word lines connected to non-volatile memory cells arranged in blocks. A plurality of word line switches are connected to the word lines and one or more sources of voltage. The word line switches are arranged in groups of X word line switches such that each group of X word line switches is positioned in a line under Y blocks of non-volatile memory cells and has a length that is equal to the width of the Y blocks of non-volatile memory cells, where X>Y.

Non-volatile memory with efficient word line hook-up

To overcome a shortage of area for horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to corresponding word lines and for pass through signal lines, it is proposed to implement multiple architectures for the word line hook up regions. For example, some areas of a die will be designed to provide extra horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to word lines and other areas of the die will be designed to provide extra pass through signal lines.

Non-volatile memory with different word line hook up regions based on pass through signals

A semiconductor structure includes a bonded assembly of a first semiconductor die including first metal bonding pads and a second semiconductor die including second metal bonding pads, and a capacitor structure including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a node dielectric. The first electrode includes first bonded pairs of metal bonding pads. The second electrode includes second bonded pairs of metal bonding pads. The node dielectric includes portions dielectric material layers laterally surrounding the metal bonding pads.

Capacitor structure including bonding pads as electrodes and methods of forming the same

Non-volatile memory with different use of metal lines in word line hook up regions

A non-volatile memory includes a non-volatile memory array comprising blocks of non-volatile memory cells, bit lines connected to the memory cells and word lines connected to the memory cells. Word line switch transistors connect the word lines to voltage sources. The word line switch transistors are positioned in triple wells. Multiple triple wells are utilized and the word line switch transistors are grouped into triple wells based on word line voltage ranges used during the programming process. In one embodiment, for a given block, the word line switch transistors connected to data word lines are positioned in a first triple well and the word line switch transistors connected to selection and dummy word lines are positioned in a second triple well. This structure allows the triple wells to be biased differently.

Non-volatile memory with multiple wells for word line switch transistors

A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device includes forming a vertically alternating sequence of insulating layers and spacer material layers over a substrate, where the spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers, forming multiple sets of stepped surfaces in terrace regions of the vertically alternating sequence, forming memory stack structures through memory array regions of the vertically alternating sequence, and forming a metal interconnect structure which electrically connects a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the first memory array region and a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the second memory array region, and which extends above a horizontal plane of the topmost electrically conductive layer in the first memory array region and a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the second memory array region.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Shiqian Shao