The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 31, 2020
Filed:
Jun. 07, 2018
Sandisk Technologies Llc, Addison, TX (US);
Yujin Terasawa, Yokkaichi, JP;
Genta Mizuno, Yokkaichi, JP;
Yusuke Mukae, Yokkaichi, JP;
Yoshinobu Tanaka, Yokkaichi, JP;
Shiori Kataoka, Yokkaichi, JP;
Ryosuke Itou, Yokkaichi, JP;
Kensuke Yamaguchi, Yokkaichi, JP;
Naoki Takeguchi, Yokkaichi, JP;
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Addison, TX (US);
Abstract
An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed with stepped surfaces. Sacrificial metal plates are formed on the top surfaces of the sacrificial material layers, and a retro-stepped dielectric material portion is formed over the sacrificial metal plates. Contact via cavities are formed through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion employing the sacrificial metal plates as etch stop structures. The sacrificial metal plates are replaced with portions of insulating spacer layers. Sacrificial via fill structures within remaining volumes of the contact via cavities. The sacrificial material layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers. The sacrificial via fill structures are replaced with portions of staircase-region contact via structures that contact the electrically conductive layers.