Three dimensional memory structure

DC CAFC

US 8,841,778 B2
Filed: 08/09/2013
Issued: 09/23/2014
Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1997
Status: Expired due to Fees

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First Claim

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1. A circuit layer comprising:

a semiconductor substrate that is of one piece and monocrystalline;

interconnect conductors passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate; and

silicon-based dielectric insulators passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate around the vertical interconnect conductors, the silicon-based dielectric insulators having a stress of less than 5×

10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.

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Abstract

A Three-Dimensional Structure (3DS) Memory allows for physical separation of the memory circuits and the control logic circuit onto different layers such that each layer may be separately optimized. One control logic circuit suffices for several memory circuits, reducing cost. Fabrication of 3DS memory involves thinning of the memory circuit to less than 50 microns in thickness and bonding the circuit to a circuit stack while still in wafer substrate form. Fine-grain high density inter-layer vertical bus connections are used. The 3DS memory manufacturing method enables several performance and physical size efficiencies, and is implemented with established semiconductor processing techniques.

395 Citations

138 Claims

1. A circuit layer comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate that is of one piece and monocrystalline;
  
  interconnect conductors passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate; and
  
  silicon-based dielectric insulators passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate around the vertical interconnect conductors, the silicon-based dielectric insulators having a stress of less than 5×
  
  10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 134)
- - 2. The circuit layer of claim 1, further comprising:
    - a silicon-based dielectric film on the semiconductor substrate and having a stress of less than 5×
      
      10⁸dynes/cm²tensile;
      
      wherein the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 3. The circuit layer of claim 2, wherein the circuit layer is substantially flexible based on the semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible and the stress of the silicon-based dielectric film being less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
  - 4. The circuit layer of claim 2, wherein:
    - the circuit layer is less than 50 microns thick.
  - 5. The circuit layer of claim 1, wherein:
    - the circuit layer has edges that define its size in area; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.
  - 6. The circuit layer of claim 1, wherein the circuit layer comprises a die having a die area that defines its size and the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 7. The circuit layer of claim 1, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate has holes vertically etched therethrough; and
      
      the interconnect conductors and the silicon-based dielectric insulators are formed in and pass through the holes.
  - 31. The circuit layer of claim 2, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 32. The circuit layer of claim 31, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away monocrystalline semiconductor material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 33. The circuit layer of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the semiconductor substrate is less than 50 microns.
  - 34. The circuit layer of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 35. The circuit layer of claim 34, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 36. The circuit layer of claim 35, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away monocrystalline semiconductor material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 37. The circuit layer of claim 34, wherein the thickness of the semiconductor substrate is less than 50 microns.
  - 38. The circuit layer of claim 1, wherein the circuit layer comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter and the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 39. The circuit layer of claim 2, wherein the semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline silicon.
  - 134. The circuit layer of one of claims 32, 36 and 98, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric layer having a tensile stress of less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²formed over the polished surface.

8. A substantially flexible circuit layer comprising:
- a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece that is formed from a semiconductor wafer and is thinned and substantially flexible;
  
  a silicon-based dielectric film on the semiconductor substrate, the silicon-based dielectric film having a stress of less than 5×
  
  10⁸dynes/cm²tensile;
  
  interconnect conductors passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate; and
  
  silicon-based dielectric insulators around the vertical interconnect conductors and passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate, the silicon-based dielectric insulators having a stress of less than 5×
  
  10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 131, 135, 138)
- - 9. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein:
    - the substantially flexible circuit layer is less than 50 microns thick.
  - 10. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein:
    - the substantially flexible circuit layer has edges that define its size in area; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.
  - 11. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate comprises a polished or smoothed surface formed when the semiconductor substrate is thinned by first removing a significant portion of semiconductor wafer material from the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible based on the semiconductor substrate being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface.
  - 12. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein:
    - the circuit layer comprises a die having a die area that defines its size; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 13. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate has holes vertically etched therethrough; and
      
      the interconnect conductors and the silicon-based dielectric insulators are formed in and pass through the holes.
  - 40. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein the substantially flexible circuit layer is substantially flexible based on the semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible and the stress of the silicon-based dielectric film being less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
  - 41. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 40, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 42. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 41, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away semiconductor wafer material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 43. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 44. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 45. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 44, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away semiconductor wafer material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an expose surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 46. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 44, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 47. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein:
    - the circuit layer comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 48. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 8, wherein the semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline silicon.
  - 131. The substantially flexible circuit layer of one of claims 10 and 12, further comprising circuitry formed on the semiconductor substrate.
  - 135. The substantially flexible circuit layer of one of claims 11, 42 and 45, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric layer having a tensile stress of less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²formed over the polished surface.
  - 138. The substantially flexible circuit layer of claim 11, wherein:
    - the circuit layer comprises a die having a die area that defines its size;
      
      anthe semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.

14. A stacked substrate circuit layer structure comprising:
- a first circuit layer comprising at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry; and
  
  a second circuit layer stacked with the first circuit layer, the second circuit layer comprising;
  
  a semiconductor substrate that is of one piece and is monocrystalline;
  
  at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry integrated with the semiconductor substrate;
  
  interconnect conductors extending vertically through the semiconductor substrate and connected between the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer and the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer; and
  
  silicon-based dielectric insulators around the interconnect conductors and passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate, the silicon-based dielectric insulators having a stress of less than 5×
  
  10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 132, 136)
- - 15. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer further comprises a silicon-based dielectric film on the semiconductor substrate, the silicon-based dielectric film having a stress of 5×
      
      10⁸dynes/cm²tensile; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 16. The stacked substrate structure of claim 15, wherein the second circuit layer is substantially flexible based on the semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible and the stress of the silicon-based dielectric film being less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
  - 17. The stacked substrate circuit layer structure of claim 15, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer is less than 50 microns thick.
  - 18. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer has edges that define its size in area; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.
  - 19. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein the second circuit layer comprises a die having a die area that defines its size and the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 20. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate has holes vertically etched therethrough; and
      
      the interconnect conductors and the silicon-based dielectric insulators are formed in and pass through the holes.
  - 21. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, further comprising conductive bonds bonding the first and second circuit layers together and connected between the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer and the vertical interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer.
  - 22. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 21, wherein:
    - the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer are integrated with the semiconductor substrate at a first side of the second circuit layer;
      
      the second circuit layer further comprises contacts integrated with the semiconductor substrate at a second side of the second circuit layer opposite the first side;
      
      the interconnect conductors are connected between the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry integrated at the first side of the second circuit layer and the contacts integrated at the second side of the second circuit layer;
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprise contacts at a first side of the first circuit layer; and
      
      the conductive bonds bond and connect the contacts at the first side of the first circuit layer with the contacts at the second side of the second circuit layer.
  - 49. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 15, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 50. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 49, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away monocrystalline semiconductor material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 51. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 15, wherein the thickness of the semiconductor substrate is less than 50 microns.
  - 52. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 53. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 52, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 54. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 53, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away monocrystalline semiconductor material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 55. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 52, wherein the thickness of the semiconductor substrate is less than 50 microns.
  - 56. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein the second circuit layer comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter and the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 57. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 15, wherein the semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline silicon.
  - 58. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein:
    - the stacked circuit layer structure is a stacked integrated memory structure and further comprises a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuit blocks, the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer comprises circuit blocks, and the third circuit layer comprises circuit blocks;
      
      the stacked integrated memory structure is partitioned into circuit block stacks, each of the circuit block stacks comprising stacked circuit blocks including ones of the circuit blocks from each of the first, second, and third circuit layers and vertical interconnects that vertically interconnect the stacked circuit blocks, the vertical interconnects of each of the circuit block stacks including ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer; and
      
      the stacked circuit blocks in a first one of the circuit block stacks perform first memory accesses of the integrated memory structure independently from second memory accesses of the integrated memory structure performed by the stacked circuit blocks in a second one of the circuit block stacks, the vertical interconnects of the first one of the circuit block stacks transfer data during the first memory accesses independently of data transferred by the vertical interconnects of the second one of the circuit block stacks during the second memory accesses.
  - 59. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 58, wherein:
    - the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuit blocks and the second and third circuit layers comprise memory array circuit blocks; and
      
      the stacked circuit blocks of each of the block stacks comprise one of the memory controller circuit blocks of the first circuit layer, one of the memory array circuit blocks of the second circuit layer, and one of the memory array circuit blocks of the third circuit layer.
  - 60. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, or circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      wherein the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer reads data from the memory array circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween and performs error correction on the read data.
  - 61. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 60, wherein the read data includes ECC data used by the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer to perform error correction on the read data.
  - 62. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuitry and third circuit layer comprises circuitry; and
      
      wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer reconfigures the circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween to avoid use of defective elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer.
  - 63. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 62, wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer reconfigures the circuitry of the third circuit layer by substituting the defective elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer with redundant elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer.
  - 64. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 63, wherein:
    - the circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the circuitry of the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      the defective elements comprise defective memory cells and the redundant elements comprise redundant memory cells.
  - 65. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 63, wherein:
    - the circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the circuitry of the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      the defective elements comprise defective gate lines and the redundant elements comprise redundant gate lines.
  - 66. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, wherein:
    - at least one of the first and second circuit layers comprises circuitry that reconfigures the stacked integrated circuit by substituting defective ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer with redundant ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer; and
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of first circuit layer and the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer transfer data via the redundant ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer.
  - 67. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and f the third circuit layer comprises DRAM cells; and
      
      wherein the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer refreshes the DRAM cells of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween.
  - 68. The stacked circuit layer structure of claim 14, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the contacts, interconnects, or circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises circuitry; and
      
      wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer tests the circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween.
  - 132. The stacked substrate circuit layer of one of claims 16 and 59, wherein the first circuit layer is made with a different integrated circuit fabrication technology than the second circuit layer.
  - 136. The stacked substrate circuit layer of one of claims 15, 50, and 54, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric layer having a tensile stress of less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²formed over the polished surface.

23. An integrated circuit structure comprising:
- a first circuit layer comprising at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry; and
  
  a second circuit layer stacked with the first circuit layer, the second circuit layer being substantially flexible and comprising;
  
  a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece that is formed from a semiconductor wafer and is thinned and substantially flexible;
  
  a silicon-based dielectric film on the semiconductor substrate and having a stress of less than 5×
  
  10⁸dynes/cm²tensile;
  
  at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry integrated with the semiconductor substrate and the silicon-based dielectric film;
  
  interconnect conductors passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate and connected between the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer and the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer; and
  
  silicon-based dielectric insulators around the interconnect conductors and passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate, the silicon-based dielectric insulators having a stress of less than 5×
  
  10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
- View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
- - 24. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer is less than 50 microns thick.
  - 25. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer has edges that define its size in area; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the area between the edges.
  - 26. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate comprises a polished or smoothed surface formed when the semiconductor substrate is thinned by first removing a significant portion of semiconductor wafer material from the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface and then polishing or smoothing the exposed surface; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible based on the semiconductor substrate being thinned and having the polished or smoothed surface.
  - 27. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer comprises a die having a die area that defines its size; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 28. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate has holes vertically etched therethrough; and
      
      the interconnect conductors and the silicon-based dielectric insulators are formed in and pass through the holes.
  - 29. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, further comprising conductive bonds bonding the first and second circuit layers together and connected between the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer and the vertical interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer.
  - 30. The integrated circuit structure of claim 29, wherein:
    - the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer are integrated with the semiconductor substrate at a first side of the second circuit layer;
      
      the second circuit layer further comprises contacts integrated with the semiconductor substrate at a second side of the second circuit layer opposite the first side;
      
      the interconnect conductors connect the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry at the first side of the second circuit layer with the contacts at the second side of the second circuit layer;
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprise contacts at a first side of the first circuit layer; and
      
      the conductive bonds bond and connect the contacts at the first side of the first circuit layer with the contacts at the second side of the second circuit layer.
  - 69. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein the substantially flexible circuit layer is substantially flexible based on the semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible and the stress of the silicon-based dielectric film being less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
  - 70. The integrated circuit structure of claim 69, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 71. The integrated circuit structure of claim 70, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away semiconductor wafer material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an exposed surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 72. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 73. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 74. The integrated circuit structure of claim 73, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away semiconductor wafer material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an expose surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 75. The integrated circuit structure of claim 73, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 76. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 77. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein the semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline silicon.
  - 78. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - the integrated circuit structure is a stacked integrated memory structure and further comprises a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuit blocks, the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer comprises circuit blocks, and the third circuit layer comprises circuit blocks;
      
      the stacked integrated memory structure is partitioned into circuit block stacks, each of the circuit block stacks comprising stacked circuit blocks including one of the circuit blocks from each of the first, second, and third circuit layers and vertical interconnects that vertically interconnect the stacked circuit blocks, the vertical interconnects of each of the circuit block stacks including ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer; and
      
      the stacked circuit blocks in a first one of the circuit block stacks perform first memory accesses of the integrated memory structure independently from second memory accesses of the integrated memory structure performed by the stacked circuit blocks in a second one of the circuit block stacks, the vertical interconnects of the first one of the circuit block stacks transfer data during the first memory accesses independently of data transferred by the vertical interconnects of the second one of the circuit block stacks during the second memory accesses.
  - 79. The integrated circuit structure of claim 78, wherein:
    - the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuit blocks and the second and third circuit layers comprise memory array circuit blocks; and
      
      the stacked circuit blocks of each of the block stacks comprise one of the memory controller circuit blocks of the first circuit layer, one of the memory array circuit blocks of the second circuit layer, and one of the memory array circuit blocks of the third circuit layer.
  - 80. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      wherein the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer reads data from the memory array circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween and performs error correction on the read data.
  - 81. The integrated circuit structure of claim 80, wherein the read data includes ECC data used by the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer to perform error correction on the read data.
  - 82. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, or circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises circuitry; and
      
      wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer reconfigures the circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween to avoid use of defective elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer.
  - 83. The integrated circuit structure of claim 82, wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer reconfigures the circuitry of the third circuit layer by substituting the defective elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer with redundant elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer.
  - 84. The integrated circuit structure of claim 83, wherein:
    - the circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the circuitry of the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      the defective elements comprise defective memory cells and the redundant elements comprise redundant memory cells.
  - 85. The integrated circuit structure of claim 83, wherein:
    - the circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the circuitry of the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      the defective elements comprise defective gate lines and the redundant elements comprise redundant gate lines.
  - 86. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, wherein:
    - at least one of the first and second circuit layers comprises circuitry that reconfigures the stacked integrated circuit by substituting defective ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer with redundant ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer; and
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of first circuit layer and the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer transfer data via the redundant ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer.
  - 87. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises DRAM cells; and
      
      wherein the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer refreshes the DRAM cells of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween.
  - 88. The integrated circuit structure of claim 23, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises circuitry; and
      
      wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer tests the circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween.

89. A circuit layer comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate of one piece that is monocrystalline and substantially flexible;
  
  a silicon-based dielectric film with tensile low stress on the semiconductor substrate;
  
  interconnect conductors passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate; and
  
  silicon-based dielectric insulators with tensile low stress passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate around the vertical interconnect conductors;
  
  wherein the circuit layer is substantially flexible based on the silicon-based dielectric film having tensile low stress and the semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible.
- View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 130)
- - 90. The circuit layer of claim 89, wherein the circuit layer is less than 50 microns thick.
  - 91. The circuit layer of claim 89, wherein:
    - the circuit layer has edges that define its size in area; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 92. The circuit layer of claim 89, wherein:
    - the circuit layer comprises a die having a die area that defines its size; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 93. The circuit layer of claim 89, wherein:
    - the circuit layer comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 94. The circuit layer of claim 89, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate has holes vertically etched therethrough; and
      
      the interconnect conductors and the silicon-based dielectric insulators are formed in and pass through the holes.
  - 95. The circuit layer of claim 89, wherein the tensile low stress of the silicon-based dielectric film and the silicon-based dielectric insulators is less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
  - 96. The circuit layer of claim 95, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 97. The circuit layer of claim 96, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 98. The circuit layer of claim 96, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away monocrystalline semiconductor material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an expose surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 99. The circuit layer of claim 89, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 100. The circuit layer of claim 99, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 101. The circuit layer of claim 99, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away monocrystalline semiconductor material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an expose surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 102. The circuit layer of claim 95, wherein the semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline silicon.
  - 130. The circuit layer of one of claims 2, 98 and 101, further comprising circuitry formed on the semiconductor substrate.

103. An integrated circuit structure comprising:
- a first circuit layer comprising at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry; and
  
  a second circuit layer stacked with the first circuit layer, the second circuit layer comprising;
  
  a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of one piece that is formed from a semiconductor wafer and is substantially flexible;
  
  a silicon-based dielectric film with tensile low stress on the semiconductor substrate;
  
  at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry integrated with the semiconductor substrate and the silicon-based dielectric film;
  
  interconnect conductors passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate and connected between the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer and the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer; and
  
  silicon-based dielectric insulators with tensile low stress passing vertically through the semiconductor substrate around the vertical interconnect conductors;
  
  wherein the circuit layer is substantially flexible based on the silicon-based dielectric film and the silicon-based dielectric insulators having tensile low stress and the semiconductor substrate being substantially flexible.
- View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 133, 137)
- - 104. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, further comprising conductive bonds bonding the first and second circuit layers together and connected between the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer and the vertical interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer.
  - 105. The integrated circuit structure of claim 104, wherein:
    - the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer are integrated with the semiconductor substrate at a first side of the second circuit layer;
      
      the second circuit layer further comprises contacts integrated with the semiconductor substrate at a second side of the second circuit layer opposite the first side;
      
      the interconnect conductors connect the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry at the first side of second circuit layer with the contacts at the second side of the second circuit layer;
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprise contacts at a first side of the first circuit layer; and
      
      the conductive bonds bond and connect the contacts at the first side of the first circuit layer with the contacts at the second side of the second circuit layer.
  - 106. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein the circuit layer is less than 50 microns thick.
  - 107. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer has edges that define its size in area; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the area between the edges and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 108. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer comprises a die having a die area that defines its size; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 109. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein:
    - the second circuit layer comprises a singulated die having a die area defined by its perimeter; and
      
      the semiconductor substrate extends in one piece across a substantial portion of the die area and the silicon-based dielectric film extends across a substantial portion of the die area.
  - 110. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein:
    - the semiconductor substrate has holes vertically etched therethrough; and
      
      the interconnect conductors and the silicon-based dielectric insulators are formed in and pass through the holes.
  - 111. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein the tensile low stress of the silicon-based dielectric film and the silicon-based dielectric insulators is less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²tensile.
  - 112. The integrated circuit structure of claim 111, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 113. The integrated circuit structure of claim 112, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 114. The integrated circuit structure of claim 112, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away semiconductor wafer material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an expose surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 115. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed such that the semiconductor substrate is substantially flexible.
  - 116. The integrated circuit structure of claim 115, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned to a thickness of less than 50 microns.
  - 117. The integrated circuit structure of claim 115, wherein the semiconductor substrate is thinned and polished or smoothed by (a) grinding away semiconductor wafer material of the semiconductor substrate to leave an expose surface thereof, and (b) polishing or smoothing the exposed surface.
  - 118. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein the semiconductor substrate is monocrystalline silicon.
  - 119. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein:
    - the integrated circuit structure is a stacked integrated memory structure and further comprises a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuit blocks, the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer comprises circuit blocks, and the third circuit layer comprises circuit blocks;
      
      the stacked integrated memory structure is partitioned into circuit block stacks, each of the circuit block stacks comprising stacked circuit blocks including one of the circuit blocks from each of the first, second, and third circuit layers and vertical interconnects that vertically interconnect the stacked circuit blocks, the vertical interconnects of each of the circuit block stacks including ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer; and
      
      the stacked circuit blocks in a first one of the circuit block stacks perform first memory accesses of the integrated memory structure independently from second memory accesses of the integrated memory structure performed by the stacked circuit blocks in a second one of the circuit block stacks, the vertical interconnects of the first one of the circuit block stacks transfer data during the first memory accesses independently of data transferred by the vertical interconnects of the second one of the circuit block stacks during the second memory accesses.
  - 120. The integrated circuit structure of claim 119, wherein:
    - the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuit blocks and the second and third circuit layers comprise memory array circuit blocks; and
      
      the stacked circuit blocks of each of the block stacks comprise one of the memory controller circuit blocks of the first circuit layer, one of the memory array circuit blocks of the second circuit layer, and one of the memory array circuit blocks of the third circuit layer.
  - 121. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      wherein the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer reads data from the memory array circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween and performs error correction on the read data.
  - 122. The integrated circuit structure of claim 121, wherein the read data includes ECC data used by the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer to perform error correction on the read data.
  - 123. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuitry and third circuit layer comprises circuitry; and
      
      wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer reconfigures the circuitry of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween to avoid use of defective elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer.
  - 124. The integrated circuit structure of claim 123, wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer reconfigures the circuitry of the third circuit layer by substituting the defective elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer with redundant elements of the circuitry of the third circuit layer.
  - 125. The integrated circuit structure of claim 124, wherein:
    - the circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the circuitry of the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      the defective elements comprise defective memory cells and the redundant elements comprise redundant memory cells.
  - 126. The integrated circuit structure of claim 124, wherein:
    - the circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the circuitry of the third circuit layer comprises memory array circuitry; and
      
      the defective elements comprise defective gate lines and the redundant elements comprise redundant gate lines.
  - 127. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, wherein:
    - at least one of the first and second circuit layers comprises circuitry that reconfigures the stacked integrated circuit by substituting defective ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer with redundant ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer; and
      
      the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of first circuit layer and the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the second circuit layer transfer data via the redundant ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer.
  - 128. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises memory controller circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises DRAM cells; and
      
      wherein the memory controller circuitry of the first circuit layer refreshes the DRAM cells of the third circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween.
  - 129. The integrated circuit structure of claim 103, further comprising:
    - a third circuit layer stacked with the first and second circuit layers;
      
      wherein the at least one of contacts, interconnects, and circuitry of the first circuit layer comprises circuitry and the third circuit layer comprises circuitry; and
      
      wherein the circuitry of the first circuit layer tests the circuitry of the second circuit layer via ones of the interconnect conductors of the second circuit layer connected therebetween.
  - 133. The integrated circuit structure of one of claims 25, 27, 79, 107 and 120, wherein the first circuit layer is made with a different integrated circuit fabrication technology than the second circuit layer.
  - 137. The integrated circuit structure of one of claims 26, 71, 74 and 117, further comprising a silicon-based dielectric layer having a tensile stress of less than 5×
    - 10⁸dynes/cm²formed over the polished surface.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Litigation Data

Current Assignee
Elm 3DS Innovations LLC
Original Assignee
Elm 3DS Innovations LLC
Inventors
Leedy, Glenn J
Primary Examiner(s)
Lam, David

Application Number

US13/963,149
Publication Number

US 20130320563A1
Time in Patent Office

410 Days
Field of Search

257777-778, 257685-686, 438/455, 438/977, 438107-108, 365/63, 365/51, 365/230.06
US Class Current

257/777
CPC Class Codes

G11C 5/02   Disposition of storage elem...

G11C 5/06   Arrangements for interconne...

H01L 21/76898   formed through a semiconduc...

H01L 2224/8083   Solid-solid interdiffusion

H01L 2224/8384   Sintering

H01L 23/481   Internal lead connections, ...

H01L 23/5226   Via connections in a multil...

H01L 25/0657   Stacked arrangements of dev...

H01L 27/0688   Integrated circuits having ...

H01L 29/02   Semiconductor bodies ; Mult...

H01L 2924/01079   Gold [Au]

H10B 12/50   Peripheral circuit region s...

Y10S 438/977   Thinning or removal of subs...

Three dimensional memory structure

First Claim

4 Assignments

Litigations

1 Petition

Accused Products

Abstract

395 Citations

138 Claims

Specification

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Three dimensional memory structure

First Claim

4 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

Litigations

1 Petition

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

395 Citations

138 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Use Cases

Quick Links

Others