Semiconductor device comprising memory devices each comprising sense amplifier and memory cell转让专利
申请号 : US14705698
文献号 : US10170175B2
文献日 : 2019-01-01
发明人 : Kiyoshi Kato , Tatsuya Onuki
申请人 : Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
摘要 :
权利要求 :
The invention claimed is:
说明书 :
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a memory device and a semiconductor device including the memory device.
Note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical field. One embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention relates to a machine, a process, manufacture, or a composition of matter. In particular, one embodiment of the present invention relates to, for example, a semiconductor, a semiconductor device, a memory device, a processor, a display device, a light-emitting device, a lighting device, a power storage device, a manufacturing method thereof, or a driving method thereof.
The semiconductor device in this specification indicates all the devices that can operate by utilizing semiconductor characteristics. A semiconductor device means a circuit having a semiconductor element (e.g., a transistor or a diode) and a device having the circuit, and the like. For example, an electronic circuit and a chip including an electronic circuit are all semiconductor devices. A memory device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a lighting device, an electro-optical device, an electronic device, and the like are examples of a semiconductor device in some cases.
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) stores data by accumulation of electric charge in a capacitor. Thus, the off-state current of a transistor for controlling the supply of electric charge to the capacitor is preferably small. This is because small off-state current can increase the data holding period, and the frequency of refresh operation can be reduced.
Transistors including an oxide semiconductor (preferably an oxide including In, Ga, and Zn) in their channel formation regions are known. It is known that a transistor including an oxide semiconductor (preferably an oxide including In, Ga, and Zn) in a channel formation region has an extremely small off-state current.
Patent Document 1 describes a semiconductor device which can hold stored content for a long time by using a transistor including a channel formation region in an oxide semiconductor film. Patent Document 1 also describes a semiconductor device in which the chip area can be reduced by stacking a driver circuit and a memory circuit. Patent Document 2 describes a semiconductor device in which capacitance of a capacitor can be reduced by a divided bit line system.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2011-151383
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2012-178554
In a memory device such as a DRAM, reductions in power consumption and size and increases in operating speed and memory capacity are required to improve performance and reduce power consumption of computing system.
An object of one embodiment of the present invention is at least one of the following: providing a memory device capable of reducing power consumption, providing a memory device capable of increasing operation speed, providing a downsized memory device, providing a memory device with improved memory capacity, providing a semiconductor device capable of reducing power consumption, providing a semiconductor device capable of improving operation speed, providing a downsized semiconductor device, and providing a novel semiconductor device.
The descriptions of these objects do not disturb the existence of other objects. In one embodiment of the present invention, there is no need to achieve all the objects. Other objects will be apparent from and can be derived from the description of the specification, the drawings, the claims, and the like.
(1) One embodiment of the present invention is a memory device including a sense amplifier, a bit line, a memory cell, and a first transistor. The bit line is provided over a layer where the sense amplifier is provided. The memory cell is provided over a layer where the bit line is provided and includes a second transistor and a capacitor. The sense amplifier is electrically connected to the bit line through the first transistor. The sense amplifier may include at least one layer of a conductor.
(2) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of (1) including a data line. The data line is provided over a layer where the memory cell is provided and is electrically connected to the sense amplifier through a third transistor.
(3) Another embodiment of the present invention is a memory device including a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a capacitor. The first layer is stacked over a layer where the third transistor and the fourth transistor are provided and includes a first conductor. The second layer is stacked over the first layer and includes a second conductor and a third conductor. The third layer is stacked over the second layer and includes a fourth conductor. The second transistor and the capacitor are stacked over the third layer. One of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the fourth conductor. The other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the second conductor. One of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the fourth conductor. The other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second conductor. The other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first conductor. A gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the third conductor. One of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the third conductor. The other of the source and the drain of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the first conductor. A gate of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the second conductor.
(4) Another embodiment of the present invention is a memory device including a sense amplifier, four bit lines, a memory cell, and four first transistors. The four bit lines are provided over a layer where the sense amplifier is provided. The memory cell is provided over a layer where the four bit lines are provided. The memory cell includes a second transistor and a capacitor. The four bit lines are arranged in two columns adjacent to each other in a first direction and two rows adjacent to each other in a second direction. The second direction is a direction perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the four bit lines extends in the second direction and is electrically connected to the sense amplifier through a respective one of the four first transistors. A plurality of sense amplifiers are arranged in the first direction at a pitch of a width of two bit lines or more. A plurality of sense amplifiers are arranged in the second direction at a pitch of a width of one bit line or more. The sense amplifier may include at least one layer of a conductor.
(5) Another embodiment of the present invention is a memory device including a sense amplifier, eight bit lines, a memory cell, and four first transistors. The eight bit lines are provided over a layer where the sense amplifier is provided. The memory cell is provided over a layer where the eight bit lines are provided. The memory cell includes a second transistor and a capacitor. The eight bit lines are arranged in four columns adjacent to each other in a first direction and two rows adjacent to each other in a second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The eight bit lines extend in the second direction. The four bit lines are, of the eight bit lines, two of the four bit lines in the first row and two of the four bit lines in the second row. Each of the four bit lines is electrically connected to the sense amplifier through a respective one of the four first transistors. A plurality of sense amplifiers are arranged in the first direction at a pitch of a width of four bit lines or more. A plurality of sense amplifiers are arranged in the second direction at a pitch of a width of one bit line or more. The sense amplifier may include at least one layer of a conductor.
(6) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of (4) or (5) including two data lines and two third transistors. The two data lines are provided over a layer where the memory cell is provided. Each of the two data lines is electrically connected to the sense amplifier through a respective one of the two third transistors.
(7) Another embodiment of the present invention is a memory device including a plurality of sense amplifiers, a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of memory cells, and a plurality of first transistors. The plurality of bit lines are provided over a layer where the plurality of sense amplifiers are provided. The plurality of memory cells are provided over a layer where the plurality of bit lines are provided. The plurality of memory cells each include a second transistor and a capacitor. A direction in which the plurality of bit lines extend is referred to as a second direction. A direction perpendicular to the second direction is referred to as a first direction. The plurality of bit lines are arranged two-dimensionally at a pitch of a first distance in the first direction and at a pitch of a second distance in the second direction. The plurality of sense amplifiers are each connected to four of the plurality of bit lines through four of the plurality of first transistors. The plurality of sense amplifiers are arranged two-dimensionally at a pitch of twice the first distance in the first direction and at a pitch of twice the second distance in the second direction. The plurality of sense amplifiers may include at least one layer of a conductor.
(8) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of (7) including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of third transistors. The plurality of data lines are provided over a layer where the memory cells are provided. The plurality of sense amplifiers each are electrically connected to two of the plurality of data lines through two of the plurality of third transistors. The plurality of data lines each are electrically connected to sense amplifiers adjacent to each other in the first direction of the plurality of sense amplifiers through two of the plurality of third transistors.
(9) Another embodiment of the present invention is a memory device including a plurality of sense amplifiers, a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of memory cells, and a plurality of first transistors. The plurality of bit lines are provided over a layer where the plurality of sense amplifiers are provided. The plurality of memory cells are provided over a layer where the plurality of bit lines are provided. The plurality of memory cells each include a second transistor and a capacitor. A direction in which the plurality of bit lines extend is referred to as a second direction. A direction perpendicular to the second direction is referred to as a first direction. The plurality of bit lines are arranged two-dimensionally at a pitch of a third distance in the first direction and at a pitch of a fourth distance in the second direction. The plurality of sense amplifiers are each connected to four of the plurality of bit lines through four of the plurality of first transistors. The plurality of sense amplifiers are arranged two-dimensionally at a pitch of four times the third distance in the first direction and at a pitch of one time the fourth distance in the second direction. The plurality of sense amplifiers may include at least one layer of a conductor.
(10) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of (9) in which of the plurality of sense amplifiers, sense amplifiers adjacent to each other in the second direction are shifted from each other by a fifth distance in the first direction and in which the fifth distance is shorter than the third distance.
(11) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of (9) or (10) including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of third transistors. The plurality of data lines are provided over a layer where the memory cell is provided. The plurality of sense amplifiers are each electrically connected to two of the plurality of data lines through two of the plurality of third transistors. The plurality of data lines are each electrically connected to sense amplifiers adjacent to each other in the second direction of the plurality of sense amplifiers through two of the plurality of third transistors.
(12) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of any one of (1) to (11) in which the second transistor is an oxide semiconductor transistor.
(13) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of any one of (1) to (12) in which the first transistor is a silicon transistor.
(14) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of any one of (1) to (13) in which the number of memory cells connected to the bit line is 3 to 32.
(15) Another embodiment of the present invention is the memory device of any one of (1) to (14) in which capacitance of the capacitor is 0.1 fF to 10 fF.
(16) Another embodiment of the present invention is an electronic device including the memory device of any one of (1) to (15) and a printed wiring board.
A memory device capable of reducing power consumption can be provided. A memory device capable of increasing operation speed can be provided. A downsized memory device can be provided. A memory device with improved memory capacity can be provided. A semiconductor device capable of reducing power consumption can be provided. A semiconductor device capable of increasing operation speed can be provided. A downsized semiconductor device can be provided. A novel semiconductor device can be provided.
Note that the description of these effects does not disturb the existence of other effects. One embodiment of the present invention does not necessarily have all the above effects. Other effects will be apparent from and can be derived from the description of the specification, the drawings, the claims, and the like.
In the accompanying drawings:
Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the description below, and it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that modes and details disclosed herein can be modified in various ways. Furthermore, the present invention is not construed as being limited to description of the following embodiments. In describing structures of the present invention with reference to the drawings, common reference numerals are used for the same portions in different drawings. Note that the same hatched pattern is applied to similar parts, and the similar parts are not especially denoted by reference numerals in some cases.
Note that the size, the thickness of films (layers), or regions in diagrams is sometimes exaggerated for simplicity.
Note that the ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” in this specification are used for convenience and do not denote the order of steps or the stacking order of layers. Therefore, for example, description can be made even when “first” is replaced with “second” or “third”, as appropriate. In addition, the ordinal numbers in this specification and the like are not necessarily the same as the ordinal numbers used to specify one embodiment of the present invention.
In the description or the drawings of embodiments of the present invention, for example, a word line WLUL(i), a word line WLUR (i) (i is an integer of 1 to kU and kU is an integer of 1 or more), a word line WLDL(j), and a word line WLDR(j) (j is an integer of 1 to kD and kD is an integer of 1 or more) are abbreviated to a word line WLUL, a word line WLUR, a word line WLDL, and a word line WLDR or simply to WLUL, WLUR, WLDL, WLDR, or the like in some cases. For example, when the word line WLUL is used, it means one of WLUL(i) (i is an integer of 1 to kU and kU is an integer of 1 or more) or all of them in some cases. The same applies to other components, for example, wirings, signal lines, power supply lines, or circuits in some cases.
In this embodiment, a semiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.
An example of a structure of a memory device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The memory device 500 illustrated in
The bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR are positioned above a layer where the sense amplifier block 520 is provided. The memory cell 510 is positioned above a layer where the bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR are provided. The data lines DLL and DLR are positioned above the memory cell 510. A transistor included in the sense amplifier block 520 is connected to at least a conductor in a first layer (denoted by M1 in the drawings) and a conductor in a second layer (denoted by M2 in the drawings). As the bit lines, a conductor in a third layer (denoted by M3 in the drawings) is used. As the wirings D0L and D0R connected to the sense amplifier 530, at least the conductor in the second layer is used. The conductor in the second layer is provided above the conductor in the first layer, and the conductor in the third layer is provided above the conductor in the second layer.
In the memory cell 510, one of a source and a drain of the transistor TrM and the bit line BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, or BLDR are electrically connected to each other, and the other of the source and the drain of the transistor TrM and one of two terminals of the capacitor C are electrically connected to each other. The other of the two terminals of the capacitor C is connected to a terminal PL. The capacitor C has a function of a storage capacitor. The capacitor C is positioned above the transistor TrM. A gate of the transistor TrM is connected to the word line. As the word line, at least four wirings, i.e., WLUL, WLUR, WLDL, and WLDR are included. The memory cell 510 has a function of a memory circuit.
In the sense amplifier block 520, one of a source and a drain of the transistor TrI and the bit line BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, or BLDR are electrically connected to each other, and the other of the source and the drain of the transistor TrI and the wiring D0L or D0R connected to the sense amplifier 530 are electrically connected to each other. A gate of the transistor TrI is connected to the wiring ISOU or ISOD. The wiring ISOU or ISOD is supplied with a signal for controlling continuity between the bit line and the sense amplifier 530. As the wiring ISOU or ISOD, the conductor in the first layer may be used. One of a source and a drain of the transistor TrC and the wiring D0L or D0R connected to the sense amplifier 530 are electrically connected to each other, and the other of the source and the drain of the transistor TrC and the data line DLL or DLR are electrically connected to each other. A gate of the transistor TrC is connected to the wiring CS. The wiring CS is supplied with a signal for controlling continuity between the data line and the sense amplifier 530. As the wiring CS, the conductor in the first layer may be used.
In this specification, a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the bit lines extend is referred to as a first direction. In other words, a direction in which the word lines extend is referred to as the first direction. The direction in which the bit lines extend is referred to as a second direction. In other words, a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the word lines extend is referred to as the second direction.
Therefore, the word lines extend in the first direction. The bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR extend in the second direction. The wiring ISOU, ISOD, and/or CS extends in the first direction. The data lines DLL and DLR extend in the second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. At least part of each of the wirings D0L and D0R connected to the sense amplifier 530 extends in the second direction. At least part of each of the four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR overlaps with a region in which the sense amplifier block 520 is placed.
In the memory device 500, the bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR may be provided above the transistor TrM or the capacitor C included in the memory cell 510. The data lines DLL and DLR may be provided below the memory cell 510. The capacitor C may be provided in the same layer as the transistor TrM or below the transistor TrM.
An example of a circuit configuration of a memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the memory device 500 illustrated in
In the memory device 500 illustrated in
The pair of bit lines mean two bit lines which are compared by a sense amplifier block at the same time. The pair of bit lines are also referred to as a bit line pair. In the memory device 500 illustrated in
A sense amplifier block is a group of circuits and is provided for every predetermined number of bit lines. For example, the sense amplifier block 520 is provided for every four bit lines, i.e., BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR.
In the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, memory cells are placed above the sense amplifier blocks 520, and the sense amplifier blocks 520 are arranged two-dimensionally. Therefore, the sense amplifier blocks 520 are arranged in the first direction (the direction in which the word lines extend) and the second direction (the direction in which the bit lines extend) at predetermined pitches. The pitch of the sense amplifier blocks 520 in the first direction is two to eight times the width of the memory cell in the first direction, for example. The pitch of the sense amplifier blocks 520 in the second direction is 3 to 32 times the width of the memory cell in the second direction, for example. The pitch needs to be large enough to place transistors or circuits included in the sense amplifier block 520. As the pitch is smaller, the area of the sense amplifier block 520 is decreased, so that the number of memory cells per sense amplifier block is reduced. The number of memory cells per sense amplifier block is preferably smaller because capacitance accompanying the bit lines (also referred to as bit line capacitance) is reduced and thus reading/writing performance is improved.
In this specification, a pitch is defined when the same objects are arranged, and means a distance between predetermined portions of the objects that are arranged. For example, in the case where circuits X are arranged in one direction, when predetermined points P in the circuits X are focused, the points P are arranged at regular intervals (referred to as a distance A). The pitch indicates the distance A between the points P. In that case, it is expressed that the circuits X are arranged at a pitch of the distance A in a direction. For example, in the case where wirings W with a width L are arranged at intervals S, the pitch is (L+S). In that case, it is expressed that wirings W are arranged at a pitch of the distance (L+S). In the case where wirings V are arranged at a pitch of the distance (L+S)×2, it is also expressed that the wirings V are arranged at a pitch that is two times the pitch of the wiring W.
An example of a specific circuit configuration of the sense amplifier block 520 is described with reference to
A sense amplifier block 520X illustrated in
The sense amplifier 531 includes two n-channel transistors, and is a circuit in which the two n-channel transistors are cross-coupled. Sources of the two n-channel transistors are connected to a wiring NACT. One of drains of the two n-channel transistors is connected to the wiring D0L and the other thereof is connected to the wiring D0R. The sense amplifier 531 operates, for example, with a low-potential power supply VSS supplied to the wiring NACT. The sense amplifier 531 has a function of amplifying a potential difference between the wiring D0L and the wiring D0R.
The sense amplifier 532 includes two p-channel transistors, and is a circuit in which the two p-channel transistors are cross-coupled. Sources of the two p-channel transistors are connected to a wiring PACT. One of drains of the two p-channel transistors is connected to the wiring D0L and the other thereof is connected to the wiring D0R. The sense amplifier 532 operates, for example, with a high-potential power supply VDD supplied to the wiring PACT. The sense amplifier 532 has a function of amplifying a potential difference between the wiring D0L and the wiring D0R.
The precharge circuit 533 includes three transistors. One of the three transistors connects a wiring PC to which a precharge potential is supplied to the wiring D0L, another one thereof connects the wiring PC to the wiring D0R, and the other thereof connects the wiring D0L to the wiring D0R. Gates of the three transistors are connected to a wiring EQ. The precharge circuit 533 has, for example, a function of supplying a predetermined potential (also referred to a precharge potential) to the wiring D0L and the wiring D0R in advance in read operation. The precharge potential is, for example, VDD/2 and is supplied by the wiring PC.
A sense amplifier block 520Y illustrated in
As described above, part of the functions of the sense amplifier block may be provided for each of the bit line pair (BLUL and BLUR) and the bit line pair (BLDL and BLDR). For example, the precharge circuit and part of the sense amplifier may be provided for each of the bit line pair (BLUL and BLUR) and the bit line pair (BLDL and BLDR).
The circuit configuration of the sense amplifier block 520Y illustrated in
An operation method of the memory device 500 illustrated in
The memory cell 510 is selected by a word line WLUL(i), WLUR(i) (i is an integer of 1 to kU and kU is an integer of 1 or more), WLDL(j), WLDR(j) (j is an integer of 1 to kD and kD is an integer of 1 or more), or the like. The memory cell 510 is selected by controlling the potential of the word line connected thereto. By controlling the potential of a wiring CS, the memory cells 510 connected to the sense amplifier block 520 connected to the wiring CS may be selected among the memory cells 510 which are selected by the word lines.
Data is written by supplying a potential corresponding to the data to a bit line connected to the selected memory cell 510 and supplying a potential by which the transistor TrM is turned on to a word line connected to the selected memory cell 510. When the transistor TrM is in an on state for a certain period, charge corresponding to the bit line potential is accumulated in the capacitor C of the memory cell 510. When the transistor TrM is turned off, data is held. A potential is supplied from the wiring D0L or the wiring D0R of the sense amplifier block 520 to the bit line through the transistor TrI. A potential is supplied from the data line to the wiring D0L or the wiring D0R through the transistor TrC. The potentials corresponding to data may be, for example, a high power supply potential VDD and a low power supply potential VSS.
Data is read in such a manner that a predetermined potential is supplied to a bit line (BLUL is used below) connected to the selected memory cell 510 and a bit line BLUR that is paired with the bit line in advance (referred to as precharge operation), the bit lines are set in a floating state, and then, a potential by which the transistor TrM is turned on is supplied to a word line which is connected to the selected memory cell 510.
In reading operation, the transistors TrI connected to the pair of bit lines (BLUL and BLUR) are turned on by controlling the potential of the wiring ISOU. The precharge operation is performed by a precharge circuit included in the sense amplifier block 520. By supplying a predetermined potential to the wiring EQ (see
In contrast, the bit line BLUR pairing with the bit line BLUL holds the precharge potential (VDD+VSS)/2. Thus, a potential difference occurs in the pair of bit lines (BLUL and BLUR). For example, in the case where the high power supply potential VDD is held in the memory cell, the potentials of the bit line BLUL and the wiring D0L are higher than the potentials of the bit line BLUR and the wiring D0R. For example, in the case where the low power supply potential VSS is held in the memory cell, the potentials of the bit line BLUL and the wiring D0L are lower than the potentials of the bit line BLUR and the wiring D0R. The sense amplifier 530 compares the potentials of the pair of wirings (D0L and D0R) connected to the pair of bit lines (BLUL and BLUR) and amplifies a potential difference therebetween. After the potential difference between the pair of bit lines (BLUL and BLUR) is generated, the sense amplifier 530 operates. Consequently, in the case where the high power supply potential VDD is held in the memory cell, VDD and VSS are supplied to the wirings D0L and D0R, respectively. In the case where the low power supply potential VSS is held in the memory cell, VSS and VDD are supplied to the wirings D0L and D0R, respectively. In the above-described manner, data is read to the pair of wirings (D0L and D0R). The read data is output to the pair of data lines (DLL and DLR) by controlling the potential of the wiring CS to turn on the transistors TrC.
By supplying a potential by which the transistors TrI are turned on to the wiring ISOU and supplying a potential by which the transistors TrI are turned off to the wiring ISOD, the sense amplifier block 520 can select the pair of bit lines BLUL and BLUR. By supplying a potential by which the transistors TrI are turned off to the wiring ISOU and supplying a potential by which the transistors TrI are turned on to the wiring ISOD, the sense amplifier block 520 can select the pair of bit lines BLDL and BLDR. As described above, by providing the transistors TrI in the sense amplifier block 520, reading and writing of the memory cell connected to the four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR can be performed.
In the memory device 500 illustrated in
If the capacitance of the capacitor C can be reduced in a conventional DRAM which uses a silicon transistor, preferable operation speed, power consumption, manufacturing yield, and the like can be obtained. The same applies to a memory device of one embodiment of the present invention. However, when the capacitance of the capacitor C is small, reading operation or data retention might be difficult in some cases. In the case where a memory device of one embodiment of the present invention and a conventional DRAM which uses a silicon transistor at the same capacitance of the capacitor C are compared, the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention has excellent reading performance and data retention characteristics. Therefore, the capacitance of the capacitor C can be further reduced, which is preferable. Such a case is described below.
As an index of influence on reading performance, a ratio between the bit line capacitance Cbit and the capacitance Gore of the capacitor C can be used. The potential difference between a pair of bit lines obtained in the reading operation becomes larger as Cstore/Cbit is larger. Therefore, as Cstore/Cbit is larger, higher-speed or more stable reading operation can be realized. On the assumption that reading performance is the same, by reducing the bit line capacitance Cbit, the capacitance of the capacitor C can be reduced.
One of methods for reducing the bit line capacitance Cbit is reducing the number of memory cells connected to the bit lines. The number of memory cells connected to the bit lines in a conventional DRAM using a silicon transistor is, for example, 64 to 256. Since the memory cells and sense amplifier blocks are arranged in different regions, when the number of memory cells connected to the bit lines is reduced to half on the assumption that the memory capacitance is the same, the necessary number of sense amplifier blocks is twice as much as that in the conventional DRAM; thus, the circuit area is increased. In the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, the memory cells and the sense amplifier blocks can overlap with each other to be arranged in the same region. If the necessary number of sense amplifier blocks is twice as much as that in the conventional DRAM when the number of memory cells connected to the bit lines is reduced to half, the chip area is not changed as long as a region where the sense amplifier blocks are arranged is included in a region where the memory cells are arranged. Therefore, the number of memory cells connected to the bit lines can be reduced without an increase in the circuit area in some cases. Consequently, the bit line capacitance Cbit can be reduced.
In the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, the number of memory cells connected to the bit lines is further reduced by providing the transistors TrI. By providing the transistors TrI, each sense amplifier block is connected to the four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR in the memory device 500. Such a configuration is proposed for a conventional DRAM which uses a silicon transistor and in which memory cells and sense amplifier blocks are arranged in different regions. However, in the case where memory cells and sense amplifier blocks overlap with each other or the case where memory cells and sense amplifier blocks overlap with each other and the sense amplifier blocks are arranged two-dimensionally, an arrangement method, the number of wiring layers, wiring directions, and the like of a configuration in which four bit lines are connected to one sense amplifier block have not been proposed so far. The memory device of one embodiment of the present invention shows an example where an arrangement method, the number of wiring layers, wiring directions, and the like for connecting four bit lines to one sense amplifier block are used in the case where memory cells and sense amplifier blocks overlap with each other. For example, the configuration in which the four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR are connected to the sense amplifier 530 through the transistors TrI is realized in the memory device 500 illustrated in
Note that an object of using the transistors TrI in a conventional DRAM using a silicon transistor is to reduce the area of sense amplifier blocks. Since sense amplifier blocks and memory cells can overlap with each other in the same region in the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, the chip area is not changed in some cases even when the area of the sense amplifier blocks is reduced. An object of the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is to closely arrange sense amplifier blocks in a region where memory cells are arranged and further reduce the bit line capacitance Cbit. In other words, effects and objects of the configuration using the transistors TrI are different between the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention and a conventional DRAM using a silicon transistor.
The memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is preferable because the bit line capacitance Cbit can be reduced by arranging memory cells above the bit lines. In a conventional DRAM using a silicon transistor, the cross-over capacitance of bit lines and word lines and parasitic capacitance between the bit lines and the capacitor C largely contribute to bit line capacitance Cbit. When the bit lines are provided below the memory cells, the distance between the bit lines and the word lines or the capacitor is increased. Therefore, the cross-over capacitance of the bit lines and the word lines and parasitic capacitance between the bit lines and the capacitor C are reduced, which enables a reduction in the bit line capacitance Cbit. In the case where a silicon transistor is used as the transistor TrM included in a memory cell, it is difficult to form a wiring below the transistor in some cases. As the transistor TrM, a transistor which can be formed over an insulating surface is preferable because forming a wiring below the transistor is easily as compared to the case of using a silicon transistor. As the transistor TrM, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor (preferably an oxide including In, Ga, and Zn) in its channel formation region (also referred to as an oxide semiconductor transistor) can be used, for example.
In the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, the bit lines may be provided above the transistor TrM included in the memory cell. The bit lines may be provided above the capacitor C. In the case where the bit lines are provided above the transistor TrM, the number of layers of conductors provided below the transistor TrM can be reduced. When the number of layers of conductors provided below the transistor TrM is reduced, an insulating surface over which the transistor TrM is formed can be further planalized in some cases, and thus, the transistor TrM can be formed more minutely.
As an index of influence on data retention characteristics, a drain current (also referred to as leakage current) of the transistor TrM in a non-conducting state is used. As the leakage current of the transistor TrM is smaller, charge accumulated in the capacitor C is held for a longer period; thus, the data retention period can be lengthened. As a result, the frequency of refresh operation can be reduced, and power consumed in the refresh operation can be reduced. In the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, leakage current of the transistor TrM is preferably small. For example, the drain current of the transistor TrM in a non-conducting state is 1×10−18 A or lower, preferably 1×10−21 A or lower, further preferably 1×10−24 A or lower at room temperature (approximately 25° C.), or 1×10−15 A or lower, preferably 1×10−18 A or lower, further preferably 1×10−21 A or lower at 85° C. As an example of such a transistor, an oxide semiconductor transistor can be used.
As described above, in the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, a reduction in bit line capacitance Cbit and/or a reduction in leakage current of the transistor TrM can be achieved. Consequently, the capacitance of the capacitor C can be reduced. The capacitance of the capacitor C is, for example, lower than or equal to 10 fF, preferably lower than or equal to 5 fF, more preferably lower than or equal to 1 fF. In addition, the capacitance of the capacitor is preferably higher than parasitic capacitance of elements other than the capacitor. For example, the capacitance of the capacitor is higher than or equal to 0.1 fF. Thus, time required for charging the capacitor is shortened, which enables high-speed operation. Power consumption is reduced because energy stored in the capacitor is small. It is considered that each memory cell in a DRAM using a silicon transistor requires a capacitance of approximately 25 fF. However, miniaturization makes it difficult to such capacitors. This is because a stacked capacitor with a height of several micrometers or a trench capacitor with a depth of several micrometers needs to be formed. The memory device of one embodiment of the present invention can reduce the capacitance of the capacitor C; thus, the degree of difficulty in manufacturing storage capacitors is decreased and the yield is improved.
As the transistor TrM included in the memory cell, a transistor having high switching speed is preferably used. For example, the time required to switch a transistor is less than 10 ns, preferably less than 1 ns, more preferably less than 0.1 ns. Here, as an example of such a transistor, an oxide semiconductor transistor can be used in some cases.
Note that “a transistor has high switching speed” means that the time required to switch the transistor is short. The time required to switch the transistor means the time taken for the transistor to shift from a non-conducting state to a conducting state without load. The time can be regarded as time taken for an increase of a drain current of the transistor to compensate for an increase of charge accumulated in gate capacitance in response to a voltage applied to the gate. Alternatively, the time required to switch a transistor is expressed by 1/(2×fT) in some cases, where fT is the maximum frequency (also called cutoff frequency) at which current gain becomes 1 or more when the transistor is used as an amplifier. Further alternatively, the time required to switch a transistor is expressed by 1/(2×fmax) in some cases, where fmax is the maximum frequency (also called the maximum oscillation frequency) at which power gain becomes 1 or more. As the power gain, unilateral power gain or maximum available power gain can be used.
Another example of a structure of a memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The memory device 500A illustrated in
In this specification, a connection portion between a conductor A and a conductor B means a portion where the conductor A and the conductor B are connected to each other. For example, in the case where the conductor A and the conductor B are directly connected to each other, a region where the conductor A and the conductor B are connected to each other is a connection portion. For example, in the case where the conductor A and the conductor B are connected to each other through a conductor C and a conductor D, the conductor C and/or the conductor D is a connection portion. In the case where a portion to which the conductor A is connected is clear, a portion which connects the conductor A and the portion to which the conductor A is connected is simply referred to as a connection portion of the conductor A.
In the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention, the conductor in the second layer having a function of the wiring D0L (or D0R) extends in the second direction (direction in which the bit lines extend). Two connection portions of the bit lines and one connection portion of the data line are provided across the conductor in the second layer because the connection portions are each connected to a source or a drain of the transistor TrI or TrC. Therefore, these connection portions need to be provided so as to avoid the conductor in the second layer extending in the second direction. At this time, when a region of the sense amplifier block is freely spread and these connection portions are provided, the chip area is increased in some cases. It is important how these connection portions are provided so as to avoid the conductor in the second layer.
In the memory device 500A illustrated in
The memory device 500A illustrated in
In the memory device 500A illustrated in
In the memory device 500A, the sense amplifier blocks 520A and the bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR can be arranged two-dimensionally and regularly as described above. In other words, the sense amplifier blocks 520A and the four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR can be arranged in array at a pitch of a first distance in the first direction and at a pitch of a second distance in the second direction. For example, the first distance is longer than or equal to a width which is double to the width of the bit line and shorter than or equal to twice the width. For example, the second distance is longer than or equal to twice the length of the bit line and shorter than or equal to four times the length of the bit line.
The bit lines are arranged two-dimensionally at an average pitch of the first distance in the first direction and at an average pitch of the second distance in the second direction. In that case, the sense amplifier blocks 520A can be arranged two-dimensionally at a pitch that is two times a third distance in the first direction and at a pitch that is one time the second distance in the second direction, for example. In other words, when bit lines are arranged two-dimensionally, a width of k bit lines means a width that is k times the average width occupied by one bit line (k is an integer of 1 or more). The sense amplifier blocks 520A can be arranged two-dimensionally and regularly at a pitch that is two times the pitch of the bit line in the first direction and at a pitch that is two times the pitch of the bit line in the second direction, for example.
In the schematic top view illustrated in
The width in the first direction is described. In the memory device 500A illustrated in
The width in the second direction is described. As described above, bit lines are not provided in a region in which a connection portion which needs to avoid the conductor in the second layer, in some cases. When there are many such connection portions, an increase in the width in the second direction (a direction in which the bit lines extend) is required. In the memory device 500A illustrated in
In the memory device 500A illustrated in
The connection portions of the bit lines are not necessarily provided at the end portions of the sense amplifier block 520A. For example, when the sense amplifier block 520A has a structure in which circuits other than the transistor TrI (e.g., a precharge circuit) are directly connected to the bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR as illustrated in
In the memory device 500A illustrated in
Although the sense amplifier block is rectangular in the schematic top view of the memory device illustrated in
With the above structure, the sense amplifier blocks, the bit lines, the connection portions of the bit lines, and the connection portions of the data lines can be provided in the memory device 500A efficiently and two-dimensionally.
Another example of a structure of a memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The number of data lines can be reduced to half that of the memory device 500A illustrated in
The memory device 500B illustrated in
The circuit configuration of the memory device 500B illustrated in
Next, a detailed structure example of a memory device 500C of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
Note that in
The memory device 500C illustrated in
The structure of the memory device 500C illustrated in
The structure of the memory device 500C is described using the cross-sectional views of
In the memory device 500C illustrated in
In the memory device 500C illustrated in
In the memory device 500C illustrated in
In the memory device 500C illustrated in
In the memory device 500C illustrated in
The transistor 491a, the transistor 490, the substrate 400, and the insulators included in the memory device 500C illustrated in
The structure of the transistor 491a illustrated in
The transistor 491a includes an insulator 412 over the substrate 400; the conductor 422a over the insulator 412; an insulator 418 in contact with a side surface of the conductor 422a; regions 402a and 402b in the substrate 400 which do not overlap with the conductor 422a and the insulator 418; and a region 403 which overlaps with the insulator 418.
The insulator 412 serves as a gate insulator of the transistor 491a. The conductor 422a serves as a gate of the transistor 491a. The insulator 418 serves as a sidewall insulator (also referred to as a sidewall) of the conductor 422a. The regions 402a and 402b serve as a source and a drain of the transistor 491a. The region 403 serves as a lightly doped drain (LDD) region of the transistor 491a.
The region 403 can be formed by adding an impurity using the conductor 422a as a mask. After that, the insulator 418 is formed and an impurity is added using the conductor 422a and the insulator 418 as masks, so that the regions 402a and 402b can be formed. Therefore, in the case where the regions 403, 402a, and 402b are formed by adding the same kind of impurities, the region 403 has a lower impurity concentration than the regions 402a and 402b.
When the transistor 491a includes the region 403, a short-channel effect can be suppressed. Therefore, the structure of the transistor 491a is suitable for miniaturization.
The transistor 491a is kept away from another transistor provided in the substrate 400 by an insulator 440 or the like. Although an example where the insulator 440 is formed by a shallow trench isolation (STI) method is shown, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, instead of the insulator 440, an insulator formed by a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) method may be used so that transistors are separated from each other.
The structure of the transistor 490 in
As illustrated in
The conductor 420 serves as a first gate of the transistor 490. The insulator 411 serves as a gate insulator of the transistor 490. The conductor 421 serves as a second gate of the transistor 490. The insulator 432 serves as a gate insulator of the transistor 490. The conductor 416a and the conductor 416b serve as a source and a drain of the transistor 490. The semiconductor 406b serves as a channel formation region.
The conductor 420 and the conductor 421 serve as gate electrodes of the transistor 490, and may be supplied with different potentials. For example, by applying a negative or positive gate voltage to the conductor 421, the threshold voltage of the transistor 490 may be controlled. The conductor 421 is not necessarily provided.
The conductor 420 electrically surrounds the semiconductor 406b in the channel width direction, that is, surrounds not only the top surface but also the side surfaces of the semiconductor 406b. Such a structure of a transistor is referred to as a surrounded channel (s-channel) structure.
When the transistor 490 has an s-channel structure, the channel formation region can be easily controlled by a gate electric field applied to the side surface side of the semiconductor 406b. The structure where the conductor 420 reaches below the semiconductor 406b is preferable because higher controllability can be achieved. Consequently, the subthreshold swing (also referred to as S value) of the transistor 490 can be decreased, so that a short-channel effect of the transistor 490 can be suppressed. Therefore, the structure of the transistor 490 is suitable for miniaturization.
Accordingly, favorable electrical characteristics can be obtained even when the transistor 490 is miniaturized. For example, the channel length of the transistor 490 is preferably less than or equal to 40 nm, further preferably less than or equal to 30 nm, still further preferably less than or equal to 20 nm and the channel width of the transistor 490 is preferably less than or equal to 40 nm, further preferably less than or equal to 30 nm, still further preferably less than or equal to 20 nm. With miniaturization of the transistor, the area of the memory device can be reduced.
When the transistor 490 has an s-channel structure, a channel might be formed in the entire semiconductor 406b (bulk). Therefore, as the semiconductor 406b has a larger thickness, a channel formation region becomes larger. For example, the semiconductor 406b has a region with a thickness of greater than or equal to 20 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 40 nm, more preferably greater than or equal to 60 nm, still more preferably greater than or equal to 100 nm. Note that the semiconductor 406b has a region with a thickness of, for example, less than or equal to 300 nm, preferably less than or equal to 200 nm, more preferably less than or equal to 150 nm because the productivity of the semiconductor device might be decreased. With this structure in the s-channel structure, a large amount of current can flow between the source and the drain of the transistor, so that a high current in an on state (on-state current) can be achieved.
As a result, the switching speed of the transistor can be increased in some cases. For example, the time required to switch the transistor is shorter than 10 ns, preferably shorter than 1 ns, and more preferably shorter than 0.1 ns.
When the transistor 490 is an accumulation-type transistor whose majority carriers are electrons, an electric field extending from the source and the drain to the channel formation region is easily shielded within a short distance; thus, carriers can be easily controlled with a gate electric field even when the channel is short. Accordingly, favorable electrical characteristics can be obtained even when the transistor is miniaturized.
Unlike in the case of using a semiconductor substrate as a channel formation region, when the transistor 490 is formed over an insulating surface, parasitic capacitance is not formed between the gate and the body or the semiconductor substrate and thus, carriers can be easily controlled with a gate electric field. Accordingly, favorable electrical characteristics can be obtained even when the transistor is miniaturized.
In the transistor 490, the conductors 416a and 416b are not in contact with the side surfaces of the semiconductor 406b. Thus, an electric field applied from the conductor 420 functioning as a gate to the side surfaces of the semiconductor 406b is less likely to be blocked by the conductor 416a and the conductor 416b. Moreover, the conductors 416a and 416b are not in contact with a top surface of the insulator 432. Thus, excess oxygen (oxygen) released from the insulator 432 is not consumed to oxidize the conductors 416a and 416b. Accordingly, excess oxygen (oxygen) released from the insulator 432 can be efficiently used to reduce oxygen vacancies in the semiconductor 406b.
In the transistor 490, at least part (or all) of the conductor 416a (and/or the conductor 416b) is in contact with at least part (or all) of a surface, a top surface, and/or a bottom surface of a semiconductor layer, e.g., the semiconductor 406b. The contact portion of the semiconductor 406b, in which donor levels are formed by entry of hydrogen into oxygen vacancy sites in some cases, includes an n-channel conductive region. A state in which hydrogen enters sites of oxygen vacancies are denoted by VoH in some cases. Because of current flow in the n-channel conductive region, a high on-state current can be achieved.
In the transistor 490, it is effective to reduce the concentration of impurities in the semiconductor 406b to make the oxide semiconductor intrinsic or substantially intrinsic. The term “substantially intrinsic” refers to the state where an oxide semiconductor layer has a carrier density lower than 1×1017/cm3, preferably lower than 1×1015/cm3, further preferably lower than 1×1013/cm3. In the oxide semiconductor, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, silicon, and metal elements that are not main components are impurities. For example, hydrogen and nitrogen form donor levels to increase the carrier density.
A transistor including a substantially intrinsic oxide semiconductor has a low carrier density and thus rarely has negative threshold voltage. In addition, because of few carrier traps in the oxide semiconductor, the transistor including the oxide semiconductor has small variation in electrical characteristics and high reliability. Moreover, a transistor including the oxide semiconductor enables an extremely low off-state current.
For example, the drain current at the time when the transistor including the oxide semiconductor is off can be less than or equal to 1×10−18 A, preferably less than or equal to 1×10−21 A, further preferably less than or equal to 1×10−24 A at room temperature (approximately 25° C.); or less than or equal to 1×10−15 A, preferably less than or equal to 1×10−18 A, further preferably less than or equal to 1×10−21 A at 85° C. The off state of a transistor refers to a state where the gate voltage is lower than the threshold voltage in an n-channel transistor.
The three-layer structure of the semiconductor in the transistor 490 illustrated in
One of a source and a drain of the transistor 490 (conductor 416a) and one of a source and a drain of the transistor 491a (region 402a) are connected to each other through the conductor 470a and the conductor 472a.
The substrate 400 and the insulators illustrated in
The substrate 400 is a single crystal silicon substrate. The substrate 400 may be a semiconductor substrate including a single-material semiconductor of silicon, germanium, or the like or a compound semiconductor of silicon carbide, silicon germanium, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, zinc oxide, gallium oxide, or the like, for example. For the semiconductor substrate, an amorphous semiconductor or a crystalline semiconductor may be used, and examples of the crystalline semiconductor include a single crystal semiconductor, a polycrystalline semiconductor, and a microcrystalline semiconductor. Alternatively, the substrate 400 may be a glass substrate. Further alternatively, the substrate 400 may be an element substrate in which a semiconductor element is formed on a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate.
The insulator 432 is preferably an insulator containing excess oxygen.
The insulator containing excess oxygen means an insulator from which oxygen is released by heat treatment, for example. Silicon oxide containing excess oxygen means silicon oxide from which oxygen can be released by heat treatment or the like, for example. Therefore, the insulator 432 is an insulator in which oxygen can be moved. In other words, the insulator 432 may be an insulator having an oxygen-transmitting property. For example, the insulator 432 may be an insulator having a higher oxygen-transmitting property than the semiconductor positioned over the insulator 432.
The insulator containing excess oxygen has a function of reducing oxygen vacancies in the semiconductor positioned over the insulator, in some cases. Such oxygen vacancies form the density of state (DOS) in the semiconductor and serve as hole traps or the like. In addition, hydrogen comes into the site of such an oxygen vacancy and forms an electron serving as a carrier. Thus, by a reduction in oxygen vacancies in the semiconductor, the transistor can have stable electrical characteristics.
The insulator 442 is provided between the transistors 491a and 491b and the transistor 490. As the insulator 442, an oxide containing aluminum, e.g., aluminum oxide, is used. The insulator 442 blocks oxygen and hydrogen, and aluminum oxide whose density is lower than 3.2 g/cm3 is preferable because it has a particularly high function of blocking hydrogen. Alternatively, aluminum oxide with low crystallinity is preferable because its function of blocking hydrogen is particularly high.
For example, in the case where the transistor 491a and the transistor 491b are silicon transistors, electrical characteristics of the transistor may be improved because dangling bonds of silicon can be reduced by supplying hydrogen from the outside. The supply of hydrogen is performed by, for example, providing an insulator containing hydrogen in the vicinity of the silicon transistor and performing heat treatment to diffuse and supply the hydrogen to the silicon transistor.
An insulator containing hydrogen may release hydrogen, the amount of which is larger than or equal to 1×1018 atoms/cm3, larger than or equal to 1×1019 atoms/cm3, or larger than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 in thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) analysis (converted into the number of hydrogen atoms) in the range of a surface temperature of 100° C. to 700° C. or 100° C. to 500° C.
Out of hydrogen diffused from the insulator containing hydrogen, a small amount of hydrogen reaches the transistor 490 because the insulator 442 has a function of blocking hydrogen. Hydrogen serves as a carrier trap or a carrier generation source in an oxide semiconductor and causes deterioration of electrical characteristics of the transistor 490 in some cases. Therefore, blocking hydrogen by the insulator 442 is important to improve performance and reliability of the semiconductor device.
On the other hand, for example, by supplying oxygen to the transistor 490 from the outside, oxygen vacancies in the oxide semiconductor can be reduced; thus, electrical characteristics of the transistor are improved in some cases. The supply of oxygen may be performed by heat treatment under an atmosphere containing oxygen, for example. Alternatively, for example, an insulator containing excess oxygen (oxygen) is provided in the vicinity of the transistor 490 and heat treatment is performed, so that the oxygen may be diffused and supplied to the transistor 490. Here, an insulator containing excess oxygen is used as the insulator 432.
The diffused oxygen might reach the silicon transistor through layers; however, since the insulator 442 has a function of blocking oxygen, the amount of oxygen which reaches the silicon transistor is small. The entry of oxygen into silicon might be a factor of decreasing the crystallinity of silicon or inhibiting carrier movement. Therefore, blocking oxygen by the insulator 442 is important to improve performance and reliability of the semiconductor device.
The insulator 452 is preferably provided over the transistor 490. The insulator 452 has a function of blocking oxygen and hydrogen. For the insulator 452, the description of the insulator 442 is referred to, for example. Furthermore, for example, the insulator 452 has a higher function of blocking oxygen and hydrogen than the semiconductor 406a and/or the semiconductor 406c.
When the semiconductor device includes the insulator 452, outward diffusion of oxygen from the transistor 490 can be suppressed. Consequently, excess oxygen (oxygen) contained in the insulator 432 and the like can be effectively supplied to the transistor 490. Since the insulator 452 blocks entry of impurities including hydrogen from layers above the insulator 452 or the outside of the semiconductor device, deterioration of electrical characteristics of the transistor 490 due to entry of impurities can be suppressed.
Although in the above description, the insulator 442 and/or the insulator 452 is described separately from the transistor 490 for convenience, the insulator 442 and/or the insulator 452 may be part of the transistor 490.
Next, an example of another structure of the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the memory devices 500A and 500B illustrated in
The memory device 500D illustrated in
The memory device 500D illustrated in
The memory device 500D illustrated in
With the above structure, the sense amplifier blocks, the bit lines, the connection portions of the bit lines, and the connection portions of the data lines can be arranged efficiently and two-dimensionally in the memory device 500D.
Next, a detailed structure example of the memory device 500D of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
Note that in
The memory device 500E illustrated in
The structure of the memory device 500E illustrated in
A layer structure in the cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of the memory device 500E illustrated in
The memory device 500E illustrated in
In the memory device 500E illustrated in
In the memory device 500E illustrated in
In the memory device 500E illustrated in
In the memory device 500E illustrated in
Next, an example of another structure of the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the memory devices 500A and 500B illustrated in
In the schematic top view of
In the memory device 500F, the sense amplifier blocks 520F and the bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR can be arranged two-dimensionally and regularly as described above. In other words, the sense amplifier blocks 520F and the four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR can be arranged in array at a pitch of a third distance in the first direction and at a pitch of a fourth distance in the second direction. Note that two sense amplifier blocks 520F which are adjacent to each other in the second direction are shifted by a fifth distance in the first direction. This is for the purpose of avoiding an overlap of the bit lines. The fifth distance is shorter than the third distance. The third distance is longer than or equal to a width of four bit lines and shorter than or equal to twice the width, for example. The fourth distance is longer than or equal to a length of one bit line and shorter than or equal to twice the length, for example.
The bit lines are arranged two-dimensionally at an average pitch of the third distance in the first direction and at an average pitch of the fourth distance in the second direction. In that case, the sense amplifier blocks 520F can be arranged two-dimensionally at a pitch that is four times the third distance in the first direction and at a pitch that is one time the fourth distance in the second direction, for example. In other words, when the bit lines are arranged two-dimensionally, a width of k bit lines means a width that is k times the average width occupied by one bit line (k is an integer of 1 or more). The sense amplifier blocks 520F can be arranged two-dimensionally and regularly at a pitch that is four times the pitch of the bit line in the first direction and at a pitch that is one time the pitch of the bit line in the second direction. The two sense amplifier blocks 520F which are adjacent to each other in the second direction are shifted from each other by a width of approximately two bit lines in the first direction.
The four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR are arranged to at least partly overlap with the sense amplifier block 520F. The four bit lines BLUL, BLUR, BLDL, and BLDR may be arranged to partly overlap with the sense amplifier block 520F and a sense amplifier block adjacent to the sense amplifier block 520F.
Although the sense amplifier block is rectangular in the schematic top view of the memory device illustrated in
The circuit configuration of the memory device 500F illustrated in
Next, a detailed structure example of the memory device 500F of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
Note that in
The memory device 500H illustrated in
The structure of the memory device 500H illustrated in
As described above, the memory device 500F illustrated in
In the memory device 500H illustrated in
In the memory device 500H illustrated in
In the memory device 500H illustrated in
An example of another structure of the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The memory device 500G illustrated in
Next, an example of another structure of the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the schematic top view of
In the memory device illustrated in
In the schematic top view of
In the memory device illustrated in
In the schematic top view of
In the memory device illustrated in
In the schematic top view of
In the memory device illustrated in
In each of the memory devices illustrated in
In each of the memory devices illustrated in
As described above, each of the memory devices illustrated in
In each of the memory devices illustrated in
In the memory devices illustrated in
Although the sense amplifier block is rectangular in the schematic top view of each of the memory devices illustrated in
In this specification, the phrase “A has a region with a concentration B” means, for example, “the concentration of the entire region of A in the depth direction is B”, “the average concentration in a region of A in the depth direction is B”, “the median value of the concentration in a region of A in the depth direction is B”, “the maximum value of the concentration in a region of A in the depth direction is B”, “the minimum value of the concentration in a region of A in the depth direction is B”, “a convergence value of the concentration in a region of A in the depth direction is B”, and “the concentration in a region in which a probable value of A can be obtained in measurement is B”.
In this specification, the phrase “A has a region with a size B, a length B, a thickness B, a width B, or a distance B” means, for example, “the size, the length, the thickness, the width, or the distance of the entire region of A is B”, “the average value of the size, the length, the thickness, the width, or the distance of a region of A is B”, “the median value of the size, the length, the thickness, the width, or the distance of a region of A is B”, “the maximum value of the size, the length, the thickness, the width, or the distance of a region of A is B”, “the minimum value of the size, the length, the thickness, the width, or the distance of a region of A is B”, “a convergence value of the size, the length, the thickness, the width, or the distance of a region of A is B”, and “the size, the length, the thickness, the width, or the distance of a region in which a probable value of A can be obtained in measurement is B”.
A transistor includes three nodes (terminals) called a gate, a source, and a drain. A gate is a node that controls the conducting state of a transistor. Depending on the channel type of the transistor or levels of potentials applied to the nodes (terminals), one of nodes (an input node and an output node) functions as a source and the other functions as a drain. In general, in an n-channel transistor, a node to which a low potential is applied is referred to as a source, and a node to which a high potential is applied is referred to as a drain. In contrast, in a p-channel transistor, a node to which a low potential is applied is referred to as a drain, and a node to which a high potential is applied is referred to as a source.
In this specification and the like, to clarify a circuit configuration and circuit operation, one of two nodes (an input node and an output node) of a transistor is fixed as a source and the other is fixed as a drain in some cases. It is needless to say that, depending on a driving method, the magnitude relationship between potentials applied to three terminals of the transistor might be changed, and the source and the drain might be interchanged. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, the distinction between the source and drain of the transistor is not limited to that described in this specification and the drawings.
A conductor functioning as a gate of the transistor is referred to as a gate electrode. A conductor functioning as a source of the transistor is referred to as a source electrode. A conductor functioning as a drain of the transistor is referred to as a drain electrode. A region functioning as a source of the transistor is referred to as a source region. A region functioning as a drain of the transistor is referred to as a drain region. In this specification, a gate electrode is referred to as a gate, a drain electrode or a drain region is referred to as a drain, and a source electrode or a source region is referred to as a source in some cases.
The channel length refers to, for example, a distance between a source and a drain in a region where a semiconductor (or a portion where a current flows in a semiconductor when a transistor is on) and a gate overlap with each other or a region where a channel is formed in a top view of the transistor. In one transistor, channel lengths in all regions are not necessarily the same. In other words, the channel length of one transistor is not limited to one value in some cases. Therefore, in this specification, the channel length is any one of values, the maximum value, the minimum value, or the average value in a region where a channel is formed.
The channel width refers to, for example, the length of a portion where a source and a drain face each other in a region where a semiconductor (or a portion where a current flows in a semiconductor when a transistor is on) and a gate overlap with each other, or a region where a channel is formed. In one transistor, channel widths in all regions do not necessarily have the same value. In other words, a channel width of one transistor is not fixed to one value in some cases. Therefore, in this specification, a channel width is any one of values, the maximum value, the minimum value, or the average value in a region where a channel is formed.
Note that depending on transistor structures, a channel width in a region where a channel is actually formed (hereinafter referred to as an effective channel width) is different from a channel width shown in a top view of a transistor (hereinafter referred to as an apparent channel width) in some cases. For example, in a transistor having a three-dimensional structure, an effective channel width is greater than an apparent channel width shown in a top view of the transistor, and its influence cannot be ignored in some cases. For example, in a miniaturized transistor having a three-dimensional structure, the proportion of a channel region formed in a side surface of a semiconductor is higher than the proportion of a channel region formed in a top surface of a semiconductor in some cases. In that case, an effective channel width obtained when a channel is actually formed is greater than an apparent channel width shown in the top view.
In this specification, in the case where the term “channel width” is simply used, it may denote an apparent channel width. Alternatively, in this specification, in the case where the term “channel width” is simply used, it may denote an effective channel width. Note that the values of a channel length, a channel width, an effective channel width, an apparent channel width, a surrounded channel width, and the like can be determined by obtaining and analyzing a cross-sectional TEM image and the like.
In this specification, the term “parallel” indicates that the angle formed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to −10° and less than or equal to 10°, and accordingly also includes the case where the angle is greater than or equal to −5° and less than or equal to 5°. The term “substantially parallel” indicates that the angle formed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to −30° and less than or equal to 30°. The term “perpendicular” indicates that the angle formed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°, and accordingly also includes the case where the angle is greater than or equal to 85° and less than or equal to 95°. The term “substantially perpendicular” indicates that the angle formed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to 60° and less than or equal to 120°.
In this specification, even when different components are connected to each other in a circuit diagram, there is actually a case where one conductor has functions of a plurality of components such as a case where part of a wiring functions also as an electrode. The term “connection” in this specification also means such a case where one conductor has functions of a plurality of components.
A voltage usually refers to a potential difference between a given potential and a reference potential (e.g., a source potential or a ground potential (GND)). A voltage can be referred to as a potential and vice versa.
The layout of circuit blocks in a drawing is the one for specifying the positional relationship in description. Thus, even when a drawing shows that different functions are achieved in different circuit blocks, an actual circuit or region may be configured so that the different functions are achieved in the same circuit block. Furthermore, the function of each circuit block in a drawing is specified for description. Thus, even when one circuit block is illustrated, an actual circuit or region may be configured so that processing which is illustrated as being performed in the one circuit block is performed in a plurality of circuit blocks.
Note that in this embodiment, in a channel formation region and the like of the transistor 490, an oxide semiconductor can be used, for example; however, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, depending on cases or conditions, a channel formation region, the vicinity of the channel formation region, a source region, a drain region, or the like of the transistor 490 may be formed using a material containing silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or the like.
In this specification and the like, a transistor such as the transistor 490 can be formed using any of a variety of substrates, for example. The type of a substrate is not limited to a certain type. As the substrate, a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a single crystal substrate or a silicon substrate), an SOI substrate, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a metal substrate, a stainless steel substrate, a substrate including stainless steel foil, a tungsten substrate, a substrate including tungsten foil, a flexible substrate, an attachment film, paper including a fibrous material, or a base material film can be used, for example. As an example of the glass substrate, a barium borosilicate glass substrate, an aluminoborosilicate glass substrate, or a soda lime glass substrate can be given. Examples of the flexible substrate, the attachment film, and the base material film as follows: plastic typified by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyether sulfone (PES); a synthetic resin such as acrylic; polypropylene; polyester; polyvinyl fluoride; polyvinyl chloride; polyamide; polyimide; aramid; epoxy; an inorganic vapor deposition film; and paper. Specifically, the use of semiconductor substrates, single crystal substrates, SOI substrates, or the like enables the manufacture of small-sized transistors with a small variation in characteristics, size, shape, or the like and with high current capability. A circuit using such transistors achieves lower power consumption of the circuit or higher integration of the circuit.
Alternatively, a flexible substrate may be used as the substrate, and the transistor may be provided directly on the flexible substrate. Further alternatively, a separation layer may be provided between the substrate and the transistor. The separation layer can be used when part or the whole of a semiconductor device formed over the separation layer is separated from the substrate and transferred onto another substrate. In such a case, the transistor can be transferred to a substrate having low heat resistance or a flexible substrate as well. For the above separation layer, a stack including inorganic films, which are a tungsten film and a silicon oxide film, or an organic resin film of polyimide or the like formed over a substrate can be used, for example.
In other words, a transistor may be formed using one substrate, and then transferred to another substrate. Examples of a substrate to which a transistor is transferred include, in addition to the above substrate over which the transistor can be formed, a paper substrate, a cellophane substrate, an aramid film substrate, a polyimide film substrate, a stone substrate, a wood substrate, a cloth substrate (including a natural fiber (e.g., silk, cotton, or hemp), a synthetic fiber (e.g., nylon, polyurethane, or polyester), a regenerated fiber (e.g., acetate, cupra, rayon, or regenerated polyester), and the like), a leather substrate, and a rubber substrate. The use of such a substrate enables formation of a transistor with excellent properties, a transistor with low power consumption, or a device with high durability, high heat resistance, or a reduction in weight or thickness.
This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.
An example of a structure of a memory device of one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
A memory device 600 illustrated in
Control signals (CE, WE, and RE), an address signal ADDR, a data signal WDATA, and the like are input to the memory device 600 from the outside. The address signal ADDR is input to a row decoder 621 and a column decoder 631, and the data signal WDATA is input to a write circuit 633. The control signals are input to the control logic circuit 650.
To the memory device 600, a low power supply voltage VSS, a high power supply voltage VDD, and the like are supplied from the outside as power supply voltages.
In the memory cell array and sense amplifier array 610, memory cells and sense amplifier blocks are arranged two-dimensionally. For the memory cells and the sense amplifier blocks, the other embodiments in this specification can be used as appropriate. The memory device 500 illustrated in
The wiring CS may be driven by the column driver 630 so that one of a plurality of rows of sense amplifier blocks is driven.
The row driver 620 includes the row decoder 621. The address signal ADDR and output of the control logic circuit 650 are input to the row driver 620. The row driver 620 outputs signals to the word lines connected to the memory cell array and sense amplifier array 610, the wirings ISOU, ISOD, and CS for controlling the sense amplifier, and the like. The row decoder 621 selects a row of memory cells on which reading or writing is performed, in accordance with the address signal ADDR.
The column driver 630 includes the column decoder 631, a reading circuit 632, and a writing circuit 633. The address signal ADDR, the data signal WDATA, and output of the control logic circuit 650 is input to the column driver 630. The column decoder 631 selects a column on which reading or writing is performed, in accordance with the address signal ADDR. The reading circuit 632 includes a sense amplifier (also referred to as a main amplifier), and detects and amplifies potentials of the data lines DLL and DLR, and outputs data to the output circuit 640. The reading circuit 632 may have a function of storing data. The writing circuit 633 outputs data for writing to the data lines DLL and DLR in accordance with the input data WDATA. A precharge circuit having a function of precharging the data lines may be included.
The output circuit 640 outputs data output from the reading circuit 632 to the outside of the memory device 600 as a digital data signal RDATA.
The control logic circuit 650 generates signals and the like for controlling the row decoder 621 and the column decoder 631 using the input signals (CE, WE, and RE) input from the outside. CE, WE, and RE are a chip enable signal, a write enable signal, and a read enable signal, respectively. Signals processed by the control logic circuit 650 are not limited to those listed above, and other control signals may be input as necessary.
Note that the decision whether the circuits and signals described above are used or not can be made as appropriate as needed.
By using any of the other embodiments in this specification, for example, the memory device 500 illustrated in
This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.
The transistor 490 can have a variety of structures. In this embodiment, only the transistor 490 and the region in the vicinity thereof are illustrated in
Although in the transistor 490 illustrated in
Like the transistor 490 illustrated in
In the transistor having the structure illustrated in
The semiconductor 406b in contact with the conductors 416a and 416b, in which donor levels are formed by entry of hydrogen into oxygen vacancy sites in some cases, includes an n-channel conductive region. A state in which hydrogen enters sites of oxygen vacancies are denoted by VoH in some cases. Because of current flow in the n-channel conductive region, high on-state current can be obtained.
The transistor 490 in
The insulator 411 is in contact with at least side surfaces of the semiconductor 406b in the cross section taken along line G3-G4. The conductor 420 faces a top surface and the side surfaces of the semiconductor 406b with at least the insulator 411 provided therebetween in the cross section taken along line G3-G4. The conductor 421 faces a bottom surface of the semiconductor 406b with the insulator 432 provided therebetween. In the transistor 490, the insulator 432 does not necessarily include a projection. The semiconductor 406c is not necessarily provided. The insulator 452 is not necessarily provided. The insulator 464 is not necessarily provided.
The structure of the transistor 490 illustrated in
The structure of the transistor 490 illustrated in
The other portions of the transistor 490 illustrated in
This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.
A structure of an oxide semiconductor which can be used as the semiconductor 406a, the semiconductor 406b, the semiconductor 406c, or the like is described below. In this specification, the trigonal and rhombohedral crystal systems are included in the hexagonal crystal system.
Oxide semiconductors are classified roughly into a single-crystal oxide semiconductor and a non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor. The non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor includes any of a c-axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor (CAAC-OS), a polycrystalline oxide semiconductor, a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor, an amorphous oxide semiconductor, and the like.
First, a CAAC-OS is described.
The CAAC-OS is one of oxide semiconductors having a plurality of c-axis aligned crystal parts.
With a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a combined analysis image (high-resolution TEM image) of a bright-field image and a diffraction pattern of the CAAC-OS is observed, and a plurality of crystal parts can be clearly observed. However, in the high-resolution TEM image, a boundary between crystal parts, that is, a grain boundary is not clearly observed. Thus, in the CAAC-OS, a reduction in electron mobility due to the grain boundary is less likely to occur.
In the high-resolution cross-sectional TEM image of the CAAC-OS observed in a direction substantially parallel to the sample surface, metal atoms arranged in a layered manner are seen in the crystal parts. Each metal atom layer has a morphology reflecting a surface over which the CAAC-OS is formed (hereinafter, a surface over which the CAAC-OS is formed is referred to as a formation surface) or a top surface of the CAAC-OS, and is arranged parallel to the formation surface or the top surface of the CAAC-OS.
In the high-resolution plan-view TEM image of the CAAC-OS observed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sample surface, metal atoms arranged in a triangular or hexagonal configuration are seen in the crystal parts. However, there is no regularity of arrangement of metal atoms between different crystal parts.
For example, when a local Fourier transform image of the high-resolution cross-sectional TEM image of a CAAC-OS is observed, the angle of the c-axis continuously and gradually changes from 14.3°, 16.6°, and 26.4° in a plurality of adjacent regions each having a diameter of 4 nm in some cases. In addition, in the other plurality of adjacent regions, the direction of the c-axis is different from that of the c-axis which changes continuously. In that case, the other plurality of adjacent regions have a different grain. For example, in the other plurality of adjacent regions, the angle of the c-axis continuously and gradually changes from −18.3°, −17.6°, and −15.9° in some cases.
Note that in an electron diffraction pattern of the CAAC-OS, spots (luminescent spots) having alignment are shown. For example, when electron diffraction with an electron beam having a diameter of 1 nm or more and 30 nm or less (such electron diffraction is also referred to as nanobeam electron diffraction) is performed on the top surface of the CAAC-OS, spots are observed. For example, spots corresponding to the vertices of a hexagon are observed. This is a diffraction pattern indicating c-axis alignment.
From the results of the high-resolution cross-sectional TEM image and the high-resolution plan-view TEM image, alignment is found in the crystal parts in the CAAC-OS.
A CAAC-OS is subjected to structural analysis with an X-ray diffraction (XRD) apparatus. For example, when the CAAC-OS including an InGaZnO4 crystal is analyzed by an out-of-plane method, a peak appears frequently when the diffraction angle (2θ) is around 31°. This peak is derived from the (009) plane of the InGaZnO4 crystal, which indicates that crystals in the CAAC-OS have c-axis alignment, and that the c-axes are aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to the formation surface or the top surface of the CAAC-OS.
Note that when the CAAC-OS with an InGaZnO4 crystal is analyzed by an out-of-plane method, a peak may also be observed when 2θ is around 36°, in addition to the peak at 2θ of around 31°. The peak at 2θ of around 36° indicates that a crystal having no c-axis alignment is included in part of the CAAC-OS. It is preferable that in the CAAC-OS, a peak appear when 2θ is around 31° and that a peak not appear when 2θ is around 36°.
The CAAC-OS is an oxide semiconductor having low impurity concentration. The impurity is an element other than the main components of the oxide semiconductor, such as hydrogen, carbon, silicon, or a transition metal element. In particular, an element that has higher bonding strength to oxygen than a metal element included in the oxide semiconductor, such as silicon, disturbs the atomic arrangement of the oxide semiconductor by depriving the oxide semiconductor of oxygen and causes a decrease in crystallinity. Furthermore, a heavy metal such as iron or nickel, argon, carbon dioxide, or the like has a large atomic radius (molecular radius), and thus disturbs the atomic arrangement of the oxide semiconductor and causes a decrease in crystallinity when it is contained in the oxide semiconductor. Note that the impurity contained in the oxide semiconductor might serve as a carrier trap or a carrier generation source.
The CAAC-OS is an oxide semiconductor having a low density of defect states. In some cases, oxygen vacancies in the oxide semiconductor serve as carrier traps or serve as carrier generation sources when hydrogen is captured therein.
The state in which impurity concentration is low and density of defect states is low (the number of oxygen vacancies is small) is referred to as a “highly purified intrinsic” or “substantially highly purified intrinsic” state. A highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor has few carrier generation sources, and thus can have a low carrier density. Therefore, a transistor including the oxide semiconductor rarely has negative threshold voltage (is rarely normally on). The highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor has a low density of defect states, and thus has few carrier traps. Accordingly, the transistor including the oxide semiconductor has little variation in electrical characteristics and high reliability. Electric charge trapped by the carrier traps in the oxide semiconductor takes a long time to be released and might behave like fixed electric charge. Thus, the transistor including the oxide semiconductor having high impurity concentration and a high density of defect states has unstable electrical characteristics in some cases.
With the use of the CAAC-OS in a transistor, variation in the electrical characteristics of the transistor due to irradiation with visible light or ultraviolet light is small.
Next, a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor is described.
A microcrystalline oxide semiconductor has a region where a crystal part is observed in a high resolution TEM image and a region where a crystal part is not clearly observed in a high resolution TEM image. In most cases, a crystal part in the microcrystalline oxide semiconductor is greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm, or greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm. A microcrystal with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, or a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 3 nm is specifically referred to as nanocrystal (nc). An oxide semiconductor including nanocrystal is referred to as an nc-OS (nanocrystalline oxide semiconductor). In a high resolution TEM image of the nc-OS, a grain boundary cannot be found clearly in the nc-OS sometimes for example.
In the nc-OS, a microscopic region (for example, a region with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, in particular, a region with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 3 nm) has a periodic atomic arrangement. There is no regularity of crystal orientation between different crystal parts in the nc-OS. Thus, the orientation of the whole film is not observed. Accordingly, in some cases, the nc-OS cannot be distinguished from an amorphous oxide semiconductor, depending on an analysis method. For example, when the nc-OS is subjected to structural analysis by an out-of-plane method with an XRD apparatus using an X-ray having a diameter larger than the diameter of a crystal part, a peak which shows a crystal plane does not appear. Furthermore, a diffraction pattern like a halo pattern is observed when the nc-OS is subjected to electron diffraction using an electron beam with a probe diameter (e.g., 50 nm or larger) that is larger than the size of a crystal part (the electron diffraction is also referred to as selected-area electron diffraction). Meanwhile, spots are shown in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nc-OS obtained by using an electron beam having a probe diameter close to, or smaller than the diameter of a crystal part. Moreover, in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nc-OS, regions with high luminance in a circular (ring) pattern are shown in some cases. Also in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nc-OS, a plurality of spots are shown in a ring-like region in some cases.
The nc-OS is an oxide semiconductor that has high regularity as compared to an amorphous oxide semiconductor. Thus, the nc-OS has a lower density of defect states than an amorphous oxide semiconductor. Note that there is no regularity of crystal orientation between different crystal parts in the nc-OS. Hence, the nc-OS has a higher density of defect states than the CAAC-OS.
Next, an amorphous oxide semiconductor is described.
The amorphous oxide semiconductor has disordered atomic arrangement and no crystal part. For example, the amorphous oxide semiconductor does not have a specific state as in quartz.
In the high-resolution TEM image of the amorphous oxide semiconductor, crystal parts cannot be found.
When the amorphous oxide semiconductor is subjected to structural analysis by an out-of-plane method with an XRD apparatus, a peak showing a crystal plane does not appear. A halo pattern is shown in an electron diffraction pattern of the amorphous oxide semiconductor. Furthermore, a halo pattern is shown but a spot is not shown in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the amorphous oxide semiconductor.
Note that an oxide semiconductor may have a structure having physical properties between the nc-OS and the amorphous oxide semiconductor. The oxide semiconductor having such a structure is specifically referred to as an amorphous-like oxide semiconductor (a-like OS).
In a high-resolution TEM image of the a-like OS, a void may be seen. Furthermore, in the high-resolution TEM image, there are a region where a crystal part is clearly observed and a region where a crystal part is not observed. In the a-like OS, crystallization by a slight amount of electron beam used for TEM observation occurs and growth of the crystal part is found sometimes. In contrast, crystallization by a slight amount of electron beam used for TEM observation is less observed in the nc-OS having good quality.
Note that the crystal part size in the a-like OS and the nc-OS can be measured using high-resolution TEM images. For example, an InGaZnO4 crystal has a layered structure in which two Ga—Zn—O layers are included between In—O layers. A unit cell of the InGaZnO4 crystal has a structure in which nine layers of three In—O layers and six Ga—Zn—O layers are layered in the c-axis direction. Thus, the distance between the adjacent layers is equivalent to the lattice spacing on the (009) plane (also referred to as d value). The value is calculated to be 0.29 nm from crystal structural analysis. Thus, each of the lattice fringes having a distance therebetween of from 0.28 nm to 0.30 nm is regarded as corresponding to the a-b plane of the InGaZnO4 crystal, focusing on the lattice fringes in the high-resolution TEM image.
Furthermore, the film density of the oxide semiconductor film varies depending on the structure in some cases. For example, the structure of an oxide semiconductor film can be estimated by comparing the film density of the oxide semiconductor film with the film density of a single crystal oxide semiconductor film having the same composition as the oxide semiconductor film. For example, the film density of the a-like OS film is 78.6% or higher and lower than 92.3% of the film density of the single crystal oxide semiconductor film having the same composition. For example, the film density of each of the nc-OS film and the CAAC-OS film is 92.3% or higher and lower than 100% of the film density of the single crystal oxide semiconductor film having the same composition. Note that it is difficult to form an oxide semiconductor film having a film density of lower than 78% of the film density of the single crystal oxide semiconductor film having the same composition.
Specific examples of the above description are given. For example, in an oxide semiconductor film in which the atomic ratio of In to Ga and Zn is 1:1:1, the film density of a single crystal of InGaZnO4 with a rhombohedral crystal structure is 6.357 g/cm3. Thus, for example, in the oxide semiconductor film in which the atomic ratio of In to Ga and Zn is 1:1:1, the film density of the a-like OS film is higher than or equal to 5.0 g/cm3 and lower than 5.9 g/cm3. For example, in the case of the oxide semiconductor film in which the atomic ratio of In to Ga and Zn is 1:1:1, the film density of each of the nc-OS film and the CAAC-OS film is higher than or equal to 5.9 g/cm3 and lower than 6.3 g/cm3.
However, there might be no single crystal oxide semiconductor film having the same composition as the oxide semiconductor film. In that case, single crystal oxide semiconductor films with different compositions are combined in an adequate ratio to calculate film density equivalent to that of a single crystal oxide semiconductor film with the desired composition. The film density of the single crystal oxide semiconductor film with the desired composition may be obtained by calculating the weighted average of the film densities of the single crystal oxide semiconductor films with the different compositions in consideration of the combination ratio therebetween. The film density of the single crystal oxide having the desired composition can be calculated using a weighted average according to the combination ratio of the single crystal oxides with different compositions. Note that it is preferable to use as few kinds of single crystal oxide semiconductor film as possible to calculate the film density.
Note that an oxide semiconductor may be a stacked film including two or more of an amorphous oxide semiconductor, an a-like OS, a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor, and a CAAC-OS, for example.
The above oxide semiconductor can be used as the semiconductor 406a, the semiconductor 406b, the semiconductor 406c, or the like.
Next, the other components of a semiconductor which can be used as the semiconductor 406a, the semiconductor 406b, the semiconductor 406c, or the like are described.
The oxide semiconductor that can be used as the semiconductor 406b is an oxide semiconductor containing indium, for example. The semiconductor 406b can have high carrier mobility (electron mobility) by containing indium, for example. The semiconductor 406b preferably contains an element M. The element M is preferably aluminum, gallium, yttrium, tin, or the like. Other elements which can be used as the element M are boron, silicon, titanium, iron, nickel, germanium, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, and the like. Note that two or more of the above elements may be used in combination as the element M. The element M is an element having a high bonding energy with oxygen, for example. The element M is an element whose bonding energy with oxygen is higher than that of indium. The element M is an element that can increase the energy gap of the oxide semiconductor, for example. Furthermore, the semiconductor 406b preferably contains zinc. When the oxide semiconductor contains zinc, the oxide semiconductor is easily to be crystallized, for example.
For the semiconductor 406b, an oxide with a wide energy gap may be used. For example, the energy gap of the semiconductor 406b is greater than or equal to 2.5 eV and less than or equal to 4.2 eV, preferably greater than or equal to 2.8 eV and less than or equal to 3.8 eV, more preferably greater than or equal to 3 eV and less than or equal to 3.5 eV.
Avalanche breakdown or the like is less likely to occur in some cases in the transistor including an oxide semiconductor than in a general transistor including silicon or the like, because, for example, an oxide semiconductor has a wide bandgap and thus electrons are less likely to be excited, and the effective mass of a hole is large. Therefore, it may be possible to inhibit hot-carrier degradation due to avalanche breakdown, for example. Accordingly, the drain withstand voltage can be increased, so that the transistor can be driven at a higher drain voltage. Thus, in some cases, a higher voltage, that is, more states can be held by a floating node, increasing storage density.
The semiconductor 406a, the semiconductor 406b, and the semiconductor 406c preferably include at least indium. In the case of using an In-M-Zn oxide as the semiconductor 406a, when the summation of In and M is assumed to be 100 atomic %, the proportions of In and M are preferably set to be less than 50 atomic % and greater than or equal to 50 atomic %, respectively, or further preferably less than 25 atomic % and greater than or equal to 75 atomic %, respectively. In the case of using an In-M-Zn oxide as the semiconductor 406b, when the summation of In and M is assumed to be 100 atomic %, the proportions of In and M are preferably set to be greater than or equal to 25 atomic % and less than 75 atomic %, respectively, or further preferably greater than or equal to 34 atomic % and less than 66 atomic %, respectively. In the case of using an In-M-Zn oxide as the semiconductor 406c, when the summation of In and M is assumed to be 100 atomic %, the proportions of In and M are preferably set to be less than 50 atomic % and greater than or equal to 50 atomic %, respectively, or further preferably less than 25 atomic % and greater than or equal to 75 atomic %, respectively. Note that the semiconductor 406c may be an oxide that is a type the same as that of the semiconductor 406a.
As the semiconductor 406b, an oxide having an electron affinity higher than those of the semiconductors 406a and 406c is used. For example, as the semiconductor 406b, an oxide having an electron affinity higher than those of the semiconductors 406a and 406c by 0.07 eV or higher and 1.3 eV or lower, preferably 0.1 eV or higher and 0.7 eV or lower, more preferably 0.15 eV or higher and 0.4 eV or lower is used. Note that the electron affinity refers to an energy gap between the vacuum level and the bottom of the conduction band.
An indium gallium oxide has a small electron affinity and a high oxygen-blocking property. Therefore, the semiconductor 406c preferably includes an indium gallium oxide. The gallium atomic ratio [In/(In+Ga)] is, for example, higher than or equal to 70%, preferably higher than or equal to 80%, more preferably higher than or equal to 90%.
At this time, when an electric field is applied to a gate, a channel is formed in the semiconductor 406b having the highest electron affinity in the semiconductors 406a, 406b, and 406c. Thus, the field effect mobility of the transistor can be increased. Here, the semiconductor 406b and the semiconductor 406c have the common constituent elements and thus interface scattering hardly occurs therebetween.
Here, in some cases, there is a mixed region of the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406b between the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406b. Furthermore, in some cases, there is a mixed region of the semiconductor 406b and the semiconductor 406c between the semiconductor 406b and the semiconductor 406c. The mixed region has a low density of interface states. For that reason, the stack of the semiconductor 406a, the semiconductor 406b, and the semiconductor 406c has a band structure where energy at each interface and in the vicinity of the interface is changed continuously (continuous junction). Note that
At this time, electrons move mainly in the semiconductor 406b, not in the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406c. As described above, when the interface state density at the interface between the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406b and the interface state density at the interface between the semiconductor 406b and the semiconductor 406c are decreased, electron movement in the semiconductor 406b is less likely to be inhibited and the on-state current of the transistor can be increased.
For example, the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406c include one or more elements other than oxygen included in the semiconductor 406b. Since the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406c each include one or more elements other than oxygen included in the semiconductor 406b, an interface state is less likely to be formed at the interface between the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406b and the interface between the semiconductor 406b and the semiconductor 406c.
Furthermore, the semiconductors 406a, 406b, and 406c preferably have no or a small amount of spinel crystal structures. Moreover, the semiconductors 406a, 406b, and 406c are preferably CAAC-OS.
For example, when a CAAC-OS having a plurality of c-axis aligned crystal parts is used as the semiconductor 406a, the semiconductor 406b formed thereover can have a region with favorable c-axis alignment even in the vicinity of the interface with the semiconductor 406a.
The semiconductor 406b is preferably a semiconductor in which oxygen vacancies are reduced.
For example, in the case were the semiconductor 406b contains oxygen vacancies (also denoted by VO), donor levels are formed by entry of hydrogen into oxygen vacancy sites in some cases. A state in which hydrogen enters oxygen vacancy sites is denoted by VoH in the following description in some cases. VOH is a factor of decreasing the on-state current of the transistor because VOH scatters electrons. Note that oxygen vacancy sites become more stable by entry of oxygen than by entry of hydrogen. Thus, by decreasing oxygen vacancies in the semiconductor 406b, the on-state current of the transistor can be increased in some cases.
To decrease oxygen vacancies in the semiconductor 406b, for example, there is a method in which excess oxygen in the insulator 432 is moved to the semiconductor 406b through the semiconductor 406a. In this case, the semiconductor 406a is preferably a layer having an oxygen-transmitting property (a layer through which oxygen passes or is transmitted).
Oxygen is released from the insulator 432 and taken into the semiconductor 406a by heat treatment or the like. In some cases, oxygen exists and is apart from atoms in the semiconductor 406a, or exists and is bonded to oxygen or the like. As the density becomes lower, i.e., the number of spaces between the atoms becomes larger, the semiconductor 406a has a higher oxygen-transmitting property. For example, in the case where the semiconductor 406a has a layered crystal structure and oxygen movement in which oxygen crosses the layer is less likely to occur, the semiconductor 406a is preferably a layer having low crystallinity as appropriate.
Moreover, the thickness of the semiconductor 406c is preferably as small as possible to increase the on-state current of the transistor. The semiconductor 406c has a region with a thickness of less than 10 nm, preferably less than or equal to 5 nm, more preferably less than or equal to 3 nm, for example. Meanwhile, the semiconductor 406c has a function of blocking entry of elements other than oxygen (such as hydrogen and silicon) included in the adjacent insulator into the semiconductor 406b where a channel is formed. For this reason, it is preferable that the semiconductor 406c have a certain thickness. The semiconductor 406c has a region with a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.3 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 1 nm, more preferably greater than or equal to 2 nm, for example. The semiconductor 406c preferably has an oxygen blocking property to suppress outward diffusion of oxygen released from the insulator 432 and the like.
To improve reliability, preferably, the thickness of the semiconductor 406a is large and the thickness of the semiconductor 406c is small. For example, the semiconductor 406a has a region with a thickness of, for example, greater than or equal to 10 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 20 nm, more preferably greater than or equal to 40 nm, still more preferably greater than or equal to 60 nm. When the thickness of the semiconductor 406a is made large, a distance from an interface between the adjacent insulator and the semiconductor 406a to the semiconductor 406b in which a channel is formed can be large. Since the productivity of the semiconductor device might be decreased, the semiconductor 406a has a region with a thickness of, for example, less than or equal to 200 nm, preferably less than or equal to 120 nm, more preferably less than or equal to 80 nm.
For example, a region in which the concentration of silicon which is measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is lower than 1×1019 atoms/cm3, preferably lower than 5×1018 atoms/cm3, or further preferably lower than 2×1018 atoms/cm3 is provided between the semiconductor 406b and the semiconductor 406a. A region with a silicon concentration of lower than 1×1019 atoms/cm3, preferably lower than 5×1018 atoms/cm3, more preferably lower than 2×1018 atoms/cm3 which is measured by SIMS is provided between the semiconductor 406b and the semiconductor 406c.
It is preferable to reduce the concentration of hydrogen in the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406c in order to reduce the concentration of hydrogen in the semiconductor 406b. The semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406c each have a region in which the concentration of hydrogen measured by SIMS is lower than or equal to 2×1020 atoms/cm3, preferably lower than or equal to 5×1019 atoms/cm3, more preferably lower than or equal to 1×1019 atoms/cm3, still more preferably lower than or equal to 5×1018 atoms/cm3. It is preferable to reduce the concentration of nitrogen in the semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406c in order to reduce the concentration of nitrogen in the semiconductor 406b. The semiconductor 406a and the semiconductor 406c each have a region in which the concentration of nitrogen measured by SIMS is lower than 5×1019 atoms/cm3, preferably lower than or equal to 5×1018 atoms/cm3, more preferably lower than or equal to 1×1018 atoms/cm3, still more preferably lower than or equal to 5×1017 atoms/cm3.
In the case where gallium oxide is used for the semiconductor 406c, indium in the semiconductor 406b can be prevented from being diffused into the gate insulator; thus, the leakage current of the transistor can be reduced.
For example, when an In—Ga—Zn oxide film formed by a sputtering method is used as each of the semiconductors 406a and 406c, the semiconductors 406a and 406c can be deposited with the use of an In—Ga—Zn oxide target having an atomic ratio of In:Ga:Zn=1:3:2. The deposition conditions can be as follows: an argon gas (flow rate: 30 sccm) and an oxygen gas (flow rate: 15 sccm) are used as the deposition gas; the pressure is 0.4 Pa; the substrate temperature is 200° C.; and the DC power is 0.5 kW.
In the case where the semiconductor 406b is a CAAC-OS, the semiconductor 406b is preferably deposited using a polycrystalline target containing an In—Ga—Zn oxide (In:Ga:Zn=1:1:1 [atomic ratio]). The deposition conditions can be as follows: an argon gas (flow rate: 30 sccm) and an oxygen gas (flow rate: 15 sccm) are used as the deposition gas; the pressure is 0.4 Pa; the substrate temperature is 300° C.; and the DC power is 0.5 kW.
The structures and the other elements of the oxide semiconductor that can be used for the semiconductors 406a, 406b, and 406c and the like have been described so far. By using the above-described oxide semiconductor in the semiconductors 406a, 406b, and 406c and the like, the transistor 490 can have favorable electrical characteristics. For example, excellent subthreshold characteristics and an extremely low off-state current can be achieved. Moreover, a high on-state current and favorable switching speed can be achieved. Furthermore, high withstand voltage can be achieved.
This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.
In this embodiment, application examples of the memory device described in the above embodiments to an electronic component and to an electronic device including the electronic component will be described with reference to
The electronic component can be completed after an assembly process (post-process) by using a plurality of components that can be detached and attached from and to a printed wiring board in combination. An assembly process (post-process) is described with reference to
After an element substrate obtained in the preceding process is completed, a back surface of the substrate is ground (Step P1). By thinning the substrate at this stage, the warpage or the like of the substrate in the preceding process is reduced and the component is downsized.
A dicing step of grinding the back surface of the substrate to separate the substrate into a plurality of chips is performed. Then, a die bonding step of individually picking up separate chips to be mounted on and bonded to a lead frame is performed (Step P2). To bond a chip and a lead frame in the die bonding step, resin bonding, tape-automated bonding, or the like is selected as appropriate depending on products. Note that in the die bonding step, a chip may be mounted on and bonded to an interposer.
Next, wire bonding for electrically connecting a lead of the lead frame and an electrode on a chip through a metal wire is performed (Step P3). As a metal wire, a silver wire or a gold wire can be used. For wire bonding, ball bonding or wedge bonding can be employed.
A wire-bonded chip is subjected to a molding step of sealing the chip with an epoxy resin or the like (Step P4). With the molding step, the inside of the electronic component is filled with a resin, thereby reducing damage to the circuit portion and the wire embedded in the component caused by external mechanical force as well as reducing deterioration of characteristics due to moisture or dust.
Subsequently, the lead of the lead frame is plated. Then, the lead is cut and processed into a predetermined shape (Step P5). With the plating process, corrosion of the lead can be prevented, and soldering for mounting the electronic component on a printed wiring board in a later step can be performed with higher reliability.
Next, printing (marking) is performed on a surface of the package (Step P6). Then, through a final test step (Step P7), the electronic component is completed.
The above electronic component can include the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, an electronic component capable of reducing power consumption, an electronic component capable of increasing the operation speed, or an electronic component capable of being downsized can be provided.
The above-described electronic component can be used for display devices, personal computers, or image reproducing devices provided with recording media (typically, devices which reproduce the content of recording media such as digital versatile discs (DVDs) and have displays for displaying the reproduced images). Other examples of electronic devices that can be equipped with the above-described electronic component are mobile phones, game machines including portable game consoles, portable data terminals, e-book readers, wrist-watch-type information terminals, laptop personal computers, cameras such as video cameras and digital still cameras, goggle-type display devices (head mounted displays), navigation systems, audio reproducing devices (e.g., car audio systems and digital audio players), copiers, facsimiles, printers, multifunction printers, automated teller machines (ATM), vending machines, and automobiles.
By applying an electronic component which enables low power consumption, high-speed operation, or miniaturization including the memory device of one embodiment the present invention to these electronic devices, an electronic device which consumes less power, an electronic device with improved operation speed, or a small-sized electronic device can be provided.
This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.
In this specification, a “semiconductor” may have characteristics of an “insulator” in some cases when the conductivity is sufficiently low, for example. Furthermore, a “semiconductor” and an “insulator” cannot be strictly distinguished from each other in some cases because a border between the “semiconductor” and the “insulator” is not clear. Accordingly, a “semiconductor” in this specification can be called an “insulator” in some cases. Similarly, an “insulator” in this specification can be called a “semiconductor” in some cases.
Furthermore, a “semiconductor” includes characteristics of a “conductor” in some cases when the conductivity is sufficiently high, for example. Furthermore, a “semiconductor” and a “conductor” cannot be strictly distinguished from each other in some cases because a border between the “semiconductor” and the “conductor” is not clear. Accordingly, a “semiconductor” in this specification can be called a “conductor” in some cases. Similarly, a “conductor” in this specification can be called a “semiconductor” in some cases.
In this specification, an impurity in a semiconductor refers to, for example, elements other than the main components of a semiconductor. For example, an element with a concentration of lower than 0.1 atomic % is an impurity. When an impurity is contained, DOS may be formed in a semiconductor, the carrier mobility may be decreased, or the crystallinity may be decreased, for example. In the case where the semiconductor is an oxide semiconductor, examples of an impurity which changes characteristics of the semiconductor include Group 1 elements, Group 2 elements, Group 14 elements, Group 15 elements, and transition metals other than the main components; specifically, there are hydrogen (included in water), lithium, sodium, silicon, boron, phosphorus, carbon, and nitrogen, for example. In the case of an oxide semiconductor, oxygen vacancy may be formed by entry of impurities such as hydrogen. Furthermore, in the case where the semiconductor is silicon, examples of an impurity which changes characteristics of the semiconductor include oxygen, Group 1 elements except hydrogen, Group 2 elements, Group 13 elements, and Group 15 elements.
In this specification, an insulator may be formed to have, for example, a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure including an insulator containing one or more of boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus, chlorine, argon, gallium, germanium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, neodymium, hafnium, and tantalum unless otherwise specified. A resin may be used as the insulator. For example, a resin containing polyimide, polyamide, acrylic, silicone, or the like may be used. The use of a resin does not need planarization treatment performed on a top surface of the insulator in some cases. By using a resin, a thick film can be formed in a short time; thus, the productivity can be increased. The insulator may be preferably formed to have a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure including an insulator containing aluminum oxide, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, gallium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, or tantalum oxide.
In this specification, unless otherwise specified, a conductor may be formed to have, for example, a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure including a conductor containing one or more of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, silicon, phosphorus, aluminum, titanium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, ruthenium, silver, indium, tin, tantalum, and tungsten. An alloy film or a compound film of the above element may be used, for example, and a conductor containing aluminum, a conductor containing copper and titanium, a conductor containing copper and manganese, a conductor containing indium, tin, and oxygen, a conductor containing titanium and nitrogen, or the like may be used.
For example, in this specification and the like, when it is explicitly described that X and Y are connected, the case where X and Y are electrically connected, the case where X and Y are functionally connected, and the case where X and Y are directly connected are included therein. Accordingly, another element may be interposed between elements having a connection relation shown in drawings and texts, without limiting to a predetermined connection relation, for example, the connection relation shown in the drawings and the texts.
Here, X and Y each denote an object (e.g., a device, an element, a circuit, a line, an electrode, a terminal, a conductive film, a layer, or the like).
For example, in the case where X and Y are electrically connected, one or more elements that enable electrical connection between X and Y (e.g., a switch, a transistor, a capacitor, an inductor, a resistor, a diode, a display element, a light-emitting element, or a load) can be connected between X and Y. A switch is controlled to be on or off. That is, a switch is conducting or not conducting (is turned on or off) to determine whether current flows therethrough or not. Alternatively, the switch has a function of selecting and changing a current path.
For example, in the case where X and Y are functionally connected, one or more circuits that enable functional connection between X and Y (e.g., a logic circuit such as an inverter, a NAND circuit, or a NOR circuit; a signal converter circuit such as a DA converter circuit, an AD converter circuit, or a gamma correction circuit; a potential level converter circuit such as a power supply circuit (e.g., a step-up circuit or a step-down circuit) or a level shifter circuit for changing the potential level of a signal; a voltage source; a current source; a switching circuit; an amplifier circuit such as a circuit that can increase signal amplitude, the amount of current, or the like, an operational amplifier, a differential amplifier circuit, a source follower circuit, or a buffer circuit; a signal generation circuit; a memory circuit; and/or a control circuit) can be connected between X and Y. Note that for example, in the case where a signal output from Xis transmitted to Y even when another circuit is interposed between X and Y, X and Y are functionally connected.
Note that when it is explicitly described that X and Y are electrically connected, the case where X and Y are electrically connected (i.e., the case where X and Y are connected with another element or another circuit provided therebetween), the case where X and Y are functionally connected (i.e., the case where X and Y are functionally connected with another circuit provided therebetween), and the case where X and Y are directly connected (i.e., the case where X and Y are connected without another element or another circuit provided therebetween) are included therein. That is, the explicit description “X and Y are electrically connected” is the same as the explicit description “X and Y are connected”.
For example, any of the following expressions can be used for the case where a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor is electrically connected to X through (or not through) Z1 and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor is electrically connected to Y through (or not through) Z2, or the case where a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor is directly connected to one part of Z1 and another part of Z1 is directly connected to X while a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor is directly connected to one part of Z2 and another part of Z2 is directly connected to Y.
Examples of the expressions include, “X, Y, a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor, and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor are electrically connected to each other, and X the source (or the first terminal or the like) of the transistor, the drain (or the second terminal or the like) of the transistor, and Y are electrically connected to each other in this order”, “a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor is electrically connected to X a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor is electrically connected to Y, and X the source (or the first terminal or the like) of the transistor, the drain (or the second terminal or the like) of the transistor, and Y are electrically connected to each other in this order”, and “X is electrically connected to Y through a source (or a first terminal or the like) and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of a transistor, and X the source (or the first terminal or the like) of the transistor, the drain (or the second terminal or the like) of the transistor, and Y are provided to be connected in this order”. When the connection order in a circuit structure is defined by an expression similar to the above examples, a source (or a first terminal or the like) and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of a transistor can be distinguished from each other to specify the technical scope. Here, each of X, Y, Z1, and Z2 denotes an object (e.g., a device, an element, a circuit, a wiring, an electrode, a terminal, a conductive film, a layer, or the like).
Note that a content (or may be part of the content) described in one embodiment may be applied to, combined with, or replaced by a different content (or may be part of the different content) described in the embodiment and/or a content (or may be part of the content) described in one or a plurality of different embodiments.
Note that in each embodiment, a content described in the embodiment is a content described with reference to a variety of diagrams or a content described with a text described in this specification.
Note that by combining a diagram (or may be part of the diagram) illustrated in one embodiment with another part of the diagram, a different diagram (or may be part of the different diagram) illustrated in the embodiment, and/or a diagram (or may be part of the diagram) illustrated in one or a plurality of different embodiments, much more diagrams can be formed.
Note that contents that are not specified in any drawing or text in the specification can be excluded from one embodiment of the invention. Alternatively, when the range of a value that is defined by the maximum and minimum values is described, part of the range is appropriately narrowed or part of the range is removed, whereby one embodiment of the invention excluding part of the range can be constructed. In this manner, it is possible to specify the technical scope of one embodiment of the present invention so that a conventional technology is excluded, for example.
As a specific example, a diagram of a circuit including a first transistor to a fifth transistor is illustrated. In that case, it can be specified that the circuit does not include a sixth transistor in the invention. It can be specified that the circuit does not include a capacitor in the invention. It can be specified that the circuit does not include a sixth transistor with a particular connection structure in the invention. It can be specified that the circuit does not include a capacitor with a particular connection structure in the invention. For example, it can be specified that a sixth transistor whose gate is connected to a gate of the third transistor is not included in the invention. For example, it can be specified that a capacitor whose first electrode is connected to the gate of the third transistor is not included in the invention.
As another specific example, a description of a value, “a voltage is preferably higher than or equal to 3 V and lower than or equal to 10 V” is given. In that case, for example, it can be specified that the case where the voltage is higher than or equal to −2 V and lower than or equal to 1 V is excluded from one embodiment of the invention. For example, it can be specified that the case where the voltage is higher than or equal to 13 V is excluded from one embodiment of the invention. Note that, for example, it can be specified that the voltage is higher than or equal to 5 V and lower than or equal to 8 V in the invention. For example, it can be specified that the voltage is approximately 9 V in the invention. For example, it can be specified that the voltage is higher than or equal to 3 V and lower than or equal to 10 V but is not 9 V in the invention. Note that even when the description “a value is preferably in a certain range” or “a value preferably satisfies a certain condition” is given, the value is not limited to the description. In other words, a description of a value that includes a term “preferable”, “preferably”, or the like does not necessarily limit the value.
As another specific example, a description “a voltage is preferred to be 10 V” is given. In that case, for example, it can be specified that the case where the voltage is higher than or equal to −2 V and lower than or equal to 1 V is excluded from one embodiment of the invention. For example, it can be specified that the case where the voltage is higher than or equal to 13 V is excluded from one embodiment of the invention.
As another specific example, a description “a film is an insulating film” is given to describe properties of a material. In that case, for example, it can be specified that the case where the insulating film is an organic insulating film is excluded from one embodiment of the invention. For example, it can be specified that the case where the insulating film is an inorganic insulating film is excluded from one embodiment of the invention. For example, it can be specified that the case where the insulating film is a conductive film is excluded from one embodiment of the invention. For example, it can be specified that the case where the insulating film is a semiconductor film is excluded from one embodiment of the invention.
As another specific example, the description of a stacked structure, “a film is provided between an A film and a B film” is given. In that case, for example, it can be specified that the case where the film is a stacked film of four or more layers is excluded from the invention. For example, it can be specified that the case where a conductive film is provided between the A film and the film is excluded from the invention.
Note that in this specification and the like, it might be possible for those skilled in the art to constitute one embodiment of the invention even when portions to which all the terminals of an active element (e.g., a transistor or a diode), a passive element (e.g., a capacitor or a resistor), or the like are connected are not specified. In other words, one embodiment of the invention can be clear even when connection portions are not specified. Furthermore, in the case where a connection portion is disclosed in this specification and the like, it can be determined that one embodiment of the invention in which a connection portion is not specified is disclosed in this specification and the like, in some cases. In particular, in the case where the number of portions to which the terminal is connected might be plural, it is not necessary to specify the portions to which the terminal is connected. Therefore, it might be possible to constitute one embodiment of the invention by specifying only portions to which some of terminals of an active element (e.g., a transistor or a diode), a passive element (e.g., a capacitor or a resistor), or the like are connected.
Note that in this specification and the like, it might be possible for those skilled in the art to specify the invention when at least the connection portion of a circuit is specified. Alternatively, it might be possible for those skilled in the art to specify the invention when at least a function of a circuit is specified. In other words, when a function of a circuit is specified, one embodiment of the invention can be clear. Furthermore, it can be determined that one embodiment of the invention whose function is specified is disclosed in this specification and the like. Therefore, when a connection portion of a circuit is specified, the circuit is disclosed as one embodiment of the invention even when a function is not specified, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted. Alternatively, when a function of a circuit is specified, the circuit is disclosed as one embodiment of the invention even when a connection portion is not specified, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted.
Note that in this specification and the like, in a diagram or a text described in one embodiment, it is possible to take out part of the diagram or the text and constitute an embodiment of the invention. Thus, in the case where a diagram or a text related to a certain portion is described, the contents taken out from part of the diagram or the text are also disclosed as one embodiment of the invention, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted. The embodiment of the invention is clear. Therefore, for example, in a diagram or text in which one or more active elements (e.g., transistors or diodes), wirings, passive elements (e.g., capacitors or resistors), conductive layers, insulating layers, semiconductor layers, organic materials, inorganic materials, components, devices, operating methods, manufacturing methods, or the like are described, part of the diagram or the text is taken out, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted. For example, from a circuit diagram in which N circuit elements (e.g., transistors or capacitors; N is an integer) are provided, it is possible to constitute one embodiment of the invention by taking out M circuit elements (e.g., transistors or capacitors; M is an integer, where M<1V). As another example, it is possible to constitute one embodiment of the invention by taking out M layers (M is an integer, where M<1V) from a cross-sectional view in which N layers (N is an integer) are provided. As another example, it is possible to constitute one embodiment of the invention by taking out M elements (M is an integer, where M<1V) from a flow chart in which N elements (N is an integer) are provided. As another example, it is possible to take out some given elements from a sentence “A includes B, C, D, E, or F” and constitute one embodiment of the invention, for example, “A includes B and E”, “A includes E and F”, “A includes C, E, and F”, or “A includes B, C, D, and E”.
Note that in the case where at least one specific example is described in a diagram or a text described in one embodiment in this specification and the like, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that a broader concept of the specific example can be derived. Therefore, in the diagram or the text described in one embodiment, in the case where at least one specific example is described, a broader concept of the specific example is disclosed as one embodiment of the invention, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted. The embodiment of the invention is clear.
Note that in this specification and the like, a content described in at least a diagram (which may be part of the diagram) is disclosed as one embodiment of the invention, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted. Therefore, when a certain content is described in a diagram, the content is disclosed as one embodiment of the invention even when the content is not described with a text, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted. In a similar manner, part of a diagram, which is taken out from the diagram, is disclosed as one embodiment of the invention, and one embodiment of the invention can be constituted. The embodiment of the invention is clear.
400: substrate, 402a, 402b: region, 406a, 406b, 406c: semiconductor, 411, 412: insulator, 416a, 416b: conductor, 420, 421: conductor, 470a, 470b, 470c, 470d: conductor, 471a, 471b, 471c: conductor, 472a, 472b, 4702, 472d: conductor, 490: transistor, 491a, 491b, 491c, 491d: transistor, 491e, 491f, 491g, 491h, 491i: conductor, 497: capacitor, 500: memory device, 510: memory cell, 520: sense amplifier block, and 530: sense amplifier.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application serial no. 2014-098130 filed with Japan Patent Office on May 9, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.