APPARATUSES INCLUDING STAIR-STEP STRUCTURES AND METHODS OF FORMING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:
- forming a plurality of sets of conductive material and insulating material;
forming a first mask over a topmost set of the plurality of sets;
removing a portion of the first mask to expose a portion of a major surface of the topmost set of the plurality of sets;
removing the exposed portion of the topmost set of the plurality of sets;
removing another portion of the first mask to expose another portion of the major surface of the topmost set, the another portion of the major surface of the topmost set adjacent to the removed portion of the major surface of the topmost set of the plurality of sets;
repeating the removing a portion of the first mask and removing the exposed portion of the topmost set of the plurality of sets until a first number of contact regions are formed, each contact region offset from the other contact regions;
forming a second mask over a first region of the plurality of sets; and
removing material from the plurality of sets in a second, exposed region of the plurality of sets laterally adjacent the first region to form a second number of contact regions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for forming semiconductor structures are disclosed, including a method that involves forming sets of conductive material and insulating material, forming a first mask over the sets, forming a first number of contact regions, forming a second mask over a first region of the sets, and removing material from of the sets in a second, exposed region laterally adjacent the first region to form a second number of contact regions. Another method includes forming first and second contact regions on portions of sets of conductive materials and insulating materials, each of the second contact regions more proximal to an underlying substrate than each of the first contact regions. Apparatuses such as memory devices including laterally adjacent first and second regions each including contact regions of a different portion of a plurality of conductive materials and related methods of forming such devices are also disclosed.
83 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:
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forming a plurality of sets of conductive material and insulating material; forming a first mask over a topmost set of the plurality of sets; removing a portion of the first mask to expose a portion of a major surface of the topmost set of the plurality of sets; removing the exposed portion of the topmost set of the plurality of sets; removing another portion of the first mask to expose another portion of the major surface of the topmost set, the another portion of the major surface of the topmost set adjacent to the removed portion of the major surface of the topmost set of the plurality of sets; repeating the removing a portion of the first mask and removing the exposed portion of the topmost set of the plurality of sets until a first number of contact regions are formed, each contact region offset from the other contact regions; forming a second mask over a first region of the plurality of sets; and removing material from the plurality of sets in a second, exposed region of the plurality of sets laterally adjacent the first region to form a second number of contact regions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15)
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13. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:
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forming first contact regions on portions of sets of conductive materials and insulating materials, each first contact region offset from the other first contact regions; forming a mask over a region of the sets of conductive materials and insulating materials; and removing a portion of the sets of conductive materials and insulating materials not covered by the mask to form second contact regions, wherein each of the second contact regions is more proximal to an underlying substrate than each of the first contact regions. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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16. A method of forming a vertical memory device, comprising:
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forming a plurality of alternating word line connections and insulating materials; forming contact regions on portions of the word line connections, each contact region offset from the other contact regions; forming a mask over a region of the plurality of alternating word line connections and insulating materials; removing a portion of the word line connections and insulating materials not covered by the mask to form additional contact regions on other portions of the word line connections of the plurality; and forming contacts in connection with each contact region and each additional contact region.
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17. An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of sets of conductive material and insulative material, the plurality of sets comprising; a first region of the plurality of sets comprising contact regions of a first portion of the plurality of sets; and a second region of the plurality of sets laterally adjacent the first region comprising contact regions of a second portion of the plurality of sets, wherein the contact regions of the first region are offset from the contact regions of the second region. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus, comprising:
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a vertical memory array region comprising a plurality of conductive materials; and a stair-step region comprising the plurality of conductive materials and including a first region and a second region laterally adjacent the first region, the first region including contact regions of a first portion of the plurality of conductive materials and the second region including contact regions of a second portion of the plurality of conductive materials different than the first portion, wherein each contact region of the first region is offset from each contact region of the second region. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, the method comprising:
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forming a plurality of sets of conductive material and insulating material; removing a first portion of a topmost set of the plurality of sets; forming a mask over a first region of a second portion of the topmost set, wherein a second region of the second portion of the topmost set is exposed; and removing the second portion of the topmost set in the second region, wherein the second portion of the topmost set in the first region comprises a first contact region and a portion of a set underlying the second portion of the topmost set in the second region comprises a second contact region. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification