Memory device, memory module and electronic device

• US 8,421,081 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Kiyoshi, Koyama, Jun, Saito, Toshihiko, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lebentritt, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/331,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 257 40- 43, 257/59, 257/292, 257/296, 257/E21.046, 257/27.111, 257/29.068, 257/255, 257/33.019, 257/53, 257/51.001, 257/5, 257/18, 257/24
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/404 with one charge-transfer gate, e.g. MOS transistor, per cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 41/70 the floating gate being an electrode shared by two or more components

Abstract

The first transistor includes first and second electrodes which are a source and a drain, and a first gate electrode overlapping with a first channel formation region with an insulating film provided therebetween. The second transistor includes third and fourth electrodes which are a source and a drain, and a second channel formation region which is provided between a second gate electrode and a third gate electrode with insulating films provided between the second channel formation region and the second gate electrode and between the second channel formation region and the third gate electrode. The first and second channel formation regions contain an oxide semiconductor, and the second electrode is connected to the second gate electrode.

Claims

1. A memory device comprising:

a memory cell comprising a first transistor, a second transistor, and a first insulating film,

wherein the first transistor comprises;

a first oxide semiconductor layer including a first channel formation region;

a first electrode connected to the first oxide semiconductor layer;

a second electrode connected to the first oxide semiconductor layer;

a first gate electrode overlapping with the first channel formation region; and

a second insulating layer interposed between the first gate electrode and the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the second transistor comprises;

a second gate electrode;

a third insulating film over the second gate electrode;

a second oxide semiconductor layer including a second channel formation region over the third insulating film;

a third electrode connected to the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a fourth electrode connected to the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a fourth insulating film over the second oxide semiconductor layer, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

a third gate electrode over the fourth insulating film,

wherein the second gate electrode, the third gate electrode, and the second channel formation region are overlapped with each other,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is located above the third gate electrode, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is located above the first insulating film, and the second oxide semiconductor layer is located below the first insulating film.

2. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer includes a region including a dopant, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to the first channel formation region through the region.

3. The memory device according to claim 2,

wherein the dopant is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, argon, arsenic, xenon, helium, and hydrogen.

4. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein an area where the second oxide semiconductor layer overlaps with the second gate electrode is larger than that where the second oxide semiconductor layer overlaps with the third gate electrode.

5. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the third electrode.

6. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer include an In—

Ga—

Zn—

O-based oxide semiconductor.

7. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein a height of a top surface of the first insulating film and that of a top surface of the third gate electrode are substantially the same.

8. A memory module comprising the memory device according to claim 1.

9. An electronic device comprising the memory device according to claim 1.

10. A memory device comprising:

a memory cell comprising a first transistor, a second transistor, and a first insulating film,

wherein the first transistor comprises;

a first oxide semiconductor layer including a first channel formation region;

a first electrode connected to the first oxide semiconductor layer;

a second electrode connected to the first oxide semiconductor layer;

a first gate electrode overlapping with the first channel formation region; and

a second insulating layer interposed between the first gate electrode and the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the second transistor comprises;

a second gate electrode;

a third insulating film over the second gate electrode;

a second oxide semiconductor layer including a second channel formation region over the third insulating film;

a third electrode connected to the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a fourth electrode connected to the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a fourth insulating film over the second oxide semiconductor layer, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

a third gate electrode over the fourth insulating film,

wherein the second gate electrode, the third gate electrode, and the second channel formation region are overlapped with each other,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is located above the third gate electrode,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is located above the first insulating film, and the second oxide semiconductor layer is located below the first insulating film, and

wherein an area where the first oxide semiconductor layer overlaps with the first gate electrode is smaller than that where the second oxide semiconductor layer overlaps with the second gate electrode or the third gate electrode.

11. The memory device according to claim 10,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer includes a region including a dopant, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to the first channel formation region through the region.

12. The memory device according to claim 11,

wherein the dopant is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, argon, arsenic, xenon, helium, and hydrogen.

13. The memory device according to claim 10,

wherein an area where the second oxide semiconductor layer overlaps with the second gate electrode is larger than that where the second oxide semiconductor layer overlaps with the third gate electrode.

14. The memory device according to claim 10,

wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the third electrode.

15. The memory device according to claim 10,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer include an In—

Ga—

Zn—

O-based oxide semiconductor.

16. The memory device according to claim 10,

wherein a height of a top surface of the first insulating film and that of a top surface of the third gate electrode are substantially the same.

17. A memory module comprising the memory device according to claim 10.

18. An electronic device comprising the memory device according to claim 10.