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Samsung patents chip design feature to align memory layers precisely

Samsung has been granted a patent for a semiconductor device that uses a specific structural marker, called an alignment key, to help position different parts of the chip correctly. This key sits on the peripheral circuit area and overlaps with the stacked memory cells, ensuring the layers line up during manufacturing while staying electrically separate from the active transistors.

Why it mattersThis is a routine manufacturing improvement that helps ensure the precise stacking of memory layers, which is critical for making smaller and more reliable chips.

In the filing’s own words

A semiconductor device includes a first peripheral circuit structure and a cell stack structure disposed on the first peripheral circuit structure and including electrode layers and inter-electrode insulating layers that are alternately and repeatedly stacked, the first peripheral circuit structure includes a first substrate, first peripheral transistors disposed on the first substrate, a first peripheral insulating layer covering the first substrate and the first peripheral transistors, and a first peripheral alignment key on the first peripheral insulating layer, and the first peripheral alignment key overlaps the cell stack structure.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A semiconductor device, comprising: a first peripheral circuit structure; and a cell stack structure on the first peripheral circuit structure, the cell stack structure including electrode layers and inter-electrode insulating layers that are alternately and repeatedly stacked, wherein the first peripheral circuit structure includes: a first substrate; first peripheral transistors on the first substrate; a first peripheral insulating layer covering the first substrate and the first peripheral transistors; and a first peripheral alignment key on the first peripheral insulating layer, the first peripheral alignment key overlapping the cell stack structure and being electrically isolated from the first peripheral transistors.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
Semiconductor device including alignment key
Patent number
US12733508B2
Application number
18229290
Filed
Aug 2, 2023
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

H10W 46/00 Electricity & electronicsH10B 41/27 Electricity & electronicsH10B 41/41 Electricity & electronicsH10B 43/27 Electricity & electronicsH10B 43/40 Electricity & electronicsH10W 46/301 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.