Samsung patents semiconductor fence structure for memory cells
Samsung describes a design for semiconductor memory chips that adds a vertical 'fence' structure running through the contact points of the memory cells. This fence overlaps the cell gate structure to help manage electrical connections within the dense layout of the chip.
In the filing’s own words
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an active region, a cell gate structure disposed within the substrate and extending in a first direction across the active region, bit line structures intersecting the cell gate structure and extending in a second direction, spacer structures covering both sidewalls of the bit line structures, a buried contact structure disposed in a lower portion of a space between the spacer structures, and connected to the active region, a landing pad structure disposed in an upper portion of the space between the spacer structures, on the buried contact structure, and a fence structure penetrating the buried contact structure and the landing pad structure and extending in the first direction, and overlapping the cell gate structure in a vertical direction.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate including an active region; a cell gate structure disposed within the substrate and extending in a first direction across the active region; bit line structures intersecting the cell gate structure and extending in a second direction, intersecting the first direction; spacer structures covering both sidewalls of the bit line structures; a buried contact structure disposed in a lower portion of a space between the spacer structures, on the substrate, and connected to the active region; a metal-semiconductor compound layer disposed on the buried contact structure; a landing pad structure disposed in an upper portion of the space between the spacer structures, on the metal-semiconductor compound layer and the bit line structures; and a fence structure extending in the first direction by penetrating through the buried contact structure, the metal-semiconductor compound layer and the landing pad structure, and overlapping the cell gate structure in a vertical direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, wherein the landing pad structure includes a conductive barrier layer disposed on side surfaces of the spacer structures protruding on the metal-semiconductor compound layer, and a conductive pad pattern disposed on the conductive barrier layer and in contact with the fence structure.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
- Official title
- SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING FENCE STRUCTURE
- Publication number
- US20260293118A1
- Application number
- 19571431
- Filed
- Mar 18, 2026
- Published
- Sep 24, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H10B 12/485 Electricity & electronicsH10B 12/0335 Electricity & electronicsH10B 12/315 Electricity & electronicsH10B 12/50 Electricity & electronicsMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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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.