Abstract:
A layer stack including an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. After formation of memory stack structures, backside trenches are formed through the layer stack. The sacrificial material layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers. Drain select level dielectric isolation structures are formed through drain select level of the stack after formation of the electrically conductive layers. The drain select level dielectric isolation structures laterally separate portions of conductive layers that are employed as drain select level gate electrodes for the memory stack structures.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein are methods of forming non-volatile storage. An opening may be etched through a stack of two alternating materials to a semiconductor substrate. A silicon nitride film may be formed on a vertical sidewall of the opening. The semiconductor substrate may be cleaned to remove oxide from the semiconductor substrate. The silicon nitride film protects the materials in the stack while cleaning the semiconductor substrate. The silicon nitride film may be converted to an oxide after cleaning the semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor region may be formed in contact with the cleaned semiconductor substrate. A memory cell film may be formed over the oxide in the opening. Control gates may be formed by replacing one of the materials in the stack with a conductive material. The oxide may serve as a blocking layer between the control gates and charge storage regions in the memory cell film.
Abstract:
A first tier structure including a first alternating stack of first insulating layers and first sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. First support pillar structures are formed through the first tier structure. A second tier structure including a second alternating stack of second insulating layers and second sacrificial material layers is formed over the first tier structure. Memory stack structures and second support pillar structures are formed through the second tier structure. The first and second sacrificial material layers are replaced with first and second electrically conductive layers while the first support pillar structures, the second support pillar structures, and the memory stack structures provide structural support to the first and second insulating layers. By limiting the spatial extent of the first support pillar structures within the first tier structure, electrical short to backside contact via structures can be reduced.
Abstract:
An electronic device comprises a stack of alternating dielectric materials and conductive materials, a pillar region extending vertically through the stack, an oxide material within the pillar region and laterally adjacent to the dielectric materials and the conductive materials of the stack, and a storage node laterally adjacent to the oxide material and within the pillar region. A charge confinement region of the storage node is in horizontal alignment with the conductive materials of the stack. A height of the charge confinement region in a vertical direction is less than a height of a respective, laterally adjacent conductive material of the stack in the vertical direction. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.
Abstract:
An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. Memory stack structures are formed through the alternating stack. Drain-select-level trenches through an upper subset of the sacrificial material layers, and backside trenches are formed through each layer of the alternating stack. Backside recesses are formed by removing the sacrificial material layers. A first electrically conductive material and a second electrically conductive material are sequentially deposited in the backside recesses and the drain-select-level trenches. Portions of the second electrically conductive material and the first electrically conductive material may be removed by at least one anisotropic etch process from the drain-select-level trenches to provide drain-select-level electrically conductive layers as multiple groups that are laterally spaced apart and electrically isolated from one another by cavities within the drain-select-level trenches.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a 3D memory with a select transistor, and method for fabricating the same. The select transistor may have a conductive floating gate, a conductive control gate, a first dielectric between the conductive floating gate and the conductive control gate, and a second dielectric between a body and the conductive floating gate. In one aspect, a uniform gate dielectric is formed using lateral epitaxial growth in a recess adjacent a crystalline semiconductor select transistor body, followed by forming the gate dielectric from the epitaxial growth. Techniques help to prevent, or at least reduce, a leakage current between the select transistor control gate and the select transistor body and/or the semiconductor substrate below the select transistor. Therefore, select transistors having a substantially uniform threshold voltage, on current, and S-factor are achieved. Also, select transistors have a high on-current and a steep sub-threshold slope.
Abstract:
A three dimensional double-density memory array is disclosed. In an embodiment, a three-dimensional (3D) double density array comprises a string of memory devices that are configured so that a first portion of the memory devices form a first channel and a second portion of the memory devices form a second channel. The array also comprises a plurality of word lines coupled to the string of memory devices. Each word line is coupled to a memory device that forms the first channel and a memory device that forms the second channel. The array also comprises at least one drain select gate that couples the first and second channels to a bit line.
Abstract:
A three-dimensional (3D) memory device is provided and includes a substrate, an alternating stack and a channel structure. The alternating stack is disposed on the substrate, and the alternating stack includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of air gap layers alternately stacked. The channel structure is disposed on the substrate and extends vertically through the conductive layers and the air gap layers. The alternating stack further includes a plurality of etching stop blocks between the air gap layers and the channel structure.
Abstract:
Embodiments of structure and methods for forming a memory device are provided. In an example, a memory device includes a substrate, a stack above the substrate, a channel structure, and a source contact structure each extending vertically through the memory stack. The source contact structure includes (i) a plurality of first source contact portions each extending vertically and laterally separated from one another and (ii) a second source contact portion extending vertically over and in contact with the plurality of first source contact portions, the second source contact portion being laterally continuous.
Abstract:
A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of source layers and drain layers located over a substrate, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, vertical word lines located in each one of the memory openings and vertically extending through each of the source layers and the drain layers of the alternating stack, vertical stacks of discrete semiconductor channels located in each one of the memory openings and contacting horizontal surfaces of a respective vertically neighboring pair of a source layer of the source layers and a drain layer of the drain layers, and vertical stacks of discrete memory material portions located in each one of the memory openings and laterally surrounding a respective one of the vertical word lines. Each memory material portion is laterally spaced from a respective one of the semiconductor channels by a respective gate dielectric layer.