U.S. patent application number 14/519733 was filed with the patent office on 2016-04-21 for bottom recess process for an outer blocking dielectric layer inside a memory opening.
The applicant listed for this patent is SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.. Invention is credited to Masato Miyamoto, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Michiaki Sano, Hiroshi Sasaki, Seiji Shimabukuro, Masanori Tsutsumi, Kensuke Yamaguchi.
Application Number | 20160111439 14/519733 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54252414 |
Filed Date | 2016-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160111439 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsutsumi; Masanori ; et
al. |
April 21, 2016 |
BOTTOM RECESS PROCESS FOR AN OUTER BLOCKING DIELECTRIC LAYER INSIDE
A MEMORY OPENING
Abstract
A method of minimizing an overetch or damage to a semiconductor
surface underneath a memory opening is provided. A first blocking
dielectric layer is formed in a memory opening through a stack of
an alternating plurality of material layers and insulator layers. A
sacrificial liner is formed over the first blocking dielectric
layer. An opening is formed through a horizontal portion of the
sacrificial liner. A horizontal portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer at a bottom of the memory opening can be etched
through the opening in the sacrificial liner. A semiconductor
surface of the substrate can be physically exposed at a bottom of
the memory opening with minimal overetch and/or surface damage. A
second blocking dielectric layer can be formed, before or after
formation of the sacrificial liner, to provide a multilayer
blocking dielectric.
Inventors: |
Tsutsumi; Masanori;
(Yokkaichi, JP) ; Sasaki; Hiroshi; (Yokkaichi,
JP) ; Ogawa; Hiroyuki; (Yokkaichi, JP) ; Sano;
Michiaki; (Ichinomiya, JP) ; Miyamoto; Masato;
(Yokkaichi, JP) ; Yamaguchi; Kensuke; (Yokkaichi,
JP) ; Shimabukuro; Seiji; (Yokkaichi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC. |
Plano |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
54252414 |
Appl. No.: |
14/519733 |
Filed: |
October 21, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
257/316 ;
257/324; 438/257; 438/269 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 27/11529 20130101;
H01L 29/40117 20190801; H01L 27/11582 20130101; H01L 27/11573
20130101; H01L 27/11556 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 27/115 20060101
H01L027/115 |
Claims
1. A method of fabricating a memory device, comprising: forming a
stack including an alternating plurality of material layers and
insulator layers over a substrate; forming a memory opening
extending through the stack; forming a first blocking dielectric
layer in the memory opening and over the stack; forming a second
blocking dielectric layer on the first blocking dielectric layer;
forming a sacrificial liner over the first blocking dielectric
layer, wherein the sacrificial liner is formed on the second
blocking dielectric layer; forming an opening through a horizontal
portion of the sacrificial liner; etching a horizontal portion of
the first blocking dielectric layer at a bottom of the memory
opening through the opening in the sacrificial liner, whereby a
semiconductor surface of the substrate is physically exposed at a
bottom of the memory opening; removing the sacrificial liner
without removing the first blocking dielectric layer after the
semiconductor surface of the substrate is physically exposed; and
forming a memory material layer and a tunneling dielectric layer
within the memory opening.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening in the sacrificial
liner is formed by an anisotropic etch process, and the horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is etched by another
anisotropic etch process.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening in the sacrificial
liner is formed by an anisotropic etch process, and the horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is etched by an
isotropic etch process.
4. (canceled)
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an opening
through a horizontal portion of the second blocking dielectric
layer employing an anisotropic etch process.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an opening
through a horizontal portion of the second blocking dielectric
layer employing an isotropic etch process.
7. A method of fabricating a memory device, comprising: forming a
stack including an alternating plurality of material layers and
insulator layers over a substrate; forming a memory opening
extending through the stack; forming a first blocking dielectric
layer in the memory opening and over the stack; forming a
sacrificial liner over the first blocking dielectric layer; forming
an opening through a horizontal portion of the sacrificial liner;
etching a horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer
at a bottom of the memory opening through the opening in the
sacrificial liner, whereby a semiconductor surface of the substrate
is physically exposed at a bottom of the memory opening; removing
the sacrificial liner without removing the first blocking
dielectric layer after the semiconductor surface of the substrate
is physically exposed; forming a second blocking dielectric layer
on the first blocking dielectric layer after removal of the
sacrificial liner; and forming a memory material layer and a
tunneling dielectric layer within the memory opening.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising forming an opening
through a horizontal portion of the second blocking dielectric
layer employing an anisotropic etch process.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising forming an opening
through a horizontal portion of the second blocking dielectric
layer employing an isotropic etch process.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein: the sacrificial liner is formed
on the first blocking dielectric layer prior to etching the
horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer; the
sacrificial liner is anisotropically etched; and a top surface of
the horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is
physically exposed after anisotropic etching of the sacrificial
liner.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein a remaining vertical portion of
the sacrificial liner is present on a vertical portion of the first
blocking dielectric layer during etching of the horizontal portion
of the first blocking dielectric layer.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial liner comprises
silicon oxide, silicon nitride or silicon, and the first blocking
dielectric layer comprises a dielectric metal oxide having a
dielectric constant greater than 7.9.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first blocking dielectric
layer comprises aluminum oxide.
14. A method of fabricating a memory device, comprising: forming a
stack including an alternating plurality of material layers and
insulator layers over a substrate; forming a memory opening
extending through the stack; forming a first blocking dielectric
layer in the memory opening and over the stack, wherein the first
blocking dielectric layer comprises aluminum oxide; forming a
sacrificial liner over the first blocking dielectric layer, wherein
the sacrificial liner comprises silicon oxide, silicon nitride or
silicon, and the first blocking dielectric layer comprises a
dielectric metal oxide having a dielectric constant greater than
7.9; forming an opening through a horizontal portion of the
sacrificial liner; etching a horizontal portion of the first
blocking dielectric layer at a bottom of the memory opening through
the opening in the sacrificial liner, whereby a semiconductor
surface of the substrate is physically exposed at a bottom of the
memory opening; removing the sacrificial liner without removing the
first blocking dielectric layer after the semiconductor surface of
the substrate is physically exposed; forming a second silicon oxide
blocking dielectric layer on the first blocking dielectric layer
prior to forming the sacrificial liner or after removing the
sacrificial liner, wherein the sacrificial liner comprises silicon
nitride or amorphous silicon; and forming a memory material layer
and a tunneling dielectric layer within the memory opening.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory material layer
comprises a charge trapping material or a floating gate
material.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a
semiconductor channel within the memory opening, the semiconductor
channel contacting the semiconductor surface and vertically
extending to a topmost material layer within the stack.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the material
layers from the stack to form a plurality of recesses and forming a
plurality of electrically conductive layers in the respective
plurality of recesses.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming a device on
the substrate, wherein: the device comprises a vertical NAND
device; and at least one of the electrically conductive layers in
the stack comprises, or is electrically connected to, a word line
of the vertical NAND device.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein: the NAND device comprises: a
plurality of semiconductor channels, wherein at least one end
portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor channels extends
substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the semiconductor
substrate; a plurality of charge storage elements, each charge
storage element located adjacent to a respective one of the
plurality of semiconductor channels; and a plurality of control
gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially
parallel to the top surface of the substrate; the plurality of
control gate electrodes comprise at least a first control gate
electrode located in the first device level and a second control
gate electrode located in the second device level; the electrically
conductive layers in the stack comprise, or are in electrical
contact with, the plurality of control gate electrodes and extends
from the device region to a contact region containing the plurality
of electrically conductive via connections; and the substrate
comprises a silicon substrate containing a driver circuit for the
NAND device.
20.-44. (canceled)
45. The method of claim 7, wherein the opening in the sacrificial
liner is formed by an anisotropic etch process, and the horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is etched by another
anisotropic etch process.
46. The method of claim 7, wherein the opening in the sacrificial
liner is formed by an anisotropic etch process, and the horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is etched by an
isotropic etch process.
47. The method of claim 7, wherein: the sacrificial liner is formed
on the first blocking dielectric layer prior to etching the
horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer; the
sacrificial liner is anisotropically etched; and a top surface of
the horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is
physically exposed after anisotropic etching of the sacrificial
liner.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein a remaining vertical portion of
the sacrificial liner is present on a vertical portion of the first
blocking dielectric layer during etching of the horizontal portion
of the first blocking dielectric layer.
49. The method of claim 7, wherein the sacrificial liner comprises
silicon oxide, silicon nitride or silicon, and the first blocking
dielectric layer comprises a dielectric metal oxide having a
dielectric constant greater than 7.9.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein the first blocking dielectric
layer comprises aluminum oxide.
51. The method of claim 50, further comprising forming a second
silicon oxide blocking dielectric layer on the first blocking
dielectric layer prior to forming the sacrificial liner or after
removing the sacrificial liner, wherein the sacrificial liner
comprises silicon nitride or amorphous silicon.
52. The method of claim 7, wherein the memory material layer
comprises a charge trapping material or a floating gate
material.
53. The method of claim 7, further comprising forming a
semiconductor channel within the memory opening, the semiconductor
channel contacting the semiconductor surface and vertically
extending to a topmost material layer within the stack.
54. The method of claim 7, further comprising removing the material
layers from the stack to form a plurality of recesses and forming a
plurality of electrically conductive layers in the respective
plurality of recesses.
55. The method of claim 54, further comprising forming a device on
the substrate, wherein: the device comprises a vertical NAND
device; and at least one of the electrically conductive layers in
the stack comprises, or is electrically connected to, a word line
of the vertical NAND device.
56. The method of claim 55, wherein: the NAND device comprises: a
plurality of semiconductor channels, wherein at least one end
portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor channels extends
substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the semiconductor
substrate; a plurality of charge storage elements, each charge
storage element located adjacent to a respective one of the
plurality of semiconductor channels; and a plurality of control
gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially
parallel to the top surface of the substrate; the plurality of
control gate electrodes comprise at least a first control gate
electrode located in the first device level and a second control
gate electrode located in the second device level; the electrically
conductive layers in the stack comprise, or are in electrical
contact with, the plurality of control gate electrodes and extends
from the device region to a contact region containing the plurality
of electrically conductive via connections; and the substrate
comprises a silicon substrate containing a driver circuit for the
NAND device.
57. The method of claim 14, wherein the opening in the sacrificial
liner is formed by an anisotropic etch process, and the horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is etched by another
anisotropic etch process.
58. The method of claim 14, wherein the opening in the sacrificial
liner is formed by an anisotropic etch process, and the horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is etched by an
isotropic etch process.
59. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming an opening
through a horizontal portion of the second silicon oxide blocking
dielectric layer employing an anisotropic etch process.
60. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming an opening
through a horizontal portion of the second silicon oxide blocking
dielectric layer employing an isotropic etch process.
61. The method of claim 14, wherein: the sacrificial liner is
formed on the first blocking dielectric layer prior to etching the
horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer; the
sacrificial liner is anisotropically etched; and a top surface of
the horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer is
physically exposed after anisotropic etching of the sacrificial
liner.
62. The method of claim 61, wherein a remaining vertical portion of
the sacrificial liner is present on a vertical portion of the first
blocking dielectric layer during etching of the horizontal portion
of the first blocking dielectric layer.
63. The method of claim 14, wherein the memory material layer
comprises a charge trapping material or a floating gate
material.
64. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming a
semiconductor channel within the memory opening, the semiconductor
channel contacting the semiconductor surface and vertically
extending to a topmost material layer within the stack.
65. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing the
material layers from the stack to form a plurality of recesses and
forming a plurality of electrically conductive layers in the
respective plurality of recesses.
66. The method of claim 65, further comprising forming a device on
the substrate, wherein: the device comprises a vertical NAND
device; and at least one of the electrically conductive layers in
the stack comprises, or is electrically connected to, a word line
of the vertical NAND device.
67. The method of claim 66, wherein: the NAND device comprises: a
plurality of semiconductor channels, wherein at least one end
portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor channels extends
substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the semiconductor
substrate; a plurality of charge storage elements, each charge
storage element located adjacent to a respective one of the
plurality of semiconductor channels; and a plurality of control
gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially
parallel to the top surface of the substrate; the plurality of
control gate electrodes comprise at least a first control gate
electrode located in the first device level and a second control
gate electrode located in the second device level; the electrically
conductive layers in the stack comprise, or are in electrical
contact with, the plurality of control gate electrodes and extends
from the device region to a contact region containing the plurality
of electrically conductive via connections; and the substrate
comprises a silicon substrate containing a driver circuit for the
NAND device.
68. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the second silicon
oxide blocking dielectric layer on the first blocking dielectric
layer prior to forming the sacrificial liner or after removing the
sacrificial liner comprises forming the second silicon oxide
blocking dielectric layer on the first blocking dielectric layer
prior to forming the sacrificial liner.
69. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the second silicon
oxide blocking dielectric layer on the first blocking dielectric
layer prior to forming the sacrificial liner or after removing the
sacrificial liner comprises forming the second silicon oxide
blocking dielectric layer on the first blocking dielectric layer
after removing the sacrificial liner.
70. The method of claim 14, wherein the sacrificial liner comprises
silicon nitride.
71. The method of claim 14, wherein the sacrificial liner comprises
amorphous silicon.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of
three-dimensional structures, and specifically to three-dimensional
memory structures including memory films, and methods of
manufacturing the same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Three-dimensional memory devices can store multiple bits in
a single memory stack structure. A memory film is employed in
three-dimensional memory devices to store electrical charges. The
memory film needs to provide a tunneling path for electrical
charges on the front side, and to prevent leakage of stored
electrical charges through the backside.
SUMMARY
[0003] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method
of fabricating a memory device is provided. A stack including an
alternating plurality of material layers and insulator layers is
formed over a substrate. A memory opening extending through the
stack is formed. A first blocking dielectric layer is formed in the
memory opening and over the stack. A sacrificial liner is formed
over the first blocking dielectric layer. An opening is formed
through a horizontal portion of the sacrificial liner. A horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer at a bottom of the
memory opening is etched through the opening in the sacrificial
liner. A semiconductor surface of the substrate is physically
exposed at a bottom of the memory opening. A memory material layer
and a tunneling dielectric layer are formed within the memory
opening.
[0004] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a
semiconductor structure is provided, which includes a stack
including an alternating plurality of material layers and insulator
layers located over a semiconductor substrate, a memory opening
extending through the stack, a first blocking dielectric vertically
extending from a bottommost layer of the stack to a topmost layer
of the stack and contacting a sidewall of the memory opening and a
first horizontal surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second
blocking dielectric contacting an inner sidewall of the first
blocking dielectric and a second horizontal surface of the
semiconductor substrate, a charge storage element laterally
surrounded by the first and second blocking dielectrics, and a
semiconductor channel laterally surrounded by the charge storage
element and contacting a third surface of the semiconductor
substrate.
[0005] According to yet another embodiment of the present
disclosure, a semiconductor structure is provided, which includes a
stack including an alternating plurality of material layers and
insulator layers located over a semiconductor substrate, a memory
opening extending through the stack, a first blocking dielectric
vertically extending from a bottommost layer of the stack to a
topmost layer of the stack and contacting a sidewall of the memory
opening and a first horizontal surface of the semiconductor
substrate, a second blocking dielectric contacting an inner
sidewall of the first blocking dielectric, a charge storage element
laterally surrounded by the first and second blocking dielectrics
and contacting a second horizontal surface of the semiconductor
substrate, and a semiconductor channel laterally surrounded by the
charge storage element and contacting a third surface of the
semiconductor substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an exemplary
structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0007] FIGS. 2A-2H are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of
a memory opening within the exemplary structure during formation of
a first exemplary memory stack structure within the memory opening
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0008] FIGS. 3A-3E are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of
a memory opening within the exemplary structure during formation of
a second exemplary memory stack structure within the memory opening
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIGS. 4A-4F are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of
a memory opening within the exemplary structure during formation of
a third exemplary memory stack structure within the memory opening
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIGS. 5A-5D are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of
a memory opening within the exemplary structure during formation of
a fourth exemplary memory stack structure within the memory opening
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of memory stack structures according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of stepped terraces and a retro-stepped
dielectric fill material portion according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 8A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of a backside via cavity and backside
recesses according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 8B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 8A. The zig-zag vertical plane Y-Y' is the cut plane for the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 8A.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of electrically conductive layers in the
backside recesses according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0016] FIGS. 10A and 10B are vertical cross-sectional view of
regions of the exemplary structure after formation of a backside
via spacer, a backside via contact structure, and conductive line
structures according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] As discussed above, the present disclosure is directed to
three-dimensional memory structures including memory films, and
methods of manufacturing the same, the various aspects of which are
described below. The embodiments of the disclosure can be employed
to form various structures including a multilevel metal
interconnect structure, a non-limiting example of which includes
semiconductor devices such as three-dimensional monolithic memory
array devices comprising a plurality of NAND memory strings. The
drawings are not drawn to scale. Multiple instances of an element
may be duplicated where a single instance of the element is
illustrated, unless absence of duplication of elements is expressly
described or clearly indicated otherwise. Ordinals such as "first,"
"second," and "third" are employed merely to identify similar
elements, and different ordinals may be employed across the
specification and the claims of the instant disclosure. As used
herein, a first element located "on" a second element can be
located on the exterior side of a surface of the second element or
on the interior side of the second element. As used herein, a first
element is located "directly on" a second element if there exist a
physical contact between a surface of the first element and a
surface of the second element.
[0018] A monolithic three dimensional memory array is one in which
multiple memory levels are formed above a single substrate, such as
a semiconductor wafer, with no intervening substrates. The term
"monolithic" means that layers of each level of the array are
directly deposited on the layers of each underlying level of the
array. In contrast, two dimensional arrays may be formed separately
and then packaged together to form a non-monolithic memory device.
For example, non-monolithic stacked memories have been constructed
by forming memory levels on separate substrates and vertically
stacking the memory levels, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,167
titled "Three Dimensional Structure Memory." The substrates may be
thinned or removed from the memory levels before bonding, but as
the memory levels are initially formed over separate substrates,
such memories are not true monolithic three dimensional memory
arrays. The various three dimensional memory devices of the present
disclosure include a monolithic three-dimensional NAND string
memory device, and can be fabricated employing the various
embodiments described herein.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary structure according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated, which can be
employed, for example, to fabricate a device structure containing
vertical NAND memory devices. The exemplary structure includes a
substrate, which can be a semiconductor substrate. The substrate
can include a substrate semiconductor layer 9. The substrate
semiconductor layer 9 is a semiconductor material layer, and can
include at least one elemental semiconductor material, at least one
III-V compound semiconductor material, at least one II-VI compound
semiconductor material, at least one organic semiconductor
material, or other semiconductor materials known in the art. The
substrate can have a major surface 7, which can be, for example, a
topmost surface of the substrate semiconductor layer 9. The major
surface 7 can be a semiconductor surface. In one embodiment, the
major surface 7 can be a single crystalline semiconductor
surface.
[0020] As used herein, a "semiconductor material" refers to a
material having electrical conductivity in the range from
1.0.times.10.sup.-5 Ohm-cm to 1.0.times.10.sup.5 Ohm-cm, and is
capable of producing a doped material having electrical
conductivity in a range from 1 Ohm-cm to 1.0.times.10.sup.5 Ohm-cm
upon suitable doping with an electrical dopant. As used herein, an
"electrical dopant" refers to a p-type dopant that adds a hole to a
balance band within a band structure, or an n-type dopant that adds
an electron to a conduction band within a band structure. As used
herein, a "conductive material" refers to a material having
electrical conductivity greater than 1.0 Ohm-cm. As used herein, an
"insulator material" or a "dielectric material" refers to a
material having electrical conductivity less than
1.0.times.10.sup.-5 Ohm-cm. All measurements for electrical
conductivities are made at the standard condition. Optionally, at
least one doped well (not expressly shown) can be formed within the
substrate semiconductor layer 9.
[0021] At least one semiconductor device for a peripheral circuitry
can be formed on a portion of the substrate semiconductor layer 9.
The at least one semiconductor device can include, for example,
field effect transistors. For example, at least one shallow trench
isolation structure 120 can be formed by etching portions of the
substrate semiconductor layer 9 and depositing a dielectric
material therein. A gate dielectric layer, at least one gate
conductor layer, and a gate cap dielectric layer can be formed over
the substrate semiconductor layer 9, and can be subsequently
patterned to form at least one gate structure (150, 152, 154, 158),
each of which can include a gate dielectric 150, at least one gate
electrode (152, 154), and a gate cap dielectric. A gate electrode
(152, 154) may include a stack of a first gate electrode portion
152 and a second gate electrode portion 154. At least one gate
spacer 156 can be formed around the at least one gate structure
(150, 152, 154, 158) by depositing and anisotropically etching a
conformal dielectric layer. Active regions 130 can be formed in
upper portions of the substrate semiconductor layer 9, for example,
by introducing electrical dopants employing the at least one gate
structure (150, 152, 154, 158) as masking structures. Additional
masks may be employed as needed. The active region 130 can include
source regions and drain regions of field effect transistors. A
first dielectric liner 161 and a second dielectric liner 162 can be
optionally formed. Each of the first and second dielectric liners
(161, 162) can comprise a silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride
layer, and/or a dielectric metal oxide layer. In an illustrative
example, the first dielectric liner 161 can be a silicon oxide
layer, and the second dielectric liner 162 can be a silicon nitride
layer. In one embodiment, the substrate can comprise a silicon
substrate. The least one semiconductor device for the peripheral
circuitry can contain a driver circuit for memory devices to be
subsequently formed, which can include at least one NAND
device.
[0022] A dielectric material such as silicon oxide can be deposited
over the at least one semiconductor device, and can be subsequently
planarized to form a planarization dielectric layer 170. In one
embodiment the planarized top surface of the planarization
dielectric layer 170 can be coplanar with a top surface of the
dielectric liners (161, 162). Subsequently, the planarization
dielectric layer 170 and the dielectric liners (161, 162) can be
removed from an area to physically expose a top surface of the
substrate semiconductor layer 9.
[0023] An option semiconductor material layer 10 can be formed on
the top surface of the substrate semiconductor layer 9 by
deposition of a single crystalline semiconductor material, for
example, by selective epitaxy. The deposited semiconductor material
can be the same as, or can be different from, the semiconductor
material of the substrate semiconductor layer 9. The deposited
semiconductor material can be any material that can be employed for
the semiconductor substrate layer 9 as described above. The single
crystalline semiconductor material of the semiconductor material
layer 10 can be in epitaxial alignment with the single crystalline
structure of the substrate semiconductor layer 9. Portions of the
deposited semiconductor material located above the top surface of
the planarization dielectric layer 170 can be removed, for example,
by chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). In this case, the
semiconductor material layer 10 can have a top surface that is
coplanar with the top surface of the planarization dielectric layer
170.
[0024] Optionally, a dielectric pad layer 12 can be formed above
the semiconductor material layer 10 and the planarization
dielectric layer 170. The dielectric pad layer 12 can be, for
example, silicon oxide layer. The thickness of the dielectric pad
layer 12 can be in a range from 3 nm to 30 nm, although lesser and
greater thicknesses can also be employed.
[0025] At least one optional shallow trench can be formed through
the dielectric pad layer 12 and an upper portion of the
semiconductor material layer 10. The pattern of the at least one
shallow trench can be selected such that lower select gate
electrodes can be subsequently formed therein. For example, a lower
select gate device level may be fabricated as described in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 14/133,979, filed on Dec. 19, 2013,
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/225,116, filed on Mar. 25,
2014, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/225,176, filed on
Mar. 25, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
[0026] A lower select gate structure 20 can be formed in each of
the at least one shallow trench, for example, by forming a gate
dielectric layer and at least one conductive material layer, and
removing portions of the gate dielectric layer and the at least one
conductive material layer from above the top surface of the
dielectric pad layer 12, for example, by chemical mechanical
planarization. Each lower select gate structure 20 can include a
gate dielectric 22 and a gate electrode (24, 26). In one
embodiment, each gate electrode (24, 26) can include a metallic
liner 24 and a conductive material portion 26. The metallic liner
24 can include, for example, TiN, TaN, WN, or a combination
thereof. The conductive material portion 26 can include, for
example, W, Al, Cu, or combinations thereof. At least one optional
shallow trench isolation structure (not shown) and/or at least one
deep trench isolation structure (not shown) may be employed to
provide electrical isolation among various semiconductor devices
that are present, or are to be subsequently formed, on the
substrate.
[0027] A dielectric cap layer 31 can be optionally formed. The
dielectric cap layer 31 includes a dielectric material, and can be
formed directly on top surfaces of the gate electrodes (24, 26).
Exemplary materials that can be employed for the dielectric cap
layer 31 include, but are not limited to, silicon oxide, a
dielectric metal oxide, and silicon nitride (in case the material
of second material layers to be subsequently formed is not silicon
nitride). The dielectric cap layer 31 provides electrical isolation
for the gate electrodes (24, 26).
[0028] A stack of an alternating plurality of first material layers
(which can be insulating layers 32) and second material layers
(which can be sacrificial material layer 42) is formed over the top
surface of the substrate, which can be, for example, on the top
surface of the dielectric cap layer 31. As used herein, an
alternating plurality of first elements and second elements refers
to a structure in which instances of the first elements and
instances of the second elements alternate. Each instance of the
first elements that is not an end element of the alternating
plurality is adjoined by two instances of the second elements on
both sides, and each instance of the second elements that is not an
end element of the alternating plurality is adjoined by two
instances of the first elements on both ends. The first elements
may have the same thickness thereamongst, or may have different
thicknesses. The second elements may have the same thickness
thereamongst, or may have different thicknesses. The alternating
plurality of first material layers and second material layers may
begin with an instance of the first material layers or with an
instance of the second material layers, and may end with an
instance of the first material layers or with an instance of the
second material layers. In one embodiment, an instance of the first
elements and an instance of the second elements may form a unit
that is repeated with periodicity within the alternating
plurality.
[0029] Each first material layer includes a first material, and
each second material layer includes a second material that is
different from the first material. In one embodiment, each first
material layer can be an insulator layer 32, and each second
material layer can be a sacrificial material layer. In this case,
the stack can include an alternating plurality of insulator layers
32 and sacrificial material layers 42.
[0030] The stack of the alternating plurality is herein referred to
as an alternating stack (32, 42). In one embodiment, the
alternating stack (32, 42) can include insulator layers 32 composed
of the first material, and sacrificial material layers 42 composed
of a second material different from that of insulator layers 32.
The first material of the insulator layers 32 can be at least one
electrically insulating material. As such, each insulator layer 32
can be an electrically insulating material layer. Electrically
insulating materials that can be employed for the insulator layers
32 include, but are not limited to silicon oxide (including doped
or undoped silicate glass), silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride,
organosilicate glass (OSG), spin-on dielectric materials,
dielectric metal oxides that are commonly known as high dielectric
constant (high-k) dielectric oxides (e.g., aluminum oxide, hafnium
oxide, etc.) and silicates thereof, dielectric metal oxynitrides
and silicates thereof, and organic insulating materials. In one
embodiment, the first material of the insulator layers 32 can be
silicon oxide.
[0031] The second material of the sacrificial material layers 42 is
a sacrificial material that can be removed selective to the first
material of the insulator layers 32. As used herein, a removal of a
first material is "selective to" a second material if the removal
process removes the first material at a rate that is at least twice
the rate of removal of the second material. The ratio of the rate
of removal of the first material to the rate of removal of the
second material is herein referred to as a "selectivity" of the
removal process for the first material with respect to the second
material.
[0032] The sacrificial material layers 42 may comprise an
electrically insulating material, a semiconductor material, or a
conductive material. The second material of the sacrificial
material layers 42 can be subsequently replaced with electrically
conductive electrodes which can function, for example, as control
gate electrodes of a vertical NAND device. Non-limiting examples of
the second material include silicon nitride, an amorphous
semiconductor material (such as amorphous silicon), and a
polycrystalline semiconductor material (such as polysilicon). In
one embodiment, the sacrificial material layers 42 can be material
layers that comprise silicon nitride or a semiconductor material
including at least one of silicon and germanium.
[0033] In one embodiment, the insulator layers 32 can include
silicon oxide, and sacrificial material layers can include silicon
nitride sacrificial material layers. The first material of the
insulator layers 32 can be deposited, for example, by chemical
vapor deposition (CVD). For example, if silicon oxide is employed
for the insulator layers 32, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) can be
employed as the precursor material for the CVD process. The second
material of the sacrificial material layers 42 can be formed, for
example, CVD or atomic layer deposition (ALD).
[0034] The sacrificial material layers 42 can be suitably patterned
so that conductive material portions to be subsequently formed by
replacement of the sacrificial material layers 42 can function as
electrically conductive electrodes, such as the control gate
electrodes of the monolithic three-dimensional NAND string memory
devices to be subsequently formed. The sacrificial material layers
42 may comprise a portion having a strip shape extending
substantially parallel to the major surface 7 of the substrate.
[0035] The thicknesses of the insulator layers 32 and the
sacrificial material layers 42 can be in a range from 20 nm to 50
nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can be employed for
each insulator layer 32 and for each sacrificial material layer 42.
The number of repetitions of the pairs of an insulator layer 32 and
a sacrificial material layer (e.g., a control gate electrode or a
sacrificial material layer) 42 can be in a range from 2 to 1,024,
and typically from 8 to 256, although a greater number of
repetitions can also be employed. The top and bottom gate
electrodes in the stack may function as the select gate electrodes.
In one embodiment, each sacrificial material layer 42 in the
alternating stack (32, 42) can have a uniform thickness that is
substantially invariant within each respective sacrificial material
layer 42.
[0036] Optionally, an insulating cap layer 70 can be formed over
the alternating stack (32, 42). The insulating cap layer 70
includes a dielectric material that is different from the material
of the sacrificial material layers 42. In one embodiment, the
insulating cap layer 70 can include a dielectric material that can
be employed for the insulator layers 32 as described above. The
insulating cap layer 70 can have a greater thickness than each of
the insulator layers 32. The insulating cap layer 70 can be
deposited, for example, by chemical vapor deposition. In one
embodiment, the insulating cap layer 70 can be a silicon oxide
layer.
[0037] Subsequently, a lithographic material stack (not shown)
including at least a photoresist layer can be formed over the
insulating cap layer 70 and the alternating stack (32, 42), and can
be lithographically patterned to form openings therein. The pattern
in the lithographic material stack can be transferred through the
insulating cap layer 70 and through entirety of the alternating
stack (32, 42) by at least one anisotropic etch that employs the
patterned lithographic material stack as an etch mask. Portions of
the alternating stack (32, 42) underlying the openings in the
patterned lithographic material stack are etched to form memory
openings 49. In other words, the transfer of the pattern in the
patterned lithographic material stack through the alternating stack
(32, 42) forms the memory openings 49 that extend through the
alternating stack (32, 42). The chemistry of the anisotropic etch
process employed to etch through the materials of the alternating
stack (32, 42) can alternate to optimize etching of the first and
second materials in the alternating stack (32, 42). The anisotropic
etch can be, for example, a series of reactive ion etches.
Optionally, the dielectric cap layer 31 may be used as an etch stop
layer between the alternating stack (32, 42) and the substrate. The
sidewalls of the memory openings 49 can be substantially vertical,
or can be tapered. The patterned lithographic material stack can be
subsequently removed, for example, by ashing.
[0038] The memory openings 49 are formed through the dielectric cap
layer 31 and the dielectric pad layer 12 so that the memory
openings 49 extend from the top surface of the alternating stack
(32, 42) to the top surface of the semiconductor material layer 10
within the substrate between the lower select gate electrodes (24,
26). In one embodiment, an overetch into the semiconductor material
layer 10 may be optionally performed after the top surface of the
semiconductor material layer 10 is physically exposed at a bottom
of each memory opening 49. The overetch may be performed prior to,
or after, removal of the lithographic material stack. In other
words, the recessed surfaces of the semiconductor material layer 10
may be vertically offset from the unrecessed top surfaces of the
semiconductor material layer 10 by a recess depth. The recess depth
can be, for example, in a range from 1 nm to 50 nm, although lesser
and greater recess depths can also be employed. The overetch is
optional, and may be omitted. If the overetch is not performed, the
bottom surface of each memory opening 49 can be coplanar with the
topmost surface of the semiconductor material layer 10. Each of the
memory openings 49 can include a sidewall (or a plurality of
sidewalls) that extends substantially perpendicular to the topmost
surface of the substrate. The region in which the array of memory
openings 49 is formed is herein referred to as a device region. The
substrate semiconductor layer 9 and the semiconductor material
layer 10 collectively constitutes a substrate (9, 10), which can be
a semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, the optional
semiconductor material layer 10 can be omitted, and the memory
openings 49 can extend to the top surface of the substrate
semiconductor layer 9.
[0039] A memory stack structure can be formed in each of the memory
opening employing various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 2A-2H illustrate sequential vertical cross-sectional views of
a memory opening within the exemplary structure during formation of
a first exemplary memory stack structure according to a first
embodiment of the present disclosure. Formation of the first
exemplary memory stack structure can be performed within each of
the memory openings 49 in the exemplary structure illustrated in
FIG. 1.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 2A, a memory opening 49 is illustrated
immediately after formation thereof. The memory opening 49 extends
through the insulating cap layer 70, the alternating stack (32,
42), the dielectric cap layer 31, the dielectric pad layer 12, and
optionally into an upper portion of the semiconductor material
layer 10. The recess depth of the bottom surface of each memory
opening with respect to the top surface of the semiconductor
material layer 10 is herein referred to as first recess depth R1.
The first recess depth R1 can be in a range from 0 nm to 30 nm,
although greater recess depths can also be employed. Optionally,
the sacrificial material layers 42 can be laterally recessed
partially to form lateral recesses (not shown), for example, by an
isotropic etch.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 2B, a first blocking dielectric layer 501L
can be deposited on the sidewalls of each memory opening 49 by a
conformal deposition method. The first blocking dielectric layer
501L includes a dielectric material, which can be a dielectric
metal oxide. As used herein, a dielectric metal oxide refers to a
dielectric material that includes at least one metallic element and
at least oxygen. The dielectric metal oxide may consist essentially
of the at least one metallic element and oxygen, or may consist
essentially of the at least one metallic element, oxygen, and at
least one non-metallic element such as nitrogen. In one embodiment,
the first blocking dielectric layer 501L can include a dielectric
metal oxide having a dielectric constant greater than 7.9, i.e.,
having a dielectric constant greater than the dielectric constant
of silicon nitride.
[0042] Non-limiting examples of dielectric metal oxides include
aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), hafnium oxide (HfO.sub.2),
lanthanum oxide (LaO.sub.2), yttrium oxide (Y.sub.2O.sub.3),
tantalum oxide (Ta.sub.2O.sub.5), silicates thereof, nitrogen-doped
compounds thereof, alloys thereof, and stacks thereof. The first
blocking dielectric layer 501L can be deposited, for example, by
chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD),
pulsed laser deposition (PLD), liquid source misted chemical
deposition, or a combination thereof. The thickness of the first
blocking dielectric layer 501L can be in a range from 1 nm to 20
nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
The first blocking dielectric layer 501L can subsequently function
as a dielectric material portion that blocks leakage of stored
electrical charges to control gate electrodes. In one embodiment,
the first blocking dielectric layer 501L includes aluminum
oxide.
[0043] A sacrificial liner 507 can be subsequently deposited on
surfaces of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L. The
sacrificial liner 507 includes a material that is different from
the material of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L. The
material of the sacrificial liner 507 can be, for example, silicon
oxide, an amorphous semiconductor material such as amorphous
silicon, a polycrystalline semiconductor material such as
polysilicon, silicon nitride, a conductive metallic nitride such as
TiN, or a dielectric metal oxide having a different composition
than the dielectric metal oxide of the first blocking dielectric
layer 501L. In one embodiment, the sacrificial liner 507 includes
silicon oxide or amorphous silicon.
[0044] The sacrificial liner 507 can be deposited employing a
conformal deposition method or a non-conformal deposition method.
In one embodiment, the sacrificial liner 507 can be deposited as a
conformal material layer employing a conformal deposition method
such as low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) or atomic
layer deposition (ALD). The thickness of the sacrificial liner 507
can be in a range from 1 nm to 10 nm, although lesser and greater
thicknesses can also be employed. A cavity 49' can be formed in
each portion of the memory opening 49 that is not filled with the
first blocking dielectric layer 501L and the sacrificial liner 507.
In one embodiment, the sacrificial liner 507 includes silicon
oxide.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 2C, an anisotropic etch can be performed
to remove horizontal portions of the sacrificial liner 507. The
chemistry of the anisotropic etch can be selective to the material
of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L, i.e., not remove the
material of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L in any
substantial quantity while etching the material of the sacrificial
liner 507. An opening is formed through a horizontal portion of the
sacrificial liner 507 at a bottom of the cavity 49' in each memory
opening. A remaining vertical portion of the sacrificial liner 507
within each memory opening can be homeomorphic to a torus. As used
herein, an element is homeomorphic to a geometrical shape if the
shape of the element can be mapped to the geometrical shape by
continuous deformation without creation or destruction of any hole.
A top surface of a horizontal portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L is physically exposed at a bottom of the
cavity 49' in each memory opening.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 2D, physically exposed horizontal portions
of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L can be etched by an
etch process, which can be another anisotropic etch process. The
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L overlying the
alternating stack (32, 42) can be removed during the etch. Further,
a horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L at
a bottom of the cavity 49' in each memory opening can be etched
through the opening in the sacrificial liner 507. A remaining
vertical portion of the sacrificial liner 507, i.e., a sacrificial
liner 507, is present on a vertical portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L during etching of the horizontal portion of
the first blocking dielectric layer 501L. Each remaining portion of
the first blocking dielectric layer 501L within a memory opening is
herein referred to as a first blocking dielectric 501.
[0047] A semiconductor surface of the substrate (9, 10) can be
physically exposed at a bottom of each memory opening. The
physically exposed top surface of the semiconductor material layer
10 can be optionally, or collaterally, vertically recessed. The
depth of the recessed surface of the semiconductor material layer
10 as measured from the topmost surface of the semiconductor
material layer 10 is herein referred to as a second recess depth
R2, which can be greater than the first recess depth R1 illustrated
in FIG. 2A.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 2E, the sacrificial liner 507 can be
removed selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 after the
semiconductor surface of the substrate (9, 10) is physically
exposed. The removal of the sacrificial liner 507 can be performed
selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 and the
semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer 10. If
the sacrificial liner 507 includes silicon oxide, the sacrificial
liner 507 can be removed selective to the first blocking dielectric
501 by a wet etch employing hydrofluoric acid. If the sacrificial
liner 507 includes silicon nitride, the sacrificial liner 507 can
be removed selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 by a wet
etch employing phosphoric acid. If the sacrificial liner 507
includes amorphous silicon, the sacrificial liner 507 can be
removed selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 by a dry
etch such as chemical downstream etch employing an etch chemistry
that contains hydrogen chloride.
[0049] Subsequently, a second blocking dielectric layer 503L is
formed on the first blocking dielectric 501. The second blocking
dielectric layer 503L includes a dielectric material that is
different from the dielectric material of the first blocking
dielectric 501. In one embodiment, the second blocking dielectric
layer 503L can include silicon oxide, a dielectric metal oxide
having a different composition than the first blocking dielectric
501, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, or a combination thereof.
In one embodiment, the second blocking dielectric layer 503L can
include silicon oxide. The second blocking dielectric layer 503L
can be formed by a conformal deposition method such as low pressure
chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, or a
combination thereof. The thickness of the second blocking
dielectric layer 503L can be in a range from 1 nm to 20 nm,
although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
[0050] Subsequently, a memory material layer 504L, a tunneling
dielectric layer 505L, and an optional first semiconductor channel
layer 601L can be sequentially formed. In one embodiment, the
memory material layer 504L can be a charge trapping material
including a dielectric charge trapping material, which can be, for
example, silicon nitride. Alternatively, the memory material layer
504L can include a conductive material such as doped polysilicon or
a metallic material that is patterned into multiple electrically
isolated portions (i.e., floating gates), for example, by being
formed within lateral recesses into sacrificial material layers 42.
In one embodiment, the memory material layer 504L includes a
silicon nitride layer.
[0051] The memory material layer 504L can be formed as a single
memory material layer of homogeneous composition, or can include a
stack of multiple memory material layers. The multiple memory
material layers, if employed, can comprise a plurality of
spaced-apart floating gate material layers that contain conductive
materials (e.g., metal such as tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum,
titanium, platinum, ruthenium, and alloys thereof, or a metal
silicide such as tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide, tantalum
silicide, titanium silicide, nickel silicide, cobalt silicide, or a
combination thereof) and/or semiconductor materials (e.g.,
polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor material including at
least one elemental semiconductor element or at least one compound
semiconductor material). Alternatively or additionally, the memory
material layer 504L may comprise an insulating charge trapping
material, such as one or more silicon nitride segments.
Alternatively, the memory material layer 504L may comprise
conductive nanoparticles such as metal nanoparticles, which can be,
for example, ruthenium nanoparticles. The memory material layer
504L can be formed, for example, by chemical vapor deposition
(CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), physical vapor deposition
(PVD), or any suitable deposition technique for storing electrical
charges therein. The thickness of the memory material layer 504L
can be in a range from 2 nm to 20 nm, although lesser and greater
thicknesses can also be employed.
[0052] The tunneling dielectric layer 505L includes a dielectric
material through which charge tunneling can be performed under
suitable electrical bias conditions. The charge tunneling may be
performed through hot-carrier injection or by Fowler-Nordheim
tunneling induced charge transfer depending on the mode of
operation of the monolithic three-dimensional NAND string memory
device to be formed. The tunneling dielectric layer 505L can
include silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride,
dielectric metal oxides (such as aluminum oxide and hafnium oxide),
dielectric metal oxynitride, dielectric metal silicates, alloys
thereof, and/or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the
tunneling dielectric layer 505L can include a stack of a first
silicon oxide layer, a silicon oxynitride layer, and a second
silicon oxide layer, which is commonly known as an ONO stack. In
one embodiment, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L can include a
silicon oxide layer that is substantially free of carbon or a
silicon oxynitride layer that is substantially free of carbon. The
thickness of the tunneling dielectric layer 505L can be in a range
from 2 nm to 20 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can
also be employed.
[0053] The optional first semiconductor channel layer 601L includes
a semiconductor material such as at least one elemental
semiconductor material, at least one III-V compound semiconductor
material, at least one II-VI compound semiconductor material, at
least one organic semiconductor material, or other semiconductor
materials known in the art. In one embodiment, the first
semiconductor channel layer 601L includes amorphous silicon or
polysilicon. The first semiconductor channel layer 601L can be
formed by a conformal deposition method such as low pressure
chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The thickness of the first
semiconductor channel layer 601L can be in a range from 2 nm to 10
nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 2F, the optional first semiconductor
channel layer 601L, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L, the memory
material layer 504L, and the second blocking dielectric layer 503L
are sequentially anisotropically etched employing at least one
anisotropic etch process. The portions of the first semiconductor
channel layer 601L, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L, the memory
material layer 504L, and the second blocking dielectric layer 503L
located above the top surface of the insulating cap layer 70 can be
removed by the at least one anisotropic etch process. Further, the
portions of the first semiconductor channel layer 601L, the
tunneling dielectric layer 505L, the memory material layer 504L,
and the second blocking dielectric layer 503L at a bottom of each
cavity 49' can be removed to form openings in remaining portions
thereof. Each of the first semiconductor channel layer 601L, the
tunneling dielectric layer 505L, the memory material layer 504L,
and the second blocking dielectric layer 503L can be etched by
anisotropic etch process.
[0055] Each remaining portion of the first semiconductor channel
layer 601L constitutes a first semiconductor channel portion 601.
Each remaining portion of the tunneling dielectric layer 505L
constitutes a tunneling dielectric 505. Each remaining portion of
the memory material layer 504L is herein referred to as a charge
storage element 504. In one embodiment, the charge storage element
504 can be a contiguous layer, i.e., can be a charge storage layer.
Each remaining portion of the second blocking dielectric layer 503L
is herein referred to as a second blocking dielectric 503. A
surface of the semiconductor material layer 10 can be physically
exposed underneath the opening through the first semiconductor
channel portion 601, the tunneling dielectric 505, the charge
storage element 504, and the second blocking dielectric 503.
Optionally, the physically exposed semiconductor surface at the
bottom of each cavity 49' can be vertically recessed so that the
recessed semiconductor surface underneath the cavity 49' is
vertically offset from the topmost surface of the semiconductor
material layer 10 by a third recess distance R3. A tunneling
dielectric 505 is embedded within a charge storage element 504. The
charge storage element 504 can comprise a charge trapping material
or a floating gate material.
[0056] In one embodiment, the first semiconductor channel portion
601, the tunneling dielectric 505, the charge storage element 504,
and the second blocking dielectric 503 can have vertically
coincident sidewalls. As used herein, a first surface is
"vertically coincident" with a second surface if there exists a
vertical plane including both the first surface and the second
surface. Such a vertical plane may, or may not, have a horizontal
curvature, but does not include any curvature along the vertical
direction, i.e., extends straight up and down.
[0057] Referring to FIG. 2G, a second semiconductor channel layer
602L can be deposited directly on the semiconductor surface of the
semiconductor material layer 10 in the substrate (9, 10), and
directly on the first semiconductor channel portion 601. The second
semiconductor channel layer 602L includes a semiconductor material
such as at least one elemental semiconductor material, at least one
III-V compound semiconductor material, at least one II-VI compound
semiconductor material, at least one organic semiconductor
material, or other semiconductor materials known in the art. In one
embodiment, the second semiconductor channel layer 602L includes
amorphous silicon or polysilicon. The second semiconductor channel
layer 602L can be formed by a conformal deposition method such as
low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The thickness of
the second semiconductor channel layer 602L can be in a range from
2 nm to 10 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed. The second semiconductor channel layer 602L may partially
fill the cavity 49' in each memory opening, or may fully fill the
cavity in each memory opening.
[0058] In case the cavity 49' in each memory opening is not
completely filled by the second semiconductor channel layer 602L, a
dielectric core layer 62L can be deposited in the cavity 49' to
fill any remaining portion of the cavity 49' within each memory
opening. The dielectric core layer 62L includes a dielectric
material such as silicon oxide or organosilicate glass. The
dielectric core layer 62L can be deposited by a conformal
deposition method such as low pressure chemical vapor deposition
(LPCVD), or by a self-planarizing deposition process such as spin
coating.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 2H, the horizontal portion of the
dielectric core layer 62L can be removed, for example, by a recess
etch from above the top surface of the insulating cap layer 70.
Further, the horizontal portion of the second semiconductor channel
layer 602L located above the top surface of the insulating cap
layer 70 can be removed by a planarization process, which can
employ a recess etch or chemical mechanical planarization (CMP).
Each remaining portion of the second semiconductor channel layer
602L within a memory opening constitutes a second semiconductor
channel portion 602.
[0060] Each adjoining pair of a first semiconductor channel portion
601 and a second semiconductor channel portion 602 can collectively
form a semiconductor channel 60 through which electrical current
can flow when a vertical NAND device including the semiconductor
channel 60 is turned on. A tunneling dielectric 505 is embedded
within a charge storage element 504, and laterally surrounds a
portion of the semiconductor channel 60. Each adjoining set of a
first blocking dielectric 501, a second blocking dielectric 503, a
charge storage element 504, and a tunneling dielectric 505
collectively constitute a memory film 50, which can store
electrical charges with a macroscopic retention time. As used
herein, a macroscopic retention time refers to a retention time
suitable for operation of a memory device as a permanent memory
device such as a retention time in excess of 24 hours.
[0061] The top surface of the remaining portion of the dielectric
core layer 62L can be further recessed within each memory opening,
for example, by a recess etch to a depth that is located between
the top surface of the insulating cap layer 70 and the bottom
surface of the insulating cap layer 70. Each remaining portion of
the dielectric core layer 62L constitutes a dielectric core 62.
[0062] Drain regions 63 can be formed by depositing a doped
semiconductor material within each recessed region above the
dielectric cores 62. The doped semiconductor material can be, for
example, doped polysilicon. Excess portions of the deposited
semiconductor material can be removed from above the top surface of
the insulating cap layer 70, for example, by chemical mechanical
planarization (CMP) or a recess etch to form the drain regions
63.
[0063] FIG. 2H illustrates a first exemplary memory stack structure
that can be embedded into the exemplary structure illustrated in
FIG. 1. The exemplary structure includes a semiconductor device,
which comprises a stack (32, 42) including an alternating plurality
of material layers (e.g., the sacrificial material layers 42) and
insulator layers 32 located over a semiconductor substrate (9, 10),
and a memory opening extending through the stack (32, 42). The
semiconductor device further comprises a first blocking dielectric
501 vertically extending from a bottommost layer (e.g., the
bottommost sacrificial material layer 42) of the stack to a topmost
layer (e.g., the topmost sacrificial material layer 42) of the
stack, and contacting a sidewall of the memory opening and a first
horizontal surface S1 of the semiconductor substrate, which is
located within a first horizontal plane. The semiconductor device
further comprises a second blocking dielectric 503 contacting an
inner sidewall of the first blocking dielectric 501 and a second
horizontal surface S2 of the semiconductor substrate (9, 10), a
charge storage element 504 laterally surrounded by the first and
second blocking dielectrics (501, 503), and a semiconductor channel
60 laterally surrounded by the charge storage element 504 and
contacting a third surface S3 of the semiconductor substrate (9,
10). The second horizontal surface S2 of the semiconductor
substrate (9, 10) can be located within a second horizontal plane,
and the third horizontal surface S3 of the semiconductor substrate
(9, 10) can be located within a third horizontal plane.
[0064] The third surface S3 can be recessed relative to the second
surface S2. The second surface S2 can be recessed relative to the
first surface S1. A bottom surface of the second blocking
dielectric 503 contacts a top surface of a horizontal portion of
the first blocking dielectric 501 within a horizontal plane located
above the first horizontal surface S1. A bottommost surface of the
second blocking dielectric 503 contacts a top surface of a
horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric 501 within a
horizontal plane located above the first horizontal surface S1. The
semiconductor channel 60 contacts the semiconductor surface of the
semiconductor substrate (9, 10), and vertically extends to a
topmost material layer (e.g., the topmost sacrificial material
layer 42) within the stack (32, 42).
[0065] FIGS. 3A-3E illustrate sequential vertical cross-sectional
views of a memory opening within the exemplary structure during
formation of a second exemplary memory stack structure according to
a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The formation of the
second exemplary memory stack can be performed within each of the
memory openings 49 in the exemplary structure of FIG. 1. Referring
to FIG. 3A, an isotropic etch process that isotropically removes
the material of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L can be
performed on the structure illustrated in FIG. 2C. A horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L at a bottom of
the memory opening 49 (Illustrated in FIG. 1) can be isotropically
etched through the opening in the sacrificial liner 507. A
semiconductor surface of the substrate (9, 10) is physically
exposed at a bottom of the memory opening 49. The isotropic etch
can be a wet etch or an isotropic dry etch such as a chemical
downstream etch (CDE). Use of a wet etch process can minimize
overetching of underlying material layers due to a high etch
selectivity that the wet etch process can provide. Each remaining
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L within each
memory opening is herein referred to as a first blocking dielectric
501. In this case, the opening in the sacrificial liner 507 can be
formed by an anisotropic etch process that is performed at a
processing step of FIG. 2C, and the horizontal portion of the first
blocking dielectric layer 501L can be etched by an isotropic etch
process that follows the anisotropic etch process.
[0066] The chemistry of the isotropic etch can be selective to the
material of the sacrificial liner 507 so that a remaining portion
of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L underneath the
sacrificial liner 507 develops a concave surface. Thus, the first
blocking dielectric 501 can include a concave surface along an
entire inner periphery that underlies the sacrificial liner 507.
Further, the lateral distance between the concave surface of the
first blocking dielectric 501 and the vertical interface between
the semiconductor material layer 10 and the outer sidewall of the
first blocking dielectric can monotonically decrease with a
vertical distance from the recessed surface of the semiconductor
material layer 10 underneath the memory opening that includes a
cavity 49' therein.
[0067] Referring to FIG. 3B, the sacrificial liner 507 can be
removed selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 after the
semiconductor surface of the substrate (9, 10) is physically
exposed. The removal of the sacrificial liner 507 can be performed
selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 and the
semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer 10. For
example, if the sacrificial liner 507 includes silicon oxide, the
sacrificial liner 507 can be removed selective to the first
blocking dielectric 501 by a wet etch employing hydrofluoric acid.
If the sacrificial liner 507 includes silicon nitride, the
sacrificial liner 507 can be removed selective to the first
blocking dielectric 501 by a wet etch employing phosphoric acid. If
the isotropic etch is selective to the semiconductor material of
the semiconductor material layer 10, the physically exposed
recessed surface of the semiconductor material layer 10 can be
coplanar with the horizontal interface between the first blocking
dielectric 501 and the semiconductor material layer 10.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 3C, a second blocking dielectric layer
503L, a memory material layer 504L, a tunneling dielectric layer
505L, and a first semiconductor channel layer 601L can be deposited
within the cavity 49' in each memory hole employing the same
processing steps as the processing steps employed to form the
structure shown in FIG. 2E.
[0069] Referring to FIG. 3D, the first semiconductor channel layer
601L, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L, the memory material
layer 504L, and the second blocking dielectric layer 503L can be
sequentially anisotropically etched employing at least one
anisotropic etch process to form a memory film 50 and a first
semiconductor channel portion 601. Processing steps employed to
form the structure shown in FIG. 2F can be employed to form the
structure of FIG. 3D. In one embodiment, the first semiconductor
channel portion 601, the tunneling dielectric 505, the charge
storage element 504, and the second blocking dielectric 503 can
have vertically coincident sidewalls.
[0070] Referring to FIG. 3E, the processing steps of FIGS. 2G and
2H can be performed on the structure of FIG. 3D to form a second
exemplary memory stack structure, which can be embedded into the
exemplary structure illustrated in FIG. 1. The exemplary structure
includes a semiconductor device, which comprises a stack (32, 42)
including an alternating plurality of material layers (e.g., the
sacrificial material layers 42) and insulator layers 32 located
over a semiconductor substrate (9, 10), and a memory opening
extending through the stack (32, 42). The semiconductor device
further comprises a first blocking dielectric 501 vertically
extending from a bottommost layer (e.g., the bottommost sacrificial
material layer 42) of the stack to a topmost layer (e.g., the
topmost sacrificial material layer 42) of the stack, and contacting
a sidewall of the memory opening and a first horizontal surface S1
of the semiconductor substrate, which is located within a first
horizontal plane. The semiconductor device further comprises a
second blocking dielectric 503 contacting an inner sidewall of the
first blocking dielectric 501 and a second horizontal surface S2 of
the semiconductor substrate (9, 10), a charge storage element 504
laterally surrounded by the first and second blocking dielectrics
(501, 503), and a semiconductor channel 60 laterally surrounded by
the charge storage element 504 and contacting a third surface S3 of
the semiconductor substrate (9, 10). The second horizontal surface
S2 of the semiconductor substrate (9, 10) can be located within the
first horizontal plane, and the third horizontal surface S3 of the
semiconductor substrate (9, 10) can be located within another
horizontal plane that is located below the first horizontal
plane.
[0071] The third surface S3 can be recessed relative to the second
surface S2. The second surface S2 can be coplanar with the first
surface S1. A convex portion of an outer sidewall of the second
blocking dielectric 503 contacts a concave portion of an inner
sidewall of the first blocking dielectric 501 above the first
horizontal plane. A portion of the charge storage element 504 is
vertically spaced from the semiconductor substrate (9, 10) by a
thickness of a horizontal portion the second blocking dielectric
503, which contact the second surface S2.
[0072] FIGS. 4A-4F illustrate sequential vertical cross-sectional
views of a memory opening within the exemplary structure during
formation of a third exemplary memory stack structure according to
a third embodiment of the present disclosure. Formation of the
third exemplary memory stack structure can be performed within each
of the memory openings 49 in the exemplary structure of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 4A, a first blocking dielectric layer 501L, a
second blocking dielectric layer 503L, and a sacrificial liner 507
are sequentially deposited in the memory opening 49 (illustrated in
FIG. 1). With the proviso that the material of the sacrificial
liner 507 is different from the materials of the first and second
blocking dielectric layers (501L, 503L), each of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L, a second blocking dielectric layer 503L, and
a sacrificial liner 507 can have the same composition and thickness
as the corresponding layers in the first and second embodiments,
and can be formed employing the same methods as in the first and
second embodiments. The second blocking dielectric layer 503L is
formed over the first blocking dielectric layer 501L, and the
sacrificial liner 507 is formed over the first and second blocking
dielectric layers (501L, 503L). In one embodiment, the first
blocking dielectric layer 501L can include a dielectric metal oxide
such as aluminum oxide, the second blocking dielectric layer 503L
can include silicon oxide, and the sacrificial liner 507 can
include silicon nitride, organosilicate glass, or a semiconductor
material such as germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy.
[0073] Referring to FIG. 4B, the sacrificial liner 507 is
anisotropically etched to remove horizontal portions thereof. The
anisotropic etch process forms an opening in the sacrificial liner
507 at a bottom of each memory opening. Subsequently, the second
blocking dielectric layer 503L can be anisotropically etched to
remove horizontal portions thereof. An opening is formed through a
horizontal bottom portion of the second blocking dielectric layer
503L that is not masked by the sacrificial liner 507. Each
remaining portion of the second blocking dielectric layer 503L
within a memory opening constitutes a second blocking dielectric
503. In one embodiment, the sacrificial liner 507 and the second
blocking dielectric 503 can have vertically coincident
sidewalls.
[0074] Subsequently, an isotropic etch process that isotropically
removes the material of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L
can be performed. A horizontal portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L is removed from above the top surface of the
insulating cap layer 70. A horizontal portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L at a bottom of the memory opening 49
(Illustrated in FIG. 1) can be isotropically etched through the
opening in the sacrificial liner 507. A semiconductor surface of
the substrate (9, 10) is physically exposed at a bottom of the
memory opening 49. The isotropic etch can be a wet etch or an
isotropic dry etch such as a chemical downstream etch (CDE). Use of
a wet etch process can minimize overetching of underlying material
layers due to a high etch selectivity that the wet etch process can
provide. Each remaining portion of the first blocking dielectric
layer 501L within each memory opening is herein referred to as a
first blocking dielectric 501. A remaining vertical portion of the
sacrificial liner 507 protects a vertical portion of the first
blocking dielectric layer 501L during etching of the horizontal
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L. In this case,
the opening in the sacrificial liner 507 can be formed by a first
anisotropic etch process, the horizontal portion of the second
blocking dielectric layer 503L can be etched by a second
anisotropic etch, and the horizontal portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L can be etched by an isotropic etch process
that follows the second anisotropic etch process.
[0075] The chemistry of the isotropic etch can be selective to the
material of the second blocking dielectric 503 so that a remaining
portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L underneath the
second blocking dielectric 503 develops a concave surface. Thus,
the first blocking dielectric 501 can include a concave surface
along an entire inner periphery that underlies the second blocking
dielectric 503. Further, the lateral distance between the concave
surface of the first blocking dielectric 501 and the vertical
interface between the semiconductor material layer 10 and the outer
sidewall of the first blocking dielectric can monotonically
decrease with a vertical distance from the recessed surface of the
semiconductor material layer 10 underneath the memory opening that
includes a cavity 49' therein.
[0076] Referring to FIG. 4C, the sacrificial liner 507 can be
removed selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 and the
second blocking dielectric 503 after the semiconductor surface of
the substrate (9, 10) is physically exposed. The removal of the
sacrificial liner 507 can be performed selective to the first
blocking dielectric 501 and the semiconductor material of the
semiconductor material layer 10. Optionally, the removal of the
sacrificial liner 507 can be selective to the second blocking
dielectric 503. For example, if the sacrificial liner 507 includes
silicon nitride, the sacrificial liner 507 can be removed selective
to the second blocking dielectric 503 by a wet etch employing
phosphoric acid. If the sacrificial liner 507 includes germanium or
a silicon-germanium alloy, the sacrificial liner 507 can be removed
selective to the second blocking dielectric 503 by a wet etch
employing hydrogen peroxide and dilute hydrofluoric acid. If the
isotropic etch is selective to the semiconductor material of the
semiconductor material layer 10, the physically exposed recessed
surface of the semiconductor material layer 10 can be coplanar with
the horizontal interface between the first blocking dielectric 501
and the semiconductor material layer 10.
[0077] Referring to FIG. 4D, a memory material layer 504L, a
tunneling dielectric layer 505L, and a first semiconductor channel
layer 601L can be sequentially deposited. Each of the memory
material layer 504L, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L, and the
first semiconductor channel layer 601L can have the same
composition and thickness as the corresponding layers in the first
and second embodiments, and can be formed employing the same
methods as in the first and second embodiments.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 4E, the first semiconductor channel layer
601L, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L, the memory material
layer 504L, and the second blocking dielectric layer 503L can be
sequentially anisotropically etched employing at least one
anisotropic etch process to form a memory film 50 and a first
semiconductor channel portion 601. Processing steps employed to
form the structure shown in FIG. 2F can be employed to form the
structure of FIG. 4E. Because the second blocking dielectric 503
does not need to be etched through, an anisotropic etch process for
etching the dielectric material of the second blocking dielectric
503 can be omitted. In one embodiment, the first semiconductor
channel portion 601, the tunneling dielectric 505, and the charge
storage element 504 can have vertically coincident sidewalls.
[0079] Referring to FIG. 4F, the processing steps of FIGS. 2G and
2H can be performed on the structure of FIG. 4E to form a third
exemplary memory stack structure, which can be embedded into the
exemplary structure illustrated in FIG. 1. The exemplary structure
includes a semiconductor device, which comprises a stack (32, 42)
including an alternating plurality of material layers (e.g., the
sacrificial material layers 42) and insulator layers 32 located
over a semiconductor substrate (9, 10), and a memory opening
extending through the stack (32, 42). The semiconductor device
further comprises a first blocking dielectric 501 vertically
extending from a bottommost layer (e.g., the bottommost sacrificial
material layer 42) of the stack to a topmost layer (e.g., the
topmost sacrificial material layer 42) of the stack, and contacting
a sidewall of the memory opening and a first horizontal surface S1
of the semiconductor substrate, which is located within a first
horizontal plane. The semiconductor device further comprises a
second blocking dielectric 503 contacting an inner sidewall of the
first blocking dielectric 501, a charge storage element 504
laterally surrounded by the first and second blocking dielectrics
(501, 503) and contacting a second horizontal surface S2 of the
semiconductor substrate (9, 10), and a semiconductor channel 60
laterally surrounded by the charge storage element 504 and
contacting a third surface S3 of the semiconductor substrate (9,
10). The second horizontal surface S2 of the semiconductor
substrate (9, 10) can be located within the first horizontal plane,
and the third horizontal surface S3 of the semiconductor substrate
(9, 10) can be located within another horizontal plane that is
located below the first horizontal plane.
[0080] The third surface S3 can be recessed relative to the second
surface S2. The second surface S2 can be coplanar with the first
surface S1. A convex portion of an outer sidewall of the second
blocking dielectric 503 contacts a concave portion of an inner
sidewall of the first blocking dielectric 501 above the first
horizontal plane. The charge storage element 504 is in contact with
a horizontal surface of the semiconductor substrate (9, 10) at the
second surface S2.
[0081] A vertical sidewall of the second blocking dielectric 503 is
adjoined to bottommost surface of the second blocking dielectric
503 and contacts a vertical sidewall of the charge storage element
504. A convex portion of an outer sidewall of the charge storage
element 504 is in contact with a concave portion of an inner
sidewall of the first blocking dielectric 501 above the first
horizontal plane. A bottommost portion of the second blocking
dielectric 503 is vertically spaced from the semiconductor
substrate (9, 10) by a thickness of a horizontal portion the charge
storage element 504.
[0082] FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate sequential vertical cross-sectional
views of a memory opening within the exemplary structure during
formation of a fourth exemplary memory stack structure according to
a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. Formation of the
fourth exemplary memory stack structure can be performed within
each of the memory openings 49 in the exemplary structure of FIG.
1. Referring to FIG. 5A, an anisotropic etch process that etches
the material of the sacrificial liner 507 can be performed on the
structure illustrated in FIG. 4A. The anisotropic etch process
forms an opening in the sacrificial liner 507 at a bottom of each
memory opening.
[0083] Subsequently, the second blocking dielectric layer 503L can
be isotropically etched to remove horizontal portions thereof. A
horizontal portion of the second blocking dielectric layer 503L is
removed from above the top surface of the insulating cap layer 70.
An opening is formed through a horizontal bottom portion of the
second blocking dielectric layer 503L that is not masked by the
sacrificial liner 507. Each remaining portion of the second
blocking dielectric layer 503L within a memory opening constitutes
a second blocking dielectric 503. The isotropic etch, which is
herein referred to as a first isotropic etch, can be a wet etch or
an isotropic dry etch such as a chemical downstream etch (CDE).
[0084] The chemistry of the first isotropic etch can be selective
to the material of the sacrificial liner 507 so that a remaining
portion of the second blocking dielectric 503 develops a concave
surface. Thus, the second blocking dielectric 503 can include a
concave surface along an entire inner periphery that underlies the
sacrificial liner 507. Further, the lateral distance between the
concave surface of the second blocking dielectric 503 and the
substantially vertical sidewall of the memory opening can
monotonically decrease with a vertical distance from the recessed
surface of the semiconductor material layer 10 underneath the
memory opening that includes a cavity 49' therein.
[0085] Referring to FIG. 5B, a second isotropic etch process that
isotropically removes the material of the first blocking dielectric
layer 501L can be performed. A horizontal portion of the first
blocking dielectric layer 501L is removed from above the top
surface of the insulating cap layer 70. A horizontal portion of the
first blocking dielectric layer 501L at a bottom of the memory
opening 49 (Illustrated in FIG. 1) can be isotropically etched
through the opening in the sacrificial liner 507. A semiconductor
surface of the substrate (9, 10) is physically exposed at a bottom
of the memory opening 49. The isotropic etch can be a wet etch or
an isotropic dry etch such as a chemical downstream etch (CDE). Use
of a wet etch process can minimize overetching of underlying
material layers due to a high etch selectivity that the wet etch
process can provide. Each remaining portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L within each memory opening is herein referred
to as a first blocking dielectric 501. A remaining vertical portion
of the sacrificial liner 507 protects a vertical portion of the
first blocking dielectric layer 501L during etching of the
horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L. In
this case, the opening in the sacrificial liner 507 can be formed
by an anisotropic etch process, the horizontal portion of the
second blocking dielectric layer 503L can be etched by a first
isotropic etch, and the horizontal portion of the first blocking
dielectric layer 501L can be etched by a second isotropic etch
process.
[0086] The chemistry of the second isotropic etch can be selective
to the material of the second blocking dielectric 503 so that a
remaining portion of the first blocking dielectric layer 501L
underneath the second blocking dielectric 503 develops a concave
surface. Thus, the first blocking dielectric 501 can include a
concave surface along an entire inner periphery that underlies the
second blocking dielectric 503. Further, the lateral distance
between the concave surface of the first blocking dielectric 501
and the vertical interface between the semiconductor material layer
10 and the outer sidewall of the first blocking dielectric can
monotonically decrease with a vertical distance from the recessed
surface of the semiconductor material layer 10 underneath the
memory opening that includes a cavity 49' therein.
[0087] Subsequently, the sacrificial liner 507 can be removed
selective to the first blocking dielectric 501 and the second
blocking dielectric 507 after the semiconductor surface of the
substrate (9, 10) is physically exposed. The removal of the
sacrificial liner 507 can be performed selective to the first
blocking dielectric 501 and the semiconductor material of the
semiconductor material layer 10. Optionally, the removal of the
sacrificial liner 507 can be selective to the second blocking
dielectric 503. For example, if the sacrificial liner 507 includes
silicon nitride, the sacrificial liner 507 can be removed selective
to the second blocking dielectric 503 by a wet etch employing
phosphoric acid. If the sacrificial liner 507 includes germanium or
a silicon-germanium alloy, the sacrificial liner 507 can be removed
selective to the second blocking dielectric 501 by a wet etch
employing hydrogen peroxide and dilute hydrofluoric acid. If the
isotropic etch is selective to the semiconductor material of the
semiconductor material layer 10, the physically exposed recessed
surface of the semiconductor material layer 10 can be coplanar with
the horizontal interface between the first blocking dielectric 501
and the semiconductor material layer 10.
[0088] Referring to FIG. 5C, a memory material layer 504L, a
tunneling dielectric layer 505L, and a first semiconductor channel
layer 601L can be sequentially deposited. Each of the memory
material layer 504L, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L, and the
first semiconductor channel layer 601L can have the same
composition and thickness as the corresponding layers in the first
and second embodiments, and can be formed employing the same
methods as in the first and second embodiments.
[0089] Referring to FIG. 5D, the first semiconductor channel layer
601L, the tunneling dielectric layer 505L, and the memory material
layer 504L can be sequentially anisotropically etched employing at
least one anisotropic etch process to form a memory film 50 and a
first semiconductor channel portion 601. Processing steps employed
to form the structure shown in FIG. 2F can be employed. Because the
second blocking dielectric 503 does not need to be etched through,
an anisotropic etch process for etching the dielectric material of
the second blocking dielectric 503 can be omitted. In one
embodiment, the first semiconductor channel portion 601, the
tunneling dielectric 505, and the charge storage element 504 can
have vertically coincident sidewalls.
[0090] Subsequently, the processing steps of FIGS. 2G and 2H can be
performed to form a fourth exemplary memory stack structure, which
can be embedded into the exemplary structure illustrated in FIG. 1.
The exemplary structure includes a semiconductor device, which
comprises a stack (32, 42) including an alternating plurality of
material layers (e.g., the sacrificial material layers 42) and
insulator layers 32 located over a semiconductor substrate (9, 10),
and a memory opening extending through the stack (32, 42). The
semiconductor device further comprises a first blocking dielectric
501 vertically extending from a bottommost layer (e.g., the
bottommost sacrificial material layer 42) of the stack to a topmost
layer (e.g., the topmost sacrificial material layer 42) of the
stack, and contacting a sidewall of the memory opening and a first
horizontal surface S1 of the semiconductor substrate, which is
located within a first horizontal plane. The semiconductor device
further comprises a second blocking dielectric 602 contacting an
inner sidewall of the first blocking dielectric 501, a charge
storage element 504 laterally surrounded by the first and second
blocking dielectrics (501, 503) and contacting a second horizontal
surface S2 of the semiconductor substrate (9, 10), and a
semiconductor channel 60 laterally surrounded by the charge storage
element 504 and contacting a third surface S3 of the semiconductor
substrate (9, 10). The second horizontal surface S2 of the
semiconductor substrate (9, 10) can be located within the first
horizontal plane, and the third horizontal surface S3 of the
semiconductor substrate (9, 10) can be located within another
horizontal plane that is located below the first horizontal
plane.
[0091] The third surface S3 can be recessed relative to the second
surface S2. The second surface S2 can be coplanar with the first
surface S1. A convex portion of an outer sidewall of the second
blocking dielectric 503 contacts a concave portion of an inner
sidewall of the first blocking dielectric 501 above the first
horizontal plane. The charge storage element 504 is in contact with
a horizontal surface of the semiconductor substrate (9, 10) at the
second surface S2.
[0092] A convex portion of an outer sidewall of the charge storage
element 504 is in contact with a concave portion of an inner
sidewall of the first blocking dielectric 501 above the first
horizontal plane. Further, another convex portion of an outer
sidewall of the charge storage element 504 is in contact with a
concave portion of an inner sidewall of the second blocking
dielectric 503 above the first horizontal plane. A concave sidewall
of the second blocking dielectric 503 is adjoined to bottommost
surface of the second blocking dielectric 503 and contacts a convex
sidewall of the charge storage element 504. A top surface of a
horizontal portion of the first blocking dielectric 501 and a top
surface of a horizontal portion of the charge storage element 504
are coplanar, and contacts a bottom surface of the second blocking
dielectric 503 within a horizontal plane located above the first
surface S1.
[0093] Referring to FIG. 6, the exemplary structure is illustrated
after formation of memory stack structures 55, each of which
includes a memory film 50 and a semiconductor channel (601, 602).
The memory stack structures 55 can be a set of first exemplary
memory stack structures according to the first embodiment, a set of
second exemplary memory stack structures according to the second
embodiment, a set of third exemplary memory stack structures
according to the third embodiment, or a set of fourth exemplary
memory stack structures according to the fourth embodiment.
[0094] Referring to FIG. 7, at least one dielectric cap layer (71,
72) can be optionally formed over the planarization dielectric
layer 70. In one embodiment, the at least one dielectric cap layer
(71, 72) can include a first dielectric cap layer 71 and a second
dielectric cap layer 72. In one embodiment, the first and second
dielectric cap layers (71, 72) can include dielectric materials
such as silicon oxide, a dielectric metal oxide, and/or silicon
nitride.
[0095] Optionally, a portion of the alternating stack (32, 42) can
be removed, for example, by applying and patterning a photoresist
layer with an opening and by transferring the pattern of the
opening through the alternating stack (32, 42) employing an etch
such as an anisotropic etch. An optional trench extending through
the entire thickness of the alternating stack (32, 42) can be
formed. Subsequently, the trench can be filled with an optional
dielectric material such as silicon oxide. Excess portions of the
dielectric material can be removed from above the top surface of
the at least one dielectric cap layer (71, 72) by a planarization
process such as chemical mechanical planarization and/or a recess
etch. The top surfaces of the at least one dielectric cap layer
(71, 72) can be employed as a stopping surface during the
planarization. The remaining dielectric material in the trench
constitutes a dielectric material portion 64.
[0096] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, a stepped cavity can be formed
within a contact region, which can straddle the dielectric material
portion 64 and a portion of the alternating stack (32, 42).
Alternatively, the dielectric material portion 64 may be omitted
and the stepped cavity may be formed directly in the stack (32,
42). The stepped cavity can have various stepped surfaces such that
the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the stepped cavity changes
in steps as a function of the vertical distance from the top
surface of the substrate (9, 10). In one embodiment, the stepped
cavity can be formed by repetitively performing a set of processing
steps. The set of processing steps can include, for example, an
etch process of a first type that vertically increases the depth of
a cavity by one or more levels, and an etch process of a second
type that laterally expands the area to be vertically etched in a
subsequent etch process of the first type. As used herein, a
"level" of a structure including alternating plurality is defined
as the relative position of a pair of a first material layer and a
second material layer within the structure.
[0097] The dielectric material portion 64 can have stepped surfaces
after formation of the stepped cavity, and a peripheral portion of
the alternating stack (32, 42) can have stepped surfaces after
formation of the stepped cavity. As used herein, "stepped surfaces"
refer to a set of surfaces that include at least two horizontal
surfaces and at least two vertical surfaces such that each
horizontal surface is adjoined to a first vertical surface that
extends upward from a first edge of the horizontal surface, and is
adjoined to a second vertical surface that extends downward from a
second edge of the horizontal surface. A "stepped cavity" refers to
a cavity having stepped surfaces.
[0098] A retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65 (i.e., an
insulating fill material portion) can be formed in the stepped
cavity by deposition of a dielectric material therein. A dielectric
material such as silicon oxide can be deposited in the stepped
cavity. Excess portions of the deposited dielectric material can be
removed from above the top surface of the at least one dielectric
cap layer (71, 72), for example, by chemical mechanical
planarization (CMP). The remaining portion of the deposited
dielectric material filling the stepped cavity constitutes the
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65. As used herein, a
"retro-stepped" element refers to an element that has stepped
surfaces and a horizontal cross-sectional area that increases
monotonically as a function of a vertical distance from a top
surface of a substrate on which the element is present. If silicon
oxide is employed for the retro-stepped dielectric material portion
65, the silicon oxide of the retro-stepped dielectric material
portion 65 may, or may not, be doped with dopants such as B, P,
and/or F.
[0099] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, at least one dielectric
support pillar 7P may be optionally formed through the
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65 and/or through the
alternating stack (32, 42). In one embodiment, the at least one
dielectric support pillar 7P can be formed in a contact region 300,
which is located adjacent to a device region 100. The at least one
dielectric support pillar 7P can be formed, for example, by forming
an opening extending through the retro-stepped dielectric material
portion 65 and/or through the alternating stack (32, 42) and at
least to the top surface of the substrate (9, 10), and by filling
the opening with a dielectric material that is resistant to the
etch chemistry to be employed to remove the sacrificial material
layers 42. In one embodiment, the at least one dielectric support
pillar can include silicon oxide and/or a dielectric metal oxide
such as aluminum oxide. In one embodiment, the portion of the
dielectric material that is deposited over the at least one
dielectric cap layer (71, 72) concurrently with deposition of the
at least one dielectric support pillar 7P can be present over the
at least one dielectric cap layer (71, 72) as a dielectric pillar
material layer 73. The dielectric pillar material layer 73 and the
at least one dielectric support pillar 7P can be formed as a single
contiguous structure of integral construction, i.e., without any
material interface therebetween. In another embodiment, the portion
of the dielectric material that is deposited over the at least one
dielectric cap layer (71, 72) concurrently with deposition of the
at least one dielectric support pillar 7P can be removed, for
example, by chemical mechanical planarization or a recess etch. In
this case, the dielectric pillar material layer 73 is not present,
and the top surface of the at least one dielectric cap layer (71,
72) can be physically exposed.
[0100] A photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the
alternating stack (32, 42) and/or the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65, and optionally over the and lithographically
patterned to form at least one backside contact trench 79 in an
area in which formation of a backside contact via structure is
desired. The pattern in the photoresist layer can be transferred
through the alternating stack (32, 42) and/or the retro-stepped
dielectric material portion 65 employing an anisotropic etch to
form the at least one backside contact trench 79, which extends at
least to the top surface of the substrate (9, 10). In one
embodiment, the at least one backside contact trench 79 can include
a source contact opening in which a source contact via structure
can be subsequently formed. If desired, a source region (not shown)
may be formed by implantation of dopant atoms into a portion of the
semiconductor material layer 10 through the backside contact trench
79.
[0101] An etchant that selectively etches the second material of
the sacrificial material layers 42 with respect to the first
material of the insulator layers 32 can be introduced into the at
least one backside contact trench 79, for example, employing an
etch process. Backside recesses 43 are formed in volumes from which
the sacrificial material layers 42 are removed. The removal of the
second material of the sacrificial material layers 42 can be
selective to the first material of the insulator layers 32, the
material of the at least one dielectric support pillar 7P, the
material of the retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65, the
semiconductor material of the semiconductor material layer 10, and
the material of the outermost layer of the memory films 50. In one
embodiment, the sacrificial material layers 42 can include silicon
nitride, and the materials of the insulator layers 32, the at least
one dielectric support pillar 7P, and the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65 can be selected from silicon oxide and
dielectric metal oxides. In another embodiment, the sacrificial
material layers 42 can include a semiconductor material such as
polysilicon, and the materials of the insulator layers 32, the at
least one dielectric support pillar 7P, and the retro-stepped
dielectric material portion 65 can be selected from silicon oxide,
silicon nitride, and dielectric metal oxides. In this case, the
depth of the at least one backside contact trench 79 can be
modified so that the bottommost surface of the at least one
backside contact trench 79 is located within the dielectric pad
layer 12, i.e., to avoid physical exposure of the top surface of
the semiconductor substrate layer 10.
[0102] The etch process that removes the second material selective
to the first material and the outermost layer of the memory films
50 can be a wet etch process employing a wet etch solution, or can
be a gas phase (dry) etch process in which the etchant is
introduced in a vapor phase into the at least one backside contact
trench 79. For example, if the sacrificial material layers 42
include silicon nitride, the etch process can be a wet etch process
in which the exemplary structure is immersed within a wet etch tank
including phosphoric acid, which etches silicon nitride selective
to silicon oxide, silicon, and various other materials employed in
the art. The at least one dielectric support pillar 7P, the
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65, and the memory stack
structures 55 provide structural support while the backside
recesses 43 are present within volumes previously occupied by the
sacrificial material layers 42.
[0103] Each backside recess 43 can be a laterally extending cavity
having a lateral dimension that is greater than the vertical extent
of the cavity. In other words, the lateral dimension of each
backside recess 43 can be greater than the height of the backside
recess 43. A plurality of backside recesses 43 can be formed in the
volumes from which the second material of the sacrificial material
layers 42 is removed. The memory openings in which the memory stack
structures 55 are formed are herein referred to as front side
recesses or front side cavities in contrast with the backside
recesses 43. In one embodiment, the device region 100 comprises an
array of monolithic three dimensional NAND strings having a
plurality of device levels disposed above the substrate (9, 10). In
this case, each backside recess 43 can define a space for receiving
a respective word line of the array of monolithic three dimensional
NAND strings.
[0104] Each of the plurality of backside recesses 43 can extend
substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate (9, 10).
A backside recess 43 can be vertically bounded by a top surface of
an underlying insulator layer 32 and a bottom surface of an
overlying insulator layer 32. In one embodiment, each backside
recess 43 can have a uniform height throughout.
[0105] Referring to FIG. 9, a conductive material can be deposited
in the plurality of backside recesses 43, on sidewalls of the at
least one the backside contact trench 79, and over the top surface
of the dielectric pillar material layer 73 (or the topmost layer of
the exemplary structure in case the dielectric pillar material
layer 73 is not employed). As used herein, a conductive material
refers to an electrically conductive material. The conductive
material can be deposited by a conformal deposition method, which
can be, for example, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer
deposition (ALD), electroless plating, electroplating, or a
combination thereof. The conductive material can be an elemental
metal, an intermetallic alloy of at least two elemental metals, a
conductive nitride of at least one elemental metal, a conductive
metal oxide, a conductive doped semiconductor material, a
conductive metal-semiconductor alloy such as a metal silicide,
alloys thereof, and combinations or stacks thereof. Non-limiting
exemplary conductive materials that can be deposited in the
plurality of backside recesses 43 include tungsten, tungsten
nitride, titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum, and tantalum
nitride. In one embodiment, the conductive material can comprise a
metal such as tungsten and/or metal nitride. In one embodiment, the
conductive material for filling the plurality of backside recesses
43 can be selected from tungsten and a combination of titanium
nitride and tungsten. In one embodiment, the conductive material
can be deposited by chemical vapor deposition.
[0106] A plurality of electrically conductive layers 46 is present
in the plurality of backside recesses 43, and a contiguous
conductive material layer 46L can be formed on the sidewalls of
each backside contact trench 79 and over the dielectric pillar
material layer 73 (or the topmost layer of the exemplary structure
in case the dielectric pillar material layer 73 is not employed).
Thus, at least a portion of each sacrificial material layer 42 can
be replaced with an electrically conductive layer 46, which is a
conductive material portion.
[0107] Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, the deposited conductive
material is etched back from the sidewalls of each backside contact
trench 79 and from above the dielectric pillar material layer 73
(or the topmost layer of the exemplary structure in case the
dielectric pillar material layer 73 is not employed), for example,
by an isotropic etch. Each remaining portion of the deposited
conductive material in the backside recesses 43 constitutes an
electrically conductive layer 46. Each electrically conductive
layer 46 can be a conductive line structure.
[0108] Each electrically conductive layer 46 can function as a
combination of a plurality of control gate electrodes and a word
line electrically connecting, i.e., electrically shorting, the
plurality of control gate electrodes. The plurality of control gate
electrodes within each electrically conductive layer 46 can include
control gate electrodes located at the same level for the vertical
memory devices including the memory stack structures 55. In other
words, each electrically conductive layer 46 can be a word line
that functions as a common control gate electrode for the plurality
of vertical memory devices.
[0109] An insulating spacer 74 can be formed on the sidewalls of
the backside contact trench 79 by deposition of a contiguous
dielectric material layer and an anisotropic etch of its horizontal
portions. The insulating spacer 74 includes a dielectric material,
which can comprise, for example, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, a
dielectric metal oxide, a dielectric metal oxynitride, or a
combination thereof. The thickness of the insulating spacer 74, as
measured at a bottom portion thereof, can be in a range from 1 nm
to 50 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed. In one embodiment, the thickness of the insulating spacer
74 can be in a range from 3 nm to 10 nm.
[0110] A photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the
topmost layer of the exemplary structure (which can be, for
example, the dielectric pillar material layer 73) and in the cavity
laterally surrounded by the insulating spacer 74, and is
lithographically patterned to form various openings in a peripheral
device region. The locations and the shapes of the various openings
are selected to correspond to electrical nodes of the semiconductor
devices to be electrically contacted by contact via structures. An
anisotropic etch is performed to etch through the various layers
overlying the electrical nodes of the semiconductor devices. For
example, at least one gate via cavity can be formed such that the
bottom surface of each gate via cavity is a surface of a gate
electrode (152, 154), and at least one active region via cavity can
be formed such that the bottom surface of each active region via
cavity is a surface of an active region 130. In one embodiment,
different types of via cavities can be formed separately employing
multiple combinations of photoresist layers and anisotropic etch
processes. The vertical extent of each gate via cavity, as measured
from the top surface of the dielectric pillar material layer 73 to
the bottom surface of the gate via cavity, can be less than the
vertical distance between the top surface of the dielectric pillar
material layer 73 and the topmost surface of the alternating
plurality (32, 46) of the insulator layers 32 and the electrically
conductive layers 46. The photoresist layer can be subsequently
removed, for example, by ashing.
[0111] Another photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over
the exemplary structure, and can be lithographically patterned to
form openings within a contact region in which formation of contact
via structures for the electrically conductive layers 46 is
desired. Via cavities can be formed through the retro-stepped
dielectric material portion 65 by transfer of the pattern of the
opening by an anisotropic etch. Each via cavity can vertically
extend to a top surface of a respective electrically conductive
layer 46.
[0112] The cavity laterally surrounded by the insulating spacer 74
and the various via cavities in the peripheral device region are
filled with a conductive material to form various contact via
structures. For example, a backside contact via structure 76 can be
formed in the cavity surrounded by the insulating spacer 74, a gate
contact via structure 8G is formed in each gate via cavity, and an
active region via structure 8A is formed in each active region via
cavity. Further, control gate contact via structures 8C can be
formed within each contact via cavity that extends to a top surface
of the electrically conductive layers 46. Similarly, drain contact
via structures 88 can be formed to provide electrical contact to
the drain regions 63.
[0113] Subsequently, a line-level dielectric layer 90 can be formed
over the dielectric pillar material layer 73, and various
conductive line structures 92 can be formed in the line-level
dielectric layer 90 to provide electrical contact to the various
contact via structures (76, 8G, 8A, 88, 8C). A subset of the
electrically conductive layers 46 can function as control gate
electrodes for the memory stack structures 55 in the device region.
Optionally, at least one subset of the electrically conductive
layers 46 can be employed as at least one drain select gate
electrode and/or at least one source select gate electrode.
[0114] The exemplary structure is a multilevel structure including
a stack (32, 46) of an alternating plurality of electrically
conductive layers 46 and insulator layers 32 located over a
semiconductor substrate including the semiconductor material layer
10. An array of memory stack structures 55 can be located within
memory openings through the stack (32, 46).
[0115] In one embodiment, the device located on the semiconductor
substrate can include a vertical NAND device located in the device
region 100, and at least one of the electrically conductive layers
46 in the stack (32, 46) can comprise, or can be electrically
connected to, a word line of the NAND device. The device region 100
can include a plurality of semiconductor channels (601, 602). At
least one end portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor
channels (601, 602) extends substantially perpendicular to a top
surface of the semiconductor substrate. The device region 100
further includes a plurality of charge storage regions located
within each memory layer 50. Each charge storage region is located
adjacent to a respective one of the plurality of semiconductor
channels (601, 602). The device region 100 further includes a
plurality of control gate electrodes having a strip shape extending
substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate (9, 10).
The plurality of control gate electrodes comprise at least a first
control gate electrode located in the first device level and a
second control gate electrode located in the second device level.
The plurality of electrically conductive layers 46 in the stack
(32, 46) can be in electrical contact with, or can comprise, the
plurality of control gate electrodes, and extends from the device
region 100 to a contact region 300 including a plurality of
electrically conductive contact via structures.
[0116] In case the exemplary structure includes a three-dimensional
NAND device, a stack (32, 46) of an alternating plurality of word
lines 46 and insulating layers 32 can be located over a
semiconductor substrate. Each of the word lines 46 and insulating
layers 32 is located at different levels that are vertically spaced
from a top surface of the semiconductor substrate by different
distances. An array of memory stack structures 55 is embedded
within the stack (32, 46). Each memory stack structure 55 comprises
a semiconductor channel (601, 602) and at least one charge storage
region located adjacent to the semiconductor channel (601, 602). At
least one end portion of the semiconductor channel (601, 602)
extends substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the
semiconductor substrate through the stack (32, 46).
[0117] In a non-limiting illustrative example, the insulating
layers 32 can comprise silicon oxide layers, the plurality of word
lines 46 can comprise tungsten or a combination of titanium nitride
and tungsten, the at least one charge storage region can comprises
a tunneling dielectric, a blocking dielectric layer, and either a
plurality of floating gates or a charge trapping layer located
between the tunneling dielectric layer and the blocking dielectric
layer. An end portion of each of the plurality of word lines 46 in
a device region can comprise a control gate electrode located
adjacent to the at least one charge storage region. A plurality of
contact via structures contacting the word lines 46 can be located
in a contact region 300. The plurality of word lines 46 extends
from the device region 100 to the contact region 300. The backside
contact via structure 76 can be a source line that extends through
a dielectric insulated trench, i.e., the backside contact trench 79
filled with the dielectric spacer 74 and the backside contact via
structure 76, in the stack to electrically contact the source
region (not shown). The source region can be in contact with the
horizontal portion of the semiconductor channel in an upper portion
of the semiconductor material layer 10. A drain line, as embodied
as a conductive line structure 92 that contacts a drain contact via
structure 88, electrically contacts an upper portion of the
semiconductor channel (601, 602). As used herein, a first element
"electrically contacts" a second element if the first element is
electrically shorted to the second element.
[0118] In a non-limiting illustrative example, the
three-dimensional NAND device can further include field effect
transistors located on the top surface of the epitaxial
semiconductor pedestal 110. An array of drain regions 63 contacts a
respective semiconductor channel (601, 602) within the array of
memory stack structures 55. A top surface of the dielectric
material layer, i.e., the insulating cap layer 70, can be coplanar
with top surfaces of the drain regions 63.
[0119] Although the foregoing refers to particular preferred
embodiments, it will be understood that the disclosure is not so
limited. It will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art that
various modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments and
that such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the
disclosure. Where an embodiment employing a particular structure
and/or configuration is illustrated in the present disclosure, it
is understood that the present disclosure may be practiced with any
other compatible structures and/or configurations that are
functionally equivalent provided that such substitutions are not
explicitly forbidden or otherwise known to be impossible to one of
ordinary skill in the art. All of the publications, patent
applications and patents cited herein are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
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