U.S. patent application number 15/354067 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-17 for three-dimensional memory device with self-aligned drain side select gate electrodes and method of making thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC. Invention is credited to Johann ALSMEIER, Murshed CHOWDHURY, James KAI, Jin LIU.
Application Number | 20180138189 15/354067 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59859633 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180138189 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KAI; James ; et al. |
May 17, 2018 |
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEMORY DEVICE WITH SELF-ALIGNED DRAIN SIDE SELECT
GATE ELECTRODES AND METHOD OF MAKING THEREOF
Abstract
A three-dimensional memory device including self-aligned drain
select level electrodes is provided. Memory stack structures extend
through an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer
material layers. Each of the memory stack structures includes a
memory film and a memory level channel portion. Drain select level
channel portions are formed over the memory level channel portions
with respective lateral shifts with respect to underlying memory
stack structures. The direction of lateral shifts alternates from
row to row for each row of drain select level channel portions.
Drain select level gate dielectrics and drain select level gate
electrodes are formed on the drain select level channel portions.
Each drain select level gate electrode controls two rows of drain
select level channel portions, and is laterally spaced from
neighboring drain select level gate electrodes.
Inventors: |
KAI; James; (Santa Clara,
CA) ; CHOWDHURY; Murshed; (Milpitas, CA) ;
LIU; Jin; (Milpitas, CA) ; ALSMEIER; Johann;
(San Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC |
Plano |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59859633 |
Appl. No.: |
15/354067 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/0217 20130101;
H01L 29/42324 20130101; H01L 21/31116 20130101; H01L 27/11524
20130101; H01L 29/41741 20130101; H01L 27/11565 20130101; H01L
21/31144 20130101; H01L 29/518 20130101; H01L 21/76877 20130101;
H01L 27/1157 20130101; H01L 21/02164 20130101; H01L 27/11556
20130101; H01L 21/02587 20130101; H01L 21/76805 20130101; H01L
27/11519 20130101; H01L 27/11582 20130101; H01L 21/02494 20130101;
H01L 29/4234 20130101; H01L 21/02192 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 27/115 20060101
H01L027/115; H01L 29/423 20060101 H01L029/423 |
Claims
1-4. (canceled)
5. A three-dimensional memory device comprising: an alternating
stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers
located over a substrate; memory stack structures extending through
the alternating stack, wherein each of the memory stack structures
comprises a memory film and a memory level channel portion
contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film; drain select level
channel portions overlying a respective memory level channel
portion, wherein a geometrical center of each drain select level
channel portion is laterally offset with respect to a geometrical
center of the respective memory level channel portion; drain select
level gate dielectrics laterally surrounding and contacting a
respective subset of the drain select level channel portions; and
drain select level gate electrodes laterally surrounding respective
drain select level gate dielectrics; wherein: the memory stack
structures are arranged as a two-dimensional periodic array
including respective rows that extend along a first horizontal
direction and have a uniform inter-row pitch along a second
horizontal direction; the drain select level channel portions are
arranged in respective rows that extend along the first horizontal
direction and have a periodically modulated inter-row
center-to-center spacing having a periodicity of twice the
inter-row pitch of the two-dimensional periodic array of the memory
stack structures; the drain select level channel portions are
arranged as pairs of rows that extend along the first horizontal
direction; two rows within each pair of rows has a first inter-row
center-to-center spacing that is less than the inter-row pitch of
the two-dimensional periodic array of the memory stack structures;
adjacent rows that belong to two different neighboring pairs of
rows have a second inter-row center-to-center spacing that is
greater than the inter-row pitch of the two-dimensional periodic
array of the memory stack structures, and greater than the first
inter-row center-to-center spacing; the drain select level gate
electrode has a continuous set of sidewalls that laterally
surrounds a respective pair of rows of drain select level channel
portions; the drain select level gate electrodes are physically
adjoined in each pair of rows, but are physically disjoined among
one another between each pair of rows; each drain select level
channel portion within the pair of rows of the drain select level
channel portions is laterally surrounded by a respective one of the
drain select level gate electrodes; the continuous set of sidewalls
of the drain select level gate electrode comprises convex outer
sidewalls that partially laterally surround the respective drain
select level channel portion in the pair of rows, and planar,
non-convex outer sidewalls that surround an elongated template
structure; and the electrically conductive layers have planar,
non-convex outer sidewalls.
6-16. (canceled)
17. A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device,
comprising: forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and
spacer material layers over a substrate, wherein the space material
layers are formed as, or replaced with, electrically conductive
layers; forming memory stack structures through the alternating
stack, wherein each of the memory stack structures comprises a
memory film and a memory level channel portion contacting an inner
sidewall of the memory film; forming drain select level channel
portions over the memory level channel portions after the step of
forming the memory stack structures, forming drain select level
gate dielectrics on and around the drain select level channel
portions; and forming drain select level gate electrodes around the
drain select level gate dielectrics; wherein: a geometrical center
of each drain select level channel portion is laterally offset with
respect to a geometrical center of a respective underlying memory
level channel portion; the memory stack structures are formed as a
two-dimensional periodic array including respective rows that
extend along a first horizontal direction and have a uniform
inter-row pitch along a second horizontal direction; the drain
select level channel portions are arranged in respective rows that
extend along the first horizontal direction and have a periodically
modulated inter-row center-to-center spacing having a periodicity
of twice the inter-row pitch of the two-dimensional periodic array
of the memory stack structures; the drain select level channel
portions are arranged as pairs of rows that extend along the first
horizontal direction; two rows within each pair of rows has a first
inter-row center-to-center spacing that is less than the inter-row
pitch of the two-dimensional periodic array of the memory stack
structures; and adjacent rows that belong to two different
neighboring pairs of rows have a second inter-row center-to-center
spacing that is greater than the inter-row pitch of the
two-dimensional periodic array of the memory stack structures, and
greater than the first inter-row center-to-center spacing; further
comprising: forming a stack of a drain select level gate dielectric
layer and a drain select level gate electrode layer over the drain
select channel portions; and removing horizontal portions of the
stack of the drain select level gate dielectric layer and the drain
select level gate electrode layer, wherein remaining portions of
the drain select level gate dielectric layer constitute the drain
select level gate dielectrics and remaining portions of the drain
select level gate electrode layer constitute the drain select level
gate electrodes; wherein: the drain select level gate electrode has
a continuous set of sidewalls that laterally surround a respective
pair of rows of drain select level channel portions; the drain
select level gate electrodes are physically adjoined in each pair
of rows, but are physically disjoined among one another between
each pair of rows; the continuous set of sidewalls of the drain
select level gate electrode comprises convex outer sidewalls that
that partially laterally surround the respective drain select level
channel portion in the pair of rows and planar, non-convex outer
sidewalls that surround an elongated template structure; the
electrically conductive layers have planar, non-convex outer
sidewalls; the drain select level gate dielectrics are physically
disjoined among one another between each pair of rows; and each
drain select level gate dielectric laterally surrounds, and
contacts, a respective subset of the drain select level channel
portions that are arranged as the pair of rows that laterally
extend along a first horizontal direction.
18-25. (canceled)
26. A three-dimensional memory device comprising: an alternating
stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers
located over a substrate; memory stack structures extending through
the alternating stack, wherein each of the memory stack structures
comprises a memory film and a memory level channel portion
contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film; drain select level
channel portions overlying a respective memory level channel
portion; drain select level gate dielectrics laterally surrounding
and contacting a respective subset of the drain select level
channel portions; and drain select level gate electrodes laterally
surrounding respective drain select level gate dielectrics, wherein
the drain select level gate electrodes comprise convex outer
sidewalls; wherein: the memory stack structures are arranged as a
two-dimensional periodic array including respective rows that
extend along a first horizontal direction and have a uniform
inter-row pitch along a second horizontal direction; the drain
select level channel portions are arranged in respective rows that
extend along the first horizontal direction and have a periodically
modulated inter-row center-to-center spacing; the drain select
level channel portions are arranged as pairs of rows that extend
along the first horizontal direction; two rows within each pair of
rows has a first inter-row center-to-center spacing that is less
than the inter-row pitch of the two-dimensional periodic array of
the memory stack structures; adjacent rows that belong to two
different neighboring pairs of rows have a second inter-row
center-to-center spacing that is greater than the inter-row pitch
of the two-dimensional periodic array of the memory stack
structures, and greater than the first inter-row center-to-center
spacing; the drain select level gate electrode comprises a
continuous set of the sidewalls that laterally surround a
respective pair of rows of drain select level channel portions; the
drain select level gate electrodes are physically adjoined in each
pair of rows, but are physically disjoined among one another
between each pair of rows; each drain select level channel portion
within the pair of rows of the drain select level channel portions
is laterally surrounded by a respective one of the drain select
level gate electrodes; the continuous set of sidewalls of the drain
select level gate electrode comprises the convex outer sidewalls
that that partially laterally surround the respective drain select
level channel portion in the pair of rows and planar, non-convex
outer sidewalls that surround an elongated template structure; and
the electrically conductive layers have planar, non-convex outer
sidewalls.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of
semiconductor devices, and particular to a three-dimensional memory
device employing self-aligned drain select level gate electrodes
and methods of manufacturing the same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Three-dimensional vertical NAND strings having one bit per
cell are disclosed in an article by T. Endoh et al., titled "Novel
Ultra High Density Memory With A Stacked-Surrounding Gate
Transistor (S-SGT) Structured Cell", IEDM Proc. (2001) 33-36.
SUMMARY
[0003] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a
three-dimensional memory device is provided, which comprises: an
alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive
layers located over a substrate; memory stack structures extending
through the alternating stack, wherein each of the memory stack
structures comprises a memory film and a memory level channel
portion contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film; drain
select level channel portions overlying a respective memory level
channel portion; drain select level gate dielectrics laterally
surrounding, and contacting, a respective subset of the drain
select level channel portions; and drain select level gate
electrodes laterally surrounding respective drain select level gate
dielectrics. In one embodiment, a geometrical center of each drain
select level channel portion is laterally offset with respect to a
geometrical center of the respective memory level channel portion.
In another embodiment, the drain select level gate electrodes
comprise convex outer sidewalls.
[0004] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a
method of forming a three-dimensional memory device is provided. An
alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers
is formed over a substrate. The space material layers are formed
as, or replaced with, electrically conductive layers. Memory stack
structures are formed through the alternating stack. Each of the
memory stack structures comprises a memory film and a memory level
channel portion contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film.
Drain select level channel portions are formed over the memory
level channel portions. A geometrical center of each drain select
level channel portion is laterally offset with respect to a
geometrical center of a respective underlying memory level channel
portion. Drain select level gate dielectrics are formed on, and
around, the drain select level channel portions. Drain select level
gate electrodes are formed around the drain select level gate
dielectrics.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of an
exemplary structure after formation of at least one peripheral
device, a semiconductor material layer, and a gate dielectric layer
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of an alternating stack of
insulating layers and sacrificial material layers according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of stepped terraces and a
retro-stepped dielectric material portion according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 4A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of memory openings and support
openings according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 4B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 4A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the cross-section
for FIG. 4A. Region R illustrated in FIG. 4B corresponds to the
area shown in FIG. 7B.
[0010] FIGS. 5A-5F are sequential schematic vertical
cross-sectional views of a memory opening during formation of a
memory stack structure according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of the memory stack structures
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 7A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of a drain select level (drain
side select gate electrode level) semiconductor material layer and
patterned resist portions according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 7B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 7A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 7A.
[0014] FIG. 8A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of drain select level channel
portions according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 8B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 8A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 8A.
[0016] FIG. 9A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of a drain select level gate
dielectric layer (i.e., gate dielectric of the drain side select
gate electrode) and drain select level (i.e., drain side) gate
electrode layers according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 9B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 9A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 9A.
[0018] FIG. 10A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of drain select level gate
dielectrics and drain select level gate electrodes according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 10B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 10A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 10A.
[0020] FIG. 11A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of a drain select level
dielectric layer according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 11B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 11A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 11A.
[0022] FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of a drain level dielectric material
layer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 13A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of backside trenches according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 13B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 13A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 13A.
[0025] FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of backside recesses by removal of the
sacrificial material layers with respect to the insulating layers
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of an optional backside blocking
dielectric layer and at least one conductive material in the
backside recesses and peripheral portions of the backside trenches
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after removal of a deposited conductive material from
within the backside trenches according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 17 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of an insulating spacer and a
backside contact structure within each backside trench according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 18 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of drain regions according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 19A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure after formation of additional contact via
structures according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 19B is a top-down view of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 19A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 19A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] As discussed above, the present disclosure is directed to
three-dimensional memory devices including self-aligned drain
select level gate electrodes (i.e., drain side select gate
electrodes, "SGD") and methods of making thereof, the various
aspects of which are described below. The embodiments of the
disclosure can be employed to form various structures including a
multilevel memory structure, non-limiting examples of which include
semiconductor devices such as three-dimensional monolithic memory
array devices comprising a plurality of NAND memory strings.
[0033] 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. The same
reference numerals refer to the same element or similar element.
Unless otherwise indicated, elements having the same reference
numerals are presumed to have the same composition. 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.
[0034] As used herein, a "layer" refers to a material portion
including a region having a thickness. A layer may extend over the
entirety of an underlying or overlying structure, or may have an
extent less than the extent of an underlying or overlying
structure. Further, a layer may be a region of a homogeneous or
inhomogeneous continuous structure that has a thickness less than
the thickness of the continuous structure. For example, a layer may
be located between any pair of horizontal planes between, or at, a
top surface and a bottom surface of the continuous structure. A
layer may extend horizontally, vertically, and/or along a tapered
surface. A substrate may be a layer, may include one or more layers
therein, or may have one or more layer thereupon, thereabove,
and/or therebelow.
[0035] 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.
[0036] 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 (9, 10). The
substrate can include a substrate semiconductor layer 9. The
substrate semiconductor layer 9 maybe a semiconductor wafer or a
semiconductor material layer, and can include at least one
elemental semiconductor material (e.g., single crystal silicon
wafer or layer), 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, such as a single crystalline
semiconductor surface.
[0037] As used herein, a "semiconducting material" refers to a
material having electrical conductivity in the range from
1.0.times.10.sup.-6 S/cm to 1.0.times.10.sup.5 S/cm. As used
herein, a "semiconductor material" refers to a material having
electrical conductivity in the range from 1.0.times.10.sup.-6 S/cm
to 1.0.times.10.sup.5 S/cm in the absence of electrical dopants
therein, and is capable of producing a doped material having
electrical conductivity in a range from 1.0 S/cm to
1.0.times.10.sup.5 S/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 valence 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.times.10.sup.5 S/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.-6 S/cm. As used herein, a
"heavily doped semiconductor material" refers to a semiconductor
material that is doped with electrical dopant at a sufficiently
high atomic concentration to become a conductive material, i.e., to
have electrical conductivity greater than 1.0.times.10.sup.5 S/cm.
A "doped semiconductor material" may be a heavily doped
semiconductor material, or may be a semiconductor material that
includes electrical dopants (i.e., p-type dopants and/or n-type
dopants) at a concentration that provides electrical conductivity
in the range from 1.0.times.10.sup.-6 S/cm to 1.0.times.10.sup.5
S/cm. An "intrinsic semiconductor material" refers to a
semiconductor material that is not doped with electrical dopants.
Thus, a semiconductor material may be semiconducting or conductive,
and may be an intrinsic semiconductor material or a doped
semiconductor material. A doped semiconductor material can be
semiconducting or conductive depending on the atomic concentration
of electrical dopants therein. As used herein, a "metallic
material" refers to a conductive material including at least one
metallic element therein. All measurements for electrical
conductivities are made at the standard condition.
[0038] At least one semiconductor device 700 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, a gate electrode
(152, 154), and a gate cap dielectric 158. The 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 dielectric
liner. 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. As used herein,
silicon oxide includes silicon dioxide as well as
non-stoichiometric silicon oxides having more or less than two
oxygen atoms for each silicon atoms. Silicon dioxide is preferred.
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. 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.
[0039] 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. As used herein, a surface is
"physically exposed" if the surface is in physical contact with
vacuum, or a gas phase material (such as air).
[0040] An optional 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. The semiconductor material layer 10 can be doped with
electrical dopants of a first conductivity type, which can be
p-type or n-type,
[0041] The region (i.e., area) of the at least one semiconductor
device 700 is herein referred to as a peripheral device region 200.
The device region in which a memory array is subsequently formed is
herein referred to as a memory array region 100. A contact region
300 for subsequently forming stepped terraces of electrically
conductive layers can be provided between the memory array region
100 and the peripheral device region 200. Optionally, a gate
dielectric layer 12 can be formed above the semiconductor material
layer 10 and the planarization dielectric layer 170. The gate
dielectric layer 12 can be, for example, silicon oxide layer. The
thickness of the gate dielectric layer 12 can be in a range from 3
nm to 30 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 2, 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 gate dielectric layer 12. As
used herein, a "material layer" refers to a layer including a
material throughout the entirety thereof. 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.
[0043] 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 insulating layer 32, and each second
material layer can be a sacrificial material layer. In this case,
the stack can include an alternating plurality of insulating layers
32 and sacrificial material layers 42, and constitutes a prototype
stack of alternating layers comprising insulating layers 32 and
sacrificial material layers 42. As used herein, a "prototype"
structure or an "in-process" structure refers to a transient
structure that is subsequently modified in the shape or composition
of at least one component therein.
[0044] 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 insulating layers 32
composed of the first material, and sacrificial material layers 42
composed of a second material different from that of insulating
layers 32. The first material of the insulating layers 32 can be at
least one insulating material. As such, each insulating layer 32
can be an insulating material layer. Insulating materials that can
be employed for the insulating 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 insulating layers 32 can be silicon oxide.
[0045] The second material of the sacrificial material layers 42 is
a sacrificial material that can be removed selective to the first
material of the insulating 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.
[0046] The sacrificial material layers 42 may comprise an
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 spacer material layers
that comprise silicon nitride or a semiconductor material including
at least one of silicon and germanium.
[0047] In one embodiment, the insulating layers 32 can include
silicon oxide, and sacrificial material layers can include silicon
nitride sacrificial material layers. The first material of the
insulating layers 32 can be deposited, for example, by chemical
vapor deposition (CVD). For example, if silicon oxide is employed
for the insulating 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).
[0048] 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.
[0049] The thicknesses of the insulating 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 insulating layer 32 and for each sacrificial material layer
42. The number of repetitions of the pairs of an insulating 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.
[0050] While the present disclosure is described employing an
embodiment in which the spacer material layers are sacrificial
material layers 42 that are subsequently replaced with electrically
conductive layers, embodiments are expressly contemplated herein in
which the sacrificial material layers are formed as electrically
conductive layers. In this case, steps for replacing the spacer
material layers with electrically conductive layers can be
omitted.
[0051] 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 insulating layers 32 as described above. The
insulating cap layer 70 can have a greater thickness than each of
the insulating 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.
[0052] Referring to FIG. 3, a stepped cavity can be formed within
the contact region 300 which is located between the memory array
region 100 and the peripheral device region 200 containing the at
least one semiconductor device for the peripheral circuitry. 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.
[0053] After formation of the stepped cavity, 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.
[0054] A terrace region is formed by patterning the alternating
stack (32, 42). Each sacrificial material layer 42 other than a
topmost sacrificial material layer 42 within the alternating stack
(32, 42) laterally extends farther than any overlying sacrificial
material layer 42 within the alternating stack (32, 42). The
terrace region includes stepped surfaces of the alternating stack
(32, 42) that continuously extend from a bottommost layer within
the alternating stack (32, 42) to a topmost layer within the
alternating stack (32, 42).
[0055] 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. For example,
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
insulating cap layer 70, 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.
[0056] Optionally, drain select level isolation structures 72
(i.e., isolation structures formed at the drain side select gate
electrode level) can be formed through the insulating cap layer 70
and a subset of the sacrificial material layers 42 located at drain
select levels. The drain select level isolation structures 72 can
be formed, for example, by forming drain select level isolation
trenches and filling the drain select level isolation trenches with
a dielectric material such as silicon oxide. Excess portions of the
dielectric material can be removed from above the top surface of
the insulating cap layer 70.
[0057] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a lithographic material stack
(not shown) including at least a photoresist layer can be formed
over the insulating cap layer 70 and the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65, and can be lithographically patterned to form
openings therein. The openings include a first set of openings
formed over the memory array region 100 and a second set of
openings formed over the contact region 300. The pattern in the
lithographic material stack can be transferred through the
insulating cap layer 70 or the retro-stepped dielectric material
portion 65, and through 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 and support
openings 19. As used herein, a "memory opening" refers to a
structure in which memory elements, such as a memory stack
structure, is subsequently formed. As used herein, a "support
opening" refers to a structure in which a support structure (such
as a support pillar structure) that mechanically supports other
elements is subsequently formed. The memory openings 49 are formed
through the insulating cap layer 70 and the entirety of the
alternating stack (32, 42) in the memory array region 100. The
support openings 19 are formed through the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65 and the portion of the alternating stack (32,
42) that underlie the stepped surfaces in the contact region
300.
[0058] The memory openings 49 extend through the entirety of the
alternating stack (32, 42). The support openings 19 extend through
a subset of layers within 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. The sidewalls of the
memory openings 49 and the support openings 19 can be substantially
vertical, or can be tapered. The patterned lithographic material
stack can be subsequently removed, for example, by ashing.
[0059] The memory openings 49 and the support openings 19 can be
formed through the gate dielectric layer 12 so that the memory
openings 49 and the support openings 19 extend from the top surface
of the alternating stack (32, 42) to at least the horizontal plane
including the topmost surface of the semiconductor material layer
10. 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 and each support opening 19. 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
undressed 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 surfaces of the memory
openings 49 and the support openings 19 can be coplanar with the
topmost surface of the semiconductor material layer 10.
[0060] Each of the memory openings 49 and the support openings 19
may include a sidewall (or a plurality of sidewalls) that extends
substantially perpendicular to the topmost surface of the
substrate. A two-dimensional array of memory openings 49 can be
formed in the memory array region 100. A two-dimensional array of
support openings 19 can be formed in the contact region 300. 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 semiconductor
material layer 10 may be omitted, and the memory openings 49 and
the support openings 19 can be extend to a top surface of the
substrate semiconductor layer 9.
[0061] In one embodiment, the memory openings 49 can be formed as a
two-dimensional periodic array including rows that extend along a
first horizontal direction hd1 and having a uniform inter-row pitch
p along a second horizontal direction hd2, which can be
perpendicular to the first horizontal direction hd1. In one
embodiment, a plurality of two-dimensional periodic arrays can be
formed such that each two-dimensional periodic array is formed as a
cluster that is laterally spaced from a neighboring two-dimensional
periodic array along the second horizontal direction. Each
two-dimensional periodic array can include respective rows that
extend along the first horizontal direction hd1 and have a uniform
inter-row pitch p along the second horizontal direction hd2.
[0062] FIGS. 5A-5F illustrate structural changes in a memory
opening 49, which is one of the memory openings 49 in the exemplary
structure of FIGS. 4A and 4B, during formation of a memory stack
structure. The same structural change occurs simultaneously in each
of the other memory openings 49 and the support openings 19.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 5A, a memory opening 49 in the exemplary
device structure of FIGS. 4A and 4B is illustrated. The memory
opening 49 extends through the insulating cap layer 70, the
alternating stack (32, 42), the gate dielectric layer 12, and
optionally into an upper portion of the semiconductor material
layer 10. At this processing step, each support opening 19 can
extend through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65, a
subset of layers in the alternating stack (32, 42), the gate
dielectric layer 12, and optionally through the 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 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.
[0064] Referring to FIG. 5B, an optional epitaxial channel portion
(e.g., an epitaxial pedestal) 11 can be formed at the bottom
portion of each memory opening 49 and each support openings 19, for
example, by selective epitaxy. Each epitaxial channel portion 11
comprises a single crystalline semiconductor material in epitaxial
alignment with the single crystalline semiconductor material of the
semiconductor material layer 10. In one embodiment, the epitaxial
channel portion 11 can be doped with electrical dopants of the same
conductivity type as the semiconductor material layer 10. In one
embodiment, the top surface of each epitaxial channel portion 11
can be formed above a horizontal plane including the top surface of
a sacrificial material layer 42. In this case, at least one source
select gate electrode can be subsequently formed by replacing each
sacrificial material layer 42 located below the horizontal plane
including the top surfaces of the epitaxial channel portions 11
with a respective conductive material layer. The epitaxial channel
portion 11 can be a portion of a transistor channel that extends
between a source region to be subsequently formed in the substrate
(9, 10) and a drain region to be subsequently formed in an upper
portion of the memory opening 49. A cavity 49' is present in the
unfilled portion of the memory opening 49 above the epitaxial
channel portion 11. In one embodiment, the epitaxial channel
portion 11 can comprise single crystalline silicon. In one
embodiment, the epitaxial channel portion 11 can have a doping of
the first conductivity type, which is the same as the conductivity
type of the semiconductor material layer 10 that the epitaxial
channel portion contacts. If a semiconductor material layer 10 is
not present, the epitaxial channel portion 11 can be formed
directly on the substrate semiconductor layer 9, which can have a
doping of the first conductivity type.
[0065] Referring to FIG. 5C, a stack of layers including a blocking
dielectric layer 52, a charge storage layer 54, a tunneling
dielectric layer 56, and an optional first semiconductor channel
layer 601 can be sequentially deposited in the memory openings
49.
[0066] The blocking dielectric layer 52 can include a single
dielectric material layer or a stack of a plurality of dielectric
material layers. In one embodiment, the blocking dielectric layer
can include a dielectric metal oxide layer consisting essentially
of 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 blocking dielectric layer 52 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.
[0067] 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
dielectric metal oxide layer 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
dielectric metal oxide layer can be in a range from 1 nm to 20 nm,
although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed. The
dielectric metal oxide layer can subsequently function as a
dielectric material portion that blocks leakage of stored
electrical charges to control gate electrodes. In one embodiment,
the blocking dielectric layer 52 includes aluminum oxide. In one
embodiment, the blocking dielectric layer 52 can include multiple
dielectric metal oxide layers having different material
compositions.
[0068] Alternatively or additionally, the blocking dielectric layer
52 can include a dielectric semiconductor compound such as silicon
oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, or a combination
thereof. In one embodiment, the blocking dielectric layer 52 can
include silicon oxide. In this case, the dielectric semiconductor
compound of the blocking dielectric layer 52 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 dielectric semiconductor compound can be in a
range from 1 nm to 20 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses
can also be employed. Alternatively, the blocking dielectric layer
52 can be omitted, and a backside blocking dielectric layer can be
formed after formation of backside recesses on surfaces of memory
films to be subsequently formed.
[0069] Subsequently, the charge storage layer 54 can be formed. In
one embodiment, the charge storage layer 54 can be a continuous
layer or patterned discrete portions of a charge trapping material
including a dielectric charge trapping material, which can be, for
example, silicon nitride. Alternatively, the charge storage layer
54 can include a continuous layer or patterned discrete portions of
a conductive material such as doped polysilicon or a metallic
material that is patterned into multiple electrically isolated
portions (e.g., floating gates), for example, by being formed
within lateral recesses into sacrificial material layers 42. In one
embodiment, the charge storage layer 54 includes a silicon nitride
layer. In one embodiment, the sacrificial material layers 42 and
the insulating layers 32 can have vertically coincident sidewalls,
and the charge storage layer 54 can be formed as a single
continuous layer.
[0070] In another embodiment, the sacrificial material layers 42
can be laterally recessed with respect to the sidewalls of the
insulating layers 32, and a combination of a deposition process and
an anisotropic etch process can be employed to form the charge
storage layer 54 as a plurality of memory material portions that
are vertically spaced apart. While the present disclosure is
described employing an embodiment in which the charge storage layer
54 is a single continuous layer, embodiments are expressly
contemplated herein in which the charge storage layer 54 is
replaced with a plurality of memory material portions (which can be
charge trapping material portions or electrically isolated
conductive material portions) that are vertically spaced apart.
[0071] The charge storage layer 54 can be formed as a single charge
storage layer of homogeneous composition, or can include a stack of
multiple charge storage layers. The multiple charge storage 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 charge storage layer
54 may comprise an insulating charge trapping material, such as one
or more silicon nitride segments. Alternatively, the charge storage
layer 54 may comprise conductive nanoparticles such as metal
nanoparticles, which can be, for example, ruthenium nanoparticles.
The charge storage layer 54 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 charge
storage layer 54 can be in a range from 2 nm to 20 nm, although
lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
[0072] The tunneling dielectric layer 56 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 56 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 56 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 56 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 56 can be in a range from 2 nm to 20 nm,
although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
[0073] The optional first semiconductor channel layer 601 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 601 includes amorphous silicon or
polysilicon. The first semiconductor channel layer 601 can be
formed by a conformal deposition method such as low pressure
chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The thickness of the first
semiconductor channel layer 601 can be in a range from 2 nm to 10
nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed. A
cavity 49' is formed in the volume of each memory opening 49 that
is not filled with the deposited material layers (52, 54, 56,
601).
[0074] Referring to FIG. 5D, the optional first semiconductor
channel layer 601, the tunneling dielectric layer 56, the charge
storage layer 54, the blocking dielectric layer 52 are sequentially
anisotropically etched employing at least one anisotropic etch
process. The portions of the first semiconductor channel layer 601,
the tunneling dielectric layer 56, the charge storage layer 54, and
the blocking dielectric layer 52 located above the top surface of
the insulating cap layer 70 can be removed by the at least one
anisotropic etch process. Further, the horizontal portions of the
first semiconductor channel layer 601, the tunneling dielectric
layer 56, the charge storage layer 54, and the blocking dielectric
layer 52 at a bottom of each cavity 49' can be removed to form
openings in remaining portions thereof. Each of the first
semiconductor channel layer 601, the tunneling dielectric layer 56,
the charge storage layer 54, and the blocking dielectric layer 52
can be etched by anisotropic etch process.
[0075] Each remaining portion of the first semiconductor channel
layer 601 can have a tubular configuration. The charge storage
layer 54 can comprise a charge trapping material or a floating gate
material. In one embodiment, each charge storage layer 54 can
include a vertical stack of charge storage regions that store
electrical charges upon programming. In one embodiment, the charge
storage layer 54 can be a charge storage layer in which each
portion adjacent to the sacrificial material layers 42 constitutes
a charge storage region.
[0076] A surface of the epitaxial channel portion 11 (or a surface
of the semiconductor substrate layer 10 in case the epitaxial
channel portions 11 are not employed) can be physically exposed
underneath the opening through the first semiconductor channel
layer 601, the tunneling dielectric layer 56, the charge storage
layer 54, and the blocking dielectric layer 52. 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 epitaxial channel portion 11
(or of the semiconductor substrate layer 10 in case epitaxial
channel portions 11 are not employed) by a recess distance. A
tunneling dielectric layer 56 is located over the charge storage
layer 54. A set of a blocking dielectric layer 52, a charge storage
layer 54, and a tunneling dielectric layer 56 in a memory opening
49 constitutes a memory film 50, which includes a plurality of
charge storage regions (as embodied as the charge storage layer 54)
that are insulated from surrounding materials by the blocking
dielectric layer 52 and the tunneling dielectric layer 56. In one
embodiment, the first semiconductor channel layer 601, the
tunneling dielectric layer 56, the charge storage layer 54, and the
blocking dielectric layer 52 can have vertically coincident
sidewalls.
[0077] Referring to FIG. 5E, a second semiconductor channel layer
602 can be deposited directly on the semiconductor surface of the
epitaxial channel portion 11 (or the semiconductor substrate layer
10 if portion 11 is omitted), and directly on the first
semiconductor channel layer 601. The second semiconductor channel
layer 602 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 602 includes amorphous silicon
or polysilicon. The second semiconductor channel layer 602 can be
formed by a conformal deposition method such as low pressure
chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The thickness of the second
semiconductor channel layer 602 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 602 may fully fill the
cavity in each memory opening 49.
[0078] The materials of the first semiconductor channel layer 601
and the second semiconductor channel layer 602 are collectively
referred to as a semiconductor channel material. In other words,
the semiconductor channel material is a set of all semiconductor
material in the first semiconductor channel layer 601 and the
second semiconductor channel layer 602.
[0079] Referring to FIG. 5F, the horizontal portion of the second
semiconductor channel layer 602 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 602 can be located entirety within a
memory opening 49 or entirely within a support opening 19.
[0080] Each adjoining pair of a first semiconductor channel layer
601 and a second semiconductor channel layer 602 can collectively
form a memory level channel portion 60 through which electrical
current can flow when a vertical NAND device including the memory
level channel portion 60 is turned on. A tunneling dielectric layer
56 is surrounded by a charge storage layer 54, and laterally
surrounds a portion of the memory level channel portion 60. Each
adjoining set of a blocking dielectric layer 52, a charge storage
layer 54, and a tunneling dielectric layer 56 collectively
constitute a memory film 50, which can store electrical charges
with a macroscopic retention time. In some embodiments, a blocking
dielectric layer 52 may not be present in the memory film 50 at
this step, and a blocking dielectric layer may be subsequently
formed after formation of backside recesses. 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.
[0081] Referring to FIG. 6, the exemplary structure is illustrated
after the processing steps of FIG. 5F. Each combination of a memory
film 50 and a memory level channel portion 60 (which is a portion
of a vertical semiconductor channel) within a memory opening 49
constitutes a memory stack structure 55. The memory stack structure
55 is a combination of a memory level channel portion 60, a
tunneling dielectric layer 56, a plurality of memory elements as
embodied as portions of the charge storage layer 54, and an
optional blocking dielectric layer 52. Each combination of an
epitaxial channel portion 11 and a memory stack structure 55 is
herein referred to as a memory opening fill structure (11, 55).
Each combination of an epitaxial channel portion 11, a memory film
50, and a memory level channel portion 60 within each support
opening 19 fills the respective support openings 19, and
constitutes a support pillar structure 20 (i.e., a dummy structure
which is not electrically connected to a bit line).
[0082] An instance of a memory opening fill structure (11, 55) can
be formed within each memory opening 49 of the structure of FIGS.
4A and 4B. An instance of the support pillar structure 20 can be
formed within each support opening 19 of the structure of FIGS. 4A
and 4B. Each exemplary memory stack structure 55 includes a memory
level channel portion 60, which may comprise multiple semiconductor
channel layers (601, 602), and a memory film 50. The memory film 50
may comprise a tunneling dielectric layer 56 laterally surrounding
the memory level channel portion 60 and a vertical stack of charge
storage regions laterally surrounding the tunneling dielectric
layer 56 (as embodied as a memory material layer 54) and an
optional blocking dielectric layer 52. While the present disclosure
is described employing the illustrated configuration for the memory
stack structure, the methods of the present disclosure can be
applied to alternative memory stack structures including different
layer stacks or structures for the memory film 50 and/or for the
memory level channel portion 60.
[0083] Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, a drain select level
semiconductor material layer 22L is formed over the insulating cap
layer 70. The area illustrated in FIG. 7B corresponds to region R
illustrated in FIG. 4B. The drain select level semiconductor
material layer 22L includes a semiconductor material, which may be
the same as, or different from, the material of the first
semiconductor channel layer 601, and may be the same as, or
different from, the material of the second semiconductor channel
layer 602. In one embodiment, the drain select level semiconductor
material layer 22L may be intrinsic, or may have a doping of the
first conductivity type, which is the same as the conductivity type
of the semiconductor material layer 10, such as intrinsic or p-type
polysilicon or amorphous silicon. In one embodiment, the drain
select level semiconductor material layer 22L can have a dopant
concentration that is optimized for effective selection and
de-selection of the underlying memory level channel portion 60. In
one embodiment, the drain select level semiconductor material layer
22L may have the same dopant concentration as, or a different
dopant concentration from, the dopant concentration of the memory
level channel portion 60. In one embodiment, the atomic
concentration of dopants of the first conductivity type in the
drain select level semiconductor material layer 22L can be in a
range from 1.0.times.10.sup.14/cm.sup.3 to
1.0.times.10.sup.17/cm.sup.3, although lesser and greater dopant
concentrations can also be employed.
[0084] The drain select level semiconductor material layer 22L can
be formed by a conformal deposition process or a non-conformal
deposition process. For example, the drain select level
semiconductor material layer 22L can be formed by plasma enhanced
chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or low pressure chemical vapor
deposition (LPCVD). The thickness of the drain select level
semiconductor material layer 22L can be in a range from 20 nm to
200 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed.
[0085] Patterned photoresist portions (23, 123) can be formed over
the drain select level semiconductor material layer 22L by applying
a photoresist layer over the drain select level semiconductor
material layer 22L, and lithographically patterning the photoresist
layer by lithographic exposure and development. The patterned
photoresist portions (23, 123) can include pillar-shaped
photoresist portions 23 and elongated photoresist portions 123. The
pillar-shaped photoresist portions 23 can have substantially
circular or elliptical horizontal cross-sectional shapes, and can
be arranged in rows that extend along the first horizontal
direction hd1 and having a periodically modulated inter-row
center-to-center spacing (ICS1, ICS2) the sum of which having a
periodicity of twice the inter-row pitch p of the two-dimensional
periodic array of the memory stack structures 55 (i.e.,
ICS1+ICS2=2p). As used herein, an "inter-row center-to-center"
spacing between a first row of elements and a second row of
elements refers to the distance between a first vertical plane
passing through geometrical centers of elements within the first
row and a second vertical plane passing through geometrical centers
of elements within the second row. As used herein, a "geometrical
center" of an element refers to the center of mass of a
hypothetical object having the same volume as the element and
having a uniform density throughout.
[0086] In one embodiment, the pillar-shaped photoresist portions 23
can be arranged as pairs of rows that extend along the first
horizontal direction hd1 having a first inter-row center-to-center
spacing ICS1 that is less than the uniform pitch p of the memory
stack structures 55 along the second horizontal direction hd2.
Adjacent rows that belong to two different neighboring pairs of
rows have a second inter-row center-to-center spacing ICS2, which
is greater than the uniform pitch p of the memory stack structures
55 and greater than the first inter-row center-to-center spacing
ICS1. In one embodiment, the first inter-row center-to-center
spacing ICS1 can be in a range from 40% of the uniform pitch p to
95% of the uniform pitch p, such as from 60% of the uniform pitch
to 80% of the uniform pitch. The second inter-row center-to-center
spacing ICS2 can be in a range from 105% of the uniform pitch p to
160% of the uniform pitch p, such as from 120% of the uniform pitch
to 140% of the uniform pitch. The sum of the first inter-row
center-to-center spacing ICS1 and the second inter-row
center-to-center spacing ICS2 can be twice the uniform pitch p of
the memory stack structures 55.
[0087] The elongated photoresist portions 123 can be located over
the area of the retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65. In
one embodiment, each elongated photoresist portion 123 can be
elongated along the first horizontal direction hd1. The width of
each elongated photoresist portion 123 can be in a range from 40%
of the uniform pitch p of the memory stack structures 55 to 100% of
the uniform pitch p of the memory stack structures 55. An edge of
each elongated photoresist portion 123 can be proximal to an
outermost pillar-shaped photoresist portion 23 so that the gap
between the elongated photoresist portion 123 and the outermost
pillar-shaped photoresist portion 23 is comparable to the nearest
neighbor distance within a pair of rows of pillar-shaped
photoresist portions 23.
[0088] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, an anisotropic etch is
performed to transfer the pattern of the patterned photoresist
portions (23, 123) into the drain select level semiconductor
material layer 22L (i.e., the select level semiconductor material
layer 22L is etched using the patterned photoresist portions (23,
123) as a mask). The insulating cap layer 70 and the retro-stepped
dielectric material portion 65 can be employed as etch stop layers.
The remaining portions of the drain select level semiconductor
material layer 22L that replicate the patterns of the pillar-shaped
photoresist portions 23 constitute drain select level channel
portions 22, which are incorporated into a respective semiconductor
channel that includes one of the drain select level channel
portions 22 and a respective underlying memory level channel
portion 60. The remaining portions of the drain select level
semiconductor material layer 22L that replicates the patterns of
the elongated photoresist portions 123 constitute elongated
semiconductor templates 122, which are adjacent to outermost drain
select level channel portions 22.
[0089] The drain select level channel portions 22 are formed over
the memory level channel portions 60. The geometrical center of
each drain select level channel portion 22 is laterally offset with
respect to the geometrical center of a respective underlying memory
level channel portion 60 along the direction perpendicular to the
first horizontal direction hd1, which can be the second horizontal
direction hd2.
[0090] In one embodiment, the memory stack structures 55 can be
formed as at least one two-dimensional periodic array including
respective rows that extend along the first horizontal direction
hd1. The two-dimensional periodic array can have the uniform
inter-row pitch p along a second horizontal direction hd2. The
drain select level channel portions 22 can be arranged in
respective rows that extend along the first horizontal direction
hd1 and having a periodically modulated inter-row center-to-center
spacing (ICS1, ICS2) whose sum having a periodicity of twice the
inter-row pitch p of the two-dimensional periodic array of the
memory stack structures 55, i.e., 2p.
[0091] In one embodiment, the drain select level channel portions
22 can be arranged as pairs of rows PRR that extend along the first
horizontal direction hd1. Each pair of rows PRR includes two rows
of drain select level channel portions 22. Each row of drain select
level channel portions 22 is arranged along the first horizontal
direction hd1, and can have a periodic pitch along the first
horizontal direction hd1. The periodic pitch can be the same with
each row of drain select level channel portions 22. The two rows
with each pair of rows PRR can have the first inter-row
center-to-center spacing ICS1, which is less than the inter-row
pitch p of the two-dimensional periodic array of the memory stack
structures 55. As discussed above, the first inter-row
center-to-center spacing ICS1 can be in a range from 40% of the
uniform pitch p to 95% of the uniform pitch p, such as from 60% of
the uniform pitch to 80% of the uniform pitch.
[0092] In one embodiment, each geometrical center of the drain
select level channel portions 22 can be laterally offset from the
geometrical center of the respective underlying memory level
channel portion 60 that the drain select level channel portion 22
contacts along the second horizontal direction hd2, and not
laterally offset along the first horizontal direction hd1. The
lateral offset distance of each geometrical center of the drain
select level channel portions 22 with respect the geometrical
center of the underlying memory level channel portion 60 can be in
a range from 2.5% of the uniform pitch p to 30% of the uniform
pitch p. Within any give row of drain select level channel portion
22, the direction and magnitude of the lateral offset with respect
to underlying memory level channel portions 60 can be the same for
each drain select level channel portion 22. In one embodiment, the
lateral offset of the geometrical center of the drain select level
channel portions 22 with respect the geometrical center of the
underlying memory level channel portion 60 can be equal in
magnitude and opposite in direction for each alternate row of the
drain select level channel portions 22. The drain select level
channel portions 22 in each row are offset closer to each other in
direction hd2 (e.g., bit line direction) to the adjacent row in the
same pair of rows PRR, than to the adjacent row located in a
different pair of rows PRR. Thus, the drain select level channel
portions 22 located in adjacent rows of different pairs of rows PRR
have the wider second inter-row center-to-center spacing ICS2 which
can be in a range from 105% of the uniform pitch p to 160% of the
uniform pitch p, such as from 120% of the uniform pitch to 140% of
the uniform pitch.
[0093] Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a drain select level gate
dielectric layer 24L and at least one drain select level gate
electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) can be sequentially deposited. The
drain select level gate dielectric layer 24L includes at least one
dielectric material layer, which can include a silicon oxide gate
dielectric layer and/or a dielectric metal oxide gate dielectric
layer. The drain select level gate dielectric layer 24L can be
formed by deposition of at least one dielectric material by a
respective conformal deposition (such as chemical vapor deposition
or atomic layer deposition). Alternatively or additionally, a layer
of the drain select level gate dielectric layer 24L may be formed
by oxidation of surface portions of the drain select level channel
portions 22. The thickness of the drain select level gate
dielectric layer 24L can be in a range from 1.5 nm to 10 nm, such
as from 2 nm to 7 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can
also be employed.
[0094] The drain select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L)
includes at least one conductive material layer. For example, the
drain select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) can include
a layer stack, from bottom to top, of a doped semiconductor gate
electrode layer 26L, a metallic nitride gate electrode layer 27L,
and a metal gate electrode layer 28L. For example, the doped
semiconductor gate electrode layer 26L can include a doped
semiconductor material such as doped polysilicon, the metallic
nitride gate electrode layer 27L can include a metallic nitride
such as TiN, TaN, or WN, and the metal gate electrode layer 28L can
include a metal such as W, Co, Mo, Ru, or an alloy thereof. For
example, the layer stack may comprise a doped polysilicon layer
26L, titanium nitride layer 27L and tungsten layer 28L stack.
[0095] The total thickness of the drain select level gate
dielectric layer 24L and the drain select level gate electrode
layer (26L, 27L, 28L) is selected such that the material(s) of the
drain select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) merge
between the two rows of drain select level channel portions 22
within each pair of rows PRR of drain select level channel portions
22, but do(es) not merge between neighboring pairs of rows of drain
select level channel portions 22.
[0096] In one embodiment, a continuous set of sidewalls of the
drain select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) laterally
surrounds a respective pair of rows PRR of drain select level
channel portions 22 and a semiconductor template 122, but is not
adjoined to any other continuous set of sidewalls of the drain
select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) that laterally
surrounds a different pair of rows PRR of drain select level
channel portions 22.
[0097] Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, an anisotropic etch (e.g.,
sidewall spacer etch) is performed to remove horizontal portions of
the drain select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) and the
drain select level gate dielectric layer 24L. Horizontal portions
of the stack of the drain select level gate dielectric layer (26L,
27L, 28L) and the drain select level gate electrode layer 24L are
removed by the anisotropic etch. The anisotropic etch can uniformly
recess the drain select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L)
and the drain select level gate dielectric layer 24L vertically.
Thus, the anisotropic etch can remove portions of the drain select
level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) and the drain select
level gate dielectric layer 24L that are located between pairs of
rows PRR of the drain select level channel portions 22 or located
above the horizontal plane including the top surface of the drain
select level channel portions 22. Optionally, an overetch may be
performed so that top surfaces of the remaining portions of the
drain select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) are
vertically recessed with respect to the horizontal plane including
the top surface of the drain select level channel portions 22. In
other words, the drain select level channel portions 22 can
protrude above the drain select level gate electrode layer.
[0098] Each remaining discrete portion of the drain select level
gate dielectric layer 24L is herein referred to as a drain select
level gate dielectric 24. The drain select level gate dielectrics
24 are formed on, and around, the drain select level channel
portions 22. Each drain select level gate dielectric 24 includes
vertical portions having a tubular geometry and laterally
surrounding a respective drain select level channel portion 22 and
a horizontal portion that is adjoined to a bottom periphery of each
of the vertical portions. Each drain select level gate dielectric
24 laterally encloses and surrounds each of the drain select level
channel portions 22 within a respective pair of rows PRR of drain
select level channel portions 22.
[0099] Each remaining discrete portion of the at least one drain
select level gate electrode layer (26L, 27L, 28L) is herein
referred to as a drain select level gate electrode 29. The drain
select level gate electrodes 29 are formed around the drain select
level gate dielectrics 24. Each drain select level gate electrode
29 can include a doped semiconductor gate electrode portion 26
which is a remaining portion of the doped semiconductor gate
electrode layer 26L, a metallic nitride gate electrode portion 27
which is a remaining portion of the metallic nitride gate electrode
layer 27L, and a metal gate electrode portion 28 which is a
remaining portion of the metal gate electrode layer 28L. Each drain
select level gate electrode 29 laterally encloses and surrounds
each of the drain select level channel portions 22 within a
respective pair of rows PRR of drain select level channel portions
22. In other words, the drain select level gate electrode 29 (i.e.,
the drain side select gate electrode, SGD) forms a sidewall spacer
around the drain select level channel portion 22. The horizontal
portion of each drain select level gate electrode 24 underlies a
respective drain select level gate electrode 29.
[0100] The drain select level gate electrodes 29 are physically
disjoined among one another along the gap between each pair of rows
PRR of the drain select level channel portions 22. However, the
drain select level gate electrodes 29 are adjoined (i.e., contact
an adjacent electrode to form a continuous electrode) in each pair
of rows PRR. Thus, the drain select level gate electrodes 29 are
laterally spaced from one another along the second horizontal
direction hd2 (e.g., bit line direction) because the second
inter-row center-to-center spacing ICS2 between each pair of rows
PRR is greater than the first inter-row center-to-center spacing
ICS1 in each pair of rows PRR. The drain select level gate
dielectrics 24 are physically disjoined among one another between
each pair of rows PRR. Each drain select level gate dielectric 24
laterally surrounds, and contacts, a respective subset of the drain
select level channel portions 22 that are arranged as a pair of
rows PRR that laterally extend along the first horizontal direction
hd1.
[0101] Referring to FIGS. 11A and 11B, a drain select level
dielectric layer 71 is formed over the drain select level gate
electrodes 29. In one embodiment, the drain select level dielectric
layer 71 can include a plurality of dielectric material layers. For
example, the drain select level dielectric layer 71 can include a
dielectric liner (which may include silicon nitride or a dielectric
metal oxide) and a dielectric fill material layer (which may
include a planarizable dielectric material such as silicon oxide).
The deposited dielectric material(s) can be subsequently planarized
by a planarization process that employs top surfaces of the drain
select level channel portions 22 as stopping structures. In this
case, the top surface of the drain select level dielectric layer 71
can be within the same horizontal plane as the top surface of the
drain select level channel portions 22. The top surfaces of the
select drain level gate electrodes 29 can be vertically spaced from
the top surface of the drain select level dielectric layer 71.
[0102] Referring to FIG. 12, a drain level dielectric material
layer 73 can be formed over the drain select level dielectric layer
71. The drain level dielectric material layer 73 includes a
dielectric material such as silicon oxide, organosilicate glass,
silicon nitride, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the
drain level dielectric material layer 73 can include silicon oxide.
The thickness of the drain level dielectric material layer 73 can
be in a range from 30 nm to 600 nm, such as from 60 nm to 300 nm,
although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed. In
one embodiment, the drain select level dielectric layer 71 and the
drain level dielectric material layer 73 can be formed as two
distinct material layers. Alternatively, the drain select level
dielectric layer 71 and the drain level dielectric material layer
73 can be deposited in a same deposition step as a single
continuous material portion. In this case, the deposited material
can be planarized, for example, by chemical mechanical
planarization to provide a planar top surface that is formed above
the horizontal plane including the top surfaces of the drain select
level channel portions 22. Alternatively, the drain level
dielectric material layer 73 may be formed in a subsequent
processing step, for example, after replacement of the sacrificial
material layers 42 with electrically conductive layers.
[0103] Referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B, a photoresist layer (not
shown) can be applied over the drain level dielectric material
layer 73, and is lithographically patterned to form openings in
areas between clusters of memory stack structures 55. The pattern
in the photoresist layer can be transferred through the drain level
dielectric material layer 73, the drain select level dielectric
layer 71, the alternating stack (32, 42), and/or the retro-stepped
dielectric material portion 65 employing an anisotropic etch to
form backside trenches 79. The backside trenches 79 vertically
extend at least to the top surface of the substrate (9, 10), and
laterally extend through the memory array region 100 and the
contact region 300. In one embodiment, the backside trenches 79 can
be employed as source contact openings in which source contact via
structures can be subsequently formed. In one embodiment, the
backside trenches 79 can laterally extend along the first
horizontal direction hd1, i.e., along the word line direction of
the rows of the drain select level channel portions 22. The
photoresist layer can be removed, for example, by ashing.
[0104] Referring to FIG. 14, an etchant that selectively etches the
second material of the sacrificial material layers 42 with respect
to the first material of the insulating layers 32 can be introduced
into the backside trenches 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 insulating layers 32, 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 insulating layers 32, the support
pillar structure 20, 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 insulating layers 32 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 backside trenches 79 can be modified so that the
bottommost surface of the backside trenches 79 is located within
the gate dielectric layer 12, i.e., to avoid physical exposure of
the top surface of the semiconductor material layer 10.
[0105] 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 backside trenches 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 support pillar structure 20, 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.
[0106] 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
openings or front side cavities in contrast with the backside
recesses 43. In one embodiment, the memory array 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.
[0107] 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 insulating layer 32 and a bottom surface of an
overlying insulating layer 32. In one embodiment, each backside
recess 43 can have a uniform height throughout.
[0108] Physically exposed surface portions of the optional
epitaxial channel portions 11 and the semiconductor material layer
10 can be converted into dielectric material portions by thermal
conversion and/or plasma conversion of the semiconductor materials
into dielectric materials. For example, thermal conversion and/or
plasma conversion can be employed to convert a surface portion of
each epitaxial channel portion 11 into a tubular dielectric spacer
116, and to convert each physically exposed surface portion of the
semiconductor material layer 10 into a planar dielectric portion
616. In one embodiment, each tubular dielectric spacer 116 can be
topologically homeomorphic to a torus, i.e., generally ring-shaped.
As used herein, an element is topologically homeomorphic to a torus
if the shape of the element can be continuously stretched without
destroying a hole or forming a new hole into the shape of a torus.
The tubular dielectric spacers 116 include a dielectric material
that includes the same semiconductor element as the epitaxial
channel portions 11 and additionally includes at least one
non-metallic element such as oxygen and/or nitrogen such that the
material of the tubular dielectric spacers 116 is a dielectric
material. In one embodiment, the tubular dielectric spacers 116 can
include a dielectric oxide, a dielectric nitride, or a dielectric
oxynitride of the semiconductor material of the epitaxial channel
portions 11. Likewise, each planar dielectric portion 616 includes
a dielectric material that includes the same semiconductor element
as the semiconductor material layer and additionally includes at
least one non-metallic element such as oxygen and/or nitrogen such
that the material of the planar dielectric portions 616 is a
dielectric material. In one embodiment, the planar dielectric
portions 616 can include a dielectric oxide, a dielectric nitride,
or a dielectric oxynitride of the semiconductor material of the
semiconductor material layer 10.
[0109] Referring to FIG. 15, a backside blocking dielectric layer
44 can be optionally formed. The backside blocking dielectric layer
44, if present, comprises a dielectric material that functions as a
control gate dielectric for the control gates to be subsequently
formed in the backside recesses 43. In case the blocking dielectric
layer 52 is present within each memory opening, the backside
blocking dielectric layer is optional. In case the blocking
dielectric layer 52 is omitted, the backside blocking dielectric
layer is present.
[0110] The backside blocking dielectric layer 44 can be formed in
the backside recesses 43 and on a sidewall of the backside trench
79. The backside blocking dielectric layer 44 can be formed
directly on horizontal surfaces of the insulating layers 32 and
sidewalls of the memory stack structures 55 within the backside
recesses 43. If the backside blocking dielectric layer 44 is
formed, formation of the tubular dielectric spacers 116 and the
planar dielectric portion 616 prior to formation of the backside
blocking dielectric layer 44 is optional. In one embodiment, the
backside blocking dielectric layer 44 can be formed by a conformal
deposition process such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). The
backside blocking dielectric layer 44 can consist essentially of
aluminum oxide. The thickness of the backside blocking dielectric
layer 44 can be in a range from 1 nm to 15 nm, such as 2 to 6 nm,
although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
[0111] The dielectric material of the backside blocking dielectric
layer 44 can be a dielectric metal oxide such as aluminum oxide, a
dielectric oxide of at least one transition metal element, a
dielectric oxide of at least one Lanthanide element, a dielectric
oxide of a combination of aluminum, at least one transition metal
element, and/or at least one Lanthanide element. Alternatively or
additionally, the backside blocking dielectric layer can include a
silicon oxide layer. The backside blocking dielectric layer can be
deposited by a conformal deposition method such as chemical vapor
deposition or atomic layer deposition. The thickness of the
backside blocking dielectric layer can be in a range from 1 nm to
10 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed. The backside blocking dielectric layer is formed on the
sidewalls of the backside trenches 79, horizontal surfaces and
sidewalls of the insulating layers 32, the portions of the sidewall
surfaces of the memory stack structures 55 that are physically
exposed to the backside recesses 43, and a top surface of the
planar dielectric portion 616. A backside cavity 79' is present
within the portion of each backside trench 79 that is not filled
with the backside blocking dielectric layer.
[0112] At least one conductive material can be deposited in the
backside recesses 43, peripheral portions of the backside trenches
79, and over the drain level dielectric material layer 73 by
conformal deposition. Each continuous portion of the at least one
conductive material deposited in a backside recess 43 constitutes
an electrically conductive layer 46. The conductive material
deposited outside of the backside recesses 43 collectively
constitute a continuous metallic material layer 46L, which is a
continuous layer of the conductive material that is deposited over
the drain level dielectric material layer 73 and at peripheral
portions of the backside trenches 79.
[0113] In an illustrative example, a metallic barrier layer (not
explicitly shown) can be deposited in the backside recesses. The
metallic barrier layer includes an electrically conductive metallic
material that can function as a diffusion barrier layer and/or
adhesion promotion layer for a metallic fill material to be
subsequently deposited. The metallic barrier layer can include a
conductive metallic nitride material such as TiN, TaN, WN, or a
stack thereof, or can include a conductive metallic carbide
material such as TiC, TaC, WC, or a stack thereof. In one
embodiment, the metallic barrier layer can be deposited by a
conformal deposition process such as chemical vapor deposition
(CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). The thickness of the
metallic barrier layer can be in a range from 2 nm to 8 nm, such as
from 3 nm to 6 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also
be employed. In one embodiment, the metallic barrier layer can
consist essentially of a conductive metal nitride such as TiN.
[0114] A metal fill material is deposited in the plurality of
backside recesses 43, on the sidewalls of the at least one the
backside contact trench 79, and over the top surface of the drain
level dielectric material layer 73 to form a metallic fill material
layer. The metallic fill 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. In one
embodiment, the metallic fill material layer can consist
essentially of at least one elemental metal. The at least one
elemental metal of the metallic fill material layer can be
selected, for example, from tungsten, cobalt, ruthenium, titanium,
and tantalum. In one embodiment, the metallic fill material layer
can consist essentially of a single elemental metal. In one
embodiment, the metallic fill material layer can be deposited
employing a fluorine-containing precursor gas such as WF.sub.6. In
one embodiment, the metallic fill material layer can be a tungsten
layer including a residual level of fluorine atoms as impurities.
The metallic fill material layer is spaced from the insulating
layers 32 and the memory stack structures 55 by the metallic
barrier layer, which is a metallic barrier layer that blocks
diffusion of fluorine atoms therethrough.
[0115] A plurality of electrically conductive layers 46 can be
formed in the plurality of backside recesses 43. The continuous
metallic material layer 46L can be formed on the sidewalls of each
backside contact trench 79 and over the drain level dielectric
material layer 73. Each electrically conductive layer 46 includes a
portion of the metallic barrier layer and a portion of the metallic
fill material layer that are located between a vertically
neighboring pair of dielectric material layers, which can be a pair
of insulating layers 32, a bottommost insulating layer and a gate
dielectric layer 12, or a topmost insulating layer and the
insulating cap layer 70. The continuous metallic material layer 46L
includes a continuous portion of the metallic barrier layer and a
continuous portion of the metallic fill material layer that are
located in the backside trenches 79 or above the drain level
dielectric material layer 73.
[0116] Each sacrificial material layer 42 can be replaced with an
electrically conductive layer 46. A backside cavity 79' is present
in the portion of each backside contact trench 79 that is not
filled with the backside blocking dielectric layer and the
continuous metallic material layer 46L. A tubular dielectric spacer
116 laterally surrounds an epitaxial channel portion 11. A
bottommost electrically conductive layer 46 laterally surrounds
each tubular dielectric spacer 116 upon formation of the
electrically conductive layers 46.
[0117] Referring to FIG. 16, the deposited metallic material of the
continuous electrically conductive material layer 46L is etched
back from the sidewalls of each backside contact trench 79 and from
above the drain level dielectric material layer 73, for example, by
an isotropic wet etch, an anisotropic dry etch, or a combination
thereof. Each remaining portion of the deposited metallic material
in the backside recesses 43 constitutes an electrically conductive
layer 46. Each electrically conductive layer 46 can be a conductive
line structure. Thus, the sacrificial material layers 42 are
replaced with the electrically conductive layers 46.
[0118] Each drain select level gate electrode 29 functions as a
drain side select gate electrode (SGD) of the vertical NAND string.
One or several of the bottommost electrically conductive layers
functions as a source side select gate electrode (SGS) of the
vertical NAND string. Each electrically conductive layer 46 located
between the drain side and the source side select gate electrodes
can function as a combination of a plurality of control gate
electrodes located at a same level and a word line electrically
interconnecting, i.e., electrically shorting, the plurality of
control gate electrodes located at the same level. The plurality of
control gate electrodes within each electrically conductive layer
46 are the control gate electrodes 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.
[0119] In one embodiment, the removal of the continuous
electrically conductive material layer 46L can be selective to the
material of the backside blocking dielectric layer 44. In this
case, a horizontal portion of the backside blocking dielectric
layer 44 can be present at the bottom of each backside contact
trench 79. The gate dielectric layer 12 can be vertically spaced
from the backside contact trench 79 by the horizontal portion of
the backside blocking dielectric layer 44.
[0120] In another embodiment, the removal of the continuous
electrically conductive material layer 46L may not be selective to
the material of the backside blocking dielectric layer 44 or, the
backside blocking dielectric layer 44 may not be employed. In this
case, a top surface and/or sidewall surface, of the gate dielectric
layer 12 can be physically exposed at the bottom of the backside
contact trench 79 depending on whether the gate dielectric layer 12
is not removed or partially removed during removal of the
continuous electrically conductive material layer 46L. A backside
cavity 79' is present within each backside contact trench 79.
[0121] Referring to FIG. 17, an insulating material layer can be
formed in the at least one backside contact trench 79 and over the
drain level dielectric material layer 73 by a conformal deposition
process. Exemplary conformal deposition processes include, but are
not limited to, chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer
deposition. The insulating material layer includes an insulating
material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, a dielectric metal
oxide, an organosilicate glass, or a combination thereof. In one
embodiment, the insulating material layer can include silicon
oxide. The insulating material layer can be formed, for example, by
low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) or atomic layer
deposition (ALD). The thickness of the insulating material layer
can be in a range from 1.5 nm to 60 nm, although lesser and greater
thicknesses can also be employed.
[0122] If a backside blocking dielectric layer 44 is present, the
insulating material layer can be formed directly on surfaces of the
backside blocking dielectric layer 44 and directly on the sidewalls
of the electrically conductive layers 46. If a backside blocking
dielectric layer 44 is not employed, the insulating material layer
can be formed directly on sidewalls of the insulating layers 32 and
directly on sidewalls of the electrically conductive layers 46.
[0123] An anisotropic etch is performed to remove horizontal
portions of the insulating material layer from above the drain
level dielectric material layer 73 and at the bottom of each
backside contact trench 79. Each remaining portion of the
insulating material layer constitutes an insulating spacer 74. A
backside cavity 79' is present within a volume surrounded by each
insulating spacer 74.
[0124] The anisotropic etch process can continue with, or without,
a change in the etch chemistry to remove portions of the optional
backside blocking dielectric layer 44 and the planar dielectric
portion 616 that underlies the opening through the insulating
spacer 74. An opening is formed though the planar dielectric
portion 616 underneath each backside cavity 79', thereby vertically
extending the backside cavity 79'. A top surface of the
semiconductor material layer 10 can be physically exposed at the
bottom of each backside contact trench 79. The remaining portion of
each planar dielectric portion 616 is herein referred to as an
annular dielectric portion 616', which can include a dielectric
oxide of the semiconductor material of the semiconductor material
layer 10, have a uniform thickness, and an opening
therethrough.
[0125] A source region 61 can be formed at a surface portion of the
semiconductor material layer 10 under each backside cavity 79' by
implantation of electrical dopants into physically exposed surface
portions of the semiconductor material layer 10. Each source region
61 is formed in a surface portion of the substrate (9, 10) that
underlies a respective opening through the insulating spacer 74.
Due to the straggle of the implanted dopant atoms during the
implantation process and lateral diffusion of the implanted dopant
atoms during a subsequent activation anneal process, each source
region 61 can have a lateral extent greater than the lateral extent
of the opening through the insulating spacer 74. Each source region
61 can have a doping of a second conductivity type, which is the
opposite of the first conductivity type. For example, if the first
conductivity type is p-type, the second conductivity type is
n-type, and vice versa.
[0126] An upper portion of the semiconductor material layer 10 that
extends between the source region 61 and the plurality of epitaxial
channel portions 11 constitutes a horizontal semiconductor channel
59 for a plurality of field effect transistors. The horizontal
semiconductor channel 59 is connected to multiple vertical
semiconductor channels 60 through respective epitaxial channel
portions 11. The horizontal semiconductor channel 59 contacts the
source region 61 and the plurality of epitaxial channel portions
11. A bottommost electrically conductive layer 46 provided upon
formation of the electrically conductive layers 46 within the
alternating stack (32, 46) can comprise a select gate electrode for
the field effect transistors. Each source region 61 is formed in an
upper portion of the semiconductor substrate (9, 10).
[0127] A contact via structure 76 can be formed within each cavity
79'. Each contact via structure 76 can fill a respective cavity
79'. The contact via structures 76 can be formed by depositing at
least one conductive material in the remaining unfilled volume
(i.e., the backside cavity 79') of the backside contact trench 79.
For example, the at least one conductive material can include a
conductive liner 76A and a conductive fill material portion 76B.
The conductive liner 76A can include a conductive metallic liner
such as TiN, TaN, WN, TiC, TaC, WC, an alloy thereof, or a stack
thereof. The thickness of the conductive liner 76A can be in a
range from 3 nm to 30 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses
can also be employed. The conductive fill material portion 76B can
include a metal or a metallic alloy. For example, the conductive
fill material portion 76B can include W, Cu, Al, Co, Ru, Ni, an
alloy thereof, or a stack thereof.
[0128] The at least one conductive material can be planarized
employing the drain level dielectric material layer 73 overlying
the alternating stack (32, 46) as a stopping layer. If chemical
mechanical planarization (CMP) process is employed, the drain level
dielectric material layer 73 can be employed as a CMP stopping
layer. Each remaining continuous portion of the at least one
conductive material in the backside contact trenches 79 constitutes
a backside contact via structure 76. The backside contact via
structure 76 extends through the alternating stack (32, 46), and
contacts a top surface of the source region 61. If a backside
blocking dielectric layer 44 is employed, the backside contact via
structure 76 can contact a sidewall of the backside blocking
dielectric layer 44.
[0129] In the prior embodiment, the drain select level gate
electrodes 29 are formed prior to forming the electrically
conductive layers (e.g., word lines) 46 and prior to forming the
backside contact via structure 76. In one alternative embodiment,
the steps described above for forming the drain select level gate
electrodes 29 can be performed after forming the electrically
conductive layers (e.g., word lines) 46 and prior to forming the
backside contact via structure 76. In another alternative
embodiment, the steps described above for forming the drain select
level gate electrodes 29 can be performed after forming the
electrically conductive layers (e.g., word lines) 46 and after
forming the backside contact via structure 76.
[0130] Referring to FIG. 18, via cavities are formed through the
drain level dielectric material layer 73. For example, a
photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the drain level
dielectric material layer 73, and can be lithographically patterned
to form openings in areas that overlie the memory stack structures
55. An anisotropic etch can be performed to transfer the pattern of
the photoresist layer through the drain level dielectric material
layer 73, thereby forming the via cavities. The photoresist layer
can be subsequently removed, for example, by ashing.
[0131] In one embodiment, semiconductor material can be deposited
in the via cavities, for example, by a conformal semiconductor
material deposition process such as low pressure chemical vapor
deposition (LPCVD). Excess portions of the deposited semiconductor
material can be removed from above the horizontal plane including
the top surface of the drain level dielectric material layer 73 by
a planarization process, which can employ chemical mechanical
planarization (CMP) and/or a recess etch. A semiconductor material
portion is formed within each via cavity through the drain level
dielectric material layer 73. In one embodiment, the semiconductor
material can have a doping of the first conductivity type, or can
be intrinsic. In this case, dopants of the second conductivity type
can be implanted into at least the upper portion of each
semiconductor material portion to form drain regions 63, which has
a doping of the second conductivity type. The source regions 61 and
the drain regions 63 can have a doping of the second conductivity
type at a dopant concentration in a range from
1.0.times.10.sup.19/cm.sup.3 to 2.0.times.10.sup.20/cm.sup.3,
although lesser and greater dopant concentrations can also be
employed.
[0132] In another embodiment, the drain regions 63 can be formed by
ion implanting dopants of the second conductivity type (e.g.,
n-type dopants, such as P or As) in the drain select level channel
portions 22 to convert at least an upper portion of each drain
select level channel portion 22 to a drain region 63. In
alternative embodiments, the drain regions 63 can be formed prior
to forming the electrically conductive layers (e.g., word lines) 46
or prior to forming the backside contact via structure 76.
[0133] In one embodiment, the drain regions 63 can extend to the
horizontal plane including the top surfaces of the drain select
level channel portions 22. In this case, the drain regions 63 can
physically contact top surfaces of the drain select level channel
portions 22. Alternatively, the bottom surface of the drain regions
63 may be located above the horizontal plane including the top
surfaces of the drain select level channel portions 22. In this
case, remaining portions of the semiconductor material portions
that have a doping of the first conductivity type or intrinsic
constitute a top semiconductor channel portion 64.
[0134] Semiconductor channels (59, 11, 60, 22, 64) are formed
between each drain region 63 and a respective source region 61 that
is proximal to the array of memory stack structures 55 underlying
the drain regions 63. Each semiconductor channel (59, 11, 60, 64)
includes a horizontal semiconductor channel 59, an optional
epitaxial channel portion 11 (if present), a vertical semiconductor
channel (60, 22 and optionally 64). Each vertical semiconductor
channel (60, 22, 64) includes a memory level channel portion 60, a
drain select level channel portion 22, and an optional top
semiconductor channel portion 64.
[0135] Each of the various components of a semiconductor channel
(59, 11, 60, 64) can have an independent semiconductor composition
that may, or may not, be the same as semiconductor composition(s)
of other components of the semiconductor channel (59,11, 60, 64).
Further, each of the various components of a semiconductor channel
(59, 11, 60, 64) can be p-doped or intrinsic. The dopant
concentration of each of the various components of a semiconductor
channel (59, 11, 60, 64) can be independently controlled for
optimal performance. As such, the dopant concentration of each of
the various components of a semiconductor channel (59, 11, 60, 64)
may, or may not, be the same as dopant concentrations of other
components of the various components of a semiconductor channel
(59, 11, 60, 64).
[0136] The drain regions 63 are embedded in the drain level
dielectric material layer 73, and can be located over the drain
select level gate electrodes 29. In one embodiment, each of the
drain regions 63 can contact a top end of a respective vertical
semiconductor channel (60, 22, 64) including a respective one of
the drain select level channel portions 22 and a respective one of
the memory level channel portions 60, and optionally including a
top semiconductor channel portion 64. In one embodiment, each drain
region 63 can have a respective geometrical center that is located
on the same vertical axis as the geometrical center of the
respective one of the memory level channel portions 60 that
underlies the drain region 63. In other words, the drain regions 63
can be formed as a periodic two-dimensional array located at areas
that coincide with the areas of the periodic two-dimensional array
of memory stack structures 55. Alternatively, the drain regions 63
can be formed as a periodic two-dimensional array located at areas
that coincide with the drain select level channel portions 22, such
as when the drain regions 63 are formed by ion implantation into
the drain select level channel portions 22.
[0137] Referring to FIGS. 19A and 19B, a contact level dielectric
material layer 80 can be formed over the drain level dielectric
material layer 73. The contact level dielectric material layer 80
includes a dielectric material such as silicon oxide, silicon
nitride, and/or organosilicate glass.
[0138] Additional contact via structures (88, 86, 8P) can be formed
through the contact level dielectric layer 80, the drain level
dielectric material layer 73, the drain select level dielectric
layer 71, and optionally through the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65. For example, drain contact via structures 88
can be formed through the contact level dielectric material layer
80 on each drain region 63. Bit lines 90 which extend in the second
horizontal direction (i.e., hd2) can be formed in electrical
contact with the drain contact via structures 88. Word line contact
via structures 86 can be formed on the electrically conductive
layers 46 through the contact level dielectric layer 80, the drain
level dielectric material layer 73, the drain select level
dielectric layer 71, and through the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65. Peripheral device contact via structures 8P
can be formed through the contact level dielectric layer 80, the
drain level dielectric material layer 73, the drain select level
dielectric layer 71, and through the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65 directly on respective nodes of the peripheral
devices.
[0139] The exemplary structure of the present disclosure includes a
three-dimensional memory device, which comprises: an alternating
stack of insulating layers 32 and electrically conductive layers 46
located over a substrate (9, 10), memory stack structures 55
extending through the alternating stack (32, 46), wherein each of
the memory stack structures 55 comprises a memory film 50 and a
memory level channel portion 60 contacting an inner sidewall of the
memory film 50, and drain select level channel portions 22
overlying a respective memory level channel portion 60. In one
embodiment, a geometrical center of each drain select level channel
portion 22 is laterally offset with respect to a geometrical center
of the respective memory level channel portion 60. Drain select
level gate dielectrics 24 laterally surround and contact a
respective subset of the drain select level channel portions 22.
Drain select level gate electrodes 29 laterally surround respective
drain select level gate dielectrics 24. In one embodiment, the
drain select level gate electrodes comprise convex outer
sidewalls.
[0140] In one embodiment, the memory stack structures 55 are
arranged as a two-dimensional periodic array including respective
rows that extend along a first horizontal direction hd1 and have a
uniform inter-row pitch p along a second horizontal direction hd2;
and the drain select level channel portions 22 are arranged in
respective rows that extend along the first horizontal direction
hd1 and have a periodically modulated inter-row center-to-center
spacing (ICS1, ICS2) having a periodicity of twice the inter-row
pitch p of the two-dimensional periodic array of the memory stack
structures 55.
[0141] Adjacent rows that belong to two different neighboring pairs
of rows PRR have a second inter-row center-to-center spacing ICS2
that is greater than the inter-row pitch, p, of the two-dimensional
periodic array of the memory stack structures 55, and greater than
the first inter-row center-to-center spacing ICS1.
[0142] The drain select level gate electrodes 29 have a continuous
set of sidewalls that laterally surround a respective pair of rows
PRR of drain select level channel portions 22, as shown in FIG.
10B.
[0143] The drain select level gate electrodes 29 are physically
adjoined in each pair of rows PRR, but are physically disjoined
among one another between each pair of rows PRR, as shown in FIG.
10B.
[0144] The continuous set of sidewalls of the drain select level
gate electrodes 29 comprise convex outer sidewalls 29A that
partially laterally surround the respective drain select level
channel portion 22 in the pair of rows PRR of drain select level
channel portions 22 and planar, non-convex outer sidewalls 29B that
surround an elongated template structure 122. The convex outer
sidewalls 29A are separated by concave outer sidewall portions 29C
as shown in FIG. 10B. In contrast, the electrically conductive
layers (i.e., word lines) 46 have planar, non-convex outer
sidewalls 46S which abut the planar sidewall of the dielectric
spacer 74 in the backside trench 79 containing the contact via
structure 76, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. As used herein, "outer"
sidewalls are the sidewalls which face away from the respective
semiconductor channel portions (22, 60).
[0145] In one embodiment, the drain select level channel portions
22 are arranged as pairs of rows PRR that extend along the first
horizontal direction hd1; and two rows with each pair of rows PRR
has a first inter-row center-to-center spacing ICS1 that is less
than the inter-row pitch p of the two-dimensional periodic array of
the memory stack structures 55. In one embodiment, the drain select
level gate electrodes 29 are physically disjoined among one another
between each pairs of rows PRR. Each drain select level channel
portion 22 within a pair of rows PRR of the drain select level
channel portions 22 is laterally surrounded by a respective one of
the drain select level gate electrodes 29.
[0146] In one embodiment, the drain select level gate dielectrics
24 are physically disjoined among one another between each part of
rows PRR. Each drain select level channel portion 22 within a pair
of rows PRR of the drain select level channel portions 22 is
laterally surrounded by, and contacts, a respective one of the
drain select level gate dielectrics 24. In one embodiment, each
drain select level gate dielectric 24 includes vertical portions
that contact a sidewall of a respective drain select level channel
portion 22 and a horizontal portion that is adjoined to a bottom
periphery of each one of the vertical portions of the drain select
level gate dielectric 24.
[0147] In one embodiment, each geometrical center of the drain
select level channel portions 22 is laterally offset from a
geometrical center of a respective underlying memory level channel
portion 60 along the second horizontal direction hd2, and not along
the first horizontal direction hd1. In one embodiment, each of the
drain select level gate dielectrics 24 is in physical contact with
a top surface of the respective underlying memory level channel
portion 60. The three-dimensional memory device can further
comprise drain regions 63 each contacting a top end of a respective
drain select level channel portions 22.
[0148] In one embodiment, the alternating stack (32, 46) comprises
a terrace region in which each electrically conductive layer 46
other than a topmost electrically conductive layer 46 within the
alternating stack (32, 46) laterally extends farther than any
overlying electrically conductive layer 46 within the alternating
stack (32, 46). The terrace region includes stepped surfaces of the
alternating stack (32, 46) that continuously extend from a
bottommost layer within the alternating stack (32, 46) to a topmost
layer within the alternating stack (32, 46). Support pillar
structures 20 extend through the stepped surfaces and through a
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65 that overlies the
stepped surfaces.
[0149] The exemplary structure can include a three-dimensional
memory device. In one embodiment, the three-dimensional memory
device comprises a vertical NAND memory device. The electrically
conductive layers 46 can comprise, or can be electrically connected
to, a respective word line of the monolithic three-dimensional NAND
memory device. The substrate (9, 10) can comprise a silicon
substrate. The vertical NAND memory device can comprise an array of
monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings over the silicon
substrate. At least one memory cell (as embodied as a portion of a
charge storage layer 54 at a level of an electrically conductive
layer 46) in a first device level of the array of monolithic
three-dimensional NAND strings can be located over another memory
cell (as embodied as another portion of the charge storage layer 54
at a level of another electrically conductive layer 46) in a second
device level of the array of monolithic three-dimensional NAND
strings. The silicon substrate can contain an integrated circuit
comprising a driver circuit for the memory device located thereon.
The electrically conductive layers 46 can comprise a plurality of
control gate electrodes having a strip shape extending
substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate (9, 10),
e.g., between a pair of backside trenches 79. The plurality of
control gate electrodes comprises at least a first control gate
electrode located in a first device level and a second control gate
electrode located in a second device level. The array of monolithic
three-dimensional NAND strings can comprise: a plurality of
semiconductor channels (59, 11, 60, 22, 64), wherein at least one
end portion (60, 22, 64) of each of the plurality of semiconductor
channels (59, 11, 60, 22, 64) extends substantially perpendicular
to a top surface of the substrate (9, 10); and a plurality of
charge storage elements (as embodied as charge trapping material
portions). Each charge storage element can be located adjacent to a
respective one of the plurality of semiconductor channels (59, 11,
60, 22, 64).
[0150] One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a simpler
method of making the drain side select gate (SGD) device using a
single masking step for the SGD device patterning and isolation,
and simple process steps to realize 2-staggered SGD device
isolation. The 2-staggered SGD device is formed on top of the three
dimensional NAND memory array by formation of channel posts 22 and
self-aligned select gate electrode 29 isolation without requiring a
dedicated space. The shallow trench isolation process which
separates drain side select gate electrodes between memory blocks
in the prior art processes can be omitted due to self aligned
separation of the drain sided select gate electrode 29.
[0151] 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.
* * * * *