U.S. patent application number 15/354795 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-17 for three-dimensional memory device having a multilevel drain select gate electrode and method of making thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC. Invention is credited to Johann Alsmeier, Murshed Chowdhury, Jin Liu, Raghuveer S. Makala, Yanli Zhang.
Application Number | 20180138193 15/354795 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62091504 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180138193 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zhang; Yanli ; et
al. |
May 17, 2018 |
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEMORY DEVICE HAVING A MULTILEVEL DRAIN SELECT
GATE ELECTRODE AND METHOD OF MAKING THEREOF
Abstract
A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack
of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located
over a substrate and memory stack structures extending through the
alternating stack. Each memory stack structure includes a memory
film and a vertical semiconductor channel. An isolation trench
laterally extends along a horizontal direction and divides at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers. Two conductive rail
structures are located on lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation
trench and are electrically shorted to respective segments of the
at least two topmost electrically conductive layers.
Inventors: |
Zhang; Yanli; (San Jose,
CA) ; Liu; Jin; (Milpitas, CA) ; Makala;
Raghuveer S.; (Campbell, CA) ; Chowdhury;
Murshed; (Milpitas, CA) ; Alsmeier; Johann;
(San Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC |
Plano |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
62091504 |
Appl. No.: |
15/354795 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 27/11556 20130101;
H01L 29/6656 20130101; H01L 29/40117 20190801; H01L 27/11573
20130101; H01L 29/0649 20130101; H01L 29/40114 20190801; H01L
27/11582 20130101; H01L 29/6653 20130101; H01L 27/11526 20130101;
H01L 27/1157 20130101; H01L 23/528 20130101; H01L 23/5226 20130101;
H01L 21/76877 20130101; H01L 29/78 20130101; H01L 21/76224
20130101; H01L 29/1033 20130101; H01L 29/0847 20130101; H01L
21/32133 20130101; H01L 27/11524 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 27/115 20060101
H01L027/115; H01L 29/06 20060101 H01L029/06; H01L 23/528 20060101
H01L023/528; H01L 29/08 20060101 H01L029/08; H01L 29/10 20060101
H01L029/10; H01L 23/522 20060101 H01L023/522; H01L 21/28 20060101
H01L021/28; H01L 21/762 20060101 H01L021/762; H01L 21/768 20060101
H01L021/768; H01L 21/3213 20060101 H01L021/3213; H01L 29/66
20060101 H01L029/66 |
Claims
1. 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 vertical semiconductor channel
contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film; an isolation
trench laterally extending along a horizontal direction and
dividing a set of layers including at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers within the alternating stack into
two physically disjoined layer stacks including respective segments
of the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers; and two
conductive rail structures located on lengthwise sidewalls of the
isolation trench and laterally extending along the horizontal
direction, wherein each of the two conductive rail structures is
electrically shorted to segments of the at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers located within a respective
physically disjoined layer stack.
2. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, further
comprising a dielectric fill material portion located within the
isolation trench and contacting widthwise sidewalls of the
isolation trench and inner sidewalls of the two conductive rail
structures.
3. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein each of
the two conductive rail structures has a substantially uniform
vertical cross-sectional shape that is invariant with lateral
translation along the horizontal direction which is perpendicular
to the lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench.
4. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 3, wherein physical
interfaces between the two conductive rail structures and the at
least two topmost electrically conductive layers coincide with the
lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench.
5. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein physical
interfaces between the two conductive rail structures and the at
least two topmost electrically conductive layers are laterally
offset from the lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench along
a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction.
6. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein each of
the two conductive rail structures has a variable thickness that
has local maxima at levels of the at least two topmost electrically
conductive layers and has at least one local minimum at each level
of an insulating layer within the set of layers including the at
least two topmost electrically conductive layers.
7. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 6, wherein the two
conductive rail structures comprise a different conductive material
than the electrically conductive layers.
8. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein a
bottommost surface of the isolation trench is located within one of
the insulating layers within the alternating stack.
9. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein: a
bottommost surface of the isolation trench is located within the
substrate; and a dielectric rail structure is located at a lower
portion of the isolation trench, and contacts the substrate and
bottom surfaces of the two conductive rail structures.
10. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 9, wherein the
dielectric rail structure comprises at least two different
dielectric materials.
11. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein a
semiconductor source region located at a bottom end of each
vertical semiconductor channel is electrically shorted to a source
electrode which comprises at least one bottommost electrically
conductive layer within the alternating stack.
12. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, further
comprising: a backside contact via structure vertically extending
through the alternating stack; an insulating spacer laterally
surrounding the backside contact via structure and extending
through the alternating stack; and a source region located in the
substrate and contacting a bottom surface of the backside contact
via structure.
13. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein: the
alternating stack comprises a terrace region in which each
electrically conductive layer other than a topmost electrically
conductive layer within the alternating stack laterally extends
farther than any overlying electrically conductive layer within the
alternating stack; the terrace region includes stepped surfaces of
the alternating stack that continuously extend from a bottommost
layer within the alternating stack to a topmost layer within the
alternating stack; and support pillar structures extend through the
stepped surfaces and through a retro-stepped dielectric material
portion that overlies the stepped surfaces.
14. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1, wherein: the
three-dimensional memory device comprises a monolithic
three-dimensional NAND memory device; the electrically conductive
layers comprise, or are electrically connected to, a respective
word line of the monolithic three-dimensional NAND memory device;
the substrate comprises a silicon substrate; the monolithic
three-dimensional NAND memory device comprises an array of
monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings over the silicon
substrate; at least one memory cell in a first device level of the
array of monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings is located over
another memory cell in a second device level of the array of
monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings; the silicon substrate
contains an integrated circuit comprising a driver circuit for the
memory device located thereon; the electrically conductive layers
comprise a plurality of control gate electrodes having a strip
shape extending substantially parallel to the top surface of the
substrate, the plurality of control gate electrodes comprise at
least a first control gate electrode located in the first device
level and a second control gate electrode located in the second
device level; and the array of monolithic three-dimensional NAND
strings comprises: a plurality of semiconductor channels, wherein
at least one end portion of each of the plurality of semiconductor
channels extends substantially perpendicular to a top surface of
the substrate, and a plurality of charge storage elements, each
charge storage element located adjacent to a respective one of the
plurality of semiconductor channels.
15. 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 spacer
material layers are formed as, or are 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 vertical semiconductor channel
contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film; forming an
isolation trench laterally extending along a horizontal direction
at least through a set of layers including at least two topmost
spacer material layers within the alternating stack, wherein the
isolation trench divides each layer within the set of layers into
multiple segments; and forming two conductive rail structures on
lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench, wherein each of the
two conductive rail structures is electrically shorted to segments
of at least two topmost electrically conductive layers provided
within a respective one of two physically disjoined layer stacks
that are separated by the isolation trench.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming a dielectric
fill material portion within the isolation trench and on widthwise
sidewalls of the isolation trench and inner sidewalls of the two
conductive rail structures.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the two conductive rail
structures are formed by: depositing a conductive material layer in
the isolation trench and directly on sidewalls of the segments of
the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers of the two
physically disjoined layer stacks; and removing horizontal portions
of the conductive material layer by an anisotropic etch, wherein
remaining vertical portions of the conductive material layer
comprise the two conductive rail structures.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the two conductive rail
structures are formed by selectively depositing a conductive
material on physically exposed sidewalls of the segments of the at
least two topmost electrically conductive layers of the two
physically disjoined layer stacks while preventing growth of the
conductive material from physically exposed surfaces of the
insulating layers.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the spacer material layers are
formed as sacrificial material layers within the alternating stack,
and the method further comprises: forming two sacrificial spacer
structures on the lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench;
removing the two sacrificial spacer structures and the sacrificial
material layers selective to the insulating layers; and depositing
at least one conductive material in volumes from which the two
sacrificial spacer structures and the sacrificial material layers
are removed to form a pair of continuous conductive structures,
wherein each of the pair of continuous conductive structures
includes respective segments of the at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers and a respective one of the two
conductive rail structures.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the two conductive rail
structures are formed directly on sidewalls of the at least two
topmost electrically conductive layers that are vertically
coincident with a sidewall of one of the insulating layers that is
physically exposed to the isolation trench.
21. The method of claim 15, wherein the isolation trench extends to
a top surface of the substrate, and the method further comprises
forming a dielectric rail structure laterally extending along the
horizontal direction at a lower portion of the isolation trench
directly on the substrate, wherein the two conductive rail
structures contacts a top surface of the dielectric rail
structure.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein: the dielectric rail structure
is formed by filling at least one dielectric material in the
isolation trench up to a top periphery of the isolation trench and
vertically recessing a top portion of the at least one dielectric
material and laterally recessing the segments of the at least two
topmost electrically conductive layers; and the two conductive rail
structures are formed directly on laterally recessed sidewalls of
the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the dielectric rail structure
is formed by: depositing a first dielectric material layer in the
isolation trench; depositing second dielectric material layer over
the first dielectric material layer to fill the isolation trench;
and recessing the first and the second dielectric materials in the
isolation trench.
24. The method of claim 15, further comprising: forming memory
openings through the alternating stack; and forming a source region
at a bottom of each of the memory openings, wherein: each vertical
semiconductor channel is formed on a respective source region; and
at least one bottommost electrically conductive layer among the
electrically conductive layer is electrically shorted to the source
region.
25. The method of claim 15, wherein: a bottommost surface of the
isolation trench is formed within one of the insulating layers
within the alternating stack; and the two conductive rail
structures are formed directly on a top surface of the one of the
insulating layers within the alternating stack.
26. The method of claim 15, further comprising: forming a backside
trench through an entirety of the alternating stack; removing the
spacer material layers through the backside trench to form backside
recesses; forming the electrically conductive layers in the
backside recesses; forming a source region underneath the backside
trench in the substrate; forming an insulating spacer at a
periphery of the backside trench; and forming a backside contact
via structure on the source region and inside the insulating
spacer.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein: the backside trench is wider
than the isolation trench; the backside trench and the isolation
trench are formed in a same etching step; the insulating spacer is
formed by partially filling the backside trench and completely
fills the isolation trench with a dielectric material layer and
removing a horizontal portion of the dielectric material layer in
the backside trench; a dielectric rail structure is formed in the
isolation trench by vertically recessing a top portion of the
dielectric material layer; and the two conductive rail structures
are formed on the dielectric rail structure.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein removing the spacer material
layers occurs prior to forming the isolation trench.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein removing the spacer material
layers occurs after forming the isolation trench.
30. The method of claim 15, wherein: the three-dimensional memory
device comprises a monolithic three-dimensional NAND memory device;
the electrically conductive layers comprise, or are electrically
connected to, a respective word line of the monolithic
three-dimensional NAND memory device; the substrate comprises a
silicon substrate; the monolithic three-dimensional NAND memory
device comprises an array of monolithic three-dimensional NAND
strings over the silicon substrate; at least one memory cell in a
first device level of the array of monolithic three-dimensional
NAND strings is located over another memory cell in a second device
level of the array of monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings;
the silicon substrate contains an integrated circuit comprising a
driver circuit for the memory device located thereon; the
electrically conductive layers comprise a plurality of control gate
electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially parallel to
the top surface of the substrate, the plurality of control gate
electrodes comprise at least a first control gate electrode located
in the first device level and a second control gate electrode
located in the second device level; and the array of monolithic
three-dimensional NAND strings comprises: a plurality of
semiconductor channels, wherein at least one end portion of each of
the plurality of semiconductor channels extends substantially
perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, and a plurality of
charge storage elements, each charge storage element located
adjacent to a respective one of the plurality of semiconductor
channels.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of
semiconductor devices, and particular to a three-dimensional memory
device employing a multilevel drain select gate 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.
[0003] High resistance of metal lines can limit performance of
devices. Generally, the narrower a metal line, the higher the
resistance. In three-dimensional memory devices in which drain
select gate electrodes have a narrower width than underlying
control gate electrodes, the relatively higher resistivity of the
drain select gate electrodes can limit performance of memory cells
within a three-dimensional memory array.
SUMMARY
[0004] 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 vertical semiconductor
channel contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film; an
isolation trench laterally extending along a horizontal direction
and dividing a set of layers including at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers within the alternating stack into
two physically disjoined layer stacks including respective segments
of the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers; and two
conductive rail structures located on lengthwise sidewalls of the
isolation trench and laterally extending along the horizontal
direction, wherein each of the two conductive rail structures is
electrically shorted to segments of the at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers located within a respective
physically disjoined layer stack.
[0005] 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 spacer material layers are formed
as, or are 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 vertical
semiconductor channel contacting an inner sidewall of the memory
film. An isolation trench laterally extending along a horizontal
direction at least through a set of layers including at least two
topmost spacer material layers is formed within the alternating
stack. The isolation trench divides each layer within the set of
layers into multiple segments. Two conductive rail structures are
formed on lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench. Each of the
two conductive rail structures is electrically shorted to segments
of at least two topmost electrically conductive layers provided
within a respective one of two physically disjoined layer stacks
that are separated by the isolation trench.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
first exemplary structure after formation of at least one
peripheral device, a semiconductor material layer, and a gate
dielectric layer according to a first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of an alternating stack
of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers according to
the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of stepped terraces and a
retro-stepped dielectric material portion according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 4A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of memory openings and
support openings according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 4B is a top-down view of the first exemplary structure
of FIG. 4A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the
cross-section for FIG. 4A.
[0011] FIGS. 5A-5H are sequential schematic vertical
cross-sectional views of a memory opening within the first
exemplary structure up to the processing step of deposition of a
second semiconductor channel layer according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of memory stack
structures and support pillar structures according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 7A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of isolation trenches
according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 7B is a partial see-through top-down view of the first
exemplary structure of FIG. 7A. The vertical plane A-A' is the
plane of the schematic vertical cross-sectional view of FIG.
7A.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of backside recesses
according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after deposition of at least one
electrically conductive material in the backside recesses and
peripheral portions of the isolation trenches according to the
first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 10 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after removal of a deposited conductive
material from within the isolation trench according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 11 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of a dielectric rail
structure within each isolation trench according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 12 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after vertical recessing of the
dielectric rail structures according to the first embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 13 is schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of a conductive material
layer according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 14A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of two conductive rail
structures within each recess region overlying a dielectric rail
structure according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 14B is a partial see-through top-down view of the first
exemplary structure of FIG. 14A. The vertical plane A-A' is the
plane of the schematic vertical cross-sectional view of FIG.
14A.
[0023] FIG. 15 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of a dielectric fill
material portion within each recess region according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 16A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first exemplary structure after formation of contact via structures
according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 16B is a top-down view of the first exemplary structure
of FIG. 16A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 16A.
[0026] FIG. 17 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
first alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure after
formation of two conductive rail structures within each recess
region overlying a dielectric rail structure according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 18 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
first alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure after
formation of a dielectric fill material portion within each recess
region according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 19 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
second alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure
after vertically recessing the dielectric rail structures and
laterally recessing at least two topmost electrically conductive
layers according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 20 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure
after forming two conductive rail structures and a dielectric fill
material portion within each recess region according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 21 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
third alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure after
forming two conductive rail structures and a dielectric fill
material portion within each recess region according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 22 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
fourth alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure
after formation of first and second dielectric rail material layers
according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0032] FIG. 23 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure
after recessing the second dielectric rail material layer according
to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0033] FIG. 24 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure
after formation of a dielectric rail structure in each isolation
trench according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0034] FIG. 25 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure
after formation of conductive rail structures and contact via
structures according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 26 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
fifth alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure after
formation of conductive rail structures and contact via structures
according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 27 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
sixth alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure after
formation of conductive rail structures and contact via structures
according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 28 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
seventh alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure
after formation of conductive rail structures and contact via
structures according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0038] FIG. 29A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
second exemplary structure after formation of backside trenches and
isolation trenches according to a second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0039] FIG. 29B is a partial see-through top-down view of the
second exemplary structure of FIG. 29A. The vertical plane A-A' is
the plane of the schematic vertical cross-sectional view of FIG.
29A.
[0040] FIG. 30 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after formation of backside recesses
according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0041] FIG. 31 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after deposition of at least one
electrically conductive material in the backside recesses and
peripheral portions of the backside trenches and the isolation
trenches according to the second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0042] FIG. 32 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after formation of source regions
according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0043] FIG. 33 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after formation of a dielectric rail
material layer according to the second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0044] FIG. 34 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after formation of dielectric rail
structures and insulating spacers according to the second
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0045] FIG. 35 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after formation of backside contact via
structures according to the second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0046] FIG. 36 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after vertically recessing the
dielectric rail structures according to the second embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0047] FIG. 37 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after formation of two conductive rail
structures within each recess region overlying the dielectric rail
structures according to the second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0048] FIG. 38A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
second exemplary structure after formation of contact via
structures according to the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0049] FIG. 38B is a top-down view of the second exemplary
structure of FIG. 38A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the
schematic vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 38A.
[0050] FIG. 39 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
first alternative embodiment of the second exemplary structure
after formation of contact via structures according to the first
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0051] FIG. 40A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
third exemplary structure after formation of isolation trenches
according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0052] FIG. 40B is a top-down view of the third exemplary structure
of FIG. 40A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 40A.
[0053] FIG. 41A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
third exemplary structure after formation of sacrificial spacer
structures within each isolation trench according to the third
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0054] FIG. 41B is a top-down view of the third exemplary structure
of FIG. 41A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 41A.
[0055] FIG. 42 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
third exemplary structure after formation of a dielectric fill
material layer according to the third embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0056] FIG. 43A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
third exemplary structure after formation of backside trenches
according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0057] FIG. 43B is a top-down view of the third exemplary structure
of FIG. 43A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 43A.
[0058] FIG. 44 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
third exemplary structure after formation of backside recesses and
rail cavities according to the third embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0059] FIG. 45A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
third exemplary structure after formation of electrically
conductive layers and conductive rail structures according to the
third embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0060] FIG. 45B is a magnified view of a region of the third
exemplary structure of FIG. 45A that includes a conductive rail
structure.
[0061] FIG. 46 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
third exemplary structure after formation of source regions and
backside contact via structures according to the third embodiment
of the present disclosure.
[0062] FIG. 47A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
third exemplary structure after formation of additional contact via
structures according to the third embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0063] FIG. 47B is a top-down view of the third exemplary structure
of FIG. 47A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the schematic
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 47A.
[0064] FIG. 48A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a
fourth exemplary structure after formation of backside contact via
structures according to a fourth embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0065] FIG. 48B is a top-down view of the fourth exemplary
structure of FIG. 48A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the
schematic vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 48A.
[0066] FIG. 49 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth exemplary structure after formation of backside recesses by
removal of the sacrificial material layers according to the fourth
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0067] FIG. 50 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth exemplary structure after formation of electrically
conductive layers in the backside recesses according to the fourth
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0068] FIG. 51 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth exemplary structure after formation of source regions and
backside contact via structures according to the fourth embodiment
of the present disclosure.
[0069] FIG. 52A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the
fourth exemplary structure after formation of isolation trenches
according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0070] FIG. 52B is a top-down view of the fourth exemplary
structure of FIG. 52A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the
schematic vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 52A.
[0071] FIG. 53 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the fourth
exemplary structure after formation of conductive rail structures
in the isolation trenches according to the fourth embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0072] FIG. 54A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the fourth
exemplary structure after formation of additional contact via
structures according to the fourth embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0073] FIG. 54B is a top-down view of the fourth exemplary
structure of FIG. 54A. The vertical plane A-A' is the plane of the
schematic vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 54A.
[0074] FIG. 55 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an alternative
embodiment of the fourth exemplary structure after formation of
contact via structures according to the fourth embodiment of the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0075] As discussed above, the present disclosure is directed to
three-dimensional memory devices employing a multilevel drain
select gate 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.
[0076] 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.
[0077] 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.
[0078] 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.
[0079] Referring to FIG. 1, a first exemplary structure according
to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated,
which can be employed, for example, to fabricate a device structure
containing vertical NAND memory devices. The first 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.
[0080] 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.
[0081] 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.
[0082] 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).
[0083] 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.
[0084] The region (i.e., area) of the at least one semiconductor
device 700 is herein referred to as a peripheral region (e.g.,
peripheral device region) 200. The 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 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.
[0085] 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.
[0086] 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.
[0087] 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.
[0088] 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.
[0089] 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.
[0090] 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).
[0091] 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.
[0092] 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.
[0093] 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.
[0094] 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.
[0095] Referring to FIG. 3, a stepped cavity can be formed within
the contact region 300 which is located between the memory array
(e.g., device) region 100 and the peripheral 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.
[0096] 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.
[0097] 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).
[0098] A retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65 (i.e., an
insulating fill material portion) can be formed in the stepped
cavity by deposition of a dielectric material therein. 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).
[0099] 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.
[0100] 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.
[0101] 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.
[0102] 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.
[0103] 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.
[0104] FIGS. 5A-5H illustrate structural changes in a memory
opening 49, which is one of the memory openings 49 in the first
exemplary structure of FIGS. 4A and 4B. The same structural change
occurs simultaneously in each of the other memory openings 49 and
in each support opening 19.
[0105] Referring to FIG. 5A, a memory opening 49 in the first
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.
[0106] 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.
[0107] 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.
[0108] 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.
[0109] 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.
[0110] 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.
[0111] 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.
[0112] 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.
[0113] 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.
[0114] 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.
[0115] 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).
[0116] 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.
[0117] 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.
[0118] 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.
[0119] 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 partially fill the
cavity 49' in each memory opening, or may fully fill the cavity in
each memory opening.
[0120] 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.
[0121] Referring to FIG. 5F, in case the cavity 49' in each memory
opening is not completely filled by the second semiconductor
channel layer 602, a dielectric core layer 62L can be deposited in
the cavity 49' to fill any remaining portion of the cavity 49'
within each memory opening. The dielectric core layer 62L includes
a dielectric material such as silicon oxide or organosilicate
glass. The dielectric core layer 62L can be deposited by a
conformal deposition method such as low pressure chemical vapor
deposition (LPCVD), or by a self-planarizing deposition process
such as spin coating.
[0122] Referring to FIG. 5G, the horizontal portion of the
dielectric core layer 62L can be removed, for example, by a recess
etch from above the top surface of the insulating cap layer 70.
Each remaining portion of the dielectric core layer 62L constitutes
a dielectric core 62. Further, 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.
[0123] Each adjoining pair of a first semiconductor channel layer
601 and a second semiconductor channel layer 602 can collectively
form a vertical semiconductor channel 60 through which electrical
current can flow when a vertical NAND device including the vertical
semiconductor channel 60 is turned on. A tunneling dielectric layer
56 is surrounded by a charge storage layer 54, and laterally
surrounds a portion of the vertical semiconductor channel 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.
[0124] Referring to FIG. 5H, the top surface of each dielectric
core 62 can be further recessed within each memory opening, for
example, by a recess etch to a depth that is located between the
top surface of the insulating cap layer 70 and the bottom surface
of the insulating cap layer 70. Drain regions 63 can be formed by
depositing a doped semiconductor material within each recessed
region above the dielectric cores 62. The drain regions 63 can have
a doping of a second conductivity type that 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. The dopant concentration in the drain regions 63 can be in a
range from 5.0.times.10.sup.19/cm.sup.3 to
2.0.times.10.sup.21/cm.sup.3, although lesser and greater dopant
concentrations can also be employed. The doped semiconductor
material can be, for example, doped polysilicon. Excess portions of
the deposited semiconductor material can be removed from above the
top surface of the insulating cap layer 70, for example, by
chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) or a recess etch to form
the drain regions 63.
[0125] Each combination of a memory film 50 and a vertical
semiconductor channel 60 (which is 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
semiconductor channel, a tunneling dielectric layer, a plurality of
memory elements as embodied as portions of the charge storage layer
54, and an optional blocking dielectric layer 52.
[0126] Referring to FIG. 6, the first exemplary structure is
illustrated after formation of memory opening fill structures (11,
55, 62, 63) and support pillar structures 20 within the memory
openings 49 and the support openings 19, respectively. An instance
of a memory opening fill structure (11, 55, 62, 63) 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.
[0127] Each combination of an epitaxial channel portion 11 (if
present), a memory stack structure 55, a dielectric core 62, and a
drain region 63 within a memory opening 49 is herein referred to as
a memory opening fill structure (11, 55, 62, 63). Each combination
of an epitaxial channel portion 11 (if present), a memory film 50,
a vertical semiconductor channel 60, a dielectric core 62, and a
drain region 63 within each support opening 19 fills the respective
support openings 19, and constitutes a support pillar structure 20.
The drain region 63 in the support pillar structure is a dummy
drain region because it is not electrically connected to a bit
line. Thus, the vertical semiconductor channel 60 and the memory
film 50 in the support pillar structure 20 are structural support
elements which are not electrically active.
[0128] Each memory stack structure 55 includes a vertical
semiconductor channel 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 vertical semiconductor channel 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 vertical semiconductor channel 60.
[0129] Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, a contact level dielectric
layer 73 can be formed over the alternating stack (32, 42) of
insulating layer 32 and sacrificial material layers 42, and over
the memory stack structures 55 and the support pillar structures
20. The contact level dielectric layer 73 includes a dielectric
material that is different from the dielectric material of the
sacrificial material layers 42. For example, the contact level
dielectric layer 73 can include silicon oxide. The contact level
dielectric layer 73 can have a thickness in a range from 50 nm to
500 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed.
[0130] A photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the
alternating stack (32, 42), 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 alternating stack (32, 42) and/or the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65 employing an anisotropic etch to form the
isolation trenches 179, which 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.
[0131] The isolation trench 179 can vertically extend to the top
surface of the substrate (9, 10). In one embodiment, each isolation
trench 179 can laterally extend along a horizontal direction
through the entirety of the alternating stack ((32, 42), and
therefore, extends through a set of layers including at least two
topmost spacer material layers 42 within the alternating stack (32,
42). As used herein, "N topmost sacrificial material layers" refer
to the set of first through N-th sacrificial material layers as
counted from the top. Likewise, "N topmost material layers" of any
type refer to the set of first through N-th material layers of that
type as counted from the top. Each isolation trench 179 laterally
divides each layer within the alternating stack (32, 42) into
multiple segments, i.e., into a respective pair of segments. Thus,
each isolation trench 179 laterally divides each layer within the
set of layers including at least two topmost spacer material layers
42 within the alternating stack (32, 42) into multiple segments,
i.e., into respective pairs of segments located at a respective
level. The photoresist layer can be removed, for example, by
ashing.
[0132] Referring to FIG. 8, 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 isolation trenches 179, 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 isolation trenches 179 can be modified so that the
bottommost surface of the isolation trenches 179 is located within
the gate dielectric layer 12, i.e., to avoid physical exposure of
the top surface of the semiconductor material layer 10.
[0133] 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 isolation trenches 179. For
example, if the sacrificial material layers 42 include silicon
nitride, the etch process can be a wet etch process in which the
first 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.
[0134] 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.
[0135] 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.
[0136] At least a surface portion of each epitaxial channel portion
11 can be doped with dopants of a second conductivity type that is
the opposite of the first conductivity type to form source regions
111. The doping of the surface portions of the epitaxial channel
portions 11 can be performed by a plasma doping process or a gas
phase doping process. In one embodiment, the source regions 111 can
be formed in a tubular configuration, i.e., in a shape that is
topologically homeomorphic to a torus and having a substantially
vertical outer sidewall and a substantially vertical inner
sidewall. In another embodiment, the entirety of each epitaxial
channel portion 11 may be converted into a respective source region
111. The net dopant concentration (i.e., the concentration of the
second conductivity type dopants less the concentration of the
first conductivity type dopants) in the source regions 111 can be
in a range from 5.0.times.10.sup.19/cm.sup.3 to
2.0.times.10.sup.21/cm.sup.3, although lesser and greater dopant
concentrations can also be employed. A doped well 171 having a
doping of the second conductivity type can be formed at the bottom
of each isolation trench 179.
[0137] Referring to FIG. 9, at least one conductive material can be
deposited in the backside recesses 43, peripheral portions of the
isolation trenches 179, and over the contact level dielectric 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 contact level dielectric layer 73 and at peripheral portions of
the isolation trenches 179.
[0138] 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.
[0139] A metal fill material is deposited in the plurality of
backside recesses 43, on the sidewalls of the isolation trenches
179, and over the top surface of the contact level dielectric 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.
[0140] 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
isolation trench 179 and over the contact level dielectric 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
isolation trenches 179 or above the contact level dielectric layer
73.
[0141] Each sacrificial material layer 42 can be replaced with an
electrically conductive layer 46. An isolation cavity is present in
the portion of each isolation trench 179 that is not filled with
the backside blocking dielectric layer and the continuous metallic
material layer 46L.
[0142] In embodiments in which the epitaxial channel portions 11
are employed, the epitaxial channel portions 11 are formed at the
bottom of each of the memory openings 49 as semiconductor material
portions, and can have a doping of the first conductivity type.
Each vertical semiconductor channel 60 can be formed on a
respective epitaxial channel portion 60. A bottommost electrically
conductive layer 46 among the electrically conductive layer 46 can
be formed directly on sidewalls of the epitaxial channel portions
11, and thus, can be electrically shorted to the epitaxial channel
portions 11 (which are semiconductor material portions).
[0143] Referring to FIG. 10, the deposited metallic material of the
continuous electrically conductive material layer 46L is etched
back from the sidewalls of each isolation trench 179 and from above
the contact level dielectric 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.
[0144] A subset of the electrically conductive layer 46 that
excludes the bottommost electrically conductive layer 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 bottommost electrically conductive
layer can function as a source electrode layer. 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. In one embodiment, another subset of the
electrically conductive layers 46 that includes the topmost
electrically conductive layer can function as drain select gate
electrodes.
[0145] Referring to FIG. 11, at least one dielectric material is
deposited within each isolation trench 179. In one embodiment, the
at least one dielectric material can have a greater etch rate than
that of the insulating layers 32 and the dielectric material of the
contact level dielectric layer 73. For example, the insulating
layers 32 and the contact level dielectric layer 73 can include
undoped silicate glass (i.e., undoped silicon oxide), and the at
least one dielectric material can include doped silicate glass
(such as borosilicate glass) and/or porous or non-porous
organosilicate glass. In another example, the insulating layers 32
and the contact level dielectric layer 73 can include undoped
silicate glass or doped silicate glass, and the at least one
dielectric material can include porous or non-porous organosilicate
glass. In yet another example, the insulating layers 32 and the
contact level dielectric layer 73 can include undoped silicate
glass (i.e., silicon oxide) that is deposited by a different method
and/or using a different source gas from the at least one
dielectric material to obtain a difference in etch selectivity,
such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,305,932 B2, incorporated
by reference herein in its entirety. For example, silicon oxide
materials that may be used include, but are not limited to,
dichlorosilane (DCS, H.sub.2SiCl.sub.2) based silicon oxides,
disilane (DS, Si.sub.2H.sub.6) based silicon oxides, high aspect
ratio process (HARP) non-plasma based CVD using TEOS and ozone
sources based silicon oxides, high density plasma (HDP) CVD based
silicon oxides, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) based silicon
oxides and borosilicate glass (BSG) or borophosphosilicate glass
(BPSG). Selective etching of silicon oxide materials may be
performed by chemical dry etching or wet etching techniques.
Example silicon oxide combinations suitable for use with selective
dry etching techniques are summarized in Table 1 below while
combinations suitable for use with wet etching techniques are
summarized in Table 2 below.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Etch Selectivity Etching Method DCS Oxide:DS
Oxide 5:1-32:1 (tunable) CDE (Chemical Dry Etching) HARP:HDP Oxide
230:1 CDE (Chemical Dry Etching)
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Wet etch Method Etch Selectivity (BPSG:TEOS)
99.7% Acetic acid:49% HF ratio 27:1 200:1 42:1 100:1 55:1 50:1
As can be seen in Tables 1 and 2 above, the selectivity among the
silicon oxide pairs may range from 5:1 to 230:1. Further, in the
case of DCS:DS, the selectivity is tunable. That is, the
selectivity between DCS and DS may be chosen based on the etching
conditions, e.g. temperature, etchant composition, etc. In an
embodiment, elective etching may comprise using a HF:H.sub.2O in a
1:5-15 ratio or a HF:C.sub.2H.sub.4O.sub.2 in a 1:40-60 ratio wet
etch chemistry. Alternatively, the selective etching may comprise
selective dry etching using any suitable dry etching system, such
as the Frontier.RTM. CDE system from Applied Materials, Inc. The
various silicon oxides discussed above may be deposited by any
suitable manner, such as low pressure chemical vapor deposition
(LPCVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD),
chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and atmospheric pressure chemical
vapor deposition (APCVD). Table 3 below summarizes the process
parameters (i.e., reactor type, temperature, pressure, reactant
gases and flow ratios) suitable for deposition of the above
described silicon oxide materials.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 CVD Reactant Reactor gases & flow Oxide
Type Type Temperature Pressure ratio DCS Oxide LPCVD
700-900.degree. C. 125 mT-1 T DCS:N.sub.2O = 0.25-1 DS Oxide PECVD
~300.degree. C. 700 mT DS:N.sub.2O = 3:1 HARP Non- ~400.degree. C.
760 T TEOS and O.sub.3 (TEOS + plasma (atmospheric) Ozone) based
CVD HDP Oxide PECVD 300-400.degree. C. 2-10 T Ar, TEOS(SiH.sub.4)
& O.sub.2 TEOS PECVD <450.degree. C. 2-10 T TEOS:O.sub.2 =
1:10-1:20 BPSG PECVD 300-500.degree. C. B.sub.2H.sub.6, Phosphine
& SiH.sub.4 BPSG APCVD 300-500.degree. C. 760 T B.sub.2H.sub.6,
Phosphine & SiH.sub.4
[0146] The at least one dielectric material can be deposited as a
single dielectric material layer, or can be deposited as a stack of
multiple dielectric material layers. Excess portions of the at
least one dielectric material can be removed from above the top
surface including the contact level dielectric layer 73 by a
planarization process, which can include chemical mechanical
planarization (CMP) and/or a recess etch. Each remaining portion of
the deposited at least one dielectric material fills a respective
isolation trench 179, and can constitute a dielectric rail
structure 75 having a substantially uniform vertical
cross-sectional shape within horizontal planes that intersect the
respective isolation trench 179 and perpendicular to the lengthwise
direction of the respective isolation trench 179. The at least one
dielectric material can fill each isolation trench 179 up to the
top periphery of the isolation trenches 179.
[0147] Referring to FIG. 12, each top portion of the dielectric
rail structures 75 can be vertically recessed selective to the
dielectric materials of the contact level dielectric layer 73. An
anisotropic etch or an isotropic etch process can be employed to
vertically recess the top portions of the dielectric rail
structures 75. A recess cavity, which is herein referred to as an
isolation cavity 179', is formed over each remaining portion of the
dielectric rail structures 75. The depth of recess is selected such
that the bottom surface of each isolation cavity 179' is located at
the level of an insulating layer 32 that is between the topmost
control gate electrode level and the bottommost drain select gate
level, i.e., between the electrically conductive layer 46 that
functions as the topmost control gate electrode and the
electrically conductive layer 46 that functions as the bottommost
layer of a drain select gate electrode.
[0148] While the present disclosure is described employing an
embodiment in which two topmost electrically conductive layers 46
are employed as drain select gate electrodes that are employed to
select or deselect a vertical semiconductor channel from the drain
side, embodiments are expressly employed herein in which three or
more topmost electrically conductive layers 46 are employed as
drain select gate electrodes.
[0149] The isolation trenches 179 extend from the top surface of
the contact level dielectric layer 73 to the top surface of the
substrate (9, 10). The dielectric rail structures 75 are formed by
filling at least one dielectric material in the isolation trenches
179 up to the top periphery of each isolation trench 179 and
vertically recessing top portions of the at least one dielectric
material. Each dielectric rail structure 75 laterally extends along
the horizontal direction at a lower portion of a respective
isolation trench 179, and is located directly on the substrate (9,
10).
[0150] Referring to FIG. 13, a conductive material layer 78L can be
deposited at the periphery of each isolation cavity 179' and over
the top surface of the contact level dielectric layer 73. The
isolation trenches 179 laterally divide the alternating stack (32,
46) of the insulating layers 32 and the electrically conductive
layers 46 into multiple physically disjoined layer stacks.
Specifically, each isolation trench 179' laterally divides the
alternating stack (32, 46) into two physically disjoined layer
stacks. Sidewalls of segments of at least two topmost electrically
conductive layers 46 are physically exposed within each of the
isolation cavities 179'. The conductive material layer 78L can be
formed directly on the sidewalls of the segments of the at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 of the two physically
disjoined layer stacks within each isolation cavity 179'.
[0151] The conductive material layer 78L includes a conductive
material such as W, Co, Mo, Ru, Cu, Ti, Ta, conductive nitrides
thereof, conductive alloys thereof, and/or combinations thereof (as
in a layer stack). The conductive material layer 78L can be
deposited by a conformal deposition method such as chemical vapor
deposition. The thickness of the conductive material layer 78L can
be selected such that vertical portions of the conductive material
layer 78L do not merge in the isolation cavities 179'. In one
embodiment, the thickness of the conductive material layer 78L can
be in a range from 5% to 45% of the width of the isolation cavities
179'.
[0152] Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B, an anisotropic etch is
performed to remove horizontal portions of the conductive material
layer 78L. Each remaining portion of the conductive material layer
78L in an isolation trench 179 constitutes a generally ring-shaped
conductive structure with a contiguous set of outer sidewalls that
contact lengthwise sidewalls and widthwise sidewalls of the
respective isolation trench 179. Each remaining horizontal portions
of the conductive material layer 78L after the anisotropic etch
includes two conductive rail structures that extend along the
lengthwise direction of the respective isolation trench 179 and two
widthwise portions that are located on the widthwise sidewalls of
the isolation trench 179.
[0153] A photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the
remaining portions of the conductive material layer and over the
contact level dielectric layer 73, and can be lithographically
patterned to form openings overlying end portions of each generally
ring-shaped conductive structure. Each section of the generally
ring-shaped conductive structure within the area of the openings in
the photoresist layer can be removed, for example, by an isotropic
etch. Two widthwise portions of each generally ring-shaped
conductive structure (which are located within the two end portions
78X of a respective isolation trench 179), are removed by the
isotropic etch. Each generally ring-shaped conductive structure is
divided into two conductive rail structures 78 that are physically
disjoined from each other. Two conductive rail structures 78 are
formed within each recess region, i.e., within each isolation
cavity 179', that overlies a dielectric rail structure 75. In one
embodiment, the two conductive rail structures 78 can be formed
directly on sidewalls of the at least two topmost electrically
conductive layers 46 that are vertically coincident with a sidewall
of each intervening insulating layer 32.
[0154] Two conductive rail structures 78 are formed on lengthwise
sidewalls of each isolation trench 179. Each of the two conductive
rail structures 78 is electrically shorted to segments of at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 (i.e., drain select
gate electrodes, SGD) provided within a respective one of two
physically disjoined layer stacks that are separated by the
isolation trench 179. In one embodiment, the two conductive rail
structures 78 can be formed directly on sidewalls of the at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 that are vertically
coincident with a sidewall of one of the insulating layers 32
(i.e., an intervening insulating layer 32) that is physically
exposed to the isolation trench 179. The photoresist layer can be
subsequently removed, for example, by ashing. In one embodiment,
each conductive rail structure 78 can have a uniform thickness
throughout, which can be the thickness of the conductive material
layer 78L as deposited.
[0155] Referring to FIG. 15, a dielectric material can be deposited
within remaining unfilled volumes of the isolation trenches 179.
Excess portions of the dielectric material may be removed from
above the top surface of the contact level dielectric layer 73. A
dielectric fill material portion 77 can be formed within each
recess region between a pair of conductive rail structures 78. The
dielectric fill material portion 77 can be formed on widthwise
sidewalls of the isolation trench 179 and inner sidewalls of the
two conductive rail structures 78.
[0156] Referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B, additional contact via
structures (88, 86, 8P) can be formed through the contact level
dielectric layer 73, 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
layer 73 on each drain region 63. In a subsequent step, a bit line
is electrically connected to each drain region 63 which contacts
the memory stack structure 55, but not to the dummy drain regions
63 of the support pillar structures 20. Word line contact via
structures 86 can be formed on the electrically conductive layers
46 through the contact level dielectric layer 73, and through the
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65. Peripheral device
contact via structures 8P can be formed through the retro-stepped
dielectric material portion 65 directly on respective nodes of the
peripheral devices.
[0157] Referring to FIG. 17, a first alternative embodiment of the
first exemplary structure can be derived from the first exemplary
structure of FIG. 12 by forming two conductive rail structures 178
within each recess region, i.e., within each isolation cavity 179',
overlying a dielectric rail structure 75. The two conductive rail
structures 178 within each isolation cavity 179' can be formed by
selectively depositing a conductive material on physically exposed
sidewalls of the segments of the at least two topmost electrically
conductive layers 46 of the two physically disjoined layer stacks,
while preventing growth of the conductive material from physically
exposed surfaces of insulating material portions such as the
physically exposed surfaces of the insulating layers 32, the
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65, and the contact level
dielectric layer 73.
[0158] The conductive rail structures 178 include a metallic
material that can be deposited selectively on metallic surface
while not growing from insulator surfaces. For example, the
conductive rail structures 178 can include cobalt, ruthenium,
tungsten, or combinations thereof. Initially, the conductive
material of the conductive rail structures 178 nucleate on the
sidewalls of the electrically conductive layers 46 that are
physically exposed in the isolation trenches 179' to form discrete
conductive material portions that laterally extend along the
lengthwise direction within each isolation trench 179, and does not
nucleate on the physically exposed sidewalls of the insulating
layer(s) 32 and the contact level dielectric layer 73 that are
physically exposed in the isolation trenches 179'. As additional
conductive material accumulates on the discrete conductive material
portions, each vertically neighboring pair of discrete conductive
material portions merge to form a respective conductive rail
structure 178. The conductive rail structures 178 can have the same
composition as, or a different composition from, the conductive
material of the electrically conductive layers 46.
[0159] In one embodiment, each of the two conductive rail
structures 178 can have a variable thickness that has local maxima
at levels of the at least two topmost electrically conductive
layers 46 and has at least one local minimum at each level of an
insulating layer 32 within the set of layers including the at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers 46. In one embodiment,
the two conductive rail structures 178 can comprise a different
conductive material than the electrically conductive layers 46. In
one embodiment, the two conductive rail structures 178 can be
formed directly on sidewalls of the at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers 46 that are vertically coincident
with a sidewall of one of the insulating layers 32 that is
physically exposed to the isolation trench 179 prior to formation
of the conductive rail structures 178.
[0160] Referring to FIG. 18, a dielectric material can be deposited
in each unfilled volume of the isolation trenches 179 to form
dielectric fill material portions 77 within each recess, i.e.,
within each isolation cavity. Subsequently, the processing steps of
FIGS. 16A and 16B can be performed to form various contact via
structures (86, 88, 8P).
[0161] Referring to FIG. 19, a second alternative embodiment of the
first exemplary structure can be derived from the first exemplary
structure of FIG. 11 by vertically recessing top surfaces of the
dielectric rail structures 75 to form isolation cavities 179' while
collaterally laterally recessing a subset of the electrically
conductive layers 46 that are physically exposed to the isolation
cavities 179'. In this case, the etch chemistry employed at the
processing steps of FIG. 12 can be modified to induce collateral
etching of the physically exposed portions of the electrically
conductive layers 46. The vertical recessing of the top surfaces of
the dielectric rail structures 75 may be performed by an isotropic
etch or an anisotropic etch. Alternatively, recessing of the top
surfaces of the dielectric rail structures 75 can be performed in a
first etching step, and the recessing of the physically exposed
portions of the electrically conductive layers 46 can be performed
in a subsequent second etching step which can use an etching medium
which selectively etches the electrically conductive layers 46
which can be different from the etching medium used in the first
etching step.
[0162] Referring to FIG. 20, the processing steps of FIGS. 13,
14A-14B, and 15 can be performed to form two conductive rail
structures 78 and a dielectric fill material portion 77 within each
recess region of the isolation trenches 179. The conductive rail
structures 78 can be formed by depositing a conductive material
layer 78L in the isolation trenches 179 and directly on sidewalls
of the segments of the at least two topmost electrically conductive
layers 46 of the two physically disjoined layer stacks employing
the processing steps of FIG. 13, and by removing horizontal
portions of the conductive material layer 78L by an anisotropic
etch employing the processing steps of FIGS. 14A and 14B.
[0163] Remaining vertical portions of the conductive material layer
78L within each isolation trench 179 comprise the two conductive
rail structures 78 and two widthwise portions of a generally
ring-shaped conductive structure. The widthwise portions are
removed by the isotropic etch through a patterned photoresist layer
that includes openings within each end portions 78X of the
isolation trenches 179. Each generally ring-shaped conductive
structure is divided into two conductive rail structures 78 that
are physically disjoined from each other. Two conductive rail
structures 78 are formed within each recess region, i.e., within
each isolation cavity 179', that overlies a dielectric rail
structure 75. In one embodiment, the two conductive rail structures
78 within each isolation trench 179 can be formed directly on
sidewalls of the at least two topmost electrically conductive
layers 46 that are laterally offset, i.e., laterally recessed, with
a sidewall of one of the insulating layers 32 that is physically
exposed to the isolation trench 179. The dielectric fill material
portions 77 are formed within remaining volumes of the isolation
cavities 179. Subsequently, the processing steps of FIGS. 16A and
16B can be performed.
[0164] Referring to FIG. 21, a third alternative embodiment of the
first exemplary structure can be derived from the structure
illustrated in FIG. 19 by performing the processing steps of FIG.
17 in lieu of the processing steps of FIGS. 13 and 14A-14B.
Subsequently, the processing steps of FIG. 15 can be performed to
provide the structure illustrated in FIG. 21. Subsequently, the
processing steps of FIGS. 16A and 16B can be performed.
[0165] Referring to FIG. 22, a fourth alternative embodiment of the
first exemplary structure can be derived from the first exemplary
structure of FIG. 10 by depositing a first dielectric material
layer 175L and a second dielectric material layer 275L to fill the
isolation trenches 179. In one embodiment, the materials of the
first dielectric material layer 175L and the second dielectric
material layer 275L can be selected such that the first dielectric
material layer 175L is more resistant than the second dielectric
material layer 275L to an etch chemistry to be employed to remove
the second dielectric material layer 275L. In one embodiment, the
first dielectric material layer 175L can include silicon nitride or
a dielectric metal oxide (such as aluminum oxide), the second
dielectric material layer 275L can include a silicon oxide-based
dielectric material (such as doped silicate glass, undoped silicate
glass, or organosilicate glass).
[0166] Referring to FIG. 23, the second dielectric material layer
275L can be etched selective to the first dielectric material layer
175L by an etch process, which can include an isotropic etch
process and/or an anisotropic etch process. For example, if the
second dielectric material layer 275L includes a silicon
oxide-based dielectric material, a wet etch employing hydrofluoric
acid can be employed to etch portions of the second dielectric
material layer 275L while not etching the first dielectric material
layer 175L. The dielectric material of the second dielectric
material layer 275 can be recessed to form discrete dielectric
material portions, which are herein referred to as a dielectric
rail fill portions 275. An isolation cavity 179' is formed above
each dielectric rail fill portion 275. The depth of recess is
selected such that the bottom surface of each isolation cavity 179'
is located at the level of an insulating layer 32 that is between
the topmost control gate electrode level and the bottommost drain
select gate level, i.e., between the electrically conductive layer
46 that functions as the topmost control gate electrode and the
electrically conductive layer 46 that functions as the bottommost
layer of a drain select gate electrode. Each isolation cavity 179'
can be laterally surrounded by vertical portions of the first
dielectric material layer 175L.
[0167] Referring to FIG. 24, physically exposed portions of the
first dielectric material layer 175L can be etched by an isotropic
etch, which may, or may not, be selective to the material of the
dielectric rail fill portions 275. Each remaining portion of the
first dielectric material layer 175L constitutes a dielectric rail
liner 175. Each adjoining pair of a dielectric rail liner 175 and a
dielectric rail fill portion 275 constitutes a dielectric rail
structure 75. Each dielectric rail structure 75 can be formed by
filling multiple dielectric materials in the isolation trenches 179
up to the top peripheries of the isolation trenches 179, and
vertically recessing top portions of the multiple dielectric
materials. Each dielectric rail structure 75 laterally extends
along the horizontal direction at a lower portion of a respective
isolation trench 179 and is located directly on the substrate (9,
10).
[0168] Referring to FIG. 25, the processing steps of FIGS. 13,
14A-14B, and 15 can be performed to form conductive rail structures
78 and dielectric fill material portions 77. Subsequently, the
processing steps of FIGS. 16A and 16B can be performed to form
various contact via structures (86, 88, 8P).
[0169] Referring to FIG. 26, a fifth alternative embodiment of the
first exemplary structure can be derived from the fourth
alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure by
employing the processing steps of FIG. 17 in lieu of the processing
steps of FIGS. 13 and 14A-14B to form the conductive rail
structures 178.
[0170] Referring to FIG. 27, a sixth alternative embodiment of the
first exemplary structure can be derived from the fourth
alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure by
employing the processing steps of the second embodiment of the
first exemplary structure to form the conductive rail structures
78.
[0171] Referring to FIG. 28, a seventh alternative embodiment of
the first exemplary structure can be derived from the fourth
alternative embodiment of the first exemplary structure by
employing the processing steps of the third embodiment of the first
exemplary structure to form the conductive rail structures 178.
[0172] The first exemplary structure illustrated in FIGS. 7A to 28
can include a buried source line (e.g., a horizontal source
electrode located under the alternating stack (32, 46)) FIGS. 29A
and 29B illustrate a second exemplary structure according to a
second embodiment of the present disclosure which contains a
vertical source line (e.g., a vertical source electrode or local
interconnect) which extends vertically through the alternating
stack. The second exemplary structure can be derived from the first
exemplary structure of FIG. 6 by forming backside trenches 79 and
isolation trenches 179 through the alternating stacks (32, 42). The
vertical source line (referred to herein as a contact via structure
76) will be formed in the respective backside trenches 79 in a
subsequent step. Each of the backside trenches 79 and the isolation
trenches 179 can laterally extend along a horizontal direction, and
can be parallel among one another. The backside trenches 79 and the
isolation trenches 179 can be simultaneously formed, for example,
by applying and patterning a photoresist layer over the contact
level dielectric layer 73, and anisotropically etching portions of
the contact level dielectric layer 73, the alternating stack (32,
42), and the gate dielectric layer 12 employing the patterned
photoresist layer as an etch mask.
[0173] Each backside trench 79 can have a first width along the
horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the lengthwise
direction, and each isolation trench 179 can have a second width
along the horizontal direction that is less than the first width.
In other words, the isolation trenches 179 can be narrower than the
backside trenches 79. In one embodiment, one or more isolation
trenches 179 may be provided between each neighboring pair of
backside trenches 79. In one embodiment, the anisotropic etch
process of FIGS. 7A and 7B can be employed to form the backside
trenches 79 and the isolation trenches 179. In one embodiment, each
of the backside trenches 79 and the isolation trenches 179 can
vertically extend from the top surface of the contact level
dielectric layer 73 to the top surface of the substrate (9,
10).
[0174] Referring to FIG. 30, 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 and the isolation trenches 179, for
example, employing an etch process. 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 outer layer of the
memory stack structures 55 and the support pillar structures 20,
and the retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65 can be
selected from silicon oxide and dielectric metal oxides.
[0175] 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.
[0176] 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.
[0177] 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.
[0178] 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.
[0179] Referring to FIG. 31, a backside blocking dielectric layer
(not shown) can be optionally formed. The backside blocking
dielectric layer, 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. The backside blocking dielectric layer
can include a dielectric metal oxide layer (such as an aluminum
oxide layer), a semiconductor oxide layer (such as a silicon oxide
layer), or a layer stack thereof.
[0180] At least one conductive material can be deposited in the
backside recesses 43, peripheral portions of the backside trenches
79, peripheral portions of the isolation trenches 179, and over the
contact level dielectric 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 contact level
dielectric layer 73 and at peripheral portions of the backside
trenches 79 and at peripheral portions of the isolation trenches
179.
[0181] 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.
[0182] A metal fill material is deposited in the plurality of
backside recesses 43, on the sidewalls of the backside trenches 79
and the isolation trenches 179, and over the top surface of the
contact level dielectric 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.
[0183] 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 trench 79 and each isolation trench 179 and over the
contact level dielectric 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,
in the isolation trenches 179, or above the contact level
dielectric layer 73. A backside cavity 79' is present in each
unfilled volume of a backside trench 79. An isolation cavity 179'
can be present in each unfilled volume of an isolation trench
179.
[0184] Each sacrificial material layer 42 can be replaced with an
electrically conductive layer 46. 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. In embodiments in which the epitaxial channel portions
11 are employed, the epitaxial channel portions 11 are formed at
the bottom of each of the memory openings 49 as semiconductor
material portions, and can have a doping of the first conductivity
type. Each vertical semiconductor channel 60 can be formed on a
respective epitaxial channel portion 11.
[0185] Referring to FIG. 32, the deposited metallic material of the
continuous electrically conductive material layer 46L is etched
back from the sidewalls of each backside trench 79 and each
isolation trench 179 and from above the contact level dielectric
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.
[0186] A subset of the electrically conductive layer 46 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. In one embodiment, a subset of the electrically
conductive layers 46 that includes at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers can function as drain select gate
electrodes, while another subset of the electrically conductive
layers 46 that includes at least one bottommost electrically
conductive layer can function as source select gate electrodes.
[0187] Referring to FIG. 33, a dielectric material layer 75L can be
deposited at peripheral portions of the backside trenches 79, in
the entirety of each isolation trench 179, and over the contact
level dielectric layer 73. The thickness of the dielectric material
layer 75L (as measured on vertical sidewalls of the backside
trenches 79) can be greater than one half of the width of the
isolation trenches 179, and can be less than one half of the width
of the backside trenches 79. The dielectric material layer 75L
partially fills the wider backside trenches 79 to leave a backside
cavity 79' therein and completely fills the narrower isolation
trenches 179. The dielectric material layer 75L can include a
silicon oxide-based dielectric material (such as doped silicate
glass, undoped silicate glass, or organosilicate glass), silicon
nitride, and/or a dielectric metal oxide (such as aluminum oxide).
The dielectric material layer 75L can be deposited by a conformal
deposition process such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or
atomic layer deposition (ALD).
[0188] Referring to FIG. 34, an anisotropic etch is performed to
remove horizontal portions of the dielectric material layer 75L in
the backside trenches 79. Since the dielectric material layer 75L
completely fills the isolation trenches 179, the isolation trenches
remain completely filled with the dielectric material after the
anisotropic etch step. An insulating spacer 74 is formed around the
periphery of each backside trench 79. An anisotropic etch is
performed to remove horizontal portions of the dielectric material
layer 75L from above the contact level dielectric layer 73 and at
the bottom of each backside trench 79. Each remaining portion of
the dielectric material layer 75L in the wider backside trenches 79
constitutes an insulating spacer 74. A backside cavity 79' is
present within a volume surrounded by each insulating spacer 74.
Each remaining portion of the dielectric material layer 75L inside
the narrower isolation trenches 179 constitutes a dielectric rail
structure 75 which completely fill the isolation trenches 179. Each
dielectric rail structure 75 includes a dielectric material and
laterally extends along a horizontal direction. The vertical
cross-sectional shape of each dielectric rail structure 75 along
vertical planes that are perpendicular to the lengthwise direction
of the dielectric rail structures 75 can be uniform, i.e.,
invariant under translation along the lengthwise direction of each
dielectric rail structure 75.
[0189] The anisotropic etch can be extended to physically expose a
top surface of the substrate (9, 10) underneath each backside
trench 79. 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 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.
[0190] 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.
[0191] 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 source select gate
electrode for the select field effect transistors for each vertical
NAND string. Each source region 61 is formed in an upper portion of
the semiconductor substrate (9, 10). Semiconductor channels (59,
11, 60) extend between each source region 61 and a respective set
of drain regions 63. The semiconductor channels (59, 11, 60)
include the vertical semiconductor channels 60 of the memory stack
structures 55.
[0192] Referring to FIG. 35, a contact via structure 76 can be
formed within each backside cavity 79'. Each contact via structure
76 can fill a respective backside cavity 79'. The contact via
structures 76 can be formed by depositing at least one conductive
material in the remaining unfilled volumes (i.e., the backside
cavities 79') of the backside trenches 79. For example, the at
least one conductive material can include a conductive liner and a
conductive fill material portion. The conductive liner 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 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 can include a metal or a metallic alloy. For
example, the conductive fill material portion can include W, Cu,
Al, Co, Ru, Ni, an alloy thereof, or a stack thereof.
[0193] The at least one conductive material can be planarized
employing the contact level dielectric layer 73 overlying the
alternating stack (32, 46) as a stopping layer. If chemical
mechanical planarization (CMP) process is employed, the contact
level dielectric 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. Each backside contact via structure 76
extends through the alternating stack (32, 46), and contacts a top
surface of a respective source region 61.
[0194] Referring to FIG. 36, a photoresist layer 57 can be applied
over the contact level dielectric layer 73, and lithographically
patterned to form openings in areas that overlap with the areas of
the dielectric rail structures 75 in each isolation trench 179.
Each top portion of the dielectric rail structures 75 can be
vertically recessed employing the photoresist layer 57 as an etch
mask. An anisotropic etch process can be employed to vertically
recess the top portions of the dielectric rail structures 75 in
each isolation trench. A recess cavity, which is herein referred to
as an isolation cavity 179', is formed over each remaining portion
of the dielectric rail structures 75. The depth of recess is
selected such that the bottom surface of each isolation cavity 179'
is located at the level of an insulating layer 32 that is between
the topmost control gate electrode level and the bottommost drain
select gate level, i.e., between the electrically conductive layer
46 that functions as the topmost control gate electrode and the
electrically conductive layer 46 that functions as the bottommost
layer of a drain select gate electrode. The photoresist layer 57
can be subsequently removed, for example, by ashing.
[0195] While the present disclosure is described employing an
embodiment in which two topmost electrically conductive layers 46
are employed as drain select gate electrodes that are employed to
select or deselect a vertical semiconductor channel from the drain
side, embodiments are expressly employed herein in which three or
more topmost electrically conductive layers 46 are employed as
drain select gate electrodes.
[0196] Referring to FIG. 37, the processing steps of FIGS. 13 and
14A-14B can be performed to form conductive rail structures 78,
which may have the same composition as the conductive rail
structures 78 of the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment,
two conductive rail structures 78 are formed on lengthwise
sidewalls of each isolation trench 179. Each of the two conductive
rail structures 78 is electrically shorted to segments of at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 provided within a
respective one of two physically disjoined layer stacks that are
separated by the isolation trench 179. In one embodiment, the two
conductive rail structures 78 can be formed directly on sidewalls
of the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 that
are vertically coincident with a sidewall of one of the insulating
layers 32 (i.e., an intervening insulating layer 32) that is
physically exposed to the isolation trench 179. In one embodiment,
each conductive rail structure 78 can have a uniform thickness
throughout, which can be the thickness of the conductive material
layer as deposited at the processing steps of FIG. 13.
[0197] Subsequently, the processing steps of FIG. 15 can be
performed to form a dielectric fill material portion 77 within each
of the isolation trenches 179.
[0198] Referring to FIGS. 38A and 38B, the processing steps of
FIGS. 16A and 16B can be performed to form various additional
contact via structures (86, 88, 8P).
[0199] Referring to FIG. 39, a first alternative embodiment of the
second exemplary structure can be derived from the second exemplary
structure of FIG. 36 by removing the photoresist layer 57, and by
performing the processing steps of FIG. 17 to form conductive rail
structures 178 instead of performing the processing steps of FIGS.
13 and 14A-14B to form conductive rail structures 78. The
processing steps of FIG. 15 can be performed to form a dielectric
fill material portion 77 within each of the isolation trenches 179.
Subsequently, the processing steps of FIGS. 16A and 16B can be
performed to form various additional contact via structures (86,
88, 8P).
[0200] In the first and second embodiments, the isolation trenches
extended through the entire alternating stack to the substrate. In
the third embodiment, shallow isolation trenches are provided which
extend only through the drain select gate levels. Referring to
FIGS. 40A and 40B, a third exemplary structure according to the
third embodiment of the present disclosure can be derived from the
first exemplary structure of FIG. 6 by forming a first contact
level dielectric layer 71 on the top surface of the insulating cap
layer 70. The first contact level dielectric layer 71 can have the
same composition as the contact level dielectric layer 73
illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Alternatively, the first contact
level dielectric layer 71, the shallow isolation trenches and the
materials filling the shallow isolation trenches can be formed
after the steps shown in FIG. 3 (i.e., before formation of the
memory openings 49 and the memory stack structures 55). The
thickness of the first contact level dielectric layer 71 may be the
same as, or may be lesser than, the thickness of the contact level
dielectric layer 73 of the first embodiment.
[0201] Shallow isolation trenches 579 can be formed through the
first contact level dielectric layer 71, the insulating cap layer
70, and a subset of layers of the alternating stack (32, 42) that
are located at levels of drain select electrodes to be formed and
each level of the insulating layers 32 located above the level of
the bottommost drain select electrode to be subsequently formed.
The isolation trenches 579 can be formed, for example, by applying
and patterning a photoresist layer (not shown) over the first
contact level dielectric layer 71 to form elongated openings having
a uniform width throughout, and by transferring the pattern of the
openings in the photoresist layer through the first contact level
dielectric layer 71, the insulating cap layer 70, and the subset of
layers within the alternating stack (32, 42) located above, or at,
the level of the bottommost drain select electrode. Thus, the depth
of the isolation trenches 579 is selected such that the bottom
surface of each isolation trench 579 is located at the level of an
insulating layer 32 that is between the topmost control gate
electrode level and the bottommost drain select gate level. The
isolation trenches 579 can be parallel among one another.
[0202] While the present disclosure is described employing an
embodiment in which two topmost sacrificial material layers 42 are
located at the levels of drain select gate electrodes to be
subsequently employed to select or deselect a vertical
semiconductor channel from the drain side, embodiments are
expressly employed herein in which three or more topmost
sacrificial material layers 42 are employed at drain select gate
levels.
[0203] Each isolation trench 579 laterally extending along a
horizontal direction at least through a set of layers including at
least two topmost spacer material layers, which are at least two
topmost sacrificial material layers 42, within the alternating
stack (32, 42). The isolation trenches 579 collectively divide each
layer within the set of layers into multiple segments. In one
embodiment, the bottommost surface of each isolation trench 579 can
be formed within one of the insulating layers 32 within the
alternating stack (32, 42).
[0204] Referring to FIGS. 41A and 41B, sacrificial spacer
structures 542 can be formed within each isolation trench 579.
Specifically, a conformal sacrificial layer can be deposited as a
continuous layer at the periphery of each isolation trench 579 and
over the top surface of the first contact level dielectric layer
71. The isolation trenches 579 laterally divide the alternating
stack (32, 42) of the insulating layers 32 and the sacrificial
material layers 42 into multiple physically disjoined layer stacks.
Specifically, each isolation trench 579 laterally divides the
alternating stack (32, 42) into two physically disjoined layer
stacks. Sidewalls of segments of at least two topmost sacrificial
material layers 42 are physically exposed within each of the
isolation trench 579. The conformal sacrificial layer can be formed
directly on the sidewalls of the segments of the at least two
topmost sacrificial material layers 42 of the two physically
disjoined layer stacks within each isolation trench 579 to leave
isolation cavities 579' between the sacrificial material spacer
structures 542.
[0205] The conformal sacrificial layer includes a material that can
be removed selective the material of the insulating layers 32
concurrently with removal of the sacrificial material layers 42. In
one embodiment, the conformal sacrificial layer can include the
same material as the sacrificial material layers 42. For example,
the conformal sacrificial material layer and the sacrificial
material layers 42 can include silicon nitride. The conformal
sacrificial layer can be deposited by a conformal deposition method
such as chemical vapor deposition. The thickness of the conformal
sacrificial layer can be selected such that vertical portions of
the conformal sacrificial layer do not merge in the isolation
cavities 579'. In one embodiment, the thickness of the conformal
sacrificial layer can be in a range from 5% to 45% of the width of
the isolation trenches 579.
[0206] An anisotropic etch is performed to remove horizontal
portions of the conformal sacrificial layer. Each remaining portion
of the conformal sacrificial layer in an isolation trench 579
constitutes a generally ring-shaped conductive structure with a
contiguous set of outer sidewalls that contact lengthwise sidewalls
and widthwise sidewalls of the respective isolation trench 579.
Each remaining horizontal portions of the conformal sacrificial
layer after the anisotropic etch includes two sacrificial rail
structures that extend along the lengthwise direction of the
respective isolation trench 579 and two widthwise portions that are
located on the widthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench 579.
[0207] A photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the
remaining portions of the conformal sacrificial layer and over the
first contact level dielectric layer 71, and can be
lithographically patterned to form openings overlying end portions
of each generally ring-shaped sacrificial structure. Each section
of the generally ring-shaped sacrificial structure within the area
of the openings in the photoresist layer can be removed, for
example, by an isotropic etch. Two widthwise portions of each
generally ring-shaped sacrificial structure (which are located
within the two end portions 578X of a respective isolation trench
579, are removed by the isotropic etch. Each generally ring-shaped
sacrificial structure is divided into two sacrificial spacer
structures 542 that are physically disjoined from each other. Two
sacrificial spacer structures 542 are formed within each isolation
trench 579 and separated by each isolation cavity 579'. In one
embodiment, the two sacrificial spacer structures 542 can be formed
directly on sidewalls of the at least two topmost sacrificial
material layers 42 that are vertically coincident with a sidewall
of each intervening insulating layer 32.
[0208] Two sacrificial spacer structures 542 are formed on
lengthwise sidewalls of each isolation trench 579. In one
embodiment, the two sacrificial spacer structures 542 can be formed
directly on sidewalls of the at least two topmost sacrificial
material layers 42 that are vertically coincident with a sidewall
of one of the insulating layers 32 (i.e., an intervening insulating
layer 32) that is physically exposed to the isolation trench 579.
The photoresist layer can be subsequently removed, for example, by
ashing. In one embodiment, each sacrificial spacer structure 542
can have a uniform thickness throughout, which can be the thickness
of the conformal sacrificial layer as deposited. An isolation
cavity 579' is present within each unfilled volume of the isolation
trenches 579.
[0209] Referring to FIG. 42, a second contact level dielectric
layer 72 can be formed by depositing a dielectric material. The
dielectric material of the second contact level dielectric layer 72
is different from the material of the sacrificial spacer structures
542 and the sacrificial material layers 42, and may be the same, or
may be different from, the dielectric materials of the first
contact level dielectric layer 71 and/or the insulating layers
32.
[0210] The dielectric material of the second contact level
dielectric layer 72 can fill remaining unfilled volumes of the
isolation cavities 579'. A vertical portion of the second contact
level dielectric layer 72, which is a dielectric fill material
portion, can be formed within each isolation cavity 579' between a
pair of sacrificial spacer structures 542. The dielectric material
of the second contact level dielectric layer 72 can be deposited on
widthwise sidewalls of the isolation trenches 579 and inner
sidewalls of the sacrificial spacer structures 542. Each vertically
extending portion of the second contact level dielectric layer 72
that fills a respective isolation cavity 579' constitutes a
dielectric fill material portion 72V.
[0211] The first contact level dielectric layer 71 and the second
contact level dielectric layer 72 are collectively referred to as a
contact level dielectric layer 73, which can have the same
thickness as, or a greater thickness than, the contact level
dielectric layer 73 of the first embodiment. In one embodiment, the
first contact level dielectric layer 71 and the second contact
level dielectric layer 72 can include a semiconductor oxide-based
dielectric material (such as doped silicate glass, undoped silicate
glass, and/or organosilicate glass).
[0212] Referring to FIGS. 43A and 43B, a photoresist layer (not
shown) can be applied over the contact level dielectric layer 73,
and is lithographically patterned to form openings in areas between
clusters of memory stack structures 55. In one embodiment, the
openings in the photoresist layer can be elongated along the
lengthwise direction of the isolation trenches 579 and the
sacrificial spacer structures 542. Further, each opening in the
photoresist layer may be located such that one or more isolation
trench 579 is located between each neighboring pair of openings in
the photoresist layer.
[0213] The pattern in the photoresist layer can be transferred
through the contact level dielectric layer 73, the alternating
stack (32, 42), and/or the retro-stepped dielectric material
portion 65 employing an anisotropic etch to form backside trenches
79, which vertically extend from the top surface of the contact
level dielectric layer 73 to 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 include a source contact opening in which
a source contact via structure can be subsequently formed. The
photoresist layer can be removed, for example, by ashing. The
backside trenches 79 and the isolation trenches 579 can laterally
extend along the same horizontal direction, i.e., can be parallel
among one another.
[0214] Referring to FIG. 44, an etchant that selectively etches the
second material of the sacrificial material layers 42 and the
sacrificial spacer structures 542 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. A pair of rail cavities
543 that laterally extend along the lengthwise direction is formed
within each isolation trench 579. The removal of the second
material of the sacrificial material layers 42 and the material of
sacrificial spacer structures 542 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, the material of
the outermost layer of the memory films 50 and the material of the
dielectric fill material portion 72V which remains in the isolation
trenches 579. In one embodiment, the sacrificial material layers 42
and the sacrificial spacer structures 542 can include silicon
nitride, and the materials of the insulating layers 32, the support
pillar structure 20, the retro-stepped dielectric material portion
65 and the dielectric fill material portion 72V can be selected
from silicon oxide and dielectric metal oxides.
[0215] 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 and the sacrificial
spacer structures 542 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 and the rail cavities 543 are
present within volumes previously occupied by the sacrificial
spacer structures 542.
[0216] 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.
[0217] 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.
[0218] Each pair of rail cavities 543 located within the volume of
an isolation trench 579 can be laterally spaced from each other by
a respective dielectric fill material portion 72V, which may be a
vertically protruding portion of the second contact level
dielectric layer 72. Each rail cavity 543 vertically extends
through at least two levels of backside recesses 43 located at each
level of drain select gate electrodes to be subsequently formed,
through an insulating cap layer 70, and through the first contact
level dielectric layer 71. A first lengthwise sidewall of each rail
cavity 543 can be a lengthwise sidewall of a dielectric fill
material portion 72V, and a second lengthwise sidewall of each rail
cavity 543 can include sidewalls of the first contact level
dielectric layer 71, the insulating cap layer 70, and at least one
insulating layer 32 located between backside recesses located at
levels of drain select gate electrodes.
[0219] 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.
[0220] Referring to FIGS. 45A and 45B, 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 portion of 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.
[0221] The backside blocking dielectric layer 44 can be formed in
the backside recesses 43, in the rail cavities 543, 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. Further, the
backside blocking dielectric layer 44 can be formed directly on
sidewalls of the dielectric fill material portions 72V and
sidewalls of the insulating layer(s) 32, the insulating cap layer
70, and the first contact level dielectric layer 71 around each
rail cavity 543. 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.
[0222] 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.
[0223] At least one conductive material can be deposited in the
backside recesses 43 and the rail cavities 543, sidewalls of the
backside trenches 79, optionally peripheral portions of the
isolation trenches 179, and over the contact level dielectric 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. Each portion of
the at least one conductive material deposited in a rail cavity 543
constitutes a conductive rail structure 46V. The conductive
material deposited outside of the backside recesses 43 and the rail
cavities 543 collectively constitute a continuous metallic material
layer 46L, which is a continuous layer of the conductive material
that is deposited over the contact level dielectric layer 73, on
sidewalls of the backside trenches 79 and optionally at peripheral
portions of the isolation trenches 179.
[0224] For example, a metallic barrier layer 46A can be deposited
as a continuous material layer in the backside recesses 43 and the
rail cavities 543. The metallic barrier layer 46A 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 46A 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 46A
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 46A 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 46A can consist essentially of a conductive
metal nitride such as TiN.
[0225] Subsequently, a metal fill material is deposited in the
plurality of backside recesses 43, in remaining volumes of the rail
cavities 543, on the sidewalls of the at least one the backside
trench 79, and over the top surface of the contact level dielectric
layer 73 to form a metallic fill material layer 46B (which can be a
continuous material layer that is formed as a single continuous
structure). 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 46B can consist
essentially of at least one elemental metal. The at least one
elemental metal of the metallic fill material layer 46B can be
selected, for example, from tungsten, cobalt, ruthenium, titanium,
and tantalum. In one embodiment, the metallic fill material layer
46B can consist essentially of a single elemental metal. In one
embodiment, the metallic fill material layer 46B can be deposited
employing a fluorine-containing precursor gas such as WF.sub.6. In
one embodiment, the metallic fill material layer 46B can be a
tungsten layer including a residual level of fluorine atoms as
impurities. The metallic fill material layer 46B is spaced from the
insulating layers 32 and the memory stack structures 55 by the
metallic barrier layer 46A, which is a metallic barrier layer that
blocks diffusion of fluorine atoms therethrough.
[0226] A plurality of electrically conductive layers 46 can be
formed in the plurality of backside recesses 43, a plurality of
conductive rail structures 46V can be formed in the plurality of
rail cavities 543, and a continuous metallic material layer 46L can
be formed on the sidewalls of each backside trench 79 and over the
contact level dielectric layer 73. Each electrically conductive
layer 46 includes a portion of the metallic barrier layer 46A and a
portion of the metallic fill material layer 46B 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. Each conductive
rail structure 46V includes a portion of the metallic barrier layer
46A and a portion of the metallic fill material layer 46B that
extends laterally along the horizontal direction of the respective
rail cavity 543. The continuous metallic material layer 46L
includes a continuous portion of the metallic barrier layer 46A and
a continuous portion of the metallic fill material layer 46B that
are located in the backside trenches 79 or above the contact level
dielectric layer 73.
[0227] Each sacrificial material layer 42 can be replaced with an
electrically conductive layer 46. Each sacrificial spacer structure
542 can be replaced with a conductive rail structure 46V. A
backside cavity 79' is present in the portion of each backside
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.
[0228] During the processing steps of FIGS. 45A and 45B, at least
one conductive material is deposited in volumes from which the
sacrificial spacer structures 542 and the sacrificial material
layers 42 are removed. A pair of continuous conductive structures
(46, 46V) is formed in, and around, each isolation trench 579. Each
of the pair of continuous conductive structures (46, 46V) includes
respective segments of the at least two topmost electrically
conductive layers 46 and a respective one of the two conductive
rail structures 46V. The two conductive rail structures 46V within
each isolation trench 549 are formed on lengthwise sidewalls of the
isolation trench 549. Each of the two conductive rail structures
46V is electrically shorted to segments of at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers 46 provided within a respective one
of two physically disjoined layer stacks that are separated by the
isolation trench 549. A dielectric fill material portion 72V is
located within a respective isolation trench 549 on widthwise
sidewalls of the isolation trench 549 and inner sidewalls of the
two conductive rail structures 46V.
[0229] Referring to FIG. 46, the deposited metallic material of the
continuous electrically conductive material layer 46L is etched
back from the sidewalls of each backside trench 79, for example, by
an isotropic wet etch, an anisotropic dry etch, or a combination
thereof. The processing steps of FIG. 32 may be employed. 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.
[0230] A subset of the electrically conductive layer 46 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. In one embodiment, a subset of the electrically
conductive layers 46 that includes at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers that are electrically shorted among
one another through a respective conductive rail structure 46V can
function as drain select gate electrodes.
[0231] An insulating material layer can be formed in the at least
one backside trench 79 and over the contact level dielectric 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.
[0232] 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.
[0233] An anisotropic etch is performed to remove horizontal
portions of the insulating material layer from above the contact
level dielectric layer 73 and at the bottom of each backside 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.
[0234] 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 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.
[0235] 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.
[0236] 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). Semiconductor
channels (59, 11, 60) extend between each source region 61 and a
respective set of drain regions 63. The semiconductor channels (59,
11, 60) include the vertical semiconductor channels 60 of the
memory stack structures 55.
[0237] A contact via structure 76 can be formed within each
backside 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
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.
[0238] The at least one conductive material can be planarized
employing the contact level dielectric layer 73 overlying the
alternating stack (32, 46) as a stopping layer. If chemical
mechanical planarization (CMP) process is employed, the contact
level dielectric layer 73 can be employed as a CMP stopping layer.
Each remaining continuous portion of the at least one conductive
material in the backside trenches 79 constitutes a backside contact
via structure 76.
[0239] 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.
[0240] Referring to FIGS. 47A and 47B, additional contact via
structures (88, 86, 8P) can be formed through the contact level
dielectric layer 73, 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
layer 73 on each drain region 63 except the dummy drain regions in
the support pillar structures 20. Word line contact via structures
86 can be formed on the electrically conductive layers 46 through
the contact level dielectric layer 73, and through the
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65. Peripheral device
contact via structures 8P can be formed through the retro-stepped
dielectric material portion 65 directly on respective nodes of the
peripheral devices.
[0241] In a fourth embodiment, the shallow isolation trench and the
materials that fill the shallow isolation trench are formed in a
later step than in the third embodiment, such as after replacing
the sacrificial material layers with electrically conductive
layers. Referring to FIGS. 48A and 48B, the fourth exemplary
structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present
disclosure can be derived from the first exemplary structure of
FIG. 6 by forming a contact level dielectric layer 73 over the
alternating stack (32, 42) of insulating layer 32 and sacrificial
material layers 42, and over the memory stack structures 55 and the
support pillar structures 20. The contact level dielectric layer 73
includes a dielectric material that is different from the
dielectric material of the sacrificial material layers 42. For
example, the contact level dielectric layer 73 can include silicon
oxide. The contact level dielectric layer 73 can have a thickness
in a range from 50 nm to 500 nm, although lesser and greater
thicknesses can also be employed.
[0242] A photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the
contact level dielectric 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 contact level dielectric layer 73, the
alternating stack (32, 42) and/or the retro-stepped dielectric
material portion 65 employing an anisotropic etch to form backside
trenches 79, which vertically extend from the top surface of the
contact level dielectric layer 73 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 include a source contact opening in which
a source contact via structure can be subsequently formed. The
photoresist layer can be removed, for example, by ashing.
[0243] Referring to FIG. 49, 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.
[0244] 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.
[0245] 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.
[0246] 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.
[0247] 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.
[0248] Referring to FIG. 50, a backside blocking dielectric layer
(not shown) can be optionally formed. The backside blocking
dielectric layer, if present, comprises a dielectric material that
functions as a portion of 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. The backside blocking
dielectric layer can include a dielectric metal oxide layer (such
as an aluminum oxide layer), a semiconductor oxide layer (such as a
silicon oxide layer), or a layer stack thereof.
[0249] At least one conductive material can be deposited in the
backside recesses 43, peripheral portions of the backside trenches
79 and over the contact level dielectric 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 contact level
dielectric layer 73 and at peripheral portions of the backside
trenches 79.
[0250] 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.
[0251] A metal fill material is deposited in the plurality of
backside recesses 43, on the sidewalls of the backside trenches 79,
and over the top surface of the contact level dielectric 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.
[0252] 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 trench 79 and over the contact level dielectric 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 contact level dielectric layer
73. A backside cavity 79' is present in each unfilled volume of a
backside trench 79.
[0253] Each sacrificial material layer 42 can be replaced with an
electrically conductive layer 46. 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. In embodiments in which the epitaxial channel portions
11 are employed, the epitaxial channel portions 11 are formed at
the bottom of each of the memory openings 49 as semiconductor
material portions, and can have a doping of the first conductivity
type. Each vertical semiconductor channel 60 can be formed on a
respective epitaxial channel portion 60.
[0254] Referring to FIG. 51, the deposited metallic material of the
continuous electrically conductive material layer 46L is etched
back from the sidewalls of each backside trench 79 and from above
the contact level dielectric 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.
[0255] A subset of the electrically conductive layer 46 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. In one embodiment, a subset of the electrically
conductive layers 46 that includes at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers can function as drain select gate
electrodes.
[0256] A dielectric material layer can be deposited at peripheral
portions of the backside trenches 79 and over the contact level
dielectric layer 73, and can be anisotropically etched to form an
insulating spacer 74 within each backside trench 79. A backside
cavity 79' is present within a volume surrounded by each insulating
spacer 74. The anisotropic etch can be extended to physically
expose a top surface of the substrate (9, 10) underneath each
backside trench 79. An opening is formed though the planar
dielectric portion 616 underneath each backside cavity (i.e., each
unfilled volume of the backside trenches 79), thereby vertically
extending the backside cavity. A top surface of the semiconductor
material layer 10 can be physically exposed at the bottom of each
backside 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.
[0257] A source region 61 can be formed at a surface portion of the
semiconductor material layer 10 under each backside cavity 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.
[0258] 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). Semiconductor
channels (59, 11, 60) extend between each source region 61 and a
respective set of drain regions 63. The semiconductor channels (59,
11, 60) include the vertical semiconductor channels 60 of the
memory stack structures 55.
[0259] A contact via structure 76 can be formed within each
backside cavity. Each contact via structure 76 can fill a
respective backside cavity. The contact via structures 76 can be
formed by depositing at least one conductive material in the
remaining unfilled volumes (i.e., the backside cavities) of the
backside trenches 79. For example, the at least one conductive
material can include a conductive liner and a conductive fill
material portion. The conductive liner 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
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 can include a metal or a metallic alloy. For example, the
conductive fill material portion can include W, Cu, Al, Co, Ru, Ni,
an alloy thereof, or a stack thereof.
[0260] The at least one conductive material can be planarized
employing the contact level dielectric layer 73 overlying the
alternating stack (32, 46) as a stopping layer. If chemical
mechanical planarization (CMP) process is employed, the contact
level dielectric 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. Each backside contact via structure 76
extends through the alternating stack (32, 46), and contacts a top
surface of a respective source region 61.
[0261] Referring to FIGS. 52A and 52B, shallow isolation trenches
379 are then formed after forming the electrically conductive
layers 46 (e.g., the select gate electrodes and word lines) and
after forming the contact via structure 76 (e.g., the source
electrode or local interconnect). The isolation trenches 379 can be
formed through the contact level dielectric layer 73, the
insulating cap layer 70, and a subset of layers of the alternating
stack (32, 46) that are located at levels of drain select
electrodes and each level of the insulating layers 32 located above
the level of the bottommost drain select electrode. The isolation
trenches 379 can be formed, for example, by applying and patterning
a photoresist layer (not shown) over the contact level dielectric
layer 73 to form elongated openings having a uniform width
throughout, and by transferring the pattern of the openings in the
photoresist layer through the contact level dielectric layer 73,
the insulating cap layer 70, and the subset of layers within the
alternating stack (32, 46) located above, or at, the level of the
bottommost drain select electrode. Thus, the depth of the isolation
trenches 379 is selected such that the bottom surface of each
isolation trench 379 is located at the level of an insulating layer
32 that is between the topmost control gate electrode level and the
bottommost drain select gate level. The isolation trenches 379 can
be parallel among one another.
[0262] While the present disclosure is described employing an
embodiment in which two topmost electrically conductive layers 46
are located at the levels of drain select gate electrodes that can
be employed to select or deselect a vertical semiconductor channel
from the drain side, embodiments are expressly employed herein in
which three or more topmost electrically conductive layers 46 are
employed at drain select gate levels.
[0263] Each isolation trench 379 laterally extending along a
horizontal direction at least through a set of layers including at
least two topmost spacer material layers, which are at least two
topmost electrically conductive layers 46, within the alternating
stack (32, 46). The isolation trenches 379 collectively divide each
layer within the set of layers into multiple segments. In one
embodiment, the bottommost surface of each isolation trench 379 can
be formed within one of the insulating layers 32 within the
alternating stack (32, 42).
[0264] Referring to FIG. 53, a conductive material layer can be
deposited at the periphery of each isolation trench 379 and over
the top surface of the contact level dielectric layer 73. In one
embodiment, the processing steps of FIG. 13 can be employed to form
the conductive material layer. The isolation trenches 379 laterally
divide the alternating stack (32, 46) of the insulating layers 32
and the electrically conductive layers 46 into multiple physically
disjoined layer stacks. Specifically, each isolation trench 379
laterally divides the alternating stack (32, 46) into two
physically disjoined layer stacks. Sidewalls of segments of at
least two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 are physically
exposed within each of the isolation trenches 379. The conductive
material layer can be formed directly on the sidewalls of the
segments of the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers
46 of the two physically disjoined layer stacks within each
isolation trench 379.
[0265] Subsequently, the processing steps of FIGS. 14A and 14B can
be performed. An anisotropic etch is performed to remove horizontal
portions of the conductive material layer. Each remaining portion
of the conductive material layer in an isolation trench 379
constitutes a generally ring-shaped conductive structure with a
contiguous set of outer sidewalls that contact lengthwise sidewalls
and widthwise sidewalls of the respective isolation trench 379.
Each remaining horizontal portions of the conductive material layer
after the anisotropic etch includes two conductive rail structures
that extend along the lengthwise direction of the respective
isolation trench 379 and two widthwise portions that are located on
the widthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench 379.
[0266] A photoresist layer (not shown) can be applied over the
remaining portions of the conductive material layer and over the
contact level dielectric layer 73, and can be lithographically
patterned to form openings overlying end portions of each generally
ring-shaped conductive structure. Each section of the generally
ring-shaped conductive structure within the area of the openings in
the photoresist layer can be removed, for example, by an isotropic
etch. Two widthwise portions of each generally ring-shaped
conductive structure (which are located within the two end portions
of a respective isolation trench 379), are removed by the isotropic
etch. Each generally ring-shaped conductive structure is divided
into two conductive rail structures 78 that are physically
disjoined from each other. Two conductive rail structures 78 are
formed within each isolation trench 379. In one embodiment, the two
conductive rail structures 78 can be formed directly on sidewalls
of the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 that
are vertically coincident with a sidewall of each intervening
insulating layer 32.
[0267] Two conductive rail structures 78 are formed on lengthwise
sidewalls of each isolation trench 379. Each of the two conductive
rail structures 78 is electrically shorted to segments of at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 provided within a
respective one of two physically disjoined layer stacks that are
separated by the isolation trench 379. In one embodiment, the two
conductive rail structures 78 can be formed directly on sidewalls
of the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 that
are vertically coincident with a sidewall of one of the insulating
layers 32 (i.e., an intervening insulating layer 32) that is
physically exposed to the isolation trench 379. The photoresist
layer can be subsequently removed, for example, by ashing. In one
embodiment, each conductive rail structure 78 can have a uniform
thickness throughout, which can be the thickness of the conductive
material layer 78L as deposited. An isolation cavity 379' is
present within each isolation trench 379.
[0268] Referring to FIGS. 54A and 54B, a dielectric material can be
deposited within remaining unfilled volumes (i.e., in the isolation
cavities 379') of the isolation trenches 379. Excess portions of
the dielectric material may be removed from above the top surface
of the contact level dielectric layer 73. A dielectric fill
material portion 77 can be formed within each recess region between
a pair of conductive rail structures 78. The dielectric fill
material portion 77 can be formed on widthwise sidewalls of the
isolation trench 379 and inner sidewalls of the two conductive rail
structures 78.
[0269] Additional contact via structures (88, 86, 8P) can be formed
through the contact level dielectric layer 73, 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 layer 73 on each drain region 63 except
the dummy drain regions in the support pillar structures 20. Word
line contact via structures 86 can be formed on the electrically
conductive layers 46 through the contact level dielectric layer 73,
and through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65.
Peripheral device contact via structures 8P can be formed through
the retro-stepped dielectric material portion 65 directly on
respective nodes of the peripheral devices.
[0270] Referring to FIG. 55, an alternative embodiment of the
fourth exemplary structure can be derived from the fourth exemplary
structure of FIGS. 52A and 52B by performing the processing steps
of FIG. 17 to form conductive rail structures 178 instead of
performing the processing steps of FIG. 53 (which can be the same
as the processing steps of FIGS. 13 and 14A-14B). In other words,
the conductive rail structures 178 can be formed by selectively
depositing a conductive material on physically exposed sidewalls of
the segments of the at least two topmost electrically conductive
layers 46 of the physically disjoined layer stacks around each
isolation trench 379, while preventing growth of the conductive
material from physically exposed surfaces of the insulating layers
32.
[0271] Subsequently, the processing steps of FIGS. 54A and 54B can
be performed.
[0272] The various exemplary structures and alternative embodiments
of the present disclosure can include a three-dimensional memory
device. The three-dimensional memory device includes 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
vertical semiconductor channel 60 contacting an inner sidewall of
the memory film 50; an isolation trench (179, 579, 379) laterally
extending along a horizontal direction and dividing a set of layers
including at least two topmost electrically conductive layers 46
within the alternating stack (32, 46) into two physically disjoined
layer stacks including respective segments of the at least two
topmost electrically conductive layers 46; and two conductive rail
structures (78, 178, 46V) located on lengthwise sidewalls of the
isolation trench (179, 579, 379) and laterally extending along the
horizontal direction, wherein each of the two conductive rail
structures (78, 178, 46V) is electrically shorted to segments of
the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers 46 located
within a respective physically disjoined layer stack.
[0273] In one embodiment, a dielectric fill material portion (77,
72V) can be located within the isolation trench (179, 579, 379).
The dielectric fill material portion (77, 72V) can contact
widthwise sidewalls of the isolation trench (179, 579, 379) and
inner sidewalls of the two conductive rail structures (78, 178,
46V). In one embodiment, each of the two conductive rail structures
(78, 178, 46V) has a substantially uniform vertical cross-sectional
shape that is invariant with lateral translation along the
horizontal direction perpendicular to the trench sidewall
lengthwise (i.e., elongation) direction. The vertical planes of the
vertical cross-sectional shapes can be perpendicular to the
lengthwise direction of the isolation trench (179, 579, 379).
[0274] In one embodiment, physical interfaces between the two
conductive rail structures (78, 178) and the at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers 46 coincide with the lengthwise
sidewalls of the isolation trench (179, 379). In some embodiment,
physical interfaces between the two conductive rail structures (78,
178) and the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers 46
are laterally offset from the lengthwise sidewalls of the isolation
trench (179, 379) along a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise
direction due to lateral recessing of the topmost electrically
conductive layers 46. In some embodiments, a continuously extending
conductive material layer (which can be a metallic barrier layer
46A or a metallic fill material layer 46B) without any interface
therein constitutes a portion of one of the two conductive rail
structures 46V and portions of segments of the at least two topmost
electrically conductive layers 46 located within one of the two
physically disjoined layer stacks.
[0275] In some embodiments, each of the two conductive rail
structures 178 has a variable thickness that has local maxima at
levels of the at least two topmost electrically conductive layers
46 and has at least one local minimum at each level of an
insulating layer 32 within the set of layers including the at least
two topmost electrically conductive layers 46. In some embodiment,
the two conductive rail structures 178 comprise a different
conductive material than the electrically conductive layers 46.
[0276] In some embodiments, a bottommost surface of the isolation
trench (579, 379) is located within one of the insulating layers 32
within the alternating stack (32, 46).
[0277] In some embodiments, a bottommost surface of the isolation
trench 179 is located within the substrate (9, 10). A dielectric
rail structure 75 is located at a lower portion of the isolation
trench 179, and contacts the substrate (9, 10) and bottom surfaces
of the two conductive rail structures (78, 178).
[0278] In some embodiments, an annular source region 111 is located
at a bottom end of each vertical semiconductor channel 60. The
source region 111 is electrically shorted to at least one
bottommost electrically conductive layer 46 (i.e., source
electrode) within the alternating stack (32, 46).
[0279] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional memory device can
further include a backside contact via structure 76 vertically
extending through the alternating stack (32, 46); an insulating
spacer 74 laterally surrounding the backside contact via structure
76 and extending through the alternating stack (32, 46); and a
source region 61 located in the substrate (9, 10) and contacting a
bottom surface of the backside contact via structure 76.
[0280] 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 laterally extends farther than any overlying
electrically conductive layer 46 within the alternating stack (32,
46). The terrace region can include 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.
[0281] Each of the exemplary structures and alternative embodiments
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), wherein at least one end portion 60 of each of the
plurality of semiconductor channels (59, 11, 60) 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).
[0282] Each segments of electrically conductive layers 46 that are
electrically shorted to one another through a respective conductive
rail structure (78, 178, 46V) can be employed as a single drain
select gate electrode that has portions located at multiple levels.
The resistance of this multilayer drain select gate electrode is
lower than the resistance of a single electrically conductive layer
segment within the drain select gate electrode approximately by a
factor of 1/N, in which N is the total number of levels of the
segments of the electrically conductive layers 46 within the drain
select gate electrode shorted by the conductive rail structure.
Device performance degradation due to high resistance of drain
select gate electrodes can be reduced by providing a low resistance
drain select gate electrode that includes conductive rail
structures (78, 178, 46V) of the present disclosure. Thus, the
conductive rail structures (78, 178, 46V) of the present disclosure
can be advantageously employed to enhance the functionality,
increase the yield, and improve the reliability, of
three-dimensional memory devices.
[0283] Although the foregoing refers to particular preferred
embodiments, it will be understood that the disclosure is not so
limited. It will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art that
various modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments and
that such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the
disclosure. Where an embodiment employing a particular structure
and/or configuration is illustrated in the present disclosure, it
is understood that the present disclosure may be practiced with any
other compatible structures and/or configurations that are
functionally equivalent provided that such substitutions are not
explicitly forbidden or otherwise known to be impossible to one of
ordinary skill in the art. All of the publications, patent
applications and patents cited herein are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
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