U.S. patent application number 15/863205 was filed with the patent office on 2019-07-11 for three-dimensional memory device containing hydrogen diffusion barrier structures for cmos under array architecture and method of.
The applicant listed for this patent is SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC. Invention is credited to Johann Alsmeier, Daxin Mao, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Jixin Yu.
Application Number | 20190214344 15/863205 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67139135 |
Filed Date | 2019-07-11 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190214344 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yu; Jixin ; et al. |
July 11, 2019 |
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEMORY DEVICE CONTAINING HYDROGEN DIFFUSION
BARRIER STRUCTURES FOR CMOS UNDER ARRAY ARCHITECTURE AND METHOD OF
MAKING THE SAME
Abstract
A contact level silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer
is formed over a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate.
A contact via cavity extending to the semiconductor device is
formed. A lower contact via structure portion is formed and
recessed between top and bottom surface of the silicon nitride
layer. An upper contact via structure portion including a hydrogen
diffusion barrier material is formed in a remaining volume of the
contact via cavity to provide a contact via structure. A
three-dimensional memory array is formed over the silicon nitride
layer. Metal interconnect structures are formed to provide
electrical connection between the contact via structure and a node
of the three-dimensional memory array. The hydrogen diffusion
barrier material and the silicon nitride layer block downward
diffusion of hydrogen.
Inventors: |
Yu; Jixin; (San Jose,
CA) ; Mao; Daxin; (Cupertino, CA) ; Ogawa;
Hiroyuki; (Yokkaichi, JP) ; Alsmeier; Johann;
(San Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC |
Plano |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
67139135 |
Appl. No.: |
15/863205 |
Filed: |
January 5, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 27/11519 20130101;
H01L 21/31053 20130101; H01L 21/76895 20130101; H01L 23/535
20130101; H01L 27/11529 20130101; H01L 27/11573 20130101; H01L
23/5226 20130101; H01L 27/0688 20130101; H01L 27/11548 20130101;
H01L 21/76849 20130101; H01L 27/11524 20130101; H01L 29/04
20130101; H01L 21/76883 20130101; H01L 27/11582 20130101; H01L
23/53238 20130101; H01L 21/76846 20130101; H01L 27/11565 20130101;
H01L 27/11575 20130101; H01L 23/485 20130101; H01L 27/11556
20130101; H01L 27/1157 20130101; H01L 21/823475 20130101; H01L
23/528 20130101; H01L 23/53266 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 23/535 20060101
H01L023/535; H01L 27/11556 20060101 H01L027/11556; H01L 27/11582
20060101 H01L027/11582; H01L 27/11524 20060101 H01L027/11524; H01L
27/1157 20060101 H01L027/1157; H01L 23/528 20060101 H01L023/528;
H01L 23/522 20060101 H01L023/522; H01L 23/532 20060101 H01L023/532;
H01L 29/04 20060101 H01L029/04; H01L 21/768 20060101 H01L021/768;
H01L 21/8234 20060101 H01L021/8234; H01L 21/3105 20060101
H01L021/3105 |
Claims
1. A semiconductor structure, comprising: a semiconductor device
located on a semiconductor substrate; a silicon nitride layer
overlying the semiconductor device; a contact via structure
extending through the silicon nitride layer, the contact via
structure comprising a lower contact via structure portion and an
upper contact via structure portion, wherein a top surface of the
lower contact via structure portion is located in a horizontal
plane located between two horizontal planes containing respective
top and bottom surfaces of the silicon nitride layer; a
three-dimensional memory array overlying the silicon nitride layer,
the three-dimensional memory array comprising an alternating stack
of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, and memory
stack structures vertically extending through the alternating stack
in a memory array region; and at least one metal interconnect
structure overlying the contact via structure and providing
electrical connection between the contact via structure and a node
of the three-dimensional memory array.
2. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein: a bottom
surface of the upper contact via structure contacts the top surface
of the lower contact via structure portion; the bottom surface of
the upper contact via structure is located in the horizontal plane
located between the two horizontal planes containing the respective
top and bottom surfaces of the silicon nitride layer; and a
combination of the silicon nitride layer and the upper contact via
structure portion function as a hydrogen diffusion barrier.
3. The semiconductor structure of claim 2, wherein the upper
contact via structure portion comprises at least one of a metal
silicide, titanium nitride and elemental titanium.
4. The semiconductor structure of claim 2, wherein the upper
contact via structure portion comprises: a diffusion barrier liner
consisting essentially of a first metallic diffusion barrier
material contacting the lower contact via structure portion; and a
diffusion barrier material portion consisting essentially of a
second metallic diffusion barrier material and embedded within the
diffusion barrier liner, wherein a top surface of the upper contact
via structure portion includes an annular top surface of the
diffusion barrier layer.
5. The semiconductor structure of claim 2, wherein the upper
contact via structure portion consists essentially of a single
metallic diffusion barrier material.
6. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, further comprising a
contact level silicon oxide layer overlying the semiconductor
device below the silicon nitride layer, wherein the contact via
structure extends through the contact level silicon oxide layer and
through the silicon nitride layer.
7. The semiconductor structure of claim 6, wherein: the contact
level silicon oxide layer has a planar top surface located within a
first horizontal plane; the silicon nitride layer has a planar top
surface located within a second horizontal plane; the semiconductor
structure further comprises a dielectric cap layer overlying the
silicon nitride layer; the contact via structure extends through
the dielectric cap layer; and a top surface of the upper contact
via structure portion is within a third horizontal plane including
a top surface of the dielectric cap layer.
8. The semiconductor structure of claim 6, wherein: the
semiconductor device comprises a field effect transistor including
a gate electrode overlying a top surface of the semiconductor
substrate and two transistor active regions embedded in the
semiconductor substrate; the semiconductor structure further
comprises a planarization dielectric layer overlying the two
transistor active regions and laterally surrounding the gate
electrode and having a planar top surface, and a planar silicon
nitride spacer layer located on the planar top surface of the
planarization dielectric layer and overlying the gate electrode and
contacting a bottom surface of the contact level silicon oxide
layer; the contact via structure extends through the planarization
dielectric layer and the planar silicon nitride spacer layer; and
an entire periphery of an interface between the lower contact via
structure portion and the upper contact via structure portion is on
a sidewall surface of an opening through the silicon nitride layer
between an upper periphery of the sidewall surface and a lower
periphery of the sidewall surface.
9. The semiconductor structure of claim 8, further comprising: a
metal silicide portion located within the semiconductor device and
contacting a bottom surface of the contact via structure; and a
substrate capping silicon nitride layer located between the
planarization dielectric layer and each of the semiconductor
substrate and the gate electrode, wherein the contact via structure
extends through the substrate capping silicon nitride layer.
10. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the lower
contact via structure comprises: a metallic nitride liner
comprising a metallic nitride material and contacting the
semiconductor device and including an annular top surface that
contacts the upper contact via structure portion; and a metal fill
portion located inside metallic nitride liner and consisting
essentially of at least one metallic element.
11. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, further comprising:
lower level dielectric material layers located over the silicon
nitride layer; lower level metal interconnect structures embedded
in the lower level dielectric material layers; a planar
semiconductor material layer located between the lower level
dielectric material layers and the alternating stack; a memory
level dielectric material portion overlying the planar
semiconductor material layer and located at levels of the
alternating stack; upper level dielectric material layers located
over the alternating stack and the memory level dielectric material
portion; and upper level metal interconnect structures embedded in
the upper level dielectric material layers, wherein the at least
one metal interconnect structure comprises at least one of the
lower level metal interconnect structures, at least one of the
upper level metal interconnect structures, and a memory level via
structure that extends through the memory level dielectric material
portion.
12. The semiconductor structure of claim 11, wherein: the
three-dimensional memory array 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 planar semiconductor material layer comprises a polysilicon
layer; the monolithic three-dimensional NAND memory device
comprises an array of monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings
over the polysilicon layer; 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 at least one semiconductor device comprises transistors of 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 each of the memory stack structures comprises a
vertical semiconductor channel and a memory film.
13. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:
forming a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate;
forming a contact level silicon oxide layer over the semiconductor
device; forming a silicon nitride layer over the contact level
silicon oxide layer; forming a contact via cavity extending through
the silicon nitride layer and the contact level silicon oxide
layer, wherein a top surface of the semiconductor device is
physically exposed at a bottom of the contact via cavity; forming a
lower contact via structure portion in the contact via cavity by
depositing at least one conductive material in the contact via
cavity and recessing the at least one conductive material below a
top surface of the silicon nitride layer and above a bottom surface
of the silicon nitride layer; forming an upper contact via
structure portion in a remaining volume of the contact via cavity,
wherein a combination of the lower contact via structure portion
and the upper contact via structure portion constitutes a contact
via structure; forming a three-dimensional memory array over the
silicon nitride layer, wherein the three-dimensional memory array
comprises an alternating stack of insulating layers and
electrically conductive layers and memory stack structures
vertically extending through the alternating stack in a memory
array region; and forming metal interconnect structures over the
contact via structure, wherein the metal interconnect structures
provide electrical connection between the contact via structure and
a node of the three-dimensional memory array.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the upper contact via structure
portion is formed by deposition of at least one metallic diffusion
barrier material selected from a metal silicide, titanium nitride
and elemental titanium.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the upper contact via structure
portion is formed by: forming a diffusion barrier liner consisting
essentially of a first metallic diffusion barrier material on the
lower contact via structure portion; and forming a diffusion
barrier material portion consisting essentially of a second
metallic diffusion barrier material within the diffusion barrier
liner, wherein a top surface of the upper contact via structure
portion includes an annular top surface of the diffusion barrier
layer.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the upper contact via structure
portion consists essentially of a single metallic diffusion barrier
material.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein: the contact level silicon
oxide layer has a planar top surface within a first horizontal
plane; the silicon nitride layer has a planar top surface located
within a second horizontal plane; the method further comprises
forming a dielectric cap layer over the silicon nitride layer; the
contact via structure is formed through the dielectric cap layer;
and a top surface of the upper contact via structure portion is
formed within a third horizontal plane including a top surface of
the dielectric cap layer.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein an entire periphery of a top
surface of the lower contact via structure portion is on a sidewall
surface of an opening through the silicon nitride layer between an
upper periphery of the sidewall surface and a lower periphery of
the sidewall surface.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein: a bottom surface of the upper
contact via structure contacts the top surface of the lower contact
via structure portion; the bottom surface of the upper contact via
structure is located in a horizontal plane located between two
horizontal planes containing the respective top and bottom surfaces
of the silicon nitride layer; and a combination of the silicon
nitride layer and the upper contact via structure portion function
as a hydrogen diffusion barrier.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein the semiconductor device
comprises a field effect transistor including a gate electrode
overlying a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and two
transistor active regions embedded in the semiconductor substrate,
and wherein the method further comprises: forming a planarization
dielectric layer over the two transistor active regions and around
the gate electrode; planarizing a top surface of the planarization
dielectric layer; forming a planar silicon nitride spacer layer on
the planarization dielectric layer, wherein: the contact level
silicon oxide layer is formed over the planar silicon nitride
spacer layer; and the contact via cavity is formed through the
planarization dielectric layer and the planar silicon nitride
spacer layer.
21. The method of claim 13, further comprising: forming lower level
dielectric material layers over the silicon nitride layer; forming
lower level metal interconnect structures embedded in the lower
level dielectric material layers; forming a planar semiconductor
material layer over the lower level dielectric material layers,
wherein the alternating stack is formed over the planar
semiconductor material layer; forming memory level dielectric
material portion over the planar semiconductor material layer at
levels of the alternating stack; forming upper level dielectric
material layers over the alternating stack and the memory level
dielectric material portion; and forming upper level metal
interconnect structures embedded in the upper level dielectric
material layers, wherein the metal interconnect structures comprise
at least one of the lower level metal interconnect structures, at
least one of the upper level metal interconnect structures, and a
memory level via structure that extends through the memory level
dielectric material portion.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein: the three-dimensional memory
array 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 planar semiconductor
material layer comprises a polysilicon layer; the monolithic
three-dimensional NAND memory device comprises an array of
monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings over the polysilicon
layer; 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 at least one
semiconductor device comprises 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 each of the memory stack
structures comprises a vertical semiconductor channel and a memory
film.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of
semiconductor devices and specifically to a three-dimensional
memory device employing CMOS under array architecture with hydrogen
diffusion barrier structures and methods of making the same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Recently, ultra high density storage devices have been
proposed using a three-dimensional (3D) stacked memory stack
structure sometimes referred to as Bit Cost Scalable (BiCS)
architecture. For example, a 3D NAND stacked memory device can be
formed from an array of an alternating stack of insulating
materials and spacer material layers that are formed as
electrically conductive layer or replaced with electrically
conductive layers. Memory openings are formed through the
alternating stack, and are filled with memory stack structures,
each of which includes a vertical stack of memory elements and a
vertical semiconductor channel. A memory-level assembly including
the alternating stack and the memory stack structures is formed
over a substrate. The electrically conductive layers can function
as word lines of a 3D NAND stacked memory device, and bit lines
overlying an array of memory stack structures can be connected to
drain-side ends of the vertical semiconductor channels.
SUMMARY
[0003] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a
semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor device located on
a semiconductor substrate, a silicon nitride layer overlying the
semiconductor device, a contact via structure extending through the
silicon nitride layer, the contact via structure comprising a lower
contact via structure portion and an upper contact via structure
portion, wherein a top surface of the lower contact via structure
portion is located in a horizontal plane located between two
horizontal planes containing respective top and bottom surfaces of
the silicon nitride layer, a three-dimensional memory array
overlying the silicon nitride layer, the three-dimensional memory
array comprising an alternating stack of insulating layers and
electrically conductive layers, and memory stack structures
vertically extending through the alternating stack in a memory
array region, and at least one metal interconnect structure
overlying the contact via structure and providing electrical
connection between the contact via structure and a node of the
three-dimensional memory array.
[0004] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a
method of forming a semiconductor structure is provided, which
comprises: forming a semiconductor device on a semiconductor
substrate; forming a contact level silicon oxide layer over the
semiconductor device; forming a silicon nitride layer over the
contact level silicon oxide layer; forming a contact via cavity
extending through the silicon nitride layer and the contact level
silicon oxide layer, wherein a top surface of the semiconductor
device is physically exposed at a bottom of the contact via cavity;
forming a lower contact via structure portion in the contact via
cavity by depositing at least one conductive material in the
contact via cavity and recessing the at least one conductive
material below a top surface of the silicon nitride layer and above
a bottom surface of the silicon nitride layer; forming an upper
contact via structure portion in a remaining volume of the contact
via cavity, wherein a combination of the lower contact via
structure portion and the upper contact via structure portion
constitutes a contact via structure; forming a three-dimensional
memory array over the silicon nitride layer, wherein the
three-dimensional memory array comprises an alternating stack of
insulating layers and electrically conductive layers and memory
stack structures vertically extending through the alternating stack
in a memory array region; and forming at least one metal
interconnect structure over the contact via structure, wherein the
at least one metal interconnect structure provides electrical
connection between the contact via structure and a node of the
three-dimensional memory array.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an exemplary
structure after formation of semiconductor devices, a substrate
capping silicon nitride layer, and a planarization dielectric layer
over a semiconductor substrate according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of a planar silicon nitride spacer layer,
a contact level silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, and a
dielectric cap layer according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of contact via cavities according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of antecedent lower contact via structure
portions according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of lower contact via structure portions
by recessing the antecedent lower contact via structures according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 6A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of upper contact via structure portions
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 6B is a first alternative embodiment of the exemplary
structure of FIG. 6A.
[0012] FIG. 7A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of a first line level lower dielectric
material layer and first level lower line structures according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 7B is a first alternative embodiment of the exemplary
structure of FIG. 7A.
[0014] FIG. 8A is a second alternative embodiment of the exemplary
structure of FIG. 7A.
[0015] FIG. 8B is a third alternative embodiment of the exemplary
structure of FIG. 7A.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of additional lower level dielectric
material layers, additional lower level metal interconnect
structures, an optional planar conductive material layer, and a
planar semiconductor material layer according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of a first-tier alternating stack of
first insulting layers and first spacer material layers according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after patterning first-tier staircase regions on the
first-tier alternating stack and forming a first-tier retro-stepped
dielectric material portion according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 12A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of first-tier memory openings and first
tier support openings according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 12B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure along the horizontal plane B-B' in FIG. 12A.
The zig-zag vertical plane A-A' corresponds to the plane of the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 12A.
[0021] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of sacrificial memory opening fill
portions and sacrificial support opening fill portions according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of a second-tier alternating stack of
second insulating layers and second spacer material layers, a
second-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion, and a second
insulating cap layer according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 15A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of inter-tier memory openings and
inter-tier support openings according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 15B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure along the horizontal plane B-B' in FIG. 15A.
The zig-zag vertical plane A-A' corresponds to the plane of the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 15A.
[0025] FIG. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of memory stack structures according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0026] FIGS. 17A-17H are sequential vertical cross-sectional views
of an inter-tier memory opening during formation of a pillar
channel portion, a memory stack structure, a dielectric core, and a
drain region according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 18A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of first through-stack via cavities
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 18B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure along the horizontal plane B-B' in FIG. 10A.
The zig-zag vertical plane A-A' corresponds to the plane of the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 18A.
[0029] FIG. 19A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of backside contact trenches according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 19B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure along the horizontal plane B-B' in FIG. 19A.
The zig-zag vertical plane A-A' corresponds to the plane of the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 19A.
[0031] FIG. 20A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after replacement of sacrificial material layers with
electrically conductive layers and formation of insulating spacers
and backside contact via structures according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0032] FIG. 20B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure along the horizontal plane B-B' in FIG. 20A.
The zig-zag vertical plane A-A' corresponds to the plane of the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 20A.
[0033] FIG. 21A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of drain contact via structures and word
line contact via structures according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0034] FIG. 21B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure along the horizontal plane B-B' in FIG. 21A.
The zig-zag vertical plane A-A' corresponds to the plane of the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 21A.
[0035] FIG. 22 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of second through-track via cavities and
through-dielectric via cavities according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 23A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of through-stack contact via structures
and through-dielectric contact via structures according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 23B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the
exemplary structure along the horizontal plane B-B' in FIG. 23A.
The zig-zag vertical plane A-A' corresponds to the plane of the
vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 23A.
[0038] FIG. 24 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the exemplary
structure after formation of upper metal line structures according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0039] As discussed above, the present disclosure is directed to a
three-dimensional memory device employing CMOS under array
architecture with hydrogen diffusion barrier structures and methods
of making the same, the various aspects of which are described
herein in detail. As three-dimensional memory devices scale to
smaller device dimensions, the device area for peripheral devices
can take up a significant portion of the total chip area. CMOS
under array architecture has been proposed to stack a
three-dimensional array of memory devices over underlying
peripheral devices on a substrate. Hydrogen originating from
various components of the three-dimensional array (such an
alternating stack of hydrogen containing silicon oxide and silicon
nitride layers) can diffuse to the CMOS transistors during the high
temperature annealing of the device and deleteriously affect the
device performance (e.g., increase in leakage current during the
off-state) of the peripheral devices underlying the
three-dimensional array of memory devices. Thus, embodiments of the
present disclosure provide a structure and a method for blocking
diffusion of hydrogen between the three-dimensional array of memory
devices and the peripheral devices without disrupting the
electrical continuity of the interconnect structures. The
embodiments of the present disclosure can be employed to form
various semiconductor devices such as three-dimensional monolithic
memory array devices comprising a plurality of NAND memory strings.
The drawings are not drawn to scale. Multiple instances of an
element may be duplicated where a single instance of the element is
illustrated, unless absence of duplication of elements is expressly
described or clearly indicated otherwise.
[0040] Ordinals such as "first," "second," and "third" are employed
merely to identify similar elements, and different ordinals may be
employed across the specification and the claims of the instant
disclosure. As used herein, a first element located "on" a second
element can be located on the exterior side of a surface of the
second element or on the interior side of the second element. As
used herein, a first element is located "directly on" a second
element if there exist a physical contact between a surface of the
first element and a surface of the second element. As used herein,
an "in-process" structure or a "transient" structure refers to a
structure that is subsequently modified.
[0041] 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, and/or may have one or more layer thereupon, thereabove,
and/or therebelow.
[0042] As used herein, a "memory level" or a "memory array level"
refers to the level corresponding to a general region between a
first horizontal plane (i.e., a plane parallel to the top surface
of the substrate) including topmost surfaces of an array of memory
elements and a second horizontal plane including bottommost
surfaces of the array of memory elements. As used herein, a
"through-stack" element refers to an element that vertically
extends through a memory level.
[0043] 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 "insulating 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.
[0044] 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 substrate may include integrated circuits fabricated
thereon, such as driver circuits for a memory device
[0045] 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. The monolithic three-dimensional NAND
string is located in a monolithic, three-dimensional array of NAND
strings located over the substrate. At least one memory cell in the
first device level of the three-dimensional array of NAND strings
is located over another memory cell in the second device level of
the three-dimensional array of NAND strings.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary structure according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. The exemplary
structure includes a semiconductor substrate 8, and semiconductor
devices 710 formed thereupon. The semiconductor substrate 8
includes a substrate semiconductor layer 9 at least at an upper
portion thereof. Shallow trench isolation structures 720 can be
formed in an upper portion of the substrate semiconductor layer 9
to provide electrical isolation among the semiconductor
devices.
[0047] The semiconductor devices 710 can include, for example,
field effect transistors including respective transistor active
regions 742 (i.e., source regions and drain regions), channel
regions 746 and gate structures 750. The field effect transistors
may be arranged in a CMOS configuration. Each gate structure 750
can include, for example, a gate dielectric 752, a gate electrode
754, a dielectric gate spacer 756 and an optional gate metal
silicide portion 758. In one embodiment, at least one of the field
effect transistors can include at least one metal silicide portion,
which may be an active region metal silicide portion 744 and/or a
gate metal silicide portion 758. Each active region metal silicide
portion 744 can be formed on a transistor active region 742 by
reacting a metal with a semiconductor material of the transistor
active region 742 to form a metal silicide. Each gate metal
silicide portion 758 can be formed on a gate electrode 754 by
reacting a metal with a semiconductor material within an upper
portion of the gate electrode 754 to form a metal silicide. The
metal silicide portions (744, 758) can include any metal silicide.
Exemplary metal silicides include nickel silicide, cobalt silicide,
titanium silicide, tantalum silicide, or tungsten silicide.
[0048] The semiconductor devices 710 can include any semiconductor
circuitry to support operation of a memory structure to be
subsequently formed, which is typically referred to as a driver
circuitry, which is also known as peripheral circuitry. As used
herein, a peripheral circuitry refers to any, each, or all, of word
line decoder circuitry, word line switching circuitry, bit line
decoder circuitry, bit line sensing and/or switching circuitry,
power supply/distribution circuitry, data buffer and/or latch, or
any other semiconductor circuitry that can be implemented outside a
memory array structure for a memory device. For example, the
semiconductor devices can include word line switching devices for
electrically biasing word lines of three-dimensional memory
structures to be subsequently formed.
[0049] A silicon nitride layer can be formed to cap the
semiconductor substrate 8 and the semiconductor devices 710 (e.g.,
the gate structures 750 of the semiconductor devices 710), which is
herein referred to a substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762.
Optionally, a silicon oxide liner (not illustrated) can be formed
directly on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate 8 and
the gate structures 750 prior to formation of the substrate capping
silicon nitride layer 762. In one embodiment, the substrate capping
silicon nitride layer 762 may apply a tensile stress or a
compressive stress to underlying semiconductor devices to enhance
performance of the underlying semiconductor devices. In one
embodiment, two separate silicon nitride layers covering different
regions of the semiconductor substrate 8 may be employed as the
substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762. In this case, a first
silicon nitride layer of the substrate capping silicon nitride
layer 762 can cover first semiconductor devices in a first device
region, and may apply a tensile stress to the first semiconductor
devices (which may include n-type field effect transistors), and a
second silicon nitride layer of the substrate capping silicon
nitride layer 762 can over second semiconductor devices in a second
device region, and may apply a compressive stress to the second
semiconductor devices (which may include p-type field effect
transistors). In one embodiment, the first silicon nitride layer
and the second silicon nitride layer can complementarily cover the
entire area of the semiconductor substrate 8, and collectively form
the substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762. The thickness of
the substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762 can be in a range
from 10 nm to 100 nm, such as from 20 nm to 60 nm, although lesser
and greater thicknesses can also be employed. The substrate capping
silicon nitride layer 762 can function as a hydrogen diffusion
barrier after formation of overlying dielectric material layers and
devices.
[0050] A planarizable dielectric material can be deposited over the
substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762 to form a planarization
dielectric layer 662. The planarizable dielectric material can
include undoped silicate glass (e.g., low hydrogen content silicon
oxide), and can be deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor
deposition. A densification anneal may be performed to reduce
hydrogen content in the deposited undoped silicate glass. The
planarization dielectric layer 662 can be subsequently planarized
employing top surfaces of portions of the substrate capping silicon
nitride layer 762 that overlie the gate structures 750. The
planarization of the planarizable dielectric material can be
performed, for example, by chemical mechanical planarization. Top
surfaces of the portions of the substrate capping silicon nitride
layer 762 that overlie the gate structures 750 can be employed as
stopping surfaces during the planarization process. The
planarization dielectric layer 662 overlies the transistor active
regions 742 in the semiconductor substrate 8, and laterally
surrounds the gate structures 750. The planarized top surface of
the planarization dielectric layer 662 can be within a same
horizontal plane as the topmost surfaces of the substrate capping
silicon nitride layer 762 that overlie the gate structures 750.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, a planar silicon nitride spacer layer
672, a contact level silicon oxide layer 664, a silicon nitride
layer 674, and an optional dielectric cap layer 666 can be
sequentially deposited over the planarization dielectric layer
672.
[0052] The planar silicon nitride spacer layer 672 can be deposited
by chemical vapor deposition such as low pressure chemical vapor
deposition (LPCVD), and can have a thickness in a range from 6 nm
to 60 nm, such as from 12 nm to 30 nm, although lesser and greater
thicknesses can also be employed. The planar silicon nitride spacer
layer 672 can be a planar layer having a planar bottom surface and
a planar top surface. The planar silicon nitride spacer layer 672
can function as an etch stop structure during a subsequent etch
process that forms via cavities through the contact level silicon
oxide layer 664.
[0053] The contact level silicon oxide layer 664 includes undoped
silicate glass, and can be formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor
deposition. The thickness of the contact level silicon oxide layer
664 can be in a range from 100 nm to 1,000 nm, such as from 200 nm
to 600 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed. A densification anneal can be optionally performed after
deposition of the undoped silicate glass to reduce the hydrogen
content in the undoped silicate glass of the contact level silicon
oxide layer 664. In one embodiment, the contact level silicon oxide
layer 664 has a planar top surface within a first horizontal plane
HP1.
[0054] The silicon nitride layer 674 is a diffusion barrier layer
that forms a continuous diffusion barrier structure in combination
with diffusion blocking conductive material portions to be
subsequently formed therethrough. The silicon nitride layer 674 can
be formed by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) process
employing dichlorosilane (DCS) and ammonia as reactant gases at a
temperature in a range from 600 degrees Celsius and 900 degrees
Celsius and at a pressure in a range from 100 mTorr to 500 mTorr.
However, other materials, pressures and temperatures may be used.
For example, the silicon nitride may be deposited from other
reactant gases or by a method other than LPCVD, or another
dielectric material may be used instead of or in addition to
silicon nitride. The silicon nitride layer 674 can be
stoichiometric, i.e., have an atomic ratio of 3:4 between silicon
atoms and nitrogen atoms. The thickness of the silicon nitride
layer 674 can be in a range from 20 nm to 200 nm, such as from 40
nm to 100 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed. In one embodiment, the thickness of the silicon nitride
layer 674 can be greater than 30 nm to provide effective hydrogen
blocking property. In one embodiment, the silicon nitride layer 674
has a planar top surface within a second horizontal plane HP2.
[0055] The optional dielectric cap layer 666, if present, includes
a dielectric material that can be employed as a stopping layer
during a subsequent planarization process. For example, the
optional dielectric cap layer 666 can include silicon oxide,
silicon oxynitride, or a dielectric metal oxide (such as an
aluminum nitride layer). The thickness of the optional dielectric
cap layer 666 can be in a range from 3 nm to 100 nm, such as from 6
nm to 50 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed. The optional dielectric cap layer 666 can be deposited by
chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. If the
dielectric cap layer 666 is present, the dielectric cap layer 666
has a planar top surface within a third horizontal plane HP3.
[0056] Referring to FIG. 3, a photoresist layer 677 can be applied
over the silicon nitride layer 674 (and over the dielectric cap
layer 666, if present), and can be lithographically patterned to
form openings in areas in which contact via structures are to be
subsequently formed. In one embodiment, the areas of the opening in
the photoresist layer 677 can overlie the areas of the metal
silicide portions (744, 758). In one embodiment, the areas of the
openings in the photoresist layer 677 can be entirely within the
areas enclosed by peripheries of the metal silicide portions (744,
758).
[0057] An anisotropic etch process can be performed to transfer the
pattern of the openings through the underlying layers. In areas of
openings in the photoresist layer 677 that overlie the active
region metal silicide portions 744, active region contact via
cavities 781A are formed through the optional dielectric cap layer
666, the silicon nitride layer 674, the contact level silicon oxide
layer 664, the planar silicon nitride spacer layer 672, the
planarization dielectric layer 662, and the substrate capping
silicon nitride layer 762 (and any underlying silicon oxide liner,
if present). A top surface (which may, or may not, be recessed due
to the anisotropic etch) of an active region metal silicide portion
744 is physically exposed at the bottom of each active region
contact via cavity 781A. In areas of openings in the photoresist
layer 677 that overlie the gate metal silicide portions 758, gate
contact via cavities 781G are formed through the optional
dielectric cap layer 666, the silicon nitride layer 674, the
contact level silicon oxide layer 664, the planar silicon nitride
spacer layer 672, and the substrate capping silicon nitride layer
762 (and any underlying silicon oxide liner, if present).
[0058] The anisotropic etch process can include a series of etch
steps including a respective etch chemistry so that the series of
etch steps sequentially etches the various layers between the
photoresist layer 677 and the metal silicide portions (744, 758).
In one embodiment, the series of etch steps can include an etch
step for etching the optional dielectric cap layer 666, an etch
step for etching the silicon nitride layer 674, an etch step for
etching the contact level silicon oxide layer 664, an etch step for
etching the planar silicon nitride spacer layer 672, an etch step
that etches the silicon oxide material of the planarization
dielectric layer 662 selective to silicon nitride to prevent
overetching into the substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762,
and an etch step for etching the substrate capping silicon nitride
layer 762 (and an etch step for etching any underlying silicon
oxide liner, if present). In one embodiment, the metal silicide
portions (744, 758) can function as etch stop structures for the
anisotropic etch process.
[0059] Generally, a top surface of the semiconductor devices 710
can be physically exposed at the bottom of each contact via cavity
(781A, 781G), which may be an active region contact via cavity 781A
or a gate contact via cavity 781G. Each contact via cavity (781A,
781G) can have a vertical profile or a tapered profile with a
straight sidewall that extends between the third horizontal plane
HP3 (or the second horizontal plane HP2 in case the optional
dielectric cap layer 666 is not present) and a surface of the
semiconductor devices 710. The photoresist layer 677 is
subsequently removed, for example, by ashing.
[0060] While the present disclosure is described employing an
embodiment in which metal silicide portions (744, 758) are provided
at the bottom of the contact via cavities (781A, 781G), embodiments
are expressly contemplated herein in which a metal silicide portion
is not provided at the bottom a contact via trench, and a contact
via structure is formed directly on a semiconductor material
portion or a metal portion within the semiconductor substrate 8 or
within the gate structures 750. For example, a metal gate electrode
portion may replace a gate metal silicide portion 758 in one or
more of the gate structures 750. In this case, a top surface of a
metal gate electrode can be physically exposed at the bottom of
each gate contact via cavity 781G.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 4, an antecedent lower contact via
structure portion 782A' is formed within each of the contact via
cavities (781A, 781G) by depositing at least one conductive
material in each of the contact via cavities (781A, 781G). As used
herein, an "antecedent" element is an element that is subsequently
modified to provide an element that is incorporated into a
manufactured device. In other words, an antecedent element is
subsequently modified to form another element. Thus, each
antecedent lower contact via structure portion 782A' is
subsequently modified (and specifically, vertically recessed) to
provide a respective lower contact via structure portion.
[0062] For example, a metallic nitride liner 81 can be deposited in
each of the contact via cavities (781A, 781G). The metallic nitride
liner 81 can include a conductive metallic nitride material such as
TiN, TaN, and/or WN, and can function as a diffusion barrier layer
for elemental metal to be subsequently deposited. The metallic
nitride liner 81 can contact the physically exposed surfaces of the
semiconductor devices 710 such as the metal silicide portions (744,
758). The metallic nitride liner 81 can be formed as a continuous
material layer by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor
deposition.
[0063] Subsequently, a metal such as tungsten, copper, or aluminum
can be deposited in remaining volumes of the contact via cavities
(781A, 781G) by physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor
deposition, or electroplating. In one embodiment, the metal can
consist essentially of at least one metallic element, which can be
a single elemental metallic element or a plurality of metallic
elements provided as a layer stack or as an alloy.
[0064] Portions of the deposited metal and the metallic nitride
liner 81 located over the third horizontal plane HP3 (or the second
horizontal plane HP2 in case the optional dielectric cap layer 666
is not present) can be removed by a planarization process such as a
recess etch or chemical mechanical planarization. Each remaining
portion of the deposited metal in a contact via cavity (781A, 781G)
constitutes a metal fill portion 83. The metallic nitride liner 81
is divided into multiple portions, each of which is located
entirely within a respective one of the contact via cavities (781A,
781G). Each combination of adjacent a metallic nitride liner 81 and
a metal fill portion 83 constitutes an antecedent lower contact via
structure portion 782A'. The antecedent lower contact via structure
portions 782A' can have a top surface that is within the third
horizontal plane HP3 (or the second horizontal plane HP2 in case
the optional dielectric cap layer 666 is not present).
[0065] Referring to FIG. 5, the at least one conductive material of
the antecedent lower contact via structure portions 782A' can be
vertically recessed by an etch process, which can include an
anisotropic etch (such as a reactive ion etch) or an isotropic etch
(such as a wet etch). The duration of the etch process can be
controlled so that the top surface 782T of each remaining portion
of the antecedent lower contact via structure portions 782A' is
located in a horizontal plane (i.e., plane parallel to top surface
of semiconductor substrate 8) between the two horizontal planes
containing the respective top and bottom surfaces of the silicon
nitride layer 674. In other words, the top surface 782T of each
remaining portion of the antecedent lower contact via structure
portions 782A' is located in a horizontal plane between the first
horizontal plane HP1 and the second horizontal plane HP2.
Therefore, the duration of the etch process can be controlled so
that the entire periphery of a top surface 782T of each remaining
portion of the antecedent lower contact via structure portions
782A' is located on a sidewall surface of a respective opening
through the silicon nitride layer 674 between an upper periphery
674UP of the sidewall surface and a lower periphery 674LP of the
sidewall surface. Each remaining portion of the antecedent lower
contact via structure portions 782A' is a lower contact via
structure portion 782A. For each lower contact via structure
portion 782A, the vertical distance between the second horizontal
plane HP2 including the top surface of the silicon nitride layer
674 and the top surface 782T of the lower contact via structure
portion 782A can be in a range from 10% to 90%, such as from 20% to
80%, of the thickness of the silicon nitride layer 674. Each lower
contact via structure portion 782A is formed in a lower portion of
a respective one of the contact via cavities (781A, 781G). A recess
cavity 781R is present in an upper portion of each of the contact
via cavities (781A, 781G).
[0066] Referring to FIG. 6A, at least one metallic diffusion
barrier material can be deposited in the recess cavities 781R
overlying the lower contact via structure portions 782. The at
least one metallic diffusion barrier material is a metallic
material that blocks diffusion of hydrogen therethrough. The at
least one metallic diffusion barrier material can include a metal
silicide such tungsten silicide, titanium silicide, cobalt
silicide, or nickel silicide, and/or a metallic element (such as
titanium) that blocks diffusion of hydrogen therethrough. In one
embodiment, the at least one metallic diffusion barrier material
can be selected from at least one of a metal silicide, titanium
nitride and elemental titanium.
[0067] In one embodiment, the at least one metallic diffusion
barrier material can include a plurality of metallic diffusion
barrier materials that are sequentially deposited. In one
embodiment, a first layer of a first metallic diffusion barrier
material and a second layer of a second metallic diffusion barrier
material can be sequentially deposited in each of the recess
cavities 781R and over the optional dielectric cap layer 666 (or
the silicon nitride layer 674). For example, the first metallic
diffusion barrier material can be a metal silicide and the second
metallic diffusion barrier material can be titanium or a metal
nitride (e.g., TiN, WN, TaN, etc.), or vice versa. Excess portions
of the first and second metallic diffusion barrier materials can be
removed from above the third horizontal plane HP3 (or from above
the second horizontal plane HP2 if the optional dielectric cap
layer 666 is not present) by a planarization process. The
planarization process can employ a recess etch and/or chemical
mechanical planarization.
[0068] Each remaining portion of the first metallic diffusion
barrier material after the planarization process constitutes a
diffusion barrier liner 782L, which consists essentially of the
first metallic diffusion barrier material. The diffusion barrier
liners 782L can be formed on a respective one of the lower contact
via structure portions 782A. Each remaining portion of the second
metallic barrier material after the planarization process
constitutes a diffusion barrier material portion 782F, which
consists essentially of the second metallic diffusion barrier
material and is formed within one of the diffusion barrier liners
782L. Each combination of adjacent a diffusion barrier liner 782L
and a diffusion barrier material portion 782F constitutes an upper
contact via structure portion 782B. A top surface of each upper
contact via structure portion 782B includes an annular top surface
of the diffusion barrier layer 782L. Each diffusion barrier
material portion 782F is embedded within a diffusion barrier liner
782L. Each metallic nitride liner 81 of the lower contact via
structure portions 782A can have an annular top surface that
contacts a bottom surface of one of the diffusion barrier liners
782L.
[0069] Each combination of adjacent a lower contact via structure
portion 782A and an upper contact via structure portion 782B
constitutes a contact via structure 782. Each of the contact via
structures 782 is located within a contact via cavity having a
straight sidewall extending at least from the second horizontal
plane HP2 to a component of an underlying semiconductor device 710
(which may be a metal silicide portion (744, 758)). In one
embodiment, a bottom surface of a contact via structure 782 can be
formed on a metal silicide portion (744, 758). If the contact via
structures 782 are formed through the dielectric cap layer 666, the
top surface of each upper contact via structure portion 782B can be
formed within the third horizontal plane HP3 including the top
surface of the dielectric cap layer 666.
[0070] Referring to FIG. 6B, a first alternative embodiment of the
exemplary structure of FIG. 6A is illustrated, which can be derived
from the exemplary structure of FIG. 6A by employing a single
metallic diffusion barrier material in lieu of a plurality of
metallic diffusion barrier materials to form the upper contact via
structure portions 782B. In this case, each of the upper contact
via structure portions 782B can consist essentially of a single
metallic diffusion barrier material. In one embodiment, the single
metallic diffusion barrier material can be selected from at least
one of a metal silicide, titanium nitride and elemental titanium.
In the first alternative embodiment of the exemplary structure, the
single metallic diffusion barrier material can be deposited in the
recess cavities formed at the processing steps of FIG. 5 by
chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, or
electroplating. Excess portions of the single metallic diffusion
barrier material can be removed from above the third horizontal
plane HP3 (of from above the second horizontal plane HP2 in case
the dielectric cap layer 666 is not present) by a planarization
process. Each remaining portion of the single metallic diffusion
barrier material filling the recess cavities constitutes an upper
contact via structure portion 782B.
[0071] Each combination of adjacent a lower contact via structure
portion 782A and an upper contact via structure portion 782B
constitutes a contact via structure 782. Each of the contact via
structures 782 is located within a contact via cavity having a
straight sidewall extending at least from the second horizontal
plane HP2 to a component of an underlying semiconductor device
(which may be a metal silicide portion (744, 758)).
[0072] Referring to FIG. 7A, a first line level lower dielectric
material layer 682 and first level lower line structures 784 can be
formed over the contact via structures 782 of FIG. 6A. The first
line level lower dielectric material layer 682 is a dielectric
material layer that is formed at a level located below the levels
of memory devices to be subsequently formed. The first level lower
line structures 784 are line level metal interconnect structures
that are most proximal to the semiconductor substrate 8 among all
line level metal interconnect structures to be formed above the
semiconductor substrate 8.
[0073] The first line level lower dielectric material layer 682
includes a dielectric material such as doped silicate glass,
undoped silicate glass, or organosilicate glass. The first line
level lower dielectric material layer 682 can include hydrogen
therein because the combination of the silicon nitride layer 674
and the upper contact via structure portions 782B functions as a
continuous hydrogen diffusion blocking structure. The first line
level lower dielectric material layer 682 can be deposited by
chemical vapor deposition. The first line level lower dielectric
material layer 682 can have a thickness in a range from 100 nm to
1,000 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed.
[0074] The first level lower line structures 784 can be formed by
forming trenches through the first line level lower dielectric
material layer 682, and by filling the trenches with at least one
conductive material. For example, a metal liner and a metal fill
material can be deposited in the trenches, and excess portions of
the metal liner and the metal fill material can be removed from
above the top surface of the first line level lower dielectric
material layer 682 by a planarization process such as chemical
mechanical planarization. Each remaining portion of the metal liner
and the metal fill material constitutes a first level lower line
structure 784.
[0075] The first level lower line structures 784 can be formed on
the top surfaces of the contact via structures 782. In one
embodiment, each diffusion barrier layer 782L of the upper contact
via structure portions 782B can have an annular top surface that
contacts a bottom surface of a respective one of the first level
lower line structures 784.
[0076] Referring to FIG. 7B, a first alternate embodiment of the
exemplary structure of FIG. 7A is illustrated, which can be derived
from the first exemplary embodiment of the exemplary structure
illustrated in FIG. 6B by performing the processing steps of FIG.
7A, i.e., by forming the first line level lower dielectric material
layer 682 and the first level lower line structures 784 over the
contact via structures 782 of FIG. 6B. The upper contact via
structures 782B can have top surfaces that contact a respective one
of the first level lower line structures 784.
[0077] Referring to FIG. 8A, a second alternative embodiment of the
exemplary structure of FIG. 7A is illustrated, which can be derived
from the exemplary structure of FIG. 7A by omitting the optional
dielectric cap layer 666. In this case, the top surface of the
silicon nitride layer 674 can be coplanar with the top surfaces of
the contact via structures 782, and contact the bottom surface of
the first line level lower dielectric material layer 682.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 8B, a third alternative embodiment of the
exemplary structure of FIG. 7A is illustrated, which can be derived
from the first alternative embodiment of the exemplary structure of
FIG. 7B by omitting the optional dielectric cap layer 666. In this
case, the top surface of the silicon nitride layer 674 can be
coplanar with the top surfaces of the contact via structures 782,
and contact the bottom surface of the first line level lower
dielectric material layer 682.
[0079] Referring to FIG. 9, additional lower level dielectric
material layers and additional lower metal interconnect structures
can be subsequently formed on any embodiment of the exemplary
structure illustrated in FIG. 7A, 7B, 8A or 8B. The set of all
dielectric material layers including the substrate capping silicon
nitride layer 762, the planarization dielectric layer, the planar
silicon nitride spacer layer, the contact level silicon oxide
layer, the silicon nitride layer, the dielectric cap layer, the
first line level lower dielectric material layer, and the
additional lower level dielectric material layers are collectively
referred to as lower level dielectric layers 760. The lower level
dielectric layers 760 constitute a dielectric layer stack in which
each component dielectric layer overlies or underlies other
component dielectric layer(s). The lower level dielectric layers
760 can include an etch stop silicon nitride layer 766, first
dielectric material layers 764, and at least one second dielectric
layer 768 that overlies the etch stop silicon nitride layer 766.
The first dielectric material layers 764 include all layers above
the substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762 and below the etch
stop silicon nitride layer 766 described above.
[0080] The dielectric layer stack including the lower level
dielectric layers 760 functions as a matrix for lower metal
interconnect structures 780 that provide electrical wiring among
the various nodes of the semiconductor devices and landing pads for
through-stack contact via structures to be subsequently formed. The
lower metal interconnect structures 780 are embedded within the
dielectric layer stack of the lower level dielectric layers
760.
[0081] For example, the lower metal interconnect structures 780 can
be embedded within the first dielectric material layers 764.
Various elements of the lower metal interconnect structures 780 are
embedded within the first dielectric material layers 764. The
additional lower level dielectric material layers above the silicon
nitride layer 674 among the first dielectric material layers 764
may include any of doped silicate glass, undoped silicate glass,
organosilicate glass, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, and
dielectric metal oxides (such as aluminum oxide).
[0082] The lower metal interconnect structures 780 include the
contact via structures 782, the first level lower line structures
784, lower metal via structures 786, optional intermediate level
lower line structures 785, and topmost lower metal line structures
788 that are configured to function as landing pads for
through-stack contact via structures to be subsequently formed. In
this case, the first dielectric material layers 764 may be formed
level by level while incorporating components of the lower metal
interconnect structures 780 within each respective level. For
example, single damascene processes may be employed to form the
lower metal interconnect structures 780, and each level of the
lower metal via structures 786 may be embedded within a respective
via level dielectric material layer and each level of the lower
level metal line structures (784, 788) may be embedded within a
respective line level dielectric material layer. Alternatively, a
dual damascene process may be employed to form integrated line and
via structures, each of which includes a lower metal line structure
and at least one lower metal via structure.
[0083] The topmost lower metal line structures 788 can be formed
within a topmost dielectric material layer of the first dielectric
material layers 764 (which can be a plurality of dielectric
material layers). Each of the lower metal interconnect structures
780 may, or may not, include a metallic nitride liner and a metal
fill portion. Each metallic nitride liner can include a conductive
metallic nitride material such as TiN, TaN, and/or WN. Each metal
fill portion can include an elemental metal (such as Cu, W, Al, Co,
Ru) or an intermetallic alloy of at least two metals. Top surfaces
of the topmost lower metal line structures 788 and the topmost
surface of the first dielectric material layers 764 may be
planarized by a planarization process, such as chemical mechanical
planarization. In this case, the top surfaces of the topmost lower
metal line structures 788 and the topmost surface of the first
dielectric material layers 764 may be within a horizontal plane
that is parallel to the top surface of the substrate 8.
[0084] The etch stop silicon nitride layer 766 can be formed
directly on the top surfaces of the topmost lower metal line
structures 788 and the topmost surface of the first dielectric
material layers 764. Alternatively, a portion of the first
dielectric material layers 764 can be located on the top surfaces
of the topmost lower metal line structures 788 below the etch stop
silicon nitride layer 766. In one embodiment, the etch stop silicon
nitride layer 766 is a substantially stoichiometric silicon nitride
layer which has a composition of Si.sub.3N.sub.4.
[0085] The at least one second dielectric material layer 768 may
include a single dielectric material layer or a plurality of
dielectric material layers. Each dielectric material layer among
the at least one second dielectric material layer 768 may include
any of doped silicate glass, undoped silicate glass, and
organosilicate glass. In one embodiment, the at least one second
material layer 768 can comprise, or consist essentially of,
dielectric material layers having dielectric constants that do not
exceed the dielectric constant of undoped silicate glass (silicon
oxide) of 3.9.
[0086] An optional layer of a metallic material and a layer of a
semiconductor material can be deposited over, or within patterned
recesses of, the at least one second dielectric material layer 768,
and is lithographically patterned to provide an optional planar
conductive material layer 6 and a planar semiconductor material
layer 10. The optional planar conductive material layer 6, if
present, provides a high conductivity conduction path for
electrical current that flows into, or out of, the planar
semiconductor material layer 10. The optional planar conductive
material layer 6 includes a conductive material such as a metal
(e.g., tungsten), a metal compound (e.g., TiN or metal silicide,
such as tungsten silicide), or a heavily doped semiconductor
material. The optional planar conductive material layer 6, for
example, may include a tungsten layer having a thickness in a range
from 3 nm to 100 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can
also be employed. A metal nitride layer (not shown) may be provided
as a diffusion barrier layer on top of the planar conductive
material layer 6. In one embodiment, the planar conductive material
layer 6 may function as a source line in the completed memory
device. Alternatively or additionally, the planar conductive
material layer 6 may comprise an etch stop layer and may comprise
any suitable conductive, semiconducting, or insulating layer.
[0087] The planar semiconductor material layer 10 can include
horizontal semiconductor channels and/or source regions for a
three-dimensional array of memory devices to be subsequently
formed. The thickness of the optional planar conductive material
layer 6 may be in a range from 5 nm to 100 nm, although lesser and
greater thicknesses can also be employed. The thickness of the
planar semiconductor material layer 10 may be in a range from 30 nm
to 300 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be
employed.
[0088] The planar semiconductor material layer 10 includes a
semiconductor material, which can include at least one elemental
semiconductor material, at least one III-V compound semiconductor
material, at least one II-VI compound semiconductor material, at
least one organic semiconductor material, and/or other
semiconductor materials known in the art. In one embodiment, the
planar semiconductor material layer 10 can include a
polycrystalline semiconductor material (such as polysilicon or
polycrystalline silicon germanium alloy), or an amorphous
semiconductor material (such as amorphous silicon or silicon
germanium alloy) that is converted into a polycrystalline
semiconductor material in a subsequent processing step (such as an
anneal step). The planar semiconductor material layer 10 can be
formed directly above a subset of the semiconductor devices on the
semiconductor substrate 8 (e.g., silicon wafer). As used herein, a
first element is located "directly above" a second element if the
first element is located above a horizontal plane including a
topmost surface of the second element and an area of the first
element and an area of the second element has an areal overlap in a
plan view (i.e., along a vertical plane or direction perpendicular
to the top surface of the substrate semiconductor layer 9). In one
embodiment, the planar semiconductor material layer 10 or portions
thereof can be doped with electrical dopants, which may be p-type
dopants or n-type dopants. The conductivity type of the dopants in
the planar semiconductor material layer 10 is herein referred to as
a first conductivity type.
[0089] The optional planar conductive material layer 6 and the
planar semiconductor material layer 10 may be patterned to provide
openings in areas in which through-stack contact via structures and
through-dielectric contact via structures are to be subsequently
formed. In one embodiment, the openings in the optional planar
conductive material layer 6 and the planar semiconductor material
layer 10 can be formed within the area of a memory array region
100, in which a three-dimensional memory array including memory
stack structures is to be subsequently formed. Further, additional
openings in the optional planar conductive material layer 6 and the
planar semiconductor material layer 10 can be formed within the
area of a contact region 200 in which contact via structures
contacting word line electrically conductive layers are to be
subsequently formed.
[0090] The region of the semiconductor devices and the combination
of the lower level dielectric layers 760 and the lower metal
interconnect structures 780 is herein referred to an underlying
peripheral device region 700, which is located underneath a
memory-level assembly to be subsequently formed and includes
peripheral devices for the memory-level assembly. The lower metal
interconnect structures 780 are embedded in the lower level
dielectric layers 760.
[0091] The lower metal interconnect structures 780 can be
electrically shorted to active nodes (e.g., transistor active
regions 742 or gate electrodes 750) of the semiconductor devices
710 (e.g., CMOS devices), and are located at the level of the lower
level dielectric layers 760. Only a subset of the active nodes is
illustrated in FIG. 9 for clarity. Through-stack contact via
structures (not shown in FIG. 9) can be subsequently formed
directly on the lower metal interconnect structures 780 to provide
electrical connection to memory devices to be subsequently formed.
In one embodiment, the pattern of the lower metal interconnect
structures 780 can be selected such that the topmost lower metal
line structures 788 (which are a subset of the lower metal
interconnect structures 780 located at the topmost portion of the
lower metal interconnect structures 780) can provide landing pad
structures for the through-stack contact via structures to be
subsequently formed.
[0092] Referring to FIG. 10, an alternating stack of first material
layers and second material layers is subsequently formed. Each
first material layer can include a first material, and each second
material layer can include a second material that is different from
the first material. In case at least another alternating stack of
material layers is subsequently formed over the alternating stack
of the first material layers and the second material layers, the
alternating stack is herein referred to as a first-tier alternating
stack. The level of the first-tier alternating stack is herein
referred to as a first-tier level, and the level of the alternating
stack to be subsequently formed immediately above the first-tier
level is herein referred to as a second-tier level, etc.
[0093] The first-tier alternating stack can include first insulting
layers 132 as the first material layers, and first spacer material
layers as the second material layers. In one embodiment, the first
spacer material layers can be sacrificial material layers that are
subsequently replaced with electrically conductive layers. In
another embodiment, the first spacer material layers can be
electrically conductive layers that are not subsequently replaced
with other layers. While the present disclosure is described
employing embodiments in which sacrificial material layers are
replaced with electrically conductive layers, embodiments in which
the spacer material layers are formed as electrically conductive
layers (thereby obviating the need to perform replacement
processes) are expressly contemplated herein.
[0094] In one embodiment, the first material layers and the second
material layers can be first insulating layers 132 and first
sacrificial material layers 142, respectively. In one embodiment,
each first insulating layer 132 can include a first insulating
material, and each first sacrificial material layer 142 can include
a first sacrificial material. An alternating plurality of first
insulating layers 132 and first sacrificial material layers 142 is
formed over the planar semiconductor material layer 10. As used
herein, a "sacrificial material" refers to a material that is
removed during a subsequent processing step.
[0095] As used herein, an alternating stack 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.
[0096] The first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) can include
first insulating layers 132 composed of the first material, and
first sacrificial material layers 142 composed of the second
material, which is different from the first material. The first
material of the first insulating layers 132 can be at least one
insulating material. Insulating materials that can be employed for
the first insulating layers 132 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
first insulating layers 132 can be silicon oxide.
[0097] The second material of the first sacrificial material layers
142 is a sacrificial material that can be removed selective to the
first material of the first insulating layers 132. 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.
[0098] The first sacrificial material layers 142 may comprise an
insulating material, a semiconductor material, or a conductive
material. The second material of the first sacrificial material
layers 142 can be subsequently replaced with electrically
conductive electrodes which can function, for example, as control
gate electrodes of a vertical NAND device. In one embodiment, the
first sacrificial material layers 142 can be material layers that
comprise silicon nitride.
[0099] In one embodiment, the first insulating layers 132 can
include silicon oxide, and sacrificial material layers can include
silicon nitride sacrificial material layers. The first material of
the first insulating layers 132 can be deposited, for example, by
chemical vapor deposition (CVD). For example, if silicon oxide is
employed for the first insulating layers 132,
tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) can be employed as the precursor
material for the CVD process. The second material of the first
sacrificial material layers 142 can be formed, for example, CVD or
atomic layer deposition (ALD).
[0100] The thicknesses of the first insulating layers 132 and the
first sacrificial material layers 142 can be in a range from 20 nm
to 50 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can be employed
for each first insulating layer 132 and for each first sacrificial
material layer 142. The number of repetitions of the pairs of a
first insulating layer 132 and a first sacrificial material layer
142 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. In
one embodiment, each first sacrificial material layer 142 in the
first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) can have a uniform
thickness that is substantially invariant within each respective
first sacrificial material layer 142.
[0101] A first insulating cap layer 170 is subsequently formed over
the stack (132, 142). The first insulating cap layer 170 includes a
dielectric material, which can be any dielectric material that can
be employed for the first insulating layers 132. In one embodiment,
the first insulating cap layer 170 includes the same dielectric
material as the first insulating layers 132. The thickness of the
insulating cap layer 170 can be in a range from 20 nm to 300 nm,
although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
[0102] Referring to FIG. 11, the first insulating cap layer 170 and
the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) can be patterned to
form first stepped surfaces in the word line contact via region
200. The word line contact via region 200 can include a respective
first stepped area in which the first stepped surfaces are formed,
and a second stepped area in which additional stepped surfaces are
to be subsequently formed in a second-tier structure (to be
subsequently formed over a first-tier structure) and/or additional
tier structures. The first stepped surfaces can be formed, for
example, by forming a mask layer with an opening therein, etching a
cavity within the levels of the first insulating cap layer 170, and
iteratively expanding the etched area and vertically recessing the
cavity by etching each pair of a first insulating layer 132 and a
first sacrificial material layer 142 located directly underneath
the bottom surface of the etched cavity within the etched area. A
dielectric material can be deposited to fill the first stepped
cavity to form a first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material
portion 165. 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. The first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) and the
first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion 165
collectively constitute a first-tier structure, which is an
in-process structure that is subsequently modified. The first-tier
retro-stepped dielectric material portion 165 is a memory level
dielectric material portion, i.e., a dielectric material portion
formed at memory levels at which memory cells are to be
subsequently formed, and is formed over the planar semiconductor
material layer 10 at levels of the first-tier alternating stack
(132, 142).
[0103] Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, an inter-tier dielectric
layer 180 may be optionally deposited over the first-tier structure
(132, 142, 165, 170). The inter-tier dielectric layer 180 includes
a dielectric material such as silicon oxide. The thickness of the
inter-tier dielectric layer 180 can be in a range from 30 nm to 300
nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
Locations of steps S in the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142)
are illustrated as dotted lines.
[0104] First-tier memory openings 149 and first tier support
openings 119 can be formed. The first-tier memory openings 149 and
the first-tier support openings 119 extend through the first-tier
alternating stack (132, 142) at least to a top surface of the
planar semiconductor material layer 10. The first-tier memory
openings 149 can be formed in the memory array region 100 at
locations at which memory stack structures including vertical
stacks of memory elements are to be subsequently formed. The
first-tier support openings 119 can be formed in the word line
contact via region 200. For example, a lithographic material stack
(not shown) including at least a photoresist layer can be formed
over the first insulating cap layer 170 (and the optional
inter-tier dielectric layer 180, if present), and can be
lithographically patterned to form openings within the lithographic
material stack. The pattern in the lithographic material stack can
be transferred through the first insulating cap layer 170 (and the
optional inter-tier dielectric layer 180), and through the entirety
of the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) by at least one
anisotropic etch that employs the patterned lithographic material
stack as an etch mask. Portions of the first insulating cap layer
170 (and the optional inter-tier dielectric layer 180), and the
first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) underlying the openings in
the patterned lithographic material stack are etched to form the
first-tier memory openings 149 and the first-tier support openings
119. In other words, the transfer of the pattern in the patterned
lithographic material stack through the first insulating cap layer
170 and the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) forms the
first-tier memory openings 149 and the first-tier support openings
119.
[0105] In one embodiment, the chemistry of the anisotropic etch
process employed to etch through the materials of the first-tier
alternating stack (132, 142) can alternate to optimize etching of
the first and second materials in the first-tier alternating stack
(132, 142). The anisotropic etch can be, for example, a series of
reactive ion etches or a single etch (e.g., CF.sub.4/O.sub.2/Ar
etch). The sidewalls of the first-tier memory openings 149 and the
support openings 119 can be substantially vertical, or can be
tapered. Subsequently, the patterned lithographic material stack
can be subsequently removed, for example, by ashing.
[0106] Optionally, the portions of the first-tier memory openings
149 and the first-tier support openings 119 at the level of the
inter-tier dielectric layer 180 can be laterally expanded by an
isotropic etch. For example, if the inter-tier dielectric layer 180
comprises a dielectric material (such as borosilicate glass) having
a greater etch rate than the first insulating layers 132 (that can
include undoped silicate glass), an isotropic etch (such as a wet
etch employing HF) can be employed to expand the lateral dimensions
of the first-tier memory openings at the level of the inter-tier
dielectric layer 180. The portions of the first-tier memory
openings 149 (and the first-tier support openings 119) located at
the level of the inter-tier dielectric layer 180 may be optionally
widened to provide a larger landing pad for second-tier memory
openings to be subsequently formed through a second-tier
alternating stack (to be subsequently formed prior to formation of
the second-tier memory openings).
[0107] Referring to FIG. 13, sacrificial memory opening fill
portions 148 can be formed in the first-tier memory openings 149,
and sacrificial support opening fill portions 118 can be formed in
the first-tier support openings 119. For example, a sacrificial
fill material layer is deposited in the first-tier memory openings
149 and the first-tier support openings 119. The sacrificial fill
material layer includes a sacrificial material which can be
subsequently removed selective to the materials of the first
insulator layers 132 and the first sacrificial material layers 142.
In one embodiment, the sacrificial fill material layer can include
a semiconductor material such as silicon (e.g., a-Si or
polysilicon), a silicon-germanium alloy, germanium, a III-V
compound semiconductor material, or a combination thereof.
Optionally, a thin etch stop layer (such as a silicon oxide layer
having a thickness in a range from 1 nm to 3 nm) may be employed
prior to depositing the sacrificial fill material layer. The
sacrificial fill material layer may be formed by a non-conformal
deposition or a conformal deposition method. In another embodiment,
the sacrificial fill material layer can include amorphous silicon
or a carbon-containing material (such as amorphous carbon or
diamond-like carbon) that can be subsequently removed by
ashing.
[0108] Portions of the deposited sacrificial material can be
removed from above the first insulating cap layer 170 (and the
optional inter-tier dielectric layer 180, if present). For example,
the sacrificial fill material layer can be recessed to a top
surface of the first insulating cap layer 170 (and the optional
inter-tier dielectric layer 180) employing a planarization process.
The planarization process can include a recess etch, chemical
mechanical planarization (CMP), or a combination thereof. The top
surface of the first insulating layer 170 (and optionally layer 180
if present) can be employed as an etch stop layer or a
planarization stop layer. Each remaining portion of the sacrificial
material in a first-tier memory opening 149 constitutes a
sacrificial memory opening fill portion 148. Each remaining portion
of the sacrificial material in a first-tier support opening 119
constitutes a sacrificial support opening fill portion 118. The top
surfaces of the sacrificial memory opening fill portions 148 and
the sacrificial support opening fill portions 118 can be coplanar
with the top surface of the inter-tier dielectric layer 180 (or the
first insulating cap layer 170 if the inter-tier dielectric layer
180 is not present). The sacrificial memory opening fill portion
148 and the sacrificial support opening fill portions 118 may, or
may not, include cavities therein.
[0109] Referring to FIG. 14, a second-tier structure can be formed
over the first-tier structure (132, 142, 170, 148, 118). The
second-tier structure can include an additional alternating stack
of insulating layers and spacer material layers, which can be
sacrificial material layers. For example, a second-tier alternating
stack (232, 242) of material layers can be subsequently formed on
the top surface of the first alternating stack (132, 142). The
second stack (232, 242) includes an alternating plurality of third
material layers and fourth material layers. Each third material
layer can include a third material, and each fourth material layer
can include a fourth material that is different from the third
material. In one embodiment, the third material can be the same as
the first material of the first insulating layer 132, and the
fourth material can be the same as the second material of the first
sacrificial material layers 142.
[0110] In one embodiment, the third material layers can be second
insulating layers 232 and the fourth material layers can be second
spacer material layers that provide vertical spacing between each
vertically neighboring pair of the second insulating layers 232. In
one embodiment, the third material layers and the fourth material
layers can be second insulating layers 232 and second sacrificial
material layers 242, respectively. The third material of the second
insulating layers 232 may be at least one insulating material. The
fourth material of the second sacrificial material layers 242 may
be a sacrificial material that can be removed selective to the
third material of the second insulating layers 232. The second
sacrificial material layers 242 may comprise an insulating
material, a semiconductor material, or a conductive material. The
fourth material of the second sacrificial material layers 242 can
be subsequently replaced with electrically conductive electrodes
which can function, for example, as control gate electrodes of a
vertical NAND device.
[0111] In one embodiment, each second insulating layer 232 can
include a second insulating material, and each second sacrificial
material layer 242 can include a second sacrificial material. In
this case, the second stack (232, 242) can include an alternating
plurality of second insulating layers 232 and second sacrificial
material layers 242. The third material of the second insulating
layers 232 can be deposited, for example, by chemical vapor
deposition (CVD). The fourth material of the second sacrificial
material layers 242 can be formed, for example, CVD or atomic layer
deposition (ALD).
[0112] The third material of the second insulating layers 232 can
be at least one insulating material. Insulating materials that can
be employed for the second insulating layers 232 can be any
material that can be employed for the first insulating layers 132.
The fourth material of the second sacrificial material layers 242
is a sacrificial material that can be removed selective to the
third material of the second insulating layers 232. Sacrificial
materials that can be employed for the second sacrificial material
layers 242 can be any material that can be employed for the first
sacrificial material layers 142. In one embodiment, the second
insulating material can be the same as the first insulating
material, and the second sacrificial material can be the same as
the first sacrificial material.
[0113] The thicknesses of the second insulating layers 232 and the
second sacrificial material layers 242 can be in a range from 20 nm
to 50 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses can be employed
for each second insulating layer 232 and for each second
sacrificial material layer 242. The number of repetitions of the
pairs of a second insulating layer 232 and a second sacrificial
material layer 242 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. In one embodiment, each second sacrificial material layer
242 in the second stack (232, 242) can have a uniform thickness
that is substantially invariant within each respective second
sacrificial material layer 242.
[0114] Second stepped surfaces in the second stepped area can be
formed in the word line contact via region 200 employing a same set
of processing steps as the processing steps employed to form the
first stepped surfaces in the first stepped area with suitable
adjustment to the pattern of at least one masking layer. A
second-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion 265 can be
formed over the second stepped surfaces in the word line contact
via region 200. The second-tier retro-stepped dielectric material
portion 265 is a memory level dielectric material portion, i.e., a
dielectric material portion formed at memory levels at which memory
cells are to be subsequently formed, and is formed over the planar
semiconductor material layer 10 at levels of the second-tier
alternating stack (232, 242).
[0115] A second insulating cap layer 270 can be subsequently formed
over the second-tier alternating stack (232, 242). The second
insulating cap layer 270 includes a dielectric material that is
different from the material of the second sacrificial material
layers 242. In one embodiment, the second insulating cap layer 270
can include silicon oxide. In one embodiment, the first and second
sacrificial material layers (142, 242) can comprise silicon
nitride.
[0116] Generally speaking, at least one alternating stack of
insulating layers (132, 232) and spacer material layers (such as
sacrificial material layers (142, 242)) can be formed over the
planar semiconductor material layer 10, and at least one
retro-stepped dielectric material portion (165, 265) can be formed
over the staircase regions on the at least one alternating stack
(132, 142, 232, 242).
[0117] Optionally, drain-select-level shallow trench isolation
structures 72 can be formed through a subset of layers in an upper
portion of the second-tier alternating stack (232, 242). The second
sacrificial material layers 242 that are cut by the
select-drain-level shallow trench isolation structures 72
correspond to the levels in which drain-select-level electrically
conductive layers are subsequently formed. The drain-select-level
shallow trench isolation structures 72 include a dielectric
material such as silicon oxide.
[0118] Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, second-tier memory openings
249 and second-tier support openings 219 extending through the
second-tier structure (232, 242, 270, 265) are formed in areas
overlying the sacrificial memory opening fill portions 148. A
photoresist layer can be applied over the second-tier structure
(232, 242, 270, 265), and can be lithographically patterned to form
a same pattern as the pattern of the sacrificial memory opening
fill portions 148 and the sacrificial support opening fill portions
118, i.e., the pattern of the first-tier memory openings 149 and
the first-tier support openings 119. An anisotropic etch can be
performed to transfer the pattern of the lithographically patterned
photoresist layer through the second-tier structure (232, 242, 270,
265). In one embodiment, the chemistry of the anisotropic etch
process employed to etch through the materials of the second-tier
alternating stack (232, 242) can alternate to optimize etching of
the alternating material layers in the second-tier alternating
stack (232, 242). The anisotropic etch can be, for example, a
series of reactive ion etches. The patterned lithographic material
stack can be removed, for example, by ashing after the anisotropic
etch process.
[0119] A top surface of an underlying sacrificial memory opening
fill portion 148 can be physically exposed at the bottom of each
second-tier memory opening 249. A top surface of an underlying
sacrificial support opening fill portion 118 can be physically
exposed at the bottom of each second-tier support opening 219.
After the top surfaces of the sacrificial memory opening fill
portions 148 and the sacrificial support opening fill portions 118
are physically exposed, an etch process can be performed, which
removes the sacrificial material of the sacrificial memory opening
fill portions 148 and the sacrificial support opening fill portions
118 selective to the materials of the second-tier alternating stack
(232, 242) and the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) (e.g.,
C.sub.4F.sub.8/O.sub.2/Ar etch and/or a wet etch).
[0120] Upon removal of the sacrificial memory opening fill portions
148, each vertically adjoining pair of a second-tier memory opening
249 and a first-tier memory opening 149 forms a continuous cavity
that extends through the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142)
and the second-tier alternating stack (232, 242). Likewise, upon
removal of the sacrificial support opening fill portions 118, each
vertically adjoining pair of a second-tier support opening 219 and
a first-tier support opening 119 forms a continuous cavity that
extends through the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) and the
second-tier alternating stack (232, 242). The continuous cavities
are herein referred to as memory openings (or inter-tier memory
openings) and support openings (or inter-tier support openings),
respectively. A top surface of the planar semiconductor material
layer 10 can be physically exposed at the bottom of each memory
opening and at the bottom of each support openings. Locations of
steps S in the first-tier alternating stack (132, 142) and the
second-tier alternating stack (232, 242) are illustrated as dotted
lines.
[0121] Referring to FIG. 16, memory opening fill structures 58 are
formed within each memory opening, and support pillar structures 20
are formed within each support opening. The memory opening fill
structures 58 and the support pillar structures 20 can include a
same set of components, and can be formed simultaneously.
[0122] FIGS. 17A-17H provide sequential cross-sectional views of a
memory opening 49 or a support opening (119, 219) during formation
of a memory opening fill structure 58 or a support pillar structure
20. While a structural change in a memory opening 49 is illustrated
in FIGS. 17A-17H, it is understood that the same structural change
occurs in each memory openings 49 and in each of the support
openings (119, 219) during the same set of processing steps.
[0123] Referring to FIG. 17A, a memory opening 49 in the exemplary
device structure of FIG. 14 is illustrated. The memory opening 49
extends through the first-tier structure and the second-tier
structure. Likewise, each support opening (119, 219) extends
through the first-tier structure and the second-tier structure.
[0124] Referring to FIG. 17B, an optional pedestal channel portion
(e.g., an epitaxial pedestal) 11 can be formed at the bottom
portion of each memory opening 49 and each support openings (119,
219), for example, by a selective semiconductor deposition process.
In one embodiment, the pedestal channel portion 11 can be doped
with electrical dopants of the same conductivity type as the planar
semiconductor material layer 10. In one embodiment, at least one
source select gate electrode can be subsequently formed by
replacing each sacrificial material layer 142 located below the
horizontal plane including the top surfaces of the pedestal channel
portions 11 with a respective conductive material layer. A cavity
49' is present in the unfilled portion of the memory opening 49 (or
of the support opening) above the pedestal channel portion 11. In
one embodiment, the pedestal channel portion 11 can comprise single
crystalline silicon. In one embodiment, the pedestal channel
portion 11 can have a doping of the same as the conductivity type
of the planar semiconductor material layer 10.
[0125] Referring to FIG. 17C, 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.
[0126] 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.
[0127] 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.
[0128] 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.
[0129] 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 (142,
242). In one embodiment, the charge storage layer 54 includes a
silicon nitride layer. In one embodiment, the sacrificial material
layers (142, 242) and the insulating layers (132, 232) can have
vertically coincident sidewalls, and the charge storage layer 54
can be formed as a single continuous layer.
[0130] In another embodiment, the sacrificial material layers (142,
242) can be laterally recessed with respect to the sidewalls of the
insulating layers (132, 232), 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.
[0131] 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.
[0132] 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.
[0133] 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).
[0134] Referring to FIG. 17D, 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 second insulating cap layer 270 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 a respective anisotropic etch process employing a
respective etch chemistry, which may, or may not, be the same for
the various material layers.
[0135] 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 (142, 242)
constitutes a charge storage region.
[0136] A surface of the pedestal channel portion 11 (or a surface
of the planar semiconductor material layer 10 in case the pedestal
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 pedestal channel portion 11
(or of the semiconductor material layer 10 in case pedestal 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.
[0137] Referring to FIG. 17E, a second semiconductor channel layer
602 can be deposited directly on the semiconductor surface of the
pedestal channel portion 11 or the semiconductor material layer 10
if the pedestal channel 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.
[0138] 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. In another embodiment, the
first semiconductor channel layer 601 can be removed entirely prior
to deposition of the second semiconductor channel layer 602. In
this case, the semiconductor channel material includes only the
second semiconductor channel layer 602.
[0139] Referring to FIG. 17F, 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.
[0140] Referring to FIG. 17G, 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 second insulating cap layer
270. 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 second insulating cap layer 270 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
(119, 219).
[0141] 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.
[0142] Referring to FIG. 17H, 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 second insulating cap layer 270 and the bottom
surface of the second insulating cap layer 270. 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 second insulating cap layer 270, for example, by
chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) or a recess etch to form
the drain regions 63.
[0143] 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. Each combination
of a pedestal channel portion 11 (if present), a memory stack
structure 55, a dielectric core 62, and a drain region 63 within a
memory opening 49 constitutes a memory opening fill structure 58.
Each combination of a pedestal 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 (119,
219) fills the respective support openings (119, 219), and
constitutes a support pillar structure 20.
[0144] The first-tier structure (132, 142, 170, 165), the
second-tier structure (232, 242, 270, 265), the inter-tier
dielectric layer 180, the memory opening fill structures 58, and
the support pillar structures 20 collectively constitute a
memory-level assembly. The memory-level assembly is formed over the
planar semiconductor material layer 10 such that the planar
semiconductor material layer 10 includes horizontal semiconductor
channels electrically connected to vertical semiconductor channels
60 within the memory stack structures 55.
[0145] Referring to FIGS. 18A and 18B, a first contact level
dielectric layer 280 can be formed over the memory-level assembly.
The first contact level dielectric layer 280 is formed at a contact
level through which various contact via structures are subsequently
formed to the drain regions 63 and the various electrically
conductive layers that replaces the sacrificial material layers
(142, 242) in subsequent processing steps.
[0146] Referring to FIGS. 19A and 19B, backside contact trenches 79
are subsequently formed through the first contact level dielectric
layer 280 and the memory-level assembly. For example, a photoresist
layer can be applied and lithographically patterned over the first
contact level dielectric layer 280 to form elongated openings that
extend along a first horizontal direction hd1. An anisotropic etch
is performed to transfer the pattern in the patterned photoresist
layer through the first contact level dielectric layer 280 and the
memory-level assembly to a top surface of the planar semiconductor
material layer 10. The photoresist layer can be subsequently
removed, for example, by ashing.
[0147] The backside contact trenches 79 extend along the first
horizontal direction hd1, and thus, are elongated along the first
horizontal direction hd1. The backside contact trenches 79 can be
laterally spaced among one another along a second horizontal
direction hd2, which can be perpendicular to the first horizontal
direction hd1. The backside contact trenches 79 can extend through
the memory array region (e.g., a memory plane) 100 and the word
line contact via region 200. The first subset of the backside
contact trenches 79 laterally divides the memory-level assembly
(e.g., into memory blocks).
[0148] Referring to FIGS. 20A and 20B, an etchant that selectively
etches the materials of the first and second sacrificial material
layers (142, 242) with respect to the materials of the first and
second insulating layers (132, 232), the first and second
insulating cap layers (170, 270), and the material of the outermost
layer of the memory films 50 can be introduced into the backside
contact trenches 79, for example, employing an isotropic etch
process. First backside recesses are formed in volumes from which
the first sacrificial material layers 142 are removed. Second
backside recesses are formed in volumes from which the second
sacrificial material layers 242 are removed. In one embodiment, the
first and second sacrificial material layers (142, 242) can include
silicon nitride, and the materials of the first and second
insulating layers (132, 232), can be silicon oxide. In another
embodiment, the first and second sacrificial material layers (142,
242) can include a semiconductor material such as germanium or a
silicon-germanium alloy, and the materials of the first and second
insulating layers (132, 232) can be selected from silicon oxide and
silicon nitride.
[0149] The isotropic etch process 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 contact trench 79. For example, if the first and
second sacrificial material layers (142, 242) 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. In
case the sacrificial material layers (142, 242) comprise a
semiconductor material, a wet etch process (which may employ a wet
etchant such as a KOH solution) or a dry etch process (which may
include gas phase HCl) may be employed.
[0150] Each of the first and second backside recesses 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 of the first and second backside recesses
can be greater than the height of the respective backside recess. A
plurality of first backside recesses can be formed in the volumes
from which the material of the first sacrificial material layers
142 is removed. A plurality of second backside recesses can be
formed in the volumes from which the material of the second
sacrificial material layers 242 is removed. Each of the first and
second backside recesses can extend substantially parallel to the
top surface of the substrate semiconductor layer 9. A backside
recess can be vertically bounded by a top surface of an underlying
insulating layer (132 or 232) and a bottom surface of an overlying
insulating layer (132 or 232). In one embodiment, each of the first
and second backside recesses can have a uniform height
throughout.
[0151] In one embodiment, a sidewall surface of each pedestal
channel portion 11 can be physically exposed at each bottommost
first backside recess after removal of the first and second
sacrificial material layers (142, 242). Further, a top surface of
the planar semiconductor material layer 10 can be physically
exposed at the bottom of each backside contact trench 79. An
annular dielectric spacer (not shown) can be formed around each
pedestal channel portion 11 by oxidation of a physically exposed
peripheral portion of the pedestal channel portions 11. Further, a
semiconductor oxide potion (not shown) can be formed from each
physically exposed surface portion of the planar semiconductor
material layer 10 concurrently with formation of the annular
dielectric spacers.
[0152] A backside blocking dielectric layer (not shown) can be
optionally deposited in the backside recesses and the backside
contact trenches 79 and over the first contact level dielectric
layer 280. The backside blocking dielectric layer can be deposited
on the physically exposed portions of the outer surfaces of the
memory stack structures 55. The backside blocking dielectric layer
includes a dielectric material such as a dielectric metal oxide,
silicon oxide, or a combination thereof. If employed, the backside
blocking dielectric layer can be formed by a conformal deposition
process such as atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor
deposition. The thickness of the backside blocking dielectric layer
can be in a range from 1 nm to 60 nm, although lesser and greater
thicknesses can also be employed.
[0153] At least one conductive material can be deposited in the
plurality of backside recesses, on the sidewalls of the backside
contact trench 79, and over the first contact level dielectric
layer 280. The at least one conductive material can include at
least one metallic material, i.e., an electrically conductive
material that includes at least one metallic element.
[0154] A plurality of first electrically conductive layers 146 can
be formed in the plurality of first backside recesses, a plurality
of second electrically conductive layers 246 can be formed in the
plurality of second backside recesses, and a continuous metallic
material layer (not shown) can be formed on the sidewalls of each
backside contact trench 79 and over the first contact level
dielectric layer 280. Thus, the first and second sacrificial
material layers (142, 242) can be replaced with the first and
second conductive material layers (146, 246), respectively.
Specifically, each first sacrificial material layer 142 can be
replaced with an optional portion of the backside blocking
dielectric layer and a first electrically conductive layer 146, and
each second sacrificial material layer 242 can be replaced with an
optional portion of the backside blocking dielectric layer and a
second electrically conductive layer 246. A backside cavity is
present in the portion of each backside contact trench 79 that is
not filled with the continuous metallic material layer.
[0155] The metallic material can be deposited by a conformal
deposition method, which can be, for example, chemical vapor
deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), electroless
plating, electroplating, or a combination thereof. The metallic
material can be an elemental metal, an intermetallic alloy of at
least two elemental metals, a conductive nitride of at least one
elemental metal, a conductive metal oxide, a conductive doped
semiconductor material, a conductive metal-semiconductor alloy such
as a metal silicide, alloys thereof, and combinations or stacks
thereof. Non-limiting exemplary metallic materials that can be
deposited in the backside recesses include tungsten, tungsten
nitride, titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum, tantalum nitride,
cobalt, and ruthenium. In one embodiment, the metallic material can
comprise a metal such as tungsten and/or metal nitride. In one
embodiment, the metallic material for filling the backside recesses
can be a combination of titanium nitride layer and a tungsten fill
material. In one embodiment, the metallic material can be deposited
by chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition.
[0156] Residual conductive material can be removed from inside the
backside contact trenches 79. Specifically, the deposited metallic
material of the continuous metallic material layer can be etched
back from the sidewalls of each backside contact trench 79 and from
above the first contact level dielectric layer 280, for example, by
an anisotropic or isotropic etch. Each remaining portion of the
deposited metallic material in the first backside recesses
constitutes a first electrically conductive layer 146. Each
remaining portion of the deposited metallic material in the second
backside recesses constitutes a second electrically conductive
layer 246. Each electrically conductive layer (146, 246) can be a
conductive line structure.
[0157] A subset of the second electrically conductive layers 246
located at the levels of the drain-select-level shallow trench
isolation structures 72 constitutes drain select gate electrodes. A
subset of the first electrically conductive layers 146 located at
each level of the annular dielectric spacers (not shown)
constitutes source select gate electrodes. A subset of the
electrically conductive layer (146, 246) located between the drain
select gate electrodes and the source select gate electrodes can
function as combinations of a control gate and a word line located
at the same level. The control gate electrodes within each
electrically conductive layer (146, 246) are the control gate
electrodes for a vertical memory device including the memory stack
structure 55.
[0158] Each of the memory stack structures 55 comprises a vertical
stack of memory elements located at each level of the electrically
conductive layers (146, 246). A subset of the electrically
conductive layers (146, 246) can comprise word lines for the memory
elements. The semiconductor devices in the underlying peripheral
device region 700 can comprise word line switch devices configured
to control a bias voltage to respective word lines. The
memory-level assembly is located over the substrate semiconductor
layer 9. The memory-level assembly includes at least one
alternating stack (132, 146, 232, 246) and memory stack structures
55 vertically extending through the at least one alternating stack
(132, 146, 232, 246). Each of the at least one an alternating stack
(132, 146, 232, 246) includes alternating layers of respective
insulating layers (132 or 232) and respective electrically
conductive layers (146 or 246). The at least one alternating stack
(132, 146, 232, 246) comprises staircase regions that include
terraces in which each underlying electrically conductive layer
(146, 246) extends farther along the first horizontal direction hd1
than any overlying electrically conductive layer (146, 246) in the
memory-level assembly.
[0159] Dopants of a second conductivity type, which is the opposite
of the first conductivity type of the planar semiconductor material
layer 10, can be implanted into a surface portion of the planar
semiconductor material layer 10 to form a source region 61
underneath the bottom surface of each backside contact trench 79.
An insulating spacer 74 including a dielectric material can be
formed at the periphery of each backside contact trench 79, for
example, by deposition of a conformal insulating material (such as
silicon oxide) and a subsequent anisotropic etch. The first contact
level dielectric layer 280 may be thinned due to a collateral etch
during the anisotropic etch that removes the vertical portions of
horizontal portions of the deposited conformal insulating
material.
[0160] A conformal insulating material layer can be deposited in
the backside contact trenches 79, and can be anisotropically etched
to form insulating spacers 74. The insulating spacers 74 include an
insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and/or
a dielectric metal oxide. A cavity laterally extending along the
first horizontal direction hd1 is present within each insulating
spacer 74.
[0161] A backside contact via structure can be formed in the
remaining volume of each backside contact trench 79, for example,
by deposition of at least one conductive material and removal of
excess portions of the deposited at least one conductive material
from above a horizontal plane including the top surface of the
first contact level dielectric layer 280 by a planarization process
such as chemical mechanical planarization or a recess etch. The
backside contact via structures are electrically insulated in all
lateral directions, and is laterally elongated along the first
horizontal direction hd1. As such, the backside contact via
structures are herein referred to as laterally-elongated contact
via structures 76. As used herein, a structure is "laterally
elongated" if the maximum lateral dimension of the structure along
a first horizontal direction is greater than the maximum lateral
dimension of the structure along a second horizontal direction that
is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction at least by a
factor of 5.
[0162] Optionally, each laterally-elongated contact via structure
76 may include multiple backside contact via portions such as a
lower backside contact via portion and an upper backside contact
via portion. In an illustrative example, the lower backside contact
via portion can include a doped semiconductor material (such as
doped polysilicon), and can be formed by depositing the doped
semiconductor material layer to fill the backside contact trenches
79 and removing the deposited doped semiconductor material from
upper portions of the backside contact trenches 79. The upper
backside contact via portion can include at least one metallic
material (such as a combination of a TiN liner and a W fill
material), and can be formed by depositing the at least one
metallic material above the lower backside contact via portions,
and removing an excess portion of the at least one metallic
material from above the horizontal plane including the top surface
of the first contact level dielectric layer 280. The first contact
level dielectric layer 280 can be thinned and removed during a
latter part of the planarization process, which may employ chemical
mechanical planarization (CMP), a recess etch, or a combination
thereof. Each laterally-elongated contact via structure 76 can be
formed through the memory-level assembly and on a respective source
region 61. The top surface of each laterally-elongated contact via
structure 76 can located above a horizontal plane including the top
surfaces of the memory stack structures 55.
[0163] Referring to FIGS. 21A and 21B, a second contact level
dielectric layer 282 can be optionally formed over the first
contact level dielectric layer 280. The second contact level
dielectric layer 282 includes a dielectric material such as silicon
oxide or silicon nitride. The thickness of the second contact level
dielectric layer 282 can be in a range from 30 nm to 300 nm,
although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.
[0164] Drain contact via structures 88 contacting the drain regions
63 can extend through the contact level dielectric layers (280,
282) and the second insulating cap layer 270 in the memory array
region 100. A source connection via structure 91 can extend through
the contact level dielectric layers (280, 282) to provide
electrical connection to the laterally-elongated contact via
structures 76.
[0165] Various contact via structures can be formed through the
contact level dielectric layers (280, 282) and the retro-stepped
dielectric material portions (165, 265). For example, word line
contact via structures 86 can be formed in the word line contact
region 200. A subset of the word line contact via structures 86
contacting the second electrically conductive layers 246 extends
through the second-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion
265 in the word line contact region 200, and does not extend
through the first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion
165. Another subset of the word line contact via structures 86
contacting the first electrically conductive layers 146 extends
through the second-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion
265 and through the first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material
portion 165 in the word line contact region 200.
[0166] Referring to FIG. 22, a photoresist layer is applied over
the second contact level dielectric layer 282, and is
lithographically patterned to form openings in a peripheral region
400 located outside the memory array region 100 and the contact
region 200. The pattern in the photoresist layer is transferred
through the contact level dielectric layers (280, 282), the
retro-stepped dielectric material portions (165, 265), the at least
one second dielectric material layer 768, and the etch stop silicon
nitride layer 766 to a top surface of a respective one of the
topmost lower metal liner structures 788 to form through-dielectric
via cavities 487 in the peripheral region 400. In one embodiment,
the through-dielectric via cavities 487 can pass through openings
in the planar semiconductor material layer 10 and the optional
planar conductive material layer 6. The photoresist layer can be
removed, for example, by ashing.
[0167] Referring to FIGS. 23A and 23B, at least one conductive
material can be simultaneously deposited in the through-dielectric
via cavities 487. The at least one conductive material can include,
for example, a metallic nitride liner (such as a TiN liner) and a
metal fill material (such as W, Cu, Al, Ru, or Co). Excess portions
of the at least one conductive material can be removed from outside
the through-dielectric via cavities 487. For example, excess
portions of the at least one conductive material can be removed
from above the top surface of the second contact level dielectric
layer 282 by a planarization process such as chemical mechanical
planarization and/or a recess etch. Each remaining portion of the
at least one conductive material in the through-dielectric via
cavities 487 that contacts a top surface of a respective one of the
topmost lower metal line structure 788 constitutes a
through-dielectric contact via structure 488.
[0168] Referring to FIG. 24, at least one upper interconnect level
dielectric layer 284 can be formed over the contact level
dielectric layers (280, 282). Various upper interconnect level
metal structures can be formed in the at least one upper
interconnect level dielectric layer 284. For example, the various
upper interconnect level metal structures can include line level
metal interconnect structures (96, 98). The line level metal
interconnect structures (96, 98) can include upper metal line
structures 96 that contact a top surface of a respective one of the
through-dielectric contact via structures 488, and bit lines 98
that contact a respective one of the drain contact via structures
88 and extend along the second horizontal direction (e.g., bit line
direction) hd2 and perpendicular to the first horizontal direction
(e.g., word line direction) hd1. In one embodiment, a subset of the
upper metal line structures 96 may contact, or are electrically
coupled to, a respective pair of a word line contact via structure
86 and a through-dielectric contact via structure 488.
[0169] At least a subset of the upper metal interconnect structures
(which include the line level metal interconnect structures (96,
98) is formed over the three-dimensional memory array. A
through-dielectric contact via structure 488 can be provided
through the retro-stepped dielectric material portions (165, 265),
the at least one second dielectric material layer 768, and the etch
stop silicon nitride layer 766 and directly on a top surface of
another lower metal line structure (e.g., another topmost lower
metal line structure 788) of the lower metal interconnect
structures 780. The etch stop silicon nitride layer 766 can
function an additional hydrogen diffusion blocking structure that
limits diffusion of hydrogen within the areas of the
through-dielectric contact via structures 488.
[0170] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure,
a semiconductor structure is provided, which comprises: a
semiconductor device 710 located on a semiconductor substrate 8; a
contact level silicon oxide layer overlying the semiconductor
device 710; a silicon nitride layer 674 overlying the semiconductor
device 710; a contact via structure 782 extending through the
silicon nitride layer 674 and including a lower contact via
structure portion 782A and an upper contact via structure portion
782B wherein a top surface 782T of the lower contact via structure
portion is located in a horizontal plane located between two
horizontal planes HP1 and HP2 containing respective top and bottom
surfaces of the silicon nitride layer 674; a three-dimensional
memory array overlying the silicon nitride layer 674 and including
an alternating stack of insulating layers (132 or 232) and
electrically conductive layers (246 or 246), and including memory
stack structures 55 vertically extending through the alternating
stack in a memory array region 100; and at least one metal
interconnect structure (784, 785, 786, 788, 488, 86, 96, 98)
overlying the contact via structure 782 and providing electrical
connection between the contact via structure 782 and a node of the
three-dimensional memory array.
[0171] In one embodiment, an entire periphery of an interface
between the lower contact via structure portion 782A and the upper
contact via structure portion 782B is on a sidewall surface of an
opening through the silicon nitride layer 674 between an upper
periphery of the sidewall surface and a lower periphery of the
sidewall surface.
[0172] In one embodiment, a bottom surface of the upper contact via
structure 782B contacts the top surface 782T of the lower contact
via structure portion 782A. The bottom surface of the upper contact
via structure is located in the horizontal plane located between
the two horizontal planes (HP1, HP2) containing the respective top
and bottom surfaces of the silicon nitride layer 764. A combination
of the silicon nitride layer 764 and the upper contact via
structure portion 782B function as a hydrogen diffusion
barrier.
[0173] In one embodiment, the upper contact via structure portion
782B comprises at least one metallic diffusion barrier material
selected from at least one of a metal silicide, titanium nitride
and elemental titanium. In one embodiment, the upper contact via
structure portion 782B comprises: a diffusion barrier liner 782L
consisting essentially of a first metallic diffusion barrier
material contacting the lower contact via structure portion 782A;
and a diffusion barrier material portion 782F consisting
essentially of a second metallic diffusion barrier material and
embedded within the diffusion barrier liner 782L, wherein a top
surface of the upper contact via structure 782B includes an annular
top surface of the diffusion barrier layer 782L. In another
embodiment, the upper contact via structure 782B consists
essentially of a single metallic diffusion barrier material.
[0174] In one embodiment, the contact level silicon oxide layer 664
has a planar top surface located within a first horizontal plane
HP1; the silicon nitride layer 674 has a planar top surface located
within a second horizontal plane HP2; the semiconductor structure
further comprises a dielectric cap layer 666 overlying the silicon
nitride layer 674; and the contact via structure 672 extends
through the dielectric cap layer 666, and a top surface of the
upper contact via structure portion 782B is within a third
horizontal plane HP3 including a top surface of the dielectric cap
layer 666. In one embodiment, a vertical cross-sectional profile of
a sidewall of the contact via structure 782 extends in a straight
line between the third horizontal plane HP3 and a point at which
the contact via structure 782 contacts the semiconductor device. In
one embodiment, the dielectric cap layer 666 comprises silicon
oxide.
[0175] In one embodiment, the semiconductor device comprises a
field effect transistor including a gate electrode 754 overlying a
top surface of the semiconductor substrate 8 and two active regions
742 embedded in the semiconductor substrate 8, and the
semiconductor structure further comprises: a planarization
dielectric layer 662 overlying the two active regions 742 and
laterally surrounding the gate electrode 754 and having a planar
top surface; and a planar silicon nitride spacer layer 672 located
on the planar top surface of the planarization dielectric layer 662
and overlying the gate electrode 754 and contacting a bottom
surface of the contact level silicon oxide layer 664. The contact
via structure 782 extends through the planarization dielectric
layer 662 and the planar silicon nitride spacer layer 672.
[0176] In one embodiment, the semiconductor structure further
comprises: a metal silicide material portion (744, 758) located
within the semiconductor device and contacting a bottom surface of
the contact via structure 782; and a substrate capping silicon
nitride layer 762 located between the planarization dielectric
layer 662 and each of the semiconductor substrate 8 and the gate
electrode 754, wherein the contact via structure 782 extends
through the substrate capping silicon nitride layer 762.
[0177] In one embodiment, the lower contact via structure 782A
comprises: a metallic nitride liner 81 comprising a metallic
nitride material and contacting the semiconductor device and
including an annular top surface that contacts the upper contact
via structure portion 782B; and a metal fill portion 83 located
inside metallic nitride liner 81 and consisting essentially of at
least one metallic element.
[0178] In one embodiment, the semiconductor structure further
comprises: lower level dielectric material layers (i.e., a subset
of the layers in the dielectric layer stack 760) located over the
silicon nitride layer; lower level metal interconnect structures
embedded in the lower level dielectric material layers 764; a
planar semiconductor material layer 10 located between the lower
level dielectric material layers 760 and the alternating stack
(132, 232, 146, 246); a memory level dielectric material portion
(165 or 265) overlying the planar semiconductor material layer 10
and located at a level as the alternating stack (132, 232, 146,
246); upper level dielectric material layers (280, 282, 284)
located over the alternating stack (132, 232, 146, 246) and the
memory level dielectric material portion (165 or 265); and upper
level metal interconnect structures (96, 98) embedded in the upper
level dielectric material layers (280, 282, 284). The at least one
metal interconnect structure (784, 785, 786, 788, 488, 86, 96, 98)
comprises at least one of the lower level metal interconnect
structures (784, 785, 786, 788), at least one of the upper level
metal interconnect structures (96, 98), and a memory level via
structure 488 that extends through the memory level dielectric
material portion (165 or 265).
[0179] In one embodiment, the semiconductor structure further
comprises: a terrace region including stepped surfaces of layers of
the alternating stack (132, 232, 146, 246); a retro-stepped
dielectric material portion (165 or 265) overlying the stepped
surfaces and located at levels of the alternating stack (132, 232,
146, 246) and above the at least one second dielectric material
layer 768; and a through-dielectric contact via structure 488
vertically extending through the retro-stepped dielectric material
portion (165 or 265), the at least one second dielectric material
layer 768, and the etch stop silicon nitride layer 766 and
contacting a top surface of another lower metal line structure 788
of the lower metal interconnect structures 780. In one embodiment,
the through-dielectric contact via structure 488 directly contacts
the retro-stepped dielectric material portion (165 or 265) and the
at least one second dielectric material layer 768.
[0180] In one embodiment, the memory stack structures 55 can
comprise memory elements of a vertical NAND device. The
electrically conductive layers (146, 246) can comprise, or can be
electrically connected to, a respective word line of the vertical
NAND device. The substrate 8 can comprises a silicon substrate. The
vertical NAND device can comprise 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 can contain
an integrated circuit comprising the word line driver circuit and a
bit line driver circuit for the memory device. The array of
monolithic three-dimensional NAND strings can comprise a plurality
of semiconductor channels, wherein at least one end portion (such
as a vertical semiconductor channel 60) of each of the plurality of
semiconductor channels (59, 11, 60) extends substantially
perpendicular to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate 8, a
plurality of charge storage elements (as embodied as portions of
the memory material layer 54 located at each word line level), each
charge storage element located adjacent to a respective one of the
plurality of semiconductor channels (59, 11, 60), and a plurality
of control gate electrodes (as embodied as a subset of the
electrically conductive layers (146, 246) having a strip shape
extending substantially parallel to the top surface of the
substrate 8 (e.g., along the first horizontal direction hd1), 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.
Each of the memory stack structures 55 comprises a vertical
semiconductor channel 60 and a memory film 50.
[0181] Various electrical dopants in the source region 61 and the
drain regions 63 are activated by an activation anneal, which is
typically conducted at a temperature greater than 950 degrees
Celsius. Hydrogen diffusion from the various materials at the level
of the three-dimensional memory device (such as from the
alternating stack (132, 232, 146, 246) and/or from a TEOS oxide in
the retro-stepped dielectric material portions (165, 265)) to the
semiconductor devices may adversely impact the performance of the
semiconductor devices. The combination of the silicon nitride layer
674 and the upper contact via structure portions 782B blocks
diffusion of hydrogen to reduce or prevent degradation of
performance of the various semiconductor devices on the substrate 8
during high temperature anneal processes, thereby providing
superior performance for the three-dimensional memory device.
[0182] Although the foregoing refers to particular 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. Compatibility is presumed among all embodiments that
are not alternatives of one another. The word "comprise" or
"include" contemplates all embodiments in which the word "consist
essentially of" or the word "consists of" replaces the word
"comprise" or "include," unless explicitly stated otherwise. 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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